Arknights, I'm going to beat Kal'tsit, really?

Page 35

"..."

"What is this guy talking about...? Only the Pope and his confidants can access Lateran's core secrets. How could I, a fallen angel, possibly do that?"

Kane, seeing Mostima's smiling eyes, guessed her thoughts perfectly. As the words were uttered, her smile gradually froze.

"This technology is amazing... but it's not the complete form yet, is it? Kane, you originally wanted to test the effect of mind synchronization? But I don't feel any difference."

"Because I didn't unleash my aura."

Kane actively connected to the Heavenly Pivot interface, and the long-hidden halo and wings of light bloomed behind him once again.

As Sakta's characteristics became apparent, the progress of his mental synchronization also became clear—Kane and Mostima's synchronization rate had reached 98%!

Mostima's empathy should have been hindered by his fall from grace, but the two have now broken through the limitations—a powerful empathy that completely connects them, far surpassing that of any other Sarkaz.

At this moment, they need no words; a glance, a thought, and they understand each other perfectly.

Kane held out his hand, and Mostima understood without a word. The two played rock-paper-scissors—clearly, they would only ever draw.

"It's like speaking into the other person's head."

"You've already thought about this sentence."

They gave each other a high five in perfect unison. This touch revealed a new ability to Kane: he could feel the texture of Mostima's high five—the size of his own hand, the distinct bones from his boxing training.

Mostima also noticed something was wrong. She glanced at Kai1Lin (a) Nisiwu CY Jiujiu 8 En, and then pinched her thigh.

The pain instantly traveled to Kane, making him wince – he himself was physically strong and wouldn't have felt anything at this level; but Mostima had delicate skin and felt pain with the slightest exertion, and this pain was directly shared with Kane.

"Stop, stop, stop! This is a completely negative effect... In battle, if one person gets injured, it will cause discomfort to two people."

"Hiss... I think so too. There should be an adjustment function, we just don't know how to use it yet."

Mostima didn't want to suddenly receive some strange sensations from Kane one day... she didn't want to experience pleasure from her phantom limb.

"What are you thinking? Why would I activate mind synchronization at a time like that?"

"How can you blame me!? It's all because of your memories..."

Mostima was also somewhat embarrassed and annoyed. She was still an innocent girl, but because she shared Kane's memories, now... her theoretical skills were already quite proficient. Like a top student who scored full marks in a mock exam, all that was left was a real-world test to solidify her knowledge.

"Anyway, you know what to do next without me having to tell you."

Kane deactivated Sarkazhan mode, the aura and wings went out, and the feeling of his two souls becoming one gradually subsided.

"Go report to Miss Lappland. The Texas family will support me, and I'll serve as your personal messenger. There will be opportunities in the future to try and access Laterano's laws, right?"

"clever."

For some reason, Mostima felt that teasing Fiametta would become unusually easy in the future—her skills in strategy and cunning had clearly improved, mostly thanks to Kane.

The test was over, and the two prepared to leave.

Kane sent Lappland a message: "I've found you an ally; she's one of your kind. You're a lone wolf, she's a fallen angel rejected by the angels."

Soon after, a reply came: I look forward to meeting this colleague.

"OK, go report for duty—my messenger."

"I will obey your command, my master."

Mostima was clearly aware of Lappland's existence and even knew what had happened between them, so he naturally made a joke.

Kane returned his gaze with a greedy look—and Mostima quickened her pace, swiftly disappearing from his sight as his gaze swept over her. How could she forget that he was far from a gentleman, and that she was not someone untouchable to him?

I have enough theoretical knowledge... but I'd better skip the practical application.

Watching the blue-haired fallen angel flee in disarray, Kane didn't bother to chase after her—there would be plenty of time in the future, and he could "train" her properly when she became bolder.

Perhaps the final gap in synchronized thinking is precisely due to a lack of this kind of communication.

But Kane had barely sat down when an urgent call came from the business department.

"Director Kane! Something terrible has happened... well, you can't say it like that. Anyway, please come to the Business Section immediately—Vice President Jackson has come to Rhine Life!"

