Chapter 104 Polar Bear

Chapter 104: White Bear

Having dealt with Liang Jiaming, Huo Zeshen noticed Mu Zhang's probing gaze.

Huo Zeshen remained unruffled, straightening the collar that had been crumpled by Mu Zhang, and asked if he wanted to keep arguing. "We come from different backgrounds and ideologies. You look down on me, and I can't stand you. But I would never do anything to harm him. If you care about him, don't push him into the line of fire."

Mu Zhang took a deep breath, much calmer than before. It seemed he understood why Di Yanhe had placed her bets on Huo Zeshen.

"Huo Zeshen, don't pursue power by doing things you can't control. You won't be able to clean up the resulting mess."

Regarding the unmanned mech issue, Mu Zhang remained firm. He wouldn't gamble with the safety of so many people for an uncertain outcome.

Huo Zeshen, however, showed no sign of wavering. "History swings from one extreme to another. All these years, you've been seeking biological solutions but have repeatedly failed. The Liang family did the same, so they changed their approach. And now, this new direction is being widely discussed. Can you truly know if it's right or wrong?"

Mu Zhang's reply was resolute. "Once unmanned mechs are deployed, if their signals are hijacked, they become a knife pointed at the Federation! Not to mention the chaos they would unleash if they develop autonomous programs. Can you guarantee nothing will ever go wrong?! Everyone will suffer because of your decision, and he won't be spared either!"

"You delegate authority to others and hide behind them, afraid of criticism, sitting in the safest position while condemning others for their actions. Is it a fear of responsibility? Or some past trauma?"

Huo Zeshen's words weren't meant as mockery; he was even discussing it calmly with Mu Zhang. "The Federation is already in enough chaos. Are you doing this to make the Federation better, or to protect your own interests and stay comfortably above the fray?"

Mu Zhang frowned as Huo Zeshen continued, "If you're scared, just admit it. Don't use him as an excuse. You've exploited him enough over the years. I know you've been married for a long time and have deep feelings. You think you can't keep him without power, so you tirelessly scheme and eliminate rivals. I understand that. To you, Lin Juangui is just a trophy, a symbol of glory. You love yourself more than you love him."

Over the years, Huo Zeshen had witnessed everything Mu Zhang had done to Lin Juangui. Lin Juangui might have forgotten, but Huo Zeshen hadn't.

The pain Mu Zhang caused Lin Juangui, the constraints of marriage, and those ridiculous contracts were all meant to limit Lin Juangui's freedom. Even though Lin Juangui said it was the price he had to pay, Huo Zeshen still thought it wasn't worth it.

Huo Zeshen knew he could never form an alliance with Mu Zhang in this lifetime. Their views were diametrically opposed, destined to be on opposite sides, and a winner would emerge sooner or later.

Compared to Lin Juangui, they both had what they considered more pressing matters to attend to.

Lin Juangui was the pretext for their rivalry and the medium through which Huo Zeshen sought to prove his capabilities to Mu Zhang.

So, was Huo Zeshen any better than Mu Zhang? Mu Zhang sneered at the thought.

After Huo Zeshen left, Mu Zhang returned to the bar and drank glass after glass in morose silence.

No one would know how jealous Mu Zhang truly felt inside.

Lin Juangui was downright indulgent with that kid. Whatever Huo Zeshen wanted to do, Lin Juangui went along with it, never uttering a word of refusal.

Was that the advantage of youth? Lin Juangui would never treat Mu Zhang like that.

Mu Zhang knew he should be content. Hadn't Lin Juangui been good to him? When Lin Juangui was with him, wasn't his heart and eyes full of Mu Zhang?

But being with Huo Zeshen seemed so effortless, and even Lin Juangui's smiles seemed sweeter.

How could Mu Zhang not be jealous?

He was nearly driven mad with envy.

Age was an insurmountable chasm. Huo Zeshen could offer Lin Juangui many thrills he had never known before, things Mu Zhang could no longer provide.

He had already tasted those novelties with others. No matter how much he tried to imitate them, he could never recapture that initial state of mind.

