"Governor, they've confirmed—he's agreed to come."
Inside the Governor's office, the current Governor of California, Gavin Brown, could not hide the surge of relief that appeared on his face after hearing the report.
Not long ago, he had been drowning in anxiety.
The devastation of Los Angeles and several surrounding cities had left him overwhelmed.
Setting aside the political backlash he was bound to face after such a catastrophe, the sheer scale of manpower and resources required for reconstruction alone was enough to give him a headache.
California had always been a heavyweight state within the Federation—politically, economically, culturally, and technologically.
But this time, it had suffered a devastating blow.
And it wasn't just Los Angeles.
Santa Barbara, Anaheim, Palm Springs, and several other nearby cities had also been more than sixty percent destroyed.
At one point, Gavin had nearly considered resigning outright.
This wasn't an ordinary disaster.
A super earthquake above magnitude 7.8 had flattened Los Angeles completely.
And unlike Gotham—which had suffered surface-level destruction during war—Los Angeles had been erased from the map in a literal sense.
Gotham's underground infrastructure, including its foundation systems, subway lines, and drainage networks, had remained partially intact. That had significantly reduced rebuilding costs and time.
Los Angeles, however, had been annihilated down to its geological core.
Even underground nuclear-resistant shelters had collapsed.
City-level infrastructure systems—things that took decades to build—had been obliterated overnight.
Under these circumstances, even the federal government hesitated to commit to full reconstruction.
Yet Los Angeles was the flagship city of California—arguably of America.
Not rebuilding was simply not an option.
The problem was this:
No major global construction conglomerate dared to take on the project.
The total reconstruction value—including surrounding cities—would easily exceed ten trillion dollars in scale.
As for concerns about capital manipulation?
Gavin would simply laugh.
If someone truly had that kind of money and capability, he would gladly let them try.
But Lucas was different.
He was widely acknowledged as the strongest individual on Earth.
If he said he could handle it, then he likely could.
He had nothing to gain from deception.
"Clyde, prepare the main conference room immediately. Make sure everything appropriate for receiving a distinguished guest is ready," Gavin ordered.
"No need. We can talk right here."
A voice interrupted calmly.
Gavin froze.
A figure was already standing inside his office.
The security personnel at the door instantly raised their automatic weapons, tense and alarmed.
"Stand down," Gavin quickly ordered.
He had recognized the man.
"First time meeting in person. It's an honor. I'm Gavin Brown, Governor of California."
He stood and extended his hand.
"Lucas."
They shook hands.
"Please, have a seat."
After sitting down, Gavin went straight to the point.
"Mr. Lucas, your strength is beyond question. No one doubts that."
"But rebuilding a city is extraordinarily complex—especially Los Angeles."
"And it's not just Los Angeles. Several surrounding cities must be rebuilt simultaneously."
"The scope of coordination involved is immense."
He paused.
"As a private individual, I might even call myself a fan of yours."
"But as Governor, I must answer to tens of millions of taxpayers."
Lucas listened quietly before responding.
"Since you know who I am, then you also know I don't speak lightly."
"I'll be clear."
"I'm not just rebuilding Los Angeles."
"I will take full responsibility for the reconstruction of the surrounding cities as well."
Gavin's eyes widened.
One city was already unthinkable.
Several?
He instinctively pinched his cheek, half wondering if he was dreaming.
"You're… not joking?"
Lucas did not show irritation.
The magnitude of the matter justified caution.
"Governor, I am not joking. And this is not something worth joking about."
He tapped the desk lightly.
"The Los Angeles I intend to rebuild will not resemble the old one."
"The new city will occupy at least one and a half times the original land area."
Gavin swallowed.
The original Los Angeles was already vast.
Expanding it by fifty percent?
"Forgive me for asking again," Gavin said carefully.
"You truly are serious?"
Lucas did not answer verbally this time.
He raised a hand.
A massive holographic projection appeared in midair.
A fully realized city blueprint.
Its layout was seamless. Its structural integration flawless.
The architecture resembled something from a futuristic science fiction metropolis.
"This… can actually be built?" Gavin felt dizzy.
From the moment Lucas entered his office, every statement had shattered his expectations.
If he didn't know this was the Terminator standing before him, he might have suspected a scam targeting state funds.
"If I designed it," Lucas said calmly, "then it is feasible."
"And if, after construction, it differs from these designs—feel free to hold me accountable."
Gavin waved his hand quickly.
"No, no. I trust your integrity."
Picking a fight with the Terminator?
That was not an appealing career move.
"So… what support do you require from the state government?"
"Funding? Construction materials? Heavy equipment? Labor assistance?"
Lucas raised a finger.
"No."
"We will handle equipment, materials, and manpower ourselves."
"As for funding, simply ensure that the budget allows us to break even."
"The rest is irrelevant."
"The most important condition is this: during construction, neither you nor your state officials are to interfere."
Gavin nodded immediately.
"That aligns with what the President already conveyed to us."
...
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