Infinity, progress from Arasaka

【civilian】

[Civilian... behavioral record, political inclination... Miles supporter]

Suddenly, he saw Arasaka's lackeys stop their compound eyes with indicator lights on him. In the crowd, three passers-by with backpacks and baseball caps realized something was wrong and started running.

David ran after him.

The double-jumping power brought by his strengthened muscles allowed him to knock one down on the spot. The huge force pushed the tattooed black guy more than three meters away, with his face landing on the ground, and he stopped when his head hit the curb.

He fainted on the spot without even a sound.

The second one ran while looking back. Seeing that things were not going well, he actually took out a pistol from the bag on his chest. However, David was faster. The bullet-time-like reaction force brought by [Krenzikov Amplification] allowed him to grab the other's hand, and with one hand, he twisted the other's wrist off.

The third one was not able to run far either, and was knocked to the ground by the Arasaka Sheriff.

The electric baton made a crackling sound and hit his nose with a swish, causing bone fragments and flesh to splatter everywhere.

"A bunch of things that don't know how to live or die."

The sheriff cursed and led his men to surround the area from other directions. After arresting two more people in the crowd, he dragged and piled together the thugs who intended to disrupt the Li Scenic Area.

Seeing David looking at the pistol in his hand, he glanced at it and said, "Lexington of military technology." As he said that, he knocked out the thug who was screaming in pain with his hands folded at David's feet with another electric baton.

"Thirty-three yours."

The veteran of the Arasaka Security Department who was in charge of patrolling the Li Scenic Area pulled off the backpacks and satchels of the two people David had knocked unconscious. After checking that there were no bombs or booby traps, and clearing out the bottles of liquor with cotton swabs and stolen cloth wrapped around them, he patted David on the shoulder and said, "Be careful of the impact, and check inside the patrol car, rookie."

David blinked belatedly, "Oh...oh? Oh!" with some excitement.

Is this the unspoken rule?

He quickly got into the armored patrol car, and keeping in mind the information he had learned from Shengnan, David sorted out the cash.

It wasn’t much, probably just a few hundred euros in total, which was enough to make him happy.

The first pot of gold in life’s gray income.

Compared to the vagrants and the knife gang who work as supervisors at the badlands construction site in North Watson and have no money to be exploited, these city natives, as expected, are street guys who have accepted bribes from certain companies to do their jobs and have a lot of money to exploit.

This is one of the reasons why security department employees have many channels for extra income when they go out on field missions.

"Sir. Inspection complete."

After taking what he thought was acceptable, David stuffed the stolen goods into the trunk of the patrol car.

The old sheriff took a quick look as he passed by and was surprised to see that the man was quite restrained. He only took the cash, and left the separation chips, medicine cans, crystalline powders such as methamphetamine untouched. He only took the Lexington gun and the matching bullet box.

"I heard you live in the Lijing District?"

"Yes sir, just moved here not long ago. Before the house prices went up."

Walking to the base of the "Rebirth" monument and picking up the high-pressure spray paint pot that had rolled to the ground, David looked with emotion at the Arasaka circular clover logo carved on the marble surface and the miniature busts of a woman with hair carved with gold thread and a woman with a blue Mohawk, oh, and a round, short and fat bald figure.

Chief Vera, Executive Officer Michiko, and Deputy Mayor of Wilton.

There is no doubt that this monument is newly built.

To commemorate the new treaty signed between Arasaka and the Night City government at the Blue Sky Building in January 2076.

There are two explanations on the market as to why it is named "rebirth". One is that it represents a beautiful future, and the other is that it refers to the beautiful scenic area itself. This area, which ranks last in both the economic index and public security level in Heywood, has indeed benefited greatly from this agreement, as if it had been reborn.

With the Valentino Gang's wise withdrawal, the Six Street Gang's rule has collapsed, and the number of kidney-stealing incidents by scavengers has decreased. In the new monthly statistics, the economic index is still unknown, but public security ranks first in Heywood.

"You picked a good time," said the old sheriff.

David just smiled innocently.

Continue on duty.

