Starting from South America, speeding through the world

Chapter 150 Eat the Rich
Blair Lake stands in front of a full-length mirror, his left hand resting on his hip.

White suit jacket, dark blue silk shirt.

A very thin silver chain was hidden under the collar.

A very small cross pendant.

Those were her mother's keepsakes.

Blair took another deep breath, trying to make the person in the mirror look more composed and confident.

That used to be her specialty.

It was also the key to his ability to stand out in this male-dominated arena.

But today is different.

A slight sense of unease always lingers in my mind.

The makeup artist had left, leaving only her and Kevin in the room.

Yes, Kevin.

Her campaign aides, scapegoat candidates, and potential leakers.

Blair doesn't trust Kevin, but she needs him.

Just like the protagonist in a story always needs a partner to witness the glory.

She turned to look at the phone on the table.

The black screen did not light up as expected.

After hesitating for a moment, Blair picked up his phone and opened the app.

No new messages.

There was no return call.

The last text message was sent at 4:37 AM.

A few letters: "Ready."

Since then, there has been no further news.

Peter.

The killer's name flashed through my mind.

He was a veteran, a former Ranger.

The 75th Regiment, for example, even provided intelligence support.

A person like that shouldn't have made a mistake.

It's impossible for something to go wrong.

Especially when dealing with a crazy woman like Natalie.

"We have three minutes left, we should get ready to go."

Kevin suddenly spoke up, interrupting her thoughts.

Although somewhat displeased, Blair still gave him a gentle smile. "Wait for me a moment, it'll be ready soon."

As she spoke, she moved closer to the window.

A stage had already been set up at the other end of the street, with the blue logo of the North Carolina Democratic Committee hanging on the back panel.

The sun is blinding.

Blair closed the curtains and checked his phone again.

Still nothing.

She suppressed the frustration in her chest and said, "I'm ready, let's go."

Kevin's eyes lit up, and he immediately followed.

The walk from the room to the front of the stage is not far.

Rows of plastic chairs were filled with supporters.

In front of them were representatives from various labor unions and local councilors.

The second row was full of familiar faces, men in suits and ties.

Donors, board members of local universities, and real estate associations.

There is also an open space reserved for the media on the far side.

The microphones, labeled CNN, ABC, and WRAL, were pointed at the center of the podium.

The blue background was somewhat dazzling in the reflection, and at first glance it looked like a light board for some kind of concert.

Kevin jogged up behind Blair and whispered the news:

"Everyone in position, WRAL has just started its live broadcast, and CNN has also confirmed that the signal is synchronized."

"There will be about 350 audience members in person, and the rest will be reached online."

The path leading to the stage was carpeted, and volunteers stood along the way wearing T-shirts with "Blair 2028" printed on them.

Some people waved to her, and some shouted, "We love you!"

Blair raised his hand in response, his smile as perfect as in the photo.

When she finally stood on the stage, the noise in the square immediately subsided.

Sunlight streamed down from behind, casting a long shadow over her.

A gentle breeze blew, causing the red, blue, and white state flag and national flag to flutter.

Blair looked around, ready to crack a joke to lighten the mood.

But just as she opened her mouth, a sharp scream suddenly came from somewhere in the corner:

"Eat the Rich!"

Upon hearing this, Blair frowned and subconsciously turned to look.

At the edge of the crowd, a dozen or so young people wearing dark gray hoodies suddenly stood up.

Then, a commotion broke out. "Blair! You claim to be a voter! Yet you live in a million-dollar mansion!"

"Healthcare is not a luxury!"

"We will not submit to candidates who are affiliated with large conglomerates!"

They shouted as they flipped over the symbolic plastic straps and raised their signs high.

"This isn't democracy, it's an auction!"

"Eat the rich! Eat the rich!"

Tax billionaires!

The security guards began to move, but they clearly underestimated the determination of these men.

As the crowd surged, pushing and shoving quickly broke out near the area of ​​conflict.

"We are 99%!"

"Stop wasting taxpayers' money to save Wall Street!"

An empty bottle flew past the microphone and hit the steel plate.

"Boom!"

There was a loud bang.

Blair remained standing on the stage, seemingly oblivious to the chaos before him.

At this point, state police and security forces finally arrived in full force.

It's no longer about obstructing, but about dragging them away.

The protester was pinned down by being choked from behind, and kicked over a nearby shelf while struggling.

"North Carolina's future does not belong to you establishment whores!"

The disheveled man shouted at the top of his lungs before being carried away.

Blair didn't back down, didn't frown, and didn't even look at Kevin.

She merely raised her chin slightly, watching the uninvited guests depart, like a detached spectator.

The next second—

She saw her.

Blair's breathing paused for a moment.

Why is she here?

Natalie Watts!
Wearing a gray trench coat and a badge around his neck, he stood among the reporters.

Their eyes met, and Natalie smiled and nodded to her.

why?
She should have died!
Is Pitt lying?
Or did she run away?
A barrage of questions exploded in my mind.

Blair felt his throat go dry instantly.

An endless chill crept into my heart.

"Blair".

Kevin's soft voice reached my ears.

Suddenly snapping back to reality, Blair realized he had paused for far too long.

The audience fell silent, and many people raised their phones to record.

There was also a flashing red light on the camera.

She had to react immediately, or it wouldn't just be Natalie's problem, but she herself would become the focus of the news.

Blair exhaled softly, trying to calm himself down.

The supporters in the audience sat up straight.

Sponsors, worker representatives, and student volunteers.

The familiar faces helped her regain some confidence.

So, Blair spoke into the microphone:

"Ladies and gentlemen, friends, thank you for coming here today."

After a brief pause, applause erupted.

Seeing that things were back on track, Blair's expression softened, and he smiled and saluted them.

Then, he continued:

"Thank you for stepping out of your homes on this bright and sunny morning to speak out for the future of North Carolina."

“I know that many of you have been working hard for months.”

“You organize community discussion meetings, you distribute brochures on the street, and you provide polling station information to your neighbors.”

“You are the true protagonists of this state.”

"You are the ones who made this movement more than just politics; you are the ones who turned it into a commitment."

"We will no longer accept being ignored, and we will no longer leave our future to others to decide."

“From churches to supermarkets, from squares to post offices, I heard your voices.”

“Those voices are not perfect, nor are they always consistent, but they share a common purpose—”

"It's time for a change."

"Change here does not simply mean changing the person in charge."

"This is not a question of which political party comes to power, nor is it just a debate about a particular tax policy."

"What we are talking about is why our lives have become the way they are today, and why our system cannot respond to the most basic needs."

"Over the past four years, we have experienced ** [unclear - possibly related to economic or social issues], supply chain crises, rising housing prices, school budget cuts, and the increasing influence of corporate interests on policies."

"Inflation and rising unemployment mean that young people in city centers can't afford basic living costs."

(End of this chapter)