SPMW 29 - A Painstaking Investigation I

//unedited version. Edited version will be up as soon as it gets done!//

After lunch, Changning forced himself to clear his mind and start working on his manuscripts.

At three o’clock, DucklingLi came online right on time.

[DucklingLi]: Hi!!

[Qingshui]: How’s the situation?

[DucklingLi]: It’s a little puzzling.

[Qingshui]: Don’t keep me in suspense.

[DucklingLi]: Fine. So, the thing goes like this. The person who uploaded that first post onto the internet was using an ID called ‘charmingdemon’, I’ll pass that information later. Less than an hour after the post was uploaded, large number of netizens followed the post. If I’m not wrong, it should be those fake accounts. After the topic got heated up, the second post was quickly uploaded with pictures even. It’s very obvious that they were making use of those pictures to spread rumors.

[Qingshui]: Which website was it uploaded?

[DucklingLi]: It’s a trading company’s web portal. I’ll pass you the name as well.

After knowing what he needed, Changning went offline, picked up his phone and called Yushang.

At the other end of the phone, the deep and obvious tired voice could be heard, “Hello, Changning.”

Changning frowned as he asked, “Are you still busy?”

“Hm.” Yushang rubbed his aching temples, “Have you had your lunch?”

“I did. How about you?”

“Not yet. I don’t have appetite.”

“You should eat a little or your body won’t be able to take it.”

“I know. Don’t worry. Rest well, alright?”

“I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I got someone to check on some things. I’m not sure if it’ll help you.”

“What is it about?”

“The first person that made the post onto the website is called ‘charmingdemon”. The web portal belonged to a small-scale trading company. I went to check on ‘charmingdemon’ ID and found some pictures. I’ll send them to you in a short while. It should be useful. And the lawyer of this small company, you may recognize him. You should check on him as well.”

“Alright. I got you worried as well, didn’t I? Have a good rest. Aunt Qin said that you did not rest at all. Go have some sleep, don’t make me worry alright?”

“I’m alright. I can’t help with the company matters so this is all I can do to help you.”

Yushang’s heart felt warm as his stone expression relaxed a little. The few people beside him listened as their expression were nothing but astonishment.

“I just want you by my side.”

“Hm. If there’s anything else I could help with, just let me know.”

“Alright. Go to sleep now. I’ll be home late. Don’t wait for me, understand?”

“I got it. Go carry on with your work.”

“Hm.” As he hung up the call, his email notification went off. An email was received. When he opened it, a set of pictures and a few names appeared on the screen.

“Dazhou, come here and have a look.”

Dazhou went closer to look at the pictures on the screen, “It’s that ‘charmingdemon’ person. These pictures are…” his words dragged as his gaze darken that made the few people around him breathe softly.

A cold gaze flashed by Yushang’s eyes as he said, “Go check on it. Also, get some people to keep a lookout on this trading company.”

Dazhou then instructed his men to work on it.

Yushang continued to instruct the others, “Get the public relations to come over. I want to but the headlines of the city’s top ten newspaper. If Metropolis Daily wants to play, I’ll play along.” He smirked coldly. Messing up my honeymoon trip? I’ll let all of you pay for the price.

Shang Est. spent big sum of monies to buy the headline rights of the top ten newspapers. The script was drafted overnight, fixed on a layout and when it was end midnight, the script was successfully sent to the ten publisher’s printing factories.

Six-thirty a.m. in the morning, the newspaper stalls opened for business. The stall owners arranged all ten publisher’s newspapers accordingly, shocking the people who were buying them. “What kind of situation is this?” the ten newspapers had the same ad with black layout and white wordings. It only had a few sentences, but it took up almost half the page of the newspapers:

A reputation built over decades, why are we doubt overnight?

There is a reason for everything, why won’t you give us a chance to explain?

We are not afraid of questions, we only need opportunity to prove those suspicions, to give the public an answer.

Time is the best and most impartial witness. It will reveal the truth to everyone.

The truth is the most powerful and believable judge and it will convict those sinners who lied to everyone.

We hope for understanding, leniency, fair treatment and trust.

We will let time be our judge, to use truth as evidence. We will use the will of people as our support as we return the bright skies to everyone, to let everyone who still have a shred of conscience breathe.

It was the first time that people had seen such a statement on the newspaper. It was stunning and thought-provoking at the same time. One should never judge the book by its cover. They should be more understanding and lenient, that things may not be what they thought it was. In the modern days, many news was over-exaggerated from the truth. The reputation that they believed in for so many decades should not be rejected just because of some one-sided opinion. Perhaps they should wait to see how things developed from here – that was how majority of the people had thought after they read the newspapers.

The impact from the newspapers were huge. Metropolis Daily received some unprecedented questionings from the public. Regarding the news article from Metropolis Daily, people started to doubt them as the public discussion heated the city skies.

The one-sided pattern on the internet was slowly changing. Many people gave fair comments on today’s newspapers. They felt that people should not believe things one-sidedly and that the public have their own ideologies and ability to judge for themselves.

The situation that was unfavorable to Shang Est started changing slowly. The public relation department continue to contact with Metropolis Daily and hoped that the consumers would meet them for a discussion. They had also request the jewelries that were sent for testing, to be sent to the ten other quality inspection departments to for re-evaluation.

However, Metropolis Daily refused to response to them.

On the second day, Metropoli Daily published a reporter’s article using a substantial printing space. It said that Shang Est. was just obscuring the facts and unwilling to reveal the truth. They misused the citizens to give empty promises, only hoping to cover up on what had happened. They refused to resolve the problem, instead, they made use of the kindheartedness of the public to scheme and ask for pity. In addition, the article also said how Shang Est. was spreading untruthful articles using the media and publicly questioning the citizens’ judgement. The horrible words go on and on.

The ten newspaper headlines were still the same with black background and white wordings. It wrote Shang Est.’s opinion on the issue and also informed the public about the truth: Metropolis Daily completely ignored Shang Est. request to talk face to face with the affected consumers and refused the request to meet the consumer who gave the information. Although the evaluation report on the jewelries had official stamps from the quality inspection departments, but they refused Shang Est. request to re-evaluate the jewelry at ten other quality inspection departments and they had doubts on the authenticity. Shang Est. request that Metropolis daily could come face-to-face with the public and also announced that all jewelry boutiques would do an evaluation test for free for all precious gems that were bought from them. Members of public could choose for themselves if they want to do it with a single quality inspection department or multiply quality inspection departments that Shang Est. had provided.

Although such methods were no doubt risky, but it also conveyed a message to everyone that Shang Est. was very confident in their own products.

As for the poisoning incident at the hotel, Shang Est. also provided a statement, that they were unsure what was the actual trigger that caused the patient to be comatose. Shang Est. had also arranged doctors and professors at Huakang Hospital to visit the patient’s current hospital. They believed that it would not be long before Shang Est. could provide a fair statement to the public.

Yushang used his connections and advantage in his businesses and made Bai Mo to be assigned as Huakang hospital’s specialized doctor, to enter the current hospital that the patient was staying at. He also brought along a team of professor-level doctors and requested to do a thorough health check for the patient. The employees who had been involved with the pre-treatment of the patient had all been isolated as they await the investigation.

Dazhou also made progress with the leads that Changning had provided.

The photograph of ‘charmingdemon’ not only include that boss of the small trading company, but there was also Yin Hao in it. Things were becoming even more interesting.

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T/N: Hey everyone! I’m sooooo sorry for the MIA! But I’m back now! I’m still busy with work, but I’ll try to keep SPMW updates at least one chapter per week! Thank you for the support as always! <3