Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 389 A Bird Startled by the Bow (Part 4, End of Chapter) [6K]

Inside the Arasaka Tower.

To prevent his sister from making any moves, Lai Xuan kept a close eye on the armed groups belonging to the dove faction.

Bamboo Village did not move—

Lai Xuan keenly noticed this information.

However, right now...

These hawks are all watching closely, and Lai Xuan must give them an explanation.

"What exactly happened, Lord Raigen?"

The speaker was Shigeru Koizumi, one of the board shareholders of Arasaka and an important figure among the hawks.

He previously worked for the European Space Agency, and later, due to his solid technical foundation in the aerospace field, transferred to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency—until the War of Unification, when Shigeo Koizumi joined Arasaka, where his contributions to Project Unkai were considerable…

It's fair to say that the hawks contributed a great deal to Project Cloud Sea.

Perhaps because he always looks to the stars, Shigeru Koizumi is nothing like the technocrats among the doves.

Lai Hsuan was able to win the support of Shigeru Koizumi and 30% of the heads of more than 100 branches around the world entirely because he was able to satisfy his ambition.

As CEO under Saburo Arasaka's supervision, Lai Xuan gradually strengthened the hawkish faction through his own mediation and dared to delegate authority to his subordinates.

At the time, Shigeru Koizumi was facing a situation where he was marginalized within the European Space Agency and had accepted financial support from other companies, leaving him with virtually no way out…

Until he met Lai Xuan.

Lai Xuan's actions ensured that Koizumi Shigeru received the title of chief designer for the cloud sea project, eliminating all dissidents within Arasaka who opposed the plan, including those who had failed to realize the vision at the European Space Agency.

Throughout this process, even Lai Xuan did not think that Shigeru Koizumi was just a senior executive with a technical background.

His pursuit of absolute power became the rope that tightly bound Arasaka Yorinobu to him.

Therefore, after something like this happened today, Shigeru Koizumi was undoubtedly the most nervous.

Seeing the differing emotions among the hawks at headquarters, Lai Xuan finally spoke—

"My identity permissions have been denied."

A single sentence caused a huge uproar!

what? !

Does this mean that Lai Xuan has been legally stripped of his status as CEO of Arasaka Corporation?

In that instant, Lai Xuan became certain that the hawks also had many blind followers.

This was exactly as he had predicted. Lai Xuan believed that if, under ideal circumstances, Arasaka fell into internal strife, he would consider it a success if he could command 10% of his people.

The time was still too short.

Lai Xuan never expected that his ambition would come at a price in the Relic project.

“Charles, tell them what’s going on.”

The supervisor in charge of Lai Xuan's security distributed the intelligence to everyone.

It wasn't until these hot potatoes were in everyone's hands that they realized how uncertain their current situation was.

Saburo Arasaka…

We know everything.

Lai Xuan did not keep any for himself.

At this critical juncture, certain details of the Relic project cannot be kept secret. If Saburo were to target the hawks, everyone who knew about the Relic project would die… Of course, Yoriyuki did not tell everyone the inside story that Relic might be used by Saburo Arasaka to revive himself.

He simply wanted to use this intelligence to inform the hawkish leaders, including Arasaka, about what they possessed.

"Is this some kind of bluff?"

"eternal life?!"

"this…"

Like a bomb dropped into calm water, the board members and senior executives, who didn't understand the technical details but knew the implications of the intelligence, instinctively exclaimed in surprise.

Koizumi Shigeru's eyes gleamed, but as he listened to Charles's explanation and checked the intelligence, his expression was truly terrible.

"I do not understand…"

"Lord Lai Xuan, why are you getting involved in the Relic project?"

Lai Xuan was pacing back and forth with his chin resting on his hand when he heard his most important subordinate speak. He looked up and gave a meaningful smile.

Shigeru Koizumi continued, "Arasaka's future certainly doesn't lie in these unethical and illegal experiments—"

"Koizumi-san!"

