Chapter 106 It’s All Over

Chapter 106 It's All Over

While Mu Zhang was being held at the police station these past few days, he was ordered not to meet anyone except members of the investigation team. Several applications submitted by Lin Juangui through Zheng Shi were rejected.

This outcome didn't surprise Lin Juangui. He handled Runlin's official duties as usual and, after a meeting with a group of senior executives, asked Gu Mi if everything was ready on the Tianguang side.

Gu Mi replied quickly, "The captain of the Tianguang is ready to back us up at any time."

"Good. The rest is up to you."

Because of this, Gu Mi had been brooding for a while, and his temperament had become increasingly reckless and irritable.

Now that Lin Juangui was reactivating him, Gu Mi was fired up and couldn't be more excited.

So Liang Shanyue likes to leak secrets, huh? Did he really think the intelligence and leverage Mu Zhang had collected over the years were just for show? For everyone who wanted Mu Zhang dead, there was someone who wanted him alive.

That evening, many high-ranking Federation officials received an email containing photos and recordings. They knew perfectly well whether these materials were forged or not—the Federation had long possessed sophisticated AI verification technology. They replied to the email demanding to know what the sender wanted, but there was no response.

At the same time, an agreement signed between the Liang family and the military years ago was suddenly exposed on the Star Network.

The agreement laid out that the Liang family could provide mechs to the military free of charge, on the condition that all data obtained from the mechs must be transmitted back to the Liang family. This would allow the Liang family to manufacture combat mechs better tailored to each soldier's individual habits.

On the surface, this agreement seemed like the Liang family was acting charitably. However, over time, the downside of the military becoming dependent on Liang family mechs slowly became clear.

The Liang family had quietly seized control over the military's mech supply and turned countless soldiers into their free lab rats. Combined with the recent unmanned mech incident and the many people speaking up for the Liang family within the Federation's Political Department, their goals seemed pretty obvious.

After the agreement was exposed, the phone in Di Yanhe's office was ringing off the hook.

Faced with the Liang family's questioning, Di Yanhe played the innocent. "The person in charge of the archives isn't one of mine. Why don't you ask the Mu family? Ah, Mu Yuanqing's Mu family."

Di Yanhe was an expert at passing the buck. Although she had ambitions, that didn't mean she wouldn't protect herself.

She was quite happy to watch these factions and forces fighting among themselves—it was a rare bit of drama.

Just half a day after the agreement incident broke, word spread across the Star Net that the Liang family had established multiple experimental bases on various planets. Many of the earlier outbreaks of insectoid infestations and border crises were caused by their failed experiments.

The parade of scandals starting from Liang Jiaming's death hadn't stopped. Frequent clashes between the forces represented by the Liang family and Mu Zhang not only affected the daily lives of ordinary citizens but also repeatedly chipped away at their trust in the Federation.

Federation citizens began discussing recent events in hushed tones.

"I think it's pretty damn scary. It feels like danger is everywhere around us. What if those lunatics think some place is suitable for experiments and turn us all into lab rats? Could we even escape?"

"Relax, maybe we already are lab rats? How would you even notice what they're doing? By the time you really find out, it's already too late. I'm content as long as I can eat well every day, have a place to sleep, and keep my bowels moving."

"We need to prepare in advance to prevent problems before they arise. It's best to find a place out of the line of fire to hide away completely. But these days, where is such a place? Places too remote lack the military defense capability to resist the Insectoids. Places too prosperous mean being worked like dogs for the rich. What are we supposed to do?"

"..."

A sense of panic began to spread uncontrollably throughout the Federation. The Federation government didn't even issue an announcement to reassure the public at this time. They were too busy figuring out how to bring down Mu Zhang, have Lin Juangui meet an untimely death, and seize his arms fleet and business empire. To them, these were the most important things.

Fortunately, the security level at Lin Juangui's home was very high, and he was safe and unharmed for now. Huo Zeshen even sent a team of his trusted subordinates to protect the outside of Lin Juangui's residence.

However, in the eyes of Zheng Shi and others, this action was a provocation.

Ge Miao's imprisonment was Huo Zeshen's doing. Now that Mu Zhang was under investigation, Huo Zeshen was flaunting his control, which was just rubbing their noses in it.

