Chapter 1839 - 945: Dignity and the Future

"Oppose, oppose!!!"

In the front row, the journalist with glasses disregarded the occasion, threw down her camera, and shouted loudly, raising her head to question, "Mr. Ji, don't you think this objectifies humanity and turns their suffering into entertainment?"

The sudden silence enveloped the venue, and the entire audience fell silent.

Backstage, Yu Shu's face turned ashen. He glared at his assistant, furious, "What's going on? Which organization is she from?"

"I, I didn't expect it either. Didn't you say all cooperating media could be put in the front?" The assistant was on the brink of tears, wishing she could disappear backstage: "I really don't know."

"An Xin, An Xin, when someone wants to cause trouble, there's nothing you can do to stop it." Old Gou, who was smoking beside her, shook his head, "Nuisances are everywhere, huh."

Without the slightest hesitation, security personnel on both sides, already with dark expressions, stepped forward to escort her out.

But before that could happen, Ji Jue raised his hand on stage, stopping them.

Completely unfazed by the provocation and disturbance, his expression remained unmoved, as he looked down at the face striving to suppress its smile:

"Are you suggesting I shouldn't help them stand up again?"

"That's not the issue at all!"

The journalist glared, her expression increasingly indignant and solemn, "Life is priceless! Why force them to risk their lives for such performances? Isn't there a more dignified way? I..."

"Hmm."

Ji Jue nodded, "Of course, there is."

In that moment, the passionately expressive face stiffened instantly.

She hadn't anticipated such a reply.

She had readied herself for a long series of entangled arguments and rebuttals, but she hadn't expected Ji Jue to agree with her words.

But no matter what, it didn't matter!

From the moment Ji Jue responded to her—no, from the moment she vocally questioned—she had already won!

She opened her mouth, ready to shout and condemn.

But then she heard the calm words from the stage.

"...Like Coast, for example, which allocates twenty percent of its net profits each year to comprehensive collaboration with Chongguang Church, providing charitable medical aid for blood dialysis to all disabled individuals in Hai Province, and searching for matching bone marrow for all patients with pernicious anemia.

In Central Earth, offering education to children who cannot attend school, purchasing infant formula for abandoned babies doomed to die from birth, providing treatment for plague and disease infections in Thousand Islands, administering vaccines to those children...

Taking action to teach those children a lesson, giving them hope to live and a future they can touch."

"Undignified?"

Ji Jue lowered his gaze, mocking with laughter, "Yes, that's true. I'm glad you noticed this point, and I hope more people will realize it...

Because in the Wilderness where they reside, there has never been any compassion to speak of, so how can you embellish it with the 'dignity' you speak of?"

As those low words resonated, one figure after another stood up.

Not just in the front row, but among the contestants invited to attend the press conference, and those settlement dwellers who had long anticipated this day, going to great lengths to line up early and scramble for tickets, those 'trash collectors' dressed in clean clothes still unable to hide the filth on their fingers.

Without any words, just in silence, they glared at the astonished journalist!

"See that, Miss Journalist? They are not here to entertain you but to prove that they are no less than any able-bodied person!

When they run, it's not for performance but to demonstrate their right to reclaim their lives and stand at the starting line with everyone else!"

Ji Jue looked down dismissively, showing no attempt to hide his disdain, "True dignity is standing with them, taking action to create the future, not wearing a dress, holding a champagne glass and talking nonsense, then donating to a tax evasion fund from who knows where.

Relying on clever arguments, twisting facts..."

"—Now, you tell me, who is undignified?"

Dead silence.

No further words were spoken.

Even with a belly full of arguments and excuses, when faced with those unwavering eyes staring down at her, scrutinized by eyes seemingly from the heavens, speech became impossible.

No further response was needed.

As Ji Jue waved his hand, the rigid journalist was already held by security personnel, escorted out, and thrown outside the venue. Her intense struggle with screaming and yelling gradually faded away, never to be seen again.

No one cared.

Only on stage, with countless photos and images of disabled individuals being transformed on the large screen, finally turning into a pure white background and the Coast logo.

"Throughout, I've been pondering, what kind of world do we truly want to create, what kind of future do we wish to head towards.

As we rush forward for our desires and dreams, have we left some people behind...even, taking it for granted?"

Ji Jue's gaze swept among the contestants below, finally landing on everyone else, looking into the camera: "Some served the Federation with incomplete limbs, some endured hardships due to accident trauma, others were born into misfortune, never having seen the light...

But aren't they just like us? Shouldn't the world they experience and the scenery they admire be the same as ours?

Why are there discrepancies and differences?"

No one replied.

Only in the silence, changes began to emerge on the screen, products and outcomes derived after long suffering and trials:

"This is the product I'm going to introduce to everyone next, a gift from Coast, New Spring, from all those who never forgot them, prepared for them!