Chapter 89 Government Aid

When Kane stepped into the Business Division's top-of-the-line meeting room, all eyes instantly turned to him. The most striking figure among them was, of course, Vice President Jackson—he seemed unchanged from their last meeting, still maintaining the demeanor and elegance of an old-school elite.

Unlike his previous silence and observation, this time he took the initiative to extend goodwill to Kane. Upon meeting, he smiled, his already amiable face becoming even more endearing with his smile. Ordinary people, seeing such an expression, would likely perceive him as a politician who cares for the people and is kind and upright—but how many politicians are truly naive and simple-minded?

The business department members knew perfectly well that this was an opponent they couldn't handle. They couldn't accept the conditions offered, nor could they provide the answers the other party wanted. So they urgently summoned Commander Christensen, but upon hearing who it was, the Commander realized he probably couldn't make the decision either, and had no choice but to call upon the true leader of Rhine Labs.

"Long time no see, Mr. Jackson."

“Indeed, it has been several years since we last met… Mr. Mordred, it is a pleasure to see that you have built such an outstanding company. I believe it will lead Colombia to a better and brighter future.”

Kane gestured for the others to leave. The business personnel, relieved, quickly withdrew from the reception room. With the door closing, only the two remained, facing each other.

"I am curious why His Excellency the President did not come in person."

If the business department heard this, they would probably be terrified and flustered—after all, sitting across from him was the Vice President of Colombia, the true apex of the country's power pyramid! Kane actually felt that the other party was "not heavy enough" and that the President should personally intervene.

"I regret to inform you that Your Excellency has other commitments at the moment. If you find it inconvenient, I can convey your wishes back to the government building and arrange a meeting at another time."

Jackson adopted a very humble stance. He had long since come to terms with reality—having followed Mark Max for many years, he was keenly aware of the fundamental differences between ordinary people, the First Men, the Divine People, the Lords of Beasts, the Giants, the Immortals…

If the other party were just an ordinary company, or a representative of a political group or business union, Jackson would not have needed to be so polite, not making them kneel down to speak like people in other countries—Colombia's "democratic dignity" was already the biggest concession.

But Kane is clearly not among them. He is on par with the President. The President was able to lead an enclave to repel the Duke of Victoria and even gain a foothold in the Four Emperors War, enabling Colombia to rapidly rise to power within a century; could Kane achieve such a feat? Clearly, it would be effortless for him. He could summon natural disasters even in his weakest moments; now, so much time has passed—Jackson simply cannot believe he hasn't improved.

Today, he is only more terrifying—perhaps he could easily destroy the entire country of Colombia?

The fact that this company has now established a business in Colombia and invested significant resources is an excellent sign. If both sides deepen their cooperation, Colombia will possess two powerful forces in the future!

Therefore, after observing Rhine Lab's plans for some time, Mark finally took action.

"It's alright. I believe that Vice President Jackson's words also represent the will of Colombia."

“You flatter me. I am far from qualified—but at least I can speak on behalf of His Excellency the President.”

Both sides are well aware of each other's true situation, so there's no need to resort to political rhetoric.

Colombia's terms were: the government would provide all possible investment and support to Rhine Life, grant it access to a large amount of regulatory technology and authority, and utilize government-controlled social resources to assist Rhine Life—including "minor matters" such as media control.

Rhine Life Sciences must commit to prioritizing the needs of the Colombian government in the future—Oriphyte inhibitors and cures, advanced weaponry, and breakthroughs in key technologies… The legal contract stipulates that the Colombian government holds a 25% stake in Rhine Life Sciences.

Kane had no objection. His initial complete control was precisely to prevent impurities from entering and hindering the company's development; Mark was clearly not that kind of person, and besides, the terms offered were extremely generous. Columbia's full support alone was enough to allow Rhine Life to grow rapidly.

After the two shook hands, Jackson's personal secretary immediately contacted Justin, the newly returned head of the business department. Even this seasoned veteran couldn't hide his nervousness—why? Where, after a lifetime of struggle and hard work, did Justin have the most direct interaction with Vice President Jackson?

