BXBX NOVEL Chapter 402: The Aftermath of The Battle
— Morning —
After the conflict concluded, the residents of San Francisco found themselves grappling with a new reality. They now understood that humans were no longer at the pinnacle of the food chain. News outlets and media platforms buzzed with the events of the previous night, where two colossal monsters engaged in a dramatic battle.
One seemed intent on city-wide destruction, while the other appeared determined to defend it.
What truly captivated the public's imagination were two extraordinary technologies that emerged during the chaos, almost reminiscent of science fiction tales.
The first marvel occurred when the monstrous entity with a woman's torso threatened the city. A colossal shield materialized, thwarting the tsunami generated by the creature and shielding the city from harm. This shield also seemed to possess advanced identification features, allowing it to discern friend from foe.
The second awe-inspiring spectacle unfolded as the second monster descended from the skies, effortlessly breaching the protective shield to confront its adversary. This is why people think tha the shield that protects the city last night has IFF capabilities.
This second monster seems to be controlled by the people or an organization that contributes to defending the city; they had maneuvering the second monster to push the first monster towards the open sea where a hidden, powerful weapon lay in wait.
This weapon, the second technological marvel, elevated the city's astonishment to new heights. It was a colossal beam cannon capable of obliterating a monster the size of a skyscraper in a single shot, an event that some media cameras managed to capture.
What astonished observers even more was the cannon's ability to manipulate gravity, suspending the monster mid-air before unleashing its devastating power to minimize collateral damage. The scenes captured on phones and cameras only added to the surreal atmosphere, leaving many questioning if they were witnessing reality or a scene from a futuristic movie.
Many questions arose among people worldwide regarding the Liberty House, where the current US President, John Malcomes, had yet to respond to inquiries from various global media outlets about the recent events. The world's foremost question was simple yet crucial: Does the US possess a weapon capable of destroying a small planet?
The footage captured by the media, meticulously analyzed by experts worldwide, painted a concerning picture. The unleashed beam from this mysterious weapon demonstrated enough destructive force to obliterate the moon in a single shot.
Contemplating about the consequences sent shivers down many spines. If even a fraction of that power were directed at any capital city, the potential devastation was unimaginable. The mere thought of such an occurrence was enough to evoke fear and apprehension among nations.
In response to this looming uncertainty and a possible threat, the Qin Empire initiated an emergency call to all UN member countries, except the US of course. The objective was clear: convene and strategize, ensuring preparedness with contingency plans should the US choose to remain unresponsive to global inquiries.
— Liberty House - Conference Room —
Within the iconic conference room of the Liberty House, not many hours had passed, yet a lot had already transpired. President John Malcomes felt that this was the most challenging time of his four-year term in office.
John Malcomes was not an exceptional politician; he wasn't the brightest or the most diligent. However, he had secured his presidency because he knew the right people, especially Victoria Goldwyn, the uncrowned queen of the US. One could argue that he was little more than a puppet, but he didn't mind.
In his position, he didn't need to fear enemies trying to harm him, allowing him peaceful nights with his family.
"Why bother with a powerless puppet like me? If you have an issue, speak directly with the queen!" This was his go-to problem-solving statement, especially in dealing with internal politics. It was an effective way to silence political rivals and enemies, as they all coveted the presidency and knew it was unwise to challenge the uncrowned queen.
However, this time, pressure came directly from the UN, a situation that required him to improvise significantly since the previous night had left him with no instructions from his backers. His best course of action was to buy time until morning, hoping for guidance to navigate this new challenge.
"Mr. Malcomes!" A familiar voice echoed, carrying a tone akin to a goddess arriving to resolve all problems—it was Elizabeth Harrington, the representative of the Golden Empire group and also known as the queen of Hollywood.
Elizabeth Harrington's title as the queen of Hollywood didn't stem from her abilities or strategic prowess in the entertainment industry. Instead, it was solely due to her close friendship with Victoria Goldwyn, the uncrowned queen.
Films bearing Elizabeth's name carried minimal risk of financial loss because in case of failure or mishap, Victoria would step in with her vast resources to rectify the situation.
Investors were keen on projects associated with Elizabeth's name, despite some films failing due to Victoria's attempts to prove herself, often leading to complications either due to her lust or her lack of directing skills.
To avoid such failures, filmmakers needed to curry favor with the uncrowned queen, to tell her friend to stay put or pray that Elizabeth would be lazy of getting involved. While it was a low-risk venture, nobody wanted their film to flop as reputation was highly valued in the industry.
Although Elizabeth Harrington might have been lacking in her Hollywood role, she excelled as a representative. John Malcomes couldn't comprehend why or how, but whenever Elizabeth took the stage and reassured people that everything was alright, tensions immediately dissipated.
Her voice possessed a unique calming effect, instilling belief that everything would indeed be alright. Even when faced with an angry mob outside Liberty House, her words had a magical effect, swiftly pacifying the crowd and immediately disperse them without any violence.
"Is everything ready, Ms. Harrington? Do you need anything?" John inquired, his heart racing not due to any lust for Elizabeth's beauty but because of the uncertainty and pressure he had endured throughout the night without instructions from his backer.
"Ah, everything will be okay, Mr. President. Please do not worry," Elizabeth, known as Lust, one of the Witches of Seven Sins, replied with a beautiful business-like smile. Her cascading blonde hair, neatly arranged, gave her the appearance of an old British noble lady.
"That's good, Ms. Harrington. Please proceed," the president gestured toward the stage of the Liberty House conference room, where everything had been prepared.
Lust nodded confidently before striding toward the podium. Emerging from backstage where the president had been hidden from the media, Lust, much like Greed, was a non-combatant witch. If Greed was the weakest, then Lust was the second weakest, her witch ability proving useful when necessary, ensuring she avoided the weakest position.
The stage, the media, and the global time slots on TV and media were her battlefield, where she was truly invincible.
Taking a deep breath, Lust addressed the nation. "Greetings, fellow Americans," she began, a warm smile gracing her lips.
"I'm Elizabeth Harrington, representing both the Liberty House and the Golden Empire Group. The events that unfolded last night in San Francisco Bay raise a crucial question, one that perhaps humanity has grown complacent about in the face of our long reign: Are we truly at the top of the food chain? The incident last night serves as a reminder that the answer may not be so clear-cut."
She paused for effect, letting the weight of her words sink in before continuing. "The specifics of what transpired, the nature of the attacking monster, and the identity of the one that protected us – all of these matters are under close investigation. We at the Liberty House have dedicated a significant amount of resources and manpower to unraveling the truth.
There's much I cannot disclose at this early stage. However, as a representative of the Golden Empire, I can assure you the weapon used last night was a prototype capable of only a single shot. It's now nothing more than a pile of useless scrap metal."
Lust gestured towards a screen behind her that displayed images of the weapon's wreckage – a massive cannon, its once-proud metal now warped and blackened by the destructive force.
The revelation on the screen sent a shockwave through the conference room. Reporters and media personnel erupted in a cacophony of shouts and camera flashes. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as they desperately tried to capture the image of the weapon's destruction.
Questions bubbled to the surface, but a single, captivating smile from Lust effectively silenced the room. No one dared to interrupt the flow she had carefully orchestrated.