Vid also sat in front of the TV, watching the interview news that he had helped orchestrate, and at this moment he looked at Delaine in astonishment and asked:
"The Polyjuice Potion is easy, but her acting is really impressive! Where did you find this person? She could win an Oscar!"
Delaine rarely smiled: "Why not imagine boldly? For instance — she really has won one."
"Did you really get an award-winning actress?" Vid was even more surprised: "Is she also a Wizard?"
Delaine corrected: "Dud. Her whole family is Witch Pure Party, so there's no concern about loyalty. She doesn't know the details of last night, just needs to know how to deceive."
After a pause, he looked at Vid and said, "But I really didn't expect all the guests who entered the manor to die... You're not planning to go back to Hogwarts?"
The thought of it gave Vid a headache.
Last night, besides the Poppets brought in for exhibition as guests, several Poppets were left in the garage — such as oddly looking Trolls, Red Caps, Kappas, and the Poppets for stand-ins.
When Bloren stormed into the venue, the Poppets in the underground garage received the signal simultaneously, and they even began slaughtering earlier than their kind.
The Poppets broke into Illari's laboratory, killing the guests whose memories were to be extracted and the guards, then made their way to the Stonefield family vault, broke in, and staged a heist.
By the time Vid arrived, they were almost done emptying the vault.
Later, Vid had to spend time dealing with the manor's surveillance system. The footage the reporters got actually came from the diligently working birds carrying Flow Mirrors.
He held his forehead speechlessly for a moment, then said, "Can I say it wasn't me who killed them? Will you believe me?"
Delaine chuckled and said, "I believe you."
Vid lifted his head: "Really?"
"Of course." Delaine looked at the TV and said, "I was joking earlier... I know it wasn't you who killed them or ordered them killed."
Vid: ...
Sorry... 'That's a joke' really wasn't apparent from your face.
Delaine continued, "Even just speaking to kill over two hundred people changes one's entire expression completely — I didn't see that change on you."
"So don't worry about anyone misunderstanding you... What I've seen, others can naturally see as well."
Vid was slightly stunned, instinctively touching his eyes before turning his gaze.
On the TV, the news continued —
The New York Police Department Commissioner stood at a temporary press podium with a sullen face:
"...This is a blatant trampling of United States law, moral boundaries, and basic humanity. The Stonefield family tried to conduct a crime akin to terrorism using wealth and power."
"All guests are confirmed to have been silenced. This is an unprecedented tragedy!"
"We have established a special investigation team to cooperate comprehensively with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to thoroughly investigate this case and hold all involved accountable."
The Mayor of New York City also delivered a brief speech at the City Hall, with a somber tone:
"The entire United States was shrouded in a shadow this morning. We express our deepest condolences to the victims' families. This case exposes the extreme consequences of some people's unchecked actions, we must reflect, we must act!"
Reporters also found several surviving Stonefield family branch members.
They were confronted by reporters at their doorstep, with some expressing frantically:
"I had no idea at all!"
"I cut ties with the family long ago! Now I work three jobs a day to support myself! Stonefield family committing crimes, what's it got to do with me?"
Some had benefited from the family and now forced composure to denounce:
"This appalling behavior stains the family name! Sir didn't summon me back to the family last night precisely because he knew I would never tolerate it."
Others were irascibly shoving reporters, shouting angrily: "Get away! I know nothing! Keep filming and I'll sue you!"
On the other hand, several individuals claiming to have "received an invitation but didn't attend due to circumstances" suddenly emerged, proactively approached TV stations, and passionately spoke on camera about their "Goddess of Fortune's favor" and "keen intuition."
One real estate businessman even pulled out a seemingly forged invitation on the spot, narrating expressively how he felt uneasy last night, ultimately deciding to decline the invitation and stay home with his family.
In the studio, an invited expert analyzed solemnly for the public:
"If the replacements had succeeded, the Stonefield family could have indirectly manipulated global economic lifelines, defense policies, and even international relations. Its threat exceeds any terror organization."
"Perhaps there is a similarly chilling dark alliance within the United States elite circles. We must ask: How many such gatherings are taking place? How many are coveting others' identities and lives?"
"We must also ask, how many people... are still genuinely themselves?"
Meanwhile, another enormous doubt was being fervently discussed on all social media and in the streets —
Last night, nearly all attending guests and the Stonefields were dead, but the arranged replacements following cosmetic surgery were missing.
Besides Mary Chabu who was spared, the rest haven't even had their bodies found.
Various conspiracy theories rapidly proliferated:
"Maybe they've long been secretly dealt with!"
"It must be Washington's... that kind of unit was involved! You know... 'house cleaning'."
"Probably some other big family defeating another! Keeping them alive for usefulness."
"Were replacements already made and we just don't know?"
"Thinking about it, hasn't that star seemed increasingly strange over the years? Unequal to how they appeared early in their career! Even their height differs!"
Panic silently began to spread.
Following the sudden death of Sir William Stonefield and his principal heirs, the massive family possessing billions of US Dollar assets instantly became the focal battleground of global attention regarding its wealth.
Numerous creditors, distant relatives, government tax departments, and even unrelated bystanders were all sharpening their knives.
A new war — a smokeless war — was just beginning.
...
Within the Witch Pure Party tavern, seeing only pointless nonsense left on TV, Delaine turned off the television, looked at Vid, and asked:
"Do we need to arrange an ending for the missing duplicates?"
Vid asked with interest, "How would you arrange it?"
Delaine said, "For example, after a week or two, a warehouse belonging to the Stonefield family suddenly catches fire. After extinguishing the flames, people discover numerous charred corpses inside."
Many people die every day worldwide, finding corpses with suitable death timings isn't difficult for the Witch Pure Party.
Vid chuckled and said, "That's perfect, but unnecessary."
He looked out at the hurried pedestrians and said:
"We don't need to prepare standard answers for every question, people will naturally come up with the explanations they deem most reasonable. And on the surface, this matter has nothing to do with us at all, right?"