2077: V really knows how awesome he is

"Location!" Rachel Kasich shouted, spreading her arms wide. "This cramped set simply can't meet my vision. I need the Capitol Building, I need the White House! And not just interiors, I need exteriors too—the National Mall, Pennsylvania Avenue, St. John's Episcopal Church! And then there are tons of extras, spectators, protesters, security, and so on! Let's put it this way, this cramped set simply can't contain my robust, veiny ideas and concepts, not in front or behind! I need a bigger set, more extras, people and objects all in part, to make it look incredibly realistic!"

V was speechless.

Rachel Kasich's analogy was a bit off, and she also mentioned "inpart" and such.

However, I do understand the meaning of V.

"Alright, I will fulfill your request."

Rachel Kasich's face lit up with joy: "When can I see the new studio?"

"Wait a minute, I'm going to make a phone call."

V contacted the president of the military technology company and then made a phone call to Kangtao. After about ten minutes of back and forth, she returned.

“All done,” V said to Rasheed Kasich. “Have our team get ready; I’ve already arranged the plane.”

Rasheed Kasich was taken aback: "The studio isn't in Night City?"

"No."

"Where is that?"

V laughed and said, "Washington."

Rachel Kasich was taken aback for a moment, then her mouth dropped open: "Could it be..."

"That's right, just as you think. I just borrowed the White House and the Capitol Building. We're not faking it; we are the real thing!"

Rachel Kasich was so excited she was practically bursting with joy; all her words could be summed up in one sentence:

"President V, you're absolutely amazing!"

The filming crew flew to Washington, while V went to Joanne Koch's lab for a routine medical check-up.

"Stock is making a big fuss about filming at the White House, doesn't Miles care?" Joanne Koch asked as she drew blood from V's chest.

V replied, "With the fall of Arakasaka, the Japanese government is looking for a new protector. People from Conto went there, and Miles went there after receiving the news."

“Miles wants to take over Japan? That’s impossible. Other companies won’t agree to that.”

"Of course, so she's just trying to find some peace and quiet. You know she's been troubled by the impeachment case lately, and she's just using a state visit as an excuse to stall. The White House will be closed for a day under the pretext of internal maintenance, and the same goes for other places like the Capitol and the National Mall. Military technology has already been contacted to ensure everything goes smoothly."

Joanne Koch nodded and asked, "Since Miles's trip to Japan was just a show, does that mean Contau will eventually take over Japan?"

"It's pretty close, but it will be a long process. The reason why Kang Tao suddenly sped up the process is just that Xu Shiming is giving me face and putting on an act to lure Miles over."

"You are as good at understanding people's hearts as ever."

"Thank you for the compliment. By summarizing all the intelligence and information we have now and then performing calculations, we can arrive at the optimal solution. It's not too difficult."

"You mean you think like an AI?"

"Hmm, now that you mention it, it does seem to make sense. But this is good too, it improves efficiency quite a bit." V chuckled, then noticed Joanne Koch's serious expression and asked curiously, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with my body?"

“No, it’s nothing.” Joanne Koch laughed as well. “Everything is fine. I’ll be able to produce the third-generation nano-neural repair fluid soon, so don’t worry.”

"Okay, I'll wait for your good news."

V put on his coat and ended the routine check-up.

“Record, 77th test report.” After V left, Joanne Koch said in a slightly trembling voice, “The nanobots have replaced the red blood cells, and they are replicating rapidly, traveling throughout the body via the bloodstream. The brain is the hardest hit area, where the nanobots are combining with brain cells to form entirely new neurons that are half machine and half flesh. The good news is that V’s extensive neural atrophy is healing itself; the bad news is that I don’t know if the healed V will still be V. I will continue to monitor the situation, and if necessary, what should I… do?”

V was completely unaware of her friend's predicament and continued handling her various affairs as usual.

A week later, filming was successfully completed, and Rachel Kasich brought home a film that was said to be "perfect".

V called everyone together to taste it.

[Live broadcast footage: Panoramic view of the west side of the Washington, D.C. Capitol, with the camera zooming in on the steps covered in red carpet]

(Gillian Jordan's narration is low and solemn.)

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, 90 minutes before the inauguration of the new President Meredith Stock. The Capitol Rotunda is already packed, with more than 30,000 security personnel on high alert, National Guard hovercraft hovering overhead, and long lines of metal detectors stretching all the way to the National Mall."

[The camera switches to St. John's Cathedral]

"Merides Stock had just finished morning prayers. She was wearing a custom-made navy blue cashmere coat with an eagle emblem embroidered in gold thread at the collar. Her motorcade slowly drove toward the White House, escorted by police motorcycles. Red 'MAGA' signs hung on the iron fences along the way, and the chants of protesters were blocked off on the other side of the street by riot police shields."

