The Fourth Disaster Begins at the Dawn of the Millennium

An older party member frowned and asked, "Underwood, do you think we can still save the situation?"

Underwood took a deep breath and said slowly: "We must unite as one, but at the same time, we must face reality and make all kinds of preparations."

The atmosphere in the room became solemn, and everyone's face was filled with worry. Underwood noticed this and immediately changed the subject to discuss specific coping strategies. His eyes flashed with determination, as if telling everyone that no matter what difficulties he faced, he had the confidence to lead the party through them.

Just as they finished their discussion, a noise came from outside the manor. Underwood walked to the window and saw several luxury cars driving into the manor. Underwood knew that these were the major donors of the Democratic Party. Underwood quickly straightened his clothes, smiled warmly, strode out of the study, and came to the front hall of the manor. He opened his arms and warmly welcomed these donors.

"Welcome, welcome everyone!" Underwood's voice was loud and clear. "We are very excited to see you here. Your support for the party is of great significance at this critical moment."

Donors shook hands with Underwood, smiling but with a hint of worry in their eyes. Underwood keenly caught this, and he chatted with them, thanking the donors for their support, emphasizing their importance in promoting the goals of the Democratic Party, and sharing his vision for the future development of the Democratic Party. But when the opportunity came, Underwood inadvertently revealed his tired look and whispered to several of the donors: "We all know that the situation is serious, and this may be your last chance to show your loyalty to the party."

Then, Underwood led the donors to the back garden of the manor. Here, a grand reception was in progress. There were exquisite dining tables in the garden, and waiters shuttled among them, serving champagne and exquisite snacks to the guests. Underwood stood in the crowd, constantly talking to different people, and always kept a friendly smile on his face.

Suddenly, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the garden. Hillary Clinton and several key figures of the Democratic Party had just arrived. Underwood immediately went forward to greet them. The two sides exchanged a few simple greetings, then left the noisy garden and came to a quiet meeting room in the manor. Underwood closed the door to make sure no one could hear their conversation.

"In previous public events, I would support Governor Davis, but here, I want to say straight to the point that the Republican offensive is more fierce than we expected. They have collected 89 million valid signatures, which is far more than the valid signatures required for the threshold. We must prepare for the worst possible scenario."

Hillary frowned, "You mean, if the recall is successful......"

Underwood nodded, "That's right. If this happens, we must have a strong candidate to run for the new governor. We can't let the Republicans take California easily. If you watched the news yesterday, you will know that President Bush made a statement saying that Schwarzenegger, a Hollywood star, would be a very good governor. President Bush has no idea that the White House should always maintain a neutral position on presidential election issues. Now, the Republicans have gone all out..."

The atmosphere in the room grew tense. Everyone realized that Underwood's words implied that he might run for president.

A senior party figure spoke up, "Underwood, are you saying that we should start preparing for your campaign?"

Underwood did not directly answer the question, but said: "We have to prepare for every possibility and not ignore other options."

If Hillary had not talked to key Democratic figures here before coming here, then Underwood's words would have been divisive to the party, but because they had already talked about changing candidates, Underwood's words were not so harsh. Yes, the recall vote and the gubernatorial election are getting closer and closer, and the Democratic Party can no longer hesitate and must consider replacing a candidate with a better chance of winning.

If we lose now, lose a governor, and lose again next time, and California turns red, then the Democratic Party will have no future...

In fact, before today, some people in the Democratic Party had already said that instead of supporting Davis, who has a deep-rooted negative impression in the minds of the people, it would be better to support new people, so that there would be less baggage and they could go into battle with a lighter load. But who should they replace? In the Democratic Party, there are California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante and the state's insurance commissioner John Garamendi, who all tried to compete with Davis, but their styles are similar to Davis's, both of them are unpleasant "senior politicians", giving people the impression that they are trapped in the "deep government" and do not care about the lives of the people.

In American elections, such an image would certainly suffer a great loss when compared with the image of a "sunny and cheerful big boy" like Schwarzenegger.

