The murderous atmosphere softened amid the repeated cries of homage.
One moment, the Federation had been surrounding a traitor to kill him; the next, everyone was kneeling before the Pioneer.
The speed of the change and the absurdity of the process were hard to adjust to.
And yet, everyone adjusted perfectly.
Not a single person found anything wrong with the enemy they had just been clamoring to kill suddenly becoming the Pioneer.
The trial watched by the entire world turned into a grand reunion, its atmosphere thoroughly harmonious.
As for the officers who had been chopped into mincemeat, their shredded flesh and blood scattered across the ground, no one cared.
Perhaps their sole purpose had been to serve as the red carpet for the Pioneer's arrival.
There were no fools among the Federation's upper ranks. Their own leader had already knelt. If anyone dared to voice dissent now, the Pioneer would not even need to act-the Speaker would punish them himself. The Prophet was an excellent example.
Du Jingzhe pressed his head against the icy ground, his posture so reverent it bordered on abject humility. Yet what churned in his chest was neither excitement nor longing, but anger laced with fear.
Teacher... why are you still alive?!
You should have been buried in the passage of time. You disappeared decades ago. Why did you have to stand before me again now, just as I was about to succeed?!
I spent half my life plotting, securing every step, climbing over bones and blood to reach the pinnacle of the Federation's power. All my arrangements, all my schemes, everything that could never bear the light of day-all of it was about to fall into place.
*But your arrival shattered everything I so painstakingly built. My power, my plans-all of it became a