A few days later, Tai Zhiyuan arrived at the southwest part of Jingzhou.
The boundless, jade-green sea stretched out from the silver beach into the distance, all the way to the horizon. The sea water on the beach was like a lover's hand gently caressing the white sand. Looking at this beautiful scene, people might feel that the sea was vast and the sky was clear.
There were two white recliners under the umbrellas. In the woods behind the beach, there were many bodyguards from the Black Eagle Security Company. They were vigilantly watching their surroundings. Butler Jin, who was already old, stood calmly under the eaves of the beach terrace. He was avoiding the strong sunlight at dusk and the conversation between the young people on the two white recliners.
"I didn't think about your current mental state before I came here. I thought that the girl's unfortunate death would make you depressed for many days." Tai Zhiyuan, who was wearing a white linen shirt, calmly looked at Xu Le beside him. He found that although Xu Le's eyes were slightly sunken and his face was not as rosy as before, at least he was still mentally strong.
Zhang Xiaomeng's death was not normal.
The spaceship lost control of the spaceship's spaceship and fell to the ground, turning into a firework. After the incident, there was no evidence of tampering. The government's investigation could only conclude that it was an accident. However, Zhang Xiaomeng's name was on the list of deceased passengers. People like Tai Zhiyuan naturally understood the reason behind this incident immediately.
The various departments of the government investigated the assassination at the Linhai State Gymnasium in different directions. Most of the officials focused on the Deputy Minister of National Defense, Yang Jinsong, who had committed suicide. They also found out about the Director of the Linhai HTD Bureau, Shi Qinghai, and inexplicably uncovered a spy network of the anti-government army. However, Tai Zhiyuan knew that the assassination attempt on him could not have been related to the anti-government army. Deputy Minister Yang could not have cooperated with the people in Green Dragon Mountain. The real mastermind was someone else.
The government needed to find a scapegoat to answer to the Tai family. On the surface, the Tai family had no other evidence, so they could only accept the results of the government's investigation. However, the officials under the influence of the madam had already begun to investigate the remaining clues.
When the investigation of the truth was gradually getting closer to the truth, there was a method to eliminate evidence and link. Zhang Xiaomeng's death was undoubtedly a ruthless method of silencing.
The afternoon sun in Jingzhou was still a bit hot. Tai Zhiyuan's usually pale face had two patches of red on it. It was probably due to the high temperature and had nothing to do with health. Like Xu Le beside him, after asking a question, he began to become silent. He squinted his eyes and stared at the blue sea where seagulls occasionally flew by.
The girl in the blue dress at the Double Moon Festival ball was dead. A trace of complex emotions flashed through Tai Zhiyuan's eyes. If it wasn't for his family's insistence on investigating in secret and gradually threatening the other side, Zhang Xiaomeng, who wasn't that important, but played an important role in the information of the assassination, should still be alive, right?
Tai Zhiyuan thought this, but he didn't feel any guilt or heaviness in his heart. Although he wasn't old, he already had a calmness that people his age didn't have. The word "calmness" could also be called "indifference" in certain circumstances.
"Can the police find any clues?" Xu Le, who had been silent all this time, finally opened his mouth and asked, "Although I know that things like politics are very dark, a Federation Councilor committed such a crime. Is there no one who can punish him? Then what is the use of the Federation's laws? "
Tai Zhiyuan's squinted eyes gradually opened. He glanced at Xu Le with surprise. He thought that Xu Le didn't know about Zhang Xiaomeng's background and many of the details of this entire incident, so he didn't know how the other knew that Councilor Macklin was behind this.
"I might know more than you think," Xu Le looked at the fine sand in his toes and said, "so I know who did this."
"The Federation's laws are very particular about evidence, and those politicians … never leave behind any direct evidence that could be used against them." Tai Zhiyuan looked at Xu Le. After a long silence, he said in a serious tone, "The investigation of the militants directly led to the suicide of seven officers of the Second Military Region. Even if the Federation can find some clues about this accident, I believe that it definitely won't be enough to send the culprit to court."
"What I am very curious about is why you are so sure that the culprit behind this is that Councilor Macklin."
"Logic, intuition, who will benefit from this …" Xu Le narrowed his eyes under the sunlight, his toes lightly squeezing the sand. He lowered his head and said, "He is already running for vice president. How can someone like this become the leader of the Federation?"
"Without evidence, it is very difficult to do anything." Tai Zhiyuan said calmly, "If I have someone release this news, not many people in the Federation will believe it. His image has always been very good … and perhaps this will give him a chance to build momentum, portraying himself as an innocent politician who was framed by the seven families. Councilor Macklin will definitely be very happy."
"I am wondering if you will also become this kind of politician in the future." At this time, Xu Le raised his head and looked seriously at Tai Zhiyuan.
