CH 12

The scene was deathly still for half a minute, and Colonel Damel, who was retraining all his five senses so as not to laugh, cleared his throat and broke the silence with a twitching smile. “Marshal, the principal is already waiting for you in the office.”

Qi Qing’s eyes stayed on Ji Xingjue for a few more seconds before turning away without saying a word.

The three people in the meeting room: “…”

Cecilie calmly walked to the door in small steps, and then extended her head to probe the outside. “Gone, this time he’s really gone.”

“Mrs. Marshal,” Song Mei wiped off the non-existent cold sweat on his forehead, “Why does your Marshal come to our school to clock in everyday?”

He paused and looked at Ji Xingjue suspiciously. “Is it for you? Why didn’t I see that your husband and wife are so affectionate before?”

Ji Xingjue, who was numb all over, said, “Don’t ask me, I’m screwed too.”

“This accident tells us that we must check if the door is closed before we speak ill of someone.” Cecilie leaned against the door, smiled and summed up. After she looked out again, she stood up straight all of a sudden. “Don’t be paralyzed, Admiral Rand is coming!”

Song Mei jumped up immediately, adjusted his collar, and held his chest high.

Ji Xingjue skillfully took out his glasses from his pocket, and put the frame on the bridge of his nose, holding the air of an elegant scholar.

This bionic intelligence project was originally presided over by Ji Xingjue’s teacher, who was also the dean of the School of Biomimetic Intelligence of Ankara University.

After Ji Xingjue got involved, within a few years, the teacher went to a science base in the Second galaxy to be a representative, and the project was handed over to him for responsibility. Until last year, Ji Xingjue officially became the main person in charge.

As the one responsible for coordinating, Admiral Rand had taken care of the project team in these recent years. In the Admiral’s saying, “Technology is the impetus for the empire to maintain its everlasting glory and fly to a greater future”— Because of the Admiral’s respect for scientific researchers, everyone pretended to put on air in front of the Admiral, so as not to undermine the Admiral’s rigorous and dignified imagination of scientific researchers.

The door of the conference room was pushed open again. Admiral Rand walked in with a few members of the military department and said hello with a smile, “Good morning, haha, there was a delay on the road, making you wait a long time.”

Ji Xingjue smiled slightly. “Admiral, long time no see. We also have just arrived, please sit down.”

This admiral once followed the founding emperor to defeat the tyrant of the Randall Empire. His ability was mediocre but what was great about him was ability to save his life on the battlefield. So although his title was not the highest, he had survived to the present and killed a lot of his brilliant colleagues.

In a way, such people seem to be more powerful.

Song Mei skillfully turned on the optical computer projection screen, and the projection appeared in the middle of the conference table.

Ji Xingjue asked Cecilie to come forward to explain first, while he stood next to her with arms folded, occasionally making supplements.

They were doing their report seriously, but the officers from the military headquarters underneath sat unsteadily, and kept peeking at Ji Xingjue.

Ji Xingjue ignored these sights without changing his face. After Cecilie finished explaining, he stepped forward and opened the demo program. “…The improved C9 can already imitate a variety of micro-expressions according to the needs of the scene, and the level of intelligence is also higher than that of the previous generation C8.”

An officer asked casually, “If you look exactly like a human, how can you tell who is a real person and who is a bionic person?”

“We have added a mandatory security program to the smart chip. This program is bound to the chip and cannot be uninstalled.” Cecilie clicked on the virtual button in the air, and the chip data demonstration jumped out. “After downloading the program, you can learn the operating information of the corresponding bionic, so there is need to worry.”

“The experimental base is conducting further actual measurement records of C9, and we will report relevant data at any time,” Ji Xingjue said with a smile, and calmly looked at Admiral Rand, “Does this gentleman have any more questions?”

After Admiral Rand listened carefully to the whole process, he exclaimed, and smiled even more kindly. “Xiao Ji ah, when did you and the Marshal get married?”

