Smoke slowly dissipated over the memorial venue of Heliopolis Life Sciences. The ear-piercing siren, like the wail of a wounded beast, surged from all directions towards the venue that had just experienced a violent intrusion.
Through the lens of a high-power telescope, Joachim clearly saw Arahato's black, purple, and green figure smashing through the glass and sweeping away the target in a way far smoother than the previous loop.
Then, before the official forces could encircle, Arahato vanished like a ghost into the shadowy cracks of the urban steel jungle.
This time, without the interception of a Herrscher charging out midway, the first core step of the plan was finally perfectly achieved.
He put down the telescope. There was no joy on his face, only a near-cold focus.
Kallen had completed what she needed to do. Next, it was his turn to take the stage.
Joachim's fingers slid quickly on the floating tactical tablet, calling up several encrypted communication channels.
On the screen, logos representing different capital groups, research institutions, and even some gray area brokers were flashing crazily. The density of information flow climbed exponentially.
Fear, anger, greed, unbelievable exclamations, and curses were transmitted through encrypted texts and voice fragments, converging into a buzzing ocean of sound waves full of the stench of money and lust for power.
"Target confirmed lost! It's Arahato!"
"What are the people of Heliopolis Life Sciences doing?! Security is practically non-existent!"
"Our investment! Our opportunity! Just snatched away like this?!"
"Where are the official personnel?! Just watching like this?!"
"Must make the higher-ups give an explanation! This is a naked provocation! A trampling on the rules of the entire industry!"
The time had come.
Joachim took a deep breath and switched to a heavily disguised voice channel.
His voice, specially processed to be deep and authoritative, carrying a cold certainty of insider knowledge, was clearly transmitted into the personal receivers of several key figures:
"Gentlemen, silence.
"Panic is useless. The attacker's identity has been basically confirmed. The correlation with the 'City of the Future' forces possibly behind it exceeds 90%.
"This is no longer a simple robbery, but a blatant plunder and declaration of war by cross-regional technological hegemony against local core interests and future opportunities."
He paused deliberately, letting the name "City of the Future" act like a torch thrown into an oil barrel, igniting fiercer flames in those minds already furious due to damaged interests.
"What we are facing is an opponent who does not follow rules, possesses advanced technology, and acts without scruples.
"They can snatch the 'key to ALS' today, and tomorrow they can take away the foundation of everyone here in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and any frontier field.
"So what is your choice? Compromise or wait for the lengthy official process?
"We all know clearly that means handing over the initiative, meaning all of us will become fish and meat on the future dining table."
His words were like the most precise scalpel, provoking the most sensitive nerves of all capital tycoons present—fear of losing monopoly advantages, greed for excess profits, and unwillingness to be crushed by higher-level forces.
"Heh... I think it's time for some people to understand that Sapphire City is not a playground where they can do whatever they want.
"The voice we unite to send out must be heard, valued, immediately."
Subsequently, Joachim decisively cut off this temporary channel, like a demolitions expert quietly retreating into the shadows after lighting the fuse.
He had placed the method right before these people's eyes. The subsequent development required almost no further push from him.
Those capital forces, dually stimulated by the "City of the Future threat theory" and their own damaged interests, began to operate with unprecedented efficiency and energy like a poked hornet's nest.
Calls were made to management departments at all levels, relationship networks were urgently activated, and sternly worded joint letters and "situation explanations" flew like snowflakes to higher levels...
An undercurrent mixed with commercial demands and political pressure converged and expanded in an extremely short time, then slammed fiercely onto the official decision-making layer responsible for stability maintenance and crisis response in Sapphire City.
At this moment, in the conference room of the decision-making layer, live footage of Arahato's raid, exasperated communication records of various capital representatives, and fragmentary intelligence about "City of the Future" activity signs were interwoven.
The atmosphere in the conference room was so solemn that water could be wrung out of it.
High-ranking officials, heads of security departments, and military representatives hurriedly taking office due to Su Mei's temporary leave all had ashen faces.
"Rampant! Too rampant!" A general with shining epaulets smashed his fist on the console. "On our turf, in broad daylight, using such means to snatch important scientific research targets! This is a blatant provocation to Shenzhou's sovereignty and laws!"
"Not just provocation," an intelligence officer responsible for economic security said in a low voice. "Those capital groups have united to apply pressure.
"Their words inside and out are accusing us of ineffective response, indulging external forces to infringe on local core interests.
"They even hinted that if we cannot solve it quickly, they will consider divestment and joint sanctions... This is coercing public opinion, kidnapping decision-making."
The person in charge at the main seat, an elder with graying temples and sharp eyes, listened quietly to subordinates' reports, fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest.
His gaze swept over the direction where Arahato disappeared on the screen, then skimmed over the fierce summaries of those capital representatives.
Pressure? He indeed felt it.
But more was anger at being offended.
And a deeper cold judgment necessary for the state machine.
Capital could game, could cooperate... but these must never override order, let alone try to use emergencies to coerce the government!
"Enough." The elder finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the entire command center.
"First, event characterization: The individual codenamed 'Arahato' carried out a premeditated, organized violent terrorist attack in Sapphire City, snatching important personnel, severely endangering public safety and social stability, provoking the dignity of our country's laws.
"From now on, Sapphire City enters a state of level-one alert, implementing a city-wide lockdown.
"All entry and exit channels are strictly controlled. Activate area-wide surveillance and identity recognition enhancement systems. Mobilize all available forces, at all costs, search for Arahato, rescue hijacked personnel. Authorize use of non-lethal heavy weapons when necessary."
The order was clear and categorical, carrying an unquestionable iron-blooded meaning, but everyone knew clearly that the elder had forcibly cooled down this matter by a level.
They only targeted Arahato, not mentioning the City of the Future at all.
"Second," the elder's gaze suddenly became cold, "regarding the behavior of certain capital groups in this incident attempting to incite public opinion and pressure the government..."
He paused, every word seeming to be fished out of an ice cellar.
"Pass down the order: To cooperate with the city-wide safety investigation and ensure the smooth progress of special operations, from today, all non-livelihood essential projects, financial market transactions, large gatherings, and non-essential production and research and development in Sapphire City are suspended for twenty-four hours.
"All relevant enterprises and institutions must unconditionally cooperate with safety inspections and personnel background checks. Violators will be severely punished without mercy."