Infinity, progressing from Arasaka

—The Spring Graduation Ceremony of the Class of 2076, Night City Arakasaka Academy—

We cordially invite you to...

drop.

Vera glanced at the report from Arasaka Academy and then dismissed it. She then zoomed in on the security data charts compiled by the NCPD in the Haywoodley area recently, closed the Arasaka Academy website, and projected the relevant graphic information from the central holographic screen onto the virtual screen grid built into her prosthetic eye.

[List of proposed hires for the Security Department of Night City Arakasaka Academy Class of 2076 graduates:]

Tanaka Katsuo.

Kawakami Kosuke.

Morishita Gi'an (Fat Tiger).

David Martinez.

Conan Henry.

...

Vera glanced at it a few times.

Wow, their grades are all pretty good.

The board members of Arasaka Academy lavished praise on this year's graduates. They were especially effusive in their eulogies regarding Vera's encouraging speech during her visit to the academy in the summer of 2074, showering her with compliments.

This board member is not the same as that board member. The board members of the management oversight board of the Arasaka North America Department Night City Headquarters are not the same as the school board members.

According to data comparing the scores of this year's graduates with those of previous years, compiled by AI classroom teachers and professional course instructors at Arasaka Academy, this year's average score is more than 10 points higher. They also stated that this year's students are the best cohort they have taught in recent years.

Excluding the class of 2070, there was a 'genius' among them.

Among the spring graduates, there were quite a few promising and outstanding students who were marked by other departments within Arasaka.

Among them, David Martinez ranked third in overall performance among the pure physical trainees. He was one of only two people, including himself, who were born into a purely commoner background.

At this stage, it can be said that without Vera's special instructions, the security department's assessment specialist and HR administration have already included David Martinez in the list of candidates for employment, as his internal, unpublished medical examination report is quite excellent.

Once he turns 18 and graduates, and his body is basically fully developed, the Security Department will provide each new combat personnel with heavy combat suits and weapons, low-interest loans for special combat prosthetics, and generous salary contracts, all according to the incentive clauses stipulated in the regulations.

Once he is officially appointed and proves himself, more advanced combat prosthetics will be arranged in the future.

The price was that his remaining life would be completely bound to Arasaka.

Once dismissed, the company has the right to reclaim everything.

【approve.】

Vera approved the list of new recruits from academia submitted by the security department. These "academics," graduates of Arasaka Academy, were considered a crucial source of loyal employees for the Arasaka Corporation.

[Internship] → [Supervision of the outsourced project in the new Arasaka Research Center area]

drop.

send.

Have read.

After reading the last message on her PDA, Vera finished her cup of black tea in one gulp, sat up from her ergonomically designed Cyber ​​executive chair, and stretched slightly.

Stepping forward, she casually swiped across the central screen, revealing the construction progress map of the new research area to the side, while NCPD statistics on security data were displayed on a magnified 3D map of the Haywood Lily scenic area.

How effective was the crackdown?

There must be.

It barely qualifies as good.

Thanks to the efficient efforts of the NCPD and Sheriff Arasaka, crime in the area has been effectively curbed. Even the local residents think so; the company still criticizes them, but when it comes to this, they say that Arasaka and the NCPD at least did something human-like.

As for eliminating all public security cases, that's impossible, absolutely impossible.

Vera didn't even dare to think about it.

There are just too many idiots and dreamy young men on the streets of Night City.

There are always reckless fools who defy death and commit crimes against the wind.

Imitating the dashing figure of the cyber idol in his dream, he downed the alcohol, took a swig of stimulants, and with a bottle of marijuana in hand, he carried a gun and shouted that he was the best in the world, and the team was about to start.

However, everything is subject to comparison. Compared with the surrounding areas of Spasskaya Sopka, Valley of the Valleys, and Santo Domingo, the Lijiang Scenic Area has effectively contained the epidemic.

After the Sixth Street Gang was defeated by the Hound of the Underworld, new gang tentacles have not yet been established. The Valentino Gang was warned by the NCPD's Terrorist Mobile Unit, the Tiger Claw Gang leader was summoned by Arasaka, the Mox Pure Gang doesn't have the ability to do so, and the other gangs are too far away to be of any use.

"Kidney cleaners," also known as "kidney harvesters," are people with no particular ideology and varying skill levels. Like street thugs, they appear randomly and can be found anywhere. They are not a specific group, and there is no leader. It is just a general term for people with similar goals who only care about their bodies and money.

Arasaka's attitude is the same as NCPD's: just sweep them up when you encounter them.

Vera was well aware of her position and the composition of the Night City's power structure; Arasaka was the largest part of it, but by no means the only one.

Therefore, she needs to find allies and will never go it alone or fight alone before laying a solid foundation.

Collaborations were reached with the Night City government, NCPD, and biotechnology companies currently in a honeymoon phase – the Lijing Scenic Area 'model room'.

Since it was the Ghost Dog that did it, Arasaka needs it to promote personal and family security services to the citizens.

