Feb 10, 2019, Italy. Inside a grand Roman-style building, a meeting is underway involving four groups within a spacious hall. The men from these factions are heavily armed with guns and ammunition. Dominating the center of the hall is an enormous table, around which sit the leaders of Italy's four prominent mafia families. Frank Adonis, the head of the Camorras, a man in his middle years with a protruding belly, set aside his cigar and uttered, "Could you please inform me about the assailant targeting my establishments for the past fortnight? Let's attempt a peaceful resolution if feasible, or else brace yourselves for my retribution." Neo, his arms crossed, interjected, "It's not an isolated issue, Frank. We've also witnessed assaults on our enterprises. These attackers seem to be outsiders, exhibiting extraordinary skill. Their efficiency in eliminating targets swiftly suggests they're highly trained, a caliber beyond what our resources can foster." Sam curled his lip disdainfully and retorted, "Their level of equipment surpasses that of a private army. Could it be the military?" Neo countered, "Unlikely. Our country's forces lack such sophisticated gear. I suspect these attackers hail from foreign soil." Frank pondered aloud, "But what motive would foreign agents have for assaulting us?" Johnny Massino, an elderly man leaning on a cane, chimed in, "Only if they intend to seize control of the criminal underworld." All three leaders cast their gazes at Johnny, their disbelief evident. Neo's face contorted in disbelief as he responded, "Are you suggesting foreign infiltration is possible without government or public backing?" Despite their ridicule, Johnny stood his ground. "Consider this: What if we have a traitor among us?" Laughter subsided as the gravity of Johnny's words sunk in, the leaders grappling with the implications. Abruptly, the mobile phones of their henchmen began to ring in unison. Frank glared at the phones and bellowed, "Can't we have some peace?" A trembling man stepped forward, reporting, "Our men are on the line. They report yet another assault on our facility, this time by a joint force of police and military." Frank stands up in shock. "What!" Neo, Sam, and Johnny were also informed about the raids conducted on their sites and properties. Neo and Sam's faces grow grim. But Johnny is so shocked that his breathing becomes disorderly. He clutches his chest and says, "Why?" Frank watches Johnny's condition worsen. He asks, "Hey old man, are you alright?" Johnny looks up at Frank with his red eyes and replies, "Do I look alright?" Frank shrugs and acknowledges, "Alright, my mistake for asking." Neo questions, "Did they forget about the consequences of messing with us?" Sam adds, "And what about our contacts in the government?" Frank suggests, "They might have detained all of our men, or it was planned secretly. But if it's the former, the situation will become more dangerous for us." Sam acknowledges, "Yes, if it's the former, we're done for. If someone can uncover all of our men within the government, they can also uproot our decade-old rule." Neo analyzes, "But it's not possible without an internal traitor. Someone from our own ranks betrayed us. Who could it be?" All of them exchange suspicious glances. Their men point guns at each other, while Johnny's eyes become distant as he sinks back into his chair. Suddenly, the sound of clapping echoes from the entrance, and a man steps in while clapping, carrying a bag on his back. He wears a white mask with a vertical eye drawn in the center, along with a dark red coat and pants. The man goes and sits beside Johnny, who looks at him in complete shock. The other three gaze at them both in confusion. Frank asks cautiously, "And who are you?" The man responds cheerfully, "Oh, now you don't even recognize me, your old friend." With that, he removes the mask he was wearing. Frank, Sam, and Neo are shocked by his face: a pale, round Caucasian face with brown hair and blue eyes. A thick scar runs from the middle of his forehead to his nose. Trembling, Frank points at him and stammers, "Deino!" Sam expresses disbelief, "But we personally killed you." Deino touches his scar and explains, "Yes, I was almost dead. However, fate had other plans for me. I was rescued by the organization where I am currently working." Neo said, "So you were rescued but still returned to us. Why? Did you want to die again?" Deino chuckled and placed the bag on the table. He extracted a bomb from within. Deino gazed at the frightened expressions of Neo, Sam, and Frank. "Still desiring my death? If I perish, so do you. Thus, refrain from threats. I'm quite sensitive, else I might detonate it if displeased." Rivers of sweat streamed from all present men. Sam stated, "Alright, we won't threaten you anymore. Tell us, why have you come here?" Deino responded, "Oh, it's not me. Our leader dispatched me. He wants me to address your doubts." Frank