Chapter 73: V! We're About to Hit the Big Time!

Chapter 73: V! We're About to Hit the Big Time!

Faced with Arasaka Yorinobu's mocking disdain, Li Ang didn't bother to defend Johnny Silverhand. He knew Johnny had been captured by Arasaka to rescue Alt and cover his teammates.

As for how others viewed Johnny Silverhand, Li Ang didn't care and wasn't about to concern himself with it.

"Mr. Yorinobu, I respect your efforts to reform the company structure and seek a brighter future for Arasaka Corporation. If you join the LA Company's camp, you'll get everything you desire."

Li Ang's tone carried an aura of absolute confidence—those who followed him would thrive, and those who opposed him would perish. These tangible benefits were enough to sway Arasaka Yorinobu's heart.

After weighing his options repeatedly, Yorinobu finally nodded, agreeing to Li Ang's terms for collaboration.

The Relic chip would be handed over to the LA Company, but in return, Li Ang had to provide the Steel Dragon Gang with cutting-edge weaponry and assist Yorinobu in his power struggle.

Though Arasaka's eldest son, Arasaka Kei, had perished in the Arasaka Tower, the company itself was far from unified, split into three distinct factions vying for control.

1. The Pheasant Faction, led by Arasaka Hanako, was supported by senior members and the company's netrunning specialists. They adhered to the leadership principles of Arasaka Saburo and were currently the most powerful internal force.

2. The Hawk Faction, represented by Yorinobu, consisted mainly of ambitious young elites advocating bold reforms to the company's structure through radical means.

3. The Dove Faction, led by Arasaka Michiko, Kei's daughter, was pro-American, favoring peaceful development over war, and backed by military technology forces.

With Yorinobu aligning himself with the LA Company, Li Ang's backing drastically increased the Hawks' chances of seizing control of Arasaka!

From then on, Yorinobu was no longer a lone wolf fighting his battles alone.

Once the details of their cooperation were finalized, Li Ang and Yorinobu officially forged an alliance.

Yorinobu also set a date with Li Ang, promising to secretly hand over the Relic chip to the LA Company once they returned to Night City.

---

When Xu Shiming awoke groggily after an indeterminate amount of time, he saw Yorinobu sitting cross-legged, drinking sullenly by himself, a mix of emotions playing on his face.

"Mr. Yorinobu, is everything alright?"

Xu Shiming glanced at Yorinobu and asked, "How did your conversation with Li Ang go? A dominant personality like his can't be easy to deal with."

Yorinobu merely shook his head and smiled, "Li Ang is terrifying, yet also generous. I couldn't refuse his terms."

"He laid out all the pros and cons for me to choose from. That alone tells me he's a trustworthy ally. I believe the LA Company will help me claim the leadership of Arasaka!"

Yorinobu then stood, pushing open the door and window of the izakaya. He gazed out at the sunrise illuminating the crowded, damp Chiba City.

"Mr. Xu, it's time for you to return to Cantao Group and continue eradicating the warlord factions within China."

"As for me, I need to seriously think about how to transform this decaying Arasaka Corporation!"

---

Night City, Little China, Afterlife Bar

As a favorite relaxation spot for mercenaries, Afterlife offered more than just drinks. The TV above the bar counter played Night City's morning news.

#WNS News Agency: Arasaka Yorinobu, the second son of the Arasaka family, has made a strong return to the company. He is set to take over the Night City branch, promising to inject fresh energy into Arasaka!#

#Cyberware Craze: LA Company's rumored new exoskeleton suit faces competition from MetaCorp for the NUSA military contract. The outcome remains uncertain!#

#Weapons and Warfare: Cantao Group, led by Xu Shiming, is rising powerfully in China. Its L-69 smart shotgun stole the show at the International Arms Exhibition, threatening LA Company's dominance!#

Outside the bar, V stood idly watching the TV while waiting for someone, considering whether to invest in some new gear once this job was done.

"That L-69 smart shotgun looks promising. Bet Jackie would love it. His close-quarters combat style would pair perfectly with its auto-targeting feature."

Lost in thought, V was startled as Jackie Welles approached, fresh from a phone call with his mother, Mrs. Welles.

"Ugh, no matter how long I've been doing this, I always get nervous talking to my mom."

Jackie scratched his head and sighed, "She's always so worried I'll end up like the rest of the Welles men, dead in some alley dumpster."

"Honestly, I hate that feeling. The more I reassure her that everything's fine, the more it feels like I'm lying."

Though Jackie always appeared cheerful, he harbored deep desires to meet the expectations of his loved ones and achieve success.

V patted Jackie on the shoulder and smiled, "Isn't it nice to have someone who cares? Let's wrap this up, then pay her a visit."

"Hell yeah!"

Jackie perked up, "From today on, everything changes!"

With that, the two walked into Afterlife, shoulders squared. Before diving into their mission, they decided to have a drink to relax and avoid any slip-ups.

"See this, V? This is the heart of Night City! Rogue, Morgan Blackhand, and even Johnny Silverhand himself once sat on these stools and passed out on this bar."

Jackie was brimming with excitement, dressed sharply in a new suit from Dexter DeShawn, looking every bit the part.

Just an hour ago, V and Jackie had been briefed by DeShawn about their upcoming mission.

They would disguise themselves as businessmen and infiltrate Cantao GroupPlaza. With hacker T-Bug's support, they planned to steal the Relic chip from Yorinobu's suite.

Since Yorinobu would only be staying at Cantao GroupPlaza for one day, this was their best—and possibly only—chance to pull it off.

The core team for this heist consisted of V and Jackie as the muscle, with T-Bug providing technical expertise from behind the scenes.

"What can I get for you two?"

The Afterlife's bartender, Claire, approached to serve V and Jackie.

"Two tequila old fashioneds, with a splash of beer and chili." Jackie answered confidently.

Claire's eyes lit up. Not many patrons could order that drink by name. She could tell Jackie was a connoisseur.

"Two Johnny Silverhands, coming right up."