Chapter 415: Severe Punishment

On the way back.

Everyone walked in silence, their expressions grim.

Long Ming glanced at the group. Seeing how down everyone was, he smiled and made a suggestion.

“Everyone, how about we go celebrate?”

“Celebrate?”

“Is this really a good time to be celebrating?”

“Yeah, isn’t everyone on edge right now?”

…

Luoxue and the others all looked at Long Ming in surprise.

‘How brazen can he be, wanting to celebrate now!’

“That applies to other people, not us. What’s there to be afraid of? If you’ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear.”

Long Ming said to Luoxue and the others with a very serious expression.

From Long Ming’s perspective, the more extraordinary the times, the more they needed to celebrate. It would make them look like they had nothing to hide.

“That… actually makes some sense.”

Jing Chuan and the others scratched their heads as they replied.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll go to that popular place, Grill the World.”

Long Ming sealed the deal with a chuckle.

“Long Ming is right. Let’s go have a proper celebration. Everyone, go back, wash up, change your clothes, and we’ll meet at Grill the World!”

Luoxue announced to the group.

“Alright, let’s go!”

Jing Chuan and the others excitedly dragged Long Ming toward the dormitory area.

…

「S1 District, within the Dark Abyss Department.」

Blood-curdling screams and pleas for mercy echoed from one interrogation room after another.

“Spare me!”

“I’m really innocent!”

“Confess already, or you’ll regret it.”

…

Officer after officer who had been dragged in was strung up and brutally tortured with red-hot branding irons, pliers, electric chairs, and other instruments of interrogation.

Some were even tied down, their eyes forced open and subjected to the constant glare of high-intensity lamps, while others were injected with hallucinogens.

Meanwhile, in the innermost interrogation room.

Deputy Legion Commander Bassaf was bound to a metal cross, stripped naked. Metal spikes pierced his body, and tubes extended from the ceiling, injecting a steady stream of drugs into him.

In front of Deputy Legion Commander Bassaf’s head hung a black neural probe.

Once this black neural probe pierced his skull, it could extract a portion of the Deputy Legion Commander’s memories. Of course, the moment it went in would also be the moment of Bassaf’s death.

At that moment, a man in a Dark Abyss uniform, with a pale face and eyes like a vulture, stared coldly at the disfigured Bassaf and spoke.

“Bassaf, do you have anything else to say?”

“Lord Aikaden, everything I’ve said is true! I really didn’t order anyone to steal those Energy Crystals, and I know even less about that egg. I admit my command was flawed, but I am completely loyal to the Star Alliance. After the incident, I was constantly leading my troops in bloody battles. The combat footage stored in my Mechanical God can prove it.”

Bassaf said hoarsely to Aikaden.

“Do you think telling me this is of any use? The items were lost on your watch.”

Aikaden stared coldly at Bassaf.

“Lord Aikaden, I have a safe stored elsewhere. It contains some things I’ve accumulated. Please, help me!”

“Do you think bribing me will work?”

“Sir, I’m not asking you to exonerate me. I’m only asking that you speak a fair and just word on my behalf.”

Bassaf pleaded weakly with Aikaden.

“Bassaf, do you still not understand? Your guilt or innocence no longer matters. What matters is that you lost something that belongs to the higher-ups. Whether they choose to let you go is what’s most important, but right now, no one dares to speak up for you.”

Aikaden said coldly to Bassaf.

Hearing this, Bassaf pleaded, unwilling to accept his fate.

“Lord Aikaden, I beg you, please help me. As long as I don’t die, I will be your loyal servant for life, ready to die for you at a moment’s notice.”

“Hmph. Begging me is useless. You’d better prepare yourself to face the council’s judgment.”

“I…”

Bassaf wanted to say more, but the words died in his throat, leaving only a bitter expression on his face.

…

「City of Stars.」

In a dimly lit, round conference room.

Twelve mechanical chairs surrounded a circular conference table, each occupied by a blurry figure wearing a metal mask.

“Alright, that concludes our discussion on overall strategic policy. Next, let’s discuss the matter of the Forty-Second Legion stealing from the Military Department’s own supplies, as well as Deputy Legion Commander Bassaf’s dereliction of duty in losing a large batch of Energy Crystals and that biological egg during transit.”

“Mm.”

“First, the matter of the Forty-Second Legion stealing from its own. What are your thoughts?”

“What is there to think? The Forty-Second Legion is just a bunch of grunts. What good did you expect from that rabble?”

“Hmph, how audacious. Daring to touch the Military Department’s supplies… they truly don’t know their place. They must be severely punished!”

“And how would you punish them? We can’t just disband the whole legion, can we? Who will do the work after they’re gone?”

“…”

For a moment, the meeting fell silent.

“Alright, let’s put the Forty-Second Legion aside for now. As for Bassaf, he’s another one who’s more trouble than he’s worth!”

“The loss of this batch of Energy Crystals will cost us a fortune.”

“If the loss is so severe, what’s there to discuss? If the items can’t be recovered, then kill who needs to be killed and punish those associated with him!”

“If it were that simple, would we even need to discuss it? That biological egg was an experimental sample specifically requested by Dr. Hilofa. Now that the egg is gone, how do we handle it?”

…

The twelve figures at the meeting fell silent once more.

They didn’t care about Bassaf’s life or death, but dealing with Dr. Hilofa was another matter entirely.

Just then, one of the blurry figures spoke in a mocking tone.

“Sigh… why are you all so worried? The 42nd Legion and Bassaf both fall under the jurisdiction of the Third Expeditionary Army. Theoretically, they’re under the Third Family’s control. Why don’t we just hand this mess over to Tilt to handle?”

At that, the figure seated in the center spoke with authority.

“Tilt, this matter is yours to handle.”

“Very well.”

Tilt replied coldly.

With the matter settled, the blurry figures vanished one by one.

…

「S1 District, Interrogation Room.」

After his conversation with Aikaden, Bassaf had accepted his fate. He hung his head in silence, awaiting his final judgment.

Just then, a holographic image popped up.

“Incoming ultra-long-range communication request. Accept?”

Aikaden reached out and tapped “Accept.”

A holographic image appeared, showing a man wearing a golden mask and a lavish noble’s robe. He had graying hair, wore a peculiar Star Ring, and his every gesture exuded the authority of a superior.

“Lord Tilt.”

Aikaden bowed respectfully to Tilt.

When Bassaf saw Tilt, a look of absolute terror washed over his face. The old man before him was none other than the Tilt Clan Leader, a noble from the Third Universe.

“Have you gotten a confession?”

Tilt asked Aikaden, his gaze cold.