Before logging off, Miss Bei had probably removed the measures she had placed on the He'an. The communication sent from the Silent had therefore connected to the former president's encrypted channel without a hitch.
So, amid a faintly awkward atmosphere, a young man in his thirties appeared on the screen. He had a refined, steady bearing. He was naturally Yang Mingzhao, now the deputy secretary-general of the Blue Star Commonwealth Presidential Office.
He was also the senior disciple of the Spirit Research Society's third generation, with the daoist title Juque. Out in the wider world, he would naturally be considered a highly respected master.
His appearance and bearing were just as Yu Lian remembered them. He didn't look much like a battle-hardened psyker. He seemed more like a well-trained, promising young investment banker—or an elite bureaucrat fresh out of a prestigious university.
...Well, considering his current position, he really was one of the outstanding members of the Commonwealth's bureaucracy.
Before the war broke out, almost everyone had believed that if Yang Mingzhao could serve President Nishita through the end of his term, he would surely become an influential figure in Earth's political circles, one of the powerful men at the top.
Even Senior Brother Tantai Jing might have planned things that way.
What a shame. The world changed in ways that ultimately paid no heed to people's will or plans!
Perhaps that was what the white-haired fox meant when she said, "The future holds only possibilities."
Then Yang Mingzhao, who had become a grandmaster in another timeline, clasped his hands and bowed his head to Yu Lian, his expression plainly desolate and sorrowful. "This disciple... This disciple has failed. I ultimately couldn't protect the former president! I have no face to meet the expectations of my seniors in the sect!"