by <unknown>
"Do you have any more questions, Mr. Booke?"
Liu Zhijian returned the same glare at Brooke. His right palm hovered over the button as sweat trickled down his forehead slowly.
Brooke did not say anything else. He only gave Liu Zhijian one last ominous look before turning around to push open the door and leave.
After ensuring that Brooke had left by checking the surveillance camera, Liu Zhijian finally wiped the sweat off his forehead and loosened up.
"I never thought that someone like me who has never been in a fight since I was a kid would threaten someone else with violence… It does seem like the pragmatic solutions where I come from won't fly in a place like this…"
Liu Zhijian mustered a strained smile and shook his head as he thought of this before he fell into deep thought again.
Chapter 462: International Star |
The trio of Brooke, Hodge, and Blake were clad in their intimidating armor in front of the camera. The backdrop that framed the picture was a partly collapsed building.
The building used to be a five-stories-tall building. Following a recent explosion, a good half of the rooms on the fourth and fifth floor were blown apart. Additionally, plenty of caved-in holes formed by bullets could be spotted along the exterior walls of the building.
The trio withstood the scorching heat of the blazing sun as they each struck their signature pose. Their respective unique logo stitched to their chest was perfectly highlighted with their pose.
Brooke's logo was a roaring lion that represented courage;
Hodge's logo represented honor, with a holy sword with vines entangled around it;
The only black man among the trio, Blake, had a bauhinia flower badge which represented the values of sacrifice.
Shortly after that, the camera panned closer until the image turned into a close-up of each member. First, it was Brooke's majestic appearance as he looked into the camera solemnly and declared, "Severely cracking down on all forms of crime, committed to upholding the rights and interest of every citizen!"
Next up, it was Hodge who struck a saluting pose before proclaiming righteously, "The honor of the code of law may never be trampled!"
Finally, there was Blake who slowly turned to face the camera and revealed a row of pearly white teeth. "None shall ever commit crimes before the BHB combative police force!"
"Courage!"
"Honor!"
"Sacrifice!"
The three men cried out their unique tagline in unison as they stacked their hands on top of each other's, "BHB Combative Police Force, undefeated!"
The complete BHB logo appeared on the display, signaling the end of the promotional clip.
After that, the image was cut to an energetic black man with piercing eyes who was dressed in a suit and standing in the center of a dark stage. He faced the camera and started his introduction. "Dear viewers joining us today, what you just saw was a terrorist attack that occurred in Windhoek, Namibia only today.
"At 8 a.m., the local police received reports saying that someone was setting up a bomb in the building. The police hurried to the scene and surrounded the six criminals in the building. But something nobody foresaw the terrorists possessing heavy weapons, therefore, the police had to evacuate the citizens in the building and enlist the help of the BHB Combative Police Force.
"The BHB Combative Police Force upheld their reputation as a terrific task force. In just three minutes, they took out all six terrorists and restored peace to the area!
"Nobody could ever foresee something like this to happen, to think that Africa who was once considered the most underdeveloped region would now step to the forefront…"
The black man giving his speech could not hold back a sigh upon saying this, "In 1860, the nation of England took the lead in heading the first industrial revolution of our civilization. During that industrial revolution, humans replaced manual labor with machines, which led to large-scale industrial production. Since then, the overall productivity of our society has skyrocketed!
"And that industrial revolution was also the dawn of the era of the machine. However, the segment that played a critical role in driving this trend was the period between the second industrial revolution in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. This period of the industrial revolution was when mankind officially saw the dawn of the electrical age.
"After that, there was the third industrial revolution. Humans entered the age of artificial intelligence and the development of microelectronics, until today…"
As the black man said this, bright images began to flicker on the display behind him. The display showed black and white old-school industrial machinery, with the silhouette of great scientists such as Edison and Einstein in the backdrop. Then there was a montage that displayed modern electronic technology, blending the technology from different eras together that gave the viewers a feeling like they were traversing through time.
The black man strode forward, taking large strides. He came in front of the camera and spread his arms wide open to declare, "However, never has there been a moment in all of history when our world is this close to stepping into a futuristic era…
"As you all know, since the launch of the 'Project Xingtian' charted by Blacklight Biotechnology, we humans are taking steady steps towards a brand-new era. This era will be remembered for its futuristic visions, for inspiring hope and peace, you may call it — Paradise!"
Grandiose music started to play in the background. The black man proclaimed in a powerful, energetic tone, "The advent of bionic prosthesis has allowed millions of disabled people to regain their quality of life. It effectively removes the need for wheelchairs and frees them from the discriminatory gaze of the public. It helps them regain their confidence and get back up on their feet.
"Now, bionic prostheses have not only entered our daily lives, but also into the realm of law enforcement agencies. As we all know, working as a police officer is widely considered as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. It's one of the occupations that leads to the highest rate of incurring permanent disability and in severe cases, death. Despite all this, crime rates remain unchanged in certain regions. Have you ever thought that perhaps if we can strengthen the police force, they will be able to better protect us?"