Ji Xingjue: “……”

Several military personnel, who were listening till their heads were spinning, were awake together, and their ears were pricked up with piercing eyes.

Compared with other departments of the empire, the military department was already quite united, but the factional struggle would not stop, especially the factions in the Imperial Capital who were extremely hostile to the faction Qi Qing had actual achievements.

Admiral Rand was a neutral faction, and he wasn’t afraid to offend anyone while asking causally. He wasn’t afraid of the consequences.

Ji Xingjue couldn’t bring himself to crack a smile. “…November 4th-astronomic calendar, at 6 o’clock in the afternoon.”

“Just one day after the award granting ceremony, good day!” Admiral Rand finished complimenting him, and moved forward with great interest. “I heard that you two live together now, and the Marshal will also send you to work?”

“…Yes, conveniently drop off along the way.”

Ji Xingjue casted a glance at Cecilie and Song Mei at the corner of his eyes, trying to hint at these two that they should come to the rescue and free him from this horrible gossip interrogation.

Unexpectedly, the two of them had long colluded with the enemy and treason. One of them found a stool and listened with keen interest pleasure beside him, holding his face while waiting for him to speak.

Ji Xingjue cursed inwardly.

As if hearing his heartfelt wishes, there was a sudden knock on the door outside the room, and a familiar voice sounded, “Admiral Rand, is the meeting over? Marshal Qi Qing invited Professor Ji to the principal’s office.”

Everyone suddenly showed regret.

For the first time, Ji Xingjue thought that Qi Qing’s name was so pleasant to hear.

He quickly disconnected the terminal from the optical computer, his pace was unstoppable. “Since there is something on the Marshal’s side, I won’t stay any longer. Cecilie, Song Mei, entertain several distinguished guests, see you later.”

Damel waited outside, seeing Ji Xingjue fling out embarrassedly, his face solemn, and his voice was lowered. “Ma’am, is anyone disrespectful to you?”

“No,” Ji Xingjue adjusted his collar and put his glasses back into his pocket. “It’s just that everyone’s curiosity is too strong.”

Damel looked at Ji Xingjue and couldn’t help saying, “Actually, I’m also a little curious…”

Ji Xingjue smiled politely. “For related questions, please consult your family’s Marshal.”

Damel shut up immediately.

He had the life to ask, but was afraid that he didn’t have the life to listen. 

The principal’s office wasn’t far from the conference room, still on the same floor, just a few turns away.

Qi Qing probably went the wrong way before.

Entering the office, in addition to Qi Qing, the headmaster of Ankara University was also there waiting.

The two were sitting on the sofa by the window and playing chess. The headmaster had a solemn expression, as if facing a big enemy. On a black and white checkerboard, the enemy had already arrived at the door, and the king was in danger.

Ji Xingjue gave it a glance and secretly thought: poor chess player with many loopholes.

Sure enough, the next moment, the headmaster realized that he was coming, and happily said, “Professor Ji is here! Haha, Marshal, business is more important, don’t make your move yet.”

Qi Qing didn’t move his eyes, not even bothering to stop his hand, saying, “Checkmate.”

The headmaster was stagnant, and reluctantly responded.

Qi Qing calmly swallowed the king and raised his eyebrows. “You lost.”

“You really don’t give me any face, Marshal Qi,” the headmaster sighed. “It’s too similar to your father. Okay, if you have anything, ask Professor Ji first.”

Ji Xingjue said at the right time, “Headmaster, Marshal, is there anything you want me to do by calling me here?”

Damel stepped out of the office and stayed outside.

Qi Qing, who was playing with a chess piece, said abruptly, “Sire, please allow me to occupy your office.”

The meaning of chasing people out was clear.

The headmaster didn’t mind. He held his teacup and strolled out of the office slowly.

Only Qi Qing and Ji Xingjue were left in the room.

It was obvious that the headmaster’s office was spacious, comfortable and bright. Unlike the small room in the tailor’s shop, but Ji Xingjue still felt that the air force had slowed down, and the space seemed to be extremely small which made Qi Qing’s existence was so clear that it couldn’t be ignored, like a shining sun burning beside him. 

