The online trolls were mobilized again, this time with slogans like "Eat the melon rationally, wait for the official investigation," "Don't believe rumors, don't spread rumors," and "Beware of being used as pawns by foreign forces."
Truth and lies clashed fiercely on the battlefield of information. The sky, which had just been illuminated, was once again shrouded in deliberately created fog.
Ordinary netizens felt lost and confused, their newly established understanding wavering under the impact of new information. Those supporting the whistleblowing and those calling for "rationality" argued fiercely online, their emotions sharply divided, and the truth became increasingly obscured in the arguments.
While hiding and moving, Su Yuqing monitored the outside world through an encrypted network. Seeing the other side's swift and powerful counterattack, her heart sank. She knew this was not just a war of public opinion, but a power struggle. The other side was using the resources under their control to desperately muddy the waters, buy time, and find an opportunity to turn the tide.
The fog was thick, and the road ahead was once again shrouded in uncertainty.
Can the newly ignited dawn pierce through the even thicker fog?
The evidence presented by Su Yuqing's team was like a sharp blade, tearing away the glamorous facade of Xingyao Entertainment. However, the vast web of capital and power quickly contracted, revealing its overwhelming power.
First, in the public sphere. Despite the immense attention garnered by independent reporting and evidence, mainstream media maintained an eerie silence. Several influential television stations and official media outlets remained completely silent on the incident, as if the massive online upheaval had never occurred. Occasionally, some daring media outlets attempted fringe reporting, but these were quickly drowned out by larger entertainment news or social hotspots.
Meanwhile, a powerful, organized campaign to "cool down" the situation began to be pushed out.
"Beware of Capital Speculation, View Entertainment Industry Scandals Rationally"
"Enterprise Growth is Hard-Won, Don't Let Rumors Destroy National Brands"
"Everyone is Equal Before the Law, Trust in the Fair Judgment of Judicial Organs"
These seemingly high-sounding articles cleverly package Xingyao Entertainment as a "national enterprise" in need of protection, characterizing the act of exposing the inside story as "capital speculation" and "rumors," attempting to muddy the waters and shift the focus of the conflict.
Even more alarming is the economic repercussions. Several major advertisers for Su Yuqing's newspaper suddenly suspended cooperation, citing "brand image considerations." Dissent also began to emerge within the newspaper, with some senior executives subtly suggesting that Su Yuqing "take a break," implying that her high profile had attracted unnecessary trouble.
Meanwhile, a large-scale "in-depth exposé" of Lin Chen began circulating online. This time, it wasn't simple dirt, but a carefully packaged "rational analysis." The article "objectively" lists Lin Chen's "personality flaws" (such as stubbornness and unsociability), "family burdens" (a seriously ill mother and huge debts), and "psychological problems" (quoting Dr. Xu's "professional analysis"), attempting to portray him from a psychological and sociological perspective as a "tragic figure who couldn't adapt to society due to his own problems and ultimately went to extremes."
This narrative is extremely deceptive. It distorts systemic persecution into a personal tragedy and downplays the bloody exploitation of capital as a problem of "adapting to society." Many who initially sympathized with Lin Chen have begun to waver: "Perhaps he really is too fragile?" "The entertainment industry is inherently stressful; he himself must have problems too."