Chapter 191: Cyberpunk: Legendary Life - Chapter 190
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Arasaka Tower.
33rd Floor, Counterintelligence Department.
Tang Yu and Arthur Jenkins sat across from each other on the sofa, with two glasses of whiskey on the table in front of them. Jenkins, the old superior, had returned to the Counterintelligence Department and took control of all departmental affairs, leaving many tasks no longer requiring Tang Yu's involvement. They worked well together, each finding their respective places. Jenkins managed the Counterintelligence Department with strict discipline, and Tang Yu's long-standing practice of not vying for power reassured him greatly.
As a department head, Jenkins' biggest worry was an untrustworthy deputy who might betray him. Tang Yu, upon Jenkins' return, immediately handed back all responsibilities and privileges, even preserving the minister's office as it was before Jenkins left. This straightforward gesture of returning power increased Jenkins' goodwill and trust towards Tang Yu. They say the workplace is a battlefield, and finding a reliable ally in Arasaka Tower who also has the needed skills is truly rare.
Jenkins raised his glass and said with a sigh, "I can't believe we've been working together in the Counterintelligence Department for two years now."
"Two years is enough time for many things to change."
"I must say, you've done an excellent job here, but with upcoming adjustments, you might not continue in intelligence."
Hearing Jenkins talk about future career directions, Tang Yu took it in stride. No matter which department he worked in, his approach would remain unchanged. He was quite satisfied with Jenkins as a superior, who offered both trust and a platform that greatly advanced his career at Arasaka. Perhaps there was a degree of mutual exploitation, yet it still proved Jenkins had leadership skills. If he did transfer out of the Counterintelligence Department, it would feel a bit unsettling.
Jenkins was a work-focused individual, overseeing every detail within the Counterintelligence Department, which conveniently allowed Tang Yu more operational freedom. With Jenkins at the helm, Tang Yu felt secure during his field duties.
"Is there news of recent personnel changes?" Tang Yu asked calmly.
Jenkins took a sip of his drink and shook his head, "It's just my guess and perspective. Your outstanding performance this past year has drawn both admiration and jealousy from higher-ups."
"Truth be told, connecting with a member of the Arasaka Family doesn't guarantee you a ticket to your destination."
"Many things in this world are the result of conflicts, and to get that ticket, you might need to engage in one."
Tang Yu smiled. Jenkins was hinting that Arasaka's arrival in Night City meant uncertain future prospects and inevitable corporate conflicts affecting everyone. If the leadership of Arasaka Tower in Night City changed, a purge would be unavoidable.
He then asked, "What do you think? Although the prince has never appeared in the company or public, the streets have been buzzing with the news."
Jenkins nodded, frowning as he leaned back on the sofa in thought, "If he came to Night City under direct orders for some secret task, that's easier to deal with. It might be preparation for his future leadership of Arasaka."
"As you said, the interesting point is that he hasn't shown up at the company or made any public moves. Staying in a hotel might mean he's just here for indulgence, something he's done before."
Tang Yu knew the real reason for Arasaka's visit to Night City, but he couldn't share such top-secret information with Jenkins, so he only mentioned the board's movements.
"But the board members are getting restless; many are eager to make their mark."
Jenkins sighed, "Yes, so we can only know the final outcome after the conflict concludes."
Tang Yu thought Jenkins was worrying unnecessarily, possibly being too concerned about his image and status within Arasaka's higher echelon, making him hesitant in critical moments. From Tang Yu's perspective, failing to choose a side now meant potentially missing out entirely when the dust settled. Susan Abernathy, who was sure to climb first, would leave Jenkins no room to survive. This was why he was always a step behind. Susan Abernathy, in contrast, was ruthless and daring, making bold moves at crucial times. Her prior attempt to assassinate Tang Yu was proof of her mindset: better to kill mistakenly than let someone go.
Unable to offer Jenkins more advice due to his own uncertainties about the future, Tang Yu hoped Arasaka wouldn't repeat past mistakes and didn't want to see Night City destroyed again. With major forces eyeing each other suspiciously, a single spark could ignite the powder keg. He sought a better solution, rather than facing destruction again in a nuclear blast.
Tang Yu collected his thoughts and brought the conversation back on track. "Is there a new mission assignment this time?"
