The wind no longer wailed.
The sunlight, too, regained its proper warmth.
The citizens on the ground, who had been holding their breath, erupted into a cheer of relief, a sound that seemed as if it would roar out the fear and despair that had been bottled up for weeks all at once.
That suffocating feeling, like the coming of the apocalypse, which had weighed on everyone's hearts, vanished completely with the self-destruction of that devil.
Everyone looked toward the top of that skyscraper.
Hope was rekindled above the ruins.
People began to shout that legendary name.
"The Unforgiven!"
"He did it! He did it all by himself!"
In the public's perception, this was a victory for free will.
A lone wolf, unbound by any organization, had cut down the nightmare that had shrouded New York.
He had proven that heroes do not need certification, nor do they need to be locked in a cage called "regulation."
Yasuo took a step forward.
He stepped into the empty void.
There was no fall.
The invisible wind supported his body, and just like that, step by step, as if there were invisible stairs beneath his feet, he slowly descended from the height of nearly four hundred meters.
The crowd instinctively retreated to both sides, clearing an open space.
Yasuo's figure landed lightly in the center of the plaza.
Dozens of spotlights, already prepared, lit up simultaneously from the tops of the surrounding buildings, turning him and the small area beneath his feet into a stage so bright it was blinding.
The crowd then realized with astonishment that while they were cheering for that mysterious swordsman, a team so efficient it was terrifying had already silently completed the setup of the entire scene.
The cordon was pulled back up.
This time, it was no longer the New YorkPolice separating the crowd, but security personnel wearing Vought International tactical uniforms, armed with live ammunition.
A mobile press conference podium was quickly pushed in front of Yasuo.
The Vought International logo on it shimmered with a metallic luster under the spotlights.
The entire process was seamless, like a meticulously choreographed performance.
A woman wearing a high-end custom suit and ten-centimeter heels, with an aura so powerful it was enough to make the surrounding air stagnate, walked to the podium.
She was the deputy of Vought International's Public Relations and Brand Management Department.
Miranda Priestly.
She scanned the countless lenses and the shocked faces below the stage, revealing a formulaic smile.
"Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of New York."
Her voice, through the amplification equipment, clearly spread across the entire plaza.
"As you can all see, the crisis that shrouded our city has been resolved."
She turned to the side and pointed to the silent man beside her.
"And all of this is thanks to the man beside us, The Unforgiven, Mr. Yasuo."
Reporters from other newspapers and news stations finally reacted from their shock, and a reporter from the New York Post struck first.
"Ms. Priestly! Is this The Unforgiven a Vought International hero? Why has his file never been made public?"
"When did Vought International make contact with him? Why did you only let him take action after the crisis had been happening for so long, and after the citizens of New York had paid such a painful price?"
"Does this mean that Vought International already knew of The Deconstructionist's existence, but deliberately allowed him to create panic to achieve some ulterior motive?"
The smile on Miranda Priestly's face did not change in the slightest.
She raised her hand and gently pressed it downward.
"I know you all have many questions."
She turned to Yasuo and asked softly, in a tone that carried a hint of seeking approval:
"Mr. Yasuo, before answering the media's questions, would you be willing to say a few words to the citizens of New York who have just endured such hardship?"
Under the gaze of everyone, Yasuo nodded.
He walked to the microphone, his eyes, which had seen through the ways of the World, swept across the crowd, and he only spoke one sentence: "The clamor has returned to silence."
After speaking, he stepped back half a step and fell back into silence.
Miranda Priestly took the microphone, a look of admiration on her face.
"Thank you for your summary, Mr. Yasuo."
"Now, I will answer your questions."
"First, Mr. 'The Unforgiven' is not a hero in the traditional sense of Vought International. He is a reclusive master, a practitioner who has long transcended worldly strife and pursues his own 'Dao'."
"What The Deconstructionist represents is an unprecedented threat. Facing this kind of enemy, conventional physical attacks are not only ineffective but will actually accelerate the spread of his power."
Her words paused slightly, and her gaze swept over a few survivors of the'street heroes' in the crowd, seemingly without intent.
"This point has already been painfully proven by the reckless actions of those... regrettable street vigilantes, which were full of courage but lacked thought. Their sacrifices were meaningless, serving only to create chaos and exacerbate panic."
Her words ruthlessly sprinkled salt on the wounds of those sacrificed street heroes.
"Vought International's Threat Assessment Department determined at the very first moment that only an expert who also mastered this kind of power could cut off this disaster at its source."
"Therefore, we utilized Vought International's global intelligence network and paid a great price to finally find and persuade this reclusive The Unforgiven, asking him to come out of retirement to strike this blow for our city."
These words packaged Vought International's 'inaction' as 'careful deliberation' and 'precision strikes.'
Explaining their slowness as a process of finding the 'optimal solution.'
Whispers began to emerge in the crowd.
This explanation sounds... very reasonable!
The reporter from the New York Post was still unwilling to give up and pressed on: "Does this mean that The Unforgiven's action was just a one-time thing? Will he leave after this? If a similar threat appears next time, what should we do? Wait for Vought International to spend several weeks looking for him again?"
This question voiced everyone's inner thoughts.
Miranda Priestly was waiting for exactly this question.
"Well asked."
"In fact, after in-depth communication between Vought International's senior management and Mr. The Unforgiven, he himself felt deeply concerned about the potential threats facing our city."
"Mr. The Unforgiven believes that rather than cutting off the storm after it arrives, it is better to quell the source of the wind before it forms."
"Therefore..."
Miranda Priestly's voice rose abruptly.
"I am honored to announce to everyone here!"
"This master of the sword path who has mastered the law of wind, Mr. The UnforgivenYasuo, has officially accepted the invitation of Vought International!"
"To jointly safeguard the order and peace of the World!"
Everyone was stunned.
That symbol of freedom, that unbound legend, that lone wolf representing the spirit of resistance...
Joined Vought International?
This was the collapse of a spiritual idol.
The young people who were just shouting "The Unforgiven" opened their mouths wide, the fanaticism on their faces turning into comical dullness.
The aggressive reporter's recording pen fell to the ground with a 'clatter.'
The fire of hope for a 'free hero' that had just been ignited in them was thoroughly doused by a basin of cold water.
...
Lynn watched the grand performance he had directed himself on the screen and nodded with satisfaction.
"They cheer for the lone wolf, but they don't understand that only a flock of sheep raised by sheepdogs can live securely until winter."
He raised his wine glass and gently toasted the aloof figure on the screen surrounded by countless flashes.
"For order."
Motoko Kusanagi stood beside him, as calm as always.
"Boss, the plan has entered the final stage. There is no suspense regarding the passage of the'Superhuman Mandatory Regulation Act' amendment."
"Vought International will gain unprecedented law enforcement and regulatory power, becoming the sole maker of order."
All of this was already in his plan.
At the press conference scene, the rowdy crowd gradually calmed down.
Miranda Priestly had already suppressed all doubts with her impeccable logic and powerful aura.
People began to accept this reality.
Perhaps, a free hero was just an unrealistic fantasy from the beginning.
Perhaps, the one who can bring security is the true hero.
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