Chapter 42
Qi Yan hadn’t even arrived home yet when he received several communication requests, each from Xia Zhiyang, Ye Pei, and Mondrian. He decided to initiate a group chat.
Xia Zhiyang’s voice was the loudest. “Qi Yan, are you okay? Are you injured? Are you upset? Is your bodyguard with you?”
Ye Pei: “Xia Zhiyang, you’ve asked everything I wanted to ask! Don’t you give anyone a chance to speak?”
Qi Yan answered the questions in order, “I’m fine. The hovercar has a high safety protection level, so I’m not injured, not upset, and yes, he’s been with me the whole time.”
Hearing Qi Yan’s last few words, Lu Fenghan glanced at him subtly.
“That’s good, that’s good. Don’t be sad, okay? It’s not worth feeling upset over scum like him! I’ve read all the news on the Starnet. Jiang Qi, that piece of garbage! How dare he drive a car and hit you!”
Although Xia Zhiyang fancied himself as a profligate son, his vocabulary for cursing was quite limited. He said angrily, “We’re so unlucky to breathe the same air as this scum of the earth! He used to strut around in front of us, but it turns out he was just bluffing out of fear!”
The average lifespan of the Alliance had exceeded one hundred years. After reaching adulthood, a person would enter a long period of youth and middle age. While late marriage, late parenthood, and the prevalence of singlehood were on the rise, attitudes towards love and marriage were gradually changing.
Society didn’t oppose celibacy or multiple marriages, but it highly valued marital fidelity during the duration of marriage. Thus, infidelity within marriage was scorned, and illegitimate children had no right to inherit.
Ye Pei was reminded of Laurent’s actions. “No wonder Laurent used to be so hostile towards you. Jiang Qi had been instigating him behind the scenes, along with the promise of one million star coins! If it weren’t for this revelation, it’s hard to imagine that Jiang Qi could smile and call you brother while secretly plotting your demise!”
Xia Zhiyang: “A human face with a beastly heart!”
Ye Pei: “Such a heart deserves condemnation!”
The two exchanged quips like a duet, leaving Mondrian momentarily unable to interject. He resorted to typing: “Glad you’re okay.”
Xia Zhiyang was the first to notice. “Mondrian, why are you only typing and not speaking?”
Mondrian: ……
Oblivious to his own verbosity, Xia Zhiyang cheerfully proposed, “Shouldn’t we gather and celebrate together? Today’s events are truly heartening! You have no idea how satisfying it was for me to read the comments on the starnet! Finally, finally! More and more people are seeing through Jiang Qi’s facade!”
However, his suggestion was mercilessly rejected.
Ye Pei: “The project tasks of the research group forbid me from going out to socialize!”
Mondrian: “The tasks for this phase are wrapping up, but they’re taking twice as long.”
Xia Zhiyang: “What about Qi Yan?”
Qi Yan: “I’ve completed the research group’s tasks for this phase, but I have other matters to attend to. No time.”
Xia Zhiyang let out a disappointed howl, then suggested again, “Then let’s celebrate in the holographic system! Five minutes!”
Eventually, the four of them accessed the holographic system from their personal terminals, chose a virtual coffee shop, sipped virtual coffee, and then each logged off.
Lu Fenghan had been listening to the conversation among the group. When he saw Qi Yan exit the holographic system, he asked, “Is the tight schedule lately because of Pojun?”
Although he hadn’t actually tasted the coffee, his taste receptors still conveyed a faint bitterness. Qi Yan nodded. “Yes, time is running out.”
“Running out?”
Qi Yan subtly shifted his gaze away.
Amused by his little gesture, Lu Fenghan changed the subject, “So… why do you enjoy doing things that most people find difficult? Is it because no matter how difficult it is, someone has to do it?”
Qi Yan rarely pondered questions involving “motivation.”
“That’s part of the reason. Additionally, scientific research progresses forward. If I encounter a formula or a step that I can’t comprehend, I’ll acknowledge my limitations and seek further clarification. I won’t make the mistake of assuming understanding when I lack it.”
This was one of his rare moments of clarity.
Lu Fenghan quickly thought of another possibility. “Could it be that you have already solved a formula but think you haven’t solved it yet because you forgot you already completed it?”
“Sometimes,” Qi Yan admitted candidly, “but clarity outweighs confusion, and that’s enough.”
The car accident had caused quite a stir on the vast Starnet for a whole week. Involving prominent families, traitors who had previously sold research data, and academic fraud related to the Roentgen Award, along with keywords like infidelity, illegitimate child, identity concealment, repeated covert sabotage, and attempted murder, the fervor remained high, propelling Qi Wenshao into the limelight within the Alliance.
However, the reputation was not so glamorous.
According to information gathered by waiting reporters, Jiang Yunyue hadn’t left home since returning from the police station, and the Qi residence had its doors tightly shut, refusing all visitors and interviews from the press.
At the same time, at the end of the year 216 in Star calendar, the Leto Daily, in an extremely low-key manner, published on the second page that General Nie Huaiting was considering resigning from the honorary position of “Alliance Supreme Commander.”
Although the Alliance Supreme Commander had no corresponding real power and was purely a nominal title, everyone regarded it as the top military figure of the Alliance. The identity of the successor had yet to be announced, but just this action alone indicated that the pro-war faction was cornered.
Lu Fenghan wasn’t sure if the people behind it were temporarily unwilling to amplify the impact of this matter, so he simply placed it in the second page with just a couple of sentences.
