Chapter 239
The whistleblower claimed that appearing on the show would definitely lead to his death. After leaving the television station, he went into hiding and became completely unreachable.
March 29, 1:14 pm
Somehow, news of the police's wanted notice for Rhodes Island reached Kristen's ears.
She was forced to leave the laboratory and take Muelsyse with her when she left Rhine Lab.
Is Wisk out of his mind? Does he even realize what kind of person he's messed with?
If we anger God, the consequences will be unimaginable!
Although Kristen didn't particularly like Columbia, he couldn't just stand by and watch it perish.
Despite driving a sedan, Muelsyse seemed to be able to see over the boarding area and reported:
"More than 300 police officers have surrounded Rhodes Island's This Ship, but haven't boarded it yet. The situation looks quite tense. Shall we go over there first?"
Kristen's answer was resolute:
"No, let's go to the municipal office building!"
More than ten minutes later, the car arrived at its destination.
The mayor is not A Mao; any impromptu meeting requires prior appointment.
Kristen made an appointment with the receptionist and learned that Mayor Benjamin was discussing business with a VIP.
By the time they finished their talks, a fight had already broken out in the boarding area. It would be too late to salvage the situation then.
"Muelsyse, cover me as I get in!"
Seeing Kristen's offensive behavior, Muelsyse grinned, his eyes showing approval:
"No problem, leave it to me."
As they were talking, a second Muelsyse appeared beside Muelsyse, then a third Muelsyse ...
They moved like clones, swiftly intercepting security personnel along the way. They escorted the Director General Rhine Lab to the mayor's office.
"Bang!"
The vermilion gate was pushed open with a single palm strike.
Inside the office, Mayor Benjamin was discussing a multi-million dollar deal with a blonde female secretary.
The latter was startled upon seeing this, quickly covered the weapon with her skirt, and fled the scene.
Ha, you're talking about this kind of business?
Kristen was almost laughing in anger. Trimon was about to be destroyed, and the mayor was still here discussing big business deals.
"Is this the distinguished guest you were supposed to meet?"
Mayor Benjamin wore a cold expression, looking extremely displeased. No one would be happy to be interrupted just before a large sum of money is about to be injected.
"What do you want? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Please call the police chief immediately and have them withdraw from the boarding area. Trimon will suffer huge losses if a conflict breaks out with Rhodes Island."
Mayor Benjamin did not give a direct answer; a half-smile played on his lips as he circled around Kristen.
Although Muelsyse didn't speak, he remained vigilant towards the fair-skinned, overweight politician.
"Miss Kristen, Rhodes Island killed over a hundred employees at the White Street factory. Such a serious matter, is it alright to arrest them to cooperate with the investigation? What, you're here before the case is even settled? Could it be that you have something to do with it?"
Kristen rarely socialized and didn't want to waste her breath on these politicians. She knew time was of the essence, and every minute was precious.
"Call the police back right away, or it will be too late!"
Just then, the phone on the table rang suddenly.
Mayor Benjamin did not reply to Kristen, but slowly went over to answer the phone.
But soon, a look of astonishment appeared on his face.
"Yes!"
Mayor Benjamin frowned and reluctantly handed the microphone to Kristen:
"The President is looking for you."
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Your Excellency the President?
Kristen found it unbelievable.
She had never seen the Ministry of Defense appear when she was negotiating the costly Horizon Arc Plan with them.
Why did you choose this time to call today, and even specifically ask me to answer?
What's even more puzzling is how the president knew she was there? From deciding to force his way in to entering the mayor's office, the entire process took no more than five minutes.
Was he monitoring me the whole time, or was he monitoring Mayor Benjamin?
Based on the information currently available, Kristen believes the latter is more likely.
In other words, the president knew that Mayor Benjamin had just been discussing a big business deal with his female secretary, but did not stop him.
Perhaps in the eyes of these politicians, an official's competence is the most important thing. As for their private lives, there are no strict requirements. As long as they don't follow Columbia traditions and date young boys, it's fine.
Kristen, being a researcher, used rigorous logical reasoning to uncover the truth. Through such a simple detail, she gleaned part of the intelligence.
"Here you are."
Mayor Benjamin, holding the microphone, urged again.
Kristen's barging into his office had already offended him. Refusing to answer now would be an even greater disrespect to the president.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally took the microphone:
"Hello?"
"Miss Kristen, I'm very sorry to contact you in this way. Please have the mayor leave first, and say that I've given the order. I don't want a third person to know about the following conversation."
"Clear."
Kristen recounted that Mayor Benjamin, though unwilling, obediently walked out of his office.
She then looked at Muelsyse, who hadn't moved, and the latter playfully stuck out her tongue before turning and leaving.
After watching the two leave and close the door, Kristen picked up the microphone again:
"There is no third person present now."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Miss. Kristen. I have a question for you. What was your reason for trying to stop the police from issuing a warrant for Rhodes Island's arrest?"
Kristen's lips moved slightly, but she revealed nothing about 'God'. Zhongli was currently using the identity of Doctor precisely because she didn't want the world to know her.
"I'm sorry, I can't disclose the specific reasons. I can only say that Rhodes Island is not as simple as it seems on the surface."
"It's really not simple."
The current president of Columbia does not belong to any ethnic group in this country.
