Not quite capturing the tension aspect however the chengyu 殺鷄儆猴 (kill the chicken to scare the monkey) comes to mind, as the act of publicity/media is meant as a deterrent.
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Eating bitter is more about what it's like to swallow the cruelty of life and persevere regardless. And a fun chengyu to use in hyperbole, but I don't think quite fits what you're seeking to describe.
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