The familiar virtual roulette wheel appeared in Lynn's mind and began to spin.
He was no longer as nervous as he had been at the beginning, with his palms sweating.
Having experienced the unruliness of Soldier Boy and the madness of Professor Pyg, he had long understood that what the system gave him was never merely a boost, but a series of double-edged swords.
How to hold the hilt, rather than being cut by the blade, was what he, the "Sword Bearer," truly needed to consider.
The speed of the roulette wheel slowly decreased.
The pointer swept past names that were either familiar or strange.
[ Rorschach ]... A paranoid moral purist.
[ Joker ]... A pure embodiment of chaos.
[ Spawn ]... An Avenger entangled with Hell.
Amidst a stream of light, the pointer stopped on a name that made his eyes flicker slightly.
The roulette wheel dissipated.
[ Congratulations, Host, you have drawn the superhero — Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell: SAC) ]
A brand-new character card floated in Lynn's mind.
The woman on the card had short purple hair and a stern expression.
She wore a tight tactical suit, and every inch of her body's lines was filled with a sense of power and the aesthetic of future technology.
Motoko Kusanagi.
The ace of Public Security Section 9, a fully cybernetic top-tier hacker, a ghost wandering the boundary between soul and network.
Holy crap!
Lynn revealed a heartfelt smile.
This time, the system had finally given him a "pleasant surprise" rather than a "fright."
A super Agent possessing top-tier hacking skills, strategic command capabilities, and obedience to "orders."
She was practically tailor-made for his current needs!
The "Vanguard" business empire was already too vast, with intricate internal entanglements and surrounded by powerful enemies externally.
He needed a pair of eyes that could see through all data streams and perceive all conspiracies.
And Motoko Kusanagi was those eyes.
Fully cybernetic body, capable of connecting to the network to upload consciousness.
No fatigue.
Capable of multi-threaded task processing and remote work.
Can also directly access information networks, systems, satellites, etc.
Can directly retrieve files and manage databases.
Extremely strong decision-making ability, can maintain order during crises.
Can defend against information leaks and manage internal security.
Cybernetic strength and flexibility; superhuman reflexes and physical stamina.
Can serve concurrently as a security secretary or personal bodyguard.
Mental network synchronization; can share thought streams with the team.
Can coordinate team decisions and achieve "synchronized work."
Damn it!
This person was truly a born secretary!
"Summon... Motoko Kusanagi."
The command was issued.
There was no scent of whiskey like Soldier Boy, nor the scent of formalin like Professor Pyg.
A figure appeared silently in Lynn's office.
She stood in the shadows, as if she had been there from the very beginning.
Short purple hair, a stern expression, and a dark gray tight tactical suit.
Lynn could feel that from the moment she appeared, all the electronic devices in his office, from the encrypted phone to the surveillance cameras on the ceiling, had been taken over by some invisible force.
He was being "scrutinized" by her.
[ 10% of Motoko Kusanagi's abilities have been synchronously amplified to the Host's body ]
A cool stream of data poured into Lynn's brain.
That was not merely strength or speed, but a brand-new perception.
"Who are you?"
"I am Lynn Morris."
Lynn turned around and took a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from the liquor cabinet.
"Your new boss."
He pushed a glass of liquor in front of Motoko Kusanagi.
"I do not drink."
Motoko Kusanagi refused.
"Alcohol will affect my cybernetic functions."
"A reminder."
Lynn did not take back the glass, just looked at her calmly.
"A reminder that no matter how precise your cybernetic body is, no matter how sturdy your firewall is, your soul now belongs to me."
Red light flashed in Motoko Kusanagi's electronic eyes; that was her system performing high-speed calculations and self-diagnosis.
[ Warning: Highest permission command from an unknown source detected... ]
[ Command source analysis failed... ]
[ Attempting to sever the link... ]
[ Severing failed! Underlying protocol locked! ]
"Ah—!"
Motoko Kusanagi's body shuddered violently; she subconsciously raised her hand to support the back of her neck, which was the port connecting her brain to her cybernetic body.
"It seems you understand."
Motoko Kusanagi straightened up.
She could not understand how this man had branded a highest permission, which could not be deleted or rewritten, deep within her soul.
"What is your task?"
She gave up the futile resistance and went straight to the point.
"I want you to become my eyes, my ears, my... shadow."
"This empire was built by my own hands. But it has grown too fast, so fast that even I cannot see clearly whether what flows in every one of its blood vessels is fresh blood or rotten pus."
"I want you to help me see it clearly."
Lynn turned around and looked straight into Motoko Kusanagi's eyes.
"I want you to infiltrate the secret networks of the Allied Forces, HYDRA, and even those politicians in Washington. I want to know every word they say, every document they sign, and every dirty secret hidden in their hearts."
"I want you to become the Chief Security Officer of Vanguard Holdings, concurrently serving as my personal secretary. Handle those mountains of reports for me, filter out useful information, and block those annoying flies."
Motoko Kusanagi listened in silence.
Chief Security Officer?
Personal secretary?
She had once been the Commander of the nation's most elite unit, but now she had to be a secretary for a man of unknown origin.
"Your abilities should not only be used on the battlefield."
Lynn saw through her thoughts.
"What guns and artillery can destroy is only the flesh. But information can dismantle a person's will, an organization, or even a nation."
"This World is far more complex, and also more... fragile than you imagine."
He handed the glass to her.
This time Motoko Kusanagi did not refuse.
She took the glass and drank it in one gulp.
The spicy alcohol did not have any effect on her cybernetic body.
"I need an office."
Motoko Kusanagi put down the glass, and that machine-like feeling of keeping people at a distance faded a little.
"Your office is right next to mine."
Motoko Kusanagi nodded and turned to walk towards her new battlefield.
His empire finally had a true Guardian.
Someone who could help him handle trivial matters, someone who could perceive the darkness for him, a loyal and perfect secretary.
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