Infinity, progress from Arasaka

While waving in surprise in response to the crowd who were demonstrating in support of her performance in the "Austin Multilateral Dialogue", Vera directly retrieved the communication rights of the San Diego local branch through high-level authority and asked the San Diego local receptionist beside her.

[Sir, that’s partly true. But thanks to your statement in Austin, the people of San Diego who yearn for freedom have long suffered from Washington’s tyranny of annexing independent states and trampling on democracy.]

Oh.

Vera understood.

This "people" certainly does not refer to the common people, but to the local party.

"They're pretty quick." Vera laughed meaningfully.

hum-

Several more hovercrafts with fancy paint jobs arrived. They were the special vehicles for interviews from WNS News and News Channel 54.

But Vera had no time to continue playing with them.

Her part in this prologue scene has been temporarily completed.

She should be in a state of being tricked and secretly annoyed.

After making a gesture of bracing herself and simply nodding to the supporters of the demonstration, Vera arrived at the hotel helipad, where a new special car and escort team were ready.

Adam Heavyhammer, wearing a basic exoskeleton cyborg armor, stood at the entrance of the hatch of the special car, as if he was made of steel.

No prosthetic King Kong is equipped.

Even though the cyborg that Tanaka upgraded and improved again was still too large to be conveniently entered into the cabin for close protection, at least its structure had been optimized to suit the special characteristics of Adam Hammer, and it was stored in a floating vehicle that moved with the formation, so it could be assembled and donned at any time.

"Thank you for the trip, Adam."

"Director, I'm looking forward to seeing some blind guys coming to die. Night City has been a bit too boring these days." A cold voice full of metallic texture sounded when Vera got on the car. It was Adam Hammer.

Vera smiled faintly, turned her head away, and said in an extremely calm tone: "The thrilling and exciting days will come. It depends on whether you can continue to write the legend."

"Hahaha... I'm looking forward to hearing you say that, Director."

Adam Hammer laughed hoarsely and got on the car with Vera's personal cyber ninjas.

Click.

The hatch is closed.

Amid the rumbling sound of the engine, the scenery outside the car window, whose polarized light had become one-way transparent, began to rise and retreat rapidly, leaving behind the increasingly fierce protests and oppositions against military technology by the "civilians" in San Diego and Washington.

Heading north, destination, Night City.

...

Speechless all the way.

Very stable and smooth.

Adam Heavy Hammer was quite disappointed. There were no short-sighted thieves jumping out to stop him, no missiles whizzing over from a distance, and no plane crashes, not even a drone.

There wasn't even any bad weather along the way, and the journey was smooth.

[...Yes, the agent program is going well. ]

[...The sudden independence of the West Coast will inevitably lead to a direct war between us and Washington, but the slow knife cuts the meat, the game of one state and two states, you taught me that human nature is like this, this is the salami slicing tactic, using this incident as an excuse to nibble away step by step. ]

[The excuse to intervene in New Mexico and Arizona has been obtained. The local party must want to revive state power... Yes... Yes... I understand. This will not happen again. I promise, Master Saburo. ]

Toot——

hang up the phone.

"Huh..." The image of Saburo Arasaka, who was scolding with a stern face and looked energetic, had disappeared from her cornea. Vera couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

Well... Lao Deng scolded her with dignified concern, saying that her self-torture tactic was risky, which was a bit heartwarming.

Vera picked up a glass of ice water from the bar and drank it in one gulp. To calm herself down physically, she leaned back in her chair and tapped the armrest with her fingers.

According to the intelligence she just obtained from the secret agent association, it was just as she thought.

Although the local parties in the western states were a little puzzled as to why Washington would make such a stupid move, could it be that they were so angry and anxious that they were blinded by greed? However, everyone agreed to put the blame on military technology and Washington.

Many people started making a big fuss about her assassination when the Arasaka delegation was attacked.