inquired, "Regarding what?" Deino clarified, "Concerning the attacks on you—those responsible and the motives." Neo questioned, "And who are these individuals?" Deino answered, "It's us, my organization, and our combat forces. A joint operation with the government to eradicate you from here." Sam reasoned, "But that's not simple. Even if you eliminate us, other gangs will fill the void." Deino proposed, "What if the mafia is being controlled by the government, covertly?" Neo countered, "Still unlikely, as we have ties with numerous government officials. Our knowledge of each person is incomplete." Deino reassured, "That's not an issue. The government detained them before approaching you. As for the hidden one, we have a method to extract them." Frank opposed, "Yet you'll require help from someone high up on the inside." Deino affirmed, "We already have that. It's none other than Johnny himself." Johnny cast his eyes down in guilt, those behind him stunned. Sam and others looked at Johnny in disbelief. Frank exclaimed, "I never imagined it would be you." Deino stated, "The most unexpected becomes reality." Neo turned to Deino. "So what now? Are you seeking revenge?" Deino replied, "No, your task isn't finished. Stay here if you wish to survive. Our leader will converse with you." Deino then departed with the bomb. In anger, Sam aimed his gun at Deino's back, but Frank halted him. Frank advised, "Don't. For now, we have no choice." Sam sighed in frustration. Neo approached Johnny, who lay listlessly on the chair, and slapped him on the head. Sam shook his head. "It's not even satisfying." Johnny showed no reaction. Frank, sitting in frustration, said, "Waiting seems to be our only option." Suddenly, a ticking sound emerged from under the table. Sam glanced beneath and saw the same bag Deino carried earlier, lying by Johnny's feet. Sam grew anxious and perplexed by the bag. He glanced at Johnny, intending to ask. When Sam noticed Johnny's eerie smile, he realized Deino had manipulated them all. Neo asked Sam, "What's wrong?" Sam looked back at Neo, his eyes filled with despair. A massive explosion razed the building. Outside the compound, Deino watched the fireworks with ease. "I've avenged you, my brothers," Deino said before continuing on his way. Next morning, an array of police cars, medics, and reporters arrived at the scene. A blonde woman in her late twenties, clutching a microphone, is live-reporting the situation. Facing the camera, she gestures towards the nearly razed building. The reporter states, "Last night, following police and military operations that led to the arrest of their members and corrupt officials, a massive explosion occurred here. Initially, it seemed like the remaining gang members were retaliating, but a source informed us that the heads of four families and their top associates were the primary victims. We verified this information and confirmed their presence at the location. However, no evidence from the surrounding cameras indicates their departure. Thus, it is established that the mafia has been eradicated. Yet, a question lingers: Are the individuals or group responsible for eliminating these criminals beneficial or harmful to society?" Not far away, Deino stands wearing a scarf that conceals everything except his piercing blue eyes. "It benefits civilians but poses a threat to authorities who exceed their boundaries," he sneers. Suddenly, a masked man approaches from behind. The mask features a single vertical eye in the center. The man comments, "Are you still finding enjoyment in this?" Deino replies, "To some extent. Scenes like these aren't commonplace." In a deep voice, the man continues, "We must continue; there's more to be done." Deino responds, "Of course, I almost forgot. So, where are our targets this time?" The man explains, "There are officials who have become entangled with human traffickers." Deino's disdain is evident as he says, "Human traffickers, the ones I despise the most. Let's not wait any longer—let's get to work." They enter the man's car and drive away from the scene. … … … … … March 25, 2019, Japan. Prakash, the abducted head of the engineering department at Oxford University, strode towards the testing area accompanied by an assistant carrying a small round container. His face radiated excitement as he reached the testing grounds. Entering a chamber, his assistant followed closely. Pausing by a table, Prakash instructed the assistant, "Place it on the table." The assistant opened the container and extracted a blue sphere-like object using gloved hands. The object was about the size of a football. "The task is complete," he reported. Prakash observed the blue sphere intently before leaving the room with his assistant. They entered a room filled with monitors, where Jack Ma and others were present, overseeing the previous testing chamber. As the door opened, Jack glanced over, a smile instantly gracing his face upon