FT DR Chapter 57: Investigation!

Chapter 57: Investigation!

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

24 hours after the “Black Pearl Incident,” the official death toll had risen to nearly three hundred people, with over five hundred people missing. However, the Golden Rescue time limit had not yet passed, and rescue teams were still working tirelessly.

Planet Dunkirk, as the capital of the Human Federation, had not seen such a large-scale casualty in nearly a hundred years. The public was in panic, the Parliament was shaken, and the President was furious. He ordered the Secretary of State, Hobart, to personally go to the Black Pearl Spaceport to investigate the cause of the accident.

On the second day of the incident, Hobart arrived at the Black Pearl Spaceport by shuttle and convened the first emergency meeting in the temporary command post set up in Terminal 6. In attendance were government officials including the Director of Transportation, Chief of Police, Director of Information Security Center, as well as the Deputy Dean of St. Martin Hospital responsible for medical matters, and Mu, the acting head of the St. Martin Research Center involved in the stolen drugs case.

“Give us a briefing,” Hobart said sternly in the meeting room, tapping the table with his fingers. “Reminder, the President will be listening in real-time to this meeting through the Iron Wing. Please, keep it brief and concise, don’t waste his time.”

Iron Wing was located in the heart of the military and political center of Planet Dunkirk, a giant building shaped like the outspread wings of an eagle, also the federal military’s highest command center. Although the President was the supreme commander of the federal military, he usually worked from the official residence. His presence at Iron Wing indicated that the military alert level for this incident was quite high.

The attendees, upon hearing that the President was listening in, couldn’t help but become more serious. The Chief of Police cleared his throat and said, “I’ll give a brief report.” He briefly recounted the casualties, damage, and progress of the investigation into the cause of the incident, then concluded, “We have conducted DNA matching on the seven suspects discovered by Jin Xuan of Aston University, confirming that they are all retired federal military personnel, including one from the Navy, two from the Army, and four from the Voyager Army. In the past decade, four of them have been involved in terrorist incidents, are on the federal wanted list, and one person was imprisoned for manslaughter for eight years, only released three years ago.”

Hobart furrowed his brow, tapped the table, and looked at the Director of Transportation. “Do you have any explanations?”

The Director of Transportation was sweating profusely. “Under normal circumstances, wanted criminals would never pass through port security, let alone at the shuttle ferry station. Even released prisoners would be flagged in the risk assessment. But on the day of the incident, our ticketing system was hacked, and the database had problems, so their false identities weren’t detected.”

This time Hobart remained silent, only shifting his gaze to the Director of the Information Center. The Director’s face was pale as he said, “The intrusion by the hacker was our negligence. Our technicians are currently analyzing the data in hopes of tracing the location of the hacker, but it will take time.”

“Can we confirm that the hacker and the mercenaries are working together?”

“Yes.”

Hobart frowned in thought. After a moment, he looked at the Dean of St. Martin Hospital. “How is the captured mercenary doing?”

“He’s still in critical condition,” the Dean said. “He suffered severe injuries to his chest and skull, and the delay during surgery caused inflammation in his organs. Our doctors have taken remedial measures, and if there are no complications in the next forty-eight hours, he should regain consciousness in two weeks.”

The only survivor is almost as good as dead… Hobart’s expression was somewhat grim. After a pause, he said, “Have you checked the backgrounds of these seven individuals? Did they have any misconduct during their service, any dissatisfaction with their superiors, or with the Federation?”

“They all had some minor infractions, but nothing significant,” the Chief of Police said. “We can rule out autonomous criminal activities or societal retaliation. They must have been instructed by someone. We have submitted requests to the Navy, Army, and the Voyager Army for assistance in investigating the detailed information of these seven individuals. We should be able to trace their relatives, friends, and recent contacts within a few days.”

“I will contact the military later and ask them to cooperate as soon as possible,” Hobart said, then turned to the Dean of St. Martin Hospital. “Were the four hostages they took all interns from your hospital?”

“No, they were first-year students at Aston University Medical School,” the Dean gestured to Mu beside him. “They are Dean Mu’s students.”

“Yes, three of them only suffered minor injuries and have been safely rescued. It was their distress call that prompted us and the police to arrive at the scene in time,” Mu said. “One of them was severely injured, lost a lot of blood, and is still unconscious. I don’t think he’s fit to give a statement in the short term.”

Hobart nodded and projected two images onto the desk. “These are the thermal insulation boxes found at the scene, which were also the mercenaries’ target. I want to know, what exactly was inside those boxes?” He looked at Mu. “The boxes bear the emblem of the St. Martin Research Center. You are designated by Ms. Sienna as her agent. I hope you won’t withhold any information from the police.” 

