Chapter 85

Just as Katsuo turned her head to speak, ring—

[Contact Person: Father]

Katsuo's eyes began to glow with an orange-red light. "Dad?"

Then, as if the person on the other end of the communication had said something extraordinary, he was stunned for a moment, his breathing suddenly became heavy, he clenched his fists tightly, and nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, um... okay, I understand."

As soon as the call ended, he turned around and ran quickly toward the school gate.

"Ah, Katsuo."

Suneo and Fat Tiger exclaimed in surprise and quickly followed. David also belatedly started running.

At the school gate, a Villefort Boch Curtis V5000 Arasaka Model was already waiting. It was Tanaka's Sedan.

Opening the car door, Katsuo, with an urgent look on her face, seemed to have thought of something and turned around, saying, "Martinez. If you need money, do you want me to lend you some?"

"Huh? Well, never mind." David jogged over, paused for a moment, then shook his head. "You've already helped me enough. By the way, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry..."

"Watch the news, you'll find out soon enough. David, it's best to stay home at night and avoid those shady Black Market Cybernetic Doctor. The situation in Night City might be tense for a while..."

Before she could finish speaking, Katsuo got into the car.

"News? What news?"

Watching the car's rear end start its engine and speed away, David muttered to himself, parted ways with Suneo and Fat Tiger, and walked alone towards Santo Domingo's house.

He walks with his head held high and chest out, and thanks to that person's encouragement, his slouching, forward-leaning, and relaxed gait has been corrected.

Although he didn't have a prosthetic body, David never slacked off in his physical training.

Even the best prosthetic body requires a good body to function. This is especially true for trainees like David who don't have the funds right now and can only wait until they graduate and join the workforce to take out a loan to purchase a military prosthetic body.

The LED video wall on the street is playing advertisements for Arasaka, Biotechnology, and high-tech military industry.

NC Night City Inquirer reports local news.

Another robbery targeting Militech transport convoy has occurred in the Badlands of Southern California; gang warfare erupts again in the streets of Night City, Heywood, between the Valentino Gang and the Six Street Gang; and the MaxTac is once again deployed to eliminate unwanted individuals...

Night City has a really bad security situation!

Even without Katsuo's reminder, David wouldn't go out for random walks at night.

I remember that time in early 2075, he got beaten up and went to the infirmary to steal medicine, so he came back late. Then he was pickpocketed on the subway and his Comms Chip was stolen. He spent fifty euros to buy a new one, which broke his heart.

Sigh, I wonder what it's like in other parts of the world.

The place where the esteemed Arasaka who encouraged him, the place where Commander Vera Adelheid went for further studies, Tokyo—I wonder how it differs from Night City.

"Welcome to News Channel 54. We're bringing you international news."

The scene shifts to a different channel.

"Just now, on January 23rd, Tokyo time, our reporter received news that Ms. Vera Adelheid Russell will conclude her one-year advanced studies at the Tokyo University and return to Night City to fulfill her responsibilities."

"It is said that Saburo Arasaka, who has regained his 'youth,' personally promoted Ms. Vera Adelheid and praised her as the most dazzling gem in Night City and the Arasaka."

"We believe that Ms. Vera Adelheid's return to Night City after a year's absence will inject new vitality into the Night City's citizens' confidence and will mark the beginning of a new level of cooperation between NCPD officers and Arasaka's sheriffs..."

David's eyes widened immediately.

Is Commander Vera Adelheid coming back?!

He immediately recalled Katsuo's words.

Watching the news...

No wonder Katsuo, that son of an official, was in such a hurry.

No! He needs to hurry too! Not just Katsuo, he's graduating soon too... No way! David Martinez, you can't be so lazy!

He always remembered those words of encouragement and admonition: 'Don't fall into depravity,' and 'I hope to see your name on the list of new hires at Arasaka Tower.' Even though she had already forgotten about him, this insignificant, lowly trainee.

Clearing his mind of distractions, David's eyes hardened instantly, and he sped up in a flash.

JK (Jimmy Kurosaki) can no longer watch Mewtwo, he has to abandon the Anteiku he carefully selected, and he can no longer chat and joke with that shady Cybernetic Doctor. Until the time before his graduation exam, he puts himself into the Arasaka Training Chip that Katsuo gave him.

Train, train like crazy!

