Chapter 646: Shadows of Conspiracy

As soon as the words left his mouth, the excited discussion in the room came to an abrupt halt.

Realizing that their topic was taboo, many attendees immediately looked bewildered before hastily waving off Qin Feng and the others.

The very next second, the older participants pulled aside their younger, still perplexed companions.

Within mere seconds, everyone had distanced themselves from Yenir.

It was as if they had a silent agreement to steer clear, to avoid overhearing the conversation.

Yenir froze, suddenly realizing that what he had asked was far more ‘terrifying’ than he had imagined.

And sure enough.

Next to him, Fang Hao’s cheerful expression instantly turned serious, his face etched with gravity.

Before Yenir could utter another word,

Li Xuanguo and two others exchanged glances before nodding at Qin Feng.

“The meeting is adjourned. Please escort the others out,” they ordered.

After this cautious whisper, Li Xuanguo paused before turning to look at Yenir with earnest intensity.

“Yenir, we don’t like to revisit this subject. But since you’re curious and given your current…status, you actually deserve to know.”

——————-

Ten minutes later.

In the quiet, hushed confines of the small meeting room, under Yenir’s inquisitive gaze, the Prime Minister sighed and began slowly:

“Yenir, I know you’re asking because someone has mentioned events from the past, haven’t they?”

“How much do you really know about it?”

Taken aback by the Prime Minister’s careful retort, Yenir’s mind raced.

Truthfully, he had never expected that with his current status, the Prime Minister and his colleagues would handle this topic with such caution.

“Come on, what secrets does Huaguo have that I’m not allowed to know?” he thought bitterly.

Yet he also realized that it wasn’t that the matter was too important or a major secret—it was just that it wasn’t really meant for him to know.

“I don’t know much,” he admitted.

“All I know is that there was a riot in the Capital some seventeen years ago.”

“A man, someone you said resembled me, launched an assassination attempt on the top brass. After causing quite a stir, he was killed in a Military siege.”

“After his death, nearly all records about him were obliterated, except for the weaponry and equipment he used.”

“Of course, all of this is just my deduction.”

Without further ado,

Yenir decided to lay out everything he had pieced together. The information was all a patchwork of what he’d managed to collect, and he wasn’t even sure if it all referred to the same incident.

After speaking, a red gleam flashed from his hand as he waved the epic gloves awarded to him by the Military.

Ravager Gauntlet — part of a Legendary Suit.

To this day, he still hadn’t found the corresponding weapon for the set. If his memory served him right, the combined set was called the Grudge Sword?

“You’re quite perceptive,”

the Prime Minister replied with a weary smile at the fragments Yenir had shared.

While he hesitated on his next words, Fang Hao stepped in on his behalf:

“Yenir, we’re not holding anything back anymore—no more riddles!”

“That event you guessed did indeed happen, and the facts are pretty much as you’ve outlined.”

“Seventeen years ago… no, let’s say nineteen years ago, Huaguo saw the rise of a super-genius remarkably similar to you!”

“Like you, he awoke at eighteen and broke through to Third-Stage at nineteen — his intellect was off the charts and his battle instincts, insanely sharp!”

“He, too, wielded a sword. Except he didn’t belong to the Willpower Type, but was still a Three-Series fighter!”

“Though compared to you, his potential might not have been as extraordinary.”

“In fact, we all suspected that he never truly unleashed his full potential during the Trial Battle!”

As he spoke, Fang Hao’s eyes fixed on Yenir with a complexity of emotions.

There were many things he left unsaid. In truth, Yenir and that man weren’t just similar—they were almost spitting image copies!

Identical fighting styles! Equally outrageous!

And more importantly…

Before Yenir could fully grasp it, a strong, inexplicable sense of unease washed over him.

The very next second, Fang Hao looked at him with grave seriousness, every word deliberate:

“His name is Yelin!”

“Like the maple leaves! Like the exquisite treasures!”

“Yenir, haven’t you used a similar name before?”

Yenir: !!?

Wait a minute.

That name…

It isn’t his!?

“And he’s female!?”

————

“Yelin, female, nineteen years old, Third-Stage Advanced Awakeners.”

“In the New End Era, in the year 048 after a special Dungeon mission, she suddenly attacked Huaguo’s top echelon for unknown reasons.”

“That assault resulted in over a dozen high-ranking Military and Committee officials being seriously injured or killed.”

“Among them were…”

Fang Hao’s voice deepened as he recited the history that Huaguo had long erased. Pausing instinctively, he glanced at Li Xuanguo.

Seeing that Yenir had caught on, Li Xuanguo offered a rueful smile and continued:

“That’s right, Yenir. The reason I became the Prime Minister was due to the mishap involving my predecessor.”

“So, have you figured out why so many people are after you?”

“Especially since my attitude towards you has only fueled more of those rumors!”

Yenir’s expression shifted dramatically.

“So, you think I’m suspect!?”

“You suspect that I am that Yelin!? No, no. We’re generations apart, not to mention different genders… this…”

Mid-sentence, Yenir clammed up, realizing there was nothing more to add.

Indeed, in theory, he couldn’t possibly be that person.

Besides, Yenir knew full well that before today, he had never even heard the name Yelin.

The supposed mix-up in names was nothing more than an excuse to hide someone’s true identity.

But from an outsider’s perspective, it was undeniably bizarre.

Identical age, identical genius, identical methods — even their combat habits and innate talent with weapons were nearly indistinguishable.

The woman, Yelin, who once infamously attacked the high ranks, had carried out almost the same type of operation as he had!

Yenir’s face twisted as he recalled his very first act upon arriving in the Capital: the ‘assassination’ of Zhang Yang! And after that, it was as if he had been fixated on eliminating the upper echelon!

“Damn it…!”

The more he thought about it, the more he couldn’t help but mutter curses under his breath.

So many similarities combined—it was absurd! With coincidences piling up like this, anyone with half a brain would start questioning everything!

Not to mention, the Prime Minister had even appeared to back him wholeheartedly in later stages, steadfastly supporting him!

It all smelt like a colossal conspiracy!

No wonder he felt so persecuted! No wonder he sensed an inexplicable hostility from many of the high-ups! In his previous life, he’d never faced so many obstacles!

Now that he thought about it, it wasn’t just that those pests were nearly eliminated; it was also that in his past life he’d never been associated with Yelin!

“That’s right, Yenir.”

“To be honest, many of us—Uncle Fang, Minister Zhao, and a few others—privately doubted whether you were really that person.”

“If it weren’t for our repeated investigations confirming your complete record and verifying numerous details later on…”

“Honestly, even we found it hard to believe you.”

Li Xuanguo let out a sorrowful smile. As the one who bore the greatest burden from the incident seventeen years ago, he had suffered far more pressure than Yenir could ever imagine…