Chapter 40 The Starship Arrives in the Sky
Inside an armored hover vehicle driving slowly across the street.
Wang Ze and He Chou were sitting next to each other. Opposite them were several guards with serious expressions.
The scene just now was indeed a bit scary. Fortunately, both of them had experienced many dangerous scenes, but neither of them showed any fear.
Then they were put into this armored vehicle and driven to an unknown location.
He Chou just tried to get close to the guards, and was told apologetically:
"It is difficult to talk during the action."
Wang Ze glanced at his watch and saw that the minute hand had moved above the head of '6'.
It was less than half an hour before the ghost said he would appear again.
Wang Ze also has a lot of doubts now.
There is a power and internet outage in Pearl Harbor City, and guards have begun setting up signal jamming devices on the street corners. What other tricks does the ghost have to break the situation?
After all, it only exists as a virtual ghost and cannot directly erode the real world.
As things continue to develop backwards, the most likely decision that Ghost will make is to abandon himself as the narrator and publish the so-called 'truth' directly through the Internet.
He suddenly became an outsider, which inevitably made Wang Ze a little irritated.
A few minutes later, the suspended armored vehicle stopped steadily.
Wang Ze and He Chou were thrown at the bottom of the building. Immediately, several guards came forward and began to search them.
"This is Huiyao Building," He Qiu reminded in a low voice, "the dozens of floors above are the property of Weixing Group."
"Well," Wang Ze responded, seemingly in a good mood, "I should be able to meet the chairman."
Soon, the two of them were taken into the building, changed to two elevators, and appeared at the end of the corridor on the top floor.
Another guard came forward, holding several probes and shaking them around Wang Ze and He Qiu. After confirming that there were no weapons on them, the guard said:
"Detective Wang Ze, please enter alone."
"What about me?" He Chou asked with a frown.
The guard said: "Captain He, please wait here."
"Then why did you attack me just now? You are so serious about it! The chairman of a company actually made such a show!"
He Chou complained angrily.
The guards were not angry, and just stared at He Chou quietly. Several burly guards moved forward to form a human wall, blocking He Chou directly in place.
Wang Ze walked forward alone, straightening the medal on his chest with his fingers.
He had come to his senses at this moment and understood that the person who 'summoned' him this time was probably the 'big hand' behind the Wei Xing Group.
——The mobilization tasks of the home planet's defense forces are usually under the joint supervision of the nine star clusters. Gao Wengong is just a wealthy businessman and is far from qualified to arrange such a grand event.
President's office? It should be a temporarily borrowed venue.
Wang Ze pushed open the vermilion wooden door in front of him and stepped into the dimly lit office.
He didn't look at the surrounding layout too much, his eyes fell on the only figure in the room.
The old man was still sitting behind his desk, with paper files in front of him and a retro monocle in his hand.
"Hello, Mr. Wang."
The old man looked up at Wang Ze, with a warm smile on his face, raised the crutch at hand, and said warmly: "I have some inconvenience in my movements. Please bear with me if I am rude. Please sit down wherever you like."
Wang Ze nodded slightly and calmly walked to the sofa nearby.
There is a faint smell of nicotine in the air. The old man does not have an ashtray at hand, and a little ash can be seen in front of the sofa;
The dashboard on the wall shows that the power of the air purification system has been turned on to the maximum;
You can feel a little warmth by placing your palms casually in the middle of the double sofa.
There should have been at least four people in this room just now. When I came, the others chose to avoid it.
The old man's breathing rate was very stable, and he had probably been sitting quietly before... In other words, in the closed lounge behind the old man, there were several important figures from the home planet who were inconvenient to show up, and they were led by this old man.
Are they the ultimate enemies that the Ghost will deal with?
Or maybe the ghost didn't know that there was this old man behind it.
"Mr. Wang is really formidable."
The old man said with a smile and introduced himself:
"I am a businessman and have been involved in politics for a few years, but I retired 20 or 30 years ago. Now all I have left is this old skeleton. I am disliked by people wherever I go."
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Wang Ze crossed his legs and asked calmly: "How should I call the old gentleman?"
"My surname is Wen."
The old man smiled gently, his eyes fell on Wang Ze's chest, and continued:
"I ask Mr. Wang's forgiveness for rashly inviting Mr. Wang here... Is what Mr. Wang is wearing on his chest the only Pioneer Medal from the Sixth Star Cluster that can be passed down to future generations?"
Wang Zedao: "The situation in front of us is a bit confusing. Just in case, it is better to wear this thing on your body."
The old man murmured: "Any attack or insult on the owner of this medal will be regarded as the most serious provocation to the Sixth Star Cluster's military. Tianze Technology has helped the Sixth Star Cluster through difficulties many times. Its successor It makes sense to have this medal.”
After saying these words, the old man laughed dumbly and his eyes became gentler.
"Don't worry, Mr. Wang, I completely believe that you and the ghost are not the same."
The old man explained warmly:
"With Tianze Technology behind you, no one will want to antagonize you.
"Compared with the booming star clusters, the mother star is actually completely behind the times in terms of technology.
