Chapter 279: The Imperial General Was Again Forcefully Flirted With 07

Hearing this, Alex turned his gaze doubtfully.

He certainly hadn't forgotten that the person who had dragged him back from the battlefield was that Major named Zu Zhu.

Turns out this is also part of the Imperial Royal Family's plan?

Jin Chen: "Have you intercepted their communications?"

Jacob shook his head, "Sorry, sir, with the Imperial Royal Family intervening, we dare not continue our investigation deeper."

First, pack up everything you've investigated and send it to my father; he'll decide what to do.

Jin Chen still needs to busy himself accompanying his wife; the two protagonists haven't yet come to the Federation, so we should take this opportunity to cultivate their feelings.

There's another matter, concerning General Alex.

Jacob scratched his head, "According to an imperial spy's report, the Imperial Royal Family officially announced this morning that Fourth Military Department Minister Steven will take over all duties of the defector Alex, confiscating… confiscating his identity account and starcoin balance entirely."

Alex snorted, not saying anything more.

That was exactly what he had expected.

Steven's ambition is great; this is a fact he had known before, but back then his own brilliance shone, leaving Steven no chance to stand out, so their relationship has never been good, amounting only to an ordinary superior-subordinate relation.

Now that he has finally been ousted, he certainly won't let slip any chance to climb upward.

Having ambition is one thing; when his strength doesn't match his ambition, Steven still ends up shedding blood and tears.

As for his identity account and starcoins, he couldn't care less; as for those trusted subordinates of the Empire… are they still waiting for him to come home, or do they, like everyone else, think their commander is a traitor who fled the battlefield?

Alex was still pondering when a sudden warmth brushed his cheek, followed by a warm, firm embrace wrapping around him.

"Don't be sad; all revenge plans can start whenever you're ready."

Jin Chen embraced him, one hand pinching the back of his neck and rubbing it soothingly—clearly a dominant move, yet it felt exceptionally tender.

This plunged Alex into silence; inexplicably, he did not reject the embrace.

It wasn't because he was sad; rather, he hadn't felt this emotion in a long time—the last time he was allowed to feel sorrow was when his parents died, and at only ten years old he had sobbed silently before his battle uniform.

Nor was it any other emotion; he now feels as still as still water—perhaps too many things have happened lately, and he needs a place to catch his breath.

Alex leaned in Jin Chen's embrace, gazing at the petals before him, somewhat lost in thought.

Jacob, seeing this scene, dared not speak, fearing to disturb the couple's lovely atmosphere; fortunately, all matters had already been reported, so he quietly turned and left.

He idly wondered whether the President had perhaps sent someone again to replace the flowers, which is why they looked especially fresh today.

Having enjoyed his wife's embrace, Jin Chen let him go; although he could now move about, the more important thing was to rest in bed.

"All right, this garden is right here; if you like, you can come see it every day, but for now go rest."

He took Alex's hand and led him back, not forgetting to say, "Tomorrow I'll take you outside to buy flower seeds; people on the Federation's main star love planting flowers, so you can pick whichever seeds you like."

"I don't like flowers."

Alex reflexively objected, his tone carrying an awkwardness he himself wasn't aware of.

Having been trained since childhood, he was unaccustomed to exposing his preferences before others.

Jin Chen stopped, turned his gaze seriously toward him, and asked, "You really don't like them?"

"... Hmm." Alex, feeling inexplicably exposed under that look, quickly averted his gaze.

Jin Chen plucked a flower from beside him and placed it in his hand, together with the earlier two jasmine and gladiolus.

"This flower is called the cosmos; it blooms in midsummer, symbolizing courage and freedom."

Alex curled his fingers, feeling he somewhat understood what Jin Chen was saying.

"My point is, this isn't the Empire; you don't need to suppress yourself, and as long as safety is assured, you can do whatever you want."

Jin Chen continued to hold his hand as they walked toward the villa; upon reaching the living room, he switched the opposite wall to a high-transparency panoramic view, broadening the sight as if they were truly there.

Alex sat on the sofa, and the corner of his mouth twitched up into a faint smile.

It was faint, fleeting in an instant.

He had taken Jin Chen's words to heart, although putting them into practice now was difficult.

This Federal General is truly nothing like the legends.

Jin Chen went to the study to handle military and political affairs; Alex, using the Federation identity Jin Chen had arranged for him, connected to a new smartbrain, fetched a book to read, and sat before the panoramic wall.

He rarely had such leisure; usually his days flew by, either on the battlefield or training new mechs, and if wounded he'd only go to the medical center for a painkiller injection, then wait for it to heal on its own.

He previously didn't find those days overly arduous, because he was serving the Empire to which he was loyal.

But looking back now, he only finds it ironic.

The pressing matter at present is to get in touch with his former troops.

Alex's turning of the pages paused slightly, and he involuntarily glanced toward the study.

He recalled that Jin Chen's smartbrain could bypass the information accord and link to the God's Kingdom's super-net.

But would Jin Chen allow such a thing?

His amber eyes fixed on the study's doorway, his gaze lingering long before he finally rose and went over.

Alex knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The voice‑controlled automatic main gate opened.

Jin Chen was seated at his desk, before him three virtual screens constantly flashing text and coded orders; he thought it was a subordinate coming to report work, didn't lift his head, drank his coffee calmly, and kept his eyes on the screens.

After a few seconds of silence, he finally felt puzzled, "Who told Youyou could enter without speaking… Alex?"

Jin Chen lifted his head, shifted his tone, and the sarcastic remark he'd been about to make died away.

"What's up? Do you need something from me?"

Alex nodded.

"Come in." Jin Chen gave him a smile, gesturing for him to sit opposite him.

Jin Chen's differing attitude toward him, Alex had indeed noticed; his earlier sense of unease also relaxed a bit.

Can I borrow your smart brain?

Jin Chen thought for a moment, then realized, "You want to use my smart brain to contact your confidants?"

Hmm.

He enabled the share permission, took the smart brain off his wrist and handed it to Alex, "Just log in to your current identity account."

Thank you.

Alex breathed a sigh of relief.

Jin Chen smiled, "I'm glad you could ask me instead of silently thinking I would refuse."

Alex: "..." He had indeed been thinking that just now.

Could this person have also studied warrior psychology?