55: Giant God became a top star overnight

New City District, International Hotel.

Night enveloped the Mandala New City, and the Star International Hotel, where delegations from various countries were staying, was brightly lit.

In the penthouse suite of the hotel, Mark Williams stared at the tablet in his hand, which was playing a special report from UNN:

Breaking News: Mysterious Emerald Principality Company Showcases Future Technology, Experts Say It Will Change Global Balance of Power

"Damn it!" Mark slammed his fist on the table. "These reporters are too fast! Where did they get their information?"

The screen switched to the Nova United States government spokesperson, who was stammering in response to a reporter's question: "The Nova United States government... uh... is currently evaluating the strategic impact... uh... of the relevant technology..."

SIA agent Lisa Williams quickly walked into the room: "Sir, public opinion monitoring shows that the #TitanTech topic on Twitter has exploded, with 12 million tweets in 3 hours."

She pulled up the data stream on her tablet:

MyTube Trending No. 1: "Exclusive Footage! Holographic Imagery of Emerald Principality's Future City"

Giant Blog Hot Search Exploded: #MyanmarTechCrushesGlobal

North Steel TR TV Headline: "Dawn of a New Era: Titan Technology Changes World Rules"

.......

Federal Center, Roman Palace War Room.

The President stared at the UNN live broadcast on the large screen, which showed people holding protest marches in various places.

A striking banner was particularly glaring: Why is Emerald Principality's medical technology 20 years more advanced than ours?

"Polls show that 82% of the public believes the government is concealing key technological developments," the National Security Advisor said, handing over a tablet. "What's worse, 37 top Engineers in Silicon Valley have submitted visa applications to go to Emerald Principality."

The President slammed his fist on the table: "Immediately notify Silicon Valley to suppress this news! We absolutely cannot let these common people know the truth about Emerald Principality!"

"I'm afraid it's too late," the Secretary of State said, pulling up a trending VikVok video of a New Union veteran showing his disabled left leg. "This guy has booked Titan's medical pod and is flying to Emerald Principality in three days."

The SIA Director, on the other hand, was doing his best to minimize his presence, as the SIA had obtained almost no valuable intelligence this time.

However, he was still singled out by the Minister of Defense.

Mitchell threw a stack of photos on the conference table: "Our omnipotent SIA Director, can you explain why all the images taken by SIA agents are blurry?"

The SIA Director cast a commanding gaze at his subordinate, and the technical supervisor could only tremblingly pull up the analysis report: "According to spectral analysis, there is some kind of interference signal in Titan Industrial City, and all our electronic devices have been... degraded.

There are also traces of modification in the information on the memory cards..."

"What's even more terrifying is this," the National Security Advisor said, pulling up a mobile phone video of a tourist taking a selfie in the New City District, with a holographic advertisement clearly visible in the background. "Ordinary civilian equipment is completely unaffected; only military reconnaissance equipment fails."

The President's face was grim: "What does this mean?"

"It means..." Hayes's voice trembled, "Titan can accurately distinguish between spies and civilians."

"You SIA still haven't found anything useful?!" The President felt he could no longer control his muscles.

"Yes, yes, yes," Director Hayes said, pulling up the information. "Titan executive Topaz has connections with the North Steel Federal Security Bureau, and Ains, also an executive, was trained in Fog City Military Intelligence.

As for Emerald... no record."

The President's face was grim: "So this is a joint effort by Fog City and North Steel?"

"It could also be a smokescreen from the Eastern Federation," Minister of Defense Mitchell said, pointing to Emerald's image. "Her Chinese is too authentic; her use of 'de,' 'di,' and 'de' is even more standard than many Chinese descendants I've met."

Five Ports City, Birch Palace emergency meeting.

Grand Duke Winter stared at the Warrior combat video on the large screen, his finger gently tapping the table: "Dmitri, what's the progress on our 'Hunter' robot project?"

The Minister of Defense wiped his sweat: "It's still in the laboratory stage, and its actual combat performance is only about... one-tenth of what's shown in the video, or possibly less than one-tenth..."

The video on the large screen ended, switching to a live broadcast from North Steel National Television, where hundreds of retirees held portraits of Grand Duke Winter and staged a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Health.

The banner read: We want medical pods!

"Cancer patients at White Night Castle National Hospital are on a hunger strike," the Chief of Staff reported in a low voice. "They are demanding that the government immediately introduce Titan's medical technology."

"Notify the Ministry of Energy," Grand Duke Winter suddenly stood up. "Immediately increase uranium export quotas and lower prices by 15%."

The Minister of Foreign Affairs was puzzled: "Mr. President, Titan has already demonstrated more advanced..."

"Precisely because of that," Grand Duke Winter sneered. "Before other countries react, we need to sign long-term supply contracts first.

Trading energy for medical care is also a way to thank them for not revealing information about the 'Stone of Immortality'—"

Before Grand Duke Winter could finish, the Chief of Staff suddenly opened a news report on the large screen.

Grand Duke Winter looked at the New Union media report and sneered: "Now they suspect it's us and the Fog City people who did it?"

He suddenly slammed the tablet on the table: "Then why doesn't our intelligence department have any information about this Titan executive?"

Boltnikov, Director of the Federal Security Bureau, bowed his head and reported: "Topaz does have North Steel ancestry; we found that her ancestors were exiled nobles from the Ivan Empire, long ago..."

