Chapter 180 Scheme (II)
The much-awaited day had arrived. After three months of campaigning, the general election was finally taking place.
Residents of New York gathered at various polling stations to participate in the election process. With the bright blue sky as a backdrop, rows of tents and banners filled the area around the polling places, displaying the identities of the competing candidates vying to lead the state.
The spirit of enthusiasm was thick in the air. Rows of voting booths were neatly prepared, awaiting the arrival of each voter. They queued up orderly, going through the process of inspection and registration. They entered the voting booths with mixed feelings. Inside, they were given the opportunity to determine the future leader of New York City. Exiting the booths, they proudly showed off their ink-stained fingers.
Mass media and journalists from all over the country gathered outside the polling stations, waiting for the election results. Interviews and live reports bore witness to the dynamic election process. Various political experts and analysts provided insights in panel discussions held on local television stations, discussing which gubernatorial candidate would lead New York.
While everyone was excited about this year's election, Klaus was enjoying himself in his apartment. He sat comfortably on a plush sofa, with a slice of cake on the table in front of him. As he sipped a cup of warm coffee, his eyes were glued to a 55-inch television.
The screen showed a cafe bustling with a crowd. They only left an empty space at one table in the middle of the room, where a man in a dark blue suit and a woman in a white blouse sat facing each other.
"What's your response to this year's election, Mr. Richard?" she asked.
"Exceptional. I can feel the incredible energy wherever I go. People are so excited, you can hear their cheers from every corner. I'm sure this year's election will be the most memorable in New York's history."
"You're quite optimistic," praised the journalist. "By the way, speaking of optimism, after the negative issues circulating, are you still confident about winning?"
"Of course. I have great faith in my supporters and the people of New York. They're not naive enough to swallow every bit of nonsense out there. I'm in a position right now where people hate me. These people will do anything to tarnish my reputation. And I won't stay silent. As the saying goes, the higher the tree, the stronger the wind."
Watching Richard being interviewed, Klaus chuckled as he heard the gubernatorial candidate's response.
"He's better than any actor," he murmured, shaking his head.
During the campaign period, there were rumors circulating about Richard Dickson's alleged wrongdoings while being Guild Master. Some claimed Richard bribed the Awakener Association to obtain the guild license, while others said he evaded taxes. There were even recordings with his voice.
These rumors caused a public outcry. Criticisms came from various quarters, demanding that the government investigate the House of the Blacksmith. To ease public protest, the government formed a team to investigate Richard and his guild.
Instead of finding evidence against Richard, they discovered positive aspects about him. The House of the Blacksmith was the number one guild that contributed the most to the Awakener Association. Furthermore, Richard was the guild master who diligently paid taxes and was transparent about his wealth.
After these facts were revealed to the public, Richard Dickson became a trending topic on social media. Users who had previously critized him changed their tune and praised him. The accusations didn't tarnish his name, but instead elevated his popularity.
Thanks to this, Richard became the gubernatorial candidate with the highest electability.
Thhe camera microphone caught the supporters' cheers. Klaus could hear them through the TV speaker.
"Look at these pitiful people. I wonder how they'd react if they knew the truth," he mumbled. Klaus chuckled as he chewed on the cake.
No one knew that the person spreading those negative rumors was Klaus. It was his marketing technique to promote Richard, and this man even approved of it.
People rarely looked for the good or achievements of someone. They preferred to dig up the bad side of a person. Exploiting this human behavior, Klaus deceived the people of New York with false negativity.
Klaus gathered interesting facts about Richard that many didn't know. For instance, paying taxes promptly, transparency in wealth, and his military experience before the first dungeon break. Then, Klaus created fake news based on the opposite of the facts and spread them online. Expediting the process, Klaus hired "buzzers" to make the situation worse.
After the internet chaos, major media outlets would definitely cover it as news on their broadcast stations. Criticisms and negative thoughts would inevitably arise. Of course, journalists and truth-seeking netizens would step in to investigate further.
And when they discovered the opposite facts, the negative view of Richard would make a 180-degree turn. Criticisms would transform into praises in just a matter of days. His reputation and credibility would become even more unquestionable.
"Well, Richard certainly did his job well."
While Klaus enjoyed his time in his apartment, a different scene was unfolding for Vincent.
Seated at his office desk, the blond-haired man was fixated on his tablet. Dissatisfaction painted across his face. The longer he stared at the screen, the tighter he gripped the glass in his hand. He was watching an interview.
"Based on the current quick count results, your name is at the bottom of the list among the other two candidates. How do you respond to this, Mr. Jose?" the journalist asked.
"Quick counts are only preliminary counts. The results may change over time. So, I believe we still have a chance to win," Jose confidently smiled as he spoke.
"How do you feel about the allegations circulating about you recently? Do you think it's affecting this year's election results?"
"Negative press is par for the course for a politician. But I won't deny it; it does have a significant impact on the election. I feel defamed, but the support from the people entrusting their hopes in me makes me stronger. I've always believed the truth will be revealed."
Like a domino effect, the hoax news about Richard impacted other candidates. People speculated about who spread this false information, and they concluded that the culprit was Richard's political rival. Jose Ancelotti and Isabella Wilson suffered the effect.
But the one who suffered the most was Jose Ancelotti.
As negative news about Richard became a hot topic, Jose jumped on the bandwagon, indirectly tarnishing Richard's reputation. He frequently made snide remarks about his competitor.
The tables turned when the Awakener Association denied receiving bribes from the House of the Blacksmith, and the military gave Richard a favorable review. In an instant, people who had supported Jose turned against him. He faced scathing criticism on social media, and worse, major media outlets joined the negative coverage of him.
From that point on, his electability decreased day by day.
And of course, this was bad news for Vincent.
"Idiot," he muttered.
Crack.
His hand shattered the glass into pieces. Vincent was genuinely angry but held himself back. After a series of failures, his mind couldn't find peace. He felt as if an invisible hand was playing with the fate of his life. n0vElusb.c0m
"Why has everything turned out like this? Are you the cause of all the failures in my life... Klaus Lee?"
Since dealing with the Rays of Hope, his once smooth life had become tumultuous. None of his plans succeeded, and every decision he made seemed to be wrong. He began to think that Klaus was the one making his life difficult.
"If you're really the cause, then you must die."
...
Three days passed, and the election committee finished counting the votes. At exactly nine in the morning, the final results of the gubernatorial election were announced.
Cafés and public places buzzed with discussions about the favored candidate and speculations about who might win. People gathered around televisions or large screens in public areas to follow the development of the results, their eyes glued to the screens. The media warned of the estimated time of the announcement.
As time ticked away and the announcement drew closer, tension grew. Media cameras focused on faces filled with anxiety and hope. Social media was abuzz with memes, tweets, and sharing of the latest news about the election results.
The entire population of New York awaited it, especially the candidates.
Tension filled the Dickson-Thompson campaign headquarters. Alongside the crew, Klaus awaited the imminent announcement of the vote count.
Campaign team members gathered in tense silence. Some of them tapped buttons on their phones to check the latest news.
The atmosphere in the room seemed to create its own bubble, where time moved slowly and seconds felt like hours. Klaus glanced at his watch, realizing that the vote results were about to be announced.
"Hey! The results are out!"
One of the crew members shouted, and then, everyone shifted their attention to the television hanging on the wall.
