Chapter 219 The Protest
— Night - Protestor Tent —
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a shadow over the protesting masses, the crowd seemed to swell. What had been around 500 protestors during the day had now swelled to nearly a thousand. The atmosphere was charged with energy, determination, and a sense of righteous anger.
At the heart of the protest camp, where the leaders resided, a stark contrast emerged. Their tent was a luxurious oasis amidst the sea of mats on the ground. Inside, plush carpets cushioned their every step, and the scent of hot meals wafted from a corner where a personal chef prepared their dinner. The leaders lounged on comfortable sofas, their voices filled with self-importance as they discussed their strategy.
Outside the leaders' tent, ordinary protestors huddled on mats beneath makeshift shelters, sharing blankets to fend off the chill of the night. Their faces were marked with weariness and dedication. They had come here because they believed in the cause, not for any personal gain.
In the leaders' tent, the talk took a different tone. Voices were hushed as they discussed the impact of their actions on Astral Tech's stock price.
"I heard if we manage to bring down their stock price, we'll get a hefty bonus," one leader whispered, excitement in their eyes.
"That's right," another added with a sly grin. "100,000 US dollars! Imagine what we could do with that."
The hypocrisy was palpable. While the leaders plotted to undermine Astral Tech for their own financial gain, the genuine protestors outside were motivated by their belief of patriotism.
This stark contrast illuminated the true nature of the protest, revealing that it was not a grassroots movement driven by concern for the common people but a carefully orchestrated scheme by those who stood to lose millions due to Astral Tech's intervention.
"Gentlemen, you seem to be in a happy mood. May I join in your conversation?" An elegant voice, like a serpent's whisper, penetrated the luxury tent's atmosphere.
As if summoned from the shadows themselves, a dark silhouette materialized in a corner of the opulent tent, leaving the leaders in stunned disbelief. The silhouette slowly solidified into the form of an elegant middle-aged man donned in a striking red suit.
"Who… who are you?" One of the leaders stammered, their courage faltering in the face of this inexplicable intrusion.
These leaders were ordinary individuals, far removed from the mysteries of the Curtained World. This encounter marked their first brush with the extraordinary, and fear crept into their hearts.
However, Vlad, maintaining his veneer of civility, helped quell their escalating terror. They began to dismiss this eerie apparition as a mere trick, an attempt to unsettle them.
One of the leaders, perhaps fueled by instinctive panic, sprang to his feet, intending to flee and call for help. But then something inexplicable occurred. The shadow at the feet of the middle-aged man in the eerie red suit expanded and enveloped the entire tent. Floor, walls, and ceiling were all swallowed by the murky darkness that radiated from this enigmatic figure.
Unbeknownst to the leaders, the elegant middle-aged man in red was none other than Vlad Dracula, the Vampire Lord, and servant of Daniel Emberweave.
The leaders, plunged into the abyss of fear and uncertainty, couldn't tear their gaze away from Vlad. His once seemingly ordinary eyes had transformed into pools of blood-red, their depths hiding an insatiable thirst for blood beneath a veneer of civility.
As the seconds stretched into eerie silence, Vlad's smile began to widen, each creeping millimeter accentuating the creeping malevolence in his expression. He took perverse delight in watching these mere mortals, who had dared to challenge his master's authority, tumble helplessly into the abyss of terror.
A sadistic grin played across Vlad's face as he reveled in the palpable fear that now clung to the leaders like a suffocating shroud. The power of the unknown, the lurking malevolence in his eyes, and the chilling aura he exuded all combined to reduce them to trembling, cowering figures.
"Look into my eyes, mortals," Vlad commanded in a chilling tone.
The leaders desperately wanted to flee, but the moment they heard that dreadful authoritative voice, they found themselves unable to tear their eyes away from Vlad's insatiable crimson, bloodlust-filled gaze. His command left them incapable of screaming or even whimpering; it was as though their very bodily functions and organs were subservient to the owner of that sadistic grin.
