Chapter 14 The Queen’s Deceit
The Queen was as dignified as she appeared in the news.
She granted me an Empire medal and pinned it on me herself.
If it had been before, I would have felt happy.
But now my heart was filled with contempt. Every bit of enthusiasm on my face was fake.
Fortunately it fooled her.
She patted my shoulder affectionately. "You've worked hard, Correction Officer Ji."
I knelt on one knee. "Everything for the Empire."
After the victory banquet, the Queen ordered soldiers to escort me to the royal palace to rest.
On the way I slipped away to the military command center to find evidence.
According to Fu Yanan, the Queen and the Insectoid had staged everything to frame him. The entire scene had been recorded by his warship's main brain.
That main brain was now inside the military command center.
Finding it would clear their names.
I searched carefully, tension tight in my chest.
At the very bottom of a cabinet I finally found it, along with something else.
My heart jolted. Trembling, I synced the footage to Shang Xu through my communicator.
After the transfer I put everything back and walked out, emotions surging.
My luck ran out. I was surrounded.
The Queen stepped out from among the soldiers, her expression sinister. "You're still too young to play games with me."
I realized she had never trusted me.
Yet in the next breath I steadied myself. "You traitor. One day your crimes will be known to everyone."
She slapped me hard across the face. "Lock her in the dungeon!"