Abyss Solo
Chapter 330 - 159 The Beginning of the Legend

Chapter 330: 159 The Beginning of the Legend

"Admiral Thomas, could you explain why you allowed the White Ghost to swagger away right in front of you?"

In a dark hall created by holographic projection.

Thomas stood under a spotlight, facing a two-tiered arrangement of seats.

At the very top were three chairs, with the central chair adorned with various relief sculptures that represented supreme status; an old man in pajamas sat there, his figure faint and not paying attention to this place.

The chair on the left was slightly lower, occupied by a kind-looking elderly granny in a long robe and a complex, tall headdress; her gaze gentle, she looked down at Admiral Thomas.

The chair on the right was even lower and was currently empty.

These three chairs were a symbol of the highest power in the Sherman Empire.

Below the three chairs were eight figures dressed differently, three old generals with chests full of medals, two elderly men in the distinctive white robes of the Elder Court, two elderly men in evening attire, and a young woman in a long robe wearing a veil.

They represented the military, the Elder Court, the government ministers, and the sacred church.

Although Admiral Thomas held a high rank in the military, he still only had the qualification to use honorific language here.

Why let the White Ghost go?

"Because of public opinion."

Admiral Thomas responded solemnly:

"At the time, I was unable to issue an order to imprison the White Ghost or to directly destroy that mecha.

"The war against the Insect Race had achieved a resounding victory, enough to boost the military spirit and morale of the Empire.

"The White Ghost had become a folk hero, his brave conduct against the Insect Race had earned the recognition of the grassroots officers and the vast number of soldiers.

"The decision to let him leave was not because I cherish my personal reputation! It was considering the current national endeavor to jointly combat the insect disaster and the sinister federation! Also considering the Empire’s broad-mindedness and its tolerance toward the public!"

He added:

"This was not a mistake, but the only choice made based on the circumstances at the time.

"Of course, if the esteemed attendees here determine I must be responsible for this matter, I will gladly accept any and all punishment!"

An old general spoke slowly: "Admiral Thomas, you did nothing wrong; this is a great victory. We have saved 26 million citizens from the evil clutches of those insects; you have done very well."

An elder of the Elder Court in white robes said: "The White Ghost is very suspicious; before we ascertain his intentions, we must control him quickly. He can wish to be a hero, but he must be a hero who obeys His Majesty and the Empire."

The government minister countered: "All signs indicate that this is a noble of our nation with excellent character, driven by the glory of the Emperor Star."

"No, you are wrong. The value of a noble is bestowed by His Majesty," the man in white robes said coldly, "His deviation from His Majesty’s brilliance is itself a betrayal."

The government minister argued: "Can’t a mighty Empire tolerate a mere folk hero? His contributions to the Empire are indelible. If it had not been for him, allowing the insect disaster to erupt fully in a few years or a decade, we would have been pushed to the brink of the cliff!"

The man in white robes said: "This does not change the objective fact that he is an uncontrollable factor."

"Enough."

A frail yet gentle voice came from the highest platform; the arguing elders below immediately fell silent.

The old granny sitting beside the Emperor chuckled:

"If the Empire can’t even tolerate a young person with a strong personality, why bother claiming to be the strongest nation in the Milky Way?

"Reward him, praise him, grant him enough honor, but he needs to come and receive it in person.

"Once he kneels before His Majesty, you naturally can uncover his mask, making him His Majesty’s loyal dog, serving for the glory of the Emperor Star.

"Continue the questioning, don’t keep General Thomas waiting too long; he still needs to handle more troubles."

"Yes."

"Admiral Thomas, the Elder Court has another question. The Fierce Ghost Mecha piloted by the White Ghost displayed exceptionally high performance. Why had the military not researched such mechas before?"

Thomas chuckled, "Because they are impractical."

"Impractical?"

"Yes, esteemed elder."

Thomas explained simply:

"We have conducted a thorough analysis of that mecha’s data. According to preliminary results, it is a mecha specifically designed for the Insect Race, and the pilot must be a highly transformed person.

"Its power, endurance, stability, and response speed are all built on significantly reducing the number of buffer circuits, which places extremely high requirements on the pilot’s physical fitness.

"We have developed many similar mechas and attempted to use genetically transformed soldiers as pilots, but the results were not satisfactory, as it was difficult to ensure a balance between strength and speed.

"Yet, he managed to do it, which certainly implies backing from a powerful research team.—This helps us in finding his real identity.

"Moreover, it is a purely melee-type mecha. If it were on the frontline, it couldn’t survive long in a firefight and thus would have no value.

"It is tailored only for the Insect Race."

Thomas paused, then added:

"However, I believe that the military research institutions should now restart similar designs in case the buried Insect Swarms under the Administrative Star pose a threat again.

"I must remind you that I am a general, commanding troops is my specialty, the development of weapons and equipment, you need to discuss this with those who do not go to the battlefield."