New book.
Title : The Corporate God of the Multiverse / Cyberpunk 2077
Synopsis
It tells the story of a corporate employee from a cyberpunk world who climbs the corporate ladder by joining giant companies across different worlds, using the methods and mindset of a ruthless trader.
Many years later—
"Cybernetics are exclusive; flesh and blood are inclusive."
Within the Arasaka Corporation Security Division of Night City, Director Vera proposed solutions to the issues of cybernetic erosion, exclusivity, and safety-threshold limitations. This eventually led to the discovery of the T-Virus and the possibility of a large-scale human enhancement program.
"Flesh is weak; machinery ascends."
At Umbrella Corporation, Dr. Vera from the Manufacturing Department opposed the White Umbrella Project (the corporation's biological research division), advocating instead for the economic future and mass promotion of the cybernetics industry.
"Quinques are outdated; cybernetics are the future."
Within the Ghoul Countermeasures Bureau R&D Department, Vera and others published an analysis report on mechanized organic technology.
…
"Artificial Star God."
Vera Adelheid, Supreme Director, officially announces the company's reorganization plan:
Interstellar Peace Corporation
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Tony closed his eyes; the sharp pain in his chest surged like a tide. He gritted his teeth, and more cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"What if I don't do it?"
The man laughed, and the laughter echoed in the cave, cold and cruel. "Then we have no reason to keep you alive, Mr. Stark. How much longer can your heart beat? One day? Two days? How long can Ethan maintain that device? Without our permission, he cannot get new batteries, he cannot find antibiotics to treat your infection, and you will slowly die here, in the dark, where no one knows."
Tony refused to submit, and a brutal beating followed.
After several rounds of torture, Tony had to temporarily compromise.
"Give me some time," he finally said.
The man nodded. "Tomorrow, we want to see detailed blueprints tomorrow. Don't play any tricks, Mr. Stark. Although we don't understand your technology, we know what a missile looks like."
They left, the iron door locked again, and the cave returned to silence, with only the buzzing of the electromagnet and Tony's heavy breathing.
Ethan walked over to Tony and lowered his voice. "Tony... you know we have no choice. Only by surviving will we have a chance..."
"And then what?" Tony interrupted him, his eyes sharpening. "Help them build weapons so they can kill more people? Where will those missiles land? Markets? Schools? Hospitals?"
"But if you die..."
"I won't die," Tony said, his tone suddenly filled with a certainty that Ethan could not understand.
"Someone will come for me, they definitely will!"
Ethan was stunned. "Who? The U.S. military? They can't find this place. This valley doesn't even exist on the map; satellites can't see it, and ground troops can't get in..."
"Not the U.S. military," Tony shook his head, the corners of his mouth curling into a weak but still characteristically arrogant arc.
"It's... a friend, a very special friend."
He was naturally referring to Mavuika. If there was anyone in this World who could find him and save him, it must be Mavuika.
Tony was convinced of this, or rather, he forced himself to be convinced.
Because if he didn't believe this, he would have to believe the threats of the Terrorists, believe what Ethan said about "slowly dying," and believe that his life would end silently in this filthy cave.
"He will definitely come," Tony muttered to himself, more as if trying to convince himself. "He knows I'm in trouble, he will definitely come to find me, definitely..."
Ethan looked at him, his eyes full of pity.
He thought Tony was hallucinating out of despair; this was a common psychological defense mechanism after trauma.
A "special friend"? In this desert where even the U.S. military was helpless? How could that be possible?
Three days passed, and nothing unexpected happened, but the infection in his chest had worsened.
More pus oozed out, and Ethan had to cut open the necrotic tissue with a red-hot knife to drain it. Without anesthesia, Tony bit down on a rag, sweat pouring down like rain, but he didn't make a sound.
There was no choice; Tony had to first modify the device in his chest that was keeping him alive.
Afterward, with Ethan's assistance, Tony built a simple reactor to replace Ethan's crude electromagnet.
The missile blueprints the Ten Rings Gang wanted were also "completed." They were very satisfied and began to prepare materials according to the drawings.
"Start manufacturing tomorrow," the burly man said. "Don't play any tricks, Mr. Stark. Although we don't understand it, we have people who do who will come to check."
After they left, Tony lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently.
The pain burned him like Fire. He began to doubt: would Mavuika really come? Would he have not even seen the news? Would he think this had nothing to do with him? Would he... have already forgotten him?
No, Tony forced himself to stay clear-headed.
He couldn't place all his hope on someone else; even if Mavuika came, he didn't know when that would be.
And his time might only be a few days.
"Ethan," he said, his voice weak but firm.
Ethan, who was cleaning the scalpel, looked up.
"We have to find a way ourselves," Tony said, struggling to sit up. "We can't just wait to die."
"What way?" Ethan smiled bitterly. "There are at least twenty people outside, fully armed. This iron door is five centimeters thick; it can't be opened without a key. Even if we got out, we're deep in the desert, with no car, no Water, we wouldn't make it ten kilometers."
Tony didn't answer; he crawled to the iron bars and looked out into the outer room.
The workbench was piled with materials "provided" by the Terrorists, the wreckage of Stark Industries equipment, and some parts obtained from the local black market.
His gaze fell on a small piece of palladium metal plate, then moved to a few rolls of copper wire, and finally stopped on a laptop that was half-burned but had an intact motherboard.
A crazy idea began to form in his mind.
"They want me to build a missile," Tony said, his eyes beginning to shine with that genius light belonging to Tony Stark, which hadn't been completely extinguished even in this desperate situation.
"Fine, then I will build a missile, but not the kind they want."
Ethan looked at him, confused.
"Do me a favor." Tony pointed to the outer room. "Bring that laptop over, along with those rolls of copper wire, that palladium metal plate... and right, also that small arc welder."
"What are you going to do?"
Tony smiled. It was the first time in three days he had truly smiled. Although weak, it carried that familiar, arrogant, and crazy undertone.
"I'm going to make a new toy, a toy that can get us out of here."
...
At the same time, high in the sky.
Mavuika hovered five thousand meters in the air, with rolling sand dunes beneath his feet, like solidified waves of the earth.
He closed his eyes, his golden-red long hair dancing wildly in the fierce wind, his body surrounded by a faint halo of Fire, keeping the chill of the night sky at bay.
Perception Swirled like ripples.
In his consciousness, the desert below turned into a dynamic energy landscape, with tens of thousands of light points representing various forms of life.
Sand rats rustled in their burrows, venomous snakes lurked under rocks, residents slept in distant villages, and soldiers patrolled in the U.S. military Base even further away...
He was searching for that specific frequency, that unique "color," the life fluctuation of Tony Stark.
He expanded his range, eastward, deep into the mountains...
Found it.
About 120 kilometers to the northeast, deep in a hidden valley, there was an extremely weak, but definitely existing, light point of life belonging to Tony Stark.
Mavuika opened his eyes, his amber pupils Burning with golden-red Fire in the night sky.
He turned into a stream of light and shot toward that direction, so fast that he left a long trail of Fire behind him, like a retrograde meteor streaking across the night sky of the desert.