Chapter 82

Shen Fengyue lay down for a day and didn’t start feeling better until dinnertime in the evening. During this time, he had frequently doubted that he might suddenly lose his breath and log out of the virtual world.

Having not eaten anything for a while, his stomach protested loudly with a series of grumbling sounds. Shen Fengyue rubbed his belly and got up, preparing to find something to eat.

Just as he was about to open the door, a small man rushed in and braked just in time to avoid colliding with Shen Fengyue. He was Amy, the one who usually assisted Shen Fengyue.

Amy exclaimed upon seeing him, “Chef Shen, you’re finally awake! Hurry up, let’s go to the main starship to take a look; something big has happened! It’s going to be quite a spectacle!”

Shen Fengyue, with keen eyes, noticed an unopened loaf of bread on the table. He picked it up and took a bite, speaking with a slightly muffled voice as he chewed, “What’s going on?”

Amy informed him, “They say there’s been a purge of spies from the upper ranks, and now they’re gathering everyone at the main starship for a public execution!”

“What?” The bread dropped onto the ground with a soft thud. Shen Fengyue didn’t have time to lament the bread’s fate; his attention shifted to the more pressing matter.

“Exactly!” Amy pulled him, ready to leave. “I came specifically to find you. Come on, let’s go see the show.”

Shen Fengyue: “…”

When they arrived at the main starship, the central area was already surrounded by concentric circles of people, leaving them on the outer edge.

Small gaps between people allowed Shen Fengyue to use them as vantage points to observe the situation in the center.

Several people were kneeling in the center; they seemed to be the spies Amy had mentioned.

These spies were still dressed in their work attire, each attire showing different work departments. It appeared they had been captured on the spot. Some were in a state of shock, while others struggled to maintain their composure. The more timid ones were already trembling, drenched in sweat, yet not daring to wipe it off.

Albert was seated in a chair at the top, leaning against the backrest. His posture was relaxed and casual. There was no trace of anger on his face, but it was precisely this casual demeanor that made him appear even more formidable. Just sitting there like that exerted strong pressure on the captured spies below.

He didn’t even spare them a glance, supporting his chin with one hand and rhythmically tapping the armrest with the other.

This was the first time Shen Fengyue had seen Albert in this manner. Although Albert often joked around with him, making it hard for Shen Fengyue to take him seriously.

But now looking at him like this. He suddenly realized Albert’s true identity.

—The King of the Lone Wolf. The leader of the notorious and ruthless Starbandit organization.

He could chat and laugh with you, appearing friendly, causing you to forget the vast gap between you and him. But in the next moment, he could turn cold and merciless, shooting you dead, sending you into the afterlife, and you’d never know why you died.

Amidst the clamor of voices, the crowd below engaged in discussions. Albert signaled to Orril with his eyes, and Orril stepped forward and made a hushing gesture, immediately silencing the people.

The atmosphere turned dreadfully quiet, so much so that even the sound of a dropped pin could be heard.

People craned their necks in anticipation, and the spies were also waiting, waiting for the impending judgment and doom that was about to befall them.

As the crowd finally quieted down, Albert finally made a move. He lowered his hand, stopped the rhythmic tapping, straightened his head, and looked down at the row of kneeling individuals.

He gazed for a while, then suddenly let out a soft laugh.

This laugh stirred a slight ripple in Shen Fengyue’s heart. Then he heard Albert’s cool voice saying, “I despise betrayal the most.”

Shen Fengyue’s heart tightened inexplicably.

The trial had begun.

The first person Shen Fengyue felt somewhat familiar. He stared more closely and indeed recognized them.

He was mildly astonished, his mouth slightly agape in disbelief. Could it be that even the cleaning lady had been apprehended?

She was responsible for cleaning the kitchen. Whenever Shen Fengyue passed by her in his daily routine, she often gave him suggestive glances, as if trying to flirt. This led Shen Fengyue to mistakenly believe that the cleaning lady had a crush on him.

However, the truth was certainly not so simple.

“Marian, a Federation spy,” After saying this, he paused for a moment and then sneered with a full dose of sarcasm, “The Federation wants to infiltrate every profession, it seems. This time, a cleaning lady. What’s next? A chef?”

Shen Fengyue, caught off guard by the remark, gasped in shock, causing Albert to shift his attention downward. Shen Fengyue quickly covered his mouth and cautiously glanced around at the people nearby, then quietly took a few steps back.

Indeed, Albert’s premonition was accurate. There was indeed a Federation spy who happened to be a chef. And as for the cleaning lady, she wasn’t actually interested in him; she was merely signaling something else.

Albert raised his right leg onto his left leg and shifted his body slightly backward, aiming for the most comfortable position. His posture was far from conventional, yet no one uttered a word of complaint, nor dared to.

“Let me guess, if I were to make you reveal the Federation’s secrets, would you yield or stand your ground?” He lifted his eyelids, casting a somewhat condescending glance at the spy.

The spy was indeed stubborn. Shen Fengyue remembered her demeanor in normal times, always wearing a kind smile, bending over as she diligently cleaned every corner. She was a middle-aged woman with a dedicated work ethic.

However, now that her true identity was exposed, she completely changed her demeanor. Her gaze turned icy, lips pressed tightly, and unconsciously, she straightened her posture, displaying a hint of stubbornness.

Albert raised an eyebrow – a tough nut to crack?

