Still, there was no public appearance by the country’s new supreme leader.
Rumors spread faster than official statements.
Some believed he remained inside a heavily fortified underground command center. Others insisted he had been moved to a secret military base deep within the mountains. Anonymous messages circulating through encrypted applications claimed he had suffered injuries during the attack that claimed the lives of his father, his mother, and his wife.
None of these reports could be independently confirmed.
In cafés where conversations had become cautious whispers, people exchanged theories.
“He must be recovering.”
“They’re protecting him.”
“Perhaps someone else is making the decisions.”
