July 18th, 8:00 AM, Guocheng Hotel, Kyoto.
The street where the hotel is located was filled with police cars.
Uniformed police officers, SWAT teams, and armed police secured the hotel perimeter with airtight precision.
Plainclothes officers and national security personnel, armed with handguns, were hidden in the shops surrounding the hotel.
The hotel's security measures were incredibly stringent.
All twelve floors were occupied by armed police and soldiers from the Kyoto Military Region.
Sentries were posted every five steps, and checkpoints every ten.
On the floor housing the main server for the civilian navigation system, all room windows were covered with thick curtains, and the corridors were patrolled by thirty armed police and soldiers.
No outsiders were allowed near, except for members of the research and development team and senior leadership.
Anyone who dared to force their way in could be shot and killed on sight by the armed police and soldiers.
It was impossible for even a fly to get through that entire floor.
8:10 AM.
Various television interview vehicles drove into the hotel's open-air parking lot.
Each vehicle bore the conspicuous blue lettering "Dragon Country Channel X."
All the media attending the press conference were from official organizations, not online outlets.
As reporters and cameramen, armed with their bulky equipment, prepared to enter the hotel, they were stopped by security personnel before they even reached the main entrance.
After undergoing three thorough searches to ensure they weren't carrying any prohibited items, the media personnel were finally allowed into the hotel.
8:30 AM.
A black sedan appeared on the street leading to the hotel.
As soon as the car appeared, it was targeted by dozens of pairs of eyes.
Jin Qiqi, who was driving, suddenly shivered and frowned. "Boss, do you feel like we're being stared at by countless people? But the police in front aren't even looking at us. Where is this feeling of being watched coming from?"
Gao Fei rolled down the car window and looked at the surrounding shops, catching sight of a familiar face.
Jin Qiqi glanced sideways and froze. "Pan Hongsheng, Director Pan from National Security?"
"Mm!"
Gao Fei and Pan Hongsheng exchanged knowing smiles and nods. Gao Fei then rolled up the window and said, "The street is filled with plainclothes officers and national security personnel. It's not surprising our car is being watched."
Plainclothes, National Security? Jin Qiqi was stunned. She scanned her surroundings but saw no one out of the ordinary; everyone looked like regular passersby.
"Stop looking. You won't find them. If you could spot them, National Security and the plainclothes officers wouldn't be needed!" Gao Fei chuckled. He then took out his phone and dialed Li Chenghao.
After informing the dean that he had arrived, the sedan was stopped just outside the hotel's entrance.
As soon as the car stopped, two armed police officers, two soldiers, and two regular police officers immediately surrounded it.
Upon seeing that Gao Fei was inside the car, the individuals questioning them paused, but still followed protocol. "Hello, please show your identification!"
Jin Qiqi and Gao Fei promptly handed over their IDs and driver's licenses.
Gao Fei casually took out a special pass prepared for him by the dean and placed it behind the windshield.
Once their identities were confirmed and the special pass was verified, the sedan was allowed to enter the hotel.
After getting out of the car, the two were stopped again as they approached the hotel building.
Looking at the tightly controlled security, fine beads of sweat appeared on Jin Qiqi's forehead. She was right; the project her boss was involved in was top secret. They were stopped a second time before even entering the hotel.
After checking their identities, a security officer said, "Please show your passes."
Gao Fei was taken aback. The dean had given him a pass for the car, but no pass to enter the press conference itself. Just as he was about to explain, Li Chenghao and Yang Guochun walked out from the hotel.
Moments later, as Jin Qiqi was not part of the R&D team and had no special status, she regretfully remained in the car. Gao Fei, however, walked into the hotel alongside the dean and his superior.
Hotel Lobby.
The press conference had not yet begun, so reporters and cameramen gathered in small groups, chatting quietly and adjusting their equipment.
When they saw Gao Fei walking alongside Li Chenghao and Yang Guochun, everyone paused, their gazes collectively fixed on him.
"Isn't that Gao Fei? They said this was a press conference for a confidential project; why is he here?"
"You ask me, who do I ask? But it does make me very curious what his identity is for him to be here."
"Have you all forgotten? Besides composing songs, making movies, and investing, Gao Fei was also a hacker back in the day and helped the police catch a spy."
"If Gao Fei is here at the press conference in his capacity as a hacker, then the project being announced today is very likely related to technology."
"Either way, the answer will be revealed soon. Let's just wait. My advice is to take a few photos of Gao Fei now. After writing the press conference news, we can also write about him."
The reporters, initially curious, then began speculating about why Gao Fei was there. Hearing a colleague's suggestion, they quickly grabbed their cameras and started taking pictures of Gao Fei.
*Click, click!*
The sound of camera shutters echoed in the lobby, and several flashes illuminated Gao Fei, Li Chenghao, and Yang Guochun.
"It seems our young Comrade Gao is quite popular. He's already being photographed by reporters as soon as he walks in," Yang Guochun said with a smile, teasing him as he faced the cameras.
Li Chenghao, standing beside him, also smiled and added, "After all, Gao is not only a top-tier computer talent but also a rising star actor in our country. It's normal for the media to take his picture!"
