Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 387 A Bird Startled by the Bow (Part Two) [5.2K]

"Xiaotian, the relationship between us saved your life."

After examining the chip, Takemura crushed it into plastic dust in his palm.

This is a very clear warning.

Oda never expected his seniors and colleagues to be so stubborn.

"We both know who the enemy is, so why do we have to stick to the rules?"

Oda sighed.

Even he couldn't understand what was going on in this samurai's mind. "Okay, then let me ask you, you're showing a lack of trust in the young lady, aren't you? If Yoriyuki really does gain power one day, what will you do then? You're jumping to conclusions without thinking this through—"

"You've crossed the line, Oda."

Takemura's face was more serious than ever before.

"This is not a question for you or me to consider. We are soldiers, and all soldiers need to do is be loyal enough."

"Don't make me do it here..."

Takemura took a few more steps forward, almost face to face with Oda, his hands in front of him, a signal that he was ready to resort to violence at any moment.

The contents of the chip terrified him.

How dare they…

The atmosphere immediately became tense.

Saburo's entry into the life support clinic at Arasaka Tower in Tokyo was to completely dismantle his prosthetic body and disarm him.

The exception was that Takemura brought a gun.

This is Saburo's special permission.

Saburo always placed his trust in Takemura in these details. Even if there was some hesitation in his mind just moments before, when Saburo's safety was truly at stake, he would cast those thoughts aside as if deceiving himself...

But he did not pull out the kappa smart pistol for Oda.

unnecessary…

The combat strength of the top few in Arakawa.

Takemura believes his skills are still sharp, and his best performance in combat and grappling is in this area.

Do you really believe that a daughter would harm her own father?

Oda's composure finally began to crumble...

Combined with the state of his prosthetic eye's pupil, it now looked somewhat terrifying.

"Or are you planning to side with Lai Xuan?"

After all, Takemura was someone who served by the side of Arasaka Ryuu, and he wasn't the kind of person who would panic if he were labeled.

But this guy...

"Do you want to participate in these games that are played by adults?"

Takemura's cold laugh was undisguised. "As for whether there might be children who harm their fathers, I don't want to comment. What if..."

Xiaotian's fist suddenly clenched.

"You bastard--"

"Oda!"

A soft female voice came from behind.

A woman in a white kimono, accompanied by an Arasaka ninja, slowly walked in…

Takemura's expression changed.

Place your hands at your sides and bow slightly.

"Miss Hua Zi..."

"You...why are you here?"

As Hanako walked past Oda, she said, "Please step back first. I have a few words I'd like to say to Takemura-san alone."

Takemura, who had been on high alert, was somewhat at a loss after Hanako dismissed all the guards.

While waiting for the samurai to leave, Hanako's eyes remained fixed on Takemura's face.

“You’ve lost weight again, Takemura-san.”

Takemura could only nod, revealing an inappropriate smile.

He was so bad at smiling, and with his stubble, if you painted him, he would perfectly match the image of those sword-wielding samurai from a hundred years ago.

"So many years have passed, and you seem to have always been this reliable and stable."

"No wonder your father likes you."

Hua Zi walked slowly to the glass.

The glass reflected Takemura's composed face, while Hanako's gaze fell upon the misty, low-temperature room, creating a meaningful scene.

"Miss Hanako, I won't tell Lord Arakasaka about this."

Takemura said in a deep voice, "I understand your good intentions, but this medicine is too strong and inappropriate..."

"Lord Arasaka is a smart and powerful person. It's best to do as he says."

"I misspoke! I hope... Miss will not take offense."

Hua Zi listened quietly as he finished speaking, then turned his head and suddenly revealed a smile.

“Takemura-san, do you know what your father values ​​most in the world?”

Takemura thought for a while.

Longer life? Supreme power? Or a corporate empire with wealth comparable to a nation?

"I don't know, I hope Miss can enlighten me."

Hua Zi: "Me, and my brother."

"A home we can never return to."

Takemura looked as if struck by lightning, his eyes wide with astonishment, before he lowered his head in dejection.

