The Banker Who Sees Potential 54
The police department, having received a substantial "service fee" from the Dimensional Credit Vault, moved with remarkable speed.
"You have the right to remain silent, and anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law—"
Right after the bankers left the hospital, they swooped in and unceremoniously arrested the radio hijackers lying in their beds, dragging them away. Kim Jian and Elama didn't witness the arrests, though. They were already riding the film crew's vehicle toward the northern coast of Kikiwai Island.
"You've arrived."
Around the same time Kim Jian pulled up, Dr. Levi Sau and the other Nanoi researchers arrived on an airship. This spot was a stunning private beach on the northern coastline of Kikiwai's main island, surrounded by cliffs. Though no development had started nearby yet, it was private land owned by Colossus Robotics. With such tight security in place, no one could harm the Nanoi people here.
Thanks to you, we made it here safely. Not much longer now.
The projected hologram belonged to Dr. Levi Sau. She politely bowed her head in gratitude to Kim Jian and Elama before heading into the tent. By the time the three of them entered, Afro was already strapped into Colossus Mark 1, ready for launch. The monitor nearby showed footage from the cockpit's black box. Afro, who had barely survived in space from Dimension 0.1 and now had to play the part of a rescued pilot, was fully decked out in special makeup.
"My god... Laurel Tree's special effects makeup is incredible. You look like you're about to keel over any second."
Kim Jian called out warmly, and Afro on the screen waved back.
I'm fine. Been getting more makeup done, that's all.
"You look way more natural now."
Like teasing a fresh dischargee back from military service, Kim Jian ribbed Afro.
Haha... Guess I'm a civilian now.
Afro just grinned sheepishly.
What? Afro, you already buddies with Jian?
Yeah, somehow...
Having taken acting lessons in front of Kim Jian, Afro could now trade light jokes with him.
"Director, everything's standing by. Ready to roll whenever."
The assistant director, who had stayed behind in the tent instead of going to the hospital, and half the crew welcomed back Bergenev Masterhand. While Kim Jian and the others were at the hospital, they'd stuck around, finishing prep with Afro. The monitors showed home shopping channels and crowdfunding platforms where hosts were spilling details about the radio hijackers' arrest in downtown Kikiwai.
Right after the on-screen hosts finished speaking, the monitoring team checking SNS and viewer boards via computers in the tent silently thumbs-upped in unison.
"Everything's going to plan."
Kim Jian grinned, his expression somehow reminiscent of Elama's.
"Good work."
Elama looked genuinely pleased watching him. It was all unfolding exactly as Kim Jian had schemed—showing even greater strategic brilliance than Elama had hoped.
No matter what incident or accident hits, people will keep watching as long as the live stream and broadcast continue.
And everyone who hears the news will flock in too.
The real-time viewer count on screen had already far exceeded expectations, but the system held steady. That was because it ran on Nanoi quantum computers, handling traffic from dozens or hundreds of dimensions effortlessly.
SNS was flooded with sympathy for the Nanoi and backlash against Ominai lawmakers and others involved in the radio hijacking and pulse bomb plot. From opinion leaders to schoolkids, everyone was united: save the Nanoi. No politician dared defy the public will now.
The board will vote down this agenda.
Saving the Nanoi is impossible.
Public opinion has turned.
People only care about their own safety.
As long as the masses blind themselves and believe lies as truth, extracting help to save the Nanoi from them is impossible.
Those words from his attempt to sway HQ board members flashed through his mind. Elama wouldn't have stepped up either if Kim Jian hadn't begged him.
My plan's solid, but I can't be the one dealing with those folks.
Elama chuckled, then smacked the back of Kim Jian's head hard for the shameless line. Truth be told, during the board talks, Elama's views aligned closely with theirs. Still, he'd gone against his own beliefs at Kim Jian's plea.
People make mistakes. Crowds even more so.
But that foolishness is human nature.
The ones moving the world are the ignorant fools you dismiss—and that won't change forever.
We'll walk with them eternally.
He'd squeezed every ounce of acting talent to say those lines.
People are foolish.
But only people can save people from monsters.
Saving the Nanoi will bring massive profits to the Dimensional Credit Vault.
I implore you to reconsider additional support.
