Chapter 69: Powered Armor Competition!

Chapter 69: Powered Armor Competition!

Just as Li Ang was planning how to best utilize the resources he had acquired, Rosalind Myers, the President of the New United States of America (NUSA), called him through an encrypted holographic communication.

"Mr. Li Ang, I hope you're doing well. Judging by your expression, you seem quite pleased—did something good happen?"

Since the death of Elizabeth Kress during an AI Soulkiller attack, Myers had swiftly brought the chaotic situation under control with the full support of LA Corporation.

Now, as both a military tech executive and the new NUSA president, Myers was arguably the most powerful woman in the Americas.

"It's been going well enough. And you? Madam President, juggling military tech, Congress, and your executive duties must be a challenge, no?"

Among the many powerful figures Li Ang had encountered, Myers was one of the few he respected. Her political acumen was sharp and decisive, making her a formidable leader.

But facing Li Ang, who essentially operated on a different playing field, even her prowess had its limits.

"It's not easy," Myers admitted bluntly. "But I didn't call to catch up—I need your help with something important. Very important."

Her directness was unchanged. Barely a few words into the conversation, she got straight to the point.

"Is it Arasaka's agents causing you trouble with their AI Soulkiller again? If so, I can provide an AI network firewall to ensure the North Star project doesn't fail," Li Ang replied.

Though he was aware of the North Star project's existence, he didn't know its exact details, as it was a classified initiative under the military tech division. Even as a major shareholder in the company, Li Ang didn't have access to this information—and he didn't particularly care to pry.

After all, any AI the military could capture would pale in comparison to LA Corporation's AI, like the Red and White Queens.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not looking for AI support this time—it's about powered armor."

Myers' tone carried an urgency that made it clear this wasn't a casual request.

"Powered armor? What, does our company's armor not meet your needs?" Li Ang asked.

In truth, LA Corporation's military tech portfolio included several types of powered armor. While not extensive, it was more than sufficient for various applications.

Additionally, within the company's shareholder structure, there was a smaller firm specializing in powered armor: the Meta Group.

The Meta Group, founded by a group of ex-American soldiers turned nomads, focused exclusively on developing powered armor. Their technological expertise was nearly on par with LA Corporation's offerings.

This wasn't surprising, as LA Corporation's powered armor technology was originally derived from the Meta Group.

"Victoria Meta told me that your powered armor designs are suspiciously similar to theirs. She suspects you've been using AI espionage to steal their data," Myers said, rubbing her temple in exasperation.

Victoria Meta, the granddaughter of Meta Group's founder Jonathan Meta, was a driven professional in her early thirties, much like Myers herself. The two shared a close relationship, both as colleagues in military tech and as personal friends.

However, Victoria had inherited her grandfather's stubborn and fiery temperament. Once she set her sights on something, nothing could sway her.

Now that she suspected Li Ang of stealing Meta Group's powered armor designs, it was clear she was gearing up for a serious military technology showdown.

"Madam President, that's completely baseless. Victoria is slandering me. Who says powered armor can't look similar? Our company has plenty of innovations; there's no need for theft," Li Ang responded shamelessly.

Even if he had used AI to steal Meta Group's data, there was little Victoria could do about it.

After all, Meta Group's sole focus on powered armor left them vulnerable. Compared to LA Corporation's vast array of technologies, Victoria's grievances would ultimately amount to little more than hollow accusations.

"Li Ang, I trust you wouldn't resort to such tactics," Myers said. "But the fact remains that the military's powered armor orders are currently split between your two companies.

"With Arasaka and the Cubans stirring up unrest in the eastern states, I need a reliable supply of powered armor to form strike teams and suppress those traitors."

Myers' tone was bold and commanding, embodying the authority of a leader. Her message was clear: LA Corporation must compete with the Meta Group for the military's powered armor contracts.

Sure enough, before Li Ang could respond, Myers laid it all out:

"From this moment forward, the NUSA's powered armor contracts will go to only one company. It's either you or Victoria Meta."

Li Ang paused thoughtfully.

Given the current state of the NUSA, large-scale warfare was no longer feasible. Instead, small, precision strikes led by powered armor teams were a more practical solution.

On such battlefields, a single soldier in powered armor could easily take on an entire squad of cybernetic troops. One soldier against ten was entirely realistic.

But Li Ang doubted Myers' motives were purely about suppressing unrest.

"She's playing a deeper game," he thought.

Li Ang quickly pieced together Myers' true intentions. By framing this as a competition for military contracts, she was effectively orchestrating a purge within the military tech division.

Previously, LA Corporation and the Meta Group coexisted peacefully, with no overlap in their respective market shares.

But now, Victoria Meta had suddenly decided to challenge Li Ang—a move unlikely to be her own idea. It was almost certainly Myers pulling the strings.

This internal competition for contracts served multiple purposes. If LA Corporation won, the Meta Group would be ousted, and Myers could reclaim their shares.

With LA Corporation's advanced powered armor, the eastern rebels would be crushed, and Myers would solidify her control.

If the Meta Group won, LA Corporation would lose its foothold in the powered armor market, giving Myers a tool to counterbalance Li Ang's influence.

Regardless of the outcome, Myers would emerge unscathed—a masterclass in political maneuvering.