Lai Xuan immediately interrupted the hawkish senior official…

"Let's skip the empty talk about Arasaka's future being in the stars and the sea."

"We both understand what this means."

Are you all prepared to let our adversaries seize this technology?

For a moment, the hawks fell silent.

joke…

How could we so easily let such a technology, capable of causing bloodshed, fall into the hands of chicks and pigeons?

However, Arakasaka wanted to be the first company to violate international law, and also the first to take the plunge. Not to mention that the Relic project was something Saburo personally oversaw—no one in the hawk faction was willing to start a war. As long as Saburo was alive, they would always lack the most important tone.

This was something Arasaka Yorinobu could have foreseen.

An impulse instantly flooded the young company leader's mind...

That thought would be extremely terrifying to anyone.

That is--

Patricide!

Only when the legendary figure who runs this century-old enterprise is completely dead can these good-for-nothings truly cast aside their fear and follow in Lai Xuan's footsteps.

But Lai Xuan dared not accept this title.

Assassinating Saburo was tantamount to an act of war.

If Saburo loses his life, and things get out of control, it could escalate into a national-level war…

Even though Lai Xuan acted recklessly, he dared not bear the blame for killing Sanlang, at least not on the surface... It would be best if someone else could take the blame, but it absolutely could not be himself.

"Ethics, national law."

"Hmph...Do you really think Arakasaka will stop because of this?"

Lai Xuan's voice was firm and resounding.

Not a single hawkish high-ranking official dared to take the bait…

Everyone understands the logic, and they also know that Lai Xuan's actions of spying on the Relic project and even trying to force it to go public are perfectly legitimate and the most favorable choice for the hawks.

"Having said that."

Shigeru Koizumi knew that there was no turning back now.

"Arasaka... Lord, haven't you taken any action?"

Everyone had their own faction, and they had been gathering information long before Lai Xuan's message arrived.

There was no chaos in Arasaka, and Saburo made no move at all, leaving Koizumi Shigeru unsure of what to do.

These high-ranking officials exchanged glances.

Lai Xuanchai suspected that their speculative intentions had resurfaced...

Will Lord Arasaka support your decision?

One guy gritted his teeth and still managed to say the words, "I'm entrusting my life to someone else."

Lai Xuan's eyes were somewhat sinister as he immediately locked onto the guy.

The man swallowed his words back at the sight of the man's murderous aura hidden behind his brown sunglasses.

Before Lai Xuan could even speak, Koizumi Shigeru actually intervened and suppressed the idea.

Are you all planning to wash your necks clean and let others slaughter you?

This statement is too blatant. Although the hawks are currently on the verge of rebellion, no one dares to replace Saburo Arasaka's name with someone else.

"Arasaka is already rotten."

Shigeru Koizumi stood up. "Our continuous decline in the military industry, the lukewarm response in overseas markets, and the bottomless pitfalls of our massive investment in the moon have yet to create a deterrent effect..."

Lai Xuan quietly crossed his arms and looked at Koizumi Shigeru with a meaningful expression.

At this point, he needed this kind of ambitious person.

“The financial reports on the investment in the Relic project have not been made public for years. If we continue down this path, we will lose many opportunities.”

This statement, which tied himself to the company, left few of the speculators among the hawks daring to refute it.

But reaching a consensus is bound to be a troublesome matter.

"Where did we lose the initiative?! Koizumi! Don't make us make the wrong decisions."

"If Lord Saburo takes no action, it proves that the Relic project will eventually be taken over by Lord Raigen. It's only a matter of time. Do we really have to resort to such a destructive method?"

Lai Xuan had no intention of getting involved.

He had to get some things done before the final battle.

"Haven't we lost the initiative yet?"

The capable woman crossed her legs; she looked like a typical East Asian Japanese woman with high cheekbones and small, short eyes.

Don't fool yourself.

"Isn't the damage that idiot Michiko caused to the North American branch enough...? Don't forget, we almost opened up the Arasaka military weapons market with Dogtown, and look at us now?"