Before the meeting, he had received an email from the Chief of Police stating that the St. Martin Research Center refused to disclose the purpose of the drugs to the police, citing “commercial confidentiality.”

Mu nodded and said, “Yes, I am a visiting scientist at the St. Martin Research Center, acting as Ms. Sienna’s proxy due to her health issues. Inside the boxes is a new type of vaccine. Three months ago, there was an outbreak of a contagious skin disease on a planet in the Lyra Constellation, and one-fifth of the employees of a local mining company were infected. They suffered greatly, so the company commissioned our center to develop a vaccine for them. This is the first batch of trial versions. Due to commercial confidentiality, we cannot disclose the specific ingredients of the drug, I apologize.”

“We are in contact with the mining company in the Lyra Constellation, asking them to waive the commercial confidentiality agreement,” the Chief of Police interjected.

Hobart ignored him and fixed his deep gaze on Mu’s eyes, as if trying to see through him. “Dean Mu, are you saying that a top-tier mercenary group destroyed nearly one-fifth of a Spaceport just for this vaccine for the skin disease on a planet in the Lyra Constellation?”

Mu nodded calmly and said, “I don’t know the mercenaries’ intentions, but that’s the situation with the vaccine.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Hobart said. “Can I suspect that the St. Martin Research Center is hiding something from the government?”

“No,” Mu denied flatly. “All our research projects are registered with the government, and every funding and expenditure is reported to the Federal Revenue Bureau. If Secretary of State has any doubts, feel free to investigate.”

“I heard you were also at the scene,” Hobart asked. “The police said the boxes at the scene were open, and all the drugs inside had evaporated, but the password lock was not damaged. Do you have any explanation for this?”

Mu remained expressionless. “This type of vaccine quickly deteriorates and evaporates at room temperature; otherwise, there would be no need for thermal insulation boxes for storage. As for why the boxes were opened, I think that’s the responsibility of the police.”

“Alright,” Hobart didn’t pursue further. He roughly organized the briefing and data, and said, “So can we preliminarily conclude that this incident was not an accidental delay in the landing system, but an organized and premeditated terrorist attack, and the mercenaries’ ultimate goal was a batch of new vaccines for the skin disease in the Lyra Constellation?”

Silence. Hobart scanned the room, and finally, the Chief of Police nodded and said, “Based on the current intelligence we have, that’s the only conclusion we can draw.”

The Director of the Information Center said, “We are still analyzing the data, and we believe we will trace the hacker’s traces within one or two days, and we should get new evidence by then.”

The Dean of St. Martin Hospital said, “We will closely monitor the condition of the suspects and strive to have him awakened as soon as possible.”

Hobart nodded, “Alright, let’s end the meeting here. Thank you for your hard work.”

Everyone stood up and left, Hobart closed the door of the meeting room, and opened his personal terminal. Jin Zhe’s three-dimensional projection appeared beside him.

The President was in his office at the “Iron Wing,” with a high-precision star map behind him. He looked serious and said, “The latest report from the NTU has been sent to you. Take three minutes to read it, and then we’ll talk.”

NTU stands for “Naval Tactical Unit,” originally under the Navy’s jurisdiction, but later transferred to the Voyager Army when the Navy’s forces expanded to interstellar operations. Thirteen years ago, when the former President took office, the NTU was officially detached from the Voyager Army and placed directly under the President’s command. Since then, it gradually evolved into a complex military system combining internal investigations, counter-espionage, counter-terrorism, and other functions, like a sharp, concealed sword that followed closely behind the highest leaders of the Federation. Because both the former and current presidents had served in the NTU, it was considered the cradle of the Federation’s presidents.

After three minutes, Hobart returned to the call, “The Free Guide organization has been a real entity for two hundred years, there is no doubt about that, but whether the St. Martin Research Center is related to it, I think it remains to be seen.”

“If it’s just for a vaccine for a skin disease, a mercenary group wouldn’t directly attack a medium-sized civilian port. The St. Martin Research Center must be hiding something. NTU noticed them ten years ago, and reaching such a conclusion is definitely not groundless,” Jin Zhe said.

“Mu is just a visiting scientist; I think pressure should be applied to Sienna in this matter. This woman is not easy to deal with. Her reputation is too high, her students and patients are spread across all levels of the Federation, and she even has supporters in Congress. She has been proposing the ‘Abolition of Guide Protection Act’ to Congress for twenty consecutive years. Pressuring her will be a very difficult task,” Hobart said.

“I’ll handle this matter; we can also consider it from another angle,” Jin Zhe said seriously. “With eight hundred casualties, such a major event has never occurred in the capital in over a hundred years. This is tantamount to opposing the Federation government. What kind of backing could plan such a large-scale terrorist attack?”

