Chapter 33: "New" Accra City

"Very good."

Edgar seemed satisfied with Vogelbaum's response and continued, "Given that the CIA and all arms industry competitors are suspected of attempting to seize Soldier Boy, the plan to bring Homelander into the spotlight needs to be advanced. Ms. Stillwell, please notify the media team, especially the editors of the comics and novels that conceptualize Homelander's origins and display of superpowers. Make sure to portray Homelander as an omnipotent and unparalleled superhero, the greatest of all time."

"I understand," Madelyn nodded and offered a suggestion, "Sir, I think removing 'The' from 'The Homelander' and using just 'Homelander' would be more catchy."

"As long as it satisfies the board and keeps the company profitable, you can decide these things yourselves," Edgar had no objections.

"Alright, leave it to me."

——

...

While the top executives at Vought were discussing who orchestrated the attack, in Accra, the capital of Ghana, which is ten thousand kilometers away and five hours ahead of New York, the sun was setting.

The orange-red glow stained the clouds, and combined with the tropical climate, golden beaches, and emerald ocean to the south, it looked every bit like a holiday paradise.

If it weren't in Africa, Accra would be a magnet for tourists from around the world. But its association with war, disease, and robbery...

Even though Ghana boasts relatively high standards of public security, education, hygiene, and healthcare across the African continent, no one dares to risk their safety, hence staying away from this place.

However, unbeknownst to the outside world, Accra has undergone a significant transformation recently.

From a bird's eye view of the city, its central district and streets are framed by striking black and yellow warning barriers, indicating large-scale renovations, reconstructions, and developments.

Many construction sites feature the skeletal outlines of skyscrapers, apartments, or office buildings rising over a hundred meters.

Other sites are being excavated, seemingly to improve or rebuild the city's underground power, water, and electricity systems.

The construction teams appeared tireless, working through the night under floodlights.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that although this is Africa, over 70% of the construction crew have yellow or white skin.

The conspicuous red "Λ" logo on their attire and protective gear indicates they are Atlas employees, belonging to one of the company's largest and most resource-intensive departments—

The Engineering Department.

The Engineering Department has several branches, including the sappers who work with ARS units, possess higher authority, and know core secrets, and the regular personnel responsible for building infrastructure in Accra.

Since the completion of the Accra Park, which is dedicated to the production and testing of the next generation of weapons, Atlas has expanded outward from the park, continually summoning engineering personnel from around the globe.

After all, Accra is closest to the site with the space portal and is the most suitable to be developed into a secondary stronghold, second only to Seattle.

Between 1993 and 1994, Atlas's presence directly spurred the local economy's rapid development.

Many families and friends followed the engineering personnel to Accra, intending to reside there long-term, becoming the primary consumers in the area.

The remaining 30% of the construction team are locals, rigorously selected by the HR department through a series of tests and exams.

Ensuring the selected local employees possess loyalty is paramount, followed by a temperament not prone to anger, and positive traits such as helpfulness, honesty, and reliability.

This screening process is not specific to any location or person; it is the same regardless of where Atlas recruits new employees.

The company treats every team and employee that integrates into the core and internal operations equally. For example, the ARS Third Infantry Company, providing support to Lyon, received exoskeletons and the latest single-soldier weapons earlier than the Hunters Company led by Arthur Morgan.

Similarly, most re-engineered soldiers ready for combat and mission execution are allocated to the Hunters Company.

While it is impossible to eradicate feelings of jealousy and rivalry completely, Atlas channels these emotions into healthy competition.

The team or department with the best performance of the year receives corresponding equipment, weapons, and rewards, and even the lowest-performing ones receive consolation prizes from Samuel Young's pocket, eliminating the notion of empty promises.

All this is predicated on successfully becoming an Atlas employee under a legally binding contract, a step where 90% of applicants falter.

As for Accra's local population, various factors cause the actual failure rate to exceed 90%.

Besides Atlas's penchant for and expertise in infrastructure, Accra's public security has also seen significant improvement.

Continuing to observe from a bird's eye view, it is noticeable that pairs of "soldiers" armed and dressed in dark blue uniforms patrol the streets.

If there is traffic congestion, these "soldiers" act as traffic officers, arriving at the scene to direct and clear the way.

These soldiers, identifiable by the red "Λ" armbands, are actually Atlas's regular mercenaries, providing contract services to some unofficial clients.

A private company would typically have no authority over a city's law enforcement.

However, with sponsorships amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars from Atlas, Accra's police, fire, hospital, and other emergency services and public departments had no problem accepting the assistance.

Emergency service personnel were disbanded and restructured, with Atlas overseeing training, selection, and appointments.

If not for principles of sovereignty, international consensus, and various international laws, Atlas and Samuel Young would have had the capability to "buy" all of Ghana.

While this has not yet caught the significant attention of the outside world, the rapid and extensive changes and restructurings will soon make headlines.

Atlas's public relations department is already preparing to address the media's tricky questions, such as "Is Atlas interfering with another nation's sovereignty and desecrating democracy?" and "Is Atlas attempting to legitimize colonial practices?"

To this, Samuel Young would quote Jonathan Irons, the "villain" from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, summarizing—

"Drop a few bombs, topple a dictator, and declare it a democracy? Don't kid yourself. People need protection, rules, boundaries, and infrastructure to support it all."

The pinned discussion board contains classic quotes from Irons.

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