Chapter 172: Arrogance and Wrath!
"Haha, does Hansen think he can clean up his act by turning to business, or earn the trust of European corporations through kidnapping Myers ? It's not that simple!"
Aymeric sneered, his tone dripping with disdain for Hansen , whose behavior he likened to that of a sycophantic lapdog toward corporate elites.
"Social mobility has always been a narrow path in any era. Whether one can climb the ladder doesn't depend on their capability or loyalty to those at the top."
"It depends on whether the people at the top are willing to allow it."
As Aymeric concluded, the dealer revealed the cards, determining the winner of the game. Aurore claimed victory.
"Haha! I won!"
Aurore's silvery laughter rang out, while V casually paid up and quickly initiated another round with her.
Meanwhile, V continued the conversation Aymeric had started. "So, you don't think Dogtown has any future in Night City?"
As he wagered more chips, V maintained a lively dialogue with Aymeric , completely unbothered by the 30,000 eurodollars he had just lost. He saw an opening as the previously reticent Aymeric finally began to talk, and he pressed on.
V wasn't here just to gamble with Aurore; his goal was to attract their attention and lower their guard.
Soon, the conversation fired up Aymeric 's passion for corporate politics, and he delved into his scathing critique of Hansen :
"I see Hansen as nothing more than a naked dancer, pulling out all the stops to curry favor with corporate bigwigs. But, as I said before, whether or not someone like him can gain entry depends not on how cleanly he strips or how much he sells but on whether the elites are willing to give him a seat."
"A petty warlord like Hansen , who clawed his way up through dirty tricks, is destined to be nothing more than a corporate pawn. He'll never have a place among the true elite."
Aymeric 's words were laced with disdain and mockery, mirroring the general sentiment of European corporate executives toward Hansen .
No matter the era, dogs aren't welcome at their master's dining table.
Especially when the pie on the table is finite—an extra mouth means less for everyone else.
This is how corporate factions come into being. Unless internal conflicts escalate to the point of no return, outsiders have no chance of stepping in. Hansen is one such outsider.
Aymeric 's contempt for Hansen stemmed from this deeply ingrained belief: one's background dictates their life's trajectory.
Take Aymeric and his sister Aurore, for example. Though they were born into a second-tier European corporate family, their upbringing afforded them the resources and opportunities to succeed.
Thanks to their father's efforts, the hacker siblings were selected for the engineering and development program of the AI neural matrix device. Their contributions to the project earned them entry into the first-tier corporate ranks.
Aymeric now served as the lead technical officer for the World Satellite Communications Network, while Aurore worked as a real estate agent for a European banking corporation.
Their climb to corporate management seemed inevitable.
Hansen , by contrast, came from a New American military camp, a mud-dweller who relied on groveling to the elites for resources. For someone like him, there was no chance of breaking through.
"V, you know," Aymeric said with a cold smirk, "power spreads like AIDS—through blood, lineage, and sex."
Aymeric 's high-handed tone betrayed his complete disbelief in the idea that personal effort could overcome systemic barriers.
To climb the ladder of power, one must rely on absolute violence, family background, or alliances through marriage.
Hansen , Aymeric asserted, possessed none of these avenues. His tiny militia and outdated weapons might make him a king in Dogtown, but the moment corporations grew tired of him, they could snuff him out with ease.
Listening to Aymeric 's tirade, V felt an intense sense of discomfort. He could taste the arrogance emanating from Aymeric , born from his deeply entrenched elitism.
As a former nomad, V had long understood the vast gulf between social classes, a divide as stark as that between two species.
The smug indifference of the elite pierced V's heart like a knife.
Aymeric likely saw him, a wanderer, as even lower than Hansen .
At that moment, V became resolute in his plan to eliminate Aymeric and Aurore.
Though seething inside, V maintained a calm exterior, mirroring Aymeric 's composed demeanor.
"Your insights are fascinating. I believe, Mr. Aymeric , that you're destined to become a wise corporate executive."
V's calculated flattery was well-received. Aymeric smiled modestly, but inside, he swelled with pride.
He relished the feeling of impressing strangers with his intellect.
