Chapter 157: The First-Class Merit Medal at the Hearing

Chapter 157: The First-Class Merit Medal at the Hearing

The Mingqiong District Case 302 Hearing.

This hearing was attended by representatives from the legislative, supervisory, and investigative bodies.

It was akin to the Abyssal Era Tripartite Trial.

However, this hearing was not a trial but a session to hear an objective account of events and discuss whether further proceedings were necessary.

Therefore, while there would be no judgment passed, the hearing would influence the direction of the case's future handling.

Dozens of Japanese had died that night, and there needed to be an explanation for it.

Lu Heng sat in the center of the hearing, calm and composed, with the representatives of the Tripartite Judicial Council before him.

Apart from the Council members, in the last row at the corner of the room, sat another person—Jian Qing, a lieutenant from the special forces.

After successfully resolving the Sulfur River Mist Crisis, she had been awarded a first-class merit and promoted from second lieutenant to lieutenant.

She sat there with her legs crossed and her hands resting on her thighs, casually observing the hearing.

The hearing commenced.

The prosecutor began the questioning: "On the night of the 2nd, where were you?"

Lu Heng was not pleased with the opening question: "I was the one who clashed with the Japanese assassin that night. There's no need to ask; I admit it."

Prosecutor: "Why did the conflict occur?"

The interrogation had barely begun, but Lu Heng had no interest in answering each question individually.

So, he decided to end the hearing with a single statement.

Lu Heng stood up, took out a piece of paper, shook it, and said, "I suggest you all take a look at the contents of this paper. After reading it, I'll provide a brief explanation, and then we can conclude this tedious meeting."

The Tripartite Judicial Council officials exchanged glances and took turns reading the paper's contents.

Written on the paper was information about the Soulstealer, and upon seeing the details of this monster, the expressions of those present changed.

After they finished reading, Lu Heng continued, "This is an Abyssal Monster controlled by a Japanese Mutant. As the information states, the Soulstealer can control anyone, including all of you here..."

As he spoke, a chill seemed to sweep through the room, causing the officials to feel a cold shiver down their spines.

Noticing their reactions, Lu Heng added, "Not only can it control all of you here, but also those of higher ranks, even the very top officials."

"If my estimation is correct, there are already Japanese politicians under the control of the Soulstealer, and future events will undoubtedly become more intriguing."

"Among those who died on the night of the 2nd was a Japanese named Sato Ichiro, a Soul Reaper. He was the primary controller of the Soulstealer."

"As for whether there are other Japanese capable of controlling the Soulstealer, you can make your own guesses."

"Well, I've presented the information. Can we conclude the hearing now?"

These words left the Tripartite Judicial Council officials stunned.

If this information was true, it was terrifying.

Currently, the incident of the Soulstealer controlling Japanese politicians had not yet erupted, but that didn't mean it hadn't occurred.

A year after the Abyssal Invasion, Japan would experience the outbreak of the Soulstealer controlling its politicians.

However, this was the time when the incident would be exposed.

In other words, the Soulstealer had already been controlling Japanese politicians for some time, but the exact starting point was unclear.

One thing was certain: Sato Ichiro had gained the ability to control the Soulstealer.

Perhaps, by this time, there were already Japanese politicians under the Soulstealer's control.

The fact that a country's politicians could be controlled was enough to shake the nation's fate.

And they were still holding a hearing?

The Tripartite Judicial Council officials exchanged opinions and unanimously agreed to end the hearing.

The hearing, which had just begun, abruptly concluded.

After the presiding officer announced the hearing's conclusion, Jian Qing stood up from the back row, her boots clacking as she walked down the steps and approached Lu Heng.

She straightened Lu Heng's attire, took a step back, and snapped to attention, saluting as she presented a medal:

"Lu Heng, for your outstanding talent and selfless dedication during the Sulchuan Rescue Operation, you are awarded a Group First-Class Merit and an Individual First-Class Merit. This medal is bestowed to honor your excellence, responsibility, and legacy, inspiring future generations to strive for greatness and embrace duty. Salute!"

Snap!

After the announcement, Jian Qing stepped forward, pinned the medal on Lu Heng's left chest, and said, "I have the group medal with me. If you want a group photo, come to me anytime. Well, I'm in a hurry, so I'll be off."

Jian Qing presented the medal, waved, and left.

The Tripartite Judicial Council officials present were all a bit bewildered.