As he said this, the image of Brooke, Hodge, and Blake appeared on the screen. The announcer promptly turned around and pointed at the three men on the display. "The BHB Combative Police Force is the first special security agency established in Namibia, Africa. It was funded by the world-renowned company Blacklight Biotechnology. These brave officers sacrificed their bodies to return to their posts so that they may continue to serve the public.
"They were reborn from the ashes like the tale of the phoenix and gained new bodies that can cut through all adversaries lying ahead of them! Like the god of war, Ares, they will pave through evil and lock up all criminals into jail cells where they belong!"
The announcer suddenly changed the subject when he made this point. Another appeared on the screen behind him again, this time it was a picture of a man with both legs amputated lying in a dark room. "Look here, this man here is Mr. Evans Morrison, a police officer in Northern America. He joined the police force in 2015 to become an honorable policeman. He served from 2015 to 2023, arresting 16 prisoners and killing four in his time of service.
"However, on an unfortunate night in 2023, he was shot in the spine during a chaotic gunfight with a group of robbers. After three days in the ICU, they managed to preserve his life, but he permanently lost the ability to walk in the process…
"And so, he was bedridden until today…"
The announcer paused for a moment to build suspense before continuing. "I'm sure many of you are wondering if he received the proper compensation and yes, I'm here to confirm that he was certainly recompensed properly with a sum of half a million dollars. However, this sum is only going to be enough for his medical fees and is nowhere close to enough to help him ret
ire in his later years. He served the citizens heroically over the years to uphold justice in the nation, only to be rewarded with such a fate. There are countless others like Evans Morrison here who dedicated the best years of their lives for the public, only to end up broken and impoverished, fated to be tied to a bed for the rest of their lives…"
The announcer let the silence linger again before continuing, making sure to emphasize each word he spoke now, "I'm not merely standing up for them. The point I'm trying to make is that while we're stressing about problems concerning the efficiency of the police task force and upholding public laws, Africa, which was always regarded as an undeveloped nation, had made rapid advancements ahead of the world. They implemented bionic prosthetics in the public security sector and the results were immediately distinct. The impact of this decision has helped them surpass both the Central Region and Northern America in the public security sector!
"There are countless heroes out there whose names are completely unknown to the public. They are doomed to lie in lonesome cold rooms and inside low-income households. They can't even buy takeout for themselves. The root of this issue is government incompetence! They should have the right to rise again, to shine their light upon the world, but the incompetent government in various countries have killed them!"
Then, the music reached a climax before stopping abruptly.
The announcer exhaled suddenly before looking into the camera with a hopeful look. "It's my wish that in the near future, BHB combative police can extend their reach to every nation in the world and shine their light in every hidden crevice…"
The background music started once again the moment the announcer said this, immediately building up to the point of climax again!
"I'm Wilson Richard, this is the Earth Federation's international show — Richard's World. Thank you for tuning in and we'll see you again!"
With that, the lights were shut off. All that was left was the silhouette of the announcer on stage. The display behind showcased rows of acknowledgment.
The acknowledgment went out to all the sponsoring companies and corporations. One of them was a special logo that stood out among the bunch. It was a black orb with a yellow ring around it, it seemed like a blackhole…
"Click!"
As Richards' World program commenced, the virtual display in front of Chen Chen shut off on its own.
"Not bad, it seems that even the international program with the most viewership is starting to favor us as well."
After watching the passion-filled show, Chen Chen nodded with great satisfaction. "This is only the first month since the BHB Combative Police Force debuted. I didn't expect the global reception to be far more optimistic than I initially thought it would be."
"Of course, considering the core values of BHB is already in line with the values of Western society."
Little X agreed, "The Westerners have always been a fan of the superhero ideal. In this landscape, the appearance of several picture-perfect superheroes is extremely likely to be favored and generate positive feedback. You could even argue that Marvel and DC have paved the path for us over the last few decades… Well, then there's also the billions of dollars we invested over the last month for publicity."
"But…"
Little X's tone suddenly switched as she looked at Chen Chen cautiously. "On the Eastern parts of the world such as the North Sea, East Sea, and Indian Continent, the influence of the BHB Combative Police Force isn't as favorable. Although there's still a considerable amount of fanbase, they are nowhere near as fervent as their Western counterparts."
"Of course, the North Sea Continent has always been the rivals of the Western world. The Indian Continent has Bollywood while the Central and East Sea Continent also has media circles of their own. It's no surprise that they don't understand the appeal of BHB."
Chen Chen shrugged, not completely bothered by this. "The primary focus of our initial rounds of promotion should gravitate toward the Western market."
Little X nodded in response.
