Chapter 132
"... They usually carry out arson and sabotage operations at night. Hmm, locate their hiding places, approve the arrest, and don't bring them back to the police station after they are caught."
"Environmental terrorism is also considered terrorism. People are handcuffed, their legs are broken, they are caught in the toilet and drowned in the toilet, their bodies are burned and then used to build artificial islands on reclaimed land... Let's clean up the mess."
Didi.
[Red Queen: No abnormalities, Madam.]
"Okay. Continue monitoring."
After tidying her appearance, Vera slowly walked onto the internal liftable platform below the stage.
I looked at the digital clock.
USA West Coast Standard Time, Daylight Saving Time, 9:59 AM on March 27, 2002 (UTC-08:00).
09/59-10/00.
The lights in the venue suddenly went out.
Everyone understood that the Militech expo had begun.
The backdrop video wall of the giant 'T'-shaped stage and the light strips on the dome lit up in an instant, accompanied by the completion of the combination and splicing of the Militech logo displayed in mid-air by holographic projection, and then slowly dimmed.
The entire video wall lit up.
A black background with a red data stream that has a very futuristic feel.
[Militech archives, 2002.]
There was no host, no opening remarks, and a novel electronic female voice filled with a metallic quality.
[System loading]
The progress bar displayed on the video wall is reading.
[Damn! We'll remember this forever.]
Then, the red frame disappeared, revealing a slightly subdued variation.
The image is reproduced in black and white.
A bird's-eye view, from far to near.
It was a scene of ruins, war, destroyed cities, people separated by life and death, hordes of zombies, deformed monsters, and the mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion.
It's Raccoon City.
At this point, the synthesized female voice temporarily fades away, replaced by—
"There are some things we can never forget..."
"Some Remembrance should be etched deep in our minds until we die."
Where were you when all that happened?
"In September 1998, a crisis attempted to destroy our lives, and a group of people tried to plunge the world into darkness."
Different words and phrases, spoken by different people in each paragraph. Real people.
Those invited at the scene could see a prompt by sliding characters on the projector on their chair armrests; they were all participants in the 1998 Raccoon City rescue operation by the Military Science MSF (MSF) unit.
"At that time, it felt like we would never find a way out."
"But we found it. We faced ourselves squarely and found it together."
The music suddenly became more rousing.
The images on the video wall change.
The survivors were rescued, a radiation containment line was established, a research center for biochemical defense and radioactive contamination prevention was set up outside the ruins of Raccoon City, free supplies were distributed, and T-Virus immunization vaccines were administered...
"We will always remember that we face ourselves, we do not run away, we are here, we will protect you when you feel vulnerable, we will heal you when you are tormented by pain, and we will bring Order when chaos strikes."
"Stability, security, and a chance to start over."
Who are we?
A synthesized female voice asks.
"We are the inheritors of the spirit of 'extending human lifespan and strengthening human physique' that Umbrella originally founded."
"Never forget."
"We are pioneers in Militech, forging ahead with courage."
Countless voices spoke in unison, overlapping each other.
The scene abruptly ends, and the gold-framed "V" logo of Militech reappears.
Snap, snap—
Thunderous applause erupted.
The invitees, including Simmons, Carla, Lansdale, Rebecca Chambers, and others, all stood up and applauded.
About ten seconds later, as the applause subsided, the black background and red data stream reappeared.
[#2 After the turmoil, Nirvana, us, Militech.]
A synthesized female voice says.
A bright spotlight was turned on and shone on the empty center of the stage.
Buzz... Buzz...
The sound of mechanical structures meshing and operating.
Click click.
Like a blooming steel rose, a bright and elegant figure emerged from it and appeared in the center of the stage.
With a perfectly timed, serene smile, Vera extended her hand and said, "Welcome to the first Militech Strategic Exhibition Hall."
The stories about ELF and ALF are not fabricated by me; they existed in the last century. Interested readers can search for them.
133
Chapter 133 Cyber Giantification, The Beginning!
Tap, tap.
The AI-synthesized female voice on the Militech product display board, introducing the military technology company's acknowledgment of its past history, concludes with the solemn and stirring background symphony abruptly ending. ["Damn! We will always remember."]
The sound of hard-soled high heels stepping on the unmarked, shiny floor was particularly clear.
As the dignified and radiant Chief the Military Science and Technology Corporation stepped down from the hexagonal lifting platform that rose from the center of the stage.
Under the spotlight, the two decorative gold prosthetic indentations that meandered vertically downwards on her left and right foreheads were so conspicuous that they outlined an alternative, cold beauty on her already pretty and delicate face.
With a 'click-clack' sound, the protruding, matte floor structure, like a steel-cast thorny rose, brushed against the beautiful woman's body, crisscrossing, intersecting, and weaving...
