Chapter 28: The Path Ahead
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At the dead of night, Shen Xing was taken back to the military camp.
His phone had been confiscated as soon as he got into the vehicle, and every other possession he had—apart from the clothes he was wearing—had been searched and placed in safekeeping.
Ouyang Lin had left only the instruction, “Keep an eye on him,” before rushing off with Song Yuanqing to attend a meeting.
It was difficult to say whether the plan had ultimately succeeded. The unforeseen accident had forced them to report to their superiors before they could determine how to proceed.
Throughout the long night, Shen Xing sat alone in the cramped interrogation room, constantly weighing the possible directions events might take.
There were many possibilities, both good and bad.
Shen Xing could not tell fortunes, so he had no way of knowing which possibility would become reality.
But one thing was certain: whichever way matters turned out, he would not be the one in control for the time being.
Yang Qing had resorted to a dangerous move. Though it had resolved their immediate crisis, it had also brought about enormous consequences.
“The key is whether this drug really is as important as she claims... If Yang Qing misjudged its importance, then the two of us are finished.
“And even if it is truly as important to the military as she says, given the way they operate, will they really tolerate being threatened like this?”
Shen Xing had considerable faith in Yang Qing’s judgment, so he was not overly worried about the first point.
The second, however, left him unable to remain calm.
In theory, there could hardly be any force less willing to accept coercion than an organization like the military.
Amid this unease, the night slowly passed.
Shen Xing did not sleep at all. It was only at dawn that exhaustion finally overcame him, and he began to think about closing his eyes for a while.
But just as he was drifting toward sleep, the door to the interrogation room opened.
The sound made Shen Xing’s eyes fly open.
When he focused his gaze, he found, just as he had expected, that the visitor was Ouyang Lin.
“The military’s medical standards are impressive. You look much better than you did when you were injured last night.”
Shen Xing gave a light yawn and teased her in an affectedly casual tone.
Ouyang Lin said nothing. After looking him over twice, she raised her hand and tossed something toward him.
Shen Xing caught it instinctively. When he looked down, he saw that it was his phone.
“What does this mean?” Shen Xing asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Make up whatever excuse you like and tell your family that you can’t go home for two months.”
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Ouyang Lin sat across from Shen Xing and spoke in a flat voice.
“Why should I? I’m getting married in two days!”
Shen Xing was utterly unwilling and flatly refused.
“Yang Qing went this far for your sake, and now you’re telling me you’re going to marry another woman? Are you even human?”
Ouyang Lin’s eyes were filled with murderous intent.
“What are you talking about? Would deliberately hurting my fiancée somehow be justified? She knows nothing and has done nothing wrong. If you were in her place, could you stand it if your fiancé suddenly disappeared for no reason?”
Shen Xing did not back down and retorted with righteous conviction.
“...Scumbag!”
Ouyang Lin glared at him twice, but for the moment she had no idea how to refute him, so she resorted to that all-purpose word.
Shen Xing placed his phone face down on the table and frowned.
“What exactly are you planning to do with me? Even if you want my cooperation, shouldn’t I at least be informed? Murderers are allowed one clean blow—can’t you just get to the point?”
Ouyang Lin remained silent for a long while before saying expressionlessly, “You can forget about dying. Until you hand over the formula, the military will not let you die. But considering the serious provocation the two of you have directed at the military this time, you must also pay a sufficient price.”
Shen Xing knew that what came after “but” was the important part. In a grave voice, he asked, “What price?”
“Yang Qing will face life imprisonment.”
“...And me?”
“Hah. So you really are a bastard who only thinks of himself! You’ll live, but what happens to you will depend on your choice.”
“What choice?”
“First, hand the formula over to the military. I can guarantee that they will not kill you. But you will not be permitted to leave the military district, and you will have to maintain virtually zero contact with the outside world. Yang Qing’s sentence will also be recalculated, and she could be released in no more than ten years. To be honest, I hope you choose this option.”
Shen Xing narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly.
“But that would mean betraying Yang Qing. If I really did that, she would never forgive me.”
“Which matters more to you: being hated by her, or having her sentence reduced? Shen Xing, young people cannot be so selfish.”
Ouyang Lin patiently tried to persuade him.
Shen Xing shook his head.
“Tell me about the second option.”
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“Second, you may retain the formula and refuse to hand it over to the military, but you must become the military’s exclusive pharmacist. In other words, you must learn to produce the drug as quickly as possible, then deliver a sufficient quantity to the military within the prescribed time. This is compulsory. You have no right to refuse.”
After hearing this, Shen Xing asked, “If I choose this option, Yang Qing won’t receive a reduced sentence?”
Ouyang Lin gave a cold snort.
“The fact that the military hasn’t skinned you alive is already the result of my mediation. This is the consequence you must bear for taking the formula. Since you refuse to let the military manufacture it themselves, you will have to do it.
“Fortunately, although this drug is powerful, it is essentially a lethal-use drug, so the demand will not be especially high. If it were an extraordinary healing medicine, you would be completely finished. Even if the military had to resort to unscrupulous methods, they would force you to surrender the formula.
“Besides, I haven’t finished explaining. Preparing the drug is only one of the tasks you must complete, not all of them. You want Yang Qing’s sentence reduced, don’t you? I’ve already thought of a way.”
Shen Xing asked in surprise, “Oh? I’m listening.”
“It sounds difficult, but it is also simple. Although Yang Qing has been sentenced to life imprisonment, there is still one way to save her: military merit.
“Remember this for as long as you remain in the military district: military merit is always the most valuable thing. As long as you have enough of it, anything can be negotiated. Even a life sentence—or a capital offense.
“So all you have to do is accumulate enough military merit, and you can free Yang Qing from her suffering.”
Shen Xing stared at her in disbelief.
“You’re going to turn me into one of your own?”
The corners of Ouyang Lin’s mouth lifted slightly.
“What else? You don’t naively believe that you can continue living as a free man from now on, do you? If you do not demonstrate your closeness to the military, how can you expect them to trust you?
“I want you to understand this: eliminating you would certainly be a pity. But compared with the danger you might pose by joining another faction, that pity is nothing.”
Shen Xing’s heart tightened. He knew that Ouyang Lin was not joking.
In truth, Ouyang Lin’s current attitude was already far better than the worst outcome Shen Xing had anticipated.
“It seems this drug is considerably more important to them than I imagined...”
After pondering for a moment, Shen Xing asked, “What exactly will I have to do? Missions that earn military merit are generally dangerous to some degree, aren’t they? What if something happens to me? Wouldn’t the drug supply be cut off?”
Ouyang Lin nodded.
“That’s right. Which is why your position is rather special. I have applied to my superiors and received permission to take you on as my personal guard. That way, you can carry out missions for me, while I can protect you when necessary. It is the only expedient solution.”
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