[Chapter 584: Divine Retribution, Media Frenzy]
After securing Linton's understanding, the Washington High-Level Crisis Task Force Team, led by President Clinton, moved swiftly. Their first action was to officially classify the recent wave of murders in Washington.
Taking FBI Director Lawrence's advice into account, they ultimately labeled the cases as acts of divine retribution. A joint press conference was held by the White House and FBI to disclose the news to the public.
Ignorant officials Roger, Carol, Cody, Eric, and Maslow had violated divine will and were punished by the gods, along with their entire families. The following day, other government officials who were unaware of the truth yet maintained friendly relations with those five also unwittingly offended the divine and were struck down.
Leading the team, President Clinton confirmed that they had made contact with the divine powers. After friendly negotiations, the gods' wrath had been assuaged. So long as the people did not deliberately offend the divine, further punishments would not be unleashed.
Thanks to President Clinton's leadership, Washington was now safe. The United States was safe. People could resume their work and lives with freedom and joy.
Whether the public believed the explanation didn't matter -- after all, the nation was founded on faith in God and divine power, so the conclusion made a certain kind of sense.
Because Linton intended to continue his career in film and music without revealing his connection to the divine, every member of the High-Level Crisis Task Force Team pledged confidentiality. President Clinton even required them to sign nondisclosure agreements.
Throughout the announcement of the divine retribution event, the White House and FBI kept Linton's identity strictly under wraps.
The White House press secretary then released three further notices:
First, starting January 19, all government departments would return to normal operations.
Second, beginning January 19, the FBI and Washington Police would withdraw investigators assigned to the previous murder cases, reallocating them entirely to maintain city security.
Third, effective January 20, the 82nd Airborne Division and National Guard would be withdrawn, with law enforcement duties fully handed back to the FBI and city police.
Unsurprisingly, the media erupted after the press conference. Across the nation, the public was instantly electrified.
"Divine retribution? Are there really gods out there? Am I dreaming or stuck in the Middle Ages?"
"Divine retribution" instantly became the hottest news story, dominating every front page and headline.
Major networks scrambled to launch urgent talk shows, debates, and analysis programs, all delving deeply into the event.
Some even began exploring what the appearance of gods might mean for the United States and its people.
Thousands of reporters flooded Washington, desperate to interview the crisis team and learn more about the divine revelation.
But all inquiries were politely declined; the team considered public discussion of the divine disrespectful.
However, they did disclose one key fact: the gods had been attentively watching over and protecting America all along.
They genuinely believed it, because Linton -- the divine envoy -- had agreed to serve as the White House's Chief Honorary Adviser, as well as top adviser to the Senate and House of Representatives.
That meant America could now communicate with the gods and even receive their blessings through Linton.
"The gods of heaven have been watching and guarding America, and the highest levels of government have access to this divine connection," the media reported.
The press soon went into a frenzy.
This mega-story sucked up all media resources and public attention; previous headlines about hundreds of murders in Washington, Linton's New York concert, and the New York terror attacks fell completely into obscurity.
Amid the nationwide discussion of divine punishment, Americans swelled with pride and renewed unity. They saw their country as not just the world's sole superpower, but as a nation destined to evolve into the land of the gods, with its people as chosen ones.
Under this wave of divine fervor, Washington's earlier social upheavals quickly vanished. Government agencies resumed normal work swiftly, public order restored, and the federal command system nationwide reactivated smoothly.
...
One group that greatly benefited was the religious community. After the White House's public endorsement of the divine retribution event, Christian churches across the country launched campaigns declaring, "God has always been protecting America and watching over her people."
Soon after, Catholic and Jewish congregations followed suit, sparking fierce public debates over which faith truly worshiped the one true god behind the event.
Experts from competing sects cited scriptures in media battles, each claiming their deity was the divine presence revealed in Washington.
Influenced by the movement, Americans flocked to churches in unprecedented numbers, filling pews and prayer halls daily.
Meanwhile, Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Mormon, and other denominations all held events and aggressively promoted their beliefs in the media.
Even infamous groups like the Satanists, Scientologists, Peace Missionaries, Creator's World Church, and the People's Temple seized the moment for widespread promotion.
---
While the American public was engrossed in a fervent discussion about divine punishment, Linton distanced himself from the media storm, taking Li Xiaoran back to the farm.
Upon arrival at the gardens, Linton first shared intimate moments with his four children -- Lina, Alexander, Michelle, and Bruce.
Then, he formally introduced Li Xiaoran to the group, establishing her as the 23rd member of his harem.
Li Xiaoran was warmly embraced by the women and seamlessly integrated into the household, soon becoming one of the leading ladies.
Linton ensured she received proper privileges: a private villa, a personal assistant, an exclusive suite and office within the manor.
Most importantly, she was now free to fully participate in the nightly parties, no longer relegated to the sidelines.
A top dance prodigy trained at the Beijing Dance Academy, Li Xiaoran's flexibility and skill rivaled Catherine's, with a particular focus on classical Eastern dance.
With her addition, the parties blossomed in vibrancy, and Linton indulged himself more than ever.
That night marked the start of a three-day, non-stop party that defied all attempts to end it.
Grand ensemble numbers and smaller group performances rotated continuously, seemingly without pause.
Over those three days and nights, aside from Cristiana, Sophie Marceau, and Monica who occasionally left briefly to tend their small children, Linton and his women didn't step beyond the seventh courtyard once.
Even meals and drinks were delivered punctually by estate manager Erica and several beautiful attendants.
Each time Erica and her helpers came through, they blushed and trembled upon hearing the strange sounds echoing next door, secretly wishing they could join the revelry.
It wasn't until the morning of the fourth day that the party finally drew to a close.
...
