Chapter 004 Just a Bit Older

Tu Yuan watched the holographic projection screen in front of him expressionlessly. On it, Ji Xinghe effortlessly performed a shoulder throw, the entire process clean and crisp. Even though Tu Yuan had seen many skilled martial artists, he couldn't help but admire silently: this old man still had some skills.

 

After all, he was 65 years old.

 

Yet Tu Yuan remained expressionless. After watching it several times, he shifted his gaze to another holographic projection screen, which clearly displayed all of Ji Xinghe's information. The key point that made him expressionless was that the data did not show that Ji Xinghe had any martial arts skills.

 

So he asked directly, "Why?"

 

The people from the detention center and the New Phoenix City Police Department were a bit puzzled, unsure of what the famous federal Major General was asking about.

 

Tu Yuan was well-known because he didn't become a federal Major General this year; he became one three years ago when he was only 37 years old, making him the youngest Major General in federal history.

 

People who didn't understand Tu Yuan didn't grasp the core of his question, but those around him immediately reacted and guessed, "Could it be that the rumors about him being skilled in Wing Chun are true, but he was never caught on surveillance during his learning and practice?"

 

Surveillance was everywhere, but it couldn't cover everything. If there was no surveillance footage, then it wouldn't be recorded in the big data. Without relevant learning and practice records, even the Federation's artificial intelligence programs wouldn't be able to discover Ji Xinghe's martial arts skills.

 

Tu Yuan frowned slightly. "You have martial arts skills, you're good at fighting, but from childhood to the age of 65, you've never had any conflicts with anyone. Why do you think that is?"

 

His staff officer replied uncertainly, "He has a good temper, never argues with people, never had the need for conflict."

 

"A good temper?" Tu Yuan's frown deepened, pointing to the continuously playing scene of Ji Xinghe throwing thirteen people, "Is this a good temper? With a good temper, can he steal a single-person starship? With a good temper, can he take kitchen knives from his kitchen and want to go to the frontline to hack the Imperial gorilla mechas?"

 

The staff officer's tone suddenly became more certain. "Yes, a good temper, but his only relative, Lieutenant Ji Chenxing, sacrificed his life. He's mourning the loss of his son, so his temper isn't good anymore."

 

Ji Chenxing was originally a Second Lieutenant, but after his sacrifice, he was posthumously promoted to First Lieutenant, which was not just an honorary title but represented actual benefits. Besides his own pension and retirement benefits, Ji Xinghe could also receive a higher standard of federal compensation, the kind that was given every year.

 

"You're wrong," Tu Yuan directly denied, but his denial was strange, "He doesn't have white hair."

 

Indeed, Ji Xinghe on the screen did not have white hair, and the people from the detention center and the officers handling the case could confirm this.

 

The staff officer asked puzzledly, "At 65 years old with no white hair, it means he takes good care of himself. He also has martial arts skills, so what's the problem?"

 

Tu Yuan pondered for a moment.

 

"Then why is he so sad and impulsive, unable to control his temper, but still doesn't have white hair?"

 

Overnight white hair?

 

Everyone present understood Tu Yuan's meaning, but they also found it somewhat inexplicable because cases of overnight white hair were extremely rare and seemed unrelated to the matter at hand.

 

However, no one questioned it, as they were facing the youngest Major General in the Federation, and "youngest" implied a promising future.

 

"Give me Ji Chenxing's information."

 

After saying this, it took three seconds for Tu Yuan to receive the tablet handed over by his staff officer. It had holographic projection capabilities but was not activated because Ji Chenxing's intelligence couldn't be seen by others present.

 

As he scrolled through the information, Tu Yuan suddenly paused.

 

"Suspected?"

 

"Yes, suspected," the staff officer, who had also seen all the information on Ji Chenxing, answered, "We're not sure about this yet, but we've sent someone to confirm. It's expected to take three days."

 

Suspected what?

 

The people around were curious. Could it be that Ji Chenxing didn't sacrifice himself?

 

But that was impossible. The federal military was always very rigorous about such matters; missing meant missing, sacrifice meant sacrifice.

 

Tu Yuan nodded and handed the tablet to his staff officer, then looked seriously at the police from New Phoenix City and the people from the detention center.

 

"I want to meet him. Is that okay?"

 

"Of course, no problem."

