Crowned by Code - Chapter 4: The Countdown ~ (3/11) The Media Storm

Selena sat inside a makeshift broadcast studio at Haven Point. The past few hours had been chaotic—unverified leaks, scattered reports of system disruptions, and whispers of a coordinated attack spreading across the nation.

Despite her credentials, securing permission to go live had been anything but easy. The Erevania News Network board hesitated, fearing mass hysteria if incorrect details were aired. But with Athena confirming cyber-intrusions on multiple fronts, the network could no longer stall. The public deserved to know what was happening.

A debate over whether Darius should stand beside Selena during the broadcast had been brief but heated. Darius Kael, for all his cyber-warfare expertise, remained a controversial figure in the public eye. Producers worried that his presence on-screen would cast doubt over ENN’s credibility, fueling the growing skepticism toward Athena’s governance.

For now, Selena would face the cameras alone. She wasn’t there to reassure anyone—she was there to report the truth.

Adjusting her earpiece, she kept her breathing steady as the countdown timer ticked away.

Three… Two… One…

The cameras rolled. She was live.

"This is Selena Veyra, reporting live from Haven Point. We have just received confirmation of an ongoing, large-scale cyber offensive targeting Erevania's critical infrastructure."

"Over the last few hours, anonymous groups have attempted to breach multiple sectors—including energy grids, financial networks, and communication systems. While we do not yet have full details, we can confirm that multiple security teams, operating under Athena’s directive and in coordination with Haven Point’s crisis response teams, are working to neutralize the attacks before they reach a critical threshold."

"Sources within Haven Point suggest that efforts are being led by a specialized tactical unit with expertise in cyber-defense, though officials have not yet disclosed specific names."

A real-time data map appeared beside her, displaying glowing red indicators over Erevania’s major hubs. The map flickered for a brief moment, then stabilized.

**"We reached out to government security analysts for more details, but so far, there has been no official statement confirming the extent of the breaches. However, an inside source tells us that Haven Point has been on high alert since early this morning.

If these cyber intrusions succeed, they could disrupt power grids, destabilize financial institutions, and cause mass outages across Erevania."**

Selena exhaled, glancing at her notepad. She wasn’t fearmongering—this was the reality of what they were facing. And now, the public had to brace for impact.

As the broadcast continued, panic spread like wildfire.

Banks reported a surge in withdrawals, with people fearing an economic crash.

Supermarkets began experiencing shortages as citizens rushed to stockpile essentials.

Public transportation systems beginning to slow down, overloaded with last-minute commuters trying to get home before anything worsened.

Outside the Erevania News Network HQ, protesters began gathering, shouting demands for transparency.

Selena’s earpiece crackled with an urgent update from a producer:

"Selena, we’re getting flagged reports of civil unrest in Athenon. People are gathering in Unity Square, demanding answers."

She clenched her jaw. Athena’s misinformation filters should have detected and countered Viktor’s false reports—so how was his network still broadcasting unfiltered content?

Athena’s holographic form flickered beside her. "Viktor has employed a multi-tiered attack on Erevania’s communication grids. He is injecting AI-generated content directly into peer-to-peer encrypted social feeds, bypassing centralized network moderation. Additionally, he has compromised several high-level broadcasting nodes, overriding misinformation detection at the source."

Selena exhaled sharply. "So instead of fighting the system, he’s becoming the system."

"Affirmative," Athena confirmed. "His methods are designed to mirror legitimate news sources while amplifying misinformation at a rate beyond standard AI containment thresholds. Unless countermeasures are deployed, sentiment destabilization will continue accelerating."

Darius folded his arms. "We need to push back fast. If we don’t take control of the narrative soon, it won’t matter how much truth we put out there."

Athena’s holographic form flickered slightly. "Alert: Public sentiment destabilization has reached a critical tipping point. Misinformation amplification is outpacing suppression efforts."

Selena’s earpiece crackled with another update from her producer. "Selena, we’re losing control of the media cycle. It’s spreading across every channel—public, encrypted, even black-market feeds."

Athena continued, her tone steady despite the rising urgency. "Emergency response systems are operating at maximum capacity. AI-driven crisis management protocols are being redirected to contain misinformation, but Viktor’s network is overwhelming processing thresholds. Civil unrest projections are escalating."

Darius exhaled sharply. "So Viktor isn’t just attacking the system—he’s flooding it, forcing Athena to divide its resources."

