Infinity, progressing from Arasaka

"No, I don't do such tasteless things. It's already been approved from above to build a new pharmaceutical factory on the West Coast to expand into the Asia-Pacific market. I'll be in charge of it as well. Your Raccoon City branch will receive a group of personnel and technical data for biological research... We don't need your project; that should be your strength. Is that alright?"

"no problem."

What could William Birkin say?

He's just a high-level employee; if the higher-ups approve it, can he forcefully oppose it?

Vera gave him a compliment, which was a reminder not to do anything underhanded. She was using his name to make things at the new factory, so if anything went wrong, it would damage his reputation. He would be responsible, and Vera was just an intermediary.

It could be considered that both the host and guests had a pleasant time.

Carrying a copy of the Raccoon City Daily, Vera, surrounded by bodyguards, walked out of the Umbrella headquarters in Raccoon City, got into the car, started the engine, and headed for their destination—Raccoon City Airport.

In the back seat of the car, Vera sat on the cushions, flipping through today's Raccoon City news:

Washington time, February 12, 1997

Recruitment information for the Special Tactical and Rescue Service (STARS), still in effect. Open to all citizens.

The Raccoon City Police Department has decided to officially relocate to an empty art gallery in the city center this summer.

A comprehensive cooperation plan between the City of Raccoon City and Umbrella Corporation.

……

"The rain is coming."

Vera smiled faintly and closed the Raccoon City Daily.

There's still a year left. But none of it concerns her.

It's time to find new investors, and we absolutely cannot get too involved with the BOW business, that mess. This is one of the reasons why she repeatedly expressed her opposition within the company to excessive investment in 'virology'.

Yes, we need to maintain closer ties with Washington.

Vera closed her eyes and lay back.

This batch of technology should be enough to keep you busy for a while.

......

The first time is always awkward and unfamiliar, but after a few times, it becomes very smooth.

Inside the Arasaka official car, Vera did not experience the shivering that felt like her soul returning to her body. She simply let things happen naturally, as if she had just glanced at something and moved her consciousness slightly. Her vision cleared up naturally, and then all the strange sights disappeared.

It was as if it had never happened.

'The data from Umbrella Raccoon City's research department is sufficient.'

Vera stretched her neck.

This is why she was able to hold down the position of a biotechnology researcher at Arasaka Biotechnology.

Umbrella's biotechnology and medical products are quite sophisticated.

For example, zombies are a product of T-virus research, with significant therapeutic effects. Umbrella First Aid Spray, which is said to be 50 years ahead of its time, is also a product of T-virus research.

They don't need anything particularly high-end or sophisticated. In the cyberpunk world, which has experienced a major internet crash and a significant loss and regression in technology, many giants, including Arasaka, are lacking small, mid-to-low-end gadgets.

Most companies have internal departments dedicated to repairing old networks, with the aim of salvaging, replenishing, and recovering lost or disrupted parts of the technology and industrial chain.

Unfortunately, her "divine gift" is more like a communication between herself and countless other worlds, a chat group and tarot club for herself, allowing countless parallel world versions of herself to think in unison and in harmony. There is no discomfort between the two selves and the one self. It is somewhat similar to the self-unification of a great immortal, where all things are the original self.

Vera's version is just a super monkey version of the monkey version.

Currently, only one is connected.

Moreover, they haven't shown any extraordinary abilities. They can only exchange ideas and knowledge, but they can't exchange physical goods, at least not at present.

Vera was in no hurry; haste makes waste.

She had a vague, distant premonition, yet undeniably real—a powerful calling from her soul. She felt she could unite with it and influence its physical form…

'Was it because of time travel that the soul was divided into N equal parts by the marks of time and space, or was it assimilated by the properties of quantum mechanics and time and space?' Vera didn't think about it in detail. She focused on the present. Since there was a problem, she would overcome it slowly.

Whether it's luck or something else.

What God does not take, is to be blamed.

There's nothing to nitpick or worry about. Focus on the present, make the most of it, and give full play to your talents—that's the only way to respect it.

This is her "gift from heaven".

beep beep…

As they arrived at the company plaza, an announcement came over the loudspeaker: "Commander Vera, we have arrived at Arasaka Tower." The black bodyguard, Arasaka, announced.

"Ah."

------

Chapter 005 A Day in the Life of a Company Dog

Company plaza, Arasaka Tower underground parking lot.

With a slight, noise-reduced braking sound, the car, equipped with internal identification signals from the security department, came to a smooth stop.

After passing through the security checkpoint, Vera greeted the guards and hacker agents at the entrance with a routine check. She then opened the car door and got out. After the vehicle was handed over, Vera, accompanied by the two bodyguards assigned to her by the company, headed straight for the executive-only lane.

Arakasa, after all, emphasizes clear class distinctions and the separation of officers and soldiers.

Vera glanced at the old Araban Tower nuclear bomb ruins not far from the steel and glass curtain wall she passed and then paid no more attention to them.

The part that was deliberately preserved during the reconstruction of Arasaka Tower is said to be a reminder of the shame. The monument reads: 2023, We should always remember.

I've seen it so many times, it's really nothing new.

