Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 392 Reappearance (Part 1) [5.9K]

"President Michiko, we have news!"

It had been five hours since all the Night City board members and management had been in the atrium.

Everyone was anxious. It was as if Tokyo had completely disappeared from the world and could not be contacted. The regional network technicians and hackers had been working for an unknown amount of time, but network communication remained suspended until the news arrived.

The person who came in spoke softly, but it woke up the guys sitting at the table.

V was twirling the lighter in her hand when she heard the report from Michiko's aide. The lighter stopped spinning abruptly, and her beautiful eyes were fixed on the guy.

Even though she had unparalleled confidence in Rin, she was still worried.

"Tokyo is connected?"

Michiko had been sitting in the chair rubbing her temples, clearly her patience had reached its limit.

What she said was exactly what she hoped would happen at that moment.

Yes.

Although Michiko, a company president, doesn't have much talent for internal power struggles, she still has a keen sense of smell.

She would never believe that nothing had happened at Arasaka's Tokyo headquarters... but what could possibly be happening in Tokyo that could keep the news from getting out of the loop for so long? It could only be at the level of the board of directors, and this feeling of being an outsider wasn't pleasant...

Moreover, Michiko guessed that her grandfather was probably not in a conscious state.

"Yes."

The advisor's confident statement drew the attention of Night City's management...

"Furthermore, headquarters has requested that we connect now. Arasaka needs to hold an emergency meeting to raise the threat level for all Arasaka areas, except for special zones, to..."

Michiko was starting to lose her temper.

"Have you just learned to speak?"

The staff member just didn't dare to say it in front of so many people on the board of directors; as long as the boss nodded, he wouldn't have to take responsibility.

"Upgrade to the Falcon Agreement!"

The guy gritted his teeth and said it.

Michiko suddenly stood up—

"what?!"

Shouldn't this kind of thing be reported directly to the CEO?
Whenever something like this happens, Michiko Araka will look towards the highest-ranking person in the counterintelligence department…

V wants to slap this bitch across the face twice.

Even she, the president, didn't know about the Falcon Agreement. It seems something's happened at headquarters. Those two don't treat Michiko like a human being at all...

So all she could do was give a cold laugh.

Just as Michiko was about to launch her attack, the system took over the Arasaka branch—

"Falcon Protocol activated... Do not leave Arasaka Tower unless absolutely necessary."

The lights in the atrium dimmed rapidly, and a chilling red glow emanated from the damp indoor botanical gardens, accompanied by a piercing alarm. Everyone on the board seemed numb.

Xu Zhi was a little confused about the situation...

He felt a sudden pang of heart palpitation for no apparent reason.

That was a very bad premonition.

The holographic projection devices around the entire conference table activated automatically, embedding the conference table into the vast venue. To the left, a silver-haired, clearly Japanese man with a somewhat gloomy gaze, looked at Michiko Arasaka with unfriendly eyes…

That's Lucy's father.

The failed operation left Lucy missing...

Although Michiko insisted that her runaway daughter had been buried at sea, the fact that her body was nowhere to be found filled Lucy's father with worry.

However, he was just a high-ranking official in the Warsaw branch. Michiko, as a regional president, could choose not to explain herself.

All branches?!

Xu Zhixian was taken aback as he looked around the nearly 300 people in the venue, and at the same time he saw V looking at him with an inquiring gaze.

Arasaka's global conference...

Who organized this level of organization? Could it be Sanlang?

At this point, we can only remain inactive.

Did Rin make a mistake?
V could only nervously turn the lighter in his hand that should have belonged to Rin.

Rin personally handed it to her more than ten hours ago, and now she is praying that the owner of this lighter has made sure everything is in order.

Rin only mentioned that something was going to happen at headquarters, but she didn't say it would escalate to the point of the Hayabusa Agreement or even trigger the global Arasaka Conference...

V had dreamed countless times of sitting in this venue, becoming one of those powerful figures.

but…

The people here could only wait quietly for the Arasaka family to appear at the main table above.

Once inside the venue, Michiko's connections came into play. It was visibly clear that Michiko's brows were relaxing, which left the hawks who noticed this subtle movement somewhat dumbfounded.

Am I dreaming?

Michiko's heart was still pounding.

The dove leader in Japan, who wanted to emulate his uncle's ruthless methods in Arasaka but was repeatedly thwarted, seemed to have won the lottery.

Something did happen in Tokyo.

And it was an incredibly big event...

Even though those colleagues spoke very vaguely, without exception, it proved that the current CEO, Arasaka, might be replaced...

