Infinity, progressing from Arasaka

Well, it's getting late, time to go home.

Wait a minute! This is her summer break, but it's acting like she's working...

After pressing the button and disinfecting the experimental chamber once again, Vera straightened up and lazily stretched.

After writing down new ideas for the stability experiment on the control panel, she took one last look at the protective window not far away.

CyberTech is using a cutting-edge biotechnology instrument that facilitates the stable fusion of leech DNA with progenitor virus samples.

"That's such a stupid thing to do," she murmured.

She now understands a little better the mentality of those virologists. The process of personally creating a super virus that can promote human evolution, making it gradually controllable, and subduing it does indeed bring a strange sense of pleasure.

Although Vera didn't feel it deeply because it was an imitation.

Question William, understand William, become...

Pooh!

What bad luck! Vera had no interest in injecting herself with an uncontrollable virus.

I must never become like him!

We should learn from his example and take he as a warning.

Putting her distracting thoughts aside, she rubbed her temples and left the laboratory.

bang.

After undergoing a series of safe procedures including spray disinfection and ultraviolet light sterilization, Vera, having changed out of her protective suit, walked out of the Arasaka Biological Laboratory in Johannesburg, South Africa.

"Huh?" They haven't given up yet, they've been keeping watch for several days in a row...

The moment Vera stepped out of the industrial park, she could feel several more eyes watching her.

This is far less than when she went to Central Africa.

Is it Saburo's or Yorihisa's?

After leaving the gate, she instructed the guards at the industrial park and the laboratory garrison to be vigilant in their defenses before leisurely walking towards the helipad to go back to her hotel to sleep.

You two are a loving father and son, what business is it of hers, this Arasaka 'Tadari'? All my actions are in accordance with procedures, and I apply for and report everything I do immediately.

Go ahead and fight, I've left all my stuff here. Whatever you do is up to you, I'm just a victim.

Ding dong.

Once aboard the hovercar and the information shield was removed, three messages flashed rapidly on the virtual screen grid of Vera's prosthetic eye.

To put it simply, the goal is for the "dangerous girl" to quickly produce new improvements to the rehabilitation and convalescence services.

The University of Tokyo, indirectly, reminded her that since her study trip was over, she could return to Tokyo. The laboratories in Tokyo were better, and her strong thirst for knowledge and research enthusiasm were a good thing. After seeing Vera's recent log report, they were also very interested in the so-called Sun Ladder Flower and hoped that Vera would return to Tokyo after preliminary research.

At the North American headquarters of Arakasaka Yoru no Castle, it was Jimmy, Vera's adjutant, reporting to her. His reports had been interrupted for a while after Vera went on a study trip to South Africa.

Without much thought, Vera replied to each one.

The main focus is to reply to the University of Tokyo that I will embark on my return journey the day after tomorrow.

......

In a dilapidated building a kilometer away from the industrial park, in a dimly lit room, a tall, dark figure holding a military-grade high-precision telescope suddenly flashed orange-red light in his eyes.

"B2 reporting: Target has left the industrial park. Over."

As he spoke, he looked around the room. In the corner were boxes of weapons, and on the dilapidated sofa were the skilled agents who had arrived in Johannesburg in batches and infiltrated the city in recent days, drinking, smoking, and doing drugs.

Lying or sitting haphazardly, their prosthetic eyes all flashed orange-red, clearly connected to the same communication channel.

"Latest intelligence update: Vera Adelheid Russell, this woman will leave Johannesburg the day after tomorrow to return to Tokyo."

"After reading the information, you should all know what she obtained in Central Africa. The Sun Ladder Flower, according to information sent back by an informant at the University of Tokyo, is an extinct 'flower of immortality,' possibly the only one of its kind in the world, and has extremely high value for medicinal research."

"It's basically confirmed that it's the life-extending medicine for that old dog Saburo Arasaka, and also one of the main products that Arasaka Medical Division plans to launch in the future. Whether it's to strike at Arasaka's financial strength or to destroy Saburo's dream of immortality, this operation is necessary."

