Humanity's Glory Will Endure

The vast conference hall seemed to have had its sound switched off. Everyone stared at Duncan.

Duncan stood in the middle of the conference hall and slowly turned in a circle, as if trying to see into everyone's heart.

Those who met his gaze instinctively looked away, unable to meet the eyes radiating such a powerful presence.

Duncan exuded confidence from the inside out, along with a sense of superiority that rivaled the gods.

That superiority came from his own unusual experiences, and from the slight arrogance that came with being a transmigrator.

Even though a few impulsive decisions had left him injured twice since he transmigrated, and in pain for a very long time.

Perhaps one day society would beat the arrogance out of Duncan, but for now, his overwhelming presence was enough to cow this group of slightly insecure power-hungry men.

"From January through September of this year, the Umbrella Corporation has made a net profit of around eight hundred billion dollars. By the end of the year, that figure should reach one trillion!"

Duncan paced around the conference hall, talking about money as he looked at every camera broadcasting live.

What he was about to say wasn't meant for the boring capitalists. They'd prepared such a wonderful stage for him; it would be a shame not to make use of it and do justice to his current position.

"Anyone would be tempted by these figures. Umbrella is richer than most people—even richer than some small countries! Who wouldn't be tempted to do something crazy?"

Duncan turned with a smile and pointed at the people in the gallery. "You wouldn't. You wouldn't. And you wouldn't either... None of you would!"

The capitalists in the gallery were so furious at being singled out that their noses nearly twisted out of shape. Two of the less patient ones even got up and left the hall.

The politicians and congressmen who hadn't been singled out had nothing to say. They wouldn't dare compete with him. They were clever people who knew how to play dumb, and their guiding principle was simple: You've got money. You're amazing.

After mocking the capitalists, Duncan turned back to the cameras and addressed the ordinary people on the other side, who had long since been left speechless:

"I can!"

"Long ago, the Umbrella Corporation began asking itself: What is money for? We have a lot of money—a staggering amount, beyond what ordinary people can imagine. My personal fortune alone is enough to buy a small country. But why should I have so much money? What can I do with it?"

Duncan kept bringing the subject back to money so his words would ring in people's ears, strike them to the heart, and leave them reeling with excitement.

Inside a little bar in San Antonio, Texas.

All the patrons were watching Duncan's bold speech about wealth.

They gritted their teeth, laughing and fuming at the same time, but there was nothing they could do about Duncan. All they could do was gripe to one another and make a few declarations about hating the rich.

"Hahahaha!"

Just as everyone was making faces at the rich, a sudden burst of laughter drowned out the bar's grumbling.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a middle-aged man in a baseball cap and checkered shirt.

The slightly portly middle-aged man saw everyone looking at him and pointed proudly at Duncan on the television. "I had a financial dispute with that guy back in Raccoon City. Can't believe that in just a few months, he's already daring to challenge so many people."

"Hey, I remember!" A patron suddenly smacked his forehead and said to Old Kendo, "Could this be that big fat sheep you're always going on about?"

Old Kendo panicked a little and protested, "When did I ever say that? If word gets out, don't go slandering me! You must've misunderstood. I only said Boss Duncan was generous and never cared about money!"

"Fine, if you don't want me to tell anyone, you'd better buy me a couple of drinks!" The patron chuckled, seizing the chance to make Old Kendo pay.

The regulars nearby, who all knew one another, saw a chance to get something out of it and joined in, cheering him on.

Old Kendo couldn't refuse their enthusiasm. Besides, he'd made quite a bit of money in Raccoon City, so the drinks wouldn't break the bank. But when he glanced at the figure on the television, he got an idea. "You want me to buy you drinks? Then how about a bet?"

The others grew interested and pressed him for details.

"What are we betting on?"

"Look at you, acting all cocky. I don't care what the bet is—I'm in!"

"Hurry up and tell us. I'm waiting for you to buy those drinks!"

Even the owner behind the bar laughed and joined in.

Old Kendo pointed at the television mounted beside the bar—or, more precisely, at Duncan on the screen. "Let's bet on him. Will he give us money or not? I say he will!"

"Then I say he won't!"

"Old Kendo, you really are a sly one. I say he will too!"

"Let's be clear: Kendo's definitely setting a trap for us! Don't trust him!"

"Shit!" Old Kendo laughed and raised his fist at them, then said, "If I win, I'll still buy you drinks tonight. If I lose, I'll buy them for three days!"

"Hell yeah!"

Everyone cheered, then went back to watching Duncan's speech. The more they watched, the more intent they became, until at last they were left in silent shock.

While the people in the bar were placing their bets, Duncan began explaining the Umbrella Corporation's history.

"Umbrella has amassed a vast fortune. In the past, all we ever did was figure out how to make money make more money. But now we're asking ourselves: When you already have enough money, does it still matter? To go back to the question I asked earlier: What is money for?"

Duncan fell silent. Facing the quiet crowd in the hall, he said earnestly, "Money is an equivalent created to facilitate trade. It's precious, but not precious in itself. What supports this equivalent is a country's credibility, not any particular object. So to me, money is trust!"

"Now, I alone hold the trust of most people on this planet. What response should I give to that trust? I think I've found the answer..."

Duncan pulled three small silver spheres from inside his clothes. At the same time, he had Red Queen turn off the lights in the conference hall.

The three silver spheres slipped from his hand and landed on the floor, where they automatically arranged themselves into a triangle. Then a dazzling view of the starry sky shone out from within them.

Those who had been at a loss to understand what was happening were startled by the sudden holographic images. Every face showed astonishment at this science-defying technology.

In an age when ordinary people still used button phones, when computers still had non-LCD screens, when the old and the new had yet to fully change places!

The holographic technology Duncan had unveiled seemed like alien technology that had suddenly appeared on Earth—something no one had ever heard of or seen before!

Ordinary people's understanding of cutting-edge consumer technology was limited to faster internet and smaller devices.

The shock of the sudden holographic display was like going to bed when phones were still beepers and waking up to full-screen 5G smartphones. It was impossible to comprehend.

Duncan saw the astonishment in the faces around him. His voice was firm and resolute. "I want to say... The best response the Umbrella Corporation can give to everyone's trust is to help humanity enter space and broaden its horizons!

"Humanity went from prey hunted by beasts to the ruler of Earth over the course of three million years.

"Recorded human history spans only five thousand years, and humanity's explosive technological development has lasted only a few hundred years.

"After just a few hundred years, some people think humanity will destroy itself through reckless excess?

"I say that as long as I'm still here, that will never happen!

"We'll fly beyond Earth again and return to the Moon to gather new energy. We'll also reach Mars and build brand-new cities.

"I'll lead humanity beyond the Solar System. I'll make sure we're no longer confined to our home planet. As we conquer the universe, I want every person on Earth to proudly shout: Humanity's glory will endure forever!"