Luo's mother also fainted upon receiving the news, while Luo's father was overwhelmed and distracted, constantly checking his phone, fearing any negative comments.
As expected, his fears were confirmed.
"Luo Corporation's CEO suspected of practicing dark magic and suffering a backlash."
"Black-hearted enterprise Luo Corporation faces retribution."
"What goes around comes around; even heaven can't stand it. How much ill-gotten wealth did he amass to warrant such divine punishment?"
"An unprecedented event in history, demanding a thorough investigation into Luo Haocheng. Just looking at his face, I knew he wasn't a good person."
"Wow, this is chilling. Everyone should refrain from doing bad deeds; there are gods watching three feet above your head."
"Damn, this is too terrifying."
"To stumble upon something like this at noon, is it luck or misfortune?"
The video of his severed leg also went viral online. Indeed, the app belonged to the Han family, and the Luo family couldn't have it removed. The immense discussion also brought the Han family considerable revenue.
With the overwhelming onslaught of topics, any amount of money Luo Corporation spent on paid online commenters was in vain.
As the posts gained more traction, several company CEOs personally stepped forward to reveal that they had signed unfair contracts with Luo Haocheng.
These were seasoned businessmen who had been in the industry for decades; no one would be so foolish. The series of events clearly indicated that Luo Haocheng was an unusual person.
They could not swallow this insult. Even a swarm of ants could bring down an elephant. It was obvious someone was targeting the Luo family, and with others taking the lead, they had nothing to fear.
Luo Haocheng seemed like a chosen one, never failing to acquire whatever he desired.
His life story was meticulously dug up; he had enjoyed a smooth, upward trajectory.
No matter how the Luo family clarified, the public only believed what they saw and imagined.
Practicing dark magic was a mysterious and esoteric matter, and many were afraid to associate with their family.
Numerous small shareholders began quietly selling their shares. The Luo family also had businesses in the food industry.
The public started boycotting and refused to buy their products, fearing they were toxic, addictive, or harmful.
With upfront capital invested in production, their products remained unsold, leading to financial strain for the entire Luo Corporation. Luo's father began to use his personal fortune to plug the leaks.
Several projects had to be halted due to a lack of funds. Those who had purchased off-plan properties became extremely agitated. Jun Jiuli helped them with their legal fees, and a group of them united to sue the Luo family.
To salvage some reputation, Luo's father publicly apologized and held a press conference, stating that they had secured loans from the bank and would resume construction soon.
"Soon? We need a definite date."
"Who wants to buy your houses? It's so unlucky. Give us our money back, give us our money back."
Some had worked their entire lives to buy a house, pouring all their hard-earned money into it. Now, with no construction and still needing to repay loans, who could tolerate this?
With no other recourse, Luo's father sold his funds and shares in other companies at a low price to repay the property owners. The bank also suspended their loans.
The Luo family's existing properties also became unsellable. Despite reduced prices, only a few were sold.
No one knew if there was a problem with the feng shui of those houses, which directly affected Xu Fengze's family business. His family was involved in real estate channel sales and had signed contracts with the Luo family.
They earned commissions for selling houses, and salespeople generally received a base salary even if they couldn't sell.
Consequently, his family's income had been negative lately, and other companies were unwilling to collaborate with them.
The Luo family's misfortune might be a backlash from their dark magic, and they might carry bad luck with them.
Upon waking up in the hospital, Luo Haocheng felt completely numb. His legs were gone; he had become crippled.
He spent his days smashing and cursing in the ward. Several caregivers resigned because they couldn't tolerate his behavior.
"Ah, why? Why me? Get out, get out! Are you laughing at me? You dare mock me!"
As he spoke, he threw a bowl at the caregiver. Luo's mother entered and saw this scene, her eyes filled with heartache. She took out a small stack of money from her bag.
"Xiao Li, please accept this. I'm so sorry, Haocheng is not in a good mood."
"It's alright, Madam. This is what I should do."
"Good, good child. You go out first. Auntie needs to talk to Haocheng."
"Alright."
Luo Haocheng's face was filled with impatience.
"Mom, why are you so polite to this subordinate? We paid him; he should be serving me."
Luo's mother came over and patted his hand. "Why are you still so impetuous and haven't learned your lesson? I've told you since you were young, never show your true thoughts on your face. Even if you look down on them, pretend to be amiable; it's better for your reputation."
"Hypocritical. I am the CEO of Luo Corporation. I don't need this kind of packaging. What good does the praise from these subordinates do for me?"
Luo's mother was momentarily speechless. Her son was too arrogant. Having never faced adversity, he didn't even respect his own mother.
"What exactly happened that day? Do you remember anything?"
"I've already told you I don't. Are you annoyed? If I knew which beast did this, I would have torn him to shreds long ago."
At this moment, Luo's father suddenly pushed the door open and slapped Luo Haocheng hard across the face.
"You beast, how dare you spout nonsense here? Do you know how much the company has lost because of you?"
Luo Haocheng clutched his face, looking on in disbelief.
"Dad, you hit me. You actually dared to hit me; you've never hit me since I was little."
"Confess truthfully. Did you do anything disgraceful behind my back?"
"I'm your own son. Don't you even trust me? The company was fine when I managed it. You should reflect on yourself; perhaps your ability is insufficient. Don't blame me when something goes wrong."
"Rebellious son! Ungrateful."
Luo's father was so enraged he clutched his chest to catch his breath, and Luo's mother quickly went to help him.
"Lao Luo, don't be angry. The child is still young; we can teach him slowly. Father and son should be united, and you can overcome any difficulty."
Luo's father roughly pushed Luo's mother's hand away. "Your son is good. He has ruined the company like this. Outside, it's magnificent; inside, it's rotten."
"He has offended so many people in the industry. Even if I swallow my pride and beg, they are unwilling to lend us money for circulation."
"That's your own incompetence; don't take your anger out on us, mother and son. Those people look down on me as a newcomer. What does it matter if I offend them? Their companies are not as big as ours, why should I be so cautious with them?"
"I think your head has been kicked by a donkey. All these years of study have been wasted. Many key employees in the company have resigned, and we can't hold them back any longer."
"Why keep them? If they want to leave, let them all go. Block them in the industry and recruit a new batch of fresh talent."
Luo's father sneered, "I was blind to think you were an excellent successor. You are a freaking idiot. I wish you weren't my son."
With that, Luo's father slammed the door and left.