Perhaps because she had been fooled so many times, Michiko was even unwilling to believe it. Even though her intelligence agency told her that the credibility of the matter was over 70%, she still chose to call her own aunt.

The Arasaka network in Night City is now connected to Japan; I doubt Hua Zi would refuse to make a phone call.

as predicted.

She met the person in power who would likely become Arasaka's new representative in the future.

"Miss Hua Zi."

Michiko did not switch the phone to private mode.

Hua Zi's makeup on the screen was too pale. V, who grew up in Chinatown in Watson District, had heard a saying that in the East, only the colors of the dead are so pale.

Moreover, the woman kept looking at V as soon as she appeared, which forced V to stand up and greet her, just like the other shareholders.

"Gentlemen, it seems life in Night City has become too comfortable. Unless one of my people contacts you first... are you going to stay out of it tonight?"

Hua Zi's slap was very loud.

Everyone hung their heads, looking like they didn't know how to defend themselves.

Only V knew that this slap was actually meant for himself…

interesting.

V didn't expect Hua Zi's approach to be so novel, and wanted to push the matter of the short-term network issue onto her.

However, V can also take responsibility for this incident.

After all, she was doing what Rin did to prevent the Arasaka Yoru no Shiro branch from contacting headquarters, but at this sensitive juncture, she wouldn't easily admit it.

As expected, while Michiko appeared to be filled with shame, Hanako's narrowed eyes were actually directed at V when she said those words.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hua, but the cybersecurity department has always been managed by the counterintelligence department. No matter what happens at headquarters, the upward and downward communication functions are not working. I cannot shirk my responsibility—"

Unexpectedly, Hua Zi didn't just raise his hand and gently bring it down today.

"Mistakes in the battle."

Hua Zi's tone suddenly turned cold.

Before V could speak, Michiko's samurai had already rushed into the courtyard and looked in their direction.

It exploded...

Originally, all the senior executives from various regions were present in this venue. Hua Zi authorized the elite soldiers of Night City to arrest the head of the counterintelligence department without going through Michiko... It seems that time is very urgent and there is no room for V to stay here for even a second longer.

"Miss Hua! What does this mean?!"

At this point, Xu Zhi had no choice but to speak.

The Night City hawks are currently relying on V to hold them back. If V is taken down so easily, how good will their fate be?
Although I knew that Michiko Arasaka must have made thorough preparations before doing this, there were some things that had to be done.

Many shareholders looked at each other, muttering doubts.

V never expected things to turn out this way!

When the two soldiers pressed down on her shoulders, V was almost ready to fight back, even though her prosthetic body was disabled.

only…

Was it really the right time to act rashly?

Rin never said he would do it himself; he only told himself to do what needed to be done and then wait patiently—he rarely gave himself any instructions, but for the first time, he repeated the instruction not to cause any conflict inside the Arasaka Tower.

“Miss Hua, we’ve missed a crucial opportunity… I don’t understand.”

V shook off the two soldiers who were hesitant to hold his shoulders. After all, they were from the security department, and V's infamous reputation made even the two junior security officers quite fearful...

Company liquidation doesn't care about your status.

If you're involved in this incident, you'd better hope that the person you offended dies as soon as possible, otherwise the retaliation from the company will be much harsher than what happens on the street.

"Then you can see for yourself how many attack signals to Tokyo tonight came from Night City and North America!"

An attack on...Tokyo?!

Not to mention V, even Michiko, who was planning to kick him while he was down, was sweating profusely.

Even if it was her aunt who wanted to help her by using a pretext to destroy V, the counterintelligence minister might not necessarily bear full responsibility for the cyberattack on Tokyo. On a larger scale, Michiko would also be implicated.

But Hua Zi clearly owes V a debt.

The fact that Lai Xuan hadn't come out by this point already spoke volumes...

V finally realized just how bad the situation was.

These shareholders are all shrewd people. They can tell that Hua Zi is determined to destroy V. Almost no one speaks, except for Xu Zhi who is still standing.

Hua Zi acted like the host.

"Is Xu Zhi's assistant so used to being President Lai Xuan's assistant that he can't sit down?"

Hua Zi's words undoubtedly plunged Xu Zhi into an ice cave.

What happened...?

V, on the other hand, was quite frank; she wanted to see what Hua Zi was going to do.

"Regarding the cyberattack originating from Night City that you just reported, it was our oversight, Miss Hua..."

"But is it really just a problem with our counterintelligence department?"

"Miss Hua, are you trying to dismiss me?"

V's unfriendly tone made the gloating expressions in the shareholders' eyes even more pronounced, and even Xu Zhi secretly shook his head.

