Dawn broke.
In the room, Wei Tianyang had vanished without a trace.
Bare-skinned, Zhao Ling clutched her fractured left arm, struggling to sit up on the bed.
Bloodstains lingered around her lips, her long hair disheveled, covering her chest, with claw marks bleeding across her chest, abdon, and back.
She didn’t know how she had survived the night, but the intense pain and frantic impulses had srized her.
She picked up her tattered dress from the floor beside the bed, laughed self-deprecatingly, stuffed the dress under the bed, and then walked into the bathroom.
The warm water washed away the blood and sticky filth. Even now, she could still feel the sensation and pain of Wei Tianyang’s claws scratching her skin.
The pain in her left arm was severe, but Zhao Ling didn’t mind. Instead, she relished the feeling of being broken. After showering, she walked naked to the wardrobe and picked out a set of white casual clothes to wear.
Though this was Wei Tianyang’s room nominally, it was theirs, and all furnishings and items were arranged under the premise of shared living.
After changing her clothes, Zhao Ling noticed her phone flashing on the floor, having turned off its vibration and ringtone. She preferred not to be disturbed while with him.
However, seeing the encrypted call from Venerable Xu on the screen, she realized there might be big trouble.
"Emperor, many were unable to contact you last night," Venerable Xu said.
"What happened?" Zhao Ling said, biting her collar with her mouth and stuffing her fractured left arm into the sleeve.
"Last night, everyone from the tripartite institutions was looking for you, the lines were nearly jamd. There’s trouble in Bai Feng City, it’s serious! Have you seen the news this morning?" Venerable Xu sternly said.
Zhao Ling paused, her face suddenly turning ugly. She had indeed been negligent this ti.
"I’m heading back to Fengrao City right away. Arrange so private dical care for ; I need a splint," Zhao Ling said.
"Where are you injured?" Venerable Xu asked, stunned.
"Don’t ask, just call a eting quickly. I can handle my business. As for the issue in Bai Feng City, give a report. They really have the nerve to pull off such big stunts on my turf?" Zhao Ling said.
"I’ll arrange it right away. The eting will be at 4 pm, and I’ve already sent soone to investigate in Bai Feng City. Get your injury treated first, then we’ll reassess," Venerable Xu said.
Zhao Ling acknowledged and hung up the phone. She combed her hair and walked downstairs out of the courtyard, instructing soone to prepare the car as she couldn’t drive herself.
She looked toward the lakeside, on the grass, and did not find the black goat.
anwhile, in the Sethiyan Federation.
Steijie had just concluded a cabinet eting when his secretary inford him that Helena Mina, the Director of the United Council, had called.
He hesitated for a mont but then decided to answer the call and requested to turn off the recording.
"Steijie, did Wei Tianyang co to see you?" Helena Mina asked directly.
"Why don’t you ask Zhao?" Steijie responded.
"I’ve already called, but there was an air raid on her end, and she couldn’t leave for a while," Helena Mina said.
"Don’t be anxious. He often does this; he gets upset over small things and then goes sowhere to calm down by himself. You should be used to it by now," Steijie advised.
"I can’t believe you would say that! Is it because you’re resigning in a year, so your political acun has declined?" Helena Mina said, sowhat angry.
"Helena, Helena, Helena... don’t rush. Being anxious won’t help, you won’t be able to find him. We all know he can teleport, no satellite equipnt can track such a target, and besides, don’t worry about him appearing in Heisai State causing any political incidents, who could question it? We’re just trying to ensure this operation runs smoothly," Steijie explained.
"You probably don’t know that soone has already leaked information, fearing that dispatching Wei Tianyang to Heisai State is a show of force against the pharmaceutical companies. Especially since... he instantly wiped out all the factories yesterday and also attacked the President Mansion and the governntal military!" Helena Mina said.
"The President didn’t die, right? That proves he’s still rational. Moreover, wasn’t our special military operation intended to eliminate the underground neutralizer production lines? He completed the mission, which is good," Steijie said with a smile.
"We didn’t send troops to bomb factories, Steijie, it was to find clues and catch whoever leaked the formula! But now, the President of Gambia has directly witnessed Wei Tianyang, even talked to him! He has filed a lawsuit at the International Military Tribunal, claiming illegal invasion by Wei Tianyang, the Sethiyan Federation Navy, and the United Council Army!" Helena Mina said, agitated.
"The appeal won’t go through, as both of us know, and all countries are aware of what the leak of the neutralizer formula could lead to," Steijie replied.
"Your way of thinking is becoming more and more like Wei Tianyang’s... We are politicians; they won’t stop attacking you just because you’re doing the right thing," Helena Mina pointed out.
"I’m tired, Helena. I think we should all be a bit more straightforward like him. There’s too much grey area in this world; what’s wrong with seeing things as black or white? He’s like an eraser, able to wipe out all the black. We should have done this earlier, but without him, we hesitate, continuously diating... wasting ti and lives," Steijie said.
"Steijie... you’ve enacted the firearms and drugs prohibition acts dostically, and I haven’t talked to you about it..." Helena Mina lowered her voice.
"I did what I’ve always wanted to do, Helena," Steijie said.
"Being too naive as a politician can cost you your life," Helena Mina hinted strongly.
"Alright, stop worrying about those things. Wei Tianyang will show up, and they won’t have any reaction or asures. What can they do?" Steijie remained optimistic.
"Fine, you keep being the good guy; I’m off to... deal with the aftermath," Helena Mina said and hung up the phone.
Steijie put down the receiver, and through the crack of the door, he saw the press officer, the Minister of Finance, and the Mayor of Georgetown waiting outside.
"Co in, everyone," Steijie said.
The three entered the office.
"How is the preparation for the 332nd anniversary of the Federation’s founding next month coming along?" Steijie asked.
"We’ve had Newman Exhibition Company assess the situation on Golden Avenue and selected four parade routes for floats and airships. The total cost of the event is projected to reach 23.9 billion Langke," the Minister of Finance reported.
"Golden Avenue is good, passing by the Independence Day morial Hall and the North-South War Obelisk, and also going through Jefferson Square..." Steijie muttered to himself, looking at the 3D map of Georgetown in his notebook.
"The security asures are also in place. The Georgetown State Police and the National Guard will provide ground security, and we’ve also hired ’Plan and Execute’ PMC to partake in the periter security tasks. You’ll be very safe in the open car following the ceremonial procession," the Mayor of Georgetown said.
Steijie nodded, then turned to the press officer: "Is the speech for that day still being selected?"
The press officer nodded and said, "We’ve drafted a few topics like ’United as One’, ’We Can Do It’, ’Age of Change’, and ’A Safer Federation’..."
"I think I’d prefer ’A Safer Federation’, but it’s up to you to decide," Steijie said with a smile.
Half an hour later, the three left the office, and Steijie stood by the window with his hands behind his back, looking out at the White House’s lawn.
The intense sun hung high; outside the fence, cars and people ca and went, another ordinary day.
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