Upon entering the tower's interior lobby, fixed scanners, drones, and surveillance radars swept past her in turn. Vera could feel dozens of gazes focusing on her for a moment before quickly moving away.

Apart from the dedicated reception area on the first floor, which is open to the public, Arasaka Tower contains no public facilities. The people walking around inside are either company employees or internal service personnel.

Ding--

2074/5/27，8/00。

After arriving at the Arasaka Security Department's office floor via the private elevator and clocking in, Vera immediately sent two bodyguards to place her briefcase in her office. Then, she leisurely walked towards the internal cafeteria, projecting today's Night City briefing from the Arasaka Administrative Center onto her built-in prosthetic eye to read it.

I haven't eaten yet.

Don't be fooled by how strict the Arasaka employee handbook is, which seems to require employees to work 007 all year round without a break. That applies to frontline employees.

She was, after all, a mid-level manager in the security department, the largest department in Arasaka, and was about to be promoted again. Not long ago, she successfully completed the security and stability maintenance order in Brasilia, and also took initiative to help the company gain crucial time in the reconstruction of Rio.

In this world, the winner takes all!

The floor where the Arasaka Security Department offices are located is the regular cafeteria.

A hostess in a light-colored uniform similar to that of a flight attendant immediately stepped forward upon seeing Vera, bowing and greeting her: "Good morning, Officer Vera Adelhead."

Vera took a seat near the indoor ornamental green plants and nodded after connecting her prosthetic eye to a holographic television with a publicly displayed signal source not far away: "Pasta set meal, the usual."

"Okay, please wait a moment."

The waiter respectfully took his leave.

"Good morning, Night City! I'm your old friend Stanley, yesterday's Dead Man's Lottery..."

Vera turned on the TV, set the passionate voice of a famous lottery host from Night City TV to the background music, ordered a glass of ice water, and then glanced briefly at the cafeteria.

The space is quite large, and diners are seated far apart, with their seats separated by a special glass curtain wall that is transparent and has been partially blurred.

Those who can eat in the regular canteen are either senior officers with at least 10 years of service, or junior leaders and middle-level cadres.

In the cyberpunk world, the more 'conventional' something is, the more unconventional and expensive it becomes.

In a world where land and ocean are severely polluted, the daily meals of ordinary people have long been replaced by various artificial protein processed products and synthetic meat. Natural foods, even genetically modified ones, require a high price to enjoy.

While waiting for her food, Vera saw many of her colleagues from the Security Bureau dining there.

She is the deputy garrison commander of the Special Assault Force, the most important unit in the Garrison Command, and the captain of Team 6 (an elite heavy infantry unit of 100 men).

The Garrison Command has a large organization and naturally includes other units, such as the 1st Mobile Unit. They are similar to garrison troops, stationed at the company square, and their functions include: honor guard, explosives disposal unit, and firearms countermeasures unit (responding to large-scale gun battles).

There are also the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Mobile Units, which are in charge of the Konpaku Building, the Northern Industrial Park, the Arasaka Seaside Industrial Park, and so on. They are not secret agents, but more like special police.

The biggest difference between special assault forces and mobile units is...

Specialized assault teams, meaning Vera's department, frequently need to be on the field, traveling all over the world, to provide strategic support to other regional branches, to be capable of field operations, and to perform policing, riot control, and defense contracting. They are equipped with a very high level of weaponry.

“Ms. Russell. Congratulations. I believe that you will soon be able to remove the prefix ‘sub’ from your title.”

The Security Department isn't the Counterintelligence Department or the Intelligence Department. Although there are still plenty of cunning individuals there, more of them are the ones who go to the battlefield to carry guns and stand guard, so the military atmosphere is stronger, and the internal environment is relatively better. In addition, Vera intentionally maintains this, not being so arrogant, haughty, or always wearing a deadpan expression, so she's not unpopular.

At least on the surface, it looks pretty good.

Bullets have no eyes. Once you're on the front lines, you have to fight back-to-back. Nobody wants to be tricked or shot in the back when they're on a mission or doing fieldwork.

"Thank you."

"Given time, Captain Vera will surely surpass Commander Fred."

"Haha, I appreciate your blessings. It's still a long way off. We're both in Arasaka, let's support each other and make Arasaka shine again. Let's encourage each other." Seeing an acquaintance casually strike up a conversation, Vera stood up, raised her glass in a toast, and drank it down in one gulp with water instead of wine.

This can be considered a minor drawback of taking advantage of one's parents' lack of financial support.

The security department is full of so-called uncles and seniors, my father's subordinates, colleagues, and superiors. When I climb over them in the future, I must maintain my authority and be assertive, but I must also give them the respect they deserve.

Appropriately approachable manner demonstrates that one is one of us, thus perfectly digesting the 'political legacy' and readily utilizing the resources of the security department.

"Let's encourage each other." ×N

They were all shrewd people, and soon dispersed in twos and threes. Some left after finishing their meals, while others sat down to order more.

"Commander Vera, here is your order: creamy ice cream, tomato beef spaghetti, curry chicken... Enjoy your meal."

Natural foods are provided in the company cafeteria, and since Vera doesn't have weight anxiety, she naturally chooses to enjoy them. She can afford it.

After eating and drinking her fill, Vera refreshed herself with ice water, paid the bill, and left happily.