Chapter 479: A Second Life of Transformation

"Your Excellency, those damned communists have finally brought up the impeachment motion."
"..."
"However, you needn't worry too much.
They don't have any irrefutable evidence, and besides, they're short at least twenty votes in favor. Passing it is nothing short of wishful thinking."
Faced with the Secretary-General's detailed analysis, Aiden simply waved his hand weakly, his eyes dim as a candle in the wind.
What could he say?
Impeachment or not, it didn't matter.
This whole mess was as meaningless to him as whether the neighbor's dog barked a few extra times today.
“I know what those bastards are up to,” Aiden’s voice was hoarse, as if sanded smooth.
“They never even considered impeaching me.
What they want is to completely paralyze us, turning us into a helpless rag doll.”
That’s right, the Communist Party’s goal was never the presidency, but a completely paralyzed, internationally ridiculed “vegetative state.”
They wanted to sever Aiden’s limbs, gag him, and leave him for the rest of his term as a wheelchair-bound, breathing, but immobile living dead!
“But Your Excellency! You must stand up! You must show everyone that you’re still healthy!
Those bastards are spreading rumors all over the world that you have dementia and are incapable of handling state affairs!”
The Secretary-General was sweating profusely.
Those Republicans edited together several moments of Eden's public lapses in concentration into a grotesque video, set to energetic background music, and captioned with sensational headlines. It went viral on social media, racking up more views than a music video for a top idol.
"Hmm... what they said wasn't entirely false, was it?" Eden murmured.
"Mr. President!"
"Alright, you can go now. I have an appointment with an old friend; he should be arriving soon."
"..." The Secretary-General opened his mouth, but ultimately wore a look of utter despair, bowed, and left.
No sooner had the current Secretary-General left than a somber-faced man entered the office, a symbol of the pinnacle of world power. It was the former Secretary-General, John.
"Mr. Eden..."
John's gaze darted away, unable to meet the eyes of that once-familiar face, now etched with weariness and vicissitude.
“You really have the nerve to come,”
Aiden sneered, his voice chillingly cold.
“Your skin is as thick as a city wall.”
“You summoned me, Mr. Aiden.”
“You could have refused, couldn’t you?”
“I was planning to. But I thought that ‘I’m sorry’ had to be said to you in person, no matter what.”
One second he was a sickly old man, seemingly on his deathbed.
The next second, Aiden’s face flushed crimson, and he sprang from his chair like an enraged lion!
“I trusted you! John! I treated everyone like a thief, but I trusted you!
I thought even if the whole world betrayed me, you would be on my side!”
He roared, spittle flying,
“And what did you do? Is this how you repay me?”
"You've been stabbing me in the back all this time, making a fool of me like a monkey for all these years!?"
"You've misunderstood."
"Misunderstood? Bullshit!
Only today did I realize that all the leaked information in the past originated from you!
And I was such a fool..."
John wanted to argue, to say, "It's not what you think."
But looking into Aiden's bloodshot eyes, which seemed to be spitting fire, he gave up.
He understood that from Aiden's perspective, he was a complete Judas.
After all, he had barely left the white building before becoming Fang Huan Investment's top henchman in Washington state, swaggering around, smooth sailing.
Anyone who saw it would think it was all a "double agent" scheme planted by Fang Huan from the very beginning.
“But I don’t regret it,” John slowly uttered.
“You…what did you say?”
“Whether I was assisting you or after I left, every day was like an endless nightmare.
I never slept soundly. Every nerve was taut like a string about to snap. The slightest sound would wake me from my nightmares, my heart pounding as if it would leap out of my throat.
I was afraid, afraid that 'Fang Huan's' invisible hand would seize me at any moment and erase me from this world!”
“…”
“But now, everything is different.” A strange, relieved smile even appeared on John’s face.
“I sleep like a baby, eat well, and walk on the street without worrying about a dump truck suddenly going out of control.
Because I know that 'Fang Huan' stands behind me.
When your backer is the most terrifying being in the world, you will find that this world…”
"There's nothing fucking scary about it."
John was enjoying his transformed second life.
Fear and anxiety, those venomous insects that once gnawed at his soul, had vanished.
He was living the life he never dared to imagine!
"Mr. Aiden, I'm here today to deliver a message."
"What message?"
"Keep acting. Do nothing," John's eyes were sharp as knives, instantly piercing through all of Aiden's pretense.
"Continue playing that confused, senile, incapable old man."
"You... what do you mean?" Aiden's pupils contracted sharply.
"You deliberately imitated the behavior of an Alzheimer's patient in public. Your acting was Oscar-worthy, but I saw through it immediately."
John smiled faintly.
“I’ve been by your side for decades. Every micro-expression of yours is etched into my bones. Do you think I can’t tell whether you’re truly confused or just pretending?”
“…!”
Just as I thought!
John, that old fox, he knew all along!
“Just continue to play dumb, be a harmless mascot, and quietly coast through until the end of your term.
That way, you and your family will be safe and sound.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“How could I dare?” John bowed slightly.
“Please consider this the last piece of advice a…old subordinate who worries about your safety more than anyone else can offer.”
"Advice? Advice coming from the mouth of a traitor like you!?"
Aiden laughed out of anger, a laugh filled with absurdity and sorrow.