In That Case

Han Qingyu stood there, falling silent after those words. The old chief of staff studied him closely. This rising star of the Huaxia Front, Major The Qing, who had recently become so renowned, looked right now like nothing more than an ordinary young man choked with fury and grievance. Come to think of it, he was only twenty years old. From an ordinary family background. *By rights, he shouldn’t have had to bear all this… yet here I am, about to lecture him on reason and duty.* Thinking this, the old chief of staff felt the same bitter suffocation welling up in his chest. Beside them, Shao Xuan rose, walked up to Han Qingyu, and rested his left hand on the young man’s shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. He didn’t say a word. The scene from last year, when the new Eraser recruits left camp, seemed to hover right before his eyes. Back then, the young Major Han Qingyu had merely been a cheeky brat whose entire mind was bent on scamming two source energy blocks. Utterly shameless. “Captain Shao just got back from Nepal,” the old chief of staff suddenly spoke from behind. “Captain Shao went to Nepal?!” Han Qingyu could naturally guess why he had gone, but he was still caught off guard. From there, the old chief of staff recounted all of his prior arrangements and Shao Xuan’s operation, concluding: “Captain Shao infiltrated the manor and exchanged two blade strikes with Alphonse. As for his injuries, I’m afraid he won’t fully recover without a year of rest.” That was how things stood. Whether it was the old chief of staff, the legion commander, or Captain Shao, they had already done everything humanly possible for this matter. Han Qingyu looked up and said, “Thank you, Captain Shao.” Then he turned to the old chief of staff. “Thank you, Chief of Staff.” In truth, this—or rather, these people—was why Han Qingyu had come here in the end. Shao Xuan, the old chief of staff, Legion Commander Chen Buer, Zhang Dao’an, Regiment Commander Li Wangqiang, Captain Lao… and those Azure comrades from various nations who had rushed across the valley outside the Nepal training ground to rescue him, as well as nearly every Azure elite and common soldier he had encountered on the battlefield, including White Eraser. Right then, Shao Xuan let out a self-deprecating smile and shook his head. “There’s nothing to thank me for. We got nothing in the end, and only managed to spook the snake.” “Indeed.” The old chief of staff nodded, continuing, “So as things stand, we still don’t have a shred of evidence in our hands… and we’ve put Alphonse’s side on high alert.” Listening, Han Qingyu slowly turned to look at him, his gaze already different from before. If it had been filled with stifled bitterness and rage moments ago, a sense of grim resolve was now beginning to take root. At this moment, Han Qingyu knew that the Azure Court could not give him the explanation he sought. Or at least, no one knew when it ever could. Since that was the case… he would just have to demand that explanation himself. Yet neither the old chief of staff nor Shao Xuan truly understood Han Qingyu well enough. Meeting his gaze, the old chief of staff raised a hand, curling a finger. “I have two suggestions here. Care to hear them?” Han Qingyu looked at him and nodded. “The first option: you endure for now. Two years, three years… Since the Alphonse family chose this path, they won’t be able to quit it. No matter how airtight their cover is, they will inevitably show their tail sooner or later. The legion commander asked me to convey to you that he will do everything within his power on this matter.” So, two years, three years… maybe five, ten, or even longer. And without any certainty. Han Qingyu looked down, letting out a bleak smile. “The second option: you directly lodge an accusation against him. The Sole Witness Legion and the legion commander will definitely stand up to support you. After that, we’ll try to slowly gather evidence during the investigation.” There was an unstated premise in this second suggestion that all three men present understood: this process would be even more drawn out, filled with endless interrogations, evidence gathering, investigations, and hearings… and the final outcome would remain just as uncertain. After a brief silence, Han Qingyu kept his head down and said, “I’ll go back and think it over.” Then he snapped his head up. “Right, Chief of Staff…” “Speak.” “My family.” “Peaceful and safe. On this point, this old man can guarantee it with his life.” “…Thank you.” Han Qingyu left, having shown no overly dramatic emotional outburst from beginning to end. The officer who had guided him here earlier stood in the darkness, watching him depart, before stepping into the tent to report to the old chief of staff: “When Major Qing went out the door, he muttered something under his breath.” “What did he say?” “‘*But people died.