A species’ established life expectancy was more irresistible than disease or injury. From the moment of birth, their end was fated. No one could avoid that threshold, the threshold set by God—if God existed.

In the unspeakable silence, the cold wind roared. In the midst of the sound of the wind, Polly spoke to An Zhe.

The moment the voice entered his ears, his heart shook sharply. This sentence was so familiar that he seemed to return to that night three months ago where he faced Lu Feng. The wind that day was also very strong.

Polly Joan asked, “What’s in your hand?”

To this person, An Zhe had nothing to hide. He slowly opened his fingers. A silver badge lay still in his hand, the symbol of a judge’s identity. Polly’s eyes fell on the badge and An Zhe swore he could see some type of long-distant sadness in the grey-blue eyes. Then Polly Joan took something out of the pocket of his jacket and held it in his palm.

An Zhe’s eyes widened slightly. It was also a silver badge. They were almost identical badges.

“You…” An Zhe paused. “You are… a judge?”

“I used to be.” Polly whispered, “I am a defector.”

CHAPTER 76

“I will take up arms for human security.”

“I will try every one of my fellow citizens fairly.

“As wrong as it is, it is still correct.”

Polly recited this passage slowly.

“The Trial Court swears.”

An Zhe froze as he heard the last sentence of this oath.

After spitting out two mouthfuls of blood, his body had become lighter and his senses gradually dulled. The strong winter wind blew into his face but it no longer made him shiver with cold. It was like he was an ethereal spirit who would dissipate into the wind at any moment. He propped himself up again, leaning against the railing and looking down at the two badges.

The hexagonal badge was engraved with a pattern. The Trial Court’s symbol was two intersecting prismatic crosses, like indicating directions on a map. The cross stars indicating north, south, west and east were slightly larger and the corners elongated downward to assume a shape similar to a cross. The northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest leaning cross stars were small and hidden.

An Zhe had seen this sharp and angular shape more than once. The dark, silver cold texture, sharp angles and straight lines all revealed a striking soul of killing and murder.

Polly’s fingers rubbed against the surface of the cross. He must’ve traced its shape more than once because the pattern of the badge was deeply worn.

“It is a drawing by one of my colleagues. “In the howling cold wind, Polly looked toward the distant night sky. “We hoped that the cross star will point in the right direction for humans.

“You… aren’t you a fusion scientist?” he whispered.

“I am.”