It is a self-aware artificial AI program created by scientist Trevor Friston. Like the PRTS (Primary Rhodes Island Terminal System) on Rhodes Island, it is a product of a Pre-Civilization.
"There is one of my compatriots on Rhodes Island, and an old guy who has lived for many years."
The person the Colombian President was referring to was, of course, Doctor Kal'tsit.
She had traversed this land for over ten thousand years under different identities. The two were acquainted and occasionally had some business dealings.
An old man who has lived for many years...?
Kristen's pupils dilated slightly upon hearing this, and the image of Zhongli flashed through his mind. As a god who existed even before humanity, he could indeed be considered an old fellow.
Perhaps the president felt that Zhongli looked too young, hence the teasing. Does this prove that he and the god know each other?
"You know Him?"
In Columbia grammar, "he" refers to a male, "she" to a female, and "He" often refers to a deity.
Hearing Kristen's reverent attitude towards Kal'tsit, the president's tone sounded almost like he was laughing:
"Of course, that person is a Doctor who can't sit still and likes to travel around."
Zhongli happens to be Medical Operator at Rhodes Island.
Kristen nodded to herself, thinking that perhaps the president and God really did know each other:
"In that case, you should withdraw the warrant for Rhodes Island's arrest and let those police officers come back. If you anger that guy, it will have serious consequences."
Wow, that's quite serious.
Her individual strength wasn't great, but the Mon3tr guards around her were quite capable in combat.
Kal'tsit's most threatening aspect is not her strength, but her extensive network of connections across the land.
She once used her years of accumulated power to gather Multinational Allied Forces to attack Kazdel, causing the newly developed Sarkaz to regress in strength by decades.
The president can find out what the Beach Umbrella Company is doing behind the scenes through various databases. The reason he doesn't care is because he feels it's unnecessary.
It's not just them; companies like Tashan Biotechnology, Volvotkoczynski, and Rhine Lab, managed by Kristen, aren't exactly clean behind the scenes either.
As long as it's not brought up in the open, and everyone turns a blind eye, many things will be forgotten.
But the current situation has reached a point where intervention is imperative. If left unchecked, a direct conflict with Rhodes Island is inevitable. It's uncertain what kind of trouble Kal'tsit will cause Columbia after escaping Trimon.
In terms of benefits, prevention will result in fewer losses than indulgence:
"Don't worry, I've already given the orders. The officers will receive the message and evacuate in time. I contacted you today just to let you know. As the person in charge of Project Arc, I'm looking forward to your performance."
Upon hearing this, Kristen's lips twitched slightly.
Her pursuit of the Starry Sky and the universe was once unwavering. But if destroying the Star Pod would lead to the destruction of the entire Terra Planet, she needed to think carefully.
Kristen will not admit that the Horizon Arc Plan is a scam. It would be a shame to let such a huge investment opportunity slip away.
She will first use the government's money to develop various aerospace equipment, laying a solid foundation for future generations to go to space.
Even if it fails, it doesn't matter. Just say it's too difficult. It requires repeated debugging and gradual exploration. Anyway, it's government money being burned, so we won't feel bad about spending it.
Perhaps in the future, when we venture into space, we'll be using spacecraft developed by Rhine Lab.
"Yes, Mr. President, I will do my best."
March 29, 1:58 pm
Nearly two hundred police officers from Trimon, led by Sheriff Fero, arrived at the boarding area. Armed with batons and Ballistic Shield, they surrounded one side of the This Ship.
Fortunately, the ship's Operator noticed the danger in time and demonstrated exceptional adaptability. Realizing the situation was dire, they immediately reported it and disconnected the This Ship from the land.
This created a gap of more than ten meters between the This Ship and the land. Even if the officers took a running start and jumped, they might not be able to reach that side.
Seeing this, Sheriff Fero did not order his subordinates to forcibly board the ship. He stood at the edge of the boarding area and spoke through a megaphone to the Operator by the deck railing:
"Listen up, everyone! You are suspected of a heinous murder. Hand over the suspect and come with us immediately. If you are innocent, a judge will clear your names..."
The Special Operations Team members were resting in the accommodation area on the third deck of the This Ship. Hearing the commotion outside, they all went up to the deck to investigate.
Seeing the large group of police officers standing below, Shi Lei couldn't help but grin.
That night, he only provided everyone with Jade Shield and did not enter the meat canning factory.
Because the gate was very close to the main road, Shi Lei, sitting in the passenger seat, specifically checked for any surveillance cameras on site. The surveillance cameras next to the traffic lights had their wiring cut and removed. The exposed connectors clearly indicated they were not functioning properly.
He immediately suspected that the Beach Umbrella Company had sabotaged the surveillance system, as the camera was positioned to capture vehicles entering and leaving the factory gate.
Secretly dealing in illegal drugs is unacceptable, so sabotaging surveillance cameras is understandable.
This move not only prevented the authorities from verifying the vehicles entering and leaving the area, but also prevented Texas and others from leaving behind video evidence of their actions.
The fact that so many police officers came without any concrete evidence is quite intriguing.
There are only a handful of officials in the entire Trimon who can command this group of police officers. The fact that Beach Umbrella spent heavily to cooperate with the government was not unexpected for Shi Lei.
He was about to go down and meet these guys.