Then, "they" began presenting evidence.
[Some time ago, an amusing incident occurred that I believe everyone has heard about. Major Qing and General Chen Buer, two generations of Huaxia Gods of War, "provoked" each other at a Swiss military airfield. The two fissures in the ground remain preserved to this day as treasured relics.]
An attached photograph clearly showed the two fissures in the ground of the Swiss airfield.
[I know that the vast majority of us cannot spot anything unusual from this picture. But to those at the pinnacle of the top tier, those super combat powers: do you have the courage to step forward and speak a word of truth?
What level of source energy control is displayed in the fissure stretching from right to left in this picture?
Note that the basis of our judgment is not raw strength, but control, because that was a game. Precisely because it was a game, it demanded control even more.
And the information that fissure reveals to us is that his control over source energy is not even at the level of someone who has just stepped into the top tier.
Can you understand what this statement means?
He is Major The Qing, the man who slew Daie with a single slash during the Zenith War, the symbol of victory—yet his mastery over source energy is practically substandard.]
[Not enough, right?]
[We all know that Major Qing has always refused frontal photographs, but in reality, many people have seen him. Over the past two-plus months, driven by doubts, our people tracked and observed him across the globe. Ultimately, from his eyes, his demeanor, and the logic of his actions, we reached the same conclusion once more: the real Major Qing most likely no longer exists.
Those are not his eyes. Those are the eyes of an ordinary person who has never experienced a battlefield. He lacks that indifference and insolence, and he isn't even as obnoxious.]
[Still not enough, right?]
[I imagine so. Up until those investigative findings emerged, we were just like you—still unable to accept it, unwilling to believe it, and even less able to fully convince ourselves.
Until this morning, when an assassination attempt occurred in the restaurant of the Azure-designated hotel in Toronto, Maple Leaf Nation...]
At this point, the newspaper was no longer text, but a full page of photographs:
Major Qing using a porcelain plate to block the thrust of a dead iron dagger;
Faced with an assassination attempt by a top combat power, he chose to dodge backward, appearing somewhat flustered in the process;
He Tangtang coming to the rescue, easily subduing the foe;
He dodged two bullets incoming from the flank in panic;
Wu Xu coming to the rescue, easily subduing the foe;
The battle was over, yet Major Qing stood behind a marble pillar with uneasy eyes.
"The pictures look like they were captured from video footage." The Little Prince frowned almost imperceptibly as he spoke, because this meant the enemy had video recordings of this morning's assassination attempt.
This was the true purpose of that doomed assassination attempt.
"Yeah." Wen Jifei nodded and folded the newspaper shut.
There was no need to read the rest of the text. With these pictures alone, it was enough to stir up the storm and shockwaves the enemy wanted.
It would likely be a panic and wave of distrust on an immense scale.
Because almost everyone would begin to believe their words—this wasn't Major Qing. He was a God of War! Therefore, the world no longer had Major The Qing.
From ordinary people to Azure soldiers, to the councilors making decisions in the Council, everyone would be like this.
They would panic, rage, and doubt, and then think with cowardice and hesitation.
The article did not mention in the end that human civilization needed a retreat route, but such voices were bound to follow, because faith was being destroyed.
And because of this suspected deception, the opposing outcry would be even louder than expected. Not only would those with a chance to board the ships and escape speak out, but even more people who had no hope of boarding at all would, driven by anger and suspicion, unconsciously join their ranks.
"Since that's the case, why can't we just admit that Qingzi suffered severe injuries, lost his memories, and had a drop in strength? We could say he'll recover soon."
Yang Qingbai's voice rang out from behind.
"...I'm afraid that won't work," Wen Jifei said. "Since Zhe Qiuhong chose this course of action, she must be certain of it. Don't forget, the judgment that Qingzi would recover soon was given by her as well."
This meant that Zhe Qiuhong might have already begun scheming and arranging this media storm back when she was still in Fenglongao, anticipating the development of the situation.
That terrifying chubby doctor.
As for whether Qingzi's current state had anything to do with her, whether she had tampered with something? For the time being, everyone believed she had not. Whatever the case, her strength and capabilities shouldn't be enough to seal a super Yanxiu and the lethal trait left behind by another Yanxiu.
She had likely only gone with the flow, told lies, and held cards up her sleeve.
"I suspect that once we actually admit it, when famous doctors from all sides hold joint consultations," Wen Jifei paused, then continued, "the conclusion will likely be that Qingzi will have a hard time ever recovering, that it will be very difficult to cure him. In that case, their goal will still be achieved all the same."
After he said this, silence fell behind him. Wen Jifei looked up, noticing the gazes of the reception personnel and ground crew in the distance, all staring intently behind him.
So Qingzi was also behind him, standing together with Yang Qingbai and the others?!
He had heard those words just now—that in reality, his condition might be very hard to recover from. And whether he recovered did not just concern him as an individual.
Wen Jifei hadn't expected him to come out so soon.
Wen Jifei turned around and raised the half-folded newspaper in his hand toward Han Qingyu. The gesture seemed to say, "Look, this thing is just ridiculous."
In reality, however, it was to shield him from view.
"There are a lot of reporters outside right now, and countless people all over the world might be waiting for you to appear." Holding up the newspaper, he looked at Han Qingyu and said, "The airport has prepared a special passage, so we could just ride a car straight out around them. But if you could walk straight out, the situation would be better."
This was probably the first time since Han Qingyu woke up that Wen Jifei had offered directional advice on what he should do.
"You don't need to speak, let alone pay them any attention. Because that's how you've always been," the Little Prince chimed in. "Just keep a straight face and walk past them, as if every single one of them owes you a cartload of source energy blocks and refuses to pay."
Right now, they needed time to think, communicate with the Chief of Staff, and then formulate a response.
The first step of this response was to present Major Qing's customary attitude—appearing not to care about anyone or anything, including rumors and suspicion.
Han Qingyu had previously practiced that obnoxious demeanor under Rusty Sister's guidance.
He prepared to nod, but inadvertently looking up, he first saw the gazes of those staff members in the distance.
At the same time, standing where they were, they could already faintly hear the clamor of the reporters outside.
The reporters probably also knew that they had arrived.
"I... I probably can't do it well," Han Qingyu finally said with a wry smile. It wasn't that he was unwilling, but that he lacked confidence; this wasn't a scene he was capable of handling.
At the same time, the flurry of events occurring from morning to night today had already left him feeling a bit unsettled.
"Then we'll take the special passage," Rusty Sister chimed in for the first time, looking at Han Qingyu with a hint of heartache.
"Yeah, that makes sense. After all, you just can't be bothered to look at them," Wen Jifei said with a smile.
Originally feeling somewhat ashamed, Han Qingyu was taken aback. "Does that make sense too?"
Wen Jifei chuckled. "Of course it makes sense. For someone like Han Qingyu, whatever he does makes sense."
...
That day, the reporters gathered outside the Shenghai Azure Military Airfield ultimately failed to see Major Qing and his party appear. A car drove them through the special passage, taking them straight to a standalone courtyard in the war zone base.
Chapter 739