Chapter 1190: What Exactly Are You

The third Grey Knight cleared the guards at the entrance.

An iron fist encased in power Armor smashed skulls, crushed throats, and snapped spines.

The fourth Grey Knight handled the four fixed firing ports.

His Heavenly Punishment Demon-Cleaving Halberd fired four bolts of Psionic Lightning, precisely hitting the Energy Cores of the firing ports.

Explosions rang out in succession, black smoke billowed from the walls, and the firing systems were completely destroyed.

The entire combat process took no more than five seconds.

Twelve elite guards, all eliminated.

The five Grey Knights returned to their original positions, not even a drop of blood staining their Armor.

The room returned to silence, leaving only the sound of Lost's heavy breathing, along with the stench of blood and the ozone smell of scorched Energy Weapons permeating the air.

Yingzhou walked forward, and the Grey Knights automatically parted to make a path.

He walked up to Lost; now it was his turn to look down on the other.

"You..."

Lost slumped on the ground, his body trembling violently from fear.

"What exactly are you..."

"I am the Emperor of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance."

Yingzhou used his original voice, a voice containing indescribable majesty and power.

"The God-Emperor of Humanity, an existence you Aliens will never be able to understand."

Lost's mind was in complete chaos.

The Emperor? That legendary Human ruler? That monster who had lived for ten thousand years? How could he possibly appear here? Disguised as an ordinary Fengqi Corporal?

"No... impossible..."

He muttered.

"This must be an illusion, a psychic illusion..."

Yingzhou crouched down to look Lost in the eye.

His eyes had turned completely golden.

"Look at me."

He said.

Lost could not help but look into those eyes.

Then, he saw the vast sea of stars, saw the rise and struggle of Humanity.

He also saw himself—small, filthy, and ridiculous. A bureaucrat who had spent his life in corruption and deception, a clown who thought he was playing with power while actually being played by it.

"Ah... ahhhh!!"

Lost let out an inhuman scream, clutching his head with both hands, his body curled into a ball.

His consciousness was forcibly stuffed with incomprehensible information, and tears mixed with blood flowed from his three eyes simultaneously.

Yingzhou stood up, no longer looking at him.

The Psychic Shock had been sufficient; Lost's self-consciousness had collapsed, and he was now just an empty shell.

"Emperor."

The lead Grey Knight spoke.

"How shall we dispose of him?"

Yingzhou surveyed the room.

Twelve corpses, four destroyed firing ports, blood and debris covering the floor.

And those ridiculous fake relics, scattered everywhere, like a satire of the entire scam.

"Clean up the scene."

He ordered.

"Dispose of the bodies, leave no traces. I have already read the facility's structural blueprints; there is an incinerator on the third underground level, sufficient for complete destruction."

"Yes."

The Grey Knights moved immediately, cleaning up the Alien guards outside while they were at it.

Soon, the entire exhibition hall had become a perfect "experimental accident scene."

Any subsequent investigators would conclude: Lost had an accident while operating unstable psychic equipment; the overloaded energy triggered an explosion, killing all the guards present, and he himself suffered severe brain damage due to psychic feedback.

"Cleanup complete, Emperor. The incinerator has been activated; all biological traces will be completely eliminated within thirty minutes. The scene layout conforms to the characteristics of a Level 6 Psionic Accident; standard investigation procedures will not be able to detect any anomalies."

Yingzhou nodded slightly.

"Well done."

The summoning was dispelled.

The room now held only three people: Yingzhou, Alan, and Lost, who was curled on the ground with his consciousness collapsed.

Alan walked to Yingzhou's side and said in a low voice.

"His Majesty, the scene was handled perfectly. But the follow-up plan needs adjustment. With Lost like this, we have lost a witness to directly accuse those high-ranking officials."

Yingzhou did not answer immediately.

He walked to a display case; the cabinet had shattered in the "accident," and the fake relics inside were scattered on the floor.

He bent down to pick up a piece of an "Ancient Rune Tablet," his fingers brushing over the rough machine-carved marks on the surface.

"A witness?"

Yingzhou chuckled, his laughter devoid of warmth.

"Alan, you should understand one principle: in a power struggle, the evidence itself is often not as important as the 'position of possessing the evidence'."

He threw the stone slab back onto the ground, and the fragments scattered.

"As a living witness, Lost can indeed directly accuse the highest levels. But if we do that, what do we gain? Valken steps down, the Fengqi Star Alliance falls into chaos, and the war might be prolonged for years, but we still won't know about their Talos Project. That project makes me uneasy."

Alan pondered.

"Are you saying... we should utilize this 'accident'?"

"Exactly. You are a witness to this 'accident,' even a 'hero.' You risked your life to save the severely injured Lost from the psionic explosion. If such a story is presented properly, what could it win you?"

Alan's eyes lit up.

"Political capital."

He said.

"The image of an officer who is loyal, brave, and disregards personal safety at critical moments. And I saved the person in charge of the Pure Eye project; although the project is a scam, the highest levels cannot admit that publicly. Therefore, he must 'thank' me, at least on the surface."

Yingzhou nodded.

"Not only that. You need to report this 'accident' to the Supreme Council. Use 'safety hazards' as the reason to demand a comprehensive review of the Pure Eye project."

"That will provoke hostility from some council members."

"That is why skill is required."

Yingzhou walked closer, his voice dropping even lower.

"The council members are certainly not of one mind. You are young and lack seniority; you need the guidance and protection of a senior. There will be council members who will vouch for you."

Alan quickly understood the subtlety of it.

"They will accept. Because I have value: my status as a member of the Saladin Family, the halo of a 'hero' returned from a prisoner-of-war camp, and... possession of first-hand information on the Pure Eye accident."

"And I appear 'controllable'—young, without my own power base, and in need of relying on them."

"Exactly."

Yingzhou said.

"You will gain the support of a portion of the council members. This support will help you reach higher levels, to reach those truly core secrets, including the 'Talos Project'."

"Your Majesty, how do we explain Lost's current state? If he were conscious, he could cooperate with our act. But he is already..."

"The Saladin Family's private physician will diagnose him with 'severe brain damage leading to amnesia and cognitive decline.' And this kind of 'genuine injury' is the most capable of withstanding scrutiny."

He paused for a moment and added.

"Moreover, a Lost who has become a fool is more reassuring to some council members than a Lost who might defect."

"We, as Lost's 'saviors,' can legitimately participate in his 'care,' thereby maintaining a connection to the Pure Eye project."

Alan nodded, but a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, there is one more problem. Lina, the younger sister of this body. She knows about our operation tonight. Although we told her the 'accident' version, she is very smart and might discover inconsistencies."

"Furthermore, if I suddenly rise in politics, she, as my closest family member, will certainly be deeply involved. This increases the risk of exposure."