The city government and NCPD want to reduce negative reviews so that Night City's official tourist guide can add at least a few more places to see and do that are relatively inexpensive.

Biotechnology, giving Arasaka face, and incidentally for the safety of employees, providing a relatively safe commuting area for low-level employees who squeeze onto the subway to work, also makes it easier to exploit them, right?

With more people and a growing momentum, Vera expanded her circle and recruited more people.

Trauma group, invited.

They don't touch politics, and Vera has no intention of discussing politics with them.

Economically speaking, it's true that the equipment used by their grassroots rescue workers is high-end, but they do the most difficult jobs, going into fires and saving lives, yet they earn the meager wages of selling cabbages.

The salary level is among the lowest of large companies, even lower than that of medium-sized companies. Those at the entry level need to live and eat at Haywood after get off work; there is a demand for it.

There's also Su Petrochemical.

Anyway, I heard that Arasaka was setting up a model security district. It was called an invitation, but it was actually a hint to stop making small moves and funding gangs. If you want to fund them, do it elsewhere. After Su Shihua inquired, he found out that this was the former territory of the Sixth Street Gang. Moreover, seeing that so many forces had already participated, he reluctantly agreed.

Vera also plans to invite Zeta Technology, Comto, Jianli...

Have you forgotten someone important, the second most powerful figure in Night City?

that's not important.

Continue browsing the administrative briefing.

Holographic screen transition, [Counterintelligence Department]

—Counterintelligence Department Spring 2076 Employee Proposed Promotion List—

Vera's eyes sharpened.

Harry.

Frank Nostra.

...

Valerie.

A half-length portrait of a woman with red hair styled with a shaved side, sharp eyes, and an aggressive look.

The key point is Valerie; Arthur Jenkins wants to promote her to the second-in-command of the Counterintelligence Department, skipping two levels.

Information Analysis Department:

Agent V successfully uncovered a suspected spy operation by the Baskin Infiltrator Company, operating in the area around Watson-Arasaka, in the first quarter of 2076. Operation Fishhook, which he was in charge of, is progressing well, having already helped to clear out rampant clandestine intelligence activities outside Arasaka Beach, and is continuously monitoring an underground mercenary group suspected of being hired by a hostile force.

…(Expandable)…

"Is it her? She's finally made it...V." With a silent whisper, Vera tapped the Grand Council's desk lightly with her right index finger, which was resting on the table. Her invisible gaze seemed to become more enigmatic.

An unwritten rule within Arasaka is that if you can uncover a conspiracy involving military technology, your performance rating will be upgraded by one level.

【approve.】

With her arms crossed, Vera gazed at the counterintelligence department's spring promotion list, a profound meaning emanating from her indigo eyes.

It's time to start planning...

Ding-dong. Before she could think for long, a staff member from the Arasaka Tower administration department came to the war room.

"The cars carrying Mr. Alexei from Sosin Petrochemical, Ms. Julian from Zeta Technologies, and Mr. Huang from Comtasia have arrived at the helipad on the 80th floor of Arasaka Tower."

He asked softly, "Is it the diplomatic reception center on the 99th floor?"

"Okay." Vera turned around, nodded, and said, "I'll be right there."

She straightened her dark Arasaka-style uniform, picked up a silver brooch from the table, fastened it, and walked towards the door.

Ding.

The elevator door opens.

Just then, a highly encrypted satellite video call came in.

drop.

[Jimmy: Director, after investigation and verification, our department has made contact with the secret agent society established in the old abandoned tower in Seattle in 2023. I met with their elders, and they acknowledge your identity.]

Surrounded by Cyber ​​Wolf bodyguards, Vera had just stepped into the direct elevator when she received a rather pleasantly surprising message from her trusted confidant, Jimmy, the head of the Special Assault Team.

[Vera: Maintain contact and remain vigilant. Please convey my deepest respects to their loyalty and steadfastness. Military technology is under close surveillance; I cannot leave. If possible, please invite them secretly to Night City. I wish to meet with them to discuss in detail the matter of avenging the humiliation suffered by Lord Arasaka and Lady Michiko in Washington all those years ago.]

Jimmy: Got it.

Toot—

Vera gave a slight smile.

The beginning is always the hardest. If she takes the first step well, her inheritance of Arasaka Kei's 'legacy' will be much more secure.

With Michiko Arasaka's tactful cooperation, the two "plastic sisters" acted like perfect sisters in front of the media, praising each other. It was Michiko who told Vera about this secret agent society in Seattle.

Although Arasaka was nominally defeated in the Fourth Corporate War, before that, at its peak, under the leadership of Prince Arasaka Kei, Arasaka invested unimaginable resources in North America, establishing countless underground weapons research institutes, secret agent societies, and intelligence outposts.

When Michiko founded the Dangerous Girl Detective Agency in the 1940s, she provided private investigation services to world celebrities and some important clients. The seemingly strange cases she solved often concealed the 'destruction' or 'incorporation' of the former Arasaka facilities.

This was precisely the condition that President Elizabeth Cress offered for Michiko Arakawa to retain her new U.S. citizenship.