Chapter 220 Astral Tech Counter 1
At this moment, most of the TV channels quickly cut the live feed as the content of the protest leaders' speeches began to implicate the royal family. They wanted to distance themselves from this rapidly unfolding controversy, well aware of the significant power the royal family held in the country's economy. The royal family had numerous allies in various business circles, spanning entertainment, heavy industries, and even food production.
However, their attempt to cut the feed was futile, as their broadcasting signal and valuable equipment failed to respond to their commands.
"Director! There's no response from our equipment. Our signal was hacked by someone!" a technician from one of the TV channels urgently reported to their superior.
"Call the cameraman to turn off his camera! Stop the broadcast!" The director quickly instructed his subordinate with precision.
"Boss! What about those broadcasting live on the internet by the people who were there!? What should we do?" another employee asked while the first one followed the director's orders.
"We can't do anything about that. Let those in the Ministry of Royal Family Affairs worry about it. Just make sure that our channel doesn't broadcast it; that's all we need to do," the director replied, displaying minimal concern.
Similar scenes played out in many news channels under the management of the Tessia Kingdom. In stark contrast, a completely different scenario unfolded in the channel owned by a foreign company.
"Maintain the broadcasting! Don't give a damn about those calls from the Ministry of Royal Family Affairs!" the boss of the foreign news channel shouted energetically to his employees.
"Yes, boss!" the employees responded with equal determination.
"Boss! The police want to come in! They said they want to talk to you!" the receptionist rushed to the control room to report the situation on her end.
"Do they have a search warrant? If not, tell them to get lost! We are operating under the protection of the foreign investment law they just passed this year!" the boss responded fearlessly. He and all of his workers operated under this protection, shielding them even from the harsh lese majeste law in the country.
In truth, the lese majeste law in this country was so severe that insulting the royal family carried harsher consequences than taking a person's life. Few foreign investors wanted to risk doing business in such an environment, where the standards of what might be deemed offensive to the royal family were uncertain. The royal family had been compelled to pass the foreign investment law to attract more investors due to the failures of the previous king in managing the country.
This situation had led to the current predicament, where the police were unable to touch them and could only request cooperation. It was the juiciest piece of news they had encountered in the past five years, and there was no way these foreign TV channels would let it slip away.
— Astral Tech HQ - Daniel's Office —
Maria, who maintained contact with the Atlanteus base, kept her eyes on her monitor. She intermittently reported the overall situation in this operation to Daniel, who stood not far from her.
"My lord, we've succeeded in seizing their signal, but now we've lost the feed from all of the news channels under government management. They've turned off all of their on-site cameras and stopped broadcasting," Maria said with a worried tone.
Hearing this, Daniel let out a snort. However, this didn't affect his mood, as he had already anticipated this would happen. He simply needed the broadcasting from regular citizens to continue on the internet and for some of the foreign news channels to maintain their broadcasts. He wanted this incident to serve as a rebuke to the royal family and teach them a lesson.
"Hmph! Don't mind them, Maria. Let them be. They're just doing their jobs without risking their lives. Those news channels are still under government management, after all. It's entirely normal that they wouldn't dare to broadcast anything that tarnishes the royal family's reputation," said Daniel.
"So, my lord, we've done everything we can in the first phase of the plan. Are we ready to enter the second phase?" Maria asked Daniel for confirmation.
Daniel fell silent for a moment, carefully considering their progress and assessing any potential oversights in the first phase to minimize risks when transitioning to the second phase of the plan.
"Yes, Maria. We will proceed to the second phase," Daniel confirmed, his eyes focused on the commotion among the protestors below. As he observed the police successfully arresting the protestor leaders, a satisfied smile graced his face.
"Very well, my lord," Maria acknowledged the order before leaving the room to initiate Phase 2 of the plan.
