Chapter 74

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As the Arasaka convoy arrived at the square, the blasting music ceased abruptly. Everyone present tacitly closed their mouths, ceasing all conversation. The small square instantly became quiet, so much so that you could hear a pin drop. The focus of all eyes shifted entirely onto the Arasaka convoy. None of them knew why the Arasaka corporation had come to this place at this time, whom they were looking for, or what they intended to do.

Dorio kept a close watch on the convoy and sneered, "They're here already?"

Having been involved in the theft of a high-ranking Arasaka executive's personal limousine, her first thought was that they had come looking for trouble. Moreover, Faraday had already emphasized that Arasaka was definitely aware of the incident and might have already taken countermeasures.

"Darn, things have taken a turn for the worse..."

Kiwi, who had been observing from the side, saw her expression sharpen, yet she had a different opinion from Dorio. As the mastermind hacker behind the operation, she was well aware of the process of stealing the vehicle. There had been no trace left behind that would allow Arasaka's hackers to track them down through the net. She would never have left such a tiny trail behind.

Could it be him?

The first person Kiwi actually thought of was Tang Yu. Aside from the owner of the scrapped vehicle, Tanaka, Tang Yu was the high-ranking Arasaka executive they had first encountered.

Dorio's remark instantly put Rebecca on alert. She stood up from her seat, her black hotpants digging into her plump thighs and leaving a faint indent. "Don't be afraid of those corporate dogs. This is our turf. If they dare to make a move, I'll show them the power of a bullet," she said, glaring at the Arasaka convoy and decisively pulling out a pair of guns from her pocket.

Dorio quickly restrained Rebecca, "Don't be reckless. Let's see what the situation is first."

The anomaly that appeared behind them caused Lucy to also turn around and check the situation. She had been sitting alone in front of the stall, paying little heed to the activities in the square behind her. Now, with Arasaka's people suddenly showing up, a multitude of thoughts flashed through her mind. When the Arasaka convoy appeared, she almost subconsciously thought of that person.

From their runs at night, Lucy had gained some understanding of Tang Yu. She knew he was not someone who liked to make grand appearances. As a high-ranking executive at Arasaka, he preferred solitary runs along the sea wall to unwind and even opted to take public transit to work instead of using Arasaka's executive cars. These daily habits already demonstrated that he was a man with his own unique ideas.

Lucy couldn't be sure who the people from the convoy were, so she could only hold her breath and watch quietly. If it were Tang Yu, he wouldn't be bringing trouble; in fact, it might even be good news.

Faraday and Maine's conversation was also interrupted by two beams of blinding light heading straight towards them. They turned their heads almost simultaneously. A sedan bearing the Arasaka emblem drove straight towards them.

"Arasaka?" both Faraday and Maine tensed up at the sight.

The job they had just discussed involved the high-ranking officials of Arasaka. With the company coming to them at such a critical moment, Faraday felt somewhat guilty, and his arrogance dissipated, replaced by extreme caution.

"Could it be Tanaka?" Faraday surreptitiously watched Maine's expression from the corner of his eye, initially suspecting that Maine might have betrayed him. However, when he saw Maine was equally nervous, his doubts were somewhat allayed.

"Could it be that Maine's operation has failed and Tanaka has found their trace?"

In this theft operation, Faraday was merely the financier behind the scenes, while Maine was the one who had acted directly. If Tanaka really sought accountability, it would be Maine who would take the fall.

Faraday kept silent, awaiting the arrival of the other party.The Arasaka motorcade carried a somber blackness; the triple-circle emblem unique to its cars denoted the identity and status of the arrivals. This was not a spectacle afforded to just any low-level corporate employee. A palpable sense of oppression hung over everyone present; no one dared to make a rash move. 

This was Westbrook, Cherry Blossom Street. The Arasaka Special Task Force could reach the scene within three minutes for cordoning off the area and clearing out any threats. Arasaka's influence was so far-reaching that it even eclipsed that of NCPD, illustrating the high echelon's powerful deterrence. It was better to offend an NCPD officer than to meddle with someone from Arasaka's upper ranks.

After a moment of silence, the door to the central limousine of the Arasaka fleet slowly opened. A stunning red-haired woman, the epitome of untouchable beauty, stepped out with deliberate grace in her high red heels. She was enveloped in a long, dark gown that accentuated her snow-white shoulders and graceful neck, outlining a proud figure and perfect curves, like a mature, dark-blood rose.

Her sharp and flamboyant aura was laid bare in the moment she alighted from the car. Dorio's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the individual emerging from the black luxury vehicle.

"Gloria?"

She could have guessed a thousand times and still would not have expected Gloria to be the one stepping out of that car. Dorio vividly remembered that when Maine first came to demand the cyberware, Gloria had looked so ordinary, even destitute. Now, Gloria appeared transformed into a dazzling gem, captivating and surpassing many in beauty.

Even the typically astute Kiwi was taken aback. What shocked her was not Gloria's transformation but how she had become entangled with Arasaka Corporation. Could it have something to do with Tang Yu? Or were they involved in a different capacity? Kiwi hesitated to delve deeper; after all, Tang Yu was young and handsome, a high-level manager at Arasaka before even reaching twenty.

Sweat pearled Kiwi's forehead under her peach-red mask, unsure of what to say. Lucy, too, remembered this striking woman from the night Maine had visited her to procure military-grade cyberware. Her arrival in an Arasaka luxury car suggested a nontrivial relationship with the corporation's higher-ups.

"Does this involve you?"

Lucy's gaze was icy as she scanned each car window of the motorcade; the neon eyes reflected in the lights shone brilliantly, casting an icy blue hue. The pure black anti-surveillance electronic window pane repelled all prying eyes and attempts at scanning.

Maine, who stood closest, was utterly dumbfounded and questioned with a hint of uncertainty.

"Gloria?"

Upon hearing the name from Maine, Faraday realized that they knew each other, yet he could not recall any memory of her himself.

His triple cyberoptics promptly began to scan the woman's identity, only to find that they could not retrieve any useful information—evidently, Arasaka had taken special measures.

Gloria, composed as ever, casually approached the two.

"Rules?"

"I'd like to hear about them. What rules still exist in the world of fixers?"

Faraday didn't respond; it was clearly not wise to upset someone connected to Arasaka in uncertain circumstances. Instead, it was Maine who responded with surprise.

"Gloria, what brings you here, and with Arasaka..."

Gloria stated candidly, "I'm here for you. There's a job offer; will you take it? It seems, though, that you still have an unfinished job."

After finishing, her gaze shifted toward a corner of the plaza where a damaged Arasaka luxury car was parked. Almost immediately, she realized why Maine and the man with the triple cyberoptics seemed so tense upon seeing her.

Their discussion was decidedly Arasaka-related.