Abyssal Wanderer.

Although the management models of the various companies in the Olympian Order differ, Venus Digital Media is a very special existence even among the gods.

Venus's board members are often hidden in the dark web, leaving only one executive director to serve as the company's chief executive officer.

Despite being called the person in charge, this executive director actually kept a low profile, spending most of his time deep within the company's intranet in a project called "Pantheon".

Under the executive director, Venus did not establish a clearly defined and rigorous power system; instead, it adopted a loose management model called "professional brokers".

Or, to put it another way, a "breeding poison" model.

Even the most junior employees can directly apply to "Pantheon" to become "professional agents" and independently operate their own meme projects. In principle, all professional agents are equal in status, but apart from the initial start-up capital, the company will never provide any additional resources until the agent proves the value of the IP they are operating.

Everything depends on the agent's own network and operational capabilities, and even more importantly... luck.

No one can accurately predict what trends will become popular in the future, nor can anyone plan the development direction of cultural products. Therefore, the executives of Venus Digital Media choose to stand on high alert and let those "agents" who dream of instant success engage in a fierce battle until the winners of each era are determined.

It is worth noting that this "battle" is both a metaphor and a reality.

After all, it's perfectly normal for fan groups of projects under two agents to pool their money and manpower to launch street wars. There are even many records of mercenary wars for the same reason.

Because of this model, Venus Digital Media's actual corporate structure is a loose alliance with numerous factions and independent kingdoms scattered throughout. Established, veteran professional agents, holding major intellectual property rights, dominate their respective regions like feudal lords.

On the one hand, they enjoy the company's preferential treatment in terms of resources, and on the other hand, they are always wary that their position will be replaced by those emerging agents who are eyeing them covetously because their IP has become outdated.

Countless young people eager for fame will gamble everything to apply to become "professional agents," borrowing start-up capital and initial meme seeds from the Pantheon, using every means to make their cultivated memes go viral on the World Wide Web, becoming truly popular IPs.

In the cultural sphere, which doesn't rely on physical entities, the so-called first-mover advantage isn't insurmountable. Going from obscurity to viral fame can happen overnight. News of young agents rising to stardom overnight due to the memes they manage, dethroning established IPs, happens almost every year.

Even this narrative itself has evolved into a viral meme multiple times. The IP managed by the agent goes unnoticed, while the agent himself transforms into the source of a viral meme, instantly turning from an employee into a key asset of the company.

At Venus Digital Media, anything with communication value can be branded with a shell and become the company's IP.

Even memes that rebel against Venus herself.

The company doesn't care.

"That being said... how dare you let me represent you in this war?"

Zhou Liqi strode into the "Pantheon," and facing the ever-changing phantom, he stopped under the "No Smoking" sign and lit a Cuban cigar.

"You have the highest winning rate, that's why."

The voice of the phantom that spoke changed constantly, just like its appearance.

Old people, children, men, women, excitement, calmness... every syllable of His reveals a different color.

"That doesn't make sense... I remember you originally cultivated a Deep 6 preparation for the Ekdna path, and even prepared a large army of Dark Web monsters specifically for her, so why didn't you let her go?"

As Zhou Liqi spoke, a mocking smile appeared on his face.

"It can't be because of that incident at the Nord resettlement area that we accidentally wiped out that entire army of malicious programs, and she's still in a coma due to the backlash from the Styx Firewall, can it?"

He looked at the silhouette of the executive director through the smoke from his cigar.

"If you insist on refusing, we have other options."

Ignoring his taunts, the phantom in the center of the Pantheon spoke thus.

"Go! Of course we'll go!"

Zhou Liqi immediately replied.

Then, with a sinister grin, he stubbed out the cigar in his palm.

"Why not seize such a great opportunity? I will participate in that battle in your name, I will win, obtain the Dionysus framework, ascend to become the new Dionysus, and then..."

He put the extinguished cigar back into his jacket pocket and looked up at the shadowy figure again.

“I will return again and burn this false temple to ashes.”

This legendary fighter, a Deep 6 Adjuster of the Jason Path who once incited a quarter of the company's professional agents to rebel during the Third Cyber ​​War and destroyed half of Venus's landmark buildings in Africa, hereby declares.

…………

"Read after me..."

As the Chief Justice spoke, he solemnly placed an old, paper Bible in front of Sam.

Sam first straightened his collar, then placed his left hand on the Bible.

"I solemnly swear that I am determined to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both domestic and foreign. I will remain faithful to the Constitution and uphold it without fail. I will accept this duty willingly and without reservation. I will faithfully and diligently perform my duties in the office which I am about to assume. May God help me."

And so, Sam Washington solemnly followed the Chief Justice as he read the oath of office of the President of the United States.

As the cannons roared in unison, Sam looked up at the fluttering Stars and Stripes.

No one could understand the surging emotions he felt at that moment.

Although the ceremony was much simpler than it was a hundred years ago, and far fewer people paid attention to it than in the glorious past, today he officially became the 88th president in the history of the United States.

From this day forward, his name will appear alongside those of great figures like Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Trump in the textbooks of future generations of the United States, and he will become a figure of acclaim for countless free citizens raised under the Stars and Stripes.

No... my name will be louder than theirs!
Sam thought to himself.

Perhaps it was fate, but his father did not give Sam his own surname, but instead followed the trend and dug out the surname of a historical figure from the Common Era.

Washington...

I share the same surname as the founding fathers of the United States, which means I am destined to become the founding father of a new era!
I will make the United States great again in this era!

"Your Excellency, representatives from the Mars War Corporation request an audience."