*’” Indeed. No matter how rational the logic and weighing of options, no matter how much sense the analysis made, people had died. Therefore, there had to be an explanation. “Damn it.” Shao Xuan rose at once, his voice laced with anxiety. “This kid is going to cause havoc.” The old chief of staff opened his eyes, seemingly having reconsidered a few things, and said, “In that case, it wouldn’t hurt for you to go try and persuade him.” “Understood.” Shao Xuan headed out the door. The old chief of staff looked at the officer standing before him and suddenly addressed him, “Zhang Yi.” This informal call was unusual. The officer named Zhang Yi snapped to attention immediately, looking slightly puzzled. “Chief of Staff?” “How about I teach you how to be a staff officer?” Seeing Zhang Yi nod repeatedly in excitement, the old chief of staff curled his lips in a faint smile and said, “Go now and quietly leak a few matters… Quietly, mind you. Not an official briefing. Understood?” The matters the old chief of staff wanted Zhang Yi to spread included Han Qingyu’s participation in the trial at the Third Fixed Exploration Site in Nepal, how he discovered the bodies of comrades from various nations being harvested by hidden operatives, and how he was subsequently ambushed; the hefty bounty placed on his head in the City of Iniquity and the assassins entering the borders to hunt him; how Squad 1777 was deliberately misled and set up this time through the Rejecters’ frequency band, leading to comrades killed and wounded; and Han Qingyu’s own desperate battle on the plateau. “And then ask: isn’t it a marvelous coincidence that three generations of the Alphonse family submitted an application to leave early tonight, right after seeing him return?” the old chief of staff asked. “A coincidence! So coincidental that people couldn’t help but make the connection even if they tried!” After saying this, Zhang Yi thought for a moment and plucked up his courage to ask, “But why not let Major Qing state these things directly himself? And why must we… only spread them quietly?” He knew there was no evidence for these claims, but since the decision had already been made to speak out even without evidence… why do it in such a manner? The old chief of staff looked at him and said: “Supposing the premise is that the kid is determined to cause havoc. Consider two scenarios: in one, he stands before the crowd with a blade in hand, trying to explain his reasons and recount the sequence of events, yet unable to produce a single shred of proof. In the other, rumors are already spreading everywhere outside, while he is covered in blood, his brothers dead, his eyes filled with unspoken, stifled grief.” “Which do you think yields a better effect? And which one is more advantageous for his future?” “Definitely the second,” Zhang Yi blurted out without a second thought. This was guiding the momentum of public sentiment. The old chief of staff nodded, about to dismiss him, but noticed that Zhang Yi still looked perplexed and was still watching him. “What other doubts do you have? Out with it.” Zhang Yi hesitated. “I just can’t understand. Since you know Major Qing is very likely to cause havoc, Chief of Staff, why don’t you restrain him directly? Why instead… lay the groundwork for him?” “Because that would lead to a disaster far greater than the havoc he might cause.” If the matter could be suppressed, suppressing it would naturally be ideal; having Han Qingyu swallow it would be most beneficial for both himself and Azure. But the old chief of staff had already tried his utmost, laying out every ounce of logic… When dealing with the human heart and human nature, one could not push too far, nor could one force things against the current. A complex shade flitted across the old chief of staff’s eyes, and he murmured pensively, “Besides, since things have developed to this point, there is another logic to it… Never mind. Go for now. We’ll talk when you return.” “Yes, sir.” Zhang Yi acknowledged the order and stepped out. The old chief of staff leaned back against his chair and said, “Connect me to Chen Buer.” “Understood,” a voice responded from behind the partition. The call lasted only a few minutes. Then, less than half an hour later—barely twenty-odd minutes—Zhang Yi came running back. Seeing him, the old chief of staff wore a look of utter bafflement. “So fast? You didn't just spread it among our own Front, did you?” He meant that it had to be spread to the foreign forces as well. “No,” Zhang Yi said, shaking his head. He explained, “It’s because I just discovered that someone is already spreading those stories! Even among the foreigners, someone started quietly circulating the word earlier than me. That’s why I came back to report to you first.” Someone was already spreading it?! Laying this groundwork in public sentiment… even earlier than Zhang Yi. The old chief of staff frowned in thought, and the image of a die spinning round and round sprang into his mind. A bitter smile touched his lips, which then broadened into a grin. Seeing the chief of staff smile, Zhang Yi let out a sigh of relief. Emboldened, he asked cautiously, “So, Chief of Staff, earlier you said there was another logic to this matter now. What was it?” “Since he can’t endure it, and we can’t suppress it… this is actually quite fine. In fact, it’s quite a bargain.” If the aftermath was destined to be an endless tug-of-war of bickering, limitless investigations, and hearings, then settling a score of vengeance first and spitting out the suffocating grievance in his chest was actually quite a bargain. After that, it would all come down to how that certain Chen, with his solemn chest-thumping promises, was going to clean up the mess for him.