145: Chapter 145 A World in Anguish! The Birth of an Icon of the Era
Lin Mo's statement, "I am Lin Mo, codename 'Patriot X'," was like a spiritual nuclear bomb dropped into the long-calm lake of international public opinion. The shockwave of this explosion did not manifest in a physical form, but swept through every corner of the globe with internet and information access with a fiercer, more unstoppable momentum, reshaping the perceptions, emotions, and future imaginations of countless people.
In the Dragon Country, this press conference was not just news; it was a nationwide celebration and a spiritual conversion.
Before the press conference had even fully concluded, terms like "Lin Mo," "Patriot X," "Twenty-two years old," and "Pillar of the Nation" had already dominated the top ten trending searches on all social platforms, search engines, and news clients with a sweeping momentum. The servers were on the verge of collapse several times under the impact of the frenzied traffic, forcing technical teams to urgently expand capacity overnight.
In the streets and alleys, strangers talked excitedly, their faces glowing with heartfelt pride and excitement.
"Did you see that? He's from our country! Twenty-two years old! I bet those foreigners' jaws hit the floor, right?"
"I was wondering why our technology suddenly became so powerful. Turns out a celestial being descended among us! No, a celestial being is right here in our midst!"
"My son said he wants to study aerospace in the future and become someone like Uncle Lin Mo!"
"I used to think all the geniuses were abroad. Now look, the young people in our Dragon Country are the truly impressive ones!"
On campuses, especially in the science and engineering departments of major universities, the atmosphere was completely boiling. Lin Mo's posters (although the official version hadn't been released yet, enthusiastic netizens had already created countless versions using screenshots from the press conference) were quickly printed and posted above dormitory beds and on laboratory doors. In class, when professors spoke about relevant fields, they couldn't help but add: "Look at Lin Mo. What can you do at your age? It's not about requiring you all to change the world, but to possess that spirit of daring to explore and having the courage to contribute!" Countless young people viewed Lin Mo as their lifelong idol, and his words, "We shouldn't have our necks choked; we have the ability to walk our own path," became the motto on the flyleaves of countless notebooks, igniting unprecedented enthusiasm for learning and the ambition to serve the country.
Official media went full throttle, launching a series of in-depth reports, documentary previews, and expert interviews. They not only detailed Lin Mo's publicly disclosed contributions but also focused on shaping his image as diligent, patriotic, humble, and fearless. 'From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Lin Mo's Path to Serving the Country Through Technology,' 'The National Power Behind "Patriot X",' 'The Young Man Shouldering the Weight of an Era'... Each inspiring article elevated Lin Mo from a mere technology provider to a carrier of national spirit and the dreams of the era.
The "Lin Mo Effect" quickly translated into tangible action. During college entrance exam applications, the number of inquiries for relatively niche or high-difficulty majors like aerospace engineering, nuclear physics, materials science, and quantum information surged. The quality and quantity of resumes received by major research institutes and universities increased significantly, and a minor peak in private donations and support for basic science education emerged. A fresh trend of "technology worship" and "serving the country through industry" was quietly rising in this ancient land.
In the international community, the reaction was far more complex, like an overturned palette, mixed with amazement, envy, anxiety, calculation, and undisguised panic.
The Dragon Country's traditional partners and friendly nations reacted quickly and positively. The President of the "Polar Bear Country" issued a congratulatory message at the earliest opportunity, praising Lin Mo as a "technological treasure belonging to all of humanity" and reiterating the willingness to deepen comprehensive technological cooperation with the Dragon Country. Many countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and other regions also sent congratulations in warm terms, many with implied expectations of gaining access to "Golden Crow" energy technology or the "Mozi" communication network. For them, a powerful Dragon Country with independent cutting-edge technology was an important pillar to balance the old hegemony and seize development opportunities.
Within the European Union, there was intense quarreling and wavering. Some countries (especially those with close economic and trade ties to the Dragon Country) advocated for a quick adjustment of strategy, acknowledging reality, and seeking substantive cooperation with the Dragon Country in areas like climate change and energy transition, even proposing to invite Lin Mo for a visit or academic exchange. Others were bound by traditional ideological alliances and pro-Pretty Country forces within, feeling both shocked by the Dragon Country's breakthrough and fearful of pressure from the Pretty Country. They were stuck in an awkward position of indecision, able only to issue some non-committal diplomatic rhetoric emphasizing "rules-based competition."
In the Japan and the Korean corporations, there was a sense of collective anxiety. Their industrial and economic structures were deeply bound to the Pretty Country, and they were right on the Dragon Country's doorstep. Lin Mo's public appearance and the terrifying technological conversion capability demonstrated by the Dragon Country made them clearly see the shadow of being completely crushed in the future. Stock markets fell in response, especially in traditionally strong sectors like electronics, automobiles, and precision manufacturing. Cabinet meetings and the secret rooms of conglomerates were filled with intense debates about "what to do," "should we pivot," and "where are the opportunities." Some began secret contacts with the Dragon Country's business and academic circles, trying to find a new way out.
