Leila slowly asked, "That political center is supposed to be me?"
"You're the most suitable person right now."
"So you tortured me, used me, made the whole world watch my trial, then launched a coup in my name, all to qualify me to serve as your interface with Europe?"
"Precisely."
"Did you never think, even for a moment, that you should ask whether I wanted this first?"
"If I'd asked, you would have refused."
"Of course I would have!"
"So I first created the conditions that would qualify you to refuse."
Leila abruptly raised her hand, but the slap never landed.
Instead, an unprecedented burning sensation suddenly flared in her left eye. A blue bird-shaped mark lit up deep in her pupil, and a door that had been closed opened on its own in response to the overwhelming force of her desire.
She wanted to know-wanted to know how the man before her could do all these things so naturally.
She wanted to know whether he truly believed in her, or merely saw everyone as numbers he could move around.
At that same moment, Lin Cuo felt an invisible touch.
The [Psionic Potential] C.C. had left him stirred to life. He knew clearly that if he pulled away now, this connection would disappear.
Leila asked through gritted teeth, "What are you really thinking?"
"Haven't you always wanted to know?"
In the next instant, the barrier between them vanished.
It was as though they had both fallen into a river far too narrow to hold them, their emotions and strongest convictions crashing into each other in a frantic rush.
First, Leila saw what Lin Cuo had seen on the battlefield: Tank-class creatures chewing up the wounded before returning to their nest, Assault-class creatures crashing head-on into tank lines, casualty lists scrolling