The next day, at dawn, Godolkin University.
In the teaching building corridor, students hurried by, clutching books. The usual chatter about practicals and parties was replaced by hushed whispers today.
Wade flew to the back of the lecture hall, auditing the 'Supe Ethics' course.
On the podium, Professor Brink was discussing the classic proposition of "power and responsibility."
Wade keenly caught the subtle change in atmosphere and looked at everyone in the classroom.
Andre, Luke, Jordan Li, and Kate, who usually listened attentively, were all distracted without exception, either playing on their phones or tablets, or staring at their computers.
It was obvious that the first batch of
Last night, he had also packed the entire set of files and sent them to Hughie's anonymous email, asking Hughie to use hacking techniques to continuously bombard the internet with news both domestically and internationally.
"Vought should be able to quickly quell the domestic situation and prevent further escalation... It's always right to have a backup plan for a protracted battle."
Class time flew by, and before they knew it, it was noon.
In a corner of the second-floor cafeteria, Jordan Li, Andre, and Luke sat down next to Wade with their trays.
"Did you see it?" Jordan Li's eyes sparkled with excitement as he shoved his phone screen in front of everyone. "News media across the country and major information platforms worldwide are scrambling to report on those matters, and a large number of people online are constantly joining the discussion."
"Wait." Wade reached out, and a semi-circular shield enveloped the area around the dining table, instantly silencing the noisy chatter. "Okay, continue."
Luke gnawed on a chicken leg, trembling, "Can you imagine? Vought's stock price dropped by 15%, about to hit the circuit breaker... hundreds of billions, just like that— 'poof'— gone!"
Jordan Li showed his phone screen. "Look at this. Congress has already announced the formation of a special investigative committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation into Vought. This is even smoother than we expected."
Andre used his magnetic abilities to cut the steak for everyone: "According to the plan, they will first go and 'talk' to those gangsters, and then find those who are spreading rumors online. Although they won't find us, it's always good to stay vigilant."
Seeing them so nervous, Wade swallowed his food and calmly teased, "How are you any different from thieves? Just go about your daily activities and discussions openly and normally, as if all those things done before... never happened."
After he finished speaking, he scrolled through his phone screen, checking the latest online information, and his eyes widened: 'Huh? Hughie is really fierce! Is his hacking skill that strong?'
Online, a large number of unknown accounts released high-definition videos of the port massacre, clear scanned files of experiments related to the drug dealer camp, and compiled analysis reports.
With unprecedented speed and precision, they swept across all mainstream social platforms through countless hijacked accounts and utilized servers.
The hashtags #VoughtHumanTrafficking #BloodyMassacre #bluecrystalSupplyChain were followed by angry and flame emojis, and the comment sections had long been overrun.
"I always felt something was off with Vought. Think about it, why is it that every time The Seven fights crime, it's perfectly captured by cameras?"
"Those videos can't be faked... They align with the information reported last night at the port: 'A-Train and Black Noir jointly battle terrorists.'"
"How could so many stamped pieces of evidence and internal documents all be fake? I think Vought is finished this time!"
...Meanwhile, Vought Tower, 77th floor.
In the Public Relations Department, employees were still busy in front of their computers, desk phones ringing and conversations rising and falling, overwhelmed with work.
News media from all over the United States were competing to report on the Vought scandals circulating online.
The content was largely similar, all revolving around Vought International being embroiled in four major issues: Supe drugs, human trafficking, bloody massacres, and false advertising. Public opinion swept in like a storm.
In the manager's office, Madelyn looked at the 20% drop in stock price and the trending topics on her computer, her face as cold as ice.
The big and small managers of the PR department stood before her, bowing their heads, sweat pouring down their faces for a moment.
"Tell me!" Madelyn demanded coldly, "Why did a port surveillance video that should have been completely destroyed end up circulating online?"
"Why do those rats in the sewers have our internal documents, and why did they leak them and shout about them everywhere?"
"Madam, we... we are already working hard to delete posts and contact media outlets to retract their reports." The male manager's voice was tearful. "But there are too many sources, and many are from gangster areas, which we simply cannot control."
"What's worse, just an hour ago, a large number of hackers and organizations started fanning the flames online... The technical department, the technical department said they encountered top experts and can't solve it for now."
Madelyn slammed the tablet on the table: "Useless! We spend hundreds of millions in budget on you every year, and you stand here telling me you can't do it?!"
