Arthur admitted his atrocities so readily that it was as if he were talking about an insignificant matter.
He looked at everyone, at the countless humans who were looking at him through the projection:
"Friends, things in the world don't always follow the rules. Just because we were able to defeat the alien beasts from ten years ago and the alien beasts of today, doesn't mean we can defeat the alien beasts of the future.
“Those organisms are constantly evolving, learning, and adapting, but what about us?
"When I returned from outside the city, I saw only the arrogance and hubris of human beings. Not to mention hundreds of combat-type superpowers, even thousands or tens of thousands of them would not be able to kill all the monsters outside the city.
“If we expect the current balance to last forever, we will eventually lose all opportunities and fall into the trap of slow death.
"If we want to win this protracted war, humanity must stop wasting time and focus its strength."
As he spoke, he pointed at the old guys who still had ferocious faces:
“They are right. I am indeed concentrating power. This kind of thing has disappeared in human history for thousands of years. But there is at least one thing I can tell you, that is, I do this for the sole purpose of continuing the human race. I am public-spirited and not selfish.
"To tell you the truth, if Hope City is breached by alien beasts one day, I can escape to the outer atmosphere by myself against the attacks of three fifth-level alien beasts, so... why don't you believe me? After all, with my ability, if I don't want to get involved in such things, I can just let humans go extinct until I am the only one left.
"So, my human friends in Hope City, you can hate me, curse me, and insult me. I don't care about these things. The only thing you need to remember is to complete your work conscientiously."
Arthur returned to his seat as secretary and looked at the "Ten Thousand Volumes" above:
"I have finished speaking, and the trial continues."
The data analysis was completed, and several consecutive videos began to be played in the form of projection.
First, several middle-aged men with different expressions discussed the plan in a separate room, and then a team of innocent researchers were lured into the room where the alien creatures were imprisoned, creating the illusion that the alien creatures escaped due to their operational errors.
Finally, the system was used to notify members of the hostile faction to hold a meeting in the room where the alien creatures existed...
Each video clip tells of the evil deeds of the congressmen in the most intuitive form. No one knows how the artificial intelligence sitting on the bench has carefully preserved these videos for more than 50 years.
After seeing themselves decades younger, the five elderly congressmen finally recovered their chaotic and vague memories, and the third-person image in their eyes began to turn into a first-person perspective little by little.
So...that's how it is.
After the video content, which was enough to shock everyone, was played, the congressmen seemed to understand why Wencheng and the artificial intelligence hated them so much. A belated trial was the best comfort for the innocent dead.
With all the evidence available, it didn't take long to convict the five people.
Those old guys have already lost the mood and energy to resist. No matter how the crime is pronounced, they can only give in and say yes, yes, yes.
As everyone watched, Wanjuan struck the nonexistent gavel:
"quiet.
“Now I will read out the result of this case: According to the laws of the People’s Union, Matthew and ten other crew members of the original spacecraft [Taraxacum-03] were convicted of intentional homicide, the release of dangerous substances, crimes against humanity… a total of twelve felonies.
“Nia and the other five have died and have no immediate family members alive, so their crimes will not be investigated.
"Matthew, Kant, Vaughn, Yang Suyan, and Hines are stripped of their status as councillors, citizens of Hope City, and human beings, and sentenced to death and executed immediately."
As "Wanjuan" finished reading out the trial results, the computer at the center of the spacecraft began to process it quickly.
The authority of Matthew and the other five people disappeared instantly, and because they had never been citizens of Hope City, they did not have any public information.
The permissions of the five people were wiped out in this way. The small screen on the armrest of the high-back chair automatically turned off after displaying a burst of garbled characters, and no matter how many people tapped on it with their fingers, there was no response.
The deprivation of identity has been completed, and as for the death penalty, there is no need for anyone to do it personally.
Along with the erasure of their identities as councillors, the nutrient solution pump used to maintain the normal functioning of the five people's bodies also stopped running as the microcomputer shut down.
The fluids rich in nutrients, repair substances, and medicines stopped flowing and were no longer injected into their bodies.
As they grow older, their demand for these things increases, especially after they are over 100 years old, the usage increases every year.
But now, the supply of life-sustaining drugs has stopped, and death is only a matter of time.
Soon, Matthew and the others began to look abnormal.
In just ten minutes, the rosy redness on their human faces disappeared, and even their lips turned pale.
Their bodies are aging, losing strength, and heading towards inevitable death.
"Arthur..."
Matthew uttered a sound that ordinary people could not hear, and the big blond man keenly caught the murmur and came to his side:
"What's up? I'm listening."
"I...curse...you."
"Yeah, okay."
Arthur nodded repeatedly:
"If this can make you happier, then I choose to obey."
Matthew could no longer hear the sound, but his blurry eyes still managed to read about 70% of the meaning from Arthur's lips.
His cloudy pupils gradually dilated, losing the little vitality they had.
Arthur looked up and found that Wencheng had stood up from the plaintiff's seat and walked to the defendant's seat.
The five elderly people were no longer alive or dead. He very patiently placed his left index and middle fingers on their necks, carefully checking if there was any residual heartbeat.
Wencheng held a miniature flashlight between the fingers of his right hand. He used his thumb and index finger to pry open the old guys' eyelids and shone the light into them, carefully observing the reaction of the pupils.
Looking at this scene that seemed a bit like déjà vu, Lin Qingliu couldn't help but praise Wen Cheng's rigor in his heart - with such skilled techniques, it was really a waste of his talent to be a general, he should have gone to a field hospital.
After confirming that all five people were dead, Wen Cheng slowly walked to Arthur:
"Your Excellency, Speaker."
"I am here."
“I hope you can lead Hope City to find true hope.”
Arthur nodded seriously:
"I will do my best."
"That's good. The army will obey you from now on."
This middle-aged man with gray hair showed a rare smile of relief:
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
He stretched out his hand to Arthur, and the two hands clasped for a moment. Wen Cheng turned and walked towards his plaintiff's seat, taking out a capsule from his pocket and putting it in his mouth.
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