ABST Chapter 19

A hundred miles from the chaotic magnetic zone.

 

The First Army’s warships lined up solemnly.

 

As soon as Elansno left the chaotic magnetic zone and his light brain’s signal recovered, he contacted the base for support. In just fifteen minutes, the support warships arrived.

 

Soldiers who were still alive emerged from the chaotic magnetic zone one after another. Since all the munitions were with Elansno, those armored vehicles loaded with inferior munitions had no need for protection and were all detonated and abandoned.

 

Injured soldiers were all arranged on specialized medical warships for treatment. Everything proceeded methodically and orderly.

 

But one person still hadn’t come out.

 

Kane carefully glanced at Elansno’s tense jawline, saying quietly: “…We’ve already sent people to search for Adjutant Kang Quan. There should be news soon.”

 

Elansno closed his eyes without speaking. The longer time passed, the lower the atmospheric pressure around him became.

 

“Would you like to eat something first? Excessive mental power consumption—the body can’t take it either,” Kane advised.

 

Without Adjutant Kang Quan present, he was the person in the entire First Army who’d spent the longest time by the Admiral’s side. Besides him, no one else dared to come advise at this time.

 

Though the Admiral had no major wounds when he emerged from the chaotic magnetic zone, there were still some abrasions from explosion blasts. But consuming too much mental power yet forcibly holding on without rest… Kane worried a bit. Stomach problems sometimes were also linked to emotions and mental states.

 

The clothes on Elansno’s body hadn’t been changed yet, still carrying the murderous aura and bloody smell from the chaotic magnetic zone. His fingers in black leather gloves rested on the chair armrest, tapping rhythmically now and then.

 

He didn’t speak. Kane didn’t dare make another sound to advise.

 

Time passed second by second. Kane felt the surrounding air had congealed to the extreme, pressing so he couldn’t breathe, complaining bitterly in his heart.

 

Suddenly, a commotion came from outside the warship.

 

Soon a soldier hurried in, reporting: “Admiral! Adjutant Kang Quan has been found! He was besieged by wall-spine ants and nearly lost his life. He’s been rescued now and is currently receiving emergency treatment!”

 

Elansno’s eyes snapped open. He stood up: “Where is he?”

 

Soldier: “The medical vessel nearby.”

 

Elansno’s eyes darkened, saying decisively: “Take me there.”

 

“Kane, you come too.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Upon entering the medical warship, the pervasive smell of blood hit them head-on. Most soldiers had light injuries. Those seriously injured were all sent into medical pods.

 

Kang Quan’s medical pod had just closed. His body was immersed in repair fluid, covered with thin tubes. Blood seeped into the repair fluid in threads. Eyes tightly closed, life or death unknown.

 

Elansno only glanced once before frowning: “What’s the situation?”

 

The physician in charge hurried to say: “We haven’t finished examination yet, but most are external injuries. Several places injured the bone—after resting for a while, he’ll be fine. The tricky part is trace wall-spine ant toxins on the Adjutant’s body. They still need to be slowly extracted.”

 

Elansno: “How long will it take?”

 

Physician: “Normally speaking, for complete recovery, one month should be sufficient. However, based on the Adjutant’s constitution, probably…”

 

“—I’m asking how long until he wakes up.”

 

Those cold, violent purple eyes looked over. The physician instinctively shuddered, chilled throughout. After a long while, he stammered: “Only… only about three hours or so.”

 

“Very good,” Elansno turned. “Return to base now. When he wakes, immediately lock him in the interrogation room. I’ll come personally.”

 

What?! Interrogation room?!

 

Dr. Kane’s eyelid jumped violently.

 

These words were undoubtedly a thunderbolt from clear sky, catching everyone off guard.

 

No one could associate Adjutant Kang Quan with the three words “interrogation room”—even if associated, it would be as a cold executioner image.

 

But right now Adjutant Kang Quan was seriously injured, yet the Admiral showed no consideration for the years of companionship the adjutant had spent by his side. As soon as he woke, he’d be locked in the interrogation room. The implication in those words clearly suggested the possibility of punishment.

 

…Had some major incident occurred?

 

Dr. Kane frowned, glancing at the still-unconscious adjutant.

 

——

 

First Army base.

 

Elansno only had time to change into clean clothes before starting to handle problems reported by various districts during his absence.

