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"General, I think you've already seen it." A middle-aged councilman with a grave expression spoke on the virtual screen. "The fourth-generation monsters are advancing through that [gap]. The Hunter Plan has not performed well in recent years. Especially in the past year, you and your Mech Hunters have suffered increasing casualties against the Kaiju. This strategic plan is no longer effective."
"With the increasing number of attacks and the strength of the Kaiju, there is no doubt that the Hunter Plan, which once effectively curbed the deterioration of the situation, has become outdated. It is no longer the iron line of defense that everyone once trusted." Another of the nine people in the picture spoke up.
"I fully understand that every Mech Hunter's fall means the sacrifice of even more soldiers and civilians, but..." Stick Pantecost spoke gravely, but before he could finish, the nine council members on the virtual screen interrupted him. Even though he ignored the interruption and tried to finish his inner voice, the people on the screen clearly didn't want him to finish.
"Excuse me for interrupting you again, General! Whether you admit it or not, the Hunter Plan is dead in name only. We have given you at least two years of buffer period! Faced with an increasingly worse situation, we have to seek other better ways to deal with it. The Hunter Plan is outdated." British MP Cole, a white-haired old man, said expressionlessly.
"What's a better way to deal with it?" Steck asked.
"I think a coastal wall is a plan that is well worth considering. It appears to have the highest success rate and the highest level of protection available," Councillor Cole replied.
"You'd rather trust an illusory, unproven wall than the Hunter Project, which has protected the world for a decade? That's unwise." Steck's eyes were calm. "Besides, that Kaiju at sea, named "Kuoda," ultimately gained wings. If a flying Kaiju one day appeared, would that wall, built at such a huge cost, truly guarantee the safety of the people?"
"Nonsense! A monster of that size and weight, even if it had wings, wouldn't be able to fly under this planet's gravity. That's common sense!" US Congressman Taylor, a shrewd middle-aged man, said, "We're not abandoning the Hunter Project immediately. You still have time to make arrangements. This is how the world works. We must always adapt to the changing times and needs.
General, the world will remember the contributions you and your troops have made to global security over the past decade, and you will receive the honor you deserve. There are still eight months until the full completion of Project Wall—the Coastal Lifeline. During these eight months, we will continue to fulfill our responsibilities and continue to fund and support you. However, during this time, the other Hunter bases will also be closed one after another. You can retreat to PPDC headquarters with your remaining Mech Hunter warriors.
"So, in eight months, you're going to give up PPDC?" Stek asked.
"We are not abandoning PPDC, we are just no longer providing funding to PPDC's hunter program." The only female councillor among the nine said cunningly.
"This is the final outcome we agreed upon, and this meeting was just a notification."
The figures on the screen disappeared one by one. A feeling of powerlessness welled up in Stick Pantecost's heart, but he quickly put it aside and forced himself to cheer up.
"I didn't expect them to be so stupid." Cai Tiantong, who watched the whole thing, and Stek's good friend, General Heike, said at the same time.
"It's okay, we still have at least eight months," Stack Pantecost said calmly. It wasn't time to despair yet. He'd experienced far more than this, but he'd made it through!
"Dr. Luke Field of Shaw Industries has made an appointment and wants to visit the general at PPDC tomorrow to discuss some cooperation." Cai Tiantong suddenly said.
"The maker of the sixth-generation aircraft?" Stick Panticost was a little surprised when he heard this.
"Yes, he said he could provide us with some necessary assistance." Cai Tiantong read the official information of Shaw Industries.
"Promise him. I'd love to meet him, too," Stack Pantecost responded. He knew of Shaw Industries for two reasons: technology and wealth! Both of these things happened to be exactly what PPDC needed right now. Of course, it's not ruled out that Shaw Industries wanted to join forces with PPDC. After all, with the rise of the Walled Clique, PPDC has become a pariah. As the world's largest mecha industry leader, Shaw Industries certainly wouldn't have it easy. Perhaps they had heard rumors beforehand. After all, if major member states began to withdraw their investments and the Hunter Project was completely shelved and abandoned, then if Shaw Industries still wanted to operate the industry chain generated by the Mecha Hunter Project, its only customer would likely be PPDC. Given this situation, the decision-makers from both sides should indeed meet.