"If he wants to mess with the virtual industry of his home planet, Mr. Wang can definitely find a more direct and effective way, instead of using a few lives like this ghost to set off a wave of public opinion and develop into the current situation that is out of control. The situation has caused extremely bad social impact... Alas, the image of the mother planet in the entire human cultural system has also been splashed with a layer of ink.
"Mr. Wang, what do you think we can do to restore calm to the home planet as quickly as possible so as to minimize the economic losses to the home star?"
At the end of the sentence, the old man's expression turned into one of worry.
Wang Ze thought carefully and said sincerely:
"I don't quite understand what Mr. Wen means. Can you explain it more thoroughly? I'm just a facilitator who is interested in murder cases and puzzles. I actually have no understanding of this level of political struggle."
"Since Mr. Wang wants to be more direct, I will rely on my old skills and not go around in circles."
The old man still had a gentle smile.
But Wang Ze felt great pressure at this moment.
In Wang Ze's memory, he had only felt this kind of pressure from his grandfather who had died of illness, which made Wang Ze slightly uncomfortable.
The old man said slowly:
"In fact, I have to admit that some technology companies on the home planet have indeed made some mistakes and gone through some detours in the development process, but at the same time, they have also made considerable contributions.
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“Weixing Group’s people are not clean, so there is no need to hide this from Mr. Wang.
"Now the economy of the home planet seems to be prosperous, but the foundation of prosperity is built on a thin layer of paper.
"Now, the turmoil caused by that ghost has already crushed this piece of paper.
"The mother planet has a population of more than one billion, and everyone enjoys high benefits from birth. These benefits also put great pressure on politicians.
"So sometimes, we will choose to let a technology company of Weixing's level be more stable... But this does not mean that we will really choose to protect Weixing in the face of big issues."
Wang Ze smiled and said: "Mr. Wen, do you want to give up the car to save the handsome man?"
Mr. Wen smiled bitterly:
"Look, you were indeed influenced by that ghost's thoughts, and you prejudged me as your enemy.
"Is Ghost really just? If he is just, what do the dead say? What do they say about the economic losses caused?
"I think, Xiao Wang, you should be a rational person and be able to look at this issue from a larger perspective. Social order is based on a grid intertwined with legal principles and morals. Even if sometimes something is unreasonable and goes against emotion and intuition. , but it’s in line with legal principles and it’s understandable that merit will last forever.”
Wang Zedao: "The old gentleman did not answer my question."
"Then it depends on your decision," the old man said warmly, "According to our estimates, after today's incident, Weixing Group will definitely be hit hard, and there will be a huge gap in the virtual industry market of the home planet... You You should know what I mean.”
"What will happen today?"
“It’s not easy to make a direct judgment on this.”
"The old gentleman always likes to half-talk when he talks," Wang Ze said with a smile, "You have made no promises, no instructions, nothing is clear, and I am really not sure what to do."
The old man leaned forward, and his eyes seemed to be able to see through Wang Ze: "If Tianze Technology can take this opportunity to enter the market of the home star, it will definitely greatly improve the security of the virtual industry of the home star."
Wang Ze couldn't help but fell into silence.
Half a minute later, Wang Ze asked: "Then what should I do?"
"Although I am old and my brain is useless, I can still see that the ghost has shaped Mr. Wang into a messenger of justice. Of course, Mr. Wang is good enough."
The old man said slowly:
"His idea is also quite unique. He plays a game of chess, one black and one white, to play against each other, so as to catalyze public opinion to the greatest extent, and create such a sensational effect in a short period of time, without leaving us with much reaction. Time.
"The fifty-second warning video that Mr. Wang sent out an hour ago has now become the center of public opinion.
"In the video, Mr. Wang said something great - we cannot just listen to what others tell us, but should investigate, collect evidence, think, explore the truth of the incident, look at the same problem from different angles, and come to the most rational conclusion. Conclusion.
"Isn't this the best counterattack against ghosts?"
"I understand," Wang Zedao, "What you mean is that you want me to deny the truth revealed by the ghost later and insist on finding evidence and conducting investigations... This is actually not difficult to do, but now I am trapped in this information. Isolated island, whether the ghost will come to me again is a matter of two opinions.”
The old man smiled and said: "As long as Mr. Wang has this attitude, I will give Mr. Wang more exposure in the future. It does not necessarily have to confront the ghost again."
Wang Ze smiled and said, "The old gentleman wants to use me to quickly calm public opinion, remind the public that everything must be based on evidence, deny everything the ghost said, and at the same time drag our Tianze Technology into trouble and let Tianze Technology endorse the mother planet.< br>
"The benefit I can get is that Tianze Technology can successfully obtain part of the virtual industry market on the home planet and gain a stable foothold... Is that so?"
The old man smiled and nodded.
"I will consider it," Wang Ze stood up, feeling that there was no need to stay any longer. "I also want to agree immediately. The cake on the home planet is indeed very tempting, but I still have to discuss it with my uncle."
"Why don't you just make a call here?"
"No," Wang Ze said calmly, "Let's wait until after twelve o'clock. I will still decide whether to recommend that my family business accept this condition based on the last story told by the ghost."