This matter has nothing to do with military technology or Washington. It doesn't matter whether Vera and Arasaka believe it or not. What matters is whether the international community and the people of the western states believe it or not.

The so-called self-proven is a trap. As long as you prove yourself, you are wrong.

If you investigate military technology, you will find that there are mistakes there.

Choose to publish the results truthfully.

Saying that it was the personal behavior of some front-line agents suffering from cyber psychosis, Vera focused on criticizing their incompetence, lax and chaotic management, and lack of effective organization and coordination.

How can a city that can't even control its own CIA agents govern the free states of the West? How can the citizens of the West who have millions of free souls still dare to pin their future well-being on Washington?

Choose not to respond, not to acknowledge, and not to disclose.

That means you are guilty and dare not admit it.

Why are you silent? You have no right to remain silent.

The one who was "attacked" was Vera. She was a person who cared so much about her image and cleanliness, but this time she was made so embarrassed. The losses and casualties at the scene were Arasaka's personnel and assets.

This is to sell the long-established character at an appropriate 'price'.

It can further promote and ignite public opinion.

Although Vera is not a rock star like Johnny Silverhand and cannot call on fans to march and demonstrate or violently attack federal agencies, local parties in western states, people who hate Washington, and vested interests from all walks of life who oppose federal power being greater than state power will take action when they see the opportunity. If they don't act when such a good opportunity is available, they deserve not to get any benefits!

Besides, Arasaka Kei's "legacy", those surviving secret agent associations and intelligence communication stations have evolved and expanded for more than half a century, and have more or less developed certain outer ring disguise forces, with complex interests and relationships, and have a certain influence in the local area, and have the foundation to make a small effort to achieve a great result. ?

If military technology was smarter, Vera would almost be able to guess Washington's next move, either fabricating something or telling half-truths, and releasing some clues appropriately in a montage-style to muddy the waters.

For example, they would say how outstanding and meritorious the senior agent who suffered from cyberpsychosis was, and make his resume public, saying that his mentor died because of Arasaka, and his brothers and students who were as close as brothers were killed by Vera.

He is portrayed as a good man, with emphasis on the fact that he suffered from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) due to Vera's arrogant behavior and hostility towards the new America in "The Austin Convention". Also, because Vera's return trip happened to pass through the area where he was retiring, he took the risk because of his inner torment and neurological disease.

Cut off the beginning and end, and take things out of context.

He even inferred that it was Arasaka who staged the incident himself, and unreasonably accused Vera of being the one responsible for the worsening of the incident.

There will be some war of words, but Arasaka will have the upper hand.

In this way, New Mexico and Arizona will become the key and direct battlefield for public opinion conflicts and heated outbreaks between Arasaka, the Western Free States, local parties and military technology, and Washington, but——

"Washington State, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Portland, Salem..." Vera's indigo eyes sparkled with anticipation.

drip.

[Jimmy, this is Vera, the action begins.]

【…】

[Jimmy: Yes, Director, within a week, I will pass the instructions of Operation Free Will in batches to the trusted seniors who have been screened in the 2023 old Arasaka Tower era in Washington State and Oregon.]

【Well, be well prepared, Jimmy, and be safe. 】

Things in Night City are always too exciting, and things in North America are too boring.

Sharing happiness with others is worse than enjoying it alone. Vera wants to make North America lively.

"Feint to the east and attack in the west, combining the positive and the strange."

Routines don’t have to be old, as long as they are useful.

Ding, Vera put down the crystal glass that had been filled with ice water and looked at the outline of Night City that had appeared on the car window.

"Good afternoon, Night City."

------

PS: Still alive.

Loyal! Sincerity!

Chapter 113 Everyone (4.6K)

When Night City enters April 2076, it is noisy, violent, and full of civil conflicts.

A chaotic sound of footsteps could be heard in the light-polluted Little Chinatown.

