"It wasn’t supposed to—I really never meant for—" Her voice cracked.

She was shaking, physically trembling as she reached for her light brain with unsteady hands.

"I have proof. Messages. I was talking to someone named Marcus Chen. He said he worked at Maxwell Corporation. He offered to help for a few million star coins. I just asked him... to make the robot splash water on that Sl—that Neville. That’s all!"

Chronos went still.

Marcus Chen?

The name tugged at something in his memory, a fragment of information filed away.

Marcus Chen—logistics division.

Involved in some scheme with Mick Hewitt.

Arrested.

Convicted.

Dead.

"Show me," Chronos demanded.

He needed to confirm if his memory was right.

There was no way a dead person could make contact with the living.

Lilianna fumbled with her light brain, pulling up a message thread with shaking fingers. The holographic display flickered to life, revealing months of conversation.

[I heard you like Mr. Maxwell. Would you like me to help you?]

[Good day, Miss Gringer. Your sister was totally smitten with the rookie.]

[Surprise, surprise, the rookie speed run and became Mr. Maxwell’s secretary. Can you believe it?]

At first, Lilianna ignored it and tried to confirm the information somewhere. But then, as if knowing Lilianna so well, ’Marcus’ began provoking her. She could no longer dismiss or ignore his words.

[I heard Mr. Maxwell’s secretary got an in-law’s approval from Mrs. Maxwell. Are you alright?]

[I can help you with your problem, Miss Gringer. For the right price.]

[Wow, they’re actually dating!]

[Three million star coins. Half upfront. Consider it done.]

[Would you like to know when and where they would have their date?]

[According to statistics, they should be going on one of these days on weekdays.]

[Don’t worry about the details. Just tell me when and where they are in real time.]

[The Azure Depths Aquarium? Perfect. I know that place well.]

[The aquarium is just a child’s play. A little water at the right moment—no one will get hurt. Just a little embarrassment for the person you mentioned.]

[Trust me, Miss Gringer. After this day, your General won’t be looking at that secretary the same way again.]

Chronos scrolled through the messages; his expression was stone cold. This conversation carefully and patiently cultivated Lilianna’s jealousy.

Whoever was behind this had known exactly what buttons to push.

"He was really helpful," Lilianna whispered, her voice cracking. "He said he will do it at a price. A proper cold exchange. It didn’t seem like they would do something illegal. That unworthy person should’ve expected how hard it is to be the General’s partner."

"Unworthy." Chronos pointed directly at Lilianna’s poor choice of words. "That’s what you think Secretary Hope is?"

"He’s a secretary!" The words burst out of her like a dam breaking. "He’s nobody! He came from nothing, climbed up from some backwater orphanage. How could he deserve—"

She stopped, her chest heaving.

"Deserve who?"

"The General’s feelings."

Chronos studied her for a long moment.

Her perfect features had won her the love and attention of the empire’s entertainment industry. Her military record proved she was more than just a pretty face.

And beneath it all was the pathetic and ugly desperation of someone who had never learned to accept rejection.

"You’re an idiot," he said coldly. "Not because you fell for a con—though that’s humiliating enough. You’re an idiot because after all these years, you still don’t understand the General."

"I understand him better than—"

"You understand nothing." Chronos stepped closer, his voice dropping dangerously. "The General doesn’t want perfection, status, beauty, or military credentials. He wants someone he likes."

"And you think—"

"I think that secretary is the first person that the General ever liked."

Lilianna sagged against the wall, her bravado completely crumbling.

Chronos’s expression remained blank as he recalled what he read, but internally, his mind was racing.

The messages were carefully curated—too professional for a dead logistics worker who had been easily caught in the act.

"You didn’t question it?" He looked up at Lilianna, his voice deceptively soft. "Some random person contacts you offering to help ruin the General’s date, and you just... agreed?"

"I—" She swallowed hard, making excuses. "I was angry. You—"

"To my understanding, you’re just an idiot."

He tapped his own light brain, opening a priority connection.

"Bryan."

The response came immediately, and Bryan answered with a sharp tone. [Zero.]

There was a lot of noise in the background, but it seemed that Bryan was moving to a more isolated section.

[What’s wrong?] Bryan asked.

"Run a status check on an employee named Marcus Chen. Maxwell Corporation."

Silence.

Chronos could hear Bryan humming in confusion.

[Marcus Chen?] Bryan’s cold voice was heard, and he said what he knew as if it happened just yesterday. [Zero, Marcus Chen is already dead. His death was announced quite publicly during the second corporate purge. Why are you asking?]

Chronos watched Lilianna’s face drain off all remaining color.

"Thank you, Bryan," Chronos said, ending the call.

I knew it. Marcus Chen was really dead. But if Marcus Chen was dead... then who had Lilianna been talking to? Who had she just given information to?

"I... I didn’t..." she stammered, her composure crumbling completely.

"For years, we’ve told you to move on," Chronos said, cutting off whatever pathetic justification she was about to offer. "The General isn’t interested in you and probably will never be."

"But you couldn’t let it go, could you? Your petty jealousy has caused this. Even if you want to blame others for deceiving you—" He mercilessly continued, grabbing her shoulder, his grip digging into her skin. "—you can only blame yourself for letting yourself get deceived."

He hauled her over his shoulders. "We’re leaving. Now."

"Wait—" She stumbled, barely keeping her sanity. "What about the General? What if there are more explosives? What if someone actually tries to—"

"Helena and Julius will handle it." Chronos’s voice allowed no argument. "You’ve done enough damage."

He paused at the door, his free hand tapping out a rapid message to the Random Group Chat.

[Code Red. Security Breach at Azure Depths. We need a full investigation on the General’s location immediately.]

Responses flooded in within seconds.

[BigSis]: Should I go too?

[LoyalDog]: You can rest, Helena. I’m already on the way.

[ImmortalFox]: We’ll wait for you guys here.

[No.1Traitor]: Should I go too?

[EternalYouth]: No one’s injured, so probably not?

Chronos didn’t respond to any of them. Instead, he opened a direct message to Grayson—just one word.

[Lilianna.]

Let the General draw his own conclusions.

He carried the still-trembling Lilianna through the service corridor, his mind already churning through possibilities.

Someone had wanted either Grayson Maxwell or Neville Hope—possibly both—dead.

Between Helena Popova and Lilianna Gringer, the enemy had clearly made contact with at least one member of their inner circle.

Lilianna’s involvement was now confirmed.

Helena would remain under suspicion until proven otherwise.

But Chronos was increasingly certain this went deeper than either of them.

Marcus Chen’s ghost was speaking from beyond the grave.

The question was: who was moving his lips?