Hobart frowned in silence for a moment before saying in a deep voice, “Yes, the mercenaries and hackers are just the tip of the iceberg. I think we should sort out all the opposing forces in the galaxy. Based on the currently known terrorist organizations, there aren’t many capable of such large-scale operations.”

“We can broaden our thinking a bit more,” Jin Zhe said grimly. “It’s not just opposing forces; there are also internal dissenters, as well as our ambitious subordinates…”

“Are you saying, the opposition party and the Voyager Army?” Hobart felt a headache coming on, rubbing his temples with his thumb. “Well, things are getting more and more complicated.”

“So, there are several things we must clarify, no matter the cost,” Jin Zhe said. “The purpose of the drugs and the true buyer, the mercenaries’ contacts, the hacker’s whereabouts. And the St. Martin Research Center’s clandestine transactions…”

“Everything else may be manageable, but we cannot force a prestigious non-profit peace organization like the St. Martin Research Center to submit to the government. We are a democratic federation, Jin Zhe, freedom, democracy, and human rights are the cornerstones of our regime,” Hobart reminded. “It’s different from the military.”

“Yeah, freedom, democracy, and human rights. As the president, I must defend the freedoms, democracy, and human rights of citizens.” Jin Zhe rolled his eyes. “So for that, I must make some people very unfree, undemocratic, and deprived of their human rights!”

Hobart also began rolling his eyes. “Mr. President, please watch your language. If someone hears those words, forget about re-election.”

“If someone finds out I said these things, you can commit seppuku,” Jin Zhe retorted.

Hobart sighed. “Jin Zhe, our government has been weakened for over thirty years. You’ve only just come to power; it’s not advisable to be excessively hardline.”

“I’ll exercise restraint, but I can’t tolerate people riding roughshod over the government, disregarding the safety of citizens! And those damn peace organizations, like the St. Martin Research Center, they’re all just afraid of losing their influence!” Jin Zhe slammed the table, paused, then chuckled. “And I really don’t want to see Jin Xuan, that bastard, mocking my weakness at the door of my official residence with his damn performance art.”

“He’s retired now,” Hobart chuckled too. “In the past half year, he’s been a completely different person, a model citizen and all. It’s so surreal; I still can’t get used to seeing him dressed normally. It’s terrifying!”

“Yeah, it gives me the creeps too,” Jin Zhe said. “Speaking of which, where is he? Why didn’t he attend the meeting?”

“His boyfriend has been in a coma for several hours; he’s been by his bedside the whole time.”

“Does he still have any sense of priority and urgency?” Jin Zhe snapped. “He’s not a doctor; what can he do by staying there?”

“That’s love for you, Jin Zhe. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Damn it, you didn’t even stay by your wife’s side when she was giving birth. Does he have to be the only romantic one?”

“…If it weren’t for you, how could I have missed my son’s birth? You old pervert!” Hobart’s temples throbbed with anger. “For this, I’ve been scolded by my wife for over ten years. My marital bliss was ruined by your damn bachelor antics!”

“You don’t have any marital bliss! Your marital bliss was already eaten by dogs when you were squatting outside the girls’ dormitory playing guitar night after night!”

“…Someday you’ll get your comeuppance, you heartless, shameless, troublemaking old bachelor!” Hobart said. “I’m done talking to you; I need to go see Jin Xuan and his boyfriend.”

“Open your eyes wide and take a good look,” Jin Zhe reminded. “I think Jin Xuan might know something; otherwise, he wouldn’t have suddenly taken out six mercenaries. He’s not that reckless. His actions seem less like a rescue and more like silencing witnesses.”

“You even suspect your own younger brother. I truly pity you,” Hobart made a thumbs-down gesture in a sign of contempt. “Though I must admit, you might be right.”

“Hey, you’ve always been my yes-man, don’t try to hide your lack of backbone now.”

“Can I swear now?”

“Deduct your bonus, deduct your campaign sponsorship,” Jin Zhe said before abruptly ending the call. “And I won’t wait to hear more from you. Goodbye.”

Hobart was accustomed to the shamelessness of the President and, after all the bickering, his blood pressure remained surprisingly normal. In fact, he felt a bit more relaxed than when the meeting had just ended. He closed his personal terminal and headed towards the temporary medical center at Pier 4.

Inside a single-person ward enclosed with soundproofing materials, Jin Xuan sat by the bedside of the unconscious Wu Chenghe. Although Jin Xuan had suffered only minor leg injuries that didn’t affect his nerves or blood vessels, Wu Chenghe’s cognitive trauma was severe. Even with the potent medicine provided by Mu, his thoughts remained confused and chaotic.

The door was lightly knocked, but before Jin Xuan could respond, Mu entered the room. Seeing the sentinel and the lion sitting obediently, Mu’s expression softened slightly. “You can rest for an hour or two; he won’t wake up for the time being.”

