It must be admitted that Vincent’s will to survive and acting skills were truly admirable. They were probably honed in the Empire’s prisons. If he had possessed such composure eighteen years ago, he wouldn’t have been framed by the idiots in the intelligence department and the General Staff Headquarters.
Even at this moment, his expression showed no suspicious changes; instead, it followed a textbook progression: first blank, then shocked, followed by a helpless expression that was a mix of laughter and tears.
“What, what are you talking about? If you’re seeking revenge for the New Paris Incident, I can understand, and I am indeed guilty. But if it’s something else, I can’t accept it. Me, a person like me, launching a military coup, you… don’t make such a terrible joke!”
However, before the two spiritual energy users, his mental agitation was fully exposed. Even Count Black Moon, who was also surprised by Yu Lian’s words, thoughtfully sized him up and down, then nodded, saying, “Indeed… the details and truth of the New Paris Incident are naturally unclear to the general public, but they are no secret to high-ranking officials. There are quite a few senior military officers who sympathize with you.”
Yes, this even included Marshal Paris.
“So, that’s why this guy went and set up a charity organization specifically for disabled veterans?”
“The following are all my guesses, truly just guesses.” Yu Lian said, “Many high-ranking generals and officials sympathize with this guy, and since there’s no other place to arrange him, and he’s doing good deeds, they naturally let him proceed with this matter. This way, he can, in the name of a military charity organization, organize various mutual aid and social organizations among military personnel. You can easily collect intelligence on active and retired military personnel, and even their political leanings.
You can thus gather young and ambitious military officers who are dissatisfied with the current system and situation. I believe such people are not few. In a sense, I am one of them. Thus, after several years of development, the personnel for a coup are in place, and the preliminary organizational structure is fully established.”
Count Black Moon nodded, “Throughout history, all coups seem to involve this kind of operation.”
“Don’t joke! The Commonwealth, the Commonwealth is a glorious republic, and the soldiers of the Commonwealth are defenders of the people with noble ideals, how could they do…”
“Yes, precisely because they are noble, or rather, believe themselves to be noble, they are more likely to be exploited, aren’t they? Originally, our independence was naturally due to everyone’s struggle, but most of it was actually the result of multi-party compromise. The Commonwealth Government left a large number of remnants from the previous dynasty in its early days. But the army, at least, was established by Marshal Li and the earliest members of the Lionheart Society; overall, it’s still relatively clean, and even if it were to degenerate, it would still take some time.
There are indeed many military personnel who are heartbroken by the current society. But precisely because of this, they find the current situation even more unbearable, don’t they?”
Vincent continued to shake his head, arguing earnestly, “Shouldn’t a coup be organized and launched quickly? Don’t you know what ‘delays are dangerous’ means? If it’s dragged out for so long and then discovered, wouldn’t it all be for nothing?”
“Yes, but the longer it’s dragged out, isn’t the preparation more thorough? And the more people will be dissatisfied with the current situation! Your plan could certainly be exposed, but it could also succeed, couldn’t it?” Yu Lian shrugged.
“So, this guy is just a pawn,” Count Black Moon asked.
Yu Lian nodded, “Yes, and a casual one at that.”
Vincent seemed to show a humiliated expression, but he quickly transformed it into the humiliation of being wronged, stating solemnly, “You, you are insulting me! I am truly just an old man who wants to do something after returning home. I admit that I did receive some financial support from His Highness Valent King, but he has always been a very enthusiastic prince. If you check, you’ll find he has funded at least twenty charity organizations.”
“So, he’s brewing at least twenty conspiracies?” Yu Lian asked, shocked.
The General didn’t want to speak anymore, looking as if he was so angry he didn’t want to talk to an illogical lunatic like Yu Lian, wearing a wronged expression.
“You need to have confidence in yourself. In the Past, you were also a highly regarded young general, and you came from intelligence staff. Your planning and organizational abilities are excellent, and with your current initiative and will to survive, you can definitely achieve great things,” Yu Lian comforted him.
