The Creators: From Night City

A woman with blue high-tail hair shaved on both sides, golden lipstick, a large iron hoop earring on her right ear, and wearing a strange short skirt and tube top walked into the reception room.

Needless to say, she is Michiko Arasaka.

Looking at Michiko Arasaka, who has taken kitsch to the extreme, Jiang Bing almost thought he was hallucinating. This outfit doesn't even look like a 2D leader, let alone a pleasing one.

But as a guest, he had to be polite, so he could only respond to the other party's courtesy.

"I know a little bit, I know a little bit, mainly because I drink a lot."

"Then let's just have tea with friends today."

The housekeeper placed some Japanese snacks such as fruit daifuku and sakura cakes on the dining table, and put down a pot of brewed tea. She bowed with great dedication and left the living room, leaving only Arasaka Michiko and Reine.

"Mr. Sabul seems very surprised." Michiko Arasaka keenly noticed the surprise that could not be concealed on Jiang Bing's face.

"I never thought that the former leader of 'Dangerous Girls', the godmother of the American ACG world that has led the American ACG world for decades, would actually turn from an ACG world into a complete kitschist."

“Clothes express one’s attitude. In different environments, one must learn to disguise oneself appropriately. Sometimes, for a higher purpose, one must give up something.”

Lingyin silently poured tea to Jiang Bingman.

"Mr. Sabul doesn't look like a local?"

"I'm a foreigner." Jiang Bing admitted casually, "I came to Night City to pursue my dreams. After all, this is the world-famous city of dreams."

"Hehe" Michiko Arasaka chuckled twice but did not refute.

"So what is Mr. Sable's dream?"

"Let's make the world a better place." Jiang Bing said it decisively.

The polite words that the other party had prepared were stuck in his throat, but seeing that Jiang Bing looked serious and did not seem to be joking, he could not help but chew on Jiang Bing's words carefully.

"Ha, that's a grand dream."

"Do you think it will ever happen?"

Jiang Bing was very sure, "Sooner or later."

"So what do you think it will take for the world to become a better place?" Unlike Arasaka Michiko's eccentric appearance, she now appeared calm and logical.

“History has already told us the answer.”

"Unification." Jiang Bing picked up the tea and drank it all in one gulp. He put the cup down and looked at the other person's very strange white pupils. He continued, "Only unification."

"Unify the government, unify the system, unify the thinking, and unify the entire world."

"In the end, it all comes down to violence, Mr. Sable."

"Are you sure you have the ability?"

"It's pretty much the same."

Seeing the other party's disbelieving expression, Jiang Bing reached into his pocket and casually threw the data cube that trapped the AI ​​Omega Eagle onto the table, ending this "heart-to-heart talk".

"What you want."

Michiko Arasaka just took a quick look at the Rubik's Cube and immediately shifted her attention to Jiang Bing. Obviously, at this moment, she was more interested in Jiang Bing than the Rubik's Cube.

"Anti-Entropy, a mysterious organization that has only emerged in Night City in recent months, has close ties with the homeless and primarily deals in food. Am I right, Mr. Sable?"

“Most of it is correct.”

"So Mr. Sabul came here in person today to discuss business with me?"

"Cooperation."

"Cooperation? I don't think that with my current [Anti-Entropy], I'm qualified to cooperate with Arasaka."

"It's not Arasaka, but you, Arasaka Michiko, or rather, working with the Arasaka doves."

As a giant enterprise, Arasaka is not a monolithic entity, but is divided into three distinct factions.

Hawk Faction: Led by Arasaka Yorinobu, the second son of Arasaka Saburo and the leader of the Steel Dragon. This faction tends to be more willing to take the most direct and uncompromising solutions, and its main supporters are the more combative Arasaka elites.

The Pheasant Faction: Supporting Hanako Arasaka and advocating for conservatism, this group centered around Hanako is mainly composed of relatively conservative technocrats who hope to follow the path set by Saburo Arasaka himself. In Arasaka Saburo's daughter Hanako, they see hope in maintaining the old order and stability within the company.

Doves: This faction, centered around Michiko Arasaka, unites those who seek deeper reforms, as well as the North American forces previously abandoned by Arasaka, a large number of marginalized people, and marginalized people in the company. It is the smallest and least visible faction among the three.

"Mr. Sabul, you're joking. With Lord Arasaka Saburo here, do you think there's anything we can collaborate on?"

