Die, Replay, Repeat

Silence. Complete silence.

The conference hall fell into an eerie stillness, each person frozen, afraid to break the moment. 

If Fang Xiu had said something like this before the recent battle, it would have been brushed off as arrogance. But now, after everything he had done, his words held an prophetic weight.

Fang Xiu’s calm voice cut through the stillness. “If I am to be Chief Commander, does anyone have an objection?”

People exchanged uncertain glances, reluctant to speak but unable to look away. And then, finally, a steady voice sliced through the tension.

“I'm OK with it.”

Everyone’s heads whipped around in surprise. The speaker was, surprisingly, Fang Moli, the person everyone assumed was next in line for Chief Commander.

Even Fang Xiu raised an eyebrow. He’d been certain that Fang Moli would be his biggest rival for the role. After all, common sense dictated that the most powerful psychic, the only one at the fifth tier, should be the top candidate.

The truth was, Fang Moli HAD been interested in the position. It wasn’t about the power, but the prestige—the opportunity to stand in the spotlight, to be recognized as the strongest. 

This time, however, his competition wasn’t just anyone; it was Fang Xiu, the person responsible for saving his life and elevating his power. 

Fang Moli wasn’t about to repay that by undermining him. 

Without Fang Xiu, he wouldn’t even be alive, let alone vying for Chief Commander.

Besides, as a fifth-tier psychic, Fang Moli knew he’d still have plenty of fame and glory, title or no title.

With Fang Moli’s support, the other Captains quickly followed suit. 

Li Xiaoru, Xiong Tianguang, and Luo Qingxin didn’t hesitate. In fact, Li Xiaoru and Xiong Tianguang exchanged a look, each competing to be the first to voice their support.

“I support him too!” they said in near unison.

Even Luo Qingxin quietly raised her hand in agreement.

In a matter of moments, every Captain in headquarters had endorsed Fang Xiu.

The sheer speed with which the room rallied behind him left everyone stunned. Few could have anticipated that Fang Xiu would gain this level of respect so quickly.

With the Captains setting the example, several newly promoted fourth-tier psychics also chimed in. 

The logic was simple: they weren’t competing for Chief Commander, but with Fang Xiu’s promotion, a Captain role would likely open up—something very much within their grasp.

“I support him.”

“Me too.”

One by one, voices of approval echoed through the room. 

Of course, there were some who hesitated, still uncomfortable with someone as young as Fang Xiu in such a high position.

“Isn’t he a bit too young to be Chief Commander?” someone whispered.

“And he’s only third-tier,” another muttered, “that doesn’t seem right…”

“But he can foresee the future,” one person replied. “If the Foreseer himself isn’t fit to lead us, who is?”

“You think he’s a spy?” scoffed another. “If he wanted headquarters destroyed, he’d have done it already. Look at what he’s accomplished!”

As more and more people raised their hands in agreement, a few skeptics softened. Fang Xiu’s foresight, his actions, his bravery—it all spoke for itself.

The Director watched this overwhelming support unfold, taking it all in. Then he hesitated, clearing his throat.

“Fang Xiu, with your accomplishments, you indeed qualify for the role of Chief Commander,” he said slowly. “However, this is a significant decision. Allow me to consult with the higher authorities before we finalize anything. Would that be acceptable to you?”

Fang Xiu nodded, calm and collected. “That’s fine.”

He understood that decisions like these involved layers of protocol, a process that took time and consideration.

“By tomorrow,” the Director assured him. “You’ll have an answer by tomorrow.”

The matter of appointing the Chief Commander was temporarily set aside. The Director then began assigning tasks for post-battle reconstruction and Specter elimination.

"Sir," one staff member reported, "lately, there have been numerous sightings of Specters in Shangjing. Some of these encounters have even led to casualties. Online, there’s been a flood of posts about Specters, and some people are live-streaming their 'Specter hunts.' People are spreading stories, some real, some fake. Public opinion... it's becoming increasingly hard to contain."

The Director’s expression grew somber. "I knew this day would come. With the frequency of Specter attacks increasing, it was only a matter of time before news about Specters and psychics started slipping out. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon."

"So, what should we do?" someone asked. "Do we continue to cover it up, or do we go public with the truth?"

Before the Director could respond, Li Xiaoru interjected, “Of course, we keep it hidden! Do you want to throw the whole country into chaos? And remember, some Specters feed on negative emotions. The Nightmare incident in Greenvine showed us how dangerous that can be. If widespread panic spreads, and another Specter like Nightmare appears, the whole nation could be at risk!”

“I disagree,” Fang Moli countered.

"Suppressing information only creates more fear. If we keep people in the dark, they’ll start to speculate wildly, and conspiracy theories will spread. Without guidance from headquarters, public fear could spiral out of control."

The Director gave Fang Moli an approving look. He hadn’t expected such insight from him. It seemed that after reaching the fifth tier, Fang Moli had gained a new level of maturity, now able to see things from a broader perspective.

But with Fang Moli's next words, the Director's expression immediately darkened.

“That’s why I think we should launch a nationwide broadcast, make sure every major video platform and TV channel is streaming it live. I’ll go on camera myself to represent headquarters and reveal the truth to the public!”

'So that’s his real motivation,' some of the others thought, shaking their heads. 

Those who knew Fang Moli’s personality well were no longer surprised. He had only presented his “insightful” opinion as a pretext to get on TV and grab the spotlight. 

Truly, he’d gone to great lengths just to secure his chance to shine.

"I will take your suggestion into consideration," the Director replied, his face visibly strained. He couldn't reprimand Fang Moli in front of everyone, so he kept his composure. "But this is a decision that requires thorough planning. Now, moving on to the next agenda item."

...

After the meeting, Fang Xiu returned to his temporary quarters to rest. Even though it was still daytime, he needed to sleep.

Nightmare had expended a significant amount of energy in the recent battle. Fang Xiu’s aggressive expansion of the dream realm had strained it to the limit, nearly to the point of permanent damage. 

Since Nightmare’s abilities were essential, Fang Xiu had been spending most of his downtime in his room, sleeping as much as possible to help Nightmare recover and absorb fear.

He had only just laid down when—KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK—a loud knocking came from the door.

"Xiu, Xiu! I heard you’re going to be the Chief Commander!" Xiao Chuxia’s excited voice came from outside.

“Xiu, open up! You’re all over the Global Specter Forum!” Zhao Hao’s enthusiastic voice joined in.

Sighing, Fang Xiu reluctantly pulled himself out of his half-asleep state and opened the door.

Standing in the hallway were Xiao Chuxia, Zhao Hao, Yang Ming, and several others. Each of them bore bandages and bruises from the recent battle, but none appeared to be seriously injured.

Fang Xiu’s sharp gaze scanned over his friends, noticing that despite their injuries, each of them carried a new intensity in their demeanor. 

It was clear that the battle had strengthened them considerably.

Zhao Hao and Liu Shuai, in particular, caught his attention—they had both broken through to the second tier.