309: Chapter 309 War?

As the largest company today, many downstream industries now rely on Third-Party Technology for survival, with countless practitioners.

Lee Ji-eun, who works at a medical aesthetics clinic in Korea, is one of them.

Exiting Busan Station, Lee Ji-eun pinched the soft flesh at her waist with a bit of force to wake herself up, otherwise she feared she might fall asleep while walking. There was still a short distance left to get home.

Work had been extremely exhausting lately. The reason was that the clinic had introduced some new drugs from Third-Party Technology, which were surprisingly effective. The number of daily customers had increased significantly compared to before.

If not for the increasingly generous daily wages, Lee Ji-eun would have given up long ago. She walked along the road like a zombie, silently thinking about how much farther it was to get home.

Busan is a fast-paced city, with bustling crowds even on the smaller streets.

At that moment, a man looking at his phone bumped into her head-on. The impact wasn't light, and Lee Ji-eun, already weak and unsteady, staggered back two steps before falling to the ground on her backside.

Lee Ji-eun snapped awake. "Hey, don't you watch where you're going? What's wrong with you!"

"Sorry," the man said only this before hurrying away, muttering under his breath, "War... war is coming..."

"Honestly, no manners at all."

Lee Ji-eun stood up, cursing at his retreating figure a few more times. She then noticed that the surrounding pedestrians looked abnormal—many were walking briskly with their heads down, scrolling through their phones, and there were occasional exclamations of shock.

What's going on?

Lee Ji-eun found a bench and sat down, rubbing her numb legs. She pulled out her phone, and a dense flood of push notifications instantly piled up, each one enough to make this city girl's heart pound.

The man's words weren't wrong. War was indeed coming, and the target wasn't a nation.

[Breaking! The American government announces comprehensive sanctions against Third-Party Technology, freezing all its assets in the U.S. and demanding the company's legal representative appear in Washington for questioning within 24 hours!]

[The U.S. Seventh and Third Fleets have left Home Port and appeared off the western coast of the Indo-Pacific Ocean!]

[Emergency News! Multiple countries jointly announce comprehensive sanctions against Third-Party Technology!]

[Flash: Multiple European Union countries announce the freezing of Third-Party Technology's overseas assets!]

[Germany passes a resolution in an emergency meeting to immediately suspend all cooperation with Third-Party Technology, accusing it of 'endangering global security and stability!']

[Military Movements: Naval task forces from multiple countries are assembling in the Indo-Pacific Ocean region! Nations enter a state of combat readiness!]

[The Central Continent announces it will not stand by while its outstanding enterprise faces security threats, calls for restraint from all nations, and has already made military deployments!]

...

Each news headline was followed by exclamation points expressing the journalists' shock. A company on the verge of becoming an enemy of the entire world—this was something that had never happened before.

"How did this happen..."

Lee Ji-eun muttered to herself. Third-Party Technology, a company that rose like a myth, a giant that solved the Petrification Virus and whose various drugs and technologies began permeating every aspect of life—how had it become a global public enemy in just one afternoon?

Everything seemed fine at noon.

As Lee Ji-eun slumped on a bench on a Busan street, feeling how unbelievable all this was, global social media and online forums had long since turned into a boiling cauldron. The vast majority of people, like Lee Ji-eun, had no idea what was happening.

Even an ordinary international military forum was already embroiled in fierce arguments. A top post titled "Just woke up, what to do if World War III is about to start" already had hundreds of thousands of engagements.

"Count Dracula: I'm going crazy. I just woke up. Can someone tell me what the hell is wrong with this world!"

"Senior Military Strategist: Bros, the situation is extremely abnormal. This isn't a simple trade war; it's real military mobilization and a global political siege. A company, even a giant one, what right does it have to instantly trigger this level of comprehensive confrontation? I'll say it here—this company must have done something earth-shattering."

"Leo John: I think it's just a breakdown in commercial interests, applying maximum pressure. Haven't these bullies done this kind of thing enough? I think they're just jealous of their technology and want to snatch it."

"Germany's Lone Wolf: Support the sanctions! Third-Party Technology's black tech is too terrifying. Who knows what they're secretly researching!"

"Pili Lila: I hate war. Without Third-Party Technology, we'd have turned to stone long ago. May there be eternal world peace."

"I Am Not Sun Tzu: "Haha, let them fight! I've long disliked Third-Party Technology. What gives a company the right to be so arrogant? I'm personally willing to donate!"

"..."

In just this one afternoon, the entire world seemed to be teetering on the brink.

——

America, the White House.

President TP, who had just regained consciousness, was now in an underground bunker. The Chief of Staff was administering an IV drip for him.

"Invasion! This is the most despicable, vile act of terrorism! It is the most blatant declaration of war against American sovereignty!"

President TP waved his uninjured arm and shouted angrily, spittle flying:

"This company has taken my Secretary of State, my Secretary of Defense, my Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff! And... and my CIA Director! This is something even God cannot forgive..."

After venting his rage, President TP gradually calmed down. He looked at a middle-aged man beside him and said, "Jim, tell me the current situation."

The middle-aged man called Jim stood up, holding a document in his hand.

"Mr. President," Jim said gravely, "the situation... is more troublesome than we imagined. This afternoon, Third-Party executed at least twenty-seven precise capture and assault operations worldwide. The targets were all individuals who supported the 'New Life' plan's actions."

"As for the aircraft that took Director Lakert and the others, its speed is immeasurable. Neither NORAD's long-range early-warning radar nor the tactical radars of our ground air defense systems captured its signal. It vanished upon takeoff. We still don't know where they've taken Director Lakert..."

"Are you saying, Jim," President TP's voice was hoarse, "that our proud global surveillance and strike system is completely blind and deaf in the face of this company?"

"Mr. President, you could put it that way," Jim said, watching President TP's expression grow increasingly grim, and he couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Regarding the Exoskeleton Armor of Third-Party Technology's armed personnel, our experts have analyzed it. It is a very sophisticated individual soldier technology. Combined with their weapons, they are at least 50 years ahead of us. In combat with these personnel, our soldiers' chances of victory are completely zero."

The conference room was filled with a deathly silence. This was the first time the American government had suffered such a great humiliation.

Undoubtedly, this company called Third-Party Biotechnology possessed unimaginably high technology.

A heavy killing intent flashed in President TP's eyes.

"This company has become America's greatest enemy. I will crush them, even if it means using nuclear weapons!"

At that moment, an intelligence officer hurriedly entered and said, "Mr. President, sirs, there's an emergency. Third-Party Technology has just started a global live broadcast."