Chapter 226
Carmen’s eyes widened in sudden panic. Almost immediately, her phone rang—it was a call from a company executive. “Miss Wilson, Nick’s death is all over the internet! What should we do now?”
Nick was the streamer who lost his life in the accident despite rescue efforts. Carmen’s head was spinning as she frantically grabbed her phone. She didn’t even need to search—when she opened her news app, bold headlines screamed at her:
[Genius Sisters or Ruthless Killers?]
Upon clicking, the article carefully revealed how MindDrift ruthlessly exploited its streamers through relentless battle punishments, causing many to become injured or ill, and, even more shockingly, leading to some fatalities.
Soon, fans voiced concerns online, noting that in a previous livestream, Nick appeared distressed and asked to end the session, promising to finish the punishment later. The opposing streamer refused, accused him of dodging the challenge, and even threatened to report him if he didn’t comply.
To maximize profits and encourage user spending, Carmen implemented strict rules: anyone found intentionally avoiding challenges would face penalties—minor violations would incur a fine. At the same time, more serious offenses might result in a complete account ban. Nick had no choice but to endure the punishment. After that, he never went live again.
The platform was filled with talented streamers, while Nick was just another mid-tier player. After the incident, he was soon forgotten, as if he had never mattered at all. Now that the old incident has resurfaced, Aubree not only reached out to Nick but also made every effort to contact any streamer who had been affected by MindDrift, getting in touch with everyone she could find.
While some were still reliant on MindDrift and hesitated, many stepped forward to help Aubree expose the platform. That night, the internet erupted—viewers circulated clips of battles where both sides casually threw around nearly 300 million dollars. The sheer extravagance soon drew the attention of regulators.
Aubree leaned back, calmly watching the storm unravel from her strategic distance. The backlash against Carmen had gone far beyond simple criticism—she had become the face of public outrage. The hostility was so overwhelming that stepping outside risked more than just harsh words; someone might lash out in a petty, unpleasant way.
MindDrift didn’t even survive the night—it was swiftly ordered to shut down by the authorities. Whether the ban would ever be lifted depended entirely on how Carmen chose to handle the situation.
When things seemed like they couldn’t get worse, Carmen was still enjoying praise and admiration just yesterday. However, this morning, she woke up to find a notice from school stating that she had been suspended, effective immediately.
A sharp slap resonated through the Wilson family’s living room. Ronald’s face flushed with anger. Without a moment’s hesitation, he seized the nearest object and hurled it at Carmen. At such close range, the projectile struck her forehead with brutal force, causing blood to stream down and stain half her face crimson.
“Ronald!” Alice exclaimed, bursting into tears as she rushed forward, desperately trying to pull him back. “But she’s our daughter!” Her voice trembled as she cried. Alice never imagined that Ronald would be this furious—she couldn’t believe he would hurt Carmen like this.
“Carmen…” Ronald’s eyelid twitched, a flicker of panic and guilt flashing across his face. His heart softened—he was about to comfort her when Daxton’s frantic, panicked voice suddenly pierced the air as he burst through the front door.
“Carmen!” Daxton exclaimed, breathless from rushing back after being away last night. The moment he heard the news, he hurried home, only to realize he was already too late.
Seeing Carmen’s bruised and bleeding face—a truly pitiful sight—Daxton’s heart ached. Anger surged within him as he glared at Ronald. “Dad! How could you strike Carmen?” he demanded, his voice shaking. “What did Carmen do to deserve this? None of it was her fault—it was all that awful Aubree’s doing!” His eyes burned with resentment as he blamed Ronald for mistreating Carmen.
Ronald, who had just felt a pang of guilt moments earlier, was quickly provoked by Daxton’s attitude. His anger flared as he shouted, “She is wrong! Didn’t I tell you to keep your people in line and ensure no one causes trouble during this time!”
Ronald fixed Carmen with a piercing gaze. “Something seemed off about you last time. Be honest—were those online scandals already starting back then?”