by <unknown>
The imprisonment, the harsh environment, and the unexpected "vetting meeting" did not seem to have any influence on the old general.
Half an hour later, he had basically established the framework of his article. However, without the touch up of his secretary, some of the sentences were still somewhat too crude.
Respectful door knocks echoed from outside again.
However, Lei Chenghu did not rise and open the door this time, because it suddenly occurred to him that the scoundrels who had come in the name of "vetting meeting" were not worthy enough to waste one second of his time.
As he expected, after three minutes of silence, the door was opened from outside without a sound, and three human-shaped spiritual puppets stepped in rigidly and stopped before him like dead people.
Shua! Shua! Shua!
Light and shadow flashed on the surface of the three human-shaped spiritual puppets, covering a vivid virtual membrane of light on them and manifesting three Immortal Cultivators who were wearing feigned smiles.
Chapter 2198: When You Want To Beat Your Dog |
Lei Chenghu frowned slightly, trying his best to hold back his physical disdain and disgust for the three investigators.
Of course, he knew the three guys who were notorious in the frontline.
The guy with a slim waist and a pinky face in the lead was "Dongfang Bai". He was the leader of the Bureau of Asset Statistics of the Recovered Areas in the expedition army.
The so-called "Bureau of Asset Statistics" was only an agency to collect data on the surface, but in fact, the agency was well-known by the officers in the frontline as one that was involved in espionage activities. In fact, it was the worst kind. It was a tool that the four Kurfürst families used to meddle in the affairs of the expedition army in the frontline, targeting people on their own side but never able to get any intelligence about the Covenant Alliance.
After conquering dozens of Sectors and hundreds of resource planets, it was natural that abundant trophies and properties had been confiscated. Many fleets that had a shortage of supplies would often keep part of the trophies to themselves for their own use.
Although Lei Chenghu honored the rules, he was not an obstinate man. As long as it was not for personal benefits but for the construction of the fleets and the defense work of the battle area, he had always given connivance to such things in the Third Battle Area that was under his command.
The Bureau of Asset Statistics, however, grabbed tremendous "proofs" with that as an excuse. They were the poisoned daggers that might stab the soldiers in the frontline at any moment. In fact, it was just a way to help the four Kurfürst families in controlling the fleets in the frontline.
The generals and the soldiers in the frontline who fought bloody wars had always scorned and loathed the agencies in the base such as the logistics department, the military demand department, the Bureau of Asset Statistics, etc. Such agencies were often considered as a septic appendix that was absolutely useless and often hamstrung the troops in the frontline, even getting people killed every once in a while.
However, the disgust of the soldiers in the frontline could not shake the position of the Bureau of Asset Statistics in the expedition army or the rise of the path to power for Dongfang Bai, the leader of the Bureau of Asset Statistics.
It was because his father was Dongfang Wang, the most powerful man in the Imperium and the current leader of the Dongfang family, who had been the prime minister of the Imperium for twenty years!
Therefore, after the incident of the Blood Oath Alliance, it was only natural that Dongfang Bai, as the head of the intelligence agency, was appointed as the chairman of the special investigation committee and took charge of the investigation on Lei Chenghu in person.
The two investigators by Dongfang Bai's sides were also from the four Kurfürst families. They were also holding critical places in the expedition army. There was nothing particularly interesting about them. They were just jackals of the same lair.
The three investigators were wearing smiles that they had carefully pretended.
However, below the exceptionally humble and reverential smiles, unmistakable insincerity was flowing out.
When he saw them, Lei Chenghu thought of the hyenas hiding in the bush waiting for the giant beast that had been heavily wounded to die so that they could bite the dead body.
He also thought of flies that were rubbing their limbs in annoying noises.
At such a moment, he craved more intensely than ever to return to his own fleet, not to control the army in person again, but just to hang around with the rudest men under his command. Even that would've been much more comfortable than staying in the same room as the three sordid and shameless guys.
