Mercer straightened up, a bright smile on his face:
"Plan one, step one, we find a way to get Arasaka to transfer Silverhand's consciousness to Night City.
Step two, find a badass mercenary team to infiltrate the Divine Chariot and use the Relic Chip to download Silverhand's consciousness back onto the chip.
Step three, find a suitable body or corpse, and insert the chip."
Rogue decisively shook her head: "Impossible. If this thing is put in the Japan headquarters, it means Arasaka Saburo will guard it closely.
Moreover, the information between different Divine Chariot servers isn't shared. Arasaka Saburo isn't stupid enough to give enemies a chance to wipe out the Divine Chariot."
"Alright, plan two then."
Mercer then talked about what he thought was the most feasible plan: "Alright, step one, Rogue, you settle Arasaka Yoshinobu."
"...I'll settle you first!" Rogue was stunned.
What this idiot said...is it even humanly speakable?
"Arasaka Yoshinobu? You want me to settle him? How, by kidnapping?" Rogue was so speechless she almost told him to get lost.
Mercer nodded: "Kidnapping? No, just get his private contact info and let me talk to him.
This Arasaka Saburo's biggest failure in life—born in Arasaka, yet a staunch anti-corporate fighter—is the key to getting the chip.
Although I think he's pretty dumb, I have to say, if we want someone eligible to hold Johnny Silverhand's consciousness and bring it to Night City, then Arasaka Yoshinobu is undoubtedly the best choice.
Don't be fooled by him crying his eyes out at his brother's grave after the Arasaka Tower explosion, that was all an act to survive, putting on a show for his dad.
He's never given up on destroying the company, and he's always hated Arasaka Saburo to the bone.
Yet this poor guy hates his father as much as he fears him.
Ha, just an old man on his last legs. If it were me in Arasaka Yoshinobu's place...
I would have offed that old man ten times over already."
Mercer's words made Rogue see him in a new light—even if everyone seemed to hate the company, ask them how they view Arasaka Saburo and nine out of ten Rebirth Mercenaries would feel fear.
People don't usually just boast like this.
The contempt in Mercer's tone was hard to fake; he truly despised Arasaka and Arasaka Saburo.
Contempt...ha, is there really someone who can have such an attitude towards Arasaka?
Mercer, after making a few contemptuous remarks, continued: "But that doesn't hinder his high probability of helping us."
"Are you sure? You said it yourself, to survive he had to bow his head and admit fault to be allowed back to Arasaka by Saburo."
Rogue pondered while surveying him.
But Mercer merely said calmly, "Then give him an offer he can't refuse—Arasaka Saburo's life.
As long as he brings the chip with Johnny Silverhand's consciousness, I'll help him completely kill Arasaka Saburo."
Rogue couldn't help but lean back: "Are you fucking kidding me?"
She's heard more nonsense tonight than in the past year.
"Are you kidding? Is it that hard?"
But Mercer just laughed coldly: "A decrepit old thing over a hundred years old, even I could strangle him with my hands."
"Do you even know how strong Arasaka's security is? And you have no idea what it's like to be hunted by Arasaka!" Rogue said seriously.
But Mercer just replied with a relaxed tone: "Really? But what if the one who wants to kill him isn't me, but Arasaka Yoshinobu?"
Rogue looked at Mercer with a slightly horrified gaze, while Mercer just calmly stared at her: "He's wanted to kill Arasaka Saburo for ages, just lacks some courage, a good opportunity...
As long as we can contact Arasaka Yoshinobu, the rest, I'll talk to him."
"So, simply put, first step, make contact with Arasaka Yoshinobu.
Second step, form a cooperation with Arasaka Yoshinobu.
Third step, Arasaka Yoshinobu brings the chip to Night City, where I take away the chip with Johnny Silverhand's consciousness, then help him completely take out Arasaka Saburo.
In this way, Arasaka's new boss is one of our own. What do we have to fear? Who would trouble us over a dead old man?
Yoshinobu will definitely find a perfect reason, we needn't worry, he won't let anyone know he killed his own father.
In short, as long as we can strike a deal with him.
Then Silverhand will be free again, the world gains an excellent anti-corporate fighter—a damn Arasaka head no less.
And I get my reward, you get your old flame back.
Mission accomplished, easy peasy."
Rogue was amused by Mercer's words: "So, what's your purpose in finding me, to help you convince Arasaka Yoshinobu to act immediately? You really think highly of me."
"I told you, I need someone to help me reach out to Arasaka Yoshinobu."
Mercer stared straight at her: "I know you have a wide network, when you returned to Night City, it was because you struck some deals with Arasaka... You must have a way to contact Arasaka Yoshinobu.
I don't need you to negotiate, I'll do the talking, I'll give Arasaka Yoshinobu the courage to act, just give him a gentle push on the back.
All you need to do is give me a chance to talk to him, that's it."
Rogue's breathing became much heavier, she puffed on her cigarette until only the butt was left, then snuffed it out in the ashtray before starting to ask other questions.
"Are you sure the Relic Chip can bring Silverhand back?" Rogue looked at Mercer, starting to probe deeper: "How do you know so much? How did you meet Ultraman? Why are you in Night City?"
But Mercer's heart was fully settled—it's on.
If Rogue wasn't interested in cooperating, she wouldn't be asking so many questions.
Now delving into details precisely indicated Rogue was intrigued by his proposal.
"First of all, there aren't many who really understand the Relic Chip in this world, the vast majority of people, actually think it's just a Soulkiller program or a carrier of consciousness data."
Mercer spoke while taking out a chip from beside his brain, showing it to Rogue, then letting her pupils involuntarily shrink.
"But...as it happens, I'm one of those who understands it deeply."
Mercer reinserted the chip into his brain, speaking with an easy tone:
"After years of development, today's chips are essentially magical devices that can modify brain nerves. As long as it's plugged into the brain, it can modify your brain nerves according to the program.
Using it for resurrection actually means inserting this chip into a dead person's brain, and the chip will continuously modify the dead person's brain nerves until it becomes like the consciousness body in the chip.
The modified body will first reject the original consciousness inside, then kill it, finally allowing the chip's consciousness to replace the body's original owner, thus completing resurrection.
The chip I have in my hand, after erasing the original program, including the Soulkiller, has become a magical brain nerve restorer.
As long as no program is set and consciousness data is not instilled inside, it will only automatically repair my brain nerves after detecting nerve damage."
"Where did you get it!?" Rogue looked at him incredulously, he actually got his hands on a Relic Chip!?
Mercer shrugged: "Of course it's Arasaka, don't be so tense, Rogue, it's not your first time dealing with Arasaka fugitives."
"Damn it..." Rogue visibly grew anxious, but in the end, she just cursed and continued: "Go on."
"I got this chip thanks to the idiotic moves of Arasaka Company—they wanted to use the Soulkiller Program to capture old net AIs."
"However, to explain it all clearly, I must first explain my identity and the causes and effects of this matter."
Mercer said as he slowly reached up to remove his mask, revealing a face still youthful, which left Rogue somewhat shocked.