If he hadn’t met me…
In fact, three years later in another timeline, on July 26, Common Era 833, he did succeed.
In that history, the rule of the New Yumen colony was precarious, and the New Lushun Garrison Command was helpless against increasingly fierce pirate activities. The Kaitai people’s surprise attacks on the Outer Rim Fleet and the Gibraltar Star Gate were also successful.
Yet, even so, the Commonwealth Government still showed great “tolerance” and “concession,” completely failing to demonstrate any spirit or method of avenging Past disgraces.
A “Crimson Heart Club,” which had been developing for over two years among young military officers and retired military groups, spearheaded a military coup on Earth.
This organization displayed planning, organizational, and executive abilities that astonished the All-Galaxy, occupying all important targets in the Solar System within a day. Except for a few key figures led by the then Defense Committee Chairman Keith Nishita, most high-ranking officials were placed under house arrest.
More importantly, the Commonwealth’s strongest military force at the time, the Native Fleet stationed in the Solar System, was also controlled by the “Crimson Heart Club,” becoming their greatest military reliance.
Some subsequent processes will not be elaborated on for now. The coup was indeed suppressed, and Teacher Yang, as well as the students from the 830 class, also distinguished themselves in this civil war. But we can guess what kind of turmoil and disaster this rebellion, which had already escalated into a civil war, would bring to the entire Commonwealth.
What Yu Lian found even more intolerable was that when the suppression forces finally entered Earth and arrested most of the coup leaders, Vincent—who by then was a General of the coup government—who had fled to Hawaii, activated the neutron bomb buried under the island.
The devastating weapon completely buried this island at the center of Earth, and the Earth’s capital, Eternal City, in a tsunami. Nearly a million ordinary citizens were buried with it.
Therefore, this guy, despite his strong will to survive now, is fundamentally a completely deranged madman ready to destroy society. He must not be kept alive!
Yu Lian secretly made up his mind. At this moment, he heard Count Black Moon say, “Alright, what do you want to do now? You don’t have any evidence, and he probably won’t admit his guilt in front of a judge. And, to be honest, even if he really was preparing a coup, it’s too late to do anything now!”
“The best way, of course, is for him to admit it himself. In reality, his coup plan has already begun, it just hasn’t fully unfolded. Just now at the stadium, he was already secretly colluding with Congressman Apwood of the Liberal Progressive Party, known for his toughness and patriotism. I recorded their conversation.
But to be honest, it would at most prove that the congressman gambled on games and illegally solicited donations. I really hope that Vincent can honestly provide a list of all collaborators, and I’ll send it up. Of course, it looks like this guy won’t admit it!” Yu Lian looked at Vincent, the old man still full of humiliation, grievance, and even a bit of a pitiful look.
“Even if he admits it, how will you send it up? You don’t want them to know about your existence, do you?”
“That is indeed a problem. However, if I can’t think of a way, I’ll just post it online. It will definitely cause a huge uproar! Even with you, Count Black Moon, appearing, most people will surely believe it. At least, all those with ideas will rein themselves in; all those whose names are exposed will at least suffer some losses.
In officialdom, who doesn’t have a few enemies?” Yu Lian shrugged, then added, “Of course, if this guy is a hard nut to crack and refuses to say anything, then I’ll just have to tie a rock to him and throw him into the sea.
Vincent has gone missing, and his bodyguards and assistant died in an alley next to the Mist Capital Lightyear Stadium, right after he finished his secret talk with Congressman Apwood. What do you think the effect of such an incident would be on the conspirators?”
Vincent trembled, dragging his body to shrink into the corner of the boat, but he only moved half a step before the pain almost made him faint.
He wasn’t truly fearless after all.
Count Black Moon looked at Vincent and chuckled, but after a pause, he added, “It’s just… with time, what’s bound to happen will still happen! Many soldiers and civilians will become increasingly dissatisfied with the current political system, and many schemers will want to stir up trouble for their own benefit. Without Vincent, someone else will always play his role.”
You actually have such a materialistic view of history; in this universe full of idealistic idiots, that’s truly quite rare.
