The envoy's deadline, the committee's unified position
An invisible wave swept across the office. The teacup on the table remained motionless, but Lynn knew that the "gaze" of the Rule Envoy had once again swept over the White Bone Hall.
Thirty-six hours have passed since Gwen Stacy sent that official letter that dragged TVA into the mess.
TVA is still going through the process, but the Living Tribunal clearly doesn't have that much patience.
The Encrypted Terminal screen on the table flickered, and an official letter bearing Golden Scales scale mark skipped all approval processes and popped up with the highest priority.
There was no heading, no signature, only a line of cold, unquestionable text.
[This is to urge you to submit a preliminary investigation conclusion and explanation of responsibility regarding the anomalies mentioned in the "Assistance Investigation Notice" within forty-eight hours. Failure to submit within the deadline will be considered as obstruction of high-level official duties.]
Lynn looked at the line of text and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
The opponent has played a card.
The time limit, once a vague concept, has become a sword of Damocles hanging over our heads.
He pressed the Internal Communicator.
"Notify all Standing Committee Member that a meeting will be held in Conference Room One in half an hour."
Meeting agenda: Emergency meeting regarding matters overseen by the Living Tribunal.
The atmosphere in Conference Room One was somewhat somber.
At the long conference table, Lynn sat at the head of the table. Gwen Stacy was to his left, and the seat to his right was empty.
Across from them, Hela and Wanda sat on either side, separated by three empty seats, clearly indicating their separation.
Ravonna, as a specially appointed consultant, sat at the end of the conference table, holding a recording terminal in her hand. Her posture was impeccable, her eyes downcast, as if she were an emotionless meeting recorder.
No one spoke; they were all waiting for Lynn to speak.
Lynn didn't look at anyone; her gaze was fixed on the teacup in front of her.
"Director Gwen Stacy, please give me a briefing on the situation."
Gwen Stacy nodded, and the light screen in front of her lit up, projecting the contents of the supervisory letter onto the center of the conference room.
"As you all have seen, the Rule Envoy of the Living Tribunal has set us a final deadline: forty-eight hours."
Gwen Stacy's voice was calm, but the temperature in the conference room seemed to drop even further.
"Time is of the essence. We must produce a preliminary conclusion sufficient to address the special envoy before TVA issues a formal reply."
Hela snorted coldly, remaining silent, but her eyes conveyed a clear message: The conclusion is simply to hand over that so-called "emotional dumping ground," isn't it?
"How's the Task Force going?" Lynn asked, turning his gaze to Gwen Stacy.
"Reporting to the Director," Gwen Stacy immediately replied, "The Joint Investigation Team I led has completed its preliminary review of the Abandoned Dimension D-78. The Stability Maintenance Office and the Ministry of Science Department of Technology have both signed off on it."
As she spoke, she transmitted a document from her terminal to Lynn.
"This is the first draft of the investigation report."
Lynn didn't open it immediately, but instead looked around.
"Since it's a joint investigation, let's discuss it on the spot. Can this report be submitted to the Living Tribunal as the final official statement of our Management Committee?"
As he finished speaking, his gaze seemingly casually swept over Wanda.
Wanda kept her head down, seemingly studying the texture of the table in front of her, and remained silent.
Hela glanced at the silent Wanda, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"I have no objections," Hela said, breaking the silence. "The comrades from the Stability Maintenance Office have already conducted an on-site investigation. The data, coordinates, and energy decay period all match the report's description. Procedurally, there are no problems."
She emphasized the words "procedurally".
All eyes were on Wanda.
As the Technology Minister, and the highest authority on energy analysis in the entire Negative Zone, her opinion is of paramount importance.
Wanda finally raised her head.
Her gaze was calm, her Scarlet pupils appearing somewhat dim in the cold light of the conference room.
"Technically, there are no problems."
She said slowly, "I have used Chaos Algorithm to deduce every data curve in the report, and it conforms to the randomness and disorder characteristics of natural formation. Logically, it is self-consistent."
Upon hearing this conclusion, Gwen Stacy seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Ravonna, sitting at the end of the row, subtly relaxed her grip on the recording terminal.
Once Wanda gives her approval, the matter will be considered closed.
"Very good." Lynn nodded, seemingly satisfied with the result.
"Since there are no technical or procedural objections, then this report..."
"But."
Wanda suddenly spoke, interrupting Lynn.
The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly tensed up again.
Hela's gaze sharpened, and Gwen Stacy's brow furrowed slightly.
Lynn looked at Wanda, his face still expressionless.
"But what?"
"I just think this report... is too perfect." Wanda's voice was soft, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Both the rate of energy dissipation and the mixing ratio of various emotional spectrums perfectly match the description in the ' Assistance Investigation Notice.' It's like... a proof problem deduced by working backward from the answer."
She offered no evidence, only a feeling.
A kind of instinctive intuition about reality and falsehood, originating from Chaos Magic.
A hint of impatience flashed in Hela's eyes. She hated these kinds of unfounded speculations the most.
"Minister Wanda," Hela said coldly, "We're discussing a formal document that needs to be submitted to the Living Tribunal, not your scientific conjecture. Perfection, isn't that a good thing?"
"It's precisely because it's so perfect that it seems unreal." Wanda looked at Hela, unyielding. "The evolution of the universe is full of surprises and uncertainties. Anything that forms naturally will have flaws and redundancies. This data doesn't have any."
That's enough.
Lynn spoke, his voice not loud, but it brought the exchange between the two to an abrupt halt.
He didn't look at any of them, but instead pulled up the investigation report and displayed it to everyone.
"Now, I announce a decision."
Lynn's gaze swept across the room, finally settling on Wanda's face.
"This investigation report on the 'Natural Settlement Zone of Emotional Garbage in the Multiverse ' of Dimension D-78 will serve as the sole official conclusion that our Negative Zone Management Committee will submit to the Living Tribunal."
"This is not a technical issue; it's a political issue."
"It concerns the entire Management Committee's stance on whether it can maintain its autonomy and right to survival in this higher-level review."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried immense weight.
"On this issue, I do not want to hear any dissent or objections. Everyone and every department must unconditionally obey this unified line."
"Anyone who creates unnecessary trouble is playing with the future of the entire Negative Zone."
Lynn stood up, placed his hands on the table, and leaned forward slightly.
"I don't care whether this report is true or false, perfect or flawed. From this moment on, it is true, it is the truth that we all must defend."
"Did you all understand?"
The conference room was deathly silent.
Hela looked at Lynn, and for the first time, a complex expression of admiration and apprehension appeared in her icy blue eyes.
Gwen Stacy lowered her head, concealing the turmoil in her eyes.
Ravonna stopped taking notes. She finally understood how undeniably tough and resolute this seemingly mild-mannered Director of the Management Committee was inside.
Finally, Wanda closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, all the doubts and intuitions in her eyes had been deeply suppressed.
She nodded.
"Clear."
Lynn sat back down and leaned back in her chair.
"Very good. Director Gwen Stacy, finalize the report immediately, attach the electronic signatures of all Standing Committee Member, and send it to the Rule Envoy."
"Yes, Director."
An internal crisis that could have ruined the entire plan was averted by Lynn's unquestionable political authority.
The meeting ended, and everyone left one after another.
Wanda was the last to leave.
She walked to the door, paused, and glanced back at the impeccable report that had already been sent out.
The data doesn't lie.
The logic didn't lie either.
But she knew that some things cannot be measured by data and logic.
For example, the weight of an emotion.
That fake energy source was missing something crucial.
A kind of reality she had personally experienced in the ruins of Sokovia, a reality powerful enough to tear her soul apart...