To a certain extent, Mercer understood why Militech had suddenly linked him to the rogue AI in the Cynosure facility.
Dogtown was simply developing too quickly.
The iteration of Barghest's weapons, the efficiency of upgrades to Dogtown's equipment and various production facilities, all far exceeded the speed that a place of Dogtown's size should have.
The various factions that were constantly watching Dogtown would naturally become suspicious of its development. Analyzed with common sense, such an efficient rate of progress was clearly difficult for a single person to advance alone.
While Dogtown had its own research and development team, it was obvious that the major powers knew full well that these researchers were nowhere near sufficient to support Dogtown's current pace of development. So, what was the reason for Dogtown's incredibly efficient progress?
Others might not think of an AI, but Militech was different.
No one understood the productivity of an AI, and what an advanced AI represented, better than they did.
Furthermore, even before the fall of the Old Net, there had been a series of AIs like "Muramasa," which specialized in weapons development, that had proven in practice their considerable R&D capabilities.
Connecting that to the fact that Mercer only began demonstrating his ability to develop weapons and equipment after entering Dogtown, and that he himself was an advanced netrunner specializing in network programming technology...
It was hard not to suspect that Mercer had secretly stolen the AI from the Cynosure facility and was using it for Dogtown's development and technological upgrades.
"They also suspect that you have obtained a great deal of critical data from the Cynosure facility, such as information on the Blackwall. This information is of grave importance. If they confirm that you possess it, we may indeed face significant trouble later on."
Morning Star said seriously, "You know that for Militech and the NUSA, the Cynosure facility and the Blackwall Protocol are nearly as important as Arasaka's Relic biochip and Soulkiller program..."
Mercer sighed and rubbed his head. "It looks like we can't escape being the scapegoat for this, can we?"
"That's right. Once they discover the rogue AI in the Cynosure facility is missing, it will likely be very difficult for you to explain its whereabouts. If Militech comes to believe that Dogtown's rapid development and numerous technological breakthroughs are all thanks to the assistance of that rogue AI... they will probably come knocking to take it back, or use it as a reason to demand 'technology sharing' from us."
As soon as Morning Star finished speaking, Mercer sighed, having already realized Militech and the NUSA's true objective.
"These guys probably aren't coming for the Cynosure facility and the AI... This is just an excuse, a legitimate-sounding pretext to reach out and grab a share of my profits."
Mercer had keenly perceived the truth of the matter.
Both he and Militech knew very well that for some things, all that was needed was a justifiable excuse.
As the de facto administrator of Dogtown, Mercer could certainly deny ever entering the Cynosure facility and could also distance himself from the "disappearance" of the rogue AI. The problem was, would Militech and the NUSA accept his claims?
Mercer came to a relatively pessimistic conclusion, if he were in Militech's shoes, he wouldn't just act if the AI in the Cynosure facility had truly disappeared.
Even if the Cynosure facility were perfectly intact, they would find a way to slander him and look for an opportunity to extend their reach into Dogtown.
The sudden appearance of these agents, gathering for a meeting so openly, could very well be a way of fishing.
If Mercer moved to expel those agents, Militech would surely use it as an opportunity to stir up trouble. And if Mercer pretended not to see them, they would obviously engage in plenty of petty maneuvers...
"What is their objective?"
Since it had come to this, Mercer stopped worrying about whether he would be made a scapegoat and instead began discussing the other party's goals with Morning Star.
"Based on my analysis, the first reason is that Dogtown's current rate of progress has exceeded many people's imaginations. In particular, the second-generation Tank combat armor you are now officially selling, as well as the new Operating System Cyberware you've patented and are preparing to sell, both touch upon a massive arms market. As the most dominant company in the arms market today, it's standard business practice for Militech to either try to acquire or suppress a rising new star in the industry. In fact, various corporations have already started trying to send corporate spies our way and bribe our staff to steal core technology. It's only because our defenses are good enough that we haven't had any mishaps yet."
