Chapter 752: Intense Reaction
Translator: Yukidaruma Translations Editor: Yukidaruma Translations
In The Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Edward let out a long breath. "Have the television signals been cut off? Good. Send people to ABC immediately and inform all other mass media that I don't want to see any related reports.
"Pay attention to the internet as well. Block off all related information and videos. Get someone to contact Twitter 1 , Facebook 2 , and all the other major websites. Push the blame for everything that happened on the show onto special effects."
While he was giving out orders after orders, a military officer walked in and said, "Sir, there's a call from the Radiant Congress."
Edward's gaze narrowed, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.
A call from the Radiant Congress... This could be one of the calls in his life which he did not want to pick up the most. It was because each time he picked up a call from them, he would face an unprecedentedly great problem.
...
Elsewhere, Fang Xingjian and Catherine walked out of the broadcasting company's building together. Behind them, there were countless employees who held them in awe and veneration. These people had witnessed the existence of supernatural powers today.
Catherine said, "The government has cut off the television signals. Their reaction is more intense than we expected."
"What about the internet?" Fang Xingjian asked.
Catherine smiled bitterly and said, "Although it's still being disseminated, most people probably doesn't believe it at all. The people who downloaded the sword technique's cultivation method merely took a look at it. No one is cultivating it seriously."
Fang Xingjian had expected this. He raised his head and looked at the moon in the sky, saying calmly, "Don't worry. Give it three days to warm up. Three days later, everyone will be fighting to cultivate this set of sword technique."
Of course, Fang Xingjian knew that the spread of his influence in the United States would be far from enough just by relying on online videos and the television, let alone if he was looking at covering the entire Earth. Moreover, the government's reaction was even more intense than he had expected. However, Fang Xingjian had planned out a counter to this.
The information on the sword technique disseminated through the television, videos, and the internet were just warming up. This was just the beginning.
...
Thereafter, although Fang Xingjian's video was blocked off on the internet, it was like any other videos which had been blocked off. The television show was still being widely disseminated.
Many forums and countless users of the internet were debating over whether the scene in the video was real.
The video was even sent out to Asia, Europe, and Africa, giving rise to a even wider range of debates. In less than 12 hours, this topic had became the hottest news.
"Id*ot, how can this video possibly be real? Do you guys really think that superpowers exist? He even tore down the entire building... You must have been reading too many Marvel comics 3 ."
Someone immediately retaliated, "I was next to the broadcasting company on that day. I saw the entire process of the studio being dismantled."
"There are too many ret*rds around. I haven't even said that the superpower user is me."
Someone posted a photo of the scene and added on, "I'm a staff working at ABC. This was a photo I took then. Superpowers really do exist in our world."
Looking at the photo that was posted and seeing the flying walls and empty building, someone exclaimed in surprise and shock, "The video is real? Superpowers really do exist?"
However, very soon, even more internet ghostwriters 4 started to criticize on the authenticity of the photo.
"This looks too fake. It's clearly edited.
"The rendering effect is too much. Even the shadows are distorted."
Someone even edited out the video into segments of one second each, bringing up all sorts of reason why it was impossible for it to be real.
After all, the existence of superpowers was not commonsensical to most people in the modern society. It was against common perceptions. If they were to admit the existence of superpowers, they would probably have to either see it with their own eyes or get their hands on extremely realistic evidence. Otherwise, after seeing the video, most people would suspect that it had been produced with computer-generated special effects.
Moreover, the United States' government had also hired internet ghostwriters to create disruptions, causing the authenticity of the show and the video to plunge further.
Despite all these, there was still a small group of people who insisted that the video was real and that superpowers existed.
However, very soon after, someone found new evidence.
"Why are you guys still fighting over this? ABC has released an announcement that the show is a preview for their new drama, 'Superpowers'."
"Oh, so it's a preview."
"Haha, I knew that it's definitely fake. ABC has really outdone itself."
"The special effects for this drama are great. I'm so going to be watching it."
Most people were persuaded by this official announcement, and there was even a large group of people who had downloaded the image to give others a slap in the face.
However, unlike how it was for people in the world of ordinary humans, gradually being persuaded as the supernatural event slowly died down...
In the world of extraordinary humans, ominous turbulence was brewing, and it was as if a storm was going to come.
In the Door of Darkness which was a forum for extraordinary humans, information concerning the Douglas family started to spread.
Within just over half a month, they had managed to unify all the criminal organizations across the United States' West Coast, amassing over a trillion USD and even gathering over 20 extraordinary humans. They were an extremely terrifying force.
"Female Tyrant Elena... She is probably the strongest expert in the United States now."
"This matter was aggravated by the Douglas family from the background. What on earth are they trying to do?"
"The Douglas family now has over 20 extraordinary humans, and in terms of extraordinary power, they have probably surpassed the United States' Law-Enforcing Department.
"Elena is also fully deserving of the title of being the strongest in the world, being an existence whose physical body can surpass the speed of sound."
"Don't forget about that Fang Xingjian. Judging from what we see on the show, his abilities might not be below Elena's."
"Rubbish. If he is really stronger than Elena, then he should remain in the background while pushing Elena to the frontline."
"Regardless, the Douglas family has become a heavyweight. Probably even the United States' government won't dare to lay their hands on them that easily."
Just as countless extraordinary humans thought that the United States' government would tolerate the Douglas family's existence the same way they tolerated the Radiant Congress and various other military–industrial–congressional complexes in the country...
Within a few days, the situation in the west of the United States underwent an overwhelming change, astonishing countless people.
The United States Pacific Fleet appeared 200 kilometers away from the West Coast.
A large number tracks belonging to the United States Army were found outside of Los Angeles.
Supersonic fighter jets appeared in the sky above Beverly Hills.
At the sight of this scene, many extraordinary humans were taken by great surprise. Even Huaxia, Russia, England, and France were alerted, and they went to the United States' government to ask for an explanation.
However, the United States' government did not give any reply. An informant even claimed that several nuclear missile silos had entered a state of high alert status. This was a blatant threat, but no one was sure who they were trying to threaten.
"Is there going to be a civil war? To think that even the United States Pacific Fleet has been activated?"
"Could it be that they are really going to take action against the Douglas family?"
"How could this be?"
The United States Pacific Fleet was a terrifying military force that the United States used to create deterrence in the Southeast Asia, and they held supremacy across the Pacific Ocean. They had a total of six aircraft carriers and several tens of battleships of varying grades. Additionally, the fleet was formed with over 50,000 soldiers.
This was the greatest military force on Earth, an existence that could suppress a country by themselves.
Thereafter, there were carrier-based aircrafts flying over the Beverly hills, and a large number of soldiers gradually appearing near the Douglas family's manor and the Silver Shield's building.
Seeing the movements of the United States Pacific Fleet, someone sighed and said in surprise, "The Douglas family is done for."
That was right. It was hard to imagine, but judging from the various signs, the series of actions taken by the United States' government was really targeted at the newly risen underworld empire in their country.
The Douglas family was currently thriving and extremely powerful. However, with the government dispatching even the United States Pacific Fleet, seemingly determined to wipe out this influence... There was no one who would doubt the battle prowess of the world's strongest country.