Miss Wang Weina, even your cousin won't do!

Perhaps her emotional intelligence is often criticized, but her social experience and knowledge are far beyond what Himer can compare to. After a brief moment of disbelief, she came to understand Fiona's choice.

This is a simple trolley problem, except that on one side of the trolley is Fiona herself, and on the other is the entirety of Colombia. In such a situation, just as Fiona said, there is no doubt which option a person truly embodying the "Colombian spirit" would choose.

No country, only themselves – that's Colombia!

Saria sighed helplessly.

Loken Water Tank Laboratory succeeded. Their mad scientists and despicable leaders did achieve their goal to some extent. They created a super Originium Arts that was beyond the reach of ordinary people, and it completely embodied the Columbia personality, and could even be said to be the ultimate monster that was the embodiment of the country of Columbia.

Saria wasn't angry at Fiona's choice; she was simply saddened by it. What could possibly make a child who should have been innocent and adorable utter such chilling words as "Destroy it, hurry up," and then press the button to destroy the country without hesitation?

There's nothing more she can do to help.

If Colombia were to be destroyed in three days, she would not be saddened. She would take one last look at the city that rose from the desert from the plane bound for Victoria and recall its past glory.

Silicon Valley, rated as the most technologically advanced city in Terra, is a place where countless young people pursue their dreams. It was once built by a generation of technological pioneers, who used endless light to cover the shadows beneath their feet. But in the end, it also died on top of those pioneers who had already achieved success. Darkness devoured the light, turning it into the bleak place it is today.

Kal'tsit stood up; her time was precious. His Highness Wayne was a complete hands-off manager, bestowing upon her the glorious title of the third-generation Pulitzer Prize reporter and then washing his hands of the matter. Even the press releases had to be written by Kal'tsit herself.

Fortunately, she had some knowledge of writing techniques. Having lived for four digits on Earth, she had graduated from Victoria Royal College seven times, and had also graduated once from each of the military, guard, and mounted police academies. What couldn't she do?

"In this way, Loken Williams will pay the price for what he did."

Sighing at the students who had gone astray, Kal'tsit was about to go inside when Saria's casual remark from behind made her stop in her tracks.

"He'll be sentenced to at least several hundred years, and he'll probably be dead by the time he's released from prison."

"Several hundred years? Wait, won't he be sentenced to death?"

Kelsey turned sharply and asked. Had she been out of touch with Colombian criminal law for too long? Had legal judgments become so lax now?

Centuries—though that's a mere figure of time for a wicked yet talented scientist. One can imagine that post-civil war Colombia, if it wanted to rebuild, wouldn't leave Loken Williams unused. They might not openly release him, but a secret release, parole, or simply keeping him in prison would be easy. Even if foreign powers intervened during the civil war, Loken Williams could very well have gained favor, or even been exonerated, due to the invaluable data he possessed on human experimentation.

Imprisoned for centuries? Unless it's a death sentence, it's utterly meaningless in achieving the goal of punishing Loken Williams. He'll simply continue his experiments in a different location and wait to return!

Saria was taken aback by Kal'tsit's question. She looked at Kal'tsit with a puzzled expression and asked in return:

"Don't you know, Ms. Kelsey? Colombia doesn't have the death penalty."

In countries without the death penalty, laws lack deterrent power, leading to rampant crime.

Columbia has a clever plan. This move will allow them to recruit so many scientists with questionable records. No wonder Loken Williams dares to be so brazen, even buying people for illegal experiments. He already knew that even if things were exposed, he wouldn't die. He would just have to go from the open to the covert because Columbia doesn't have the death penalty.

P.S.: Boruto's second chapter was so ridiculous it made my toes dig a three-bedroom apartment out of the ground. What kind of 70-100-year-old pretentious tropes are these? Did the writer go crazy trying to write a wish-fulfillment story?

Theresa's chapter was also quite strange, but since the Regent's chapter mentioned it, I won't repeat it. Overall, I personally preferred the chapter about the relics. Also, it was quite fun that the Doctor finally got to tease Kal'tsit.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Collapse of Columbia (4100)

July 17, 1092 (Terra calendar), sunny.

"People will remember this day."

"People will remember this month."

"People will remember this year."

"People will remember this era. It doesn't belong to any king or emperor, nor to any politician or general. It's named after a journalist: Joseph Pulitzer! He is the most controversial figure in Terra's history, the most mysterious criminal, and the greatest hero. He first exposed the corruption of Lateran religion, then the atrocities of the Duke of Victoria, and finally turned his spotlight into a bomb, blowing up the skyscrapers of Colombian politics!"

"With a camera, a pen, and a manuscript, he destroyed a country!"

—Excerpt from a commentary in the *Lentinium Morning Post* on the recent hot news story, "No Sunrise in Colombia." Editor: Kelsey, [Goodnight]

Wayne put down his newspaper, looked at a man sitting at the dining table browsing a news website on his laptop, hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn't help but ask:

"Kal'tsit, why did you still write this commentary?"

