Chapter 163

Future chapters at patreon.com/FFAddict.

Additionally, I have many new works readers may be interested in. Go look, if you wish! 

Arasaka Tower.

Thirty-third floor, Counterintelligence Department.

Tang Yu lifted the blazer draped over him, got up from the sofa, walked to the water dispenser, and poured a cup of hot water. He then returned to his desk.

He started his office system and pulled up the surveillance footage of the interrogation room. After a whole night, he needed to check if everything was fine on Lucy's end.

On the screen, Lucy remained in a knee-hugging position, seemingly not having moved all night. The breakfast that the guards brought was still untouched at the gate.

Despite Lucy's lonely curled-up state, it was better than exhibiting any aggressive behavior. As long as there was no safety issue, she'd be fine; he believed she would be released soon.

Once she's out, she would have a fresh start.

Tang Yu turned off the surveillance footage and began his work for the day. He instructed the front desk to cancel today's routine tasks, focusing on matters related to network oversight.

He had sorted out most things the previous night; now it was just about execution.

He had multiple reasons to bring Lucy into network oversight.

Firstly, network oversight wasn't part of the Arasaka corporation; it was an independent global network organization that welcomed capable deep-dive hackers. Lucy's profile fit the requirements of the network oversight.

Secondly, network oversight had cooperation agreements with major companies, including Arasaka. If Lucy could get hired, Arasaka wouldn't be able to pursue her as a fugitive deep-dive hacker.

Some network oversight agents were former deep-dive hackers from major companies. Extraditing deep-dive hackers was an industry norm. Arasaka wouldn't offend network oversight over a relatively unknown hacker.

Lucy was targeted solely because Kate sensed a possibly secret relationship between her and Tang Yu. Once Kate was out of the picture, no one at Arasaka would bother an agent employed by network oversight.

With Tang Yu covering her at Arasaka Tower, clearing her name would be easy.

Thirdly, Lucy herself had no other choice; the life simulation results showed it all. Running away would be futile and she'd eventually fall into Arasaka's hands, putting Tang Yu at potential risk.

Therefore, Tang Yu never intended to let her go. Live or die, she had to stay by his side.

By now, the situation had evolved beyond what Lucy could control herself, let alone decide her own fate.

The urgent task now was for Tang Yu to contact someone at network oversight. He had an acquaintance there.

Bryce Mosley.

Mosley was the regional senior director of network oversight, responsible for special actions by network oversight agents across North America. He was a top agent at the Night City network oversight branch.

Years ago, Tang Yu had helped Mosley break into the Voodoo Boys and breach the Poseidon subnet system.

After they eradicated the Voodoo Boys, they even collaborated to stop Alt Cunningham from breaking through the Blackwall and entering the physical world.

Their stance on AI was quite similar too. Tang Yu's impressive hacking skills astonished Mosley, who had invited him to join network oversight, but Tang Yu had turned him down.

Overall, Mosley left a good impression on Tang Yu—a talkative hacker agent who enjoyed Westerns, far better than the unreliable Voodoo Boys.

Tang Yu used the office system to pull up the contact details for network oversight's departmental heads and found Bryce Mosley's information right away.

To help Lucy join network oversight, they needed a notable success.

Tang Yu had prepared for this.

He called the front desk, instructed them to contact Senior Director Mosley from network oversight, and invite him to his office to discuss a cooperation project regarding the Poseidon subnet.

As expected, the front desk quickly informed him that Bryce Mosley was on his way.

The Voodoo Boys had always been a focus for network oversight and a significant headache for Mosley. The Poseidon subnet was entirely beyond network oversight's control; many illegal activities and Blackwall breaching attempts happened through it. This was unacceptable to network oversight, as an unregulated subnet posed massive potential risks to the already limited public network.

Moreover, the Voodoo Boys were notorious for their ill intentions, constantly trying to break through the Blackwall.

