104: Chapter 104 The Information Tide and the Settling of Dust

The scent of victory champagne had not yet fully dissipated in the air, and Alex had already focused his attention, like a beam of light purified by his 【Information Reception Filtering】 ability, onto the unresolved shadow—Northrop.

Over the past few months, the NT-7 material defect incident and the ensuing lawsuits had persisted like background noise. The top team led by Attorney Lauren held an absolute advantage in evidence and legal procedures, but facing a behemoth like Northrop, the lawsuit had turned into an exhausting marathon. The opposition used their vast resources to delay and create technical obstacles at every procedural step, aiming to drag Alex down in an endless sea of hearings and documents.

"Their latest strategy is to file a motion requesting the case be submitted to a special arbitration committee, on the grounds that it involves 'highly sensitive defense industry technical details' and should be heard by a 'non-public body with professional expertise'." Attorney Lauren reported at the morning briefing, her voice as calm as ever, though there was a trace of exhaustion in her eyes. "This is another delaying tactic. If successful, it could postpone the final verdict by at least a year, and the entire process would be completely closed to the public."

Marcus frowned: "They've already lost in the court of public opinion, so now they want to bury this in a black box?"

Alex didn't speak, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the smooth conference table. Deep within his consciousness, his 【Information Reception Filtering】 ability was operating at high speed in a brand-new, reverse manner. In the past, this ability helped him eliminate noise and focus on the key points. Now, he was thinking about how to create "noise"—a type of strategic noise that Northrop could not filter, could not ignore, and had to respond to.

What was Northrop's weakness? As a defense contractor, its Achilles' heel was not legal text (they had plenty of lawyers), nor was it the market (their clients were the government), but rather its public image and political capital. Especially when its misconduct was linked to the casualties of ordinary soldiers and civilians, and was continuously focused on by a cultural figure with global influence.

A clear, bold, and efficient plan quickly took shape in his mind.

"Attorney Lauren, we will oppose that motion, but don't get bogged down in it. Write the opposition clearly, then set it aside for now." Alex raised his head, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Marcus, I need you to coordinate the data analysis team of 'Voice of Truth', the intelligence support team of Organization D, and the investigative media outlets we collaborate with to prepare a batch of 'information packages' within forty-eight hours."

Over the next forty-eight hours, Alex's studio became a quiet and efficient nerve center. They were no longer directly digging for new NT-7 technical evidence, but were instead re-deconstructing, refining, and packaging the massive amount of existing public information, hearing transcripts, victim testimonies, internal email fragments (previously provided by "Front Row Audience" and Organization D), and Northrop's historical records on similar incidents.

They produced:

· A "long-form timeline" for mainstream media: Clearly outlining the entire process from Northrop's initial discovery of the problem to their attempt to cover it up, and then to being exposed by Alex, highlighting their "systemic disregard for safety" and "coldness toward individual lives."

· A set of "infographics" and short videos suitable for social media dissemination: Using highly impactful visual comparisons, such as placing "Northrop's quarterly profit growth curve" side-by-side with "NT-7 incident victim family statements."

· Several deep-dive character profiles: Focusing not on Alex, but on the mother who lost her son, the veteran who was permanently disabled due to equipment failure.

· A "background briefing" for specific lawmakers: Listing victims or related supply chain companies in their constituencies, along with Northrop's political donation records.

Most crucially, Alex decided to step in personally. He recorded a three-minute video. No angry accusations, no exaggerated acting. He sat in front of a simple background, wearing his signature white T-shirt, his gaze calm as he looked directly into the camera.

"For some time now, many people have asked me how the lawsuit with Northrop is going." His voice was steady, as if stating facts. "The answer is: it is still ongoing. They have used many methods to make this process very slow, hoping that people will forget, hoping that this will pass. This is normal; this is the standard operating manual for large companies when facing problems."

He paused, leaning forward slightly.

"But that is not what I want to talk about today. I want to say that some things should not be forgotten. Not because of my personal persistence, but because of those real people whose lives have been changed because of this. This lawsuit has never just been for me. It is for a simple truth: no matter how large the scale, how heavy the power, one must take responsibility for one's actions. This truth should not be buried by delaying tactics, nor should it be silenced by the black box of 'professional arbitration'."

"So, over the coming week, the 'Voice of Truth' platform and our partners will share more information about this matter. Not new accusations, just letting the facts already confirmed by the court return to the sunlight. Let us all see how long delay and silence can last in the sunlight."

The video ended there, without a call to action, yet it was more powerful than any incitement. It was the perfect combination of "celebrity" influence and the direct communication style of an "influencer," and even more so, a practical drill of applying the 【Information Reception Filtering】 ability in reverse—precisely deploying high-concentration, high-emotional-value information.

The video was released simultaneously across all of Alex's platforms at nine o'clock sharp on Monday morning. At the same time, the "information packages" began carpet-bombing through carefully designed rhythms and channels. The long-form articles from investigative media, the fragmented bombardment on social media, the targeted briefings for specific policy circles... it was like a saturated attack calculated with precision.

