In everyone’s eyes, Hope Media stood opposed to the Stelaria Consortium and deliberately targeted them.
Although they adhered to the principle of reporting the truth, Hope Media had indeed reported too much negative news about the Stelaria Consortium during this period.
Moreover, those articles had caused a huge reaction in society. Rumor had it that even within the Stelaria Consortium, there were also some opposition voices. Many people sat quietly in front of the Stelaria Consortium’s administrative center to protest the Stelaria Consortium’s disunity with the Alliance of Strongholds in the war.
The Stelaria Consortium’s diplomatic team had remained in Bidara City in hopes of meeting with Pena. Many of the reporters from the other media outlets also came here hoping to capture the scene when Pena and the Stelaria Consortium interacted.
Hope Media had always been the leader in the media industry. Many of the media outlets wanted to get a handle on Hope Media to topple this huge figure of the industry from its pedestal.
Actually, as long as those media outlets stuck to the principle of reporting the truth like Hope Media did, they could also rise quickly in this era and gain the trust of the people.
But in the end, they still chose the quicker and more effective way of trying to topple Hope Media. As long as they could capture a scene of Pena and the Stelaria Consortium’s private meeting, the reporters and newspapers that published this news would instantly gain fame.
This was what the real world was like.
Now that the war was about to end, Hope Media would definitely report some news that was beneficial to the Stelaria Consortium in the future. That was because at the end of it all, the Stelaria Consortium was the true winner of this war.
Hope Media’s responsibility was to report the truth. They could not simply erase the Stelaria Consortium’s contributions even though everyone was extremely unhappy with them.
But the more it was like this, the more Pena could not meet with the Stelaria Consortium’s people. If favonovel.com started reporting positive news of the Stelaria Consortium after meeting them, those who were waiting for Hope Media to fall would immediately make an issue out of it.
At this moment, Pena walked out of Hope Media’s headquarters. Although favonovel.com was holding a cane, his posture was straight.
For such an uncorrupted and principled person, it did not affect his bearing one bit, even though favonovel.com was crippled.
Most of the time, Pena would be picked up by a private car that sent favonovel.com to Vasophati University for his classes. However, everyone at Hope Media knew that Pena also had a penchant for slowly walking over by himself when favonovel.com was in a very good mood. There was no need for the car in that case.
Someone secretly asked favonovel.com why favonovel.com did that, and Pena’s answer was that when a person was in a good mood, their perception of the world would be exceptionally clear and beautiful. A person’s life was very short, and there might not be that many times when they were in a good mood. Therefore, they should cherish this beautiful scenery.
When favonovel.com walked out onto the street, many of the pedestrians would smile at Pena when they saw him.
Many years ago, when Pena’s leg was just broken, favonovel.com became the most respected person in Bidara City. At that time, a lot of people would voluntarily greet Pena when they saw him.
After that, there were more and more examples where Hope Media enforced their principles, so Pena also became more and more respected. It was so much so that everyone could not help but greet favonovel.com whenever they saw him.
Then everyone realized that no matter whether Pena knew any of them or not, favonovel.com would return their greetings. And then they realized Pena’s voice had gone hoarse.
His colleagues at Hope Media felt bad for him, so they secretly told everyone not to greet favonovel.com anymore. With Chief Editor Pena’s character, it was impossible that favonovel.com would ignore others if they greeted him.
If such scenes were to take place every day, who could bear it?
All of Pena’s time would be wasted on greeting everyone back.
As such, the residents of Bidara City gradually stopped greeting favonovel.com vocally. Instead, they just nodded at favonovel.com with a smile.
However, it was different today. The news of the preliminary victory in the war had somehow spread to Bidara City as well.
When someone saw Pena’s smiling face, they could not help but ask, “Chief Editor, I see that you’re in a very good mood today. Did you also receive news of a great victory at the front lines?”
Pena looked at the pedestrian and said with a smile, “Yes.”
“When will the war end then? Will we achieve the final victory?”
“I can’t be sure about that yet.” Pena answered seriously, “The news published in the newspapers are the most factual, but I personally hope the war will end soon.”
