There was a knock on the door, and after receiving permission to enter, a woman with glasses and a skillful, professional demeanor walked in and reported to Liwen Shao, who was standing by the window.
"Mr. Shao, we've received news from the PPDC. A category four Kaiju named Otachi is about to come ashore. They have already dispatched the Shaolin Rogue and Crimson Typhoon to intercept it."
"I understand," Liwen Shao replied calmly. He was not flustered at the news of the Kaiju's imminent arrival. This was not only because the PPDC headquarters was nearby, and the two Jaegers, Crimson Typhoon and Shaolin Rogue, would arrive to assist quickly, but also because he had other contingency plans.
At the very least, Shao Industries was unlikely to suffer any significant losses from this Kaiju attack. Any damage would be minimal and relatively inconsequential.
However, he couldn't help but think to himself: this year has been one disaster after another. The frequency and intensity of Kaiju attacks have suddenly surged this year, with several places already suffering from these beasts' assaults and destruction. Many Jaegers and their pilots have been damaged in these high-frequency battles. What was once a stable situation had turned into a dire one.
Help was needed everywhere. Everywhere, Jaegers were in demand. The current number of Jaegers was strained, and in some cases, there was an uneven distribution of resources.
Of course, if you were to ask why the PPDC could immediately send two Jaegers to assist in the face of a Kaiju threat at sea, in such a tense situation, you would not understand!
Shaolin Rogue and Crimson Typhoon.
These two Jaegers were built with funding, technology, and manpower provided by the PPDC, but most of the funding, technology, and human resources came from within the country. In other words, these mechs were manufactured domestically and provided for PPDC's use. Although the PPDC was an alliance organization and all the Jaegers were nominally managed by the PPDC for battle coordination, the reality was that the member countries behind the PPDC were never truly selfless. Everyone knew that.
If you do the math, it becomes clear.
In the past, military creations, such as tanks, aircraft, and aircraft carriers, were typically in service for at least 10 to 20 years during peaceful times. If there were no accidents, Jaegers could also serve for that long, but the cost of building them was extremely high, and due to the need to battle Kaiju, their damage rate was also very high. A Jaeger that lasted four or five years without being thrown away could be considered an old veteran. The older generation ones, like the Cherno Alpha, which survived for nearly ten years with repairs and upgrades without being retired due to battle damage, were a miraculous example!
In fact, as the strength of the Kaiju increased and forced the Jaegers to upgrade, the technology had matured in recent years. However, the first and second generation Jaegers were in a terrible situation due to their lack of understanding of Kaiju combat methods and their technical immaturity. In battles, these mechs would be scrapped or eliminated after one or two years of use.
Each time a Jaeger deployed, it was a gamble. It could gain honor or it could fall in the next battle with a Kaiju.
So, here's the problem: If you were the leader of a country, would you risk it all and casually send your own mechs into battle for the sake of altruism?
Yes, when the PPDC organization was first established, cooperation was seamless. Scientists from different countries worked hard for the Jaeger Program, and the member countries genuinely provided money, people, and resources. There was mutual help and a spirit of cooperation, despite the fact that the leading country took more than its fair share. Many countries with little industrial strength were able to build their own mechs with the help of the alliance, and the money they spent could be seen as payment for knowledge and assistance.
But with the increasing frequency of Kaiju attacks and the growing power of the creatures, things have become worse. Worse still, after eleven years, the economy has suffered. The days of freely spending money and resources, producing Jaegers en masse, are over.
Eleven years later, the latest generation of Jaegers was the fifth generation. The pace of technological updates has been astonishingly fast! How long did it take for aircraft to go from the first generation to the fifth? Almost 100 years! The first-generation Jaeger, even with the latest technology from allied countries, had many problems, especially in terms of weight, with most weighing over 7,800 tons—almost 8,000 tons! The second generation weighed around 5,000 tons.
