By morning, PulseCast had launched Project Phoenix.
It was a counteroffensive—aggressive, elegant, and deeply human.
A new system update rolled out to creators worldwide: Authenticity Protocol 1.0. It wasn't just a feature—it was a movement. A visible seal appeared next to verified creators: a shimmering "Real Human" badge, backed by biometric data, real-time content tracing, and behavioral analytics.
The impact was instantaneous.
Loyal fans flooded forums, praising the move. Influencers posted videos celebrating their badges like Grammy trophies. Brands rushed to shift sponsorship deals to verified creators.
More importantly?
Valkyrie's AI influencers began to stumble.
Users started questioning Lana_X's scripted perfection. Engagement dropped. Forums filled with posts like "Where's her past? Why doesn't she age?" or "She never messes up. No way she's real."
Jason grinned when he read the trending hashtag:
> #KeepItHuman
---
In Valkyrie's glass tower, Vivian Keats watched it all unfold with narrowed eyes. She had underestimated PulseCast's cultural agility.
But she wasn't finished.
"Prepare Lazarus 2.0," she said coldly. "We don't just imitate influencers. We steal them."
Her engineers turned pale.
"You want us to replicate real people?"
"Yes," she said. "We build shadow versions of the top 500 PulseCast creators. Same faces. Same voices. Same brand scripts."
"But… that's digital identity theft—"
Vivian stared them down. "It's war. They're using authenticity as a weapon. We'll drown it in doubt."
---
Meanwhile, Jason met with one of his oldest contacts in government—Congressman Adrian Cole, a progressive tech hawk who had been advocating for AI regulation for years.
"I need your help," Jason said.
Cole raised an eyebrow. "That's a first."
Jason slid him a dossier of Valkyrie's cloning operation, complete with internal leaks, simulated personas, and backdoors into the AI engine.
"This isn't just corporate espionage," Jason said. "It's identity warfare. And it's going to destroy the creator economy if someone doesn't step in."
Cole scanned the documents, his expression hardening. "You want a congressional investigation."
"I want Valkyrie dragged into the sunlight."
---
By week's end, PulseCast's growth curve shot upward again.
Verified human creators were being highlighted on the homepage. Creator stories were shared like cinematic trailers. And PulseLab Studios dropped its first original series—a hybrid docu-reality show profiling the real lives of rising creators.
It exploded on social media.
For the first time since the war began, Jason felt momentum shifting.
But he knew better than to celebrate.
Because Vivian wasn't the kind to retreat.
She was the kind to set traps.