From Idler to Tech Tycoon: Earth

Chapter 39: Attracting Foreign Powers
Chapter 39 - 39: Attracting Foreign PowersThe United States Government – The Pentagon

A dimly lit war room inside the Pentagon buzzed with urgency. Rows of analysts stared at glowing monitors, lines of code scrolling rapidly as cybersecurity experts worked to trace the origins of the groundbreaking AI. The game, World War II: Frontline, had sent shockwaves across the tech industry. But now, it had captured the attention of the highest levels of government.

A lead analyst, a man in his forties with deep bags under his eyes, turned to his superior.

”Sir, we confirmed it. The IP address comes from the Philippines.”

Silence. A thick, heavy kind. The kind that meant something big had just dropped into the laps of the world’s most powerful people.

A four-star general leaned over the conference table, knuckles pressing into the polished wood. ”Could this be a front for Chinese operations?”

The lead analyst shook his head. ”Unlikely. We ran a deep dive into their servers—no foreign state involvement detected. This is a small, independent team.”

The President of the United States, sitting at the head of the table, laced his fingers together. ”And yet, they’ve built an AI that outperforms anything DARPA has in development?”

No one spoke.

Finally, the National Security Advisor cleared his throat. ”Sir, if this technology falls into the wrong hands, we’re looking at a major security threat. Imagine a self-learning AI capable of simulating war strategies beyond human capability.”

The President exhaled. ”We can’t let that happen. We need leverage.” He turned to the Secretary of Defense. ”Deploy another naval fleet to the South China Sea. Make our presence known.”

The order was given. The room went silent once again.

---------

Malacañang Palace, Philippines

President Benigno ”Noynoy” Aquino III sat in his office, watching the CNN coverage on a muted TV screen. The headlines scrolled:

”Mystery AI Shocks Tech Giants—US and China Scramble for Answers Naval Tensions Rise in the South China Sea”

He leaned back, rubbing his temple. ”This is a problem.”

His Defense Secretary shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ”Mr. President, intelligence confirms the AI is Filipino-made. The Americans and the Chinese will want it.”

Aquino sighed. ”And by want, you mean they’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

The room was thick with tension. His chief economic adviser spoke up. ”Sir, this technology could make the Philippines a global powerhouse. If we handle this correctly, we could rival Silicon Valley.”

Aquino frowned. ”Or we could end up crushed under the weight of two superpowers fighting over us.”

A long pause. Then, he stood, straightening his barong. ”Arrange a private meeting with the developers. I want to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

-------

Ottawa, Canada – Office of the Prime Minister

The Canadian Prime Minister, Thomas Bellinger, adjusted his tie and stepped up to the podium. The room was filled with journalists, their cameras flashing as they awaited his statement. Behind him, the Canadian flag stood tall, a symbol of diplomacy and quiet power.

He cleared his throat and spoke with measured confidence.

”Canada has always been a proud supporter of global technological advancement. Today, we are pledging $2 billion to support technological development in the Philippines.”

The reporters murmured, fingers flying over keyboards. A journalist raised his hand. ”Prime Minister, why such a significant investment?”

Bellinger smiled, but his tone was firm. ”Innovation knows no borders. The Philippines has shown great potential in emerging technologies, and we believe in fostering a relationship built on collaboration.”

A diplomatic answer. The real reason was obvious to those paying attention—buy influence before the US or China does.

The Canadian delegation had seen the reports. ByteBull’s AI wasn’t just a breakthrough in gaming; it was a paradigm shift. Governments worldwide were scrambling to understand its implications. And Canada wasn’t about to be left behind.

The press conference continued, but behind closed doors, Canada’s top diplomats were already in talks with Philippine officials.

-----------

Tokyo, Japan – Prime Minister’s Residence

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda sat across from President Noynoy Aquino, the traditional Japanese tea set between them untouched. The atmosphere was formal yet tense. They both knew what this meeting was about.

Noda spoke first. ”President Aquino, Japan has always valued its relationship with the Philippines. We wish to help modernize your country’s infrastructure and technology sector in exchange for closer cooperation.”

Aquino leaned back slightly. ”I assume by cooperation, you mean access to ByteBull’s AI technology?”

A small, diplomatic smile from Noda. ”We believe a partnership would be mutually beneficial. Japan has decades of experience in AI development. Combined with your country’s newfound innovation, we could create something extraordinary.”

Aquino exhaled, rubbing his temple. ”You’re the world leader to call me about this today.”

Noda chuckled softly. ”I imagine you’ll be getting more calls.”

The conversation shifted to logistics—trade deals, re

Estello’s eyes flickered with interest. ”Go on.”

Richard’s fingers tapped against his knee, his mind racing. ”We’re refusing every corporate deal. No acquisitions. No buyouts. Instead, we license our AI—on our terms. Since all they care about is the AI, we’ll give it to them... but only in the most controlled, watered-down way possible.”

Jack whistled low. ”So, like... we give them version three while we’re secretly cooking up version ten?”

”Exactly.” Richard’s smirk turned razor-sharp. ”We let them have Phoenix AI, but only the third diluted version. They can fight over who gets to improve it on their own. And in the meantime? We commercialize our own game engine—Vector Engine—and flood the market.”

Jack sat back, shaking his head in disbelief. ”Bro. You want to go public with the most advanced AI gaming engine ever made? That’s insane.”

”It’s calculated.” Richard’s eyes gleamed. ”Right now, we’re like a monkey with a golden banana. Other monkeys want it. Badly. So what do we do? We give them a banana. Not the golden one, but something close enough that they’ll fight each other for it instead of fighting us.”

Estello burst into laughter, a genuine, deep chuckle. ”Richard, you’re not a monkey. You’re the zookeeper.”

Richard shrugged, grinning. ”And the best part? Every improvement they make to our licensed AI will still trace back to us. Because we own the foundation. We built it. The more they innovate, the more valuable our ecosystem becomes.”

Jack ran both hands through his hair, exhaling loudly. ”Dude, this is... next-level evil genius type shit.”

Richard simply grinned. ”Nah. This is business.”

Estello nodded approvingly. ”It’s dangerous, but brilliant. You turn the corporations into your workers without them even realizing it.”

Jack crossed his arms. ”Okay, but what about the governments? The US, China, Russia—these guys aren’t playing around. They don’t just throw money; they send fleets and operatives. What do we do when they start pushing harder?”

Richard’s smirk faded slightly, replaced with something colder. ”That’s the real game, isn’t it? The moment we go public, we become too big to silence. If we let one country take control, we become their asset. But if we make everyone dependent on us? Then they need us more than we need them.”

Estello hummed thoughtfully. ”Leverage. Absolute leverage.”

Jack exhaled. ”Alright, man. I’ll back your play. But I swear, if we end up on some government watchlist, I’m gonna haunt your ass from prison.”

Richard clapped a hand on Jack’s shoulder. ”If we play this right, Jack... we won’t be running. They’ll be chasing us with open wallets.”

Estello smiled as their convoy turned toward the mansion. ”Well then, gentlemen. Time to start the biggest bidding war the world has ever seen.”