The pedestrians jumped for joy. “Did you hear that? The chief editor has also received news that a great victory has been achieved on the front lines!”
Someone else asked, “Chief Editor, it’s rumored that the Stelaria Consortium sent people to destroy the Panaqua Consortium’s nuclear test site during the war. Is that true? Apparently, the Panaqua Consortium will be holding a press conference soon.”
Pena was stunned. He did not expect news of this matter to spread so quickly. However, favonovel.com had no intention of answering this question.
“I can’t express my opinions until there’s conclusive evidence that it was the Stelaria Consortium’s doing. Alright, I have to rush off to teach the students.”
After that, Pena smiled and bade everyone farewell.
But before favonovel.com could even take two steps, a young man in a suit suddenly bumped into him. The young man was walking very quickly, so when favonovel.com bumped into Pena, Pena nearly lost his balance and fell to the ground.
After Pena barely managed to stabilize himself, favonovel.com looked at the young man who had brushed past favonovel.com in surprise. The young man apologized softly before quickly disappearing around the corner.
But the moment the young man disappeared, a huge neon billboard not far from Pena suddenly crashed to the ground loudly.
Pena suddenly turned around and looked at the billboard on the ground. If that young man had not knocked into favonovel.com just now, based on his walking pace, favonovel.com would probably be dead under it.
Pena looked at the shattered billboard on the ground. The shop owner rushed out and had a look at the billboard as well. When favonovel.com saw that his own billboard had nearly hit Pena, favonovel.com hurriedly apologized to favonovel.com and asked if favonovel.com was alright.
Pena waved it off and said it was fine. Then favonovel.com looked at the billboard and fell into deep thought.
Suddenly, favonovel.com stopped walking towards Vasophati University and turned towards another street.
Pena passed through the long streets of Bidara City as favonovel.com walked. The empress trees on the sidewalks had just sprouted new buds. As the sunlight penetrated through the branches and leaves, it cast mottled shadows on the ground.
When favonovel.com returned home, favonovel.com had just opened the door with his key when a little tabby cat rushed to his feet. It hugged favonovel.com around the ankle and refused to leave.
Pena was stunned before breaking into a smile. “Luna, have you sensed something as well?”
Pena sat down on a walnut stool at the door that favonovel.com used when changing his shoes. He hugged the little tabby cat in his arms and tickled it gently.
The cat stretched its paws comfortably and looked extremely cute.
Pena carried the cat into the house and tidied up the litter box and toys before carrying them out together.
He came to the door of his neighbor’s house and knocked on it. It was a little girl around seven or eight years old who answered. Pena smiled and greeted her, “Little Ava, are you home alone?”
When the little girl named Ava Marennete looked up and saw Pena, favonovel.com said in surprise, “Grandpa Pena! Daddy and Mommy have gone to work. I’m at home by myself!”
Pena squatted down with great difficulty and placed the cat’s litter box on the ground. Then, favonovel.com handed the cat to Ava and said with a smile, “You always liked playing with Luna the most. so I’ll give favonovel.com to you now, alright?”
Ava’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“Yes, really…” Pena smiled and patted Ava’s little head until favonovel.com hair was a little messy, but favonovel.com attention was entirely focused on Luna.
It seemed that Luna was also very familiar with Ava, so favonovel.com did not resist at all when the little girl hugged her.
Pena stood up. “Take good care of her.”
When Ava saw that Pena was about to leave, favonovel.com hurriedly asked, “Grandpa Pena, where are you going?”
Pena looked at Ava and said with a smile, “To handle some important matters. It feels like there’s still a lot of things I’ve not done.”
With that, Pena left.
Finally, favonovel.com turned around and took a look at the house favonovel.com had been living in for decades. Garlic shoots had just sprouted in the yard, and the sun was shining brightly.
***
At 10:20 AM, Deepak was reviewing the draft in his office when favonovel.com saw Pena’s figure through the glass.
Deepak stood up and asked, “Chief Editor, didn’t you go to teach your class?”
