The Tycoon's Odyssey

Chapter 387 387:Protest All Around

evan slammed his hand on the desk, frustration etched into his face. "murder? seriously?" he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "where do they get the nerve to say such nonsense?"

aurora's calm voice cut through his anger. [what can i say? they clearly don't want the truth to come out.]

she paused for a moment before continuing. [usl has already developed treatments for most types of cancer, and the usr is on the brink of creating a vaccine for aids. but the federation's politics had kept them from releasing it. now that you've taken the lead, it's like you've exposed their hypocrisy.]

evan scoffed as he leaned back in his chair. "they're fuming, but they still won't release what they've got. what a stubborn lot of fools."

he had expected a backlash—bans, condemnation. what he didn't expect was the global powers sitting on their cures instead of retaliating with their own solutions.

aurora broke the silence. [so, what's the plan now? this move didn't play out exactly as you wanted.]

evan's eyes narrowed. "it was never about making a fortune in pharmaceuticals," he said, his voice cold and deliberate. "it's about rewriting the narrative. the cure is real, and eventually, the truth will surface. by then, we'll have built an alternative so strong that they won't have a choice but to follow us."

aurora's tone remained steady. [daniel's team is ready. should we move to the next step?]

"yes," evan said firmly. "start the transition. let them think they've banished us while we prepare for the real battle."

evan then asked, his expression sharp, "you already have a hold on the public through the vr network, right?"

[most of them,] aurora replied with a sly grin.

"even if they're not playing vr games, they're still hooked into our system in some way or the other. start planting the seeds. get people on the streets. let them demand answers. make them fight for the cure."

aurora acknowledged. [understood. this will stir things up.]

evan spun his chair, a faint smirk playing on his face. "it's about time we gave them a show worth watching."

_____

the streets came alive with demands, a rhythmic chant that rose like a tidal wave. in every corner of the city, crowds of people held banners aloft, their bold and unrelenting messages. "we want the cure! we want to live! the cure is real, the leaders are lying!"

it started small—just a few individuals outside government offices, their voices drowned in the urban noise. but by mid-morning, the streets were packed. the protesters marched in orderly lines, their restraint surprising. they didn't break windows or clash with the authorities. they simply stood their ground, chanting in unison, their cries echoing louder than any riot could.nôv(el)b\\jnn

_____

meanwhile, in the usr, president viktor rodin stood in the grand hall of the kremlin, his piercing gaze fixed on the massive screen displaying the protests sweeping across the nation. beside him, minister of defense, ivan markov, maintained a stoic demeanor.

"this is absurd," viktor growled, his voice cold as the winter outside. "how are they not afraid of the consequences?"

ivan folded his arms, his tone measured. "there are too many of them, sir. if we crack down hard, it could escalate into widespread unrest. they're not rioting—they're just standing there, chanting. it's... strategic."

"strategic?" viktor spat, his frustration bubbling. "this isn't a strategy; it's madness. who is behind this?"

ivan hesitated before answering. "we're still investigating. but whoever they are, they've managed to spark coordinated protests in nearly every major city on the continent. this isn't random."

viktor's expression hardened. "i don't care who's behind it. shut it down. i don't care if we have to flood the streets with soldiers—end this, now."

_____

across the world, the scene repeated itself. from bustling markets to the orderly avenues of europa, the chants of the protestors echoed like a single, unified voice.

in the crowded streets of indra's capital, prime minister surya patel stood behind the thick glass of his office window, watching the sea of protesters below.

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"this is unacceptable," he muttered, turning to his security chief. "what are we doing about this?"

"sir, we've deployed additional forces, but... the crowds keep growing," the chief replied, his tone tense. "they're not rioting; they're just blocking everything. roads, government buildings, and even private businesses. everything's at a standstill."

surya clenched his fists, his frustration palpable. "this isn't just a protest. someone's pulling the strings. find out who it is and shut them down."

"yes, sir," the security chief replied, though a flicker of doubt shadowed his voice.

as the chief went away, surya allowed a smile to cross his lips.

"sir, the plan is working well."