Phi-Fic Chapter 712 Cause a sensation
Chapter 712 Cause a sensation
Lin Bufan was still immersed in the cool feeling of driving his speeding car, carrying the still-shaken Yang Tao, soaring through the city, a smug smile on his lips. However, he didn't know that the moment he pressed that blue button and the sports car defied gravity, countless mobile phones on the ground were already pointing towards the sky.
On a congested street, a young man who had been filming the long line of cars ahead and complaining about the traffic jam stared dumbfounded at the cool sports car in the frame that seemed to take off out of thin air and unfold its wings. His hand trembled, and he almost dropped his phone. After regaining his composure, he quickly steadied the camera and shouted incoherently, "Holy crap! Look, guys! Flying... Flying car! Autobots! It's an Autobot transforming!"
From another angle, on the balcony of a high-rise apartment, an auntie who was watering flowers forgot to turn off the watering can, and water spilled all over the floor. She pointed to the sky and shouted into the house, "Old man! Come and see! There's a car flying in the sky! It's like something out of a movie!"
……
Within minutes, videos and photos of varying angles and resolutions spread like wildfire across the internet. The headlines were increasingly sensational:
"Real footage! Unidentified flying object spotted over Kyoto! Like something out of a science fiction movie!"
"A solution to traffic jams has been found? Maglev + vertical take-off and landing? Whose cutting-edge technology is this?"
"Location: XX Ward, Kyoto. I witnessed the Autobots take off with my own eyes! It wasn't special effects!"
"I need information! Who owns this flashy purple sports car that can fly?!"
"Brothers, the end of the world is coming! The Autobots have invaded Earth!!!"
Soon, the topic immediately topped the Douyin trending search list, followed by a bright red "hot" sign.
Kyoto Skycar
Real-life Autobots
Where did this cutting-edge technology come from?
Alien invasion: What will become of humanity?
Clicking into the trending topics, the most popular video already has millions of likes and hundreds of thousands of comments. In the video, a sleek, metallic sports car transforms and takes off in full view of everyone, its posture elegant and stable, eliciting gasps and honking from the street below.
The comment section exploded:
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! I don't know what to say except 'Holy shit'!"
"Is this a movie shoot? They're using wires? Where are the special effects?"
"Upstairs, I was there! It's true! The car suddenly sprang up!! I was almost scared to death!"
"My mom asked me why I was kneeling while looking at my phone..."
"So... has our country's technology developed to this point?" He silently put away his electric scooter keys.
"Where are the relevant departments? Aren't they going to come out and explain? Is this legal? Shouldn't the air traffic rules be updated?"
"@All automakers, come and learn! This is what true futurism really means!"
"I bet five cents that this is definitely a custom-made piece by some top billionaire. Money really can buy technology!"
"Just wondering, does this car... run on gasoline or electricity? Do I need a pilot's license to drive it?"
"Am I the only one who noticed how handsome that guy driving is from the side? His charisma is amazing! Does anyone have his contact information? I want to have his babies!"
"The passenger in the passenger seat looks beautiful! And they're dressed so flashy! Are they going to some fancy party?"
"Damn, don't you guys think the man driving looks familiar?"
"I was so focused on looking at the cars, now that you mention it, it's true!"
"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Isn't that President Lin? Is he putting on airs again?"
"If it's President Lin, then it makes sense. After all, someone who can create mechs wouldn't be surprised if he created a hovercar!"
……
The internet was abuzz with discussion, and Lin Bufan's phone rang at just the right moment. He glanced at the caller ID—[My Good Disciple].
"Hey, my dear disciple, what brings you here today..." Lin Bufan was interrupted by a woman's voice on the other end of the phone, which sounded clearly helpless.
"Lin Bufan! My big boss! That guy who drives around town in a speeding car and is now being discussed online as an alien, isn't that you?!" Lucy's voice came through the speakers. Although she tried to maintain a professional tone, the certainty of "I knew it was you" and the headache she felt almost overflowed from the microphone.
Lin Bufan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: "Oh? The news spread so fast? How did you know?"