It was nothing more than a press conference where he was fortunate enough to sit in the front row. Afterwards, during the visits from various people, when it was his turn, Vice President Jackson praised him, saying, "Young and promising, a model of young Colombian entrepreneurs."

This short compliment was a highlight of Justin's life—after all, many business partners came knocking on his door to invest in this "young talent" who had been recognized by the vice president.

“Justin, I’ve reached an agreement with Mr. Jackson. You can proceed as they request. I’m confident they won’t treat us unfairly.”

“Yes, yes, Director Kane…”

Justin's mind was in turmoil: the shock of the Vice President's presence, the anticipation for Rhine Life's future, the speculation about the contract's contents... but perhaps most of all, he felt gratitude towards Yara.

If it weren't for her invitation, Justin might still be a moderately successful investor, rather than... the director of Rhine Life.

When Justin first joined Rhine Life, he was still somewhat proud, thinking that with him joining the new company, at least they wouldn't have to worry about business orders. After the press conference, he became much more restrained—from the perspective of the products, Rhine Life didn't lack orders at all; all he could do was negotiate the best price for each order.

But now, his opinion has changed again.

He was the real lucky one. He was the beast that was blown into the sky by the wind, while Rhine Labs was the one who could turn the world upside down and stir up storms at will.

Justin, keep up the good work. Your future is bright.

With the gradual implementation of various support measures from Colombia, Rhine Life Sciences has truly become the number one company in Colombia. Even industry giants that have been developing for many years pale in comparison. Perhaps Rhine Life Sciences has not yet surpassed it in terms of financial figures, but no matter how much revenue it has, it cannot match the power of a government decree.

As for the Preservator… Kane had asked him if he would like to establish contact with Mark Max, but the Preservator refused—Columbia, under Mark's leadership, was already developing into a war machine. Whether this path was good or bad, he couldn't judge, after all, the Terra civilization was too chaotic; but at least Columbia's technology was advancing rapidly, which was beneficial in preparing for future catastrophes.

Chapter 90 Muirsay's Side Hustle

The Preservator's patience and energy had long been exhausted over countless dark years. Now, he only wanted to properly teach his student, Christen, and help the Terra civilization break through the false sky and witness the real world.

He had no interest in many other things.

To ensure the elderly man's comfort during his retirement, Kane did not reveal the existence of the Preservator to the Führer. This matter could only be left for the man to discover in the future. Of course, Mark would respect the Preservator's opinion, as it was originally created to assist the "Preservator Project," but to avoid unnecessary risks from advanced artificial intelligence, electronic consciousness was ultimately chosen.

Mark respectfully referred to the preserver as his father, and as a child, he naturally would not disobey his father's wishes.

Now that the pressure has been greatly reduced, Rhine Life is much more relaxed, so much so that the head of the Ecology Department, Muirsay, even has the leisure to start a side business.

"Miss Muirsay, shouldn't you explain why my class assignment from back then turned into your script?"

"Hehehe... I'll give you the profits after it's all done. Now, come with me to the premiere!"

Muirsey dragged Kane to Blue Cardwood for the film premiere—a film for which she provided the script and financed production.

As for the plot… Muirsay directly “stole” a script that Kane had written in school. It was an assignment for a film appreciation and production class.

The theme required "equality," which perfectly aligned with Colombia's "democracy" slogan—although students at Trimont Polytechnic University had witnessed the reality of inequality in Colombia to some extent.

But homework is homework, and reality is reality.

Kane then readily adopted the framework of *Green Book*. Colombia felt familiar, and Terra also had a discriminated-against race—the Sarkaz—and Colombia indeed had a history of discrimination against immigrants, with many foreign immigrants facing difficult circumstances.

And so, a story about a former gangster who immigrated from Syracuse and became a driver and bodyguard for a Sarkaz music maestro, touring Colombia, was created.

The entire story framework doesn't even need major changes: while the Sarkaz are indeed universally hated in Terra, they also have outstanding figures in music composition and costume design.

