043. Meeting
「So, you are Mr. David Lin's daughter!」
Du Zexin looked at Yavanna in front of him, surprised, and said:
「Unbelievable, I thought Mr. David Lin didn't have any descendants...」
「Maybe it's because my father has always been cautious and frugal, and we never show our faces in public.」
Yavanna explained.
This meeting with Du Zexin was suggested by Li Aozi before he left. Du Zexin was rescued under the name of being "Li Aozi's captive," and with his severe brain thrombosis problem, Law IV barely questioned him. Once the surgery was over, they kicked Du Zexin out of the ward to avoid him staying longer at the hospital and incurring additional costs covered by the unit's reimbursement.
Du Zexin picked up his coffee, took a sip, and immediately his expression turned as bitter as the coffee.
He was dressed in loose casual clothes, a blue and white checkered shirt, a khaki vest, and a pair of ordinary jeans. Anyone would think he was just a regular engineer or programmer, with no hint of being a cold-blooded agent of Law IV.
「Mr. Du, do you not like the taste of this place?」
Yavanna noticed Du Zexin's discomfort and immediately asked with concern.
「No—I've never had coffee, it's too expensive. I usually just drink plain water.」
「Is that so, that's fine.」 Yavanna smiled, 「I don't often invite people out either, but since it's a meeting, it's better to have a formal setting.」
「Uh, is that so?」
Du Zexin was a bit at a loss.
On the one hand, as a civil servant who climbed up from the bottom, constantly transferring and changing positions, he had no place of his own. As a [Mechanic], he lived in the factory for the sake of his equipment, so he naturally never enjoyed the luxury of coffee, a small bourgeois sentiment.
On the other hand, the daughter of his admired idol was right in front of him, and she had actively invited him out under the name of "Li Aozi's introduction" to discuss important matters. Du Zexin had many questions to ask—Did David Lin really go to prison? What happened to Li Aozi now? What is your relationship with Li Aozi?
Damn, why do these questions seem to be getting weirder?
Although Yavanna was beautiful, Du Zexin was more concerned about her father, David Lin, and Li Aozi.
「Miss Yavanna, I do have many questions for you.」 Du Zexin pondered for a moment and then asked, 「What is your father's situation? Was he really imprisoned on Elf Island?」
「Yes.」
Yavanna nodded:
「It was a fact that my father was about to become the Minister of Defense, but less than two months after entering the Twin Palaces, he was secretly tried.」
「President Madeline bypassed all legal procedures and personally declared my father guilty of treason, and without a word, sent him to Elf Island.」
「My mother wanted to appeal, but she was just a rural woman. When she caused a scene at the gates of the Twin Palaces, she was beaten and imprisoned on charges of 'attempting to assassinate the President.'」
「Outrageous.」 Du Zexin murmured, but did not show it outwardly. He frowned and said, 「What about your situation then...」
「I'm fine. After all, I managed to finish college.」 Yavanna said, 「Now I work at Law IV, I've been promoted to elite agent, and soon I'll be transferred to the capital. When that happens, I'll have the chance to infiltrate Law IV's headquarters and steal information about Elf Island to rescue my parents.」
「This plan is reliable. Law IV doesn't care about background or political vetting. With your abilities, you'll be promoted quickly. In the meantime, I'll do what I can to help.」
Du Zexin nodded:
「I know some young people from David Lin's faction. Mr. David Lin is truly capable and has ideas that can lead us to revival, to break free from the current predicament of the Frost-Plated Republic.」
「Thank you, Mr. Du Zexin.」 Yavanna said gratefully, 「I've always wanted to contact people willing to support us. After my parents were wrongfully imprisoned, our family collapsed immediately. My brother couldn't find a job, and only I could support the family. Meeting you and Li Aozi has been a great help to me.」
「Actually, I'm curious, how did you come to know Li Aozi?」
Du Zexin took another sip of coffee, his brows furrowed into a "川" shape again. He quickly added five sugar cubes and a spoonful of milk, stirring constantly.
「That, was due to some unexpected circumstances.」
Yavanna recalled Li Aozi's face, her thoughts drifting slightly. She shook her head:
「I was involved in his arrest before, and then by some twist of fate, I found out he was on my father's side... after that, we got to know each other.」
「Is that so?」 Du Zexin looked at her suspiciously.
