Chapter - 5990

When Charlie returned to the hotel, he received a friend request from Tawanna on WeChat.

After confirming the request, Tawanna informed him that Mitsui Yoshitaka's brother, Mitsui Yoshiyasu, had been captured by Hattori Hanzo and the Iga Ninja. She and Trevor had followed Mitsui Shinmei back to the Mitsui family manor.

In addition to providing this update, she expressed her gratitude to Charlie once more. Fatigued by her continual thanks, Charlie replied, “After everything we’ve been through, make sure to rest well tonight.”

Tawanna had hoped to take the opportunity to chat with Charlie more on WeChat. However, noticing his lack of interest, she tactfully added, “Alright, Mr. Wade, you should also try to get some rest. You’ve had a long day.”

Upon Charlie's return to the hotel, Loreen and Claire were scrolling through social media in the room. The sight of numerous police helicopters heading into the distance raised their curiosity; while the outside world remained unaware of the events, they speculated that something unusual must have occurred, as such a large police presence was out of the ordinary.

Seeing Charlie arrive, Claire quickly asked, “Honey, did something happen at the dome? Social media says many helicopters went there, and there are videos circulating. It looked pretty alarming with all those planes flying in.”

Loreen, who was examining her phone, muttered, “Someone mentioned there might have been an assassination. They say someone seemed to be targeting Tawanna.”

Charlie smiled and replied, “No, that’s not true. I was right there—how could I not know about an assassination?”

Loreen pressed, “Then why were so many police there? You must have seen something while you were there, right?”

“Training exercise,” Charlie said, wanting to ease their worries and keep the situation under wraps. “The police were conducting some sort of anti-terrorism drill. I don’t have all the details since I was busy discussing Feng Shui with Mr. Mitsui and left when we were nearly finished.”

As he spoke, he pretended to ruminate, “Is what they’re saying online really that outrageous? I should take a look.”

Charlie casually browsed a few platforms and was surprised to find social media had indeed begun to spread the news.

Though no gunshots were heard, the sheer number of police helicopters was difficult to ignore, and videos showed special police units rappelling from nearby buildings.

Charlie realized that even if there was no concrete evidence of an assassination attempt on Tawanna, he couldn't allow speculation to run rampant online. While most people might be unaware of the underground network, those connected to it would certainly understand the larger implications. If any meddlesome individuals decided to leak this information anonymously, it would generate extensive discussion, especially given the current state of internet popularity.

Whether or not a clear conclusion was reached, this was not something Tawanna needed.

So, he sent a message to Michaela on WeChat, asking her to inform Mitsui Yoshitaka and request an official statement from the Metropolitan Police Department regarding a planned anti-terrorism drill at the Dome.

After all, Tokyo Dome is the largest performance venue in Tokyo, and top stars performing there often choose it as their first option. Naturally, conducting anti-terrorism drills in such a location was practical.

Before long, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department announced the drill through television and online media.

Tokyo TV, which had been airing a variety show, quickly interrupted with an emergency report: “We have breaking news. At 10:35 tonight, Tokyo’s anti-terrorism police conducted a rapid response drill at the Dome. This exercise aimed to simulate a scenario where the Dome was taken hostage or attacked during a major event. No personnel were informed in advance, including those special police involved in the drill. This created a realistic demonstration of Tokyo's special policing capabilities in emergency situations. The exercise has now concluded successfully, and the relevant special police units are evacuating the site in an orderly manner. The Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police Department praised the exercise highly and hopes the public will remain calm.”

The segment aired in multiple languages for about ten minutes. Upon seeing this, Loreen abandoned her gossiping and tossed her phone aside, exclaiming, “What? I thought there was going to be some big story, but it’s just an exercise.”

Claire chuckled and remarked, “Well, it seems the security in Tokyo is solid, and the likelihood of a major incident isn’t high. Plus, we can’t always wish for trouble to befall others.”

“Not at all,” Loreen replied with a smile. “I’m not hoping for anything to happen. I just enjoy a good gossip!”

Then she added, “By the way, Charlie, today’s video of you criticizing Tawanna has gone viral online! What you said in the video makes total sense, even her fans are acknowledging your points. People are now calling you the ‘man who educated Tawanna.’ If you decide to appear and do a live stream right now, you’ll become a sensation! You could gain millions of followers and maybe even sell products through live streams!”

Charlie chuckled and replied, “I’m not interested in that kind of exposure. It’s better to stay under the radar. Besides, many so-called human rights organizations nowadays really adopt extreme measures. I’d prefer to steer clear of them in real life.”

“That's true,” Loreen concurred. “I think the environmental protection groups in Europe are quite intimidating. They’ll block all traffic on major roads, even preventing ambulances from passing. I can’t imagine they’d call an ambulance if they or their loved ones got sick.”

“Of course they would. Don’t dwell on that,” Charlie smiled and said. “Most of these radical environmentalists aren’t real environmentalists at all; they merely profit from it. They are all backed by capital. For instance, if European investors wish to invest in nuclear power, they’ll encourage those environmentalists to criticize coal power; if they want to promote new energy, the environmentalists will target traditional energy. And if they want to push for artificial protein in the future, you can bet these environmentalists will protest against conventional livestock farming.”

Loreen nodded her agreement, saying, “That makes a lot of sense. Most of them are just hypocrites.”

At that moment, the news on the TV loop interrupted many who were busy speculating.

Compared to narratives of a bloody battle leading to casualties tonight, this exercise explanation was more palatable.

With the official authorities clarifying the situation, online chatter subsided quickly, and the topic was silenced soon after.

Subsequently, Tawanna’s team started releasing a multitude of official photos and videos from her performances online.

As the reigning queen of popularity, Tawanna's new performance videos and stunning photos quickly took over the headlines across major platforms, diverting the public’s attention from the special police incident.

Charlie couldn't help but admire Tawanna's star power. It was remarkable how just a few performance images and videos could shift the focus so drastically. Once such a star collaborates with Bruce Automotive for a concert in China, the brand recognition for Bruce Automotive could reach unprecedented heights!