"What are you talking about? My father—I strangled him to death in front of you! You recorded it! Are you joking?" Araita Laixuan was furious. Though he despised Saburo Arasaka, he still held a grudging respect for the old man. Making fun of his father's death was crossing the line.
"Who said that just because your father's body is dead, he's truly gone? Have you forgotten about your miraculous little sister?" Peter's words were like a thunderclap, forcing Araita Laixuan to rethink everything.
"You mean... my father copied his consciousness and uploaded it to Mikoshi before coming here?" Araita Laixuan asked in disbelief.
Peter smirked. "Bingo. But before I tell you more, I need assurance that my companions can leave this building safely."
Araita Laixuan hesitated, but finally relented. "Fine. You have my word. They can leave."
Peter turned to his companions, his voice calm yet commanding. "Jack, take David and V. I don't want to repeat myself. If you still consider me your captain, go."
Jack hesitated, his expression conflicted. "Peter, are you sure about this? We don't want to leave you behind."
"I'll be fine. Just go. I've got unfinished business with the prince here," Peter said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Reluctantly, Jack nodded. "We'll wait for you at the old spot. Don't keep us waiting too long."
Once Peter confirmed his team had left the building, he turned back to Araita Laixuan. "Now, let's get down to business. Your father had a plan—a grand scheme, actually—and you played right into it."
Araita Laixuan frowned. "A plan? What are you talking about?"
Peter leaned against a nearby desk, arms crossed. "Your father wanted you to kill him. It was all part of his plan to use your sister, Hanako, to take you down and then use your body for his rebirth. Saburo Arasaka isn't the type to leave things to chance."
Araita Laixuan's eyes widened. "That's ridiculous! Why would he goad me into killing him?"
Peter shrugged. "Think about it. Why else would he provoke you over and over again? You think a man like Saburo Arasaka would meet you alone, unarmed, without a contingency plan?"
Araita Laixuan clenched his fists, anger boiling inside him. "That cunning old man…"
"Exactly," Peter said. "Now, let's cut to the chase. I'm here to propose a partnership."
Araita Laixuan laughed bitterly. "A partnership? With you? What do you bring to the table?"
Peter didn't respond with words. Instead, he raised the pistol he had taken from Araita Laixuan earlier and fired. The bullet whizzed past Araita's head, narrowly missing him.
"You're insane!" Araita Laixuan shouted, touching his face, which now had a thin trickle of blood.
Peter smirked. "Am I? Or am I just confident in what I bring to the table? Think carefully before you answer."
At that moment, the building's alarms blared, announcing a security breach.
"Shots detected in the building! The Cyanbi Mansion is now in emergency lockdown. All personnel, remain in your designated areas!"
Araita Laixuan gritted his teeth, his initial plan to double-cross Peter now foiled. He sighed. "You've made your point. I'll give you a chance. But you'd better survive what's coming next."
"Don't worry about me," Peter said, flashing a grin. "I'll manage."
Araita Laixuan stepped into the elevator, leaving Peter alone to face the incoming threat.
Peter turned his attention to Saburo Arasaka's lifeless body. Searching the old man, he found a key card—a floating car activation authorization—and a small ceremonial blade. "Ah, Saburo's favorite toy. This'll come in handy," Peter muttered to himself.
Heading to the rooftop, Peter encountered two heavily armed bodyguards standing on alert. The moment they saw him, they opened fire.
"Really? Is this how you greet a guest?" Peter quipped before vanishing from their line of sight. He reappeared behind them, taking them out with swift, precise movements.
As the guards fell, Peter commandeered a nearby floating car. "Let's see how far this thing can take me," he mused, activating the vehicle with Saburo's key card.
Meanwhile, Araita Laixuan stepped out of the elevator, greeted by his loyal lieutenant, Goro Takemura. The older man looked concerned.
"Master Laixuan, what happened? I heard the alarms."
"My father is dead," Araita Laixuan said, feigning sorrow. "An assassin killed him—and nearly killed me as well."
Takemura's face darkened. "Lord Saburo… dead? This cannot stand! I will hunt down the assassin myself!"
Araita Laixuan placed a hand on Takemura's shoulder. "No, Goro. Your duty is to me now. My father is gone, and I am the head of the family. Your priority is my safety."
Takemura hesitated, then bowed deeply. "As you command, Patriarch Laixuan."
"Good. Now, summon Adam Smasher. Let's see how our intruder handles a real challenge."
Back on the rooftop, Peter watched as a massive, cybernetically enhanced figure emerged from a nearby transport. It was Adam Smasher, Arasaka's deadliest enforcer.
"Well, this should be fun," Peter said, gripping Saburo's ceremonial blade tightly.
Smasher charged, his heavy steps shaking the rooftop. Peter dodged the initial strike, his movements fluid and precise. The two clashed in a fierce battle, the rooftop becoming a battleground of sparks and steel.
Despite Smasher's overwhelming strength, Peter's agility and wit gave him the upper hand. With a well-timed maneuver, he disarmed the hulking cyborg and landed a critical blow, disabling Smasher's systems.
"Looks like you're all bark and no bite," Peter said, standing over the defeated enforcer.
As Peter prepared to leave, his communicator buzzed. It was Araita Laixuan.
"Impressive, Peter. You've proven yourself. Let's talk about that partnership."
Peter smirked. "Glad to see you're finally on board. Let's change the game, Laixuan."
With that, Peter disappeared into the night, leaving behind the chaos he had orchestrated—and a new alliance that would shake the foundations of Night City.
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