The North American Gourmet Demon Handbook

No, this is not fair. I was just ordered to clean up the mess!

Romano wanted to argue, but he didn't have the courage.

After all, it is an indisputable fact that huge publicity resources are handed over to him for mobilization.

Drummond's voice remained steady, even with a hint of imperceptible fatigue, as if he was simply stating a regrettable fact rather than blaming.

"Marco, I remember you gave me a clear picture when we last spoke."

"You told me that your 'rune' can precisely control public opinion and transform any negative information into the direction we need."

Even though this was not true, Romano still did not dare to correct his boss.

"I've invested enormous resources in this effort, including everything you've asked for—a top-notch team, cutting-edge technology, and, most importantly, my trust in you."

He paused, not giving Romano a chance to interject, a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"Now, what do I see? The stock prices of Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck are in free fall, their board members are putting pressure on me, and the entire market is questioning us as never before. This seems to deviate from your original promise, doesn't it?"

Drummond's voice remained calm, but every word was like a cold stone, hitting Romano's heart.

"I don't need to know how skilled your 'opponent' is, Marco. I just need to know how you, as the person in charge I've entrusted with this important task, will turn this situation around. What I need is a solution, a way to stop the losses, not an explanation for 'force majeure'."

He sighed softly, as if feeling sorry for Romano.

This sigh also made Romano nervous.

"You know, in our position, the most important thing is the results. And the current results, if I may be frank, are not that satisfactory."

"I hope you understand, Marco, that the market won't wait, and my patience is not infinite."

Drummond paused, as if giving Romano time to process his fear.

Finally, Drummond said, "I'll give you three days. I don't care what you do. I need you to completely put this farce to rest. Can you do it?"

Romano took a deep breath and forced his voice to sound firm and confident, even though his heart was turbulent.

"Yes! Mr. Drummond, I promise you, I can do it!" Romano's voice was a little unnaturally hoarse, but he tried to make it sound powerful.

"Within three days, no, it won't even take three days! I will completely turn the situation around in the shortest possible time, dispel those so-called 'conspiracy theories', and restore the market's confidence in us!"

He almost gritted his teeth as he spoke these words, and every word seemed like an oath to himself, to Drummond, and to the whole world.

"I will mobilize all available resources, regardless of the cost. Whether it's those fools who spread rumors or the opponents hiding behind the scenes, I will make them pay the price. I will let them know that angering us is the biggest mistake they have ever made in their lives!"

"I have sent people to lock down the culprit and are tracing his address—"

In fact, Romano didn't understand what an IP address was at all. He just subconsciously repeated what the technician who had just reported to him said - and his repetition was not very successful.

So he received the same treatment as the technician.

Drummond interrupted Marco Giuseppe Romano in a relaxed tone, saying, "I don't understand the technical details, so I'll leave it to you. I believe you won't disappoint me again, right?"

The words "You won't disappoint me again" hit Romano's heart like a hammer, which meant that he had disappointed Mr. Drummond before.

"Please believe me, Mr. Drummond. I won't let you down. I swear." Romano almost blurted out, with an almost fanatical determination.

The phone hangs up.

With a "click", the phone in Romano's hand slipped almost effortlessly and hit the soft sofa with a dull sound.

He didn't pick it up, but just sat there stiffly, as if all the strength had been drained from his body.

The cold sweat on his forehead had gathered into strands, sliding down his temples and soaking his large bathrobe.

His breathing became rapid and heavy, and his chest heaved violently, like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

"You won't let me down again." Drummond's calm and almost cold voice echoed in his ears like a spell. Every word turned into an invisible hammer, hitting his nerves again and again.

He knew what this meant - he had lost Drummond's trust, and this was his last chance.

If he fails, he will not only lose his status, but will completely disappear from this circle and may even face more terrible consequences.

Three days. Just three days. He was supposed to quell a public opinion crisis sparked by an unknown, skilled hacker and affecting several multinational giants. This was simply unrealistic!

He felt dizzy and his stomach churned. The wizards' ridicule and the falling stock prices now weighed heavily on his heart.