As the sky gradually darkens, the holographic advertisements on the streets are still dazzling, but compared to daytime, more neon light strips light up in the interweaving of light and shadow, intersecting with the dimming sunlight, casting mottled light and shadow on the metal forest in the streets and alleys.

"Sir, will we send troops to retaliate directly? The director..."

Until nightfall, before leaving get off work, David and his team dispersed three or four groups of Arasaka opponents who tried to attack the Lijing area and wanted to attack and question the truth of the assassination of Commander Vera in this model area of ​​public security. Then he asked thoughtfully.

After the news of the director's assassination was made public, the work of Night City's security department suddenly became much busier. He could no longer follow the routine as before and had more time to himself. He finally began to practice the company culture - working overtime.

As a newcomer, based on the need for training and exposure to various types of work, in addition to working with Shengnan and Xiaofu in the Bad Land to monitor wanderers, and intermittently clearing out the short-sighted idiots of the Luandao Society, because David lives in the Li Scenic Area, his original rest time was directly assigned to work in the Li Scenic Area.

Watson and Haywood ran on both sides.

David had very real feelings.

Night City has become even more chaotic.

There were violent demonstrations everywhere.

Supporters of the Free State and Arasaka, supporters of Washington and military technology, the two sides often engage in full-scale fighting in the streets, even in city halls and company squares. People die every day, and hospitals and black market cyborg doctors are also crowded with wounded. The officials of the "Dead Man Lottery" are all numb.

Unfortunately, NCPD is not good enough and doesn’t dare to intervene.

There is no need to say more about who are the operators and supporters behind these public opinion incitements and extreme political behaviors.

"That's not your business. Just do what you should do, rookie." The sheriff patted David on the shoulder and said seriously, "Three monkeys live and four don'ts."

After the old man and his colleagues left, David took off his winged helmet, smoothed his hair, turned around and walked towards the skyscraper not far away.

He has settled into his new home.

Ding.

The entrance to Unit 17 has an automatic door with a columned porch.

"Welcome back, Mr. Martinez."

Only the low-intelligence AI synthesized female voice echoed in the foreground.

There is little graffiti on the inner walls. Although it is old, it is clean. The floor is swept neatly, the garbage is put in special bags, and there are no dirty things in the corners. The lobby uses deodorant and air freshener. It is much better than that shabby place in Santo Domingo.

An NCPD patrol car was parked outside.

It is said that due to the upgrading of the location of the Lijing District and the relocation of a large number of grassroots employees of the company, developers and investors are ready to move. If it were not for the sudden assassination of Director Arasaka, the construction team would have already started renovating the front desk and public facilities of the apartment building.

18th floor, thump thump.

David stepped out of the elevator.

Before arriving home, he sorted out the tactical equipment on his body, removed the long and short guns from the firing mode, put on the safety, and walked to room H913. The neon projection light nameplate read: [Martinez]. When he was about to swipe the card, "Is this Mr. Martinez?"

"Hmm?" Someone called me?

David looked puzzled and turned around, only to see a young lady who had come out of the elevator bowing slightly to him.

Asian, medium build, black hair, tied into a short ponytail with bangs, wearing oval frameless glasses, with his hands folded in front of his abdomen, he has a scholarly air, and his facial features and temperament are very gentle.

Following behind him was a shy boy wearing a stand-up collar, single-button Arasaka student uniform.

He looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, and was looking at him with some excitement.

"you are?"

"Excuse me for bothering you, but my last name is Tang. I work in the R&D department of Arasaka. I recently moved to the Lijing area and live at No. H918. This is a small housewarming gift." After saying that, the gentle woman took out a gift box from her bag and handed it to David.

"From the R&D department?"

David was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved his hands, "My husband and I...well, my mother and I just moved here not long ago. No need to be so polite."

Finally, David couldn't resist the politeness of his new neighbor and accepted the housewarming gift box.

It was buckwheat noodles and red bean soup, which was considered expensive food in Night City.

"Um, senior, did you also graduate from Arasaka Academy?" asked the shy boy wearing the same frameless glasses.

"Yes." David nodded. "I graduated less than two months ago. I joined the security department. I happened to be on duty at the Li Scenic Area today and just got off work."