Although he was merely faced with their remote projections, he could already smell the stench of hyenas and flies leaking out of their pores.
What a disgusting smell!
"We're privileged to meet you, Marquis Liaohai!"
The three investigators bowed to him pretentiously and addressed him with his latest title in respect. Every detail was done in the most appropriate way. Nobody could find any mistake.
Their behavior, however, further raised Lei Chenghu's disgust. He did not even bother to return the courtesy but simply snapped coldly, "Stop wasting my time. If you want to vet me, just begin. But this is not the capital. Something will happen if you are determined to do this."
Dongfang Bai, the head of the intelligence agency and the chairman of the special investigation committee immediately pretended to be shocked and wronged. He hurried to defend himself "in panic", "I'm afraid there might be a misunderstanding, Marquis Liaohai. It is true that we intended to escort you to the capital where you can meet the Council of Elders directly, but due to the unexpected changes that happened while we were on our way, we were forced to bring you to this place for your protection. This is only a temporary measure. Please do forgive us for our lack of respect. It doesn't matter however we are punished later, but right now, your safety and the big picture of the Imperium are our primary concerns."
"Unexpected changes that happened?"
Lei Chenghu smiled, and not even bothering to look at the three investigators, he said casually, "What kind of changes can possibly affect my safety and make you think I need your protection? Are you worried that I'll be assassinated like Elder Dongfang Tuo?"
"With your prestige in the army, Marquis Liaohai, you are admired by the soldiers in the frontline, even more than Prime Minister Dongfang and His Majesty. Of course, there is no chance that you can be assassinated."
Dongfang Bai said with a smile, "But you may be caught in a situation that is even more dangerous than being assassinated. We have received unquestionable intelligence that dozens of fraternities of radical young officers, led by the Blood Oath Alliance, are planning to be united with each other and transform the Blood Oath Alliance into an enormous force that spans dozens of fleets and influences the entire expedition fleet as well as the army of the Imperium in the rear. Besides, they are also plotting to hijack Marquis Liaohai and force you to be the leader of the Blood Oath Alliance!
"If the vile, shameless traitors do succeed, wouldn't you be forced into miseries and desperation that are a hundred times more painful than being assassinated?
"That was why we turned to the last resort by changing our route and protecting you in this secret place that nobody else knows."
"Okay."
Having seen too many great events, Lei Chenghu did not even bother to blink. "Got it now. You suspect that I am the leader of the Blood Oath Alliance and I planned the assassination against Elder Dongfang Tuo. So, you never intended to let me return to the capital since the beginning but decided to isolate and scrutinize me, right?"
"No, no, no."
Waving his hands quickly, Dongfang Bai acted as if he couldn't have been more wronged. "We do not dare to suspect Marquis Liaohai's loyalty toward the Imperium and Council of Elders at all. The so-called 'vetting meeting' will be nothing but
a formality. In fact, we admire Marquis Liaohai as much as the soldiers in the frontline do, and we are willing to vouch for you with our lives.
"However, under the instigation of a tiny group of traitors, there are indeed a lot of feverish young officers in the frontline who embarked on a wrong path and never to look back, and it is not entirely unlikely that those traitors instigated them under the name of Marquis Liaohai.
"Besides, should Marquis Liaohai really fell into the hands of the Blood Oath Alliance, while we absolutely trust your loyalty and believe that you will not give in no matter what, the enemy might be able to retrieve Marquis Liaohai's soul stamp and fabricate your image, considering the hypnotization, interrogation, and virtualization technologies nowadays are so developed. Wouldn't it be a stain on your lofty stature?
"We know that Marquis Liaohai might find it hard to believe the intelligence that we have just sorted out, but the influence of the Blood Oath Alliance is a hundred times more enormous than what we thought in the beginning. Their tentacles have long reached various troops in the frontline, particularly Marquis Liaohai's Third Battle Area and the Astounding Thunder Fleet. The highly contagious virus has almost spread to your side. It truly made us worry for Marquis Liaohai when we read it!"