The effect was immediate.

Northrop's PR department detected an abnormal spike in data within the first hour. By the afternoon, mainstream television news began citing Alex's video and the timeline report from "Voice of Truth". On social media, topics like #NorthropAccountability and #ResponsibilityInTheSunlight rose rapidly. By evening, two congressmen from the victims' constituencies had already expressed their stance on Twitter, "closely monitoring the situation" and "calling on the involved company to show true responsibility."

Northrop tried to fight back, issuing a statement saying that "the relevant lawsuit is still ongoing, we will not comment, and we trust the legal process," while implying that Alex was "using public influence to interfere with the judiciary." But this rhetoric seemed pale and powerless in the face of the surging, fact-based public opinion. What gave them an even bigger headache was that some previously neutral military blogs and veterans' organizations also began to join the discussion, questioning Northrop's supply chain management standards.

The information torrent lasted for three full days. Northrop's stock price showed subtle fluctuations; although the magnitude was not large, it touched the sensitive nerves of capital. More importantly, they realized that Alex held not just a legal weapon, but a giant loudspeaker that could ignite global public opinion at any moment. They could not win this war of public opinion, and for every day they delayed, their brand reputation and potential political costs continued to rise.

On the fourth morning, Attorney Lauren received a direct call from Northrop's chief legal counsel.

"Mr. Su has demonstrated impressive... communication skills." The other party's voice betrayed no emotion. "We believe that continuing to expose this controversy to the public eye is not beneficial to either party, especially the families involved. We propose restarting settlement negotiations, and we hope to reach a final, comprehensive solution as soon as possible."

The negotiations were conducted with extreme confidentiality and efficiency. Northrop abandoned all delaying tactics, with a clear bottom line: settle quickly to avoid further exposure. On Alex's side, Attorney Lauren held the dual advantages of law and public opinion, with ample leverage.

Seventy-two hours later, an agreement was reached.

Northrop agreed to:

1. Pay a record-breaking, massive compensation (the specific figure is confidential, but enough to make Attorney Lauren reveal a rare, completely relaxed smile), covering all legal costs, losses for Alex's side, and establishing an independent trust fund for long-term assistance to the confirmed victims of the NT-7 incident and their families.

2. Release a carefully worded public statement in media mutually agreed upon by both parties, acknowledging "shortcomings in communication and procedures" in the subsequent handling of the NT-7 material, expressing "sincere apologies" to those affected, and promising to strengthen internal compliance and safety reviews. (This statement avoided directly admitting to "intentional concealment," but the apology and admission of shortcomings were already a huge concession.)

3. Immediately withdraw all procedural motions aimed at delaying the lawsuit and cooperate to quickly complete the final legal procedures.

In exchange, Alex Su and his affiliates agreed to:

1. Accept the compensation and withdraw all related lawsuits against Northrop.

2. Not initiate new legal actions or public accusations against Northrop regarding the NT-7 incident.

3. The "Voice of Truth" platform and related partner media would stop pushing special public opinion content regarding this incident after the agreement took effect.

On the afternoon of the day the agreement was signed, Alex was in the studio, listening to Attorney Lauren report the final result in the most concise language. Marcus, Hank, and others were present. There was a moment of silence in the room, followed by low, relieved cheers.

"It's over?" Marcus still couldn't quite believe it.

"Legally and in public opinion, it's over." Attorney Lauren nodded affirmatively, looking at Alex. "You used a... very unconventional way to force a giant to a draw."

"Not a draw," Alex corrected, walking to the window, the sunlight spilling onto him. "It's making them calculate the costs and realize that the cost of continuing the confrontation is far higher than bowing their heads and paying."

He felt a slight dizziness, not from exhaustion, but a sense of emptiness after a long-taut string suddenly slackened, immediately filled by a solid sense of accomplishment. He checked the system; he hadn't directly gained a large amount of popularity from resolving this long-term conflict (popularity mainly comes from broad influence, not specific event settlements), but he knew that with this matter settled, a huge potential risk and mental burden had been cleared, making his public image even more solid and flawless. This was crucial for all his future plans—whether it was his entertainment career or the accumulation of extraordinary power.

The shadow of Northrop had dispersed. It might still be lurking in some corner, but at least on the surface, it would no longer appear on Alex Su's path in the form of direct confrontation.

"Do we need to celebrate tonight?" Taylor walked in at some point. She clearly already knew the news from Attorney Lauren.

Alex turned, looking at her concerned eyes, and smiled: "No, no need for a big fanfare. This matter deserves a quiet period."

He walked over and hugged her gently. "However, to thank my excellent lawyer and team, a best private chef dinner is a must. You are invited."

The dust had settled. The entanglement with Northrop had finally been cleanly severed. Alex felt unprecedentedly relaxed. His gaze crossed the city skyline, looking toward a broader, more creative, and promising future.

There, there were new songs waiting to be released, tours about to depart, visual projects in the works, and that extraordinary path only he could see, which required more "fuel" to continue climbing.

The obstacles were cleared, and the road ahead was smooth.