"A few days ago, Huaxia personnel placed a detection device near our territorial waters. It was discovered and salvaged by our coast guards."
That single statement from the island nation, accompanied by a photo of the device, immediately sparked a global media frenzy.
"Huaxia's spy device retrieved from our waters!" — Asahi News
"China: A growing threat to the world!" — CNN
"Espionage on the high seas — Huaxia deploys surveillance near our shores!" — The Times
Within hours, Western media picked up the story and ran with it. Outrage, speculation, and smear campaigns flooded global headlines at lightning speed. The tired but evergreen "China Threat" theory was dusted off and relaunched into the spotlight with renewed vigor.
Smearing China was a well-worn tactic of Western outlets. Now that they had something resembling a "smoking gun," they pounced like sharks in bloodied water.
Social media wasn't far behind.
On platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the comment sections exploded.
"A counterfeit nation spreading its filth everywhere."
"They stole technology and now they think they can run the world."
"Bet the device's broken already. Typical 'MAKeiN—' whatever."
"This country will end up destroying us all."
Vitriol ran unchecked. In just a few hours, thousands of angry, mocking, or alarmist comments flooded the global feeds.
Official Press Conference, Domestic Media
At a scheduled briefing, a reporter raised their hand.
"The island nation's Coast Guard claims to have retrieved a spy device near its territorial waters, allegedly deployed by Chinese researchers. Can you confirm or deny this? What kind of equipment was retrieved? What is China's response?"
Spokeswoman Ren Ying smiled calmly, giving the nod to acknowledge the question.
"We are aware of the situation and have reviewed preliminary reports. I would like to clarify three things:
Based on the information available to us, the equipment in question was placed in international waters.
The device is a standard geological survey instrument—not a so-called spy device.
The device does not belong to our government researchers.
We regret the salvage actions taken by the island nation. As per the International Convention on the Law of the Sea…"
Her response was smooth—deliberately diplomatic and non-confrontational, almost like throwing punches into cotton. But behind the scenes, pressure was building.
Shortly after, photos of the salvaged device began to circulate online.
And the moment the image hit the net, everything exploded.
The logo of the Marching Ant Company—that unmistakable marching ant silhouette—was clearly printed on the side of the device. The text was visible. There was no denying who made it.
Almost immediately, the eyes of the world turned to the Marching Ant Company.
A company that had been low-key for months, quiet as a shadow… had now stepped straight into international controversy.
"Utter disgrace! Marching Ants embarrassing the country on the world stage!"
"Never mind the drama—what the hell is that device? I want the science!"
"Connecting the dots here: That location? Junction of the East Pacific, Eurasian, and Pacific Plates. One of the most seismically active areas on Earth. Now remember three months ago—Chen Mo of Marching Ants published a paper on earthquake warning tech. You seeing it yet?"
"Do they seriously believe a private company can build an actual earthquake warning system? Just a bunch of ants pretending to be giants."
The familiar tide of cynicism returned, surging back online.
Overnight, the Marching Ant Company became the most talked-about company in the world—and not for good reasons.
The next morning, their headquarters in Binhai City was surrounded by reporters from across the country. Journalists camped outside with cameras, microphones, and tents.
The world was waiting.
Marching Ants had not made any statement so far. And in media logic, silence meant guilt.
Inside the Marching Ant Conference Room
The atmosphere was tense. Zhao Min's expression was grim. Chen Mo sat with furrowed brows. Around them were core executives: Zhang Yi, Lao Luo, Zhu Li, Li Lingfeng, Li Danni, Wang Sijia... everyone held their breath.
The island nation had retrieved their seismograph and was spinning it into a global scandal. Worse, the salvage happened in international waters, yet the headlines were playing to public ignorance. They'd stolen the initiative and claimed the moral high ground first.
Now the Western media was running wild. The Marching Ant Company was caught in a PR nightmare.
The issue wasn't just reputation—this put the entire seismograph project at risk. And the island nation's move forced their hand. Everything was now public. There was no room left to hide.
Chen Mo finally broke the silence.
"Call a press conference. I'll address it myself."
Zhao Min nodded, though her expression stayed worried.
"What's the strategy?" she asked.
Chen Mo's tone was calm but decisive.
"We acknowledge the device. It's ours. We explain it openly."
There was no use denying it now. The government wouldn't defend them directly—they had to speak for themselves. The logo was proof enough. And if they stayed silent, they'd look weak. Worse, they'd look guilty.
"We go public. Strong and clear."
Zhao Min sighed, then nodded.
"That's probably our only option."
It wasn't about denial. It was about owning the narrative.
"Lingfeng," Zhao Min turned, "organize a press conference immediately."
"On it." Li Lingfeng stood and left the room at once.
"The rest of you," Zhao Min addressed the executives, "tell your departments to keep quiet. No offhand comments, no leaks."
After the meeting, most staff dispersed—leaving Zhao Min and Chen Mo alone.
"You're sure there's no risk of tech leakage?" she asked quietly.
Chen Mo shook his head.
"None. The seismograph's core has two parts: the algorithm and the extremely long wave communication system. Both were destroyed by the self-destruct when the device was forcefully retrieved. Without those, they're just staring at a hunk of metal."
"And the long wave tech?"
"Encrypted. Obfuscated. Totally unrecoverable. They might analyze the shell, but they won't get the soul."
Zhao Min nodded, relieved.
The technology was safe. The hardware alone wouldn't reveal anything of real value. Their work was secure.
The announcement of the Marching Ant Company's press conference set off another media scramble. Reporters swarmed Binhai City, desperate to capture the next headline moment.
After months of silence, Marching Ants had returned—with a bang. And everyone wanted to see what they'd say next.