Years ago, Mosley had paid a steep price to breach the Poseidon subnet. Without Tang Yu's assistance, taking down the Voodoo Boys would have been anything but easy.

Thus, Tang Yu was certain that the mention of Poseidon subnet would pique Mosley's interest.

Network oversight collaborating with corporations wasn't unusual. Shared interests and goals created a basis for cooperation and consensus.

Tang Yu waited in his office. Soon, the front desk reported that Bryce Mosley had arrived at the counterintelligence department.

After the security scan at the entrance, the office gate slid open automatically, and Mosley walked in.

Dressed in a striped checkered shirt, with his tie neatly knotted and sleeves rolled up, he wore a work badge on his right chest. His most striking feature was the advanced hacking implant at the back of his neck, indicating his status as a seasoned deep-dive hacker.

Tang Yu gestured for Mosley to take a seat.

As a high-ranking member of network oversight, Mosley had little interaction with Arasaka Corporation and showed no fear despite Tang Yu's significant position.

"Mr. Tang, hello. Nice to meet you. Here's my card," Mosley said, placing a black card on the table in front of Tang Yu, and then sat down calmly.

Tang Yu took Mosley's card and smiled, "Didn't expect you to hand out business cards the traditional way."

"People tend to distrust folks like us, thinking we could fry their brains anytime. But clearly, we wouldn't. Only those cyber hackers hiding in the dark corners of Pacifica would do such things," Mosley replied with a bit of self-deprecating humor.

Hearing Mosley's remark about brain-frying, Tang Yu couldn't help but recall his own wild antics.

Years ago, in an attempt to test the ICE strength of the Trauma Team, he accidentally wiped out an entire squad by implanting an electronic intrusion protocol.

"Well, today, we can discuss this matter about the Poseidon subnet of the Voodoo Boys," Tang Yu said.

Mosley's expression immediately turned serious. This was a major reason for his visit to Arasaka's counterintelligence department.

He had previously collaborated with the department's deputy, Kate, but the deep-dive hacker captured by Arasaka hadn't been turned over to network oversight.

This time, it was Acting-Director Tang Yu inviting him for a collaboration regarding the Poseidon subnet.

The same company, the same department—each seeking network oversight for different projects. Mosley sensed something unusual.

However, internal strife within Arasaka wasn't his concern. If Arasaka's support could deal with the Voodoo Boys, that would be great.

"I'm willing to cooperate. What's your idea, Mr. Tang?"

"It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but at the moment, network oversight has no leads on the actual hideout of the Voodoo Boys or the network address of the Poseidon subnet," Mosley said.

"Tang Yu took a sip of hot tea and said calmly, "If we can't find the Voodoo Boys, we might try luring them out."

Lure them out? Mosley knew the Voodoo Boys all too well. Those sneaky rats wouldn't be contacted through regular channels. Plus, the people of Pacifica sheltered them, making them difficult to deal with.

Seeing Mosley's confusion, Tang Yu continued.

"The Animals gang has been eyeing Pacifica for a while. The Voodoo Boys have long coveted the Empire State Building, an unfinished project due to funding issues."

"With these two preconditions, it wouldn't be difficult to lure the Voodoo Boys out."

Mosley quickly caught on to Tang Yu's idea. The Empire State Building project, situated at the heart of Pacifica, was surrounded by Voodoo Boys' territory. Its strategic location was critical, both for Pacifica and the Voodoo Boys. Despite being an unfinished building, with some modifications, it could serve as a base of operations.

For this prized location, the Voodoo Boys had long been drooling. Recently, the Animals gang had been active in southern Pacifica, also eyeing the massive building.

By leveraging the fundamental conflict between these two gangs, network oversight could potentially capture the Voodoo Boys without lifting a finger, fitting Mosley's requirements perfectly.

Network oversight operated differently from large corporations, utilizing elite hacker agents rather than large numbers. These elite hackers were highly trained and maintained with costly implants, akin to elite special forces.

A powerful cyber-hacker agent in cyberspace could match an army, so the number of agents was limited.

