Chapter 1207: Panic After the Assassinations

Capital Star, East District civilian market.

Eleven o'clock in the morning, the peak hour for crowds. But today, the atmosphere in the market is completely different from usual.

"Have you heard? The Director of the Energy Administration is dead."

A vendor lowers their voice to tell a regular customer.

"My brother-in-law works as a cleaner at the General Administration; he went to clean the Director's office this morning and found them stone cold, but the official notice released by the bureau says 'sudden illness'."

"That's nothing."

The vegetable vendor next door leans in.

"My cousin is a technician at the Communications Center; he said that early this morning, the Director of the Communications Department collapsed right at the security checkpoint, their heart pacemaker failed. That thing hadn't had a single problem in eight years, but it just had to happen today..."

"Stop talking."

A third stall owner looks left and right nervously.

"You'll get arrested for saying things like that now. Last night, two drunk workers in the North District were discussing 'those dead people', and they were taken away by the Security Bureau this morning."

An old Feng Qi Xing woman stands in front of a vegetable stall, clutching a small bag of synthetic protein, but hesitates to pay.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

The stall owner asks.

The old woman looks up, all three of her eyes clouded.

"My son works at the Traffic Control General Administration."

She says, her voice dry.

"He sent me a message this morning saying his director had an accident, the whole department is in chaos, and no one knows whose orders to follow. He asked me... he asked me if Capital Star is going to war."

As she speaks, the old Feng Qi Xing woman puts down the protein, turns, and slowly walks away.

Capital Star, underground traffic hub monitoring center.

Technician Vila stares at the screen, his Third Eye already dry and aching, but he dares not blink.

Seventeen minutes ago, the monitoring system suddenly displayed something.

Thirty-two cameras in the area surrounding the Parliament Building went "offline" simultaneously.

He tries to contact his superior.

But the Director's office does not answer.

The Deputy Director's private Communication Device does not answer.

The security supervisor's desk phone is busy.

He dials the seventh number, and it finally connects.

It is the direct line for Deputy Security Supervisor Mars Villani.

"Officer Villani, this is Vila from the monitoring center; there is a massive offline event for cameras around the Parliament Building, I need you to..."

"Officer Villani is not here."

A strange voice comes from the other end of the line.

"I am from the Criminal Investigation Bureau; may I ask when your last contact with Officer Villani was?"

Vila's hand freezes.

"I... I saw him come to work this morning..."

"When?"

"A... about 7:40, he passed through the security checkpoint and greeted me..."

The other end of the line is silent for two seconds.

"Thank you for your cooperation. If you recall any details, please contact this number."

The call is disconnected.

Vila looks at the offline markers on the screen.

He remembers that smile when Officer Villani passed the security checkpoint this morning, and that phrase, "The weather is nice today."

Capital Star, Saladin Family Mining Group headquarters.

At 11:20 in the morning, the emergency board meeting is forced to interrupt.

"The communication request from Karl Saladin has been rejected?"

Executive Director Koske looks at the Secretary.

"He confirmed he would attend the meeting remotely this morning!"

"Yes, sir. The Saladin Family residence replied saying... saying that he is currently handling 'urgent family affairs' and cannot answer any outside communications."

"Urgent family affairs? What affairs are more urgent than the evaporation of 12 billion Bode Coin in market value within three days?"

The Secretary does not answer.

Koske stands up and walks to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"How many transactions were aborted this morning?"

"As of ten minutes ago, twelve bulk commodity futures trades were suspended, forty-seven cross-border settlements were delayed, and... and seven partner banks sent collateral addition notices simultaneously."

"Why?"

"The banks say they cannot confirm the solvency of the Fengqi Star Alliance Central Reserve Bank. Because... because the President of the Reserve Bank announced an indefinite leave of absence this morning 'due to health reasons'."

Koske's fingers tighten on the window frame.

Energy Director: "sudden illness".

Communications Director: "medical equipment failure".

Deputy Security Supervisor: "missing".

Traffic Control General Administration Director: "traffic accident".

Now, the Reserve Bank Governor is on "medical leave" again.

This is no coincidence.

This is a purge.

He turned to face the dozen anxious faces in the Meeting Room.

"From now on, all major transactions are suspended. Tell the public it is only for 'system maintenance.' Contact our independent reserves and prepare to activate the emergency funding chain."

"Sir, do you think this is..."

"I don't know."

Koske interrupted him.

"But I know one thing: when the lights on the Capital Star go out one by one, those who react first live longer."

Capital Star, Third Military Hospital Emergency Department.

At 1:20 PM, seven high-ranking officials with "sudden critical illnesses" had already been admitted here.

Doctors were recalled urgently, but every examination room held the same scene.

Life support equipment hummed, and the patients on the stretchers remained motionless.

"This one is the Reserve Bank Governor."

The intern whispered to the director.

"There was no spontaneous breathing when brought in, but there are no external injuries on the body, and blood tests are normal. It's like... like the brain suddenly stopped working."

The director checked the patient's pupillary reflex in Silence.

This is not a disease.

This is a targeted, highly precise...

He dared not think further.

"Notify the family. Prepare the death certificate. Cause of death: acute brainstem failure."

"But sir, we haven't determined the actual cause..."

"There is no cause."

The director turned, his three eyes looking wearily at the intern.

"This is the cause. Do you understand?"

The intern met his gaze and spoke hurriedly.

"I... I understand. Acute brainstem failure."

He lowered his head to fill out the death certificate, his hands trembling.

Capital Star, the apartment of ordinary citizen Luo An.

At 2:00 PM, Luo An tried to open the news channel for the third time.

The first two times, the screen was just static.

The third time, the image finally appeared, but the anchor was not the familiar man from before, but a young woman he had never seen.

"... Regarding the health status of several high-ranking officials this morning, the relevant departments state they will release the latest information in a timely manner. We remind the public not to believe or spread rumors..."

Luo An turned off the news.

He walked to the window and looked at the street below.

Usually at this time, there was always a long line in front of the coffee shop across the street. But today, there were only three people in line, and each of them was checking their Communication Device frequently, as if waiting for some news.

He picked up his Communication Device and sent a message to his wife:

【Come home early tonight. Be careful on the way.】

Thirty seconds later, the reply came:

【Got it. You too.】

The simple five characters made Luo An feel an inexplicable sense of relief.

He put down the Communication Device, sat back on the sofa, and stared at the ceiling with his three eyes.

The street below remained calm.