Arasaka's white whale carrier battle group continued to patrol the waters off Night City, maintaining a clear military presence.
However, the actual evolution of the battlefield did not proceed in the direction Arasaka had anticipated.
In the direction of Wasteland Town, Takayama Shintaro's armored forces were consistently unable to breach the energy shield's defenses, instead suffering heavy losses of troops and equipment in the prolonged war of attrition.
Just at this critical moment, news from other battle zones arrived one after another, plunging Arasaka into a passive multi-front war.
The situation in Southeast Asia was particularly significant.
After clearing the internal interference caused by the North America Branch, Kang Tao's China headquarters began to fully commit to military operations.
Thanks to the connection established with Osiris, the equipment level and combat capabilities of the Kang Tao forces had been substantially improved.
In the urban streets of Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok, Kang Tao deployed well-equipped special forces.
These forces were equipped with advanced intelligent weapon systems, demonstrating excellent fire control and battlefield coordination capabilities in actual combat.
Kang Tao's air power was frequently dispatched, systematically destroying Arasaka's communication hubs and energy facilities.
Ground forces, relying on improved individual equipment and refined tactical coordination, cleared out Arasaka's strongholds one by one.
These military actions precisely targeted Arasaka's core interests in Southeast Asia.
Chip manufacturing plants and bio-resource collection points in the region were successively destroyed, forcing a halt to production activities.
The Arasaka board of directors continuously received urgent war reports from Southeast Asia, a region that had historically provided Arasaka with important sources of income, now facing the risk of complete disintegration.
At the same time, NUSA also noticed this change in strategic posture.
President Myers and her military advisory team saw this as a favorable opportunity and began to actively deploy troops.
NUSA not only issued political appeals to other areas of the West Coast but also intensified troop deployments, attempting to further advance its unification plan while Arasaka was pressured on both its eastern and western fronts.
Arasaka was indeed in a strategic predicament.
Its forces on the Night City front were thwarted by a strong defensive system, while its industrial bases in Southeast Asia were increasingly pressed by Kang Tao.
This two-front confrontation was continuously depleting Arasaka's strategic resources and affecting its overall strategic layout.
The predicament of being attacked on two fronts put immense pressure on Arasaka's already strained battle lines due to front-line setbacks, forcing Arasaka's high command in Tokyo to scramble and struggle to cope.
Just as Arasaka's high command was struggling to cope with the wars on both the eastern and western fronts, NUSA was closely watching this strategic window.
In the White House Situation Room in Washington D.C., President Rosalind Myers stood before a giant electronic map.
The screen displayed real-time battle simulations around Night City and the dynamics of Kang Tao's offensive in Southeast Asia.
She leaned her hands on the edge of the control console, her sharp gaze sweeping over every flashing light.
"The time is ripe," Myers' voice broke the silence of the Situation Room. "Arasaka's attention is divided, and its military power is tied up on various battlefields. This is an opportunity history has given NUSA; we must seize this chance to complete the great cause of unification."
Three days later, Myers' private jet landed in the Militech-controlled area of Night City.
She did not go to the underground command center but instead directly ascended the temporary podium in front of the city hall.
Below, anxious citizens gathered, their faces a mixture of fear of war and confusion about the future.
Countless camera lenses were focused on the president determined to change the status quo.
"Fellow citizens!" Myers' voice, amplified by the sound system, echoed across the entire plaza and was simultaneously broadcast via news networks to all free states and independent cities on the West Coast. "We were once a complete nation, a united people! But the expansion of corporate power and endless conflicts have made us pay a heavy price. Look at this scarred city, look at our fragmented homeland—this is the bitter fruit of division!"
She pointed to the smoking ruins of Arasaka Tower in the distance, the faint sound of distant gunfire providing the most authentic backdrop to her speech.
"But today, we see the dawn of hope! NUSA will inherit the spiritual legacy of the old United States, ending the chaos and division on this land! Here, I officially declare: NUSA will restart the War of Unification! We call upon all brothers and sisters of the West Coast to return to the embrace of the motherland! Let us work together to rebuild a strong, prosperous, and inviolable America!"
As the speech reached its climax, the crowd's emotions were fully stirred. However, just at this critical moment—
"Bang!"
A crisp gunshot ripped through the air, and the bulletproof glass on the side of the podium instantly cracked like a spiderweb.
President Myers' body swayed violently, her left shoulder instantly stained with blood, and Secret Service agents immediately formed a human shield around her.
"Sniper! High-rise building at three o'clock!" An urgent alarm sounded over the communication channel.
The scene immediately descended into chaos, and the terrified crowd scattered and fled.
FSO agents ambushed at vantage points engaged in fierce exchanges of fire with the attackers.
In the chaos, FSO agent Songbird, Song Chaomei, quickly detached herself from the escort team.
This Korean-American agent, using her familiarity with the terrain, moved quickly along a pre-planned route.
She clutched a data chip in her hand, which contained Militech's new energy weapon test data and front-line deployment details, all stolen through abuse of her position.
At a secluded corner, she handed the chip to a seemingly inconspicuous figure.
The handover process lasted only two seconds, after which she disappeared into the intricate alleys of Night City like a drop of water merging into the sea.
The agent codenamed Songbird had now completed her final mission.
Just a few minutes later, Arasaka's white whale intelligence department received this generous gift from the traitor.
Attached to the intelligence was a concise message: "Confirm target 'Archmagos' is located in the core workshop of Wasteland Town. This target possesses the core technology of the shield system and an unknown energy weapon."
Almost simultaneously, President Myers, wounded in her left shoulder, was escorted into an armored vehicle under the strict guard of agent Solomon Reed.
Despite her bleeding wound, she firmly shouted into the communicator: "Do not retreat! Continue to fight! For unification! For NUSA!"
Reed's expression was grave; he directed the evacuation while vigilantly scanning his surroundings.
The seasoned veteran knew very well that the real threat might have just begun.
Song Chaomei's betrayal and this meticulously planned assassination were undoubtedly Arasaka's deadly counterattack from the shadows after being thwarted on the direct battlefield.
This incident not only severely dampened NUSA's morale but also provided Arasaka with crucial intelligence that would determine the course of the war.
As for the name Songbird, it would become an indelible stain of shame for the FSO and a target for relentless pursuit.