"Merde!" Titan 3G

Seattle time, July 12, 09:25. (--) (--)

Located on the 11th floor of the Atlas Headquarters, there was a spacious, large-scale venue capable of accommodating fourteen hundred people simultaneously.

The venue had been meticulously arranged by a group of staff members in black uniforms; they had lined up the sofa chairs neatly, with bottled water, mints, and paper and pens placed on every armrest table to provide extra convenience for the participants.

At this moment, the staff members were conducting final checks to ensure everything was in perfect order.

09:30.

The moment the four main doors on the north side opened, it was as if the floodgates of a dam had been thrown wide, allowing the reporters and camera crews who had been waiting for a long time to pour into the venue, quickly finding their designated seats and areas according to the signs.

Before long, the entire hall became noisy.

However, as the host took the stage and said, "The product Atlas is announcing today will usher in a brand-new era, but before we reveal it all, let us remain quiet and enjoy a short film together," and as the lights gradually dimmed, the venue quieted down, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and anticipation for the crucial moment to come.

The screen mounted above the venue lit up.

The image was pitch black at first.

!

Then, it was illuminated by a jagged, twisting bolt of lightning.

"Boom..." The sound of muffled thunder followed, and the screen displayed a group of primitive humans hiding in a cave, looking out at the thunderstorm in terror.

It seemed to be a mix of cold and hunger, but more so a fear of the unknown, that made this group of primitive humans tremble uncontrollably.

Rustle.

!!

There were many dark shadows flashing outside, causing the primitive humans to panic.

Yet, when those shadows walked into the cave from afar, it was discovered that they were their companions returning from a hunt!

"Oh! Oh!!"

Everyone cheered and celebrated, gathering around the companions who had successfully brought back food.

It seemed that among all the fears of the primitive humans, there was also concern for their companions who had to face danger head-on.

The perspective of the image shifted slowly until it left the cave, looking up at the cloud-covered sky.

But a white dove flying through the rain entered the frame from right to left, and a close-up of its leg band revealed that this was a carrier pigeon.

When the perspective of the image aligned with the carrier pigeon's vision, the people sitting in the venue realized that the scene below had already transformed from dense forest to a human city with walls, houses, and palaces.

However, at this moment, the carrier pigeon flew straight into a patch of low clouds, causing the view to blur.

Once the pigeon successfully broke through the haze, everything became clear and bright; the sky was a deep, sunny blue, and the city had changed from the ancient one before to a modern metropolis filled with high-rise buildings.

At this point, the images presented on the screen began to switch rapidly, from letters that needed to be written by hand, to messengers riding on horseback, and then to a photograph of Alexander Graham Bell with the first telephone.

Accompanied by an increasingly impassioned symphony, the switching speed became faster and faster, showing radio stations in wartime and Atlas's first mobile phone.

Finally, the screen and the venue plunged into total darkness.

"Communication, sharing..." The melodious voice of renowned actor Morgan Freeman began the narration for the short film: "Humanity has built social connections, strengthened groups, satisfied emotional needs, and shared knowledge and culture by passing on information and understanding and supporting one another, which in turn has promoted the rapid development of society.

Especially with the popularization of personal real-time communication tools—mobile phones—people have become more closely connected, so...

Let Atlas lead us to witness the arrival of a brand-new era together."

The voice faded.

The short film ended.

The venue lights turned on one by one in warm tones to avoid causing too much stimulation to everyone's eyes.

Clap-! Clap-!

And as the venue became completely bright, everyone stood up and applauded, each of them eager to know the answer.

After all, if the promotional video was made this well, what would the advertised product look like?

"Everyone, are you looking forward to it?" The host returned to the podium at the right moment and said with a smile:

"The reason why we at Atlas can continue to walk at the very forefront of communication technology is inseparable from our current corporate owner.

It was he who provided the novel concepts, and it was he who..."

Meanwhile.

Sui Yang, who was being introduced by the host, was currently standing off-stage, allowing staff to make final adjustments to his clothing and hairstyle.

However, his facial expression was a bit too serious.

Of course, Sui Yang was not nervous about the upcoming speech; it was a faint, lingering heart palpitation that was somewhat disrupting his thoughts.

This feeling could not be described specifically; it was very hazy, and blurred images of laboratories, serums, and his discussions on research topics with Alexia would flash through his mind.

And among all the images, satellite overhead views of the Kenya Base and Congo accounted for the most.

It seemed to be...

Some kind of vision of the future?

Otherwise, Sui Yang could not explain what this "symptom" was.

After a moment of contemplation, Sui Yang raised his hand to beckon Arthur, who was not far away. As the man approached, Sui Yang lowered his voice and instructed, "Arrange for a few elite investigators to head into the Congo to see if there is anything unusual there. Also, notify Second Lieutenant Krauser and tell him that I suggest the location for this graduation test be the Congo."

"Understood, Boss."

Having received his orders, Arthur nodded and departed.

"...Hahaha, and now! Please welcome the current owner of Atlas, Mr. Sui Yang!"

Clap-! Clap-!

Thunderous applause erupted once more.

Hearing the commotion outside, Sui Yang reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a "black block" that was only one centimeter thick, fourteen centimeters long, and six centimeters wide.

He then passed through the side curtain used for decoration and visual obstruction, stepping onto the venue's podium amidst the "click-clack" of camera shutters and the glare of flashbulbs.

"I am very pleased that you all accepted the invitation to come to Atlas headquarters. As for me, I don't like to beat around the bush..." As he spoke, Sui Yang raised his left hand, revealing the "black block" to the audience, and stated bluntly:

"This is the first product from Atlas, and the world's first third-generation mobile phone: the Titan 3G."

July 16th.

Noon.

Even though the sun had long been shining down upon the earth, the mist lingering throughout the rainforest refused to dissipate.

Within this rainforest lay a reasonably wide road.

People dressed in simple attire, accustomed to carrying fruit baskets, water buckets, and various items on their heads, traversed this path.

Based on these customs, skin color, and the tropical climate, one could easily guess that this was somewhere in Africa.

"Beep! Beep!"

At that moment, a four-door sedan with peeling paint and rusted edges came barreling toward the north, nearly careening through the area without the slightest regard for the safety of the pedestrians.

Inside the car.

"Merde!"

"Ah!! Putain!!"

"Va voir ailleurs!"

The driver cursed and swore, clearly agitated by those blocking the way.

"..."

The blonde man with a side-part sitting in the passenger seat gripped the overhead handle tightly, his expression and gaze betraying a hint of concern.