Chapter 343

Light swept away the dark clouds; Aileen descended slowly, spreading her wings in the sunset, standing atop Saint Song Corporation.

At this moment, the eyes of the entire world fixed upon her.

This was Aileen's first time revealing her true form before cameras, yet no introduction was needed—everyone at once guessed her identity.

Saint Song Corporation's greatest masterpiece, the new artificial deity, Ever-Pure Light, Aileen.

After witnessing the apocalyptic scene moments earlier, and now seeing this contrast, no one could doubt the success of Saint Song Corporation's artificial deity project.

Those voices of skepticism vanished the instant Aileen appeared.

Facing the world's cameras, Aileen first opened her arms and scattered countless specks of light from her chest.

The specks fell like rain, calming the crowd's emotions while healing the injuries they had suffered during the chaos.

Whether trampled in the crush or bruised by gusts and falls, all wounds healed rapidly in the light, sparking continuous cries of "miracle!"

After scattering the light, Aileen flared her four wings, shot into the sky, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

The deity's departure sent the media below into frenzy.

They surged toward Saint Song Corporation, shouting at the staff:

"Let us see Ever-Pure Light again."

"Just one glance, just one—we'll do anything."

…

Some meant it sincerely, others for traffic and hype—but either way, it proved the success of this publicity stunt.

Yet no matter how desperately the media pleaded, Saint Song Corporation's security still held firm at the gates, refusing all assistance.

Although Wu Chang had prepared Aileen's identity as a new-generation artificial deity, he never intended for her to appear up close before the public as some manufactured object.

Distance creates beauty; a powerful, mysterious deity is always better than a technological artifact anyone can touch.

On Saint Song Corporation's top floor, Wu Chang glanced at the great tree beside him, the Pillar of the Divine Realm, then stepped down from the temporary altar, satisfied.

Creating the lifelike apocalyptic scene earlier required little effort from him.

A simple cloud-summoning and rain-calling technique, combined with a yellow monster projected from illusion into reality, was enough to easily terrify the mortals below.

The more faith he harvested, the more skilled he became at pretending to be divine.

Returning to his desk, he was about to welcome Aileen's return when he saw a message from his secretary on his computer.

The company's Level Nine partners and Level Eight department managers were all requesting to meet Wu Chang.

Aileen's appearance had stunned not only the global audience, but even they, the "insiders," were stunned.

Wasn't the Light Hymn Project just a new folder created by the new CEO to stabilize the company's position and structure?

Everyone had been preparing how to spin empty promises at the upcoming press conference—how had the actual object appeared?

After cross-checking, every department head realized none had received any R&D proposal from the CEO, nor had they assisted in any phase of development.

The core of the Light Hymn Project remained, still, the News Department.

The company's senior leadership instantly went numb—could it be that the apocalyptic, discredited monsters outside, and the sudden appearance of the artificial deity, were both handcrafted by the CEO himself?

Former CEO Schultz, though capable of creating shocking inventions, still required their help to turn plans into physical reality.

But Chairman Xiao En simply bypassed everyone and did it all himself.

If this continues, won't the company only need the News Department, rendering all other senior leaders unnecessary?

Thinking of their futures, the senior leadership could no longer sit still.

Wu Chang knew they were desperate, but desperation wouldn't help—now, the scheduled press conference time had arrived.

Perfect chance to let them wait, to instill sufficient crisis awareness: if they don't perform well, they could be replaced at any moment.

When they're desperate to prove their value, He Yi's takeover of Saint Song Corporation will be much smoother.

Thus, the executives, dazed and hollow-eyed, forced themselves into the press conference hall.

Compared to the media endlessly asking questions below, their own unanswered questions outnumbered the reporters'.

Fortunately, Wu Chang controlled the scene, ensuring the press conference proceeded smoothly.

At the press conference, the media's only question was:

The Light Hymn Project.

What exactly was Aileen? Was she a more advanced weapon? And how far had the Light Hymn Project progressed?

Wu Chang had already prepared his response.

In the mirror dimension, many conspiracy theories surrounded Saint Song Corporation's sudden rise.

The most widely circulated was the alien hypothesis.

People suspected Saint Song Corporation had been invited by the Federation government to study an alien spacecraft hidden in Secret Base 53.

Others suspected Saint Song Corporation had bypassed the Federation entirely, finding an alien spacecraft on its own—even that former CEO Schultz was an alien.

In response, Wu Chang's first words were: "There is one statement I must clarify: the rumor that Saint Song Corporation obtained an alien spacecraft is not a rumor."

"Aliens truly exist. We have concealed this information all along, fearing public panic."

"But you have all seen the monsters just now—the apocalypse draws near; the truth can no longer be hidden. I must now reveal it to you."

Wu Chang paused, then waved his hand backward, summoning Aileen to emerge slowly from a secret passage.

"The so-called Artificial Deity Project is merely a convenient term for public acceptance. In truth, the Aileen who appeared just now is a deity from the Light Divine Realm of the M87 Nebula."

