The news of Ashen Valley’s fall hit Federation Corp headquarters like a bomb. Beyond the glass walls of the top-floor office, the lights of the colonial fleet pierced the night, but inside, the air was as cold as an icebox. Victor Kane stood before a massive tactical screen displaying the ruined outpost of Ashen Valley and its destroyed heavy cannons. His hands were clasped behind his back, his suit impeccable, yet his expression was eerily calm, as if he were admiring a landscape painting.

  Derek Voss stood in the corner, sweat beading on his forehead, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of his chest. Since Ashen Valley’s fall, he had prepared an entire script—shifting all the blame onto Brutus, that fool who was already dead. The air in the room was so tense it felt suffocating. Victor sat quietly at his desk, his fingers lightly tapping the surface, each tap striking Derek’s nerves like a hammer.

  Derek swallowed hard, forcing a smile. “Boss Kane, the fall of Ashen Valley is a long story. Ashen Valley was originally under direct headquarters control, but Brutus somehow got a bit of authority and took it upon himself to manage the place.” He cautiously observed Victor’s expression. “I… I went to great lengths to retrieve this report on the loss. Take a look at this—”

  With trembling hands, he handed over his carefully forged “evidence.” To his surprise, Victor merely glanced at it before setting it on the desk, his face terrifyingly calm.

  “Where’s Brutus now?” Victor’s voice was surprisingly gentle, carrying a hint of concern.

  Derek’s heart leapt with joy—I’ve finally fooled this old fox!—and he quickly replied, “Brutus probably ran off long ago, Boss Kane. Before the comms cut off, that guy couldn’t even give a clear report—he likely abandoned the outpost and fled. It’s not on you, my lord. It’s all on that incompetent fool. After taking over Ashen Valley, he didn’t even set up proper defenses.”

  Victor nodded, letting out a soft sigh. “What a shame, losing an outpost like that.” He looked up at Derek, the corner of his mouth curling slightly. “You handled it well, preserving the evidence in such a situation.”

  Derek felt a wave of relief wash over him, his eyes lighting up as he stood, nearly losing his balance in his excitement. Great, he really bought it! He rubbed his hands together, stepping forward as flattery poured out like a floodgate. “Boss Kane, your wisdom is unparalleled! Rest assured, I’ll thoroughly investigate this matter—I won’t let Ashen Valley’s loss affect the company’s bigger picture. I’m so grateful for your trust, sir. Your foresight is beyond compare. Though we’ve hit a small setback this time, under your leadership, Federation Corp will soon—”

  “Come here,” Victor interrupted suddenly, pointing to a chair in front of the desk. “Sign something for me.”

  Derek froze for a moment, then became ecstatic—Sign something? Is he promoting me? Ashen Valley may be lost, but the boss must have recognized my handling of this! He hurried over, sitting down and taking the document and pen Victor handed him.

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  “Sign on the last page, full name,” Victor said, his voice still calm.

  Derek didn’t think twice, grabbing the pen and the document, eager to make another good impression in front of Victor. He glanced down, his pen starting to write, but his smile froze on his face. This wasn’t an incident summary report—it was a receipt for a mineral transaction, with dates, amounts, and signatures clearly listed, undeniable evidence of him secretly selling rare crystals.

  How could this be? How does he know?

  In that instant, Derek’s mind exploded with a buzzing sound, the pen slipping from his hand and clattering to the floor, ink splattering everywhere.

  Victor let out a cold laugh. “What’s the matter? Why’d you stop signing?”

  “Boss Kane, I… this… this isn’t me… I don’t know what this is… someone must have framed me…” Derek stammered, cold sweat soaking through his shirt.

  Victor shot to his feet, grabbing Derek by the collar, the calm on his face replaced by raging fury. “Framed? Isn’t this your name on the transfer records?” He shoved Derek hard, sending him stumbling into the wall. “You useless piece of trash, worse than a dog.”

  Derek’s face turned ashen, his legs giving out as he dropped to his knees, his head bobbing like a woodpecker. “Boss, I was wrong! I just wanted to make a little extra money—I didn’t know it’d come to this! I failed you, please spare me this time! I’ve got an old mother to take care of, I…” He looked up, tears and snot smearing his face, hoping Victor would calm down.

  Victor sneered, bending down to grab Derek’s collar and yanking him up. “Spare you? You’re worse than a dog.” He raised his fist, slamming it into Derek’s face. Blood sprayed from Derek’s nose, followed by several more heavy blows, leaving Derek crawling on the floor, whimpering and begging for mercy.

  A few minutes later, Victor stopped, panting as he shook the blood off his knuckles, his tone icy. “Your pathetic state makes me feel a bit better. Now, give me a reason why I shouldn’t throw you out to feed the colonial fleet’s engines.”

  Derek clutched his face, crawling to Victor’s feet, his face bruised and swollen but forcing a smile. I got beaten, fine, but at least this is over—I need to find a way out of this. He gasped, his voice low. “Boss, I just got some intel—I know who did this. It’s Ethan Cross! He’s leading a ragtag group, clearly trying to go against you. I know him—he’s stubborn as hell, but not too bright.”

  Victor narrowed his eyes, sitting back in his chair, his fingers tapping the desk. “Ethan? That guy’s still causing trouble. Go on—what’s your plan?”

  Derek scrambled to his feet, his mind racing. I can’t lose this job. He lowered his voice. “Ethan’s taken Ashen Valley—he’ll definitely set up a base there. I have an idea—we can send in the tech department’s latest bionics to infiltrate them! Those advanced bionics can be remotely controlled, indistinguishable from real people. They can slip into their ranks and dismantle them from the inside. Once they’re in, we’ll know their every move and take them all out in one sweep!”

  Victor was silent for a moment, then let out a cold hum. “Bionics? That’s a half-decent idea for once.” He stared at Derek, disdain flashing in his eyes. “But if you mess this up again, I’ll make sure you don’t even get the chance to beg. Get out and arrange it—I want a plan by tomorrow.”

  Derek nodded frantically, stumbling out of the room, his back drenched in cold sweat. That old bastard finally bought it.

  In the office, Victor stood alone, walking to the glass wall and looking down at the fleet below, muttering to himself, “Ethan, you really think you can take me on? Ashen Valley is just the beginning. Your life—I’ll take it back sooner or later.”