"Wow! We have seniors as neighbors... No wonder everyone says that the security in Lijing District is good. My mother and many of my classmates in the college are moving here..."

After exchanging a few simple courtesies and bidding farewell to his neighbor Mrs. Tang, David unlocked the door and went in.

"Sigh..." He sighed as he looked at Gloria, who habitually covered herself with clothes and slept on the sofa.

David walked forward and picked up his mother reluctantly. He laid her flat on the larger master bedroom and covered her with a blanket. "Looks like Mom has been working overtime too." He rubbed his forehead.

His mother said that she was still young and didn't want to quit her job and stay at home for him to take care of her. What could he do?

Given the current situation in Night City, not to mention the deaths, the fierce close combat between the protest supporters is bound to result in a large number of casualties. Gloria works at the Night City Medical Center, so it is inevitable that she is busy. She is probably working overtime even more than him.

Thinking of this, David sat down on the sofa, quietly took off the tactical bag from his waist, shook out the collected banknotes, and was about to count them, "Mann?" Gloria turned over, with orange light flashing in her eyes.

"Do you need the medicine now? So urgent? It's a new commission. Okay, I see. For someone like you, you can never have too much preparation. Will you send someone to get it? Okay. I asked David to buy a batch of new medicine. I'll be there soon. Huh?!"

Gloria got out of bed and turned sideways, and saw her son, fully armed in a black Arasaka combat suit and much taller than her due to his combat prosthetic transformation, counting money and waving at her on the sofa.

"Yo."

Gloria was startled.

"Oh my god!" she said, "Why did you come back?"

"Just got off work. I was on duty at the Li Scenic Area today, so I came back quickly." David asked, "But, Mom, who are you buying Arasaka's new medicine for combat prosthetics?"

David may have little experience, but he is not stupid. Where did Gloria get the money to pay for his education and rent such a high-end new house after leaving Santo Domingo? At that time, his salary had not been paid.

If he hadn't asked before, he wouldn't have had the chance or it would have been difficult to ask. Now that he had come across it, he might as well find out. As a security staff, he realized that he had to find out whether his mother had been cheated or targeted by a rival company.

Gloria was silent for a moment.

Looking at David's military-grade combat prosthesis, which would later be augmented with lethal implants, she knew that David was already an Arasaka security soldier and she had to confess.

"His name is Mann, an edgewalker, or cyber mercenary. I met him during a medical rescue..." she said.

...

After listening to his mother's explanation, David roughly understood the cause and effect. "So, I can go to school thanks to the help of this Mann."

He believed that his mother would never lie to him.

After a long time, he took off the tactical medical kit with the Arasaka clover logo and the red cross logo.

"A new type of flexible stimulant and inhibitor, a week's supply according to the high-intensity combat standards of Arasaka's field missions." David patted the medical bag and said, "Let him come and get it."

...

"So, why me?"

Walking on the streets of Lijing District, Lucy felt a little irritated.

drip.

[Mann: It's necessary to plan, and it's better to be prepared. The Lijing District is also Arasaka's territory. Faraday is keeping a close eye on me. Apart from you, my team has cooperated with him many times in the past, and you are the most suitable. Besides, there are a lot of NCPD there, and I don't want to be questioned with our outfit. Don't worry, Gloria is trustworthy, and you will be safe on the way.]

【Qiwei: Keep going for the night run. 】

It's infuriating.

"This is it." Building 17, 18th floor, Room H913...

Wearing a night running hood, Lucy followed the location upstairs. Along the way, she activated the external jammer to blur the surveillance footage of herself, and she arrived at the door of Martinez's house.

Martinez?

Somewhat familiar...

Knock on the door, send the code character, and Lucy waits for the door to open.

Click——

The door opened quickly, but it was not the red-haired woman shown in the photo given by Mann, but a fully armed Arasaka soldier!

Lucy's eyes widened for a moment.

A look of horror.

There was no time to think, as the other party's red-glowing compound eye tactical eyepiece stared at him, looking down at him with his arm raised. He was wearing combat uniform arm armor with special protective grooves, and under the deformed simulated leather and mechanical structure, was a dark gun barrel - [Ejection Launch System].