Infinity, progress from Arasaka

In this regard, Saburo is indeed a sophisticated super capitalist who has insight into people's hearts.

In order to maximize his own interests, he did not ask Arasaka Hanako to adopt her as his adopted daughter, nor did he do it himself. Instead, he asked his eldest son who had passed away early to adopt her as his daughter after more than half a century.

Unify Vera's desire, or outward tendency to avenge her parents, with the interests of the company and the Arasaka family.

Moreover, it is well known that Arasaka Yorinobu has a bad relationship with his older brother Arasaka Kei.

When Arasaka Kei was alive, he would fly into a rage whenever he mentioned his rebellious younger brother. He even publicly announced that sooner or later, Yori Nobuyuki would pay the price for betraying the Arasaka family, and later sent people to assassinate and execute many of Yori Nobuyuki's trusted members of the gang "Steel Dragon" founded by Yori Nobuyuki.

One can imagine Lai Xuan's attitude when he learned for sure that Vera was paying homage to his good brother.

In Lai Xuan's eyes, the niece of his good brother was probably worse than Saburo adopting a daughter himself, which would make him have a cheap sister who was more than half a century older than him.

Oh, and there is also Michiko Arasaka, who can send her lover from heaven while she is still at home.

The subordinates of Night City who were nominally affiliated with each other and economic partners in their personal businesses suddenly became sisters? !

Vera could already foresee that her future days would be busy.

Not only will Saburo not stop it, he will most likely be happy to see Vera and Lai Xuan fighting.

It doesn’t matter who is whose whetstone, what matters is that it can sharpen the knife.

These are probably another test set by Saburo. If you handle them well, you will get extra points.

Of course, the above are all Vera's guesses, without any basis. Let's just say that she and Saburo have some kind of "telepathy", which is reflected in their recognition of each other's ability to hold back bad things.

She never hesitated to assume the greatest malice towards this old bastard.

But even if she was, she wouldn't be too angry or hysterical.

If you enjoy the benefits of inheriting Arasaka Kei's legacy, you must bear the tests and corresponding disadvantages. If you only want to get the benefits and don't want to have any bad things or pay, there are not so many things in the world that can go as you wish.

As long as Arasaka belongs to her...

Vera added silently.

"Please come in."

Squeak—

With permission, six well-dressed and unpretentious maids from the Arasaka family came in one after another. They pushed a hand-trolley, each holding a cosmetic box and different types of makeup and dressing tools. They naturally helped Vera walk to the dressing table and sit down.

The dressing table was soon filled with all kinds of cosmetics, and the jewelry boxes were opened casually, revealing jewels inside that sparkled with different brilliance.

Vera was stunned when she saw the maid take out a pure white, long dress with emerald satin and lace decorations.

"What is this?" Where is my company uniform?

"Lady Vera, these are your clean clothes."

A maid showed an open leather suitcase, in which Vera's uniform from last night had been washed, dried and ironed.

"This is what Miss Hanako ordered. On January 1, the New Year's Day, in the morning, Master Saburo will hold an informal board meeting with the presidents of all branches around the world to discuss the new development strategy for Arasaka in 1. At that time, as a member of the Night City Management General Council and a rising star recognized by Master Saburo, you must attend in formal attire."

Vera exclaimed in surprise.

An informal boardroom chat between Arasaka region branch presidents?

Let her join in?

Vera couldn't help but move her eyes.

Saburo was more determined than she had expected.

The president who is in charge of the Arasaka regional branch is the highest position that an ordinary person can reach except for members of the Arasaka family. A truly powerful position.

A joking term, 'national directors', refers to them.

Not only are they qualified to hold meetings at the same table with members of the Arasaka family, they are also omnipotent in the areas where their respective branches are located, and their political influence is even higher than that of the local heads of state.

Vera's Night City director level is still a few levels lower than theirs.

Even though Night City is one of the "Three Towers", the employee level is half a level higher than other regions in the unspoken rules of the Arasaka workplace. If you want to be comparable to the president of a regional branch, you need to at least reach the level of vice-chairman.

