Chapter 232: Do Not Claim It Was Not Forewarned

July 22, 2022, 8 p.m. United States time.

During the International Security Conference, United States Secretary of State Holmes presented a statement and a motion for military action.

He alleged that after an investigation by the United States, it was found that the transnational corporation, Dream Technology, was established by a terrorist organization. They have used high-tech means to attack the United States satellite systems on multiple occasions.

Previously, the United States had imposed comprehensive economic sanctions on it, but the company remained unrepentant and continued to use support from other countries to willfully harm American corporate interests and threaten United States national security.

In response, the United States had carried out a decapitation strike against its important shareholders, and the company had retaliated with terrorist attack methods against United States naval and air forces.

They downed US planes and sunk warships, especially recently when they even damaged the USS Stanis, causing casualties among the formation’s officers and soldiers, seriously jeopardizing United States national security.

More outrageously, Dream Technology initiated the Berlin terrorist attack, assassinating the former president of the United States, Baysan Volbsk.

Therefore, the United States has decided to carry out military strikes against some of Dream Technology’s factories and hopes countries housing Dream Technology’s factories will cooperate in counterterrorism efforts.

If any country does not cooperate, they will bear no responsibility for any accidents or losses that result.

The declaration demands that the Security Conference grant the United States the right to use military force, integrating the United States’ counter-terrorism efforts into the global counter-terrorism system.

Otherwise, the United States will have no choice but to counter-terrorism and seek revenge on its own.

Upon release of this statement, there was an uproar among the attendees.

Those in the know had already heard about the significant damage incurred by the USS Stanis aircraft carrier formation, and had been guessing which enemy caused the U.S. military such a loss.

But no one expected that Dream Technology, a mere corporation, would possess such formidable military force. Could what Holmes said be true?

As some United States allies began responding to the United States declaration, the representative from Roshan stood up and spoke.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our country believes that the United States’ accusations against Dream Technology and the motion for military action are a blatant trampling of international law and a hijacking of the International Security Council.

The so-called evidence presented by Mr. Holmes is just one-sided statements from the United States, and these losses might well be the United States military’s abuse of force met with resistance.

As for evidence of the Berlin terrorist attack, it’s an attempt to frame a crime where none exists. Everyone knows that Dream Technology manufactures various components for many companies.

That the drones used in the Berlin attack were made with parts from Dream Technology is only to be expected. How could this be grounds to label Dream Technology the mastermind behind the attack?

By this logic, can I say that if terrorists use M16 rifles to shoot at crowds, then the United States is guilty of a terrorist attack? After all, the M16 is produced by the United States (some representatives from smaller countries instantly laughed).

Therefore, the International Security Council absolutely cannot pass any resolution designating a multinational company serving the whole world as a terrorist organization; if it did, the International Security Council might as well disband.”

Holmes turned red with anger, raising a stack of photos and yelling: “The representative of Roshan is openly siding with terrorists! Let me show you all this evidence.”

Photographs from his hand were quickly distributed among some representatives for examination.

The room erupted into arguments. Holmes even set up a projector to play a video of testimonies from Captain Donald and several officers who survived the loss of the USS Graves.

The claim that Dream Technology used unmanned submersibles to sink an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer shocked many national representatives.

A faction led by the United Kingdom, a staunch ally of the United States, believed that since the United States, a major country, exposed its own losses, it must indeed have been subjected to terrorist attacks by Dream Technology.

Especially since Dream Technology’s Berlin factory indeed produced bomb drone components, this piece of evidence was irrefutable.

This indicated that Dream Technology was not an ordinary company and had committed crimes against humanity, thus supporting the decision to take military action against it.

Another faction, led by Roshan and another major country, believed these were concocted pieces of evidence by the United States, and these result-only evidences couldn’t prove Dream Technology’s involvement.

The International Security Conference eventually went to a vote, resulting in the rejection of the motion for military action.

Holmes sneered at the representatives of the two major countries, saying: “Your veto today is equivalent to aiding terrorists!

The United States will fight for justice alone, and any terrorists will be crushed by the mighty U.S. military!”

The representative of Roshan retorted sharply: “The United States cannot arbitrarily pin terrorist charges on its business competitors, it’s an utter disregard for international rules.

If the United States persists in this reckless behavior, the established rules of international society will completely collapse, and the world will revert to an era where might makes right!”

The representative of the other major country also firmly said, “I hope the United States will not have to suffer the consequences!”

After the meeting, the news was immediately released by the media of various countries, sending shockwaves around the globe.

Military analysts have commented, “The U.S. military’s previous withdrawal of fleets from the Persian Gulf was actually in preparation to strike Dream Technology.

Obviously, a military strike against Dream Technology is now imminent.”

