Chapter 546

“Prince Andre Aims to Use New Technology to Completely Control All Citizens!”

“Broadcast Confirmed! All Royal Family Members Have Been Killed!”

“Shocking! Prince Andre Commits Atrocities Against His Own Clan!”

As the people glanced at the shocking headlines plastered outside the newspaper kiosk, their initial doubts quickly transformed into an uproar.

The broadcast’s content turned out to be entirely true—Prince Andre had indeed betrayed his country! After speed-reading “Revealing Secrets… Bombing the Royal Palace?” right there on the street, a well-dressed citizen wearing thick glasses couldn’t help but fall into shock.

Prince Andre not only sent troops to attack Princess Phelia but also ordered the destruction of the broadcasting building and even assaulted the Royal Palace!

If it were just written reports, they might still have been hard to believe. But seeing the large photos of mechanical armies marching toward the palace on the front page, the bespectacled citizen lost all composure, instinctively adjusting his glasses as he murmured in disbelief, “This… this is insane. How could Prince Andre do such a thing?”

“Hmph, the worst is yet to come!”

Hearing the citizen’s mutterings, another middle-aged man reading the paper nearby glanced at the headline in his hand and couldn’t help but sneer. He then handed over his own newspaper, pointing at a series of six pictures: “Look at these! This is what’s truly crazy!”

“?!”

Confused by the sudden interruption, the well-dressed citizen hesitantly took the newspaper, looking toward the pointed-out headline image. His eyes widened instantly.

The six dark-colored images showed the backheads of six different men, with varying sizes. The one commonality? Each had a metallic mechanical “spider” attached.

The six spider legs, like sharp chisels, pierced through the thin layer of flesh on the backs of their heads, some tips even faintly penetrating the skull, as if feeding off something while firmly latched on.

After hastily scanning the article’s content, the well-dressed citizen stammered, “Is this… the mind-control method mentioned in the broadcast? Did Zone 1 Research Area really develop technology to turn humans into puppets?”

“What else could it be?”

The middle-aged man clenched his teeth, replying with evident fear: “Didn’t you see the photos? How can this be fake?”

“Maybe… maybe it’s staged?”

Unable to accept such madness, the bespectacled man couldn’t help but suggest, “These people seem unconscious. What if the spiders were placed afterward to frame Prince Andre? It’s possible, isn’t it?”

“Tch… are you serious?”

Faced with the suggestion, the middle-aged man cursed loudly, shoving another crumpled newspaper into his hands, yelling, “Maybe the previous ones were staged, but check THIS one out!”

Startled by the older man’s loud voice, the bespectacled man instinctively shrunk back before carefully opening the wrinkled newspaper…

“Hisss!!”

Upon seeing the front-page picture, a chill raced up from his tailbone, coursing along his spine until it reached his scalp, making his head tingle. He unconsciously gasped, tearing the newspaper in his trembling hands.

The photo seemed taken in a dimly lit hall. Over a hundred people with blank, rigid expressions stood under cold blue light, their upper skulls exposed, revealing grooved purple brains. Their eyes stared eerily at the camera.

The photographer, either inexperienced or terrified, had tilted the lens slightly, blurring most faces.

But this flaw worked in favor, obscuring most faces except for those haunting, lifeless eyes—eerily human yet distinctly not.

At the center of this horrifying group, slumped on a throne with his hollow skull exposed, was none other than King Fein, who months ago had smiled and greeted Crocodile Kingdom citizens during a celebration!

Confronted with this terrifying photo and its even more horrifying implications, the bespectacled man paled and screamed uncontrollably.

“Aiya!!”

…

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?”

Ignoring the middle-aged man’s complaints, the bespectacled man no longer heard anything. His gaze locked onto the front-page photo through his bottle-thick glasses.

In the photo, taken in what appeared to be a dim hall, over a hundred people with vacant expressions stood under cold blue light, exposing their mutilated brains. Their deadpan stares unnervingly fixed on the camera.

Responsible for taking the shot, either due to poor technique or sheer terror, the lens tilted awkwardly, blurring most faces.

However, this technical flaw inadvertently obscured most features, leaving only those chilling, lifeless eyes visible—eerily human but unmistakably monstrous.

And right at the center of this horrifying crowd, slouched on a throne with his empty skull exposed, was none other than King Fein, who had grinned and waved to the citizens of Crocodile Kingdom just months ago during a celebration!

Facing this explosive photograph and its tenfold scarier reality, the bespectacled man’s face went pale, and he let out an uncontrollable scream.

“Ahh!!”

…

“Ow! What’s your problem?”

The sudden yell startled not only the middle-aged man, who clutched his chest in complaint, but even Leon, who was browsing newspapers nearby, nearly ripping one in his surprise.

Seems effective.

After assessing the bespectacled man’s expression, Leon nodded satisfactorily, then left the newsstand and merged into the bustling crowd.

With these newspapers distributed, the last interference factors could finally be ruled out.

Previously, using Apheta 00’s soul encoding tech, Prince Andre still had the chance to control other legion commanders and mobilize another army. Besides dealing with the Scorpion Bureau Director, I had to guard against possible reinforcements.

But after these newspapers spread, to avoid becoming puppets themselves, the remaining military officers of Crocodile Kingdom would surely not allow Prince Andre’s envoys near them. Apart from the Scorpion Bureau Director, he’d have no other cards to play.

Having eliminated as many “interference factors” as possible, all we need now is to prepare thoroughly before striking Zone 1 Research Area.

Recalling intelligence about the Scorpion Bureau Director, Leon stepped away from the crowd, approached the roadside greenbelt, crouched down, rummaged through the bushes, retrieved a small white flower, and gently flicked its stem twice.

Instantly, the jade-eyed maiden with tightly shut eyes was flung out of the flower, landing with a thud in the greenbelt.

“Wake up.”

After lightly patting Phelia’s smooth cheeks to wake her up, Leon seriously proposed, “Let’s make a deal. I’ll save your life, and you call me ‘Dad.’ Sound good?”

“Eh?”

(End of Chapter)