For a mission against the Voodoo Boys, Mosley alone would be insufficient.

This is also why he agreed to meet Tang Yu, hoping to gain the power of Arasaka. However, after Tang Yu's guidance, Mosley realized there was a better solution.

By instigating conflict between the Animals and the Voodoo Boys, NetWatch could spend a little on money and equipment to take over the Poseidon subnet and make a huge profit. Mosley agreed with the plan, but he wanted to know Tang Yu's true intentions—a favor like this wouldn't come without some personal interest.

"Mr. Tang, I agree with your plan, but I'd like to know what you seek in return. After all, business is a two-way street."

Tang Yu directly revealed his intention: "After taking down the Voodoo Boys, I want the Poseidon subnet database."

The Poseidon subnet was his primary target, the material he needed to report back to Saburo Arasaka. Mosley pondered for a moment. While the Poseidon subnet was indeed important, he realized that Arasaka would at least follow rules better than the Voodoo Boys.

"I have no objections. Once we get the Poseidon subnet, we can share the data, provided that Arasaka adheres to confidentiality and security agreements, using the data strictly for internal research and not for external use or dissemination."

He knew Arasaka had been working on cyberspace projects, and the vast data from Poseidon would help them further their research, whether it involved the Old Net beyond the Blackwall or building an independent subnet. These activities were not conducive to NetWatch's work. However, as long as these actions were tacitly accepted and followed the basics, NetWatch wouldn't interfere.

Tang Yu agreed to Mosley's conditions. After a moment of contemplation, Mosley raised another critical issue.

"But even if the Animals take over the Empire Building and lure out the Voodoo Boys, in the vast cyberspace, we still can't track the Voodoo Boys' deep-dive hackers and the Poseidon subnet's location. NetWatch is currently understaffed and struggling on the network front against the Voodoo Boys."

Physical operations, like taking over the Empire Building, were feasible, but in cyberspace, NetWatch had no means to deal with the Voodoo Boys. They needed someone to dive deep into cyberspace to trace the Voodoo hackers.

As a NetWatch agent, it would be extremely risky for Mosley to confront the Voodoo Boys' deep-dive hackers alone. One wrong move and he could be overwhelmed by the Voodoo Boys' malicious software, which was why NetWatch hadn't directly attacked the Voodoo Boys—their elite hacker agents were few and far between.

Tang Yu straight-forwardly offered a solution: "I recommend someone capable of helping you catch those Voodoo rats. With her, it's not that difficult."

Mosley's eyes lit up; having reinforcements from Arasaka was something he hadn't anticipated. "Is she an Arasaka deep-dive hacker?"

Tang Yu nodded slightly, "Yes, she is a deep-dive hacker trained by Arasaka, just recently brought back to the company. Her skills are not an issue, but she has one condition— she wants to leave Arasaka and join NetWatch."

Mosley understood. Tang Yu was recommending an Arasaka runaway hacker. Such individuals no longer held significant value for Arasaka and could be used to their remaining potential. Often, these runaway hackers harbored a strong animosity towards Arasaka and would go to great lengths to escape.

After a brief consideration, Mosley agreed. "No problem, provided her hacking skills meet our employment requirements and she can help us locate the Voodoo Boys."

Tang Yu confidently finalized the matter. They then discussed further cooperation details and outlined the entire plan. NetWatch would first liaise with the Animals to establish a temporary base in the Empire Building, with the Animals taking care of security and Arasaka's counterintelligence providing support if necessary.

Once the base was set, NetWatch would deploy detectors to scan the entire Pacifica region for network signal fluctuations, forcing the Voodoo Boys to act. The deep-dive hacker provided by Tang Yu would then enter cyberspace to track Voodoo members and assist NetWatch in using ICE to lock them down until the Voodoo Boys' hiding place and the Poseidon subnet server locations were identified.