— Sector Alpha City Police Station - Holding Room —
Inside the stark holding room at the Sector Alpha City Police Station, the protestor leaders sat anxiously, their faces etched with a mix of worry and uncertainty. Their evidence had been directly confiscated by the police after the arrest. The room was dimly lit, and the air was laden with the tension of their impending legal battle. Outside, the buzz of activity in the police station continued as officers diligently processed their arrests.
Their faces bore the bruised aftermath of their rough arrest. The police had been far from gentle, using metal sticks to subdue them and seeking revenge on behalf of the royal family. It was no secret that the royal family held grudges and wasn't known for its forgiving nature. So, it came as no surprise that the officers unleashed their frustration on the protestors.
Their greatest fear was to silently disappear while in detention, with their families left to receive autopsy reports citing bloodstream infections, a fate that had befallen many political prisoners before them.
As the weight of uncertainty settled upon them, the entrance to the holding room swung open, and a group of lawyers entered. Leading them was Alexander Hawthorne, a towering figure in the legal world, renowned for his prowess in handling high-profile cases and his association with the influential Golden Empire Group.
Hawthorne exuded an aura of confidence as he stepped forward, his sharp eyes scanning the room and assessing the situation. His team of lawyers followed closely behind, a mix of seasoned legal minds prepared to support him in this crucial moment.
The police officers present couldn't help but feel a profound sense of awe and even a hint of trepidation in the presence of Alexander Hawthorne. After all, his track record boasted a staggering 95% success rate in winning cases, a statistic that made even the most seasoned law enforcement officers pause and reconsider.
Fear gripped the hearts of the officers, especially since they had received specific orders from higher-ups. They had been instructed to apply the harshest charges possible to these protestor leaders, an order that loomed over them like a heavy cloud. In the face of Hawthorne's formidable reputation, they were apprehensive about deviating from the norm and facing potential repercussions.
"Good day, Gentlemen," Hawthorne greeted the detained protestor leaders, his voice carrying the weight of authority and experience. "My name is Alexander Hawthorne, and I've been retained as your legal counsel by the Astral Tech Corporation. We're here to ensure that your rights are protected, and we'll do everything in our power to secure your release and address these charges."
The protestor leaders exchanged glances, a glimmer of hope rekindling in their eyes as they realized the formidable legal representation they now had. Hawthorne and his team wasted no time, immediately initiating discussions with their clients, gathering information, and strategizing for the legal battle that lay ahead.
Hawthorne noticed the bruises and signs of violence on his clients' faces and bodies. He nodded solemnly, his expression cold and determined, as he addressed one of the officers in the room.
"Officer, please take note that from this moment on, if any harm comes to our clients, my team and I will not rest until your badges are revoked and all of you are behind bars," Hawthorne declared firmly. With that warning issued, he turned his attention back to his clients, discussing the case while his team efficiently documented and prepared their legal strategy.
It was clear that Hawthorne's threat carried significant weight, given his formidable reputation. He and his team were originally part of the law firm under the Golden Empire Group, the world's wealthiest conglomerate founded and managed by Greed herself.
Hawthorne's skills and experience were legendary, capable of handling international disputes between countries in the international court and securing victories for his clients. He was, without a doubt, a living legend in the legal community.
— Mid Night —
Many hours had passed since Hawthorne and his team returned to their hotel after gathering information from their clients. It was now midnight, and only a few vigilant souls remained awake.
Inside the "Evidence Room," a cloud of fog seeped through the air duct in the ceiling. Within moments, the fog coalesced into the form of a lithe figure clad in a tight black stealth suit. The intruder was none other than Maria, the vampire in the service of Daniel.
She moved swiftly to inspect the section of the Evidence Room where the newly acquired evidence had been stored, but found it empty. Her next stop was the trash bin, where she discovered numerous destroyed phone parts.
"Oh? Those fools thought destroying the evidence would prevent us from recovering it? How naive," Maria muttered with a smug expression. She meticulously collected all the damaged pieces from the bin, checked a few cabinets to ensure nothing was overlooked, and then transformed into fog once more, vanishing into the air duct above as if she had never been there in the first place.
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