This pair of eyes was very calm, very honest, and very thorough. Tai Zhiyuan's expression became serious. After a while, he said very seriously, "Necessary means and compromises are all necessary, but I have my bottom line."
"I also have my bottom line. It is just that I am a small figure, and you are a big figure. When a small figure's bottom line is broken, he can only be angry, but there is nothing he can do." Xu Le lowered his head and said, "I know that you still remember that you still owe me a life … If possible, I hope that you will do your best to prevent that councilor from being successfully elected. This way, we will be even."
Tai Zhiyuan looked quietly at Xu Le, the only friend in his life, the young man who had unhesitatingly stood in front of him at a time of danger and saved his life. After a moment of silence, he said, "Our family's business partner is Councilor Pabre. I believe that Shi Qinghai has already told you. Since that is the case, whether you ask for my help or not, I will do my best to prevent him from succeeding. "
Xu Le raised his head, looked at him, and said, "Thank you."
"What do you plan to do from now on?" Tai Zhiyuan suddenly asked, "Continue to study at Ewha University?"
"No, although I haven't decided yet, I don't want to go back to Ewha University." Xu Le put his feet into the slightly hot white sand. After a moment of silence, he said, "I met you in university, I met Shi Qinghai, and I met Zhang Xiaomeng. But now that you are leaving, Shi Qinghai has already left, and Xiaomeng has left completely … I think that it is time for me to leave as well."
Tai Zhiyuan's face didn't show any surprise. Xu Le's choice had long been within his calculations. He looked at Xu Le and said, "If you don't mind, I can arrange it for you."
The Tai family was the most low-key of the seven families in the Federation, but also the most unfathomable. If they wanted to arrange a person's future, that person's future would be incomparably bright and brilliant. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't refuse. However, Xu Le didn't even think about it. He directly smiled and said, "Thank you, but no need."
This answer was also within Tai Zhiyuan's expectations. He was more curious about what reason Xu Le would use to refuse him.
"I saw a supervisor of the Blackhawk Security Company in that base. According to Shi Qinghai's analysis, he should be someone that the Tai family has had their eyes on for a long time." Xu Le looked into Tai Zhiyuan's eyes and said, "You are destined to do great things in the future, so you have already started to train many capable assistants. If I accept your help, I will definitely become your subordinate in the future."
Tai Zhiyuan slightly frowned and looked at him. He said, "A person living in this world must have his own goals and find the meaning of his existence. And to achieve those goals, you must obtain more resources and be able to enter a certain class faster. For you, there is no doubt that this is a better choice. "
"The problem is, I don't know where my life goals are." Xu Le laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "And what I don't like most about you is that from time to time, you show an attitude that can decide other people's lives."
Tai Zhiyuan touched his nose. His expression was not good, not only because of Xu Le's words, but also because he found that Xu Le's attitude of rejecting him was very firm.
"Don't refute me. That is a kind of pride that comes from the bones." Xu Le lay on the beach chair, narrowed his eyes and looked at the waves. He said, "I am a very quiet person, but in fact, I am a very proud person. I can talk to you like this now because I am your friend. If I was destined to be your subordinate in the future, it would be impossible for us to talk like this. "
"If I followed in your footsteps, perhaps I could quickly become a top person in this society, but you should know that my life since I was young was not very happy. I don't have a good impression of the class you are talking about, or even the Federation. "
"Don't say these words in front of me." After a long silence, Tai Zhiyuan said, "I have to remind you, don't be influenced by Shi Qinghai and Zhang Xiaomeng's deaths and become a fanatic."
"I only become talkative in front of you guys," Xu Le said, "As for the anti-government forces … I think you are mistaken about something. I am just a very ordinary young man, but I am very lucky, or very unlucky, to meet you. "
"Sometimes I also think, whether meeting you is good luck or bad luck." Tai Zhiyuan said with a smile, "If it wasn't for you, the officers of the Second Military Region wouldn't have known that I would appear in the stadium. But if it wasn't for you, perhaps I would have died several times."
Tai Zhiyuan raised his hand and stopped Xu Le from speaking. He said, "But you are not an ordinary person, you just don't want to admit it, or you don't have this self-awareness."
Xu Le narrowed his eyes and looked at the setting sun. After hearing this sentence, his heart suddenly trembled a little. He knew that Tai Zhiyuan could not know the secret of his body, but he still thought of the structure diagram in his mind, the fake chip behind his neck, and his back was a little stiff.
"The director of Blackhawk Security Company, Xue Naiyin …" Tai Zhiyuan looked back at the forest behind the beach. Under the light of dusk, the forest was gorgeous as if it was burning. "He can't forget about you. Although there is no video of the battle in the underground parking lot, this former military special forces soldier insists that your past must be very complicated."
