Extra Four (01)
"Sir, if there is no further result from the interrogation of Admiral Li Tingqin, the Secretariat requires us to hold a case review meeting the day after tomorrow and come up with a decision on how to deal with the case."
Outside the Imperial Supervisory Department, countless civilians from the capital star have gathered. They are outraged. Some are holding signs, some are shouting slogans, demanding the release of General Li Tingqin.
Zhou Yuan, deputy director of the Supervision Department, was standing in the heavily guarded steel building of the Supervision Department. He looked at the scene downstairs, put out the cigarette in his hand, and said, "If it is just public opinion pressure, there is no need for the Secretariat to be anxious. We must give an explanation to the Lu family, and we should also teach Li Tingqin a lesson..."
Li Tingqin was born into a low-class family. Two years ago, he was appointed the highest military commander of the border defense of the empire's eastern star field. The imperial headquarters sent Lu Kang as the commander to govern him.
But a month ago, the Zerg invaded massively. Li Tingqin refused to accept the command of Commander Lu Kang and led his subordinates to act on their own, resulting in the annihilation of the command represented by Commander Lu Kang.
However, Li Tingqin led his troops to annihilate the Zerg and recapture 17 life planets, achieving the first major victory of the empire in a hundred years in the context of the Zerg's continuous retreat and shrinking living space, and became a hero in the eyes of the common people of the empire.
The secretary said, "But the investigation team has conducted a comprehensive review of this battle. There is no problem with General Li's decision. It can only be said that General Li and Commander Lu had a disagreement on command. The most we can charge him with is violating military orders..."
Zhou Yuan flipped through the large amount of information produced by the investigation team on the screen and said, "Who can say that Commander Lu's decision was wrong? Being out of the command of the commander is already a big problem. Moreover, because of Li Tingqin's actions, the empire lost a young and outstanding commander like Commander Lu, and even the entire command was wiped out."
Lu Kang is a young man that the imperial noble Lu family has high hopes for. They sent him to the border battlefield to serve as a commander so that he could gild his resume and enter the core of the empire when he returns. Now that Li Tingqin has killed him, how could the Lu family let this go?
But Zhou Yuan knew that this matter would be a hot potato if it was left in the hands of the Supervision Department.
He lit another cigarette and said, "Report to the Secretariat and tell them that the situation in this battle is complicated and we can't handle it. We need the participation of the General Command to ensure that the decision is fair and reasonable."
Although he said so on the surface, he still privately conveyed a message to the people in the secretariat, hoping that Commander Gu could participate in the handling of this incident.
The third in command of the Imperial Headquarters, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Gu Chen, was born into the Gu family, one of the top aristocratic families in the empire. He was a member of the political team that His Majesty the Emperor was training for his future successor.
Back then, Li Tingqin, as a rare SSS-level alpha in the empire, had made many military achievements and was known as the light of the civilians. He should have been able to rise rapidly in the military.
But when he was at the height of his power, he issued a transfer order and kicked Li Tingqin to the chaotic remote star region. It was more than a promotion in name only and a demotion in reality, it was simply exile.
If the headquarters sends Commander-in-Chief Gu to handle this matter and Li Tingqin falls into his hands again, it is estimated that there will be no good result.
"General Li is a hero of the empire! Why did they lock General Li up?"
Armed guards and clearing vehicles separated the surging crowd and escorted the military hovercraft of the Central Command.
"What a grand scene! Which high-ranking official from the empire is coming?" the civilians clamored.
“Our voices are useful!”
"Release General Li! Release General Li!"
The hovercraft slowly drove into the heavily guarded gate of the Supervisory Department.
Gu Chen, who was wearing a white military uniform, sat in the back seat, looking at the information on the screen. He just glanced at the civilians and said indifferently, "Who instigated it? Let them be quiet."
Under the Supervisory Department building, Zhou Yuan and other staff members of the Supervisory Department were already there to greet them: "Hello, Commander Gu."
"Hello, Minister Zhou." Gu Chen took off his gloves and handed them to the secretary. He shook hands with Zhou Yuan and said, "According to the procedure, the General Command only needs to attend the case review meeting."
Although the two were of the same rank, Zhou Yuan was already old, while Gu Chen was a young man in his prime with a promising future. Zhou Yuan's tone was inevitably flattering: "Yes, but Commander Lu is an outstanding talent in your department after all, so it would be more appropriate to ask for your opinion."
Hearing Zhou Yuan praising Lu Kang, Gu Chen did not comment, but just said: "Then let's go."
In the dimly lit "interrogation room", a soldier in black uniform sat on the sofa with his legs crossed and a relaxed posture. Gu Chen only glanced at him and then looked away.
