Chapter 190: May Humanity’s Glory Endure Forever!

Bang!

Doban's burly body collapsed to the ground, riddled with bullet holes. His fierce eyes remained wide open, bloodshot and filled with hatred, yet still laced with disbelief—as if he couldn't comprehend that he had just died.

And in such a humiliating way, no less—killed by Burningum, someone he'd always considered even more pathetic than himself.

Doban had always looked down on the weak and spineless Burningum. He believed that holding leverage over him meant he could easily manipulate the man into doing his bidding.

But what he never expected was that the one who'd lose his life... would be himself.

Burningum straightened his posture, completely shedding the image of a coward. His short, stocky frame now carried an unexpected aura of authority. Holding the gun, he walked over to Doban's corpse, confirmed his death, and then stomped on his head.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Major General, it's me, Burningum. Yes, just as you predicted—Doban is dead."

"Well done. You've cleared out a parasite for the Ark."

The voice on the other end belonged to none other than Mo Chen.

Burningum stood even straighter, a look of reverence spreading across his face. His voice grew firm and resolute.

"This was my duty. Thank you for your praise."

"If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now. Remember to take care of yourself."

"Yes, rest assured. No one will suspect me."

"May the glory of mankind live forever."

"May the glory of mankind live forever."

Burningum solemnly repeated the phrase, his eyes gleaming with fervor. His posture remained rigidly upright, and even his round, fleshy face seemed to radiate a rare brilliance.

This was the goal he had dedicated his life to.

Every time he recited those words, his heart surged with passion.

He hadn't been coerced. He wasn't manipulated. Nor was he anyone's puppet.

"For the sake of humanity, and everything for humanity."

Mo Chen had only spoken those two sentences, but Burningum immediately knew—this was the path he had always pursued.

Comrades are those who share the same ideals.

And Burningum knew, without a doubt, that Mo Chen was one of them.

Someone willing to sacrifice everything for a shared dream.

After ending the call, the excitement faded from Burningum's face. His once-straight posture hunched again, reverting to the timid, subservient deputy chief he had always appeared to be.

Meanwhile, back at the hotel.

Mo Chen ended the call.

Yes. This had all been orchestrated by him.

Every detail was under his control.

In fact, Mo Chen had been watching Doban for quite some time.

Doban was never anything more than a corrupt official. Unlike Burningum, who at least cloaked his actions with the pretense of duty, Doban was a selfish opportunist, exploiting his power for personal gain.

All his lofty words about serving the Ark were nothing more than empty rhetoric.

Long ago, Doban had been added to Mo Chen's hit list—it was only a matter of time.

As for Burningum, he had reached out to him a while back.

Of course, not without a good beating first.

But he hadn't killed him.

Mo Chen knew that despite Burningum's ruthless methods, he wasn't driven purely by self-interest. His actions, however questionable, were rooted in his belief in the Ark's future and humanity's survival. He wasn't an inherently evil man.

After several interactions, Mo Chen was surprised to find that Burningum had become one of his most loyal supporters.

That wasn't something Mo Chen had anticipated.

Maybe it was because they both fought for humanity. Maybe it was the shared dream.

From that moment on, Burningum became Mo Chen's eyes and ears within the upper echelons of power. Any whispers of trouble reached him quickly.

And because of that, every move Doban made was under Mo Chen's watchful gaze.

While Doban schemed to assassinate Mo Chen, he never realized that Mo Chen had already known all along.

D stood nearby, staring at him in disbelief. She had just overheard his entire conversation.

Doban was dead?

He was a deputy chief.

More than Doban's position, what shocked D was how effortlessly Mo Chen had orchestrated his death—without even lifting a finger.

The assassination techniques of D's own unit, the Perilous Siege Squad, typically required long periods of surveillance. They'd gather intel, plan out every detail of the ambush, design escape routes, and only then execute the kill.

But for Mo Chen, killing Doban seemed as simple as flicking a finger.

In reality, behind what appeared to be casual ease was a meticulous plan laid out long in advance.

This was the pinnacle of assassination—the ultimate mastery.

A level D couldn't even dream of reaching.

Doban's death didn't seem to faze Mo Chen. His focus had already shifted to something else, an integral part of his larger plan.

"Now, tell me about that company."

Snapping out of her daze, D approached the desk, leaned over, and began explaining.

"He's the owner of C.O.L. The company's full name is Cycle of Life. They specialize in buying second-hand electronics, refurbishing them, and reselling the products."

"Their growth has been explosive. Some say they're on the verge of competing with the Big Three. In fact, there are even claims that their distribution network is more efficient than the major corporations. In other words, he's making a ton of money."

"The money's not the key point. This guy used to work in the central government, climbing to a position where he could pull the strings of power. Then, out of nowhere, he resigned and started this electronics business."

"Also, he's maintained financial ties with the government. Not long ago, he donated a huge sum of money. Plus, he's heavily invested in the medical industry and philanthropic ventures."

"But after digging deeper, we found that his revenue streams don't add up. The profits far exceed what his business could realistically generate, which means he's got other channels—gray ones."

Mo Chen listened quietly, but his mind was elsewhere.

It's just like in the game.

Even an idiot could spot that something was off with this so-called entrepreneur.

The Ark's upper echelons monopolized every avenue of upward mobility. For most people, the ultimate fork in the road of life was decided the moment they were born.

No one in their right mind would quit a cushy government job unless they had something even bigger to gain.

Which meant this guy was into some serious underground dealings. Just like the "revolving door" between politics and corporations in the real world.

Mo Chen ran through the possibilities in his head.

Then he made a decision.

He stood up, cutting D off mid-sentence.

"Let's go."

D blinked in confusion. "Go where?"

Mo Chen turned back and flashed her a grin.

"Where else? To this Cycle of Life company."

D froze.

Just like that? You're going straight there?