"Colonel Hansen," the envoy's voice was steady, breaking the silence in the room, each word carefully chosen, "The situation is clear. The fall of Arasaka Tower is not an end, but a beginning.
NUSA needs a force that is familiar with the local area and experienced to stabilize the most critical link before the storm truly arrives."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze falling on Hansen's tense back: "Holding Wasteland Town means grasping the throat of Arasaka's counterattack. And your return, along with the Wraiths, will be the first step for NUSA to reshape order."
"Colonel Hansen," the envoy's voice was steady and persuasive, "Times have changed! You must already know about the fall of Arasaka Tower. This is not an ordinary gang war, but the work of a force we still don't fully understand.
NUSA and Militech see a historic opportunity to thoroughly resolve the long-standing threat of Arasaka and complete the great task of national unification."
He leaned forward slightly: "But opportunity comes with risks. Saburo Arasaka, that old dog, will never give up easily. The 'white whale' carrier battle group has already left port, and their power armor units are gathering.
The first wave of retaliatory strikes will likely not directly target Militech's headquarters, but rather the mysterious force that destroyed their symbol, which is Wasteland Town.
We need a strong shield, a force that can withstand Arasaka's initial fury on the front lines."
The envoy's gaze swept over Hansen's unreadable face, his tone laced with temptation: "The Wraiths is an elite force tempered by the Unification War, familiar with the terrain of Night City, and capable of independent operations in harsh environments.
More importantly, you are sufficiently... 'underestimated.'
Having you carry out this mission will both demonstrate NUSA's sincerity and avoid prematurely exposing our main deployments.
And once the cooperation is established, in the subsequent general offensive against Arasaka, the Wraiths will serve as a surprise force, receiving priority equipment supplies and air support, and may even participate in the final occupation of Arasaka Tower.
By then, you and your brothers will no longer be warlords trapped in an isolated city, but heroes of NUSA, meritorious contributors to the Unification War."
Hansen remained silent, his knuckles slightly white from gripping.
He was not unmoved. Trapped in Dogtown for several years, with dwindling resources and increasing external pressure, he knew better than anyone that the dream of an independent kingdom was unsustainable.
Returning to the mainstream, gaining official status, and a continuous supply of resources was a deep-seated desire for him and many of his officers.
Moreover, the opponent was Arasaka, a force that had caused NUSA much suffering in the Unification War, and one of the culprits that led to his deep penetration and encirclement back then.
However, the risks were equally immense.
Acting as a 'bodyguard' for a mysterious force, directly facing Arasaka's most elite initial strike, was tantamount to putting himself in the firing line.
Who exactly was this so-called 'mysterious force'? Were they trustworthy?
The envoy seemed to read his doubts and added: "We know little about that 'boss.' But the technological power he demonstrated is enough to destroy Arasaka Tower.
Collaborating with him is not just about protecting him, but also an opportunity to learn and acquire his technology.
President Myers and the Militech board believe this investment is worthwhile. And..."
The envoy lowered his voice: "We assess that although Arasaka's first wave of attack will be intense, it is not irresistible. As long as the Wraiths can hold out for the first few days, relying on Wasteland Town's complex terrain and pre-built fortifications, our main forces will be able to mobilize, and the pressure will be greatly reduced then.
What's more, that 'boss' also seems to have promised to provide you with some... 'technical upgrades.'"
This last sentence became the final straw that broke his hesitation.
Hansen took a deep breath, turned to face the envoy, a decisive glint in his single eye: "Tell President Myers and Militech that the Wraiths... accepts the order.
We will immediately prepare our troops, and the vanguard will be able to set up a defensive line on the outskirts of Wasteland Town within 48 hours at the latest."
——
Inside the wasteland workshop, Osiris received the confirmation message from Militech forwarded by Morris, along with a preliminary equipment data list for the Wraiths unit.
The contents of the list quickly unfolded before his eyes, with various parameters rapidly analyzed and evaluated: old standard rifles left over from the Unification War, second-hand exoskeletons with inconsistent performance, severe lack of heavy firepower support, mobile vehicles mainly consisting of modified civilian vehicles, communication systems several generations behind... Although there were some new things among them, it was clear that the Wraiths' overall equipment status still presented the typical equipment state of an isolated warlord unit lacking stable logistical support.
Osiris' crimson optical lenses flickered slightly, and data streams smoothly glided across. Faced with this rather rudimentary equipment report, he did not feel disappointed; instead, he developed an interest akin to a researcher discovering an intriguing subject.
How much combat power could such a "primitive" unit display against Arasaka's regular army after a "small" improvement by him?
This in itself was a valuable practical test.
He immediately allocated an independent computational thread and began to design a minimal upgrade plan based on the list data.
Osiris' improvement plan balanced practicality with technological advancement.
He decided to replace some of the projectile weapons with simplified laser weapons, which have higher energy utilization and can effectively reduce logistical burdens.
At the same time, he optimized the joint drive system of the exoskeletons and installed small energy shield generators, significantly enhancing individual soldier protection.
In terms of heavy firepower, he planned to equip simplified man-portable plasma weapons. Although these weapons have limited power, they are sufficient to pose a threat to armored targets.
In addition, he would deploy a simplified tactical data link system to ensure effective coordination of the troops in complex battlefield environments.
Although some of these items might not be delivered to the Wraiths in time, Osiris believed that Militech, upon seeing these technologies, would immediately ensure that the Wraiths could hold out until the improvements were completed, in order to observe the practical performance of the technologies Osiris provided.
"Send this preliminary improvement plan to Militech," Osiris instructed Morris, "Let them coordinate resources and production lines. Also, inform Colonel Hansen that I need the active cooperation of his unit's technical personnel, as well as a secure equipment modification site.
As for the specific details of the cooperation and the coordination of subsequent military actions... have them send a representative with sufficient authority to discuss it."
His attention refocused on the main console; the complex calculations for the dimensional teleporter were still his priority.
However, at this moment, deep within his logical core, a feeling almost akin to "anticipation" had indeed grown for the impending war triggered by the clash of this era's two giants.
This might provide some valuable observational data for his long and focused research career.
His gaze swept across the simulated image of Arasaka's "white whale" aircraft carrier displayed on the screen, and the Militech troop deployment prediction map arrayed alongside it, as a synthetic voice calmly echoed in the empty workshop: "Let me see what kind of... war you can enact."