"And that national idol, if you are really a very ordinary person, how could she have gone to see you twice?" Tai Zhiyuan said with a smile, "Even earlier. Think about how we met. At this time, you must have guessed that the access to the H1 area is very high, but you were able to enter …"
"There is one thing I haven't asked you." Tai Zhiyuan looked at Xu Le who had a serious expression. After being rejected, his mood improved slightly. He asked very carefully, "How did you meet Professor Jin?"
"Professor Jin?" Xu Le was confused.
However, Tai Zhiyuan thought that he was playing dumb. He forced a smile and did not pursue the matter. Instead, he said, "Everyone has their own secrets. Since you are not willing to tell me, I won't ask anymore. Besides, I will help you keep this secret."
"I really don't know any Professor Jin."
"This kid is still pretending."
Tai Zhiyuan was somewhat gloomy and looked at him unhappily. Not long ago, the First Academy's laboratory had sent back a second report. In that report, it was pointed out that if the experimental data were not wrong, then the reaction speed of the person operating the mecha was much faster than the average person.
Meanwhile, the First Academy's ace student, Zhou Yu, who had once sparred with Xu Le in the mecha combat room, was the focus of the Tai family. During the other's first contact with the Tai family's subsidiary companies, he had also been asked this question. Zhou Yu had given the pilot who had operated the black prototype mecha very high praise. This outstanding student of the First Military Academy's Mecha Department had pointed out without hesitation that the pilot who had walked away with a belly full probably had not been in contact with mecha operation training for long, but his potential was unbelievably huge. He could even be called a true genius.
Having eaten Xu Le's countless midnight snacks in the H1 area, Tai Zhiyuan naturally knew better than anyone else when Xu Le had first started to interact with mecha. He also knew how astonishing the other's rate of improvement was, so he did not doubt this information at all.
If he was just a genius mecha operator, perhaps Tai Zhiyuan would not have paid so much attention to Xu Le. His relationship with Xu Le was not bad, but that was only a personal relationship. Once it involved official business, this successor of the Tai family would return to absolute calm. He just felt that this person Xu Le still had many abilities, many secrets that had yet to be unearthed. Professor Jin had been missing for so many years, and yet he had thrown such a person back to Ewha University — no one would believe that this person did not have any abilities.
"I don't want to force you." Tai Zhiyuan looked at Xu Le and said, "If I tell mother that you are Professor Jin's student … I think that no matter how much you hate the so-called class I belong to, you will not be able to leave, because she will definitely fly over immediately."
Xu Le was stunned. He did not understand why this matter would involve Tai Zhiyuan's mother, the madam who truly controlled the Tai family, and why she would value that Professor Jin so much … but he really did not know who Professor Jin was, so he could only smile silently. He knew that Tai Zhiyuan would definitely not speak carelessly, so this Professor Jin must really exist, and was somehow related to him. His mind began to work quickly, thinking endlessly …
In Tai Zhiyuan's eyes, this silence was seen as Xu Le's tacit agreement and concession. He shook his head and sighed, "This world has always been unfair. Why must you be so stubborn?"
At this moment, Xu Le was still thinking about Professor Jin, the H1 Area, and the access rights to the chip. The past scenes in his mind gradually linked together, allowing him to think of a certain possibility. His expression could not help but become serious. After being startled by Tai Zhiyuan's words, he was silent for a moment, and then said, "You still don't believe me. I just don't want to be your subordinate, because my friends … are very few now."
"What should I do next? I will enter a relatively large motor company, and I hope to get into the research and development department, so that I can work in a job that I like. " Xu Le looked at the horizon with a calm expression, watching the gradually setting sun and the bright red light that reflected in a straight line, and said, "Of course, if the Shell Motor Company can recruit me, who has no qualifications, then that would be even better."
This was Xu Le's dream since he was in the Donglin District. However, at this moment, Xu Le was thinking more about the promise he had made to Zhang Xiaomeng. He would enter a big company, earn a good salary, buy a house, and then … he would quietly watch the presidential election. He would see if there was such a thing as justice and morality in this world.
"That's it?" Tai Zhiyuan, who had been quietly listening to the side, suddenly laughed, then shook his head and said, "I wanted to do something for you, but now it seems that I can't do anything."
Xu Le also laughed and said, "If a young master like you doesn't want to owe anyone a favor, then you can give me that black car. That day in the underground parking lot, I felt that car was extremely sturdy. I'm really curious about the structure inside."
"That's not a problem," Tai Zhiyuan said.
"Then what is your dream? Your family background is too good, as if everything is prepared for you … Don't tell me you really want to be the president in the future? "Xu Le turned his head and looked curiously at Tai Zhiyuan's slightly thin cheeks.
