— 10:00 AM - Tessia Kingdom - Astral Tech Corporation HQ —
It was around 10 AM in the morning, and outside the sleek and futuristic high-rise tower that housed the headquarters, a scene of chaos unfolded. Numerous police cars and ambulance vans were parked at the entrance, while reporters jostled to capture images of a group of handcuffed individuals with bruised and bloodied faces, as if they had been beaten by a group of gorillas.
Among the detainees, Sokolov, with most of the injuries concentrated on his face, was frantically speaking in Russian on his phone, attempting to secure a lawyer to help him. Daniel, who had just arrived from the secret base where he had been stationed, was taken aback. He had rushed here without updates from Penthesilea, merely instructing her to send him a report so he could read it on the way. Now, faced with the overall report from Penthesilea, he confronted the current situation.
"Hey! That's Mr. Emberweave!" one of the reporters spotted Daniel and called out.
In an instant, all the reporters who had been gathered at the entrance turned their attention to Daniel. They hastily snapped photos, capturing numerous shots of his bewildered expression. Then, one of them stepped forward and posed a question.
"Mr. Emberweave, what are your thoughts on this case? The mafia attempting to steal your technology?" the reporter asked, extending the microphone toward Daniel.
Perplexed by the situation, Daniel took a moment to gather his thoughts. He noticed the group of individuals dressed in black, handcuffed and standing with the police officers and reporters. He surmised that they must be the thieves who had been captured by the police when the alarm sounded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I must admit that this situation comes as a surprise to me. I returned here urgently due to pressing business matters, unrelated to this incident. However, if you ask me for my thoughts, I would say that the security in this building is something I take great pride in. I designed and implemented it from scratch, and anyone capable of bypassing it even with the low security area in the company is certainly no ordinary thief," Daniel replied. His mind began to dwell on the Hightower and the possibility that this was the work of someone with a grudge against him—someone from the Path of Knowledge.
Hearing his response, the reporter continued, sharing information from the police officer's brief interrogation.
"Yes, according to the police, these individuals were being held up and were stuck by the company's security system for several hours until they encountered a good Samaritan, Father Christopher. Background checks reveal that this group is the same one that managed to steal US military secrets without being apprehended, indicating their high level of skill. So, may we ask if your security system will be made available for sale in the market?" the reporter inquired.
Daniel was taken aback upon hearing Christopher Ward's name. He had given Christopher permission to wait for him at the building, using a name card he had given that granted VIP guest clearance. It seemed that these thieves, while held up by his security system, had unfortunately crossed paths with Christopher. Poor bastard.... Their battered faces resembled those who had survived being trampled at a world-class celebrity concert.
Daniel swiftly concealed his sympathy and responded.
"Currently, we do not have any plans to sell this technology. Our primary focus in the near future is to provide affordable and clean energy solutions for the people of Tessia Kingdom, addressing one of the pressing issues faced by its inhabitants. We strongly believe that technology can be harnessed to solve many of the challenges we face in the modern world, and that is a principle I firmly uphold." Daniel spoke with a touch of self-importance, aiming to uphold his company's image as one that empathizes with and supports the grassroots population.
After fielding a few more questions from the reporters, Daniel promptly excused himself and made his way into the building to check on Christopher and the doctors he had enlisted to perform the surgery, while also gathering essential data.
—
In Daniel's cluttered office, filled with various debris and scattered strange equipment and prosthetic prototypes, Daniel discovered Christopher sitting in the designated guest corner of the Founder's Room, which had been prepared for him. Aryan Sharma had also arrived promptly, taking his role as CEO seriously.
"Father Ward, Mr. Sharma," Daniel nodded at both of them, gratitude evident in his smile. He realized that he had yet to finalize a contract with Aryan regarding his salary, compensation, and other details. However, it appeared that Sharma was more proactive than he had initially anticipated, prompting Daniel to consider providing him with additional incentives later.
Regarding Christopher Ward, Daniel planned to create a custom prosthetic and fine-tune it based on the data gathered from Christopher's field use.
"Thank you, Mr. Sharma. I see that you've already cleared the police from my office. And Father Ward, thank you for helping me apprehend those thieves," Daniel expressed his gratitude.