"We can't be sure whether Vera Adelhead will return to the hotel tomorrow or stay in the lab all night. Her strength was determined by her colleagues in Night City using blood tests. She's not much easier to deal with than Adam Hammer. Tonight is our best chance."

"The higher-ups have already contacted the black warlords in Central Africa. They are already dissatisfied with the continued exploitation and encroachment on Arasaka. Tonight they will send troops to cause trouble and put pressure on the South African border checkpoints to help us divert attention."

"After C3 destroyed the power hub supplying the city to the Arasaka Industrial Park, we were ordered to infiltrate Vera Adelheid's laboratory immediately."

"Remember, time is of the essence. You have at most fifteen minutes. If you fail to infiltrate, launch a full-scale attack. If we cannot obtain the Sun Ladder Flower, it is worthless. Let that flower be completely eradicated from the earth."

"Get ready, everyone!"

"Yes!"×N

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Chapter 054 As long as Manager Vera arrives.jpg

The Arasaka family compound on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Tick ​​tock…

Stepping onto the waxed wooden floorboards that gleamed with a soft, reflective glow, the compound's security director, Shintaro Takayama, walked lightly around the corner of the corridor and arrived at a viewing platform overlooking a natural small pond. He bowed respectfully behind a person's back.

It's Saburo Arasaka.

Under the eaves, wind chimes swayed in the wind, making a crisp sound.

Saburo reclined on the wheelchair, which incorporated countless advanced health and wellness technologies, facing the rising sun as if enjoying a morning sunbath. Under the light, the withered yellow hair on his wrinkled forehead seemed even sparser.

Medical staff carefully used a relay connector to adjust the various basic prosthetics and artificial neural circuits on his body, and carried out daily routine health checks and micro-injections of the 'longevity drug' whose drug resistance had long since reached its limit.

He is too old.

Physiologically, he was already very close to the concept of 'dying of old age'. His body simply could not withstand further cybernetic prosthetics or biological organ replacements. Even the injection of 'longevity medicine' required strict dosage control, for fear that the effect of the medicine might be slightly too strong and cause new injuries.

After a long while, when today's physical examination and maintenance were over, the old and frail Saburo Arasaka finally spoke in a hoarse voice, "I'm really old, Shintaro... I'm so fragile and ugly like this."

"You must not give up on yourselves, Lord Saburo, Lord Yoriyuki, Miss Hanako, and Miss Michiko. They are not yet capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of leading Arasaka!"

Without hesitation, Shintaro Takayama knelt down with the respect due to a retainer, and said with absolute firmness, "Arasaka still needs your wise leadership!"

"Ugh..."

With a sigh, Saburo Arasaka did not dwell on the topic any further.

"A misfortune for our family."

He muttered coldly, then said, "So, what has my unfilial son been up to all this time? Suddenly accessing Vera Adelhead's file. His men have no contact or vested interest with Russell, so why did they recommend her? Subtly stirring up controversy and gossip—judging from his actions, is he planning to transfer her back to Night City to continue fulfilling her duties in the Security Department?"

"His information network is really impressive; he's so eager to kill me..."

"..."

Shintaro Takayama naturally knew what Saburo was talking about.

It seems that the promising young talents of Night City that he values ​​are really going to turn into the "Stairway to the Sun Project," which naturally attracts the attention of Lai Xuan, who is eager to take over after his father's death. However, since it involves the Arasaka family's affairs, he doesn't want to get involved.

Even though he disapproved of Arasaka Yoriyuki's past dissolute behavior and looked down on his character of first leaving Arasaka and then slinking back to Arasaka, believing that he was inferior to the eldest son Arasaka Kei in every way, a retainer is a retainer and cannot overstep his bounds. After all, he was the son of Lord Saburo.

His only son.

"Shintaro, what do you think of Vera Adelheid's 'Stairway to the Sun Project,' the evolution of human DNA by the progenitor virus?" As if venting his criticism and dissatisfaction with his unfilial son, Saburo Arasaka asked.