When Underwood said "be prepared for all possibilities" and was about to recommend himself, Hillary and a group of key Democratic Party figures re-examined Underwood. They had already considered Underwood as a candidate when they watched him on TV before. Now, when they communicated with Underwood face to face, they felt more and more that he was a "sunny and cheerful boy" sent by God to the Democratic Party to directly block Schwarzenegger.

Underwood is also a Hollywood star, a tough guy, and damn handsome! Underwood also has an advantage that Schwarzenegger does not have, that is, Los Angeles, which is under his jurisdiction, performed the best during the California power crisis, and his political achievements are also a huge plus point for Underwood.

The room was silent for half a minute, and then Hillary asked: "But time is running out now. If the party chooses you, how confident are you that you will succeed?"

"Ninety percent sure! But I also have a premise, that is, the Democratic Party must be united. Before, we united to support Davis, but when the party officially chooses to support me, all resources and strength must be used to support me, and no one can jump out to split the votes!"

Chapter 242: Captain America's "Superpower"

Now, Schwarzenegger, who is promoted by the Republican Party, is very popular. Schwarzenegger also said in front of the media that he would "terminate" his opponents like in "Terminator". When Underwood was asked how the Democratic Party needs to cooperate with Underwood's propaganda offensive, Underwood calmly took out a movie poster.

"Captain America?"

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the movie is coming out next week."

This "Captain America" ​​came out earlier than the 2011 version, so the content is naturally different from the original version.

At the beginning of the game, it was 1933, and the Great Depression was raging in the United States. On the streets of Brooklyn, New York, hungry people lined up for soup kitchens. In this economic depression, Steve Rogers and his good friend Bucky Barnes lived in a dilapidated working-class community. One day, Steve was beaten by the police during a workers' demonstration. Bucky arrived in time and rescued the injured Steve, and their friendship deepened.

In 1941, the Pearl Harbor incident broke out and the United States officially entered the war. The government began a large-scale conscription, and Bucky soon received a conscription order. Steve also wanted to sign up for the army, but his thin body was repeatedly rejected by the conscription office. Just when he tried to apply for the fifth time, a scientist named Erskine noticed him. Dr. Erskine was conducting a secret experiment for the military with the goal of creating a super soldier. He saw Steve's perseverance and pure patriotism and thought he was an ideal experimental subject.

The plot is similar to the original for a long time, until Captain America goes to Europe to rescue his friend Bucky, then there are some differences. Steve sneaks behind enemy lines alone, but he fails to find his friend Bucky, and doesn't know which prisoner-of-war camp he is being held in. The US military does not think that Captain America, a super soldier, can make any difference to the war situation, so they refuse to invest more resources.

In desperation, Captain America had to rely on his own super physical strength, starting with ambushing Nazi concentration camp convoys, saving some strangers, and then mobilizing them to join his "commando", attacking small prisoner-of-war camps and concentration camps, and then summoning more people to attack large concentration camps, messing up the rear of Germany. In this process, anti-war elements from Germany, French guerrillas, and captured Soviet soldiers, this "International Brigade" members who spoke different languages ​​and had different nationalities, all willingly followed Captain America to fight the German Nazis.

Captain America also showed his exaggerated ability in several battles. For example, when facing the German Tiger tank, the commandos were at a loss, but Captain America ordered everyone to suppress the infantry around the tank with rifles, and he rushed up alone. Ordinary bullets all hit Captain America's shield, and ordinary fry were also knocked down by Captain America's punch.

As for how to destroy the Tiger, Captain America also had his own way. He first avoided the shells with an exaggerated speed, approached the tank, jumped to the top of the turret, and directly pulled open the locked hatch on the top of the turret with brute force, then pulled out a grenade, pulled out the fuse, and threw it in.

"boom!"

Relying on the ultimate special forces like Captain America, the commandos raided a camp holding thousands of prisoners of war, rescued his friend Bucky and a large group of American soldiers, and led the commandos to break a hole in the fragile German front and return to the US military base. Captain America suddenly became a hot hero.

