Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 337 Public Enemy of the Company! (Part 1) [5.4K]

"Mr. Stevenson—"

"Our people have identified the traitor; he came from the Roman branch in Europe."

"Hackers online searched for a long time and just now reverse-engineered the device's address..."

Stevenson is the head of Night City’s biotechnology intelligence division. Compared to other companies that invest heavily in the military field, the biotechnology division mainly focuses on preventing patent leaks and handling related cases in the human resources field.

But this is absolutely the worst situation biotechnology has ever faced—Stevenson doesn't want to swear, but that's just how it is.

"Find him for me, alive!"

A traitor in the biotechnology field has brought a series of operational plans targeting military technology to Night City…

If those things fell into the hands of military technology companies, it would be an unprecedented public relations disaster…

This will not only plunge the deeply intertwined relationship between the two companies into a period of stagnation, but will also have a huge impact on subsequent security orders for biotechnology facilities in North America.

But biotechnology has indeed been hampered by military technology for far too long…

With massive capital outflows, long-term cost investments, and increasingly less feedback from military technology, the company's top management is already considering their former partner, Arasaka, but unfortunately, their relationship with Arasaka has reached an irreparable point.

Once interests are at stake, betrayal and disappointment seem to be just around the corner.

Regaining his composure, Stevens patted his well-tailored suit. Regardless, the ample cash flow from biotechnology was his source of confidence.

If Stevenson had stopped the damage before it happened, his achievements would have been even greater.

That's right.

The entire operation, disguised as the execution of rock singers, was planned by Stevenson alone.

Military technology anticipated that its actions might have already drawn dissatisfaction from allies. For this reason, biotechnology is frequently constrained by military technology; in any security operation, military technology will, citing contractual obligations, arrange for its own security teams to operate alongside biotechnology...

But what if it involves the core interests of military technology?

Those Americans wished they could plug the ears and eyes of these Italians.

Actions taken on the bad soil are the best proof:

Military technology, cloaked in biotechnology, launched a prototype, only to be defeated on the wasteland by the corporate warriors of the dreamers.

Ironically, the biotechnology clones "legends" were the ones who contributed the most. If it weren't for that stupid woman, Meredith, it wouldn't be impossible for the biotechnology to personally kill its enemies.

Ever since Stevenson learned that Rin was the "culprit" behind the biotechnology company's continuous public relations crises over the past year, many of the company's top executives have been unable to eat.

On Judgment Day in Night City, the companies chose to pass the buck to Arasaka and Military Technology for their own benefit. Now the consequences of their silence have arrived. Perhaps the executives, filled with regret, wish they had sent a company squad to raze the Dreamers factory in Watson District on that very day!

[Caller: Nash]

Stevenson's heart sank when he saw the call from his boss.

It's probably one of the most troublesome problems in the workplace.

Stevenson's direct supervisor and he didn't get along very well, but many on the board were optimistic about Stevenson's future development. However, due to process and management considerations, Stevenson had to prove himself...

As for that idiot... he'll fawn over the shareholders in every way possible, and then nitpick about his own achievements.

Unfortunately, a few bitches completely believed what this idiot said.

Stevenson felt a sudden heat in his chest, and after unbuttoning his shirt collar—

"Hey, Nash?"

The obese man in the video was staring at him darkly, and Stevenson almost gritted his teeth.

"Look at the good things you did!"

Nash was no different from a shrew on the street, and his voice was even louder.

操…

Stevenson could only listen attentively for the time being.

"Do you even know that your people's control of the situation in the valley area has been leaked?! You fucking idiot, your men threw the recorded video in my face."

Stevenson's face darkened.

This really touched a nerve.

"I told you to do things my way. Those rock kids could have easily taken care of it with an assassination. Why did you have to go through all this trouble? Now look where your men are."

Stevenson was not actually worried about the situation in the Valley region getting out of control.

Because the soldiers' combat effectiveness was definitely higher than that of the scattered thugs of the Sixth Street Gang, but since Nash was so disrespectful to him, he naturally didn't want to play along.