"Mr. V, please don't mind my brother. He always talks about such boring, dreary topics. How dull!"
Though Aurore's words seemed critical, her approving glance at Aymeric betrayed her agreement with his views. Their shared upbringing naturally shaped identical ideologies.
"Not at all," V replied. "I find Mr. Aymeric 's perspective highly thought-provoking—a rare spiritual yoga in the restless Night City."
V's unrelenting flattery brought visible joy to Aymeric , who began to see V as a kindred spirit.
"Mr. V, if I may ask, what line of work are you in? Which corporation do you serve?"
Aymeric 's questions were calculated, designed to assess V's social standing and determine how he should interact with him.
Corporate professionals like Aymeric knew the value of avoiding pointless conversations with those who couldn't provide mutual benefits.
V, of course, wasn't foolish enough to admit he was an LA Company operative. If he did, the siblings would likely scorn him and walk away, ruining his plans.
Instead, V decided to borrow the identity of a network security technician under his superior, Alt Cunningham.
"I work for LA Company as a network security technician," V said casually. "My daily tasks involve setting up and maintaining AI defense systems."
As soon as V spoke, Aurore gasped, her face lighting up with surprise.
"My goodness! You're with LA Company? How unexpected!"
In the cyber world, LA Company was a household name, recently solidifying its dominance by forming the LA Corporation and dismantling the European Community.
This move had sent shockwaves across Europe's corporate world.
Compared to Aurore's overt excitement, Aymeric 's response was more subdued. While he maintained his silence, his expression betrayed a mix of envy and skepticism.
"V, since you're in LA Company's network security department, could you share some insider info? Perhaps about the AI White Queen? I heard it's the most advanced defense system globally."
Aurore leaned closer, her voice soft and inviting as her fingers lightly brushed V's.
Her flirtatious tone left no doubt about her intentions. She wanted something valuable from him—and she was willing to offer something in return.
Sensing the time was right, V decided to involve Reed, setting his plan into motion.
"After all this talking, I'm getting a bit thirsty. How about some chilled cocktails? Three of them?"
V deliberately stalled, steering the conversation away from Aurore's proposal.
Instead of continuing the discussion, he temporarily shifted the topic and asked if they would like something to drink.
At this moment, Aurore and Aymeric's attention was entirely focused on the "insider news" V had just mentioned. They had no time to worry about whether the drinks could be problematic.
Sure enough, the impatient Aurore, eager to hear any information regarding the LA Corporation, raised her hand to summon a nearby waiter to bring over the drinks immediately.
The waiter, however, was none other than Reed, who had been fully prepared and disguised as a bartender!
Seeing Aurore signaling for drinks, Reed promptly brought cocktails spiked with drugs to the three people at the table, serving them one by one.
Of course, V's cocktail was also drugged, but he had already taken an antidote beforehand, so it didn't matter.
"Sir, here is your drink."
When Reed handed the cocktail to V, he couldn't help but glance at him, as if silently saying, "Impressive," for how easily V had lured the targets into the trap.
Without hesitation, V picked up his cocktail and took a sip in front of the two European hackers. Then, he slowly began revealing some "insider information" about the LA Corporation.
He mentioned basic functions of the AI White Queen and details about some of the infrastructure at the Polymer Research Institute.
Although this information wasn't particularly valuable, it was still considered rare intelligence for the European hackers, who were eager to learn anything about the LA Corporation.
Seeing V confidently list facts about the company, Aurore and Aymeric's excitement grew, making it evident that they truly believed they had encountered someone exceptional.
Within their social network, they had no connections to employees of the LA Corporation, making V an extremely valuable contact.
"Mr. V, why don't we exchange contact information? Once my sister and I finish today's task, we can meet privately to discuss more," Aymeric said, abandoning his earlier cold and arrogant demeanor. He now lowered his guard and extended a hand of friendship.
No smart person would remain indifferent when profit was at stake, and Aurore and Aymeric valued V's supposed identity as an LA Corporation employee.
"Sure, let's add each other."
V's cybernetic eye projected an interface for nearby friend requests. Once they confirmed the request, Aurore and Aymeric officially appeared on V's friend list.
