The Most Powerful Brain in the Interstellar Space

Chapter 311 Secret
Therefore, Lieutenant Colonel Zong and his team came here not only to track down the lost encrypted data, but also to investigate the depths of the unknown forces hidden in the shadows.

However, the latter was a secret mission specially assigned within the team, and it wasn't mentioned in any documents or communications except when it was issued to higher-ups. Even Zhou Yuanjing, as the highest-ranking official stationed here, should have been unaware of this mission.

But who is Zhou Yuanjing? He was a man who held the high position of Imperial Marshal just ten years ago.

Although he had to step down from his position as marshal due to health and political factors, his military achievements, status, and the power he had cultivated over the years were not for show. Aside from those in the upper echelons of the government, he still controlled considerable military power; for example, his former adjutant, now commander of the 23rd Army Corps, Rex Dorenti, was a key asset in Zhou Yuanjing's arsenal.

The fact that the other party is by Zhou Yuanjing's side today, as always, and even subordinate to his son, reveals his unwavering loyalty.

He may have seemingly withdrawn from the central star system's stage, but whether he truly did withdraw or not, everyone knows the truth. Even those currently holding the highest positions in the military might not dare to be disrespectful to Zhou Yuanjing.

But Zhou Yuanjing couldn't possibly only get a superficial understanding of what he wanted to know. He naturally obtained the purpose of Zong Ting and the others through other means, and he even understood the mindset of the person who issued the task better than Zong Ting, who was just a subordinate who accepted the task.

He certainly had no intention of getting involved. To be honest... if this hadn't happened on Star 732, in the territory of their Zhou family, Zhou Yuanjing wouldn't have wanted to get involved in this mess.

The military has become increasingly muddle-headed in recent years. While it may not have been perfectly secure when he was in charge, there were far fewer instances of collusion between internal and external forces and the rampant activity of clandestine factions.

This is to be expected. After all, both the military and the government are the core minds guiding the empire's direction. If those with ill intentions or forces are allowed to infiltrate and corrupt from the inside out, the empire will be doomed sooner or later.

Zhou Yuanjing prides himself on always keeping a tight grip on this matter, and he closely monitors and even punishes any suspected or suspicious individuals.

Unexpectedly, since he moved away from the core power area, the upper echelons have become so lax. In just ten years, dozens of such incidents, large and small, have occurred. Even he, who doesn't usually inquire about such matters, receives news of them from time to time. It's truly absurd.

Zhou Yuanjing grew angrier the more he looked at the mess, but he didn't want to bother getting involved in it, so he simply stayed on Star 732 to recuperate.

Unexpectedly, he couldn't avoid it after all, and this time they went straight to his territory.

Did the military think he was dying? Paralyzed? Unable to move? They sent people here repeatedly to probe, launched large-scale searches, and sent wave after wave of starships to deliver people here... They should at least have given them a heads-up.

Zhou Yuanjing, having reached his limit, directly contacted the central star sector, demanding they follow the rules, submit reports, and explain the entire situation clearly before interfering with their affairs. He also told them to quickly resolve the matter and get out of Star 732. Didn't they even realize the mess they'd made of this place this past year?!

What's even more ridiculous is that after all that work, they couldn't even capture a few rebels, nor did they find any encrypted data. Instead, their own men suffered heavy casualties. Zhou Yuanjing didn't know what to say.

Fortunately, they finally learned their lesson this time, knowing to operate in secrecy and sending a more reliable and suitable person to coordinate. Only then was Zhou Yuanjing willing to lend a hand in this final operation. So... hopefully these guys will hurry up and get out of his territory. They're really annoying, and I'm almost losing my mood for self-cultivation.

So Zhou Yuanjing reported some of the undercover leads he had discovered, so that the other party could follow the clues and arrest them all at once, thus preventing this group from causing trouble on Star 732.

However, some of them happen to be in the open arena, so when a fight breaks out, the Zongting side may need to make proper arrangements and coordination to avoid alerting the prey outside.

This was an unexpected bonus for Lieutenant Colonel Zong and his entourage. They had no doubt about the veracity of the intelligence Zhou Yuanjing provided, because from the other side's perspective, there was simply no way they could do anything detrimental to the Empire.

As expected of Zhou Yuanjing... Although it is unknown how he managed to uncover these spies that even the upper echelons of the military had not discovered, this intelligence immediately made their subsequent tasks much smoother and reduced their risk of casualties.

Regardless of the other party's motives, they remembered this kindness.

The people next to Zong Ting couldn't help but show a fleeting excitement on their faces.

Zhou Yuanjing saw it and was stunned for a moment. He felt quite emotional. These were all young kids... Even though they were in top teams, their age and experience were limited, and they could never be as composed as those veterans.

The one in charge, on the other hand, seemed much more composed, and it was hard to tell how deep he was. Even someone as knowledgeable as Zhou Yuanjing had to admit that the other was a very promising talent.

However, he could also tell that these kids weren't particularly cunning or malicious. This made Zhou Yuanjing more willing to help, as it wasn't in vain that he was giving them this military merit and favor for nothing. He hoped they wouldn't disappoint him.

"Since you all understand, I won't waste any more words. I've reviewed your execution plan, and your current manpower is probably insufficient. Requesting additional personnel now could cause trouble. If you don't mind, I can arrange some more people to assist you with your mission. Don't worry, they will only help with guarding and evacuating the crowd; they won't interfere too much in your operations. Of course, I can't guarantee what will happen if unexpected situations arise..."

"My son will also be attending the open tournament. I will have him act as the relay relay for both sides. Xiuwen, give my regards to Lieutenant Colonel Zong and everyone else. Tomorrow, you must do your best to assist their team in capturing the target."

Zhou Xiuwen, who looked somewhat tense, nodded in agreement and bowed to the officers opposite him as instructed, displaying impeccable manners, clearly quite accustomed to his father's arrangement.

Zhou Yuanjing glanced at his son with some curiosity, finding his son's demeanor odd. This wasn't the first time the boy had helped coordinate such small operations, but he always seemed somewhat distracted today. However, now wasn't a good time to ask, so he suppressed his thoughts and continued exchanging pleasantries with the special military guests.

This conversation lasted for several more weeks until the other side gave a signal to begin the operation. Only then did the group quietly leave the Zhou residence via a secret route.

(End of this chapter)