The subsequent plot is similar to the original. In the final battle with Red Skull, Captain America and Red Skull fought fiercely on the plane. During the scuffle, the energy released by the Cosmic Cube swallowed Red Skull. However, the plane loaded with destructive weapons was still on autopilot, aiming directly at New York. Captain America realized that the only way was to let the plane crash in an uninhabited area, so Captain America drove the plane into the glacier, stirring up snow dust all over the sky.

“Again….”

After listening to the story, the Democrats in the room sighed that Underwood was a guy who relied on American mainstream blockbusters to get to the top. When he was elected as the mayor of Los Angeles last time, he relied on "Escape from Jakarta" to attract countless fans and defeated his opponents with the fan effect. Now, facing the "Terminator" of the Republican Party, Underwood took out his new weapon - "Captain America".

In the movie, Captain America is portrayed as a symbol of justice and morality. Voters may naturally transfer this perception to the actor because of his film and television image, and believe that Underwood will also have the same noble character and sense of responsibility as "Captain America" ​​and can bring positive changes to society. Captain America is also a character with leadership, who can unite various groups of people, always motivate his companions, and inspire people. The abilities shown in the film and television roles will also be considered by the public that Underwood, who plays Captain America, has the same abilities, making voters believe that he can coordinate all parties when dealing with issues in the state and respond to challenges quickly and effectively.

In fact, on the Republican side, the "Terminator" film and television image also brought Schwarzenegger a similar advantage, especially in places like California where Hollywood exists, the entertainment effect in the campaign is more obvious. Davis, who scored negative points in terms of political performance, naturally retreated step by step in the face of the Republican Party's "dimensionality reduction attack."

Now, here comes the best part. With both parties being "movie stars" and having similar fan-attracting effects, the Democratic Party can compare the fictional character of "Terminator" with Schwarzenegger's actual performance as a politician, pointing out that his entertainment image cannot represent his ability in governance, and emphasizing that politics is not a movie and involves complex social issues and responsibilities.

But it would be difficult for the Republicans to fight back against Underwood with the same reason, because Los Angeles under Underwood's leadership performed excellently during the power crisis, which was a level of excellence that was difficult to find fault with.

It took Underwood only one day to successfully persuade key figures and many senior party members of the Democratic Party to change their support. When Davis prepared to discuss the new campaign plan with his "partners", they collectively persuaded Davis tactfully but firmly:

"We need to replace someone with a higher chance of winning..."

Davis's originally confident face gradually turned into astonishment. His brows were furrowed, his eyes were wide, and his mouth was slightly open. He obviously couldn't believe what he heard. Democratic National Committee Chairman McAuliffe stepped forward and said in a firm but gentle tone: "Davis, we all know how much you have contributed to California, but the current situation..."

Davis stood up suddenly and interrupted McAuliffe. His face flushed, his hands waved in the air, and his voice trembled with excitement: "What are you kidding? I'm the current governor! You want me to withdraw from the election and support a... a movie star?"

Senator Diane tried to calm him down: "Davis, calm down. This is not personal. We are just considering the overall interests of the party."

Davis turned to the senator, his eyes gleaming with disbelief: "The overall interest? Diane, how many years have we known each other? Do you also think I should withdraw?"

The room was silent. Davis looked around and saw that everyone avoided his gaze. His shoulders slumped and there was a hint of bitterness in his voice: "So, you all think I can't beat Schwarzenegger, right?"

McAuliffe whispered, "Underwood has a better chance of defeating the Republicans." Davis's expression changed from shock to anger, and his voice rose several decibels: "This is ridiculous! This is a coup!"

The atmosphere in the room became even more awkward because of this sentence, but the Democrats in the room did not give in and still insisted on changing the candidate. Finally, Davis took a deep breath, and when he exhaled, it seemed that all the fighting spirit in his body was exhaled. He said weakly: "I need time to think about it. Now, please leave."

