285: Chapter 286 Commander Luo slams his fist on the table: Who dares to dismantle this nuclear bomb?

The Federal Capital, Central Military Command Center.

Three hundred meters underground, in a windowless conference room, smoke filled the air.

No more than ten people sat around this long, oval metal table.

Every single one of them bore the general stars of the Federation on their shoulders.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

Sitting at the head of the table was General Luo Zhenbang, the supreme commander of the Federal Military, a one-armed general known as the "Shield of the Federation."

His only remaining hand, his left, held a cigar, with a long stretch of ash already accumulated.

"The discussion on the disposal plan for the 'Panel-less Awakened' has lasted three days without a conclusion. Your efficiency has truly opened my eyes."

Luo Zhenbang's voice was raspy, like two rusted iron plates rubbing together, but every word carried an unquestionable authority.

By the table, a refined-looking Lieutenant General wearing gold-rimmed glasses pushed up his spectacles.

"Commander, this isn't an efficiency issue. It's mainly because this Lin Qi... is too unique. We have too little effective intelligence on him. Any hasty decision could lead to unpredictable consequences."

He represented the military think tank, the typical 'Doves'.

They valued data, analysis, and risk assessment above all else.

"Little intelligence?" A Major General sitting opposite him, built like a bear with a hideous scar across his face, sneered. "You call that little intelligence? Our internal technical department has analyzed the video from the Convention Center over a hundred times. You've all seen the conclusion—a 100% confirmed Independent Law Domain. Do I need to repeat what that means?"

This was Li Xiaotian, the uncle of "Thor" Li Pojun, and a hawk among Hawks who had always advocated for iron-fisted methods.

His nephew had been crippled by Lin Qi in front of the entire Federation, and he had been nursing that grudge ever since.

"It means he is a walking 'Divine Calamity'. A nuclear bomb that isn't bound by the System, isn't defined by the Law, and could detonate at any moment! Regarding this threat, I've only ever had one opinion—defuse him before he detonates!" Li Xiaotian slammed his palm on the table, causing the water in the cups to splash out.

The Lieutenant General with gold-rimmed glasses frowned. "General Li, let me remind you, he is not a nuclear bomb. He is a person. Furthermore, based on all his actions to date, he hasn't shown any hostility toward the Federation. On the contrary, he exposed the Li family's treasonous crimes, which objectively helped us a great deal."

"Help? Hah, naive." Li Xiaotian snorted disdainfully. "That's because the Li family provoked him first. Believe it or not, if we send people to 'invite' him today, tomorrow it'll be our military pinned to the pillar of shame! People like him have no allegiance, no awe, only their own set of logic. To stake the safety of the Federation on his personal whims is gambling!"

"I agree with General Li's view," another Major General chimed in. "We cannot pin our hopes on the 'goodwill' of an uncontrollable factor. We must keep the initiative in our own hands. I propose initiating the 'Ark Project' to place him under the highest level of control. If he cooperates, we can provide the highest level of resources and treatment. If he doesn't..."

He didn't finish, but the implication was clear.

Arguments broke out one after another in the conference room.

The Doves advocated for a soft approach, believing that a being of Lin Qi's caliber could only be cooperated with, not antagonized. Forcible suppression would only push him to the opposing side, creating an unprecedentedly terrifying enemy for the Federation.

The Hawks, on the other hand, believed that those not of their kind must have different hearts. Lin Qi's power System was completely beyond the Federation's understanding, and this unknown was the greatest threat in itself. They had to use the harshest means to nip this threat in the bud or keep it firmly under their thumb.

Neither side could convince the other.

Luo Zhenbang, who had been silent, suddenly crushed his cigar out in the ashtray.

The conference room fell silent instantly.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.

"Zhao Shouzhen is back," Luo Zhenbang spoke slowly, making a seemingly non-sequitur statement.

Everyone was stunned.

Zhao Shouzhen, the Vice Dean of Longya Academy and a Rank 5 Expert, also held a high Rank in the military, making him effectively part of their Ranks.

He had indeed come to the capital for a meeting a few days ago, but what did that have to do with this?

