Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Their entry into the parliament went smoothly.

They had gone through great lengths to invite certain individuals; to set up some petty tests of humility and send them packing would be sheer folly.

Shortly after Lin Fu announced his intention to visit the parliament himself, the royal news was delivered into the hands of all the members.

Having waited in the council chamber for an incessant amount of time, they not only sneered upon hearing the news but were also seething with anger.

So, Lin Fu not only stood them up but also used them as pawns to irritate the royal family.

Quite the double coup!

The president of the council, with his wrinkled face and drooping eyelids, appeared utterly exhausted and dispirited. "A clever man indeed... In the end, it seems the royal family will have to grovel and apologize to him. His ascension to general and appointment as commander of the Fourth Army—this move by the royals is now moot."

With Lin Fu's maneuver, whether it be the conferment of a military honor or the command of the Fourth Army, the royal family can no longer obstruct him.

If the royal family dares to interfere, Lin Fu is equally prepared to manipulate the situation involving the crown prince and make the royals shed a layer of skin.

Clutching his scepter, a flicker of regret passed through his eyes. "He might have known about this all along, simply biding his time and not making a move, only to bring it up today. He truly has the patience of a saint; it seems we have underestimated him."

"Had I known this would happen, I would never have agreed to Cheng Jiu's request to let him participate in that Wild Star competition. I should have confined him early on!"

The council members below couldn't help but frown at this.

Someone asked, "My lord, is the situation truly that dire? He's just a young lad in his twenties, and a guide at that. The extent of his role in the Fourth Army's recapture of the S-class planets is still debatable. What if he doesn't actually possess such capabilities and is merely a figurehead put forth by the Fourth Army…"

"Then you should consider who is the real power behind him, controlling the Fourth Army!"

……

The meeting room fell into silence.

The guard announced, "Colonel Lin of the Fourth Army has arrived!"

A figure approached the meeting room against the light, his facial features revealing themselves in the grand luminance.

It was a face handsome and delicate, a typical guide's visage that one could recognize at a glance.

Set in such a face were a pair of deep, dark eyes, exceptionally serene, inscrutable at first glance.

His lips were curved in a faint arc, as if smiling, but upon closer inspection, it seemed devoid of any expression.

The corners of his eyes were slightly drawn in, concealing a chilling, bloody scent.

His figure was not particularly robust, yet everyone in the meeting room thought of the combat videos that had been circulated endlessly on the star network.

It was this very guide, with his fair appearance and slender build, who had carved a sea of thick green blood.

The president of the council was the first to regain his senses. His murky eyes moved, and his hoarse, aged voice spoke, "Colonel Lin, we've been expecting you."

Lin Fu removed his hat, nodding slightly with complete decorum, "It's been a long time, Mr. President, and everyone present. I intended to join you as soon as I arrived on the imperial star, but unfortunately, there was a mishap with the staff below the parliament, which is truly regrettable."

He deftly shifted the blame onto the council. The president's wrinkled face seemed to crease further as he chuckled softly, "Please, take a seat."

Lin Fu looked at the chair brought by the attendant without any pretense. He stepped forward, sat down, and maintained a straight posture.

"The purpose of my visit to the parliament today is already known to all the lords present. The data has been transmitted from the Fourth Army. If there are any doubts, feel free to inquire."

This phase was also known as the parliamentary review.

The promotion to a general's rank requires the joint approval of the royal family and the parliament. After the military provides the documentation and a statement of intent, the promotee must undergo scrutiny and questioning by both the parliament and the royal family. Finally, an internal vote decides whether to approve the military's request.

Lin Fu's process involved an additional step.

After being promoted to a general's rank, one also needed to secure command authority over the Fourth Army.

...If the previous commander were alive, the transfer of command authority would be minimally influenced by the parliament.

However, the former commander of the Fourth Army, Dempsey Ped, was well known to have been deceased for many years, and the command authority of the Fourth Army had long been preserved by the parliament.

Lin Fu waited quietly for the parliament to speak.

The Fourth Army could operate many matters from within, but the smoothness of the process was still a significant challenge.

The parliament was evidently well aware of what they held in their hands.

One of them said with a relaxed demeanor, "There's no rush. Speaking of which, the last time we met Colonel Lin Fu was three years ago. Back then, Colonel Lin was still a military academy student."

"Indeed... But even at that age, Colonel Lin had already made the acquaintance of General Cheng and even had General Cheng personally come to the parliament to vouch for you. Truly, those who are exceptional continue to be so; it's quite enviable."

"Being promoted to colonel in three years, that's a pace not even General Cheng could match back in the day, right? Colonel Lin, as a guide, you are truly unprecedented and possibly unrivaled. Do you have any secrets you could share so we all might learn?"

A soft scoff echoed through the room.

Lin Fu curved his lips slightly: "It's not impossible. Actually, it's not that difficult; one only needs a faster blade. If you're interested, I could teach you."