After saying this, Wang Ze bowed slightly to the old man, turned and walked towards the door.
The old man's index finger trembled slightly but said nothing more.
When Wang Ze reached the door, he paused, turned to look at the old man, frowned and asked:
"One more question, how can the old gentleman guarantee that this ghost does not have enough evidence to prove the truth he said?"
"Evidence, truth, or even temporary public opinion are actually not too important, because people are forgetful."
The old man said warmly: "The most important thing is often whether a person can make the most correct choice at the right time."
"Maximizing interests is not necessarily the right option," Wang Ze said with a smile, "Of course, this is just an ignorant fallacy of a younger generation."
Opening the wooden door, the guard outside the door immediately looked over.
Seeing the old man waving his hands gently, the guards did not stop Wang Ze and allowed him to leave.
In the corridor, Wang Ze raised his hand and rubbed the medal on his chest.
At critical moments, this thing is still useful.
……
In that office, several people who were hiding in the rest room opened the door and came out. Their expressions were quite calm and they didn't say much in front of the old man.
In the dark corridor outside the office, He Chou saw Wang Ze come out safely, his expression obviously relaxed, and he looked into Wang Ze's eyes.
"Old Wang, let's go..."
Click!
It sounded like some kind of plastic switch closing.
The lights at the top of the corridor suddenly bloomed, illuminating the place as bright as day.
The entire Pearl Harbor City woke up without warning. Each building was bright again. Equipment everywhere was restarted. The augmented reality interface was quickly restored. Emergency equipment was switched from storage battery to normal power supply. The massive information in the online world was like a tsunami, flooding this isolated island again. .
In the corridor, Wang Ze turned and looked at the office;
The only one who can do this at this time is the order of the old man named Wen?
But the politicians and generals in the office were caught off guard at this moment. A general rushed to the window, opened the thick curtains and looked at the street scene of Pearl Harbor City, but his eyes were attracted by the blue sky.
Deep in the sky, an oval-shaped starship remained translucent, its outline faintly revealed.
In the bridge of the starship, a clear and fast female voice broadcast continued to echo:
"The power grid of Pearl Harbor City below has returned to normal."
"All equipment of the Pearl Harbor City Defense Force has stopped operating."
"The fire control system locked on the enemy's air defense position, and there was no difference in the air defense position."
"The identification code has been sent to the home star defense force, and the home star defense force is required to remain silent and stop all movements, otherwise it will be regarded as an active attack on our ship."
"Captain, there is a call from the headquarters of the home star defense force, asking why we broke into the air space of the home star."
Behind the bridge main console, the tall, middle-aged captain wearing a black cloak was slumped on a soft sofa.
His deep-set eye sockets, iconic aquiline nose, and the golden eagle printed on his cloak all indicate that he comes from the most powerful side of the nine star clusters - the Third United Kingdom of Human Civilization.
"Call back. We are conducting military exercises to protect the mother star. The third star cluster has priority in the low-Earth orbit of the mother star, so they don't need to be nervous. We are not equipped with weapons of mass destruction."
Captain Arman curled his lips slightly and glanced at the communicator in his hand.
Surrounded by light, the projection of the ship's first officer was revealed.
This is a mature woman.
The first mate fulfilled his obligation and reminded: "Captain, our direct appearance above the home star will cause certain adverse effects. We do not rule out the possibility that the home star council will sue us in the future."
"This is nothing compared to what we're about to get."
Captain Arman smiled and said:
"Our partner is a perfectionist. If the plan must be completed, we will try our best to cooperate.
"Relax, don't be nervous, our home planet has no weapons that can threaten us, just watch a good show with peace of mind.
"This may be the biggest military exploit that you and I can get in peacetime. It is inevitable to take some risks for this, isn't it?"
……
Pearl Harbor City, in the CEO's office on the top floor of Huiyao Building.
The old man let out a long sigh, and his whole figure seemed to have aged a few years. When the others were about to speak, the old man suddenly waved his hand, knocking away the crutches in his hand.
The politicians, businessmen, and generals present all fell silent.
"Go and watch Xiao Gao alone," the old man whispered.
A general understood immediately, with a gloomy face, and walked quickly towards the door.
at the same time.
Wang Ze and He Chou, who had just walked out of the building, looked up at the sky with the surrounding guards.
"Is this the invisible battleship of the third star cluster?" He Chou looked puzzled, "What is going on?"
Wang Ze's expression is still very relaxed:
"Now this situation can perfectly explain where the ghost's brain-simulating technology and the weapons that can evade security inspections come from. The case is finally clear... No wonder Director Zhao and the others can't search for the location of the brain-simulating server on their home planet. .
"Let's go, we should find a venue with a nice view and set a stage for the ghost."
He Qiu's facial muscles twitched a few times: "You don't have to work hard."
"Huh?"
"Above, here it comes."
He Qiu said in a deep voice and pointed to the sky.
There, a black shadow fell from the clouds, surrounded by black spherical projectors, creating a thick black fog in the sky.
Its landing point is the roof of the building in front of you. (End of chapter)