337: Hope No. 337

In a highly classified meeting room in Shengjing, several men and women with intimidating auras sat in deep concentration. They were figures standing at the pinnacle of national power, capable of making anyone hold their breath in awe.

"We've received word that Japan has convened a United Nations meeting as we anticipated. Our representative opposed it," a man spoke. He was one of those who had appeared at the attack site in J City. After finishing, the leader didn't seem satisfied and continued with a cold sneer,

"I should have known it was them. I heard that Acting Prime Minister got so frantic in the United Nations that he acted like a shrew."

"It's to be expected. When a person, or a nation, is pushed to the edge of a cliff, it's normal for them to become hysterical."

Sitting across from him, an old man chimed in, speaking with the steadiness that comes from years of handling affairs:

"Next, I suspect they'll go for broke. They'll likely reveal the truth to the outside world, paint themselves as victims, and use international public opinion to pressure Third-Party Technology..."

Sure enough, just as the old man predicted, Kurokawa Saki conducted a global live broadcast. It was like a meticulously planned yet tragic performance, playing out before the entire world.

Someone in the meeting room mocked, "Heh, as expected of their old tricks. They're certainly well-practiced at it,"

"But I have to admit, this move is indeed effective. By hijacking global empathy, the whole world is now watching. Social media has exploded, and protest marches have broken out everywhere. The pressure on Third-Party Technology is very real."

The speaker said with a thoughtful expression, "Tell me, will this company still proceed with the strike as originally planned?"

"No," the steady old man said with a frown. "It's not just a matter of public opinion. The casualties resulting from an actual strike would be countless. A humanitarian disaster of this magnitude would be enough to nail any country or organization to the pillar of historical shame, and it would push them to a very dangerous edge."

"Unless he truly intends to be a world-destroying thug. In that case, we would also find ourselves in a difficult dilemma."

Hearing the old man's words, a sense of wariness rose in everyone's eyes. In just a few short years, this company had grown to its current state right under their noses.

"Elder Li is right. I also believe he won't act on impulse and let the company be cursed by the entire world," said a man in a military uniform.

"He," naturally, referred to Lin Fang.

In the meeting room, most others shared this sentiment and began discussing what to do next. Even if Japan escaped this space-based strike, they would not let the country off the hook.

As the countdown approached, only three minutes remained until the announced time of the space-based strike.

The people in the meeting room had not left, waiting for the final result. Until the countdown ended, the sky over Tokyo in the satellite imagery remained normal.

There was no earth-shattering vibration, and no destructive flash like the one seen in the previous Space-Based Weapons live broadcast.

"It seems we were right."

In the meeting room, someone smiled, but just as they were about to say something more, the real-time satellite feed flashed. Immediately after, the city disappeared from the screen as a storm tore through the sky and the earth trembled.

"What?!" "Holy crap!" "How is that possible..."

Seeing this scene, everyone's expressions were stunned. They all stood up in disbelief—the strike had actually happened!

---

On the eve of the strike,

In the office of the Civilization Spire, Lin Fang calmly reviewed Kurokawa Saki's speech and the reactions from around the world.

In the words of these people, Third-Party Technology was like a madman intent on destroying human civilization. Although this didn't bother Lin Fang behind the scenes, it at least garnered Japan a lot of support.

Sometimes, humans are truly strange creatures.

Hating the strong and pitying the weak is almost an instinct rooted in human social nature. When the struggle of the weak is tragic and dramatic enough, this instinct overrides rationality and becomes the mainstream of collective emotion.

This is a double-edged sword. Lin Fang couldn't say whether it was good or bad, but it didn't matter to him. What he needed was not understanding or approval.

[Boss...] Xiao Hei's voice popped up, reporting to Lin Fang:

[The Electromagnetic Railgun has been pre-activated and will fire after the countdown. Per your request, Boss, the amount of Antimatter embedded in this warhead is double what it was before.]

Lin Fang nodded slightly and asked, "How many people are still in that city?"

[About 2 million. Many are unwilling to leave, or they believe this is just an empty threat.]

Hiss—

This answer made Lin Fang take a sharp breath,

But he quickly calmed down and said indifferently, "That really is a massive number."

Lin Fang switched the projection to the Electromagnetic Railgun about to fire. Arcs of electricity surrounded the muzzle, like a dormant deep-space beast about to awaken and show its power to the world.

"In this world, absolute fairness has never existed. Species, birth, talent, opportunity... from the moment life is born, differences and inequality follow like a shadow, yet people still try to move toward fairness. They angered me, and I gave them 24 hours."

Lin Fang's voice echoed in the empty office with a cold smile: "I have given them as much room to survive as possible. Now, their life or death has nothing to do with me."

Emm...

Lin Fang felt he had successfully convinced himself.

Even if he hadn't, his state of mind wouldn't have wavered. After all, in the war with the Verland Company, more than tens of millions had died directly or indirectly. Why would he care about this now?

[Launch countdown: 10, 9, 8...]

"Wait," Lin Fang suddenly spoke just as the countdown was about to end. The moment he spoke, the deep-space beast, crackling with electricity and about to awaken, retreated dejectedly.

[Boss, what's wrong?]

Xiao Hei, who was originally excited to start doing something bad, had a fallen expression and spoke with confusion.

Lin Fang didn't answer immediately. Instead, he continued to switch the projection to images monitored by the Quantum Information Satellite. The lights of the massive city were sparse, yet they still shone resiliently.

"Xiao Hei, tell me,"

Lin Fang's voice was so steady that no emotion could be heard,

"Those people shivering in underground shelters, cursing or praying frantically... what are they thinking right now? Are they thinking I've already given up?"

"Probably,"

Lin Fang answered his own question, a demonic smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "Then what I want to do is give them hope, and then give them despair..."