Kal'tsit put down her coffee cup. She didn't actually drink coffee much, but Wayne liked it so much that the hotel's cabinets were almost full of top-quality coffee beans, and there wasn't a single can of tea. So she had no choice but to make do with it.

Wayne's assessment of this is: Low emotional intelligence: "Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog." High emotional intelligence: "Husband and wife sing in harmony, a perfect couple."

Kal'tsit glanced at the newspaper in Wayne's hand, then turned her head back and replied in a slightly languid tone:

"I didn't perform to my full literary potential, probably because I haven't written this kind of article in a long time and I'm a bit rusty. I've made a fool of myself."

Wayne paused, glancing at the commentary in his hand that far surpassed his own, "Shocking! The Lateran Religion Did This in Secret...", in terms of literary skill, textual content, and brilliance. He bit his lip in frustration.

Damn it, you got me!

But that's not why I asked you!

What I mean is, Kelsey, how can you write something like this? You're the Joseph Pulitzer of this generation. Aren't you ashamed of praising yourself like this?

This section contains nearly five thousand words, taking up an entire page of the Lentinium Morning Post. Apart from the first thousand words which briefly explain the cause and effect, the rest is a deep analysis of the Pulitzer journalist's inner thoughts, speculation on his behavior patterns, and analysis of his social impact. Finally, there's a concluding remark that's as direct and unfiltered as the end of an essay. Aren't you ashamed?

You're really analyzing yourself here!

Having probably guessed what Wayne was thinking, Kal'tsit turned her head seriously, coughed lightly, and said righteously as if reciting a memorized script:

"Of course I don't feel ashamed for analyzing the Pulitzer journalist. As a qualified commentator, I can clearly distinguish between the identities of Kelsey and Joseph Pulitzer. When I analyze the persona of Joseph Pulitzer, I stand from a third-person perspective, doing 'reading comprehension' as someone who doesn't know exactly who Joseph Pulitzer is, but has a deep understanding of his behavior patterns. After that, I switch back to Joseph Pulitzer's perspective to examine the issues. This helps me correct my mistakes and continuously optimize this persona. It's a valuable and worthwhile thing to do, and I don't feel ashamed about it. On the contrary, I feel very happy about my self-improvement."

"How many times did you rehearse this line?" Wayne asked abruptly.

“Three times,” Kal'tsit answered without hesitation.

Then, a brief silence fell over the room.

After a while, amidst Wayne's uncontrollable laughter, Kal'tsit turned around, staring blankly at the computer screen, her right hand trembling as she picked up her coffee cup.

Take a sip, take a sip...

Why does this coffee taste bland?

Playing around as much as he wanted, Wayne, a little disappointed that he hadn't been able to record this audio clip to send to Theresa, wiped away the tears of laughter and gave Kal'tsit a thumbs up:

“Well done, Kal'tsit.”

Kal'tsit's body trembled slightly, a faint blush appearing on her face as she turned away, the reason for which was unknown. She replied:

"It's just a mission."

"Although it was a mission, the results you achieved far exceeded my expectations."

"Wayne said. After Kelsey published that classic news article, 'There is no sunrise in Columbia,' as a Pulitzer journalist, it caused an explosive sensation throughout Terra that very day with unimaginable fervor."

The facade of Colombia as a "scientific research mecca" and "beacon of democracy," painstakingly cultivated over decades, has been ripped to shreds. Almost everyone has seen the hidden side of Colombia, concealed within layers of intellectual cocoons. Here, there is no morality, no democracy, no freedom; only ever-expanding ambition, extreme selfishness, a terrifying wealth gap, and bloody monetary transactions!

The Loken Water Tank incident served as a catalyst, igniting a barrage of bombshells that included: "John's mother diluting Oripathy painkillers with water and distributing them as Oripathy inhibitors to settlers," "The Umbrella Corporation's illegal human modification experiments with viral weapons," and "Mebiles Technology's monopoly on infrastructure projects and its funding of local organized crime for forced sales." These bombshells covered a wide range of people, from politicians and business leaders to federal judges and state legislators, encompassing everything from national affairs to everyday life.

The political landscape has collapsed. Less than an hour after Wayne returned to the Elizabeth Hotel and finished showering, the top political figures collectively announced their resignations. The Federal Parliament also officially collapsed amidst widespread condemnation and massive demonstrations. It is said that one demonstrator even took the opportunity to remove the podium from the Federal Parliament where the chief judge was giving his speech, and the victory photo of him making a peace sign has now spread throughout the entire Terra.

The whole world is watching this huge saga of Colombia, but Colombia itself is the one who's been slapped in the face. The political arena is now in dire straits, the entire administrative system is in chaos, state governments are completely paralyzed, and a government that is no longer trusted by any Colombian has utterly lost its legitimacy and justification.

Meanwhile, the military also began to take action. A five-star general named Doug declared that Colombia's democratic system had encountered a major crisis, that the actions of the elected magistrate were unconstitutional, and that the magistrate had lost his legitimacy and orthodoxy. In order to "guarantee" the continuation of Colombian democracy, the military would take over Washington State and establish a military government. The military also demanded that the Colombian states currently in chaos declare their allegiance to the military government within thirty days, or else the military would crush the "rebellious villains."