He had a premonition.

After this job is done, Nash will be nothing more than a dog at his feet.

"Are you treating those warmongers who profit from military technology like idiots, Nash?"

Nash's face froze instantly—

"I didn't know you knew about the situation in the Valley area before me. What are you planning? If you don't handle this well, not only will I be fired, but you won't be any better off..."

"So speak frankly, I've already found the person."

In Stevenson's view, Nash's boss is a typical example of a bully who preys on the weak and fears the strong in the workplace.

He could mess with Stevenson, but at a high cost—

But today is different.

Nash smiled darkly.

Stevenson was playing right into his hands.

It seems like Stevenson is a shoo-in for this job.
Can I take this as you celebrating your promotion and raise in advance?

So he simply stopped pretending.

Nash's smile looked like melted wax dripping down his face. "Congratulations, Mr. Stevenson. The board has stopped your operation. I have the authority—now, immediately take your men, clean things up, and get back here."

"impossible!"

Stevenson simply couldn't believe such a nonsensical thing.

“They’ve accepted the outcome of the operation, but the risks have become uncontrollable. How long will it take for you to wake up from your dream?” Nash gritted his teeth. “Headquarters must get the rock star’s body. This is a necessary step for the company to make an example of him.”

"As for you... the only reason you're still alive is because your memory bank is full of company secrets! Come back and figure out how to clean up your mess—and also, the gentleman who admires you has gone to headquarters in Rome, you know what I'm talking about!"

The feeling at this moment is no less than being struck by lightning!

Looking at Nash's smile, Stevenson felt more and more like a smug clown in a circus.

He offended Nash to the death, and the people who were protecting him left. No wonder something like this happened at this critical juncture!

"My people will take over. People from the company are coming for you right away. Keep an eye on your life—"

Nash hung up the phone after saying that.

The security guard beside him saw his boss's face visibly turn ugly and hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to speak.

……

"As long as the intelligence isn't leaked, all the results are mine."

Nash said that.

"I wonder if your intelligence chief will leak these things to military technology?"

The subordinates were still filled with worry.

Nash crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair.

"There's still work to be done back at the company. Do you know how many times Stevenson has secretly targeted military technology? This time, the sale of biotechnology to military technology companies was a scheme orchestrated by us—"

"These damn Americans, as long as they are in the wrong, they will take our problems seriously. This is due to their guilt and desire to make amends, and it is also because they dare not lose our bottom line in military technology."

Nash enjoyed this feeling of being in complete control.

Seeing that his subordinates understood his meaning, he nodded with satisfaction. "Instead of worrying about military technology knowing about the mess in the Valley area, we need to be more careful that Stevenson, this fat sheep who knows a lot of secrets, falls into the hands of other companies. Only a few large companies like Arasaka and Petrochemical can do that..."

The most tragic thing in the world is to be someone else's bride.

Stevenson's positioning was terrible; he had no idea that the company's board promises would be worthless.

"Stevenson has sealed off the Valley area very well, and he's even found the person for me—that rock 'n' roll idiot who likes to smear the company, and he's got several of our middle managers dead."

“His body is a medal, Stevenson’s achievements are my resume, and once I join the board, I will wipe that idiot company called Dreamers from Night City’s map.”

At this point, the subordinates were a little confused.

“Dreamer…why did you push this forward?”

“That’s where your naivety lies.” Nash shook his head with a smug smile. “Companies don’t act until they see results… He’s just a madman with a prosthetic body; he’s still human—he couldn’t have survived such an intense explosion.”

Nash is not a good-for-nothing.

There are some things that he, as a member of management, can see clearly...

It has to be said that Rin's "death" was timed particularly well, because his death directly caused the companies to be unsure whether to take action or not, and the Dreamers' repeated defeats in the business world also proved that the company was beginning to decline.

The companies that were initially at ease began scheming against each other in the city once again, but Nash saw things differently because he knew that the Dreamers had detained the Arasaka technical team.

Technology-based companies are particularly sensitive to this.