Marian lifted her chin, locking her eyes with Albert’s lazy gaze. Her determination was evident, yet it couldn’t hide the fact that Albert felt an inexplicable annoyance. Tsk, she sure looked troublesome.

Marian’s lips turned pale, her muscles tensed all over. Suddenly, she stood up from the ground, her thin and frail figure straightening like a taut line.

“Ptui!” She spat toward Albert, and due to the distance, the spit landed about five centimeters away from his feet. But judging from her expression, it seemed like she would’ve loved to spit in his face.

This provoked a chuckle from Albert. He asked in response, “What’s the matter? Are you afraid to spit on my face? Even though the distance is merely a step away, why don’t you take that step forward?”

Marian’s figure wavered as she tentatively took a step with one foot, but she retracted it before the sole touched the ground.

“Tsk.” Albert switched the leg he had propped up.

Marian frowned, and with a hoarse voice, she shouted at him. Veins stood out faintly on her forehead and neck as she yelled, “Albert, you’re delusional if you think I’ll betray the Federation! I, Marian, am loyal to the Federation for Life. The Federation Empire is the rightful one. You lowly, shameless star bandits are destined to perish! The Federation Empire shall…”

With a deafening gunshot, her voice abruptly ceased.

“Ho… ah… ah…” Blood frothed, blocking her throat and preventing her from speaking properly. Marian’s expression was one of bewilderment, her eyes wide open, pupils bulging outward, looking as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. It was a truly horrifying sight.

She lowered her head slowly, looking at her chest. There was a bullet hole there, the edges emitting a faint blue glow, and red fluid seeped out steadily.

Marian laboriously lifted her head to look above, attempting to see the current appearance of the one who killed her. But she was powerless. After a dizzying spin, her body collapsed heavily to the ground. She died with a pair of wide blue eyes staring blankly, refusing to close.

Everything happened so quickly that the bystanders hadn’t anticipated how decisively Albert would act. Yet, their reactions seemed almost indifferent, as if it were natural to see people die, especially when the person was an undercover spy sent by the Federation.

For some, the realization that they had recently been on friendly terms with these spies sent shivers down their spines. Fortunately, the spies had been caught. Otherwise, they might be still counting money for others and wouldn’t even know when they suddenly died.

Shen Fengyue had been observing Albert all along, closely scrutinizing every movement he made. Although his actions were lightning fast just now, Shen Fengyue keenly captured the details.

He focused his gaze on Albert’s left leg, the same leg from which he had drawn the small gun earlier.

At this moment, Albert was still holding the small gun in his hand, playing with it. The barrel had just fired a shot, causing a slight heat to emanate from it. Albert pressed his hand against it, feeling the warmth pulse through his fingers, until it dissipated, leaving behind the cool touch of machinery.

Albert glanced at the corpse on the ground and finally muttered, “I hate those Federation lackeys the most.”

“And this is the fate of traitors.”

The judgment continued, and several more lifeless bodies were added to the ground, each with a different expression, but all undoubtedly filled with shock.

Whether they were staunchly loyal to the Federation Empire or, felt remorse at the moment of their demise begging for forgiveness while wanting to switch allegiance to the Lone Wolf. Their bodies lay in this vast space, on the cold ground, carrying emotions of loyalty, regret, or resentment.

Later, they were carried away by someone specifically designated for cleanup, their identities were erased as if they were unknown to all.

With the venue cleaned up, Albert dismissed the people.

The whole ordeal had left Shen Fengyue quite shaken. He felt increasingly chilled as if a bone-penetrating cold was invading his weak body and fragile soul.

Pitiful, feeble, and helpless. QAQ Who will come and help me? I’m so scared.

This was the first time he had seen Albert in such a fierce demeanor. He treated his teammates with gentle kindness akin to a spring breeze but confronted enemies with the ruthless manner of an autumn wind sweeping away leaves. There was no mercy; once detected, death was certain.

After witnessing the executions, Shen Fengyue returned to his room, entered the bathroom, and splashed a handful of cold water onto his face. The chilling sensation penetrated his being, lifting his spirits almost immediately.

He gazed at the mirror, observing his own reflection.

“Shen Fengyue”¹Shen Fengyue- the character in the virtual world not the original had a handsome face. Yes, a handsome face. The features were chiseled, cheeks devoid of excess flesh even when squeezed, a distinct jawline forming a clear division between his face and neck.

With his black disheveled hair, and his eyes contrasting sharply between black and white, he always seemed to carry an inexplicable coldness when he looked at people. Coupled with how he would hold his breath and tense his face whenever he cooked, that coldness became even more pronounced.

Summing it up, this person’s face, along with his demeanor, appeared more like that of an ice-cold beauty rather than a chef.

Shen Fengyue, “Are you sure this face belongs to a chef?”

The system shrugged, indicating that it was also baffled but couldn’t do much about it.

A cold and aloof handsome guy, chopping vegetables online.

He recalled the horrifying spy trial he had witnessed earlier and couldn’t help but shiver. He asked, “System, do you think it’s late to abandon evil and do good from now on?”

The system advised him to stay sensible, “Be more sober, you can’t violate the character setting, okay? It is what it is.”

“Alright.”

Today’s scene was excessively brutal as if it had happened in the blink of an eye. So many spies were executed, and Shen Fengyue was scared to the point that he probably wouldn’t easily take action in the short term. He was afraid that if he made a careless move, he’d be exposed in front of everyone and the hall will become his execution ground.

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  Shen Fengyue- the character in the virtual world not the original