He added softly, "Guaranteed learning."

The scoffing gradually ceased, and the inquirer's face turned pale, seemingly realizing something.

No one else spoke up, so he asked, "Aside from this, are there any other questions?"

The president of the council looked at him and suddenly felt he was an even more troublesome individual than Cheng Jiu.

That mouth of his seemed to be thorned, capable of drawing blood from anyone who displeased him at any moment.

Mocking him would not be a wise choice.

The president tapped the table, offering the others a way out: "Alright, let's keep the jokes within bounds. This is the council chamber, and we are in a parliamentary review. If there are any questions, start asking. Colonel Lin, remember not to beat around the bush in your answers. Every word you say will be recorded on the star net terminal."

Lin Fu replied, "Naturally."

"Very well. Then let me pose the first question. Why did Colonel Lin upload the Fourth Legion's video of reclaiming the S-class planet to StarNet? Such videos, involving S-class planets, should be classified as confidential and not uploaded without authorization. Or is it that the video is actually fabricated?"

The questioner scrutinized Lin Fu’s facial expressions, especially his eyes, hoping to detect a slip.

However, those pitch-black eyes were like silent black holes hidden in the depths of the universe, revealing nothing, silently swallowing everything instead.

Lin Fu replied unhurriedly, "The video is genuine. The regulation designating S-class planet combat videos as confidential dates back to the year 6342 in the Interstellar Era, intended to study the environment of S-class planets and to prevent public unrest or curiosity from leaks. This rule was repealed in 6973 after the Fourth Army conquered numerous S-class planets and acquired extensive research data."

"Although there's still a rule against dissemination, the fragmented combat videos we released don't breach the standard of revealing too much about the conditions of S-class planets, as long as they don’t disclose extensive details."

"Moreover, our purpose in uploading limited combat footage for propaganda is to attract quality recruits, enabling our forces to swiftly conquer more S-class planets and reclaim the territories of the Empire. This intention, by all accounts, does not fall within the category of 'arbitrary.'"

The questioner was left speechless.

Lin Fu’s series of explanations not only stymied further questioning but also elevated the action to a matter of imperial territorial integrity.

How could anyone pose other questions now?

Quietly, many attendees deleted their prepared questions, their brows furrowed as they pondered whether they could devise new queries to challenge him.

After all, their questions were meticulously selected over several days, based on gathered data and information.

Lin Fu, who could adeptly deflect carefully posed questions, naturally had no problem sealing any improvised inquiries without a hint of leakage.

"Next question. Your record with the Fourth Army indicates a gap of half a month following your departure from the Imperial Capital Star to the Fourth Army's headquarters. What were you doing during this time? Similar gaps appear after you left the first training planet, and before your deployment to the S-class planet."

"On the S-class planet itself, there are also several discrepancies in the timeline. What were you doing during those periods?"

Everyone around the conference table watched Lin Fu intently.

They were well aware of the events that transpired during the first gap.

But they were eager to learn more about the circumstances, to determine who should be held accountable for the lost starship, and what role Lin Fu had played.

It was unlikely that Lin Fu would reveal everything, but they were confident that even a word from him would help them identify inconsistencies and deduce the true situation.

Lin Fu clasped his hands together, resting them on his knees.

The ring on his little finger pressed against his kneecap.

"The first gap in the records occurred when we were attacked by an unidentified starship en route to the Fourth Army's base star. The welcoming warship was severely damaged, its communication systems utterly destroyed. The propulsion system was also completely obliterated, causing us to drift through space for a time. It took the Fourth Army a while to find us... Of course, I was injured in the incident, quite seriously, necessitating an extended period of recuperation, during which I took no part in any activities."

"As for the rest, the signaling equipment on the S-class star had been destroyed when the insect race reclaimed it, so we had to rely on the mechs' built-in equipment for recording, which is naturally prone to some errors. The gap in the records after leaving the first planet was due to a particle storm."

The questioning legislator, almost unable to contain his impatience, pressed on: "You said you were attacked by an unidentified starship? The welcoming warship sustained such severe damage that it ended up drifting in space. Then how were you able to destroy the enemy ship?"

"As everyone knows, seventy percent of that warship's crew were recruits... and not everyone graduates from the military academy with the skills of Colonel Lin. Destroying the enemy was no easy feat, was it? And what about the crew of the enemy starship? Surely you didn't leave any survivors?"

The corners of Lin Fu's mouth suddenly turned up in a pronounced curve, his dark, shining eyes narrowing slightly, his pleasure undisguised and spilling forth: "I never mentioned the size of the enemy starship... How do you know it was so difficult to destroy them? Couldn't it be a Pyrrhic victory?"

"As for survivors... of course, there were some."

The council chamber fell into a silence as deep as death.

Every word he spoke fell like a hammer blow to the heart.

This question... it seemed as though the tables had been turned on the asker.