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Chapter 22 – There Is No Smoke Without Fire

  Although @Only_James' posts have reached a considerable level of popurity within s.converence (Science Conference) it does not necessarily change his image for the better in the eyes of the forum public. Popurity is not a determinant of truth, and many believe that his popurity is just the result of temporary hype.

  When his account suddenly disappeared, when his digital footprint was seemingly erased, the majority of individuals on this forum did not take it as anything. It was just a small international rumor that would soon be forgotten in the rger stream of discussion.

  "An anonymous person talks too much, then disappears. That's nothing new," is how most of them see it. Those who reject the idea of James outright believe that time will erase all traces of him, perhaps in a few weeks or months, no one will remember this discussion. No one will care. The world has much bigger things to care about: global politics, technological experiments, economic competition-and an anonymous user disappearing in the middle of a discussion is not something that can survive in the history of civilization.

  But no matter how much pushback is given to @Only_James, no one on this forum can truly dismiss the slightest possibility. Even those who berate his ideas, those who categorically call him a chartan, they know that impossibility is not something that can be asserted absolutely. They know that even if 99% of what he says is a lie, there is a 1% chance that something in his words has weight.

  And for those who have been part of the Science Conference for a long time, they know that even a 1% chance in a pce like this can change the course of history.

  Science Conference is no ordinary civic forum. It is a digital space for those who shape this world, those who have the power to determine the course of civilization.

  It's a pce where governments of various countries, scientists researching the test technology, nobles with the authority of a state, and wealthy individuals hold sway over industry and global economic policy. It's a pce where decisions that are never made public are made, a pce where even the craziest theories can be discussed without the interference of ordinary people's opinions.

  There are no ordinary civilians here. No ordinary person can find this forum, let alone join it. Every account on s.converence is a representation of a world power, each with their own interests. If someone is here, it means they have enough influence to be in the loop of discussions that determine the future of civilization.

  In other words, even if there are users who are brave enough to engage in trolling. It's only individuals like Evangeline, someone who is influential enough from others to be able to bullshit and troll at will.

  That's why when @Only_James' account disappeared, despite the majority rejecting the idea, no one could completely dismiss it. This forum has seen a lot of wild discussions, a lot of extreme theories, but it's very rare for someone to be deleted in such a clean and sudden manner. If there is someone who is truly capable of making something like this happen, then it means that someone from a fairly powerful side has taken the decision to eliminate James from this forum.

  And it made some individuals think more deeply, "Is he really just an imposter?", "If he really is just an ordinary imposter, why would anyone bother to delete him?", "Why not just let him fall by himself, like any other wild theory that is simply forgotten?"

  But even though this question was raised, there was no answer. No one can be sure whether James is truly a genius or just someone who talks too much in the wrong pces. All that remains are questions, and time will tell if users with the name @Only_James will truly vanish from their memories, or become something bigger in the future.

  This world is not a stable one. Unlike civilizations James once knew where diplomacy did more to contain the pace of rge-scale conflict; this world is wilder, more uncontrolble, more quickly ignited by the slightest spark.

  In the absence of a bance of power shaped by the threat of nuclear weapons or reliance on solid international cooperation; interstate military conflicts are more frequent, more brutal, and more unpredictable.

  A third world war may never break out on a global scale, but small wars rage in various parts of the world for reasons that by James' standards would be considered too trivial.

  But this instability is not just limited to armed conflict. Discrimination is still deeply rooted, racism remains the boundary line that separates certain groups, and the long-eroded caste system of the James world still persists in many countries of the world. The wounds of history in this world never truly heal. If James' world is a world trying to rise from the shadows of its past, this world is a world still living in it.

  That is why even if it is just a small rumor, it is enough to be a reason for certain countries to act.

  They don't believe in the idea put forward by @Only_James, no major country really considers it a real threat. But that's not the problem, the problem is that someone has discussed something that shouldn't be discussed where it shouldn't be.

  The developing countries of Southeast Asia, represented by ASEAN, were the first to question the truth behind this rumor. They are not asking because they believe, they are asking because they understand that even lies can be dangerous if allowed to grow unchecked.

  ICANN, the organization responsible for the maintenance and operation of s.converence (Science Conference), received the request from ASEAN in a professional manner.

  Unlike in James' world where ICANN is just another internet organization that only manages domains and international networks, ICANN in this world is something much bigger. They don't just manage the DNS, they oversee the pce where the pilrs of civilization speak.

  Although being an international organization that acts neutrally and professionally with regard to all parties, ICANN is nonetheless subject to ELA (Emergency Leadership Authority) rights, whereby certain nations may order ICANN to comply in the moment of a crisis situation threatening a global crisis.

  ASEAN posed the question with some suspicion, "How could someone talk about something as dangerous as that at a Science Conference? Even the most eccentric person like Dante would not do so without rational calcution."

  They know that this forum is not a pce where just anyone can say anything. This is a pce where every word can shape global policy, every discussion can determine the future of humanity.

  Through ICANN, the United States answered ASEAN's questions: "The Science Conference is not a ptform where one can freely say something that could trigger conflict. Even if an individual like Evangeline acts freely, it only proves that she has authority."

  They're not saying that @Only_James is a threat, but they're also not saying that he's not important.

  They're just saying that an individual who can do trolling proves that he or she has an unwritten right. Someone like Evangeline can say crazy things and still not get beat up because she's someone with credibility, but an anonymous person with no power? That's not acceptable.

  This decision must be respected, no one can go against ELA rights without serious consequences. Above all, the answer from the United States does make sense; it is better to prepare an umbrel before it rains.

  Even so, developing countries in Southeast Asia represented by the international organization ASEAN still requested that the history of the account named @Only_James be maintained.

  But that doesn't mean that the conflict has cooled. Seeds have been pnted, waiting to grow into fruit ready to be picked at any time.

  ASEAN, along with many other developing countries cannot fully answer this, but they can only keep their mouths shut.

  They understand the reasoning behind the United States' actions, "However, should such a rge country really intervene for something so trivial?" That is their silent question.

  No matter how rational the United States' justifications, something feels off. Maybe it's just paranoia, maybe it's just something that's over-exaggerated for something completely trivial. However, in an international ndscape accustomed to explosive political tensions, such suspicions should not be taken lightly.

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