Mu Zhang used to not believe in a so-called midlife crisis, but experiencing it firsthand made him understand what it meant to be willing but unable.

What else could Mu Zhang do? What more should he do?

After the last government meeting, Mu Zhang realized he had misjudged the situation and taken the wrong path.

According to his younger self's thinking, he should have continued strengthening Tian Guang, waited for the right moment, and then returned to the Federation to purge the military and government of their corrupt elements. He wouldn't have to suffer this humiliation.

But that idea was simply impossible to realize.

Not to mention whether Mu Zhang's grandfather would try everything to curb his influence, Mu Yuanqing's position would also become extremely awkward. He would definitely come to advise Mu Zhang, urging him to consider the safety of the Federation's citizens.

Mu Zhang suddenly froze.

The words he had said to Huo Zeshen were the same as what he believed Mu Yuanqing would say to him.

Mu Zhang put down his glass. He knew he couldn't wallow in this sense of defeat for too long.

From the moment he left the Federation to become a space pirate, he should have known he had left the Federation's political circle. Returning would require a great price.

Mu Yuanqing was constrained by his family, and the military factions needed him to maintain balance. To bridge the gap between dream and reality, he had already made many efforts.

Mu Zhang's entry into the Political Department seemed like a perfect alignment of timing and circumstances. Lin Juangui's good reputation gave Mu Zhang a boost, whitewashing his past actions into righteous deeds. Mu Jie timely extended an olive branch, asking Mu Zhang if he wanted to consider it seriously for Lin Juangui's sake. If he wanted to provide Lin Juangui with a stable life, he couldn't keep being a space pirate forever, could he?

So, Mu Zhang took those words to heart. He handed Tian Guang over to Lin Juangui and threw himself wholeheartedly into the Political Department's intrigues, completely squeezing out his own time, leaving none to spend with Lin Juangui.

Dealing with the incompetents in the Political Department day after day made Mu Zhang feel his own intelligence was declining. He didn't dare let himself regret. Proud as Mu Zhang was, how could he admit he had made the wrong choice?

When he was young, Mu Zhang could direct his hatred over his family's destruction towards Mu Jie. But Mu Zhang was a grown man now. Could he still afford to be as willful as a child?

Mu Zhang couldn't hate anymore.

Over the years, experiments related to human and Zerg genes had almost all failed. Wars broke out frequently, and many Federation planets lost faith in the government.

The Federation was already a mess. Operating within the Political Department for ages was less efficient than simply using a starship for armed suppression.

In times of chaos, power was worthless.

When Huo Zeshen left the bar, he glanced at the sky. The night had passed quickly; dawn was approaching.

He still had to return to the military. Di Yanhe was probably waiting for him.

His adjutant reported that Liang Jiaming's situation had been arranged. Huo Zeshen suddenly paused, his hand on the just-opened car door. "Did you send people to keep watch?"

"Yes."

Huo Zeshen seemed to want to say more, as if to give further instructions, but in the end, he just nodded and got into the car.

At nine in the morning, news of a Liang family member found dead on the street from a drug overdose made the front-page headlines. Di Yanhe, who was discussing matters with Huo Zeshen, immediately frowned upon seeing it and looked at Huo Zeshen questioningly.

Huo Zeshen remained silent. Shortly after, he received a message from his adjutant saying the people they had sent were knocked out, found not far from Liang Jiaming's body, and had been taken to the police station.

Seeing Huo Zeshen's grave expression, Di Yanhe asked what was wrong. Huo Zeshen offered a somewhat relaxed smile. "Got taught a good lesson."

"What lesson?" Di Yanhe's tone was serious.

Huo Zeshen stood up and put on his coat. "My part here is done. You can discuss the rest with the other generals. I need to go bail someone out."

Di Yanhe didn't say anything, just waved her hand dismissively, telling him to get lost.

After Huo Zeshen quickly left the office, Di Yanhe put down her pen and fell into thought.

No one could have imagined that the once silent, reticent youth had turned into this privately somewhat unruly and self-willed adult. Di Yanhe thought it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The current Federation needed some extreme individualism. She just wondered if this cultivated "freak" had the power to ignite the whole world.