It was called an "interrogation", but in fact the Supervisory Department only dared to put him under house arrest, and mostly just questioned him. After all, Li Tingqin and Zhou Yuan were of the same rank, and as long as victory was achieved, disobeying orders could be a big or small matter, and Zhou Yuan didn't want to offend anyone to death.
Seeing Gu Chen sitting opposite him, Li Tingqin's eyes darkened and he said, "Commander Gu, long time no see."
Gu Chen opened the case file, and a holographic image of the battlefield was displayed in this room. He said, "General Li, I am your interrogator now. I hope you can answer my questions truthfully." According to his habit, the secretary brought a cup of warm water to his hand.
As both of them were SSS-level alphas, Zhou Yuan thought that the two would be on edge when they met, but he didn't expect Commander Gu to be so businesslike to the point of being cold.
Gu Chen said: "At about 23:19 on November 6, why did you decide to abandon Planet 346B where the headquarters was located? The order issued by Commander Lu at that time was..."
Li Tingqin said: "The regular army stationed in the border areas of the empire cannot support the full-line combat, and Commander Lu stationed on 346B has full military self-defense capabilities, but 317C is a commercial planet. I can't ignore the safety of hundreds of millions of citizens of the empire in order to protect Commander Lu's safety. Commander Gu, do you still need to ask such a simple question?"
However, Zhou Yuan felt that Gu Chen had hit the nail on the head. Li Tingqin gave up the young master of the Lu family for a group of untouchables. Wasn't this a clear sign that he did not take the upper echelons of the empire seriously?
Gu Chen did not react to Li Tingqin's answer and continued to ask: "After Commander Lu sent a request to establish a mental link, you rejected him. Why?"
Li Tingqin smelled a faint mint scent in the air, smiled, and said, "I've said it before, unless Commander-in-Chief Gu is here in person, it's really not Commander Lu's turn to make decisions in a battle of this level."
Zhou Yuan added: "General Gu, as far as I know, since General Li entered the military, he has never accepted the mental connection of the commander sent by the general headquarters. Is this..."
Gu Chen didn't say anything, but he could smell the pheromone scent in the air, which was like the sea. It had the freshness of the ocean and made people feel deep and boundless.
But the other staff members didn't even have the ability to feel what this smell was. Even though the soldier in black uniform only leaked a little, this was the natural suppression from their own kind. They could hardly stand, and some even felt their legs go weak and they knelt down directly.
Except for the interrogator Gu Chen who was sitting opposite calmly, Gu Chen took a sip of water slowly and said, "General Li, please restrain yourself."
Li Tingqin nodded slightly and said, "I'm sorry, the susceptible period is approaching, and I've been here for a few days. I don't have the inhibitor I customized on hand, so I can't control it."
Although his tone was calm, his brows were slightly furrowed. After all, they hadn't seen each other for seven years, and he had been relying on inhibitors. Now that he smelled Gu Chen's breath again, he was not so sure about the condition of his body...
"Where are the spare inhibitors? Bring them here quickly." Zhou Yuan's legs were shaking physically under the strong sense of oppression. He was also very worried. He had never seen a 3S-level alpha go out of control during the susceptible period. He didn't even dare to imagine how terrifying this would be.
Damn, unmarried alphas are so unstable.
However, he heard Gu Chen say slowly: "Then tie him up first and ask him questions."
Zhou Yuan: “…” Damn, Commander Gu, you really are worthy of being General Li’s mortal enemy.
Li Tingqin's breathing became disordered, but his expression and posture were still relaxed. He said, "It's useless. Only specially made inhibitors can work on me. Commander Gu's suggestion is a good idea."
Zhou Yuan couldn't stand it any longer and said, "Commander Gu, I'm going to go out and contact the inhibitor first, you continue..."
Except for Gu Chen, a 3S-level alpha, who else could withstand it? The other alphas all retreated.
Several betas followed Gu Chen's instructions and tied Li Tingqin up tightly. Although they were not affected by pheromones, they still retreated with fear on their faces.
There were only two of them left in the interrogation room. Gu Chen sat down again, crossed his legs, and continued to ask: "General Li, around 1:58 on November 7..."
Li Tingqin murmured: "Ah Chen..."
A glass of water was poured on his face, and Gu Chen said, "General Li, wake up."
The water drops slid down to Li Tingqin's thin lips. He pursed his lips, as if he could taste the mint scent from the water again. He said, "Commander Gu, if you doubt my sobriety at this moment, there is a more efficient way."
"You can directly connect to my spiritual power and know everything you want to know."
Mr. Li: Ah Chen, why do you want to reward me?
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