Chapter 35: Catastrophe, I’m Tainted!

"Logan wins the lawsuit, representing freedom and openness!"

The public's favorite trope—a single individual overcoming a powerful organization—had indeed played out, leaving people thrilled and lingering on the moment. Logan’s articulate and resonant closing statement was dubbed "I Have a Dream" by the media, spreading rapidly across the United States.

Ethnic minorities in particular—even the men—projected themselves into the "other half of our compatriots" Logan spoke of, feeling almost no disconnect. They lived in this same country, suffered the same discrimination, and lacked the same human rights and freedom; the American promise that "all men are created equal" had not been fulfilled for them either. Or rather, they were not considered "men" at all—at least, not by the Americans who regarded them as "compatriots."

Logan’s Irish ancestry was no secret, so minority groups saw his advocacy for women as, in essence, advocacy for them as well. As for whether Logan actually intended that? Well... let’s just say a troll never misses an opportunity to bury a hook.

Logan had become a full-blown sensation. If he chose to pursue a career in entertainment, he would at least be an idol. Was it because of justice? No, it was because of his face!

The reporters covering the trial didn't miss a single chance to photograph him. Furthermore, the guy was clever enough to wear light-colored clothing, maintaining wide-eyed, smiling expressions whenever facing the cameras. He looked relaxed and upbeat, and the photos seemed to come with a built-in filter. The pictures published by *The Sun* were the most iconic. In their shots, Logan appeared bathed in holy light, while Reverend Edward, captured exiting the same courthouse under a dismal, grim filter, looked sallow-skinned with drooping eyelids, like a venomous snake.

After this battle, Logan firmly cemented his title as the "Friend of Women." Women across the country were obsessed, spontaneously holding victory parades everywhere—all carrying handsome photos of Logan and Victoria’s Secret bras. The scale of these spontaneous rallies was unprecedented, as even pre-teen girls participated enthusiastically. Well, this was surely because they had experienced an awakening, and definitely not because of any "celebrity worship."

Even the sanitary napkins Logan mentioned in court became an overnight hit. Manufacturers seized the opportunity to advertise openly. They weren't entirely happy, however, because Victoria’s Secret subsequently announced it would produce superior sanitary napkins, committed to helping their female compatriots "live with self-respect, dignity, and liberation." Given Victoria’s Secret’s current status among women, this was equivalent to a massive crocodile crashing into the market; it would be a wonder if they were happy about it!

The jubilant atmosphere was so intense that it made them forget Logan still faced another lawsuit. And an even more troublesome one at that: the obscenity charges brought against *The Sun* in a state court, due to jurisdictional issues.

As everyone knows, America is a land of many fiefdoms. In this country, instances of local authorities ignoring the federal government are everywhere, and the same holds true for state courts. Losing a federal-level case wouldn't make the conservatives feel the sky was falling, as they held more power at the local level. There were records of previous sales bans initiated at the local level. In their view, the federal case was lost because the jury and judge had been "polluted" by public opinion. This further proved that the America of today was increasingly degenerating from a civilized nation into a barbaric, absurd one.

But at the state level, no matter how many witnesses *The Sun* found to testify that *Fifty Shades of Grey* had "significant literary value" or that the Page 3 girls were "far more artistic than erotic," as long as the jury and judge held conservative leanings, "traditional moral values would surely be upheld." This wasn't Logan’s guess; it was openly proclaimed by the *Chicago Catholic Daily*.

Originally, Logan had planned to fight it out, appeal if he lost, and then use a myriad of tactics at the federal level to turn the situation around. But Edward’s secret had disgusted him so thoroughly that he no longer wanted to drag it out. And so, just as the liberals were still celebrating Logan’s victory and the conservatives were gathering strength for a counterattack, *The Sun* unleashed its ultimate weapon!

"Church Necrophilia Scandal!"

The front page of *The Sun* featured a photo of Reverend Edward engaged in unspeakable acts with a cadaver!

"Oh my God!"
"Ugh!"

That day, the Chicagoans who first opened *The Sun* grabbed onto street trees and began vomiting uncontrollably!

"What’s going on?"

Passersby, unaware of the situation, were curious. Unable to help themselves, they bought a copy of *The Sun*, opened it, and—"Ugh..." They didn't even have time to reach for a tree before they were retching their guts out.

Once the news fermented, countless Chicagoans, much like Logan when he first heard of it, felt as if they had been struck by lightning, their minds going completely blank! The self-proclaimed guardian of morality, the pillar of faith, the prestigious Reverend Edward of Chicago—was he actually worse than the devil? Was this really not a sick, twisted joke by *The Sun*?

But as the saying goes, in this day and age, pictures are proof! The expressions of many Chicagoans shifted from disbelief to collapse; upon considering some heartbreaking possibilities, they rolled their eyes back and fainted.

The origin of all this lay in Reverend Edward’s "side business": praying for the recently deceased. It was said that when he prayed, he liked to be alone with the bodies to better communicate with their souls. Well, now all of Chicago knew just how "devoutly" he communicated!

Who could have imagined it? Even the lackeys Donal had sent to spy on him initially saw that the priest didn't smoke or drink, had no involvement with young boys, and even praised him as a "stubborn but true moral exemplar." But perhaps Logan’s media offensive had put too much pressure on him, causing him to increase the frequency of his "second business"!

As a result, Donal’s lackey was almost sent to heaven on the spot. In the end, it was only when Logan donned his "Mechanic" persona—relying on a modified camera, superior agility, and, most importantly, his formidable mental fortitude—that he finally captured the proof of the priest’s crimes.

How to describe this evidence? Even a slight description might risk being censored.

There was significant debate within *The Sun*’s editorial department regarding whether to publish the photos. But when Logan said, "I’m no longer clean, and neither will the rest of the country," the editorial team, having already vomited once, quickly agreed with him.

Thus, every Chicagoan felt unclean—a double assault on both their eyes and their spirits! It was fortunate the photos were black and white rather than color, which lessened the shock; otherwise, one look at such a scene, which defied the limits of humanity, might have blinded them!

Among those who saw the newspaper were many families who had previously hired Reverend Edward to pray for their deceased loved ones. How could they not faint upon reading the report? Those who fainted and woke up again were pale and shaky, followed by an explosion of rage!

The people of Chicago, feeling that their very souls were soiled, were furious! A mob surrounded the church. Chicago was in riot!