But even if she lost, it didn't matter. Zhai Yanhe knew how rotten the military had been in the past. Salvaging it to its current state was already enough for her to feel she had done right by herself, those predecessors, and the citizens of the Federation.

She had a clear conscience.

Huo Zeshen arrived at the police station soon after.

Federation Generals held extremely high status and rarely made public appearances. A general like Huo Zeshen, who had just returned from battle, had recently given an interview, igniting Federation-wide discussions about unmanned mechs. His appearance was enough to make everyone nervous.

Upon receiving the news, Director Xin immediately put on his cap and hurried out of his office, unsure why Huo Zeshen was visiting. Asking his officers, he learned that the person found near Liang Jiaming's body in the morning case was Huo Zeshen's subordinate.

Was this an attempt to silence people?

Director Xin pondered for a moment but decided to meet Huo Zeshen first.

Huo Zeshen was currently in the lounge on a call with Liang Xiancheng, who was asking him about Liang Jiaming in a hoarse, serious voice.

Huo Zeshen lowered his eyes slightly, admitting his mistake with due deference. "I was careless and fell for Mu Zhang's trick."

He recounted his meeting with Mu Zhang the previous night and said Liang Jiaming's incident was an accident.

"Brother Jiaming said he went out to have fun and fell asleep in the restroom. I sent someone to escort him back to the Liang family and told him not to tell anyone he had been out. But Mu Zhang didn't let him off and even knocked out the man I sent."

"What did Mu Zhang say to you?"

Liang Xiancheng didn't seem overly concerned about Liang Jiaming's death—just another pleasure-seeking playboy. Why Mu Zhang would seek out Huo Zeshen at this time was more important to Liang Xiancheng.

Huo Zeshen paused, as if finding it difficult to speak. He took a deep breath before "spilling everything." "He asked how far things had progressed between me and Lin Juangui and seemed somewhat inclined to recruit me."

Liang Xiancheng snorted coldly, appearing to believe Huo Zeshen's words completely. "That Omega is quite charming. Since he's so wild and Mu Zhang can't control him, he can only use him to stir up trouble."

"I was the one persistently pursuing him. His actions are understandable."

Huo Zeshen never hid his desire for Lin Juangui. The more one wants something, the more controlled by it they become.

Liang Xiancheng understood Huo Zeshen's obsession and even used it as bait. So, no matter how much Huo Zeshen protected Lin Juangui or fooled around with him, as long as Lin Juangui was willing to offer benefits for Huo Zeshen's sake, this relationship was valuable to Liang Xiancheng.

"How did you reply?" Liang Xiancheng urgently wanted to know the details of Huo Zeshen's conversation with Mu Zhang.

Standing by the window, watching the reporters and media coming and going outside the police station, Huo Zeshen's eyes held no trace of a smile, but his tone was respectful and deferential. "I said he was hypocritical, and then I saw Brother Jiaming."

Liang Xiancheng fell silent, as if pondering the credibility of Huo Zeshen's words.

Huo Zeshen waited patiently for Liang Xiancheng's "instructions." Director Xin happened to arrive, and Huo Zeshen turned to glance at him, signaling him to wait a moment.

Director Xin nodded without a word, standing outside the lounge without disturbing them.

Finally, Liang Xiancheng spoke. "Jiaming's death this time is truly an undeserved disaster. You must seek justice for him."

"I'll handle the rest. I'll definitely minimize the impact. Please rest assured."

After ending the call with Liang Xiancheng, Huo Zeshen went to the door and shook hands with Director Xin.

After brief pleasantries, Director Xin asked if Huo Zeshen's visit was regarding Liang Jiaming's case. "We've investigated the scene. The street surveillance was tampered with, leaving no direct evidence. The deceased had injected drugs before death. Although the needle entry angle was inward, the forensic examiner concluded the injection occurred after the victim lost consciousness. The overdose caused shock and respiratory arrest, basically confirming homicide."

Huo Zeshen listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

Director Xin weighed his words, looking at Huo Zeshen's face. "Besides the deceased, another person was found unconscious on the street. We found the syringe and drugs used on the deceased in his pocket. This person..."