[Close-up of the White House North Portico: The CEO of Military Technology applauds in welcome]

"At 11 a.m., Meredith Stock arrived at the White House for a welcome tea hosted by the President of Military Technology. This was originally intended for Ms. Miles, but for well-known reasons, the former president who had disgraced the new America had been impeached and removed from office and was currently under investigation in federal court. Meredith Stock was appointed to this critical role under these circumstances. May her spirit and courage save this nation from its precarious state. God bless the new America!"

[Interior view of the Capitol Rotunda, camera pans across the dome murals]

"At exactly 12 noon, Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. stood on the podium, holding the Book of Revelation. He raised his right hand and repeated the oath that has been used since 1884: 'I solemnly swear to uphold and defend the Constitution...'"

Meredith Stock stepped forward, placed his left hand on the Book of Revelation, and took the oath of office.

"As soon as the oath was finished, the 3rd Artillery Regiment fired a 21-gun salute, and the crowd cheered spontaneously. Meredith Stock turned to the camera and began her 16-minute speech: 'Today, we have not only taken back the White House from Rosalind Myers, but we have also taken back the soul of the new America!' Her voice was hoarse with excitement, and behind her, a holographic device projected a giant Stars and Stripes flag and the striking slogan 'Buy the new American Treasury.'"

[Aerial view of the military parade on Pennsylvania Avenue]

"At 1:30 p.m., Meredith Stock changed into a convertible Lincoln and reviewed the troops in front of a formation of 7500 soldiers. National Guard cavalrymen with gold-plated spurs on their saddles and F-75 fighter jets flew low overhead, leaving trails of red, blue and white smoke."

The White House at night, with the Oval Office brightly lit.

At 7 p.m., Meredith Stock signed the first batch of executive orders, the scratching of a pen across the paper amplified by the microphone. The camera zoomed in on the document titles: "Comprehensively Improve the Treatment of Military Personnel and Their Families," "Do a Good Job in the Resettlement and Retirement of Veterans," and "Actively Engage in International Cooperation to Exchange Peace for the Future." At the same time, encrypted instructions kept coming through the Secret Service agents' earpieces—they were on high alert to prevent extremists from infiltrating the crowd because Rosalind Myers had declared while in custody that she would do everything in her power to take back everything that was rightfully hers! We must be vigilant at all times.

[The video ends as all the staff work busily and efficiently.]

"Wow!" Xu Ling exclaimed first, "It's really great, it looks just like the real thing!"

Rachel Kasich laughed, “Because it’s real, the venue, the people, everything is real.”

Only this one thing is false.

V looked at Meredith Stock and asked jokingly, "How are you feeling, Your Excellency?"

"Tired, more tired than fighting a war!" Meredith Stock said through gritted teeth. "This damn job is enough for once. If I do it a second time, I'm a dog!"

Everyone laughed, and the room was instantly filled with a joyful atmosphere.

"Alright, send the video to River. The bait is ready, now we just wait for the fish to bite."

Chapter 62 Life is as fragile as wild grass

Night City Badlands Prison.

On the vast garbage mountain, Solomon Reed strolled leisurely, hoping to find some electronic components to assemble a simple transceiver to obtain information from the outside world. However, thanks to the hard work of the prisoners, a small clearing had been cleared out of the garbage mountain, and valuable waste was becoming increasingly scarce.

Solomon Reed sighed, but he had no intention of giving up. He had weathered so many storms, and he would never be defeated in a small prison.

For a new America, I can do it!

Just as the top agent was giving himself a pep talk, a prison guard patted him on the shoulder.

"Li De, weren't you injured? Pack your things and head to the medical area."

Solomon Reed was speechless for a moment, then he couldn't help but complain, "You're only letting me go now? My injuries will have to heal on their own by now."

"Haha, there was a shortage of beds in the medical ward before, but now that there are vacancies, we arranged for you as soon as possible. Just tell me if you want to go or not, and if you don't, I'll let someone else go."

“Yes, of course I’ll go!” Solomon Reed readily agreed. The treatment was secondary; the main reason was to meet with Alex. That River Ward was far too suspicious; he was very likely an undercover agent sent by Night City, and they had to be on high alert.

With this in mind, Solomon Reed went to the medical ward.

As soon as he entered, he asked the medical staff for Alex's bed number, only to find out that Alex had just been discharged from the hospital.

"Huh?" The top agent was dumbfounded.

The medical staff shrugged: "Otherwise, how do you think you got your bed?"

Solomon Reed was filled with mixed emotions when he heard familiar voices coming from the corridor. He looked out the window and saw Alex and River Ward chatting and laughing, arm in arm, being led back to their cell by a prison guard.

"Alex!" Solomon Reed called out quickly, and Alex did turn around, but he gave him the middle finger.

"..."

Although it was emotionally difficult to accept, it was somewhat expected. Solomon Reed immediately ran towards the entrance of the medical ward, but was stopped by the prison guards at the gate.