"He has always treated you like his own child."

"My father and I saw someone on the train who was willing to give his life for Arasaka's ideals... Tell me, Takemura-san, what are you loyal to?"

"Is it Arasaka, or Father?"

"Father's life's work is the Arasaka company. Do you really want his life to be ruined by a rebellious person?"

Takemura: "But..."

Aragaka Hanako, who had been speaking gently just moments before, suddenly turned around and walked a few steps to Takemura Goro, almost causing him to take a step or two back.

They didn't give Takemura a chance to breathe at all.

Tell me, what are you loyal to?

Takemura fell silent.

"Takemura, answer."

Takemura gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, and suddenly lowered his head—

"It's Lord Arasaka!"

The tense and oppressive atmosphere dissipated instantly.

Hua Zi looked down at the samurai who was bending over in front of him and slowly straightening up.

"very good."

"Then you should..."

Zhucun's backbone seemed to be getting stronger and stronger. After he finished answering that question, the determination in his eyes left Hua Zi feeling somewhat at a loss.

"That's why we have to wait for Lord Arasaka."

"Under no circumstances will I agree to forge Lord Arasaka's orders. This is not only absurd, but also a challenge to Lord Arasaka's authority. If something goes wrong... young lady, you will be in danger."

Hua Zi seemed to have no expression at all.

Having lived in the old house for a long time, Takemura had seen photos of Miss Hanako as a child, and she seemed to have always looked the same.

The life and education she experienced were entirely tailor-made.

Family education.

Saburo Arasaka's power allowed Hanako to receive an education even better than that of a top university. As a child, Hanako's life consisted only of that yard and the detached villa.

This time, however, Hua Zi suddenly sighed, his dejection barely concealed.

She turned to stare at her father, who was out of sight in the room, and placed her hand on the glass, as if shaking hands with him.

“Takemura-san, I’m so glad my father has you looking after him.”

"But I'm so scared..."

“Heartless fate is more unpredictable than the puzzles in the most complex data matrices. His time… is running out.”

Takemura watched quietly.

For a moment, he hesitated.

"You heard some of what I said. Do you think the decision I proposed was right?"

Takemura gritted his teeth.

"What decision?"

Hua Zi remained silent.

Seeing that he could no longer fool anyone with his evasive answers, Takemura could only sigh, "Life and death are unpredictable. I believe Lord Arasaka is a magnanimous person."

He forcefully suppressed the urge to refute the plan that deprived people of life—a plan that made it seem like they were reborn by borrowing someone else's corpse.

"But that's not the best option."

Hua Zi smiled.

"is it?"

She understood that saying anything else was pointless.

"It seems I was too hasty. I also think that this was very inappropriate."

A glimmer of hope suddenly ignited in Takemura's heart.

It's like a drowning person grabbing at a straw. He can finally convince himself with reasons like "Miss Hua just hasn't figured it out yet" or "That kind of plan shouldn't have existed in the first place," as if nothing has changed.

"It's so good that you've come to your senses."

“Such advanced technology will surely make Arasaka’s future even stronger.” Hanako slowly lowered her hand. “That… would be the best.”

The gloomy look on Takemura's face dissipated considerably, and there was even a hint of a smile.

Just as Takemura breathed a sigh of relief, Hua Zi suddenly said, "I want to go in and see my father."

Takemura quickly shook his head.

Hua Zi was about to speak—

"It's too cold inside, Miss. It's not good for your health."

"Besides..."

Hua Zi stared at the blindly loyal warrior and smiled wryly.

"No one who enters Father's treatment room can use the prosthetic body, nor can they use the software or weapons..."

"You don't believe me?"

Takemura had always known that the young lady was an extremely skilled and intelligent hacker.

Hua Zi's words made him begin to doubt whether he had been taking things too seriously...

If Hua Zi were to suddenly visit and request to be near Sanlang, he would refuse without hesitation, but right now…

It doesn't seem that important anymore.

"Please wait."

Goro Takemura took off his suit jacket, revealing well-defined, powerful prosthetic muscles beneath his white shirt.