The spiritual puppet, controlled by Dongfang Bai, held an encrypted jade chip with both hands before giving it to Lei Chenghu respectfully. After decrypting it with his soul stamp, he helped Lei Chenghu to insert it into an interface that was fixed on the wall.
Immediately, a series of data erupted like a torrent on the 3D light beam.
Lei Chenghu read the intelligence concerning the Blood Oath Alliance without blinking.
Observing his face closely, Dongfang Bai gradually put on a confident smile. He said, "We absolutely trust Marquis Liaohai's loyalty and that you have nothing to do with the Blood Oath Alliance. But it is also true that so many captains, advisors, and commanders under your lead are deeply associated with the Blood Oath Alliance.
"If you were still in the Astounding Thunder Fleet right now, where the officers initiated a mutiny, electing you as the leader of the Blood Oath Alliance against your will, wouldn't you and the Astounding Thunder Fleet that you have built after a hundred years of hard work be pushed into the pit of doom?"
"The intelligence is false and nonsense."
Utterly unmoved, Lei Chenghu read all the intelligence without any expression on his face. He then read carefully from the beginning for a second time, before he made the conclusion casually, "How great do you think the Blood Oath Alliance is? How is it possible to have attracted so many officers under my command? If my officers had enough of it and decided to vent their fury to the rear, they would've established an organization ten times greater and more cautious than the Blood Oath Alliance, and they would never have done such a stupid thing as to assassinate an elder of the Imperium in public.
"Even if they were truly determined to assassinate someone—"
Lei Chenghu paused for a moment, and for the first time, he stared at Dongfang Bai's carotid artery. He smiled casually and said, "The first to be assassinated should've been you who are hated by everyone, not Elder Dongfang Tuo who had been doing his job rather dutifully."
Dongfang Bai's face immediately turned pale. His carotid artery that was scanned by Lei Chenghu's sharp eyes, however, bounced violently beyond his control, with hissing sounds echoing from the throat.
"Marquis Liaohai!"
The pinky-faced guy shrieked in an even louder voice, "I respect you very much personally, and I don't want to run any kind of investigation. But we are here on behalf of the Council of Elders after all. Please respect the authority of the Council of Elders and consider carefully for the future of yourself and the Astounding Thunder Fleet!"
"Even without me, the Astounding Thunder Fleet will fight until the last soldier collapses in the war to defend the Imperium."
Lei Chenghu sneered, "Just stop trying. You can just make up evidence and accuse me to be the leader of the Blood Oath Alliance, but however you 'investigate' me, I will not expose the information of any officer under my command to you."
Chapter 2199: Alluring Conditions |
"Marquis Liaohai, I'm afraid this is another misunderstanding. I don't think you should hold such a preconception that we doubtlessly mean harm to you and the Astounding Thunder Fleet. Getting to the bottom of it, we share the same purpose, which is the stability and magnificence of the Imperium."
Dongfang Bai took a deep breath and hid his real emotions again. Gloomily, he said, "This is an important matter, and we will not do anything without concrete evidence. So, we do not need Marquis Liaohai to provide more intelligence. We are visiting you mainly to ask Marquis Liaohai to make a public statement."
Lei Chenghu raised his eyebrow. "What statement?"
"In the name of 'the highest commander of the Astounding Thunder Fleet, the commander of the Third Battle Area of the expedition army, admiral of the Imperium, Marquis Liaohai', you will make a public statement to express your firm support on all the decisions the Council of Elders make to strike the rebellion forces, including the Blood Oath Alliance, reprimand the grave betrayals that the radical organizations such as the Blood Oath Alliance committed, and call for the middle- and bottom-level officers to return from the lost journey and pledge loyalty to the Imperium, the Council of Elders, and His Majesty."
Rolling his eyes, Dongfang Bai said, "You are free to choose the specific words and phrases. We guarantee that we will not change any of it. As long as the three intentions listed above are expressed, it will be fine."
