Chapter 460: The Powerful Mental Manipulator
As the only awakened member of the Special Team, Captain Vincent knew he couldn't allow these unexpected attackers to escape the battle so easily.
Vincent's awakened ability was Mental Storm.
While Mental Storm wasn't particularly suited for direct combat, Vincent's high level compensated for its shortcomings.
Moreover, under the right circumstances, this ability could become an incredibly powerful tool.
Just as Kean's subordinates were about to retreat, Vincent acted without hesitation, activating his Mental Storm.
His eyes suddenly flashed a deep blue, and a surge of violent psychic energy erupted from his mind, spreading rapidly in all directions.
Every single one of Kean's subordinates caught within the storm's range immediately fell into a state of partial madness.
In this condition, they became completely incapable of making rational decisions.
Vincent wasted no time in issuing commands to his team.
"Restrain them immediately! Do not let them escape or die!
We must find out the real reason behind their attack on us!"
Under Vincent's orders, the Special Team launched a counteroffensive, swiftly moving to subdue Kean's subordinates.
Vincent himself did not join the fight.
If he engaged in combat, his Mental Storm would be disrupted, and the effect would end prematurely.
Meanwhile, on the Other Battlefield...
Jeremy and Ritchie were on the verge of victory.
They had successfully defeated the strongest monsters and frightened away the weaker ones.
Jeremy had already been keeping an eye on the other battlefield for some time.
It didn't take him long to discern that some of the combatants were Kean's subordinates, while the others belonged to military headquarters.
He was deeply puzzled by the battle occurring in the distance.
However, since his own fight was nearly over, he would soon have plenty of time to investigate the situation.
A Simultaneous End to Both Battles
By sheer coincidence, Vincent's battle and Jeremy's battle concluded at nearly the exact same time.
Just as Jeremy took down the last remaining monster, Vincent's team captured the last of Kean's subordinates.
Vincent then deactivated his Mental Storm, allowing himself to move freely once again.
Vincent's gaze immediately shifted toward Jeremy and Ritchie.
His eyes met Jeremy's in a direct, unspoken exchange.
Both men instinctively moved closer to one another.
When only a single step remained between them, Vincent extended his hand.
"Vincent, Captain of the 7th Special Team under Military Headquarters."
Jeremy glanced at Vincent's outstretched hand.
After a brief moment of hesitation, he finally shook it.
"Jeremy, Apocalypse Game player from Moonlight City."
The moment Vincent heard Jeremy's name, a flicker of surprise flashed across his face.
It was clear—Jeremy was a well-known figure.
At the very least, every member of military headquarters had heard of his name.
And they all knew that Jeremy and military headquarters were on opposing sides.
The two men exchanged a slightly awkward handshake.
"I really didn't expect to run into you here," Vincent admitted.
"Aren't you supposed to be in Moonlight City?
As far as I know, both the Federal High Command and Military Headquarters want you to stay there."
Although Vincent remained somewhat wary of Jeremy, he did not act hostile toward him.
He had read Jeremy's file in the military's database.
Jeremy was clearly stronger than him.
Having just finished an exhausting battle, Vincent had no interest in immediately starting another one.
Jeremy, of course, was also keeping his guard up.
But since Vincent had made no aggressive move, Jeremy had no reason to strike first either.
"I have some important matters to attend to," Jeremy replied.
"That's why I left Moonlight City.
You don't need to worry—I'll return as soon as I've finished what I need to do."
Vincent nodded.
Smartly, he did not press Jeremy for details.
He could already sense a certain level of danger.
Wanting to shift the conversation to safer ground, Vincent turned his attention to the captured enemies his subordinates had restrained.
"Who exactly are these people?" Vincent asked.
"And why were they controlling monsters to attack you?"
The moment Vincent posed the question, Jeremy's expression shifted slightly.
Jeremy hadn't expected Vincent to know that the monsters had been deliberately controlled.
Seeing the subtle change in Jeremy's face, Vincent smiled knowingly and offered an explanation.
"My ability is Mind Control, and my awakened talent is Mental Storm.
I have an extremely sharp perception of mental energy.
That's why I knew these people must have been controlling the monsters that just attacked you."