As their eyes locked onto those crimson orbs, they began to dull, as if they had fallen under some kind of spell.
Witnessing his victims succumbing entirely to his dominating power, Vlad began to issue his commands.
"Tomorrow, all of you will reveal the truth behind this protest to the other protesters. If possible, provide evidence for them to see as well," Vlad stated. He was about to conclude his command, but then an idea struck him, and a sadistic smile crept across his face.
"Furthermore, inform the protesters that the royal family is behind this protest. They've suffered losses due to Astral Tech's electricity pricing policies, and they need money from Astral Tech. They offered us this city but shamelessly organized this protest, hoping to swindle money from Astral Tech without giving up the city, as the royal family had initially agreed. Ensure your performance is convincing. Lastly... none of you will remember me or tonight's events." Vlad concluded his commands just as the shadows began to recede, and his form dispersed into a thick fog that vanished from the tent without a trace.
A few moments passed, and the leaders inside the tent gradually regained their senses one by one. They exchanged wary glances, but a faint, eerie crimson tinge lingered deep within their irises before vanishing completely, the only evidence of their exposure to the dominating power of the Vampire Lord.
— Morning —
On a makeshift wooden stage crafted from a large table, the protest leaders stood with unwavering confidence, clutching microphones in their hands. A sound system had been hastily set up to amplify their voices to address the gathering of protestors.
At this moment, nearly every news channel had arrived and was poised to broadcast live. The presence of so many news outlets at a protest of this scale was unprecedented, raising suspicions among those in the know that something unusual was transpiring behind the scenes.
The sight of their leaders on the stage ignited cheers from the protestors. Some shouted words of encouragement, urging the leaders to commence their speech.
Observing this, the first leader nodded at their colleagues on the makeshift stage, a shared determination to reveal the truth swelling within them.
"Good morning, everyone. Thank you for gathering here today. We have something of great importance to share," began the first leader.
"As you are aware, we've been protesting against Astral Tech for some time now. However, we haven't been entirely forthright with you. We were financially backed by certain powerful companies, the very ones responsible for electricity production in our country. Their aim was to incite chaos and disrupt Astral Tech's operations.
We are not proud of this fact, but we have retained evidence—a sound clip of conversations—that proves we were paid to lead this protest against the very company that champions our cause. It served as our insurance, a safeguard to protect ourselves in case things took a turn for the worse, potentially leading to our imprisonment due to this protest."
The revelation from the first leader left the protestors stunned. They were reluctant to accept what they had just heard. Just the day before, these leaders had led them with fervor, passionately condemning Astral Tech.
"But that's not the only revelation. The idea for this protest didn't originate from us or those companies. It came from a higher authority—the royal family themselves," declared the second leader, their voice carrying a weight that reverberated through the assembled crowd and even startled the news channel reporters.
If the first leader's revelation was earth-shattering, then this disclosure could be described as challenging the heavens, for no one had dared to publicly criticize the royal family before, making this a historic moment. However, the second leader was not finished; they continued.
"Yes, you heard that right. The very individuals we've been taught to respect and revere suggested this protest. They desired Astral Tech's money without relinquishing the city. Thus, they orchestrated this entire event to exert pressure on Astral Tech to meet their demands. We're sharing this with you because we believe in honesty. We want you to know the truth, even if it's painful. It's time to decide how we move forward," the second leader proclaimed loudly. Meanwhile, a growing contingent of police officers started to assemble near the protest site, seemingly prepared to intervene and arrest the protest leaders.
Sensing the imminent confrontation, the third leader swiftly displayed their phone, shouting to ensure the news channels captured the evidence in their possession.
"We understand if you're angry or disappointed. We feel the same way. But we have the evidence, and we're willing to cooperate with the authorities to expose the real culprits behind this mess. We won't let them use us as pawns any longer. It's time for justice to prevail," the third leader shouted. Tensions escalated as the police moved in, leading to clashes between the officers and the protestors surrounding the leaders.
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