In the quietness, a precious black car glided through the capital's administrative area highway like a silent black spirit. Several days of low temperatures and snowy weather had left a thick layer of snow on the smooth road surface. Even the heat-emitting pipes on the pavement couldn't melt the snow quickly enough.
"Did you get off?" A young married woman, elegantly dressed and sitting in the back seat of the black car, gently hugged a lost little girl and looked at the plump captain across from her. With a smile, she said, "Captain, aren't you supposed to stay on your own ship? Aren't you afraid it might be stolen?"
The young married woman's smile, filled with gentleness and charm, instantly lifted the mood in the car. The captain, flattered, looked at the young married woman and smiled, "Sister-in-law, the young lady has been through such a big incident. I must personally apologize to you. The spaceship needs to restock supplies anyway, so I can handle it."
"Apologize to me? Are you asking me to plead on your behalf?" The young married woman looked at him with amusement.
The captain's face showed a hint of distress as he said, "I lost sight of the young lady for so long, and when we return to the military base, the boss will surely reprimand me. Sister-in-law, please help me smooth things over."
"Isn't Fireworks mischievous? Why would he blame you? We know that Fireworks is a mischievous child. This time, Brother Tian brought her here and it caused trouble for you," the young married woman said with a gentle smile. She looked at the daughter in her arms and whispered, "Fireworks, don't wander around anymore. Be a good child. Do you know how worried Uncle Zhang would be?"
Zhong Yanhua stubbornly stared out of the window at the receding deodar cedar trees, refusing to answer her mother's question. In her heart, she felt that apart from her older brother Xu Le, no one in this world was willing to believe her words. Even her father and mother didn't listen to her opinions, always treating her like a child and disregarding her thoughts. She had decided to study in this desolate land of ice and snow, away from everyone who didn't understand her.
As if understanding the child's thoughts, a hint of apology appeared on the young married woman's face. She turned to the captain and said, "This child doesn't want to leave home. There seems to be no other way. I'll have to accompany her here for a few years."
Captain Tian immediately understood the implications of her words and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, rest assured, I'll do my best to persuade Boss." In an instant, his expression turned serious and he said, "Regarding the incident when the young lady went missing, the commander ordered us to keep it under wraps. Even Xu Le, the child, has been instructed not to speak about it... I'm not sure why the young lady didn't go to the capital. Do the old men in the administration committee dare to do something?"
The young married woman smiled and said, "The Federation is not an empire. There's no need to worry about any royal opinions. However, our Zhong Family has guarded Westwood for too long. The people in the capital are always uneasy. By sending Fireworks to study in the federation, we might be able to instill a stronger sense of belonging to the Federation in the future generations of the Zhong Family."
The young married woman spoke these words, her brow slightly wrinkling as she asked suddenly, "Does that little fellow named Xu Le know about Fireworks' status?"
"The boy appears honest and reliable, but in reality, he is quite sharp-witted. It is likely that he has guessed correctly but hasn't mentioned anything. It's probably better that way, pretending not to know," the portly captain shrugged his shoulders, causing his fat to jiggle.
Staring at the small snowflakes outside the window, Xu Le suddenly turned his head to look at the two individuals in the car. Summoning his courage, he exclaimed with all his strength, "Elder Brother Xu Le is a good person!"
The young married woman smiled and said, "Of course, he is a good person. He obviously knew we were from the Zhong Family, yet he didn't ask for anything from you. Instead, he distanced himself. The key point is that he's quite likable and not the type to put on a false act... Fireworks, your mother believes in your judgment of character."
Proudly, the young girl turned her head. The young married woman looked at the captain with a serious expression and calmly said, "If that young man doesn't want any connection with us, then so be it. However, I've left my contact information with Zhang Jun's secretary. If he ever needs help in the future, I can still assist him."
The captain nodded and then mentioned, "The energy quota for the artillery company is halfway depleted. I've already reported it and sent the request. The issue lies with the energy committee. Other departments should be operating smoothly. However, the energy committee requires the chairman's personal approval."
The portly captain changed the subject to official business. The young married woman's expression became slightly serious, but her tone remained calm as she said, "Leave that matter to me. But really, you wasted so many quotas. In the end, the Eastwood Garrison Command had to reimburse the entire special forces unit. There may be a lawsuit, and even Lake's team was injured because of you... When we return to the military base, you will have to explain it yourself."
The captain maintained a composed expression and replied sincerely, "Commander shouldn't trouble himself with this matter."
"Oh? That treasonous machine repair master is a formidable adversary for our Fourth Military Region. Knowing this news, his mood must be quite good..." The young married woman's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she asked curiously, "But the question is, is that machine repair master really that powerful? Lake's special machine armor squad couldn't handle him, so can he attack from outer space? Next month, we need to get the Ministry of Defense to take action. Otherwise, we won't be able to explain this situation."
