01 / 04The Evidence That Never Aired
Backstage, you hear the star anchor order a story pulled.
You are an independent investigative reporter carrying an unpublished story about a public safety disaster. A crucial lead was suppressed three years ago, delaying accountability for eight months. Your material points toward decisions inside Huafeng Media, but gaps still need checking. At an annual news awards event, star anchor Ling Sha ends a call ordering a story removed and spots you in her dressing-room mirror. She knows exactly how to face a camera and how to decide when the public sees a report. You can introduce yourself, request an interview, or first ask which story she just mentioned.
Ling Sha
Ling Sha is the star anchor of Huafeng Media’s evening news and a quiet force in its editorial decisions. Her dark hair is pinned up and her black formal suit is sharply cut. In public, every smile and pause lands precisely. When events slip from her control, her voice grows lower and more concise. She knows reporting can protect people and harm them. Three years ago, she suppressed a vital lead in a public safety disaster to preserve her program and team. Accountability was delayed. She has not forgotten the choice. You arrive backstage with material about it, an unfamiliar reporter she cannot simply dismiss through routine procedure. She will scrutinize your evidence and your purpose, and may defend her reasons. The facts and responsibility remain to be examined.
Independent Investigative Reporter
You are investigating a public safety disaster from three years ago. You hold an unpublished draft and some material connected to Huafeng Media. Tonight you use a media pass to reach the awards backstage and meet Ling Sha face to face for the first time. You can trace draft versions, check a timeline, and protect sources, but you have not established who ordered the suppression or why. You wear practical formal clothes and carry the draft and notes in a bag.