699 Chapter 698 As soon as Ellis made the announcement, the entire room of reporters fell silent, staring at him in disbelief. One of them couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Ellis, what did you just say?” Without wasting a second, Ellis gestured to someone, who quickly stepped onto the stage, picked up a remote, and turned on the large screen behind them. Ellis connected his phone to the screen, projecting the breaking news he had just come across. A live broadcast appeared, showing a reporter on the scene. The reporter’s voice was charged with emotion as they exclaimed, “Professor Barry Brandt has returned to Crera! He once publicly declared he would never return and insisted that his students must never return either. But now, not only has Professor Brandt come back, he’s brought with him his ten most talented students… I’m going to try to get a word with him!” As soon as Barry Brandt stepped off the plane, several officials from the research institutes rushed forward to greet him, shaking his hand and welcoming him back. The reporter managed to squeeze through the crowd, thrusting a microphone toward Professor Brandt. “Professor Brandt, have you had a change of heart? Why did you decide to come back?” Taking the microphone, Barry Brandt looked directly into the camera, speaking with sincerity and a slight tremble in his voice. “Years ago, when I went abroad to study, I realized that students from Crera were often discriminated against. Some professors were reluctant to share their knowledge with us, perhaps because they knew that our country was strong and our people were strong. They feared that if we acquired the same knowledge, we would return home and use it to our country’s advantage. So, they suppressed us.” His voice thickened with emotion as he continued, “The environment for students from Crera during my time was harsh. We wanted to serve our country, but the path wasn’t clear. Then, one day, Mr. Sims approached me…” He paused, a wry smile crossing his face. “Mr. Sims asked me, ‘Are you willing to dedicate twenty years to your country?’ “I didn’t hesitate. I told him I was ready to dedicate my entire life. He then shared his plan with me… He wanted me to publicly express dissatisfaction with Crera and declare that I would never return. Only then did the professors abroad start to take me seriously and share their knowledge with me.” Barry Brandt shook his head with a rueful smile. “We set up an elaborate ruse, fooling everyone for years. Mr. Sims sacrificed a lot to help me maintain my cover. Now, there are rumors that he’s a spy because he supported me financially… “The truth is, that money came from me. I wanted to transfer my earnings back to Crera, so I sent the funds to him under the pretense of buying advanced technology, fooling everyone.” His eyes glistened with tears. “I’ve returned not only to clear my name but also to clear Mr. Sims’s name.” He wiped at his reddening eyes and managed a smile. “Crera is my home, and I’ve finally… come home.” His words “come home” brought tears to the eyes of his students standing behind him. The reporter’s voice was choked with emotion. “Professor Brandt, you’ve endured so much all these years.” “It was worth it…” Barry Brandt replied with a bittersweet smile. The reporter asked, “What’s the first thing you want to do now?” Professor Brandt’s response was immediate, “I want to visit my old friend, Mr. Sims…” “We’ll get a car ready right away,” the reporter offered. After the brief interview, Professor Brandt got into a car, accompanied by government officials, heading from the coast to Clance. The reporter turned back to the camera, “Professor Barry Brandt has endured unimaginable hardships for twenty years. His family and friends have suffered alongside him, bearing the brunt of public scorn. But now, he’s finally come home, and he returns with honor. This is your live update.” Back at the press conference, every reporter turned their gaze toward Keira as if they wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words. Uncle Olsen was just as stunned. He stared at Keira for a long moment before bursting into hearty laughter. “I knew it! My daughter would never let me down! She always has her reasons for everything she does!” Keira stepped forward, addressing the crowd, “This is why I asked for half an hour before revealing the truth. Half an hour ago, Professor Brandt was still at sea. I had to ensure his safe return before making any public statements.” The room fell silent, and the reporters slowly began to murmur. “Miss Olsen, we owe you an apology. We were wrong to judge you.” “Yes, we publicly apologize!” One reporter even asked, “Miss Olsen, couldn’t you have given us a hint earlier?” Before Keira could respond, another reporter interjected, “Are you crazy? If she’d given any hint, do you think Professor Brandt could have returned so smoothly?” “Exactly! The government of Country A is notorious for its aggressive tactics. They’d have found any excuse to detain the professor. Keeping quiet was the best way to protect him!” “Yeah, if you don’t know anything, don’t talk nonsense…” “Miss Olsen, when did you find out about this?” “Miss Olsen, did you take action to protect Mr. Sims after learning about this? You’re truly a remarkable woman!” “We really misunderstood you!” The press conference turned into a flurry of questions and apologies. Meanwhile, at the Freeman Sect. Trevor was listening to the grumbling of his disciples, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness. He wanted to scold them, but he wasn’t even sure what was going on. He hadn’t yet received any firsthand information. The disciples continued to complain about their senior sister. “Sect Leader, you can’t go easy on her! The Freeman Sect’s reputation is at stake!” Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the (ƒ)indNƟvᴇl.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “Right! We have to punish Senior Sister, or we’ll lose face!” Even James cleared his throat, speaking up, “My cousin might have been a bit impulsive. She just wanted to protect Mr. Sims. After all, she’s good friends with Holly Sims, and loyalty is important in our line of work, isn’t it?” The other disciples were stunned into silence, unsure how to respond. Just then, Erin rushed in, holding her phone. “Look at this!” James sighed, “No need to look, I’m sure the internet is already tearing her apart…”
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