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes were bloodshot, and an almost crazy fire burned deep in his pupils.

Fear was replaced by utter rage at this moment. He was forced into a desperate situation, and desperate situations often inspire a person's most primitive and cruel instincts.

Romano stood up suddenly from the sofa and walked straight to the bathroom with heavy steps.

The cold marble floor touched his feet, but it did not cool the enthusiasm in his heart at all. He walked to the sink and placed his hands on the countertop, his knuckles turning white from the effort.

He turned on the faucet and a stream of cold water gushed out.

Without hesitation, he put his face under the stream and let the biting cold water wash over his burning cheeks.

Water droplets slid down his hair, brow bone, and nose bridge, dripping into the sink, taking away the sweat on the surface, but unable to wash away the deep-seated hostility deep in his eyes.

He raised his head, water droplets still dripping down his face, blurring his vision, but he still stared at himself in the mirror.

A distorted and hideous face was reflected in the mirror.

His wet hair clung to his forehead in a messy mess, and his bloodshot eyes, shrouded in the mist, looked even more crimson, like two balls of burning charcoal. The man in the mirror looked like a trapped beast cornered.

"No matter who you are, I will not let you go." He muttered to himself in the mirror.

…………

Ai Kou: (shocked) (shocked) What? You mean, I want those who are tracking me to track me down to the address you provided?

Li: Yes, I want Novartis' technical team to trace this back to me.

Iko: (scared) (scared) That's very dangerous, even if you are an FBI agent - in the eyes of those behemoths, you are just an FBI agent.

Aikou: Li, isn't your plan too reckless? (Worried)

Li: Honestly, my previous plan was a thousand times more reckless than this. Before the online backlash, I was going to go knock them on the door. Now that I'm waiting for the opportunity, the odds of success are much better, aren't they? Just do it.

Iko: (Hesitates) (Hesitates)...Okay.

Iko: I...I'll do as you say.

Iko: I hope you're sure, Lee. This feels like... putting your neck under a knife. (Praying) (Praying)

Ai Kou: Wait, this address is the location of the Amish production crew? (Surprised) (Surprised)

Li: Yeah, don’t you think that place is actually very suitable for a showdown?

Iko: Isn't that where Alex Drummond was kidnapped and disappeared?

Ai Kou:!

Aikou: No wonder you want to chat privately and don’t allow others to see the chat history.

Aikou: Don't worry, these messages will be deleted after reading.

Iko: Well, Li, I hope you are really sure, and I wish you good luck.

Li: Thank you.

320 Lobbying and Cooperation

In Romano's private office, the air was thick with the combined smell of coffee and sweat.

By this time, Romano was no longer in his bathrobe—he was in no mood for cavorting with Broadway actresses.

Romano sat upright, and on the huge screen in front of him, lines of code and network topology diagrams scrolled rapidly, finally stopping at a clear geographical coordinate and IP address.

On the other side of the screen, Vito's technician said cautiously, "Sir, we've locked down the source of the first uploaded video. It's this IP address. It points to... the suburbs of Philadelphia. The address there seems to be—uh, a reality show called 'The Amish'."

Romano's pupils suddenly contracted. He stared at the address on the screen, countless thoughts flashing through his mind.

Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia, the home of an Amish reality show crew...isn't this where Alex Drummond disappeared?

That damn reality show! That show full of weird happenings!

"Amish?" he repeated in a low voice, with a mixture of incredible anger and a touch of morbid excitement. He slammed the table with a loud bang that made Vito shudder.

"I knew it!" A bloodthirsty smile appeared on Romano's face, and that smile was twisted and ferocious. "I knew it was these bastards! They are really up to something!"

He stood up suddenly and paced back and forth in the office, his mind working rapidly.

His huge body moved around and the office was like an earthquake.

"Now that makes sense!"

"From the kidnapping of Alex Drummond to the reputation of the three major pharmaceutical companies, it's all part of the same massive and complex conspiracy!"

"Theodore Lancaster is an orthodox wizard of the Seething Sage school. He doesn't understand any magic that affects the mind..."

