"But are you absolutely certain he's the Martyr?" Zhong Wanhong asked again, his tone skeptical. Bai Yuanju's reply remained unchanged: "There's no mistake. It's definitely him..."
The abilities of White Eagle's eight most powerful individuals were public knowledge, and the Dragon Nation naturally possessed detailed intelligence on each of them.
This difference in approach likely stemmed from differing national perspectives. In the Dragon Nation, the first instinct upon discovering a formidable Evolver would be to conceal their abilities, using them as a secret weapon. In critical moments, an enemy facing an unknown and powerful ability would find themselves at a severe disadvantage.
White Eagle, however, operated differently. These eight individuals were tasked with governing the nation, and openly displaying their abilities served as a deterrent to those harboring subversive thoughts, reinforcing their authority.
Moreover, their abilities had grown so formidable that even with complete knowledge of their capabilities, enemies would struggle to devise effective countermeasures.
As for the Martyr's ability, it was called True Illusion.
"As far as I know," Bai Yuanju explained, "his ability has two primary applications. First, he can conjure remarkably realistic illusions out of thin air. The Bureau of Anomalous Investigations' intelligence archives record his last use of this power roughly a year ago, when he dealt with a Dimensional Rift by conjuring a colossal dragon illusion from scratch."
Though fundamentally an illusion, the Martyr's ability imbued the dragon with tangible reality. It could be seen, touched, run, jump, and breathe fire, even bleed when injured. As long as the Martyr maintained his ability, the dragon existed as a genuine entity in every practical sense.
"Huh?" Robin raised an eyebrow at Bai Yuanju's explanation. Her first thought was of the "Dream Dragon" from a certain novel. "This ability sounds almost godlike! Can he just create anything he wants?"
"Perhaps, but it's unlikely to be that extreme. There must be a limit to his ability's output, though we don't know what that limit is," Bai Yuanju said, shaking her head. "As for the second application, he can weave an 'absolutely' realistic Illusionary Realm."
For example, someone might find themselves trapped in an Illusionary Realm the moment they encounter the Martyr. Within this realm, they engage in a brutal battle against the Martyr, ultimately losing and desperately trying to escape.
The strategic maneuvers of combat, the life-or-death terror, the searing pain of wounds—everything feels overwhelmingly real. Yet in truth, the instant they lay eyes on the Martyr, their gaze turns vacant, and they stand motionless, frozen in place.
Hearing this, Robin asked with a frown, "So, you're saying you were just trapped in such a disturbingly vivid True Illusion?"
Bai Yuanju nodded. "That's one of the reasons I'm so certain that guy was the Martyr."
Robin pressed further, "Then why did you seem so displeased when you woke up earlier? Normally, you'd be grateful to whoever saved you from such an illusion, right?"
But when Bai Yuanju regained consciousness, she merely said to Robin in a flat tone, "Did you wake me up?" After a moment of silence and a sigh, she finally answered Zhong Wanhong's question about the attacker's identity.
Of course, Robin wasn't expecting Bai Yuanju to thank her. In fact, she hadn't even given it much thought at the time. But now that she knew about the Martyr's ability, those small details felt strangely significant.
Robin frowned. "It's like... knowing you're in an illusion, but not wanting to wake up."
Bai Yuanju fell silent, her entire being radiating melancholy. Zhong Wanhong turned to her gravely. "Bai Yuanju, is this true?"
"It's true," Bai Yuanju sighed, the usually assertive woman sounding utterly defeated. "That Illusionary Realm... it was too perfect."
"I went back three years, to before the Dimensional Rift occurred, when I was still an ordinary person who hadn't joined the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations."
"I saw my sister again, the one who died right in front of me. She took me to our favorite dessert shop. I could hear her voice, touch her cheek, even taste the cake we ordered—that overwhelming, blissful flavor that filled my mouth."
"Then, instead of going to work as I should have, I stubbornly dragged her away, away from the place where the Dimensional Rift would happen... If only it could all be real."
Bai Yuanju knew she was trapped in an Illusionary Realm, yet it felt so real—so utterly convincing—that it was as if she had truly traveled back in time. In fact, she desperately wished it were real.
As long as the Martyr didn't actively terminate his ability, Bai Yuanju could remain in this blissfully realistic illusion until she lived out her entire life within it, growing old, falling ill, and eventually dying there. In a sense, wouldn't that be the same as actually traveling back in time?
"...I understand completely," Robin said after hearing Bai Yuanju's account.
Anyone aware of the Martyr's ability would undoubtedly be vigilant during combat, constantly checking for signs of an illusion. Those with the means might repeatedly try to break free.
But a "blatantly fake" True Illusion like the one Bai Yuanju had just experienced could paradoxically buy more time. After all, especially among Evolvers, nearly everyone carried tragic pasts and things they longed to undo.
When trapped in such an illusion, could anyone truly summon the resolve to escape swiftly and decisively?
At that moment, Zhong Wanhong gripped Bai Yuanju's shoulder and said gravely, "A lie is still a lie, no matter how beautiful or blissful it may seem... It's still a lie."
"Alright, enough about that. Let's get back to the matter at hand. Now that we've confirmed the Martyr's identity, the next step is deciding how to handle this. I'll notify the Dragon Nation General Bureau of Anomalous Investigations in Kyoto immediately and request assistance from the Special Mobile Squad!"
Normally, someone as infamous as the Martyr wouldn't be able to fly into Longcheng through standard procedures without the entire Dragon Nation knowing about it by the end of the day.
Therefore, the Martyr must have disguised himself, adopting a different appearance and identity to slip into the city undetected.
For such a powerful individual to move with such discretion, even diverting Bureau personnel to avoid direct confrontation with their main force and refraining from harming Bai Yuanju, the officer left on duty, could these actions suggest a lack of hostile intent?
But for the Bureau, a foreign national assaulting their headquarters and robbing their warehouse was a blatant act of defiance—the ultimate declaration of enmity!