The Fourth Disaster Begins at the Dawn of the Millennium

The Indian government is not going to suppress the Maoists anymore unless it reorganizes its police force and intelligence system. If it continues to fight, it will be embarrassing. Moreover, given India's current situation, how can it possibly "mobilize the whole country" to suppress the Maoists? It is better to block the news first. The death of two thousand special forces is not a big deal. Just don't let the Indian government embarrass itself or cause "surprise to friendly countries."

Delhi and the local state governments tried every means to cover up the results of the "Snake Valley Finale" battle, but after all, it was a special forces unit of 2,000 people that disappeared, and the related personnel, such as their families, numbered in the tens of thousands, which was not something you could completely block. Even if the Indian government could stop the domestic media, it could not stop a bunch of foreign NGOs and media from pouring into India. Moreover, given the casualness of the Indian intelligence and police departments, these professional "nosy" foreigners soon dug out the big news that the Indian Cobra special forces were completely wiped out.

Chapter 227: Red Star Shines over India (End of "India Chapter")

In December in Delhi, the winter sun shines through the glass windows into the Indian government press conference hall. The hall is packed with journalists from home and abroad, carrying their cameras, recorders and notebooks, waiting for the press conference to begin. As the clock strikes 12 p.m., a commotion spreads throughout the hall. The Indian government spokesman walks slowly up to the podium, straightens his tie, clears his throat, and begins today's press conference.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today, we are holding this press conference in response to recent concerns about human rights issues in Operation Awakening."

The reporters in the audience immediately perked up, some began to flip through their notebooks to take notes, and some adjusted the angle of the camera. The spokesperson continued: "I want to emphasize that the Indian government always puts the protection of civilian lives and safety first when carrying out the "Awakening" operation. We have taken a series of measures..."

Just as the spokesperson finished his speech and invited reporters to ask questions, an American reporter sitting in the third row suddenly stood up without waiting for the spokesperson to call his name. The reporter looked to be in his early thirties, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses, and he said loudly:

"Sir, I have a question! I think this question is also what many journalist friends here are eager to ask."

The American reporter's voice echoed in the hall, causing everyone to turn and look at him. The spokesperson seemed a little unhappy, but still maintained a professional smile and motioned for the reporter to continue.

The American reporter quickly walked to the center of the aisle and showed the documents in his hand to everyone: "I have some photos and text materials in my hand. These materials show that in a recent operation, two thousand members of the Indian internal version of the Cobra Special Forces were annihilated by the Maoist armed forces. This happened a week ago. We have been asking the Indian government about the situation, but we have not received a positive response. Why did the government block this news?"

This question was like a bombshell, instantly causing an uproar in the entire press conference room. The American reporter was really brave, directly asking what everyone wanted to ask, and not giving face to the Indian government spokesperson. Those reporters stood up one after another, stretching their necks to see the photos and documents clearly. The spokesperson's face turned pale instantly, he froze in place, his lips trembling slightly, obviously he did not expect such a question.

The hall was in chaos, with reporters raising their hands to ask questions. Some began shouting, demanding an explanation from the government. The spokesman tried to restore order, but his voice was completely drowned out by the noise.

"Please keep quiet! We need to verify the authenticity of this news. Before that, I can't comment on it."

But his words could not calm the enthusiasm of the reporters. The American reporter took the opportunity to walk to the front row and handed the photos and documents in his hand to other reporters for circulation. The photos showed a messy battlefield with many bodies in Indian uniforms lying on the ground. The documents recorded in detail the time, location and casualties of the operation.

A local female reporter took the document and quickly glanced at it. Her face became extremely serious. She stood up and asked in a trembling voice: "If this is true, then this will be one of the heaviest losses of the Indian police department. Why did the government conceal such a major incident?"

The spokesman's forehead was already covered with sweat. He adjusted his tie and reorganized his words:

"My fellow journalists," he said, his voice not as calm as it had been at the beginning, "I stress again that we need time to verify this news. Before that, I urge you not to believe unconfirmed information."

