"Our United States' ultra-high-speed vacuum maglev pipeline railway is finally going to start construction!" This news suddenly spread throughout the entire US internet, and the immediate reaction of countless Americans was that this was fake news, a scam.
After all, news like the commencement of construction of the first ultra-high-speed vacuum suspension pipeline railway in the United States had been circulating for 8 years, and then it would reappear multiple times almost every year, sometimes even with media reports more than ten times in a year saying it would start construction next month.
But after waiting year after year, what they got was a devastating mega-fire that made the entire United States weep.
And two years ago, with the Western Mustang Fund announcing its acquisition of the entire United States United Ultra-Vacuum Pipeline Railway Company, Americans truly believed that this railway should start construction. The Western Mustang Fund wouldn't lie, right?
Then came another two years of waiting. By the time Chinese mechs appeared and Chinese ultra-high-speed vacuum pipeline railways were already operating at full capacity, transporting hundreds of thousands of passengers daily, there was still no movement on their own, which had to make all Americans despair.
So when the news spread again online that this pipeline railway was going to start construction, hardly anyone online believed it anymore, thinking it was just another scam.
Even the media were somewhat dismissive of reporting it, until they received invitations to attend the groundbreaking ceremony. It was then that the media were surprised to realize that this time it seemed to be for real, as they had never held a formal groundbreaking ceremony before.
However, the media were also very surprised. They immediately reviewed almost all the recent orders issued by US courts, and it seemed there was no news of the injunction against the United States United Ultra-Vacuum Pipeline Railway Company being lifted.
At the same time, many media outlets heard that major US environmental organizations were planning to unite and protest at the construction site. This was another big piece of news.
So the US media were all rubbing their hands, ready to break a big story at any moment.
Soon, related news spread on the internet again. Seeing that the United States United Ultra-Vacuum Pipeline Railway Company actually planned to hold a groundbreaking ceremony, and that major media would be present to report, and even that environmental organizations would protest, the American people finally felt that this time it seemed very real.
Everyone became excited, and the online buzz grew higher and higher, eventually reaching the point of universal awareness and eager anticipation.
There was no choice; after all, the American people had endured too much mockery regarding the ultra-high-speed vacuum magnetic levitation pipeline over the years.
Although the United States had been the world's overlord for many years, it had actually offended many people. At least netizens from various countries were very unhappy with the United States, and thus posed soul-searching questions online.
"Weren't you, the United States, the first country in the world to announce the construction of a vacuum high-speed railway?"
"Weren't you, the United States, the country with the number one technological strength in the world?"
"Weren't you, the United States, the wealthiest country in the world, having prepared 8,000 billion US dollars for this new pipeline railway?"
"Why can't we see even a single meter of your pipeline?"
These questions drove many Americans to the brink of collapse, but the Americans simply couldn't refute them, as the facts were indeed so. They could only keep it to themselves and suffer.
So when this pipeline was finally about to commence construction, the American people, like a dammed-up flood, instantly erupted, madly venting their excitement online.
And soon, the United States United Ultra-Vacuum Pipeline Railway Company announced that their groundbreaking ceremony would be broadcast live on major global online platforms, welcoming everyone to watch.
Upon the release of this news, the number of people pre-booking the live broadcast on various video platforms continued to grow, eventually reaching a staggering 86 million pre-bookings for this groundbreaking ceremony, nearly a quarter of the US population, making countless television stations extremely envious.
If such a live broadcast viewership were to occur on their television stations, their annual work targets would likely have been completed.
Finally, the day of the live broadcast of the groundbreaking ceremony arrived. It happened to be a Sunday, so a large number of netizens, having nothing else to do, were waiting to witness the commencement of their country's ultra-vacuum magnetic levitation pipeline.
The United States United Ultra-Vacuum Pipeline Railway Company also knew that their groundbreaking ceremony was highly anticipated, so this ceremony was personally hosted by Chairman Small Swift.
When African Americans saw a person of the same skin color standing at the site of such a crucial national project in the United States, everyone couldn't help but cheer.
