Shengjing.
Public Opinion Research Departnt.
"Another public opinion firestorm has erupted!"
As the report shot up the chain of command, the Director-General of the Public Opinion Research Departnt rushed in, his expression grim.
"So soon? What’s the situation this ti?"
As he spoke, he glanced at the various data flashing across the screen, and his expression changed abruptly.
"The Super Conglorates again??"
"It’s more than that!" a staff mber said, sweating profusely. "Fourteen Provinces have already held press conferences, with all top provincial officials jointly demanding Longque Technology be expelled... Now it’s fifteen! Sixteen!"
The Director-General’s eye twitched wildly. As if seeing a vast, dark curtain falling over the sky, he subconsciously took two steps back.
After a long mont, he waved his hand wearily.
"Forget it. We’re staying out of it, staying out of it... It’s beyond our control."
Dead silence fell over the Public Opinion Research Departnt.
anwhile, across from the Public Opinion Research Departnt building, at the headquarters of Longque Technology...
It was utter chaos!
On the top floor of the skyscraper, during a board eting, everyone looked extrely grim. Director Nan Ming spoke softly,
"Chairman, things have gotten very serious. Sakata Heavy Industries and Aotao Organism have gone all in this ti, orchestrating this storm with what amounts to a power play to force us out."
After a pause, she added with a solemn expression,
"Sakata Heavy Industries moved too quickly. It’s too late to counter them now."
Yan Huang’s expression remained unchanged as he spoke calmly,
"Do we have a forecast?"
"We do." Director Nan Ming nodded lightly. "It’s grim. Based on current trends, if nothing else changes, this ti... we will be utterly defeated."
After a pause, she continued,
"The projected losses are far more severe than what Sakata Heavy Industries suffered last ti. We will be forced to relinquish at least three-quarters of our subsidiary companies and withdraw from most Provinces in the East Continent. Fortunately, we still have Taibai Star, so our foundation won’t be destroyed, but..."
Yan Huang finished her thought.
"But, this is just the beginning, isn’t it?"
With that, he lowered his gaze and continued,
"Is this a finishing blow from Sakata Heavy Industries? Aotao Organism hasn’t made a clear move, and Celestial God Pharmaceutical and Ancient Gene from the West Continent have yet to enter the fray. It seems we are in deep trouble."
"Exactly." Nan Ming nodded. "If we can’t contain this quickly, everyone will pile on a sinking ship. All the major players will enter the fray, scrambling to carve out a piece of Longque Technology for themselves. This incident is just the catalyst. If we don’t handle it properly, Longque Technology will truly be on the brink of collapse."
Yan Huang stood up and paced back and forth, his brow deeply furrowed.
After a mont, he gave an order.
"First, contain this public opinion crisis. Contact the Federation Grand Speaker... Do we have any hard evidence that Sakata Heavy Industries coerced the provincial officials?"
"If only we did." Nan Ming gave a bitter smile. "If we had evidence, this matter could be easily resolved. We could even turn it into a devastating blow against Sakata Heavy Industries."
As she spoke, the True Immortal-level director let out a soft sigh.
"But Sakata Heavy Industries kept it completely under wraps. They forcibly summoned the top officials from every Province, and their security was airtight. By now, the dust has already settled in most Provinces... In other words, we have no direct evidence."
Yan Huang’s expression grew even darker.
Just then, another director rushed in, a look of terror on his face.
"The situation is even worse! Life Tower... It looks like Life Tower is getting involved!"
The expressions of every director and senior director in the room, including Yan Huang, changed in an instant.
...
While the outside world was in an uproar, with so twenty major Provinces having held or in the process of holding press conferences, a different scene was unfolding in Langya Province, at the Prefecture City of Langya.
The grand banquet hall.
It was utterly silent.
The dignitaries stared in astonishnt at the young man who had calmly risen to his feet. At his own table, Chen Dao, Luo Yuanyang, and the others widened their eyes, the sa thought flashing through all their minds.
’Is this guy... insane?!’
Feeling the countless gazes fixed on their table, they couldn’t help but swallow hard as beads of sweat broke out on their foreheads.
"You’ve got nerve." On the high platform, Sakata Jun thought the young man looked vaguely familiar, but he didn’t dwell on it. He raised his hand, about to motion for silence.
"Ahem."
Suddenly, a cough broke the silence. Wu Datong, seated at the head table, rose gracefully. Under the watchful eyes of all present, he walked over to Lu Xuan’s side and ca to a casual stop.
With a faint, unreadable smile, he said,
"I think Xiaoxuan is right. What does everyone else think?"
So of the dignitaries in the hall began to sweat. Although Wu Datong’s position was largely ceremonial and he rarely made public appearances, they all recognized this particular Earth Immortal and a bad premonition crept into their hearts.
’Don’t tell ... is a conflict between Earth Immortals about to break out?’
On the high platform, the expressions of the Provincial Governor and the Grand Governor tensed simultaneously, but they made no other move.
Sakata Jun, however, simply laughed calmly.
"So, this was Vice Governor Wu’s arrangent. No wonder..."
As he spoke, he clasped his hands behind his back and asked with an air of indifference,
"Vice Governor Wu, do you know why I insisted the Provincial Governor invite you to this banquet? Hmm... Allow to introduce an old acquaintance to you."
The mont he finished speaking, the sound of slow, heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. The dignitaries instinctively turned to look, their pupils contracting.
"Namo Present Maitreya Buddha. Compassion, compassion."
An old monk slowly approached, one step at a ti. With each step, illusory lotus flowers blood at his side, and the Buddhist chant he recited was sonorous and far-reaching!
Wu Datong’s expression changed.
The old monk walked to the high platform, his eyes downcast, and said calmly,
"This humble monk is Kutuo of Life Tower. Donor Wu, it has been a long ti."
’Life... Life Tower?’
In the banquet hall, the dignitaries fell silent, hardly daring to breathe. Chen Dao and the others at Lu Xuan’s table shrank back in their seats, trying to make themselves as small as possible. Their faces were masks of pure misery, terrified of being dragged into the unfolding disaster.
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