But his words could not stop the reporters from asking questions. More and more people joined the discussion, and the focus of the entire press conference completely deviated from the original topic. Some people questioned the government's transparency of information, some demanded that the truth be disclosed immediately, and some jumped up and asked loudly: "If this news is true, then has the 'Awakening' operation failed? How is the government going to deal with the increasingly rampant Maoist armed forces?"

This question triggered a new round of heated discussions. Reporters stood up and asked various questions. Some questioned the government's anti-terrorism strategy; some asked whether the government should try to hold peace talks with the Maoists to end the bloodshed; and some asked which departments and officials in the government were responsible for this failure.

The speaker on the stage seemed increasingly flustered, his eyes constantly scanning the audience, as if looking for possible help. But he soon realized that he had to face this unexpected situation alone.

"Please listen to me," the spokesperson raised his voice, trying to be heard above the noisy crowd. "I understand everyone's concern about this news. However, as a responsible government, we cannot make conclusions based on unconfirmed materials. I assure you that we will immediately launch an investigation, and once we have definite information, we will announce it to the public as soon as possible."

But his words still did not have the desired effect. A reporter from the UK stood up and said with a hint of sarcasm in his tone: "Sir, are you saying that the government still has no idea about the heavy losses suffered by its special forces a week ago? It can't even come up with a preliminary conclusion? Doesn't this just show the incompetence of the government?"

This sharp question made the spokesman completely lose his composure. His face flushed, and he said in a serious tone: "In view of the new situation that has just emerged, we have decided to temporarily suspend this press conference. The government will immediately hold an emergency meeting to discuss this issue! Thank you all for participating, and the press conference ends here."

After saying this, the spokesperson quickly left the podium without waiting for the reporters to react. The scene immediately fell into chaos, and reporters stood up one after another. Some tried to catch up with the spokesperson, while others started calling their editorial offices to report this explosive news.

After the sudden incident at the press conference, the explosive news that the Cobra Special Forces were completely wiped out spread quickly in India. The Congress Party took this opportunity to launch a frantic attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, while the Bharatiya Janata Party also used most of its energy to deal with the counterattack of the Congress Party. Both sides did not have much energy to deal with the Maoists.

The main thing is that the Maoists did not attack the big cities because of this victory, which gave Delhi an excuse to continue fooling around. As long as the Maoists do not attack the cities, the government can maintain its face and everything will be fine.

The road in the village is winding, with sparse vegetation and a few large trees on the roadside, and the leaves rustle in the breeze. A few cows are grazing leisurely in the fields not far away, occasionally looking up and looking indifferently into the distance. The air is filled with the smell of dry dust. The countryside is surrounded by a vast land, and the outline of a large iron mine can be vaguely seen at the end of the horizon. The sound of the mine's machinery can be heard faintly, as if the earth is singing in a low voice.

Maoist cadre Gan Singh was walking slowly along this rural road with "Yoffe". In the distance, the iron ore was gleaming with metallic luster in the sun, and the huge machines were working tirelessly, making a low roar. The workers near the mine were busy shuttling like ants, sweating profusely. Singh and "Yoffe" stopped under a big tree on the side of the road, looking through the gaps between the leaves, staring closely at the mine.

"Most of India's mining resources are in areas controlled by the Party. Companies like the Tata Group used to cooperate with the police and the government to use violence to expel us. They believed that the Party and the people had no power to stop large companies like them. But now, they finally realized that the Party and the Indian people have the power to destroy them and their property, and that the Indian government is powerless to eliminate us. This made it impossible for them to fulfill the contract they signed at a cost of tens of billions. After realizing this, the Tata Group was willing to bow to us. They agreed to let us levy taxes on the mines and also agreed to let our cadres enter the mines to secretly organize trade unions."