"Not only did they benefit our defecting employees, but Dogtown and Taipingzhou are also firmly bound together, and they even want to be turtles."

The disdainful tone, coupled with the barbed sarcasm, made the man who was hoping for a lucky break turn red and white.

He's just a mouthpiece...

The moment Lai Xuan touched the gun in his bedroom, he forced himself to calm down.

Even when time is short, he will not lose his composure.

He often joked to himself: if he had the chance to kill the enemy, he would have to think about how to shift the blame onto the external enemy.

"Are you talking about the defector minister of that branch?"

"Those bastards from Dogtown are utterly untrustworthy, they're all executioners and scum!"

"He's dead. The stuff is in the hands of a slut. If this succeeds, the first thing we'll do is wipe out these bastards!"

There was a gaunt, irritable Japanese man who looked like he had hyperthyroidism.

"Lord Yorinobu!"

The samurai squad filed in...

It was Lai Xuan's vanguard.

"There's movement over there."

Everyone stopped their chatter and turned their gazes to Lai Xuan.

"The security guards belonging to the cybersecurity department have already set up defenses at Lord Arasaka's location."

"The Tokyo mansion is also being adjusted to the highest possible level—"

"The state is under lockdown."

Upon hearing those words, Lai Xuan admitted that the fire in his chest was burning fiercely...

His own father was still giving orders, but he insisted on putting on an act of... helplessness and resignation.

Something seems off, but Lai Xuan can't quite put his finger on it...

This is nothing like his father's style of doing things.

But Saburo Arasaka's actions were tantamount to a signal of war, and Yoriyuki felt a sense of powerlessness and frustration, as if in the end Saburo was the one who made all the decisions.

"Damn it!"

Lai Xuan's sudden outburst of curses sent a shiver down the spines of the hawks. Was he cursing his own father...?

I'd heard that the current president of Arakawa had a rebellious past, but I never expected him to actually swear at it...

"Does Lord Arasaka mean... he doesn't want the situation to escalate?"

This is the only reason that Shigeru Koizumi could think of.

But this doesn't quite make sense either...

Neither the Chick Faction nor Saburo seems to have proactively contacted Lai Xuan yet…

To avoid misjudgment.

"Lord Lai Xuan, didn't they propose peace talks?"

Lai Xuan sneered.

"Peace talks?"

"Was it right to let Arasaka's opportunity slip away? My father... was always thinking about how to live longer, and Arasaka spent unimaginable resources on that?"

"You old codger..."

As the folder he had casually grabbed fell to the ground, the hawks, upon hearing Lai Xuan's "filial piety" speech, completely failed to connect him with the image of someone who had been obedient to Sanlang for the past six months.

This is a complete breakdown in relations.

No one dared to speak to Lai Xuan, who was in a fit of rage, and could only listen to him continue to say some rebellious and dangerous things.

Everyone understands that the leaders of the hawks are now extremely nervous and easily frightened.

Furthermore, given Lai Hsuan's history of emotional instability during his management, this incident made the expressions of the hawkish leaders quite interesting...

Koizumi Shigeru could only stand up. "Lord Yoriyuki, if Admiral Murata Tsuru is still stationed in Tokyo, we should keep a close eye on this guy... I have already ordered the European branch to move, and now we are just waiting for your orders. We will follow your instructions."

This acted like a catalyst, exacerbating Lai Xuan's already uneasy state of mind.

"Keep a close eye on the Yunhai Project; we can't afford any problems."

Shigeru Koizumi nodded.

The woman who had spoken so sharply earlier also spoke up: "Lord Lai Xuan, Tokyo is not safe. I suggest you go to North America or Europe now."

The crowd joined in...

"Yes."

As for Tokyo, it would be good if Lai Xuan could get 30% of the power. Most of the armed forces in the important facilities of the industrial park would probably betray Lai Xuan sooner or later just by hearing Saburo's name.

