Chapter One Hundred Thirteen: Private Army, Part Three

Chapter 113: Private Army (3)

Yu Yehe had regained his composure. He took a sip of water, as though it might ease the turmoil in his heart.

“Actually, everyone here has the authority to access this matter. And the deadline for its declassification is fast approaching.” Rather than immediately explaining what was shown on the screen, Yu Yehe began by mentioning something that appeared completely unrelated.

It might not have sounded like much of an explanation, but since the matter involved authorization levels, it clearly concerned classified information. No wonder Yu Yehe had been the first to react. Reviewing classified files was a required lesson for any Minister of Defense.

“At first, I wasn’t entirely certain either, so while everyone was looking at the footage, I searched through the records from that time. As it turned out…” Yu Yehe paused despite himself. Given the present circumstances, this might not be good news.

“The date was Star Calendar Year 1170—sixty-two years ago. We called that incident the Eastern Expedition.”

As Yu Yehe’s voice faded, the others in the room immediately began searching on their personal computers. It was indeed a classified file. But everyone present possessed astonishingly high clearance, and naturally, they were able to view it.

Yu Yehe remained silent as he waited for the others to finish reading. The concern on their faces gradually transformed into astonishment. Yu Yehe himself had just gone through the same process. He had never imagined that an event from sixty-two years ago would finally resurface in the present day.

“In Star Calendar Year 1170, the missionary crusader fleet of the Vatican Heavenly Kingdom disappeared while passing through the northern region of the Federation’s star domain—specifically, the Gaia Archdiocese’s stargate within the Vatican Heavenly Kingdom.” Yu Yehe slowly recounted the incident that had occurred sixty-two years earlier.

“Everyone here should have heard of this incident at the time, shouldn’t you?” Yu Yehe swept his gaze across the room and continued.

Naturally, anyone seated in that room held a position of great authority. Even if they had not yet risen to their current posts sixty-two years ago, they had certainly been serving in critical departments. At the time, the incident had caused an enormous uproar.

Various emotions appeared on the faces of those present. To bring up this matter now was undoubtedly to add another layer of frost to Huaxia’s already chaotic situation.

Because the Eastern Expedition Incident was not as simple as it appeared.

“Next, I am going to show everyone classified visual records from Pangu. These images contain the last recorded footage of that fleet before it passed through the stargate sixty-two years ago.”

There was no way that even the Minister of Defense could have viewed the footage, analyzed it, gathered all the relevant information, and contacted Pangu to obtain these records in such a short time. Yet Yu Yehe had clearly done precisely that.

The only possible conclusion was that he had come prepared.

And the panic on his face when he saw the footage was because this was the last thing he had wanted to see.

The Defense Ministry had not been idle during the week since the war began. There were many reasons for the Third Fleet’s successive defeats. The greatest was that the entire affair gave off an uncanny air. Revealing all one’s strength at the very beginning was not something a competent commander would do.

Of course, although Yu Yehe was nominally the commander-in-chief of the Defense Ministry’s Third Fleet, the tangled relationships among the fleet’s various commanders had also left him struggling to cope.

Chapter 113: Private Army (3)

However, most of the lost star domains were territories controlled by smaller interest groups. For that reason, some people were only too happy to use the opportunity to carry out a purge.

But this time…the matter was no longer so simple.

Everyone had received one disturbing piece of news from these events.

The missing crusader fleet had returned.

“Everyone now knows the situation regarding the crusader fleet. Pangu is following up on the investigation. We will inform you as soon as there is any new information. However, I ask all of you to think carefully when you return. Is it time to change our strategy? I believe everyone understands the principle that when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. I have nothing more to say. The meeting is adjourned.”

Yun Shichu seized the opportunity to state the true purpose of the meeting.

Being entrusted with command in a moment of crisis was extraordinarily difficult for him. Nevertheless, he had accepted the poisoned chalice.

Perhaps those who had pushed him into the spotlight had never dreamed that this inexperienced young fool would accomplish so much in the years to come.

But Yun Shichu alone knew that this was an opportunity—a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change the current state of Huaxia.

For the sake of that possibility, he would do everything within his power.

The meeting room gradually fell silent. Only Yun Shichu and Yu Yehe remained inside. In private, their relationship did not seem nearly as strained as it appeared on the surface.

“Old classmate, do you think what happened today will make those people change?” Yu Yehe smoked as he stared ahead. The man beside him naturally knew that the question was directed at him.

“How would we know without trying? Tell me honestly—what exactly has Pangu found?” Yun Shichu was smoking as well. Their gazes did not meet.

Slowly exhaling a plume of smoke, Yu Yehe did not immediately answer his old classmate. After weighing his words for a moment, he finally said, “I’ve already told you everything I can. Sixty-two years have passed. Much of the classified information from that time was destroyed. And with the Republic’s Glory in its current state, things are very difficult.”

At the mention of the Republic’s Glory, Yun Shichu’s hand tightened. The cigarette between his other fingers was crushed out of shape.

“What a Republic’s Glory. What a republic.” His voice was laden with icy bitterness. Even Yu Yehe could sense the resentment in his words.

“This isn’t your fault or mine. If there is anyone to blame, blame the age we live in. Fortunately, the two of us now have the ability to change things. Don’t tell me you’re backing down now?”

Yu Yehe stubbed out his cigarette and turned to look at Yun Shichu.

“It’s been several decades since we graduated, hasn’t it? Who would have thought that, out of all those people, only you and I would still be able to sit here together?” As though remembering something, Yu Yehe spoke again.

Chapter 113: Private Army (3)

Yun Shichu relaxed his clenched hand and extinguished his cigarette as well. Then he placed both hands behind his head.

“I thought that, in the end, I would be the only one left.”

How could Yu Yehe fail to understand what Yun Shichu meant? Though somewhat embarrassed, he still answered, “Sometimes, neither you nor I gets to decide our own fate.”

“Then what made you decide to follow your own will this time?” Yun Shichu looked at Yu Yehe with interest, wanting to hear his answer.

“At my age, having reached this position, it’s time I acted as myself for once. I envy you, you know. You’ve always been able to live that way.” As he spoke, Yu Yehe grew somewhat self-deprecating. A helpless smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Yu Yehe’s smile eased the tension on Yun Shichu’s face. He said, “I’ve never envied myself. Still, after all these years of storms and hardships, I’m fortunate that, at the end of it all, I still have an old friend who can stand beside me. No matter what happens this time, I, Yun Shichu, will not have lived in vain.”

His words moved Yu Yehe slightly.

“All right. We’re both getting on in years, yet here we are speaking with the same sentimentality as young men. Tell me honestly—do you have any confidence this time?”

“If I said no, would you believe me?” Yun Shichu countered.

“That’s just like you. At this point, even if you told me you were deliberately courting death, I still couldn’t get off this ship.” Yu Yehe laughed.

“Hahahaha! If I managed to drag you down with me, then I’d call that a success! Hahahaha!” Something seemed to have crossed Yun Shichu’s mind, and he burst into laughter.

Yet both Yun Shichu and Yu Yehe knew that, in the days ahead, they might never laugh like this again.