507: Chapter 442: Seized Secret Files Reveal a List of High-Ranking Officials

General Zhao Wuji's cooperation was more thorough than Lin Zhou had anticipated. This veteran, who had served in the Expeditionary Force for fifty years, completely collapsed the moment the Fire of Civilization detected Void contamination within him. It was not a physical collapse, but a mental one. He had spent his life in battle and had never bowed to an enemy, yet he lowered his head before the flames of his own kind. Lin Zhou did not pressure him, giving him three days to sort out his thoughts. Three days later, General Zhao Wuji proactively contacted Iron Face through an encrypted channel.

"I have something to hand over to Commander Lin." General Zhao Wuji's voice was hoarse, carrying a sense of relieved exhaustion. "It's in the safe in my office. The password is... Never mind, I will open it myself."

Lin Zhou and Iron Face teleported to the Third War Zone command center once again. The door to General Zhao Wuji's office was tightly shut, and the two guards at the entrance had been reassigned. He sat alone behind his desk, facing a safe embedded in the wall, its dark gold door half-open. Inside the safe were no gold or jewels, only a dark red crystal the size of a fingernail—not a Void energy core, but a data storage crystal used by the Void Sect to transmit encrypted information.

[Data Crystal · Preliminary Analysis]

- Type: Rule Storage Crystal (Exclusive to Void Sect)

- Capacity: Approx. 10TB

- Encryption Rank: SSS (Requires Void Sect high-level clearance)

- Decryption Method: Requires Fire of Civilization to "Define" as readable

- Stored Content: Unknown

"What is this?" Lin Zhou took the crystal.

"Communications records of the Void Sect's upper echelons." General Zhao Wuji's hands were trembling. "Zhou Tianxing gave it to me. He said this was the 'sect's core secret' and told me to keep it safe. He said if anything ever happened to him, I should destroy the crystal. I didn't."

"Why?"

"Because..." General Zhao Wuji raised his head, his eyes bloodshot. "Because I wanted to leave myself a way out. I knew I would be exposed sooner or later. Rather than being executed as a traitor, it is better to confess voluntarily. Will the contents of this crystal be enough for a reduced sentence?"

"That depends on how much the contents are worth."

Lin Zhou pressed the crystal into his palm, and the Fire of Civilization seeped in. The dark red shell peeled away in the flames, revealing a golden core inside—not Void energy, but encrypted rule information. The Fire of Civilization used "Definition" as a means to crack the encryption rules one by one.

[Data Crystal · Decryption Progress]

- Encryption Rank: SSS

- Decryption Progress: 1%... 5%... 10%...

- Consumption: 5000 Divine Power per minute

- Estimated Time to Full Decryption: Approx. 30 minutes

Thirty minutes later, the dark red on the surface of the crystal completely faded, turning into a transparent gold. Lin Zhou connected the crystal to the Temple of Civilization's data analysis System, and a massive amount of information flooded in—communication records, supply lists, personnel rosters, operation plans, stronghold coordinates... All the secrets of the Void Sect's thirty-year infiltration into the Expeditionary Force were here.

[Crystal Content · Overview]

- Communication Records: Approx. 50,000 entries

- Personnel Involved: Approx. 3,000 people

- Time Span: 30 years

- Regions: Various war zones of the Expeditionary Force, Headquarters, logistics Systems

Lin Zhou pulled up the personnel roster. The list was dense with names, each marked with military Rank, position, codename, and the time of contamination. The first few names made his blood run cold.

[High-Ranking Official List · Partial]

- Vice Commander Chen Tianchou, General, Deputy Commander of Expeditionary Force Headquarters, codename "White Robe", contamination time: 25 years ago

- Zhou Tianxing, General, Deputy Commander of Expeditionary Force Headquarters, codename "Sword Caster", contamination time: 30 years ago

- General Zhao Wuji, General, Commander of Third War Zone, codename "Iron Hammer", contamination time: 15 years ago

- Liu Zhenguo, Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of Third War Zone, codename "Anvil", contamination time: 12 years ago

- Sun Haoran, General, Commander of Fifth War Zone, codename "Iron Lock", contamination time: 11 years ago

- Chen Yonggui, Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of Fifth War Zone, codename "Iron Chain", contamination time: 10 years ago

- Karon, Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of Seventh War Zone, codename "Iron Shield", contamination time: 8 years ago

- Vice Commander Zhao Lingyun, Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of Seventh War Zone, codename "Iron Wing", contamination time: 6 years ago

- ... (List continues, total of three Generals, twelve Lieutenant Generals, dozens of Major Generals)

Lin Zhou's hands trembled slightly. Not from fear, but from anger. Three Generals, twelve Lieutenant Generals, dozens of Major Generals—one-third of the Expeditionary Force's high command had become followers of the Void Sect. They were not forced; they had voluntarily defected to the Void.