"Well, it was necessary, Mr. Emberweave. I observed that there are many sensitive items in this office that shouldn't be seen by outsiders," Aryan responded matter-of-factly, while Christopher simply nodded in acknowledgement.
"Now, have the doctors arrived?" Daniel inquired.
"Yes, Mr. Emberweave. They are currently preparing the operating room and await your instructions on how to proceed. We need to gather the data for your prosthetic from Father Ward's surgery," Aryan replied.
"Great! Got it," Daniel acknowledged. Upon hearing Aryan's response, he made his way to the personal elevator within the room, accompanied by Christopher and Sharma, who wanted to witness the surgery to gain insights into the company's future products.
Daniel excused himself to the control room, which he had set up adjacent to the operating room. He began checking various machines and peculiar artifacts that resembled PCs. Entering various numbers, he awaited the results, nodding in satisfaction. This equipment was designed to measure Christopher's faith power, as the prosthetic was intended to utilize this unique energy source.
Once everything was in order, the doctors anesthetized Christopher, and Daniel prepared the prosthetic port, ensuring that the doctors could connect Christopher's nerves, blood vessels, and muscles to it. This would allow him to input the data from the day's operation into his medical bot, enabling it to perform the same surgery on others in the future.
In the sterile operating room, Christopher lay unconscious on the operating table, his arm stump exposed and ready for the surgery. The doctors, clad in surgical gowns and masks, meticulously prepared the prosthetic port that would serve as the connection point for the advanced prosthetic arm. The room was filled with the soft hum of medical equipment and the focused silence of the surgical team.
Daniel stood in the observation area, peering through the glass window as he recorded the procedure. He adjusted the settings on the recording device, ensuring that every detail would be captured. With a notebook in hand, he carefully noted down any observations and ideas that arose during the surgery.
Dr. Patel, the lead surgeon, directed the team as they began to meticulously sew Christopher's nerves and blood vessels into the prosthetic port. The delicate nature of the procedure required utmost precision, as they aimed to establish a seamless connection between Christopher's biological tissues and the advanced technology.
Daniel leaned closer to the window, his gaze fixed on the surgical team. "Dr. Patel, how is everything going?"
Dr. Patel glanced up, his face mostly concealed by a mask. "So far, everything is progressing well, Mr. Emberweave. We are carefully attaching the nerves and blood vessels to ensure optimal functionality of the prosthetic arm."
Daniel nodded, impressed by the surgical team's expertise. "That's great to hear. I want to ensure that Father Ward can regain as much functionality as possible with the new prosthetic arm."
Dr. Patel nodded and continued his work, while Daniel maintained a watchful eye on the procedure. As the surgery progressed, the medical team worked in perfect synchrony, their precise movements guided by years of training and experience.
Occasionally, Daniel would step back to review the recorded footage, analyzing the surgical techniques and the integration of the prosthetic port. He made mental notes, brainstorming ways to improve the design and functionality of the future medical bot he planned to create.
Time seemed to stretch in the operating room, with each minute filled with focused determination. The surgeons delicately closed the incisions, ensuring a clean and secure fit for the prosthetic port.
Finally, the surgery came to an end. Dr. Patel stepped back, removing his gloves and mask, a sense of satisfaction evident on his face. "The surgery is complete, Mr. Emberweave. The prosthetic port is securely in place, and Father Ward's nerves and blood vessels are successfully connected."
Daniel smiled, a mix of relief and excitement in his eyes. "Thank you, Dr. Patel. You and your team have done a remarkable job. Your compensation will be transferred to your bank accounts by Wednesday," Daniel said, acknowledging the hard work and dedication of the surgical team. He nodded at Aryan, who was standing nearby in the observation room.
"Gentlemen, if you have no other commitments, may we have the pleasure of hosting you for dinner? We have reserved a restaurant with a Michelin-starred chef," Aryan offered, extending his hospitality to the doctors.
After Aryan escorted the doctors to dinner, Daniel took a moment to double-check the recorded data and saved it, fully aware that there was still work to be done. He needed to fine-tune the numbers to enhance the performance of both the medical bot and the new prosthetic.
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