Bernard trembled, pointing a shaking finger at Marshal Duncan. “You old fool, what are you gloating about! The twelve of us Ministers represent the same government. If our reputations are ruined, you won't fare any better!”

“Hahahaha…” Marshal Duncan roared with laughter, slapping Bernard’s finger away. “What use is saying that now? I’m over seventy; retirement is just a few years away. I’ve served three terms as Minister of National Defense. If I cared about that position, I wouldn't have cast the dissenting vote back then. As for you, as a colleague of several years, let me give you a piece of advice: if you turn yourself in quickly, you might plead for leniency with the judge and serve a few less years in prison.”

Bernard’s eyes were bloodshot as he turned to the Minister of Health and Medical Services. The Minister waved a hand dismissively. “Bernard, don't mind me. I only came to see you one last time today. I thought about seeing the others, but forget it. With something this big happening, everyone’s scattering. Just look out for yourself.”

Just then, the conference room doors hissed open, and two dark-suited Special Agents walked in. They addressed Bernard: “Minister of Propaganda, please come with us.”

Marshal Duncan sighed dramatically. “Bernard, you’re too late. It’s no use turning yourself in now. Good luck on your journey.”

With that, Bernard’s face turned ashen, and he was escorted out by the two agents, leaving only Marshal Duncan and the Minister of Health in the conference room.

“Old Marshal, you truly weren’t behind this, were you?” the Minister of Health asked, bewildered. “But who else would have the motive and the power to pull off something like this?”

“Motive is secondary; power is what matters!” Marshal Duncan frowned. “To be frank, I’ve been wondering myself—how much influence does it take to obtain evidence of sex scandals and economic crimes involving ten Ministers? Even if the Intelligence Department strained every muscle, they might not have managed it. The thought that such a force is hidden among us keeps me sleepless.”

As he spoke, Marshal Duncan’s brow gradually smoothed. “But for now, the priority is to get through this crisis. Though I don’t care much for the position, I don't intend to step down easily. Perhaps this crisis, if handled well, could even turn into an opportunity…”

“The Intelligence Department couldn’t manage it?” The Minister of Health wiped his brow. He had gone cold the moment he heard even the Intelligence Department was incapable. He hadn't truly registered the rest of Marshal Duncan's words.

Marshal Duncan glanced at him, his brow furrowed. “Don’t tell me you have something they’ve got hold of too?”

“No, no,” the Minister of Health waved his hands repeatedly, but he thought to himself: Even if I did, I couldn't tell you! I don’t know if those mysterious people have anything on me, but I certainly have a few things that could be used against me. What if they already have them? I’d be in deep trouble! Forget thinking that far ahead. Nothing about me has surfaced online yet. I’ll just try to weather this storm for now. With ten Ministers falling at once, I’m likely to be collateral damage.

Indeed, the concentrated impact of these scandals was immense. Within a mere twenty-four hours, it was like a spark landing on a gasoline drum, instantly igniting the whole thing!

This administration was already unstable due to continuous defeats against the Ancient Legions. They had barely managed to salvage some dignity with the Jupiter Campaign, only to be struck by this scandal. Public support for the government plummeted to near freezing point, and the clamor to overthrow the current administration surged, fueled by various self-interested parties.

Dozens of parliamentarians jointly submitted motions of no confidence against the Ministers. The United Parliament convened an emergency session for a vote, and the proposal to dismiss the entire administration passed by an overwhelming majority. From the President down to every department head, everyone instantly lost their authority. These powers were temporarily handed over to the United Parliament until the next government elections.

It was worth noting that Marshal Duncan displayed the cunning of an old fox. The brightest achievement of the government during its tenure—the Jupiter Campaign—was skillfully claimed as his own. After all, how could a cabinet of twelve, ten of whom were corrupt, have orchestrated a victory like the Jupiter Campaign? It must have been because the remaining two were far more capable!

This cause-and-effect relationship wasn't strictly sound, as corrupt people aren't necessarily incompetent and can still achieve beneficial things. However, the public tends to view those tainted in black as entirely black, linking corruption seamlessly with incompetence. Therefore, Marshal Duncan, through several calculated appearances in the media discussing the Jupiter Campaign, deftly glossed over some details while highlighting others.

The final impression left on the public was that the Old Marshal Duncan had devoted himself completely to the Jupiter Campaign, fighting against internal corruption while battling the external Ape-men, which significantly elevated his public image.

