Chapter 236: The Shifting Tides of Fate

Half an hour later.

The manor, its power fully restored, shone with brilliant light as though everything was normal.

Seated on the sofa, Brian sat in stunned silence, his eyes locked on Yenir as if his soul had been drained.

Only twenty minutes earlier, his command had been successfully executed.

Every armed unit in the province had been mobilized.

From the top-tier A-class armored warriors to local sheriffs—a force of over 400,000 people surged toward the coordinates provided by Yenir.

Moreover, three military satellites had been reassigned to monitor the ground.

He had no idea how Yenir managed such a feat, nor how he deceived the mainframe. Such terrifying methods made him question whether the youth’s words were true.

It was absurd—almost inconceivable.

In just one hour, events had completely upended his world view.

At that very moment, the entire province was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere. The people below were clueless about his intentions, and he had no clue what Yenir planned.

The massive troop movements had plunged the citizens into panic, nearly leading to their communication devices being smashed.

Yet, none of this compared to the scene unfolding before him.

“Anna… such a beautiful name.”

Leaning languidly against a crimson velvet settee, Yenir cradled a trembling girl in one arm while casually swirling a glass of red wine in the other.

A deep ruby wine whirled inside the gleaming glass, forming a small vortex.

Under the bright crystal chandelier, shadows danced across the youth’s face. If not for the terrified girl, the scene would have resembled a movie’s opening narrative.

Nearby, team members studying a map couldn’t help but steal glances at Yenir.

For some reason, the handsome youth—with his gentle smile—now exuded an almost sinister aura, reminiscent of a gothic vampire noble.

The red wine in his hand looked as sweet as blood.

“Anna, I believe you know Lin Rui, right?”

Gently brushing the girl’s cheek with his left hand, Yenir leaned in close, his soft breath caressing her sensitive earlobe and causing her to shudder.

His fingertips were smooth and supple.

At just seventeen or eighteen, the girl was at the peak of her vitality.

Her vulnerable expression and delicate features made her seem like a fragile piece of art, evoking both sympathy and a desire to protect.

Intrigued, Yenir studied Anna’s expression; the hint of crimson from her dress revealed skin as tender as lamb fat.

Her underdeveloped form only amplified a fragile allure that made one want to shatter its delicate beauty.

Her supple body carried a faint scent of soapberry, and her graceful neck, as flawless as a swan’s, marked her as a true beauty in the making.

One couldn’t help but wonder if Anna was indeed the governor’s daughter given her delicate appearance.

Ignoring the governor’s distraught glare, Yenir, seeing that the girl—like a startled fawn—had fallen silent, gripped her chin and tilted her face toward him without mercy.

His smile faded.

“You’re classmates with Lin Rui, aren’t you?”

“Both of you attended the Federal Academy. He might not know your identity, but you’re close, aren’t you?”

“Or perhaps he even has a bit of a crush on you?”

Despite Yenir’s probing questions, the girl trembled uncontrollably—even though she wasn’t being directly threatened. She had seen her father’s severed finger and witnessed Uncle De’en lying lifeless on the floor.

Those very men had burst into her practice room and forcibly dragged her back.

“I… I know…”

Her voice trembled with a hint of tears as she anxiously answered Yenir’s questions.

She longed to say she didn’t know him; in her eyes, the youth before her was nothing short of demonic—a ploy to drag Lin Rui into their clutches.

But facing those cold eyes, and with no experience in deceit, she found herself unable to lie.

Satisfied with Anna’s clear response, Yenir offered a contented smile.

Very good.

Just as he had remembered.

Before entering the instance, he had rehearsed extensively. Among his gathered data were details about this world’s protagonist, Lin Rui.

Lin Rui, male, nineteen. Born into a Chinese family in this world.

Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his grandfather.

An outstanding student at the Federal Academy of Violet Jing Province, he later joined the Military.

In this world’s history, after joining the military his exemplary performance earned him rapid promotions. When the apocalypse struck, Lin Rui rescued countless survivors, earning immense public admiration.

But as the apocalypse grew more severe, the Military gradually lost local control. For unknown reasons, Lin Rui uncovered certain secrets and broke away from the Military. Ultimately, after seizing an experimental mech, he established his own settlement called the New Federation.

For a long time after the apocalypse, his reputation had plummeted.

In his previous life, Yenir had heard plenty of tales about Lin Rui before entering the instance.

And the moment he saw the province’s name, Yenir realized the fastest way to locate Lin Rui.

And how to drastically shift the timeline.

Sure enough, while reviewing the governor’s additional information, Yenir unexpectedly uncovered extra details linked to Anna’s name.

These details were provided by the Ghost Eye.

“Anna… Lin Rui… their bond runs deeper than you might think.”

Upon seeing the extra hint, Yenir’s mind quickly churned out some intriguing possibilities.

In his previous life, the protagonist Lin Rui had indeed followed the classic main character mold. Not only did he rapidly rise through the Military, but it was likely that the girl’s influence played a pivotal role—a governor’s daughter falling for a poor kid, paving the way for their union.

Considering that Anna’s name never surfaced after the apocalypse and that the Military eventually betrayed him, the clues pointed to an over-the-top melodramatic plot.

The governor had been dismissed for corruption, with Anna implicated, and a maturing Lin Rui desperate to rescue the one he loved. Yet, he probably also faced suppression from the Military, rendering him powerless.

Perhaps Anna died, or maybe Lin Rui discovered even more secrets about the Military…

And just like that, a rupture began.

A clichéd plot, yet oddly plausible.

Without letting go, Yenir gazed thoughtfully at the exquisite girl before him, her flushed eyes full of sorrow.

For a moment, an intriguing thought flashed through his mind.

How could he alter the timeline to the greatest extent?

Prevent the apocalypse… or perhaps…

Sabotage the protagonist?

“Ah~”

With a frightened whimper.

In that instant, Yenir chuckled softly and, without hesitation, roughly scooped up the girl before striding out of the room.