"I hope Miss won't find it offensive."

Takemura draped the clothes over Hanako's kimono, saying, "I'll stay here and watch over you."

Hua Zi reached out and lifted the collar of his heavy suit. "Then I'll leave it to you, Takemura-san."

Zhucun reached out and verified the password, pupil and biometric QR code information. After three verifications, a chilling aura approaching minus twenty degrees Celsius rushed out. He stood at the door and gestured for Hua Zi to enter.

Hua Zi walked unhurriedly toward the pool filled with various wires.

The liquid inside, as clear as water, hadn't frozen. Saburo, pale-skinned and like a withered tree, hung suspended above the pool, his kimono covered in frost...

Takemura was always the one responsible for waking Saburo up.

Even though he had seen such scenes many times, he still couldn't bear to look at them closely.

Hua Zi slowly sat down by the pool, looking down at his father.

"Father, I'm here."

Saburo naturally wouldn't give her any response.

Hua Zi slowly extended his hand, and a hint of wariness appeared in Zhu Cun's eyes.

Only after seeing Hua Zi merely reach out to straighten Sanlang's collar did he wipe his nose and continue to stand patiently waiting.

The low temperature was not particularly unbearable for Takemura.

Because when he was in Hokkaido, enduring the cold was just the first lesson he learned.

Hua Zi patiently straightened the collar of his kimono, tidied Saburo's gray hair, and then slowly stood up.

"Then please ask Takemura-san not to let anyone get close to Father. We'll decide everything after he wakes up."

Takemura was naturally pleased that Hanako thought that way, and after nodding, he stretched out his arm for Hanako to grab on to prevent the ground from being slippery.

Hua Zi accepted Zhu Cun's help without hesitation and glanced at his father again.

"That's enough for now, Takemura-san."

"You also need to check some necessary details; you can't skip them just because it's my job."

Takemura never expected the young lady to be so frank.

Feeling a little embarrassed, he bowed and said, "Yes, Miss."

Watching Hua Zi disappear through the door.

Takemura then walked over to Saburo, glanced at the data and firewall logs, and checked Saburo's brain-computer interface and other parts before leaving.

The cold room fell silent once more.

However, beneath Saburo's closed eyes, it seemed as if his eyeballs were rolling, and a faint sigh seemed like an auditory hallucination.

now.

Walking through the floors of the Arasaka Tower, Hanako, followed by guards such as Oda, was already quite far from Saburo's hypothermia treatment room.

"Oda."

"The Arasaka Tower of Night City should have already received the order. If we can't get through Takemura, there's no need for us to try anymore. Achieving this step is within an acceptable range."

On Hua Zi's wrist, the human-computer interaction line slowly changed from transparent to gray in the light and shadow, drooping down.

She looked quietly at her wrist and said softly, "I guess my brother is like a startled bird; any slight movement will trigger an unpredictable reaction in him. Let's make good use of this opportunity. How's the investigation you asked me to do going?"

Xiao Tian bowed and said, "Young Miss."

"Hermann is lying. The finished chip only requires a complete copy of the sample's process code, which he can do anytime..."

Oda's expression was filled with murderous intent.

Hua Zi raised his palm.

"Do not."

"The sparrows perched on the branches, and if one of them is suddenly startled, the rest will fly away."

"Let's see what this frightened bird does."

“If necessary… give him some help.”

……
-
Night City, Arasaka Tower, dawn.

Seated at the long board table are the top executives who control the tower and the nation of nearly 30,000 employees below.

The agenda for today's meeting had not been announced even half an hour after all attendees had arrived.

Intuition told V.

problem occurs.

V and Xu, who were sitting not far away, exchanged a glance. They both remained silent and turned their gazes to Arasaka Michiko, who was pacing back and forth at the end of the table. Those who did not have communication privileges dared not speak out and did not urge Michiko.

After all, this was an order from headquarters.

Strictly speaking, the president of any regional branch in the world is a commander who has access to the highest level of classified intelligence in that region.

But at this moment, Michiko had no idea what had happened.

