MCL CH21

Chapter 21: The video from three years ago.

In the main hall of the funeral, as the top-tier ability users left, the originally tense atmosphere dissipated quite a bit.

Led by Mayor Zhou, those who remained finally had the chance to satisfy their curiosity, moving to Executive Lin’s coffin during the mourning period to pay their respects.

Lin Xi followed the queue as well, going with the flow.

Watching the people in front of him offer their flowers one by one, occasionally praising his handsome appearance, he couldn’t help but let out a low cough, silently thinking to himself, “Being praised like this feels a bit embarrassing.”

The voice in his mind was full of ridicule: [As I’ve said before, humans are hypocritical creatures, and you are no exception. Even though I’ve let you change into a noble race like ours, you still retain such a narcissistic, base nature.]

Lin Xi was noncommittal: “Am I not handsome?”

[…]

The voice in his mind immediately fell silent. A certain contaminant clearly refused to answer this question.

As they spoke, Lin Xi had already followed the queue to the front.

He lowered his gaze to look inside the coffin.

Compared to watching the projection on the big screen from the entrance before, this distance allowed him to see his “corpse” much more clearly.

With today’s technology, a holographic projection of this level was indeed remarkably lifelike. For a moment, it really seemed as if his old self was lying there peacefully.

How should he put it? It was only at this point in the funeral that Lin Xi, though not superstitious, couldn’t help but feel it was a bit unlucky. However, he didn’t care much about these things. After completing the mourning process, he turned to leave, chuckling softly in his mind: “This face is indeed quite handsome.”

[…Do you have some problem with your current face?]

Lin Xi: “Do you have some special obsession with your own aesthetic sense?”

[…………]

Lin Xi said perfunctorily, “Alright, this face isn’t bad either.”

[………………]

As they spoke, Lin Xi had already returned to his seat by the entrance.

Having just observed his own appearance, he still felt a bit emotional. He looked up toward the corridor where Yan Xingzhou and the others had left, fell silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, “It seems he has started to act.”

[Act? Act on what?]

“Hard to say. I’m also a bit confused about his thoughts right now,” Lin Xi replied. “My abilities have just recently started to recover, and as you know, this power makes me very sensitive to all ability fluctuations. If you ask me now, I can only say it looks like he unhappily crushed an ant. After all, those people from the United Administration still don’t dare to clash with him head-on. It seems they were forced to swallow their anger.”

Speaking of which, Lin Xi couldn’t help but smile.

Unlike the stable, grief-stricken tone of the funeral hall, the atmosphere coming from that deeper room was far too tense and hostile. But unfortunately, the reason X-class ability users could be considered national treasures was that they inevitably possessed unique dominance in a certain field. Today, besides Yan Xingzhou, the only other “X” present was Samuel. And based on Lin Xi’s understanding of Samuel, this “Light of A Country,” not taking advantage of Hua Country’s internal strife was already a great act of kindness; there was no way he would help the United Administration thwart Yan Xingzhou’s plans.

Ah, it was just a bit of a pity. He was actually quite curious about what Yan Xingzhou was up to.

But now it seemed that today’s excitement was probably not limited to just that one show.

Reluctantly retracting his projected gaze, Lin Xi suddenly turned his head to look outside. “Hey you, don’t you feel like something’s not quite right?”

[Now that you mention it, it seems so?]

[Also, my name is not ‘Hey You’, I have a name!]

“Yes, you have a name. You’re called Calamity,” Lin Xi replied perfunctorily, his gaze on the outside darkening slightly as he narrowed his eyes. “But I feel that calling you ‘Burden’ might be more appropriate right now. If I’m not mistaken, these are here for you again, aren’t they? What a trouble-attracting—giant deadweight.”

[…QAQ]

In the conference hall.

With the video playing on the screen, no one was paying attention to the murder that had just occurred.

The corpse that Samuel had kicked aside lay slumped there, the light from the projection flickering over it, making it appear and disappear in the dimness.

Click.

The video finished its third loop.

This time, Yan Xingzhou finally did not press the replay button again.

He slowly stood up from the front row, his expression calm, only the coldness in the depths of his eyes was completely unconcealed. “You should have seen the contents of the video very clearly. Is there anything else any of you need to say? If you feel there are still any doubts, we can watch it a fourth time.”

“No need, we saw it very clearly.” In the silence, the diplomat from A Country, who was with Samuel, was the first to speak. His translator timely provided the interpretation. “Finding out the cause of Executive Lin’s death was originally a key point of our visit to Hua Country. When the news of his death was announced back then, our country’s Ability Administration was also very shocked, but since the accident occurred within Hua Country’s borders, it was not convenient for our country to interfere too much. But we all know that when the final crisis arrives, X-class ability users will undoubtedly be the last line of defense for all of humanity. They are not just the private possessions of various countries, but a shared reliance for the entire world. And now, since the video is right before our eyes, I feel that your country’s United Administration should give a reasonable explanation to the International Ability Association.”