…
PPDC headquarters.
Shattered Dome.
A towering mech hunter, unaided by a heavy transport helicopter, descended with a breathtaking swiftness, its feet blazing with flames. The Shattered Dome's specially reinforced landing deck, designed for mech hunters to conduct combat operations, trembled slightly. Then, the skull-like mech hunter spread the palm of his left hand before the crowd. From his palm, a silver-white cylindrical metal object, approximately one meter in radius, gently emerged. It slid a short distance across the deck before landing in front of Stek and the others waiting on the deck.
The next moment, a door slid open from the cylindrical metal body, and a young figure walked out, taking off his silver-white helmet.
"Cool, I love this entrance!" The somewhat nervous Hermann Gottlieb, clearly enjoying this unusual appearance, whispered to his colleague and friend, Newton Geisler. However, Newton Geisler ignored him and stared with surprise at the silver-white mechanical form that followed the young figure. That's right! Axe Head! That's the original Kaiju!
"A show of force." Stack Panticost looked at the person coming, said to his good friend General Heike beside him, and stepped forward to greet him.
"I think it's more like a display of strength." Cai Tiantong, who rarely came out to greet guests, added, glanced around, and moved closer to Newton and the others.
"Welcome, Dr. Luke! I thought you would come by helicopter." said Stick Panticost.
"Mr. Shao is taking a helicopter, but he won't be here until the afternoon after he finishes his work. I was in a hurry, so I flew the Kurtulo ahead." Luke Field shook the hand that Steck offered, shook it twice, and then let go. A crowd of people dispersed around them, surrounding the two men as they walked into the base.
Inside the elevator, Newton Geisler looked at the mechanical axe that followed closely into the elevator and couldn't help but ask, "Is this the first generation Kaiju Beast Axe?"
"Obviously," Luke Field nodded.
"Is it rigged?"
"I programmed an intelligent system into it, and it can move on its own."
"That's so cool! I love it. I mean, can I touch it? It won't trip any security protocols, right?"
"Feel free to touch it. Its program is very rigorous and stable, and its logical judgment is no problem."
"Amazing! It's truly beautiful. I never imagined Kaiju combined with machinery could be so beautiful! Do you like Kaiju too? I've always wanted to study a living specimen, but unfortunately, all I can study are dead ones."
"Okay, Newton, let me talk to Dr. Luke first. You will have plenty of time to talk when we entertain him at lunch time. If we have a good chat today, Dr. Luke will come to the Broken Dome Base often in the future." The elevator stopped, and Stick Panticost interrupted Newton who was chattering as he walked.
Luke followed Stek to the main control room of the Broken Dome base, which was also Stek's office. He took Luke to a small office of his own and sat him down. He looked at Luke Field and said, "Can you tell me about Shaw Industries or your purpose now? Or should we wait for Mr. Shao to come?"
"PPDC is in a terrible predicament, isn't it? Shaw Industries can't do anything about the situation PPDC is facing, but we are willing to contribute."
"Funds?" Stek's eyes lit up. Although he knew that Shaw Industries was rich, it could not really afford to support PPDC. But if Shaw Industries was willing to support and provide some funds, it could at least make PPDC's life easier. At the very least, it could help it survive for a few more days.
"That's not all." Luke Field pulled out his phone, tapped the screen, then placed it on the table next to him and connected it to the office's virtual projection system. "And Shaw Industries' full technical support!"
"What do you, or Shaw Industries, want?" Stack Panticost's eyes were calm. He knew that the other party's efforts would not go without the desired return.
"PPDC has mastered the full range of Mecha Hunter technology." Luke Field said.
"Impossible!" Stacker Pantecost's face turned pale and he flatly refused. It wasn't like there hadn't been people in the PPDC who had secretly sold Mecha Hunter designs and technology, but most of those people were now incarcerated.
"Why don't you take a look at what I can bring for you first?" Luke Field calmly started working on the virtual projection.
"The manufacturing technology of each Mecha Hunter is confidential! And the complete set of Mecha Hunter manufacturing technology is the common wisdom of all member countries and non-member countries in the past ten years! Although Shaw Industries' technology is very powerful, compared with many countries..." Stick Panticost was about to continue to veto, but the next moment, when he saw the technical information projected by Luke, his mind was stunned!