"Go back, go back! Patients are not allowed to leave the medical area. That's the rule!"

Solomon Reed exclaimed urgently, "I'm not staying here!"

"Stay if you want, leave if you don't. Do you think this is a motel? Only prisoners who have been confirmed to be fully healthy can leave. That's the rule!"

"My injury has healed, and I'm perfectly healthy!"

"You think you're cured just because you say so? Are you a doctor? You need a health check report to be considered cured; that's the rule!"

Three consecutive rules nearly drove Solomon Reed crazy. He glanced at the Asian face of the prison guard at the gate and couldn't help but retort, "Are you Chinese?"

"No, I'm Japanese, so what?"

"nothing."

Solomon Reed resignedly lay back down on his hospital bed.

Well, my injury is almost healed, and I should be able to get the health check report in two or three days.

With that thought in mind, Solomon Reed regained his composure.

But at lunchtime, Solomon Reed panicked completely.

Because of the previous riots, the authorities decided to slightly improve the prisoners' living conditions to ease tensions. So, a holographic television was installed in the medical ward's mess hall. It's said to be a pilot program; if it works well, holographic televisions will be installed in the prison's work and living areas as well.

The inmates in the medical ward were overjoyed. Solomon Reed, while not as excited as they were, was secretly pleased. As a top-notch agent, he could easily deduce outside information from clues in television programs, aiding his escape plan.

So Solomon Reed got a lunch and sat in a corner, pretending to have no interest in the TV program, always trying to avoid being noticed.

But the next second, he suddenly stood up, knocking over the plate and making a loud noise.

The reason is simple: the inauguration ceremony of the new US president is being broadcast on television, and it's a rebroadcast.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and there are 90 minutes left until the inauguration of the new President of the United States, Meredith Stock..."

"This is impossible!" Solomon Reed's expression changed drastically, but fortunately his skin color made him look normal.

The prisoners and guards first turned to look at him, but when they saw that he had only knocked over his plate, they turned back.

"At 11 a.m., Meredith Stock arrived at the White House for a welcome tea hosted by the president of military technology. This was originally intended for Ms. Miles, but for well-known reasons, the former president who had disgraced the new America had been impeached and removed from office, and was currently under investigation in federal court. Meredith Stock was appointed to this critical role under these circumstances; hopefully, her spirit and courage can save this nation on the brink of collapse..."

The television presenter spoke clearly, each word striking Solomon Reed's heart like a bullet.

At this moment, he wasn't thinking about whether he, as a secret agent, would still receive his pension after Miles stepped down, but rather whether the new America would be impacted and destabilized as a result.

But the best agent is the best agent. Even though it was incredibly unexpected, Solomon Reed still quickly and accurately analyzed the situation.

Meredith Stock knew that, being virtually unknown in politics, her biggest advantage was her friendship with V. Therefore, it seemed V must have been involved in her rise to power. Considering V's consistent modus operandi, she must have secured the support of major corporations, or at least military technology.

What is V planning to do? Will he use military technology to create a puppet president and secretly control the new America?

This is just too...normal.

Solomon Reed was somewhat discouraged, but not at all surprised. Even during Miles's presidency, military technology secretly controlled the new United States by relying on its massive military and economic strength. Now that a new president has taken office... it doesn't really shake the foundation of the country.

Ultimately, he was just trying to determine the veracity of the news, but the more he tried, the more he felt that it wasn't impossible for Meredith Stock to take over.

This person has a military technology background and a close personal relationship with V. With these two advantages, it is perfectly reasonable for her to become president.

Compared to Miles's domineering nature, Meredith Stock, being of commoner origin, is easier to control and aligns with the interests of Military Technology. Her friendship with V can also act as a lubricant between Night City and Military Technology, making their cooperation closer.

More importantly, since she could become V's friend, she naturally shared the same ideals. V has always advocated for cooperation and win-win outcomes, and it is believed that after Meredith Stock takes office, he will change the domineering style of the new America and, like Night City, start with the well-being of the people, shifting from Miles' military expansion to economic expansion to avoid the recurrence of war.

With this in mind, Solomon Reed felt relieved. As long as his country was safe, that was the best thing.

But being reassured doesn't mean relaxing. The top agent remained skeptical of the news and decided to continue watching before making his next decision.

then.

The cafeteria lady changed the channel on TV.

"What does the new US president have to do with Night City?!"

"Merides Stock is a good friend of our CEO V, Night City will definitely give him some face."

"That's true, but this news has been on for three days now, we're tired of seeing it. Let's watch something else."

The cafeteria lady's eyes lit up with blue light and she decisively changed the channel. The prisoners were initially a little dissatisfied, but as the cheerful tune of "Bo Bo Chicken" started playing, the three beautiful young girls from the Ganglie Band appeared on the holographic screen, and everyone, including the prison guards, cheered loudly.

Solomon Reed: ...

He turned to leave, but the cafeteria lady called him back.