Inside the Pretty Country and its core allies, the atmosphere was one of oppressive gloom and panic on the verge of hysteria.
On Wall Street, short-selling funds related to the Dragon Country's technological breakthroughs suffered heavy losses, while the stocks of traditional energy and communication giants continued their relentless decline. Between the lines of analyst reports were pessimistic terms like "paradigm shift," "irreversible," and "re-evaluation." On Capitol Hill, for a rare moment, the two parties were not attacking each other but were instead arguing in a series of emergency closed-door meetings about who should be held responsible for the "total failure of intelligence" and the "comprehensive misjudgment of strategy," as well as how to draft a new, perhaps already futile, "strategy to deal with the Dragon Country's technology."
The media presented a schizophrenic state. Some serious media had to objectively report the facts of the press conference, but the bitterness and worry were hard to hide between the lines. Others picked up the old hats of "technology theft," "national security threat," and "unfair competition," trying to paint Lin Mo and the Dragon Country as villains. However, such rhetoric appeared pale and powerless in the face of iron-clad facts and the absolute technological confidence displayed by the Dragon Country, even inviting more ridicule.
The feelings of the general public were more direct and chaotic. Many technology practitioners and young people, in addition to being shocked, developed a strong curiosity and even worship for Lin Mo, anonymously expressing their admiration online, which formed a subtle opposition to the official propaganda. More people felt lost and uneasy; the world technological order they were familiar with, centered on the Pretty Country, seemed to collapse overnight, and the future became uncertain.
As for those forces hidden in the shadows, they felt a bone-chilling cold.
The screen in Craig's safe house was shattered, but his broken madness had not yet ceased. The command channel for North Heaven Gate, which he relied on to drive his last "chess piece," was quickly located and physically cut off after the global monitoring capability of the Dragon Country's "Weaving Net" system was further strengthened by Lin Mo's public disclosure. He became a truly isolated man, muttering to the walls in the safe house, waiting for the fate of final liquidation.
Intelligence agencies in other countries and regions quietly modified their top-priority target lists. Lin Mo's name was placed at the top, but the annotation behind it was no longer "contact, evaluate, potentially turn or eliminate," but had changed to "absolutely avoid direct conflict," "study his technological path and thinking patterns," and "seek possibilities for non-confrontational contact." When the target changes from a "shadow" to a "sun," the hunt loses its meaning; all that remains is looking up and avoiding.
For Lin Mo personally, "the world in an uproar" meant his life had been turned upside down.
After the press conference, under the close protection of Long Zhantian and the "Candle Dragon" squad, he was transferred from the National Convention Center to the newly completed "Bright Dawn" national strategic scientist studio and residence, located deep in the Western Hills of the capital. This place was less of a residence and more of a complex that integrated top-tier laboratories, security fortresses, command nodes, and necessary living functions.
His personal communications (after strict filtering) were instantly flooded with congratulations, cooperation requests, and media interview invitations from all over the world. His image appeared on the front pages of newspapers, television news, website headlines, and even the covers of some internationally renowned magazines. He became a global celebrity in the true sense, and in a complex identity unprecedentedly mixed with scientist, hero, and national symbol.
He no longer had the concept of "getting off work." His work expanded from the relatively focused technical research and crisis response to participating in the nation's highest scientific decision-making meetings, guiding multiple major special projects, meeting with strictly screened top domestic and foreign scholars for exchanges, and even occasionally cooperating in filming promotional materials aimed at boosting public morale.
The "Candle Dragon" guard team led by Long Zhantian expanded threefold, equipped with the latest individual protection and reconnaissance equipment, and deeply integrated with the "hummingbird" drone network and the "Weaving Net" city surveillance system, forming a three-dimensional protective net that covered everything from personal proximity to the entire territory. Su Xiaowan officially became Lin Mo's chief liaison and technical assistant between the National Academy of Sciences and the security system, almost permanently stationed at the "Bright Dawn" base to assist him in handling massive amounts of information and schedules.
Standing on the wide viewing platform of the "Bright Dawn" base, overlooking the lights of the city in the distance, Lin Mo could feel the wave of sound sweeping the world, and he could also feel the sudden, tangible weight on his shoulders.
Idol, benchmark, banner, hope... countless labels were heaped upon him.
But in his own heart, he was still that young man who, after binding with the system, wanted nothing more than to help civilization leap forward.
It was just that the path was clearer, the responsibility was heavier, and the stage was broader.
Amidst the world's uproar, the era of a technological idol belonging to the Dragon Country, and one that profoundly influenced the world, officially began. And Lin Mo knew that after this noisy prologue, the arduous journey truly concerning the survival of civilization had just begun. He enjoyed a moment of tranquility, turned, and walked back to the laboratory. On the holographic screen, the complex structural diagram of the "Planetary Defense System — 'North Heaven Gate' Project" was quietly waiting for his next deduction.