She had no choice but to comply with the martial law order issued by headquarters.

The reason she was so obedient today was that the order wasn't issued by her ruthless uncle, but rather a procedural instruction that Arasaka would give in the event of a major intelligence leak. In other words…

This order could only be issued by Saburo Arasaka, the supreme ruler of this empire.

What happened?
Michiko watched as her aunt, who was also the person who best embodied Saburo's will in Arasaka, didn't answer her call for a long time... Her anxiety grew stronger.

So she scanned all the faces of these people and finally her gaze settled on the woman with a high ponytail and a defined jawline. She was sitting sideways, rolling a mechanical lighter in her hand...

What's interesting is the seating arrangement.

V entered the Arasaka Tower board of directors in his official capacity. The shareholders were arranged in order, and V could only sit at the very end, at one end of the long table, while Michiko sat at the other end. However, when Michiko placed her hand on the table and stared at V, the high-ranking members of their respective factions all had an expression of watching a show.

A range of emotions were expressed, including indifference, curiosity, and confusion.

The woman, who was looking down and playing with the lighter in her hand, had a faint smile on her lips that went unnoticed by anyone.

Then she raised her head, staring intently at Michiko, a look of genuine doubt on her face.

"V, does the counterintelligence department have anything to say?"

This woman…

They want to find the answers to everything they don't understand by looking within themselves.

It really is a deliberate targeting.

Everyone knows that the confrontation between the counterintelligence department and Michiko has been going on for a long time. What's even more puzzling is that Michiko has an independent armed company called Dangerous Girls. After spending half a year in Japan, she came back with a huge mess... All these actions that failed to gain an advantage have made the counterintelligence department stand on its own, and headquarters has no intention of intervening at all.

Many people dislike V.

However, it must be admitted that the opportunity this woman seized made it impossible for headquarters to openly support Michiko.

On the one hand, the person in charge of the headquarters is a hawk, and on the other hand, neither the doves nor the naives can find a suitable reason to get rid of her.

The Night City Arasaka Tower is now even being jokingly referred to as the "V faction," and this trend has naturally reached Michiko's ears several times. It's no wonder that when she couldn't contact headquarters, her first thought was to cause trouble for Michiko.

Everyone was waiting for V's response, but the head of the counterintelligence department, who seemed poised to prank Michiko at this juncture, stood up—

“Assistant Jenkins is already in the counterintelligence department. He is reviewing all operations, all details, permissions, and risk reports.”

"I was a bit busy just now and forgot to tell you."

Michiko's gaze froze for a moment, and after receiving confirmation from the Arasaka ninja behind her, her expression immediately turned somewhat awkward.

V will not let any mistake by the enemy go unpunished.

Even in terms of sheer presence.

Even if V has a lot of power, these shareholders who have more or less connections with other companies are still in a higher position than her.

Everyone wants to support a powerful person and follow them. Michiko's momentum is already quite bad, so it's already a gain to annoy her with something like this.

as predicted.

What everyone could see was a highly competent counterintelligence officer who answered questions seriously and had prepared in advance, and a ruler who rashly caused discord due to insufficient information.

High judgment.

Michiko racked her brains but couldn't understand why this woman was so calm, as if she didn't care about the affairs of headquarters at all.

Perhaps only someone of Michiko's level would know that something was going wrong at headquarters, but V is someone who is openly standing behind Lai Xuan, so how could she not know anything?
V's actions effectively shut down Michiko's attempts to probe for more details, leaving her with no other option but to wait for Jenkins to report that he had found nothing.

V shrugged and slowly sat down.

Her hands, folded on her crossed thighs, moved slightly, her little fingers tapping rhythmically and intermittently, as she looked at Michiko with amusement, who was like a frightened bird.

It's impossible for Michiko to contact the Night City headquarters.

Because at this moment, there is something within the regional network that even Arasaka cannot detect, blocking the signal.

This is a targeted plan with a huge information gap.

At this moment, she was waiting for an opportunity, and Michiko had no choice but to seize it…

……

……

(End of this chapter)