Aslan was the first to rush out of the conference room.
But just as she stepped out of headquarters, before she could even spread her wings to take flight, Color Man grabbed her arm.
"Let go!"
Aslan turned her head furiously and shouted at Color Man.
"No."
Color Man naturally knew what Aslan intended to doâand he couldnât allow it.
"Why?!"
Aslan was livid, the feathers on her wings bristling.
"Why are you so angry?"
The question made Aslan freeze for a moment before she stared at Color Man with an incredulous look.
"Shouldnât I be?! We gave him rewards, and in return, he hid half the technique! What does he take us for? Shouldnât such garbage be punished?!"
After hearing the elderâs analysis earlier, Aslan had barely been able to contain her fury.
That elder was the Chief Technical Officer of the Star Eye Race, overseeing the entire clanâs skills, manufacturing, cultivation, production, and more.
In the chaotic universe, two types of people held the highest status:
Warriors and commanders who excelled in battle.
High-level technicians like the elder, capable of precise analysis and ability modification.
In the Star Eye Race, aside from the two clan leaders, the most respected figure wasnât Cheng Liuji, the commander of the Gold Masked Warriorsâit was this elder, Jike Su.
As for the burly man accompanying him? His role was similar to Color Manâs, but their statuses were worlds apart.
That man was the Chief Combat Instructor of all Star Eye warriors, responsible for training and improving their combat prowess. That was why he could sit as an equal to Cheng Liuji.
Color Man, as the overseer of a newbie training camp, couldnât compare.
"He should be punishedâbut the one he deceived was me, not you. So why are you so furious?"
Aslanâs eyes widened, a flash of confusion crossing her face.
Thatâs right⊠shouldnât Color Man be the angrier one?
"You were the one who taught that new garbage. Whether he hid part of the technique or not, you only have merit in this. Meanwhile, Iâm the one responsible for the exchangeâmeaning Iâm the one at fault here. I should be the angry one."
Faced with Color Manâs calm reasoning, Aslan was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, she muttered:
"He deceived the entire Star Eye Race! Every clansman should be outraged!"
Color Man shook his head.
"If he passes the trials, heâll be one of usâa comrade. As such, he has the right to keep his innovations and even patent them. If he handed the full technique to the clan, do you think the rewards would be limited to a bit of preferential treatment and a Mimicry War Deviceâof which our clan has no less than 800,000?"
"Truthfully, what we gave him wasnât enough. We simply took advantage of his âgarbageâ status. ButâŠ"
Color Man took a deep breath.
Since the higher-ups hadnât shown any intention of transferring Aslan awayâand might even be grooming her to take his positionâhe needed to make things clear to avoid hindering her growth and the training campâs operations.
"In the past, yes, we couldâve punished him for hiding the truthâfor undermining our authority and dignity. But Aslan, do you think the words âauthorityâ and âdignityâ still apply to how other races treat us now?"
"W-what does that have to do with this?!"
Aslan flinched, suddenly uneasy.
She was still young. Though aware of the clanâs precarious situation, her privileged status had shielded her from the full severity of their plight.
Without deep understanding, she couldnât possibly feel the same urgency.
Hearing this spoken aloud so abruptly left her rattled.
*"They donât. Weâre no longer the Star Eye Race of oldâno longer the assassin alliance whose very name made the Cosmic Races tremble. Now, they call us *âfilthy killers,â âspineless cowards,â âvermin lurking in the shadows!"
"Do you know why Pao Bai is so insane, gambling his life in battle after battle, refusing to rest even when covered in wounds? Because as a youth, he ventured out and suffered unimaginable humiliation. Thatâs why he understands our raceâs standing better than anyoneâand why heâs determined to change it with his own hands."
"And why does the clan indulge him? Why does Cheng Liuji allow him to challenge his authority again and again? Because Pao Bai possesses something every Star Eye clansman lacks."
Few had ever spoken to Aslan so harshlyâespecially not Color Man, who had his own troubled past. It left her unsettled.
"But Pao Bai alone canât change the fate of the Star Eye Race. In this apocalyptic era, where a race is wiped out every few cosmic years, weâre inching closer and closer to the brink. The moment we show weakness, the major races will kick us down to prolong their own survival."
"In times like these, we must abandon our old habitsâeven our sense of superiority over the âgarbage.â Think carefully. Are we truly that much stronger than they?"
Color Manâs words struck Aslan like hammer blows, forcing the sheltered girl to mature at an unprecedented pace.
"Aslan, the Star Eye Race canât afford to miss any opportunity to improve our situation. If this garbage can modify one of our abilities, even if he hides half the techniqueâeven if he reveals nothingâweâll tolerate it⊠as long as he serves us."
"And you, Aslanâdo you know why you were assigned to the newbie training camp? You couldâve had better postings, easier roles. Why here? Have you ever wondered?"
Aslan looked blank, shaking her head slowly.
Wasnât it natural? Serving the clan is the same no matter where I am, right?
"Who are the most respected figures in our clan?"
Aslan blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. But Color Man answered for her.
"The two clan leaders, the three commanders, Chief Technical Officer Jike Su, and⊠Chief Combat Instructor Bashilu."
His words came faster now.
"For the Star Eye Race to grow stronger, our warriors must grow stronger. And the key figures behind that are the Chief Technical Officer and the Chief Combat Instructor."
"Pei Lan is now Jike Suâs discipleâdestined to become the next Chief Technical Officer. And you? You will advance step by step until you become the next Chief Combat Instructor."
"After that⊠you and Pei Lan will succeed as the next leaders of the Star Eye Race."
"This is your inescapable dutyâbecause just as Pei Lan is Eye Lordâs son, you⊠are Star Lordâs daughter!"
Color Man bowed slightly.
"The Star Eye Race needs not just powerful warriorsâbut powerful leaders. Reform is coming. The merging of the two leadership roles is inevitable. So from now on, you must act with the clanâs survival in mind."
"And I, Rui, will await the day I can pledge my loyalty to you."
Aslan hurriedly steadied Color Man, her expression a mix of shock, excitement, and emotion.
But then his next words made her entire body stiffen.
"Forgive my bluntness, future Star Lord, but even if you go to that garbage now, itâs pointless. BecauseâŠ"
"You canât beat him."