IMAO Chapter 44

The young officer who had just returned noticed the unusual silence in the military headquarters’ main hall today. As he looked around curiously, a familiar face often seen in Federal and Interstellar news caught his eye.

It was Marshal Alfonso.

Despite working at headquarters for almost a year, this was his first time seeing Marshal Alfonso in person. His colleagues had mentioned that Alfonso rarely visited the headquarters building.

At this moment, Alfonso was conversing with a man beside him, facing the main entrance.

The man’s silhouette was striking with a straight posture, attractive black hair, dressed in a black military uniform. Even from behind, the young officer could tell this person was no ordinary individual.

Marshal Alfonso spoke to him with a warm smile, but to the officer’s surprise, the man responded with cool indifference, showing little interest.

“Since you’re back, take a proper vacation and get some good rest,” Alfonso said, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Ji Chong. He had always admired Ji Chong’s capabilities since their early acquaintance, and their relationship remained amicable even after Ji Chong became the Federation’s youngest Marshal through his military achievements.

“No need,” Ji Chong replied coolly. “Why did headquarters insist on calling me back this time?”

“No particular reason,” Alfonso responded.

After speaking, Alfonso glanced at Ji Chong from the corner of his eye. Their gazes met, and Alfonso gave him a slight smile. “Shall we?”

Ji Chong raised an eyebrow. This old fox was definitely hiding something from him.

They went upstairs to find the conference room already full. Ji Chong noticed all eight Marshals were present. After his duty report, the military meeting began.

Before the meeting concluded, Alfonso cleared his throat, covering his mouth with a fist. “Recently, Prince Hoyt visited the Federation. We’ve preliminarily drafted plans to purchase spatial technology from Hoyt. The interstellar mecha competition is also being held in Hoyt, and he’s invited me to attend. We’ve already scheduled a second consultation.”

Ji Chong’s eyebrows lifted slightly at this. While every nation researched spatial technology, primarily focusing on spatial wormhole jumps, Hoyt’s technology was unique. They had developed storage-focused spatial technology, and various countries purchased spatial necklaces from Hoyt for mecha storage. Of course, the quantity was limited, and these were mainly used by high-ranking officers. He himself wore a spatial key containing his fighter.

However, Hoyt had never agreed to sell their spatial technology to any country.

Countless nations had been rejected over the years, though this was hardly surprising…

The Hoyt Empire, while being the most technologically advanced nation in the universe, maintained an archaic feudal monarchy system, which was unique among interstellar nations. While other countries might have ‘monarchs,’ they were merely figureheads without real power. Hoyt was different.

The Hoyt Emperor possessed a unique charisma, a power that commanded submission. Without exaggeration, Emperor Horace was considered a ‘god’ by the Hoyt people.

After his elder brother’s death, this Alpha emperor inherited the throne and ruled Hoyt with an iron fist. During his seventeen-year reign, he survived seven coup attempts in the first three years alone, transforming from a powerless figurehead into the Hoyt Empire’s absolute ruler whose word was law.

Ji Chong’s handsome brows furrowed slightly as he asked uncertainly, “Spatial technology?”

“That’s right,” Alfonso nodded seriously.

“Hoyt intends to sell their spatial technology?”

“Yes.”

“Does the Hoyt Emperor know about this?”

At the mention of the Hoyt Emperor, Alfonso didn’t immediately give an affirmative answer. Instead, he said, “When the Hoyt Prince first brought up selling spatial technology, I thought he was joking. But after he returned home, we specifically discussed this matter with Hoyt’s military department. The Hoyt Emperor is aware of this.”

“The Hoyt Emperor neither opposed nor agreed to it immediately. He hasn’t made any response to the Prince’s invitation either, which seems to suggest tacit approval.”

Ji Chong raised an eyebrow. The Hoyt Emperor had exceptional tolerance for his only relative.

This Hoyt Prince didn’t support the Emperor’s absolute rule. Instead, he openly backed the reform faction within Hoyt, advocating for constitutional monarchy and separation of powers. He believed that imperial authority was too great and detrimental to national development.

The Prince had repeatedly questioned imperial power in public. Everyone in the universe expected the Hoyt Emperor would eventually deal with this Prince, yet over a decade had passed, and the Emperor continued to let his willful Omega brother do as he pleased.

Ji Chong frowned slightly, unable to comprehend how the Hoyt Emperor could possibly agree to sell this technology. Unless the rumors were true…

That the Alpha Emperor of Hoyt was actually deeply in love with his Omega brother? The fact that His Majesty remained unmarried and showed such extraordinary tolerance toward his brother had sparked much speculation throughout the universe.

Ji Chong’s brows twitched imperceptibly. He didn’t know much about such gossip, but since the Emperor was such an influential figure across the universe, even people around him couldn’t help mentioning these rumors. He’d naturally heard them, and as for those who enjoyed gossip – well, everyone in this military meeting had discussed it before.

“Oh, Marshal Ji, isn’t your son participating in the mecha competition this year?” a military general suddenly asked.