"Lord Lai Xuan has ordered us to do everything in our power to rescue him; we must ensure that the chief expert in charge of Relic-related technologies escapes."

The security manager said so.

Everyone looked at Lai Xuan—

Lai Xuan nodded affirmatively.

Although time was short, Lai Xuan had considered everything he could think of and everything that needed to be done. It would be difficult to launch an attack on Arasaka Tower, after all, Tokyo was not only home to Arasaka, Tsunami Military Industry was still there...

Shigeru Koizumi sighed.

They immediately arranged for someone to find a way for Lai Xuan to escape.

soon…

An Osprey transport plane arrived on time; it was the vehicle Lai Xuan would use when he left.

Although Lai Xuan's access was suspended, it didn't stop his hackers from continuing to provide him with information. Lai Xuan stared at the indicator lights of the Arasaka branch on various tectonic plates of the three-dimensional Earth. This system could monitor all of Arasaka's actions globally, and it couldn't be stopped by command...

The hawks were all staring intently at the seemingly calm 3D map, waiting for the outcome of the operation by Lai Xuan's special forces.

"Lord Lai Xuan, we request authorization to take action."

On the screen in front of Lai Xuan, the fully armed squad commander asked a question.

As long as Lai Xuan gives the order to fire.

It's like throwing a spark into a pile of dry wood; there will only be more unpredictable situations to come.

a long time--

Koizumi Shigeru said from behind, "Give the order, Lord Yorinobu."

Lai Xuan turned his head and glanced at the people standing there, then reached for the action authorization interface... Throughout the entire process, Shigeru Koizumi kept a close eye on him.

"Ok?"

The woman with the sharp eyes seemed to sense something was wrong.

She instinctively took a step forward.

Before Lai Xuan could even touch her, the woman suddenly rushed forward. The already tense security supervisor instinctively tried to stop her, but the woman stumbled and knocked Lai Xuan to the ground…

The people, already on edge, could hardly withstand such a sudden change!

"Damn it! What's going on!"

Lai Xuan felt a strong hand grab his shoulder. Before he could draw his gun, the control panel in front of him suddenly shut down, and a strong short-circuit current instantly pierced the air.

"Protect Lord Lai Xuan!"

The woman looked like she came from the Arasaka Unit…

Her eyes were filled with dark clouds as she stared intently at everyone present, and the entire system of the Arasaka Tower collapsed instantly.

Although the electric current couldn't kill Lai Xuan, if Lai Xuan were to have even the slightest problem at this critical juncture, the fate of the hawks would be predictable.

Just as Lai Xuan's mind was in a daze—

A woman's face appeared on the big screen.

Before the chaotic crowd could even see what was happening, they heard Hua Zi's voice.

"We've finally met..."

"elder brother."

Lai Xuan was helped to his feet by the woman. In his astonishment, the security chief behind him shouted, "Lord Lai Xuan! All the orders we issued in Tokyo have been intercepted!"

"what?!"

"What the hell are you talking about, you bastard?!"

Shigeru Koizumi grabbed the security supervisor by the collar, his gaze towards Hanako quite hostile, and growled, "Have your men fill in everything below the top floor of Arasaka Tower, understand?!"

Lai Xuan suddenly reached out.

While still roaring, Koizumi Shigeru saw Lai Xuan slowly stand up with a hunched back. Everyone stared intently at their leader. The security supervisor gritted his teeth and could only turn his head away, not daring to look at Hua Zi's face on the screen, and went down to do his job.

"Hua Zi".

Lai Xuan shook his head with a wry smile.

Unfortunately, communication here has long since become one-way... Hua Zi cannot see the others, and the others can only hear Hua Zi speaking unilaterally.

"When you see me, it means that you have committed a terrible mistake, brother."

"Please forgive me for not addressing you as President Arasaka, but you currently have no authority to manage Arasaka—"

"Lord Yorinobu!"

