Chapter 364 There's nothing we can do.
Homelander continued to up the ante.
"Vought International has already prepared thousands of fully automated micro-assembly production lines."
"Our robotic arms can perform assembly operations in microscopic environments with unparalleled precision and speed."
Homelander pressed his hands heavily on the conference table, his eyes burning like torches.
"I can tell everyone here with full responsibility."
"These two grand projects that seemingly require decades, here at Vought..."
"...won't take decades, nor seven or eight years. Just two months! All products will be online!"
Shock.
The conference hall seemed to have become a gallery of statues.
The politicians' worldviews were reshaped by this technology that transcended the era.
The Secretary of Commerce was the first to react.
"My God..." His face flushed with excitement.
"This... this isn't just solving a crisis; this is the ultimate industrial revolution in human history!"
"No more storage costs! No more transport losses! Building a skyscraper would only require taking a few boxes to the site and pouring them out! Aircraft carriers can be assembled in a swimming pool-sized laboratory!"
"This is a miracle! This is an industrial miracle!"
He danced with joy, looking at Homelander as if he were an Angel descended to Earth.
"With this technology... two months... is absolutely enough! Absolutely enough!!"
"As long as we overcome this hurdle, America, having mastered this technology, will control the economic lifeblood of the World!"
"So, gentlemen."
Homelander straightened up, interrupting the Secretary of Commerce's revelry.
"What you need to do now, besides sparing no effort to implement the 'Ellis New Deal' and integrating all resources for Vought International to allocate..."
"...the most important thing is to stall for time."
"Since these Skrulls have chosen to replace people quietly, it shows that even they aren't prepared for an all-out war. They don't want to expose their true identities."
"Since they want to play political games, we'll play along."
"This also gives us an opportunity," Homelander instructed.
"In these crucial two months, no matter what those imposters are up to in the international community, as long as they don't take direct action to destroy humanity, we must not interfere, let alone stop them."
"Let them think they have complete control over the situation; let them fall into the arrogance of power."
"Two months from now, when the Sentinels are unleashed and the Ark takes flight."
After digesting Homelander's words, the air in the conference hall was finally no longer oppressive.
The eyes of the dignitaries grew brighter, as if the dawn of victory had broken through the thick clouds and shone upon their faces.
Finally, the leadership of country held discussions and made the final decision.
...
The next morning.
When people had just woken up, picked up their coffee, and habitually turned on the TV or checked their phones...
...they were completely stunned by the series of blockbuster news reports popping up one after another.
The international situation, which had calmed down slightly due to leadership changes in several countries, suddenly faced an unprecedented tsunami.
"New York Times" Headline: Pacific Crisis Erupts! The American Seventh Fleet and the other XYZ Country engaged in a fierce armed conflict on the high seas!(Note: I am not using any existing country name. So just settle for XYZ for these few chapters.)
"BBC News" Breaking Update: Situation Escalates! America accuses the XYZ Country of military probing; President Ellis declares a national state of highest combat readiness!
"Reuters" Flash: XYZ Country responds strongly! Sternly condemning America's hegemonic actions, the Series Missiles have entered launch preparation, vowing to defend territorial sea sovereignty to the death!
"Wall Street Journal": Global stock markets suffer avalanche-like circuit breakers! The gunfire in the Pacific may trigger a Third World War! Total panic in capital markets!
"The Times" exclaims: XYZ Country announces the activation of Level 1 combat readiness response, concentrating national industrial raw materials in response to the Arms Race!
The TV news anchor was broadcasting hoarsely in the studio:
"Just four hours ago, the American Navy had a serious armed friction with the naval fleet of the XYZ Country in the international waters of the Pacific!"
"The two sides exchanged fire for thirty minutes! According to reliable sources, multiple vessels have been damaged!"
"Currently, the United Nations has urgently convened the Security Council, but representatives from both sides broke into a fierce verbal argument, and even physical altercations occurred!"
...
That afternoon.
The White House held an emergency press conference.
President Ellis stood at the podium with an ashen face, announcing news that shocked all of America.
"In view of the extremely grave international situation, national security faces an unprecedented threat. I hereby officially sign a Presidential Emergency Executive Order."
"Effective immediately, the entire United States is entering a wartime state of emergency. The 'Ellis New Deal' is activated immediately."
"To ensure the operation of the national War Machine, the federal government will take full control and production scheduling authority over all large private enterprises, including energy, military industry, heavy industry, and high technology."
"Any attempt to transfer assets, refuse to cooperate with production, or incite workers to strike will be considered treason and will face the harshest trials in military court!"
"Secondly, starting today, a wartime corporate income tax of up to 95% will be levied on all companies with an annual profit exceeding ten million dollars!"
"A wartime personal income tax of up to 90% will be levied on all individuals with an annual income exceeding two million dollars! Those who refuse to pay will be prosecuted for treason and have all their assets frozen!"
Once this statement was released, all of Wall Street and Silicon Valley felt like they had experienced a magnitude ten earthquake.
Next, those capitalists and tycoons who were usually high and mighty, accustomed to calling the shots, were in for some terrible luck.
In a luxury Villa in Beverly Hills, a mining tycoon who controlled thirty percent of America's steel production capacity was angrily smashing a bottle of red wine worth hundreds of thousands of dollars against the wall.
"This is robbery! This is blatant fascist dictatorship!" the tycoon roared at his private lawyer on the other end of the phone.
"Apply for an injunction from the Supreme Court immediately! Go bribe those congressmen; tell them if I go bankrupt, they won't get a single penny of campaign funding! I want to impeach that madman Ellis!"
A similar scene played out in a top-tier mansion in Manhattan's Upper East Side.
A hedge fund giant, the uncrowned king of Wall Street, roared at the official on the other end of the line: "Robbery! This is blatant robbery! What right does he have to freeze my trust fund?! Notify our congressmen to initiate impeachment in Congress immediately! I want him out of the White House by tomorrow!"
A trembling voice came from the official on the other end: "Sir, Capitol Hill has been surrounded by V.G.D. Secret Service teams. They say it's wartime control, and no congressman is allowed to contact the outside World without authorization. We... we can't do anything."
"Useless! You're all a bunch of useless fools!"
He slammed the phone down and turned to roar at his chief security officer: "Contact Blackwater immediately! Get me the most elite mercenaries! I'm going to the private airport! I will never leave my money to this insane government!"
"Bang!"
Just as he hung up, the heavy bulletproof door of the mansion shattered, as if hit by a tank at high speed.
Five tactical assault team members in black combat gear, with the Vought "V" logo on their chests, marched into the living room in unison.