Two helicopters hovered in mid-air, their blinding searchlight beams locked onto the figure atop the high platform of the Taoist temple below.
They dared not draw closer. Due to the engagement protocols of the PPDC (Pan Pacific Defense Corps) and for the pilots' own safety, they were prohibited from performing low-altitude rescues in areas where Kaiju landfall was imminent.
They could only issue warnings via megaphones.
"Warning! Unidentified personnel below! You have entered a Level 1 combat readiness zone! Kaiju landfall is imminent! Evacuate immediately! Repeat! Evacuate immediately!"
The high-decibel electronic voice echoed through the sea breeze, carrying a hint of static.
However, Ian remained motionless on the platform, like a statue carved into the night.
The global live broadcast froze on this frame, and the billions of people watching instantly erupted into chaos. Chat rooms, social media platforms, and live comment sections were flooded by a massive tide of messages.
"Holy crap, who is that?"
"Is it a real person or a statue?"
"Is this some kind of performance art?"
"Did he not hear the broadcast? Is he deaf?"
"Run, brother! The monsters are really coming!"
"You're not running now? You want to die?"
"Is he so desperate for fame that he's using his life to be an influencer?"
"What time is it, and he's still there posing?"
In the comment section, a user with a Sakura Country ID posted: "Baka! If you want to die, go die somewhere else! Why do it here? You're distracting us from watching the Jaegers fight monsters!"
"He's definitely Chinese! They're all like this! They love grandstanding and ignoring the big picture!" another Sakura Country user chimed in immediately.
"Exactly, Chinese people just love causing trouble for others!" a user from the Eagle Country followed closely behind.
"Typical waste of public resources; he might even interfere with military operations. Fits their usual style."
"Exactly, causing trouble at a time like this. He deserves to die."
Users from other nations with strained relations with China also sent barrages of comments, their words filled with a strange sense of superiority.
The Chinese internet space was instantly ignited. Countless netizens flooded foreign sites to argue, their fingers tapping furiously on their keyboards.
"Bullshit! What do you know!"
"Shut your damn mouths!"
"Maybe he has his reasons!"
"What right do you have to insult all Chinese people?"
However, the rebuttals felt somewhat weak. The figure on the screen, whether it was the flowing white robe and golden armor or that Eastern face, clearly indicated his nationality. Most importantly, the location he was currently in was Hong Kong, China.
This made many Chinese defenders feel stifled and lacking in confidence.
"Brother, at least move a little!"
"Even if you don't want to live, don't give foreigners more ammunition to attack us!"
"I'm worried to death. We're going to get roasted so hard for this."
The public opinion offensive from Western countries grew increasingly fierce. Many nations that lacked their own dedicated Jaeger bases—and had long harbored envy toward the Hong Kong Hunter Base—now found a perfect outlet for their frustration.
"If they can't even manage their own citizens, how can they guard the world?"
"The PPDC should reassess the Hong Kong base's qualifications!"
"A country like this doesn't deserve to have Jaeger units!"
The internal discussion among Chinese netizens was also exceptionally heated, filled with confusion and anxiety.
"What exactly does he want to do?"
"Does he really not value his life? Won't someone go save him?"
"The monsters are about to hit the shore, who has time to save him?"
"That spot is too dangerous!"
Then, a different set of voices began to appear as people observed the details of the footage more closely.
"Look, the place he's at is a Taoist temple."
"The clothes he's wearing... although there's armor, the white robe on the outside looks a bit like a Taoist priest's robe?"
"Is he a practitioner of the Dao?"
"This temple... could it be his home, the place of his faith?"
This speculation quickly gained traction with some.
"It's possible! For a true practitioner, the temple grounds must be very important!"
"Refusing to run even when monsters come—is he guarding his Dao?"
"Defending faith with his life? It's a bit tragic..."
"If that's the case, he isn't grandstanding, he's..."
For a moment, the tide of public opinion seemed to show signs of reversing. Many began to shift their perspective from seeing him as a 'fool' or 'madman' to a 'martyr' or 'guardian.'
Right then, a new comment caught everyone's attention. The poster claimed to be a former priest of that very temple.
"I know this man."
This message was instantly pinned, and countless people pressed for details.
"A few days ago, this gentleman found us and offered a high price to buy this temple."
"The price was extremely generous, far exceeding market value."
"He also gave each of us a large settlement fee and dismissed us."
"For those of us sincerely devoted to the Dao, he even arranged through contacts for us to continue our cultivation at other temples."
As soon as these words came out, the domestic and international internet exploded again. The recently shifted public opinion collapsed instantly, replaced by deeper confusion and curses.
"He just bought it two days ago?"
"Bought it at a high price and sent everyone away?"
"And then tonight, two Category IV Kaiju head precisely for this spot?"
"This... this is too much of a coincidence!"
On a foreign anonymous forum, conspiracy theories began to breed wildly.
"Wait! He came here a few days early and bought the temple!"
"The Kaiju arrived today, and their destination is exactly here!"
"He must be a traitor working for the monster civilization!"
This speculation spread like a virus.
"Holy shit! That's terrifying to think about!"
"He's sitting there... could he be guiding the monsters?"
"Absolutely! How else do you explain such a coincidence!"
"Quick! PPDC! Shoot him! Now!"
"We can't let him succeed!"
On the foreign web, public indignation reached a fever pitch.
"I knew it! There must be an internal problem!"
The Eagle Country netizens jumped out again to lead the narrative.
"Even traitors have appeared! A country like this doesn't deserve a Jaeger base at all!"
"They must be stripped of their base qualifications!"
Echoes of agreement rose from all sides.
"Right! Their people actually produced a traitor at a moment of life and death!"
"People from that country are far too treacherous!"
"Our country should immediately raise tariffs on them!"
"Yes! It must be raised to 100%!"
"They definitely must have been secretly stealing our money all this time!"
All kinds of attacks and slanders emerged in succession. Amidst the chaotic discussion, someone suddenly raised the most fundamental question.
"After all this talk, does anyone actually recognize him?"
"Who exactly is he?"
"Does anyone have his contact information?"
"What's his social media account? Someone doxx him!"
Countless eyes stared through their screens, focusing on that enigmatic figure at the center of the storm.
Who was he?