Chapter 82: Swift Action
After a little over an hour, the surgery was finally completed.
Nan Yu and the others immediately stepped forward to ask the doctor about Yang Zhou's condition.
"The patient's injuries looked extremely serious, but fortunately they're all injuries that can largely be healed with the treatment device. We've already set all of the fractured bones and secured them in place. For the next several days, he'll need to come to the treatment room every day for recovery sessions. He should make a full recovery in about ten days. During this period, just make sure he doesn't move around too much."
The doctor went on to explain various details and precautions.
Nan Yu carefully remembered every one of them.
When Yang Zhou recovered, he intended to take proper care of him.
Yang Zhou was soon transferred into a private hospital room.
About ten minutes later, he slowly woke up.
By then, it was already close to midnight.
"Yang Zhou, you're awake? Do you want some water? Does anything hurt?"
Yang Zhou frowned slightly as he struggled to turn his head.
"I... I'm not dead...?"
Nan Yu twitched the corner of his mouth.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Of course they wouldn't kill you. Did you forget? Every student has a harmless life-monitoring chip implanted when they enroll."
"If you had died, the academy would have immediately launched an investigation. After a student's death, that chip continuously broadcasts their location. There would've been no way for the culprits to escape."
"And that's always been classified information. I'm pretty sure the Mental Power User who attacked you was the one who leaked that secret."
Yang Zhou blinked.
"Huh? I don't think that person was from the academy."
"No, he wasn't. But the person he got involved with was. I just don't know which military unit that person's partner is serving with. They're still away on assignment, while the lover back home has practically piled several green hats on their head already."
Yang Zhou blinked again.
"But couldn't they already bribe a lot of people inside the academy? They wouldn't necessarily have needed to learn that from him, right?"
A faint smile appeared on Nan Yu's lips.
"That's where you're wrong. Their own dirty dealings are one thing. Sometimes they can bend the rules for convenience. But when it comes to academy secrets, they absolutely wouldn't dare."
"Look at what happened before. Those academy employees who accepted bribes were only dismissed and thrown out. They weren't even punished that severely. But imagine if you added another charge—leaking classified information from the Royal Military Academy of the Capital Star. Where do you think they'd be now?"
Yang Zhou nodded.
"You're right... Wait, doesn't that mean the poor Ability User getting cheated on was the one who leaked the secret?"
"You could say that. If the Mental Power User and that Ability User were only dating, then they wouldn't count as family. Telling him would legally be considered leaking classified information and would be prosecuted accordingly."
"But if they're already married, then telling a family member isn't illegal. However, if that family member passes the information on to unrelated people, then the family member becomes the guilty party."
"So that Mental Power User is in trouble?"
"It's still too early to say. Anyway, the only people who attacked you were those three. They probably couldn't swallow their anger."
He paused before continuing.
"But honestly, this whole thing started because of me. If you run into any trouble in the future, just come to me. I'll definitely help you."
Yang Zhou glanced at him before immediately beginning to complain.
"My arms hurt. My legs hurt. I want something delicious to eat."
"No."
"You just said you'd listen to whatever I wanted!"
Nan Yu blinked innocently.
"Are you kidding? Couldn't you tell I was joking?"
Yang Zhou looked like he was about to cry.
"Y-You're breaking my heart..."
"Enough fooling around. Get some rest. The doctor said you'll need more than half a month to recover. During that time, you'll eat strictly according to the prescribed meal plan."
"I'll follow the doctor's instructions exactly."
Yang Zhou instantly looked as though all hope had left his body.
Only then did Nan Yu smile.
"It's only half a month. It'll pass before you know it. Once you're recovered, I'll take you out to eat every day. It'll be my treat, and you can eat until you're completely satisfied."
"Deal!"
By the time Yang Zhou had been dumped into the garbage, he had probably already lost consciousness.
After waking up at the hospital, he'd already been cleaned, disinfected, and deodorized.
He probably still had no idea that he had once smelled so overwhelmingly foul...
Yet he was already thinking about delicious food again.
Nan Yu himself wasn't affected very much.
