Probably Just Young and Heavy Sleepers

What a brilliant move!

Elias clicked his tongue in admiration as he gripped the newspaper.

Was this the charm of journalism?

No, this was clearly a capitalist pinning journalism to the ground and rubbing its face in the dirt.

Leaning on his cane, he walked leisurely into a deserted alley.

With a slight thought, the veil covering his body quietly dissipated.

【Moonlight Veil】 deactivated.

Elias leaned against the marble wall and turned his gaze back to the copy of the 《Velen Daily》 in his hand.

The more he read, the more he couldn't suppress the cold sneer at the corner of his mouth.

It was easy to see.

That silly girl had been used as a pawn from start to finish.

Elias could conclude one thing for certain.

Thomas Wayland, the man at the helm of Wayland Capital.

Everything he had done during that star-studded gala dinner was undoubtedly for this very moment.

First, one had to understand a basic logic.

Thomas Wayland himself was by no means some noble, "pro-people entrepreneur."

As one of the largest monopoly capitalists in the Kingdom of Velen, how much blood was on his hands?

Would he really be so candid as to let the media photograph the most unsavory corners of Wayland Capital?

Of course not!

Wayland Capital owned more than just Wayland Shipping. They had factories, mines, and railways.

Corporate image was a vital part of the survival of a behemoth like Wayland. If its reputation were to be completely ruined, the associated stocks and market valuations would plummet.

But the question was, how could a straight hook catch any fish? There had to be an excuse, a catalyst that would make everything seem perfectly natural to everyone.

When that man heard Ophelia’s provocative question, Thomas Wayland was probably rejoicing in his heart, perhaps even wanting to give this outspoken female journalist an award on the spot.

Just as he was looking for a pillow, someone had handed him the softest goose-down one imaginable.

“Old man, learn from this,” Elias said, shaking the newspaper in his mind. His tone was filled with the high-level mockery of a modern man toward a backward era.

“Look at the setup he made. This is top-tier public relations crisis management.”

Old Ed gave a yawn in the sea of consciousness.

“What’s there to be surprised about? It’s nothing more than the usual ‘killing with a borrowed knife’ trick favored by the noble lords.”

“You’re wrong,” Elias corrected him mercilessly.

“‘Killing with a borrowed knife’ is too low-level. This is called a ‘public opinion reversal’ combined with ‘disingenuous victim-playing.’”

What followed was as natural as a rehearsed script.

Regardless of Ophelia’s true purpose, as long as she dared to approach him in that setting and ask that question, Thomas could adopt a magnanimous posture.

He could announce on the spot that the Wayland Capital building would be fully open for anyone to visit.

The plan might have lacked a bit of heat originally, but with the push from Ophelia’s explosive question, it instantly became flawless.

Because anyone with a brain could guess that the day after that night, the bold headlines in the 《Velen Daily》, the 《Landon Post》, and other papers would surely be the sharp question Ophelia had asked.

And that sharp question would naturally ignite the public opinion field of the entire Kingdom of Velen.

It successfully diverted the attention of all citizens and industry peers toward Wayland Capital’s so-called "Open Day."

The hype was there. The stage was set. The audience was in place.

Now, looking at the newspaper in Elias’s hand that had just come out today, Thomas Wayland’s true insidious follow-up moves were all hidden between the lines.

He didn't care at all that a few old archives and documents were stolen by Ophelia. In fact, that Moon Bay dispatch list placed in such a prominent position might very well have been a salted fish left there intentionally for a cat to snatch!

He could now stand on the moral high ground and express his heartbreak to the people of Velen.

He had shown such open sincerity by opening Wayland Capital for everyone’s supervision, yet he never expected that the company’s core secrets would be stolen by a despicable competitor taking advantage of the Open Day!

In an instant, Wayland Capital transformed from a "questioned monopoly exploiter" into an "innocent victim of a scheme."

The weak always garner more sympathy; this is a common flaw in human nature.

Conversely, if Ophelia hadn't been caught and had chosen to keep digging for more substantial evidence instead of foolishly taking that thin list to the newspaper for exposure, Wayland Capital—having already won the public's sympathy—could have simply issued a light statement.

They would say the list was a forgery, nothing more than malicious smearing by a shameless competitor!

Thomas would only need to throw around some more gold crowns to hire other newspapers to muddy the waters, and Wayland’s reputation wouldn't just avoid collapsing—it would experience a rebound and rise!

And now, with Ophelia knowing the evidence was insufficient and choosing not to expose it for the time being, Wayland Capital could still use this opportunity to completely flip its reputation.

Elias shook the newspaper, his gaze falling on the highly suggestive detailed reports.