Of course, the Tata Group will not admit anything Singh said, but the Tata Group is willing to pay real money after all, so how to explain these abnormal capital flows?

It's simple. "Joffe" taught these Maoists some modern ways of playing: players who sneak into India will pretend to be foreign NGO organizers and organize some local NGOs to protest against the environmental problems caused by the Tata Group during the mining process, such as polluting water resources, destroying forests, and destroying animal habitats. In order to keep the peace, the Tata Group will be forced to pay these NGOs.

This method of play is very advanced for India, but it is in line with the international mainstream trend. Even when the players and Maoists really did this, the insects in the Tata Group were very happy, because they realized that being forced to pay money to NGOs increased the operating costs of the Tata Group itself, but both the NGOs and themselves could make money in the process.

"So, they are not at all opposed to funding our white gloves... those NGOs are very happy to give us money..."

The players in front of the screen were muttering: "What is this? Is this a replica of the New Fourth Army collecting anti-Japanese donations from the Japanese?"

The new year, the millennium was approaching, and Joffe also planned to leave India temporarily to compile the materials he had collected during this period into a book manuscript and publish it outside India. As for the name, he had already thought of it, it was called "Red Star Over India".

Upon hearing that Joffe was leaving, Ganapathy, the general secretary of the CPI-Maoist, took time out of his busy schedule and insisted on seeing Joffe off. At the time of parting, Ganapathy was filled with emotion. He didn't know how to thank Joffe and the organization behind him. Finally, he said to Joffe: "We never thought that in the 90s, when the international communist movement was at its lowest ebb, there would still be a group of people in the world willing to come from afar to help our cause."

(The player thinks: "You're welcome. You paid the tuition fee. We will keep the gold safe.")

"Joffe" was also very emotional and pleased to say: "After defeating the Indian government's "Awakening Operation", I am very pleased that there was no left-wing adventurism in the party to attack big cities. In fact, even with an elite light infantry of thousands of people, the overall strength gap between the CPI and the Indian government is still huge. It is a huge progress to be able to walk out of the forest and gain a foothold in the villages, farmlands and large and small industrial enterprises established in the vast plains."

After a pause of a few seconds, "Yue Fei" said his last words:

"I will write Red Star Over India as soon as possible and send it to you. In 1936, Edgar Snow wrote his book, and then the Second World War broke out. It was not until October 1949, 10, thirteen years later, that China's five-star red flag finally rose slowly in Tiananmen Square."

"Goodbye, Comrade Joffe, and revolutionary greetings to you."

When someone leaves, someone else comes.

In a small country house, a wooden bed was placed against the wall. On the bed lay a young man, a yellow-skinned, black-haired Chinese man in his twenties, with a slightly thin face. He was exhausted from the hard work and running around some time ago, and could only lie in bed to rest for a while. Outside the window, there was a vast plain with endless fields. Occasionally, a few busy farmers could be seen working in the fields. In the distance, smoke from the village was curling up, and the unique sounds of the countryside lingered in my ears: the rustling of the wind blowing through the fields, the singing of birds on the treetops, and the gurgling of the river not far away.

The man's companion opened the door curtain and came in, carrying a bowl of chili fried pork and two bowls of rice. "Here, brother, let's eat this today to see the difference between Indian chili and Hunan chili. You just came from East Timor, so don't rush to work and take care of your health. After dinner, I'll take you to familiarize yourself with the surrounding environment... Oh, by the way, what's your name, brother?"

The brother was about to say his previous name, but after thinking for a moment, he changed his mind and said the name he took after arriving in East Timor.

"My name is Li Zhiyuan."

"Aim high, what a good meaning!"