Shigeru Koizumi gritted his teeth; all he wanted to do right now was turn that damn screen off.

Lai Xuan raised his palm again, interrupting his subordinate who was about to speak.

Now he only feels regret...

Arakasaka Yoriyuki had thought countless times day and night about how he should maximize his advantages on the day the decisive battle would arrive, but he never expected it to be so rushed. He was completely unaware that Hanako and Arakasaka Saburo had interrogated Herman that day. In some matters, Arakasaka Saburo's control was absolute.

Although I didn't panic too much today, I was wrong from the start.

The consequences of acting rashly are...

Hua Zi has evidence that Lai Xuan mobilized the Arasaka armed forces, and this matter could be a big or small one.

However, his act of rescuing Herman had angered Saburo.

That was the old emperor's most valued secret, and now that Lai Xuan has made his move, he will naturally suffer the consequences.

Lai Xuan had no intention of brooding or communicating with Hua Zi in the void. He turned his head and growled, "Stop Herman's operation!"

The technical staff member said tremblingly, "Lord Lai Xuan...within the system..."

Koizumi Shigeru kicked the guy in the thigh, yelling, "Damn it!"

The head of the technical department, his face contorted with despair, shouted, "The highest authority running within the system now belongs to... Lord Arasaka! We no longer have permission to access the system—"

Almost immediately!
The woman who had just protected Lai Xuan said, "Quickly! Lord Lai Xuan!"

There's very little that Lai Xuan can do in Tokyo.

The old emperor tightly controlled the capital, and only by getting away from here could Lai Xuan gain more opportunities.

then…

Lai Xuan's stiff and tense body could only gradually relax.

Koizumi Shigeru stared at Lai Xuan's retreating figure, if he remembered correctly...

He has repeatedly urged Lai Xuan to make a decision by making such loud reminders.

"Lord Yorinobu!"

Lai Xuan felt even more agitated and almost immediately turned around and walked away.

At this moment, the hackers who were fighting for control of the server near the floor below Arasaka Tarasunobu's floor noticed something unusual.

"Holy crap! Intrusion!"

"Not from Arakazama—"

"Ugh!"

Arasaka Tower suddenly lost power!
Before Lai Xuan could take more than a few steps up the floor, all the lights in the brightly lit, spacious room stopped working!
"Arasaka Tower's internal network has been attacked!"

The technical department shouted out immediately upon receiving the notification from the hackers.

The series of unexpected events brought Lai Xuan to the brink of collapse...

hum…

A strange sound followed.

Just as Lai Xuan's hackers were still fighting desperately, blood-red data seemed to be torn out of various instruments and equipment by a giant hand. They cried out as they lost their lives in the overload of data. At the same time, Hua Zi, far away in his Tokyo mansion, was watching his hackers.

She suddenly took a step back while watching a large amount of data scrolling on the screen.

The next second, the hackers soaking in the cooling pool seemed to be enveloped by black data blocks like oil, emitting desperate and inhuman electronic groans.

"A black wall?!"

Before Hanako could examine the situation closely, the ninjas inside the Tokyo mansion crowded around her and pushed her to the back.

at the same time!

Time seemed to stand still in Lai Xuan's office. He watched the sparks fly everywhere, the strange movements of his loyal subordinates running towards him, and…

The imaging device that Saburo used to project his holographic image and command Arasaka.

As the light flickered, a young face emerged from the chaotic interplay of light and shadow.

Lai Xuan was completely speechless; he could only stare at that image so familiar it was ingrained in his very being, and just stare...

"That old hag Hua Zi, tsk, what a nuisance..."

"Thanks, Black Wall!"

Lin Yue looked somewhat tired.

His gaze settled on Lai Xuan amidst the chaotic crowd. This was their first meeting in a year, but this time Lai Xuan looked like a disheveled child.

“Mr. Lai Xuan, it seems that our deal will have to be fulfilled ahead of schedule.”

The guy said with a smile.

……

……

(End of this chapter)