Chapter 165 Where Nothing Becomes Something
Skyview wasn't just prone to sarcasm; he reveled in the misfortune of others.
Watching Hilda's grim expression, Skyview felt an immense satisfaction—gleeful, even.
Yes, Skyview derived pleasure from Hilda's misery.
And not just Hilda's. He felt no sympathy for the gold-digging streamers and their materialistic viewers.
He saw nothing wrong with it.
Their obsession with wealth, their worship of billionaires, led them to this embarrassing situation.
Perhaps this incident would serve as a wake-up call, a blow against the rampant materialism plaguing the streaming industry. A chance to right the ship and promote more wholesome values.
"This is your doing, isn't it?" Hilda spat, glaring at Skyview. Instead of introspection, she lashed out. "Why else would this happen the moment you walked in?"
"Don't be absurd," Skyview scoffed.
Suddenly, Hilda's phone rang.
It was Kevin.
Hilda's heart sank. He knew what was coming.
"Oh no, Hilda, things are about to get worse." Kevin panicked, his face pale. "We're toast!"
"I'm prepared for the worst," Hilda said, forcing a deep breath. Years of experience had taught him to maintain composure in a crisis. "Just tell me what happened."
"Golden Valley Bank confirmed it," Kevin said, his voice laced with panic. "Boring is a hacker. The transfer was fraudulent."
"I see," Hilda said, his voice flat.
Kevin continued, "Our code vulnerabilities were leaked. Now, a bunch of hackers are exploiting them to shower our platform with BitBonds, playing tricks on our streamers. Some have even demanded our streamers to use their own money to make purchases. Driven by their desire to flatter these supposed billionaires, our streamers paid up without a second thought! Many of them have lost money."
"Initiate damage control immediately," Hilda ordered, her voice regaining its steel. "Issue a public statement. Acknowledge the Boring incident. We can't hide from this. Shark Live is a laughingstock."
"It's already trending on Twitter," Kevin said, his voice heavy with despair. "What do we do?"
"Allocate ten million for crisis management," Hilda said, rubbing her temples. "Go. I need to think."
Kevin naturally understood the magnitude of Hilda's devastation.
He'd staked everything on Boring being real.
He'd overvalued Shark Live, boasting a two billion dollar price tag to Penguin Company. His arrogance had been palpable.
Now that the truth was exposed, he became a laughingstock in Penguin Company's eyes.
The fallout from this incident would be catastrophic.
The mere thought of it made Hilda's head pound.
It was a fall from grace of epic proportions.
The stark contrast, the sheer magnitude of the disaster, was enough to break even the strongest spirit.
"This isn't the end, Hilda," Kevin said, attempting to offer some comfort. "Talk to Penguin Company. They're reasonable. You can salvage this."
"I know, Kevin. Go," Hilda said, dismissing him.
He hung up the phone, his mind racing.
"Benjamin," I need a day to collect myself. I apologize."
"Understandable, under the circumstances," Benjamin said, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Take all the time you need."
Hilda rose unsteadily to his feet and walked towards the door.
"Hilda," Skyview called out suddenly.
He paused and turned, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"This is just the beginning," Skyview said, his voice laced with cryptic amusement.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hilda asked, her voice wary.
"Let's just say," Skyview continued, a sly smile spreading across his face, "that Shark Live, for all its popularity, has failed to promote the right values. Materialism, vulgarity... these are not the values our nation should embrace."
"I don't need a lecture from you," Hilda snapped. "Goodbye."
He hurried towards the exit, his mind elsewhere.
As he crossed the threshold, his distracted mind failed to register the slight step down.
Suddenly, Hilda stumbled and fell.
"Hilda!"
"Watch out!"
"Let me help!"
His team rushed forward, catching him before he hit the ground. They quickly ushered Hilda out of the building.
"Talk about adding insult to injury," Skyview chuckled, watching them go.
"Indeed," Benjamin agreed, his expression unreadable. "A little humility can be a good thing. His arrogance was getting out of hand. Two billion dollars? Preposterous."
"Pride always comes before a fall," Skyview said, his voice laced with amusement.
Benjamin studied Skyview for a moment, a slow smile spreading across his face. "You know, Mr. Scott, this is the first time I've truly had the pleasure of making your acquaintance. You are a formidable strategist. This entire charade, this phantom 'Boring'... brilliant."
It wasn't just Hilda who suspected Skyview's involvement. Benjamin, too, had pieced together the clues. To him, it was clear that Skyview had orchestrated the entire incident.
"Let's not jump to conclusions, shall we?" Skyview said smoothly. "Such accusations could be construed as slander. I'd hate to involve our legal teams."
"Of course, of course," Benjamin said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I wouldn't want to speak out of turn. But I am curious about one thing."
"And what would that be?" Skyview asked.
"Are you truly willing to part with LiveWave?"
"Penguin Company is a prestigious organization," Skyview said, his tone wistful. "For the right price, anything is possible."
"I understand," Benjamin said, nodding slowly. "I'll relay your sentiments to Adam."
Penguin Company Headquarters.
Adam's Office.
Adam listened intently as Benjamin recounted the events at Shark Live via WhatsApp voice call.
"You were right, Adam," Benjamin said, his voice filled with admiration. "'Boring' was a hoax! A hacker who played Shark Live like a fiddle!"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Benjamin," Adam cautioned, waving a dismissive hand. "It was simply a matter of deduction. The existence of this 'Boring' character never sat right with me."
"What are our next steps, Adam?" Benjamin asked. "Do we proceed with the Shark Live acquisition?"
"Absolutely," Adam said without hesitation.
"And what about LiveWave?" Benjamin pressed.
"Skyview is a sharp one," Adam mused. "He's worth investing in. This 'super-rich' charade was just the tip of the iceberg. I'm sure he has more tricks up his sleeve. If his next move is promising, we'll acquire LiveWave."
"For how much?" Benjamin asked. "Another ten billion?"
"Fifteen," Adam countered. "I'm not investing in LiveWave, Benjamin. I'm investing in Skyview and Oliver."
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