"You two leaders, stop teasing me. You worked hard to 'clean up my image.' From now on, I'll just honestly make movies and run businesses, being careful in my actions," Gao Fei said, walking between them and smiling at the cameras.
"Old Li, this kid thinks we're lecturing him. He's only nineteen, how can he be so sharp?"
"We're both his elders, so a little guidance is fine. Besides, he really needs to calm down. If we hadn't helped him clear his name, our school's enrollment rate would have been severely impacted by him."
The two spoke in unison, and Gao Fei nodded in agreement.
The clicking of cameras and flashes in the lobby finally ceased after the three took the elevator upstairs.
...
8:58 AM, with only two minutes left until the press conference officially began.
Before the press conference commenced, Dragon Country Channels 1 through 8 began their live broadcast countdowns on television.
Online, the official account of Channel 1 also launched a live broadcast on the three major social media platforms.
In the online stream, the title alone attracted a large number of netizens.
"Dragon Country Civilian Navigation System, Global Premiere!"
The mention of a civilian navigation system, especially a global premiere, immediately drew tens of thousands of viewers.
In the dark live stream room, comments scrolled rapidly.
[Our country is quietly developing technology. A civilian navigation system, this is a blessing for us ordinary people!]
[Speaking of which, there are only a handful of countries in the world with navigation systems, and each country only uses them for military purposes. Now our country has directly developed a civilian one, surpassing the United States by one step.]
[Now that the system is developed, it might take over half a year to popularize. I'm really looking forward to the features of the civilian navigation system.]
[In my opinion, it will probably just point the way, what else could it do? Even the United States hasn't developed it, and we have? I'm not expecting much.]
[Exactly. The United States hasn't managed to create a civilian navigation system, and our country has developed one first. It probably doesn't have any great features.]
[Our country's technology always follows the development of the United States. Now, being ahead of them in developing a civilian navigation system, what powerful features could it possibly have? It's probably just for show.]
[Damn it, all you bootlickers of the United States upstairs, get out of the live stream! You bow down to your American daddy every day, has your daddy given you money?]
[Seeing American traitors and running dogs online so early in the morning is really unlucky. My good mood for the day is ruined.]
As many people joined in to criticize the netizens who fawned over the United States, these "scum" finally quieted down in the live stream. Although a few comments still appeared, the live stream's comment section finally became normal.
Two minutes passed, and the press conference officially began. The citizens of Dragon Country, watching on their computers and televisions, simultaneously felt a sense of anticipation.
Guocheng Hotel, Kyoto.
Second floor, press conference venue.
As the press conference began, Li Chenghao and Yang Guochun took the stage first to deliver their speeches. Gao Fei, meanwhile, waited backstage.
"Xiao Gao, you'll be announcing your identity as the Chief System Engineer later and will be on stage to explain the functions. Are you nervous?" Deputy Team Leader Liao Kexun asked with a smile, sitting nearby.
"It would be a lie to say I'm not nervous, but not overly so. At most, I'm a little excited," Gao Fei replied with a smile. He then looked at the live stream on the computer screen and continued, "Teacher Liao, there seem to be quite a few netizens in the live stream who admire the United States."
"I estimate that most of them are overseas accounts, with a small portion being domestic." Liao Kexun turned to look at the computer screen and sighed. "Some people have a point. Some of our country's technological products are developed by referencing those from the United States. If you hadn't joined the R&D team and provided us with a new system and new solutions, with our original progress, it would have taken us one to two years to complete. Netizens are questioning the system's functionality; when you go up there, give them a good slap in the face."
"Understood!" Gao Fei grinned, placed his hands on the keyboard, and mentally prepared to unleash his fury on those running dogs. The other teachers nearby smiled, watching his "keyboard warrior" demeanor.
On the conference stage.
Yang Guochun finished his speech first, followed by Li Chenghao. Dean Li, after delivering some academic remarks, began to broadly introduce the navigation system. He gave a brief overview and then picked up the microphone with a smile. "Words alone cannot fully explain the functions of our navigation system. Now, please welcome the Chief System Engineer of the civilian navigation system, Comrade Gao Fei, to the stage to explain the system's functions."
Everyone at the press conference was visibly shocked upon hearing that Gao Fei was the Chief System Engineer. It took two to three seconds before the venue erupted in enthusiastic applause.
In the online live stream.
When netizens heard that Gao Fei was the Chief System Engineer, they were just as stunned as those present. Instantly, the live stream's comments scrolled rapidly.
[Chief System Engineer, Gao Fei? Don't scare me, oh my god!]
[Holy crap, if it's really the Gao Fei we know as the Chief System Engineer, then as a former hater, I'm definitely going to become a fan!]
[Could it really be Comrade Xiao Gao? Looking forward to it!]
[Don't even think about it. With Gao Fei's abilities, could he even get into the project R&D team? Chief Engineer? That's nonsense!]
[Who is Gao Fei? A movie actor and a minor hacker, capable of attending such a press conference? It's a fairy tale!]