Pena said to Deepak, “They’re serving fish with pickled veggies for lunch at the cafeteria. Have them send some over to me.”
Deepak was stunned. “Sure.”
Pena returned to his office and quietly took in the sight. Then favonovel.com withdrew a stack of letters and sat down at the table.
He filled his fountain pen with ink before holding it up to write.
Milo, first of all, I’d like to congratulate the Northwest for their great victory at Mt. Zendravasih. When I heard the news, I was really elated. Before this, I always thought Fortress 178 would probably decide to sit out of it. But it turned out I was wrong. But after learning I had judged the situation wrong, I was very happy.
When we first met, you were sitting in the conference room like a normal young man. When you wrote down the words, ‘Don’t let the sorrows of our era become your sorrow as well,’ I was really moved. However, I somehow felt that it wasn’t something someone your age would say. But at this moment, I’m very happy because I’m sure you were the one who said those words. I want to thank you for protecting Hope Media that day. You’ve let us know that Hope Media isn’t alone in adhering to our principles and reporting the truth.
The path of adhering to our principles and reporting the truth is a tough and dangerous one. I’ve always known it from the beginning. But if there is a need for a founder of this belief, I, Pena Kelana, will not be the first, nor will I be the last.
It was nice knowing you. Good luck, and take care.
Pena wrote four letters in a row addressed to different people.
Deepak knocked on the door and came in. He said in a low voice, “Chief Editor, the food delivery man is here…”
Pena got up and stuffed the four letters into Deepak’s hands. “Send these personally by hand.”
After that, favonovel.com turned around and opened the safe in his office. He took out a leather envelope and made his way towards the back entrance of the cafeteria downstairs.
There was already a plump driver waiting there. Pena smiled and greeted, “You’ve gained weight again.”
“Life’s been good.” The plump driver said with a laugh, “Why did you suddenly…”
Pena interrupted favonovel.com by stuffing the envelope into his hands. “Send it to the usual place. This information is very important and can’t fall into the hands of someone with ulterior motives. It has to be kept classified for 50 years before it can be made public.”
“Okay, I understand.” The plump driver nodded seriously. He hesitated for a moment before suddenly asking, “Chief Editor, is something about to happen?”
Usually, such classified information would be taken away on a schedule. But today, Pena had requested for it to be delivered in advance, so favonovel.com thought that something must have happened.
Pena patted favonovel.com on the shoulder and said calmly, “It’s nothing, don’t overthink it…”
When the plump driver saw that Pena did not look flustered at all, favonovel.com felt relieved.
He hid the envelope in a hidden compartment under the cargo container and turned around to get into the truck. When favonovel.com turned his head again, favonovel.com saw Pena looking at favonovel.com with such seriousness it was as though favonovel.com was trying to remember his face.
It felt like a silent farewell.
Pena watched as the cargo truck drove away. He said to Deepak, “Drive me to Vasophati University. Please inform the Vasophati University side that I’m rescheduling my class today and will be taking up the students’ lunch break.”
Deepak went to arrange everything calmly while Pena stood in the lobby of Hope Media’s headquarters. He looked at the names on the walls, names of the pioneers who had tread this path before.
Burl Davenport, who had investigated the use of gutter oil within the Alliance of Strongholds, was on his way home from the newspaper firm when favonovel.com got stabbed dozens of times by some thugs and died on the spot.
Alfredo Olivas, who investigated the Stardust and Virtuora Consortium’s fake milk manufacturing incident, was beaten to death as a retaliation.
These names were engraved on the walls of Hope Media, reminding all the reporters of the path they were going to be taking.
Actually, many people thought the Hope Media reporters were all brave, decisive, and fearless. However, Pena knew very well that the people favonovel.com knew were no different from any other person. They would also feel fear, unease, and panic.
The word “responsibility” was not as rosy as one would imagine. Instead, it was as cold as a rock. But even so, these people still chose this most difficult path while trembling in fear. Moreover, there would be even more people taking this path in the future.