Cross-referencing identity information confirmed he was a soldier from the Seventh Military District, Huo Zeshen's subordinate.

Director Xin recalled overhearing Huo Zeshen's phone conversation outside the door. Even knowing eavesdropping was unethical, he had to ask. "Besides you, who else saw the deceased?"

A rather helpless smile appeared on Huo Zeshen's face. "Mu Zhang."

"..."

Director Xin took a deep breath. He knew things could be complicated, but not this complicated.

It was common knowledge the Federation's situation was changing rapidly, with multiple factions in a chaotic struggle. Ordinary people were lucky just to protect themselves; anyone getting involved would at least lose a layer of skin.

Although Mu Zhang and the Liang family had no overt conflicts, their political views clashed. Not long ago, the Liang family even supplied a batch of unmanned mechs to the rebels, while Mu Zhang firmly opposed the advent of unmanned mechs.

Later, the Liang family claimed this was an old, abandoned production line taken over by a Liang family branch member who didn't understand Federation law, thinking selling it would recoup costs and improve financial reports, causing all this trouble.

This "non-stick pan" explanation couldn't convince the anti-AI faction, but it did protect the Liang family from immediate reckoning, leaving significant room for maneuver.

Now the two sides were deadlocked, with no one knowing the future direction. The Liang family had been keeping a low profile recently, but such a major case suddenly emerging meant neither side would let it go easily.

Seeing Director Xin's extremely pained expression, Huo Zeshen reassured him. "My visit isn't to make things difficult for you, Director Xin. You must have interrogated He Chuan already. As a soldier unwilling to disclose military secrets, I can't just watch him be wronged."

"Military secrets?" Director Xin felt he saw a glimmer of hope.

Any case was manageable with evidence. Offending people could wait; having evidence at least meant speaking with authority. Finding nothing through investigation meant utter incompetence.

Huo Zeshen appeared considerate of Director Xin. "Tell him I have documents authorizing him to submit evidence favorable to him in this case without violating military regulations."

Director Xin took a deep breath, realizing Huo Zeshen had come prepared.

"Alright, I'll send someone immediately."

Huo Zeshen nodded, sitting down in the lounge without any intention of meeting He Chuan, clearly avoiding any appearance of impropriety.

Director Xin indeed had to thank Huo Zeshen. During He Chuan's earlier interrogation, he only insisted he didn't do it—he was merely escorting Liang Jiaming home, didn't inject him, and didn't know where the drugs came from.

When officers asked how he could prove his innocence, He Chuan suggested checking street surveillance. Told the footage was destroyed, He Chuan fell silent, then mentioned the car he used to take Liang Jiaming back would have records, but those records had also vanished.

The perpetrator had clearly destroyed all evidence related to the case beforehand. He Chuan might indeed be framed, but it also couldn't be ruled out that he was orchestrating it himself.

Then what was the motive?

Naturally, it had to be sought from Huo Zeshen's side, since he ordered He Chuan to escort Liang Jiaming back. Who knew what grievances existed between Huo Zeshen and Liang Jiaming?

However, from Huo Zeshen's call with the Liang family, no enmity with Liang Jiaming was apparent; he even called him "brother." So, the theory that he was framed had to be seriously considered.

He Chuan had held his ground for a long time.

Waking up groggily in the police station, he realized he'd been set up.

He certainly had plenty of evidence to tell everyone what happened last night, but as a soldier bound by confidentiality agreements, he couldn't violate military regulations.

Only when an officer came and said General Huo had issued an order allowing him to submit evidence to protect himself did he retrieve a chip from his ear.

"This contains all the visuals I witnessed and environmental audio recordings after I lost consciousness."

Many years ago, the military issued a decree: public personnel on missions must leave traces. This was their method of self-protection.

At some point, the military split into several factions, dividing its interests and using all sorts of despicable methods to eliminate rivals.

To ensure there was evidence, Zhai Yanhe introduced a chip that could connect to the human optic nerve and record, even capturing audio while asleep, significantly reducing the chances of factions secretly harming each other.