Colombia is divided into several states. Some states have large immigrant populations and are more tolerant of outsiders; while some "pure" Colombians are hostile to immigrants—especially those who have moved from "poor and remote areas".

Look—it even naturally possesses the elements that reflect social reality.

Back then, after reading the script, the professor asked Kane directly if she was interested in turning it into a movie—she guaranteed with her professional reputation that if the production was done well, the script would definitely be a huge hit!

Unfortunately, Kane had already inherited the Texas family fortune and had no interest in such a time-consuming and laborious project that might not even make a lot of money.

"Later, the professor showed me the script, and I thought it was fantastic too, but you actually shelved it. Such a wonderful story couldn't let me miss out—so I took the liberty of deciding on my own. Please forgive me!"

"Fine, it's all your hard work anyway. You just need to pay me the script copyright fee."

"Good~"

In reality, Kane is far from lacking money these days—he could even appear on Tremont’s television show and declare, “Money is just a number to me” and “I’m not interested in money.”

As attendees arrived at the premiere—the production team, partners, invited critics, popular online bloggers, and many more celebrities—the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.

But their attention was more focused on Muirsey and Kane than on the film. Winning the favor of either of them would give them a chance to soar to great heights.

For this reason, many male and female actors were "fully armed": best dresses, makeup, styling... each one like a liberis beast displaying its plumage. But upon seeing them in person, they couldn't help but feel ashamed: why was the atmosphere between these two so ambiguous? Does Rhine Lab still advocate office romances?

In the film, when the pampered Sarkaz pianist knocks on the door of the small house on Henry Avenue on New Year's Eve, the crowded Rupert family does not refuse the unexpected visitor, but warmly embraces him and thanks him for taking care of them along the way.

"That house... isn't it the one next door to where I used to live?"

Kane even saw what his own front door looked like in the movie, which was a really strange feeling.

"It's my property now too—I bought it to make the movie."

Kane had no doubt that this movie would drive up all property prices on Henry Avenue.

Muirsey has an unexpected talent for this. Many scenes in the story seamlessly integrate sponsor content: the land vehicles used for the tour, the protagonist's favorite alcohol and cigarettes, the piano played during the performance, the tourist attractions showcased in each city... She perfectly captured the essence of the story, and the mobile cities of Terra and the Originium Arts setting made the film even more exciting.

"How was it? Did I live up to your hard work?"

"Indeed...it seems our Director Muirsay has a good chance of winning this year's Blue Cardwood Award?"

"Hehehe... If I really win it, I'll definitely tell everyone in my acceptance speech that I wrote the script."

Those around him were generous with their praise for Muirsay. If much of what had been before was insincere, now it was mostly genuine. Blue Cardwood hadn't seen such a high-quality film in a long time, and everyone was eagerly anticipating its box office performance.

After dealing with this group of enthusiastic "fans," it was already late. Kane and Muirsey naturally checked into the most luxurious hotel in Bluewood.

The two sat in a spacious room, the table laden with delicacies meticulously prepared by a Michelin-starred chef. Looking out the window, the night view of Bluewood was deep and unique, unlike the glitz and glamour of other cities. For filming different movies, Bluewood transformed various mobile plots of land into distinct styles, as if pieces of land from different parts of Terra had been excavated and pieced together.

Therefore, the scenery is ever-changing, not to mention that many night scenes are being filmed, and various Originium Arts are blooming like fireworks.

"It looks like fireworks."

"Yes."

"Speaking of which, Kane, do you know how the love letter scene in the movie was written?"

Muirsey stirred her empty drink glass, the glass making a faint, ethereal sound, much like the turbulent emotions she was experiencing.

"I didn't know you wrote it yourself? It's really romantic."

"No, it was written by a professional poet. I know nothing about love letters—because I've never received one."

This was a lie—given Muirsey's popularity at school, the love letters she received were thicker than an ecology textbook. But she never opened a single one: those given to her in person were rejected outright; those secretly slipped to her remained unopened, eventually being retrieved by their heartbroken owners when no one was around.

Muirsey wasn't against love letters, but she only wanted love letters from one person.