Jiang Bing knocked on the table. "That's a lot."

Seeing the other party's aroused interest, Jiang Bing said softly: "Ms. Michiko, what kind of emperor do you think is a good emperor in the eyes of his subjects?"

Michiko Arasaka looked touched.

Jiang Bing then answered his own question, "Of course it's the dead emperor."

The hidden meaning in the questions and answers made the other person's expression tense involuntarily.

“I think there’s plenty of room for us to work together.”

"For example, eliminating Saburo Arasaka, or taking down the Arasaka branch in Night City."

"Trouble comes from the mouth, Mr. Sabul. This is Arasaka's property. It's impolite for you to speak nonsense here." Michiko Arasaka looked unhappy and scolded loudly.

"Come on, Michiko Arasaka, stop pretending to be a good girl. I don't believe you don't want Saburo Arasaka to die."

"I just thought about the other person's advanced age and waited silently for that day to come."

Jiang Bing's fierce attitude made Lingyin suddenly nervous and alert.

"Everyone knows you hate him, Arasaka Michiko. If it weren't for his pressure, you would still be living your happy life in New America."

Michiko Arasaka kept her mouth tightly shut, her face tense, as if she was angered by Jiang Bing's outrageous words, but also seemed vaguely touched by Jiang Bing's words.

"Arasaka Saburo's terrifying dominance in Arasaka has left you unable to muster any desire to resist. It's understandable. You've probably been waiting for the day he'll finally die."

"After all, Arasaka Saburo is already 157 years old, right? Aging organs can be replaced, and weakened nerves can be repaired, but given his physical condition, no matter how powerful the life-extending technology is, it won't be able to save his brain, which is on the verge of failure, right?"

Jiang Bing looked at the other person, and his keen senses allowed him to instantly detect the almost inaudible contraction of the other person's pupils.

"After all, he is 157 years old and his body is already decayed."

He knew that these words touched upon the secret deep in the other person's heart.

"But what if the opportunity you've been waiting for may never come?" Jiang Bing made the other person's face change drastically with just one sentence.

"'Relic Chip' 'Guards Your Soul'"

Chapter 285: The Van der Linde Trio Prepares to Report

Jiang Bing calmly threw out two key words, looked at Michiko Arasaka who was pretending to be calm but whose heart was beating like a drum, and threw out the chips he had prepared.

"Yes, it's just as you imagined. Even if the doves are marginalized, with your influence in Arasaka and knowing these key points, it shouldn't be difficult to find some clues."

He placed a metal business card on the table with the horizontal '∞' [Anti-Entropy] logo printed on the front and Gloria's confidential contact information printed on the back.

"Given your abilities, I believe you know much more about Anti-Entropy than what you've described. You should also understand that there's more we can do."

Jiang Bing flicked his finger, and the business card spun and slid rapidly on the table, and finally landed right in front of Arasaka Michiko.

"I hope you will consider this carefully, Ms. Michiko. I look forward to your reply."

"As for this," Jiang Bing turned his gaze to the data cube on the table, "consider it a meeting gift for Miss Michiko."

Boss Jiang didn't feel embarrassed at all for offering flowers to Buddha.

He stood up, and Lingyin immediately stood up to see him off, but secretly blocked Jiang Bing's attack route.

Fortunately, Jiang Bing had no other ideas. He followed the other party back along the original route and left Arasaka Manor.

Not long after, the white fog rose quietly again, driving Yuki Yuki, who was on duty, crazy again.

.......................................

Plane No. HXXD-G09251 (Red Dead Redemption World)

It was not uncommon to see streetcars and horse-drawn carriages running side by side on the streets of Saint-Denis Island.

At this time when cars were just emerging, horse-drawn carriages were still people's first choice for travel.

Just as there are classes between people, there are also classes between carriages.

Factory owners, politicians, capitalists, and the upper class traveled in a four-wheeled carriage. This enclosed carriage had glass windows and silk curtains, and was usually pulled by two thoroughbred horses. The driver wore a uniform and a tall hat, and servants opened the door. Blankets and a heater were also often provided inside the carriage.

What's more, the doors of the carriages would be painted with the family coat of arms, the carriages would be inlaid with brass trim, the wheels would be painted and polished, and the horseshoes would even be silver-plated.

