Infinity, progressing from Arasaka

The Sixth Street gang opened fire bravely, unleashing a deluge of ammunition from their vehicle-mounted modified rocket launchers. Some rockets accidentally struck the outer defensive wall built by Dogtown.

The hound soldiers inside the protective wall chose to fight back.

With a hum, the heads of several multi-barreled sentry turrets, which had been hanging low, slowly rose.

In an instant, flames crisscrossed, bullets flew freely, explosions, fires broke out, and the sounds of engines, gunfire, and screeching tires echoed throughout the border area between Taipingzhou and Heywood in the valley district.

Many died instantly, many were left in a state of uncertainty, and many suffered undeserved calamities...

Amidst the chaos, on the opposite bank of the river, Haywood said, "Arasaka, the final solution to your security problem."

Across the river, on the skyscrapers bordering Taipingzhou in the valley area, holographic screens soaring into the sky display images of Arasaka's security business advertisements.

...

boom!

Dogtown, EBM Petrochemical Stadium, upper floor, Colonel's private room. Kurt Hansen slammed his empty glass down on the bar, lowered his arm, and his gaze toward his subordinate who came to report turned hostile.

He said in a low, indifferent voice, "The reason."

"Those idiots from the Sixth Street Gang couldn't control their tongues and provoked our wall-building patrol team..."

At this point, the trusted confidant who had come to report took a deep breath.

"Colonel, you should know the pent-up emotions down there. They've long harbored resentment at being confined to this tiny Dogtown. Many veterans who participated in Operation Midnight Storm 70 years ago have been itching to teach those damn Sixth Street gang a lesson..."

"..."

Hansen tapped his fingers on the bar, pondered for a moment, then looked up as if he had made up his mind. "Order them to continue the attack. You, go tell Yuri to mobilize troops."

"Not withdrawing troops?"

"Withdraw what? The situation is beyond saving. Let's fight for the maximum benefit for the Netherhound."

Either remain as still as a mountain, or if you do move, fight to the death!

The situation in Dogtown is delicate, and the balance is fragile. He must maintain the deterrent power of the Ghost Hounds; there's no way he can just retreat after the fight.

Hansen made a decisive decision.

"Tell Yuri, tell the guys, the first priority of this operation is speed, a blitzkrieg. In addition to prohibiting the use of weapons that exceed the explicit limits of Night City law, mobilize a large force to paralyze the Sixth Street Gang within half a day and occupy the River Valley to create a fait accompli. Let our actions show Military Technology what they did wrong and what they lost in the past."

"Yes!"

After his trusted aides left, unlike the excited and overjoyed men who could finally vent their frustrations and fight—especially the Sixth Street gang's subordinates—Hansen, sitting on a bar stool, had a furrowed brow.

Although there was no direct evidence to him, he was convinced that there must have been external influences in this matter.

The Ghost Hound's rivals, his subordinates plotting to usurp the throne, new members dissatisfied with Dogtown's conservative strategy, unhappy customers, and ambitious individuals lurking in the shadows, all seeking to exploit Dogtown...

According to Hansen, these large corporations—Arakasa, military technology, and Su Petrochemical—all have reasons and motives to disrupt the stability of Dogtown.

"Fine... suppressing it all this time will eventually lead to an explosion... and besides..."

Muttering to himself, Hansen glanced at the news on the television hanging on the wall: Vera Adelheid's private plane had arrived at Night City International Airport under the escort of the Arasaka Naval Air Force fighter squadron.

"If she returns, Arasaka's offensive will intensify, and military technology will inevitably reduce support and attention given to the Sixth Street Gang. Washington's attention will also be drawn away, which will be a rare development opportunity for the Ghost Dogs..."

......

Colorado Bay, artificial island, Night City International Airport.

Local time, early morning of January 24, 2076.

buzzing...

The sound of the large airship's vectoring engine echoed across the Arasaka Corporation's dedicated helipad.

On the wide helipad, there was a whole row of 'Holy Sword' type hovercars, and on the flat ground next to them, there were now well-dressed Arasaka employees in suits.

Around them, security personnel dressed in heavy black combat suits and equipped with a full set of Arasaka individual weapons were constantly moving about.

Inside the luxuriously furnished floating vehicle, Vera adjusted her posture and gazed out the window. The sleek skyscrapers of the city's municipal center created a savage, fortress-like skyline.

Go home.

Her city of night.

Although it's not yet...

[Jimmy: Sir, welcome back to Night City. I've spotted your private jet. Good news, Phase Two is largely complete. I've successfully activated several spies within the Hound of the Underworld and the Sixth Streets, instigating and provoking armed conflict between the two gangs. Currently, the Hound of the Underworld's army has entered the Valley District, and the Sixth Streets are suffering heavy losses. I predict they will lose half of Santo Domingo's control before dawn...]

Vera: Okay, just monitor in real time. No need to worry about what happens next. Pay attention to the movements of military technology.

Vera hung up the video call, her eyes flashing with an orange-red light.

It was easier than she had expected, but she wasn't surprised at all by the expansion of the Netherhound.

Such is human nature, especially for the Ghost Hounds who have been manipulated and incited by Vera for years. The suppressed hatred of the lower-ranking soldiers is not something Hansen can suppress.

It's a very simple principle: it takes only a mouth to spread rumors, but it takes a lot of legwork to refute them.

Click.

