Silver Manor
Richard had barely set foot in the manor when Emma Frost, the White Queen, informed him of the public outcry against him.
He'd anticipated making headlines across major TV stations and newspapers today, but the unanimous nature of their reporting caught him off guard. Without exception, every media outlet in New York had crafted a narrative pinning responsibility for last night's casualties squarely on his shoulders.
"Who Will Protect Ordinary Citizens? Tragic Deaths That Could Have Been Prevented!"
"Savior or Slaughterer? The Mutant King Answers to No One!"
"Hero? No, A Cold-Blooded Murderer!"
Though surprised at first, Richard quickly deduced the reason behind such coordinated messaging. The authorities were clearly pulling strings behind the scenes, orchestrating this unified front against him.
After browsing these reports online, Richard pieced together the government's strategy. This was a test—they were manipulating public opinion to gauge his reaction.
Their motivation wasn't difficult to deduce. Kingpin had already warned him last night that the Department of Mutant Affairs was preparing a plan to capture him. Even without that insider information, today's media coverage made their intentions transparent.
After tolerating his presence for more than three months, U.S. officials had finally decided to address the thorn in their side. Using public opinion as a barometer for his response was merely the first step in their plan.
"They must think I care about public perception because I've been attending those high-society events over the past few months," Richard remarked to Emma seated beside him.
"As long as you remain alive and beyond their control, they'll never stop coming for you," she replied, her voice measured and calm. "While public opinion can't physically harm you, it can brand you a villain. Once that happens, even if the authorities themselves don't act, countless self-proclaimed 'heroes' will line up to challenge you."
Like Richard, Emma recognized that the synchronized messaging across competing media outlets could only be the result of official directives. Without government pressure, these rival networks and papers would never display such perfect unity.
"I understand they want to paint me as the villain," Richard said. "What puzzles me is where they found the courage. Aren't they afraid I might storm the White House or Pentagon in a fit of rage?"
"Perhaps they've already prepared countermeasures and are simply waiting for you to walk into their trap," Emma suggested. "Or they could just be supremely arrogant."
"Forget it," Richard waved dismissively. "Since they're deliberately manipulating public opinion to test me, I might as well play along. Come to think of it, I've never given a formal interview before."
Richard pulled out his phone, a smile playing on his lips.
"You're planning an interview?" Emma asked, unable to mask her surprise.
"They've gone to such lengths to provoke a response. It would be discourteous not to acknowledge their efforts," Richard replied as he scrolled through his contacts.
Soon, he found the perfect candidate in his address book:
Anna Krauss!
Reporter, blonde, 5'9", rating: 7.5/10
She was the striking blonde reporter who had questioned Bolivar Trask at the X-gene cure launch event. Richard hadn't bothered remembering her name at the time, only noting her impressive figure and those long legs reminiscent of "spring water by the Seine."
Having decided to grant an interview and deliver a "shocking" response to U.S. officials and the public, Anna Krauss immediately came to mind.
Just as he was about to call her, his phone rang. The screen displayed a familiar name: Tony.
Richard instantly knew why he was calling. The moment he answered, Tony's voice came through, rapid and concerned.
"Every media outlet is condemning you right now. Do you need my help? I'm a major stakeholder in several of these networks and newspapers."
"No need to trouble yourself with this minor annoyance," Richard replied. "You should focus on building that 'Anti-Richard Armor.'"
"Don't need to remind me—I've been working on the design for months," Tony shot back. "If everything goes according to plan, it'll be completed soon. Since you don't need my assistance, I'll leave you to it."
With that, Tony ended the call.
Though appreciative of Tony's concern, Richard knew he could navigate this public relations crisis without external help.
After Tony hung up, Richard immediately dialed Anna's number. The call connected within seconds.
Before Anna could even speak, Richard cut in: "I'd like you to arrange a live interview for me three nights from now. I'll be addressing last night's incident."
There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line.
"Are you serious?" she finally asked, disbelief evident in her voice.
"Completely," Richard answered coolly. "You've been pursuing an interview with me for quite some time. I've decided to grant your wish."
"Fantastic! I'll contact the director immediately and set everything up for the live interview!" Anna's excitement was palpable. "Did you have a preference for the venue? Television studio or somewhere else?"
"Your studio will suffice," Richard replied. "By the way, I quite liked that gray business outfit you wore at the X-gene cure launch event. Consider wearing it again."
"And what would you prefer I wear underneath?" Anna's tone turned suggestive.
"Whatever you deem appropriate," Richard replied flatly. "That's all. I'm hanging up now."
After ending the call, Richard turned to Emma sitting beside him, whose expression remained perfectly composed, showing no trace of jealousy or discontent.
Emma Frost maintained an open-minded attitude about Richard's frequent "in-depth exchanges" with celebrities, socialites, reporters, models, and flight attendants. In her words, "If a toy is delivered to your door for free, you'd be wasting your time not playing with it."
"Why wait three days for the interview?" she inquired, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"We need to give public opinion time to ferment," Richard explained with a slight smile. "That way, my response will have maximum impact."
Though he didn't explicitly detail how he planned to address the casualties from the recent battle, Emma could make an educated guess. After months at Richard's side, she understood his character well enough—perhaps not completely, but sufficiently to predict his actions.
Put simply, Richard was a free spirit who responded to diplomacy rather than force.