Lin Juangui made no comment on this. He ate and slept on schedule every day, either holding his cat and staring into space, with not a hint of worry on his face, or handling some submitted work, eating and sleeping punctually.

For Lin Juangui at the moment, the most important thing was to recuperate his energy. Beyond that, he couldn't be bothered to think about anything else.

Mu Jie had already taken action. While the Liang family seemed to have the upper hand, this series of counterattacks left them with their hands full. How to handle these matters and rebuild their public image were issues both the Liang family and Mu Zhang had to consider.

As more and more evidence of the Liang family's illegal laboratories emerged, the responsible personnel were taken into custody by the police. Liang Xiancheng, however, like Lin Juangui, stayed at home without making any moves.

He was waiting. At present, only one person could turn the tide of the battle.

Huo Zeshen.

As long as Huo Zeshen came forward to prove he was the best and most successful experimental subject, the Liang family would not only receive unprecedented praise, but the Federation's political landscape would also be completely reshuffled.

Conversely, he could plunge the Liang family into complete ruin.

Lin Juangui understood this logic as well.

Huo Zeshen sending people to protect him was a signal. But at a time like this, Lin Juangui couldn't possibly do nothing at all.

The temporary quiet was just to conserve strength. Once he felt a bit better, Lin Juangui contacted Zhuang Xi. "Organize a press conference in the name of the Charity Association to address the recent rumors. Don't tell the media I'll be appearing. Also, please help me prepare some materials."

Zhuang Xi had been under immense pressure these days dealing with various external suspicions. Hearing that Lin Juangui had finally decided to act, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Was it you who had someone release those things about the Liang family?"

"Those who do many unrighteous deeds are bound to bring ruin upon themselves. Perhaps many people have also been unable to stand their actions over the years."

Zhuang Xi couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, who would have thought the once-praised Liang family would become a tumor embedded in the Federation's veins."

Lin Juangui seemed to see through everything. "At least now we are the ones removing the tumor, not becoming one."

Many things are destined to be cycles. There have been countless Liang families in the past, and more will appear in the future.

At the same time, there will always be people who despise the Liang family, constantly striving.

Perhaps the concept of balance and the idea that good and evil are rewarded are just platitudes to comfort ordinary people. But there will always be those willing to persevere, making unseen sacrifices in the shadows, handing over crucial evidence as the Liang family falls.

When Lin Juangui stepped out of his home, he was stopped by Huo Zeshen's subordinates.

The person, wearing a military uniform, extended an arm and reasoned with Lin Juangui politely, "Mr. Lin, the General says it's very dangerous outside. You cannot go out."

Lin Juangui didn't pick a fight with this squad leader. Instead, he directly called Huo Zeshen. "House arrest?"

This accusation was truly hurtful. Huo Zeshen was taken aback, sounding wounded. "Xiao Juan, the situation is very chaotic right now. I must ensure your safety."

Lin Juangui didn't argue with Huo Zeshen. He just said very calmly, "Then have them come with me. I don't want to speak harshly to you, but you know what kind of person I am."

Once he made a decision, no one could stop him.

Huo Zeshen was extremely conflicted but finally said, "Alright."

Before hanging up, Lin Juangui said meaningfully, "No matter what I do next, don't step in for me. Remember, acting on impulse will ruin everything. Promise me."

A sense of foreboding suddenly washed over Huo Zeshen. Before he could speak, Lin Juangui had already cut the communication on his end.

Lin Juangui now had an unstoppable aura. He asked the squad leader in front of him, "Did you hear that?"

The squad leader had just received a military order from Huo Zeshen. He nodded to Lin Juangui and said, "Don't worry, we will protect your safety."

Once Lin Juangui got in the car, Zheng Shi finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Do you think that General Huo treats you better than Sir did?"

"What do you think is the reason I got involved with Huo Zeshen in the first place?"

This question had probably been brewing in the minds of Mu Zhang's subordinates for a long time.

In their eyes, the favor Mu Zhang showed Lin Juangui was unprecedented—even Mu Yuanqing had never received such treatment.