After Vincent finished his explanation, Jeremy's expression finally softened.
His Eye of Omniscience had already provided confirmation—Vincent was indeed an exceptionally powerful mental manipulator.
"I don't know exactly who they are," Jeremy replied.
"But since your men have already captured them, I suppose we can interrogate them thoroughly." Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire
Jeremy knew that these people were Kean's subordinates.
However, he wasn't about to say it outright.
If he revealed it too easily, Vincent might grow suspicious.
Vincent nodded.
"You're right.
Besides, my mission is already completed—we might as well interrogate them properly here."
Extracting the Truth
With Vincent and Jeremy working together, they quickly extracted all the necessary information from the captives.
Just as Jeremy had expected, these individuals were indeed Kean's subordinates—and had been dispatched by Kean not long ago.
Their objective had been to obstruct Jeremy and Ritchie's movements.
Jeremy and Ritchie exchanged calm, indifferent glances.
They had already anticipated this outcome.
Vincent, however, was visibly unsettled.
He knew Kean.
While their relationship wasn't particularly close, Vincent had always shown respect toward him.
After all, Kean was a member of the Lannisters—one of the most powerful families in existence.
A Difficult Choice for Vincent
Vincent found himself deeply troubled.
He wasn't sure how to deal with these captives.
If he executed them all, he would definitely make an enemy of Kean.
However, if he let them live, he would feel deeply dissatisfied—and he was certain that his subordinates wouldn't accept it easily either.
After all, these captives had attacked them first.
Vincent's expression kept shifting, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
Sensing his internal struggle, Jeremy decided to offer some advice.
"If you kill them all, you will definitely face immense pressure.
Not only that, but you and your men will also lose any opportunity for advancement.
The Lannisters hold significant influence in both military headquarters and the federal government."
Jeremy smiled warmly as he spoke to Vincent.
Vincent nodded slightly, his sharp eyes remaining fixed on Jeremy.
Since Jeremy had chosen to speak first, it meant he must have already devised a plan.
Vincent simply waited for Jeremy to lay out his thoughts.
"How about we trap them all here? If they get wiped out by the monsters, that just proves they weren't strong enough to survive. But if they manage to escape and make it back, we'll let them report everything to Kean.
I don't think Kean will hold this against you. He's not the type to start a conflict over something like this. In all likelihood, he'll just turn a blind eye to the whole situation."
Jeremy knew Kean far too well.
Although Kean was a man who never let grudges slide, he was also someone who acted with extreme caution.
Unless he was absolutely certain of success, he wouldn't make any reckless moves against anyone.
Vincent might not hold a particularly high-ranking position in military headquarters, but as the captain of the Seventh Special Team, he carried significant weight.
Every Special Team under military headquarters was deemed critical, and Kean would certainly not want to provoke Vincent over something so trivial.
After listening to Jeremy's words, Vincent's tense expression finally eased a little.
"You're right. We'll just leave them here. They have no one to blame but themselves—after all, they were the ones who attacked us first."
Now that Vincent had made his decision, none of his subordinates voiced any objections.
A few among them felt that such a punishment was far too lenient.
However, those same soldiers also understood that offending the Lannisters over a handful of insignificant enemies would be a foolish mistake.
With Kean's subordinates dealt with, Vincent and Jeremy prepared to part ways.
Vincent did not ask Jeremy what his next move was, nor did Jeremy inquire about Vincent's mission.
They simply exchanged a wave, their faces carrying faint smiles as they bid each other farewell.
Jeremy and Ritchie did not continue heading toward the capital.
Vincent, on the other hand, set off in the exact opposite direction, deliberately distancing himself from the capital.
Once there was a significant gap between them, Ritchie turned to Jeremy and asked bluntly,
"Aren't you worried that Vincent will report our whereabouts to Kean? Even if he doesn't tell Kean directly, he's still going to file a report with military headquarters. Kean could easily obtain that intel from there."
Facing Ritchie's question, Jeremy smiled and shook his head.
"He's a powerful mental manipulator.
During our conversation, he was undoubtedly probing my memories.
I'm sure he already figured out the full context of this situation.
He's not the type to make a foolish decision."