Show me respect, and I'll return it in equal measure.
Cross me even slightly, and I'll take everything you have.
That was his philosophy.
Time passed swiftly, and three days flew by.
At 7:50 PM, Richard arrived at Anna's television station. Rather than driving, he simply teleported directly into the studio. Instead of a custom-tailored suit, he wore casual attire. Despite this being his first live interview, he approached it with nonchalance.
His sudden appearance silenced the bustling studio. All eyes—including Anna's—instinctively fixed on him.
It took Anna several seconds to recover before she directed staff to outfit him with a microphone. Meanwhile, Richard assessed her appearance.
As requested, she wore the same gray business ensemble from the X-gene cure launch event—gray jacket and skirt paired with a pink blouse. Though she wore no stockings, her long, shapely legs still commanded attention.
When Anna noticed Richard's gaze lingering on her legs, a satisfied smile crossed her face. Her long, straight legs were her proudest feature, and she was well aware of their effect on men.
After being fitted with a microphone, Richard settled onto the sofa across from Anna.
"Here are the interview questions," she said, passing him a document. "If any seem inappropriate, you can veto them."
Richard glanced at the script before casually responding, "They're fine. Ask away."
"Perfect," Anna nodded.
Though she didn't understand why Richard—who had never granted an interview before—had specifically chosen her, she knew one thing with absolute certainty: tonight's broadcast would shock the entire nation.
The fact that Richard was known as the Mutant King, combined with the intensifying public outcry of the past few days, guaranteed unprecedented viewership for tonight's interview.
Just as Richard had anticipated, public sentiment had grown increasingly hostile during the three-day waiting period. More and more people had begun protesting against him, demanding explanations for his actions.
Before his arrival at the studio, a crowd of agitated protesters had gathered at the entrance to Silver Manor, waving banners and shouting slogans. Their demonstration, however, had minimal impact on Richard's life.
First, the manor's main building featured exceptional soundproofing. Second, the NYPD had proactively dispatched numerous officers to maintain order and prevent the protesters from taking extreme measures.
Though this public backlash was orchestrated by U.S. officials, they certainly didn't want protesters breaching the manor grounds. American "Castle Doctrine" and "Stand Your Ground" laws would fully protect Richard in such a scenario.
The Castle Doctrine states that within one's legal residence—the "castle" area specified by law—a person may use any means necessary, including lethal force, to defend their property and personal safety without fear of prosecution.
Similarly, Stand Your Ground laws permit individuals to defend their territory without warning or retreat, provided they reasonably believe an intruder poses a threat to their life or property.
In essence, the two legal principles offered similar protections, though Castle Doctrine typically applied only to homes in most states, while Stand Your Ground extended to workplaces and vehicles as well.
What U.S. officials hoped to see was Richard buckling under public pressure and taking extreme actions—not civilians doing the same. If protesters invaded his property, Richard would be fully within his legal rights to eliminate them.
At 8:00 PM sharp, the live interview began.
After a routine introduction, Anna turned to Richard with her first question:
"First of all, thank you, Mr. Wesley, for accepting this interview," she began professionally. "The battle three days ago resulted in numerous innocent casualties, triggering widespread discussion and protests. Would you care to offer an explanation for what happened?"
Richard responded with deliberate slowness. "I don't believe there's anything to explain."
"Are you suggesting you don't wish to explain to the public, or that you feel no obligation to do so?" Anna pressed.
"Neither," Richard said, his voice steady. "What I mean is that you've all fundamentally misunderstood something."
"Misunderstood?" Anna's confusion was evident. "Could you elaborate, Mr. Wesley?"
"Certainly," Richard said with cold confidence. "I've reviewed all the reports and protests of the past few days. Now let me ask you something: who told you I was there to save people?"
He turned directly to the camera, his tone hardening.
"Your self-righteousness is astounding. I showed up there to kill that individual because I wanted to. If you didn't hear me clearly the first time, I'll repeat myself: I took action solely because I wanted to eliminate him."
"You claim 'rescuing people resulted in death or injury to innocent bystanders'? Don't be absurd. Even if I were inclined to save someone, I certainly wouldn't waste my efforts on self-righteous fools like you."
Richard's words cut through the studio like ice.
"When danger presents itself, you don't flee to safety—instead, you foolishly remain in place to spectate. You deserve whatever fate befalls you."
"Besides, according to your own rhetoric, mutants and ordinary humans constitute two entirely separate species. You're neither my kind nor my friends. Why should I risk anything to save you?"
"As for your protests and objections—do you honestly believe I care about such things? Let me be perfectly clear: the White House didn't cancel the S-class warrant on me because the Minister and Deputy Minister of Mutant Affairs were corrupt. They canceled it because I killed them."
"To be precise, I eliminated them, the head of operations, and every mutant agent at headquarters."
"And while we're clearing the air, let me share one more revelation: Captain America, Steve Rogers—the hero you all admire and respect—wasn't on some classified mission. He was killed by me that very same day."
"Didn't you want an explanation? There it is."
"You all know where my manor stands. If anyone takes issue with what I've said, you're welcome to confront me personally for further clarification—provided you possess the strength to do so."
"One final reminder: refrain from anything that might anger or displease me. Otherwise, you alone will bear the consequences."
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Marvel : The God Of Punishment System
I Am Raditz
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