Chapter 433: Intervention and Attack

A loud thump rang out as a fist was slammed down onto the table, and even though this was a table simulated in the Metaverse, it was still a very impactful gesture.

"We can't allow him to keep doing whatever he wants! Politics doesn't work like this! How could the law be turned on people like us?"

The person who was speaking did so in a very justified manner, as if he were expressing an objective truth, and he was immediately met with derision and mockery.

"I thought all of us already knew what he wanted. He doesn't want to become one of us, all he wants is to seek revenge and destroy everything we've built."

"Then get rid of him! The two congresses alone are already a pain in the ass to deal with, we can't have more idiots causing trouble like this!"

"And how do you propose we do that? Just kill him? Who do you think you are? Who do you think he is?"

That string of questions instantly silenced all of the disgruntled voices. Indeed, Adam was no longer just some small fry that could easily be taken care of.

At the moment, he had immense support in the mayoral election, and he also had powerful financial and political backers. Furthermore, even if they threw all caution to the wind and decided to have Adam killed regardless of the consequences, they still had to consider whether they had any adapters at their disposal that were capable of killing him.

The majority of adapters of that caliber were extremely averse to taking risks, so they wouldn't be willing to carry out such a perilous hitjob.

"Perhaps the situation isn't as dire as we think. Maybe it's only a coincidence that he went after Congressman Johnson?"

There were still some people who were trying to downplay the situation.

"All I want to ask is this: do any of us want to be next? If not, then I suggest you shut your mouth and don't try to rely on things like luck and coincidence."

On the flip side of those who were foolishly optimistic, there were always those who were rational and could see the situation for what it was.

This was a group in which no one held a position of absolute authority, so it was quite common for conflicts to take place.

The table was knocked on again to contain the chaos that the meeting was spiraling into.

"This is not congress, we do not have that much time to waste on senseless arguments. We have to make a decision. Who can provide an effective solution?"

The question was met with complete silence.

Arguing was their forte, while their decision-making was often assisted by their advisors. If a rash decision were to be made while there was still insufficient information and differences in opinions, then the decision was far more likely to result in an undesirable outcome. Safety was the number one priority.

"I can never get anything done with a bunch of fools like all of you."

A disgruntled voice suddenly rang out to break the silence.

Most of the people in the room immediately turned to glower at the person who had just spoken, and even though they were in a simulation, the looks in their eyes were still as sharp and aggressive as ever.

"You better have something very useful to say. Otherwise, what you just said will be taken as provocation to everyone here."

"I concur."

"I also concur."

"We won't tolerate such a rude remark."

……

It seemed that everyone was angry about the insult, but in reality, they were only using this show of displeasure to shift responsibility.

"Hehe, I knew all of you would react like this."

The speaker shook his head as he gently tapped his fingers against the table in a rhythmic and almost captivating fashion, and everyone's attention was inadvertently drawn to him.

"I don't think there's any need to guess what he's about to do next or to turn to any violent methods. The solution is actually very simple. He wants to be a hero, right? Then let's help him achieve that goal."

"Are you suggesting we sacrifice another congressman to him?" someone immediately countered.

"That is definitely not acceptable!"

……

All of the dissenting voices were interrupted by the tapping on the table again, and the speaker continued, "He wants to strike down all illegal industries, so let's provide him with one to target. As long as we can confirm what his next target is, I'm sure I won't need to teach all of you what to do from there."

"You're proposing that we lure him into a trap?"

.

"Which industry are we going to use as bait? He's not just going to pounce at any insignificant thing that we throw at him."

Everyone wanted to reap the benefits, but no one wanted to accept any risk.

"He once tried to apprehend Herman Glenn, and even though Herman was let off lightly, I'm sure we all know that there was some vital information leaked."

"What are you saying? Has that line not been completely eradicated?"

This was most certainly unexpected, but also completely within reason. Greed could push one to take many risks, and as long as there was still profit to be made, it was very difficult for one to sacrifice a money-making avenue.

"Alright, then let's go with him."

"I concur!"

……

A unanimous decision was arrived at in record time.

That same day, the content from Adam's press interview had only just begun to spread on the internet. It was revealed that Congressman Johnson had participated in human hunting events on multiple occasions and overstepped his authority to provide support for the relevant industries. In fact, he was even accepting dividends from profits made by human trafficking rings.

All types of horrific and infuriating information on him was exposed, while Adam was presented as the shining hero who fearlessly upheld justice, risking his life in the face of authority. All of the doubt that had been cast on him during the days in which Succubus Beth and his minions had run rampant was completely erased.

The emotions of the general public were never stable or rational, and all of the information that they received was carefully curated. In this day and age, people had already been reduced to puppets controlled by propaganda.

However, these puppets still had some ability of discernment, as well as a desire for what was just and righteous. Thus, they were inclined to support Adam in his plight. The internet had been stirred up into a frenzy, yet Adam was calm as ever as he initiated the next step of his plan. Communication with Raven over the dark web was unavoidable, and this time, he was the one stating demands in a firm and implacable fashion.

"Completely eradicate all of Succubus Beth's subordinates. It's fine with me if you want to establish your own empire, but make sure you don't do anything that pits you against me. Do you understand?"

"I do, and I will act according to your wishes, esteemed mayoral candidate."

Raven was surprisingly cooperative, perhaps because he truly felt like this was a great deal for him, or perhaps he simply didn't care at all. Adam didn't have the time to ponder his motives. All he could do was decide on the next course of action and carry it out with determination.

For the next step of his plan, he had to choose a suitable target, and it just so happened to be the case that Herman Glenn was the first person to have sprung into his mind.

In contrast with the unfathomable Masao Yamamoto, Herman Glenn was a much more suitable target. Adam's prior efforts had only forced Herman into a laughably paltry punishment of 400 hours of community service, which was nothing more than a figurative slap on the wrist.

This made it clear to Adam that there was no point in striking at just one or two individual targets.

The entire world had already fallen under the control of an interest group that controlled every aspect of society, including the power hierarchy, the political system, and the general public's world view. As a result, the thought of resisting wouldn't even cross the mind of the vast majority of people. For the few individual targets that were struck down, they would simply be viewed as outliers and ignored.

Only by providing a vast sample set of these outliers and presenting countless pieces of evidence to the general public would everyone be able to see just how rotten the top of the pyramid had become. Only then would he truly be able to shake the foundation of those in power, and that was why he had to strike repeatedly without pause.

All of you are so convinced that you'll never be held accountable for your actions that you don't even bother to hide them. Even now, the human farm is still out in the open. I'm afraid you're all in for a rude awakening.

A cold smile appeared on Adam's face as he called Shae and informed her of the next step of his plan.

"Go to the Kim Family and seize back the power that rightfully belongs to you. I'll make sure that May, Cowboy, and even Diana and the others will be there to ensure your safety."

"What about you?" Shae asked.

As his response, Adam spread open a map before pointing at the island of Komi on the Pacific Ocean.