The next forty-eight hours were an unshakeable nightmare for Arasaka's Counter-Intelligence Department.
Morris's figure moved between the dark alleys and high-rises of Night City, like a ghost come to claim lives.
She first infiltrated an Arasaka safe house in Charter Hill, using the incredible speed granted by her Sandevistan, breaking through layers of defenses before the alarm system could even react.
The Sonic Blade cut deadly arcs in the darkness; guards fell one after another before they could even raise their guns.
After the entire hideout fell silent, she methodically destroyed all data storage devices and finally carved a clear gear emblem with her Sonic Blade onto the metal wall of the main control room.
Subsequently, her target shifted to an Arasaka secret liaison station near the city center.
The same scene played out again: precise and efficient elimination, all personnel killed before they realized the danger, and critical data completely destroyed.
These two precise strikes plunged Arasaka's Counter-Intelligence Department into unprecedented panic.
Director Jenkins faced immense pressure from the company's high-level executives; he finally understood that he had provoked an enemy far beyond conventional understanding.
Continued confrontation would only lead to the complete destruction of the entire department.
After an emergency high-level meeting, Jenkins made a pragmatic decision: to sacrifice a pawn to save the king.
He needed to appease the other party's anger while preserving Arasaka's prestige as much as possible.
He dispatched Deputy Director Valerie, a negotiation expert known for her flexible tactics, to try and establish contact with the other party.
Valerie knew very well that conventional channels were no longer effective.
She leveraged her network of connections cultivated over many years on the streets, and through an intermediary, finally contacted Maine.
When Maine heard the name of Arasaka's Counter-Intelligence Department's Deputy Director in the encrypted communication, his first reaction was to terminate the call.
But Valerie's message was clear: this was not a new provocation, but a signal of peace.
Maine cautiously brought this situation back to The Dump Settlement Hideout.
After team discussion, they unanimously agreed that it was necessary to report it upwards.
Maine conveyed Arasaka's request for contact to Osiris through the workshop's external communication device.
After listening to the report, Osiris' crimson optical lenses flickered slightly.
He detested unnecessary waste of time, but he disliked continuous trouble even more.
After a brief deliberation, he agreed to the contact.
"Alright," Osiris' voice came through the communicator, "Let Morris handle it."
After receiving permission, Maine replied to the intermediary through the original channel.
Soon, a one-time encrypted communication channel was established.
Morris accessed the channel at the appointed time, silently awaiting the other party's statement.
Once the communication connected, Valerie's voice came through the encrypted channel, maintaining a cautious and professional tone: "Ms. Morris, on behalf of Arasaka Corporation, and particularly Mr. Jenkins, Director of the Counter-Intelligence Department, I extend our sincere apologies to you and your 'master' for the recent conflict."
She paused deliberately, seemingly weighing her words: "After an internal investigation, we have confirmed that this attack was an action unilaterally approved by Director Abernathy, who severely violated the company's decision-making procedures.
This action was entirely her personal reckless decision and by no means represents Arasaka Corporation's stance."
Valerie's tone became more earnest: "To express our sincerity, Arasaka is willing to provide reasonable compensation for the losses incurred during this incident.
We hope to establish a smoother communication channel with you and your master to ensure that similar misunderstandings do not occur in the future."
The subtext of these words was clear: Arasaka chose to compromise, willing to hand over Abernathy as a scapegoat in exchange for a ceasefire.
Morris listened quietly, then fully reported the communication content and Arasaka's proposal to Osiris.
Osiris was not surprised by this.
The nature of a corporation is to seek profit and avoid harm.
He had no interest in Arasaka's internal power struggles, and Abernathy's personal fate was irrelevant to him.
He only needed to ensure that similar interference would not happen again.
After listening to Morris's report, Osiris' optical lenses calmly scanned the data interface.
He was not surprised by this; the corporation's compromise was entirely expected.
"Accept their terms," Osiris' voice was as steady as ever, "but demand that they immediately pay the corresponding compensation; I will give you the List shortly."
He paused briefly, then added, "As for Abernathy… since they chose to offer him as an explanation, then let him be the concrete embodiment of this lesson.
Ensure he understands the cost of continued provocation."
His tone remained businesslike and calm throughout, as if he were arranging a perfectly ordinary task.
For him, Abernathy's personal fate was far less important than ensuring the compensation was paid.
This response was more like completing a necessary procedure, aimed at preventing future trouble rather than venting emotions.
Morris acknowledged the order.
She relayed Osiris' ceasefire conditions to Valerie, but made no mention of Abernathy's subsequent treatment.
After the communication ended, Valerie breathed a sigh of relief, believing the crisis had been averted.
However, Morris's mission was not yet over.
Following Osiris' instructions, she located Abernathy himself.
At this time, the former executive, though somewhat relieved after learning that two strongholds had been destroyed and Valerie had intervened, remained vigilant, hiding in a rarely used safe house in North Oak.
Morris precisely located this safe house by tracking Abernathy's encrypted communication lines.
In the darkest hour before dawn, she appeared like a phantom in Abernathy's bedroom.
When Abernathy was startled awake by the cold touch and low-frequency hum at the back of his neck, he saw Morris's eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.
The tip of the Sonic Blade hovered at his throat, its invisible vibrations making all the hairs on his body stand on end.
"Arasaka's greed must come at a price," Morris's voice was chillingly cold, "This is a response to the ambush, and a lesson for you."
Before he finished speaking, the Sonic Blade flashed.
Abernathy didn't even feel the pain, only seeing his right hand severed at the wrist, before blood gushed out.
Under his horrified gaze, Morris pinned the severed hand to the headboard, then silently departed, leaving Abernathy slumped on the bed, drenched in cold sweat and blood.
Although he survived, Abernathy's standing within Arasaka plummeted after losing his right hand.
He was removed from important positions in the Counter-Intelligence Department and placed in a minor, irrelevant sinecure.
This outcome was both a punishment for him personally and a warning to other potential provocateurs within Arasaka.
The conflict initiated by Arasaka ultimately ended with their heavy losses, the sacrifice of a scapegoat, and acceptance of a harsh warning.
Through this incident, Militech gained a clearer understanding of the terrifying power Osiris wielded.
They were both relieved that they had chosen negotiation over confrontation, and their desire to acquire these technologies became more urgent and cautious.
The balance of power among Night City's various factions was undergoing subtle and profound changes due to this transaction and reckoning.