Chapter 228 Player UBI Plan

25-year-old Li Ming sat in front of the computer, frowning, staring at the screen, his fingers tapping quickly on the keyboard. The room was filled with a stuffy atmosphere, and the fan in the corner was whirring, but it was difficult to dispel the heat. Li Ming's eyes scanned the screen back and forth, carefully checking the labor arbitration materials he had sorted out. He stopped from time to time and gently rubbed his temples with his fingers, trying to relieve the eye fatigue caused by staring at the computer for a long time. There was a cup of hot water on the table, and a few crumpled papers scattered next to it, which were densely covered with various legal provisions and annotations.

Recalling the sudden dismissal notice a month ago, Li Ming's heart is still filled with anger and resentment. That day, he came to the company as usual, but was told that he needed to leave because of "business adjustments." There was no advance notice, no compensation, and not even a word of explanation. Years of hard work were just wiped out in such an understatement. But he knew very well why he was suddenly laid off, because he avoided unpaid overtime every day and ran back to his rental house to play games.

Compared to working in a company where people are not human in real life, it is more comfortable to be an employee of the Universal Group in the game.

On the screen, documents were sorted and classified: labor contracts, payrolls, overtime records, company rules and regulations... He opened his eyes wide and carefully checked every detail, fearing that he would miss any information that might be beneficial to him. Outside the window, the sound of cicadas continued to rise and fall, and the sun was still bright, but it could not reach his small rental house.

The road to defending his rights is long. The company clearly wants to fight a "protracted war" with him. The company is large and powerful, so how can Li Ming have so much "ammunition" to fight the company? Even if he cuts down on his living expenses, he still has to pay for rent and the most basic food and water and electricity bills. He is embarrassed to ask his parents for money. So, after finishing the previous materials, Li Ming opened another document and began to modify his resume. Finding a new job is also a top priority.

Li Ming carefully examined his resume, thinking about how to make it more attractive. However, every time he revised it, he doubted his ability more and more. In this competitive job market, can he really stand out? Thinking of his job search experience in the past month, Li Ming couldn't help but smile bitterly. He participated in countless interviews, but never received an offer. In most cases, the interviewer repeated the routine answer, such as "We will contact you again" and other polite words.

Compared with the excitement in the game time, the dilemma in reality is really helpless. "Alas, if the Universal Group is not in the game, but in reality, it would be better. It is still more refreshing to work for the big boss Lindentu..."

Later in the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky red, but this beautiful scene did not bring Xiao Zhang any pleasure. He was sitting in a corner of the chemical plant, holding his stomach with both hands, his face pale, and beads of sweat oozing from his forehead. Xiao Zhang felt as if there was a fire burning in his stomach, and the pain made him unable to straighten his back. This was probably the symptom of acute gastroenteritis.

He raised his head with difficulty and looked around. His colleagues were busy preparing to hand over the night shift. The roar of the machines came through the wall, reminding them of the environment they were in. Xiao Zhang took a deep breath and tried to suppress the discomfort in his stomach. He knew he had to ask for leave to see a doctor. If he left his post without permission, he would be fired. Xiao Zhang took out a leave application from the drawer with trembling hands. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to concentrate and started writing.

"Dear Manager Li, I am applying for leave tonight to go to the hospital for treatment due to my poor health. I hope you will approve it."

After writing these few short lines, Xiao Zhang felt dizzy. He took a few deep breaths, waited for the dizziness to ease a little, and then stood up with the leave application. However, just as he was about to walk to Manager Li's office, a severe abdominal pain suddenly hit him. Xiao Zhang had to hold on to the wall to barely stand. Xiao Zhang walked towards Manager Li's office with all his strength, and every step seemed to be walking on the edge of a knife. After knocking on the door, Xiao Zhang heard a voice from inside: "Come in." He pushed open the door and saw Manager Li with his legs on the table, clicking the mouse with his hands.

"Manager Li," Xiao Zhang tried to make his voice sound normal, "I want to take a sick leave."

Manager Li raised his head and his eyes lingered on Xiao Zhang's pale face for a moment. "Ask for leave? Now? You know that the evening is the busiest time, right?"