“If Rin were alive…” The subordinate swallowed hard. “I heard that this soldier could break through the encirclement of 500 company troops by himself, and even the company’s small squad couldn’t stop him… Other companies are probably worried about him being assassinated, right?”

"Humph."

Nash thinks his dog is great in every way, except that he's too timid.

"You know very well who fired those shells. Dogtown has disliked him for a long time, and on top of that, the head of a company actually volunteered to have the company's cybernetic implant?! He's a complete idiot—"

"Does he have the right to make enemies everywhere and become the company's public enemy?"

Hearing his superior's confident tone, the subservient subordinate gave an awkward laugh. "No wonder you took most of the blame for the attack on Dreamers last time... I thought you... uh, sorry, I was just worried about your safety. After all, Dreamers and the outside world think you're the one who orchestrated this operation, so if they retaliate, you'll be the first to suffer—"

"But now it seems that your wisdom is extraordinary."

What a great success.

This is a common problem among most company management teams.

Nash was no exception.

He found it very helpful.

The phrase "celebrating each other's success" perfectly describes their conversation in retrospect.

[Caller: Stevenson] Nash clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"I guess he was begging me to let him go..."

The subordinates' smiles spoke volumes.

The call had only been going on for less than a minute.

This guy, who was just smug, looked like he'd been thrown into the Arctic.

……

"Hold…"

Stevenson hardly had to force himself; he was already thinking about his options.

He immediately wanted to call Nash.

However... human dignity sometimes makes it difficult to accept the best solution.

Furthermore, Nash would never let himself off the hook.

Now I've become a completely transparent employee.

All the credit now belongs to his superiors, and he is destined to lose and be ousted in this power struggle among the company's top executives.

There is another way.

Nash's warning had actually reminded him.

If I were to go into military technology myself…

The moment this terrifying thought crossed his mind, Stevenson broke out in a cold sweat despite the sweltering heat, feeling utterly deflated.

But... my subordinates are still around.

He had to pretend that he was still waiting patiently, while in reality he was repeatedly weighing the pros and cons.

Once the military technology is gone, all the dirty work he did for the board will be exposed... The new Americans will not hold back, and he will only suffer an even more tragic end.

What about the other companies...?
This is out of the question. Biotechnology companies, which are essentially money bags, hold secrets that other companies see as prime targets. They might be used as bargaining chips in a deal, which is hardly a good way to make a living.

"boss!"

"boss!"

Startled from his reverie, Stevenson lost his composure.

The subordinates didn't dare to look too closely, but simply turned their heads and waved.

A guy with a bruised and swollen face, who had wet his pants, was pushed over.

"Do you know why I'm looking for you, sir? The technical director from Italy?"

Stevenson's men conducted the interrogation in place of their boss.

"Damn it—this is slander! Where's the evidence?!"

"So you flew all the way to Night City just to find a €500 sex doll in Sixth Street Gang territory? Do you think I'd believe that?"

Having made sure there were no marks on his body, this guy who almost escaped death refused to say a word.

"Is this yours?" The agent squatting in front of him reached behind him, and the robot guard handed him a cigarette case.

Seeing that the object he used to remember his loved one was in the hands of the biotechnology expert, he immediately panicked and tried to snatch it away—

The man immediately removed his hand.

Under the traitor's gaze, he opened the cigarette pack, and a chip engraved with a biotechnology logo fell out.

"this…"

Speechless, the biotechnology thief's eyes immediately changed!
been played!

He recalled carefully that only she had touched the cigarette box.

"Working for military technology? Huh? Fuck you!"

A heavy blow sent the guy sprawling on the ground, writhing in pain!

Just then, a floating car descended from the sky, carrying the body of the rock kid. This traitor, along with his corpse, would face the cruelest end of his life in the biotechnology building.

Stevenson's eyes were calm, even numb...

Because his fate will probably not be good, not to mention he doesn't even have the right to leave the table.

The area behind me was a mess.

The airship did not open its doors for half a day after landing.

"Damn it! What's going on? Asleep?"

"Whose people are in charge of this?"

