Full-Time Public Enemy-Chapter 713 - 509: Time Flies Like a White Colt_2

Joseph Hondarei could manipulate the media, but even on the interstellar network, he couldn't silence everyone.

Various "speculative" conspiracy theories began to surface regarding what exactly had transpired on Sol Star, becoming the primary question on everyone's minds.

This was the mysterious gift Chen Gu had prepared for the Great Commander.

Why should all of humanity bear the consequences of Star State's mistakes? The truly responsible parties should step forward and face the music!

The Great Commander's staff were at their wits' end. They continuously issued statements attempting to clear their involvement, but Chen Gu only needed to light a spark. What followed, as Zero Creation had said, was simply a matter of waiting for the "inferno."

The Star State populace's pursuit of freedom would drive them to tirelessly unearth the truth.

Chen Gu wholeheartedly agreed with this sentiment; the citizens of Star State had a right to know the truth.

As some equally disgruntled soldiers began revealing various situations on the interstellar network, either under their real names or anonymously, the citizens of Star State slowly pieced together a complete chain of evidence. This evidence was sufficient to prove a critical truth: the Great Commander, in order to gain the support of media magnates, had insisted on a dangerous course of action. He ordered the military to prioritize rescuing Gascolin Hondarei and deal with the Sol Star disaster afterward. This was despite the uncertainty of whether Gascolin was still alive, or if that SOS signal was genuinely his, and in doing so, he ignored the potential chain of disasters Sol Star might unleash.

At that moment, Chen Gu, far away in the Confederation, deftly delivered the final blow.

He anonymously initiated a topic on Star State's largest social platform: "Call for Gascolin to come forward and explain that SOS signal!"

This question struck at the heart of the issue and rapidly gained traction, with countless Star State citizens voicing their support. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Gascolin himself was dumbstruck. I finally make it back alive, and nobody cares if I've suffered terrible psychological trauma? Instead, they're forcing me to testify?

But at that point, he had no choice but to ask his father what to do.

Joseph Hondarei now faced a dilemma: continue supporting the Great Commander, remaining tied together and facing mutual ruin? Or should he cut his losses to survive, severing ties with the Great Commander? This would come at a heavy price, but he could preserve himself.

A man capable of becoming a magnate would, naturally, choose the latter without hesitation.

Consequently, Gascolin Hondarei's tearful "confession" plunged the Great Commander into the abyss. This act, while devastating for the Great Commander, also allowed the Hondarei family, despite suffering severe damage, to retain their last lifeline.

Public perception of the Hondarei family mirrored Chen Gu's: angered, yet not entirely unsympathetic.

In fact, Chen Gu possessed a recording of Gascolin. During the rescue, Chen Gu had deliberately asked him if they had set up the "SOS" signal. Gascolin had been clueless at the time.

If Gascolin hadn't stepped forward to deliver that final stab, Chen Gu would have been forced to release the recording, inevitably implicating himself.

The current outcome was the most ideal.

Within Star State, the public was in an uproar. The Great Commander faced likely impeachment. Even if he managed to scrape through this crisis, re-election seemed out of the question.

Yet, Chen Gu felt little joy. The problems within Star State ran deep and couldn't be resolved merely by replacing the Great Commander.

And in reality... how much better was the Confederation? In truth, no perfect system truly existed.

THUMP!

Richard slammed his fist onto the partition before him, cursing under his breath. Inquiries immediately came from outside, "Director Richard, are you alright?"

Richard's expression soured further. "I'm fine!"

He had sent dozens of messages to the journalist he'd been in contact with, but received no reply. He knew he had been abandoned.

Ever since Chen Gu's departure, a few special agents, under Chairman White's secret orders, had been "protecting" him, shadowing his every move.

Initially, Joseph Hondarei had been willing to negotiate with Richard, promising him protection. This was because, at that time, it seemed very likely the Great Commander would need a scapegoat, and their original target had been White. Richard's testimony would have been enough to definitively establish White's "crimes."

But now that Joseph Hondarei had severed ties with the Great Commander, he naturally wouldn't concern himself with Richard any longer. The Great Commander, overwhelmed with his own problems, paid no attention to such a minor figure.

These faithless bastards! You all deserve to die! Richard roared internally, overwhelmed by an incomparable terror. What do I do next? White has people watching me. I'm going to become that scapegoat...

He sat on the toilet, his thoughts churning. The water in the eerie toilet churned in response. Slowly, a pair of enticing eyes surfaced from its depths. With a single glance, they pierced through all of Richard's fears and desires.

Richard recoiled in disbelief, sinking to the floor. He knelt and plunged his face into the toilet bowl.

BOOM—

A massive column of water erupted skyward, instantly shattering the floorboards!

The two special agents responsible for "protecting" Richard stood outside the bathroom, dumbfounded. "An anomaly!"

Richard's situation was a "minor matter" for the entire Rights Association; news of it didn't even reach Chen Gu's ears. His "anomaly" was thoroughly eliminated, and he conveniently became the scapegoat for crimes no one else wanted to bear. Many within the Rights Association secretly applauded this outcome.