Chapter 76 Please bestow upon me a title—Regent!
Lucas’s voice echoed throughout the hall.
The prize pool was still growing.
"So don’t talk to me about the spirit of the Constitution. It’s laughable! Pathetic! Ridiculous! Absurd!"
"And don’t talk to me about procedural justice!"
"When your procedures protect cannibals and rapists, that procedure should be smashed and flushed down that damn sewer!"
"If I were a fascist, I wouldn’t be creating a second unfinished project!"
"Of course, I am not."
"You can take my words out of context, but every American watching this live stream, you understand what I mean. Your kindness and justice are with me!"
"I am... Guardian!"
"What I guard is not legal statutes, not constitutional amendments, and not the word games played by shyster lawyers and politicians!"
"What I guard is the light in every home!"
"It is the millions of American people who may be under threat, it is the children who shouldn’t be crying in basements!"
"It is every kind, innocent, ordinary person who has been failed by this system!"
"In my name!"
"So I will say it again: even if there is only one person left in the world who upholds justice, Guardian will stand against the entire world for him!"
"This is not just empty talk, not bullshit!"
Lucas stepped over the podium, walked up to the camera, and swept his cape high.
The gold-stamped "V" shimmered with light.
He knelt on one knee, like a knight being dubbed.
"I am here to ask all the Americans watching!"
"I ask you to grant me a power!!"
"Not God-given rights, but rights granted by the people!"
"I do not believe in God, I do not forgive the devil; I do not rely on deities, I do not condone evil!"
"I will uphold the six tenets of honor, loyalty, compassion, courage, integrity, and protection of the weak. I ask you to grant me a power!"
"That is... Protector of the Realm!"
"I am willing to become the representative of the 300 million American people!"
"In this life, I have only one task: to punish the wicked and eliminate evil."
"You can call me a fascist, or a great dictator, you can call me any name you want!"
"But, I still must ask you to grant me a title!"
"That is... Regent!"
...Silence. A full minute of silence. Silence, deafeningly so.
Following this, came Steven’s applause.
The quintessential old white male reporter had tears in his eyes.
The other reporters followed suit and applauded.
Behind Lucas, Edgar led the applause, his expression showing great shock.
He had told Lucas not to oppose the American Constitution, but Lucas not only did it, he brutally trampled on the Constitution of Liberty in public.
His language was extremely inflammatory, almost identical to that failed art student from Austria.
Yet, this kind of speech, combined with the discovery at Rhode Island, was enough to give him the green light from all of America.
Applause! Continuous applause. The applause of a few hundred people sounded like a vast sea of humanity!
Reporters, cameramen, and even the security guards were applauding.
Some were even crying.
The big screen switched to the live broadcast. The giant screen in Times Square was playing the press conference in sync.
Thousands of people gathered in the square, all watching the screen.
One of the most powerful Supes in the world. Facing the camera, kneeling on one knee, like a knight being dubbed.
He was not high and mighty like any official, nor was he arrogant like other Supes, and he was certainly not as holier-than-thou as the Vought Seven.
He had the desires that normal people should have; when facing injustice, he would get angry; he never hid his likes and dislikes; he had no scandals; he didn’t drink or do drugs; among Supes, he lived like a saint.
When Guardian said "Representative of the people," a deafening cheer erupted in Times Square!
Some raised their hands to record. Some looked as if they had seen a true god, tears streaming down their faces. Others were raising their arms and shouting, feeling the grace bestowed upon them.
A middle-aged woman knelt on the ground, tears of emotion streaming down her face. If Lucas were on the scene, he would definitely recognize her; she was the mother he had once saved from a sea of fire. Her child had survived thanks to Lucas.
A retired veteran took off his hat, placed it over his chest, and gave a military salute to Guardian on the screen.
Similar scenes were playing out all across America. In a bar in the South Side of Chicago, the area in front of the television was crowded with people.
When Guardian said "Rapists and the raped should not enjoy the same rights," the entire bar erupted in a roar.
"Hang those bastards!" "Guardian is right! The law protects these animals!" "We should send them to the guillotine!" "We need a true judge!" "In my name!!!"
Texas, a veteran community. Dozens of veterans sat around a large television in the community activity center.
When the interview first started, some veterans pointed at Lucas on the TV, saying this kid was about to start spouting empty platitudes again.
But when Lucas said "I do not believe in God, I do not forgive the devil," all the skepticism vanished.
A Vietnam War veteran in a wheelchair, coughing until his cheeks were flushed red, tremblingly raised his fist.
"This is the hero America needs." "Those politicians who only know how to spout nonsense in Congress are all trash!" "What we need is this young man who calls for rights granted by the people and truly respects the public!"
The surrounding veterans stood up one after another, their chests seemingly still burning with unextinguished passion. Someone raised a fist. "In my name!" "In my name!" "In my name!"
Godolkin University. Students crowded in different corners of the campus, looking up at the big screens. Jordan, Cate... the two of them had even become devout believers.
When the interview ended, the two of them were immediately surrounded by other students. Everyone knew these two lucky ones were up-and-comers personally selected by Guardian for his team. They might enter The Seven in the future. But after watching that interview, who gives a damn about The Seven? Being able to follow by Guardian’s side was the coolest thing!
"Cate, have you slept with Guardian?" "And you, Jordan!" Well, this bunch of students weren’t exactly angels either.
[National Public Opinion Storm — Saint James Event] [Public Emotional Fluctuation — Positive: Fanaticism, Adoration, Being Moved, Trust, Hope] [Evolution Point Earnings: +167,800]
The press conference ended. But everywhere in the world where this interview could be received, it was still being replayed. The hotlines of major television stations were almost jammed.
A-Train was surrounded by a group of reporters. "Mr. A-Train! Is it true that it was the leads you provided that allowed Guardian to discover the crimes on Little St. James Island?"
A-Train stood there, not knowing what to say for a moment. He looked at Lucas. Lucas nodded at him.
"Yes." A-Train faced the camera. "I spent a long time tracking this lead. I... I have done many wrong things in the past and hurt many people, but this time, I wanted to do the right thing." "It was Guardian who gave me this opportunity; he believed I could still be a good person." "I don’t want to betray this trust!" The reporters frantically clicked their shutters.
[A-Train — Extreme Emotions: Sense of Redemption, Being Acknowledged, Rebirth, Gratitude, Sense of Belonging, Loyalty] [Evolution Point Earnings: +26,780]
Maeve was surrounded by another group of reporters. "Ms. Maeve, what did you see on the island?"
Maeve’s eyes were slightly red. This time, it wasn’t an act; she was truly shedding tears on the scene. "I saw... the ugliest things humans are capable of."
"I also saw why we need Guardian."
"Not because he is infinitely powerful and can fly, but because he is very brave!"
"He dares to do the things that all of us should do, but don’t dare to do."
"Among us, no one dares to point at Congress and question what they are really doing!"
"And no one will petition the people!"
"After this incident, I... I think I’ve fallen in love with him!" The reporters frantically clicked their shutters.