“I’m not tired,” Jin Xuan replied, making space for Mu at the bedside. “He doesn’t seem to be improving.”

“He’s in his teenage years; recovery will be slow,” Mu explained. “But Icarus butterfly guides have remarkable self-healing abilities. Trauma can stimulate brain development, making them stronger. As long as he gets through this, his consciousness will greatly improve in adulthood.”

Jin Xuan recalled Wu Chenghe mentioning that he felt stronger after his cognitive trauma healed on the asteroid. It wasn’t just his imagination.

“Will he make it through?” Despite this, Jin Xuan still felt worried.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Mu glanced at him, frowning.

Jin Xuan, who had always been fearless, inexplicably held a natural reverence for Mu. He awkwardly said, “I’m just concerned.”

Mu took out a transparent vial from his medical kit and loaded it into a syringe, injecting Wu Chenghe’s jugular vein. “Inject once every four hours; after six times, he should wake up. Don’t worry.” After a pause, Mu suddenly asked, “How did you find him?”

Jin Xuan thought for a moment. “He was in estrus, and I happened to be nearby. We’re one hundred percent compatible.”

Mu looked at him in astonishment. “You didn’t mark him?”

“I’m not a beast,” Jin Xuan said seriously. “I’m human, and I can control myself.”

Mu was impressed by Jin Xuan’s character. A Barbary lion sentinel who could control himself during estrus when not with a perfectly compatible guide was either a genetic mutation or a true romantic. Was his quantum beast not a Barbary lion but a ninja turtle?

“To be honest, did you stay at Aston University just to watch over him?” Mu asked. “I heard you were originally planning to enlist, and your supervisor seemed to want to recommend you for NTU, which happens to be your brother’s territory.”

“Yes,” Jin Xuan felt it necessary to improve his standing in Mu’s eyes. “He was sent to Aston University as a sponsored student, a result of our joint efforts.”

“I see. No wonder…” Mu’s impression of him seemed to improve significantly, and a faint smile, almost imperceptible, appeared at the corner of his mouth. “I guess Commander Hannibal must be furious about this?”

“…A bit.” Jin Xuan didn’t understand why Mu asked this, but he nodded nonetheless.

“I can understand why he’s so supportive of you,” Mu said thoughtfully, glancing at Wu Chenghe and then back at Jin Xuan. “But it still makes it hard for me to accept.”

Jin Xuan couldn’t help but feel like he was facing not Wu Chenghe’s Dean, but his own mother-in-law. Why would there be anything unacceptable about us being in a relationship? Jin Xuan couldn’t help but think of Jin Zhe again. It seemed that fifty-year-old old bachelors were all twisted in their thinking.

The door was knocked once more, and this time, Mr. Hobart entered the room. He saw Mu inside and elegantly nodded his head. “Hello, Dean. Thank you for your timely assistance, which ensured Mr. Wu’s safe escape. The President is very grateful.”

Mu squinted his eyes. “He is my student; it’s what I should do,” he said, glancing at Jin Xuan questioningly. 

Jin Xuan explained, “Wu Chenghe once saved my life on Gabriel, and my brother is very grateful and… fond of him.”

“I’ve heard about that,” Mu’s expression remained somewhat displeased. From Hobart’s tone, it seemed the President’s concern for Wu Chenghe wasn’t just because he saved Jin Xuan but… damn it! How come he only just found out that Wu Chenghe had a boyfriend!

“It’s truly unfortunate to be caught up in such matters,” Hobart said, approaching the bed and looking at the unconscious Wu Chenghe with a pained expression. “This boy is just too kind. He was captured by mercenaries for surgery and still managed to save Balon and Lancer. Secretary of Defense and General Lancer are particularly grateful to him. They wanted to visit him but were stopped by the President, who insisted he rest and recuperate.”

Mu had no goodwill towards anyone involved with the military or politics. He replied coldly, “He doesn’t need their thanks. All Defense Secretary and General Lancer need to do is take care of their own children.”

“Oh,” Hobart noticed that Mu’s concern for Wu Chenghe far exceeded what was typical for a Dean towards a student, which struck him as odd. “Dean, you seem to care a lot for Mr. Wu.”

“It’s thanks to Mr. Balon and Miss Lancer,” Mu replied icily.

Hobart recalled the complaint incident and the special dinner arranged by the President for Wu Chenghe and the Defense Secretary. Understanding dawned on him. “Well then, I won’t disturb you any longer. When Mr. Wu is transferred to the ground hospital, the President will personally come to visit him.”

No one dared to contradict the President’s wishes, so Mu had to acquiesce silently.

 

 

 

 

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