Chapter 189

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Early morning, in the Sapphire Tower.

David Martinez stood in front of the electronic mirror, tidying his appearance, checking that his tie was straight and his suit had no wrinkles. After confirming everything was in order, he turned and walked towards the door.

Leaving his hotel room, he walked into the public elevator area, verified his customer identity information, and selected the hotel lobby as his destination.

It wasn't long before David arrived at the hotel lobby. He noticed that security had been heightened, with six security guards stationed at the entrance, checking the credentials of everyone entering and leaving the hotel.

Furthermore, the hotel had activated a comprehensive identity verification system, allowing guests to access only their own floor and certain public areas.

David had heard that some important figure had moved into the hotel, but he wasn't sure who it was.

He exited the Sapphire Tower, and a high-end business car was already waiting for him. David walked up, opened the car door, and got in skillfully, then called out, "Mom."

Inside the car, Gloria sat gracefully. Seeing her son David looking handsome in his outfit, she smiled with great satisfaction.

"Are you all set for the graduation ceremony?"

David nodded, indicating that everything was ready.

Today was the graduation ceremony at Arasaka Academy, marking David's last day at the academy. After finishing his internship at Arasaka Corporation, he had been staying at the hotel because Gloria had informed him that a distant relative would be living at their home for some time.

Gloria activated the vehicle's self-driving mode, directing it towards Arasaka Tower. "Have you gotten used to staying at the hotel these days?"

David sighed softly, his tone somewhat helpless, "Mom, the Sapphire Tower is much better than home, but I just don't think it's necessary to spend this money."

He knew Gloria now managed Lizzie's Bar and making money was much easier than before, but he had grown up accustomed to saving and didn't want to spend lavishly.

One shouldn't only look at the present; they must plan for the future.

Gloria calmly reassured him, "David, now that you've been hired by Arasaka Corporation, staying at the Sapphire Tower is normal. When you become a corporate elite, you'll move to an even better villa."

As she spoke, her eyes revealed her expectations for David's future, and she thought about Tang Yu. If one day, David could be as excellent as Tang Yu, all her lifelong dreams and desires would be fulfilled.

David felt a bit down and couldn't be truly happy, but seeing his mother's satisfied smile, he managed to force a small smile.

He had come a long way to achieve what many could only dream of: getting hired by Arasaka Corporation right after graduation. Anyone would be overjoyed and proud of this fact.

David recalled the hiring process; Tang Yu had once spoken to him, asking about his true feelings. Faced with such a profound question, David hadn't thought it through and hesitantly expressed his desire to join Arasaka Corporation. It seemed that if he didn't want it, he would disappoint both Tang Yu and his mother, Gloria.

He wasn't sure of the future path, but a glittering one lay before him, giving him no reason to refuse.

Consequently, he applied to Arasaka Corporation, passed multiple interviews, and ultimately secured a position.

When he shared this news with Gloria, as expected, she was overjoyed.

Thinking back to the car accident and comparing it to this moment, David felt genuinely happy and touched but still confused.

Noticing David's low spirits, Gloria smiled and comforted him, "Once you're in the company, everything will gradually go smoothly. I believe in you."

David remained silent, staring out the window, and nodded quietly.

As the vehicle approached the company square and got closer to Arasaka Tower, Gloria also sensed David's emotions and felt somewhat helpless. However, she believed that when the time came, David would surely understand her intentions.

Suddenly.

Gloria felt a wave of unease, a sudden dizziness that made her want to vomit. David noticed her discomfort and immediately asked, "Mom, what's wrong?"

Gloria quickly activated the ventilation system, explaining, "It's just a bit of motion sickness, I'm fine. We're here; you should go to the ceremony."

David was concerned but seeing Gloria was not seriously ill, he urged her to take care of herself before getting out of the car and walking toward Arasaka Tower's main entrance.

After closing the car door, Gloria's heart skipped a beat. She gently placed a hand on her abdomen, her eyes wide with shock.

Meanwhile.

After passing through security at the Arasaka Tower entrance, David took the public elevator to the academy auditorium.

There was still some time before the graduation ceremony, and students in formal attire gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing.

David wasn't interested in small talk. His interactions with his classmates were usually for selling dreams and game chips. Now that he didn't need to, he had little to say.

