The cold light from the main display screen of the white whale's bridge illuminated Yorinobu Arasaka's face as he gazed at the newly received intelligence.
The existence of the 'Archmagos' in Wasteland Town was revealed, along with some technical parameters of Militech provided by Songbird.
Beneath his seemingly calm demeanor, an almost imperceptible smile flickered in his eyes, vanishing in an instant.
Everything was unfolding according to his script.
His meticulously planned relic chip theft, with all clues subtly pointing to Militech, and now this intelligence from a turncoat agent, provided the perfect corroboration for his scheme.
He activated the encrypted communication line to the Tokyo estate.
Saburo Arasaka's figure gradually appeared on the screen; the aged patriarch was slumped in a specially designed chair, his old face looking particularly grim in the flickering candlelight.
The life support system emitted a regular, soft hum, adding an eerie background sound to this confrontation between father and son.
"Father," Yorinobu's emotions were carefully modulated, maintaining respect for the family leader while also showing just the right amount of provoked anger. "We have obtained conclusive intelligence.
Wasteland Town is not only the enemy's technological research and development center but also the very foundation of Militech's audacity.
They are not only clashing with us head-on at the front lines, but they have even audaciously plotted to steal the family's core technology."
He deliberately paused on "theft operation," observing his father's reaction on the other end of the screen.
Saburo's wrinkled face showed no change in expression, but his deep-set eyes narrowed slightly, as if scrutinizing every detail of his son's words.
"Conventional military means have proven ineffective," Yorinobu continued to press, simultaneously transmitting fabricated operation logs and intelligence assessment data to Saburo's terminal. "This evidence clearly indicates that Militech is using the technological advantages gained from Wasteland Town to fundamentally undermine our Arasaka's dominant position. This is the most blatant provocation to our family's dignity."
The communication line fell into a brief silence.
Yorinobu could feel his father's scrutinizing gaze penetrating the screen, as if to completely see through his innermost intentions.
He maintained his outward composure, but his fingers unconsciously tightened beneath the control panel.
He knew his father must suspect the truth behind the relic chip theft, and might even have already perceived his own role in it.
But at this moment, he was betting on his father's obsession with the family's prestige, betting on this dying ruler's determination to rather kill a thousand innocents than let one culprit go.
After a long pause, Saburo's cracked lips parted slightly, his hoarse voice like it came from the abyss: "You seem… particularly invested in this matter, Yorinobu."
This sentence was like a precise surgical knife, hitting the vital point.
Yorinobu felt a chill down his spine, but he quickly composed himself, responding, "Any existence that threatens Arasaka's rule must be completely eradicated. This is my responsibility, and it is my… mission."
Saburo's lips curved into an almost imperceptible arc, a smile that held an all-knowing sarcasm mixed with a strange hint of approval.
He knew full well what games his son was playing; the relic chip theft was too coincidental, and the chain of evidence presented was too perfect to be true.
But in the current situation, he needed a decisive action to deter all covetous enemies, even if it meant going along with his rebellious son's plan.
"Approved," Saburo finally uttered the word, his voice soft but carrying an undeniable weight. "Do as you wish. Let those who are stirring remember the consequences of challenging Arasaka."
The moment the communication was cut, Yorinobu slowly exhaled a breath he had held for a long time.
He had succeeded, but his father's last meaningful look made him realize that this game between father and son was far from over.
But for now, the most important thing was to ensure that the nuclear bomb, symbolizing destruction, fell as scheduled, pushing his carefully arranged chess game to its final climax.
The authorization was given.
Within the weapon bay of the Arasaka white whale, a tactical nuclear warhead marked with a radiation warning symbol and the Arasaka family crest completed its final launch preparations. This destructive weapon, with a yield of 500 kilotons, was loaded into a specially modified launch pod, its stealth coating glowing faintly in the dim light.
The launch pod silently slid out of the launch tube and into the sky above Night City. Its rear thrusters ignited, and a faint blue exhaust flame traced a fleeting arc across the night sky. The launch pod broke through the clouds at extremely high speed, adjusted its posture, and plunged towards the designated coordinates.
In the main control room of the wasteland workshop, Osiris' crimson optical lens flickered slightly. On the radar screen, a high-speed approaching target with an unusually large energy signature was closing in.
The threat assessment system instantly elevated the alert level to maximum.
"Tactical nuclear weapon incoming detected. Orbital calculation complete, hit probability 99.8%," a synthesized voice calmly reported.
Osiris' processing core responded immediately. The energy conduit system spread throughout the underground of Wasteland Town emitted a low hum, its output power increased to a critical state. Shield generator nodes across the surface simultaneously lit up with dazzling blue light, reaching peak energy output.
"Reallocate energy, maximize shield strength. Concentrate defensive energy at the estimated impact point."
The command was executed instantly.
The translucent blue shield that had enveloped Wasteland Town suddenly solidified, its aura transforming from a flowing state to a nearly solid deep blue barrier.
In the area of the nuclear bomb's predicted impact, energy density was reinforced to its theoretical limit, and the shield's thickness significantly increased.
Seconds later, destruction descended.
First came an intense white light, instantly engulfing the entire world, as if a new sun had risen on the edge of Night City.
Immediately following, a shockwave spread at an astonishing speed, accompanied by a deafening roar that tore through the air.
A colossal fireball rolled and expanded, devouring everything in its path.
The destructive ring formed by the shockwave rapidly advanced outwards from the epicenter; building debris, abandoned vehicles, and even the surface soil in its path were instantly vaporized or flung high into the sky.
The immense energy released by the nuclear blast violently slammed into Wasteland Town's shield.
This time, the shield was no longer as stable as it was when resisting conventional weapons.
The thick blue light curtain began to flicker violently, and the energy ripples on its surface became wild and irregular.
Blinding electric arcs frantically surged across the shield's surface, emitting continuous crackling explosions. In the areas experiencing the maximum impact, the shield even showed visible deformation and localized thinning.
Energy readings within the workshop instantly exceeded safety thresholds, and overload alarms blared shrilly.
Some auxiliary shield nodes located on the periphery emitted black smoke, their internal components burning out under extreme load.
The shield stubbornly held under the nuclear blast's impact.
After enduring the most intense seconds of the energy impact, the nuclear blast's fireball gradually dissipated, and a mushroom cloud slowly ascended.
When the dust settled slightly, Wasteland Town still stood in the center of the now vitrified scorched earth, but its protective blue shield glow was noticeably dim and flickering unsteadily, revealing a weakened state after being overloaded.
The world outside the shield had been reduced to ruins, while within the shield, the main structure of the workshop remained intact.
The energy shield, at the cost of significant losses, successfully withstood this destructive strike.