Small Swift's status in the United States was currently extremely high. Firstly, he was wealthy. Secondly, he frequently sponsored his fellow African Americans. Lastly, he was the financial god of African Americans. Therefore, Small Swift's status in the hearts of African Americans in the United States was second only to Madame Versailles.
Perhaps knowing that the American people had been waiting too long for this railway, Small Swift started by self-deprecatingly joking about his company, saying that the rabbits at the construction site already had 18 generations of descendants, as rabbits can reproduce twice a year!
After Small Swift finished his opening remarks, he began to introduce the future plans for the pipeline to all the media reporters present and the viewers watching the live broadcast.
It was only at this point that the American people learned that the United States United Ultra-Vacuum Pipeline Railway Company had modified the previous pipeline railway plan, extending the original pipeline railway by a full 3,000 kilometers and including 12 states that were not previously along the pipeline railway route.
This news again triggered a wave of cheers from the audience on-site and in front of the screens. Many American netizens who were originally unhappy that their states did not have a pipeline passing through them were now completely relieved.
Of course, netizens in states that still did not have a pipeline passing through them, even after the route was extended, were having a mental breakdown.
After introducing the new pipeline route, Small Swift was about to take out something to continue his speech when everyone suddenly saw a black object flying high on the screen, tracing a beautiful curve in the sky, and finally crashing directly onto the podium, hitting Small Swift, who was speaking, squarely.
Especially when the image stabilized again, everyone could see a black shoe print on Small Swift's body.
Then, there was a commotion. Many people rushed onto the stage, and some even used their bodies to shield Small Swift. After all, what flew up was a pair of boots, and it was possible that bullets might follow.
"Wow, who is trying to frame my memory? Why does this scene feel so familiar?" However, the American netizens watching the video found it extremely amusing because this scene was too similar to something they had seen before.
After all, just seven years ago, a similar brave soul had thrown his leather shoe at the podium, and the person who was hit by the shoe had a much higher status than Small Swift – he was the former President of the United States.
However, the confusion at the scene did not last long. Small Swift himself immediately waved away the security personnel shielding him. At the same time, he instructed the security personnel who had already apprehended the reporter who threw the shoe from the stands to let go, and asked them to escort the reporter to the stage, hand him a microphone, and then very seriously asked, "My friend, we have never met, why would you do such a thing to me? Even if you have to lose this beautiful pair of shoes?"
"You despicable scoundrel, can't you hear the thunderous shouts and protests outside the venue?" said the shoe-thrower angrily, "You can use a large number of security personnel to keep them away, but you cannot block our human determination to protect nature. I want to use my shoe to tell you that humans have no right to interfere with the right of animals to migrate freely!"
"I have lost my shoe today, but I still have feet to walk. If your pipeline is built, then hundreds of millions of animals in the United States will lose their migration routes, and they will all be trapped to death by your pipeline. We will never allow such a tragic event to happen!" This person's words clarified his identity. He was an environmentalist, and his purpose in throwing the shoe was to protest this railway.
In fact, this answer was not difficult to guess, because outside this grand ceremony, it was said that more than 100,000 people had gathered to protest and demand the halt of this project.
"I understand what you mean!" Small Swift nodded, then asked very seriously, "But have you ever considered that our great country also needs this pipeline railway?"
"This is the most advanced transportation system in the world. With it, we can travel across the country and the world at a faster speed. This is a pipeline that can promote the continued high-speed development of our country, bring employment to countless people, and allow the US economy to continue to prosper."
"Now, for the sake of animals, you want to stop the construction of this pipeline railway. Isn't that completely burying our country's future?" Small Swift asked with conviction.
"You are burying the future, but the animals are losing their lives!" the reporter said emotionally, "In the face of life, nothing else matters."
"Moreover, what you are doing is illegal. The Supreme Court's ruling is here, and you have no right to commence construction!"
Facing these words, some of the audience sneered, some were moved to tears, but more were worried, fearing that with this commotion, the long-awaited pipeline railway would once again be halted.