"She carries love and peace, burdened with mission and responsibility, descending upon our planet to fight and free us from the shadow of apocalypse."

Since there were no Ultramen in this Saint Song Corporation dimension, he directly transferred the setting of those creatures who could only last three to five minutes before shouting "full power blast!" onto Aileen.

"During her interstellar journey, Miss Aileen was ambushed by monsters, forcing her to conceal her form and recover her wounds."

"Now she has largely healed and can repel the apocalypse-bringing monsters beyond the planet's edge—only then did she appear at my invitation."

This statement instantly shook the entire dimension, including Saint Song Corporation's major investors and senior management.

Regarding the rampant conspiracy theories, as elite class members, they publicly sneered—but privately, they had no confidence either.

After all, the technology Schultz brought was far too advanced—such as primal armor and psychic activation surgery, at least a century ahead of current tech.

When Schultz's most trusted cousin, Chairman Xiao En—who had just created a miracle—firmly asserted that aliens existed, they believed him even before the audience of reporters did.

Added to this, Irene had truly appeared before the public, and her divine, unique aura made people even more convinced.

For a time, the reactions of different factions varied widely.

Inside the White House, the Meishen Sect flew into a rage, denouncing the Federation's deep government for concealing the truth and colluding with Song Corporation, allowing Song to monopolize the gains and depriving the Federation of another chance at greatness.

The financiers of Song Corporation, meanwhile, felt mixed emotions: they were delighted that their shares in Song Corporation would surely multiply many times over after today.

But they were furious that, having considered themselves brothers with Schultz, they had heard not a whisper of such a monumental event.

They had eaten the meat—and now they were denied even a sip of the broth, left only with the dregs to wash the pot.

As for Song Corporation's executives and employees, only wild joy remained.

What could be cooler or more promising than working for a company that controlled alien technology?

Before Song Corporation appeared, merely hyping a trip to Mars was enough to make a company the most sci-fi tech firm around.

But look now—Mars? M87 Nebula!

Just the name sounded immeasurably more impressive than Mars.

But after the euphoria came a crushing sense of crisis.

Previously, high salaries and generous benefits had already made working at Song Corporation the ultimate dream for every employee; now, it would be even more so.

If they didn't do it, countless others would.

Used to clocking out at four, they'd now have to stay until five—at least five-thirty!

After a brief silence, the media finally processed what Wu Chang had said—and in the next instant, they descended into total frenzy, rushing forward to interview Irene up close.

No one could refuse the chance to interview an alien—even if it meant just getting close enough to say one word, this would one day be carved onto their tombstones.

But Wu Chang had anticipated their actions.

Irene raised her hand, and everyone present was bound by a divine light spell, frozen in place as if struck by a petrification spell, motionless, holding their previous postures.

Wu Chang said:

"Apologies—the Eternal Purity Light is not skilled in human communication and will not accept any interviews for now."

"But there's no need to worry: She has established a mental link with me and communicates with me psychically. If any danger arises, I will convey Her message to the world on Her behalf."

Irene's display of divine light magic once again stunned the crowd.

If the earlier slaying of the yellow monster had felt too distant, and the healing of the injured had reached only a few,

then this time, the divine authority of the god had been felt by all.

The utter helplessness of their bodies being completely immobilized made them truly comprehend the gulf between gods and mortals.

Seeing the faith energy continuously flowing into the Pillar of the Divine Realm, Wu Chang signaled for Irene, whose face remained stiff, to withdraw.

A cold, aloof persona didn't suit Irene—he feared she might crack and reveal her approachable side.

Being too accessible isn't always a good thing; it can make some people grow arrogant, believing protection is their right.

In Song Corporation's realm, Irene's role was humanity's savior—Savior of Song Corporation alone.

Irene received Wu Chang's signal; she slowly rose into the air, her two pairs of wings unfolding slowly, revealing her divine true form.

Then, with a beat of her wings, she vanished into thin air before everyone's eyes.

As Irene departed, the binding on everyone's bodies lifted, restoring their movement.

They tilted their heads upward, staring at the spot where Irene had vanished, then lowered their gaze to Wu Chang and surged toward him in excitement.

"Chairman Xiao En, can you truly communicate with the Eternal Purity Light?"

"Chairman Xiao En, could you ask the Goddess Irene to appear again for just a moment?"

"Xiao En…"

Wu Chang hissed inwardly, realizing he'd undone the binding too soon.

He stepped back while waving his hand: "Security! Stop them!"

Chaos lasted nearly half an hour; only when the crowd had calmed sufficiently did Wu Chang return to the stage to give interviews.

But not all media were allowed—only a select few representatives.

During the wait, the news department had already screened candidates based on background checks.

Those who routinely accused Song Corporation of monopolization, criticized its lack of diversity and insufficient minority staff, or questioned primal armor and artificial deities were all excluded.

After removing the demons and monsters, the remaining questions became far more harmonious, focusing only on what people truly cared about.

Such as: What really happened with the apocalypse? What is Earth's future? Will the Eternal Purity Light appear again?

