Chapter 236: 232 Star Gathering, Activate!

"Director Tsuchibashi Yu is dead!"

When Counselor Kenfujii learned this news, his expression changed dramatically.

He first unconsciously smiled, then realized others were present and immediately adjusted his face into a look of sorrow.

With Tsuchibashi Yu dead, he now had a chance to inherit the top position.

But… how did he die?

It couldn't be that he died of anger from public insults—that old fox was a moral void with rock-solid mental fortitude.

In Counselor Kenfujii's view, this incident appeared chaotic, but in reality, it wasn't that serious.

Though the public was outraged, the "bombs" Tsuchibashi Yu had buried hadn't yet killed anyone—only created risks.

So no one had a mortal grudge against Tsuchibashi Yu—even if they did, you couldn't just storm TPC's territory to kill him.

Public complaints were just a passing wind; within half a year, hardly anyone would mention it anymore.

So the worst Tsuchibashi Yu could face was a surface-level resignation, moving behind the scenes.

As long as he had money, guns, and a network of shared interests, even without his title, he'd still hold real power—and there'd be more maneuvering to come.

But he just… died outright… he never expected it.

"How did he die?" Counselor Kenfujii asked.

Saeki Rika: "Assassinated. According to estimates, the sniper fired from three kilometers away. Director Tsuchibashi Yu was engaged in secret activity with no bodyguards."

Counselor Kenfujii was stunned: "You can hit someone from that distance?"

Saeki Rika: "If it's him, maybe he can. That guy has already broken common sense in many ways."

He… refers to Qi Ming.

Counselor Kenfujii immediately recalled Qi Ming's earlier words… it wasn't just a curse—it was a death notice.

This isn't just lawlessness—it's shattering an unspoken understanding, and it will provoke backlash!

For example, during a presidential election, if you see your approval ratings lagging and fear losing, you hire an assassin to kill your opponent—what if the other side does the same to you?

Do you think you're invincible, immortal?

On the other side, Counselor He Zhi, after receiving the news from Minister Yin, remained stunned for a long time.

He's dead… dying just as his reputation collapsed—too clean.

Minister Yin: "Based on the method, I think the killer might be…"

He hesitated, not directly naming the person.

He Zhi said bluntly: "I know who you mean. Only Qi Ming has both the motive and the capability."

This level of decisiveness—even I, as a hawkish leader, can't match it.

Minister Yin hesitated: "Then… should we pursue the killer?" He was asking whether to seek revenge.

Counselor He Zhi shook his head: "We're already facing internal and external crises—we can't afford more chaos… but we still need to perform the surface ritual of pursuing the killer."

As he spoke, he sighed.

Previously, seeing Qi Ming's exceptional skills and quick adaptability, he'd wanted to recruit him into his faction as a trusted protégé.

Now, that idea seemed ridiculous.

To treat Qi Ming as a subordinate? He'd be lucky if Qi Ming didn't come after him first.

…………………………

On the other side, Megumi went to find Nishizaki Tsutomu, the man who had once leaked her confidential information, telling him he no longer needed to live in fear under surveillance.

Nishizaki Tsutomu found it hard to believe: "I never thought you'd actually bring down Tsuchibashi Yu."

Megumi gazed at the sky: "But my father still didn't come back."

Nishizaki Tsutomu comforted her: "Take it one step at a time. Tsuchibashi Yu's downfall is already a miracle—maybe you can create a second one."

As he spoke, his phone rang. He looked at it: "Did Tsuchibashi Yu do this too? This guy is bottomless."

Megumi glanced over and saw a news headline: the reason for a three-year-old engineering accident was that Tsuchibashi Yu had ordered rushed construction.

Megumi: "?"

There was this too?

Back at the offshore base, she found these kinds of news stories popping up like mushrooms after rain. Local agencies accused Tsuchibashi Yu of causing accidents for profit and creating food safety hazards.

Even the Defense Force came forward, claiming Tsuchibashi Yu used spies to sabotage competition, severely delaying new weapon development.

In summary—all these misdeeds were committed by the utterly wicked Tsuchibashi Yu.

Yamakawa: "Fake, right? Did he, as director, spend all 365 days a year plotting evil? This is clearly scapegoating to shift blame."

Nishijo Nagi was reading the comments under the news: "The public actually believes this."

Last time Tsuchibashi Yu was humiliated by Qi Ming, countless citizens mourned, convinced he'd been secretly sabotaged by evil aliens because he was TPC's leader.

How tragic—he deserved half-mast flags, a memorial, eternal glory.

Now, most people believe Tsuchibashi Yu deserved every bit of his fate—this is karma, and it's satisfying!

He's been nailed to the pillar of historical shame—no more twists possible.

At that moment, Qi Ming walked in: "Hey, what are you guys talking about?"

Yamakawa told Qi Ming the whole story: "Isn't this just bullying a dead man who can't reply?"

Qi Ming asked: "When he concealed the truth and built a glorious image to bask in public praise, didn't he anticipate that when the lie was exposed, he'd face this backlash?"

Moroboshi Dan waved him over and called Qi Ming outside.

In a deserted place, he couldn't help but sigh.

"Don't you feel the weight of taking a life?" Moroboshi Dan asked.

Qi Ming: "Do you think I'm fundamentally different from those who execute death row inmates? Tsuchibashi Yu's crimes are proven, and public opinion agrees he deserves death—I simply acted under special circumstances."

Moroboshi Dan wanted to say they should still respect the law, but remembering how Tsuchibashi Yu had directly pardoned Zokunazaki, that bloody fact silenced him.

"Do less of this in the future," Moroboshi Dan said, then shifted to the next topic.

Moroboshi Dan: "You've obtained the location of the planet Atlantis—are you planning to bomb it again with the superweapon R1?"

Qi Ming: "If we don't kill one to warn a hundred, this will never end."

Moroboshi Dan: "The Friendship Plan's defensive retaliation strategy is sound—using retaliation as deterrence."

"But everything has pros and cons—you can't be sure that planet has no innocents."

"Besides aliens, Earth also has subterraneans, and there may be civilizations in the oceans."

"Will we have to go kill one by one every time a conflict arises? Ideas can't be killed off—you need an effective way to communicate."

Qi Ming nodded: "So we need a director capable of shouldering the burden."

He thought of Director Sawa from Ultraman Tiga—if it were him, he'd surely become an excellent captain.

Unfortunately, I lack the mastery of this godlike man—I can only take one step at a time.

In the end, Qi Ming agreed with Seven's reasoning: the Friendship Plan must be handled more cautiously.

Previously, Earth was on the brink of invasion, so survival was the top priority.

Now, with our allies steadily increasing, we've reached a point where three Ultras face one alien—so it's time to consider other issues.

Like reputation—the bad reputation that might draw Dracilon…

Soon, two days passed, and Qi Ming's Star Gift points reached ten.

Qi Ming called Megumi to his room to initiate the next Star Gathering.

Qi Ming asked again: "You do it or me?"

Megumi still decided to observe further—this was too big a matter; if she messed it up, it'd be disastrous: "You do it, you do it."

Qi Ming pressed the button; all four buttons of the arbitrary key emitted a green laser, converging into a light screen.

The screen displayed an image.

It was a flat, round, bird-like monster.

It's the Cosmic Great Monster 【Bemstar】!

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One more chapter—probably finished within half an hour.

(End of Chapter)