"N-no! It's not my fault! I did it for everyone!"
"You couldn't even feed them properly, let alone give them a good life."
"You didn't have enough money!"
"I-I was the one who brought them in! Look at the people living under the IPC's rule now—they will be happy!"
Faced with this traitor's excuses— Hanunue didn't waste a single word.
He simply let out a cold snort.
Raised the rocket launcher in his hands— And sent the traitor, along with his deceit, straight to hell.
------------------------------
Seeing this traitor being decisively and swiftly executed by Hanunue.
Not a single unnecessary word.
The audience was thrilled...
...
: Damn! That's how it should be, kill this spy!
: All turncoats deserve to die!
: Great kill! It has to be Hanunue! In other shows, the villain would have a long monologue before dying!
: Seeing Hanunue gives me strength!...
The audience hoped that Hanunue would remain invincible as always.
However... This ruthless figure was, after all, a carbon-based lifeform—still within the category of 'human.'
After eliminating the head of the Alfalfa family, Hanunue attempted to break out.
However, the IPC's main forces kept closing in.
Hanunue fought fiercely against them for a long time.
The scene became a chaotic and bloody mess, but the IPC's troops showed no sign of retreating.
They were nothing like the mercenaries who had previously fought just for money.
Seeing Hanunue struggling under the relentless assault of these troops, even falling into a disadvantage, everyone became extremely tense.
Inside the screening room, a few people voiced their frustration.
"Wait, they only earn a few hundred bucks a month! Why are they fighting to the death?!"
"Is it really worth it to battle Hanunue like this?"
Furina and the others were completely immersed in the story, only hoping that Hanunue could truly lead Penacony to independence.
However, the Market Expansion Department was indeed different—or rather, despicable enough.
During the brutal battle, they even captured hostages from all around, trying to shake Hanunue's fighting spirit.
This tactic proved effective.
After a long struggle, Hanunue ultimately could not overcome the despicable and ruthless employees of the Market Expansion Department.
He was captured.
When the blood-soaked werewolf was taken away by the IPC, there was still no sign of surrender in his eyes.
This was the worst news since the founding of Penacony.
The true spiritual leader, military commander, and the ultimate pillar—Hanunue—had been arrested.
Penacony was now leaderless.
...
: Damn it, the Market Expansion Department is truly a bunch of beasts!
: Not only are their methods dirty, but they even took hostages!
: Wasn't Aventurine's homeland destroyed the same way?
: What kind of 'Trailblaze' is this? Damn it, Oswald Schneider—I finally understand why this bastard is called the 'former' Nameless.
: If this happened on the Express, the entire Express would be in an uproar.
: This is too despicable! I refuse to acknowledge this as part of the true spirit of Trailblaze!
...
The bullet comments were filled with fury.
Having traveled with the express crew through so many places, the audience had formed their own understanding of what 'Trailblaze' meant.
But seeing the Market Expansion Department label such tactics as 'Trailblaze' filled them with disgust.
Many of the people in the screening room were also enraged.
Except for people like Ratio, Aventurine.
"The Market Expansion Department... interesting..."
"The Aeons have no concept of good or evil, nor does the power of the Paths."
"If Oswald Schneider, this so-called former Nameless, can still wield the power of trailblaze under such a philosophy, then..." Ratio quietly contemplated.
As the most knowledgeable about the Aeonic philosophy in the world of Honkai: Star Rail,Ratio quickly connected the dots.
If his speculation was correct, it would prove something crucial: the actions of the Market Expansion Department fulfilled the dual meanings of both Trailblaze and Preservation.
Their Paths were intertwined, and even though their actions violated common morality, they still aligned with both Paths.
This deeper meaning could overturn many existing theories about the Aeons.
Luckily, Xia Wen hadn't yet realized Ratio's conclusion—otherwise, they would have called him a genius.
Before the Aeons had even been completely revealed, before there was any intelligence on the contents of the Divergent Universe, Ratio had already deduced an astonishing conclusion.
Many factions across the universe followed various Paths.
Some even drew power from one Path to fulfill the goals of another.
For example, the classic similar to "Unsinkable Dreadnought" faction…
They used the power of Destruction to carry out the will of Preservation.
Their philosophy was radical: they viewed the universe as a dark forest.
They didn't know if another faction posed a threat to them, but just to be safe, they decided to eliminate them preemptively.
In the Divergent Universe, this faction's primary Path was Preservation, with Destruction as a secondary Path.
There were many similar cases.
And the behavior of the Market Expansion Department at this moment was almost identical to those factions in the Divergent Universe.
If they had their own Path equation, it would undoubtedly be: Primary - Preservation, Secondary - Trailblaze.
But unfortunately, only a few people, like Ratio, saw the deeper significance behind this brief scene.
.....On screen, as Hanunue was captured, some wept, some grieved.
But others rejoiced.
These were mostly people who had long despised Hanunue but had been too afraid to act.
During the siege, they actively contacted the IPC, acting as informants and lackeys.
And after the IPC took control of the city, they openly celebrated, fireworks lit up the sky, and they partied wildly.
"Finally! With the IPC, we can truly live carefree lives!"
"I hope I can join the IPC and become an official employee!"
"Our past sins have long been redeemed. I suggest the IPC consider integrating us—it would help govern Penacony better!"
"I propose to the IPC—execute Hanunue!"
They worked harder to serve the IPC than even its own employees.
Not for money, not for power, but for one thing— a permanent employee position in the IPC.
For that status, they were willing to do anything.
If someone resisted? Kill them!
If someone disobeyed the IPC? Kill them even more brutally!
With these traitors assisting them, the IPC tightened its grip on Penacony.
Then, once the situation was fully secured, they forced everyone to sign a treaty—both the traitors and the 'Hanunue supporters.'
Everyone was compelled to work for the IPC.
The entire cost of the IPC's fleet expedition was to be repaid through the labor of the people of Penacony.