Although adding the soon-to-be-dead as friends might seem inauspicious, V didn't mind—it was just another step toward completing his unique achievement of taking out online acquaintances in real life.
After exchanging contacts, Aurore reverted to her charming and coquettish demeanor.
"Mr. V, how about we play a few more rounds? Perhaps this time, Lady Luck will favor you!"
Aurore reached out and lightly touched V's fingers.
Her seductive gaze and flirtatious actions might have overwhelmed an ordinary man, but V, an experienced operator, wasn't so easily swayed.
"Sure, let's play a few more rounds."
V maintained his calm and composed demeanor throughout, further convincing Aymeric of the authenticity of V's identity—he could detect no flaws.
During the card games, V intentionally raised his glass to the pair, suggesting a toast to celebrate his winnings.
Without any hesitation or suspicion, Aurore and Aymeric raised their glasses and drank in response. They remained unaware that their drinks had been spiked.
"Nicely done, V!"
Alex's excited whisper came through V's earpiece. The two highly intelligent European hackers had unsuspectingly drunk the spiked cocktails. Everything was progressing more smoothly than anticipated.
As the game went on, V, who had initially been losing repeatedly to Aurore, managed to recover his losses and even win €100,000 worth of chips from her.
"Mr. V, it seems Lady Luck has indeed decided to favor you! Make the most of this opportunity!" Aurore said with a flirtatious smile.
In truth, Aurore's cybernetic eye had been modified with special enhancements, allowing her to see through the majority of playing cards. Unless professional-grade cards from a major casino were used, the cards at this small gambling table posed no challenge for her.
Earlier, Aurore had been using this advantage to win V's chips. Now, however, she deliberately allowed V to win to foster a beneficial relationship with him.
"My luck does seem to be turning," V replied with a smile.
Once he estimated that the timing was right, V cashed in his chips and told Aurore that he had something urgent to attend to and would return later.
According to the original plan, V was supposed to stay at the gambling table and wait for Aurore and Aymeric to be ambushed in the restroom before taking over their identities.
However, V couldn't tolerate Aymeric any longer and decided to handle the task personally.
Reed waited outside to keep watch and clean up afterward.
"Alright, we'll see you later," Aurore replied without any suspicion. After V left, she even began fantasizing about the possibility of transferring to a position in LA Corporation's banking division.
"Ugh, Aurore, my stomach doesn't feel right. I think I need to use the restroom. You wait here," Aymeric suddenly said as the drugs began taking effect. He initially thought it was just the alcohol making him feel this way.
"Me too. Let's go together," Aurore replied. Like Aymeric, she didn't suspect the drinks had been tampered with.
The two got up and headed toward the restroom.
Two minutes later, Reed, disguised as a janitor, pushed a garbage cart out of the men's restroom. Inside the cart were the bodies of Aurore and Aymeric.
Meanwhile, using a morphing disguise device, V and Alex had completely taken over Aymeric and Aurore's identities.
Their voices, movements, expressions, and even linguistic habits were almost indistinguishable from the originals.
"V—or should I say 'brother'—your ability to adapt is truly impressive. It seems you've mastered the basics of being an operative!" Alex praised V's performance with satisfaction.
Through their encrypted voice channel, she had listened to V's entire conversation with the European hackers. His execution was flawless.
"Nothing special—just dealing with a couple of fools trying to climb the ladder," V replied coldly.
He stood before the restroom mirror, wiping his hands with Aymeric's handkerchief before tossing it into the trash can.
When strangling Aymeric, V had deliberately dragged him in front of the mirror, forcing him to witness his demise at the hands of a "nobody."
V believed Aymeric must have felt utter despair and pain in his final moments.
"They mocked Hansen as a pitiful stripper, but they're no better themselves."
Even V's speech style, after using the morphing device, now carried Aymeric's usual arrogance and aloofness.
"Alright, the evening's gathering is about to end. Once the venue clears out, we'll move to the final phase of our plan," Alex said, her heart pounding with anticipation at the thought of the impending confrontation with Hansen.
The final showdown was imminent!
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