Just like the racial contempt chain of Anglo-Saxon Protestants > inferior white "immigrants" > non-white "free people" > indigenous peoples and Latinos, the upper classes who were too concerned about their reputation also created a contempt chain for the types of horses used to pull their carts.

That is, purebred Arabian horse > Andalusian horse > ordinary draft horse.

The purchase price of this luxurious four-wheeled carriage is about $1500, which is equivalent to the annual income of an average middle-class family.

The price of a purebred Arabian horse is even more outrageous, ranging from $500 to $1000.

Not to mention, in addition to these, there are also the wages of the coachmen and servants, and the maintenance costs of food and necessities for the horses.

This stuff is usually exclusive to rich people, mainly to show off their superiority. The complicated etiquette, luxurious car decorations, high-end clothing, all of these are just evidence that they deliberately want everyone to think that they are nobler than others.

But people often fall for this.

The members of the Van der Linde gang also got the treatment of luxury cars.

Inside the soft cabin, Dutch stroked the point-and-shoot communicator with only one button in his hand, his expression slightly solemn.

Hosea, the military advisor beside him, seemed to see that he was worried and could not help but comfort him, "Don't worry, Dutch, Mr. Sabul's visit to us this time is nothing serious. After all, we haven't been lazy lately and have been diligently gathering information."

Dutch was a little absent-minded.

"I understand, Hosea. I just feel like we're being gradually domesticated by this so-called upper class society. Social balls, club events, charity dinners, art exhibitions, concerts, theaters, and various salons occupy almost all of our space."

Dutch looked at his hands repeatedly.

"I can hardly remember the last time I fired a gun, Hosea."

Hosea smiled understandingly, "I understand, Dutch, but we're just on a mission. Once this mission is completed, we'll pick up Molly O'Shea and the others, and then we'll return to the free wilds of the West."

Dutch wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Arthur's violent coughing outside the carriage.

"Arthur, you really should go see a doctor. We asked you to go to the party with us, but you refused. Running around in the wild all day is bound to catch a cold."

"Don't worry, Dutch, I know my body. Besides, we're here."

The accompanying young black man, Lenny, parked the carriage, and the four of them walked along the gravel path into the townhouse yard and knocked on the oak door in the middle row with a brass peephole according to the address.

Not long after, the wooden door was opened, and a very tall white maid opened the door. Her eyes were bright and when she stared at everyone, she gave them a strange sense of oppression.

"Ms. Margaret, we are here at the invitation of Mr. Sable, uh~" Arthur got stuck when he said this because he was unfamiliar with a new word he had just learned. Fortunately, Dutch immediately continued with the word they had just learned on the intercom.

"Report, Mr. Sabul invited us to report."

The iron security door was opened, and the four people followed the maid into the hallway.

The maid led the four people to the living room and left to go about her business.

Several people were very curious about what kind of house a big shot like Jiang Bing would live in.

The reception room is neither too big nor too small. In the center of the room stands an Art Nouveau coffee table made of walnut and inlaid with copper, which was popular many years ago, and a few dark green velvet high-back chairs to match it.

On the east wall hung an oil painting of "Buffalo Hunting". The painting was very crude and it was obviously a poor imitation. There was a fireplace on the west side, but it was not lit at the moment.

Ordinary, this was the four people's first impression of the house.

This house is not good, but it is not bad either. However, in the eyes of the four people, it is definitely not worthy of Mr. Sabul, who can easily give away a box of US dollars.

Naturally, they do not have the awareness that the higher the mountain, the more magical it is because of the immortals.

"sit down."

Jiang Bing was busy with a data tablet in his hand and motioned for the four people to sit down.

"I have read the intelligence you have collected recently. It is very good." At the beginning, Boss Jiang affirmed the work results of the Van der Linde Gang.

"It's all thanks to Mr. Sabul's initial support of $15. Rich people who are stupid and have a lot of money are often easily welcomed wherever they go." Hosea told the truth tactfully and praised his employer without saying a word.

"That's not the way to put it. Being able to fully utilize the resources at hand is also a skill."

Margaret brought four cups of American black tea in due time.

Chapter 286 You are sick, I can cure you

Jiang Bing doesn't drink this stuff. This kind of tea grown in British colonies tastes very strange. In order to cover up the defects in the taste, tea merchants add spices to black tea, which can easily cause foaming if you drink too much.