“Shocking: USS Stanis aircraft carrier formation suffers a massive terrorist attack. The culprit is Dream Technology!” – Al Jazeera

“They killed our president and thousands of American soldiers; we will declare war on Dream Technology!” – The Washington Post

“The German government has decided to conduct a comprehensive blockade and investigation of all Dream Technology factories within its territory. Once evidence is found, comprehensive sanctions against Dream Technology will be implemented!” – Sky News

“The British government lists Dream Technology as a terrorist organization and imposes comprehensive sanctions!” – Reuters

“We cannot condone the wanton abuse of power, so we cast a just veto!” – TASS

…

On the internet, fanfare erupted on Twitter and Weibo.

As usual, Twitter banned all accounts siding with Dream Technology, where only calls branding Dream Technology as a terrorist organization were allowed.

American netizens overwhelmingly supported the government’s military strike against Dream Technology, using the rhetoric of The Washington Post to loudly call for “declaration of war!”

On Weibo, however, the scenario was entirely different; netizens from China overwhelmingly stood by Dream Technology.

They believed that the United States sanctions and attacks against a company resulting in heavy losses were self-inflicted humiliation, and now the United States shamelessly seeks to retaliate with even greater military force – the act of a desperate dog jumping over a wall.

Of course, there were also a minority of pro-American voices shouting that the United States was fighting for justice, only to be quickly drowned out.

At 10 p.m. United States time, Dream Technology released a statement on its official website.

“We are shocked to hear that the United States denounced our company at the International Security Conference, even designating us as a terrorist organization, ready to launch a military strike. How ridiculous is that.

Dream Technology categorically denies the unfounded accusations by the United States of initiating the Berlin terrorist attack.

We now publicly release a video, which shows that the attacker of the Berlin incident escaped to a United States military camp in Germany, where they evaded the pursuit of German military police.

Clearly, this attack may have someone crying ‘Stop, thief!’ to cover their own guilt. We suggest that the German and United States investigation teams investigate this matter themselves.

As a grand superpower, the United States repeatedly abuses its military power against a multinational company. Do they want to force our company to become an opponent?

Our company sternly warns a small number of United States authorities not to abuse the name of counter-terrorism to gratuitously frame and shift blame, leading the United States to provoke an adversary it should not provoke.

As long as the United States military takes military action against our company, we will regard it as a terrorist attack, and Dream Technology will declare war on the United States!

Finally, no matter what form of military attack the United States launches against our company, we will respond in kind!

Let this not be a warning unheeded!”

This statement sent shockwaves around the world – Dream Technology was actually not intimidated by the United States military threat and even used the famous Tang proverb as its closing remark, ready to confront the U.S. military!

Such a situation stirred much discussion among netizens.

Under this statement on the Dream Technology official website, the number of comments quickly exceeded one million.

“Hard to believe that Dream Technology actually isn’t intimidated by the U.S. military.”

“I guess the U.S. military’s USS Stanis aircraft carrier formation was severely damaged by Dream Technology themselves!”

“A multinational corporation with such strong military force is truly defying the heavens.”

“Aren’t armed enterprises essentially terrorist organizations?”

“Who says enterprises can’t have armed forces? They are multinational corporations, and in some countries, they are allowed to have armed forces.”

“I guess the U.S. military should strike at Dream Technology’s industrial park in the Tanga Federation – look at their aircraft carrier group moving towards Africa.”

…

These comments soon divided into three factions and began arguing. One faction consisted of netizens from the United States and other Western countries, naturally cheering on the U.S. military’s actions while hurling vicious insults at Dream Technology.

However, those who made such comments soon found their computers smoking.

Another faction included netizens from Roshan, a major country, and some weaker nations, who sided with Dream Technology, cheering and encouraging it.

And then there was the faction from some regional powers, purely there for the spectacle, in a “watching the excitement” mentality.

Just as the debate raged, suddenly someone posted a comment that caught everyone’s attention.

“It’s rumored that the U.S. military is planning to use nuclear weapons to attack Dream Technology’s industrial park in the Tanga Federation. This is sheer madness!”

Even American netizens felt this was a bit too much and criticized the commentator for spreading rumors to confuse the public.

Those who supported Dream Technology became worried.

“The United States has many nuclear weapons in its arsenal – can Dream Technology withstand them? The key question is, if Dream Technology has equivalent means to retaliate, wouldn’t that lead to a nuclear war?”

Once this was mentioned, even those just watching started feeling uneasy.

“We must initiate a petition. We cannot allow the United States to use nuclear weapons!”

The faction supporting Dream Technology began to mock.

“The United States is so domineering; they won’t even look at your petitions. Just like the Occupy Wall Street movement before, was it of any use?”