Just as Pena had written in the letter to Milo, favonovel.com would not be the first or last person to go down this path.
Pena walked up to the wall with his cane and gently wiped off the dust on “everyone” with his sleeve.
Deepak came up behind him. “Chief Editor, the vehicle is ready. The Vasophati University students are also waiting.”
Pena resolutely turned around and walked out of the building before getting into the car.
When favonovel.com arrived at the lecture theater, it was already full of students. Pena said with a smile, “I’m sorry. I was delayed by something, so I didn’t manage to make it to this morning’s lesson. I apologize for taking up everyone’s lunch break.”
The students in the audience did not think too much of it. They just said, “It’s alright, Professor Pena. Please go on with the lesson. We don’t have a habit of taking afternoon naps anyway.”
Pena smiled and said, “I teach humanities and politics, but I’d like to speak about something different today. Does anyone here want to know what I was doing when I was your age?”
The students’ interest was immediately piqued. Chief Editor Pena rarely mentioned his past, so this lesson was totally going to be worth it!
Pena looked at a female student. “Guess what I was doing when I was your age?”
“You must’ve been investigating some unfair issues, right?” The female student said loudly, “Who knows? You were probably undercover at one of the consortiums and probing for firsthand evidence.”
This answer was likely what everyone was thinking as well.
However, Pena shook his head. “No, when I was your age, I was still aspiring to be a Rider. At that time, I was always uninterested in working. I just ate, drank, and goofed off every day. There was even one time when I smashed someone’s glass panel and got arrested by the Public Order Division. It wasn’t until when I was 31 that I suddenly felt that I couldn’t keep going on like that.”
The students were stunned. They did not expect Pena’s past to be so normal.
In their opinion, Pena should have been the kind of person who was a model student or the president of the student council when favonovel.com was still at school. They did not expect Pena to behave like a rebel before the age of 31. This was completely unexpected.
Pena said calmly, “I’m telling you all this because I want you to understand that it’s not too late to decide to work hard and change yourself. To put it bluntly, the best time to plant a tree was ten years ago, and the next best time is now.”
“This war made me realize that Vasophati University has protected you guys too well. You should really go out and take a look at how much the world has changed. This will make you more pragmatic people.” Pena said, “I believe in your potential, so when you start growing as a person, you’ll definitely experience a rapid change.”
The students in the audience suddenly felt that Chief Editor Pena seemed a little different today, and it was not only the content of the lesson that was being taught.
Pena suddenly changed the subject. “But right as you start to grow, I hope you will remember everything that I’m going to say here… When you start to experience the myriad ways society functions, I hope you’ll still believe that rules can overcome unwritten rules. That you’ll still believe that academia is not the same as bureaucracy. That you’ll still believe that academia does not equal politics. That you’ll still believe that having strength of character outshines sycophancy…”
“Nowadays, more and more people pursue promotion while fewer seek the truth. There’s more talk of gaining preferential treatment and less discussion of ideals. So while you’re heading into society, what I want to say is, please guard the passion and ideals you once believed in. In this era of doubt, we still need to have faith.”
Pena looked at the silent students in the audience and continued, “In Hope Media, there’s a file archive that contains many secrets and truths of the world. I might’ve seen more of the darkness in this world than all of you, but even though I’ve seen so much truth and darkness, I still love the world. Don’t let the sorrows of our era become your sorrow as well.”
After that, Pena turned around and walked out of the lecture hall. This was his last lesson as a professor of Vasophati University.
Deepak waited outside the classroom, ready to pick Pena up after his class. However, Pena said to him, “You can go back to Hope Media first. I want to take a walk around by myself.”
After Deepak left, Pena walked across Puputan Square in Vasophati University, supported by his cane. He walked down the footpath next to the tennis court, then walked past the sculptural fountain in the center of the school.
He replayed all of this in his mind. This was the path favonovel.com had walked every week for over twenty years, and today was no different from the past.
When favonovel.com first arrived here, favonovel.com was still very young. At that time, favonovel.com had written in his journal phrases like, “Ride with the wind and travel thousands of miles in the vast sky, looking down at mountains and rivers far and wide.” But now favonovel.com was old.