That day, he'd over-immersed in the role more than usual.
"......"
Even if it was acting, recalling those embarrassingly earnest words twisted Elama's face.
-Thwack!
"Ow! Why'd you hit me outta nowhere? You nuts?"
"All your fault."
"Huh?"
"Shut it. One more coming."
-Thwack!
While Bergenev Masterhand was distracted, Elama smacked Kim Jian's head twice. First time a subordinate had gotten the upper hand on him since joining the bank. Kim Jian didn't know what Elama had said to the board, but it stung his pride anyway.
"If you weren't my boss, I'd deck you..."
"What'd you say?"
"Said it's impossible without the branch chief's help. I respect you always. Loyalty, loyalty."
"......"
Even as the two tussled, Colossus finished its final checks.
The studio hosts and crowdfunding live streamers kept feeding updates to viewers. Cockpit cam footage of Bergenev Masterhand and Afro immediately popped up alongside.
Afro, made up to look battered, still burned with determination in his eyes. The director called in medics to recite the prepped script: Afro was fine and cleared for launch.
I... I won't give up... no matter what! Give me one more chance!
Viewers empathized with his fiery resolve, moved to tears.
Buoyed by the cheers, Colossus Mark 1 geared up for relaunch. After the fake mass-production model's explosion, its outer armor had been upgraded to an even cooler design, gleaming powerfully under the lights.
"Afro, Colossus MK-2, launching!!"
-VRROOOOM!!
With his signature battle cry, Colossus blasted off toward Dimension 0.1 space. Its trajectory led straight to the Nanoi homeworld—and their future.
The live streams on the crowdfunding platform and home shopping channels shattered all records for views and ratings.
-BOOM! Monster corpses exploding in space sent shockwaves vibrating the cockpit walls. The pilot's tense face. Footage from the black box, external cams, and tiny drone cams zipped through space, cross-edited like a blockbuster war movie, delivering raw battlefield realism.
11 o'clock, 3 o'clock—enemy craft approaching
-WHOOSH!! The space monster's wing shockwave rocked the mech. The vibration shook Afro's cockpit in the safe tent, where he remotely piloted via ultra-high-speed sync—a trick to fool viewers into thinking he was fighting in deadly space. Securing both safety and immersion, this content let people vicariously experience epic space war.
The footage flowed like an orchestra: timpani built grim tension, brass unisons heralded doom's approach. In enemy-packed Dimension 0.1 space, lone Colossus battled desperately. Racing strings' tremolo scored its dashes.
Outnumbered, outgunned, overwhelming odds. But the handsome pilot gripped the controls with demonic ferocity.
-ROOOAR!!
The mystical monatomic gold spun wildly in the reactor, infusing Colossus with energy. Golden aura bathed the mech inside and out. Legend said it granted eternal power proportional to the pilot's will—now proven by Nanoi tech once more.
Space monsters swarmed from all sides. Amid them, the radiant golden giant Colossus dominated peerlessly.
Kills: 210, 226... climbing!!
Reactor golden ratio at critical!!
You can do it now!! Afro!!
The three operators screamed at eardrum-shattering volume. A special specimen four times larger than normal lumbered free of the planetary net, closing on Colossus.
Dr. Sau!!
Perfect. Test run success. Approve Final Fusion.
Final Fusion approved!!!
Monatomic Drive ON!!
Golden Colossus sequence ready!
-SHWOOOSH!!
Four cased Colossus units in the tent rocketed into Dimension 0.1 space on boosters—a meteor shower spectacle. Viewers couldn't look away.
Combine!
The four arrivals shed boosters and began intricate transformations.
-BOOM!!
-CLANK!!
Gleaming golden limbs slotted seamlessly onto Afro's ride. The aura engulfed the new parts. Complete: the golden titan, Golden Colossus. And in that instant, the Nanoi's new guardian god was born.
The screen went black, white subtitles fading in.
Viewers lamented the sudden end to the live stream but kept chatting. Orders flooded in immediately.
People maxed out interest-free credit card installments to fund as many Colossus units as possible or paid via home shopping.
That day, Colossus Robotics raked in 47 trillion gulden. Hundreds of millions across 13 dimensions happily opened their wallets to fund mass production. Once again, people had saved people. Historic moment.