After coming to a complete stop, the doors of the airship opened.

Under the protection of the cyber ninja bodyguards dispatched by Saburo to the Arasaka compound, Vera stepped down the gangway.

Ignoring the dense crowd of reporters and media personnel in the distance, Vera walked through the line of employees from the Arasaka management team, including Jimmy, Brian, Laurie, and even Jenkins and Tanaka. She found her good seniors with smiles on her face, who were also the key positions she would be taking over later.

"Long time no see, Uncle Thomas."

While scheming about military technology, she will not forget her other important task upon returning: to inherit the 'former crown prince's legacy' and to quickly and truly integrate a faction that belongs to her.

------

Chapter 094 Who Else But Me? (4.5K)

Company Plaza, Arasaka Tower.

2076/1/24|11/18

Floor 108, one of the floors reserved for high-ranking leaders of Arasaka, Vera sat quietly by the window in the grand living room that occupied the entire south side of the floor, looking at the sparse dark clouds outside the built-in mortise and tenon structure window, as well as the magnificent city skyline with its various styles.

A strong wind, predicted by the weather forecast, dispersed the smog brought by several days of light rain in the city. As the temperature inversion smog and acid rain dissipated, the city of night, a beautiful but always disheveled girl, presented a rare and brief moment of cleanliness and clarity.

It will be the top of the list, and the mountains are small.

That's all there is to it.

Besides, the military technology building that's just a stone's throw away...

“It’s in the way,” Vera said coldly.

A fortress-like military technology building stands directly south of Arasaka Tower. Just as military technology hinders the development of Arasaka's business, its location obstructs Arasaka Tower's view of Haywood, Santo Domingo, and Taipingzhou.

This also hindered Vera's desire to see the entire southern part of Night City.

The Abandoned Tower in Night City has 130 floors and is 660 meters tall, making it the tallest building in Night City. However, it is still not tall enough. At least from the 108th floor, Vera cannot stand on the foot of the Military Technology Building and have a panoramic view of the gang wars in the River Valley.

"Jimmy, do you think I can step on it?"

Vera lowered her gaze slightly, staring at the 'Militech' logo on the building across the street.

“Uh…” Jimmy looked embarrassed.

How do I answer this question?

The acting commander of the special assault force looked out the window with a bitter expression, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to answer in a way that wouldn't seem too obsequious, while also not offending his superior. He also had to consider the boomerang effect—what if he said something too absolute and then couldn't save face later?

"I..."

"Alright." Vera interrupted Jimmy's slightly stammering words with a gentle smile, "I won't make things difficult for you."

"I am aware of the details of the battle in the River Valley. Go. Send the city sheriff, along with the NCPD, to conduct another sweep of the Haywoodley area. Also, notify the marketing and engineering departments to contact the Ghost Hounds through official channels, and bring in Su Petrochemical and Peizhuo Petrochemical. We need to secure a share of the River Valley reconstruction orders..."

"Yes."

Jimmy nodded, accepted the order, and quickly left the floor that should have been inaccessible to someone of his current rank.

Snapped.

Vera then snapped her fingers and made an upward gesture.

Buzz! The smart AI in the living room recognized the message, and the holographic screen in the center of the reception room magnified, restoring the audio that had been muted because someone was giving a work report.

While gently stroking the lush, green potted plants in the room, Vera gazed at the surveillance footage transmitted from the monitoring centers of the various Arasaka factories in the River Valley District:

The dilapidated streets and alleys were blackened by smoke and fire. The walls, already covered in graffiti and with peeling plaster, were riddled with bullet holes. Scattered bullet casings, wrecked vehicles, and mutilated corpses were piled up here and there in the middle of the street. The scene was a gang stronghold with a large number of unfinished buildings collapsed, and the gaps in the walls looked like they had been chewed by dogs...

Thinking back to the fierce battle in Santo Domingo in the early hours of the morning, when she was probably attending a welcome banquet hosted by the Night City Arasaka Department at the Azure Mansion, Vera couldn't help but shake her head and sigh.

What a diverse world it is.

By the time she had eaten and drunk her fill, chatted with the company dogs, and slept soundly until dawn, the gang war between the Netherhound Gang and the Sixth Street Gang had ended.

The result was unsurprising: the warlords' organization brutally defeated the militia gangs.

Overnight, the Sixth Street Gang wiped out several of its major gang strongholds in the River Valley area.

Vera knew very well that Arasaka hadn't helped enough to stuff the Sixth Street Gang's troop deployments into the mouth of the Ghost Hound. Clearly, the Ghost Hound itself had specifically investigated the Sixth Street Gang's background.

The NCPD and the Night City government did not react much, but issued strong condemnations.

In other words, the Ghost Hounds were very sensible and did not pull out their trump card of a large number of 'excessive' heavy war weapons.

[Analysis Report: Based on current information, it is estimated that the Sixth Street Gang will suffer a reduction of 630-750 members after this conflict.] Vera glanced at the document sent by the Information Department.

The Sixth Street Gang is finished.

According to preliminary information, the Sixth Street Gang is expected to have around 2300 members in 2076.

Not long ago, in a brawl with the Valentino gang in Heywood, Vera instructed Jimmy to use the opportunity to kill dozens of elite thugs. Now, they were attacked by the Ghost Hound and lost the Valley overnight. Many members lost their lives in the confusion of the distress signals and the chaotic situation.