Chapter 33

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Early morning.

Tang Yu had already arrived at his former boss Arthur Jenkins' office, followed closely by his subordinate, Carter Smith.

Jenkins, impeccably dressed in a high-end suit, exuded the authority and presence of a corporate executive, as he sat in a leather chair, managing affairs and handling calls.

Tang Yu sat opposite him at the electronic worktable, while Carter stood by, waiting for his superior's instructions.

Jenkins, with a smile, dealt with a request on the phone.

"Alright, alright, I'm aware of the matter, and I'll take care of it cleanly."

"No problem, let's schedule time to play golf this weekend."

Once he hung up, Jenkins' smile quickly faded.

"Such calls, asking me to clean up messes, I get hundreds a day!"

Tang Yu, uninterested and not wanting to pry into his superior's private affairs, maintained a professional silence.

After venting briefly, Jenkins refocused and inquired about the cybernetic issue with concern.

"You mentioned last night there's been new development with that cyberware, what's the plan for this evening?"

Tang Yu responded truthfully to Jenkins.

"I've had Carter on it, he knows more about this than I do, it might be best if Carter explains it to you."

Jenkins looked up at Carter and then leaned back in his chair, nodding slightly for him to proceed.

Carter, a deputy department head ranked G4, seldom had the opportunity to report directly to an M10 like Jenkins.

Surrounded by the opulence and the overwhelming scale of Jenkins' office, Carter's nervousness seemed to amplify, threatening to swallow him whole.

The pressure he felt was a true representation of the oppression Arasaka's senior management can exert on its lower-level employees.

Carter swallowed hard, stuttering and stumbling through his discoveries, his head bowed, unable to make eye contact throughout the briefing.

Jenkins listened without interruption, his brow furrowing deeper, resting his chin on one hand while slowly tapping his fingertip.

In a state of extreme tension, Carter finally reached the end.

"I—I've finished my report, that should be the gist of it..."

Jenkins, visibly irritated, waved his hand signaling that Carter could leave the office.

However, Carter, who had been looking down the whole time, missed the gesture completely and remained rooted to the spot, wondering if there were any flaws in his report.

Tang Yu prompted, "Carter Smith, you can go back to work now."

Relieved, Carter turned on his heel and swiftly exited the oppressive office.

Jenkins spoke with an edge of anger, "Can't even speak clearly, I wonder how many in the counterintelligence department are actually functional."

"That damn Susan Abernathy proposed a new deputy head for us at the board meeting, and I rejected it on the spot."

Tang Yu was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected Abernathy to make her move so quickly. If Jenkins found out that Carter was secretly colluding with that 'damn brat', he might just explode.

Besides Carter, there were quite a few in the counterintelligence department who had ties with the special operations department, primarily due to the frequent collaboration on various missions and the interactions between their staff.

Ironically, Susan Abernathy had ascended to a directorial position within Arasaka as if on a rocket, and her husband was a senior executive at Zetatech.

Zetatech was renowned for its formidable R&D capabilities, which happened to be an area where Arasaka was weak, resulting in various technological partnerships between the two corporations.

From any perspective, Jenkins was simply no match for Susan Abernathy's might; he was figuratively under her heel.

Jenkins could only struggle, relying on his own prowess, until the day he became utterly disposable to Arasaka and would be deemed redundant, meriting elimination.Tang Yu realized the gravity of the situation and began to speak earnestly.

"Then she definitely won't give up the position of Vike Director as a point of attack, there's indeed a vacancy for Vike Director in the Counter-Intelligence Department."

Jenkins agreed with Tang Yu's statement: "But I don't have anyone on hand to fill the position right now, so this mission cannot fail. Otherwise, that wretched woman will definitely bring it up at the board meeting."

Tang Yu thought to himself that regardless of whether this affair was successful or not, Susan Abernathy probably wouldn't let it slide easily. After all, once a mad dog gets a bite, it's unlikely to let go without tearing off some flesh.

But since that had not happened yet, Tang Yu got straight to the point: "Regarding the Sandevistan, I already have accurate intelligence, but the key issue isn't this – it's our department."

Jenkins stared intently at Tang Yu and asked in a heavy tone, "Are you suggesting there's a mole in our department?"

Tang Yu nodded.

Jenkins sneered, "Ah, I see, it's Carter from earlier, isn't it? You had him report to you just to put on a show for Abernathy."

Tang Yu nodded again to affirm.

"Exactly, I have precise intelligence on the specifics of the trade; there's going to be a lot of noise tonight."

"The Special Operations Division will certainly take action, but I can't fully disclose this to you right now."

Upon hearing Tang Yu's assurance, Jenkins's expression finally relaxed, and he nodded slightly in understanding.

He had known that the morning encounter in the elevator between Tang Yu and Susan Abernathy, where they had openly clashed, was now common knowledge throughout the Arasaka Tower.

He understood that Tang Yu was his own protégé, and Tang Yu's attitude represented his. Thus, the discord between the two departments was now openly acknowledged within the company.

It was for this reason that the board had rejected Susan Abernathy's proposal, considering the appointment of personnel from the Special Operations Division to the Counter-Intelligence Department, which could lead to internal conflict and be exploited by rival corporations - a significant security risk.

Moreover, the board did not wish for the power struggle to tilt entirely in favor of Susan Abernathy. Balance was the preferred option.

In a calmer tone, Jenkins said, "You humiliated Abernathy in the elevator; that wretched woman surely won't let it go."

"The current situation is still very dangerous; the possibility of being assassinated again is high."

"Tonight, use my private aerocar for your operation."

"I have never driven this aerocar to the company, so nobody will recognize it."

Tang Yu also understood the risks involved in tonight's operation. Even if he believed everything was under control, having an extra aerocar would greatly enhance security and prevent himself and Jackie from being cornered.

Tang Yu received the aerocar control chip from Jenkins. The vehicle had an intelligent driving system and could be summoned on the spot whenever needed. He continued to elaborate.

"To avoid raising Abernathy's suspicions, I suggest we let Carter take a squad from the department for this operation."

"I'll arrange for reliable informants and helpers that are unaffiliated with the company to seal their final escape route."

Jenkins promptly agreed with Tang Yu's plan and arrangements, always confident in his capabilities and methods.

"Proceed as planned, and call immediately in case of any special situations. I'll also prepare a backup Arasaka elite squad to cover you and prevent ambushes."

The Arasaka elite squad was unquestionably among the top forces of Arasaka, with the best-equipped and top-quality personnel.

Jenkins deployed this squad by pulling personal strings, involving at least the highest executive management level.

With this security, Tang Yu considered the final shortcoming in his plan addressed.

What remained was to wait for the drama to unfold.