Initially, some resisted Zhai Yanhe's decree, but after seeing a group of people suffer a silent defeat, they also began wearing the chips. The military thus experienced a rare period of peace. Even if it was only brief, it was enough to elevate Zhai Yanhe's prestige further.

Huo Zeshen knew things would proceed as smoothly as he’d planned. Mu Zhang wanted to put him in his place, using Liang Jiaming's death to drive a wedge between Huo Zeshen and the Liang family while he watched from the sidelines. How could Huo Zeshen let Mu Zhang be so comfortable?

It was just a contest of tactics and ruthlessness, and this was only the beginning. Huo Zeshen would not allow himself to be at a disadvantage.

The chip provided by He Chuan served as solid proof of the credibility of Huo Zeshen's words.

It was true he’d asked He Chuan to take Liang Jiaming home. On the way, Liang Jiaming was still anxiously saying, "This is terrible. Xiao Huo is really angry this time. The look in his eyes was like he wanted to slice me to pieces! Even he won't speak up for me. I'm definitely finished this time..."

"The General is a good person. As long as you do as he says, nothing will happen."

"You don't understand a damn thing! I, I..."

Having overheard the conversation between Huo Zeshen and Mu Zhang, Liang Jiaming knew Huo Zeshen might let him off, but Mu Zhang was another story.

Yet, he dared not speak these words casually and could only keep them bottled up, which was torture.

"I have to find a way to hide somewhere even Mu Zhang can't find me. What if he flies into a rage one day and has me whacked? I wouldn't even have a place to cry!"

Not long after, their car showed a warning of a malfunction. He Chuan said he’d take a look. Before Liang Jiaming could get a word out, he saw He Chuan get out of the car.

He Chuan didn't find any issues, but his soldier's instincts made him sense danger. He had just shouted "Go, now!" when everything went dark before his eyes. This was followed by Liang Jiaming's panicked question: "What's going on?!"

Then footsteps approached, and Liang Jiaming went quiet. He seemed to be dragged from the car. After some rustling sounds, someone finally spoke: "Assistant Ge, it's all taken care of."

Ge Miao was brought to the police station in the afternoon.

"This is a mistake. I never got any call."

When the police took him away from the Political Department, Mu Zhang gave Ge Miao a look. Ge Miao understood perfectly. Upon arriving at the police station, he clammed up, denying he had received that call no matter how he was questioned.

Ge Miao was the picture of confidence. "Check my call logs. Go ahead. At that time, I was still discussing work with my superior."

"Your superior can indeed confirm he was with you, but the victim also named him and was clearly scared of him. That makes him a biased witness."

"Then you should continue the investigation, shouldn't you? Can you convict me based on just a few words in a recording? Isn't that too hasty?"

The case was at a stalemate. Paradoxically, having evidence made things harder than having none. Director Xin paced back and forth irritably in his office.

Outside, the media, seeing Ge Miao being brought in, immediately went into a frenzy. It was no secret whose assistant Ge Miao was. The years of bad blood and complicated history between Mu Zhang and the Liang family had even been compiled into a chart.

In the past, when Mu Zhang was still a space pirate, he even had many collaborations with the Liang family. Since Mu Zhang entered the Political Department, he handed over those former businesses to Lin Juangui. Many industries invested in by Lin Juangui's Runlin were steadily eating into the Liang family's market share.

Not long ago, these two sides were still in a tug-of-war over the reconstruction of the Sixth Military District. But later, the Liang family suddenly withdrew, handing the project over to Lin Juangui on a silver platter.

Some said this was the result of Mu Zhang's maneuvering. However, after Runlin took over, the Sixth Military District was recovering at a miraculous pace. To say Lin Juangui wasn't dedicated was surely just envy from those who couldn't stand to see others succeed.

From this perspective, Mu Zhang and the Liang family had bad blood for years. This case was definitely not simple. Many people temporarily set aside discussions about unmanned mechs to analyze who the real culprit might be.

As the sky gradually darkened, many media outlets outside the police station withdrew. This tug-of-war likely wouldn't have a result anytime soon.