They were becoming increasingly unclear about the purpose of this hearing. Why was a lieutenant personally awarding medals, and that too, starting with a Group First-Class Merit and an Individual First-Class Merit?

The officials were well aware that a Group First-Class Merit was understandable, as it was awarded to a group. For instance, a research team that achieved groundbreaking scientific results could receive the Group First-Class Merit, even if it wasn't on the level of the Two Bombs and One Satellite project.

However, an Individual First-Class Merit was a different story.

Even in the military, it was rare to earn a First-Class Merit. There was even a joking saying that it was difficult to receive a First-Class Merit while alive. If one sacrificed themselves during a meritorious act, then the chances of being awarded an Individual First-Class Merit would be higher.

But now, Lu Heng was alive and well, with no signs of injury or disability. What had he done to deserve the Individual First-Class Merit?

Lu Heng himself hadn't expected to receive the medal in such a formal setting.

Was this girl in such a hurry?

...

After the hearing, the Ironblood organization experienced some tremors due to the existence of the Soulstealer, which had indeed frightened some people.

A red-header document was issued from above, ordering Ironblood to thoroughly investigate the Soulstealer incident.

As the Soulstealer originated from Japan, all Japan-related enterprises, organizations, and forces were under strict investigation.

The Haruka Corporation, in particular, was scrutinized heavily.

Everyone who had come into contact with Sato Ichiro was detained and interrogated to determine the origin of the Soulstealer.

Although Sato Ichiro had entered secretly, he must have interacted with someone.

Under Ironblood's intense investigation, they uncovered some clues.

This led to the capture of the Haruka Corporation's criminal evidence, and the corporation was charged with endangering national security, sealing all its companies within Daxia.

This once-powerful multinational corporation, which had dominated the Coastal region, finally met its end.

However, as the Haruka Corporation was multinational, Daxia could only seal its domestic companies, leaving the overseas ones untouched.

After this incident, the Haruka Corporation completely withdrew from Daxia.

Previously, the corporation had used various fair and foul means to hinder Hengyu's development, creating many obstacles.

Now, the Haruka Corporation had been dealt with.

Hengyu officially dominated the Tempered Forge market, and other competitors couldn't compete.

Seven months into the Abyssal Descent, the mist that had appeared worldwide continued to expand.

Not every region had the capability to clear the mist, and this compression of living space became a concern.

Daxia initiated the Base City Initiative to plan for the future.

Without long-term considerations, there would be short-term worries, so the Base City Initiative was a necessary step.

The locations for the Base Cities in major cities were yet to be determined, and this information was only circulating within the upper echelons.

Even so, it caused a stir among the cities.

Because once the Base City Initiative was finalized, the selected locations would become invaluable real estate.

...

In recent days, Lin Zeyu encountered a strange situation.

Several groups collaborating with the Lin Corporation approached him, expressing interest in purchasing properties in the Jade Peak Lake area.

After hearing Lu Heng's advice, Lin Zeyu had already acquired half of the Jade Peak Lake area and invested in several surrounding communities.

Lin Zeyu wasn't holding onto these properties tightly, and he could sell them if needed.

Moreover, the company's development genuinely required funding.

However, it was unusual to have multiple people inquire about purchasing properties all at once.

So, he decided to wait and observe the situation.

Additionally, he was currently preoccupied with acquiring Tempered Forge materials to upgrade the team's weapons.

Lu Heng's Aurora Blade had already reached a Tempered Forge level of 9, so it didn't require further tempering.

Su Muyu's crossbow and Lin Zeyu's sniper rifle were both at level 6.

With the increasing number of high-level Mutants, the demand for Tempered Forge weapons was rising.

The prices of Tempered Forge materials skyrocketed.

If it weren't for the early decision to raise the Tempered Forge levels to 6, acquiring materials for tempering now would be several times more challenging.

Currently, 30% of Hengyu's shares belonged to the team, held by Su Muyu.

These 30% of the shares were dedicated to the team's development.

The team's weapon and equipment upgrades were primarily funded by the dividends from these shares.

This way, the team's strength could develop rapidly.

Apart from Tempered Forging weapons, Lin Zeyu had also been searching for suitable Skill Crystal Cores.

The last time in the Abyss Battlefield, after completing a world mission, he gained an additional Skill Slot but hadn't found a suitable skill yet.

There were too many options, and he was spoilt for choice.

He acquired several Skill Crystal Cores on the Crystal Core Dark Web and planned to bring them to the Tempering Castle, seeking Lu Heng's advice.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end