"Three Generals..." Iron Face's voice was dry. "Chen Tianchou and Zhou Tianxing are dead. General Zhao Wuji has surrendered. Who else is left?"

Lin Zhou continued to scroll down. At the very top of the list, there was a codename without a name, only a single line of text—"White Robe · Hidden".

[White Robe · Hidden · Information]

- Codename: White Robe · Hidden

- Identity: Unknown (Clearance higher than all White Robes)

- Contamination Time: Unknown (Earlier than everyone else)

- Note: Supreme Leader of the Void Sect, communicates directly with the Lord of Nothingness

"White Robe · Hidden..." Lin Zhou murmured. "He is not a White Robe Bishop; he is an existence higher than the White Robe Bishops. The true leader of the Void Sect."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know. His identity information is not on the list. Only this codename."

Lin Zhou continued to analyze the other contents of the crystal. In addition to the personnel roster, there was a detailed assassination plan—targeting the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force, the Speaker of the Cosmic Council, and generals in various war zones loyal to the Human Race. The time for the assassination was set for one month before the awakening of the Lord of Nothingness. Once the assassination succeeded, the Expeditionary Force would fall into chaos without a leader, and the invasion of the Lord of Nothingness would be unstoppable.

[Assassination Plan · Summary]

- Time: One month before the awakening of the Lord of Nothingness

- Targets: Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force, Speaker of the Cosmic Council, generals in various war zones loyal to the Human Race (37 people in total)

- Method: Poisoning, assassination, Divine Kingdom self-detonation

- Executors: High-ranking officers embedded in various war zones (already marked in the list)

Lin Zhou copied the entire list and plan, storing them in the Temple of Civilization.

"Iron Face, is this evidence enough?"

Iron Face looked at the long list and took a deep breath. "Enough. But arrests will take time. Three Generals—one surrendered, two are dead. The remaining Lieutenant Generals and Major Generals are distributed across various war zones. If we arrest them simultaneously, we need to mobilize a large number of personnel. If word leaks out, they might act prematurely."

"Then we will carry out the arrests in batches. Start with the Third War Zone. Liu Zhenguo, Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of the Third War Zone, codename 'Anvil'. He is right here in this fortress."

General Zhao Wuji's lips trembled. "Liu Zhenguo... He has been with me for twenty years. I never knew he was a member of the Void Sect. He hid it too well."

"Where is his office?"

"Downstairs, in the Deputy Commander's office. He should be there right now."

"Iron Face, take the Inspectorate team and make the arrest. General Zhao, you will cooperate."

General Zhao Wuji nodded.

Iron Face led the Inspectorate's strike team and quietly surrounded the Deputy Commander's office. Liu Zhenguo was flipping through documents at his desk; when he saw Iron Face rush in, his expression changed drastically. He tried to resist, and a dark red beam of light shot from his palm. But Iron Face's Fire of Justice was faster, and chains of rules coiled around him. Liu Zhenguo's Void energy was suppressed, and his godhood was sealed.

[Arrest · Liu Zhenguo]

- Target: Liu Zhenguo, Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of Third War Zone

- Result: Captured

- Resistance: Yes (Void energy attack)

- Casualties: None

Liu Zhenguo was taken back to the Seventh War Zone for interrogation. He was stubborn and refused to confess. But Iron Face's Fire of Justice made it impossible for him to lie. His testimony corroborated General Zhao Wuji's confession, and the Void Sect's network in the Third War Zone was completely dismantled.

[Third War Zone · Cleanup Results]

- Black-Robed Deacons Captured: 2 (including Liu Zhenguo)

- Grey-Robed Captured: Approx. 20

- Seized: 3 Void energy cores, 20 Space Origin Stones, approx. 100 secret letters

- Affected Soldiers: Approx. 5,000 (Purification via Fire of Civilization has been arranged)

Next was the Fifth War Zone. Lin Zhou did not go directly to arrest Sun Haoran and Chen Yonggui, but first sent Li Mo's probes to monitor their communications. The communication records in the crystal showed that Sun Haoran and Chen Yonggui had frequent contact with Zhou Tianxing. After Zhou Tianxing died, their communication frequency dropped significantly, but there was still one encrypted communication every month—the recipient was unknown, and it was likely "White Robe · Hidden".

