Chapter 177: We at the Stellar Envoy Association Don't Bow to Anyone's Will

【Gear Tower, Stellar Envoy Association – Steam Branch】

【Fifth Squad Base, Prison Sector】

Clang!

The heavy iron door of the cell groaned open, its metallic shriek shattering the silence and jolting Yu Chen from his slumber in the corner. He lifted his head, the blindfold over his eyes fixed on the doorway.

"Who’s there?"

The sudden burst of light made him instinctively raise his hand to shield his eyes. After a moment, he lowered it, squinting against the glare.

Before him stood a short, frail old man in a black uniform.

But the sight of him froze Yu Chen mid-breath.

"You're... the president?"

Indeed, the man standing before him was none other than Liam—head of the Steam Branch.

"Come with me."

Without another word, Liam turned and strode out into the corridor, his back rigid and cold.

Yu Chen hesitated for a heartbeat, then stood and followed.

Not long after, they arrived at a windowless room, its walls lined with intricate metallic structures—specialized for containment and interrogation.

Yu Chen sat down, and almost immediately, a faint, buzzing hum reached his ears—like the whisper of a mosquito.

The sound of the Stellar Energy Interference Device.

It was said to generate an Information Barrier strong enough to block even Third-Rank mental sensing-based Stellar Energy Spells. The secrecy here was legendary.

But why go through such lengths—why a specialized interrogation room, and why had the president himself come?

Yu Chen frowned.

He had defected during battle, yes—but he hadn’t killed any comrades, nor had he harmed the Steam Branch. There was no reason for this level of scrutiny.

Before he could piece it together, Liam spoke.

"Yu Chen. I heard you were investigating Ink."

Yu Chen nodded. "Yes. For some time now."

"Anything found?"

After a pause, Yu Chen answered cautiously. "Only that he may have ties to a mysterious organization. But no solid proof."

"Is that so?"

Liam lowered his head, fingers drumming softly on the alloy table—each tap echoing like a heartbeat in the tense silence.

Feeling the oppressive weight of the room, Yu Chen finally spoke.

"President... is something wrong?"

Then came the words that froze his blood.

"Ink is dead."

Yu Chen’s mind went blank.

His mouth opened, but only a single, hollow sound escaped.

"...Ah?"

Liam repeated it, voice like stone.

"I said—Ink is dead. Right during the time you’ve been locked up."

Yu Chen’s thoughts reeled. His mind struggled to process it.

Ink—the man who always wore that gentle smile, the one he’d suspected for so long but never caught red-handed… just like that, gone?

"Who did it?"

"Unknown."

"..."

Liam stared at him, his gaze piercing through the perpetual squint of Yu Chen’s half-closed eyes, as if searching for truth in the shadows of his face.

Yu Chen remained open, honest—no flicker of deceit.

Perhaps Liam saw nothing. Or perhaps he trusted the silence.

Finally, he asked, "Do you know of anyone who might have had a motive to kill him? Any enemies?"

Yu Chen paused, recalling his investigation.

"Some possibilities, but again—no concrete evidence."

"Tell me."

After long silence, Yu Chen offered a hesitant answer.

"If I had to name someone who might have killed Ink… it would be the Gear Church."

"Reason?"

"Because I suspect the Sacred Artifact the Church lost hasn’t been found because it was taken by Ink’s organization."

Liam frowned. "So you think the Church tracked Ink down, tried to extract the artifact’s location from him?"

Yu Chen nodded. "That’s my theory."

But Liam’s next words shattered it.

"Unlikely."

"Why?"

"Because last night—around the same time Ink died—Golden Knight · Fischer was also murdered."

He paused, letting the weight sink in.

"And his body… showed the same Stellar Energy Spell residue as Ink’s."

Yu Chen’s eyes snapped open.

"So the killer of Ink and Fischer… is the same person."

Liam continued. "If the Church had killed Ink, Fischer wouldn’t have been touched. Fischer was raised in the Church’s system—brainwashed from childhood. He’s a tool, loyal only to the Central Authority."

"Would they kill their own weapon? No. No reason. No motive."

He looked straight at Yu Chen.

"Who else could it be?"

Yu Chen said nothing.

But his eyes widened.

Fischer—dead?

Only one day had passed since Yu Chen had been imprisoned.

And yet, two Fifth Squad captains—gone without a trace.

Though he didn’t know what was happening beyond these walls, the grim set of Liam’s expression told him clearly: a storm was brewing. A storm unlike any the Steam Capital had seen before.

Yu Chen’s mind spun.

He’d always believed Ink was a spy—an infiltrator planted by some secret organization.

But now, Ink was dead.

And the logic of that made no sense.

Why would a shadowy group sacrifice their own agent like this?

To send a message?

"Any thoughts on who might have done it?"

Yu Chen swallowed, then offered a tentative guess.

"If I had to pick someone... it would be the Saintess Yufemia."

"Why?"

"Because I’ve long suspected her identity is suspicious. And there’s… a connection between her and Ink. I can’t prove it, but I’ve seen patterns."

"How certain are you?"

"Only two or three out of ten."

"Enough."

Liam stood. His small, hunched frame seemed to swell with power—though the pressure wasn’t directed at Yu Chen.

Still, it made his skin crawl.

"I’ll bring Yufemia before you. You’ll interrogate her yourself."

"If she’s innocent, once the truth comes out, I’ll personally apologize to the Gear Church."

"But if I find she’s truly connected to this… even if she’s the Church’s Saintess, she’ll pay."

His voice was calm. But beneath it, Yu Chen felt the storm—cold, furious, and absolute.

Yu Chen hesitated. "President... are you sure this is safe?"

"Think about it. If this goes wrong, we’re not just at odds with the Gear Church. We’re facing the Mechanical Deity Cult itself."

"And they’ll never allow us to trial one of their Saintesses."

Liam let out a laugh.

But it wasn’t warm. It was sharp—cold, cruel.

Yu Chen shivered.

This time… our president is truly furious.

"Deadly? Don’t speak of a mere Gear Church. Even if a high priest of the Mechanical Deity Cult stood before me, they wouldn’t dare say such words."

"We at the Stellar Envoy Association don’t bow to anyone’s will. Not ever. Not because they’re worthy of it."

With that, Liam turned and walked toward the door.

Then, just as he reached the threshold, he stopped.

"Yu Chen. From this moment, you are the new Captain of the Fifth Squad."

"All original members fall under your command."

"Your only task? Watch this place. I’ll be back soon."

Yu Chen stood frozen.

The door shut behind him.

And then—crack.

A clear, sharp sound from his wrist.

He looked down.

The obsidian handcuffs that had bound him were gone—shattered into fine black dust that drifted to the floor like ash.

He didn’t even see Liam move.

That meant—had Liam wanted to kill him, he could have done so without a trace.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end