 

After hearing he’d returned, Wright from the Second Army soon called through communications.

 

He still had that gentle, upright appearance. “Admiral Elansno, I heard you personally escorted this batch of new munitions. Presumably they’ve all safely arrived at the First Army.”

 

Elansno had originally been leaning slightly in his chair. Hearing this, his body leaned slightly forward, invisibly giving a faint sense of oppression. “What do you want?”

 

Wright shrugged: “What can I do? Communicating with you at this time is just to have you quickly send over our Second Army’s share. The battle situation is urgent—time is life.”

 

“Your share.”

 

Elansno laughed: “Wright, you really play a fine hand. The munitions—escorted by our First Army. The soldiers—those who died were also First Army people. Your Second Army contributed neither people nor effort, yet wants to reap without sowing. Where in the world is there such a cheap deal?”

 

“Two-fifths of the munitions go to us. This is His Majesty’s order,” Wright’s tone grew heavy. “Don’t tell me you want to swallow it all yourself? Aren’t you afraid of bursting your belly?!”

 

Elansno: “Where did I swallow it all? It’s just that those four-tenths of munitions, during transport to the Second Army, were inadvertently lost—”

 

“What does it have to do with me? It’s the Second Army’s poor supervision. Guess—does His Majesty believe you or me?”

 

Bandit logic!

 

Wright’s face nearly couldn’t hold its expression: “Elansno!”

 

“Enough,” Elansno said impatiently, extending his hand. “Twenty percent. I’ll give you twenty percent. That’s final. Ask for any more and you get nothing.”

 

Wright’s face showed shifting expressions for a good while. Finally he snorted coldly and disconnected the communication. His virtual image instantly disappeared.

 

The office returned to quiet.

 

After a long while.

 

Elansno closed his eyes.

 

The only remaining two spatial rings he placed on the desk. After a moment, he put away one of them, then pressed the bell at his side.

 

Soon a guard came in from outside. “Admiral.”

 

Elansno erased the mental power left on the ring, pushing it forward with two fingers, saying casually: “…Send this to the Second Army. Tell Wright what he wants is inside. If he has the guts, let him take it out himself.”

 

The guard stepped forward to receive it and put it away.

 

Elansno reminded: “There are munitions inside. Be careful when sending it over, so it doesn’t explode.”

 

“…!”

 

The guard’s serious expression nearly cracked. The ring in his hand—he didn’t know whether to hold it or not. Finally, covered in cold sweat: “Yes!”

 

He swore that once he got out, he’d lock this thing up with three layers of protection inside and out.

 

After securing the ring, the guard hadn’t left yet. Elansno looked up: “Something else?”

 

The guard hesitated: “Adjutant Kang Quan has woken up. He was just locked in the interrogation room.”

 

Half a beat slow, Elansno said: “I understand. After he woke up, did he say anything?”

 

The guard thought carefully. “No, he said nothing.”

 

Indeed, he said nothing. After Adjutant Kang Quan woke, he was dazed for a few minutes, face utterly bloodless. When he heard he was about to be locked in the interrogation room, he also had no words of defense or questioning.

 

“…Go. Notify Kane to wait for me outside the interrogation room.” Elansno waved his hand.

 

Guard: “Yes.”

 

The unprocessed military affairs couldn’t be read either. Elansno sat in his seat for a while, grabbed the coat beside him and draped it over his shoulders, then left.

 

——

 

Interrogation room.

 

This place had once held countless hardened prisoners. Piercing wails seemed to have long seeped into every crack. Even with frequent cleaning and ventilation, there was still an inescapable chill.

 

Pale, glaring lights poured down from overhead, so harsh people couldn’t open their eyes.

 

Kang Quan was bound to the torture chair.

 

Because the Admiral’s order was to bring him to the interrogation room as soon as he woke, no one dared give him medicine—just simply changed his clothes.

 

After soaking three hours in the medical pod, then being tossed about like this, wounds that had just begun to heal burst open again. The floor was covered in blood—quite a shocking sight.

 

The interrogation room door opened and closed. Two people entered.

 

Elansno held a punishment whip in his hand, stopping before Kang Quan.

 

Cold white light shone on the pitch-black, icy military boots, reflecting an emotionless glint. Kang Quan’s lashes trembled. Following those boots upward, looking into Elansno’s eyes, he forced a smile: “…Admiral.”

