章 62: For The Empire, Or Not?! [Bonus]

The bright neon light in the ceiling showered the room with its bright, white glow, which seemed to amplify on the immaculate white walls and floor tiles.

Tia stood there, tense and unsteady, her exhausted body almost giving up under the pressure of danger radiating out of the elite soldiers in the power suits looming over her, their purple gazes not leaving her alone for even a moment.

'They look even tougher than the response team I fought before, and they even have light power armor.' When she thought about it, it wasn't surprising, as those soldiers were the most likely elite of military intelligence, incomparable to some random soldiers guarding a small military outpost.

The red-eyed girl motioned at Tia and the sniper by her side, "Would you be so kind as to take your places in the line over there?"

Three more people stood there, lined side by side—a scarred man, a blonde woman in her thirties, and, to her shock, a young boy of middle school age. Their standing was unsteady, and bloodstains were visible on their clothes.

'They must have been brought back just as we were.'

Under the purple gazes of the elite soldiers, Tia slowly stepped into the line, her eyes slowly darting around, mentally mapping out potential exit routes for a desperate escape. However, it was hopeless: 'I can kill a few, but the rest would turn me into a puddle of boiling blood.'

The worst was the red-eyed girl, as just her glance was enough to make Tia's instincts warn her of danger. 'They glowed! She must have some kind of power, and with even the handler showing such reverence, it must be a terrifying power.'

Tia didn't like how dangerous it seemed, but one rational thought managed to hold her rising panic at bay: 'If they wanted to dispose of us, they wouldn't bring us all the way here.'

Just then, a melodious voice snapped her back from her inner turmoil. "You've already served the Empire, albeit unknowingly. My offer is simple: pledge your allegiance officially to the Great Terran Empire. Swear loyalty to the ideals championed by our esteemed emperor, and you will find the path to prosperity laid out before you."

The red eyes of the imperial officers roamed past her and the rest of the group, glowing as she waited for the response. The tension in the room was almost palpable, with the oppressive silence bearing on everyone.

Finally, the young boy shattered the silence, his voice tinged with apprehension. "What if we don't?"

"Nothing will happen," the officer replied, her voice eerily calm. "You'll be detained until the conclusion of our operation. After that, you're free to go. You've served the Empire, after all; executing you would set an undesirable precedent."

Tia had to restrain a derisive snort, the air practically reeking with the stench of deceit. 'Sure, as if they'd ever allow known insurgents who've attacked government facilities to simply waltz out of here.'

"So what's in it for us?" The boy pressed on, his voice devoid of any restraint or fear.

The officer with the red eyes offered a sly smile. "Let me regale you with the tale of the Empire's origins—"

"Skip the history lesson; what's m—" The boy didn't get to finish his sentence. Suddenly, he crumpled to the ground, clutching his throat and gasping for air, his complexion rapidly paling.

Tia's eyes flickered toward him, her mind whirring through a catalog of possibilities. 'Biokinesis? Telekinesis? What could it be?'

Yet, as she subtly probed the space around her, she found nothing—no discernible energy fluctuations, no ripple in the fabric of reality. 'As both a witch and an esper, I should be sensitive to any form of energy manipulation.'

The absence of any detectable power signature left her uneasy, amplifying her sense of vulnerability.

The red-eye continued as if nothing had happened, speaking in her melodious voice, "Centuries ago, the first emperor and the first dukes split from the old Terran Union, unsatisfied with the rule of weak politicians, rich but weak entrepreneurs, and the old class using the efforts of their ancestors to step on and rule over the more talented."

Tia glanced at the choking boy, 'Dumb idiot, he doesn't know when to bow their head.'

"Why should the stronger, smarter, talented, and more evolved humans listen to those pathetic fossils? With this thought, they founded the Great Terran Empire, the land where people like them would be at the top! The true imperial meritocracy"

"So join the Empire and gain the opportunity for fairness! Grow stronger, smarter, and evolve! Eventually, you might gain your titles and fiefs, ruling over the masses!"

Tia fought back a scoff, maintaining her composed exterior. 'Right, as if one doesn't need to be at least a D or C-rank or a renowned scientist to gain something out of the system. At best, we will get free health insurance...' she knew the officer's grandiose words were a sugar-coated illusion—enticing but out of reach for the majority.

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