Counterfeit Hero

Chapter 233: Volume 4 Chapter 22 Betrayal (2)

”He’s not mad, he’s very clear-headed, he knows exactly what he wants to do!” Philip stood up, walked up to George, and said seriously while looking into his confused eyes, ”However, it’s precisely because of his clarity that he’s terrifying! Would you expect such a person to hand over the Gazalin Empire to you, intact?”

George raised his head blankly: ”Why, why would he do this?”

”Why?” Philip sneered, ”Because he gained the right to rule this country through betrayal, and so, he despises any betrayal against him.”

Before the words were finished, George grabbed Philip’s collar angrily, ”You can’t say that, you can’t speak of my father like that!”

”Do you still consider him your father?” Philip’s words were like a basin of cold water, penetrating George’s heart, ”In your eyes, hasn’t he always been a madman occupying a position? Under his rule, Gazalin engages in warfare excessively, fighting different countries every day, with Gazalin’s youth dying every moment. Originally a prosperous country, can it still sustain itself without the Western Alliance’s aid?”

George released Philip dejectedly, ”But...he’s still my father.”

”But he’s also the ruler of Gazalin!” Philip’s suddenly raised voice contained unstoppable anger, he grabbed George’s collar in return and shouted, ”Do you know why I chose you? Because in the Morton family, you are clearer than anyone else! Because in the Morton family, you are the only one who wouldn’t go mad due to betrayal! You even openly criticized your father’s rule in front of me, where are your ideals? Where has your dream of establishing a prosperous and peaceful nation gone? Where has your dream of establishing a nation founded on trust gone? Do you really want this country to sink forever into betrayal and chaos?”

George laughed bitterly, ”A nation founded on trust, do we still qualify for that now? Prosper and peace? Can we stop this war that’s sweeping through all humanity?” Tears fell from his empty eyes, ”No! We are also betrayers, we have no ability to save this country, the only thing we can do is to destroy it together with the country.”

”So...” Philip coldly released George, ”You’ll let this nuclear bomb drop onto your hometown, Saint John City, erasing Empire’s founder John Morton along with twelve million Saint John citizens from this world?”

The room fell silent as if it were a grave.

After a long time, George finally asked powerlessly, ”Then what should I do?”

Philip said slowly, ”Let your brother carry out the Morton family’s last betrayal.” He picked up the nuclear bomb document, returned it to his pocket, and pulled out another identical document to hand to George, ”Give this to Reinhardt.”

As if oblivious to George’s shocked gaze, Philip continued, ”This nuclear bomb cannot be manufactured. Even at the secret base in outer space, even though we have the raw materials that cannot be found by human society, even though these scant raw materials are remnants from Ancient Earth Federation, now, there are signs that it has drawn the attention of the Human Supreme Council.”

”Your father originally wanted to frame the Leray Federation with this antique thing, all operations were handled by me. If everything is exposed in the future, I am the scapegoat.” Philip smiled bitterly, his voice containing an inexplicable ironic tone, ”Your father wants to drag human society into a cosmic war through this uninvestigable tragedy. Once this antique explodes, neither camp will stand by while the anti-human charge is placed on their allies, war will ignite in no time. Moreover, your father is even prepared to announce his abdication after the bomb explodes, merging the entire Gazalin Empire into the Binart Empire, becoming a province of Binart Empire.”

George felt today’s shocks were too numerous to digest, ”Merge into Binart Empire?”

Philip nodded affirmatively, ”Yes, you heard correctly, merge into Binart Empire millions of light years away, become one of their provinces, an enclave. Stephen formulated the assassination plan because he couldn’t accept this decision that in his opinion would be completely ruinous to the Morton family’s foundation. He believes that the war with Leray Federation can no longer continue.”

Philip deeply sighed and continued, ”Speaking of politics, your father is definitely a political genius, and he has a certain boldness in handling it. In the upcoming cosmic war, whether as a member of Western Alliance or a province of Binart Empire, there’s no difference. If the war fails, everything will fade away, if the war succeeds, then reclaiming independence for an enclave millions of light years away isn’t a difficult task.”