Lei Chenghu narrowed his eyes. "So, you want me to be absolutely loyal to the Council of Elders?"
Dongfang Bai raised his voice slightly. "The Council of Elders represents the ultimate glory of the Imperium and His Majesty. Is it not worth your absolute loyalty?"
Lei Chenghu's voice gradually turned tough. "The Council of Elders certainly deserves the absolute loyalty of every soldier of the Imperium. But when it comes to a specific elder, it may not necessarily be the case!"
"Marquis Liaohai, it appears to me that you do not have a clear understanding of the current situation!"
Grinding his teeth like a hyena, Dongfang Bai sounded even more gloomily than before. "We all absolutely trust your loyalty, and we want to settle the aftermath of the incident of the Blood Oath Alliance appropriately in the greatest kindness, so that the aftermath would not spread to all the troops in the frontline and escalate to the point that it is beyond rescue!
"A public statement by you will be the simplest and most effective approach!
"As long as you make such a statement, the Council of Elders will absolutely trust you immediately and end the so-called 'investigation'.
"If you can go one step further and cooperate with us to investigate the radicals hiding in the Third Battle Area and the Astounding Thunder Fleet, making all of them lay down their weapons and surrender, we will even punish most of them less severely, and they will still have an opportunity to return to the fleet after some time of isolation and investigation!
"Isn't it the best choice for both of us?"
Lei Chenghu thought hard; his small and round eyes were completely hidden behind the wrinkles and the scars.
As to whether or not it was Dongfang Bai's proposal that he was considering, that was something nobody could tell.
Half a minute later, Lei Chenghu asked calmly, "What if I make such a public statement to express my absolute support for the Council of Elders and cooperate with all the operations of the special investigation committee after I return to the Astounding Thunder Fleet and stabilize the situation in the frontline? Is it acceptable?"
"About that…"
Dongfang Bai smiled again, like a sharp-mouthed cub. "We think that there is no need for you to return to the Astounding Thunder Fleet in such a hurry. Out of admiration for you, I can reveal a piece of news that is probably true to you in private.
"To award your re
markable contributions in the Imperium's counterattack in the past ten years, the Council of Elders has been discussing whether to grant you the rank of 'Supreme Commander'. Tsk, tsk, tsk. You should know that the Imperium hasn't had a new Supreme Commander for a hundred years. It will certainly be an unparalleled glory.
"Then, once you are truly accolated as a Supreme Commander of the Imperium, your place as the commander of the Third Battle Area of the expedition army will certainly not deserve Marquis Liaohai anymore.
"The Council of Elders is thinking to establish a new 'Coalition Command Headquarters'. It is hoped that you can return to the capital and work as the leader of the Coalition Command Headquarters. We believe that you will make great contributions to the Imperium, the Council of Elders, and His Majesty like you did in the past."
"Coalition Command Headquarters?"
Lei Chenghu pondered about the new department carefully. There was no telling what was rolling on his mind from either his eyes or his wrinkles. He said peacefully, "What is that? We have the 'Department of National Defense', 'Department of Military Orders', and 'General Staff'. Are those bloated agencies that hamstring each other not enough to accommodate the descendants of the noble families? Why are you making a new, useless department?"
Dongfang Bai's eyelids twitched quickly. Ignoring the thorns in the old general's words, he continued his smile, "What you said is very true, Marquis Liaohai. It is exactly because of the overlapping architecture of the government and army of the Imperium that many problems such as low efficiency, corpulence, and uncoordinated orders have appeared. That is why we need to establish the 'Coalition Command Headquarters' to lead and balance the different departments that are in conflict.
"In the meantime, the Imperium's counterattack that has lasted a decade has achieved the strategical purpose preliminarily. In the next phase, our main focus is to stabilize the defense areas and restore the productivity of the recovered worlds. With the new situation in mind, the 'expedition army' will no longer be necessary.
