The person on the screen wore a mask, and Adam currently looked nothing like himself.
His Fake Skin was active and right now, he wasn’t Adam.
He was John Doe.
A completely different face. Different build. Different presence.
There was no way they would connect the two.
Adam relaxed slightly and looked back up at the screen.
The news broadcast continued.
"Last night was supposed to mark the official launch of Herbal X Hyper Reliance," the reporter said.
"Many distinguished figures from across Tristan attended the event."
Images from the venue appeared on the screen.
Well-dressed elites.
Security teams.
Luxury vehicles arriving outside the building.
"The event included several notable attendees," the reporter continued.
"Among them were Mission Hall Manager Alfred, elders from multiple martial clans, and several influential tycoons within Tristan."
More footage rolled.
Then, the broadcast switched to the chaotic mont from the previous night.
A masked figure standing above the crowd.
The Saint’s Disciple.
Adam.
"But despite the scale of the launch," the reporter said, voice tightening slightly, "the event was abruptly interrupted."
The screen froze on the masked figure.
"By the appearance of a mysterious Saint Disciple, who exposed the true nature of the drug Reliance."
Murmurs spread throughout the Mission Hall.
Everyone was watching now.
Even the line had stopped moving.
Adam folded his arms and watched quietly.
****
Adam folded his arms and continued watching.
On the screen, the reporter kept speaking.
"The evidence presented by the Saint Disciple revealed nurous cris committed by Herbal X Hyper," she said.
The footage behind her shifted, displaying confiscated docunts and images from the evidence Adam had provided.
"Among them were human experintation, trafficking, murder, money laundering, and several other cris classified as acts against humanity."
A wave of murmurs swept through the Mission Hall.
Many martial artists wore grim expressions now.
Just monts ago, most of them had been excited about Reliance, the new drug everyone had been talking about.
So had even hoped to use it to break through their bottlenecks.
Now?
Their excitent had turned into cold anger.
Because the truth was far worse than a scam.
It was biological terrorism against the entire martial sector.
The reporter continued.
"If not for the Saint Disciple exposing these activities, the consequences for Tristan could have been devastating."
Adam rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
That’s... a little dramatic.
But he couldn’t exactly complain.
The reporter straightened slightly and turned toward soone sitting beside her.
"Joining in the studio to discuss yesterday’s events is Professor Lincoln."
The cara shifted.
A middle-aged man with sharp glasses nodded politely.
"Thank you for having ."
The reporter smiled.
"Professor Lincoln, authorities have confird that all individuals involved in the Reliance operation have been captured. The Alliance is currently examining the bodies recovered from the launch event to develop thods for detecting similar drugs in the future."
Lincoln nodded.
"Yes. Early reports suggest the drug altered the body in ways that are extrely difficult to detect through normal dical scans. It’s fortunate the operation was exposed when it was."
The discussion continued for a mont before the reporter leaned forward slightly.
"Professor, many people are curious about one individual in particular."
"The Saint Disciple."
She paused for effect.
"What is your opinion of their intervention?"
****
Adam leaned forward slightly.
This part interested him.
Professor Lincoln adjusted his glasses before speaking.
"Before we analyze the Saint Disciple, we first need to analyze the situation as a whole."
The reporter nodded.
"Go on."
Lincoln folded his hands calmly.
"I’ve identified several key points. If we examine them carefully, we can deduce the motivations of both parties involved."
"The Saint Disciple and the company behind Reliance?" the reporter asked.
Lincoln nodded.
"Yes."
He paused briefly.
"And the most important point is this—"
"The involvent of a Saint."
The Mission Hall fell silent.
Even the receptionists behind the counters stopped what they were doing to glance at the screens.
A Saint.
That word alone carried weight.
Saints weren’t just powerful martial artists.
They were forces of nature.
Individuals whose very existence could reshape the balance of power within entire regions.
Hearing that a Saint might be connected to last night’s events was not small news.
Not even close.
It was the kind of revelation that could shake the entire sector of Tristan.
Adam watched the screen with mild interest.
The professor’s deductions weren’t bad.
Actually, he was pretty solid.
But after thinking about it for a mont, Adam realized sothing.
This was... kind of obvious.
And Professor Lincoln quickly proved that.
"For a Saint’s disciple to appear publicly like that," Lincoln continued, "it ans they are acting as an emissary for the Saint behind them."
The reporter nodded.
"That makes sense."
"But why would a Saint intervene in sothing like a drug launch?"
Lincoln paused.
Then he sighed slightly.
Like a teacher preparing to explain sothing painfully simple.
"I thought that would already be obvious."
The reporter blinked.
Silence filled the broadcast for a mont, before Lincoln continued.
"If a Saint intervened to stop the launch..."
"Then the most logical explanation is that another Saint was already involved."
The reporter froze.
Adam slowly rubbed his face.
Please don’t struggle with this one...
For a mont, the reporter looked completely lost.
Then realization slowly dawned on her face.
"Oh!"
"You an the Saint was behind Herbal X and Hyper?"
Lincoln nodded calmly.
"Exactly."
The reporter coughed awkwardly.
Clearly trying to hide her earlier confusion.
"But then... why would a Saint target our sector?"
"What could they possibly want with Tristan?"
That question imdiately pulled everyone’s attention back to the screen.
Even the martial artists waiting in line leaned closer.
Adam’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Does he actually know?
Lincoln shook his head.
"Unfortunately... I do not."
Adam relaxed slightly.
Yeah. That makes sense.
Not everyone had a regressor casually feeding them confidential future information, like the requirents to reach the saint rank.
The reporter nodded again.
"I see."
"Then let’s return to the masked Saint disciple who appeared during the event."
Adam stiffened slightly.
Wait... what now?
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