"I filmed your entire fight back then. As for that final punch, luckily neither of you used the fire of spirituality. I'm very glad I captured it."
Corva took the small camera out from his pocket and held it up. "Well, I imagine this should serve as evidence, don't you think?"
Skarson remained silent for a moment, then said with certainty, "You didn't send any message just now."
"Ah... right."
Corva said, "But they'll receive it eventually. There might just be some delay because the field signal is weak. In truth, it wouldn't matter much even if it were sent. The last two times, because of our insistence, they didn't send anyone over either."
He looked at Skarson and smiled. "That's all thanks to the independent investigation you demanded, partner. So even if I sent a message, I doubt anything would come of it."
Skarson said in a deep voice, "So you were behind the anomalies those previous two times as well. And ever since you arrived in Jibei Dao, you've constantly wanted to move around the surrounding areas—you were actually looking for a suitable location."
Corva said, "Well—you didn't think I pulled all this off by myself, did you?"
Skarson's blue eyes locked onto his smiling face, and he asked in a low rumble, "Who is it?"
Corva didn't answer the question. Instead, he smiled and said, "As for your recovery right now—"
Right as he spoke those words, Skarson sprang violently from the spot, the fire of spirituality surging outward from his body. Even though his injuries were far from fully healed, he knew his partner would not let him continue recovering, leaving him no choice but to act.
Watching him charge forward, Corva mirrored the very move Chen Chuan had made that day: making no attempt to defend, he planted himself and kicked straight out.
If the trajectory remained unchanged, even if Skarson took a kick, his punch would undoubtedly pierce through Corva's chest. Just as he was about to land the blow, his movement faltered slightly, yet he still smashed forward with resolute determination.
Yet at the very instant of contact, a sudden wave of weakness washed over his entire body. The fire of spirituality that had just erupted abruptly dissipated, and in the end, his fist merely pressed feebly against Corva's chest.
At that exact moment, Corva's heavy kick landed squarely on his abdomen. The completely unguarded area exploded into an open cavity, spraying shattered bones, internal organs, and blood outward.
The force tossed Skarson floating into the air.
Corva did not let him off. A flurry of follow-up punches pounded into his body, yet no loud bangs or echoing roars broke out—because Corva had deliberately slowed the speed of his strikes, ensuring that every trace of jin penetrated deep into his internal frame without letting a single wisp escape.
When the final punch landed, Skarson finally fell from midair, slamming heavily onto the ground. By now, aside from his head, hardly a single bone in his body remained intact, and his internal mutated tissue had suffered extensive destruction.
Yet he still forced out a voice: "Why?"
Corva smiled and said, "You mean why is it that even though I clearly attacked you, you're the one affected by the ritual when you attack me? While I remain completely unscathed from start to finish?
"That's because..."
He walked over, crouched down, and looked at Skarson. "Because I am serving the interests of the Investigation Delegation."
Skarson's eyes snapped wide open, and Corva's next words fell distinctly into his ears:
"Did you think I was acting on my own whim? You thought I was working for someone else? Wrong. These are instructions from above."
"But—" Skarson's heart sank straight down. The agony of a collapsing faith far surpassed any physical torment. He spoke with immense difficulty: "Our pact does not allow this!"
"Yes, normally that's true." Corva stood up and said, "But you forgot—or rather, you seem to have forgotten—what the supreme tenet of the pact is: all actions must hold the defense of the Investigation Delegation and its interests as the paramount principle.
"Oh, and with one more clause added: under the premise of safeguarding world security. And aren't we doing precisely that?"
Skarson said with effort, "Someone deflected your pact."
Esoteric rituals could be suppressed and deflected. Under certain circumstances, by slightly shifting one's subjective judgment, as long as the end result was deemed beneficial, the pact might not take effect. In essence, it was exploiting a loophole in the pact.
In truth, these loopholes had been intentionally left behind by the creators. It was not entirely done out of malice, but because humans were not machines; sometimes a measure of flexibility was necessary so that people would not be too rigid when handling affairs, lest they end up tying their own hands.
However, such a design was a double-edged sword. When used well, it allowed matters to be accomplished more efficiently and thoroughly; but when abused, it could be exploited by those with ulterior motives. In the end, it all depended on who was using it.
Skarson gasped heavily for breath before managing to speak: "Why?"
"Why, again?"