No one knows what Davis finally thought about it. Anyway, the next day, the California Democratic Party announced in front of the media that Davis had withdrawn from the race and Underwood would run for governor. Hillary and other Democratic figures said in front of the camera: "Davis' decision to withdraw from the race must be 'one of the most difficult decisions in his life', but Davis must have made such a decision because he believed it was right for California, which proved Davis' love for California."

Underwood, who received the Democratic Party's promise, also began to deal with this campaign with all his strength.

"Compared to Schwarzenegger, I don't have the strong support of political giants like the Kennedy family. But I have the support of the organization."

Underwood knows very well where the source of his power comes from. It is the power in all aspects controlled by the Universal Group and organizations. It is the "corporate warriors" who are active on all fronts and widely infiltrate and control the law enforcement agencies, management departments, social service and non-profit organizations, business alliances and chambers of commerce, media and communication agencies in Los Angeles.

"Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are like a political caravan. In contrast, our organization does not have many factions, is more efficient, and has a clearer position. We use corporate warriors as the backbone, go deep into the community, establish close ties with voters, and have stronger grassroots mobilization capabilities. Campaign funds come directly from within the Oneworld Group, and external interest groups cannot hold us back. If it weren't for our relatively small scale today, I really can't imagine how those guys would win........."

Chapter 243: Commander Lin's Order is Passed Down

“Task Name: Rebuilding a Democratic Republic (Part 2)

Mission Reward: After completing a series of missions, your reward is the United States

Mission Description: Comrades, since Comrade Lin Dengsheng proposed the "Steal America" ​​strategy, we have been accumulating strength to achieve these strategic goals and preparing for the arrival of variables. We won the first stage of the election for the mayor of Los Angeles, providing our "corporate warriors" with a lot of opportunities for experience and room for improvement. Now, new variables have come again. Davis is unable to grasp the position of governor of California. Many heroes have emerged, including Democrats, Republicans and independent candidates. Too many people are eyeing the position of governor of California and dream of becoming the controller and manager of California, the most powerful state in the United States.

We are also determined to win the position of governor of California! Once we send Underwood to the position of governor, we will take this opportunity to expand the power of the organization beyond Los Angeles, and penetrate into all aspects of California, and then radiate to the entire United States and the Pacific Ocean. Corporate warriors will also take this opportunity to go further, go to a broader platform for training, fully understand state-level management, and be fully prepared to take over the United States in the future.

Corporate warriors! Seize the opportunity!

Now, the corporate warriors in the US region will enter a "special phase", and we will temporarily adjust the benefits of different tasks. The tasks related to assisting Underwood in the governor's election will receive double the task rewards, and increase the probability of obtaining rare skins and specialization points; the rewards for tasks unrelated to this will be temporarily reduced to 50% of the basic value. "

Players who received the task prompts would actively participate in the tasks related to the election, even if it was based on the most basic choice of seeking benefits and avoiding harm. Not to mention that many players really want to "improve". This is not to say that they are doing it for the sake of corruption and making money. Corruption in the game has no meaning, but the feeling of holding power and managing a place is very exciting. For those players who really want to do real things in the game (there is no chance in reality), it is even more irresistible.

Even for those players who only like to shoot, or those who only like to "farm, build houses, and do construction", they are very active in helping with the election. The reason is simple. The higher the position of Chief Lin, the more freedom everyone has to play the game.

Therefore, more than 90% of the players, after receiving the task prompt, will accept it regardless of whether it is a poll task, a fundraising activity, a policy propaganda activity, a warm-hearted grassroots activity, or collecting data, inquiring about information, tapping into personal connections, or doing polls.

"Let's get started!"

Can Underwood really run a good campaign?

This is not a blind worry of the Democrats, but considering Underwood's usual impression of being a Hollywood star. As for Los Angeles' good performance during the power crisis, it does not seem to have much to do with Underwood (because Underwood was offline when the mayor was filming a movie), but may have something to do with Los Angeles's reliable administrative team (such as Ji Tianping's team that has made achievements in Long Beach), rich financial resources, and support from private capital represented by Power Works.