"How would I know?!" Lucy's voice rose a little: "My dear boss! The entire internet is flooded with your Transformer videos! You're in nine of the top ten trending topics! The tech department detected that traffic to related topics exploded instantly, and the server pressure skyrocketed! The backend review team is practically going crazy! Do I need to specifically find out? The push notifications are practically shoving in my face!"
Lucy took a deep breath, seemingly to calm herself down: "Boss, next time you have... um, some groundbreaking invention you want to showcase, could you at least let me know beforehand? Even a hint would be helpful! We could make some contingency plans and control the public opinion. Now, the whole internet is speculating whether Cybertron has invaded Earth or if our country has secretly developed some kind of super weapon!"
Lin Bufan listened to Lucy's complaining report and laughed instead: "Alright, alright, I know, I'll be more careful next time."
"You always say that, you never pay attention!" Lucy replied irritably, then hung up the phone.
Just as Lin Bufan hung up Lucy's call, before he could even gloat to the still-shaken Yang Tao beside him, another call came in, the screen displaying "Andy".
After receiving Lucy's call, Lin Bufan had a rough idea of Andy's purpose, which was most likely related to this matter!
"Hey, Andy," Lin Bufan said casually.
On the other end of the phone, Andy's voice was as calm and professional as ever, with a hint of barely perceptible helplessness and seriousness: "Bufan, I saw the news online. That flying car that caused a sensation over Kyoto, was that you?"
"Of course!" Lin Bufan raised an eyebrow smugly, glancing at Yang Tao beside him who was still somewhat nervous: "Besides this handsome guy, who else has this ability and taste?"
Andy took a deep breath, his tone becoming more serious: "Bufan, just now, I received several calls from relevant departments. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Traffic Management Bureau, and even the air traffic control coordination agency. They are all asking about the origin of this vehicle, its technical details, whether it belongs to Xiaobaizi Technology, and... most importantly, whether this flight was reported and approved."
The official stance was relatively restrained, but the meaning was clear. They affirmed our spirit of exploration in cutting-edge technology fields, but also emphasized that the testing or demonstration of new types of transportation vehicles involving low-altitude airspace and having public impact must undergo rigorous application, evaluation, and reporting procedures in advance to ensure absolute safety and avoid causing unnecessary social panic and public misunderstanding.
Andy's voice carried a hint of admonition: "Bufan, I know your technology far surpasses that of the current era; the existence of mechs and intelligent AI is proof of that. But precisely because of this, we need to be even more cautious. The sudden appearance of something as visually striking and newsworthy as a flying car over the city has a huge impact on public opinion and potential chain reactions. The authorities need to manage it, and the public needs an explanation. Next time there's a similar... demonstration, could you please consult with me or the company's technical safety assessment team beforehand? We could at least prepare a technical white paper and a safety assessment report in advance to help you complete the necessary official communication procedures, instead of passively responding to inquiries and concerns from all sides like we are now."
Lin Bufan listened to Andy's serious yet somewhat helpless instructions on the other end of the phone, a nonchalant smile still playing on his lips. His fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, as if admiring the unobstructed scenery outside the window. He spoke into the microphone in a cheerful tone, even with a hint of coaxing:
"Okay, okay, Andy, you're absolutely right! I didn't think this through this time, I'll definitely be more careful next time and let you know in advance, okay? I promise to cooperate with the work and never cause any trouble for the organization!"
Lin Bufan agreed readily and his attitude was so good that no one could find fault with him.
Of course, only heaven, earth, and Lin Bufan himself know how sincere this "next time for sure" promise truly is. Given his unpredictable and uncontrollable nature, whether he'll remember his promise to "report in advance" next time he suddenly feels like trying out some fun new feature, or whether he'll feel it's "too late" to report it, is purely a matter of chance and cannot be guaranteed.
Andy on the other end of the phone was clearly aware of Lin Bufan's style of "actively admitting mistakes but resolutely refusing to change," and his quick agreement only made her more uneasy. She paused for two seconds, then finally sighed helplessly, her tone softening slightly, filled with unmistakable concern:
“Bufan, I’m not trying to restrict you in any way. It’s just… your safety should always be the top priority. This kind of flight, which hasn’t been fully tested and reported, especially over cities, carries unknown risks. And… there’s the scrutiny from all sides, you know, the bigger the tree, the more the wind blows.” She paused, then added meaningfully, “Many things that seem like technical issues actually involve far more complex considerations and intentions than the technology itself. You… should always be more careful.”