Outsiders thought this was a political contest between the Liang family and Mu Zhang, but in reality, it was Huo Zeshen and Mu Zhang competing over Lin Juangui, with the undertone of settling personal scores under the guise of public duty being all too obvious.

Late at night, Huo Zeshen left the police station. He went to a nearby 24-hour restaurant, where a staff member led him to a pre-booked private room. Lin Juangui was sitting inside waiting for him.

Seeing Huo Zeshen still wearing the same clothes from when they parted days ago, Lin Juangui's brow furrowed with concern.

"You've been at the station all day. Did you get a chance to eat?"

Upon seeing Lin Juangui, Huo Zeshen's expression instantly softened. He sat down beside Lin Juangui and shook his head, saying he hadn't had time.

"Did he call you over?" Huo Zeshen made no move to eat, afraid Lin Juangui had come as Mu Zhang's messenger to persuade him to give up.

Lin Juangui shook his head. "You two met without telling me. I knew asking wouldn't get me anywhere, but I'm not blind. It's all over the news."

With Lin Juangui's keen perception, how could he not see who was pulling the strings behind this case and what these two were really competing over?

Huo Zeshen asked Lin Juangui if he was tired from the trip. Lin Juangui raised his hand and touched Huo Zeshen's face. "I slept the whole way. It's you. You just got your fill of sleep at my place and now you're going without rest again. Can your body handle it?"

Huo Zeshen held Lin Juangui's hand and rubbed his cheek against his palm, looking obedient and agreeable. "It's fine. I'm really hungry. Shall we eat?"

"Alright, let's eat."

Lin Juangui had already ordered the food. He knew Huo Zeshen would come soon and wouldn't keep him waiting long.

Huo Zeshen was indeed hungry, but he could endure it. Back in his squad days during missions, he often went several days without a proper meal, surviving on nutrient solutions.

Lin Juangui knew Huo Zeshen's tastes, and the dishes he ordered were all delicious.

Lin Juangui also ate a few symbolic bites. After Huo Zeshen put down his chopsticks, he helped wipe his mouth.

Huo Zeshen loved the feeling of Lin Juangui caring for him so much. He leaned in and hugged Lin Juangui again.

"You always used to tell me that no matter how big the problem, one must eat. I forgot. I'm sorry."

Lin Juangui patted Huo Zeshen's back. "No need to apologize to me. You've never wronged me. I called you over not just to have a meal with you, but also to give you something."

"Hmm?" Huo Zeshen was very expectant.

Lin Juangui got up and went to the sofa in the corner of the private room. He unzipped the large backpack, and the head of a white bear peeked out.

It was the prize plushie Lin Juangui had won by shooting at the amusement park before.

Lin Juangui couldn't hide his smile no matter what. His tone held a hint of mischief, as if curious about how Huo Zeshen would handle this doll.

But Huo Zeshen stepped forward, took the white bear plushie out of the backpack, and held it in his arms. He even said with a touch of regret, "I didn't expect our next meeting to be so soon. I originally wanted to leave it with you."

"What's the use of leaving it with me? You need to see it constantly to think of me."

"I think of you even without looking at it."

Huo Zeshen nuzzled Lin Juangui's face with his head. "Thank you for bringing it back. I'll put it in my office right away."

Lin Juangui: "..."

He didn't dare imagine what Huo Zeshen's subordinates would think upon seeing this plushie in his office.

On the Federal Central Star, the two still had to be discreet. Huo Zeshen left the restaurant openly carrying the white bear, while Lin Juangui left more cautiously through the back door.

Meeting Huo Zeshen this time wasn't a whim for Lin Juangui. He wanted to know who was really behind the Liang Jiaming case.

Judging by Huo Zeshen's state, Mu Zhang was probably in for a hefty dose of silent suffering.

Huo Zeshen had always harbored resentment towards Mu Zhang. Now that Huo Zeshen had caught him, it wouldn't be easy for Mu Zhang to extricate himself.

The fire Lin Juangui lit should also arrive soon.

On the way home, Lin Juangui received a call from Zheng Shi.

"Madam, the Master was just taken away by people from the police station."