seeing Prakash and his assistant. Prakash stood in front of a screen displaying the live situation of their earlier location. Jack approached Prakash, saying, "Congratulations on this achievement." Prakash responded, "Save your congratulations for after the testing." Jack nodded, saying, "As you wish." Prakash directed the individuals at the monitors, "Activate the sheets." Four substantial sheets of titanium alloy emerged slowly from openings in the roof. The sheets were positioned to encircle the blue sphere from all sides. Observing this on the screen, Prakash took a deep breath to steady himself. Jack's expression turned serious, his fist clenching in anticipation. Prakash composed himself and instructed, "Initiate it in 1, 2, 3, go." A person at the computer inputted commands. Inside the chamber, the central blue sphere began to emit a glowing light. Suddenly, it disintegrated into numerous tiny particles that swarmed towards the sheets. From these minuscule dots emerged an icy blue beam, which landed on the titanium surface. The beam swiftly and consistently froze the metal sheets. Once the entire alloy surface was covered with a thin layer of ice, the dots reconvened at the center and reassembled into the original blue sphere. Prakash's face broke into a smile at the sight, but he quickly concealed it. Locking eyes with Jack, Prakash inquired, "Shall we proceed to examine the results?" Jack responded eagerly, "Absolutely." Accompanied by Jack and his assistant, Prakash ventured into the testing chamber. Upon entering, a rush of cold air greeted them. They noticed ice crystals scattered on the ground around the sheets. Prakash approached a titanium sheet and touched its frigid surface, then delivered a somewhat forceful punch. The sheet, covered in ice, shattered and collapsed. Jack observed the scene with exhilaration. Jack exclaimed, "We have no reason to fear them anymore. We can begin reclaiming our territories." Prakash, with flushed cheeks, stared at Jack in anger. "Have you forgotten that this device is not a weapon? Never contemplate employing it for an attack, or I will activate its self-destruct sequence." Jack displayed an innocent smile. "I already know, why are you reiterating this? You're aware as well that this device can't function as a weapon. It's not practical, and even if it were, the cost is too prohibitive to consider." Prakash gazed at him emotionlessly before averting his eyes. Jack suppressed his happiness, exhaling audibly. He inquired of Prakash, "Can we install it on any devices?" Prakash responded to his query. "Yes, we can. Furthermore, it can be utilized or deployed at any altitude. The sole drawback lies in computation; for practical use, it requires a highly intelligent AI capable of calculating its disintegration and integration." Jack pondered for a moment. "Is that even a problem?" Prakash replied, "Not for us. However, the rest of the world can't achieve it with their current AIs." Jack remarked, "That's why we've made progress while they're still searching for a way." Prakash said, "Let them be. By the way, elections are upcoming in this country, right?" Jack confirmed, "Yes, but why do you ask?" Prakash smiled knowingly. "So, whose side are we supporting?" Jack admitted, "You've figured it out. Anyway, the time for declaration is approaching. Let me tell you, we're aligned with the liberals. Currently, conservative or right-wing groups dominate the campaign throughout the country. The liberals are struggling to attract the youth. However, this won't last long because our leader oversees the liberals' affairs." Prakash inquired, "Does he understand politics?" Jack clarified, "No, but he knows how to conspire." Prakash fell silent, shaking his head. "That's... ah, forget it." They returned to the outside of the testing chamber. Prakash inquired, "When will you let me go? It's been so long; I haven't been back to the university or my house." Jack reassured him, "Take it easy. Why rush? I'll personally drop you off after our declaration. This time, the UNO meeting is going to be quite entertaining." Prakash's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, didn't you say this tech wouldn't be shared? And now you're telling me this." Jack clarified, "We definitely won't share this with them. But what can we do if they compel us to use it?" "Compel you to use it? No! What are you saying? They wouldn't do that, right? The UNO's purpose is world peace." Excitedly, Prakash spoke rapidly to Jack. Jack raised an eyebrow and asked, "UNO, peace, and who determined that? Listen closely, only the winners decide what's right or wrong." Prakash contemplated with a lowered gaze. Jack placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, it hasn't happened. Why worry about it? It's just a possibility, nothing more." Prakash looked up at him. "But what if it does come true?" Jack responded, "Then they'll witness what they'd rather not."