Yu Lian glanced at Count Black Moon, finding him more and more agreeable.
This state is very good now; please don’t be so depressed in the future!
At this moment, the Count added, “So, you’re still not smart enough. At this point, shouldn’t you be watching coldly and waiting for things to change? In a chaotic era, it’s easier for people like you to rise. I’ve seen too many so-called heroes who rose by taking advantage of the situation. The situation is not convenient,”
“Yes! This country is indeed riddled with various terminal illnesses, and what I’m doing now might just be a very small, petty patchwork, right? Doing this won’t save the country. In a macroscopic sense, it might even be meaningless… But, it can always save some innocent lives, right? Knowing that I can save some lives but choosing not to, instead trying to convince myself it’s for a greater goal while waiting for the opportune moment—this might convince some Machiavellians at heart, but it truly cannot convince me.” Yu Lian patted his chest and laughed, “No matter what, I’m a spiritual energy user! If I truly develop a split personality, I’ll die very quickly.”
He looked at Vincent, who was a bit dazed from listening, and laughed, “No matter what you want to do, you have to be a bit purer? Don’t you agree, Vincent?”
Yes, no matter what you want to do, to see it through, you need a bit of purity.
Machiavellians are bound to be second-rate, cowardly dictators, let alone revolutionaries.
“And, if I have to put it in utilitarian terms, I also have to extend the Commonwealth’s life a little; I need time…”
“So, what exactly do you want to do?” Count Black Moon asked again.
Yu Lian couldn’t answer for a moment; on one hand, he felt he wasn’t close enough to the other party yet. On the other hand, he actually didn’t know how to answer this question.
He felt he still had some obligations to the Commonwealth. Even though this was a parallel universe, he was still an Earthling, after all. Not only because of his current position as a Commonwealth soldier in this life, but even in his previous life, he was a ace combat hero of the Volunteer Army!
But how exactly should this doomed country be saved?
If I really knew, wouldn’t I have done it in my previous life? Would I have been wanted by the All-Galaxy? I’ve read the works of Teacher Ma, Comrade Wu, and Li Instructor! But the problem is, many people have read the five volumes of dragon-slaying techniques, how many more Li Instructors have there been in the world?
Surely the easiest thing is to move my uncle’s entire family to the Alliance, and then take Feifei to see sights I never saw in my previous life, right?
Yu Lian was still thinking when the Count of Darkness opposite suddenly laughed, “I think, in the final analysis, our country lacks a flag that can rally everyone, a will that can unite everyone, and a voice that can inspire and guide everyone, possessing both courage and Wisdom!”
I understand that too! But how difficult is it to actually do? Many people in this world have read those five volumes of dragon-slaying techniques, how many have become Teacher Li?
“How about it? Little brother, such a heavy burden, are you interested?” he suddenly added.
Yu Lian sighed silently behind his mask. A sense of pride from standing downstream in the river of history and a sense of loneliness he had experienced in his previous life immediately arose.
However, the other party didn’t feel at all abrupt, but instead laughed loudly, “It’s an era of great contention, after all. It’s good to have your own thoughts. Even the founding emperor of their current Empire was just a mercenary. If your ideas are truly executable, and can truly make Earthlings and our Earthling nation strong, so that one day we can contend with the Empire and the Alliance, then I wouldn’t mind being your Count.”
At this point, his tone carried a hint of melancholy and sigh, “I once met such a person too, but unfortunately, he left too early.”
Vincent looked at Count Black Moon, then at Yu Lian.
Although he felt he had encountered two lunatics, he also knew that this time, since they dared to talk about such things openly in front of him, he was truly doomed.
This month, my mother-in-law and father-in-law are returning to their hometown. Then I will have to take care of my two-and-a-half-year-old baby, who hasn’t started kindergarten yet, by myself.
I won’t hire a nanny or a housekeeper; they are expensive and I wouldn’t feel at ease.
So, for updates during this period, I will try my best to ensure continuous updates, but there might be some back and forth. Also, my saved drafts are indeed running low, so I need to accumulate some as well.