"He cast a dissenting vote." Luo Zhenbang's gaze swept over everyone present. "His reason is that we don't understand at all what we are truly facing."

Li Xiaotian huffed. "An old man about to retire, his courage is getting smaller and smaller. What does he know?"

"He doesn't know, but you do?" Luo Zhenbang glared with his single eye, and a terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the entire conference room.

Li Xiaotian's breath hitched, and he forced himself to swallow the rest of his words.

Before Luo Zhenbang, a Major General like him was nothing.

"I'll ask you a question." Luo Zhenbang's voice wasn't loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly. "Three months ago, why did the Eastern Rift Zone begin to expand?"

No one could answer.

The military report had listed it as "Law Tides of Unknown Origin."

"One week ago, at the Convention Center, Lin Qi revealed his strength. Three days ago, the Eastern Rift Zone erupted with Law fluctuations of an Ancient Era level, and a full reconnaissance platoon vanished into thin air."

Luo Zhenbang linked several events together, speaking slowly.

"Are these events all coincidences?"

The Lieutenant General with gold-rimmed glasses pondered. "Commander, are you saying... these events are related to Lin Qi?"

"I don't know." Luo Zhenbang shook his head. "But Zhao Shouzhen proposed a hypothesis. He said, is it possible that this world is undergoing changes we cannot understand? And Lin Qi is not the 'cause' of the change, but the 'effect'? Is he a 'variable' spawned by this world to deal with some even greater crisis?"

This statement plunged everyone present into deep thought.

It was too mystical.

Like a fairy tale.

But what they were facing was indeed a mythical existence.

"A variable..." Li Xiaotian was still unconvinced. "Even if he is a variable, he must be a variable held in our hands!"

"How will you hold him?" Luo Zhenbang countered. "Who will you send? You, Li Xiaotian? Your Thor nephew, Peak Rank 4, Space-type, top-tier equipment, couldn't last three moves against him. If you go, how many moves can you last?"

Li Xiaotian's face instantly turned the color of pig liver.

This was exposing his weakness and slapping his face.

"Or perhaps, use the 'Space-Based Weapon'?" Luo Zhenbang's tone grew even colder. "Conduct a saturation Law strike on him from orbital space? Setting aside whether we can lock onto him, even if we do and kill him, then what? Who will explain that Independent Law at the Convention Center? Who will handle the anomalies in the Eastern Rift Zone? We would have personally extinguished a possible solution and then be left holding a pile of unsolvable messes while waiting for death?"

A series of questions left the conference room in dead silence.

The faces of the Hawk generals were very unsightly.

They could clamor for killing, but they couldn't answer these fundamental questions.

"I have decided."

Luo Zhenbang stood up, his only left hand leaning on the table, his body leaning forward slightly.

"First, Lin Qi's S-Rank focus level remains unchanged, but the action plan is changed from 'disposal' to 'observation and contact'. All hostile action plans against him are to be shelved."

"Second, Zhao Shouzhen will be fully responsible for contacting Lin Qi. The military will provide all necessary support but must not interfere with the specific process."

"Third," Luo Zhenbang's gaze swept toward Li Xiaotian, "control your people. If anyone dares to pull any small tricks behind the scenes, don't blame me, Luo Zhenbang, for being heartless. The military court is not just for show."

Li Xiaotian gritted his teeth, his fists clenching until they cracked, but he finally squeezed out a word from between his teeth.

"Yes."

"Meeting adjourned."

Luo Zhenbang finished speaking and turned to leave, leaving behind a room full of generals with varying thoughts.

The Lieutenant General with gold-rimmed glasses breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He knew the Commander was using his own prestige to forcibly suppress the voices of the Hawks.

But this was only temporary.

If Zhao Shouzhen's contact didn't go smoothly, or if something went wrong on Lin Qi's end, the Hawks would make a comeback at any time.

The time left for them was not much.

He walked out of the conference room and dialed a number.

"Vice Dean, it's me. The matter... has been temporarily suppressed."

From the other end of the phone came Zhao Shouzhen's old and calm voice.

"Understood. Thank Old Luo for me. The rest depends on that young man."