Just as Sam was still engrossed in his vision of the future, his AI assistant reported to him.

"Isn't the meeting with domestic entrepreneurs something that happens after the dinner? There's still a lot to do after the inauguration ceremony."

Sam said with some dissatisfaction.

The United States government is currently under severe manpower shortages—specifically, the entire new White House has only about twenty people, half of whom are Democrats who left immediately after attending the inauguration ceremony, leaving the president to personally handle the aftermath, such as removing the banners.

"Those uncouth Donalds are such a sore loser. They said their companies only allow them half a day off, and they have to go back to work after the inauguration ceremony... They just can't stand that I won this election by a landslide," Sam complained.

"That's not entirely true... because Your Excellency the President insisted on rejecting the plan to hold the oath-taking ceremony online, the cost of renting the new White House is very high, and their insistence on working full hours is also to make up for the country's fiscal deficit."

The vice president, who was sweeping up the confetti on the ground, said.

At the same time, he couldn't help but wonder, with Mars War technology supporting you, would the citizens of the United States with voting rights dare not vote for you?
"That's why I said those Donald Party guys have no sense of history at all, they can't even look at things from a historical perspective... When I take office, I will lead the United States to greatness again. How can such an important historical moment be glossed over with an online ceremony? In the future, I will restore the glory of the United States in the Common Era. This grand ceremony is the historical legacy left to future generations!"

Sam stood up excitedly as he spoke.

The Vice President did not comment on this, but only offered a reminder:

"Mars's people have been waiting outside for a long time. After all, they are your biggest supporters in this election, so it is only right to make an exception and meet with them in advance."

As soon as he finished speaking, several people dressed in shiny black military exoskeleton armor pushed open the door and walked in.

"Your Excellency, President."

The leader walked up to Sam, still wearing his mask, and said coldly:

"Let's skip the pleasantries. I'm here with orders from the board of directors... As previously agreed, you should be visiting Latin America."

Sam remained silent, only stroking the old Bible on the table.

He was the 88th President of the United States and also an employee of the Mars War Corporation.

Although he believed that the former identity was more important to him, the latter identity was the reason why the United States could continue to exist.

Without the support of the Mars War Corporation, the United States would not even be able to maintain its current size of 50 people.

"So... is war about to begin?"

"Sam asked."

The messenger from Mars nodded and said:

“That’s right, this will be a new era of war of independence for you.”

Sam silently emerged from behind the oak table.

How many people watched the live broadcast of the presidential inauguration?

He looked at the vice president and asked.

"79, a total of 347 Aurean SCs were received, which will replenish the national treasury after tax."

The Vice President said.

This dismal figure made Sam lower his head.

This is the current state of the United States.

No matter how hard these restorers try, they cannot bring back a political entity that has long since disappeared from history.

Unless a miracle happens.

Raising his head again, the adjuster of the Ampros path depth 7 had eyes full of determination—as determined as the Founding Fathers of the United States when they fired the first shot of freedom at Lexington.

"So, the previous agreement still stands?"

"Sam asked."

Mars's messenger nodded and said:

"As long as you win this war for the company, the company will allocate two resettlement areas, New York and Washington, to you, and allow you to transcend the limits of human intelligence through the Dionysian architecture... You will become the true founding father of the new era of the United States."

The messenger's words stirred Sam's heart with passion.

The oak table was quickly covered with fungal moss, from which grew beautiful roses, or things that looked like roses.

The wooden table soon rotted and collapsed under the weight, but the flowers grew more and more vibrant as their parasitic host decayed.

The vice president was taken aback by the sudden turn of events, but before he could say anything, Sam spoke up:

"All greatness is built on the bones of the old... I will crush all my rivals head-on, and use their flesh and bones to water the bright rose of the United States."

He said with boundless fervor:
"I will make the United States great again!"

…………

"So, what are your intentions regarding this war? If you were to fight, no one could defeat us head-on."

A beautiful woman, dressed in a white Roman robe and with a plump and graceful figure, frowned and tapped her fingertips lightly on the armrest twice. The sound seemed particularly dull in the empty hall.

The young man didn't even raise his head, the deerskin scarf in his hand slowly sliding along the spine of the sword, and said in a very calm tone: "It's just a Dionysus structure, not worth me getting involved in and damaging my mind."

This is the fourth wave of people who have come to persuade him.

From his initial position as department head to his later role as general manager, and then to board member… the lobbyist's status rose with each step, and the footsteps in the corridor grew heavier with each passing moment. Yet even now, as the most distinguished founder of Juno Financial personally arrived and cast his decades-old, authoritative gaze upon him, the young man leisurely polishing his longsword still showed not a trace of respect or awe.

"Perhaps there is no complete Deep 8 Hercules path adjustment and modification."

The chairwoman of Juno Financial was not a very patient person, but she managed to suppress her temper, her voice carrying a thin layer of annoyance.

"If you keep waiting like this, you'll only waste your time and squander the few opportunities you have."

Upon hearing this, the young man finally raised his head.

He looked at this person, who might be the person with the highest K/D ratio in human history besides the first deep diver Jiang Zhou, and his thin lips curved slightly, revealing a very faint smile:

"Leaving aside the fact that the Herculesian path is a product of a dying wish, why would I choose a Dionysian framework that is so incompatible with me as an interface to break through the limits of human intelligence when I have other options?"

He paused, then turned the sword over, its blade reflecting a cold light.

"When you recruited me to Juno Financial back then, you personally promised that I could use your DeepDive interface... What, are you going back on your word now?"

"That's what the Hercules path depth 7 adjuster said." (End of Chapter)