Rising from the Ashes (Andrew) novel Chapter 2217

"Major Becker, stand down!"

Conrad finally spoke up, his voice hoarse and clearly lacking strength.

Liam's face twisted with anger as he replied, "Yes, sir. However, I still have something to say. He doesn't deserve to return to Chetvine. He and his father are both traitors, and everyone knows that. His very existence is a stain on this country and the organization he once belonged to."

Conrad stepped forward slowly, his tone flat and cold. "I don't like repeating orders twice. Stand down. You don't need to say anything more."

Liam's eyelid twitched as he recognized that Conrad was truly angry. He immediately stepped aside obediently.

Andrew raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Looks like you've accomplished quite a bit in ten years. Even trash like him has been trained by you to follow orders and show patriotic honor. I guess he's got some backbone after all, not completely useless."

Conrad's gaze remained steady and emotionless as he stared at Andrew.

After a long silence, he slowly shook his head with disappointment. "Andrew, honestly, you've let me down."

Andrew made a sound of interest, still smiling. "Oh? Disappointing the great genius? I'm all ears."

Conrad looked away, his eyes filled with deathly emptiness. "Right now, I have at least three fatal wounds on my body. If I fight you, I have a 50% chance of killing you. But equally, I have a 50% chance of dying myself. The outside world spreads rumors that I'm a fighting maniac who's become nothing but a machine in pursuit of strength and the limits of human potential.

"But these mediocre fools, these useless pieces of garbage, how could they possibly understand me? For ten years, every single thing I've done… Listen carefully, every single thing… has had only one goal.

Liam was horrified. "General, you can't push your body any further!"

Conrad bared his teeth and forced a growl from his throat. "Get... away. Don't interfere with my business. Andrew, make your move. Today, either you die or I do. I have to prove that I am no worse than you."

Andrew shrugged casually. "Listen, buddy, you've already burned through half your life force, and you're still this determined to fight. Just because I came back and you can't stand it, you want to kill me?"

Conrad's expression remained cold. "I don't find you unbearable. It's just that this town isn't big enough for both of us. You left the organization as a traitor and should have been torn apart for it. But somehow you're still alive, and you had the audacity to return to Chetvine openly. I don't believe in fate or lucky escapes.

"There's only one explanation for all of this: those old bastards have always favored you and kept their bets and trust with you. But what about me? I've put in 10,000 times the effort since I was young, pushing myself, even destroying myself. The facts prove that I'm no weaker than anyone else."