However, by the third and fourth generations, despite having similar heights and enhanced combat abilities, the top mechs only weighed around 2,000 tons! The mechs under 2,000 tons were more agile but had weaker defenses, while those above 2,000 tons focused on enhancing armor, becoming heavy-armored warriors.
The first generation of Jaeger debuted in 2015. The second generation followed in 2016. The third-generation Gipsy Danger was unveiled in 2017, and the fourth generation, Crimson Typhoon, came out in 2018. The fifth generation, Striker Eureka, debuted in 2019, which is the only fifth-generation Jaeger in the Pacific Rim universe.
But now, it's 2024, and despite five years passing, no new generation of Jaeger has emerged. The fifth generation Jaeger, Striker Eureka, is still the only one since 2019.
Why did the technology progress so rapidly before 2019, and then come to a halt soon after? Because before 2019, the various countries fully cooperated, throwing money and resources into fighting the Kaiju. They accumulated these results through manpower, funds, and a bit of luck. After 2019, the situation changed because the investment had caused internal strain on the countries' economies, and the existing Jaeger technology was sufficient to deal with the current Kaiju. Without a stronger Kaiju appearing, there was no need to pour unlimited resources into creating new ones.
A new plan to defend against the Kaiju attacks was proposed: building the Anti-Kaiju Wall.
Building walls to defend against enemies and beasts is an ancient practice. While it's mostly part of history now, it's still a valid option in times of need. After all, if the wall could indeed withstand the Kaiju, it would clearly be a much more cost-effective solution than the Jaeger program. But this all depends on whether the wall's strength is sufficient to block the Kaijus' attacks.
These days, the initiators of the Jaeger Program, who once invested heavily in it, have found that even if they wanted to continue investing as they did before, they are mostly powerless to do so. The economies of various other nations are in decline, the number of people without work or adequate food is growing, and dissatisfaction with government officials is on the rise. In the end, the Anti-Kaiju Wall plan has come to the forefront.
You have to understand that the Jaeger Program is a high-end project that only those with substantial research and development capabilities can get involved with. Enterprises with no expertise or knowledge should not bother, and those without skill should stay out. In simple terms, the profits are substantial, but the barriers for entry are very high. This threshold is unattainable for the average citizens and businesses in many nations, so the subsidies and benefits from the Jaeger Program have nothing to do with them.
However, building walls is a job that most people can do! Such a massive project that will take years to complete requires a lot of manpower. How much money is involved in this?
For the public, it's a simple matter. Of course, they fear the attacks of Kaiju, but when certain scientists stand up and provide guarantees that the walls can block Kaiju below category 4, assuring that life within the walls can be as safe and happy as it was ten years ago, the yearning for a stable life and work, combined with the repeated defeats of the Jaegers in the past year, has led the public to strongly support this project!
Are there any clear-headed people around?
Of course, there are!
But does it matter if they stand up?
It's useless!
In the face of the public , whose emotions have been stirred, and the repeated disappointments from the Jaegers in the past year, many factors have contributed to the rise of the Anti-Kaiju Wall plan, which is already starting to overshadow the Jaeger Program. If the walls can indeed block the monsters, then the politicians, scientists, and businessmen supporting the wall will become heroes, celebrated by the people, just like the initiators of the Jaeger Program once were!
Although the plan seems unreliable to clear-headed people, the desperate need for hope from the public, struggling with economic difficulties, means that before the worst-case scenario unfolds, they will block out these concerns and think optimistically.
What happens if the walls can't stop the Category 5 Kaiju?
Didn't some politician say that there are still existing Jaegers that can be used? The Jaeger Program won't be abandoned immediately. Moreover, the walls will be continuously reinforced, maintained, and expanded!
The pro-war faction, i.e., supporters of the Jaeger Program, facing the boiling public sentiment, the struggling economy, and an energized opponent, have become disillusioned and overwhelmed. The public's discourse has shifted in recent years, especially in the past year, and this change is irreversible. In this situation, even the few clear-headed leaders in some member nations are powerless to turn things around.