It seems that an overly smooth-sailing life can indeed make people fail to recognize their own shortcomings. For example, V is clearly too arrogant right now.

Hua Zi's audacity suggests he possesses the means to completely dismantle V. Of course, all of this was witnessed by other branches. They saw what appeared to be a cleaning operation taking place at the Night City branch's meeting place, and soon they all learned that the head of Night City's counterintelligence department was in trouble…

This kind of thing happens every day in the company; it's not unusual.

"You mean I can't touch you without Lai Xuan's orders, right?"

The light in V's eyes slowly dimmed.

Hua Zi suddenly disappeared from the Night City branch's large screen...

Instead, all the images were linked together, and she appeared at the very front of the fan-shaped venue, surrounded by admirers.

"Everyone."

The moment Hua Zi's voice echoed throughout the venue.

Michiko finally smiled knowingly…

Her eyes revealed undisguised and pure malice as she looked at the woman being held captive by Hua Zi.

"Today's impromptu meeting and the upward adjustment of the Falcon Agreement are special circumstances, not the company's original intention—"

"We have enemies among us, usurpers who are starting to interfere with Arasaka Mirai. Now we need an opportunity like this to be baptized."

After saying this, Hua Zi looked toward the Arasaka Yoru no Shiro branch.

"President Yoriyuki Arasaka made significant contributions to the company's business expansion in many aspects during his tenure, but it is clear that he is not suitable for this position."

Wow!
This caused an uproar at the venue.

No one expected Hua Zi to appear so bluntly.

"Is this... really true?!"

"Miss Hua! What exactly happened?!"

"Damn it... I knew Lai Xuan was just messing around."

Hua Zi quietly observed the terrified looks in the eyes of those "eagles".

In her opinion…

Those who are arrogant and ignorant about the future and how the world works should pay the price.

"We want to see Lord Lai Xuan!"

The European hawks have clearly inherited the barbaric methods of the European Parliament; they show no restraint, roaring like wild beasts, standing up and raising their arms in protest.

My father was absolutely right.

Westerners are all barbaric.

Hua Zi said all she wanted to say. In her view, Lai Xuan had no chance of turning the tide. Her father was still asleep, and she wanted to give him a bright future so that he could continue to rule the entire Arasaka Empire without any burden. Hua Zi probably never realized that this was actually what a slave should do.

In the eyes of this pampered young lady, her father was undoubtedly kind.

She had also fantasized that her brother would change his mind and allow the family to continue in a stable and happy manner, but she never expected that her brother's ambition had never changed.

He just stopped talking about it.

She saw through any disguise.

Rather than let the father wait in agony and mercy for a wolf that will never return, it's better to let the wolf pelt provide its last bit of warmth.

This woman will probably never figure out one thing in her life.

The body is useless; the soul is what is truly valuable.

Amidst the angry shouts, cries, sorrowful sighs, and even cheers of the crowd, Lai Xuan appeared.

Few people could have imagined that the dashing young man in a helmet on TV would turn into what he is today.

His hair hung limply, just like him, and he seemed to have lost all his energy...

However, he still looked around at the crowd, seeing everyone in them, and suddenly felt a pang of sorrow.

In a world teeming with monsters, how far must one go to truly achieve the goal of a destructive revolution...?

If he can't even escape Arakawa's influence, how could the internal strife within those companies be any simpler than Arakawa's?

Lai Xuan then smiled.

To everyone else, this was a matter of accepting defeat gracefully, but only Lai Xuan knew that it was the clarion call for a counterattack.

Hua Zi is considered to be following the rules.

Since Lai Xuan did not legally terminate Arasaka's contract as president, V would not take action. Therefore, she wanted to make this arrogant woman, and make the restless and unruly Night City, watch their backer fall before their very eyes.

Arakasaka could only achieve unification through such bloody examples.

Soon, the venue fell silent.

Lai Xuan just sat there, not saying a word, but everyone's voices grew softer and softer.

He would no longer ask Hua Zi if he was sure about such meaningless questions; from now on, he would only have one identity: a revolutionary.

"President Lai Xuan, would you like to speak out yourself about the violations of Arasaka's management, corporate law, international law, and the law of war, or would you like Arasaka to speak for you?"

Hua Zi's voice was crystal clear.

The hawks clenched their fists, hoping that this ambitious newcomer, who had been in the Arasaka presidency for many years and was willing to offend the conservatives, would produce evidence in their favor.

But Lai Xuan knew that this was not the right time.