He was articulate, dignified, logically sound, righteous, and confident—he practically had "I'm going to be the Caesar of Colombia" written all over his face.

Colombia is currently in a tense standoff, and civil war seems inevitable. Most importantly, through Kelsey's mediation, the newly formed military government, in order to gain Victoria's (nominal) recognition, has not even vetoed the long list of trade agreements initially signed between the political establishment and Victoria.

From this perspective alone, Kal'tsit's performance far exceeded Wayne's expectations. She not only brilliantly completed the task Wayne assigned her, but also preserved Victoria's vested interests, and even ultimately outmaneuvered the military. Even if the military, bound by these treaties, won the civil war, they would ultimately only be pawns of Victoria. It's even quite possible they wouldn't have won the civil war at all, and it would have continued indefinitely until external forces intervened and disrupted the balance, since neither side truly represented the will of the people.

Let Victoria's ministers and think tanks think about that. Wien is concerned with another issue now.

After praising the big cat, he immediately asked:

Is the news about Loken Williams true?

Upon hearing this, Kal'tsit also dropped the faint smile on her face, which was almost imperceptible unless one looked closely, and replied with a mixture of seriousness and helplessness:

"It's true. Columbia doesn't have the death penalty. Loken Williams was sentenced to 3,580 years for crimes against humanity and will be sent to Mansfield Prison to serve his sentence, while the Loken Water Tank Laboratory will be dismantled by the military government."

“Those experimental data...?” Wayne asked.

“It will likely disappear without a trace, and then one day in the future, be used in experiments at the second Loken tank laboratory with Loken Williams,” Kal'tsit sighed.

This was an internal matter for Colombia, and neither Wayne nor Kelsey had anticipated the huge loophole in Colombian criminal law that it did not include the death penalty. Now, both he and Kelsey had exposed their identities to the Colombian military, and they no longer had the ability or reason to interfere or meddle in Loken Williams' whereabouts.

But should we just let Loken Williams live in prison like this, waiting for another chance to come back from the ashes?

Wayne found it hard to accept, as did Kal'tsit.

"There should be another way. Let me think about it."

Wayne clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he spoke. Kal'tsit nodded.

Suddenly, Kal'tsit's personal cell phone rang. Wondering who would call her from an unknown number at this hour, Kal'tsit answered the call, and Hame's voice came from the other end:

"Excuse me, is this Ms. Kal'tsit? I called using the number on the business card."

"it's me."

Kal'tsit suddenly remembered that she had left Himer a business card, hoping that if she wanted to return to Rhine Lab in the future, she could contact her through it.

She called because of Fiona, right?

As expected, upon hearing Kal'tsit's voice, Himer immediately asked:

"Ms. Kal'tsit, have you seen Fiona? She's been missing for several days. I've searched everywhere, but I had no choice but to call you. It was the afternoon after you visited me that Fiona disappeared. I don't doubt you, but... have you seen her?"

Hermer's voice was anxious, but there was also an indescribable weakness and fatigue; she was probably very tired.

The collapse of the federal government, along with the disbandment of the National Guard, cut off any possibility of Himer seeking help from the "police." In the vast city of Silicon Valley, she had to search alone for a little girl who was deliberately hiding, especially since this little girl was a powerful sorceress—the difficulty of that task was unimaginable.

Kal'tsit didn't reply immediately. She looked at Wayne, covered the microphone, and asked, "Hime, looking for Fiona?"

Wayne frowned, stood up, and walked into the room.

Fiona should be resting in her room right now. Her physical condition is getting worse and worse. The Originium device in her brain is ultimately just an experimental product. There are big problems with both its lifespan and stability. Fiona has been increasingly sleepy lately and has been communicating less and less with people. According to Kal'tsit's judgment, this is a sign that she is about to have a mental breakdown.

Perhaps one morning in the not-too-distant future, this poor child will lose her last bit of consciousness in her sleep, forever lost in dreams. At that time, her body may still be breathing, her blood may still be flowing, and her heart may still be beating, but she will never be able to open her eyes again.

This is perhaps even more despairing than being in a vegetative state; it is a true "death of the soul."

Even so, during her few moments of lucidity, Fiona still kept muttering words like "revenge" and "retribution." Wayne tried many times to persuade her to let go of her hatred in her final moments, as we both know, and to enjoy her last days. But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to speak.

Because he already knew Fiona's answer: "If I can't drag that devil down to hell, I'd rather die right now."

Wayne wasn't sure if the girl, now bound by a life hanging by a thread and consumed by a burning desire for revenge, would still want to see Himer one last time, or if she would simply become part of the Colombian unrest, disappearing into the crowd and leaving Himer with the most beautiful memories of her life.

He needs to go and ask.

Wayne gently knocked on Fiona's door.

There was no response, which was normal; Fiona was probably still sleeping. But now, Wayne had to wake her.

So Wayne pushed open the door.