As usual, real models were posing in the glass windows of roadside shops, acting as living advertisements; in the muddy, stained alleys, exhibitionists playing with masturbators were huddled inside, panting with pleasure; ragged city wanderers paced on the curb like zombies, raising their cloudy eyes to look at the groups of people holding slogans and banners who had appeared in the street ahead and were standing densely.

What are they howling about?

"Oppose Washington's dictatorship and tyranny, and respect the independence and sovereignty of free states!"

"Get Miles out of Night City, get out of California!"

"Greedy Easterners, go back to your cold and dark East Coast. The West belongs to the cowboys of the flag of freedom and the free people!"

"Arasaka should get out of Night City!"

"Stop the conspiracy of Vera Adelheid and Michiko. America belongs to the Americans!"

...

The homeless seemed to have heard the shouting of these idiots who had eaten too much and had nothing to do.

But it was like a fart.

His dull eyes turned, and he turned his head away, carrying all his belongings in a worn-out bag covered with oil stains, and found a new metal trash can that had not been searched by his peers. He walked forward and searched for any valuable and usable items. For him, this was the most important thing.

As for those who have no worries about food and drink, and have houses and cars, their affairs have never had anything to do with him...

crackle -

Amid the increasingly intense shoving and shouting, there were several crisp cracks and a burst of fire. There were flashes and flames, but no explosions. It was a Molotov cocktail.

There were cries of those affected and screams of surprise from onlookers.

It happened almost at the same time. The demonstrators with different opinions had physical contact, the crowd pushed and shoved, and the scene was suddenly filled with blood and red. The guys with hot tempers had already picked up real weapons, bang!

Gunshots, blood, cries of pain, screams...

The crowd surged, accompanied by trampling, more and more gunshots, sirens wailing, and the NCPD officers who arrived at the scene wearing full explosion-proof suits, with the deterrence support of security robots and bipedal drone mechas, violently dispersed the protesters in the area who were staging street fights between Arasaka and Militech, Free State and Washington supporters.

On the street, Mann and Dolio, who were about to go to the 'Afterlife' nightclub, looked at each other in bewilderment.

In Night City, where cyber-psychopaths are rampant, gunfights occur everywhere, and there is almost no rule of law, there is such a large-scale demonstration. How many times has this happened today? It's really rare to see such a large-scale demonstration.

A bunch of people who have eaten too much and have nothing to do.

It's half a catty and eight taels a catty, what's there to argue about, they're all rotten!

"This reminds me of the years when 'Rock Kid' Johnny Silverhand was active. It is said that at that time, under his call, countless people took to the company square and launched a large-scale protest against Arasaka."

Lucy, the money-saving girl in the team, said thoughtfully.

"Ha, do you still watch that old-fashioned stuff?"

The runaway legal loli Rebecca put her hands on her hips, her pink and green gradient pupils flashing with indignation.

"Anyway, those outdated legends are all old bastards, especially Bartmos. If he hadn't messed up the Internet, why would I have bothered to go online? Now everyone is saying that Bartmos messed up everything. Silverhand, wasn't his greatest achievement to fight against Arasaka? But now Arasaka is alive and well, and even we..."

"Okay, Rebecca, stop talking."

Qiwei grabbed the violent loli's ponytail and pulled it.

There was a cigarette stuck in the round hole of the pink iron mask. She took a puff and blew out smoke rings, then looked at Mann.

"Don't ask about the company's mess unless you need it for a commission."

"learn."

Knowing exactly what Qi Wei meant, Mann nodded seriously.

They are now doing two jobs at the same time. Once exposed, it is not known whether Arasaka will protect them, but the military technology behind Faraday will definitely do its best to kill them!

"But apart from the bosses in companies, parliament and government offices, no one would have the time to promote something as civilized as a parade."

This matter has nothing to do with them.

With a wave of his hand, Mann led the team into an alley and into a parking lot that was particularly dark and damp because the tall apartment buildings blocked the sunlight all year round.