After all, he had never truly experienced that unbearable stench firsthand.
The others, however, hadn't been nearly so lucky.
Nan Yun.
Nan Zhen.
Fu Yu'ang.
Even the cafeteria manager.
Thinking back to the expressions on his three older brothers' faces earlier, Nan Yu couldn't help smiling bitterly.
Every one of them had looked deathly pale.
Fortunately, the odor-removal treatment had completely eliminated the smell.
Otherwise, if they had simply waited for it to dissipate naturally, it probably would have taken two or three days.
Nan Yu quietly took a deep breath.
Later, he would definitely have to reward his older brothers somehow.
After everything they'd endured today, they had to be feeling wronged inside.
For some reason, the image of his older brothers secretly sulking made him chuckle.
Yang Zhou, half-asleep, vaguely heard him laughing.
"Hm?"
"It's nothing. I'm right here. Go back to sleep. I'll stay at the hospital with you for the next few days. I'll just take leave from school."
"...You're really nice."
"Won't it be a problem if you miss classes?"
Nan Yu smiled.
"Do you really think I still need to attend lectures? I only go to maintain my attendance record so I can graduate smoothly. If it's an important matter and I request leave, the academy won't have any objections."
"That's good... that's good... Then... I'll go back to sleep..."
Yang Zhou had probably been completely exhausted before.
After staying awake for a short while, he drifted back to sleep.
When he had first regained consciousness, it had simply been because his subconscious still hadn't fully accepted that he was safe.
He had forced himself awake just to confirm it.
Now that he knew he was safe...
He finally fell into a deep sleep.
This time, he would probably sleep for quite a while.
Only after confirming that Yang Zhou was truly asleep did Nan Yu quietly leave the room.
The smile disappeared from his face.
Back inside the room, he had deliberately avoided mentioning what had happened because he didn't want Yang Zhou to relive those horrific memories.
But that didn't mean he had forgotten.
He looked toward Fu Yu'ang.
"Brother Fu, how's the investigation? At this point we can basically confirm it's those two, plus that Mental Power User. The three of them."
Using the identities Nan Yu had provided, Fu Yu'ang had uncovered a considerable amount of useful information.
First of all, their backgrounds.
Since they had been able to bribe people inside the Royal Military Academy, they clearly weren't ordinary individuals.
And after digging into them...
He really did find something.
"Those two Mental Power Users are cousins. They're only one year apart."
"The older one is Song Mingwen."
"The younger one is Zhou Fuyi."
"Song Mingwen belongs to the Song family. You might not recognize the name immediately, but surely you've heard of Song Xingyu and Song Xingyang?"
Nan Yu immediately remembered the time his father had taken the family to dine at Zhenxiu Pavilion.
The arrogant young man who had barged into their private dining room...
That had been Song Xingyu.
A complete good-for-nothing with every vice imaginable.
As for Song Xingyang...
Nan Yu remembered him even more clearly.
Wasn't he the one who had secretly targeted him throughout that military assignment?
The same man who had viciously framed An Mi, the captain of the Mental Power User logistics team?
Rumor had it that Song Xingyang was obsessively infatuated with Marshal Yu Lanfeng and would stop at nothing to get close to him.
Just thinking about those two made Nan Yu's head ache.
"What about the other one? Is he..."
Fu Yu'ang nodded.
"His background is just as impressive."
"He has an older sister named Zhou Miyu."
"She's the mistress of a very important man, and by all accounts she's extremely favored."
"Who?"
"Yuan Kunzhi."
Nan Yu sucked in a sharp breath.
"If I remember correctly... isn't he the Emperor's younger brother? He doesn't hold an official position, but he's still part of the Imperial Family..."
"Exactly."
"That's why they're bold enough to behave like this."
"They didn't dare touch you."
"Your reputation is too great. Nearly everyone on the Capital Star knows who you are. Even the military and the Imperial Family have both extended invitations to you."
"They simply didn't have the courage."
So instead...
They had targeted Yang Zhou.
In their eyes, Yang Zhou had no background whatsoever.
He was merely Nan Yu's ordinary friend.