"We're only in the launching phase so it's understandable that expenses would be higher during this period. By the time BHB establishes its reputation, the expenses should trend downward naturally as well."
Chen Chen ruminated. "If we can establish an IP around BHB, three members alone wouldn't cut it. The Namibian market isn't too large on its own. By the time we start inducting the BHB into Northern America and Europe, we'll need to build new local combative police forces. The BHB is merely a template for its successors."
"So, we have to continue recruiting?"
Little X asked.
"That's right, we can make a variety show around it and recruit retired or disabled ex-police officers from all around the world."
Chen Chen pondered. "We can start with manufacturing common, standard armor for them to display their skills in front of audiences. This can range from melee combat and marksmanship. Several favorites will be selected from among the bunch. This way, we can filter out the most deserving members to join the BHB Combative Police Force."
"But if we establish a local BHB police force in other countries in the future, won't we have to compete with the local police force? It should be reasonable to assume that the locals will still rally behind their local police forces. Won't that make for some difficult investments?
Little X asked quizzingly.
"Of course not."
Chen Chen chuckled when he heard this'. "If our targeted countries are already willing to incorporate robotized units in place of human labor, that means that we already have half of our work done for us. By then, we can feel free to sell them combat police bionic prosthetics and make a fortune from it. What does the presence of the BHB Combative Police Force matter at that point?"
"Ah, that's true…"
Little X quickly saw the validity of the argument.
"Meanwhile, pay close attention to the BHB department and ensure that there won't be any slip-ups."
Chen Chen noted. "The reputation of BHB may crumble to dust with just the slightest misstep. If that happens, then our following plans may not be as easy to execute anymore…"
Little X nodded contemplatively before noting. "Oh yeah Sir Godfather, speaking of supervision, it seems there was a minor conflict in BHB just yesterday. Since nothing major came out of it, I figured it wasn't necessary to inform you immediately."
"Some conflict is to be expected since they are no true noble superheroes, it's just a manufactured image."
Chen Chen remarked, "So, what happened?"
"It's about Brooke."
A footage started playing as soon as Little X said this.
In the display, Brooke lifted a red-haired lady with one arm before promptly flagging her onto the ground. The sequence ended with Brooke verbally threatening the lady.
The video cut to another scene, a conversation between Brooke and a Chinese man. Chen Chen immediately recognized this Chinese man. It was someone handpicked by Qian Wenhuan to become a manager in the BHB department, Liu Zhijian. From the footage, it seemed that the two failed to come to an agreement and Brooke was walking away.
The next second, when Liu Zhijian pressed an emergency button on the table, Brooke suddenly collapsed onto the ground and became immobilized.
What followed after was a sequence of threats being issued before finally ending with the two men parting ways.
Chen Chen frowned faintly after watching the two footage.
"This can go both ways. You can say that this is just a minor accident but if this doesn't get resolved, it can eventually lead to the international reputation of BHB being squandered."
Chen Chen considered momentarily. "X, keep a close eye on him. If he remains to be this unreliable in the future, then we can follow the countermeasures we devised in the past and take him out in an 'unfortunate accident during combat'. I don't want any unprecedented issues to come up during this phase of the BHB!"
Chapter 463: Setting the World Stage |
Over the following period, with each successful operation conducted by the BHB Combative Police Force, their popularity in the international community continued to grow.
All of the violent crime operations conducted by the BHB had their footage captured with drones that were subsequently edited to create a well-produced documentary piece.
Blacklight Biotechnology even designated expert video editors, audio technicians, and even world-class musicians to tailor majestic background music for BHB videos.
After a round of polishing from the world's best post-production team, these documentaries would then be uploaded to the official YouTube account for the audience all around the world to watch for free.
Each one of these uploads would generate hundreds of millions of views immediately and climbed to the top spot in trending as soon as it was uploaded, bringing significant profit.
Advertising sponsors, worldwide fan groups, and even merchandise were established during this period. It only took a month for the three BHB officers to become global sensation superheroes.
The trio racked up increasing amounts of successful violent crime operations over time. Facing the heavily armed BHB officers complemented with an assortment of armed drones, the group of criminals that only had access to weapons the likes of an AKM were as good as a bunch of sitting ducks waiting to be arrested.
With the emergence of the BHB, violent crime rates in Namibia had plummeted by more than thirty percent over the last month.
Only several days ago, Hodge was assigned to the position of a sniper and was tasked with taking out a robber who had taken a hostage. However, his shot was slightly off and failed to take out the robber, which resulted in the robber losing his cool and misfiring, which ended up killing one of the hostages instantly with a headshot.
The kind-natured Hodge was greatly distressed over this incident for several days.
Something like this was a monumental incident. However, a set of protocols had been devised to address an exact situation such as this. Only several minutes after the mistake was identified, public relations arrived at the scene to bribe all of the reporters, police, as well as the family members of the deceased hostage, effectively burying this incident under covers.
