Chapter 58 The Foundation Rules from the Shadows? Global Uproar

Natasha and Skye sat aboard the V-44X Blackfish transport.

Compared with the transport aircraft they had previously used, the Blackfish was superior in nearly every respect.

Its cabin was more spacious, its seats were relatively comfortable, its flight was considerably smoother, and its speed was far greater.

This time, Natasha and Skye would investigate the distress signal from the Strategic Homeland Division agents with the support of a Mobile Task Force team.

A female Foundation intelligence officer named Vera handed them a tablet and began delivering the briefing.

“The Foundation’s Intelligence Department recently intercepted a distress signal from Strategic Homeland Division agents.”

“After accessing the Division’s internal network, we discovered that they had been investigating a series of unusual disappearances involving homeless people in Hell’s Kitchen.”

“However, the team—codenamed Mole—transmitted this distress recording not long ago.”

Vera tapped the tablet.

A video appeared on its screen.

A severely wounded agent stared desperately into the camera and spoke in a low voice.

“This is Mole Team. We were attacked by a large number of unidentified armed personnel inside Target Building No. 5 in Hell’s Kitchen.”

“We’ve found extensive evidence of biological experiments being conducted here.”

“They… They’re about to find us. We’re almost out of ammunition. Send reinforcements as soon as possible.”

A voice suddenly shouted from somewhere outside the camera’s view.

“Damn it! They’re about to breach the defensive line! What the hell is that monster?”

“Open fire!”

A burst of automatic gunfire rang out.

“What is that thing? Use the grenades—”

Several screams followed.

The recording abruptly ended.

Natasha and Skye stared thoughtfully at the blank screen.

“It appears the Strategic Homeland Division agents encountered something inside that building. Could it have been an anomaly?”

“We can’t rule out that possibility.”

Vera continued the briefing.

“We’ll arrive in New York in approximately forty minutes. Once we land, we’ll—wait. I’ve just received a message.”

“Connect to the internet and check YouTube’s top trending video?”

Confused, Vera opened YouTube.

A video uploaded less than an hour ago had already accumulated nearly one hundred million views and hundreds of thousands of comments.

She pressed play.

The video opened with the sort of ominous filter commonly used in propaganda footage.

A masked figure wearing a cloak appeared before the camera.

“To every American citizen and ordinary person throughout the world—the Strategic Homeland Division, controlled by the Foundation, has been secretly ruling this world.”

“They control you through your phones, emails, browsing histories, movements, and financial records.”

“This mysterious organization, supported by the federal government, controls cameras and electronic devices across the world. It has seized control of satellite networks and uses them to monitor everyone.”

“Their agents may already be hiding among us.”

“Countless Strategic Homeland Division agents live under false identities, lurking at your side while silently controlling this nation—and even the entire world.”

“They manipulate everything.”

“They eliminate dissidents and destroy anyone who threatens their rule.”

“They possess supernatural powers, technologies, and resources beyond your imagination, all to maintain their evil underground empire.”

“But their reign is about to end.”

“Hundreds of thousands of federal agents belonging to the Strategic Homeland Division are enforcing the Foundation’s tyranny.”

“Yet even the most terrible chains cannot extinguish humanity’s desire for freedom.”

“We will bring their evil rule to an end.”

The masked man’s speech was accompanied by countless clips of Strategic Homeland Division agents conducting operations, along with footage of enemies being executed in dark, secluded locations.

Combined with his calm narration, the presentation was extraordinarily powerful.

The American people knew perfectly well what their federal government was capable of.

So did people throughout the rest of the world.

The revelation that a terrifying secret agency supposedly existed above both the FBI and the CIA instantly set the American internet ablaze.

Before long, the entire world was in an uproar.

Americans already had little trust in their federal government. It had committed far too many dirty deeds in the past.

Once this footage supposedly exposing the Foundation and the Strategic Homeland Division appeared, the comments and live reactions became almost entirely one-sided.

“Damn the federal government! They really are using secret agents to maintain their evil rule!”

“Ha! So much for being a beacon of freedom. Turns out we’re living under the same kind of tyranny as everyone else.”

“We want freedom! The Foundation’s evil rule must end!”

“Where are the superheroes? Where’s Iron Man? Tell him to destroy the Foundation!”

“Are you kidding? Iron Man might be working with the Foundation.”

“This is terrifying! In front of a monstrous organization like the Foundation, aren’t ordinary people nothing more than insects?”

“So many people disappear in America every year. What if the Foundation has been secretly executing them?”

“Grab your guns and take to the streets! If we unite, we can destroy the Foundation’s evil regime!”

“This old Texan agrees! The Foundation’s existence violates the American spirit of freedom!”

Vera’s expression darkened as she read one negative comment after another.

Natasha and Skye exchanged glances.

What organization was trying to expose the Foundation?

Could it be the Chaos Insurgency?

“Miss Vera, try not to panic. This is clearly a conspiracy targeting the Foundation.”

“The Chaos Insurgency may be returning after its previous defeat. We can’t afford to lose our composure.”

Meanwhile, at Foundation Headquarters—

[The Foundation has been exposed by the Twelve Round Table Council and the Chaos Insurgency.]

[Rumor Points obtained: 100,000.]

Ethan beamed as he listened to the system notification.

Leaning against his shoulder as she watched the video, Ophelia teased him.

“The Foundation has been slandered and exposed to the public, yet you seem delighted.”

Ethan didn’t appear concerned in the slightest.

“It’s the same old ominous-filter routine combined with a pile of baseless accusations.”

“Tsk. Their camerawork is impressive, though. They really made the Foundation look like an evil organization controlling the world. Not bad at all!”

“Doesn’t any of this concern you?”

“Why would the truly powerful care what insects think of them?”

“This might even turn out to be a good thing.”

“It seems everything remains under your control.”

Ethan smiled mysteriously.

“In the face of absolute power, these petty tricks are meaningless.”

“Human civilization needs the Foundation as its shield.”

“Only after people lose that shield will they understand how precious it truly was.”