It was all Hua Zi's doing; he wanted to get these things into the hands of forces that didn't belong to Arasaka, and expose their dirty laundry to the world.

Using such clumsy rhetoric and excuses at a conference is not appropriate.

"No."

"But I want to say: For those who have committed crimes against Arakasaka, death is enough to atone for their sins."

After saying this, Lai Xuan leaned back in his chair.

He knew that his father had been awakened at this moment, and that some things were passing through his eyes.

Next came some rather dubious charges.

This includes attempts to split the company within its jurisdiction, using armed personnel to attack critical company facilities, interfering with important projects, and actions detrimental to the company's future development…

Upon hearing these words, Michiko suddenly laughed.

She glanced at V, who was being led aside by the soldiers, his face contorted with obvious distress…

Suddenly she smiled.

The deep, drawn-out sound sent chills down the spines of the Night City branch and the surrounding branches.

“Those treacherous villains deserve to die.”

Michiko's eyes blazed with intense hatred, but all she saw was the arrogant gaze and haughty look of the woman with the high ponytail.

V always believed in Rin.

This has never changed from the very beginning.

Promises seem to have become meaningless in this era, but only V understands that he never makes empty promises. However… she is indeed not a strong person; she can only watch this terrible situation unfold with bated breath…

"Given the current issue, according to the Arasaka Corporate Law, we should remove Arasaka Yorinobu from his current position as president—"

"This requires your vote."

Hua Zitu's true colors were revealed at the last moment!

Meanwhile, her junior, Michiko Arasaka, was grinding her teeth.

"Fuck you..."

Xu Zhi cursed inwardly, resigned to accepting defeat.

This feeling is so frustrating. I haven't even started anything yet, how did I end up like this?

Everyone below scoffed at this sham vote, but there was nothing they could do…

Hua Zi told him the result.

Whether you agree or disagree is meaningless...

More and more hands, including most of the hawks, have surrendered. Whether or not there will be a reckoning is another matter, but right now, yielding is the most important thing.

This is a selection process for Lai Hsuan.

This hasty defection revealed so much: just how unstable one's foundation truly is, and how utterly pathetic and laughable one's pursuit of dreams has been.

Hua Zi's eyes swept over the crowd.

Her lips slowly parted.

"I hereby declare—"

"As decided by the board of directors, Arasaka Yorinobu's legal status as CEO of Arasaka is now revoked."

There were no surprises, and no interruptions.

Things seemed to be going to be this way...

“Look, I have fulfilled the role of a father for you.”

Hua Zi kept her eyes down, no longer daring to look at her brother's cold gaze behind her.

"The Falcon Agreement has been terminated."

"Release permissions".

The AI's cold voice echoed in the venue.

Hua Zi turned his head, intending to remind Lai Xuan that he could leave and that the Tokyo mansion would guarantee his safety in the future, but the man stood up instead.

The AI ​​quickly reported the current emergency situation, and everyone pressed the pause button around the solar system, watching the so-called intelligence.

"Fifty years after the Night City Corporation Plaza, a mass gathering has occurred again. A rock tour themed 'Replicating Yesterday' has taken place outside Arasaka Tower. Due to an emergency meeting on important matters held by Arasaka Corporation, only fixed security facilities are currently in operation. Night City residents have already exceeded the rule that no one may enter within one kilometer of the company's main building, and the number of people is still skyrocketing."

Is this an imitation of the Night City nuclear explosion fifty years ago? Julian Jordan brings you the latest news.

……

"Arasaka's internal information was suddenly leaked. An unknown hacker released a 'harmonious family' decoding package on the North American public network. It contained a mysterious and low-profile Arasaka Hanako, who is known as the second CEO of Arasaka. Although the network monitoring was urgently withdrawn, a video containing Ms. Lai Xuan Hanako stealing the privileges of Saburo Arasaka, a current senior figure in the company, is still circulating."

"At the same time, many records of bribery involving European officials involving Ms. Hanako Arasaka have also been exposed. Analysts suggest this may be the true objective of Arasaka Bank in Europe. This financial institution, which has never actually conducted any external business and has always been shrouded in mystery, is now revealing a large number of data discrepancies—"

"As of now, no spokesperson for Arasaka has offered an explanation."

Lai Xuan's men are still around.

They fed these technologies into AI, creating vivid live streams that were presented to branch managers worldwide…

The quietest place in the world, apart from that specially designed silent room, is probably this meeting room.

Lai Xuan looked at his sister, who was standing there like a statue.

It was as if she found him when he failed and advised him to return to Arasaka that night.

Everything is happening again.

……

……

(End of this chapter)