74: Chapter 74 Public Opinion Storm

Los Angeles, Umbrella Corporation.

Chen Feng stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of the CEO's office, overlooking the city flickering in the night. Weber's efficiency was indeed faster than he had anticipated. In just two days, the three "tickets" had been distributed, the alliance was officially launched, and the first step, "Operation Broken Sword," had begun.

A true storm was brewing globally. And he, Chen Feng, was the center of this storm.

He took a small sip of the cola in his hand. On the screen, news headlines were refreshing at an astonishing speed.

"Boss, there's the latest news from Weber's side." Marcus's voice rang out at the right moment, breaking the silence in the room.

"Speak," Chen Feng said without turning his head.

"'Operation Broken Sword' is going even more smoothly than expected. Edgar Winston's 'Voice of the Globe' ignited public opinion early this morning. Reports on 'Project Black Sun' have already swept across the entire U Federation." Marcus's tone carried a hint of irrepressible excitement.

Chen Feng put down the can and walked to the screen. On the display was the front-page headline of the "Voice of the Globe" website: "Project Black Sun: The Forgotten Souls in a Foreign Land." The headline was shocking, accompanied by several blurred photos of "experimental bases" and portraits of "victims" with obscured faces.

He clicked on the report and browsed quickly. The content was detailed, featuring leaked documents and recorded interviews with survivors. Every line revealed the Vanguard Bureau's abuse of power and its crimes of conducting illegal human experiments in foreign lands.

"Very good," Chen Feng commented. Edgar certainly hadn't disappointed him; this guy had a natural gift for manipulating the human heart.

Just then, several social media trending notifications popped up in the bottom right corner of the screen.

#Vanguard Bureau Black Sun#

#Who is Arthur Stone#

#Moral Bottom Line of Military Institutions#

The topics instantly surged to the top of the charts, with comments flooding in like a tide.

"My God! This is simply a crime against humanity!"

"Vanguard Bureau? More like Devil Bureau! Stone must step down!"

"Is our taxpayers' money being used to fund these secret experiments?!"

The public's anger was like a lit powder keg, exploding instantly.

Chen Feng switched to another news channel. In the footage, a large number of protesters had already gathered outside Capitol Hill, holding signs and shouting slogans, demanding a thorough investigation into the truth and severe punishment for the culprits. Several human rights organizations also issued statements condemning the Vanguard Bureau's atrocities and demanding an immediate halt to all inhuman experiments.

"This is just the appetizer." Chen Feng gave a light laugh, tapping his finger on the desk. "What about the financial markets?"

"Proceeding simultaneously," Marcus reported immediately. "Less than half an hour after Wall Street opened, the stock prices of three military-industrial giants with deep ties to the Vanguard Bureau plummeted. Alan Fisher is personally overseeing it. It's said he mobilized hundreds of millions in capital to fight a textbook blitzkrieg. The market value of those three companies has already evaporated by over 20%."

Chen Feng nodded approvingly.

Alan Fisher truly lived up to his reputation as the "Vulture" of Wall Street.

Public opinion and finance—two sharp swords—were plunged into Arthur Stone's heart almost at the same time. This speed and precision were simply breathtaking.

...

Virginia, Vanguard Bureau Headquarters.

In Arthur Stone's office, the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy.

He sat behind a massive alloy desk, his eyes fixed on the giant screen in front of him. On the screen, the overwhelming negative news and the constantly flashing stock K-line charts were like two ruthless knives, stabbing hard into his nerves.

"Project Black Sun... Damn it!" Stone slammed his desk, the alloy surface letting out a dull thud.

He knew someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes. Moreover, this force was much more powerful and precise than he had imagined.

"Brigadier General, your phone is ringing off the hook!" An adjutant rushed in, face pale. "Congress, The Pentagon, and even the private lines of several senators are looking for you."

Stone closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew now was not the time for anger.

"Patch them through, I'll handle them one by one." His voice was low, but still carried the iron will of a soldier.

However, he soon discovered that things were far worse than he had imagined.

"General Stone, regarding the allegations of 'Project Black Sun,' you must provide Congress with a reasonable explanation!" A senator's stern questioning came from the other end of the line.

"Brigadier General, The Pentagon demands that you immediately submit a detailed report explaining the progress and compliance of all secret projects within the Vanguard Bureau!" This was a warning from the Ministry of Defense.

Stone's power was being frozen bit by bit.

Just as he was overwhelmed, the adjutant rushed in again, holding an emergency document.

"Brigadier General, the Department of Justice just issued a statement announcing the formation of a special task force to launch a comprehensive investigation into you and the Vanguard Bureau!" The adjutant's voice trembled slightly.

Stone's pupils suddenly constricted. The Department of Justice? This was the work of that old fox, Howard Grant! He knew how deep Howard's connections ran; once the Department of Justice intervened, it would be a total procedural strike.

"Also, the Congressional Military Committee has announced it will hold a closed-door hearing within 48 hours and demands your presence to testify," the adjutant added.

Stone clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. He felt as if he were trapped in an invisible net; with every struggle, the net tightened further. Public opinion, finance, politics, the Military Committee... this wasn't just a simple attack, but a meticulously planned, interlocking strangulation.

He thought of Chen Feng and that mysterious Umbrella Corporation. He knew their shadow must be behind this. That Weber, that Clark, and that media tycoon and financial giant—they had actually integrated such terrifying power in such a short time.

A look of madness appeared in Stone's eyes. He knew conventional means could no longer turn the tide. He couldn't sit and wait for death, and he certainly couldn't let the Vanguard Bureau's secrets be made public and used by those politicians as leverage against him.

He stood up abruptly, walked to the back of the office, and opened a hidden alloy door. Inside was a small secret room containing only a desk and an old-looking satellite phone.

He picked up the phone and dialed a top-secret number.

"This is Arthur Stone." His voice was low and raspy, with a hint of unquestionable command. "Activate 'Ghost Protocol'."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end before a mechanized voice asked, "Target?"

"Edgar Winston." Stone's eyes were cold. "I want that squawking parrot to shut up forever."

He hung up the phone, his gaze becoming dangerous and icy.

"Ghost Protocol" was one of the Vanguard Bureau's ultimate trump cards. It was a super-soldier program not yet revealed to the public, designed to grant individuals reaction speeds and strength far beyond normal humans through external implants and biological modification. The program was costly, with each modified person costing 1.5 million dollars, and it was still in the experimental stage, but its combat effectiveness was enough to subvert any conventional understanding.

Stone knew that once he used "Ghost Protocol," it meant he had completely torn off his mask. But he had no way back.

He wanted those self-righteous people to know what price they would pay for provoking a sleeping lion.

A true storm had only just begun.