Caught in the whirlpool of public opinion
After a long time, he suddenly came back to his senses and looked down at the two adorable babies tightly held in his arms.
The two little ones were still so young that they couldn't even speak complete sentences. They just held their bottles, looked up at Knox with their round eyes without blinking, and called out in a baby voice, "Mommy?"
Hearing the baby's call, Knox's cheeks instantly turned red, like a ripe fruit.
He felt his heart beating wildly in his chest like a frightened deer. In panic, he didn't dare to stay any longer and hurriedly turned around and walked out of the room.
Knox trotted the two babies back to the warm nursery and gently placed them in the soft cradles. Seeing the professional baby-sitting team present, he felt relieved.
After settling the baby, he couldn't help but think:
What did Anthony do to Anita in the room at this moment to make her, who was always reserved and introverted, behave so charmingly?
Thinking of this, Knox felt a little warm in his heart, then turned and went upstairs, and came to the door of Anrita's room again. This time, he did not hesitate, pushed the door open and walked in.
…
While the atmosphere among the three people in the castle was heated, in the conference room of the Marine Corps Command Center, Charlie, Eugene, Gar, and Valua had solemn expressions.
As His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Begway was very busy with his affairs. Although he knew about this matter, he did not attend and left it entirely to Charles to handle.
Charlie didn't want to make things worse, but Eugene, Gal and Valua, like him, were all Amrita's partners. Now that they were facing difficulties, they naturally needed to deal with them together.
Charlie stared at the file on the intelligent computer screen and said seriously:
“Someone reported that Edmund participated in the auction of females in an underground city called Caster Island and had a habit of abusing females.
The most recent incident was two weeks ago, when he bid on a C-rank female and beat her in the dungeon hotel, leaving her covered in wounds. He even attacked her spiritual sea, causing it to collapse and she fell into a coma. She hasn't woken up in two weeks."
Upon hearing this, Eugene and others present frowned and looked gloomy.
Gar retorted with a stern face, "Impossible! Edmund is absolutely not that kind of person! This must be a false accusation, a conspiracy!"
Eugene said coldly:
"This revelation is extremely bizarre. Black market transactions are inherently secretive, and in pursuit of high profits, member identities are kept strictly confidential.
To enter the black market, one must use an anonymous ID card and wear a realistic mask. Even the mastermind behind the dungeon may not know the true identities of all members. This is clearly a false accusation without evidence, isn't it? "
Gar sneered, "The black market is already against interstellar law, yet they dare to engage in female auctions! They should be more afraid of being discovered than anyone else."
The black market mostly exists on the desolate planets at the edge of Starlink.
There are tens of thousands of backward planets distributed on the edge of Starlink. These planets lack renewable energy, have extreme climates, or are covered by viruses and bacteria. They have long been defined as dead stars and are uninhabited, with only pirates occasionally stopping by.
The black market dungeons are built underground on these planets, and resources are transported via smuggling routes. Members need to take special ferry ships to get there.
Due to the complex routes, Starlink patrol satellites are difficult to capture, which is why these underground cities are able to exist for a long time.
Gar was furious, gritting his teeth and saying, "Captain Charlie, please give the order! I will personally lead the team and blow those guys to pieces!"
There was rage in his eyes. This was not only a slander against Edmund, but also a provocation to all Marines. Every member would be outraged upon hearing this.
However, Charlie sighed helplessly:
"Gar, don't be impulsive. We can't even pinpoint their exact coordinates right now. Even if we manage to find a spot to bomb, how can we guarantee there aren't more hidden forces behind them? There could be as many as a dozen. Bombing alone won't completely solve the problem."
Gar's face darkened even further as he pressed on, "How could this happen? Let's see how they can continue to cause trouble even if the bombs are reduced to rubble! Why did these guys suddenly attack Edmund? Are they after His Highness Begway, or are they deliberately trying to antagonize the Marines?"
In his opinion, the other party went to such great lengths, and was definitely not targeting Edmund alone. There must be a conspiracy behind it.
At this moment, Valua, who had been monitoring public opinion on the Star Network, suddenly spoke in a deep voice: "Oh no! Edmund has become a trending topic on the Star Network and has reached the top."
"What?"
Gal was shocked.
Charlie, Eugene, and Gar gathered in front of Valua's intelligent computer and saw the title of the post at the top of the Star Network homepage:
#A captain of a certain team went in and out of the dungeon and abused the females he bought until they fell into a coma! #
The title is followed by a purple "explosion" logo.
The title of the post that followed was even more shocking:
#Top rich and powerful man abuses female#
#Is the son of a cabinet member so despicable? I suggest a thorough investigation! #
#The Crown Prince woke up to find the sky had fallen#
#Should His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also be investigated? Is he clean? #
#The royal family and the upper class have long been corrupt, and their true colors should have been seen long ago! #
A series of highly forwarded and discussed posts topped the trending searches, making Charlie and the others look even uglier.
Eugene whispered, "If this matter is not handled properly, it will not only implicate us, but also His Highness Begway, the royal family, and even Anrita."
They are Amrita's partners, Edmund is Gar's partner, Begway's confidant, and a Lieutenant General of the Marine Corps. If one of them suffers, all of them will suffer.
Gar clenched his fist and said angrily:
"Damn it! If I find the mastermind behind this, I will never let him off!"
Charlie immediately ordered:
"Valua, suppress the trending searches. For the next few days, monitor public opinion and direct it towards the dark side of the black market, Edmund's military exploits, and his contributions to the Prime and Starlink. Don't let those with ulterior motives derail the conversation. Do a good job of public relations."
Valua nodded, then stood up and went to the Marine Corps Public Relations Department for a meeting.
Charles then said to Gar:
“Gar, continue to contact Edmund, and also contact his father Kurt.
As a cabinet member, Kurt could be questioned or even dismissed if he mishandles this matter. He's definitely more eager to resolve this than anyone else. Bring him to the command center immediately. Be careful not to allow him to contact reporters, and don't allow him to bring anyone with him.
This move is out of concern that Kurt might say something wrong in a hurry and be misinterpreted by reporters. Although Kurt has a certain wisdom as a member of parliament, the current situation is special and accidents must be avoided.
Gar understood the meaning and replied, "Don't worry, sir, I will bring him here immediately."
Charlie added: "Control Kurt's wife and son. Don't let them contact outsiders to prevent them from talking nonsense."
Gar nodded: "I understand!"
When Valua and Gal hurried away to do their own things, Charlie turned his gaze to Eugene;
He lowered his voice and said:
"It's still unclear where this incident came to light! I think we need to delve into the mysterious Caster Island and conduct a thorough investigation."
Eugene nodded, agreeing deeply.
He also felt it necessary to go and investigate in person, but who to send was a difficult problem.
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