Once, I wanted to be a good person

"These people confessed without denial to stealing the Golden Sparrow Flower, and admitted that they were instructed by the Si Family Head."

Aide-de-camp: ???

Although he was aware that this incident ultimately led to the downfall of the Si Family, such a twist still took the aide-de-camp by surprise.

He couldn't help but ask, "Isn't this getting a bit out of hand? Just for losing a Golden Sparrow Flower, they actually uncovered an anti-Federation, anti-humanity organization?"

The old man chuckled lightly, then said, "Indeed."
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"So, once this conclusion came out, both the Si Family and the Bai Family were in an uproar."

"However, this conclusion was reached by an investigation conducted by the nobles themselves, not a frame-up by the Federation."

"Therefore, the Chairperson was furious and immediately mobilized the armed forces and experts directly under the Federation from the three neighboring states, then uprooted the Si Family entirely, beheading all direct bloodline relatives and confidants. Not a single one survived."

"Xida State's Defense Team conducted a thorough purge from top to bottom, killing or capturing all those close to the Si Family."

"From then on, one of the three great noble families of Xida State, the Si Family, ceased to exist."

The aide-de-camp's mouth fell open slightly, his brain struggling to process.

After a moment, he finally said, "Sir, why do I feel that something is odd about this whole affair?"

The old man laughed softly and said, "Of course it's strange."

He paused and then spoke,

"This incident happened so abruptly that many noble families across the Federation, including the Jiang Family, were dissatisfied with the Federation's rash decision, and they questioned the Chairperson."

"But, the Chairperson showed the confidence behind his bold action by deploying fifty-seven demigod-level Spirit Realm military bases, flying to each state under the guise of negotiating with the nobles of the states."

"And then... all dissenting voices vanished without a trace."

At this point, the old man paused and with a smile that was not quite a smile, said, "One would think that the development of the situation was absurd enough."

"But then, something even more absurd happened."

Being already numb from the previous absurdity, the aide-de-camp looked over when he heard the old man's words and asked, "What could be more absurd?"

The old man said, "The Golden Sparrow Flower was found."

Aide-de-camp: ??

The old man continued, "The Golden Sparrow Flower was found in the Chairperson's wife's jewelry box. It turns out... she had forgotten to bring it with her that day."

Aide-de-camp: ????

At this point, the old man couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

For a moment, the aide-de-camp didn't know what to say.

He stammered and asked, "But... what about the investigation by the Jiang Family?"

The old man looked at him, blinked, and said, "Yes. How did the Jiang Family investigate it?"

Aide-de-camp: ......

The aide-de-camp came to a terrifying realization, and he felt chills all over.

Seeing that he understood, the old man laughed, turned his head away, and said indifferently, "After that, the Si Family was no more, the power of the Jiang Family plummeted. The Bai Family laid low. And He Weidao truly took control of Xida State's power. Gradually, he became the present-day giant of the Commoner Faction in the Eastern District."

The surveillance room fell silent for a moment.

After a while, the aide-de-camp asked, "Sir, is all of this just one big conspiracy?"

He thought for a moment, then continued, "I remember there were rumors before, saying that, in fact, the Federation has always maintained two attitudes towards Disaster Creatures: eradication and coexistence."

"And the Si Family was in favor of coexistence. Moreover, because of their special Awakening Ability, which could give rise to new species of Disaster Creatures, many held suspicions about their stance."

"So, perhaps the Federation had long been dissatisfied with the Si Family?"

With his hands clasped behind his back, the old man looked at the monitors and said indifferently, "I don't know."

The aide-de-camp blinked, then after a pause, said again, "I've also heard that the Si Family patriarch died early, and after his death, the Jiang Family had always coveted their influence within the Defense Team."

"Furthermore, the Federation had never before stripped a noble house of its title or exterminated a noble family."

"So, could it have been that when the Federation, or He Weidao, approached the Jiang Family, they might have thought it was just to suppress the Si Family? But in the end, they themselves were directly used as a weapon?"

Still with his hands clasped behind his back, the old man looked at the monitors and said indifferently, "I don't know."

The aide-de-camp blinked again and then asked, "Could it be that the Federation has been biding its time for nearly forty years, its strength unprecedentedly strong, but has been holding back, waiting for an opportunity that could both divide the nobility and suppress the states?"

"And He Weidao, with his keen awareness, anticipated the Federation's intentions and detected the conflict between the Si Family and the Jiang Family, thus deliberately creating this opportunity?"

The old man still watched the monitors with his hands behind his back and said indifferently, "I don't know."

Although the old man responded "I don't know" to all the questions, the aide-de-camp felt from his indifferent demeanor and non-denial attitude that this might indeed be the truth... or at least, the truth as the old man saw it.

He was momentarily dazed.

He suddenly understood the old man's description of the most absurd event in Federation history.

Absurd, isn't it?

Absurd!

But upon reflection, he found it unimaginably terrifying...

The human heart is like the sea, and the "hearts" of states and families are even more like vast, unfathomable oceans...

While he was absorbed in these thoughts, the old man was looking at Fang Ze on the monitor and asked, "What have you learned from the 'Golden Sparrow Flower Incident'?"

The aide-de-camp thought for a moment, then said, "Should one be cautious in speech and conduct? Not to give others leverage against oneself?"

The old man shook his head.

The aide-de-camp tried again, "Not to oppose the Federation? Everyone who has opposed the Federation has met with a bad end?"