Chapter 222: The Escalation of Public Opinion

New York City, The Daily Bugle.

J. Jonah Jameson confidently puffed on a cigar. Five minutes earlier, today's edition of The Daily Bugle had just been printed, and he was brimming with confidence about the storm it would stir.

"Turn on the TV! Turn it on! Quickly!"

Jameson barked, his impatience palpable.

From the streets below came waves of exclamations.

"The Emperor actually killed our country's diplomat! Does he think he can go unpunished?"

"Do superheroes think they're above the law? What about us ordinary people? Are we just at their mercy?"

"Oppose vigilante actions by superheroes! They should all be arrested!"

Crowds were instantly drawn to the bold headline on The Daily Bugle and began pouring into the streets, denouncing the Emperor's alleged crimes.

The paper painted him as a villain with a reckless disregard for innocent lives, a threat far more dangerous than nuclear weapons.

As always, chaos was deeply ingrained in the culture of the United States, with its emphasis on individual rights. Seeing The Daily Bugle's inflammatory reporting, most people abandoned their homes, congregating en masse.

A voice suddenly rang out in the crowd. A man stepped forward and shouted, "I oppose the Emperor's presence in this country! We should unite and protest to the government!"

The crowd responded with resounding agreement, many following the man and rallying around him.

"Down with the Emperor!"

"Down with the Emperor!"

The chants grew louder, and the crowd swelled. Within half an hour, the streets of New York were packed to the brim. Some went as far as spraying graffiti with bold slogans on walls.

Dozens of reporters flocked to the scene, eager to fan the flames of the controversy. One reporter stopped a passerby for an interview.

"Excuse me, is this protest specifically targeting the Emperor? Because as we know, even superheroes have national allegiances."

The passerby, recalling the contents of The Daily Bugle, responded angrily.

"It's not just about the Emperor! I believe no superhero should place themselves above the law. They should all be registered! They can't just act as vigilantes!"

The reporter was taken aback by the response. If superheroes truly operated outside the bounds of the law, the only restraint left would be their morality.

Cameras broadcasted the chaos into homes across the country. It became clear this wasn't just a protest against one hero—it was the ordinary people rising up against superheroes in general.

Meanwhile, the Emperor remained silent, refusing to appear, a choice interpreted by the public as a sign of guilt. This only fueled the frenzy of accusations and defamation.

On the other side of the screen, Alexander Pierce swirled the wine in his glass, watching with satisfaction as the Emperor's reputation plummeted in the public eye. He felt a newfound sense of control.

"Emperor, so what if you're a superhero? The world is full of ordinary people. Can you really endure this turmoil and stay hidden?"

The riots escalated further. Many protesters had already gathered outside Stark Tower, as everyone knew the Emperor wasn't the only superhero in the country.

The unrest had shifted its focus from the Emperor alone to condemning all superheroes as a collective.

...