After a night of brewing and spreading, this incident actually made it into the top three of the trending topics list!
This is an unprecedented phenomenon—the photography world has never seen such a high-profile event.
Not only that, but the Huo family's public platforms were flooded with messages, most of which were undoubtedly accusations and insults against Huo Chengyu, with people demanding a reasonable explanation from the Huo family.
The following morning, as soon as the stock market opened, Huo's stock price immediately dropped by three percentage points and continued to decline.
Some investors, unable to contain their panic, began selling their stocks.
However, Huo Jinning knew about this beforehand and took it very seriously. She decisively bought all the stocks and easily made a fortune once again.
At 10:00 a.m. sharp, a grand press conference was held at the Fok Building.
After overcoming numerous difficulties, reporters from various media outlets finally met Huo Chengyu, the protagonist of the incident.
The reporters couldn't wait to ask: "Mr. Huo, what are your thoughts on this plagiarism controversy?"
Then a reporter followed up with, "So, who do you think is the real plagiarist, Mr. Sun Kai or you?"
Another reporter pointedly asked, "Why didn't you stand up and clarify the facts immediately? Is it because you have something to hide?"
Some even questioned, "Will the Huo family use their connections to protect you?"
An indignant reporter shouted, "How can you do this to the vast number of photography enthusiasts?"
Faced with a flood of questions and doubts, Huo Chengyu remained calm and composed, but he did not respond immediately.
The atmosphere at the scene became increasingly tense...
A swarm of reporters gathered around like bees, bombarding them with a barrage of questions.
Holding microphones and recording equipment, they stared intently at Huo Chengyu, who stood in the middle, as if trying to extract every detail from him.
The various sounds intertwined, creating a chaotic atmosphere.
Despite the chaotic scene, Huo's lawyers remained calm and composed.
He slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to quiet down. The previously noisy crowd gradually quieted down, and all their attention focused on the lawyer.
"I have, of course, understood all your questions." The lawyer's voice was clear and firm, with an unquestionable tone.
"But now, please keep quiet so we can communicate better."
His words seemed to possess a special magic, causing the reporters present to unconsciously shut their mouths, waiting for him to continue speaking.
The whole scene suddenly became solemn, with only the occasional sound of camera shutters clicking.
"Mr. Huo Chengyu will now answer your questions. Please remain quiet."
Huo Chengyu said firmly, "Thank you very much to all the media friends for taking the time to come! Regarding the plagiarism issue, my personal stance is firm and clear—zero tolerance for such behavior!"
"The photographs exhibited here took me more than a month to complete, and I went through countless hardships to do so. They are by no means any stepping stone for others to climb to fame!"
"I wonder if any of you have asked Mr. Sun Kai if he knows where these photos were taken? I suppose he wouldn't be able to answer that?"
"Admittedly, the above is not enough to constitute conclusive evidence."
He paused briefly before continuing, "Fortunately, because I cherish these works so much, I immediately began the copyright application process upon my return. Now, please pay attention to the large screen, where the copyright application dates for all the entries in this competition are displayed... I believe you all understand now."
"Furthermore, my failure to respond to this incident immediately was due to my busy investigation."
"And this investigation report is the result. To my surprise, the person I had always trusted had betrayed me."
"Currently, I have reported the case to law enforcement agencies, and the specific details are pending further investigation and release."
"That concludes today's interview. Thank you all for coming."
After Huo Chengyu finished speaking, he did not linger any longer, turned around and left, leaving all other matters to be handled by his lawyer.
At this moment, a reporter hurriedly called out, "Mr. Huo, please wait a moment! Could you please share your opinion on Sun Kai?"
Another reporter then asked, "Was it because you didn't treat your assistant well enough that he chose to betray you?"
Another reporter couldn't wait to ask, "So, do you think you have a chance of winning this photography competition?"
...
Faced with a barrage of questions, Huo Chengyu remained silent, his steps unwavering, as if these voices had nothing to do with him.
As Huo Chengyu walked further and further away, the reporters were anxious but helpless.
At this moment, the lawyer in charge of the matter spoke up: "Everyone can leave now. If there is anything that needs to be reported afterward, the Huo Group will notify you as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, the reporters knew that continuing the conversation would be pointless, so they quickly left.
In order to get back to the office as soon as possible to write the article and try to publish it as soon as possible.
After all, news is all about timeliness; whoever can be the first to release exclusive news will attract more readers' attention.
All the reporters left without saying a word.
Sun Kai was just basking in his joy when he was suddenly arrested by law enforcement officers, shattering his happiness. Xiao Zhang was also arrested with him.
After a thorough investigation, law enforcement officers discovered that Sun Kai had repeatedly stolen other people's works.
Ultimately, due to the cumulative culpability of Sun Kai for plagiarism, defamation, and bribery, the court imposed a severe sentence on him in accordance with the law, sentencing him to ten years in prison.
Xiao Zhang, on the other hand, was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including selling other people's works and accepting bribes.
Upon learning this news, many netizens felt extremely guilty, never expecting the truth to be like this.
Despite the irrefutable evidence presented by the police, some people still refused to believe what they were seeing, stubbornly insisting that it was all just a ploy by the wealthy.
However, regardless of the online discussions, the entry undoubtedly belongs to Huo Chengyu, and he successfully entered the final stage with this work.
It was precisely because of this incident that more and more people became aware of Huo Chengyu and his works.
Moreover, China's primitive tribes have received wider attention as a result, sparking a retro trend.
People are beginning to develop a strong interest in ancient cultures, exploring those forgotten histories and traditions.
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