He couldn't help but read aloud softly.

“Previously, at the Drake Manor gathering yesterday, the female journalist who made false allegations against Mr. Wayland was identified as a marginal intern from the 《Landon Post》.”

“According to multiple reliable sources...” Elias sneered; these "reliable sources" were likely fabricated by Wayland himself.

“This person’s true identity is that of a commercial spy for Hawthorne Industries, who has been undercover for a long time.”

Good heavens. Talk about catching a stray bullet while sitting at home. As Wayland’s arch-rival, Hawthorne Industries had truly taken a heavy blow this time.

Elias continued reading.

“Mr. Wayland expressed deep heartbreak over this incident.”

“He stated frankly that the Open Day was born out of absolute trust in the major media and the public. He never expected that this trust would lead to the malicious result of stolen secrets.”

“However, Mr. Wayland still magnanimously stated...” Elias felt a wave of nausea as he reached this part.

“In the future, the company will continue to hold Open Days but will appropriately strengthen security. This signifies that Wayland Capital is willing to keep its doors open forever, welcoming the supervision of the public.”

This was a classic modern PR maneuver. A set of combos delivered with seamless flow. In passing, the man had even managed to screw over his competitor.

Finally, he acted like a disingenuous, wronged victim, saying, "I’ve suffered like this, but I’m still willing to accept supervision."

His skin was so thick it was practically bulletproof. Elias suspected that anything he opened the doors to show people in the future would just be a pile of useless scrap paper that wouldn't involve a single useful detail.

The most malicious part of this operation was that the "list of deceased employees" Ophelia was currently clutching for dear life had temporarily become a piece of paper with zero lethality.

Unless that silly girl could find some decisive evidence, she was now a disgraced commercial spy.

Thinking about it this way, that poor girl had truly been played by capital in a massive way!

She was being sold and still helping them count the money, even nearly losing her life in the process.

“Too dirty,” Elias sighed in his heart.

“The hearts of these people playing with capital are blacker than a siren’s tongue in a sewer.”

Just as Elias’s thoughts were wandering, feeling concerned about the unfortunate journalist’s IQ, someone suddenly tapped him lightly on the shoulder from behind.

Elias’s body tensed instantly, and his cane was nearly swung out in a reflexive strike. But he held back because 【Malice Perception】 had not been triggered.

He turned around. A lady in a linen-colored dress was standing daintily behind him.

Her skirt swayed gently in the breeze, and she wore a small round hat with a veil.

Though her figure wasn't particularly tall, it exuded a unique charm.

Elias was stunned for two seconds.

“I didn't expect you to actually follow me,” the lady spoke.

Although her voice was intentionally lowered, the familiar tone instantly awakened Elias’s memory.

He finally realized that the woman before him, emitting a faint scent of perfume and looking like a middle-class lady out on holiday, was actually Ophelia!

How on earth did this girl bypass the exit of the restroom? Indeed, someone capable of stealing from Wayland Capital was an authority in this area.

Elias’s eyes scanned her up and down twice. After changing into women’s clothing, her temperament had undergone a complete transformation; he had almost failed to recognize her.

The previous men’s suit had been completely discarded, replaced by this well-fitting linen dress.

Fortunately, Elias’s gaze involuntarily lingered for a fraction of a second. Fortunately, she still had that quite iconic identifying feature.

The assets that had been tightly bound by strips of cloth earlier were now free, showcasing their impressive scale with every breath she took.

That was why she had nearly suffocated herself before.

“Where are those two men from the Wayland Security Department?” Ophelia asked, looking around nervously.

She had just come out of that luxurious restroom after changing her clothes and saw Elias standing at the corner of the corridor. A trace of warmth flowed through her heart.

Truly, only a trace. Because the other person was likely here for the information in her hands.

But she didn't see the two pursuers who had been following her like leeches.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with confusion.

Hearing this, Elias’s expression remained as usual. He merely shifted his body slightly, clearing her line of sight.

Ophelia’s gaze went past his shoulder to the area behind him. She sucked in a breath of cold air.

The two Wayland security personnel, who had been so fierce just moments ago, were now lying straight on the ground in twisted yet peaceful postures.

Each of their heads sported a large, bright red bump. They were sleeping quite soundly.

“Oh, you mean these two?” Elias poked one of their thighs nonchalantly with the tip of his cane.

The man gave no reaction, looking just like a corpse. Elias turned back to the dumbfounded Ophelia, a very innocent smile on his face.

“I don’t know what happened to them either,” Elias spread his hands, his tone sincere. “Probably just young and heavy sleepers.”