142: The truth in the ruins

In the early morning of Stellar Calendar Year 10, June 1st, the homepages of all mainstream media on Blue Star were suddenly forcibly switched.

The Interstellar Peace Corporation's emblem slowly rotated on the screen, with a line of concise text below: The Truth: Interstellar Peace Corporation Special Investigation Operation.

The screen suddenly switched, and Aventurine's face, wearing light-colored sunglasses, appeared in front of the camera.

He stood in front of a pure white hovercar, with the smoke-filled border of the Contested Region as the background.

"Good morning, everyone on Blue Star," Aventurine's voice spread globally through the network, "As you can see, the Corporation has responded to your petition."

He turned and pointed to the war zone behind him: "For the next 72 hours, we will go deep into the Contested Region and record everything that happens here."

A meaningful smile played on Aventurine's lips, "No matter how ugly the truth."

Inside the Covenant Nation's presidential palace, President Hook slammed the tablet in his hand: "Immediately contact Teklite! Make them stop that madman!"

The Militech representative, on the other hand, watched the live broadcast with a sneer: "Let him film, a Corporation is a Corporation."

"No matter how many good deeds the Corporation has done in the Emerald Ocean region, that doesn't change the fact that the Corporation is just a more powerful capitalist group."

"As long as the profits are there, capital cannot have a conscience. There's no reason for the Corporation to give up the profits we can bring for such unimportant matters."

However, what these warmongers, ambitious individuals, and capitalists didn't know was that the Corporation was not capital, but a person, an ideology.

As the hovercar passed the first checkpoint, the live broadcast showed a suffocating scene to global audiences.

Six bodies were nailed to a road sign, with "Traitor" written in blood on their chests.

Aventurine approached a notice board next to the checkpoint, where faded flyers were still posted:

Covenant Nation and Militech Joint Humanitarian Aid Distribution Point

Time: May 8th, 10:00-14:00

Location: Village Center Square

"Recording time: Stellar Calendar Year 10, June 1st, 9:30 AM," Aventurine's voice was terrifyingly calm, "According to biometric and Corporation database data, these deceased were all local teachers.

They brought their students to collect supplies but were accused of 'spreading anti-Covenant ideas to students'."

The camera turned to the village center square, where a large crater was surrounded by scattered children's backpacks and broken flour bags.

Aventurine picked up a half-burnt flyer, on which the words "Militech Cares for Children" were still discernible.

"Typical cluster bomb traces," Aventurine pointed to the metal fragments on the edge of the crater, "This weapon breaks into hundreds of sub-munitions in the air, specifically targeting dense crowds."

"What a trap..."

The live stream's bullet comments instantly exploded:

"Oh my god! These beasts don't even spare teachers!"

"Militech must provide an explanation!"

"Heh heh, who knows if the Corporation staged it themselves?"

"The Militech logo is clear as day!"

"These weapons were all sold to the Covenant by Militech!"

"Where are the Western bleeding hearts? Why are they silent?"

The hovercar continued forward, and the scenes along the way became increasingly shocking.

Next to a dried-up riverbed, Aventurine signaled to stop.

"This used to be the Olive Tribe's main water source," he pointed to the underground spring sealed with concrete, "Covenant engineering troops sealed all wells last week, claiming to 'prevent terrorists from contaminating the water source'."

The live camera captured several curled-up bodies on the riverbed, all elderly people and children, still holding empty water cans.

Aventurine squatted down and picked up a crumpled note from beside a small body:

Please, my grandma is dying of thirst...

"Records show that after sealing the water source, the Covenant army established 'authorized water collection points'," Aventurine's voice carried suppressed anger, "But only those who swore allegiance to the Covenant Nation could obtain water collection qualifications."

The bullet comments surged again, but this time, everyone's anger had clearly increased.

"Is this what they call 'humanitarianism'?"

"More brutal than terrorists!"

"Corporation, quickly destroy these beasts!"

As the hovercar approached a town, a neatly arranged convoy of armored vehicles suddenly appeared ahead.

Unlike ordinary Covenant military vehicles, these armored vehicles had striking paintwork, and the logos of Militech, Qilu Corporation, and United Energy rotated on their roofs.

"Friends of Interstellar Peace Corporation!" The leading officer shouted through a loudspeaker, his voice deliberately enthusiastic, "This area has been confirmed as a high-risk war zone, please allow us to provide 'joint escort'!"

Aventurine narrowed his eyes, noticing that each armored vehicle was equipped with the latest model of weapons.

Militech's electromagnetic cannons, Qilu Corporation's anti-robot missiles, United Energy's pulse disruptors.

This was clearly the product of the secret rivalry between the three super-enterprises, each wanting to show off their muscle in this "escort."

"Interesting," Aventurine whispered to the live camera, "It seems our investigation has attracted 'concern' from multiple parties."