It was just that the sun was cold at this time.

“What are you in a daze for,” Qi Qing glanced at him, “Sit down and cooperate.”

Ji Xingjue touched the tip of his nose and sat across from him obediently.

Qi Qing held his hands and stared at him coldly. “Rest assured, although I’m a ‘particularly stingy’ person, I won’t go as far as to use public office to avenge private wrongs. I’m just asking something.”

…then you don’t gnash your teeth!

Ji Xingjue felt helpless. “Lord Marshal, if I remember correctly, this is the third time you ran to Ankara University after returning to the Imperial Capital? Is there anything in our school that particularly appeals to you?”

Hearing “something that appeals to you”, Qi Qing’s eyes drifted away for a few seconds, then calmly moved back to Ji Xingjue’s body, his tone unwavering. “Military affairs.”

Ji Xingjue nodded, then it was indeed inconvenient for him to ask more.

Who knew that Qi Qing would continue to say, “Investigate a person related to secret disclosure six months ago.”

Ji Xingjue habitually rubs his neck with his fingers. “Huh?”

His neck was white and delicate, and with just a few rubbed unconsciously by the slender fingers, a red mark was easily wiped out.

Qi Qing’s eyes were deep and he paused for a moment before he said, “Six months ago, when I led the fleet to fight the Star Pirates, the coordinates of the base stationed on the planet were leaked. At the same time, a false order was sent to the front line and the Star Pirates attacked the base that night…”

Before he finished speaking, Ji Xingjue’s pupils shrank slightly. “Were you injured?”

His eyes were sharp, losing that kind of graceful and leisurely calmness, vaguely revealing vigor while looking at Qi Qing’s waist. Without waiting for him to answer, he continued to ask, “Is the injury on your body you got at that time?”

Qi Qing suddenly got stuck.

Ji Xingjue also recovered and was startled. He slowly relaxed his tight nerves, and laughed at himself in his heart.

Just when he suspected that Lord Marshal would reply to him with a sentence full of irony as “So you still care about this”, Qi Qing’s tone eased up a lot as he calmly said, “No.”

“That false order was intercepted by an unknown hacker, and the reinforcements came in time.” Qi Qing thought for a while, pretending to stress casually, “But before the reinforcements arrived, I wiped out the star pirates, and actually didn’t need any help.”

He looked like a peacock who pretended not to care but actually spread his tails to be admired. Ji Xingjue intensely wanted to laugh a little bit, but if he dared to laugh, Qi Qing would definitely become hostile right away, so he could only try to hold back his smile and nodded solemnly. “So that’s how it is. You are really awesome.”

The sound of “you are awesome” greatly pleased Qi Qing.

He snorted, not concealing his pride, and continued “Although it did not cause any loss, it is not a trivial matter. I requested His Majesty that this matter will be investigated jointly by the Ministry of Military and Ministry of Security. It just so happened that I learned of one thing just after I returned to the Imperial Capital.”

“That false order was transmitted from nearby the Imperial Capital.”

And those who could access the secrets of frontline base coordinates were all in the Imperial Capital.

“The person who sent the false order was quite clever and used a lot of methods to hide the coordinates. It took our people half a year to solve the many obstacles and track the coordinates of the order.”

Ji Xingjue’s eyelids twitched uncomfortably.

“The faculty and staff dormitory of Ankara University.”

As expected.

“The other people have been investigated, and now there is only one person left.” Qi Qing increased his tone slightly, leaning closer, and his eagle-like sharp gaze ran straight into Ji Xingjue’s eyes, “Guess who it is?”

It goes without saying. Ji Xingjue sighed helplessly. He leaned back, and spit out a word: “Me.”

The author has something to say:

Xiao Qi: I am very strong.

Xiao Ji: En en, how awesome!

Xiao Qi: Pride.jpg

[T/N: What did JXJ do?]