67: Journalism is a very complex field!

The Lin family.

Su Qingxue's suggestion created a small crack in the suffocating atmosphere of 'concern' in the living room.

Indeed, it was getting late.

Lin Yao was physically and mentally exhausted after her awakening and needed a good rest.

Aunt and Second Uncle exchanged glances; their purpose for coming today had been achieved.

They had personally confirmed Lin Yao's 'failed awakening,' personally 'comforted' the Lin family, fulfilled their 'responsibility' as elders, and their sense of superiority had been greatly satisfied.

It was time to leave and then share this 'bad news' with other relatives.

"Yes, yes, look at us, we were so caught up in talking." Aunt was the first to stand up, a fake smile on her face. "Yao Yao is exhausted, so we won't bother you any longer. Old Lin, Sister-in-law, don't be too sad. It's enough that the child tried her best."

Second Uncle also stood up, adjusting his collar. "Xiao Yu, you too, don't make your parents worry anymore. Find something proper to do."

He didn't forget to lecture Lin Yu as an elder at the end.

Mother Su also pulled Su Qingxue, preparing to leave. "Sister, we're leaving now. We'll come see you another day. Try to be open-minded about Yao Yao's situation."

Just then, the faint buzzing sound from outside the window suddenly grew louder.

It was no longer a vague background noise but clearly discernible chatter from a crowd, mixed with a few sharp shouts, though the specific content was unclear.

"What's going on outside? So noisy?"

Aunt, who was about to walk out the door, stopped and curiously peered towards the window.

Linzhou City had always had good public order, and their old residential area hadn't had any major incidents for decades.

This commotion seemed like some important figure had arrived.

"Could something have happened?" Second Uncle also walked over. He was more anxious than Aunt and directly pulled back the curtain to look downstairs.

He only took one look before he froze.

The community garden downstairs was packed with people, a dense mass of black.

Cameras with long and short lenses, microphones with the logos of various major media outlets, and countless flashing phone screens completely surrounded the entrance of the building.

"Reporters? Why are there so many reporters?" Second Uncle's voice was filled with confusion.

"Reporters?"

Everyone in the living room was drawn over.

Father Lin and Mother Lin also temporarily set aside their sadness, gathering by the window with bewildered expressions.

Mother Su even pushed her way to the very front.

"Oh my goodness, there must be hundreds of them? Have all the media in Linzhou come? Which family produced a top scholar?" Mother Su exclaimed.

"That's not right, even for a College Entrance Examination top scholar, it wouldn't be this scale, would it?" Aunt mumbled.

In their understanding, only a city-wide sensational crime or the visit of a top-tier dignitary could attract such a large number of reporters.

Su Qingxue's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Looking at the familiar media logos outside the window, a terrifying thought crossed her mind.

No way... Could it be... "As long as it has nothing to do with us, let's go, let's go." Second Uncle pulled his head back, resuming his elder's posture of being unconcerned with anything, and walked towards the door first.

"Exactly, don't meddle in other people's business." Aunt echoed, urging everyone to leave.

Father Lin and Mother Lin were in a state of turmoil at the moment and had no mind to see them off.

Lin Yao was still immersed in her own emotions.

Lin Yu remained in the corner, the light from his phone screen reflecting on his unperturbed face.

The relatives filed out. Before leaving, Mother Su looked back at the Lin family, her expression complex, with pity and relief.

Su Qingxue was pulled by her. Her steps paused at the door. She moved her lips in Lin Yu's direction, but in the end, said nothing and was forcefully pulled away by her mother.

The door closed with a 'click'.

The world became quiet.

But the world outside the door had just begun to boil...

Downstairs.

The reporters were desperately held back by several property staff members at the entrance of the building, but they couldn't stop them.

The security guards let them in, but they couldn't just let the reporters push their way up!

Such a surging crowd was bound to cause an accident!

The crowd was like a surging tide, impacting the thin defensive line wave after wave.

"Let us in! We have the right to interview!"

"Building B, Unit 7! It's here! Charge!"

The first few reporters who got the news had already rushed to the front, with the main force following closely behind, creating a chaotic scene.

However, amidst this chaos, several experienced 'veterans' stopped in unison and gathered together.

These were the same people, including Brother Wang, who had been discussing at the community entrance earlier.

"Stop f*cking pushing!" Brother Wang yelled at the crowd behind him. He was senior and held considerable prestige in the Linzhou media circle. "What's the use of rushing up now? With everyone talking at once, you won't get anything out!"

A female reporter from a TV station chimed in: "Exactly! If you scare them, they'll hide inside and won't come out, and everyone will have come for nothing today!"

As soon as she said this, the agitated crowd indeed quieted down considerably.

Everyone understood this principle.

An interview wasn't a robbery, especially when interviewing a top genius who had risen to prominence overnight. The first impression was crucial.

Seeing the situation under control, Brother Wang pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket and offered a cigarette to each of his old colleagues around him.

"Gentlemen, this matter today is not simple," he lit his cigarette and took a deep drag.

"It's more than not simple." A bespectacled colleague next to him pushed up his glasses. "One family, first Epic, then Myth. You won't find a second such story in the entire country, or even the world!"

"I was just thinking about how to write this news report." The female reporter from the TV station exhaled a smoke ring. "'Genius Falls, Siblings Diverge Paths'? Or 'Dragon and Phoenix Prodigies, Two Talents in One Family'? No matter how you write it, it's explosive!"

"The key point isn't Lin Yao," Brother Wang said incisively.

Everyone's attention focused on him.

"Mythical-level professions are awesome, but there's always one in the country every two years. Reporting on a newly awakened genius is standard procedure," Brother Wang flicked his cigarette ash. "But Lin Yu is different."

"A former Epic-level genius, the hope of Linzhou City back then, silent for five years, becoming a laughingstock."

"Now, his sister has awakened an even stronger Mythical-level profession than him."

"Think about it, how does he feel now? Is it jealousy? Relief? Or numbness?"

"Digging him out of obscurity and comparing him with his sister — this dramatic conflict, this level of buzz, is ten times higher than simply reporting on Lin Yao alone!"

The old reporters around him nodded repeatedly, their breathing growing heavy.

They were all masters of manipulating words and public opinion, and they instantly understood Brother Wang's meaning.

A perfect genius girl was certainly eye-catching, but it was far less impactful than the combination of a 'beautiful, strong, and tragic' figure plus a 'fallen genius brother.'

There's a lot of knowledge in the news industry!