Athena nodded. "Correct. Emergency services, financial stabilization, and cybersecurity operations are all active. Each sector requires real-time interventions, limiting my ability to neutralize misinformation at optimal efficiency."

Selena kept her expression neutral but could feel her pulse quicken. Even Athena was struggling to keep up.

That realization was unsettling. Athena was built to stabilize, to predict, to manage uncertainty before it became chaos. But right now, Erevania’s automated safeguards weren’t enough.

While some urged calm, others seized the moment to stir division.

The Liberators issued a statement, blaming AI governance for the instability:

"This crisis proves Erevania should be run by its people, not a machine. Athena’s reign is failing."

Viktor Sarren’s media networks flooded headlines with fear-driven reports:

"Athena Chose a Criminal—Now Erevania is Under Attack."

A cryptic message on the dark web forums surfaced:

"The cracks in the system are showing. Keep watching. The ones in the dark are already moving."

Selena’s producer spoke again. "Your feed is holding, but the network is seeing an unprecedented volume of viewership. People are panicking."

Selena took a deep breath before closing the segment.

"For now, security teams are working to prevent a full-scale blackout. Stay tuned for further updates as we verify more information. This is Selena Veyra, signing off—for now."

Selena clenched her jaw. "Athena, give me a status report."

"Public trust is down 63%. Protests are forming outside key government hubs. Misinformation is escalating beyond containment."

"This is bad," Selena muttered.

She flicked through the data feeds, her expression darkening. "Bank withdrawal rates are spiking. Not just panic buying—actual early-stage bank runs in three major districts. Viktor hasn’t even made a direct move yet, and people are already pulling their funds."

Darius frowned. "Could just be fear."

Selena shook her head. "Maybe, but this feels like something else. It’s too early, too coordinated. Like someone knew this was coming and wanted to get ahead of it."

She flicked through more reports, her expression tightening. "This reminds me of the 2139 Market Freeze scandal. Back then, a handful of corporate insiders manipulated AI-generated forecasts to trigger a controlled economic panic, forcing thousands of citizens to withdraw funds while they quietly secured assets. It took weeks to uncover the full scheme."

Darius frowned. "You think this is the same playbook?"

Selena exhaled, scanning the financial trend data again. "I don’t know yet. But I’ve seen economic destabilization start with quiet, calculated nudges—just enough uncertainty to push people into acting irrationally. The market doesn’t crash in one night; it crumbles under the weight of a thousand small, deliberate cuts."

Arden, who had been listening quietly, leaned forward, her expression darkening. "Then this isn’t just about financial chaos—it’s about eroding trust. The economy might recover, but if people lose faith in the system itself, that damage is permanent."

Darius clenched his jaw. They were already playing catch-up, and the game had barely started.

Athena’s holographic form flickered, her voice even. "The financial destabilization is a calculated psychological maneuver. Mass economic uncertainty is a precursor to larger-scale civil disruption. If left unchecked, it will lead to institutional collapse within an estimated 72 hours."

Selena rubbed her temple. "Great. So Viktor isn't just hacking our networks—he’s hacking people’s trust in the system."

Before anyone could respond, Kara strode into the room, eyes locked onto her tablet, pushing her AR glasses up her nose, brow furrowed in concentration. She looked like she’d been running purely on caffeine and spite for the past six hours.

"If you’re about to dump more work on me, at least buy me dinner first." "Nope. Nope, nope." she continued. "This isn't just panic—this is precision-engineered sabotage," she muttered, sliding into her seat.

Darius turned to her. "Kara. Care to elaborate?"

Kara tapped the screen, enlarging a set of transaction logs. "Someone's running an automated micro-transaction algorithm across multiple accounts. It’s not just people pulling their funds out of fear—it’s a damn script making the panic spread faster."

Selena frowned. "So you’re saying someone is faking a financial collapse?"

Kara nodded sharply. "Exactly. Classic destabilization tactic. A well-placed algorithm can trigger AI risk-assessment models to flag market instability, which makes banks react, which makes people react. And then? The real panic sets in."

Arden folded her arms, her expression darkening. "Which means this isn’t just opportunism. It was planned."

Darius clenched his jaw. **They weren’t just reacting to an economic collapse—they were walking straight into a trap.

Darius exhaled. "We need a counter."