Xiao Zhang handed over the leave application: "I know, but I have acute gastroenteritis and need to go to the hospital."

Manager Li took the leave application and quickly glanced through it with a frown. Then he looked up with an unhappy expression on his face: "This leave application is too simple. What is the cause of the illness? When can I expect to return to work? Are there any relevant medical records or certificates? These are not written."

Xiao Zhang felt a sense of powerlessness and said tremblingly: "I'm sorry, Manager Li. I'm really not feeling well right now, so I wrote it hastily. I can rewrite it."

"Then rewrite it."

Xiao Zhang took out a new sheet of paper and held the pen again with shaking hands. This time, he forced himself to describe in detail his symptoms, the expected time of seeing the doctor, and the time he would return to work. Every word he wrote was a torment, and cold sweat kept dripping from his forehead. Finally, the new leave application was completed. Xiao Zhang stood up and felt that the whole world was spinning. He held onto the wall and walked towards Manager Li's office again, step by step.

Xiao Zhang, who finally got the approval, felt as if he had used up all his strength. He staggered out of the gate of the chemical plant, and the fresh air made him feel a little better. But the pain in his abdomen and the nausea were still strong. Xiao Zhang stopped a taxi and told the driver to go to xx Hospital. In the car, he closed his eyes and tried to relieve the discomfort. However, at this moment, his mobile phone suddenly vibrated.

Xiao Zhang opened his eyes reluctantly and saw a message from the work group. He clicked on it and instantly felt a chill.

"Regarding Xiao Zhang's request for leave tonight, after research, it has been decided that due to the delay in working the night shift, 400 yuan of this month's performance bonus will be deducted. I hope everyone will take this as a warning and not ask for leave at critical moments unless necessary."

The taxi finally stopped at the hospital entrance. Xiao Zhang paid the fare, got off the car with difficulty, and walked into the hospital. The emergency room of the hospital was still brightly lit and busy. The clock hand quietly slipped past midnight and pointed to one o'clock in the morning, but for the medical staff here, time seemed to have lost its meaning. In this place that never stops, every moment is a "speed of life and death" to save lives.

In a corner of the emergency room, graduate student Xiao Wang was lying on his desk, taking a short break to relieve the busyness and fatigue brought by 24 hours of continuous overtime. Xiao Wang had dark circles under his eyes and a short stubble, making this young man look much older than his actual age.

However, just as he was about to fall into a deep sleep, a hurried call suddenly sounded in his ears.

"Xiao Wang! Xiao Wang! Wake up! There's a new patient here!"

Xiao Wang suddenly opened his eyes, a little dazed for a moment, "Who's here?"

"A patient with acute gastroenteritis just came in, and his symptoms are quite serious. The director asked you to go and see him."

Xiao Wang took a deep breath, resisted the urge to continue sleeping, stood up quickly, tidied his messy hair and wrinkled white coat, and then followed his colleagues out.

Opening the door, Xiao Wang saw a young man like himself lying on the bed, his face pale, his hands tightly holding his stomach. And Xiao Zhang, lying on the bed, saw a doctor in a white coat with a face as pale as his own. He was as young as himself, and his expression was also as lifeless as his own.

"You have severe acute gastroenteritis. You need to rest for a week."

"Ah? A week? What should I do? My boss won't approve such a long leave. My colleague was arrested and criticized for taking two days of sick leave. If it's a week, I will definitely be fired."

......This is so outrageous, where do you work...”

"XX Chemical Plant."

"Oh, I have some impression. Someone from your factory came here to have his limbs amputated. It seems that because it was not considered a work-related injury and he was not compensated, he had an argument with the leader of your factory..."

"Alas, it would be better to work for Universal Group..."

"Wait, Bro, this Universal Group you're talking about...which region are you in? I'm in the China region!"