Yet Lin Juangui seemed perpetually unsatisfied, treating Mu Zhang's genuine feelings like dirt, playing with fire over and over, fooling around with other Alphas, even bringing in other Alphas to help him through his heat, showing no regard for Mu Zhang's pride.

Hadn't Mu Zhang given in enough for Lin Juangui? Why could Lin Juangui be so heartless toward him?

Zheng Shi couldn't answer Lin Juangui's question, even though he already had an answer in his heart.

What else could it be but insatiable greed?

But Lin Juangui gave Zheng Shi another way to look at it. "I don't deny that he loves me, and I've never ignored his feelings. I've even tried to meet him halfway. But I always feel like there's something in his life more important than me."

Zheng Shi's brow furrowed, as if something had occurred to him, and he fell silent.

"Does he love me? Of course he does. But where did this love begin? When he started loving me, was there still someone else in his heart?"

Lin Juangui looked straight at Zheng Shi. When Zheng Shi looked up, a flicker of panic flashed in his eyes, which Lin Juangui didn't miss.

Zheng Shi swallowed hard, his mouth opening slightly as if he wanted to ask if Lin Juangui remembered something.

But Lin Juangui gave a wistful smile. "Sometimes I'm incredibly grateful that I lost my memory. It's a good thing I don't remember anything. I can tell Mu Zhang that many things are in the past. As long as he's willing, I can make a life with him. But the pheromone barrier always stands between us. As an Omega, I suffer because of it."

Zheng Shi wasn't an Omega, but he understood an Omega's need for pheromones.

Especially with Huo Zeshen often fanning the flames.

That Lin Juangui could maintain his usual attitude toward Mu Zhang really showed he'd moved on.

It was just that those who believed Mu Zhang's current kindness could completely offset his past cruelty would never understand how Lin Juangui, caught up in it all, truly felt.

Lin Juangui didn't blame them. He could even say very understandingly, "It's okay."

Everyone had their own principles. Lin Juangui didn't need to play the victim constantly; that was boring.

What he decided to do, he would accomplish no matter what.

This was making things right for who he was before he lost his memory.

Lin Juangui knew he wouldn't cook up such a big plan on a whim, but once set in motion, he'd see it through.

Zheng Shi said nothing more. Lin Juangui took a deep breath and closed his eyes to rest.

A few days ago, Professor Shen had sent Lin Juangui some medicine, saying it could ease his symptoms for a while, at least making him feel better. He also left a message: "Whether you're willing to take the medicine or not, your life means everything to some people. Don't give up lightly. Many people support you."

After much hesitation, Lin Juangui finally took the medicine.

He knew his own physical condition. Taking the medicine wasn't for treatment, but to put on a better face for the public.

The press conference hosted by Zhuang Xi began. Many reporters were present. They asked each other if Lin Juangui had come. Upon hearing the negative answer, they seemed very disappointed.

"If Lin Juangui isn't coming, what's the point? I was looking forward to it for so long, thinking he'd show up."

"Logically, with the charity association caught up in bad press recently, and given his close relationship with Zhuang Xi, how could he just ignore it?"

"Who knows? It's possible he's lying low since Mu Zhang's in trouble."

These speculations seemed quite reasonable. Zhuang Xi held charity galas every year. Explaining to the media what projects the charity association had completed over the past year was something Zhuang Xi was more than adept at.

Only after the opening remarks were finished, when some impatient reporters were already packing up to leave, did Zhuang Xi finally stand calmly at the edge of the stage and speak: "I know that just these data and follow-up videos aren't enough to answer all your recent questions about the charity association. So today, I have also invited the honorary committee member of the charity association, Mr. Lin Juangui."

Lin Juangui's name excited all the reporters. They hadn't expected the person they'd waited for so long to finally appear.

Zhuang Xi watched the figure in the audience. The other person gave him a light smile. Zhuang Xi made a "please" gesture and retreated backstage.

Following his usual habit, Lin Juangui still wore a white suit—a very low-key yet classic style. After taking the stage, he smiled calmly at the many cameras. "Hello everyone, I am Lin Juangui."

Years ago, relying on a press conference, Lin Juangui staged a comeback against the odds. From then on, he began to gradually carve out a key role for himself by Mu Zhang's side. He established a foundation, attracted investments from various parties, used the money Geng Xuelan gave him to raise his first capital, founded Runlin, and began building his business empire.