"Notify the Ministry of Energy to reduce the price of all uranium exports to Fog City by 5%," Grand Duke Winter interrupted. "The New Union guys always blame others for what they've done.

Since that's the case, we'll help the English."

Edo, Ginza Street.

Giant LED screens were cyclically playing Warrior robot combat footage.

Among the crowd, students excitedly took photos, while retired Self-Defense Force officers looked pale.

Edo, Prime Minister's Official Residence.

"A trend of cosplay Warrior has emerged in Akihabara," the Superintendent General of the Metropolitan Police Department reported, wiping his sweat at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. "What's more troublesome is that Four Diamond Heavy Industries received 47 resignation letters this morning, all from core R&D personnel."

Ichiro Sato, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, knelt on the tatami, his forehead touching the ground: "Your subordinate is incompetent and has failed to obtain any key technical intelligence."

The Minister of Internal Affairs knelt and handed over a document: "Niso, Tianfeng, and other companies have jointly requested that the government allow them to form joint ventures with Titan."

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not look at them, but stared at the Warrior combat footage looping on the TV: "Contact Four Diamond Heavy Industries immediately to launch the 'Kagemusha' project and try to retain core R&D personnel."

"But..." The Minister of Defense hesitated, "The budget will require at least..."

"Halve the procurement quantity of EF-35s," the Prime Minister interrupted. "The future belongs to robots, and we must keep up with this trend."

"Yes," the Minister of Defense sighed deeply and brought out intelligence on various countries: "But there's another situation, Prime Minister, you need to know."

"What situation?"

The Minister of Defense held the intelligence and handed it to the Prime Minister with both hands: "It's about the country that fostered Titan.

The New Union suspects the Eastern Federation and North Steel, North Steel suspects Fog City and the New Union, and we..."

"Baka!" The Prime Minister slammed the table. "Immediately contact Emerald Principality and tell them we are willing to cooperate under any conditions! No matter whose pawn it is, get on board first!"

Seine Mirror City, Champs Elysees Avenue was already in chaos.

The Champs Elysees Federation Ministry of Health building was besieged by protesters.

An elderly woman in a wheelchair cried to the camera: "I've been on the waiting list for three years for heart surgery, but people in Emerald Principality can be cured in fifteen minutes!"

President Macaron's approval rating plummeted by 12 percentage points overnight.

The Iris Emblem Institute urgently announced: "Contact has been initiated with Titan Group," but the #ChampsElyseesFederationHealthcareIsDead tag was still trending on Twitter.

Meanwhile, inside the Iris Emblem Institute, Macaron was taking an urgent call from Twin Iron City: "No, we cannot impose sanctions on private enterprises... What? They refuse to disclose information about the Europa Committee's visit application?"

He angrily hung up the phone and turned to his Chief of Staff: "Immediately contact the Empty Car Group; I want to know their experts' assessment of Titan's aircraft."

The Chief of Staff smiled bitterly: "The Empty Car Technical Director just submitted his resignation.

He... bought a ticket to Emerald Principality."

President Macaron leaned back helplessly in his chair, looking at the Europa intelligence sharing platform's alert: "The Fog City people are investigating Ains, the New Union people are investigating Emerald, the North Steel People are investigating Topaz, and the Eastern Federation people are guessing which country the mysterious Titan boss is from...

And we don't even have a subject for investigation?"

The Security Advisor handed over a document: "We found that a Titan employee once participated in the Davos Forum in the White Dove Convention Area, but..."

"Enough!" Macaron suddenly laughed. "Since everyone is guessing, we'll spread the word that Titan is controlled by the Luxembourg consortium."

Stone Sword City, BCC Special Program.

In the studio, a former military intelligence officer made a shocking statement during the live broadcast: "We may be witnessing another global power shift after the Fog City Empire!"

When the host pressed whether he was exaggerating, the official showed an internal assessment from the Fog City Ministry of Defense provided by an unknown insider: "According to simulations, 12 Warrior robots can capture the entire Bagpipe Highlands within 24 hours—"

The host interrupted him: "But Titan's spokesperson said they are just a company, and these technologies will be sold to—"

"Official rhetoric!" Military expert Simon Jenkins slammed the table. "Did you see that small reactor? Do you know what 1500 megawatts means? That's more powerful than the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier's propulsion!"

"What does this mean? This means a private enterprise possesses military technology that surpasses the Five Permanent Members!" Jenkins excitedly waved his arms.

The host was very confused as to why Jenkins was so excited, and Jenkins publicly stated: "Hey, you don't know, one of Titan's executives is from Fog City."

At this time, the latest news scrolled across the bottom of the screen: The pound sterling's exchange rate against the Emerald Principality Yuan plummeted by 15% before rapidly recovering.

The leader of the Bagpipe Highlands independence movement posted on Rattr, 'It's time to consider joining the Emerald Principality Federation,' which went viral across the internet.

However, in the Fog City Privy Council, the atmosphere was completely different from that of the BCC.

"Absurd!" The Prime Minister slammed the headline of The Daily Mail, "Titan Executive's KGC Connection Exposed," "Military Intelligence just confirmed that Ains graduated from New Oxford, not Cambridge! He has nothing to do with intelligence agencies!"

The Foreign Secretary whispered: "But the Champs Elysees Federation provided a photo of him with that arms dealer, Makarov..."

"Immediately contact the Emerald Principality Ministry of Foreign Affairs!" the Prime Minister roared. "We need separate access for visits!"

However, in the Eastern Federation's network, the situation was completely different from the external network.