Lin Bufan naturally understood the implicit warning in Andy's words, but he didn't really care about it, since he didn't eat beef: "I know, Andy's mom! Don't worry, I know what I'm doing, I'll make sure I'm safe and sound and won't get myself into any trouble."
Andy was taken aback by his use of "Andy's mom," and gave a curt snort. She then changed the subject, her tone becoming professional again: "Also, now that the car has been unveiled, if you have time recently, it would be best to take it back to the Shanghai headquarters. The guys at the company's R&D research institute are going crazy after seeing the videos online. They're all like they've been injected with adrenaline, bombarding me with questions, practically wanting to disassemble the car and study it right away. Especially the energy system and flight control module; they have a lot of ideas and questions they need to discuss with you in person."
“Okay, no problem.” Lin Bufan readily agreed: “Once I’m done with this, I’ll take some time to go back to Shanghai in the next couple of days and let those tech geeks have their fun.”
"Okay, I'll hang up now. I still have some follow-up to take care of here." Andy said, and ended the call.
Lin Bufan casually tossed his phone aside, turned his head to look at Yang Tao beside him, who was still shaken and pale. A smug smile with a hint of roguishness appeared on his face. He reached out and gently pinched her cheek: "How about it, Manager Yang? Exciting, isn't it? Surprising, isn't it? This private air express is much better than being stuck in traffic on the ground, right?"
Yang Tao clutched her still-fluttering chest, taking several long breaths to barely suppress the dizziness from the high-altitude flight and the initial fear. She slapped Lin Bufan's hand away impatiently, glaring at him: "Exciting? Surprising? Unexpected? I only feel terrified! You almost gave me a heart attack! Lin Bufan, if you... if you dare to do something so sudden again... I... I'll never forgive you!"
Even so, looking at the clouds rushing past the window and the city skyline below, which resembled a model, a sense of novelty and subtle excitement quietly replaced her initial fear. She couldn't help but steal another glance down, muttering softly, "But...it's definitely much faster than being stuck in traffic..."
"Absolutely!" Lin Bufan snapped his fingers triumphantly and began to descend smoothly in the flying sports car: "Hold on tight, Manager Yang, we're about to land."
As the altitude decreases, the courtyard of a meticulously decorated detached villa gradually comes into view, adorned with ribbons, balloons, and flowers—it is the wedding venue.
"Huh? This...this is about to end?" Yang Tao subconsciously peeked out the car window again, her tone carrying a hint of lingering reluctance that she herself didn't realize.
Lin Bufan glanced at Yang Tao with amusement, skillfully maneuvering the vehicle to find a suitable landing spot while explaining, "The traffic jam wasn't far from here, and we were flying in a straight line, so we took a shortcut. If we hadn't received those two phone calls earlier, we would have arrived much earlier."
Lin Bufan paused, a playful smile playing on his lips: "But... if Manager Yang hasn't had enough and feels unsatisfied, we can go for a couple more laps. Anyway, we still have time."
"Who...who hasn't had enough of sitting!" Yang Tao seemed to have been stepped on, immediately averting her gaze, straightening her back, and putting on an indifferent look: "I was just asking casually! What's so good about this swaying around...land quickly!" She spoke toughly, but her eyes couldn't help but glance out the window at the wedding venue that was getting closer and closer, like a miniature landscape.
Lin Bufan's smile deepened as he looked at Yang Tao's feigned indifference despite her obvious interest. He slowly said, while maneuvering the flying car to find a suitable landing spot, "Alright, since Manager Yang has spoken, let's get down to business. But..."
Lin Bufan deliberately dragged out his words, turned his head, and looked at Yang Tao with a seductive gaze: "After the wedding, if someone behaves well, I might make an exception and take her on a nighttime aerial tour of Kyoto. The view will be a hundred times more breathtaking than from the ground."
"Who cares!" Yang Tao immediately turned her head to look out the window, leaving Lin Bufan with only the back of her head. But the slight upturn of her lips on her profile, faintly reflected in the car window, betrayed her true feelings. She herself didn't realize how much secret expectation was hidden in that smile.