After his position was secure, Lin Juangui reduced his public appearances, mostly just attending Zhuang Xi's charity galas. After all, he and Zhuang Xi were good friends; he had to show him that respect.

Now, with the charity association deeply embroiled in scandal, his appearance was not only a solid thing to do for a friend but also an opportunity to accomplish the last thing he needed to do.

Time seemed to have left no trace on Lin Juangui's face. It remained as it always was, able to hold up even under the camera's close scrutiny.

After a brief self-introduction, Lin Juangui got straight to the point, wasting no words. "I know everyone has many guesses and doubts about what has happened recently. First, I want to make one thing clear: the charity association would never, in any way, allow homeless children to become test subjects. All the projects I've participated in over the years have specific records. Personnel from the notary office can further prove where the children on those lists are now."

"I understand everyone's curiosity about that list and how I would prove my innocence. But I'm sorry. To protect the children's privacy and safety, I will not disclose this list to the media. It's a matter of basic decency. I cannot be so selfish as to drag so many people into something that has nothing to do with them."

These words were polite but were a dig at these reporters who would stop at nothing for a front-page headline.

Don't think about setting traps for him. The more people were curious about that list, hoping Lin Juangui would clear his name by exposing others' privacy, the more it revealed their cunning and ill intentions.

Lin Juangui's tone remained steady throughout. Of course, he knew that just saying this today wouldn't satisfy so many people's appetites. So he adjusted his collar and bowed solemnly to the cameras: "Regarding the things Mu Zhang has done, I am very sorry. As his partner, I will bear the responsibility for these events together with him."

This caused an uproar. No one expected Lin Juangui to suddenly apologize.

This was equivalent to him admitting to all of Mu Zhang's crimes, leaving no room for reversal.

All the reporters took a deep breath. Everyone present turned their gaze to Lin Juangui. Some wanted to rush onto the stage to stop him but were firmly blocked by the bodyguards Lin Juangui had brought himself.

On the Star Network, Federation citizens watching the live stream were ignited by Lin Juangui's words. They cursed Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui without restraint. Huai Fu bit his index finger, looking nervous. Huai Jun gently put an arm around his shoulder, appearing very calm.

"As expected of him. Quite ruthless toward himself."

The technicians beside them were working at full capacity to resist hacker attacks, ensuring the live stream could continue on the Star Network.

Liang Xiancheng, also watching the live stream, couldn't help but laugh. "A foolish move! A foolish move!"

Huo Zeshen's hand was still holding the ear of the white bear plushie Lin Juangui had given him. He seemed to understand what Lin Juangui wanted to do, his expression dark.

When the discussion in the audience gradually subsided, Lin Juangui stood up and explained the whole story. "Three years ago, Mu Zhang transferred all his assets to me for management. My abilities are limited; handling Runlin's affairs was already quite difficult. So most of the assets he transferred were still managed by the original teams. I rarely inquired about them, but I still signed the annual reports. It was my fault for not carefully reviewing those reports and failing to fulfill my due responsibilities."

If these words had been said earlier, some would definitely think Lin Juangui was making excuses for himself.

But after he apologized on behalf of Mu Zhang, people were more willing to listen to how he would "explain."

"After the incident on Puli Star, I carefully looked into the laboratories Mu Zhang invested in. This is a list of projects conducted by these laboratories."

The large screen behind Lin Juangui displayed rows of project names. Most were related to Zerg genes. This was ironclad evidence that could condemn Mu Zhang, and Lin Juangui had just released it.

"It's not hard to see that Mu Zhang's main purpose in participating in these experiments was to hope they would bring a new future for the Federation, wishing humanity could defeat Zerg invasion at the genetic level. But unfortunately, almost none of these numerous experiments succeeded. The vagrants gathered from various places also became lives pointlessly lost in these experiments."

Lin Juangui's expression remained compassionate throughout. He published the list of those who died in the experiments.

These people weren't just randomly captured off the streets for experiments. They were fugitives from various planets, people with no home to return to. They had nowhere to go and voluntarily became test subjects.