Corva seemed annoyed by the question. "Skarson, you're obviously a clever man. You clearly know full well in your heart, so why insist on making me spell it out? Is it that you still refuse to believe it deep down? You should have had the answer long ago."
He scoffed. "Fine. Since you want me to say it, I'll tell you.
"After the Grand Alliance collapsed, during the first few decades of the Investigation Team, we ran around everywhere putting out fires. We poured massive amounts of manpower and resources into it, and yes, we earned plenty of praise.
"But what did we get in return? Over the past several decades, we lost more than seventy percent of our veteran members—the very elites assembled when the Grand Alliance was first founded, true idealists!
"And what do we have to show for it? Nothing more than a few islands recognized by the various nations, and some scattered businesses barely keeping our operations afloat.
"They call that the legacy left to us by the Grand Alliance, but in reality, they're just cages stranding us at sea. In name, we've always been responsible for overseeing the vulnerabilities of countries across the world, but in truth, we're nothing more than tools in their political struggles.
"Do you understand? Tools!
"And free tools at that!"
After shouting this, he took a deep breath, tugged at his collar, and continued, "The Great Impact is coming. It's very close. We've preached the doctrine of defending world security so long that it's seeped into our marrow, leaving no room for compromise.
"So in the end, we have only one choice: to charge forward, slaughter and clash with those things, bleed ourselves dry, and bury the very last of our people. While those people—"
He pointed outside. "They cheer and shout from behind, yet they themselves hide in the rear, watching us bleed out every single drop!"
Lying there, Skarson said firmly, "That is what we were supposed to do."
Corva sneered, "Right, you think it's what we're supposed to do. Does everyone think that way? My grandfather, my father, two uncles, and three maternal uncles—just like countless members of the Corva family—all died fighting on the front lines! But what did they leave behind in the end? Aside from a headstone and a few bouquets of flowers, nothing! Aside from us, who even remembers them now?
"Now it's almost my turn.
"And what about those people?"
His face was fraught with resentment. "Why should they hide behind while we shield them with our own flesh and blood?
"I refuse to accept this!
"We have done more than enough for them. Now it's time I look out for myself!"
At this point, he crouched down and spoke in an urgent tone: "Skarson, cooperate with me. You won't die. The Investigation Delegation needs a Center City of its own. We made that request to the countries of the world before, solely to better safeguard world security, but not a single nation agreed. They don't want us to become an organization that can actually stand against them. They only want us to rush in and bite when necessary, to be punching bags at the front, to serve as stepping stones beneath their feet!
"And this time happens to be an opportunity—most likely the easiest to seize before the Great Impact, and our very last chance. Once we take over this Center City, we can still resist the entities on the other side, while securing protection for more of our members and keeping the embers of the Investigation Delegation alive. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Skarson looked into Corva's expectant eyes. His voice was resolute and unwavering as he said, "If a breach appears in the Ring of the World and requires me to charge forward, I will charge without hesitation.
"I exist to safeguard the stability of the world. I don't care how others view me, nor do I seek praise. I do it to realize the noble ideal in my heart, for the stability and prosperity of the entire world!
"If I plunder what belongs to the people I am sworn to protect, then how am I any different from those entities?"
Corva released his grip, letting him fall back to the ground. "Fine. Then wait right here..." Looking at the gradually fading Skarson, he said, "Our cause is about to begin. Sleep well. When you wake up, we will possess what should have been ours all along."
Just as he was speaking, a voice drifted over: "That is not something that belongs to you."
Corva was startled. He whirled around and retreated violently backward. Staring at the figure standing in the doorway, he asked in shock and suspicion, "Who's there?!"
He had not sensed anyone approaching just now.
The figure stood in the doorway, silhouetted against a few beams of light filtering through the damaged gaps of the building. His face could not be seen clearly for the moment, but his stature was exceptionally tall and straight.
Corva then recognized the arrival, his heart leaping violently and his pupils contracting. "It's you—"
Chen Chuan strode in from outside, his footsteps echoing through the vacant space with extraordinary clarity. He wore the uniform of the Chief of the Defense Department, his epaulets and brass buttons gleaming golden beneath the light. Holding a long blade in hand, he touched the brim of his peaked cap and said:
"Mr. Corva, whatever you intend to do, I need to remind you of one thing: the ground beneath your feet is the territory of Great Shun.
"You've crossed the line."
Chapter 949