"Only that Cyrus Morton—the clever fellow who evaded the spell cast by nine great wizards—could have such a method!"

"So, his becoming 'demented' in the Alex kidnapping case must be fake!"

"These two bastards must have been colluding with each other a long time ago!"

"They're going after the Drummond family!"

Romano clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white with exertion, and he felt an overwhelming urge to pick up the phone and report this astonishing discovery to James Drummond.

All this was a conspiracy against the Drummond family by Cyrus Morton and Theodore Lancaster!

However, Romano's hand stopped stiffly in mid-air just before it touched the receiver.

Drummond's words, "I don't need to know how good your 'opponent' is, Marco. I only need to know how you, as the person in charge I have entrusted with the important task, will turn this situation around" echoed in his ears again like a cold spell.

He's already let Drummond down once before.

If he went to report now with a "Wizard Group Conspiracy Theory", what would Drummond think of him?

Will he be seen as making excuses, shirking responsibility, or implying that he is unable to solve the problem on his own? He will be looked down upon again, or even completely abandoned.

No, that must not be the case.

Romano took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He had to prove his worth, that he could handle things on his own. This was his last chance, and he couldn't make any more mistakes.

From the information Romano gathered through his connections, he learned that Theodore Lancaster was acting alone and had no one to help him.

However, it turned out that Theodore Lancaster had at least one accomplice, Cyrus Morton.

Romano believed that even if the other side had high-level wizards, there would not be too many. However, it was known that the other side had two high-level wizards, Theodore Lancaster and Cyrus Morton.

If you are the only one on your side, you will inevitably be at a disadvantage.

His huge body paced back and forth in the office like a trapped beast, and every step brought a heavy sense of oppression.

He needed a helper, someone equally powerful and someone he could control. Several names flashed through his mind, and finally, a figure emerged - Vikram Chandrasekhar.

Vikram Chandrasekhar, an Indian-American with a smiling face, appears polite on the surface, but can hardly hide the ambition in his eyes.

This time he was chosen by Mr. Drummond to handle the kidnapping case of Alex Drummond.

After Romano became convinced that the kidnapping case and the smear campaign against the three major pharmaceutical companies were part of the same conspiracy, he concluded that the two had the same interest in resolving the issue.

Romano's lips curled up in a cold arc. Vikram, haven't you always wanted to climb up? Now's your chance.

He walked to his desk, picked up the phone, and dialed an encrypted number.

The call was quickly connected, and Vikram's voice, which was thick with the smell of curry but couldn't hide his shrewdness, came from the receiver: "Oh, Marco, what brings you here? I thought you were busy and worried right now."

Romano ignored the taunt, his voice low and seductive.

"Vikram, I have an opportunity here that can change our destiny, an opportunity for us to stand out and be appreciated by Mr. Drummond."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds, and then Vikram Chandrasekhar's voice turned serious: "Go on."

"I have found the masterminds behind this public opinion crisis. They are wizards, and two high-ranking wizards at that—Theodore Lancaster and Cyrus Morton."

Chandrasekhar sighed, his interest growing dull. "Tell me something people don't know, Marco. Do I need to congratulate you?"

"No, no, no, I'm not here to brag, Vikram. Look, these two not only created this crisis together, but they also kidnapped Alex Drummond together. They did all of this."

Romano's voice had an incendiary power, a deft blend of facts and his own speculations.

"Oh? They're involved in Alex's kidnapping?" Chandrasekhar asked with a hint of surprise, but more of interest. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Moreover, I discovered a shocking secret - Cyrus Morton's 'dementia' is fake, and he has been secretly colluding with Theodore Lancaster. They joined forces to try to overthrow the rule of the Drummond family."

Romano escalated his tone and dropped a bombshell.

"This... this is really big news." Vikram Chandrasekhar's voice was full of amusement, and it sounded like he was obviously very interested in the news.

"Now, Mr. Drummond has given me three days to quell the crisis. If I succeed, I will gain unprecedented trust and power. But if I fail..." Romano paused deliberately, letting Chandrasekhar imagine the consequences of failure himself.