48: Chapter 48: The Published Statement – ​​What Happens to Journalists!

Evening.

After a phone call with Xu Hao, the official Weibo account for 'The Wandering Earth' released a statement on Weibo.

The statement said:

"The filming for 'The Wandering Earth' has resumed."

"At the same time."

"We will continue to maintain our cooperative relationship with Xu's Heavy Industry."

As soon as the statement was posted, many internet users who were just there to watch the drama clicked in and swarmed to take a look.

Ever since Xu's Heavy Industry ran into trouble, they had remained silent.

Now, there was finally some movement.

Just as they were about to voice their opinions, sharp-eyed netizens noticed that Xu's Heavy Industry had also released a statement.

Consequently, these netizens quickly shifted their attention elsewhere.

The statement indicated:

"Due to certain reasons recently, we have occupied social resources and caused the general public to pay excessive attention to Xu's Heavy Industry."

"For all of this, Xu's Heavy Industry expresses its apologies."

None of this, however, was what captured the audience's attention.

The most important part was the content at the end of the statement.

It wrote:

"Following discussions and research by Xu's Heavy Industry and various departments of the Dragon Kingdom, the official government of the Dragon Kingdom has injected capital into Xu's Heavy Industry, making it a State-owned Enterprise!"

"At the same time, Xu's Heavy Industry's operations will continue as usual, and we welcome everyone to collaborate with Xu's Heavy Industry!"

Upon seeing this statement, the vast number of netizens could no longer sit still; they were in an absolute uproar!

Xu's Heavy Industry had actually become a State-owned Enterprise?!

The earth-shattering news spread with lightning speed.

Related topics instantly sparked heated discussions.

* Xu's Heavy Industry.

* Xu's Heavy Industry becomes a State-owned Enterprise of the Dragon Kingdom!

...

Topics regarding Xu's Heavy Industry surged onto the trending list at an astonishing speed.

On the trending list, four or five of the top ten were about Xu's Heavy Industry.

The posts within these topics were countless, all discussing everything about Xu's Heavy Industry.

"What? Xu's Heavy Industry actually turned into a State-owned Enterprise?"

"Can someone tell me what is going on?"

"Weren't they saying just a few days ago that Xu's Heavy Industry had all sorts of problems? How did it become a State-owned Enterprise now?!"

"What happened? Did I just get internet access in my village?!"

"..."

Netizens who didn't know what was going on posted repeatedly, filled with confusion, asking other well-informed netizens, wanting to know why Xu's Heavy Industry had suddenly transformed into a State-owned Enterprise.

"Which 'insider' can explain what is going on here?"

"I have no idea! The news is too sudden, there wasn't even a hint of it."

"I heard... a reporter filmed something at Xu's Heavy Industry and uploaded it online before. As for what it was..."

"Brother, tell us the details!!"

"Buddy, elaborate, give us more details..."

Some netizens urged.

Seeing these impatient bystanders, this netizen replied:

"I can only say, everyone understands what it is specifically. For those who don't, it's not appropriate for me to say more. Just savor it carefully. Don't come asking me what's going on; the interests involved here are too big. Telling you won't do either of us any good, just pretend you don't know..."

This reply immediately made the vast number of bystanders grit their teeth in hatred, and they launched a verbal attack on him.

"Damn, what kind of nonsense literature is this!"

"Oh, oh, oh, the 'know-it-all' is here. Doesn't that mean there really are incredible things inside Xu's Heavy Industry?"

"Stop scolding! I heard that a reporter filmed inside the Xu's Heavy Industry workshop and it seemed there were Exoskeleton Mecha, fighter jets, and other such things, which is why Xu's Heavy Industry was recruited by the official government and turned into a State-owned Enterprise."

"Holy crap, that's awesome!"

"If that's really the case, it actually makes me look forward to the sci-fi film 'The Wandering Earth' even more!!"

"..."

Through the heated discussions of these netizens, terms and topics like Xu's Heavy Industry, Guo Fan Film Industry, and 'The Wandering Earth' all hit the trending list.

For a time, the trending list was bustling with activity; looking across it, it was filled with topics about Xu's Heavy Industry and Guo Fan Film Industry.

What was somewhat surprising was:

Among the numerous heated posts, absolutely no one mentioned any of the previous bad news regarding Xu's Heavy Industry.

It was as if the various exposés and negative news about Xu's Heavy Industry from the previous period had never happened.

In contrast to the noisy and bustling atmosphere online,

the atmosphere at the court trial was slightly more serious and somber.

"Defendants Reporter Li Fei, Cameraman Bai Zhuang!"

"The two of you are suspected of leaking state secrets, trespassing into a State-owned Enterprise, and illegally filming and live-streaming, which led to the leakage of classified footage, endangering national security and disrupting public order."

"According to the Dragon Kingdom Criminal Procedure Law, under the 'Crime of Intentional Leakage of State Secrets' and 'Crime of Negligent Leakage of State Secrets,' non-state agency personnel who violate the provisions of the Law on Guarding State Secrets by intentionally or negligently leaking state secrets shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention; if the circumstances are particularly serious, they shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years."

"Given that both of you fully cooperated with the investigation and the leakage was unintentional and occurred without prior knowledge, we are exercising discretion in your punishment!"

"According to the court's ruling, you are both sentenced to three years of fixed-term imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 yuan."

"Do you both plead guilty?!"

The judge looked at Reporter Li Fei and Cameraman Bai Zhuang with a serious expression as he read out the verdict.

"Cameraman Bai Zhuang pleads guilty!"

"Reporter Li Fei pleads guilty!"

The two spoke in unison.

Cameraman Bai Zhuang's face was full of despair, his eyes dull and lifeless, his lips pale.

He had originally thought it was just a joke at the time, but he hadn't expected it to come true.

Now, he had really lost his job.

However, the silver lining was that he wouldn't have to worry about food and drink for the next three years.

Reporter Li Fei was no better off.

Her face was ashen; without makeup, there was no color in her complexion, looking like a dead person, which seemed somewhat horrifying.

Listening to the judge read the verdict, her mind went blank, and she reacted in a daze.

Her heart was filled with regret.

If she could do it all over again, she would absolutely not have requested to interview Xu's Heavy Industry from the editor of 'Hotspot Tracking'.

She also wouldn't have staked out the main gate of Xu's Heavy Industry for an entire week.

Furthermore, she wouldn't have seized the opportunity to sneak into the Xu's Heavy Industry factory area and start a live stream.

Otherwise, none of this would have happened!!

Unfortunately, there are no 'ifs'.

However, what also left her feeling helpless was:

She had originally thought that Xu's Heavy Industry was just a heavy industrial enterprise on the verge of bankruptcy; how could she have known that the things they built were so awesome?

A Doomsday Vehicle!

A Transport Aircraft!!

And Exoskeleton Mecha!!!

Who told her this was a company about to go bankrupt?

Was this something a poorly managed company on the verge of bankruptcy could build?!

It was precisely these things.

They not only attracted the attention of the police, but in the end, even the Dragon Academy of Sciences and the military sent people!!

Without a word, they arrested them, detained them for trial, and treated them as people who had leaked secrets.

Thinking of this, Reporter Li Fei's emotions became even more intense.

Filled with both regret and anger, she stood before the judgment table, her body trembling, her face changing shades of pale and dark.

Her handcuffed hands could not stop shaking.

She... was filled with remorse!!