The Most Powerful Brain in the Interstellar Space

Chapter 772 Plan
"I've heard that General Phillips has a rather formidable temperament, so I'll trouble you to keep an eye on him," Clarence said to Zhou Xiuwen.

He had heard about this from his second brother, August, in the group a few days ago, but he didn't expect to hear another version of the story from Zhou Xiuwen today.

Zhou Xiuwen raised an eyebrow: "Father did say that Odysseus Philippians is a cold and mean-spirited man who is also quite ruthless and difficult to deal with."

This person's ability to stand out among the many talents in the First Legion and become one of the candidate agents is naturally exceptional. Whether it's his background or his achievements, he can be considered among the top in the First Legion. His stance is also very clear: he is the heir of the Phillips main branch, a typical old-school aristocratic family, with no complicated relationships.

A man like this, who had served in the military for many years, wouldn't have been so easily caught out and brought down. Unfortunately, he had a useless teammate by his side; his only son, who was on the rise, had been caught out for being too reckless, and he had no choice but to take action.

Little did he know that he was indeed a bit unlucky, as he happened to stumble upon a traitor within the army causing chaos, which also led to a major upheaval on the western defense line. Faced with the struggle for sovereignty within the state apparatus, even the most powerful aristocratic families and generations of military and political dynasties appeared utterly insignificant and powerless to resist.

Even though General Phillips later realized his mistake, he was still inevitably drawn into the turmoil—in an extremely undignified and passive manner, and ultimately lost his candidacy for the acting position.

This was already the result of General Phillips's best efforts to extricate himself; otherwise, it wouldn't just be a matter of being a candidate, but his only son's path to advancement would likely have been cut off as well.

Teles Phillips committed a grave error and was reportedly severely beaten by his father, and has not appeared in public since. Other matters were handled by General Phillips and the current head of the Phillips family, Lartes Phillips, and were resolved without serious incident. However, this battle severely weakened the Phillips family, and since they couldn't possibly kill their only son, their anger remained.

However, given the capabilities of that independent MP Phillips, while this move superficially weakened the Phillips family, it ultimately did not damage their foundation, and its impact on their political standing is limited. As long as this independent MP remains stable and steadily rises in rank, the Phillips family will not fall easily. It will not be too late to seek revenge on those who plotted against them later.

However, since this matter ultimately started with Colonel Phillips, focusing on the whole incident, it's inevitable that they would blame Jiang Hui, who initiated it. That man is notoriously ruthless, while Jiang Hui is just a young man with a relatively weak background. As someone in a higher position, it would be easiest for him to resort to underhanded tactics, so it's no wonder that Hukralens is worried.

Although Zhou Xiuwen didn't study the "grudges and feuds" between the various clans in the Star Sector very well, he did know a little about it. After thinking for a moment, he understood: "Don't worry. Ahui did attract some attention a few days ago. Father was worried that someone would interfere with her life, so he ordered that everything be stopped as much as possible. Once we enter the Imperial United Military Academy, we won't have to worry about anything."

Jiang Hui was somewhat surprised, not expecting Commander Zhou to issue such an order.

That's true, though. Since the Atlantis incident, she's been overexposed. Although her intentions were good, some people had ulterior motives. But apart from some people who somehow obtained her personal computer ID and sent her various information files, it seems that no one has actually come to her face.

Even her residence on Star 732, which she secretly returned to once, seemed peaceful and undisturbed; no troublemakers came knocking. So, was this why Commander Zhou was looking after her? Jiang Hui thanked Zhou Xiuwen, thinking that she would definitely express her gratitude in person when she had the chance to visit this respected elder again. She knew that the so-called "interception" was definitely not as simple as it sounded; her current peace and quiet must have been achieved through a multi-faceted effort.

He then looked thoughtful when he heard Zhou Xiuwen talk about the Phillips family's shady dealings.

"Ah Hui, what's wrong? Are you worried that the Phillips family won't let this go?" Zhou Xiuwen asked, observing Jiang Hui's uncertain expression.

Jiang Hui shook her head. Just as Zhou Xiuwen said, she had considerable public exposure and was being watched by many powerful forces. The Phillips family had only just weathered a crisis, and even if they wanted to retaliate, they wouldn't do it at a time like this. However, there was one thing that had just occurred to her—

"Xiuwen, I'd like to ask you something about the First Legion, if you don't mind." Jiang Hui weighed her options and asked directly.

Zhou Xiuwen looked at her knowingly: "I know it is indeed the one you guessed."

It's no secret that the First Legion was once under the Zhou family's control. There's no need to dwell on past grievances and debts; it's inappropriate. The important thing is that the various factions within the First Legion remain unresolved, while the Zhou family has emerged from its dormancy, seemingly poised to reclaim its banner. Anyone with discerning eyes can see that a clash between the two sides is inevitable; it's just a matter of time, and it's no secret.

Jiang Hui used the word "presumptuous" to describe herself because she felt her question had gone too far, touching on the Zhou family's internal plans. She wanted to know if Commander Zhou intended to use this interstellar upheaval to reclaim the entire First Legion, to regain control of the legion's overall power, rather than just controlling a mere administrator.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Xiuwen answered so decisively and without hesitation—

The Zhou family does indeed seem to be looking to reclaim the First Legion's influence. And it's clear that Commander Zhou's actions in letting General Phillips fail to be selected were partly orchestrated. No wonder someone like him would be dragged into the political storm because of his only son's small mistake, ultimately losing his own crucial candidacy position. This does connect the dots, but...
“Not enough,” Zhou Xiuwen said softly, meeting the thoughtful gazes of his two friends.

"I don't have a suitable person yet." Having shed his former naiveté, the young man's clear eyes revealed a spirit more shrewd than ever before.

The use of "I" is enough to indicate who was following up on this event and who was leading the effort to consolidate the First Legion's power. Even if Zhou Xiuwen wasn't the person in charge, it must have passed through his hands. This was probably the first piece that commander was laying the foundation for his only son.

As for the lack of suitable candidates at present, it's probably just that it's not the right time to promote someone yet. Everything is still lacking in timing and opportunity, and it requires Zhou Xiuwen, the young master with a still shallow foundation, to personally demonstrate to the various interstellar forces that he has the right and ability to become the next leader of the Zhou Clan Legion.