They simply couldn't believe Nan Yu would openly oppose both of their families over someone like him.
Nan Yu sneered.
"So they've convinced themselves I won't interfere?"
"I'll make sure they're disappointed."
He turned toward Nan Yun.
"Elder Brother, leave this matter to me."
"Yang Zhou ended up like this because of me."
"So I'll be the one to settle it."
Nan Yun blinked.
"And how exactly are you planning to do that?"
Nan Yu took a deep breath.
"Simple."
"I'm releasing five spots."
"I'll announce that I'm accepting five commissions."
"Whoever contributes the most toward resolving this matter will receive one of those five commission slots."
Nan Yun frowned.
"Won't that exhaust you?"
Nan Yu snorted softly.
"Elder Brother, don't underestimate me."
"Even Marshal Yu said that, below the High-Tier level, I'm now the number one Mental Power User."
"Who do you think could possibly be better than me?"
"It's only five commissions."
"They're nothing."
The real issue...
Was that there were simply too many people who wanted his help.
When crowds had gathered outside the Nan family residence before, they hadn't been there for decoration.
Later, things had quieted down only because the military had begun protecting him, discouraging anyone from approaching.
But if he personally announced he was accepting commissions...
None of those people who had been patiently waiting for an opportunity would let this chance slip away.
After discussing the matter together, Nan Yun and the others finally agreed.
"Taking these commissions will also serve as valuable training."
"It's killing two birds with one stone."
"But you have to be careful."
Nan Yu smiled.
"Don't worry."
"Nothing will go wrong °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° this time."
Naturally, the news first began spreading through Nan Yun's and Nan Zhen's own social circles.
The speed was astonishing.
As soon as people confirmed the news with the two brothers, they immediately passed it on.
Within only two hours...
The announcement that Nan Yu would be accepting five commissions had spread across the entire Capital Star.
Those with extensive social networks even carried the news to neighboring planets.
On the nearest inhabited planet to the Capital Star, a man lounged lazily on a sofa while reviewing work reports.
Then he noticed that his young nephew, who was studying on the Capital Star, had sent him more than a dozen consecutive messages.
He frowned slightly.
His nephew knew his personality very well.
Unless something extremely important had happened, he would never contact him so urgently—let alone bombard him with that many messages.
Had something major happened?
He opened the messages.
The moment he read them...
His eyes widened.
He shot to his feet and immediately initiated a communication request.
The instant the call connected, his nephew didn't even have time to greet him before he demanded,
"Is it true?"
His nephew paused for a moment.
"Yes! It's true!"
"Uncle, hurry over!"
"But there are conditions if you want him to accept your commission."
"His close friend was seriously harmed, and he wants people to help deal with the two culprits responsible."
"The five people who contribute the most will each receive one of his commission slots."
"I understand. Keep looking into it."
After hanging up, he immediately turned and walked outside.
"I'm going to the Capital Star. Prepare everything!"
As soon as the order was given, rustling sounds echoed all around him.
About half an hour later, he boarded a shuttle headed for the spaceport, where he would transfer to a starship bound for the Capital Star.
After arriving at the spaceport, while waiting inside a private lounge, he dialed a communication number.
About ten seconds later, the other party answered.
"It's been a long time."
The person on the other end fell silent for a moment.
"...Mm. What's the matter?"
He briefly explained everything his nephew had told him.
"You know... my older brother..."
"I understand."
"Don't worry."
"I'll handle this matter as quickly as possible, and I'll make sure justice is served fairly."
"Thank you."
"It's nothing. I owe your family that much."
"I only hope this time succeeds."
"You've carried this burden for far too many years."
"When your brother wakes up, the two of you can finally share the responsibility."
"Get some proper rest, Lan Yu."
Lan Yu pressed his lips together.
"When my brother wakes up..."
"I'm dumping everything onto him!"
"Hahaha! That's right! You should've done that ages ago."
After exchanging a few more words, Lan Yu ended the call.
The other man still had work to do on his behalf.
Lan Yu rubbed his temples.
For countless years, he had worked tirelessly to accumulate contribution points.
