The Tycoon's Odyssey

Agent Chen and the others stood and walked out of the mansion with their faces reflecting a mixture of concern and resignation.

One of the agents glanced at Chen and asked, "What are we going to do now?"

Chen shook his head solemnly. "The Honorable Home Minister won't be pleased with this. We were specifically ordered to keep Evan in check and, if necessary, seize the project. But with the heavy security around him, we had no choice but to tread carefully."

The agents shared a look of mutual understanding, knowing they had to act with caution. Chen pulled out the pen drive from his pocket, examining it with a contemplative expression.

"It's not in our hands," Chen said quietly, his tone laced with frustration. "We're merely messengers in this situation. Let's depart early and hand it over to the Central Cybercrime officers. They'll determine the value of this piece and decide the next steps."

Evan watched as the agents disappeared down the hallway, his gaze steely and unforgiving. He let out a slow, disdainful breath, feeling the sting of disappointment.

"Do they think they can just come here and offer me trivialities?" he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. "As if my lack of a political background makes me an easy mark. They think they can get something from me without giving anything of real value in return. It's insulting."

[They are trying to assert their dominance from the beginning Sir.] Aurora's voice chimed in.

He shook his head, a mix of disbelief and irritation crossing his features. "It's almost comical how they underestimate me. They think they can play me for a fool just because I haven't played their game. They're gravely mistaken."

With a heavy sigh, Evan redirected his focus. He made his way to his plan.

Aurora looked up as he entered into VR, her red hair catching the light from the screens around her.

"How's the progress on the VR world?" Evan asked, his tone sharp but tinged with genuine curiosity.

Aurora's eyes brightened with a touch of excitement.

[We're making excellent progress. The VR environment is almost complete. It's a world where entities don't need to eat, drink, or sleep—they're dedicated entirely to their tasks, working tirelessly.]

Evan's interest deepened. "I'd like to see it from the background perspective. I want to ensure everything is functioning smoothly and explore how our technology integrates into this new space."

Aurora nodded and adjusted the screen to show the VR world's interface. The digital landscape sprang to life, filled with efficient, purposeful activity. The scene was a vibrant portrayal of Evan's vision show the limitless potential of the future that can be achieved by sheer dedication

As Evan observed the virtual environment, his earlier frustration gave way to a sense of determination.

...

Meanwhile, inside a huge building in the digital world of Newland…

Lab City [VR & AR Research Institute]

Inside the high-tech meeting room, researchers eagerly awaited the completion of their latest creation. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation as the last of their new invention finished printing, ready to be tested.

The atmosphere was charged with excitement for the breakthrough they were about to experience.

Dr. Kip Thorne, the lead physicist known for his work on black holes and gravitational waves, stepped into the room while holding a plate filled with sleek, miniature gadgets no larger than a fingernail.

He placed the plate at the center of the table and took his seat. The room's focus immediately shifted to the devices as each researcher retrieved one and positioned it behind their ear.

In unison, the researchers commanded, "AR mode," activating the devices.

Instantly, holographic screens materialized, casting a soft green glow. Virtual elements appeared, seamlessly integrating with reality and creating a stunning display of augmented reality.

The researchers marveled at the virtual objects, which appeared to have real mass and texture. When one researcher attempted to interact with a digital object, the sensation of touch was so convincing that it felt as though the object had tangible weight. The devices created an immersive experience that left everyone in awe.

"Brilliant," exclaimed Dr. Nima Arkani-Hame, a leading theoretical physicist and a key figure in particle physics. "We've pushed the limits of progress and compactness in VR and AR."

As the team continued to explore the device's capabilities, an unexpected event occurred. A researcher, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a gun and fired it at the center of the table. The devices behind their ears immediately transitioned from green to a vivid red.

To the observers, the devices' outer appearance remained unchanged, but inside, a different reality unfolded. The researchers were transported into a heightened state of awareness, experiencing the bullet's trajectory as if time itself had slowed to a crawl. The moment was both exhilarating and surreal.