His usually grounded mind wandered without a landing point. He thought of how Lu Jun had once been ambitious, aiming to eradicate space pirates first, then suppress the rebels, and finally restore peace to the Alliance, but in the end, he died without even finding a piece of his remains.
He also remembered how Nie Huaiting, clearly not yet in old age, had a few strands of white hair among his black locks, dedicating himself heart and soul to the Alliance, wanting to uproot the rebels, the thorn in the Alliance’s side. And now, he could only personally relinquish the position of Supreme Commander.
For a moment, he was somewhat lost.
Everyone talked about adhering to public opinion, but what if the public opinion was wrong, then what should be done?
Just like Nie Huaiting, he certainly never imagined that one day, he would be questioned and suspected by the Alliance citizens he had always protected, to the extent that he had to compromise and appease all parties.
But even so, Nie Huaiting still refused to withdraw the Expeditionary Force stationed at the front line in the Southern Cross Region. Instead, he ordered the integration of troop deployments in various parts of the Central Region to strengthen Leto’s defense.
Lu Fenghan could see that Nie Huaiting’s move was to avoid being attacked on two fronts at the same time. However, this order sparked dissatisfaction among many people.
Vincent shared the same thoughts as Lu Fenghan. He didn’t even use communication as usual but personally knocked on Qi Yan’s door after nightfall.
Taking off his wide-brimmed hat and black-framed glasses, Vincent sprawled onto the sofa and stared at the ceiling for a while before asking Lu Fenghan, “Commander, after the new year, is General Nie going to officially step down as the Supreme Commander?”
His voice lacked energy, as if he had lost his spirit.
Lu Fenghan remained standing, leaning against the wall. “It’s likely. After the new year, it’s immediately the Alliance’s foundation day. According to tradition, the celebration ceremony on foundation day is jointly presided over by the Alliance Secretary-General and the Supreme Commander. The pro-peace faction won’t wait until then. They’ll make sure General Nie steps down before regaining public trust.”
Vincent’s voice turned bitter. “I couldn’t get into it all day today. I feel… I don’t even know what I’m protecting with my weapon.”
He covered his eyes with the back of his hand, revealing calluses on his palms. “Commander, aren’t you disheartened? The mainstream discourse on the Starnet portrays the Expeditionary Force as the ones spending the most military funds, wielding the most advanced weapons, piloting the most powerful starships, yet fighting the most pathetic battles. They make the rebels out to be invincible gods of war, while portraying us as nothing but a bunch of worthless wastes!”
Vincent lost his usual frivolity, his voice choking with both grief and anger. “But, if we’re afraid to die, if we shrink back, then tell me, who’ll explain why Renner, Feng Ao, Haxanto, Louis, and Mofei died? When I joined the Expeditionary Force, our team was numbered 7683, with a hundred people. Now, only nineteen are still alive! So, who’ll tell me where the other eighty-one went? Huh?”
As he spoke, his voice trembled more, the bulging veins on his forehead becoming evident.
However, in front of Lu Fenghan, he managed to suppress his erupting emotions.
Lu Fenghan stood in the shadows, devoid of military bearing. He waited until Vincent’s breathing calmed before speaking, each word carrying weight. “Pick up your weapon.”
Vincent forcefully closed his eyes, then, after a few seconds, continued with the latter half of the sentence, “Protect the stars behind you.” He gritted his teeth. “But—”
“There are no ‘buts’,” Lu Fenghan interrupted firmly. “If you believe you’re right and most people are wrong, then go correct their mistakes. If you think their judgments are wrong, then provide enough accurate information for everyone to have a basis for correct reasoning.
“Even if they’re wrong, the blame doesn’t lie with the Alliance citizens expressing their opinions. It lies with those intentionally guiding incorrect opinions.”
Vincent remained silent.
Silence filled every corner.
After a while, Vincent moved his hand away from his eyes, looking at Lu Fenghan with a bitter smile. “Commander, how do you do it? How do you stay clear-headed when everyone else is angry, disappointed, and lost? Oh, and by the way, how do you manage to wake us all up with a good scolding?”
“Because you call me ‘Commander’.” Lu Fenghan raised an eyebrow. “What, do you want me to join you in pounding the table with clenched fists until my hands ache?”
Vincent: “That’s absolutely not going to happen!”
Lu Fenghan: “Oh.”
Vincent: “……”
Inadvertently, he recalled how foolish he had been in his youth.
Finally, Vincent found the mind to glance around. “Where’s Qi Yan?”
Lu Fenghan answered, “In the study.” He had been burning the midnight oil these past few days, as if something was chasing after him.
“No wonder he’s from the school across the river, so diligent!” Vincent stood up, grabbing his wide-brimmed hat and retro glasses. “I’m off then.”
Lu Fenghan didn’t insist on him staying, just reminded, “Treasure this opportunity. Next time, I’ll charge you. Psychologists charge by the minute, but I’ll charge by the second in star coins.”
Vincent was rooted to the spot like a nail in the floor, feeling that leaving a minute earlier would be a loss of tens of thousands of star coins! He said in a somber tone, “Commander, you weren’t like this before. You’ve changed!”
“Before? You know that was before.”
Vincent felt something was wrong. He pondered for a moment and asked tentatively, “Then what about now?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” Lu Fenghan replied, his hands in his pockets. For some reason, his voice softened a few degrees. “Now, I have to save money.”
If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))