The trend is clear.
Those who follow the tide will thrive, and those who oppose it will perish.
In China, there are still attempts to maintain the existence of the alliance and the Jaeger Program, but when so many nations, including the U.S., are turning towards building the Anti-Kaiju Wall, what can be done?
Can one country alone support the entire PPDC?
Don't joke about it!
R&D investment, Jaeger maintenance, labor costs, repairs, and the construction of new generations. Every year dizzying amounts of resources are spent!
A gold-devouring organization that even dozens of nations are struggling together to support, it truly cannot be sustained by a single nation.
So, in recent years, the cooperation between the countries behind the PPDC has long since faded. Each nation is focused on building its own Anti-Kaiju Walls and developing its own Jaegers. In the past year, the attitude of the majority of nations has been one of "sweeping the snow in front of one's own door."
Need help? Fine, give us some money or resources.
Not willing to help?
Then why should we risk the destruction of our Jaegers to assist you? We are already responsible for at least a third of the construction, technology, funding, and maintenance for the Jaegers at our own base. Even if they return safely after a deployment, the subsequent energy replenishment, system checks, and overall maintenance all cost money!
Are you saying this is an order from Marshal Stacker Pentecost of the PPDC Headquarters?
We also need protection from the Jaegers! We are facing the threat of Kaiju as well, but you are helpless. Moreover, you can seek help from a closer Jaeger base.
This is a big shift in direction.
Even Marshal Stacker Pentecost of the PPDC, facing the defiance of the United Nations, is powerless to stop it.
Officially, as the Marshal of the PPDC, and the highest authority, he can manage all matters of the PPDC. But in reality, as a Marshal, the only matters he can truly focus on and manage are those related to the Jaeger Program. However, base management still comes from the various nation's, especially the eight bases located in other nations. Most of the staff at these bases are recruited locally, and there are definitely government officials from the United Nations who are stationed in these bases and hold important positions, wielding significant power.
For example, finance!
As long as the PPDC still has the backing and support of the member nations, Stacker Pentecost will forever remain just a nominal Marshal. He has too many things to compromise on and too many decisions he cannot make.
As the head of Shao Industries, facing the possible suspension of the Jaeger Program, he is also somewhat worried. After all, as the world's most famous Jaeger supply chain provider, even with a fallback, he still needs to plan ahead. Even without a fallback, relying solely on the mature Jaeger industry chain, he isn't worried about ending up in the near-bankrupt state they were in three years ago.
After all, the funds invested by various member nations around the Pacific Rim in the Jaeger Program over the past ten years have been staggering. The technologies and construction techniques developed cannot be easily discarded. Even if there is a few years of winter ahead, the industries extended from the Jaeger Program's technology are enough to keep Shao Industries afloat.
Moreover, he still has Luke Field, the man who could revive Shao Industries!
Thinking of Luke, Liwen Shao turned to his secretary and asked, "Where is Dr. Luke now?"
The secretary checked the tablet in her arms and reported, "Dr. Luke is at the G3 Hunter Factory. The sixth-generation mecha, Kurtulo, developed by Luke's lab, is about to be assembled, and he is at the site."
"Oh, he's finally finished his big toy?" Liwen Shao smiled, his eyes full of excitement. Although it's just a big toy, he understood that as the world's first Mark-6 Jaeger, even if the current trend is not favorable, its debut would definitely attract a lot of attention. This is a good thing for Shao Industries!
After all, only countries had the ability to build Jaegers before!
If Luke Field's Mark-6 Jaeger Kurtulo can really pass testing, Shao Industries will set a precedent!
The first company to independently build Jaegers!
The first company to independently build the most advanced and the only Mark-6 Jaeger in the world!
No matter which version, it proves that Shao Industries industrial strength, construction technology, and R&D capabilities have surpassed its competitors by a large margin, standing alone at the top!