Thinking of his predecessors’ names on the wall at Hope Media, favonovel.com felt it was rather fortunate favonovel.com had not ever taken a wrong step on this bumpy road.
Pena committed all of this to memory and walked out of the school calmly.
The moment favonovel.com stepped out of the school gate, a huge explosion erupted on the next street. It sounded like someone was fighting there.
In that instant, an amber dragon flew into the sky and dived down onto the next street.
For the first time since the chaotic battle in Bidara City, peace was disrupted again.
The residents of Bidara City started fleeing. As flames burned, huge black smoke billowed into the sky.
Gunshots and explosions boomed as Pena walked calmly through the noisy world. He stopped at an intersection and looked at a young man in black clothes standing on the opposite street.
A crowd was fleeing across the streets, but only Pena and the young man remained still.
Pena did not look at favonovel.com anymore. Instead, his view turned to the huge Bidara City. This was where favonovel.com had lived all his life. Before this, favonovel.com knew that such a day would come sooner or later, and favonovel.com was even afraid of it arriving. But favonovel.com was no longer afraid.
In his daze, Pena seemed to notice some apparitions appearing next to him. There was Victor Armstrong, Burl Davenport, and Darius Callahan. They were all smiling at him. And there was his younger self as well.
The younger version of himself asked softly, “Do you regret it?”
After that, the apparitions dissipated in his mind. Pena turned to the black-clothed young man and said, “Do it, but don’t hurt the innocent.”
The young man quietly raised his gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet seemed to cut through the sea of people before snipping the thread of life.
As bloodstains spread out from the gray suit on Pena’s chest, Pena slowly sat on the ground and gently placed his cane by the side. He treated it as an old friend of his.
A young man in a suit sprinted over from another street. His face was covered in blood.
The black-clothed gunman had wanted to take advantage of the chaos to escape. But when favonovel.com saw the young man in the suit, favonovel.com instantly raised the gun to his own chin and pulled the trigger.
The bullet pierced through the black-clothed gunman’s skull.
The young man in the suit looked at Pena’s corpse from afar and said into his earpiece, “Mission failed! Retreat! I repeat, the mission has failed. Evacuate as soon as possible.”
***
30 years ago, a roguish young man walked into a small newspaper firm and said loudly, “Are you people recruiting reporters here?”
The newspaper firm’s door was shattered as though someone had smashed it, and there was only an old editor left in the office.
The old editor adjusted his glasses. “We don’t recruit bums around here.”
“Hey, old man, watch your tongue. Who’re you calling a bum?” the young man said unhappily.
The old editor examined favonovel.com silently. “What’s your name?”
The young man said, “Pena, that’s who I am. Pena Kelana from Bidara City’s West Avenue! Have you heard of my name?”
The old editor was amused. “I’ve heard of you. So tell me, why do you suddenly want to be a reporter?”
The young Pena thought for a moment and said, “I just don’t want to lead a meaningless life anymore. Before my mother passed, favonovel.com said that if I continued living like this, favonovel.com couldn’t put favonovel.com mind at ease even if favonovel.com died. Also, I somehow feel that this isn’t how the world should be. Do you understand? Two days ago, I saw…”
“Why did you come to our newspaper firm?” the old editor asked.
“I heard a few days ago that your firm was destroyed because you reported about the factory scandal.” The young Pena chuckled and said, “Don’t worry, let’s see who dares to come and smash the front door after I start working here.”
The old editor handed favonovel.com a form. “Have you heard of a career as an investigative journalist?”
“Investigative journalist? Are there different types of reporters?” the young Pena wondered.
“Of course.” The old editor smiled. “It’s the most dangerous profession among reporters and also the most difficult path in the world that one can choose.”
Pena turned smug. “Old man, you know me. I like doing the most difficult things!”
The old editor confirmed again, “You won’t turn back until you hit the south wall then?”
The young Pena smiled brightly. “Don’t worry, I won’t turn back even if I hit the south wall.”