Stevenson frowned; he had a vague feeling that the hovercar was like a cage, inside which lurked a terrifying beast.

"Something's wrong."

Stevenson took a step back, and the next second—

hum!
A terrifying sound, comparable to tearing steel, was followed by a series of brief screams from the soldiers!
He instinctively looked down, and the heavy door of the hovercar flew over his head like foam plastic, crashing into the houses behind it and raising a cloud of dust!

Swah——

All anyone could see was a blurry black shadow, but being reinforced company soldiers, they quickly pointed their guns at the central area!
"who?!"

Stevenson drew his gun and noticed a strange guy standing in the middle, dressed like a rock band member, with thick, jet-black hair swaying slowly in the wind.

"Hehehe..."

A squeezing sound came from someone's throat. The tall, upright young man silently watched the struggling sergeant in his arms; he was the one who had just interrogated the intelligence officer—

when?
Keep in mind that the hovercar was at least tens of meters away from here, and there were S.A.S. soldiers all around, but even with high reflexes, they still couldn't see the strange young man's movements!

"K——"

Stevenson practically gritted his teeth as he uttered the name.

"Humph…"

The young man chuckled softly, his attention entirely focused on the soldier he was holding in his hand.

His gaze shifted and he saw what the sergeant was holding. Under the watchful eyes of the surrounding soldiers, he took it from his hand.

Biotechnology.

As he spoke, the finger that had been gripping the sergeant's neck and lifting him up was inserted into the crevice of the prosthetic head at the back of his head. With just a slight pressure, the wires and spinal fluid gushed out of the wound...

The living person seemed to instantly lose power, their head drooping limply...

"Gudong."

The soldiers instinctively swallowed hard.

"As part of the plan, I wasn't supposed to let anyone in Night City know my name, but—"

KIA's lead singer, the punk rock kid who suddenly rose to fame, looked around at these people, revealing his white teeth, and smiled easily, "It doesn't matter if the dead know."

"I am Rin."

Stevenson's mind went completely blank!
"Aren't you...aren't you afraid the company will turn against you?!"

The young man narrowed his eyes. "You didn't seem to feel any fear when you attacked DRAR. Besides... do you think military technology even knows about these underhanded tactics?"

"You want to take the intelligence, don't you?"

Stevenson's eyes flashed with malice; he had lost nothing, not even his life.

"You're still alive..."

Lin Yue clapped his hands. "Steal intelligence? You overestimate me. My comrades have already taken the intelligence information. Military Technology will know soon enough. Instead of worrying about Dreamers, worry about how Military Technology will deal with your colleagues."

Under Stevens's watchful gaze, the chip was immediately tossed aside onto the ground. The chip's primary function was to enable biotechnology to detect the spy, and now that its purpose had been achieved, the intelligence was in V's hands.

"He's all alone!"

"Don't retreat!"

The soldiers immediately snapped to their senses at Stevens's roar.

They all steadied their guns, ready to strike at any moment if Rin showed any sign of moving—

"Who said it was just one person?"

A glint of light flashed across the young man's body; it was the image of Rin herself from the Night City wanted poster…

He stretched his body with a smile, his bones cracking and popping.

"There are plenty of people to play with you."

A bizarre scene unfolded...

Dozens of eyes witnessed the scene that resembled a ghost story.

The ground seemed to have turned into liquid, and two identical figures appeared behind Rin, flipping over to reveal different expressions.

The soldier winked.

They tried to convince themselves that it was an illusion of light and shadow, but from any angle, it was a real entity!
That is--

Three living, breathing Rin?!

This jaw-dropping scene left even the well-informed Stevenson speechless.

"Snapped!"

A silenced pistol shot hit the replica standing to Rin's left. Just when everyone thought the fake scene was about to be exposed, the bullet made a metallic popping sound when it hit the replica!

Rin watched the guy who fired, and several identical ones all slightly bent over, like a cheetah about to pounce.

"A guessing game, Stevenson."

"Try your luck and pay for your mistakes along the way?"

That guy's gentle voice was like a curse from hell!
……

……

(End of this chapter)