A Probe under the Guise of a Joint Drill, the Administrative Faction Director's Haste
Key evidence.
These four words, spoken by the Supreme Adjudicator, were devoid of intonation, yet weighed heavier than a thousand-pound boulder.
Gwen Stacy's fingertips gripped the document, and she could clearly feel the friction between her skin and the paper fibers. Lynn's signature on the document was still conspicuous; the authorization that had just pulled them out of the Abyss of rules had instantly become a signpost pointing to another trap.
She knew very well that the so-called "key evidence" was the underlying operation log of the temporary key that Ke'er had given her.
Handing it over would be tantamount to directly handing the dereliction of duty by the Administrative Faction of the Battleworld to the executioner's blade of the Rules Faction. They might be safe for the time being, but Ke'er's connection would be severed, and the Negative Zone would completely lose its fulcrum for maintaining the balance of factions within the Battleworld.
Failure to comply constitutes a blatant violation of the terms of this "Contingency Plan Notification," Supreme Adjudicator has ample reason to redefine the recently de-escalated situation as "refusal to cooperate," or even "deliberate sabotage of the exercise."
Hela and Wanda understood.
The two women, who had just relaxed, tensed up again, their eyes filled with questions as they looked at Gwen Stacy. They couldn't understand why Lynn's documents would contain such an obvious piece of evidence.
Gwen Stacy showed no sign of embarrassment. She raised her head to meet the Supreme Adjudicator's unfocused eyes, her tone as calm as if she were reviewing meeting minutes.
"Of course. Cooperating with the Adjudication Office secure evidence is our delegation's obligation. However, the notification did not detail the format and transfer procedures for 'key evidence.' To ensure procedural rigor and avoid errors in handover, we request Your Judge to clarify the specific procedures."
She's using the program to stall for time.
In the arena of rules, whoever has a deeper understanding of the program and more details will gain the upper hand.
The Supreme Adjudicator seemed unconcerned about her intentions, or rather, in his view, any delay was pointless. Just as he was about to speak, a normally tightly closed Alloy Door on the other side of the Engine Room silently slid open.
A series of hurried footsteps approached.
Ke'er, the director of the Battleworld Foreign Affairs Office, walked in quickly with a team of Administrative Faction Security Personnel. He had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, and his usually impeccable suit was a little wrinkled, clearly indicating that he had rushed over.
"Your Judge!"
Ke'er's loud voice, tinged with a deliberately feigned surprise and anxiety, instantly shattered the tense atmosphere.
He didn't look at Gwen Stacy and the other two, but walked straight to the Supreme Adjudicator, his face showing just the right amount of apology and fear.
"A very serious incident has occurred during a diplomatic reception! Due to the negligence of our staff, the distinguished guests of the Negative Zone delegation were mistakenly led into the Engine Three Core Operations Zone. I bear undeniable leadership responsibility for this and am preparing to submit a written explanation to the committee. Now, please allow me to immediately escort the guests back to the guesthouse and ensure their safety!"
His words were impeccable, directly characterizing the illegal intrusion as a major blunder on their part. His core objective was singular: to take Gwen away and suppress the matter before Gwen Stacy could hand over the "evidence."
The Supreme Adjudicator turned to Ke'er, and for the first time, a hint of scrutiny appeared in his usually calm eyes.
"Director Ke'er, according to the ' Joint Security Drill Plan Notice ' I just received, the second phase of the exercise debriefing is underway here. Your actions constitute unauthorized interference with the Joint Drill."
Ke'er's expression stiffened for a moment.
He clearly hadn't expected the Rules Faction to react so quickly, even reaching some kind of "consensus" with Negative Zone.
Gwen Stacy observed this and made a decision. She stepped forward at the opportune moment, a professional yet slightly bewildered smile on her face.
"Director Ke'er, thank you for your concern. However, we have just received notification that this inspection has been temporarily upgraded to Joint Security Exercise. My superior, Director Lynn, has instructed our team to unconditionally cooperate with the on-site command of the Battleworld Adjudication Office. Do you think we should now prioritize following the exercise Contingency Plan?"
She gently waved the documents in her hand, like a bewildered subordinate who could only read from the script.
With a single sentence, he pulled himself out of the eye of the storm and kicked the ball back to the feet of the two highest authorities in the Battleworld.
Now, it has turned into a face-to-face confrontation between the Rules Faction and the Administrative Faction.
Ke'er's gaze finally fell on Gwen Stacy, a shadow of malice flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected this seemingly gentle and harmless woman to be so troublesome.
He took a deep breath, softened his tone, and turned to Gwen Stacy.
"Commander Gwen Stacy, while the drills are important, foreign affairs security is the top priority. Your entry into the Core Zone without adequate protection poses a significant security risk. As the person in charge of foreign affairs, I must prioritize your absolute safety. This is my duty."
As he spoke, he gave a wink to the security personnel behind him.
Two security personnel immediately stepped forward and made a "please" gesture, attempting to separate the delegation from the Supreme Adjudicator.
"Stop."
The Supreme Adjudicator spoke coldly.
The two security guards froze instantly, as if bound by invisible shackles.
Ke'er's eye twitched. He stared at the Supreme Adjudicator, his voice deepening. "Judge, are you going to openly interfere with the Foreign Affairs Office's internal Jurisdiction for the sake of a so-called 'exercise'?"
"I will only execute the highest priority Contingency Plan that has been filed."
"If the delegation encounters any security issues within your jurisdiction, can you bear the responsibility?"
"There are no security issues in my jurisdiction."
The two exchanged words, neither willing to back down.
Hela watched this scene with great interest, a faint, cold smile playing on her lips. She had completely grasped Lynn's scheme. Wanda stood silently behind Gwen Stacy, her Scarlet eyes Data Stream as she rapidly analyzed the boundaries of authority and loopholes in the rules between the two factions.
The delegation went from being prisoners awaiting execution to becoming a political bargaining chip fought over by both factions.
Gwen Stacy maintained a polite smile throughout, watching them argue quietly without saying a word.
Seeing that he couldn't gain the upper hand procedurally, and with Gwen Stacy adopting a "just follow orders" attitude, Ke'er's anxiety grew stronger. He knew that if things dragged on any longer, once the log was handed over, he would be completely finished.
He gave Gwen Stacy one last look, his gaze as if he were assessing the value of an item.
Then, his gaze turned to Hela.
At that very moment, the internally Encrypted Communicator worn by Hela on her waist, specially made by the Negative Zone Technology Division, emitted a very slight vibration.
Hela frowned and lowered her eyes without making a sound.
On her retina, a line of Scarlet urgent cipher text appeared.
The source of the message is unknown.
The content consists of only one sentence.
"Come with me immediately, or the guesthouse's listening equipment will 'accidentally' overload."