Ultimately, it all vanished without a trace.
As Vera's foot touched the final, smoothed-out spot where the thorns had been replaced, a silent, shimmering halo bloomed beneath her feet like ripples, resembling red and white light particles that gradually turned to gold, combining and splicing together to form a more refined and clear gold-framed V-shaped Militech 3D projection logo.
Almost simultaneously, a high-tech presentation console slowly rose from inside the stage.
From the perspective of the audience, at this moment, the 3D projection logo, symbolizing Militech, was perfectly superimposed on the back of Vera's head.
After a brief welcome, Vera didn't intend to waste any more time on opening remarks and self-introductions.
"I am Vera Adelheid Russell. I believe I can skip the self-introduction. Everyone should know me. As the host, I regret that I did not invite any cheerleading sweethearts to help me at this Military Science and Technology Expo. I hope that after you leave, you will not compare me to Scrooge in front of the media."
Scattered laughter.
After lightening the mood with a few dry American jokes, Vera placed her hands on the podium and said seriously, "I am honored to serve as the first CEO of a private company that will lead the way in technological advancement."
"The best decision I ever made was to establish Militech. Just as I envisioned, pursued, and did, Militech will completely change people's lives, and we have done it."
Vera extended her left hand at the opportune moment and made a slight gesture with her thumb and forefinger.
"From 1998 to 2002, four years, during one presidential term, from San Francisco to California, then to Colorado, Texas, and even across the United States and the world, Militech products have changed people's lives, and we are on the right track."
"And unfortunately."
At this point, Vera paused, her bright, piercing indigo eyes scanning the audience below.
On one side, there were Simmons and the White House, visitors from Capitol Hill, Morgan Lansdale and the Pentagon, Rebecca Chambers and employees of the BSAA Organization, executive directors and local officials from cities and counties in the San Francisco Bay Area such as San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, the Governor of California and the Mayor of Sacramento.
On one side, there were representatives from out-of-state military and scientific institutions with significant investments in Texas and Colorado, foreign diplomats, business associates, social elites, some influential Hollywood stars and NBA, NFL, OMLB, and ONHL Star Player, scholars and university professors...
"I and my Militech are still suspected, accused, and smeared by people with ulterior motives, and the social media arena is filled with an atmosphere of suspicion."
Vera's lips curved into a strange smile.
"They say I am a death trafficker, an unjust merchant, an executioner of the earth, the culprit who makes children lose their minds through play, a blasphemer, a racist, an authoritarian, inhumane, antisocial personality, and run counter to the current development of humanity."
She spoke with intonation.
His tone and rhythm were distinct, his voice was clear and magnetic, steady and powerful.
"Even more conspiracy theorists, who fabricate baseless claims, say that I orchestrated the 9/11 Incident, and that the BOW and bio-viruses on the Black Market were developed under my orders by the remnants of Umbrella ..."
"Based on the simple logic that whoever benefits is the suspect, could it really be me who did it?"
"Ridiculous. Utterly baseless. This is an insult and a personal attack on me. Do I, Vera Adelheid, need to resort to such means to gain profit?"
Vera took a step forward, half of her body stepping off the podium, and tilted her head slightly as if listening.
For American-style speeches, the Arasaka style of Arasaka is somewhat unsuitable.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do; when in Rome, do as the Romans do; and when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
"Hahaha..."
Laughter erupted from the audience at that moment.
This is common knowledge throughout the United States.
Given Vera's earning power and status as a patent tycoon in the new era, unless she's mentally unstable, why would she touch the rotten rice bowl of BOW? There's absolutely no reason or logical coherence to it.
"Even the slander didn't hit the mark. However..."
Vera then changed the subject.
"They've at least made some progress. Didn't they change their playing style recently?"
"They started making baseless accusations against me and my team for disrupting market Order, engaging in malicious competition, and making hostile takeovers. They even came up with the excuse that we were researching advanced weapons of mass destruction, emphasizing that we might use these weapons to attack specific groups of people."
As she spoke, Vera's eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward slightly.
Are we really researching such a weapon?
She looked at the cameras and microphones of the media reporters.
Vera nodded slightly and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Of course we are studying it. Including attacking them. Defeating them. Crushing them."
She was essentially saying, "Let the demons and monsters hiding in the shadows compete!"
Snap, snap—
Applause.
Some military science supporters unconsciously clapped.
"Here we go."
In the audience, Simmons crossed his legs and squinted.
Beforehand, Vera had already informed him that she would use this expo to launch a direct counterattack against military science opponents, those who disliked her, and rival companies that were engaging in underhanded tactics.
With a calm tone, Vera straightened her forward-leaning upper body and said with a smile, "Moreover, we have already prepared a large batch."
"Whoosh—"