I call it..."

"—Paradise Interface!"

Metal creations resembling bones rise on the screen, accompanied by various models and configurations of prosthetic limbs.

"After testing over seven thousand volunteers and undergoing high-intensity verification in recent competitions, the Paradise Interface can finally be unveiled to everyone."

Ji Jue raised his hand and pointed to the audience below: "I want to thank my colleague and friend, Lou Feng, for he is the true designer and developer of the Paradise Interface. Without him, none of what we see today would exist.

Thanks to Elder Deng from the church; without his help, the completion of the Paradise Interface would still be a distant dream...

Additionally, thanks to every contestant and team who participated; you have proven yourselves, and have also proven that this future belongs to everyone!"

Applause rang out continuously.

The camera captured close-ups of faces filled with tears of joy, red with smiling faces, and panned to the front row.

Invited Elder Deng offered a humble smile and lowered his head. Beside him, the pale-faced, dark-circled Lou Feng had not yet reacted.

Upon noticing the camera's presence, he managed to muster a smile, his tense lips twitching into an arc.

Hearing Ji Jue's praise, he nearly burst into tears.

Furious!

Damn it, why are you pretending?

If you had been this considerate when setting requirements and asking for solutions, you wouldn't have become such a beast!

Would you dare let me speak?

Would you dare let your damn camera even move forward a bit?

To prevent Old Lou from saying anything embarrassing in front of the camera, Ji Jue wisely omitted the interview segment and directly announced the price amid rounds of cheers.

Still at cost price, 5116 Federation Coins!

This is only the price of the Paradise Interface and does not include other prosthetics. However, 5000 Federation Coins can't even buy a single toe of some high-end prosthetics, let alone allow for free movement like the contestants on-site.

Furthermore, as a product of Coast, it is also included in the range of Coast membership, enjoying free maintenance and upgrade services!

It's almost like a lifetime deal for 5000 coins.

Under the spotlight, the bright glow enveloped Ji Jue as if he was cloaked in a robe of morality.

Long before Ji Jue finished his explanation, the servers of Coast were already groaning under the insane influx of traffic from the real world!

In the upper right corner of the screen, the number of subscriptions to Coast membership jumped by a fifth in just one second, and then another fifth!

Yu Shu, in the backstage, wiped his sweat and looked at the data provided by the Paradise System. Within less than a minute, the previously slowed growth of Coast members had already surged by over half!

And it continued...

Not just Hai Province, Yunzhou, Suzhou, but even IPs from Thousand Islands, Central Earth, and the Empire entered the registration process, fighting madly against the lagging pages.

Especially after Ji Jue announced the interconnected applications of the interface...

On the gigantic screen, in the driver's seat, a disabled person directly connected with huge engineering equipment through an interface at the back of his head.

It's like controlling his own body, driving and controlling forklifts, excavators, and even cranes, robotic arms, and other equipment. Almost in a display of skill, one person simultaneously controlled two excavators playing volleyball at the construction site.

Then, during simulated earthquakes, mine disasters, maritime accidents, and various other disaster incidents, he controlled special rescue equipment, passed through narrow areas and pipes, conducting dangerous inspections and finding survivors...

When a flexible robotic arm like a palm easily passed through gaps in layers of crevices, penetrated steel barriers, and delivered precious oxygen to the survivor, the entire venue was already boiling.

The boiling was not limited to the venue, the scenes, and even the live stream viewers.

The ones truly going crazy were the investors and numerous financial institutions, who had come smelling the opportunity and future prospects!

Anxious!

Because when everyone used all their strength, channels, and wisdom, yet found no trace of any Coast-related stock across Federation stock market boards, it was then realized...

This damned Coast isn't publicly listed!!!

No, buddy, what exactly are you up to?

Already too late to curse and panic, as a multitude of hot money and funds couldn't find a place to settle, people started using their brains, directing their money toward Sea Tide Military Industry and even the Southeast Commerce Alliance linked to Coast!

Even Tianmen University's stock soared several points crazily!

A bright future, a splendid tomorrow, monopolizing the track to rake in money now, never had such a lovely start.

Everyone seemed to see a promising career and future.

Meanwhile, Zhu Lu, emotionless and watching everything on the screen in East City, began to sneer.

[Eastern and northern personnel have all been positioned.]

[Tian Shan and Baininger are ready.]

[Fireworks have been arranged.]

The messages on the parchment continued to gather, marking the completion of final preparations.

Zhu Lu coldly witnessed the radiant Coast scenes in the camera, unable to restrain the hatred and anger, he wrote on the parchment, with a command as if stained in blood:

[Begin]

Under layers of events, the sinister murderous intent from East City finally revealed its fierce form.