 

His gaze shifted slightly, landing on Dr. Kane covered in cold sweat: “Kane, you’re here too.”

 

Kane produced a smile uglier than crying.

 

Who could tell him what on earth had happened?! He was just an innocent doctor—didn’t want to get involved in these matters!

 

Elansno stepped forward, military boots treading into that pool of blood, making sticky sounds.

 

He bent his leg, stepping on the side of the torture chair. His right hand in black leather gloves gripped the chain fastened around Kang Quan’s neck, wrapping it around his wrist once, then violently yanking forward.

 

*Clank!* The chain suddenly tightened, tiny barbs piercing into the neck.

 

Kang Quan’s breathing hitched. This force pulled him forward, forcing him to look up directly at the glaring overhead light. His eyes stung. Involuntary tears slid down the sides of his face. He coughed incessantly, muffled.

 

“Pathetic.”

 

Elansno coldly lowered his gaze. “Those two rings—both have my mental power inside. So what happened, when close enough, I could vaguely sense it. Kang Quan—”

 

He violently flung his hand. “You have tremendous gall!”

 

Kang Quan’s head jerked to the side. Suddenly understanding.

 

No wonder…

 

No wonder the Admiral didn’t ask anything, just locked him in the interrogation room. So there was no need to ask at all.

 

When he chose to throw those two rings away, he’d anticipated today.

 

He knew he’d wronged the Admiral. Sense of betrayal and the meager bottom line of morality in his heart fought desperately, nearly driving him mad.

 

Kang Quan never thought to hide this matter—just didn’t want to see the Admiral’s disappointed eyes. So he chose to fall into the surging wall-spine ant tide for a quick end, shouldering everything himself. That way no one would blame the Admiral.

 

He hadn’t expected to still be rescued by First Army people.

 

This was fine too. Even going through proper procedures, the one who lost the munitions was him, not the Admiral. The responsibility was his.

 

Nothing more than a different way to die.

 

Kang Quan said hoarsely: “I’m sorry.”

 

He couldn’t do it—knowing about that purge plan, yet still watch those experimental instruments be transported into the Federation, letting C9 sector become the next Ice-Cast City.

 

Call him despicable, selfish and incompetent, short-sighted—even if doing this only delayed things for a while, he was willing.

 

He clutched this secret, dared tell no one, not even his family, deeply afraid his words would be captured by StarNet, thereby implicating his entire family or the entire C9 sector.

 

But he didn’t regret it.

 

Elansno said flatly: “Reason.”

 

“Money? Status? Power? Or a beauty?” He asked slowly in a low voice. “Which could I not give you?”

 

Kang Quan’s lips moved but he didn’t answer.

 

So Elansno stepped back half a step, nodding as if understanding. His violet eyes darkened to near-black.

 

“Right. Betrayal is betrayal—already an established fact. No need to ask the reason.”

 

Releasing the chain, he looked at the continuously bleeding wounds on Kang Quan’s body. “Does it hurt?”

 

Kang Quan silently shook his head.

 

Elansno sighed: “Adjutant, you were the person I trusted most. I regarded you as half a brother and friend.”

 

So he would listen to Kang Quan’s words and eat properly, let him manage things. Even with much dissatisfaction in his heart, he understood the other was thinking of him—suppressing his temper, enduring it all.

 

Kang Quan’s whole body trembled. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes: “…Admiral, I’ve wronged you. Please attribute this matter entirely to me. I’ll bear it alone—it has nothing to do with you… Please, in consideration of my many years of companionship, take good care of my family…”

 

When military officers committed crimes, it didn’t implicate family—just that once word spread, life would inevitably be harder.

 

Elansno: “You can’t bear it.”

 

He personally loosened the torture chair restraints, yanking the chain. With a bang, Kang Quan crashed onto the icy floor, gasping with difficulty.

 

Blood splattered wildly all around. The pool of blood on the floor churned chaotically for a moment before settling again, reflecting Elansno’s expressionless face.

 

“For all these years of friendship, I won’t make things difficult for your family, nor will I hand you over to others. I’ll handle this privately and leave you some dignity.”

 

Mental power condensed into a golden blade light. Elansno looked down at the person prostrate miserably on the ground.

 

“I’ll personally see you off.”

 

**

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