When Linton and the women emerged from the seventh courtyard, Erica and Suarez Shijie had prepared a lavish feast featuring gourmet dishes and house-brewed wine.
Though Linton himself appeared unchanged after three days of partying, every woman was radiant -- glowing, breathtaking in their beauty.
Erica and all the female servants marveled and secretly envied their blossoming allure.
During the meal, Erica read aloud the top headlines from the past three days' mainstream newspapers to Linton.
The overarching theme was unmissable: the divine retribution incident dominated every front page.
All other news had gone silent. Even the usual Oscar season buzz -- predictions, promotions, scandals -- was muted this year.
It wasn't that people stopped trying or hesitated to promote, but the public's attention was completely drawn away, no matter how much effort the media made, few noticed.
One piece of news, however, amused Linton: the churches were frantically holding events, each claiming that the divine presence revealed in Washington was the god worshipped by their own sect.
Suddenly, nationwide church membership surged, and churches overflowed with worshippers.
Not only Christian, Catholic, and Jewish congregations but also Mormon gatherings held events and aggressively campaigned to prove their faith's superiority.
Even notorious cults like the Satanists, Scientologists, Peace Missionaries, Creator's World Church, and the People's Temple exploited the moment for massive publicity.
After finishing the papers, Erica switched on the TV to the MCA network news channel, where two expert commentators enthusiastically discussed the impact of divine retribution on America.
The experts eloquently cited religious texts and firmly claimed the event demonstrated that God had long been watching over the U.S.
They argued it explained how America remained unharmed in multiple world wars, instead using conflicts as opportunities to grow stronger and become today's sole global superpower.
Yet, they cautioned, God is sacred and inviolable; people must maintain reverence, lest they face severe consequences like the Washington incident -- a warning to all.
Linton then flipped through several other channels, virtually all airing divine-related programs.
He had never imagined how deeply people clung to religion and belief in God -- practically everyone was devoutly religious.
Over dinner, Nicole Kidman tapped her glass with a spoon, pointing at a broadcast from the Los Angeles Cathedral's worship service.
"Darling, now that the gods have revealed themselves, don't you think we should go to church and pray for their blessings?"
Her words echoed the sentiments of nearly everyone present, apart from Xu Qing and Li Xiaoran, who were less influenced by Western faiths.
The rest -- including Japanese stars Izumi Sakai, Noriko Sakai, Akina Nakamori, Hong Kong's Vivian Chow, and Michelle Reis -- nodded eagerly, awaiting Linton's response.
Linton could only laugh and shake his head -- religion's hold was stronger than he'd anticipated. The boomerang had come back to bite him.
He considered that his power was now undeniable -- even America's highest officials bowed before him. His life would be more audacious than ever.
It was time to reveal a bit of his true strength to those close to him.
Waving for Erica and the serving staff to take Lina, Alexander, Michelle, and Bruce away, Linton raised his glass.
"My dears, since you've brought this up, I might as well be honest. This divine retribution event was actually a deal I struck with Washington's top officials."
"What? You made a deal with Washington? Does that mean the gods aren't real?" Nicole Kidman gasped in disbelief.
Even the usually composed Winnie looked stunned.
Li Xiaoran, who had accompanied Linton to Washington, couldn't believe it either. Throwing caution to the wind, she asked, "Darling, you were with me at the hotel most of the time except those two White House visits. How could this be? How did you pull it off?"
"It all started in New York," Linton said. "Do you know how much my health company makes annually?"
Everyone shook their heads. Only Winnie had a rough idea -- Linton had injected $30 billion into stocks via the company.
"Based on monthly sales, the annual revenue should be about $36 billion. Most costs come from R&D. But you said earlier that you personally handled all the research, meaning the R&D costs are basically negligible. Which means the health company's profit margins are extraordinarily high -- beyond imagination."
"Smart guess. Let me put it this way: the health company's profits are off the charts. Plus, we get tax breaks at every level. Annual profits exceed $30 billion."
The women gasped in unison.
Realizing the gravity, they raised their glasses in a toast. "Amazing, darling. You're incredible."
"That's exactly why so many wanted to take us down. When I was holding that New York concert, I stumbled on a plot against me. After investigation, it turned out nine people -- Roger, Carol, Cody, Eric, Maslow, Kester, Hoffman, Robert, and Gittens -- had secretly allied with the aim of seizing my health company."
Linton briefly summarized the incidents in New York and Washington.
"So you arranged the killings of those nine families?"
"That's right. Do you think I'm too ruthless, having killed that many?"
No one replied, but their eyes shifted uncomfortably -- it was clear he'd touched a nerve.
"Have you thought about what would've happened if they had succeeded? What safety would you have then? Have you forgotten what Madonna went through in the hospital? Besides, if I only killed the ringleaders, how could it stop the rest from continuing their schemes?"
Winnie, ever practical, was the first to grasp the truth: "So this was a message -- a bloody warning to others."
"Exactly. Without absolute strength and ruthless measures, with the health company's profitability, we'd face endless threats. Especially since you're public stars, always traveling and exposed -- if they threatened you to get to me, what then?"
After a candid conversation with Linton, the women finally grasped his true power.
Linton was relieved none of his harem were saintly types -- otherwise, it might be time to part ways and erase memories.
Though he revealed only a fraction of his supernatural talents, omitting details about his remote killings and cultivation, even his financial savvy, absolute control over military power, and decisive ruthlessness intoxicated the women.
They sat enchanted, faces flushed, eyes glazed with desire, legs crossed tightly.
Before long, Nicole Kidman let out a soft moan and leapt into Linton's arms.
"Darling, you are my god."
Seeing every woman so moved, Linton chuckled and decided his original plan to go admire the snow gardens was out.
Scooping Nicole up, he said, "Let's go back and keep the party going."
*****
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