However, the cruelty of the experiments far exceeded ordinary imagination. Even if they were initially voluntary, participants would inevitably begin to question, "Why am I human?" But by that point, they had no chance to leave. After all, these were confidential experiments; letting them go was impossible.

"Mu Zhang is my partner. I can understand his well-intentioned starting point, but the execution was far too extreme. Coupled with the fact that very few experiments succeeded over the years, patience gradually wore thin, leading to many oversights. This is a mistake we made together, and we will do our utmost to bear the responsibility."

Hearing it from Lin Juangui this way, Mu Zhang seemed almost less detestable.

Regardless, at least Lin Juangui's attitude in admitting fault was commendable, and his approach was very measured, leaving room for people to think—was Mu Zhang truly irredeemable?

Lin Juangui was not someone who made empty promises. From the moment he took the stage, he hadn't uttered a single unnecessary word.

"As for how we will bear this responsibility, I would first like to invite Professor Shen Yun to share his new discoveries with everyone."

For those who frequently followed news related to biological sciences, Shen Yun's name was not unfamiliar. He was once the chief expert in Federal Biological Sciences and Alien Ecology. Several years ago, he suddenly resigned from his position, taking many of his outstanding students to an unknown location for secret research.

His appearance brought surprise and delight to many, indicating that his research project had yielded results. The scientific community was likely about to witness another storm.

Shen Yun gave a brief self-introduction. Behind him was a comparative chart of the complex molecular structure of pheromones and the social information of the Zerg.

Like Lin Juangui, he got straight to the point: "In the field of biology, we can describe the Zerg as a highly specialized scientific ecosystem. After years of research and analysis, we have discovered that Mr. Lin Juangui's pheromones have, to some extent, become the key to manipulating this system."

Everyone in the audience sucked in a sharp, collective breath, their eyes turning toward Lin Juangui, but he only offered them his back.

Lin Juangui's expression remained as calm as still water. He had long known about these matters. The reason for revealing them today was simply that there was no better platform than this.

No matter how much the Liang family and Mu Zhang engaged in petty infighting, what use was it? As long as Lin Juangui wished, he could obtain this trump card and retreat unscathed.

"For even the highest-level Zerg units, this pheromone is interpreted as either a potential new queen or a precious resource possessing immense biological energy. What attracts them is the desire to devour or control, hoping to gain an evolutionary advantage. We can refine or synthesize this 'queen-like substance' into bait, set up ambush circles, lure the enemy away from their stronghold, or even guide Zerg swarms to charge toward enemy positions."

Viewed this way, perhaps the long-standing war between humans and the Zerg could cease because of Lin Juangui's existence?!

Everyone's emotions felt like they were on a rollercoaster—first, anger upon learning what Mu Zhang had done, then elation and excitement at the prospect that many future battles might be avoided.

Lin Juangui.

This name was destined to be etched into the history of the Federation.

Shen Yun's voice continued, "The brilliance of Mr. Lin's pheromones lies further in their duality. On the foundation of the 'queen-like substance,' there is an additional, more complex layer of marking, which we call the 'deterrent pheromone.'"

This layer of signal can mimic a biological marker of a predator that nearly drove the Zerg to extinction in their ancient evolutionary history. For most Zerg, this represents a fear embedded in their genes.

When the Zerg sense Lin Juangui's pheromones, they simultaneously receive two completely contradictory commands: "Come and pay homage" and "Run, it's a predator."

This intense internal conflict causes their nervous systems to overload, ultimately triggering an avoidance instinct, manifesting as confusion and detouring.

Extracting the "deterrent pheromone" can create safe zones or stealth corridors. Applying it to the hulls of critical equipment or fleets can achieve biological stealth beyond optical camouflage, allowing troops to pass safely through Zerg activity zones.

"Yet the most revolutionary aspect is the third layer of the pheromone's mechanism of action, which we call the 'disintegration command.' It is no longer a signal but a precise biological key."

Within Zerg cells, there exists a mechanism similar to "apoptosis," but it is usually in a deeply dormant state. The disintegration command can precisely bind to and activate this mechanism.

However, this mechanism only affects targets with complete Zerg gene chains. Once activated, the Zerg individual begins to rapidly collapse from the cellular level, liquefying. The process is extremely fast and irreversible.