Is Sanlang Laodeng going to bring her to the show?

This is even more exaggerated than the speech at the 2075 Tokyo Arasaka Tower Year-End Training Staff Summary Meeting.

It was almost like he was saying to the powerful local leaders of Arasaka, look, this is one of the future successors I have just found, everyone come and take a look.

This was a big step ahead of Vera's expectations, which required her to go to Night City to work on military technology before being promoted.

Compared to the latter she had imagined, the cards that Sanlang played in advance, although there was no direct and substantial benefit, were less utilitarian and more loving of his father?

Oh no, I actually felt a little touched.

Beware of Arasaka Lord's sugar-coated bullets!

Wash hands, clean face, rinse mouth, comb hair, condition hair...

Passive, like a puppet, Vera was surrounded by a group of Arasaka maids.

She changed into a long dress, put on white roses and pearl hair accessories, an emerald collar pin, a diamond necklace, white gloves, sapphire earrings, and even put on a meaningless gem ring on her dominant hand that was wearing white gloves...

Everything was over. Vera walked to the dressing mirror with an expressionless face and looked at herself in the mirror, her fierceness slightly faded, like a delicate doll.

Is this still her?

Damn it.

Never mind, at least it’s not the traditional Japanese kimono that you wear without any underwear.

In this respect, Saburo Arasaka is not as traditional as he thinks he is. He is a Westernized Japanese after the Meiji Restoration.

"Ms. Vera, please."

Then, surrounded by the Arasaka maids, Vera stood up, holding up her skirt, and walked out of the room. Her high heels made a slight sound as they stepped on the carpet.

She is going to continue to fight against Arasaka Lao Deng.

......

At the same time, in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, at Yoshinori's residence.

patio.

The cold wind blew gently, carrying a cloud of snow fluttering in the air. In the courtyard, several old trees were covered with thick coats of snow, with their branches drooping, just like Arasaka Yorinobu's mood at the moment.

Holding the phone tightly in his hand, Lai Xuan, wearing a thickened hakama with patterned feather woven in it, slid open the sliding door, sat cross-legged on the mat, and stared blankly at the crystal clear icicles under the eaves outside the corridor in the distance.

Next to him were opened bottles of liquor and ceramic cups and bowls.

On New Year's Day, January 1st, Lai Xuan's residence was still closed with only a few lights occasionally coming through the main house.

At this time of day in the past, although he and Saburo disliked each other and would not attend the so-called family dinner, they still had to enjoy themselves. They had to invite geishas and sex dolls, and have a party. They could do whatever they wanted, no matter how decadent it was. He just wanted to piss off Saburo, but this time, he had completely lost the interest.

Just now, the thing he was most worried about happened.

Saburo, maybe he has found a new successor...

"That old immortal Saburo...actually chose Jing, and let Vera Adelheid inherit Jing's 'legacy'? Could it be that he intends to hand Arasaka over to outsiders...Haha...It seems that the old immortal is not as stubborn as he said..."

Lai Xuan muttered sarcastically.

"Hypocrisy, selfishness, arrogance...it seems you will also bow to reality."

Ever since Saburo Arasaka regained his youth half a year ago, his life has been difficult since the interim results of the "Stairway to the Sun Project" sold well in the global market and he reached partial cooperation with biotechnology and European banks.

Sanlang's first thing was to investigate the spy, and the second thing was to guard against him.

Perhaps Saburo did not deprive him of control over the 'hawks' under his command, but Lai Xuan could feel that his wings were being restricted and more and more of his former subordinates were alienating him.

He had no access to the exact information of the [Sun Stairs Project], and he had no chance to even contact Vera Adelheid. The people he sent out were stopped by Saburo's men.

From then on, Lai Xuan noticed something: Vera Adelheid ran to the family compound too many times.

Even Anders Hermann, the person in charge of the Relic Project, whom Saburo once valued the most, was not so favored.

