Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 108 Valerie (Fifteenth Update)
The next forty-eight hours were a lingering nightmare for the Arasaka Counterintelligence Department.

Mowell's figure moved through the dark alleys and high-rises of Night City like a deadly ghost.

She first infiltrated the Arasaka Safe House in Charter Mountain, and with the incredible speed granted by S. Ahnwistan, she broke through layers of defenses before the alarm system could react.

The sonic blades traced deadly arcs in the darkness, and the guards fell one after another before they could even raise their guns.

After the entire base fell into a deathly silence, she methodically destroyed all the data storage devices, and finally used the sonic blade to carve a clear gear emblem on the metal wall of the main control room.

Her next target was the Arasaka secret liaison station near the municipal center.

The same scene played out again: a precise and efficient cleanup, in which all staff members perished before they even realized the danger, and critical data was completely destroyed.

These two precise strikes plunged the Arasaka Counterintelligence Department into unprecedented panic.

Faced with immense pressure from the company's top management, Director Jenkins finally realized that he had provoked an enemy far beyond conventional understanding.

Continuing to resist will only lead to the annihilation of the entire department.

Following an emergency high-level meeting, Jenkins made a pragmatic decision: sacrifice the pawns to save the king.

He needed to quell the other party's anger while preserving Arasaka's reputation as much as possible.

He dispatched his deputy, Valerie, a negotiation expert known for her shrewdness, to try and establish contact with the other party.

Valerie was well aware that conventional channels had become ineffective.

She used her network of connections built up over many years on the streets, and through intermediaries, she finally got in touch with Mann.

When Mann heard the name of the deputy head of the counterintelligence department, Arasaka, in the encrypted communication, his first reaction was to end the call.

But Valerie's message was clear: this was not a new provocation, but a signal of seeking peace.

Mann cautiously brought the situation back to the abandoned town outpost.

After discussion within the team, they unanimously agreed that it was necessary to report this to their superiors.

Mann relayed Arasaka's request for contact to Chen Yu through the communication device outside the workshop.

After listening to the report, Chen Yu's scarlet optical lens flickered slightly.

He loathed wasting time, but he disliked constant trouble even more.

After a brief deliberation, he agreed to the contact.

“Okay.” Chen Yu’s voice came through the communicator. “Let Mowell handle it.”

After receiving permission, Mann replied to the intermediary through the original channels.

Soon, a one-time encrypted communication channel was established.

Mowell connected to the channel at the designated time and waited for the other party to speak.

After the communication was connected, Valerie's voice came through the encrypted channel, maintaining a cautious and professional tone: "Ms. Mowell, on behalf of Arasaka Corporation, and especially Mr. Jenkins, the Director of Counterintelligence, I would like to express my sincere apologies to you and your 'master' for the recent conflict."

She paused deliberately, as if carefully choosing her words: "Following an internal investigation, we have confirmed that this attack was entirely an action approved without authorization by Supervisor Abernathy, which seriously violated the company's decision-making process."

This action was entirely her own reckless decision and does not represent the position of the Arasaka Company.

Valerie's tone became more earnest: "To express our sincerity, Arakasaka is willing to provide reasonable compensation for the losses caused by this incident."

We hope to establish smoother communication channels with you and your owner to ensure that similar misunderstandings do not occur again in the future.

The subtext of these words is clear: Arasaka has chosen to compromise and is willing to hand over Abernathy as a scapegoat in exchange for a ceasefire.

Mowell listened quietly and then reported the contents of the communication and Arasaka's proposal to Chen Yu in its entirety.

Chen Yu was not surprised at all. The essence of a company is to seek profit and avoid harm.

He had no interest in the power struggles within Arakazama, and Abernathy's personal fate was irrelevant to him.

He only needs to ensure that similar interference does not occur again.

After listening to Mowell's report, Chen Yu calmly scanned the data interface with his optical lens.

He was not surprised by this; the company's compromise was entirely expected.

“Accept their terms,” Chen Yu said calmly, “but demand that they pay the corresponding compensation immediately. I will give you the list later.”

He paused briefly, then added, "As for Abernathy... since they've chosen her as the one to make amends, let her be the embodiment of this lesson."

Make sure she understands the consequences of continued provocation.

His tone remained consistently calm and businesslike, as if he were assigning a perfectly ordinary task.

For him, Abernathy's personal fate was far less important than ensuring that compensation was paid in full.

This response seems more like completing a necessary procedure to prevent future trouble, rather than venting emotions.

Mowell accepted the order.

She conveyed Chen Yu's ceasefire conditions to Valerie, but made no mention of the subsequent handling of Abernathy.

After the communication ended, Valerie breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the crisis had been averted.

However, Mowell's operation was not over yet.

Following Chen Yu's instructions, she identified Abernathy himself as the suspect.

At this point, after learning that the two outposts had been destroyed and Valerie had intervened, the former executive felt somewhat relieved but remained vigilant and took refuge in a rarely used safe house in North Oak.

Mowell pinpointed the safe house by tracing Abernathy's encrypted communication lines.

In the darkest hour before dawn, she appeared like a ghost in Abernathy's bedroom.

When Abernathy was awakened by the cold touch and low humming on the back of her neck, she saw Mowell's eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.

The tip of the sonic blade was pointed at her throat, and the invisible vibration made the hairs on her body stand on end.

“Arasaka’s greed must pay the price.” Mowell’s voice was icy cold. “This is a response to the ambush, and a lesson for you.”

Before he could finish speaking, the sonic blade flashed past.

Abernathy didn't even feel the pain; he only saw his right hand severed at the wrist, and blood gushing out.

Under her horrified gaze, Mowell nailed the severed hand to the headboard before silently leaving, leaving Abernathy limp on the bed, her body soaked in cold sweat and blood.

Although he survived, Abernathy's status within Arakawa plummeted after losing his right hand.

She was transferred from her important position in the counterintelligence department and placed in an insignificant, sinecure.

This ending is both a punishment for her personally and a warning to other potential challengers from Arasaka.

This conflict, instigated by Arasaka, ultimately ended with them suffering heavy losses, handing over scapegoats, and receiving a stern warning.

Through this incident, military technology has gained a clearer understanding of the terrifying extent of the power wielded by Chen Yu.

They were both glad they had chosen to trade rather than confront, and their desire to acquire these technologies became more urgent and cautious.

The balance of power in Night City is undergoing subtle yet profound changes due to this transaction and reckoning.

(End of this chapter)