But this does not mean that those people around Underwood can properly handle the election for governor. Maybe they have the ability, but considering that the Democratic Party is changing its generals at the last minute and time is so tight, these people who help Underwood may only be able to use 20% to 30% of their abilities before the election is over. Therefore, those Democratic leaders are not reassured. They came to Underwood's campaign "staff office" in a group, ready to give Underwood some advice on how to run the campaign as experienced people.

A group of Democratic Party leaders in neat suits, represented by Hillary, Pelosi, Brown, Newsom and McAuliffe, walked into a modern office building in downtown Los Angeles. The elevator door slowly opened, and what came into view was a huge and highly digitalized office space, which was completely different from the traditional campaign office they imagined.

The room was filled with a tense and exciting atmosphere, the air was filled with the aroma of coffee and the sound of keyboards. The huge space was divided into several functional areas, each filled with the latest models of computers and large display screens. The staff were standing or sitting, staring at the screen intently, their fingers moving quickly on the keyboard.

The most eye-catching thing is the huge LED wall in the center of the room, which flashes various data and charts. Several young data analysts are standing in front of the wall and discussing fiercely, their eyes are shining with wisdom, and the laser pointers in their hands occasionally draw elegant tracks on the screen. This inevitably reminds people of the military command center, where the people who are discussing fiercely are shrewd and capable "staff officers" making final preparations for the upcoming election.

"This place is just like the Pentagon's Joint Operations Center..."

Democratic National Committee Chairman McAuliffe narrowed his eyes, turned to his colleagues and whispered: "It seems that Underwood's team is indeed extraordinary. We did not find the wrong person."

At this moment, a man wearing black-framed glasses came up quickly and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our 'War Room'. I am responsible for data analysis here. Underwood is attending an important regional event today, and he asked me to receive everyone and show you our current campaign situation. Please follow me and I will introduce our system to you."

As the man in black-framed glasses operated, a detailed map of California appeared on the screen. The map showed the population density distribution of various regions in California; the voting trends of various regions in the past few gubernatorial elections; and demographic data such as age, race, education level, and income level (provided by the miserable Davis team).

"With the existing GIS, Prometheus Data Lab has optimized it and now it has become our overall tool, which not only shows the political leanings of each region, but also provides detailed voter data and historical election data.

The map can show the issues that voters in each region are most concerned about. Based on these characteristics, we can customize campaign information and formulate targeted campaign strategies for different groups of people; increase voter registration and mobilization efforts in areas with low registration rates; record each contact with voters, such as door-to-door visits and phone calls, to avoid repeated contact and improve communication efficiency; calculate and design resource allocation plans based on the importance and degree of competition in each region, including advertising, volunteer dispatch, and campaign activities; in addition, we can also mark the location and frequency of opponents' campaign activities on the map and formulate corresponding counter-strategies. "

At this moment, a young data analyst hurried over and whispered something in the ear of the man with black-framed glasses. The man's expression suddenly became serious, and he turned to the Democrats and said, "We have just received the latest poll data, which shows that our support rate has declined in several key areas in San Diego."

The room suddenly fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on the big screen. The man with black-framed glasses quickly retrieved the data of the relevant areas and analyzed it with several "staff officers":

"It seems that voters in these districts have some concerns about our health insurance policies. We need to adjust our strategy and strengthen our publicity in this regard. Immediately assign personnel to organize a response team to review our health insurance policy publicity plan. We need to convey clearer and more convincing information to voters."

Then, he continued to operate the computer, called up a complex social network map of those key areas, and told his deputy: "Yes, it's them. Tell the response team to focus on public relations with these local community opinion leaders! Influence more voters through them!"

When the man with the black-framed glasses regained his gentle expression, he saw the astonished expressions on the faces of the Democratic Party bosses.

Chapter 244: Captain America vs. Terminator (Part 1)

When all the corporate warriors and the organizations and people they control stand on Underwood's side, their fierce combination of punches is dazzling.

First, the media platforms controlled by the players went all out. They first used traditional media such as TV stations, newspapers and radio stations that they directly or indirectly controlled to shape a favorable public opinion atmosphere for Underwood. They planned a series of positive reports to highlight Underwood's achievements as the mayor of Los Angeles and demonstrate his leadership and political vision.