His only goal had been to save enough to exchange for a single opportunity from the Empire—to invite a High-Tier Mental Power User to examine his older brother.
But...
Even military personnel who constantly completed dangerous missions found it difficult to earn enough military merit.
For ordinary businessmen like them, there was only one way to accumulate contributions.
Donate money.
Donate to everything.
No matter what cause it was.
By now, he couldn't even remember how much he had donated over the years.
Although he had lost an astronomical amount of wealth, those contributions now allowed him to enjoy numerous preferential Imperial policies, so his business had actually continued to flourish.
He had thought he would continue living in that dazed routine for several hundred more years.
He had never imagined the opportunity would arrive so soon.
He had heard Nan Yu's name before.
But because he had never met him in person, and had only heard he was around fourteen or fifteen years old, he hadn't given it much thought and had simply dismissed the rumors.
Then, some time ago, he heard about Nan Yu again.
This time, the news completely shocked him.
Could someone really be that extraordinary?
As his investigation went deeper and he learned more, he finally became convinced.
Only then did he discover another problem.
There was simply no way to contact Nan Yu.
Nan Yu was under the protection of both the military and the Imperial Family.
Meeting him privately was practically impossible.
Lan Yu had tried many times to find him.
Every attempt had ended the same way.
Either unknown people quietly blocked his path...
Or unexpected incidents delayed him along the way...
Until eventually he could never reach Nan Yu.
After enough failed attempts, he gradually understood.
Those methods were actually the gentle ones.
Once, he had spotted Nan Yu in the distance and immediately rushed toward him.
Someone else had moved even faster than he had.
Before that person even reached Nan Yu, several ordinary-looking passersby suddenly appeared, knocked him unconscious, stuffed him into a vehicle, and drove away.
A few days later, Lan Yu happened to see that same person's face on the news.
The headline simply read—
A spy has been captured.
At that moment, he decided he had better not take any unnecessary risks himself.
Although it had been difficult to understand at first, thinking about it carefully made everything clear.
With Nan Yu's current abilities, countless spies and hostile agents undoubtedly wanted to get close to him.
Lan Yu took a deep breath.
First...
He needed to reach the Capital Star.
If he missed this opportunity, who knew how many more years he would have to wait?
Nor was he the only one.
Almost everyone who heard the news immediately began making preparations.
Although this approach seemed somewhat reckless, Nan Yu had already asked Fu Yu'ang to sound out people at the academy beforehand.
He had even secretly sent several messages to Yu Lanfeng.
After all, Yu Lanfeng had been the one shielding him from everyone trying to approach him these past few months.
After learning of Nan Yu's plan, Yu Lanfeng had replied,
"Your idea isn't bad."
"It's better to guide the flood than to block it forever."
"But don't accept too many."
"Five is about right."
There was no point stopping those people indefinitely.
Nan Yu's approach simply gave them a legitimate opportunity to compete.
Even those who ultimately failed to make the top five would at least have had the chance to contribute.
After putting in some effort, they would hopefully become easier to deal with in the future.
Since Yu Lanfeng approved...
The academy naturally approved as well.
However, to protect the academy's reputation, everything remained confidential.
With so many influential people investigating together, Song Mingwen's and Zhou Fuyi's identities were exposed almost immediately.
As long as they dug deeper, there was no shortage of evidence to uncover.
Nan Yu had made one request very clear.
He didn't want the fact that his friend had been tortured to become public knowledge.
Therefore, they couldn't prosecute the two men solely for what they had done to Yang Zhou.
Instead, they would investigate every crime they had committed over the years and combine all the charges.
At first, everyone assumed that would be difficult.
Instead...
Once the investigation truly began...
They discovered the two men were absolute monsters.
On the surface, they appeared refined and cultured.
They publicly fought over a Mental Power User, pretending to be deeply devoted lovers.
Behind closed doors...
They were nothing but depraved playboys.
Compared to the infamous Song Xingyu of the Capital Star...
They were even worse.
Uncovering their disgraceful pasts proved easy.
Finding evidence of their crimes turned out to be surprisingly simple as well.