While the A Country diplomat was speaking, everyone’s gaze remained fixed on Gu Beiqiu, the head of Hua Country’s United Administration. The atmosphere was extremely strange.

For today’s funeral, to show respect for Executive Lin, basically all the powerful figures from various countries’ ability Administrations were present.

Keep in mind, even for regular global conferences, they usually met online via holographic projection. This point alone was enough to show the unprecedented grandness of this funeral of the century.

The fact that Yan Xingzhou had a complete falling out with Hua Country’s United Administration three years ago was never a secret. Everyone held a certain degree of suspicion about the ultimate purpose of today’s funeral, but they truly never expected such a grand drama to unfold.

Yan Xingzhou, the former head of the Ninth Administration of Hua Country’s United Administration, had actually publicly played the on-site recording of Executive Lin’s “death in the line of duty” on such an occasion.

Although the footage was somewhat blurry, it was more than enough to overturn the officially announced cause of death from three years ago—it was not an accidental death in the line of duty at all, but a massive-scale siege.

This point alone was enough to push the entire Hua Country United Administration into the eye of the storm.

But why?

Under the direct questioning of the A Country diplomat, many faces already showed very subtle expressions.

Lin Xi’s overly sudden death back then was indeed very strange, but normally, no one would think of internal strife. After all, the value of an X-class ability user was well-known. Even if it was exposed now, it would only make people think that the people in Hua Country’s United Administration had probably gone completely insane.

Ever since the video started playing, knowing that the situation was irreversible, Gu Beiqiu had sat there without saying a word.

Now, after listening to the A Country diplomat, he finally spoke in a gentle tone, “Our country’s United Administration will resubmit an explanatory document to the International Ability Association to give a satisfactory answer for Executive Lin’s death.”

“Oh, is that so?” Yan Xingzhou stared fixedly at Gu Beiqiu. “An explanation three years late. Are you sure it can truly satisfy people?”

“If the International Ability Association judges that our explanation is unacceptable, I will voluntarily resign from my position as the head of the United Administration,” Gu Beiqiu said, raising his eyes to meet Yan Xingzhou’s gaze without evasion. “Is this acceptable, President Yan? Or if you believe someone needs to pay with their life, I have no complaints. Whether you believe it or not, what happened back then was truly not my wish. I have said that Executive Lin will always be the leader I respect the most, and I can forever be responsible for this statement I have made.”

The air fell silent as the two locked gazes.

Suddenly, someone clapped their hands lightly.

Samuel watched with satisfaction as everyone’s gazes gathered on him, revealing a very gentlemanly smile. “Actually, I think Mr. Gu’s proposal is very good. At least it shows self-awareness. Even a criminal should be given a chance to explain. After all, the scene in the video was a bit too bloody. It wouldn’t be too much to have the wrongdoer write a few thousand-word confession letter in deep remorse. As for how to handle it—whether to be completely expelled from the Ability Association in disgrace, or to pay with a life for a life, I believe the trial conference at that time will give a satisfactory result.”

As he spoke, he smiled at Yan Xingzhou. “Do you have any additional demands now? Take the chance to say them.”

Yan Xingzhou temporarily reined in his aggressive aura. “I need the list of all personnel involved in that siege back then, including all the researchers and medical staff who had contact with Executive Lin after his return from clearing the super S-class rift.”

Gu Beiqiu frowned. “I already told you three years ago, that’s impossible.”

“That’s why I waited until now.” Yan Xingzhou slowly scanned his surroundings, his eyes devoid of any pity. “Of course, you can refuse again, but as I just said, if you wish for this video to appear on the central screens of major commercial plazas worldwide…”

Gu Beiqiu said grimly, “You are threatening me.”

Yan Xingzhou: “Of course.”

Silence fell once more, and the atmosphere at the scene became somewhat suffocating.

Under this extremely oppressive confrontation, Gu Beiqiu finally sighed. “I understand. After I return, I will send the list to your email.”

Yan Xingzhou smiled calmly. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

His goal achieved, he gestured to Ju Ze. “Go arrange the best five-star suites for everyone. For the rest of today, you can freely…”

A faint, strange-colored light flashed past the window, cutting Yan Xingzhou’s words short.

Then another flash, and soon, something lit up again.

Everyone present was a top-tier ability user, and they all instantly realized what was happening.

The smile on Samuel’s face rarely faded. “How can there be so many?”

No one answered. The next second, the door to the conference room was hastily pushed open from the outside.

The staff member who rushed in was in a panic, his expression one of extreme terror. “This is bad, President Yan! So many rifts… so many rifts in their active period have appeared!!!”

As if to prove his words, the outside had completely descended into chaos.