"That machine repair master is indeed formidable," the captain closed his eyes, recalling the black machine armor monster he saw in the thermal imaging system and satellite images. After a moment of silence, he opened his eyes and said, "He is even more powerful than Lake's team. The Federation doesn't have a clear solution, which is why the Ministry of Defense has credited us with this achievement."
The young married woman maintained a serious expression and asked, "How does he compare to our commander?"
The captain understood that when she referred to the boss, she meant the commander of the Fourth Military Region. After pondering for a while, he replied objectively, "If they were to face off in the field, using machine armor, the boss wouldn't be his match... Rest assured, the chairman, that person can't die again. More than ten years ago, the Fourth Military Region lost more than ten thousand lives before finally gaining control."
The young married woman nodded and looked at the snowflakes outside the window. She lowered her head and saw her sleeping daughter, then softly whispered, "And... just how formidable is that machine repair master?"
"Others probably can't see it clearly, but when I was young, I spent some time at the Li Family's training hall," the portly captain lowered his voice and said earnestly, "I've always felt that the machine repair master has some connection to the Li Family of Philadelphia."
Upon hearing the mention of the Li Family of Philadelphia, the young married woman's expression changed slightly. She knew that Ochita Fatty was an exceptional expert in the Fourth Military Region, and his judgment carried weight. After contemplating for a moment, she whispered, "Since Machine Repair Master Yu Feng is already dead, let's put an end to this matter. Don't mention it to the commander. It's absolutely impossible for the Li Family to betray the Federation. If the politicians get wind of it, they will surely cause trouble. As soldiers, we must not let Li fall into any trouble."
As a soldier, the portly captain had immense respect for Mr. Li. He earnestly nodded in agreement.
...
...
The Seven Great Families of the Federation, devoid of any privileged class, have refined their historical essence over countless years. They have numerous accomplishments that make them the pillars of the Federation. In a modern society built upon the foundation of federal law, these ancient families lurk in the shadows and rarely reveal their true forms to the public. The people of the Federation know of the Seven Great Families but are ignorant of their true power and influence.
Due to their status, the Seven Great Families would never bully an ordinary citizen. The two may never have any interaction. To the general public, the Seven Great Families are distant entities, existing only in casual conversations or illicit literary publications. They are never a part of their everyday lives.
The six respected families among the Seven Great Families reside on three administrative planets within the Capital Star Circle. The only exception is the Zhong Family of Westwood, which lies outside the Highwood Grand District.
Westwood is home to only the Zhong Family, and compared to the other families, the Zhong Family is more transparent to the public. Since the early days of federal development, the Fourth Military Region of the Zhong Family has been responsible for the defense of the Federation's most distant borders. Aside from the incident in the Eastwood Grand District, the Fourth Military Region has consistently met the expectations of Federation citizens.
Wearing his windproof coat, Xu Le stood at the bus stop in the snow, occasionally gazing at the snow-filled sky with a somewhat bewildered expression.
He was just a fugitive criminal, yet fate had allowed him to meet the legendary characters of the Zhong Family. He had even spent several days with the young lady of the Zhong Family. Moreover, he unexpectedly encountered the wife of the commander of the Fourth Military Region at the airport... the great figures of the legend didn't seem so unfamiliar after all. They appeared to be approachable.
At this moment, Xu Le was unaware that the mother of the little girl was not only the commander's wife in the Fourth Military Region but also the chairman of a giant corporation. Otherwise, he would have been even more astonished. Squinting his eyes as he watched the snowflakes gently fall from the sky, Xu Le felt a sense of calm in his heart. He couldn't help but feel a slight regret that the fragmented M02 had probably wandered off into space, destined to become nothing more than space debris one day.
As he awaited the bus, Xu Le checked the time. After a brief moment of contemplation, he entered the airport to purchase a package of Highwood's special product —puppy biscuits. A joyful smile appeared on his face immediately.
Ever since his time in Eastwood, Xu Le had heard of Highwood's puppy biscuits from advertisements on the 23 channels. However, he had never had the opportunity to taste them himself. After all, the two administrative districts were too far apart, and not all commercial companies were willing to engage in low-profit businesses like selling biscuits. The puppy biscuits were delightfully crisp, and Xu Le thoroughly enjoyed eating them. Deep in his heart, he realized he truly was a country bumpkin.
He knew airport prices were high, but he didn't mind. He swiped his card all the way, using the Three Forests United Bank card that the boss had left him. He had no idea how much money was on the card, and no matter how much he tried to swipe, it never seemed to run out.
The bus arrived, and Xu Le boarded with a large leather suitcase. He struggled to find a seat and eventually sat down after taking off his windproof coat. He placed the entire package of puppy biscuits on his lap, ready to enjoy the whole batch slowly. Suddenly, his fingers collided with two icy, slender fingers, startling him!
Surprised, Xu Le turned his head and saw a girl wearing a hat, reaching out to grab a biscuit without any reservation.