The Hijackers Exposed Live
With a crackle of static, the fake Nanoi broadcast sent by the radio hijackers cut off. The camera swung back to the distant solar system of Dimension 0.1.
Explosions were ripping through the space visible through the crack in the Dimensional Gate.
"……."
The crowd fell silent. The pilot who had launched into space carrying the hopes of all his supporters—along with the Colossus he piloted—had been obliterated by a space monster less than five seconds after entering Dimension 0.1.
"What the hell just happened…."
"What even was that?"
"…He's dead?"
"Think the pilot survived?"
"Surviving that? He'd have to not be human…."
Around the Dimensional Gate the camera was capturing, staff and quarantine workers scurried about in chaos.
Bring the rescue gear now!!
No way! It's too late—
So you're saying we just abandon the pilot?!
The set had descended into pandemonium. Despite the broadcasting accident, the feed didn't cut.
Before long, the camera focused on Bergenev Masterhand, the director staring grimly into space.
"This isn't staged, right…?"
"Psycho. How does that even come out of your mouth in a situation like this?"
Viewers began speculating on the cause of the tragic accident they'd just witnessed. The first thing that came to mind was the video that had played right before the pilot got chomped.
It was the very footage that had interrupted the broadcast to declare the pilot a blatant lie fabricated by some agitator.
A few history buffs among the adults recalled past incidents and offered rational guesses.
"The signal got hijacked."
Like hijacking a plane, radio hijacking involved seizing the airwaves to overlay your own content. It wasn't just Dimension 3-1's Earth—it had happened multiple times across other dimensions in the past.
"Someone was blocking the Nanoi from calling for help."
From the so-called cyber wrecks' videos to breaking news from online journalists, the logical theory spread across the internet.
Less than a minute after the explosion, even those uninterested in Colossus crowdfunding or home shopping—or unaware it was even on sale—learned the full details.
Debate over the tragedy exploded across every community. Amid the wave of emotionally charged public opinion, takes like "If it goes down to mere interference, it wasn't that impressive a robot anyway" got buried.
But even so, the live stream didn't end. In a situation where they could've just announced the accident and stopped, Director Masterhand turned to the camera and addressed the viewers calmly.
"…We apologize for this unintended accident. We are doing everything possible to rescue the pilot, Afro Sass."
Shouts echoed across the chaotic site. The camera, which had been fixed on the still-open Dimensional Gate, couldn't bear to show the space disaster directly and turned back to the director.
"The Colossus cockpit is designed to maximize passenger safety. Please keep watching until the rescue concludes. And—"
The director locked eyes with the lens, glaring as if grabbing it by the collar. His expression and aura shifted completely, making viewers instinctively step back.
"…We will hold them accountable. Those who hijacked the signal and terrorized the pilot, and whoever's behind them. I swear it."
His eyes glistened with moisture as he steadied his breath.
"We'll see you again shortly."
—Cut. The feed ended.
The screen returned to the home shopping hosts and crowdfunding live emcees.
We offer our deepest apologies to our viewers.
We regret the interruption to the live broadcast due to this unintended accident—
The home shopping studio and crowdfunding hosts were busy recapping the incident. But they all hammered home one key point.
They've gotten away with hijacking signals so far because the victims were the Nanoi, far away in another dimension.
But this hijack harmed multiple corporations based across dimensions, including Porte Store, Addiz, Larryert Hotels, and Dimension United Airlines.
An on-screen crawl declared they would pursue legal action against the perpetrators and their backers.
The interference hadn't just hit the Nanoi— it struck companies rooted in various dimensions. Public airwaves were hard to secure, and usage fees were astronomical. Add labor and other costs, and the victims could sue for billions.
Plus, radio hijacking was a serious felony under criminal law.
That meant one thing.
"Report's in. Move out."
A special directive hit the Kikiwai police station. The SWAT team mobilized.
Kim Jian had pinpointed the location with Oatanocha's help beforehand. Dr. Sau and Director Masterhand reported it immediately, and SWAT surrounded the hotel before storming the room.
"Suspects fled."
SWAT missed the perps but found a busted interference transmitter. Tracking the escapees led to a wrecked car on the road. They'd been rushed to the hospital.
Before police arrived there…
"Alright, second half. Shall we begin?"
In the hospital room where the hijackers lay slumped, Kim Jian grinned alongside Director Masterhand and the camera crew they'd brought.
"Time to reveal the truth."
There stood Deputy Manager Bishuti aiming at the criminals' heads, flanked by his old comrades.
