Chapter 638 - 400: Day of Reckoning
The atmosphere became awkward after being disrupted by the ignorant reporter, so Charles took the initiative to change the topic: "Mr. Sikinkov, the guests are all hungry, let’s start dining."
Sikinkov responded and signaled to the waiters.
Luxuriously decorated food carts were slowly pushed in, the food on them covered by lids, maintaining an air of mystery; no one knew what delicacies lay beneath before the lids were lifted.
People who are overweight often have a fast metabolism and get hungry easily.
Charles had already eaten an in-flight meal on the plane, and having digested it by now, he was hungry again. He leaned in to sniff, saying with interest, "Hmm~ I’m quite knowledgeable about various cuisines, but I can’t discern the smell this time. What’s inside?"
Sikinkov smiled and said, "A surprise, I hope you’ll like it."
For those who enjoy tasting various cuisines, surprises are the most delightful. Charles held his silver knife and fork in hand, his index finger shaking incessantly, as if urging them on.
Soon, as the waiters lifted the lids, this "delicacy" was revealed before everyone.
It was a business banquet; many had envisioned scenarios such as rare and exquisite sea and land offerings made of high-end ingredients or gourmet dishes crafted by renowned chefs...
Never did they expect this.
A piece of bread.
A piece of bread full of holes on its cut side, obviously a low-quality factory product, even moldy.
Everyone was stunned, and the entire venue fell silent.
People looked at each other, glancing at one another, not knowing what was happening.
Charles was also bewildered. Initially, he hadn’t thought much of it and laughed, trying to cover for Sikinkov: "It seems the kitchen made some basic errors and took the wrong thing."
"No, there’s no mistake." Sikinkov slowly stood from his seat, the smile on his face disappeared, as if a long-standing facade had finally been removed, leaving only coldness.
"This is the most common food now for the people of New Moon City, a piece of bread, a moldy piece of bread."
"It’s not even free; the World Government ceased wartime supplies six months ago, and people have to pay for everything themselves."
"For those at the bottom, just getting a piece of bread requires working themselves to exhaustion all day; more people don’t even have jobs and live in constant hunger in perpetual darkness."
At this, Charles erupted in anger, slamming the table and standing up, pointing at Sikinkov’s nose in a furious rebuke: "It’s wartime, there are rules to be followed!"
"As the City Council President of New Moon City, how dare you openly question the policy of the World Government? This is a serious breach of discipline!"
"Guards! Arrest Sikinkov!"
The Upper Court Guard behind Charles immediately stepped forward.
Leading them was the Guard Captain "Nick", who had been the top student of his military academy class and continued rigorous training after getting a full prosthetic body.
No matter how high he was promoted, he maintained strict self-discipline, rising to the rank of captain at a young age, and was honored to be assigned to an Upper Court official like Charles.
To these professionally trained individuals, orders were absolute. Nick didn’t even consider the situation, nor did he need to—he moved directly to seize Sikinkov.
However, as he approached Sikinkov, a waiter in the corner suddenly struck.
"Hmm?!" The lightning speed startled Nick; he hadn’t expected an expert hidden in the dining hall.
"Boom—" As they collided, the dull sound of impact reverberated, and both sides stepped back several steps.
Nick frowned, looking at the "waiter" in front of him. He compared that indifferent face with his memory bank, quickly identifying the person: "Anti-Violence Captain Ivan?!"
Ivan’s appearance elicited exclamations from the scene, shocking Charles and other Upper Court officials, completely unprepared for this unexpected confrontation.
The Anti-Violence Fourth Section is a subordinate agency of the Public Security Bureau, unmistakably a governmental body.
Sikinkov, as the City Council President of New Moon City, had just made a radical statement, which was already a severe incident.
Charles ordered his capture, and yet the Anti-Violence Fourth Section’s captain came forth to obstruct...
What is the New Moon City authority up to?!
Charles sternly shouted: "Ivan! What are you doing?! Sikinkov openly made improper remarks, and I’m taking him for interrogation according to the law. By doing this, are you opposing the Upper Court?!"
Ivan: "Or what?"
With those words, he struck again.
Charles was so frightened he quickly hid in a corner, shouting, "This man is crazy! Stop him!
Upper Court Guard soldiers rushed forward to try and stop him, but Ivan’s strength was overwhelming, like a human tank at full throttle; anyone hit suffered severe injuries instantly, with several soldiers being sent flying, crashing into the walls with blood splattering.
The scene descended into chaos; reporters screamed and fled for their lives, those near the door ran straight out, while those far away cowered in the corners, trembling.
Ivan weaved through the crowd, swiftly seizing an Upper Court Guard soldier, the Prosthetic Battle Blade protruding from his palm and piercing straight through the opponent’s heart.
After killing one person, he moved without pause, leveraging his momentum over the other’s body, his prosthetically enhanced elbow striking another soldier’s head, cracking it open with blood gushing out.
This soldier was resilient, standing up under severe injury with his skull nearly shattered by Ivan, attempting to fight again.
Without hesitation, Ivan picked him up by the waist with a standard slamming pose, crashing him onto the ground.
"Boom" went the sound as a gruesome blood flower bloomed on the ground; the soldier’s blood vessels burst under pressure, splattering vividly, painting a crimson carpet within meters on the floor.