She scanned the trembling managers and asked in a Deep voice, "All of you are useless! What about Deep? Wasn't he responsible for the aftermath and surveillance retrieval in the port area? Get him in here immediately!"
"Never mind... I'll go ask him myself. I want to see what he has to say!" Madelyn snorted coldly, then stood up and walked out of the office.
A few minutes later, on the 99th floor, the atmosphere in The Seven's conference room was suffocating.
Homelander stood with his back to everyone, facing the massive floor-to-ceiling window.
Deep stumbled into the conference room, his face pale: "Homelander! Ms. Stillwell! I... I swear, I did retrieve the port cameras! All storage devices were destroyed! I don't know why..."
"You don't know?!" Homelander suddenly turned, his eyes glowing with terrifying red light, and scorching Heat Vision grazed Deep's scalp. "Because of your foolish negligence, the whole world is laughing at us now!"
The metal wall of the conference room was seared with indentations, and Deep's legs gave out, causing him to collapse to the ground. His meticulously styled hair turned into a smoking, burnt patch reminiscent of a receding hairline: "I, I..."
Homelander's glowing red gaze swept over everyone present as if it were tangible.
A-Train instinctively recoiled, his eyes darting away; Black Noir was as silent as ever, his body tense.
Queen Maeve was expressionless, as if everything had nothing to do with her; Starlight, on the other hand, looked bewildered and shocked, seemingly unable to believe anything she heard.
"And you!" Homelander glanced at Black Noir, then pointed at A-Train, cursing, "Look at you in the video, like a brutish butcher! Is this your new image after joining The Seven?!"
A-Train hastily lowered his head to admit his mistake: "Y-yes, I'm sorry... sir."
"Enough." Madelyn slapped the table, her gaze sweeping over the chaotic conference room and the silent crowd, finally resting on Homelander.
"Getting angry won't solve anything. The PR department will continue to put out fires, and I'll contact my friends on Capitol Hill; as for you..." She looked at everyone, her face grim. "Until those rats are found, keep yourselves in check and don't cause any more trouble for the company!"
"Now, get out!"
The other five, as if granted amnesty, rose and left. Black Noir dragged the still-dazed Deep out of the conference room with him.
Homelander pursed his lips, clenching his fist: "I will find them... I will drag those rats hiding in the gutters out one by one and crush them!"
"Shut up!" Madelyn snapped, cutting him off. "Look at you now! Is a 'hero' who can't control his emotions still the perfect idol in the public's eyes?!"
Homelander's chest heaved violently, and the red glow in his eyes flickered.
Madelyn no longer looked at him, turning to Ashley, speaking rapidly: "First, immediately draft the strongest possible statement, denying all accusations, and categorizing them as malicious defamation by competitors and terrorist organizations!"
"Second, activate all backup public relations plans, hire internet trolls, create other hot topics, and divert attention!"
"Third, have the legal department prepare to file lawsuits, suing those media outlets that first reported until they go bankrupt!"
"Fourth..." She paused, her eyes darkening. "...Internal investigation! Investigate them! The port system, the transport chain, everyone who had access to those files, don't let a single one off!"
"Yes, Madam." Ashley scribbled down all the instructions and hurried out of the conference room.
Homelander regained his composure and said coldly, "Madelyn, am I just supposed to stand by and do nothing?"
Madelyn looked at him and said softly, "In front of the camera, you must remain a hero who, even when slandered, stays calm and believes in justice! I'll handle the rest."
Homelander clenched his fists tightly, then slammed the door and left.
As the door closed, Madelyn felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and she constantly massaged her forehead.
She walked to the desk, propped her hands on it, her eyes growing colder.
Like the last time Translucent was brutally killed and dismembered, and A-Train, who was preparing for his retirement tour recently, also vanished, and the warehouses holding Supe consumables were repeatedly cleared out by mysterious individuals—there couldn't be no connection... though she didn't know who the opponent was.
This precise, ruthless, multi-layered combined attack method could never be achieved by one person or a small group, indicating an extremely high threat level.
"Only Supes can deal with Supes! Where did these bastards come from? Is it the research institute, or those who escaped from prison, or...?"
Someone targeting members of The Seven one after another was targeting their company—a blatant declaration of war.
Madelyn walked to the liquor cabinet, poured a glass of whiskey, and drank it in one gulp: "No matter who or what organization it is. I will find you, and I will make you regret coming into this world!"
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