The world didn't need truth. It needed spectacle. So when the news broke,when every major network flashed Li Tian's face across a dozen time zones with the word "fugitive" beneath it,the world didn’t ask why. They asked how long he’d been hiding it. And that’s exactly how the Circle wanted it. They didn’t just want to destroy me. They wanted to rewrite who I was. **** 6:00 AM : Jincheng Central News Network The anchor wore an expression too calm for the words she was reading. “Breaking this morning: Jincheng’s newest billionaire, Li Tian, founder of Dragon Holdings, is now under international investigation for alleged involvement in global arms trafficking and illicit asset laundering. Sources suggest his rise may be linked to off-grid military operations in North Africa, South America, and Eastern Europe…” They rolled the clips: stockpiled crates, black-market weapons, edited footage of foreign ports. Most of it fake. All of it convincing. Then came the final blow: “Aut