Shintaro Takayama carefully considered his words.

"Now it seems she has a lead. She really did find the 'sacred flower' used by ancient African tribal chiefs for healing and prolonging life at the ancient Tuban tribal ruins in Central Africa, and was fortunate enough to extract the necessary substances from it. I believe her experimental reports and speculations are not unfounded..."

To be honest, Shintaro Takayama was quite surprised.

While both he and Saburo Arasaka noticed Vera, their focuses differed.

He initially selected Vera based on the security department's need for a new generation of core personnel and Arasaka's North American strategic considerations, taking into account her personal performance, achievements, company reputation, and background.

Lord Saburo's actions were probably driven more by personal needs...

Ever since Vera "found" the so-called Sun Ladder Flower in Central Africa, Lord Saburo has visibly increased the number of times he mentions and pays attention to her.

"According to Vera Adelheid's preliminary experimental report in Johannesburg, South Africa, she has completed the extraction and cultivation of the well-preserved Sun Steps flower, and the problem of the virus's degradation after being removed from the soil has been temporarily resolved... She will return to Tokyo no later than June 9th."

As Shintaro Takayama explained, the video projector under the eaves made a soft 'shh, shh' sound.

Various graphic and textual information transmitted from Johannesburg were projected into the air, and the enlarged page content was clearly visible to Saburo.

Successful transfer and cultivation of the Sun Ladder Flower in the laboratory, the discovery and extraction of the progenitor virus, multiple dose injection experiments on mice, the demonstration of the super vitality of virus-infected mice, Vera's targeted cultivation experiment to enhance the stability of the progenitor virus... all were reported and listed on the screen in chronological order.

"very good."

Saburo Arasaka suddenly opened his eyes, which had been feigning sleep, and a glint of light flashed in his originally cloudy eyes.

His hunched body leaned slightly forward as he stared intently at the holographic image: under the control of a pale blonde woman in a protective suit, the image moved and zoomed in, showing the changes taking place on the white mice in the glass experimental cage.

From its fur rotting and falling off to bleeding, after undergoing dozens of experiments that should have killed it, the mouse is astonishingly still alive, only its movements have become slightly slower.

Saburo Arasaka stared intently at everything, afraid of missing even the smallest detail.

He only reluctantly looked away after the pale blonde woman in the video finished collecting blood from the mouse, injecting a larger dose of virus to kill it completely, and then disinfecting it.

He took a deep breath and excitedly turned his gaze to Shintaro Takayama, who was standing beside him. His eyes looked as if a drowning person had seen a lifeline.

Saburo Arasaka commanded in an unquestionable tone, "Shintaro, raise her security level, and transfer new special security forces from Tokyo to protect her and her research and development results. Send a special plane to pick her up. There must be no mistakes!"

"As for my unfilial son's little tricks, I know he's trying to muddy the waters. Perhaps he's never given up on his naive idea of ​​warning his subordinates that there's a time and place for pursuing favor, and that there are things that should and shouldn't be done. I'm not dead yet, and it's not his place to give orders."

"What I give him is his. If I don't give it to him, he can't take it away."

Saburo Arasaka said this with utter coldness and utter arrogance.

“Tell Lai Xuan that I can give him life, and I can take it back. I can give him everything, and I can make him lose everything.”

"Yes, Lord Saburo!" Shintaro Takayama bowed his head humbly, accepted the order, and took his leave.

Tick ​​tock…

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Saburo Arasaka leaned back in his wheelchair, his sharp, hawk-like eyes gradually losing their sharpness and returning to their cloudy state.

He slowly pulled up a panoramic view of Johannesburg, where brightly lit buildings and armed personnel were clearly visible. It was early morning in South Africa, and Vera Adelhaid had already gone back to her room to rest.

"Relic... I hope we won't need to use her... Vera Adelheid, she has no suspicion of treason and her loyalty is beyond question, so let's entrust her with this important task... You have ambition... then I will give you the platform to realize your ambition."

He murmured this.