Looking at Vera Adelheid's past, she is not a pure scholar or researcher. She is very young, has a clean background, is gifted, and is a genuine front-line combat commander of the militant faction and a senior member of the Night City security department.

To some extent, she is too compatible with the strategic direction and tactical needs of Arasaka's development and growth...

As he was thinking, the cold wind caressed his face and Lai Xuan couldn't help licking his dry lips. An unprecedented emptiness and fear enveloped his entire body. He was not afraid of death, nor was he attached to the little power in his hands.

What he fears is failure.

In order to penetrate into the heart of Arasaka, he returned to his family in a humble manner, and lived a cowardly and indulged life for forty years, just to make Saburo relax his vigilance so that he could find the right opportunity to kill Arasaka with one blow, destroy Arasaka from the inside, and take the opportunity to destroy this deformed world where the company rules everything.

And the prerequisite for all this is that he must be Saburo's successor!

A trace of anxiety flashed across his brows, and Lai Xuan subconsciously wanted to stop Vera Adelheid from accepting the inheritance rights of his damn elder brother.

Maybe that old man Sanlang just wanted to force him to compete with Vera.

Contention.

He must fight!

He must go see his father.

Admit your mistake...

Lai Xuan felt sick at the thought of seeing Saburo's arrogant and smug face again, and how he really needed to go against his conscience to please him, but he had to go. He couldn't lose the inheritance!

"Mother, please bless me."

...

The two-way projection screen-style holiday conversation ended in a lighthearted yet serious and orderly atmosphere.

At least Vera was in a good mood.

She didn't get a word in, but the biggest benefit was being able to show up in front of the powerful leaders of Arasaka around the world.

After finishing the casual conversation at the New Year's lunch, Vera said goodbye to Saburo, Shintaro Takayama, and Hanako after reporting to Saburo the time for another injection of the "Rebirth Potion" and the progress of the "Sun Staircase Project", some new ideas in her personal research, and the initial action plan for returning to Night City.

Under the escort of Goro Takemura, they walked towards the dedicated helipad inside the family compound.

hum…

There was a roar like the engine of a hovercraft.

Without changing out of her gorgeous dress, Vera raised her hand at the intersection between the corridor and the helipad, snowflakes falling, and said, "Auspicious snow means a good harvest. 2076 will be a bumper year for Arasaka..."

"Director Russell, I wish you success in advance." Goro Takemura bowed deeply.

Just as Vera nodded in return and several Arasaka maids were about to hand over a suitcase containing Vera's spare clothes, there was a noisy, clamorous sound.

"Who?" Takemura frowned and was about to yell, "Lord Lai Xuan?! How could you..."

"Takemura-kun, as a member of the Arasaka family, do I need to report to you when I return home?"

Takemura quickly bowed his head, "I'm sorry, Master Arasaka..."

Without taking Takemura seriously at all, Arasaka Yorinobu's eyes were fixed on the tall woman next to him who was dressed up for the trip.

The two looked at each other and saw surprise in each other's eyes.

"Vera Adelheid?"

"It's me, Lord Lai Xuan."

Vera lifted her skirt, bent down, and gave Lai Xuan a standard and elegant lady's salute.

She really didn't expect Lai Xuan to come back.

In a gentle tone, Vera glanced at Takemura who looked like he was being scolded and said, "Of course you are Arasaka. Once you are Arasaka, you will be Arasaka for the rest of your life."

Maybe life is like a play, and it all depends on acting, she said it very naturally. Her tone was sincere, as if she had no idea what the other person was thinking.

"Lord Lai Xuan, it is an honor to meet you. We will bid farewell here. Vera will not disturb your rare harmonious reunion with your father and family."

The moment Lai Xuan's face froze, Vera walked towards the helipad and boarded the hovercraft that had been waiting for a long time without looking back.

Click.

The moment the cabin door closed, Vera couldn't suppress the joy in her heart and the corners of her mouth curled up.

If you don’t run now, wait until later.

Although she wanted to stay and watch the loving father and filial son, it was not appropriate.