Chapter 650

Ma Wenhong whispered, "And we can't get back that space-type pet beast!"

"Mm!"

"Then I think we should do our best to protect Su Yang!" Ma Wenhong said quietly. "If we protect Su Yang, we profit. If we don't, we lose all our early investment, lose a reliable and capable officer, and lose a future pillar!"

"And as Lieutenant Zhang said, the situation hasn't spiraled out of control yet. Su Yang made a mistake, but so did the Shengjing City Garrison. If we grit our teeth, we still have a chance to ride this out—just as long as no one steps forward to oppose us at the General Headquarters!"

After saying this, Ma Wenhong smiled: "Besides, even if the higher-ups are unhappy, Qin General will be the one to take the hit. We're probably invisible to them…"

Qin Pengcheng cleared his throat, deeply unsettled by Ma Wenhong's words.

What did he mean, "let him take the hit"?

The other high-ranking officials couldn't help but smile.

"Does anyone else have an opinion?" Qin Pengcheng asked, seeing no further speech. "Then let's vote by raising hands. Those in favor of protecting Su Yang, raise your hands!"

Qin Pengcheng hesitated, then raised his hand.

Yao Xing, Ma Wenhong, and Colonel Zhang raised their hands too.

Soon after, six other high-ranking officers raised theirs.

One high-ranking official abstained!

"Alright, that's settled then!"

Qin Pengcheng was fairly satisfied with this outcome.

As the several high-ranking officials had analyzed, the situation could still be salvaged.

Su Yang didn't kill anyone!

He also proved his strength and talent to the General Headquarters!

Though this way of proving it… carries the suspicion of slapping Shengjing City's face!

"Let's discuss a plan," Qin Pengcheng said. "How can we protect Su Yang? If any of you have connections in the General Headquarters who can help, reach out and smooth things over."

The Southwest Military Department's high-ranking officials still had some connections.

One of their comrades might even be posted at the General Headquarters.

Ma Wenhong whispered, "I have a way to reduce Su Yang's culpability without begging anyone—though it'll offend someone."

Qin Pengcheng asked curiously, "What way?"

The other high-ranking officials turned to look at Ma Wenhong.

Ma Wenhong was known in the Southwest Military Department as the Smiling Tiger.

Not just because he was always smiling, but struck with ruthless precision.

Also because he sometimes played a little dirty.

"Wasn't the incident triggered by those naive young men insulting Su Yang, getting punished, then using their connections to make the Shengjing City Garrison side with them and intervene, causing massive losses?"

"Right, and then?"

Ma Wenhong smiled. "Have you noticed that, from most soldiers' perspective, Su Yang seems to hold moral ground, while those young men with connections—and the Shengjing City Garrison's motive to defend them—feel repulsive and contemptible?"

"That's true!" Qin Pengcheng pressed. "And then?"

Ma Wenhong said, "What if we, in the name of the Southwest Military Department, report to the General Headquarters and demand they order the Shengjing City Garrison to arrest those young men—for the crime of insulting active-duty military personnel?"

One high-ranking official shook his head. "No, old Ma. That charge only warrants a verbal reprimand and a few days' confinement."

Ma Wenhong gritted his teeth. "Then insult an active-duty disabled military personnel!"

Yao Xing whispered, "Su Yang's current condition does qualify as disabled, but even then, it's at most a month's confinement."

This law only emerged after the Great Catastrophe.

Before the Great Catastrophe, it didn't exist.

It was primarily enacted to protect disabled military personnel—and ordinary civilians alike.

Ma Wenhong said, "Let's file a joint complaint against all those young men. Drag them to a military tribunal and make the incident as big as possible!"

Yao Xing shook his head. "Deputy Commander Ma, you might've missed this—only one of them likely violated that law."

"Even if we can't convict them, we can still ruin their futures!"