Chapter 352: Speech is the weakest weapon.
Hearing Lu Yao's response, Beth was ecstatic.
The live streaming room was filled with dense barrage of comments, all frantically shouting for her to continue asking about "cultivation."
Seeing that she now had over 10 million viewers, Beth nearly fainted from excitement.
For a broadcaster, this was massive "fame and fortune," representing a leap across social strata.
Braving the dangers to follow all the way, and being the first to rush out to interview Lu Yao, what she was seeking was "fortune favors the bold!"
It was foreseeable that she would no longer be that impoverished person living in the lower-class community, unable to pay even her rent.
And all this was just because she ran up to have a few words with Lu Yao.
Seeing that she was alright, confirming that Lu Yao truly wasn't a violent maniac, other internet celebrities and reporters with all sorts of ideas also converged from all directions.
More and more people gathered, several hundreds in number, completely surrounding the rooftop where Lu Yao was, leaving no room to pass through.
The interviewers, holding various types of sound-gathering devices, kept asking:
[How did you become a Superman? Was it because of cancer?]
[Will you reconcile with the Star Alliance Country?]
This place became the scene of a major press conference on the spot.
Some who were inclined towards the Star Alliance Country boldly asked sharp questions:
[Mr. Lu Yao, don't you think your actions qualify you as nothing but an outright hooligan? Based on relevant statistics, you've caused at least thousands of casualties and over a hundred billion dollars in losses!]
There were also media outlets dissatisfied with the Star Alliance Country, like a reporter from "Today's Moscow TV," who shouted:
[Mr. Lu Yao, what exactly has the Star Alliance Country done to you? Apart from capturing your relatives, is there any other insider information?]
The crowd erupted into an uproar; if it weren't for Lu Yao sitting on the rooftop, he would have already been submerged by the tide of people.
He carelessly threw a punch that exploded in the air, emitting a thunderous boom that quelled the noisy clamor.
Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Lu Yao spoke composedly:
"I'll answer all at once. First of all, this is war. Although I don't harm civilians, I won't be merciful to enemies.
Secondly, as to why I am targeting the Star Alliance Country, that's a long story.
In the beginning, the Foreign Affairs Bureau wanted from me a chemical formula that could 'refine Ice Crystal Tablets without limit;'
Later on, they used the 'brain control project' on my friend, defiling his mind and will;
If these were merely personal grievances, then the Star Alliance Country's development of the super virus is undeniably an anti-human act."
Upon hearing this, the journalists below erupted.
At this moment, the data had just finished uploading.
Lu Yao said, "I've uploaded some evidence on the internet, all of you better download it quick, who knows when it'll be gone."
People quickly went to the website mentioned by Lu Yao to download, and those watching the live stream hastily did the same.
The evidence only existed for less than a minute before it was deleted by hackers from the Star Alliance Country.
But never underestimate netizens' quick hands; there were tens of thousands of people on Blue Star who had made copies in advance—
Even some of the single interviewers present had made backups.
Lu Yao took out the hard drive that stored the detailed experimental data, saying:
"The evidence all comes from within here. Let me clarify, I just want people to know what the Star Alliance Country has done, not to accuse anything, or to cleanse myself. To me, words are the weakest weapon."
Having said that, he casually tossed the hard drive into the crowd.
This was explosive news, and the crowd plunged into a fierce scramble, immediately descending into chaos.
From beginning to end, what Lu Yao trusted the most was strength, his own strength!
He stood up and stretched lazily, casually saying, "Let's call it a day. I need to go cultivate. I hope the next time can be more fun for me."
Seeing him about to leave, those who were fighting over the hard drive quickly regrouped around him.
Desperately jostling and pushing each other, they frantically shouted their questions:
[Mr. Lu Yao, did you just say you're going to cultivate? Are you really an ancient and mysterious Eastern cultivator?]
[Can the Eastern cultivation system really turn people into Supermen?]
Lu Yao didn't say anything more and, with a burst of force that shattered the rooftop beneath him, disappeared after a few leaps.
Meanwhile, the hard drive had been snatched by a journalist from "Today's Moscow TV."
This individual was clearly more agile and robust, effortlessly obtaining the hard drive amidst the chaos.
Gazing at Lu Yao's retreating figure, he murmured almost inaudibly, "Agent Anna sends her regards."
Then he quickly fled with the hard drive.
~~~~~~~~~~~
In the following days, the Star Alliance Country spared no effort and scoured every inch of ground for five days but still could not locate Lu Yao, and they were forced to announce to the outside world — he had fled.
The grand spectacle had thus come to an end, and the spectators exclaimed with satisfaction!
According to estimates, Lu Yao had caused over a hundred billion dollars in property damage, as well as thousands of military casualties.
But not a single civilian died; only a few who fell and injured themselves, most of whom were recklessly chasing fame on the internet.
Yet the matter was far from over!
The Star Alliance maintained control over the international public discourse, immediately set its powerful state machinery into motion, and positioned itself on the side of justice, vehemently condemning Lu Yao as an "extremist terrorist."
The President even gave an impassioned televised speech:
[Today, our compatriots, our way of life, and the freedoms we cherish have been deliberately attacked by terrorists.
Thousands have suddenly lost their precious lives to his criminal actions.
We cannot believe the horrors before us, and we feel immense sorrow and anger.
However, the terrorists' plot will not succeed! His attacks can shatter steel, but they cannot dent the determination of the people of the Star Alliance to defend their nation!
We are the brightest, most brilliant beacon of freedom in the world, and no one can stop this light of freedom!]
~~~~~~~~~~
The propaganda machine was in full swing, maliciously slandering Lu Yao, describing him as a natural freak and a murderous psychopath, an antisocial aberration.
They even claimed that the Star Alliance was ready to face an unprecedented challenge, with countless powerful high-tech weapons poised for a strike, determined to make the "Mutant" pay!
Normally, under such a powerful propaganda campaign, even a saint would be smeared as a demon.
But this time, the Star Alliance Country did not succeed.
Their adversary was not just any nation or ordinary human, but rather the first transcendent being to appear on Blue Star!
For thousands of years, Blue Star had been a Demon Extinguishing World, where Supermen or so-called Mutants existed only in fantasy.
Yet suddenly, a real individual appeared who could withstand bullets and go head-to-head with the military.
Every place on Blue Star capable of charging a device was abuzz with discussions about him.
Any news or video that included the words "Lu Yao" garnered no fewer than ten million clicks.
If there was any substantial content to it, reaching a hundred million views was a breeze.
Under these circumstances, the more the Star Alliance tried to smear Lu Yao, the more they just added to his fame.
Countless people, filled with intense anticipation and curiosity, followed everything about Lu Yao, watching and rewatching videos of his battle with the military, carefully analyzing them frame by frame.
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Ignoring bullets, using a lamppost to pierce through armored helicopters, violently destroying tanks, leaping hundreds of meters high... a single man taking on the military!
The stunning images of battle left viewers in awe, and many admired his strength and developed a worship-like sentiment for this powerful figure.
Even citizens of the Star Alliance themselves began to worship him.
The smear campaign had not had the intended effect; in fact, it might as well have been futile.
The Star Alliance suddenly realized that their much-vaunted control over public opinion was powerless against Lu Yao!
Even the social media platforms of the Star Alliance itself couldn't resist the tsunami-like "traffic" that Lu Yao brought with him, featuring related news about him on their homepages.
Gradually, the "evidence" originally uploaded by Lu Yao began to ferment and spread.