Ji Chong calmly nodded. His son had indeed mentioned attending special training and participating in the competition.

Alfonso looked like he just remembered something and said to Ji Chong, “Ji Chong, you haven’t taken a vacation for a long time. This time, headquarters orders you to take leave! Come with me to Hoyt. You won’t need to do anything, just consider it a vacation with your son!”

“That’s not necessary,” Ji Chong replied.

Alfonso glared at him and sighed, “Maybe you don’t need it, but what about Ji Rong? Do you really plan to stay with the Ice Queen forever?”

“Noth is the ‘Ice Queen’ if you’re being polite. Frankly speaking, it’s just a barren star. Who’d go there except for military personnel and merchants?”

“Ji Rong grew up there since he was little. Such a young child, following you to that place. Don’t you feel bad?”

Ji Chong raised an eyebrow and corrected him seriously, “He’s eighteen now, not a child.”

Alfonso laughed coldly. “Have you ever accompanied Ji Rong to other planets? Have you ever properly spent time with him? Hm?”

“Exactly. Ji Chong, Marshal Alfonso has a point. You’ve failed as a father,” a general seated nearby chimed in with a grin. Although his rank was lower than Ji Chong’s, they appeared to be around the same age. He gave Ji Chong a meaningful wink as he spoke.

“That’s right. Children need their father’s companionship during their formative years. My own son used to complain about my absence, but what could I do? We were at war then.”

“Every child needs their father!”

“Ji Rong is just too understanding for his own good. Even I, a grown man, can hardly stand the weather on Noth. I can’t imagine how that child managed to grow up there.”

Ji Chong fell silent as the military officials chattered around him, feeling somewhat guilty.

He always thought he was a decent father, but now seeing himself through others’ eyes, he wondered if he failed completely. Did his son feel the same way?

Seeing Ji Chong’s thoughtful expression, Alfonso made his final decision. “Ji Chong, you are hereby ordered to take two months’ leave. This matter is settled. Meeting adjourned.”

After Alfonso’s announcement, Zhou Jue, the general who winked at him earlier, pulled Ji Chong aside. As former classmates, they had always maintained a close relationship despite their current difference in rank.

“Come have dinner at my place!” Zhou Jue said cheerfully, clasping Ji Chong’s shoulder. “You wouldn’t refuse an old friend’s invitation, would you?”

Ji Chong: …

“Don’t worry, it’ll just be my family, no one else,” Zhou Jue assured him. “You can relax. You’ve been gone for five years, and all those old guys’ Omega daughters and sons are married off now. The only unmarried one is a ten-year-old girl, so you won’t have to worry about being harassed for at least eight years.”

Ji Chong shot Zhou Jue an exasperated look.

After Zhou Jue led Ji Chong away, in the meeting room—

“Marshal, was I natural enough when I mentioned Ji Rong?” the general who had spoken earlier asked quietly.

Alfonso nodded firmly. “Perfect.”

Xu Yue leaned back in his seat at the end of the table, watching the military bigwigs with interest. Those final words had been rehearsed just yesterday.

Hoyt had one condition for selling spatial technology to the Federation.

Prince Hoyt requested that Ji Chong come to Hoyt. Usually, this would be simple enough. Just send Ji Chong as a Federation representative. However, Prince Hoyt had specified one special condition: Ji Chong couldn’t come as a representative, and his name couldn’t appear on any official roster.

“Why do you think Prince Hoyt wants to meet Ji Chong? Don’t tell me he’s attracted to him?”

“Now, that would be interesting. Wouldn’t that enrage the Emperor of Hoyt? I heard that iron-blooded emperor and the Omega prince are ‘lovers.'”

“Who knows? The Emperor hasn’t objected so far. We’ll see how it plays out.”

Alfonso shook his head sympathetically. “Poor Ji Chong. He’s been guarding Noth for you lot all these years so you wouldn’t have to take turns, and now you’re tricking him into selling his body.”

The other marshals raised their eyebrows. “Aren’t you one of us?”

Alfonso: “I’m doing this for the country.”

The marshals: “…” You’re even more shameless.

After leaving the military headquarters, Ji Chong glanced back at the building and shook his head, seriously contemplating whether he had been a bad father and neglected Ji Rong.

Ji Chong took out his communicator and sent a message.

On the spacecraft, Ji Rong was drinking water when his communicator chimed. He opened it and was startled to see a message from his father.

Father: How’s training?
Ji Rong: Not bad.
Father: When are you coming back?
Ji Rong: In two days.
Father: Good, I’ll pick you up.

Ji Rong spat out his water in surprise and explained: “I’m returning to Earth, not Noth.”

Father: I’m on Earth.
Ji Rong: …Why are you on Earth?
Father: Reporting for duty.
Ji Rong: I didn’t know…

After reading his son’s reply, Ji Chong suddenly felt that his colleagues were right, that he had indeed neglected his son. His own son didn’t even know his whereabouts. He couldn’t help but sigh.

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