Techno Fever [ONC II Round 1 WINNER | Asian Scifi | Complete]

Chapter 12

"Dear friends and colleagues, it has always been my desire to bring our biotechnology to another level. That has been Chai Wah's philosophy ever since it was founded."

Chai Wah Inc. CEO Wong Kwok Lan's unnervingly friendly voice reached Meiha's ears the moment she slipped to the nearest lit glass door, which opened to a balcony overlooking the attendees of the media conference from two storeys above. Bathing in a soft glow from the ceiling, Wong stood at a bigger balcony on the same level a little way away, wearing a smart black suit and scarlet tie. He had the same bored, eyes-half-closed expression on his face. His palms were spread before him in a welcoming gesture. Two other people were on the balcony with her; neither turned to give her a glance.

"Meiha, the call is getting disturbances. I wonder if it's because Chai Wah has put in a filter to stop unauthorised signals going in and out--" Karman's voice cut out for several syllables. "--might be on your own for now until... better connection..."

It was all Meiha could do not to groan out loud. Just her luck, her only guide and support being shut out when Wong was so, so close. Swallowing her anxiety, Meiha edged past the two spectators and peered over the barrier.

The chamber appeared to have no walls. The screens stretching from the ceiling down to the ground showed a panorama of Wulan. The continuation from the slate-grey floor to the video feed on the screens was seamless, making the room appear much bigger than it actually was. The screen showed the hustling, colourful city of Wulan. Skyscrapers reached up like slender fingers, glistening with neon bright lights against the setting sun in the background. The vibrant orange blended to rice yellow, throwing the sleek, silver edges of the buildings into sharp relief. The city's signature architecture, an elegant clock made of layers of liquid crystal with electricity passing through to give the appearance of a floating clock face made with streaks of neon light, stood not too far away from the edge of the floor. In the centre sat a smaller version of the glass pyramid from the ground floor, giving off a faint, ethereal glow.

Standing in the semi-darkness around it were the rest of the attendees, their tiny hand-held cameras pointed directly at Wong, live-streaming his important announcement for the world to see.

Meiha swallowed again. The Qinshi eyepiece adjusted its settings in the dark, allowing her to detect every lens of every reporter below.

"Unfortunately, we are all too aware and experiencing too painfully now the reality of those who reach beyond their capabilities..." Wong's voice trailed off meaningfully. Meiha's hands curled into fists. "And, as a result, some of us are having to work extra hard to combat these very self-inflicted troubles. As the proverb goes: 'Perseverance spells success; If you work at it hard enough, you can grind an iron rod into a needle'. Chai Wah Inc. has never backed down from a challenge and we are proud to say we have found the solution to this disaster, thank to a most talented newcomer to the team."

Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd. A small movement behind Wong, almost entirely drowned in the dark, caught Meiha's eye. The Qinshi eyepiece zoomed in and sharpened the image. Meiha didn't need the Shennong to throw up the profile Tselong provided her to recognise Cheung Si Lei, the saboteur of the Talos system. She wore a baggy black shirt and loose black trousers. Short black hair fell over her forehead. Nervous eyes darted everywhere behind scarlet-rimmed lenses.

Meiha pressed against the barrier, feeling the cold metal through her hands.

[Calculating distance: fifteen metres.]

She blinked. There was no way she could clear a jump of that distance -- not that she was giving it much thought. The Shennong must have picked up on her subconsciousness.