In the gaming world, the New Year's bell has rung, and the wheel of history is rolling forward. In the new century, the information technology revolution will bring about the popularization of the Internet and the rise of the digital economy, changing people's lifestyles and business models. At the same time, the international political landscape will also usher in profound adjustments, with the rise of emerging market countries, the development of a multipolar world, and challenges such as terrorism and financial crises. All of this will make the first twenty years of the 21st century an exciting chapter in the long river of history.

“The 21st century is our era!”

Lindenwan continued to bend over the table, writing a new chapter for the 21st century. He wrote on the paper:

"In the new century, the popularization of advanced technology and the great improvement of productivity have provided unprecedented possibilities for achieving common prosperity. At the same time, the intensification of social inequality has caused more and more people to re-examine our world. Progressive forces and social movements are booming everywhere, calling for a more fair and just social system. Against this background, our cause is destined to shine with new glory. This is not only a continuation of the glory of the past, but also a bold vision of a better society in the future. It will inspire countless people with dreams to work together to create a more equal, free and prosperous world."

When the "new chapter" written by Linden Wan was sent to the players' mailboxes, all the players also received the news that the game would be temporarily updated within 24 hours. The new version was coming soon, and the first item of the new version update made many players unable to sit still.

"Dear players, after years of development and growth in the game world, our business has finally made its mark in the world. This is the result of the joint efforts of all of us and our players. The fact that the game can run to this day and that so much content has been developed is due to the contributions of our players. But at the same time, we have also noticed that many of our players' online game time is decreasing. We understand that these players need to go to work and earn money to pay for their daily expenses. Therefore, before the new version arrives, we have formulated a new system to encourage new and old players to play games online stably, which will be implemented immediately after the new version arrives.

Here, we have good news for you: the company is now able to give all players a "food allowance". In the new version, as long as you play the game for more than 180 hours per month (not idle), you can receive a basic subsidy of 3000 yuan. In addition, we will give more allowances based on the good performance of each player in the game (actively completing tasks). "

Chapter 229 California Needs a "Captain America"

On a summer afternoon, the streets of Manhattan were bustling with people rushing to their respective destinations. People seemed to have almost forgotten that a gold robbery that shocked the world had occurred here. That robbery messed up the US stock market and market confidence. The ins and outs of the robbery are still a mystery. For a time, conspiracy theories were popular, and various statements that the United States was going to be finished and the United States was going downhill were widely circulated. But after the millennium, the gold robbery gradually became a topic of conversation, and the strength of the United States was still unique in the world.

On the streets of Manhattan, in the same places where bullets were fired a year ago and where the bullet holes may not have been cleaned up, a movie shoot is in full swing. In some areas of the street, large filming vehicles and various equipment are parked. Cordons block curious passers-by and enthusiastic fans from the periphery, but this does not prevent them from craning their necks to try to catch a glimpse of the stars. The air is filled with excitement and anticipation, and excited whispers can be heard from time to time in the crowd.

"I heard the male lead in the movie is very handsome!"

"Is that the Los Angeles Mayor Underwood who is not doing his job?"

At the shooting site, various retro props and sets brought people back to the United States in the 1940s. Cameras, lighting equipment and various cables were intricately arranged on the scene, and the staff were busy shuttling among them, making final preparations for the upcoming shooting.

In the dressing room, stylists began to create the image of Captain America for Underwood. They carefully combed his hair and put on makeup to make him look more like a superhero. Underwood did not show any discomfort. After all, he had starred in a mainstream blockbuster such as "Escape from Jakarta" and was accustomed to such a dramatic life.

However, despite adapting, Underwood was not very interested in developing in Hollywood. He still wanted to do more practical things in politics. However, whenever Underwood proposed such an idea, the young comrades (players) who were arranged by the organization to help always persuaded him:

"Chief Lin, we all know that you want to do practical things, but as the mayor of Los Angeles, how many people can you serve? How much practical work can you do? You want to make progress, and so do we. But the mechanism for selecting leaders in the United States does not allow people to speak with merit and climb up step by step. We just like to vote for a charismatic leader."