”But ultimately, this is playing with fire.” Philip shifted his tone, ”Everything your father does targets Russell, he cannot tolerate Russell leading the army into the Little Pyrenees Star Domain, for this, he goes to great lengths to turn Gazalin into the trigger for a cosmic war. The nuclear bomb matter has alerted the Human Supreme Council’s weapon inspection team, your father still refuses to stop, even wanting to create an accident targeting the inspection team...He’s been burned by the anger of Russell’s betrayal.”

”Now is your best and last chance. If Stephen and Bruce want to launch the attack, they must deploy the Mythical Army and let Reinhardt leave Mezrich at the time they plan. I estimate they will try to incite a series of Freedom Front-like attacks to achieve this purpose. What you need to do now is to assist them, deliver this document exposing the manufacture of the nuclear bomb to Reinhardt, then investigate together and leave here detached...”

George raised his head suddenly, startled, ”Are you saying...”

Philip nodded calmly, ”This is your only option, whether Stephen and Bruce’s plan succeeds or fails, you are the ultimate winner.” Philip’s voice was cold and devoid of emotion, ”If their plan fails, you will be the sole heir of the Morton family. If their plan succeeds, you can return with the Mythical Army and control the situation with the support of the Military Department.”

Seeing George’s complex expression, Philip smiled slightly, ”I know who will propose this suggestion, and ultimately you will resent them for life. But if I don’t say it, no one will! I’d rather you hate me than regret it, this path isn’t your choice; it’s your father who pushed Gazalin and the Morton family step by step to this point, you and your two brothers have no choice, but your fate is slightly better than Stephen and Bruce’s.”

The study fell into silence again.

Philip slowly walked out of the study, at the moment the door closed, he heard George’s roar, ”Is my destiny ultimately also that of a traitor, am I doomed to betray my father?!”

The door paused for a moment, finally gently and decisively closing.

Outside the door, Philip’s mouth corners curved into a smile of conversion, he murmured, as if answering George, in a voice so low it was inaudible, ”Yes, this is the fate I chose for you, the Morton family rose in betrayal, ultimately, it will perish in betrayal.”

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The Leray Federation’s economic power reached its peak during two years of full mobilization, President Hamilton, who was a lawyer by birth, although clueless about war command, had a natural acumen for economics. Through various clever political maneuvers, he continually tapped into and stimulated Leray Federation’s economic vitality.

Within Leray, especially for the Central Leray Star Domain and Bermuda Star Domain far removed from the war fire, the war seemed not as terrifying as imagined. On the contrary, with the country-wide war readiness machinery fully activated, many small businesses on the brink of bankruptcy in usual competition regained vitality. With the allies’ support, the unemployment rate in non-war zones dropped to two percent, even the unemployment rate in war zones decreased to a low level of ten percent.

Added to the full recovery of the Newton Star System and successive victories in the Galileo Star System, public support for the President and ruling party also reached a new peak. However, prosperity is bound to decline, this undeniable truth applies universally, and at this moment, it also applies to President Hamilton who has one year remaining in office.

Outside the presidential office, thousands were holding rallies demanding the President accept the Human Supreme Council’s proposed mediation to peacefully resolve the war with Gazalin Empire and the claim to the Galileo Star System. The casualties on the Lucerne frontline have already caused a whirlwind, opposition parties jumped out one after another to criticize, and the public also expressed mourning over such casualties. Media outlets tirelessly analyzed the Lucerne war, attempting to identify the reasons for the steep increase in casualty numbers.

”I have to admit, Imperial Countries are more suited for war than Federation Countries.” Hamilton turned away from the window after observing the public rally through the curtain slit, shrugged, ”Such a thing probably wouldn’t happen in Gazalin Empire, right? General Russell.”

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Recommended > by Simon Flying Snow.

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