He noticed that Yavanna's attitude was a bit unnatural, especially when she mentioned Li Aozi, as if she was slightly shy.
Yavanna felt that Du Zexin's gaze was strange, and combined with his repeated mentions of Li Aozi and the intense attention, she suddenly thought of something and asked:
「—Are you jealous?」
Pffft—
Du Zexin spat out a mouthful of overly sweet coffee, coughed twice, and covered his mouth in disbelief as he asked:
「...What did you say?」
「I thought you had a crush on Mr. Li Aozi.」 Yavanna rested her chin on her hand and asked curiously, 「Weren't you fighting side by side with him the first time you met him because of that?」
「You can't just assume I'm gay because I'm a mechanic!」 Du Zexin was speechless, 「Although I'm not very interested in women, I'm also not very interested in men. To me, Li Aozi is more of a like-minded partner with whom I've fought side by side.」
「I see...」 Yavanna understood, 「Actually, you don't need to be nervous. Although gender discrimination is severe in our country, some places are still quite free.」
「Let's change the subject.」 Du Zexin waved his hand, 「What about Li Aozi? How's he doing? Has he contacted you?」
—Isn't this still about Li Aozi?
Yavanna looked at him with a more knowing expression, as if saying "I understand, no need to pretend." But when it came to serious matters, she still answered seriously:
「Li Aozi has arrived in the Grand Duchy of Grant. He has just started a global broadcast, showcasing the shelling of Surot Palace and the independence war. Things seem to be going well.」
「That guy... he's probably already advanced to the Beta tier.」
Du Zexin's tone was tinged with both admiration and jealousy.
The results of his ten-plus years of hard study, Li Aozi achieved in just a few months.
「But that's good. Li Aozi told me that Elf Island is at sea, but there's no water. He's quite willing to participate in the prison break plan on Elf Island.」
「At sea, but no water...」
Yavanna frowned in thought.
「I don't understand what that means either.」 Du Zexin said:
「But I trust him. Li Aozi is amazing. The first time I saw him, I had an inexplicable sense of trust. I always feel like he wouldn't lie to me, even if he lied to others, he wouldn't deceive me maliciously.」
Yavanna raised an eyebrow: 「Mr. Du Zexin, your words just now sound like a teenage girl in love—」
Beep beep beep!
The urgent ringing of a bell interrupted them. Yavanna took out her terminal, glanced at the caller ID, and apologized to Du Zexin:
「Sorry, it's from the agency.」
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Cold raindrops fell, drifting into the deep walls of the palace.
Alexia led the assassination team members as they quickly ran through the corridor. The expensive carpet underfoot was trampled, leaving dirty footprints. The walls on both sides were covered with the history of the successive rulers of Surot Palace.
Alexia had an excellent memory. With a quick glance, she absorbed the information:
「Laridio Gamos Gulan (98 years before the Cataclysm ~ 25 years), the first governor of the Grand Duchy of Grant.」
The photo of the first governor depicted a man in a military uniform with a finely groomed mustache. Next to him was a young Duke
Gamos, half-kneeling. He had to lower himself to fit into the frame with his son because of his towering height.
Surprisingly, the Duke was very handsome in his youth, with long, brown-black hair draped over his shoulders, a body as strong as a mammoth, and features reminiscent of ancient Homo sapiens. The description below indicated that this was the Duke's first son.
It was clear that the Duke was very proud when standing next to his son, with a bright smile on his face.
「Karachila Gamos Gulan (24 years before the Cataclysm ~ 4th year of the Galactic Era), the governor of the Grand Duchy of Grant.」
The second photo depicted the Duke's second son from his twelfth wife, born according to the era. Karachila was short, and Duke Gamos held him in his arms, still showing affection.
After decades, the Duke's body had visibly aged, but he still appeared robust. However, his eyes no longer sparkled, and his expression had become placid.
「Rejiwa Gamos Gulan (5th year of the Galactic Era ~ 41st year), the governor of the Grand Duchy of Grant.」
For nearly three centuries, the Grand Duchy of Grant had never been independent. Successive governors were appointed from the Gulan family by the Frost-Plated Republic, and behind each governor stood Duke Gamos—their biological father.
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