Chapter 29

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At Yu Jin Restaurant.

Two high-ranking executives from Arasaka Corporation were meeting in the restroom.

Several customers who were about to enter the restroom recognized Tanaka's identity, sensed that something was off, and promptly left.

In Night City, everyone knows that you don't mess with the Corps, especially Arasaka. Unintentionally learning the secrets of Arasaka's upper echelons could bring about trouble you can't shake off.

Tanaka didn't plan to mention what happened to his son in the restroom, as he had already noticed Katsuo got slapped by Tang Yu, but it wasn't a serious injury.

What he was more concerned with was the data he was after — the operational data of a cyberware body. This matter involved an extremely important prototype device experiment and was currently at a confidential research stage, so he continued to inquire.

"Aren't you afraid that Susan Abernathy will target you, undermining your actions in secret?"

"As far as I know, Arthur Jenkins has already assigned you the task of finding military-grade cyberware operational data."

"And I don't want to see the mission involving cyberware be affected by the rivalry between your two departments."

Tang Yu had not dealt with Tanaka often in the past, but he knew that Tanaka was no easy mark. The R&D department was a core division of Arasaka — one that Saburo Arasaka wouldn't allow to be overseen by an outsider. Shaking off the water on his hands, and drying them with a paper towel, he replied:

"I think you should be saying this to that smug Abernathy."

"I'm just a Deputy Head of Counterintelligence, not powerful enough to stir big waves in Night City."

"Working hard for the corp, only to be targeted by the Head of Special Operations herself, and even assassination attempts — no wonder everyone outside says Arasaka's nest is rife with vipers."

Having said that, he tossed the paper towel into the concealed wall-mounted trash bin and walked out of the restroom with composure.

Tang Yu had no need to bother with Tanaka; he was already in the crosshairs of a Special Operations Head, so one more adversary from R&D didn't matter much. Besides, it was Jenkins who had promoted him, so he owed nothing to people like Tanaka. In Arasaka, the most important thing was to get things done; the more submissive you are, the more likely you'll be crushed underfoot and ground into the dirt.

Tanaka's brows furrowed with displeasure. Always proud of his scheming mind, he felt an inexplicable and intense irritation toward this younger man, his hand clenched tightly in his pocket.

After a moment of silence.

Tanaka chose to stride out of the restroom, leaving Yu Jin Restaurant with the slapped Katsuo, their table's dishes still steaming.

Katsuo, with his right hand covering his face, followed his father feeling aggrieved, into the elevator downstairs. Seeing his father's stern and displeased face, he didn't want to say much more. But, unable to bear the grudge inside, he cautiously asked:

"Father, are we just going to let this go...?"

Tanaka replied sternly: "Shut up."

He knew that now was not the time to clash with Tang Yu. Most of the R&D department's business and operations were confidential, and they still needed to rely on Counterintelligence for fieldwork, particularly regarding human trial data. If that leaked and was seized or exposed by rival corporations, it could lead to an impression of incompetence at the board level.

Especially with cyberware, if the Militech got wind of Arasaka's intentions to recover it, with leads from that cyberpsycho Jenkins to follow, things would become even more difficult.

The driver, Maxim, was waiting downstairs, his first cigarette not even finished when he received the order to leave, parking the car early at the entrance to Yu Jin Night Club.

Once Tanaka and his son were back inside their luxury sedan, Tanaka offered some explanation:

"He's the Deputy Head of the Counterintelligence Department." Katsuo was suddenly dumbfounded.

He could never have anticipated being slapped in the restroom by someone, let alone a senior executive of the Arasaka Corporation. It then dawned on him why his father had advised him to leave first; this grudge was probably impossible to avenge.

 Tanaka, clutching his darkened face, said nothing else, knowing he could not take revenge against a high-ranking company executive like Tang Yu. Instead, he directed all the humiliation and hatred he felt toward David, muttering to himself, "David, you're totally dead this time!"

"If it weren't for you, how could I have offended the company's higher-ups, and why would I have been slapped?"

"You really are bad luck."

"Hah, letting you drop out of school was really letting you off easy. You shouldn't have just dropped out; I should have crushed you like an ant at the academy even more!"

David, sitting on the toilet, noticed it had become much quieter outside.

He faintly heard the conversation between Tang Yu and Tanaka, involving human experimentation and cyberware or something like that - secrets of the Arasaka high command that made him feel more repelled and disgusted by Arasaka.

What shocked him the most was that, apparently, Tang Yu had offended an even higher-level executive at the company and had even been subject to attacks and assassination by his colleagues.

Yet Tang Yu always seemed to have the demeanor of someone in control, never showing any sign of worry or concern about having offended the company's higher-ups, even speaking lightly of the assassination attempt.

This realization had a profound impact on David's perception of Tang Yu.

"Could it be that the true culprit behind that car accident was someone from Arasaka?"

"It must have been a targeted assassination attempt by the high ranks of Arasaka against him!"

"But Mr. Tang, even though he was targeted by the company, still chose to come and save us."

"And he just gave Katsuo a lesson, was that for me?"

"What kind of person is he really..."

David couldn't figure it out and felt the name Arasaka becoming increasingly dark, like a black hole swallowing and pulling everything around it, his right leg shaking even more.

After the restroom was completely silent, David walked out of the stall feeling dejected and returned to the main dining area of the restaurant. He stood in a corner and surveyed the surroundings, ensuring Tanaka and his father were not present before slowly heading to his table.

Before reaching the table, David saw Tang Yu conversing happily and leisurely with his mother in a red dress, seemingly unconcerned about what had just happened in the restroom.

David felt increasingly that Tang Yu was unpredictable and inscrutable, sure in his heart that Tang Yu knew about Katsuo cornering him in the restroom. From Gloria's demeanor, it seemed she was unaware that Tang Yu had just confronted the Tanakas for David's sake.

David slapped his face, trying to stop his mind from wandering into speculation, then returned to his seat.

Gloria, seeing David finally coming back from the restroom, felt a bit displeased.

She thought David had spent so much time eating expensive dishes in the dining area, then hiding in the restroom doing who knows what, making Tang Yu wait, and felt that David was indeed impolite today. Just as she was about to lecture him on the principles of proper conduct, she was interrupted.

Tang Yu took initiative, standing up with a gift box in hand, and said, "The dishes today weren't exceptional. After eating, I feel they were a bit off, but next time, I'll invite you to our house as guests, which is much cleaner and more sanitary."

Gloria felt somewhat apologetic, forgetting to scold David, and stood up hastily, saying with embarrassment, 

"Today has been quite costly for Mr. Tang again, next time I..."

She was about to say they would visit his home next time, but thinking of their shabby house and poor cooking skills, she held back, changing her words:

"Mr. Tang, next time I insist on treating you!"