Corporate Plaza, Arasaka Tower.

The floor where the Counter-Intelligence Department is located.

"Holy crap, V, did you see that? Those bastards in the Security Department have gone completely mad. They're attacking from all sides. The Valentino Gang and the Six Street Gang were fighting, and just because someone said it was an eyesore, they flew over and executed a hundred people."

Harry, a black man with a kind face, entered the information booth with a coffee in his hand and handed it to his colleague behind the workstation—oh, now his superior, a red-haired woman with a single-sided shovel.

V sat behind her desk, reached for the corrugated cup, took a sip of coffee, and shrugged. "Isn't this normal? Director Vera Adelheid is coming back soon."

When she mentioned the title of 'director', her tone was somewhat complicated.

Everyone says that Vera feels right at home when she joins Night City's Security Department, so why does she feel like she's coming home even after studying abroad in Tokyo and arriving at Arasaka's global headquarters...?

It's the Solaris Staircase Project again, and it's also thanks to Lord Saburo Arasaka himself. He hasn't even graduated from the Arasaka Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo yet, but his rank is already skyrocketing. If he goes back to Night City and works there for a few more years, will he become a national-level director?

Beep beep. It was a phone notification sound. V glanced at it.

[Correspondent: Arthur Jenkins]

Connected.

[Jenkins: V. Continue reconnaissance around the Arasaka factory in Watson District. As for everything else— Militech, Petrochem —keep your undercover agents and informants silent for a while. Director Russell is returning; this time, the commotion won't be small.]

V: "Complete shutdown?"

Jenkins: Yes. Inside information suggests that Tokyo Headquarters has decided to reinforce Night City. Just watch, we'll wage a diplomatic and information war on Militech... Execute orders.

"Yes." V nodded repeatedly, knowing the seriousness of the matter.

After Jenkins hung up, V was silent for a moment, her eyes glowing red, and then she beeped.

"Jackie, can you hear me?"

[Jackie: Aha, hey girl, how's it going? Are you having a good time in that snake pit? What brings you here to see me?]

"It's alright, I guess. I'm getting paid, and at least I got promoted. But now's not the time for banter. Hey Jackie, listen to me, I've got you covered. Right now, drop everything you're doing and go with your mom."

[Jackie: Hey, Hermana (Spanish for girl). Relax, what's wrong? Why are you so anxious? Relax, you need to learn to release stress.]

"I'm in a real hurry. Jackie, there's a confidentiality period for this, so I can't say anything. But I can reveal one thing: Vera Adelheid is going back to Night City, you know? Knowing her personality, I don't want her first big trouble to fall on you. Got it?"

[Jackie: It's that woman... I heard she's a ruthless character as powerful as a hammer. Okay, I understand. I'll heed my sister's warning, of course. Thanks.]

"Jackie, remember, don't be impulsive. I'm hanging up now. Let's get together again next time."

Jackie: "Buena suerte (Good luck)."

Meanwhile, in Chinatown, at an intersection of Bradbury Street and Bran Street.

A shop filled with various statues, small toys, incense sticks, tarot cards, and yarrow stalks, exuding a mysterious astrology and psychic shop.

"Lo siento (sorry), it seems our cooperation is not going to work out. A very good and hardworking friend of mine told me that it's best not to get involved in this matter for the time being."

Jackie took his hands off the old sofa and looked at the men and women opposite him. They were of different heights and styles, and compared to Cyberpunk, they had a more like a large, Nomads family of mercenaries.

Chapter 90: Seeing the Big Picture in Small Things

An astrological psychic shrine called 'Misty's Secrets'.

The room was dimly lit and cluttered.

"Maine, this deal is probably off. My sister specifically warned me to make sure my eggs shrink properly during this time."

Jackie Wells thus rejected the blond, brown-skinned, muscular man in front of him.

"Hey big guy, are you kidding us?!"

The green-haired, twin-tailed loli slammed her hand on the table in a fit of rage and yelled at Jackie with an exaggeratedly exaggerated facial expression that was extremely contrasting.

"One phone call brought us here, and now you want us to get lost again?! Don't think that just because you bought us a few drinks you can act like some kind of scumbag middleman who can order us around like we're nothing!"

"Rebecca, calm down, don't be so moody and irritable."

