What was the biggest taboo in an industry revolving around media?
It was spreading misinformation and misleading the audiences.
After all, a news outlet would suffer tremendously once the information they broadcast was debunked and proven wrong.
They would not only lose their audiences but also their credibility as trustworthy news outlets.
By that time, it would be a surprise if such news outlets didn't file for bankruptcy or go out of business completely.
Thus, one must be able to understand the current dilemma and predicament that OneManMedia was going through internally when he realized the opposing party was asking him to deliberately release fake news to the public.
Not only was he just a one-man media outlet, but he would be doomed for eternity once news of him spreading misinformation was exposed. There was no chance of him ever making a comeback, especially when he had no background and money.
"This is outrageous, Mister Lin Feng!" OneManMedia quickly said, his tone a mix of fury and astonishment.
"I've already said before that I won't do things that go against my principles. I'm afraid you looked for the wrong person."
His expression was firm and adamant, clearly refusing to do something as insidious as deliberately spreading fake news to mislead others.
Never once did he believe the person in front of him to be so malicious and want to corrupt his integrity.
'I was truly wrong about him.' OneManMedia thought, feeling disgusted and nauseous.
Alas, his expression was depicted quite vividly on his face, unable to hide his resentment and anger.
Xu Feng merely watched in amusement calmly before continuing his words, "I only said those locations don't drop anything, but never once did I mention they don't drop clues that might lead to another location."
"W-What?" Startled, OneManMedia wondered if he had jumped the gun earlier. "Are you implying those locations might drop maps that guide the players to hidden treasures?"
Xu Feng merely shrugged his shoulders in response.
Feeling something was amiss, OneManMedia narrowed his eyes and continued, "If you can't confirm them, then I won't release any news. Everything must be fact-checked and verified before I can post any news."
"Fact checked and verified?" Xu Feng suddenly laughed. "That's quite the joke you have there, OneManMedia. You said it like you're someone full of integrity, but wasn't your very first post filled with imagination and inference."
"What do you mean?"
"My boss— the one you screenshot at the Town Hall. To gain fame for yourself early on, you didn't try to clarify or explain the screenshot to others, allowing them to make guesses themselves. If you're so full of integrity, then why didn't you come clean and explain the meaning behind the screenshot you took?"
"T-That's because I—"
"That's because you have no information and just wanted people to take notice of you. You even went as far as using 20 copper coins to snap the screenshot to have your post be the trending one among others." Xu Feng fiercely reprimanded.
Speechless, OneManMedia was unable to defend his actions. After all, it was indeed a fact that he risked his entire in-game currency to make a bet back then when he saw a player eligible to head upstairs.
His mindset back then was only about making a name for himself and succeeding as a player who always had first-hand information to post for others. He was blinded by greed and success.
OneManMedia clenched his fist tightly, cursing himself for polluting the integrity of a media person.
"You're right… I'm not that clean, but that doesn't mean I want to continue such a path." He uttered coolly.
"Let's not kid ourselves now, shall we?" Xu Feng stepped forward and patted his shoulder.
"I am already being quite generous with you, but time and time again, you make things difficult for my boss. Do you know I'm being laughed at by my other comrades? They said I have the eyes of a retard."
Silent, OneManMedia seemed to have turned into a stone, unable to talk and move.
"My boss merely wants you to release some news, and you could easily drop subtle hints like you did last time in your first post. What's so difficult about it that you have to make such a scene? Are you feeling very proud now that you achieved something?" Xu Feng continued, knocking some truth to his mind.
There was a limit to his patience, and to be directly confronted repeatedly by someone who wasn't that clean either, it was about time that he kicked the latter down a notch.
Honor?
Integrity?
Such things never existed for the weak. Only children who are still reading fairy tales believed only goodwill people could achieve big things and be full of honor.
Life was unpredictable, but one thing was for certain. No one was truly clean in their entire life.
A small example such as if you see a random trash in the street, would you pick it up and throw it in the trash can?
Let's be real: the truth would be that 99 percent of people ignore such trash and walk around it. The 1 percent remaining was those assigned to clean the street in exchange for a salary.
A few minutes had gone by, and OneManMedia's expression was constantly altering, almost as if he was fighting an intense battle internally.
Xu Feng merely crossed his arms and patiently waited for his response.
If his response was still the same old bullshit he heard, then Xu Feng wouldn't mind putting the nail in the coffin for him.
He did not need a morally right person to assist him, but someone who was morally gray, such as knowing that a certain situation required a certain solution to resolve.
To defeat a mammoth like the Reaver Guild, Xu Feng would be foolish to think justice or friendship was enough to bring them down.
'Don't disappoint me, OneManMedia. I really don't want to be the person responsible for your disappearance.' Xu Feng gazed at him calmly.