 

"We'll arrange it right away."

 

After ruling out the possibility of Ji Xinghe being an Imperial spy or terrorist, the circumstances of this case made the relevant police officers also feel a sense of regret. They had actually prepared to drop the charges.

 

But it wasn't enough for them to drop the charges; the prosecutor's office also needed to drop them for the court not to proceed with the trial.

 

Police, prosecution, and courts were important components of the federal political and legal system.

 

...

 

Ji Xinghe was brought out from his solitary cell. The detention center personnel, who already knew some details, kindly reminded him, "Major General Tu Yuan is here. Be careful and don't speak recklessly. Just be honest and let him help you, and you should be able to go back."

 

"Thank you."

 

After responding, Ji Xinghe remained silent, but his steps became firmer than before, although it had nothing to do with whether he could return.

 

When Ji Xinghe entered the interrogation room of the detention center, he saw Tu Yuan. Previously, Tu Yuan knew him but he didn't recognize Tu Yuan. Now, he felt that Tu Yuan should also recognize him.

 

"You don't need to."

 

Tu Yuan waved his hand, stopping the detention center personnel from handcuffing Ji Xinghe according to procedure, and signaled for Ji Xinghe to sit down.

 

Even when sitting down, the 1.9-meter-tall Ji Xinghe still gave Tu Yuan a tall and imposing feeling. Despite the wrinkles on his face, he looked vigorous, his eyes sharp as if he could strike at any moment.

 

This didn't match the state of mourning for his son or the demeanor of a criminal facing a general.

 

"You don't have to pretend. I won't let you join the military."

 

Tu Yuan cut straight to the point, exposing Ji Xinghe's disguise, and asked directly, "What's the deal with your martial arts skills?"

 

In just two sentences, Ji Xinghe's figure became hunched, his 1.9-meter height collapsing as if he had suddenly lost his spirit. His voice also became hoarse.

 

"Is it important?"

 

"Not important?"

 

"If you don't let me go to the frontline, nothing else matters."

 

"But you should know very well that going to the frontline is meaningless. Federal mechas are precious, and your physical condition can't fully utilize the mecha's capabilities. You'll only waste federal resources."

 

"I can man the artillery."

 

"If artillery fire could easily hit Imperial mechas and positions, why would we bother making mechas? That's an alien planet, not Earth. The methods of combat are completely different."

 

"I can pilot a single-person starship. I know some operations require someone to go die. I'm not afraid to die. Give me a single-person starship, and I'll crash wherever you want, as long as there are Imperial gorillas there."

 

Tu Yuan fell silent for a moment.

 

"It's meaningless because you still can't fully utilize the capabilities of a single-person starship. You'll be intercepted and shot down halfway."

 

"Give me a gun? I have money, I'll buy it from you. Let me go to the frontline."

 

Tu Yuan fell silent again, unsure if it was because of Ji Xinghe's words or because Ji Xinghe's voice was getting hoarser.

 

Ji Xinghe didn't want to stay silent; perhaps this was his last chance.

 

"I don't eat much. I can pay for myself. I don't need to stay in the barracks. I can live in a tent."

 

"My pension and retirement benefits can be bought out. I'll give them all to you. Let me go to the frontline."

 

"I don't want mechas or guns anymore. Give me any scrap metal you don't want, and I can build a mech that can adapt to alien environments. No, not a mech, it's an exosuit, a spacesuit."

 

"I won't waste the oxygen in the barracks or on the alien base. I can live outside."

 

"If all else fails, when you next use the jump gate to attack the Imperial planet, throw me over too, just give me two knives."

 

"The Eight-Slash Blade would be best. I know the Eight-Slash Blade, even though I don't have it, but I really know."

 

"General, I'm really good at fighting, truly good."

 

Ji Xinghe looked at Tu Yuan, who had remained silent all along, hesitated for a moment, and said, "With someone like you, I could take on ten."

 

Finally, Tu Yuan couldn't hold back anymore and exploded in anger, "I'm a civil Major General! What use do I have for you to fight a hundred? Huh? You're 65 years old, for God's sake! If you were twenty years younger, I'd let you go, but you're 65! Can't you just retire peacefully?"

 

Ji Xinghe fell silent, and after a while, he spoke again.

 

"No, because my son died."