Northern Kikiwai coast, inside the tent with the Dimensional Gate.
[The Nanoi will be the final barrier, oxidizing alongside the space monsters.]
[Please don't forget us. May the light of knowledge shine eternally on your paths.]
Right after the fake agitprop replaced the live feed, the frozen mech got skewered by the space monster's jaws and exploded.
Staff stood stunned in shock. Director Masterhand calmly summarized for the camera, vowed revenge, and ended the stream.
Once the camera was off…
"Cut!"
"Great work, everyone~!!"
The assistant director's voice rang out toward Masterhand, who had poured his all into the performance.
"Haa…!"
Only then did the director exhale in relief and sink into a nearby chair. Waiting staff rushed over with water and fans.
"Acting after so long isn't easy, huh."
Kim Jian flashed a thumbs-up at the director's good-natured grumble.
And floating beside him was the pristine Colossus Mark 1.
Remote piloting still needs work.
Kim Jian shook his head slightly at pilot Afro Sass's amplified voice over the speaker.
"No, you did great."
The exploded one was a mass-produced decoy remotely controlled by Afro. With the interference device already smashed, remote op was a breeze.
"You've cleared the hardest part. Now just show your stuff."
Makes me blush… Y'know, this speech pattern's still awkward.
"Take your time adapting. It's not long since discharge."
The two vets chuckled quietly.
The inserted video was just a cleverly edited file nabbed before kidnapping the hijackers.
The moment it cut in, Afro went remote, sending a prepped mass-pro into space to blow—instead of the precious one-off Mark 1.
With identical outer armor, viewers couldn't tell the difference.
Result? One boom later, every dimension knew Colossus was on sale via crowdfunding and home shopping.
Plus, it exposed ongoing hijacks blocking Nanoi pleas.
All per the perfect script. Now for the final act.
"Deputy Manager Bishuti, Deputy Manager Razma. Stand by, please."
Kim Jian whispered into his radio and exited the tent.
Time for the reversal.
"I just did what they told me! Stop!! Please, enough!!!"
Kikiwai Central Hospital's multi-bed ward. The gang boss, finally freed from space monster venom by Razma's serum, writhed and screamed from torture trauma.
But Bishuti's gun just pressed harder against his temple.
The freshly awakened thug had no choice but to obey the bankers.
"So who ordered it?"
Cold eyes, polite tone. Bishuti kept questioning without easing his trigger finger.
"C-Congressman Ominoi! He ordered it!! Said he'd give me enough to live on forever after this!!"
"Heh…."
Vice Manager Elama, arriving late, let out a hollow laugh at the name.
Ominoi Baloma. Everyone knew the three-term ruling party congressman. Elama's family, traditional Karbuk theater heirs passing down the stage name Watch, had upper-society patrons—including mid-tier pols like Ominoi.
"Ha, haha. Regretting it now? Messing with me is the same as messing with the old man!"
The thug, thinking Elama and crew were spooked, grinned triumphantly—forgetting his broken limbs from the crash.
"Not a big fish like I thought. Easier to handle."
"What…?"
Elama's follow-up left him speechless.
"Director."
"Perfect. Let's roll."
At Kim Jian's cue, Masterhand dialed someone, then grabbed the camera himself.
"Urgent update for Addiz and Porte Store customers. Our crew has tracked the radio hijackers."
"They crashed and are recovering here in Kikiwai Central Hospital's ward."
"Let's hear from the perp who orchestrated this horror."
Monitoring on his smartphone, Kim Jian thumbs-upped and whispered.
"Flawless."
As Kim Jian predicted, viewership held steady for 15 minutes.
"Who ordered you to commit this atrocity?"
The director went straight for the kill on the bedridden thug.
The goon scanned the camera, director, and surroundings, hesitating—then spotted Bishuti's gun and bowed his head.
"O… Ominoi Baloma."
The instant the three-term Great Huuriten congressman's name left the hijacker's mouth, Masterhand cut the feed.
"Damn, perfect timing. Chat's a warzone right now."
The perp gawked at the grinning Kim Jian.
"What the hell are you people?! Think you can expose a three-term congressman and walk away?"
"Of course. That's why we're doing it."
Kim Jian, architect of most of the plan, smiled back.
"Deputy Manager."
"…Private bankers live by credit, but sometimes alternatives are needed."
From the mist behind Kim Jian stepped a shadowy undead.
The guC heavy hitter, elite private banker holding high-society secrets: Ectopl Razma Deputy Manager.