Hacker Kiwi, a senior member of Maine's crew, casually grabbed Rebecca's collar and pulled the rampaging loli back. "Mr. Wells, as a rising star in 'Afterlife' in recent years, naturally has his own connections."

"I don't need you to lecture me, you annoying old woman! And you, Dorio, don't touch my head! It's all your fault I'm not tall..." The berserk loli angrily tried to pry off the Muscular Woman Dorio's hand that was pressing on her head.

"What a great team. Here's what we'll do. Given our relationship, I'll treat you to a night of fun at 'Afterlife' as an apology. I guarantee you'll be given priority when there's work coming up. I swear on Jackie Wells."

Jackie didn't care about the rant from the rampaging loli, after all, it was his fault for doing something wrong.

He looked at the rough, brown-skinned man across the old coffee table, who was deep in thought with a stiff expression.

"In Night City, if you want to survive long and make a lot of money while avoiding harm, you have to have connections in the mainstream."

"Maine, I don't want to get you killed. That's why I'm even more determined to stop. At the same time, I'll advise you to stop for now. porfavor (Spanish for 'please')."

As he spoke, Jackie wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but Maine's facial features seemed to suddenly become contorted. It vanished in an instant, then immediately returned to normal.

"Hey Jackie, my friend, that's not how business is done."

Shaking his head, Maine pressed down his sunglasses with his thick titanium fingers, revealing a pair of blue prosthetic eyes that flashed with orange-red data, filled with dissatisfaction and doubt.

"This is the cooperation we agreed on... For your big business, and considering your past reputation, my team turned down several good deals... At least, I need a reason."

"Well..."

Jackie scratched the back of his head and sighed.

"Reason? Hmm, a reasonable request. According to our rules and customs at Heywood, business deals always start with building rapport. Building rapport... alright. Since it's in the news, there's nothing we can't say."

He's no longer the greenhorn who just broke away from the Valentino Gang. After several years as a mercenary, especially with the intelligence help of his good friend V, he infiltrated the 'Afterlife' nightclub.

He's doing quite well.

They certainly don't qualify as legendary big shots, but they're definitely rising stars.

His acquaintance with the Maine group can be described as both complicated and simple.

It's all about getting by in the 'Afterlife'. The Afterlife in the next life is only so big. Once you enter the mercenary circle, as long as you don't have a bad reputation or hide yourself by being unconventional, you'll always have a chance to get to know people you see every day.

Perhaps you were too loud in your boasting and joking, and someone overheard you and bought you a drink, paid for it for you, and then you found out from the bartender who paid for it, and you invited them back later. After a few more rounds of banter, you became familiar with each other.

Although we can't be considered partners, we've at least gotten to know each other.

They're the kind of people you can greet when you meet, and who you could do business with.

Jackie picked up a dozen beers from the cooler on the table, tossed them toward Maine and the others, and then turned on the television in the room.

"Watching the news is a good habit," he said.

WNS News.

"... Ms Vera Adelheid Russell will conclude her year-long advanced training program at the Arasaka Tokyo Headquarters and return to Night City in a new position as a member of the North American Operations Council Director and the Managing Director of the Night City Security Department General Security Bureau..."

The host was rambling on about news that was both international and local news for the residents of Night City.

On the screen, a beautiful figure wearing an elaborately decorated long dress with lace suddenly appeared.

He stepped off a super-luxurious, unheard-of large Arasaka Clover bearing the aRaSaKa logo, surrounded by heavily armed black-clad agents.

When pressed by reporters, the person in the picture simply turned to look at the scene. Against the backdrop of the snowy Tokyo landscape, her exceptionally bright blonde hair cascaded freely behind her, radiating a dazzling brilliance.

"The high-ranking Corporate Dog of Arasaka, putting everything else aside, his pomp and appearance are really not bad."

Jackie clicked his tongue in admiration, "No wonder my best friend is so desperate to climb up the ladder. It's just that, well, the older sister is a bit too fierce and violent, not photogenic enough."

Then, the news footage changed again.

Some were wearing Todai University uniforms, some were wearing Arasaka uniforms, some were posing with Saburo Arasaka, the "old emperor," some were exchanging ideas with Shintaro Takayama, the Security Department director of Arasaka Tokyo Headquarters, and some were seated at the same table as Hanako Arasaka...

Clearly, these images are all publicly available information obtained through interviews and filming by reporters.