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 desdants...」

  「Maybe it's because my father has always been cautious and frugal, and we never show our faces in public.」

  Yavanna expined.

  This meeting with Du Zexin was suggested by Li Aozi before he left. Du Zexin was rescued uhe name of being "Li Aozi's captive," and with his severe brain thrombosis problem, Law IV barely questioned him. Ohe surgery was over, they kicked Du Zexin out of the ward to avoid him staying lo 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 regur engineer rammer, with no hint of being a cold-blooded agent of Law IV.

  「Mr. Du, do you not like the taste of this pce?」

  Yavanna noticed Du Zexin's disfort and immediately asked with .

  「No—I’ve never had coffee, it’s too expensive. I usually just drink pin water.」

  「Is that so, that's fine.」 Yavanna smiled, 「I don't often invite people out either, but si'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, stantly transferring and ging positions, he had no pce of his own. As a 【Meic】, he lived in the factory for the sake of his equipment, so he naturally never ehe luxury of coffee, a small beois se.

  Oher hand, the daughter of his admired idol was right in front of him, and she had actively invited him out uhe name of "Li Aozi's introdu" to discuss important matters. Du Zexin had many questions to ask—Did David Lin really go to prison? What happeo Li Aozi now? What is your retionship with Li Aozi?

  Damn, why do these questioo be getting weirder?

  Although Yavanna was beautiful, Du Zexin was more ed 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 Isnd?」

  「Yes.」

  Yavanna nodded:

  「It was a fact that my father was about to bee the Minister of Defense, but less than two months after entering the Twin Paces, he was secretly tried.」

  「President Madeline bypassed all legal procedures and personally decred my father guilty of treason, and without a word, sent him to Elf Isnd.」

  「My mother wao appeal, but she was just a rural woman. When she caused a se at the gates of the Twin Paces, she was beaten and imprisoned on charges of 'attempting to assassihe President.'」

  「eous.」 Du Zexin murmured, but did not show it outwardly. He frowned and said, 「What about your situation then...」

  「I’m fine. After all, I mao 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 ce to infiltrate Law IV's headquarters and steal information about Elf Isnd to rescue my parents.」

  「This pn 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 to help.」

  Du Zexin nodded:

  「I know some young people from David Lin's far. David Lin is truly capable and has ideas that lead us to revival, to break free from the current predit of the Frost-Pted Republic.」

  「Thank you, Mr. Du Zexin.」 Yavanna said gratefully, 「I’ve always wao tact people willing to support us. After my parents were wrongfully imprisoned, our family colpsed 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 e 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 stantly.

  「That, was due to some ued 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.

  Yavanhat Du Zexin's gaze was strange, and bined with his repeated mentions of Li Aozi and the inteention, 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.」 Yavaned her 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 ’t just assume I’m gay because I’m a meic!」 Du Zexin eechless, 「Although I’m not very ied in women, I’m also not very ied io me, Li Aozi is more of a like-minded partner with whom I’ve fought side by side.」

  「I see...」 Yavanna uood, 「Actually, you don’t o be nervous. Although gender discrimination is severe in our try, some pces are still quite free.」

  「Let's ge the subject.」 Du Zexin waved his hand, 「What about Li Aozi? How’s he doing? Has he tacted you?」

  —Isn't this still about Li Aozi?

  Yavanna looked at him with a more knowing expression, as if saying "I uand, o 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, showg the shelling of Surot Pad the independence war. Things seem to be going well.」

  「That guy... he’s probably already advao 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 Isnd is at sea, but there’s no water. He’s quite willing to participate in the prison break pn on Elf Isnd.」

  「At sea, but no water...」

  Yavanna frowned in thought.

  「I don’t uand what that meaher.」 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, g the caller ID, and apologized to Du Zexin:

  「Sorry, it's from the agency.」

  ————————————

  Cold raindrops fell, drifting into the deep walls of the pace.

  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 Pace.

  Alexia had an excellent memory. With a quice, she absorbed the information:

  「Laridio Gamos Gun (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. o him was a young Duke

  Gamos, half-kneeling. He had to lower himself to fit into the frame with his son because of his t height.

  Surprisingly, the Duke was very handsome in his youth, with long, brown-bck hair draped over his shoulders, a body as strong as a mammoth, aures remi of a Homo sapiens. The description below indicated that this was the Duke’s first son.

  It was clear that the Duke was very proud when standio his son, with a bright smile on his face.

  「Karachi Gamos Gun (24 years before the Cataclysm ~ 4th year of the Gactic Era), the governor of the Grand Duchy of Grant.」

  The sed photo depicted the Duke's sed son from his twelfth wife, born acc to the era. Karachi was short, and Duke Gamos held him in his arms, still showing affe.

  After decades, the Duke’s body had visibly aged, but he still appeared robust. However, his eyes no longer sparkled, and his expression had bee pcid.

  「Rejiwa Gamos Gun (5th year of the Gactic Era ~ 41st year), the governor of the Grand Duchy of Grant.」

  For nearly three turies, the Grand Duchy of Grant had never been indepe. Successive governors were appointed from the Gun family by the Frost-Pted Republid behind each governor stood Duke Gamos—their biological father.

  AnnouA big thank you to [Pham] for joining my Patreon! Your support means a lot to me.

  FAL