In addition to traditional media, players themselves are also high-intensity surfers, and they instinctively pay attention to and make full use of the emerging Internet media during their gaming time. In the early 21st century, although social media was not as popular as it would be a decade or twenty years later, blogs and forums had already begun to emerge. From now on, players have also formed an online propaganda team to publish information favorable to Underwood on major online platforms and guide online public opinion. At the same time, they also pay close attention to negative comments online and conduct crisis public relations in a timely manner.

Secondly, in the operation of public utility companies, players are also preparing to launch a series of people-friendly policies.

For example, players launch energy-saving subsidy programs through the power companies they control, such as providing subsidies for the purchase of high-efficiency home appliances, heating and cooling equipment, or providing free energy audits (checking the user's bills and equipment, and comprehensively analyzing and comparing to see if there is excessive energy consumption. Based on the analysis results, specific energy-saving suggestions are made, such as replacing high-efficiency equipment, improving insulation, optimizing lighting systems, adjusting usage habits, etc., and then giving the benefits of each suggestion). Once the user is interested, they will promote consumers to buy specific energy-saving products that can get cash rebates.

As for who owns this particular energy-saving product, do you still remember what the first branch of Universal Group did? Yes, it is now a home appliance company.

For example, in California, which is facing water shortages and declining reservoir levels, farmland and urban water use are threatened; many water treatment and transportation infrastructures are aging, and the use of pesticides and fertilizers has led to groundwater and surface water pollution. Through the water companies that players can control, water protection plans are implemented.

For example, the player-controlled Los Angeles local public transportation company introduced a preferential fare policy, which not only facilitated people's travel, but also reduced traffic congestion and air pollution. All of the above measures not only directly benefited voters, but also clearly combined these plans with Underwood's overall policy propositions, established Underwood's image of attaching importance to environmental protection (in California, attaching importance to environmental protection is a very correct issue), and demonstrated Underwood's positive impact on the economy, environment and society, which undoubtedly added weight to his campaign for governor.

Finally, in terms of utilizing government resources, the corporate warriors who control all aspects of the Los Angeles government also did their best. They promoted vocational training and re-employment projects, providing vocational training and skills improvement to help people who lost their jobs due to company bankruptcies during the power crisis, and helping them acquire new skills; they also promoted infrastructure investment, seizing the opportunity when people had just experienced the power crisis and were still worried about the suspension of energy and basic service guarantees, and pushed for the passage of infrastructure investment and construction proposals. These constructions will undoubtedly create many job opportunities and improve the city's public facilities and services.

As for what Underwood needs to do, most of the time, he just needs to deepen the impression of "Captain America" ​​in the minds of voters.

On a sunny day with a clear blue sky, the streets were crowded with people, and many citizens and tourists gathered on both sides of the marathon track, looking forward to this grand sporting event.

At six in the morning, a large number of contestants and spectators had gathered in the square. Mayor Underwood wore a tight-fitting Captain America costume today, with a five-pointed star on his chest shining. This costume made him look both majestic and friendly, attracting a lot of attention. With the release of "Captain America", everyone knows who this costume is.

As the starting gun sounded, the contestants rushed to the starting line like a tide. Underwood also ran quickly to the middle of the team and started with the ordinary contestants. Of course, Underwood's "corporate warrior bodyguards" also became contestants, following him closely to ensure his safety.

The race route passed through several iconic locations in Los Angeles. The first was the bustling Hollywood Boulevard, lined with various shops and theaters. Underwood ran in the crowd, waving to the spectators on the roadside from time to time. His Captain America costume attracted many cheers and photos. Some children even shouted excitedly: "Captain America is here!" When Underwood heard this, he would make an exaggerated salute, which made the children laugh.

After running through Hollywood Boulevard, the runners came to Sunset Boulevard. The slope here began to become steeper, and many runners began to slow down. Underwood also felt his breathing become a little faster, but he did not stop to rest. With the body trained by swimming and climbing for many years, this was nothing.