Listening to Morning Star, Mercer sighed. His own guess had been more or less the same.
In the Cyberpunk universe, corporate warfare had no bottom line. Assassinations, buying off spies, and monopolistic suppression were the most common methods of competition.
"The second reason is likely related to Songbird."
Morning Star's words made Mercer pause, then he let out a laugh tinged with exasperation. "You mean, they think Songbird's body can't take it anymore and they're looking for a new unlucky bastard to replace her as the NUSA's new Net-nuke?"
"Yes. The strength you've shown in network technology is plain to see. With Songbird's health deteriorating by the day, it's impossible for Militech not to consider the issue of a successor for Blackwall tech. The various abilities you've displayed are too outstanding, and Dogtown is a piece of territory that Militech is determined to acquire. It's no surprise that you yourself, as well as Dogtown, have become targets of Militech's covetousness."
After finishing, Morning Star even joked, "It's even possible that Militech values you more than Dogtown itself."
Mercer frowned, his mood souring. "Don't these guys know how Hansen died? They still want to force me to work for them. Are they not afraid of following in his footsteps?"
Morning Star chuckled. "In Militech's eyes, you have an irreconcilable conflict with Arasaka. In a normal person's way of thinking, it's unlikely you would dare to offend Militech as well. And while the Cubans are powerful, the NUSA and Militech clearly don't get along with them."
It was more than just "not getting along." It was foreseeable that if Militech and the NUSA won the Fifth Corporate War, their next move after restoring the NUSA to its full extent would inevitably involve Cuba.
Mercer propped his chin on one hand, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Morning Star used the deets it had gathered to analyze the situation and offer a suggestion. "In any case, you've already decided to deal with Saburo Arasaka. Once that's done, Yorinobu Arasaka will become a far more suitable partner than Militech. For now, we can play along with them, find an excuse to delay things. When the tables turn, Militech and the NUSA will naturally be of no concern. If we can get Yorinobu Arasaka to support us, from a business competition perspective, we will no longer need to worry about Militech's sanctions and suppression."
Mercer didn't speak, merely pondering in silence for a moment before suddenly saying, "Is there any way we can use this opportunity to get Songbird over here?"
Morning Star immediately followed his train of thought. "Considering Songbird's current physical condition and the Blackwall tech she holds, the NUSA would be very reluctant to send her on a field mission without a special reason."
"What if the agent Reed himself requests her assistance?" Mercer said.
Morning Star, understanding at once, replied, "Considering Reed's blatant loyalty to the NUSA, there's a certain probability that Myers will approve his request. But we must find a reasonable justification."
"Let's use the rogue AI and the potential technical issues related to Blackwall AI in the Cynosure facility as the reason to request support. While we're at it, let's lay our cards on the table with Militech about Lilith. Then we can blame Lilith for Songbird's disappearance later..."
Mercer made up his mind. Rather than waiting for Songbird's unreliable "I have an idea," it was better to take the initiative and catch Militech off guard.
Since Militech had designs on him, he might as well play along.
"When do we make our move on Reed?" Morning Star had clearly already analyzed Mercer's current plan and decision.
Mercer replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Since they plan to enter the Cynosure facility... let's wait until they're inside before we make our move. We can pin the blame on Lilith at the same time. If Militech still doesn't bite and we can't lure Songbird over, we'll have to prepare for her to fend for herself while we find our own opportunity to go to the moon. Time is of the essence."
His plan remained brutally simple: wait for Reed to enter the Cynosure facility, attack them with the Soulkiller program, then modify his consciousness code to manipulate Reed into requesting aid from the NUSA.
If everything went smoothly, Songbird might be dispatched directly to Dogtown.
Morning Star fell into thought, analyzing the situation. Finally, it suddenly proposed, "Perhaps we could put on a show."
"A show?" Mercer asked back.
Morning Star's voice was gentle, but the plan it laid out was extraordinarily audacious.