They had probably never imagined that one day so many influential families would unite against them.
Whenever they committed murder or other crimes in the past, they relied on their family backgrounds to threaten the victims' families before offering enormous sums of money to buy their silence.
That was how virtually every incident had been settled.
As a result...
Evidence was everywhere.
Countless people had previously swallowed their anger because they feared the Song and Zhou families.
The moment they heard someone was gathering evidence to prosecute the two men...
They stepped forward voluntarily.
Every one of them declared they were willing to testify.
Yes...
Most of them had accepted the compensation money back then.
But...
Many had never spent even a single credit.
They clung stubbornly to one final breath of hope.
Some had lost beautiful young wives they had only recently married.
Some had lost daughters in the prime of their youth.
Others had lost younger sisters...
Or elder sisters...
Every one of them had continued living solely to see justice done.
There was even an old man nearly five hundred years old.
One foot was already in the grave.
When he heard the news, he tightly grabbed his son's hand and repeatedly told him,
"You must live long enough to see that bastard punished."
"Then come back..."
"And tell me."
"I'll hold on until the day he's sentenced."
Despite possessing the immense fortune Zhou Fuyi and Song Mingwen had paid them...
The old man still slept on a hard wooden bed.
His quilt was thin and covered in patches.
His body had wasted away until little more than skin and bones remained.
The person he had lost...
Was the beloved granddaughter he had raised since childhood.
The middle-aged man whose hand he was gripping...
Was the girl's father.
The emaciated woman sitting quietly nearby with burning determination in her eyes...
Was the girl's mother.
Ever since losing their daughter...
The entire family had simply drifted through life like empty shells.
In short...
The speed at which Song Mingwen and Zhou Fuyi were arrested was almost unbelievable.
Yang Zhou hadn't even regained consciousness yet...
Before the two men had already been arrested.
Within only a few hours, the investigators had gathered overwhelming evidence.
Neither the Song family nor the Zhou family could save them.
Even bail was denied.
Ordinarily...
Almost any crime qualified for bail.
Unless...
The accused were exceptionally vicious criminals.
Or the case involved Imperial secrets.
As it happened...
These two qualified for both.
No one realized it until the investigation began.
Once it did...
Everyone was horrified.
The number of victims whose deaths could be directly attributed to the two men...
Had reached twenty-six.
Every single victim had been a young, beautiful, attractive woman.
Some were charming.
Some had exceptional figures.
Some appeared innocent and pure just from their photographs.
The youngest victim was only sixteen years old.
The oldest...
Was a woman who had only recently married.
She was merely thirty-nine.
In this interstellar era...
Thirty-nine was still incredibly young.
Many people didn't even consider marriage until they were one or two hundred years old.
Her husband had never betrayed the love they shared.
For all these years...
He had endured.
At last...
He had finally reached this day.
The trial was scheduled with astonishing speed.
Only thirty hours after Song Mingwen and Zhou Fuyi were arrested...
Court convened.
Even more astonishing...
The Imperial Family authorized three major news organizations to broadcast the entire trial live.
That meant anyone anywhere in the Empire who wished to watch could do so.
Three separate live broadcasts.
Across the three streams...
Each one drew well over a hundred billion viewers.
Standing in the defendants' dock, Song Mingwen and Zhou Fuyi still hadn't fully processed what had happened.
Just two days ago...
They had been indulging themselves, living lives of luxury.
Now...
They stood in court wearing prison uniforms.
When they looked toward the prosecution...
Even though they knew nothing about the legal profession...
They immediately recognized the faces.
The Royal Legal Corps.
The legal team that represented the Imperial Family itself.
As for their own side...
The court had merely appointed them an ordinary defense attorney to ensure procedural fairness.
Just comparing the two sides...
The difference in presence alone made it obvious who held the advantage.
One by one...
The prosecutors presented every piece of evidence before the court.
Finally...
They called nearly every victim's family member who could be located to testify.
Without exception...
Every single one carried a photograph of the victim.
They stood in line one after another.
There were so many of them...
That the courtroom itself could no longer hold everyone.