He calmly stepped out of the hovercar, displaying the transit permit signed by the Ten Thousand Nations Roundtable: "Thank you for the kind offer, but the Corporation is accustomed to independent action."

The smile on the officer's face froze for a moment: "This is a requirement of the tripartite joint security agreement!" He deliberately emphasized the words "tripartite," "We must ensure your... uh... safety."

Aventurine noticed the flashing scanning beams inside the armored vehicles.

Those should be the results of the three companies' imitation of the Corporation's outdated technology that has flowed out over the years.

It was evident that the three super companies, which had all developed rapidly in various aspects during the war, had some bold ideas about the Corporation.

They wanted to take the opportunity to probe the Corporation's technological level, or perhaps use this opportunity to test the Corporation's depth.

Aventurine pretended to ponder for a moment, then suddenly revealed his signature playful smile: "Since you are all so enthusiastic, then I will not decline."

After the hovercar resumed its journey, Aventurine explained to the camera: "Viewers may be curious why three sworn enemies suddenly joined forces?"

"It's simple, someone is coveting the Corporation's wealth."

Such blunt words ignited the live stream, and the bullet comments instantly exploded.

"Laughing to death, usually fighting to the death, now they've teamed up?"

"Scared when they saw the Corporation? Cowards!"

"This is called strategic cooperation, understand? Western enterprises are the future of humanity!"

"Sure enough, capital is all dirty!"

"Corporation, quickly teach them a lesson!"

"Heh heh, is the Corporation monopolizing technology not dirty?"

As the hovercar entered the town, the scene before them plunged the global audience into silence.

A three-story hospital had been precisely hit, and wisps of smoke still drifted from the ruins.

Aventurine walked through the shattered lobby over the rubble, a bronze plaque on the wall read: "Covenant Nation and United Energy Jointly Built Hospital."

"Recording time: Stellar Calendar Year 10, June 1st, 10:35 AM," Aventurine picked up a half-burnt medical record, "The Covenant military claimed this place was converted into a military command center by the rebels."

He walked towards the basement, which had been artificially converted into an arsenal, but all weapon crates were stamped with the United Energy logo.

"Too crude," Aventurine sneered, "These weapons were clearly moved in in a hurry for a photo op."

The officer at this point had no choice but to 'explain': "Mr. Aventurine, this is clearly a terrorist arsenal disguised as a hospital, how can you say it's a photo op?"

He kicked open a box, revealing a box of unopened medical supplies underneath, with "Medical Alcohol" written on the side, "A real arsenal wouldn't even leave behind alcohol? That's some lax management."

The camera turned to the children's ward in the corner, where unescapable child patients were still tied to burnt small beds.

Aventurine silently picked up a melted plastic toy and gently placed it on the chest of the only intact small body.

The accompanying officer had intended to step forward and forcibly take Aventurine out of the hospital.

However, seeing the 'Baize' next to him, which was clearly more advanced than their 'iron blood' warriors, he could only stand by, angry but daring not to move.

Reluctantly, he reported the situation to his superiors. But what he didn't expect was the delayed response.

While he was burning with anxiety, someone else was even more anxious than him.

"Quickly make that useless Nicky stop him!" Teklite was in a rage in the president's office, becoming a desktop clearing master, "Also, contact the Corporation! Business must follow rules!"

"Otherwise, don't blame us!"

The situation at the other two companies was not much different. However, it was evident that their orders were no longer up to them.

While they were raging ineffectively, the scene in the live broadcast had already changed to another location.

In the picture, it was a school in the town center. Surprisingly, the building was intact until Aventurine pushed open the door.

"Bio-scans show 17 bodies inside," Aventurine's voice trembled uncharacteristically, "All are children aged 6 to 12."

On the classroom blackboard, the last lesson was written: "Great History."

Backpacks and stationery were scattered among the desks, but each child had a gunshot wound to the chest.

"Covenant military reports claim the rebels used this as a human shield," Aventurine walked towards the podium, "But clearly, the 'shields' always had wounds on the front."

Aventurine didn't elaborate, but in everyone's mind, such a scene emerged: soldiers ordering children to sit down, then executing them one by one, starting from the first row.

The live stream's bullet comments suddenly cleared. Billions of viewers simultaneously fell into dead silence.

Aventurine finally stopped at a desk, on which a family of four was doodled with crayons.

He gently picked up half a page of an essay not soaked in blood:

"My Dream"

"I want to be a doctor and cure my grandma's eyes..."

Aventurine folded the essay and put it in his pocket, then turned to face the camera: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the truth of the Contested Region.

Not a data point, not a statistic, but a dream that will never be realized."

He pointed to the ruins outside the window: "Covenant Nation, Militech, Qilu Corporation, United Energy... they all know what they are doing.

And now, you know too."

The live broadcast finally froze on a sign at the school gate, which read: All for the Future of Children.