"If you and Songbird were to temporarily disappear, Militech and the NUSA would be forced to react. The worst-case scenario is a direct military conflict with Dogtown. But if we involve the NUSA's decision-maker in this incident, let her see with her own eyes that the root of all problems is Lilith on the moon, not Dogtown, we might even receive aid from Militech during our trip to the moon and back."
Morning Star had come to a completely different conclusion than Mercer. "Although you feel that Songbird's plan to take President Myers hostage is too risky, my data assessment indicates that this plan is actually the most beneficial for us. Especially if we have the opportunity to abduct President Myers into our moon mission..."
"Why are you going crazy too..." Mercer said, his head aching. But his next question directly revealed his attitude: "What's the success rate? The risks? We need to find a strategy that has the lowest security impact on Dogtown."
"If you were to have an accident on the moon, Dogtown's security would be nonexistent. Dogtown's current status and safety are all built on the premise that you are its administrator."
Morning Star analyzed calmly, "Therefore, rather than considering the risks to Dogtown during the plan, it's better to prioritize the success rate of your plan as the core variable for the entire operation."
"...This could very well detonate the Fifth Corporate War and turn Dogtown into a battlefield!" Mercer's tone grew heavy again.
But Morning Star simply said calmly, "If things unfortunately develop to that point, starting the Fifth Corporate War early, before Arasaka and Militech are ready, is not necessarily a bad thing for our rise and future development. You know that even after dealing with Saburo Arasaka, Yorinobu Arasaka will absolutely continue to instigate the Fifth Corporate War to achieve his life's ideal of using war to eliminate the corporate giants. In a sense, Yorinobu Arasaka is far more dangerous than Saburo. At least the latter's actions can be analyzed from a profit perspective, whereas Yorinobu Arasaka's only goal is destruction, whether it be of his enemies or himself."
Mercer fell silent, and Morning Star continued to persuade him, "We need more resources, and an opportunity for the world powers to be reshuffled, allowing us to take a seat at the table. Considering the Blacklight virus we now possess and our current absolute lead in AI and unmanned device technology, the Fifth Corporate War might just be our golden opportunity to break free from Dogtown and become a new corporate giant."
Mercer didn't say a word, just sat in his chair thinking for a long time.
Morning Star didn't rush him, just waited quietly. In fact, according to its analysis, Mercer's answer was already a foregone conclusion.
"...Sometimes, I think Lucy and the others are right about me. Am I really a bit too crazy?"
Mercer let out a long sigh, but his eyes grew sharp. He slowly rose from the netrunner station, picked up the neural link cable, and, while preparing for a Super Deep Dive, said softly, "After all this running around, it seems this fate was already sealed."
"The grand tides of this world are often the inevitable result of many overlapping factors. But do not worry, because we possess variables that are large enough and numerous enough."
Morning Star's tone was gentle, yet carried an unshakeable firmness. "We will succeed."
"Let's hope so." Mercer wasted no more words. After entering the Super Deep Dive, he began to calculate the insane plan Morning Star had proposed.
When the calculations were complete, Mercer exited the deep dive, slowly opened his eyes, and after a moment of silence, gave the order with a sense of resignation, yet also resolve.
"Then let's do it, Morning Star."
"Understood. Please provide a codename for this operation," Morning Star's tone remained calm.
Mercer was quiet for a moment, then spoke a name.
"Phantom Liberty."
Mercer murmured softly, setting the name for the entire plan.
"Understood. I have named this operation, Phantom Liberty."
"Do you wish to begin executing this plan immediately?" Morning Star inquired.
Mercer closed his eyes, the worst-case scenarios flashing rapidly through his mind, but in the end, he simply nodded.
"Begin."
"Understood."
Morning Star's voice faded from Mercer's ears.
At the same time, within the latent network, the omnipresent Skynet system quietly began to weave a great net.
—--
August 27, 2076, 5:25 PM.