In this regard, Lindenwan and Lindentu both said that the young comrades are right, Lindensheng, you should just concentrate on filming. Of course, it does not mean that you should devote yourself to filming. Your performance stage is not only in Hollywood. Remember to return to the political stage of California as an "actor", oh, to be precise, to come back as a "troll". As for specific administrative affairs, Underwood certainly has to make decisions, but the specific implementation of most things is completed by the board of directors and corporate warriors.

So, sometimes, Underwood feels helpless. Although he has been filming in New York for a long time, the situation in Los Angeles is still going well.

Los Angeles is famous for its vast urban area and severe traffic congestion. On the first day that Underwood became the mayor of Los Angeles, players who were fed up with the congestion decided to replicate their experience of playing "Cities: Skylines" as soon as possible, and alleviate urban congestion, reduce air pollution, and promote economic development by improving the public transportation system. Everything needs money, so how did the management team represented by Ji Tianping raise funds for the subway project? In addition to public bonds and government grants, the rest of the funds are supplemented by real estate... Specifically, it is to raise funds through the appreciation and development of land along the line. For example, by selling or leasing land near subway stations, or by cooperating with real estate developers.

Everything is easy with money, and nowadays, the United States is not as outrageous as it will be in the next decade or two. It is still rare to spend billions of dollars but still not be able to build anything. Moreover, there are many players who volunteer to be "supervisors". So, the Los Angeles subway extension line started smoothly.

In order to solve the housing problem, various housing cooperatives were allowed to be established, and some high-density residential areas were built to make more efficient use of existing land resources. The development of high-density buildings will bring about an increase in regional population density. In order to alleviate the resulting traffic congestion pressure, the expansion of the public transportation system mentioned above came in handy.

As players from all walks of life use their strong subjective initiative to play a "combination punch" on the stage of Los Angeles, the "offline" behavior of the mayor has actually been praised by many council members. They think that Underwood's practice of delegating power to professionals is self-aware! (Because Underwood was elected as the mayor by "attracting fans", and I don't see any practical ability to manage the city) has greatly improved the governance efficiency of Los Angeles. It is recommended that Underwood should be less involved in specific affairs in the future...

"Fortunately, I am still the leader of those young comrades in terms of organizational relationships. Otherwise, this would be a complete waste..."

"Underwood! Get ready to shoot!" The director's voice suddenly sounded, interrupting Underwood's thoughts.

When Underwood walked out of the dressing room wearing Captain America's iconic uniform, the entire set fell silent. Everyone's eyes were focused on him, marveling at how perfectly he fit into the role. The red, white and blue uniform fit his muscular body tightly, and the shield was firmly held in his hand, as if he really was a superhero injected with a strengthening serum.

"It's perfect! That's the feeling! Underwood, you were born for this role!"

In addition to Los Angeles, there is another extremely important city in California, San Francisco. This city, known for its innovation and prosperity, is experiencing an unprecedented crisis like many cities in California. The Golden Gate Bridge still spans the bay majestically, but the pulse of the city seems to have become disordered and slow. Pedestrians on the street are in a hurry, with anxiety and uneasiness written on their faces. The neon lights in the store windows flicker, as if telling the plight of the city.

In the coffee shop, the boss and customers complained in unison about the power supply problem. Who could have imagined that in the 21st century, in the prosperous San Francisco, California, the power supply efficiency is as good as that of third world countries...

"The price has gone up again,"

"I know. My family also lost power last night and the kids couldn't finish their homework."

"I don't know how much longer I can hold out. The electricity bill is about to catch up with the rent. If this continues, I may have to close the business."

At this moment, the lights in the coffee shop suddenly flickered a few times, and then went out completely. The owner and customers froze in place, holding their breath and waiting. After a few seconds, the lights came back on, but the coffee machine made an ominous hissing sound and then stopped working completely.