Tai Zhiyuan's brows showed a faint trace of melancholy. He said, "Everyone has their own dream. When I was young, my dream was …"
Time gradually passed, and the sun gradually set. The sky above the sea was suffused with an extremely deep blue-black, like a large piece of dark green jade. Just as the two young people with completely different statuses were talking about life and dreams, the endless stars began to flash in the night sky.
"Everyone's position is different, so their specific dreams are also different. I want to completely eliminate the anti-government forces in Green Dragon Mountain. No matter what method I use, I must make these traitors unable to delay the Federation's advance. "
When his dream went from having a beautiful girlfriend, to having a playmate that he could play with in the mud, to this type of category, Tai Zhiyuan's expression became serious. If it was another skinny young man who wasn't even twenty years old who said these words, it would only make the audience laugh until they collapsed on the beach. However, Xu Le listened seriously and silently. It was because he knew that the young man beside him might really be able to accomplish these things in the future.
"The threat of the empire must be eliminated. The social contradictions within the Federation must be alleviated, and we must obtain a chance for peaceful development … However, these are all not my dreams. These steps are only the prerequisites for me to realize my dreams. "
Tai Zhiyuan raised his head to look at the sky. Looking at the countless stars in the sky, his face suddenly flashed with an extremely yearning expression. He slowly said, "Where exactly should the Federation go in the future? In this day and age where certain types of energy are gradually lacking, the entire Federation seems to have already been lifeless for many years … Why is it that our dreams, our vision, always stop at things like power and wealth? "
"That is because the vast majority of people don't have power or wealth."
Xu Le didn't say these words out loud. It was because he could tell that Tai Zhiyuan's words right now were all extremely sincere. He followed Tai Zhiyuan's gaze and looked towards the sky. Right now, apart from the occasional glimmer of light in the ocean, there wasn't a single trace of light around the beach. This made the curtain of stars in the night sky above seem even more clear.
"The Federation's future should lie in the starry sky," Tai Zhiyuan stared at the curtain of stars for a long time, and then said with an extremely serious tone.
In Hexi State University's library, Xu Le had also read many books on cosmic astronomy. He narrowed his eyes and looked towards the sky. He couldn't help but say softly, "The Federation has now explored seventy-four planetary systems. It is said that the empire has sixteen planetary systems … The nearby space has already been completely explored. If we continue to head into the Silver Core, it is not something that current space technology can support. Under the gravitational field, the human body will always appear too weak."
"If we don't head into the Silver Core, why head outside? The universe outside is still very, very big. If we say that the war between the Federation and the empire is because of resources, then in such a big world, why do we have to fight to the death for a fly in the corner of a wall? " A hint of mockery appeared at the corner of Tai Zhiyuan's lips. "And those politicians, families, merchants in the Federation … Even if their desires are bottomless, the universe is big enough to satisfy their ambitions."
"This is a beautiful idea, but naturally, it is also a very whimsical idea." After a moment of silence, Xu Le said, "If we want to reach other planetary systems, we have to pass through the Dark Canopy. With our current endurance, we could have done it a long time ago. The problem is that without the star map and the mark of the self-generated space door, none of the exploration spaceships in the early days of the Constitutional era could return."
On the beach, in the night sky, among the countless stars, there was an area that was strangely devoid of stars. That area was the periphery of the Milky Way where the Federation was located. If humans wanted to go beyond the Milky Way and enter the real outer space, that path was the best choice because no matter which direction they set off from, they would encounter the obstruction of countless stars … However, it was precisely because that area had no mark that it swallowed countless spaceships of the Federation for tens of thousands of years that it was called the Dark Canopy.
Tai Zhiyuan looked at the darkness in the stars above his head and said regretfully, "It is said that in the past … there was once someone who really left this galaxy. There was once a star map in this world that led to the outer galactic world, but unfortunately, no one has ever found it. But … if someone before us was able to do it, why can't we do it? "
"That must be a legend," Xu Le shook his head and said, "Using a legend as a foundation for your ideals, you're not much better than me."
Having said that, he still felt a trace of respect for Tai Zhiyuan. Looking at the sky full of stars, he subconsciously stroked the bracelet on his wrist and thought of the words engraved on the bracelet.
"But it's an ideal after all. I don't want to be like most people in the Federation, sprinkling some salt on their ideals, drying them, and drinking them when they're old …" Tai Zhiyuan said.
Xu Le said with a smile, "Cured meat is indeed not as delicious as smoked meat."
"You spilled the beans again." Tai Zhiyuan lowered his head and looked at him with a faint smile. He said, "This is an old saying. Not many people in the Federation know what it means. In an era where you can only eat synthetic meat, no one will use salt, and no one will make smoked meat … unless they often eat wild meat. "
"How can a person who often eats wild meat be an ordinary person?"
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