Afterwards, the Animals would sweep the area, secure the Poseidon subnet data, and ultimately clear out the Voodoo Boys, helping the Animals consolidate their hold on the Empire Building and Pacifica, benefiting various factions. Compared to elusive and hard-to-control cyberspace hackers, the Animals occupying Pacifica was more favorable.

With the plan finalized, Mosley left the office, planning to inform Tang Yu once NetWatch was ready to act. Tang Yu, still refining the plan, considered every detail. The most crucial part was securing the Poseidon network data, their primary target.

If the Voodoo Boys were attacked in cyberspace, they might destroy the servers to prevent others from getting the data. Someone needed to infiltrate the Voodoo Boys' stronghold at the Batty Hotel beforehand to copy the Poseidon data from the servers.

Tang Yu pondered and decided that this task would be well-suited for V. Initially, he considered Maine's team due to their skills, experience, and manpower to organize effective resistance in dangerous situations. However, Maine's team was too deeply intertwined with Lucy, making them more noticeable. In contrast, V, who had just returned from outside the city and knew nothing about this situation, was a better candidate— a new cyberpunk would attract less attention.

Curious about V's current situation, Tang Yu noted he had received several transfers from her account recently, and the amounts were substantial. But Gloria hadn't called him, likely because V had taken jobs at Lizzie's Bar without mentioning his name.

Tang Yu found this quite amusing—an opportunity to mess with her while she was still inexperienced. Once she became formidable, such chances would be rare. He recalled how V had bullied him often, using her physical prowess while he, a hacker, could only follow her around and open loot boxes, taking just a small share of the spoils.

Now it was time to give V a significant task. Once he had some free time, he planned to visit her and get her the implant upgrades she needed. 

With this in mind, Tang Yu dialed Gloria's number. Gloria, suddenly receiving his call, panicked, quickly getting out of bed while Sasha slept soundly beside her. Since moving in with Gloria, Sasha had been sleeping later each day.

"Mr. Tang, good morning..."

Tang Yu glanced outside at the panoramic window, noticing it was already late in the morning. "Good morning, is this a good time to talk?"

Gloria nodded fervently, indicating it was a good time. Tang Yu inquired, "Has a mercenary named V visited Lizzie's for jobs recently?"

Gloria immediately recalled the distinct, stylish girl with an unbridled demeanor. Her fashion sense was unforgettable, and her attractiveness and air of heroism left a strong impression. Tang Yu's sudden mention of her made Gloria curious but she refrained from asking too many questions.

"Yes, there's been a girl named V who took several contracts at Lizzie's. She completed each one as required, and she doesn't seem like a novice."

Tang Yu nodded slightly, reassured that V had already visited Lizzie's. He found it surprising that V didn't choose cash payments, meaning she was sincere about repaying her loans bit by bit—true to her reputation.

Tang Yu continued, "I have a job for you to assign to her. Increase the reward a bit. I'll send you the specifics shortly."

"I understand, Mr. Tang," Gloria replied earnestly. They then discussed some matters about the bar before Tang Yu was about to hang up, but Gloria hesitated and asked softly, "Mr. Tang, would you have time to visit Lizzie's?" Her tone was somewhat shy.

Tang Yu straightforwardly declined. He had to keep an eye on Lucy and couldn't leave yet, to prevent Kate from making unauthorized decisions. Gloria felt a bit disappointed, sighing lightly. Unbeknownst to her, Sasha had crept up beside her, filled with curiosity.

"Was that Mr. Tang?"

"Uh, yes, but he said he couldn't visit Lizzie's for now."

"When can Sasha leap into his arms?" Sasha playfully made a pouncing gesture with her hands shaped like cat claws.

Gloria: "..."

After hanging up the phone, Tang Yu left the director's office and took the dedicated elevator to the top floor of the Arasaka Tower, entering Saburo Arasaka's exclusive office. Sitting at the desk, he logged into the company's internal system and pulled up Kate's personal job profile. His eyes locked onto the red button:

"Terminate."