In the calm skies above Dogtown, the NUSA President's private aircraft, known as Space Force One, suddenly plummeted from the clouds. The piercing roar of its engines tore through the sky like a mournful air-raid siren.
"MAYDAY! MAYDAY! We have an engine malfunction! We suspect we are under a cyberattack!"
Inside the plane, the pilot's incredulous shout, broadcast through the cabin, echoed, "We need technical support!"
"Songbird!" The current NUSA President, Myers, turned with a look of disbelief and yelled at Songbird, who was seated in a netrunner station, constantly connected to the plane's network and providing its protection.
"..." Songbird didn't reply, but her entire body had begun to tremble slightly. Myers could see that on the monitor connected to her netrunner station, all the readings were skyrocketing. Even her life-support cyberware had started to sound an alarm.
"Mayday! Mayday! We're going in for an emergency landing! Brace for impact! Protect the President!"
The captain's voice trembled slightly. At the same time, the extremely advanced private aircraft was quickly switched to manual mode, disengaging the smart autopilot.
But what the captain found unbelievable was that, even though the smart controls had been turned off and the autopilot disengaged, meaning the entire plane was technically in a disconnected, manual control phase, the plane's engines still wouldn't respond, as if they had a life of their own, moving erratically.
"Check!"
"Left engine is out of control!"
"Right engine is out of control!"
"Error code: 3371!"
"Instrument panel error! It's all red code!"
"Pull up, we can't make a landing at this speed! Pull up! We have to pull up!"
"It's no use! The control stick is unresponsive!"
"Dammit, reverse thrust! Reverse the throttle! Decelerate!"
The captain and co-pilot tried everything they could, but the plane seemed to have a mind of its own. Even the control yokes for the wings, determined by basic mechanical structures, now seemed to have an extremely high latency.
The crucial thruster engines were completely out of control, and the instrument panel was in total chaos, as if hit by massive electromagnetic interference.
"I think we're done for..." the co-pilot muttered.
"Yeah," the captain responded with resignation. "I think so too."
However, just as they had nearly given up all resistance, Songbird's somewhat shrill voice came through their headsets.
"Quick! Make an emergency landing!"
Without needing a full explanation, the pilots immediately noticed that the operating systems seemed to be returning to normal. They desperately began to use reverse thrust on the engines, and the vertical takeoff and landing thrusters all activated.
"Emergency landing! We're making an emergency landing! Brace for impact!"
The captain, ecstatic, began working with the co-pilot with all their might to save the plane's trajectory. They narrowly avoided a hovercraft floating in the sky above Dogtown, then aimed for a relatively open area, avoiding buildings to make an emergency landing.
But even though they were giving it their all, the terrain of Dogtown meant there was simply no place suitable for a private jet to land safely.
The moment the plane finally touched down, terrifying sparks flew. The fuselage began to drag a conspicuous trail of fire along the ground. The thrusters worked desperately until the entire aircraft was engulfed in flames, finally managing to come to a stop on a relatively straight road.
Dogtown's alarms blared to life.
"Enemy intrusion! Enemy intrusion! All residents return to your homes immediately and take shelter according to the emergency martial law articles!"
"Warning! Warning! Martial law..."
"This is Mercer, the person in charge of Dogtown. All Barghest, listen up..."
A slightly garbled broadcast, as if suffering from signal interference, interrupted the original martial law announcement.
"We have suffered an unprecedented cyberattack. A large number of unmanned devices have been hacked. All Barghest, head to the Black Sapphire immediately. Be wary of the drones and bots around you!"
"Repeat! This is Mercer, the leader of Barghest. We are under a cyberattack from an unknown source. A large number of unmanned devices are out of control. We need to regroup. Please assemble at the Black Sapphire immediately..."
The broadcast dissolved into static. Hearing this, the expressions of all Dogtown residents changed.
Without needing a detailed explanation, everyone immediately realized the severity of the situation.
Something big had happened.