Today, he hadn't planned to work and was thinking of taking advantage of Jenkins' return to arrange his daily life. Ever since he had sparred with V last time, she seemed to have found confidence in the ring and often talked about wanting to fight. Unfortunately, her reputation had spread, and no one on the streets dared to take her on anymore. V was even considering signing up for a professional league to debut as an official boxer. However, the ragtag fighters in official matches couldn't even compare to someone with a bit of skill like Razor, so she wasn't very interested.
Besides V, Tang Yu had several other appointments that he kept putting off. Jenkins stopped the small talk, opened the desk tablet, and pushed it towards Tang Yu, explaining, "Indeed, there's a new mission and it's rather tricky."
On the screen, a team dressed in tactical black outfits and armed with high-quality thermal weapons stormed an Arasaka outpost on the outskirts. They slaughtered everyone there indiscriminately, implanted program chips to steal data, and then planted bombs to blow up the entire location. The entire operation, from start to finish, took less than five minutes. This well-trained team executed the mission and quickly retreated.
Tang Yu noticed that these people were not just well-equipped but also had their heads wrapped in black cloth and carried two katanas on their shoulders, looking like a cross between heavy-armed soldiers and black-clad ninjas. It was hard to tell which faction they belonged to from their appearance alone. Attacking an Arasaka outpost and stealing corporate data was no small matter.
After Tang Yu finished watching the video, Jenkins, somewhat helplessly, said, "This has been happening at multiple Arasaka outposts recently."
"Although we couldn't retain any footage, our agents confirmed the attack methods and explosions were very similar, suggesting it was the work of the same group."
Tang Yu was surprised. While these outposts were located on the outskirts, they weren't far from the main city, and Arasaka Tower's armed forces could quickly arrive at the scene. This only indicated that the attackers had well-prepared and planned in advance, allowing them to execute a swift and successful strike before retreating.
The number of forces daring to openly attack Arasaka outposts in Night City could be counted on one hand. The most likely suspect was Militech. Although the two companies were ostensibly in a cold war, they secretly messed with each other. Jenkins added, "Our agents have found Militech ammunition and bomb fragments at multiple sites."
"But that doesn't necessarily mean Militech is responsible. After all, munitions from major companies are circulated in the market."
"What truly drew higher-ups' attention is that the stolen data pertained to Arasaka's secret transport routes and items. The only entity desiring such information would be Militech."
"Since it's clear that Militech is behind this, why continue investigating? The board members would jump at this evidence," Tang Yu saw through the ploy. It was obviously a setup.
Jenkins further explained that Michiko Arasaka was keeping a lid on this matter because she suspected something fishy and insisted the Counterintelligence Department must uncover the truth.
Michiko's approach surprised Tang Yu. This wasn't a personal arrangement, showing she wanted not only to secure Tang Yu but also to gain control over the entire Counterintelligence Department. Simultaneously, she gave him some room to maneuver, avoiding putting him on the spot and further antagonizing Arasaka's hostile elements towards him.
Tang Yu surmised that Michiko was under immense pressure. Without his support, it might be tough for her to maintain her footing. Hawkish board members would seize this opportunity to make a fuss, ideally escalating it to Kyoto and painting Michiko as ineffective and weak, thereby paving the way for a new leader at Arasaka Tower.
Tang Yu already had a hunch about the forces behind this. Arranging internal attacks wasn't a new trick for Arasaka's rival. If Arasaka didn't have a conflict with Militech, then Arasaka would manufacture one.
Tang Yu accepted this challenging task. Despite Jenkins handing it to the entire department, it was ultimately aimed at him, leaving no room for negotiation. After assigning the task, Jenkins escorted Tang Yu out.
Once Tang Yu left the director's office, he took the public elevator down and exited Arasaka Tower. He didn't trust anyone in the department to handle this matter since too many angles were involved; he had to investigate personally. His instincts told him Militech had indeed raided Arasaka outposts, but not as frequently and recklessly as this.
Some power was undoubtedly stirring the pot, making it hard to distinguish truth from falsehood, ultimately pinning the blame on Militech. So Tang Yu needed to find the right person to prove that Militech wasn't responsible for the attacks. Simultaneously, he had to avoid exposing Arasaka's orchestrator; otherwise, his situation would become more dire.
Thus, Tang Yu had to look for dead men.
In the subway car, Tang Yu stood by the window, gazing at the familiar scenery outside the train, silently thinking to himself, 'I need to have a serious talk with the orchestrator.'
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