Many political commentators speculated that Marshal Duncan was highly likely to retain his position as Minister of National Defense in the next administration.

The Minister of Health, meanwhile, managed to weather this political earthquake by riding this unexpected wave of goodwill.

However, for Yang Ying, this outcome was insufficient. Although the proposal to launch the expedition in two months was clearly derailed, the anger in Yang Ying’s heart had not subsided. If he hadn't intervened, those ten Ministers would have nearly caused the deaths of millions. In Yang Ying’s eyes, they were unforgivably wicked, and letting them retire peacefully at home or in prison was far too lenient for them.

The purpose of this first phase wasn't just to remove them from office; it was to strip them of the protection afforded by Union Island, thereby creating opportunities for the second phase of the plan.

Seventy-two hours later, Yang Ying initiated Phase Two, which targeted the ten Ministers themselves.

After three days living under public condemnation, the Ministers had gone through all the necessary legal procedures. This political earthquake was unprecedented in its scope, reach, and impact in a century. Under the scrutiny of almost all humanity, the judicial system displayed extraordinary efficiency and quickly issued its rulings.

The six Ministers implicated by clear evidence of economic crimes were temporarily detained pending investigation and evidence collection, with bail denied. The other four Ministers were allowed to return home but were restricted from leaving Earth; whether they would be formally charged depended on the police investigation into whether they committed ** crimes.

Once these procedures were complete, the ten Ministers embarked on their separate journeys—some to prison, others home. They had all possessed official residences on Union Island, but upon losing power, they had to vacate quickly. Union Island had no commercial properties, only hotels and residences built for government officials.

In this situation, Yang Ying dispatched ten assassination teams, their objective being the heads of the ten Ministers.

These ten teams were primarily composed of Ghost Agents. Since they were no longer Ministers, they had lost the protection of the Special Agents and Psionics, and their few private bodyguards were entirely incapable of stopping a Ghost Agent assassination attempt.

Only one person, the former Minister of Propaganda, Bernard, was not assigned to a Ghost Agent. Yang Ying directed one of his own avatars to handle him.

This avatar had once visited the small hut outside the battlefield and witnessed firsthand the sorrow of Madam Brovun losing her husband.

Therefore, Yang Ying deemed it most appropriate for this avatar to carry out the task. On one hand, Bernard was the chief instigator of the disastrous proposal; on the other, Bernard’s location was extremely close to where this avatar was currently traveling.

The prison holding Bernard was located on the island of Elba, west of the sea off central Italy—a historically significant place that once exiled Napoleon.

The island was once famous for its iron ore production. However, the mines had been depleted centuries ago, and even the ruins of the steel mills were long buried by time. Over the centuries, changes in the marine climate severely impacted the fishing industry, forcing the islanders to relocate. The government later built a prison there, making use of the remaining infrastructure.

Bernard had not yet been tried; he was only temporarily housed in the prison. The avatar rendered himself invisible and boarded a supply ship heading to the island, secretly landing ashore.

The prison was square, surrounded by high walls and electrified razor wire. The avatar maintained his invisibility and slipped inside during one of the gate openings.

Even as an inmate, Bernard enjoyed a relatively high standard of living. He had a private cell furnished like a standard room in a three-star hotel, complete with all amenities, even an hour of internet access daily. While the accessible websites were restricted, it was enough for him to catch up on the day’s news.

The avatar found him shortly after his recreation period had ended and he had returned to his room. Even his exercise took place in a small, independent courtyard, far removed from ordinary convicts, befitting his former status as one of the figures at the apex of the human pyramid.

The avatar watched from the side as Bernard picked up a book from the shelf—a collection of essays by the latest Nobel Prize in Literature winner. He lay on a recliner, flipping through the pages while using a toothpick to spear a strawberry from the fruit platter on the coffee table and pop it into his mouth.

To an outside observer, he appeared resigned, ready to enjoy the remainder of his life. However, the avatar could sense a fiercely burning ambition deep within Bernard’s eyes: given the slightest chance, Bernard would claw his way back to his former position by any means necessary!

The avatar did nothing more complicated. He took out a specialized dropper and administered a few drops of a clear, colorless liquid onto the fruit platter.

Bernard continued eating the fruit, completely unaware. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and tried to stand, but immediately collapsed to the floor. He began to struggle for breath, letting out a few incoherent syllables while clutching his chest, before falling still.