The only question with any real shock value came from the Federation's official media.

"Chairman Xiao En, you previously stated that alien technology belongs to all humanity—have you considered releasing all alien tech and sharing it with other nations or corporations?"

Wu Chang paused, then asked: "Excuse me, I didn't catch that. Could you repeat the question?"

The man, seemingly not understanding Wu Chang's meaning, opened his mouth to repeat: "Chairman Xiao En, you…"

Though the Federation's journalist didn't grasp Wu Chang's intent, Song Corporation's security personnel did.

Before he could finish, two muscular giants, each 1.9 meters tall, stepped behind him, seized his arms, clamped a hand over his mouth, and dragged him out of the venue.

Everyone present kept their eyes down, noses straight, pretending not to see the man being dragged away.

Time inside the venue seemed frozen.

Wu Chang maintained his smile, watching the struggling journalist.

Dude, I didn't mean for you to actually ask that.

This was exactly why he didn't want Irene to seem approachable—once people think you're reasonable, they'll push right up your nose.

When the man had vanished completely, Wu Chang smiled and said:

"Since no one else has questions, let's move to the next segment."

With the restoration of Pure Light, the Hymn of Light project has officially concluded; next, Song Company's operations will enter its next phase.

Upon hearing Wu Chang's announcement, every executive present at Song Company perked up.

They had contributed nothing to the Hymn of Light project; now they must seize this next opportunity.

Wu Chang joked: "Friends who've come here should know my background, and should realize I'm not a research-type talent."

The reporters present wore strange expressions—saying he wasn't a research-type talent was far too euphemistic.

Even by academic credentials alone, Chairman Xiao En fell short compared not just to Song Company's staff, but even to this group of reporters.

Precisely because of this, when Elin appeared, all factions placed boundless faith in Song Company and dismissed all doubts about Schultz's condition.

Elin's demonstrated abilities have surpassed the artificial deity of the Schultz Hymn Project, going even further.

If Schultz had not died, his presence would have been Song Company's soul—Song Company would still be the old Song Company.

If Schultz is dead, then Elin must be an alien.

Everyone understood: with Xiao En's intelligence, not even improving the Hymn Project was possible—just singing the hymn correctly would count as him having a hobby in music.

Pure Light was either Schultz's work, or truly an alien.

Either way, it would secure Song Company's transcendent status, immune to disruption.

Wu Chang continued: "Therefore, I will appoint a vice-chairperson to work alongside Chief Technical Advisor Jeffrey in overseeing the next phase of Song Company's technical analysis and R&D."

"This vice-chairperson is a former student of former Chairman Schultz; in two days, after finishing her current research, she will report to the company."

He paused, giving media outlets and company executives ample time to react, then continued:

"The focus of Song Company's next phase remains Original Matter weaponry; the previously scheduled Original Matter weaponry will be delivered gradually in the future."

"Due to our vice-chairperson's development of a new technology, she will continue manufacturing a new generation of more powerful Original Matter weaponry—and even mechs, as frequently seen in science fiction."

The word "mech" held lethal appeal in any technological dimension.

The audience breathed heavily; media outlets fantasized about a sci-fi future, investors contemplated how mechs would reshape global power dynamics, and senior executives across departments pondered how they could contribute in this new phase.

Wu Chang said:

"Song Company is an enterprise that values technological research and is dedicated to guiding humanity toward the future. Such an enterprise is truly best led by someone who understands technology."

"Therefore, during my absence from the company, this vice-chairperson will possess all my authority."

"Finally, Pure Light will protect humanity through the apocalypse; the new vice-chairperson will lead humanity into the future."

"That is all I wish to say at this press conference. I hope everyone looks forward to Song Company's next phase."

This Song Company press conference, in every respect, triggered a profound transformation of the world.

People's perceptions and lives seemed to undergo a qualitative shift within just one or two hours.

Whether apocalypse, alien technology, alien deities, or future mechs—any one of these sounded like a fairy tale.

People quickly fell into confusion, yet just as quickly emerged from it.

For their attention had all shifted to the alien deity, Elin, who had briefly appeared at the press conference.

All this time, their world had remained unharmed because this Light Deity had protected them from behind.

Now Elin's grace could never be repaid.

With official information now filled in, the Yongguang Sect Sect, which venerates Elin as a deity, spread rapidly across Song Company's dimension.

Since Wu Chang mentioned at the press conference that Song Company's technology came from Elin, it became perfectly reasonable that joining the Yongguang Sect Sect was a prerequisite for employment at Song Company.

Under this rule, a wave of enrollment in the Yongguang Sect Sect swept through universities across the Federation and the entire world.

The Divine Pillar in the Chairman's office stabilized; Song Company's dimension was incorporated into a larger divine realm.

Simple matters concluded; now came the most difficult part.

Wu Chang rubbed his temples, stealing a glance at Elin.

He needed to take Elin to the underground shelter to retrieve his vice-chairperson.

(End of Chapter)