"Wow," murmured Dr. Michael Kosterlitz, another leading physicist and a Nobel laureate, who was captivated by the slow-motion effect of the bullet's path. As the device returned to its normal state, the red light faded back to green, and the researchers resumed their exploration with renewed enthusiasm.

"We've perfected augmented real-time perception acceleration," Dr. Thorne declared, his joy evident. He seemed unfazed by the gunfire, confident in the safety of their technology.

"Yes, at last!" Dr. Arkani-Hamed agreed, recognizing the significance of their achievement. "This acceleration allows us to experience time fifty times slower than reality—a milestone we've been striving for."

Emanuel pointed out the remaining power reserves, highlighting a challenge. "However, this function consumes an excessive amount of power. We need breakthroughs in alternative energy research to address this."

Christina, the only female researcher in the meeting room, remarked, "Solutions to the power consumption issue will come from advancements in fusion and other energy research areas."

Dr. Kosterlitz added. "We've reached the limits of what conventional methods can achieve. To advance further, we need to explore nanomachines. Unfortunately, that research is still in development."

Dr. Thorne's thoughts turned to Dr. James Peebles, another towering figure in cosmology. "The depth of knowledge in this field is astounding. I often wonder how Dr. Peebles has managed such breakthroughs," he said, expressing his admiration.

"Dr. Peebles' expertise is truly unparalleled," Dr. Arkani-Hamed added, his voice filled with reverence. "Even with our advancements, we still marvel at the boundaries of knowledge he has pushed."

Another researcher chimed in, "I genuinely hope we get to meet him someday. His contributions are a great source of inspiration."

"Alright, back to work, everyone," Dr. Kosterlitz said, regaining their attention. "With the production of new generations of VR and AR devices concluded, we need to upload our findings to the Akashic server."

After a moment, he continued, "Now that the production of new generations of VR and AR devices has officially concluded, we need to upload the accumulated results to the Mrs Aurora server."

"Yes," the unanimous nod of agreement rippled through the room.

In unison, the researchers closed their eyes, focusing on the upload process. Moments later, a resounding message echoed in their minds: [Upload complete!!!], indicating that they were done with the upload process.

The server was a system devised by Aurora to streamline the sharing of knowledge and research materials among all the labs in LAB CITY. It provided convenient access to technology, eliminating the need for researchers to worry about availability.

The server housed vast amounts of data that could be easily assimilated by anyone in need of specific knowledge for their research.

Inspired by Evan's system shop, the Akashic server allowed seamless retrieval of information without requiring any special procedures. It served as a centralized hub, enhancing collaboration and efficiency across the research communities within the city.

Shortly after that, the researchers opened their eyes, having completed the upload process

"Now, while we await the culmination of nanomachine research, our next research project, bestowed upon us by Miss Aurora, entails delving into the development of machinery that can autonomously produce the previous generations of VR devices we have crafted from scratch. The timeline for the completion of atomic printing research remains uncertain," Dr. Jennifer A.

Lewis explained, providing her team with an overview of their forthcoming undertaking.

Dr. Lewis, a leading researcher in the development of atomic and molecular printers, was at the forefront of advancing this technology.

Her groundbreaking work aimed to revolutionize manufacturing at the atomic level, making her contributions critical to the future of production technologies.

Houston responded eagerly, "This is going to be exciting. What should we start with?"

Dr. Thorne instructed, "Begin with the standard virtual helmet and VR chamber. These devices will be used for training soldiers within the virtual environment, combined with genetic enhancement that Sir Evan might implement later on. I am sure the geneticists might be already on it and soon make a breakthrough."

The team nodded in agreement, ready to embark on their new research project.

_____

Tactical Pilot Helmet Research Institute (White)

As soon as the knowledge about VR and AR was uploaded to the server, a research institute located at the centre of the bustling city received the notification, informing them that the knowledge they needed had now been made available within the server and was ready for assimilation.

Without a moment's delay, every individual in the laboratory eagerly assimilated the newly acquired knowledge into their own minds.

After completing the assimilation process, they promptly gathered in the meeting room to discuss their subsequent course of action.

All of them were prominent people in real with ample amounts of experience but here they looked like a group of kids eagerly dancing around to do experiments to satisfy their curiosity.