Lying Low

The moment Doctor finished speaking, the conference room fell into dead silence. Only the faint hum of the ventilation system drifted through the air.

Jing Liuli held Ink Shadow tighter, staring at Tiandao in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She had never imagined that Doctor and Enit would place the burden of the Federation's survival so directly upon Tiandao's shoulders.

Yun Meng's expression was grave. Her fingers unconsciously stroked Xiao Jin's warm head, and she already understood that this was not merely a weighty trust, but a gamble staked on the future of the entire Federation.

Caroline swiftly pulled up the tablet on her wrist, her fingers flying across the glowing screen. She instantly entered work mode, calculating the timelines, resource allocation, and contingency plans for three years of preparation. Her rational mind always locked onto the core priorities at the first opportunity.

Tiandao lowered his eyes to gaze at the Azure vector Star Power flowing through his palm. Starlight gathered at his fingertips into tiny vortices before silently dispersing.

Faced with this sudden entrustment, he showed not the slightest hint of being flattered. Instead, he carried an almost indifferent calm. He neither explicitly refused nor agreed to take it on.

He slowly raised his eyes toward Doctor, his voice calm and even, every word clear.

"Doctor, I will not fight for this so-called coexistence with Star Beasts, nor do I intend to become some guardian of the Federation."

Doctor seemed to have long seen through Tiandao's thoughts. A flicker of understanding passed through the eyes beneath his mechanical mask, but his voice remained as steady as ever, carrying unquestionable certainty.

"I know. You only need to remember this: protecting the Federation is not for the Star Beasts, not for Enit, and certainly not for me. It is for