On Sunset Boulevard, Underwood met a young contestant. The contestant looked a little tired, his steps began to stagger, and his movements were deformed. Underwood slowed down, walked up to him, and asked softly: "Are you okay? Do you need help?"

The young man looked up at Underwood and said in surprise, "Mr. Mayor? I didn't expect you to actually participate in the race! Are you...ready to run the whole course?"

"Of course, there's no reason to quit halfway. But it's okay to adjust a little bit, adjust your breathing and stride. Come on, let's run together."

Gradually, some players joined in and walked side by side with Underwood. Underwood talked to the players around him from time to time, asking about their lives and work. Some people reflected that the city's traffic congestion was serious, while others hoped to add more green parks. Underwood listened carefully, nodded from time to time, and said that he would seriously consider these suggestions. (Of course, these contents would be filmed by the players carrying cameras)

Underwood had been running for nearly two hours, his pace was not as brisk as at the beginning, and his breathing was getting heavier. Seeing the mayor's persistence, the spectators on the roadside cheered him on.

"Hold on, Mayor!" "Come on Captain America!"

In the fourth hour of the race, Underwood arrived at Santa Monica Beach. The finish line was just in front of him. Underwood used his last bit of strength to speed up and rushed to the finish line. When he crossed the finish line, the scene burst into warm applause and cheers.

Naturally, Underwood's first goal in participating in the competition was not to win the championship. After all, Underwood did not really inject the super soldier serum, nor could he "upgrade" like a player, but he also got a top ten ranking, which was pretty good.

As a candidate for governor and mayor of Los Angeles, his participation in the marathon naturally attracted widespread media attention. Many newspapers and TV stations reported on this, praising his people-friendly style and perseverance. Some commentators believe that this form of interaction helps to narrow the distance between the government and the people and enhance mutual understanding and trust. Of course, there are also voices that believe that wearing Captain America's costume to participate in the competition is too fancy and does not fit the identity of a mayor. Others worry that such behavior may affect the mayor's time and energy for handling daily official business.

In response to these questions, Underwood said: "I understand that some people may be confused about my outfit. But what I want to say is that as a public figure, we need to communicate with citizens in various ways. If the image of Captain America can make more people pay attention to this event and the development of our city, then I think it is worth it. As for whether it will affect my work, I can assure you that participating in the marathon will not affect my time and energy to perform my duties as mayor. On the contrary, this experience has given me a more direct understanding of the needs of citizens, which will help me in my future work."

Underwood's words were recognized and supported by most citizens. Many people said that they were very happy to see the mayor interact with everyone in such a friendly way. One citizen wrote on social media: "I used to think that those politicians were far away from us, but when I saw the mayor wearing Captain America's clothes and running with us, I suddenly felt that he was also one of us. This feeling is really good."

Meanwhile, in the "War Room," the man with black-framed glasses was just silently comparing several sets of data. Suddenly, one of his assistants handed over a report and said, "As we expected, the negative comments we released actually increased Underwood's support rate."

As estimated in the report, "wearing a Captain America costume to participate in the race is too flashy and unbecoming of a mayor. Others worry that such behavior may affect the mayor's time and energy for handling daily affairs." Such criticisms have attracted more attention from the media and the public, sparked a wider public discussion, and made more people aware of the mayor's participation in the marathon, indirectly increasing Underwood's exposure.

These criticisms precisely highlight the mayor's willingness to step out of the office and personally participate in mass activities, shaping Underwood's image as someone who is approachable and close to the people; wearing a Captain America costume will be considered interesting by young people, and the voices of criticism may make some people feel that the critics are too serious or rigid, which will increase recognition of the mayor's novel approach and attract support from young voters; in the face of criticism, the mayor's supporters will defend and speak out more actively for him, strengthening his support base; Underwood also used this activity to make himself look more like an interesting and humane leader rather than a rigid politician.

The man with black-framed glasses was silent for more than ten seconds, then nodded and said, "Very good, everything is going according to plan."