In the past, even setting up a small newsstand would require layers of municipal oversight—and officials would still find fault with something.
But now, when it came to a reconstruction project of this magnitude, the state government dared not interfere.
To put it bluntly—
Whoever was willing to take on this super-scale project was practically California's savior.
If someone could truly rebuild a new Los Angeles on schedule, the state government would treat them like royalty.
So when President Ellis relayed Lucas's conditions to Governor Gavin, the latter agreed almost instantly.
There was no need for prolonged deliberation.
"The—ah—this may not be appropriate for me to ask," Gavin said after a brief pause.
"But as Governor of California, I have a responsibility to verify your construction qualifications."
Lucas smiled faintly and snapped his fingers.
A notification sound immediately chimed from Gavin's computer.
A new email.
Gavin looked at Lucas in confusion, and Lucas gestured for him to check.
Returning to his desk, Gavin opened the message. It contained an extensive collection of documentation—certifications for construction, infrastructure development, heavy engineering operations, and regulatory compliance.
With Lucas's current relationship with the federal government, obtaining such approvals required little more than a single phone call. Everything would pass through expedited review channels without obstruction.
Gavin was no fool. He understood exactly how that worked.
"Very well," he continued carefully.
"You have all the necessary certifications."
"But may we see samples of the heavy machinery and construction materials you plan to use?"
Lucas chuckled.
"Of course. But I'm not about to ship everything here right now."
"Besides, the initial groundwork and structural preparation won't even require heavy machinery."
Gavin frowned slightly.
"Mr. Lucas, I'm no civil engineer, but I've visited enough construction sites to know how projects begin."
"Are you certain about that?"
"I'm not interfering," he added quickly.
"I simply want to ensure the process is sound."
Lucas thought for a second, then nodded.
"The Governor has a point."
"In that case, we might as well begin today."
He stood up.
"Order a full evacuation. Clear everyone from the Los Angeles ruins immediately."
"…What?"
Gavin blinked.
"Evacuate Los Angeles and the surrounding disaster zones completely," Lucas clarified.
"I'm about to begin the first step."
"First step? What first step?" Gavin looked bewildered.
"You've been to construction sites, haven't you?" Lucas raised an eyebrow.
The governor's assistant leaned over and whispered,
"Governor, the first step is geological surveying and assessment."
"Right—surveying," Gavin repeated.
"Then let's go," Lucas said, already walking toward the door.
"Mr. Lucas—at least give us a location?" Gavin called out hurriedly.
"Just hover at high altitude," Lucas replied before stepping out.
---
Soon, three military-grade helicopters lifted off from the temporary California Governor's office.
Within two minutes, nearby news helicopters scrambled into the air as well, following closely behind.
In California—especially near Los Angeles—journalists were anything but ordinary.
In a region filled with celebrities, executives, and political elites, even the slightest movement could trigger media frenzy.
And with California's economy in crisis, reporters knew that any major news would likely emerge from the state government.
When Lucas entered the governor's office earlier, they had already prepared themselves.
After all, nearly a quarter of California's population had been personally rescued by him.
If he appeared at the state government, it could only mean something big.
The moment they saw the official helicopters take off, they followed without hesitation.
---
Before long, they arrived above the ruins.
"We're directly over Los Angeles," Gavin muttered inside the helicopter, staring down at the devastated land below.
The city was unrecognizable.
Journalists leaned forward, equally curious about Lucas's intentions.
At that moment, Lucas glanced over the vast destruction beneath him—
And began ascending.
Higher and higher.
Soon, he reached an altitude of nearly ten thousand meters.
The helicopters could not follow.
Civilian helicopters typically operated between 2,000 and 4,000 meters.
Even military aircraft rarely exceeded 6,000 meters.
Just as Gavin and the reporters wondered what to do, Lucas waved his hand gently.
A subtle energy field enveloped the helicopters.
In an instant, they were lifted—rapidly ascending—until they hovered at the same altitude as Lucas.
The journalists instinctively aimed their cameras at him.
Modern optical systems were powerful enough that even from hundreds of meters away, they captured his expressions and movements with perfect clarity.
News outlets immediately labeled the broadcast:
"The Terminator."
Within thirty seconds of going live, more than eight million viewers across America were watching.
As international networks picked up the signal, that number surged into the hundreds of millions.
On every screen—
Lucas slowly raised his palm.
Under the stunned and confused gazes of countless viewers, he gently pressed his hand downward toward the earth.
No one understood what was about to happen.
Then—
The air changed.
The cameras shifted downward.
And everyone saw it.
The atmosphere beneath Lucas began to solidify—visibly.
It glowed faintly gold.
The entire sky above Los Angeles shimmered with golden radiance.
The air no longer appeared intangible.
It resembled a colossal golden slab—compressing downward.
Not over a few football fields.
Not over a handful of square kilometers.
But over thousands of square kilometers.
Commentary exploded across broadcasts and social media:
"Holy shit— is he trying to flatten the entire city?!"
"No… maybe he's just leveling the terrain."
"My God… another miracle…"
"This completely violates physics!"
"According to classical mechanics, air has mass! Compressing that volume would generate unimaginable kinetic energy!"
"Newton's coffin is about to explode!"
And yet—
The golden sky continued descending.
.
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