He decided to find his seat first. After scanning the area, he noticed that his usual seat in the back row didn't have his name.

David approached closer, checking row by row, but still couldn't find his name where he usually sat.

When he snapped back to reality, David Martinez noticed that his electronic seat card was placed in the first row, near the center. That spot had always been reserved for the children of the elite during academy gatherings, completely out of his reach. Yet this time, he was assigned a seat in the first row.

David blinked, thinking it was a mistake. Upon double-checking, he confirmed that he was indeed supposed to sit in the first row. At that moment, he felt reluctant to take his seat early. With other students still standing and him sitting alone in the front row, he would inevitably attract attention, and he hated the feeling of being silently observed and discussed.

As he hesitated, a familiar voice called out, "David, your seat is over here."

David looked towards the voice and saw his classmate, Tanaka Katsuo. Unlike before, Tanaka Katsuo wore a smile and didn't have his usual arrogant demeanor; he looked genuinely happy, as if greeting an old friend. 

Faced with Tanaka Katsuo's enthusiasm, David didn't want to respond but noticed their seats were next to each other, making it unavoidable. Reluctantly, David got up, greeted Tanaka Katsuo perfunctorily, and sat down.

He guessed it was because both of them had gotten jobs at Arasaka Corporation that the academy had deliberately arranged for them to sit together in the front row. 

Tanaka Katsuo didn't mind David's indifferent attitude and leaned over, saying, "David, I didn't expect you'd actually join Arasaka Corporation. Now we're colleagues as well as classmates. Congratulations!"

In that instant, David thought Tanaka Katsuo was very well-suited for office politics—not only adaptable but also technically competent. He replied with a few polite words, but three years of resentment made it hard for David to feel any warmth towards Tanaka Katsuo.

Tanaka Katsuo's eyes flickered momentarily but he restrained himself, only whispering, "The internal job assignments have been released. I'm definitely heading to the R&D department."

Assignments? David suddenly remembered the job allocations but didn't expect to be assigned anywhere other than the Counterintelligence department since he had been interning there. He patiently asked, "Going to the R&D department is great; it's a perfect fit for you."

Tanaka Katsuo waved his hand, "The R&D department is suitable for me, but you know how hard it is to move up there. It's not like your department, where there are many opportunities for merits and rapid advancement. I envy you."

David was genuinely curious and a bit uncertain—if he wasn't assigned to the Counterintelligence department, what should he do?

"Tanaka Katsuo, can you tell me what department I was assigned to?"

Looking magnanimous, Tanaka Katsuo glanced around to ensure no one was eavesdropping and whispered, "The Special Operations Division."

The Special Operations Division? David's pupils contracted as he froze, unable to process why he was assigned to this department. Was it a deliberate arrangement by Mr. Tang, or just a result of human resources' automatic allocation? He had no idea. What he did know was that the Counterintelligence Division and Special Operations Division had always been at odds.

Tanaka Katsuo enviously added, "The Special Operations Division is a significant and powerful department, and with Mr. Tang also serving as the deputy director, you're sure to do well."

In Tanaka Katsuo's eyes, either the Counterintelligence Division or the Special Operations Division would have been excellent outcomes for David. Both departments held substantial power with frequent field missions; one good job could even earn David a promotion, just like Mr. Tang Yu. 

With Tang Yu holding deputy director positions in both departments, he could easily shield David. Tanaka Katsuo believed there must be some connection between Tang Yu and David. 

However, since learning about this job assignment, David's mind was buzzing, unable to focus on the present. Tanaka Katsuo advised him to report to the Special Operations Division, then head to Arasaka's implant center for basic modifications and select some suitable implants. 

David nodded mechanically, thanking Tanaka Katsuo for offering some extra company resources. These were part of the basic onboarding process and involved some R&D department operations.

Soon enough, the graduation ceremony began. David noticed that among the company executives present, Tang Yu was absent, leaving him both disappointed and increasingly uneasy. He needed to report his assignment to the Special Operations Division to Tang Yu. Although he didn't understand the purpose behind such an assignment, he sensed that any other department would be better.

While it was true that Tang Yu was the deputy director of the Special Operations Division, the real head of the division was Susan Abernathy, who once almost had him killed. 

David keenly perceived a brewing storm, ready to engulf him the moment he started his job. There was no escaping it.