218: Mind Controller - Yuri

The newcomer was tall and thin, wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit with a calf-length black coat over it, his attire meticulous.

His most striking feature was his smooth, shiny, completely hairless head, which reflected a cold, hard luster under the lights of the command room.

His skin was a bloodless pale, as if he hadn't seen sunlight for years. Beneath high brow bones were narrow, grayish-purple eyes with slightly upturned corners; deep within his pupils, a subtle and cold halo of spiritual energy seemed to float eternally, his gaze possessing a scrutiny that felt like it could pierce the soul.

He had a high bridge to his nose, and his thin lips were pressed into a cold, hard line, the corners of his mouth naturally carrying a faint, almost imperceptible curve that seemed to understand everything while viewing it all with mockery.

His pace was slow and steady, every step seemingly measured, carrying a composure that suggested he was in full control of the situation.

Most eye-catching was a black metal ring on his left ring finger, its surface etched with complex and mysterious patterns that vaguely formed a symbol combining a brain and lightning—the emblem of the Psychic Legion, which also enhanced his powerful spiritual strength.

He stopped about three paces in front of Jiang Xin. Without the slightest hesitation, he bent his right knee to the ground, placed his left hand over his chest, and slightly lowered his bald head, speaking clearly in a deep, slightly raspy yet magnetic voice:

"Yuri, at the Commander's service."

Jiang Xin quietly observed his new subordinate. He knew that in the original game setting, Yuri was a ruthless and ambitious ruler who would use and betray anyone to achieve his goals.

However, when the system summoned him, while retaining his cold, arrogant, and calculating personality, it had placed an invisible shackle of absolute loyalty to the Red Alert Commander upon him. The Yuri before him still had eyes full of wisdom and a desire for control, but deep within them, when looking at Jiang Xin, there was an unshakeable obedience.

"Tell me about your abilities," Jiang Xin said, his voice steady. Now that his ranks were filled with talents and powerhouses, he no longer felt the same joy as when he first obtained Tanya or Natasha; the addition of a new hero, while important, could no longer cause much of a stir in his emotions. Moreover, Yuri would need time to grow to the third tier before his true strategic value could be realized.

"Yes, Commander." Yuri stood up, his voice without any fluctuation, as if delivering a military report. "I possess a unique Psychic Domain. Within a five-meter radius centered on myself, all approaching life forms will be subjected to powerful spiritual suppression. Targets whose strength is far inferior to mine will even suffer an immediate mental breakdown or involuntarily develop a desire to submit."

The halo in his grayish-purple eyes swirled as he continued, "Furthermore, I can cast Mind Control on a designated target, turning them into a puppet that obeys me completely. My primary means of attack include Psychic Blasts that directly damage the soul, as well as Weakness Spells that significantly diminish a target's will to fight and physical state."

"Oh? A domain?" Jiang Xin was truly a bit surprised this time. So far, aside from his own system-bestowed, bug-like Kings Domain, only Zhang Lei had managed to tentatively explore his own elemental domain based on his talent and strength. Yet Yuri was born with a domain power on the spiritual level!

"Release it, let me feel it." A flash of interest crossed Jiang Xin's eyes. With a thought, the vast and majestic power of his Kings Domain began to spread silently like a tide, enveloping the entire command room.

"As you command, Commander!" Yuri nodded slightly, and his grayish-purple eyes instantly became incredibly deep, as if turning into two whirlpools that swallowed everything! An invisible and intangible yet tangible spiritual pressure erupted from him as the center! The air seemed to turn viscous, and a power that caused agitation and mental fog attempted to invade the minds of everyone present.

However, the moment Yuri's Psychic Domain made contact with Jiang Xin's Kings Domain—

Jiang Xin only raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling as if a thin veil had gently brushed across his spiritual world, bringing a faint sense of sluggishness that vanished in an instant, leaving no other effect. His Kings Domain remained as immovable as an ancient rock.

In contrast, the moment the domains touched, Yuri's expression changed drastically! His already pale face lost all color! He felt his spiritual power slam into an invisible yet indestructible Wall of Sighs! Not only could he not pierce it, but more terrifyingly, his own spiritual energy was being frantically suppressed and stripped away by a higher level of power!

"Ugh!" Yuri let out a muffled groan, his body, which had just stood straight, swaying violently. He had to drop to one knee again, his hands bracing hard against the cold floor to keep from collapsing completely. Fine beads of cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead, sliding down his smooth scalp, and his breathing became rapid and heavy.

With a thought, Jiang Xin retracted his Kings Domain.

The terrifying pressure, like a mountain weighing down, vanished abruptly. Only then did Yuri, like a drowning man being rescued, gasp for air, wiping the sweat from his forehead and the traces of blood from his nose with the back of his hand in a state of extreme disarray.

In that brief contact just now, he had discovered with horror that his spiritual power had been suppressed by more than half! What chilled him even more was that his control over his psychic power had been completely severed; he could even clearly "feel" that if he had harbored even a single thought of using "Mind Control" on Jiang Xin at that moment, he would have suffered a devastating backlash!

"It seems the strength of your domain still depends on your own base strength," Jiang Xin said with a faint smile, looking at Yuri's disheveled state, his tone carrying a hint of understanding.

Yuri looked up with difficulty. The previous scrutiny and underlying arrogance in his gaze had completely vanished, replaced by a reverence from the depths of his soul. His voice carried an imperceptible tremor: "The Commander's strength... is unfathomable! Yuri... does not dare to compare!"

Jiang Xin stood up from his command chair, straightened his collar, and said, "Yuri, you will first absorb crystal cores at the base to increase your strength as quickly as possible. Now is not yet the time for you to play your true role."

He said no more, turning to the communication console and skillfully dialing a channel.

"Little Ya," his voice softened slightly, "get ready. Come with me to the G323 Frontline."

From the other end of the communication, Tanya's crisp and efficient response came immediately: "Understood, Commander. I will meet you at the command center right away."

Ending the communication, Jiang Xin took one last look at the crimson dot representing the Twin Giants on the satellite map, his eyes turning sharp.

It was time to personally meet this "neighbor" entrenched in Phoenix City. He strode out of the command center, leaving Yuri alone to slowly stand up from the floor. Looking in the direction Jiang Xin had left, complex emotions flashed through Yuri's grayish-purple eyes before finally settling into absolute submission and silence.