"In experimental settings, we found that the disintegration of one Zerg unit releases a high concentration of the disintegration command pheromone, potentially triggering a chain disintegration in surrounding fellow Zerg, akin to dropping a biochemical bomb into the swarm. If we can synthesize the disintegration command on a large scale, we would no longer need to engage in inefficient wars of attrition with the Zerg sea. Instead, we could achieve targeted elimination and collective annihilation."

The room fell silent. Presumably, many were wondering how Lin Juangui discovered his pheromones were so unique.

A few of those in the know, however, turned pale, realizing that the situation had developed in a direction uncontrollable by anyone except Lin Juangui.

Finally, a hopeful smile appeared on Shen Yun's face. "With Mr. Lin's help, we have transformed the Zerg into a biological system that can be interpreted, disrupted, manipulated, and even programmed. What we face is no longer a series of hopeless wars but an unprecedentedly complex biological engineering project. That concludes my presentation for today. Thank you, everyone."

The video was deliberately ended from Shen Yun's end. His task today was merely to share the research findings. The remaining matters would naturally be left for Lin Juangui to handle.

Lin Juangui didn't give the audience time to react, swiftly steering the topic to the next point. "The laboratory I established used myself as the test subject. I am glad to have made these modest contributions to the Federation's development. However, to my knowledge, some have exploited the geographical limitations of remote planets to conduct extensive human experimentation. Their methods are brutal, even surpassing those of Mu Zhang."

Finally arriving at the most dramatic moment of this press conference, no one could stop Lin Juangui now. The Liang family's deepest secrets were laid utterly bare before everyone.

Images of Youlan Star were displayed on the large screen.

In addition, there were many other small planets, their state of ruin making it impossible to tell that people had once lived there.

"These are pieces of evidence gathered by the victims from various channels in recent years. Their family and friends were either threatened or bribed, drawn into an endless experiment. The purpose of this experiment, which merged human and Zerg genes, was to find stronger humans. As for what such a person could do, I think perhaps General Mu, currently in a coma, might know the answer. Public opinion will be the judge. I have already sent people to compile the photographic and textual evidence for the judicial authorities and the email inboxes of various media outlets. If this can bring an end to the farce of this period, I believe many Federation citizens will feel relieved. Finally, I wish for a brighter future for the Federation."

Lin Juangui's triple whammy of revelations had concluded, likely leaving many people utterly unable to process it all.

There was no need for Lin Juangui to personally describe the cruelty of the Liang family. Simply presenting evidence of what they had done would ensure no one held any hope for them. Even if someone wanted to protect them, they would be left with no way out.

With this, Lin Juangui's task was complete.

As he prepared to leave the stage, a white-haired elder, moving with swift strides, darted out from nowhere. She ducked low, dodged the security guards, reached Lin Juangui, and slapped him hard across the face.

Lin Juangui was struck so hard that he fell into the arms of Zhuang Xi beside him, his glasses flying off.

Looking up, he saw Geng Xuelan being restrained by bodyguards, preventing her from getting closer.

"You slut! You refused to bear Mu Zhang's child, and now you want to ruin his entire life! What did we ever owe you?! Why are you doing this to him?!"

Lin Juangui's vision blurred. He felt a piercing white light flash before his eyes, and then he could see nothing.

Countless chaotic memories flooded into his mind without order, bringing with them a world-shattering agony.

When his vision finally cleared, he saw [Lin Juangui] waving at him, as if saying "goodbye."

"From now on, this is your story."

Amidst the chaotic noise around him, Lin Juangui heard someone shout, "Mu Zhang has just confessed!"

Lin Juangui felt a surge in his throat. Several mouthfuls of thick blood sprayed from his mouth, staining his white suit.

That day, Lin Juangui lay collapsed in Zhuang Xi's arms. A photo of everyone's hands reaching toward him, as if trying to pull him up, occupied the front pages of the Star Network.

He himself was unconscious, his head turned to look hollowly at nothing, like a puppet that had lost its soul.

The blood became the brightest color in the entire photo. The hands of those people were blurred out. No one understood what Lin Juangui's expression meant.

Only Lin Juangui himself knew: everything was over.