[Fifth War Zone · Monitoring Data]

- Sun Haoran: General, Commander of Fifth War Zone, codename "Iron Lock"

- Chen Yonggui: Lieutenant General, Deputy Commander of Fifth War Zone, codename "Iron Chain"

- Recent Communication: Three days ago, duration five minutes

- Communication Counterpart: Encrypted, unable to trace

- Communication Content: Unknown

"We cannot wait," Lin Zhou said. "Sun Haoran and Chen Yonggui might already know about General Zhao Wuji's surrender. If they run or act prematurely, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"How do we arrest them? The Fifth War Zone is Sun Haoran's territory. His people are spread throughout the entire war zone. If we force our way in, it might trigger a civil war." Iron Face frowned.

"We won't force our way in. We will lure them into the trap."

Lin Zhou, in the name of the "Co-Lord of Civilization", summoned the commanders of all war zones to Headquarters for a meeting, with the topic being "Joint Operation Plan for Confronting the Lord of Nothingness in Three Years". As the commander of the Fifth War Zone, Sun Haoran had to attend. At that time, they would make the arrests at Headquarters.

"What if he brings troops?"

"Headquarters has the command's guard troops. He won't be able to bring many people."

"Good."

Three days later, in the Expeditionary Force Headquarters conference room. The commanders of the various war zones were gathered. Sun Haoran sat on the left side of the long table, expressionless, his gaze cold. His deputy commander, Chen Yonggui, did not come—he stayed behind in the Fifth War Zone to hold down the fort.

Lin Zhou walked into the conference room, followed by Iron Face and four special agents from the Inspectorate. When Sun Haoran saw them, a flash of vigilance crossed his eyes.

"Commander Lin, what is the meaning of this?"

"General Sun, the Command has authorized the Inspectorate to conduct a routine investigation of the Fifth War Zone. Please cooperate."

Sun Haoran stood up. "I am a war zone commander, a General. Without an order from the Command, no one can investigate me."

Iron Face revealed the investigation warrant. "This is the authorization from the Command. Please cooperate."

Sun Haoran looked at the investigation warrant, and his expression changed. He did not resist and held out his hands. "Cuff me."

Iron Face placed the rule chains around his wrists. Sun Haoran's body trembled slightly, but he did not struggle.

"Lin Zhou, do you think arresting me will stop the Lord of Nothingness? It has already awakened. It is too late for all of you."

"It has not awakened. Its Anchor Point has been purified by me, and its power has been exhausted by me. Your 'White Robe · Hidden' cannot save you either."

Sun Haoran sneered. "White Robe · Hidden? You will never find him."

He was taken away.

During the interrogation, Sun Haoran confessed all the Void Sect members in the Fifth War Zone—three Black-Robed Deacons, about thirty Grey-Robed members. The cleanup operation in the Fifth War Zone was launched simultaneously.

[Fifth War Zone · Cleanup Results]

- Black-Robed Deacons Captured: 3 (including Chen Yonggui)

- Grey-Robed Captured: Approx. 30

- Seized: 5 Void energy cores, 30 Space Origin Stones, approx. 200 secret letters

- Affected Soldiers: Approx. 8,000 (Purification via Fire of Civilization has been arranged)

Lin Zhou stood outside the detention room, watching Sun Haoran who was locked to a chair. Deep within his godhood, the dark red light was slowly fading—the Fire of Civilization was purifying it automatically. But his sins could not be purified.

"Captain, what are you thinking about?" Qin Qing walked over.

"I am thinking about who 'White Robe · Hidden' is. Three Generals are dead or captured, and over a dozen Lieutenant Generals have been captured. 'White Robe · Hidden' is still out there. He might be someone in the Command, someone in the Cosmic Council, or perhaps... someone we have never suspected."

"Can we find out?"

"Yes. The communication records in the crystal, although encrypted, are being analyzed by Li Mo for patterns. Every communication leaves behind energy residue. If we can find 'White Robe · Hidden's' communication pattern, we can pinpoint his location."

Qin Qing nodded. "Then leave it to Li Mo."