And so Ji Shileng had no idea how fiercely the world outside was arguing.
In truth, both his name and Joker Studio’s were being dragged through the mud online, over and over again.
The director gave a strained smile. “Mr. Su, as you know, we’ve only just begun to uncover leads pointing to a suspect”
Su Ke remained unmoved. “Then keep investigating”
“We owe the competitors and every participating nation an explanation. We have no choice”
The director was genuinely in a difficult position.
Given Shang Jianli’s “relationship” with Ji Shileng, the Empire had kept him out of the competition’s aftermath.
The imperial officials unanimously agreed that, even without conclusive evidence, Ji Shileng had to spend some time in detention to appease public opinion and buy them more time to investigate.
Su Ke sneered. “I believe his sister told you to come back when you had evidence?”
“You really are useless. After all these days, you’ve only just found a lead?”
Unable to win the argument, the oversight director simply joined in. “Exactly. An amateur operation from top to bottom. Please bear with us”
Then he tried an appeal to sympathy.
“Young Master Su, look at the uproar outside. How many days have we spent working together to suppress the trending stories? It hasn’t helped at all”
He spread his hands. “We need to calm the public down so we can get on with our work”
Ji Shileng patted Su Ke’s shoulder, stopping whatever he was about to say.
“It’s fine. One trip won’t do me much harm”
“I’m coming with you”
Ji Shileng’s hand drifted toward Su Ke’s cigarettes again. Concerned about his health, Su Ke immediately stopped him.
Ji Shileng said nothing. He merely stared.
Su Ke stood firm. “Your sister said you’re not allowed to smoke anymore”
There was no despair quite like a heart gone cold. Even the small smoking habit Ji Shileng had developed since returning home was denied him.
“I hardly smoke”
“But you keep wanting to,” Su Ke pointed out.
“Wanting to smoke and actually smoking are two different things,” Ji Shileng explained solemnly.
“Find another hobby. Stop thinking about cigarettes all the time”
Su Ke kept the pack firmly covered.
After receiving a reply, the director informed him regretfully, “My apologies, Mr. Su. You’re not particularly welcome at our detention center”
Su Ke stared at him, expressionless and speechless.
Ji Shileng burst out laughing. “Is a detention center somewhere people ought to be welcomed into?”
The director shrugged. “What can I say? Amateur operations have their own way of thinking. Please be understanding”
Not wishing to make things difficult, Ji Shileng gave Su Ke a few instructions.
“Keep doing your best in the guild battles. It’ll probably be time for the finals by the time I’m back”
“We were knocked out ages ago”
Ji Shileng: “…”
It was understandable, really. Both guild leaders had been busy for quite some time.
Su Ke looked positively heartbroken. “Once those people heard you were in trouble, they started throwing money at items every single match. They wore us down until we were eliminated”
Ji Shileng: “…”
He pressed a hand to his forehead. Only guild leaders could buy items during guild battles. Without him or Su Ke, no one could purchase them, and there was no need to spend a fortune on a guild battle anyway.
“We’ll try again next time. It’s fine”
Ji Shileng took it in stride.
Upon arriving in the Empire, Ji Shileng was escorted into the detention center with the utmost courtesy to await questioning during the day.
High walls enclosed the facility. Lifeless light shone down from above, and cold permeated the air.
Ji Shileng tucked his hands into his sleeves and let out a quiet sigh.
If he refused to come, he would be locked in a standoff with the Empire. If he came, he suffered.
But he had to be here.
His eyes darkened. He wanted to know at the first possible moment which bastard had dared use him and Joker Studio to stir up trouble.
Joker might mean a clown, but did he look like one?
Lost in thought, he curled up alone on the cold floor and drowsily closed his eyes.
An unexpected message from Chu Wan woke Shang Jianli.
His communicator kept vibrating. He pushed himself upright and checked the message.
Ever since his rescue, the Empire had granted him several dozen days of leave, citing his health and instructing him to rest rather than overwork himself.
How could Shang Jianli fail to understand what they were thinking?
He had assumed that, as a member of the Ji family, Ji Shileng would be protected. With that reassurance, he had accepted the leave.
He had not expected a message in the middle of the night—another message about Ji Shileng.
General, the oversight director has put Mr. Ji in detention.
That single sentence dispelled every trace of sleep.
Without even turning on the light, Shang Jianli got out of bed and hurried into his uniform.
Just before leaving, he suddenly remembered something. He returned to the room and took the blanket from his bed.
The Empire imposed speed restrictions in the early hours. Shang Jianli paid them no heed, racing down the roads in his car with its J-prefixed license plate.
The patrol officers glanced at the plate, exchanged looks, and pretended they had seen nothing.
Someone from the military district. Best not to interfere.
When he arrived at the detention center, the guard’s sleepy eyes flew wide.
“Good evening, General!”
Shang Jianli nodded and went straight to the point. “Where is Ji Shileng?”
The guard scratched his head, looking troubled.
The detention center was cold and gloomy, its temperature inexplicably a couple of degrees lower than everywhere else.
Shang Jianli’s patience was nearly exhausted. Summoning the last of it, he repeated, “I’ll ask you one more time. Where is he?”
Not daring to anger the general, the guard gave an appeasing smile and led him inside, offering a “report” as they walked.
“General, the oversight director brought Mr. Ji here half an hour ago”
“Mm”
“He should be in the room at the very end. We’re short-staffed at night, so we haven’t even had him fill out the basic information form yet”
Shang Jianli walked faster and faster, a blanket draped over his arm and his face cold as frost.
The room at the very back of the detention center—he dreaded to imagine how cold it was.
After falling from a starship, Ji Shileng should have been given time to recuperate properly.
Yet during the recent Interstellar Military Competition, he had become lost and fallen ill while searching for him.
His body had barely recovered before suffering another ordeal.
The detention center was so cold. Shang Jianli feared he would develop another fever.
At the innermost room, silver walls reflected the cold white light. Ji Shileng was curled in a corner with an arm covering his eyes.
He was not sleeping well.
Taking the key, Shang Jianli told the guard there was no need to stay.
The guard did not dare object. He handed over the key and hurried away with a bowed head, not risking another glance.
Shang Jianli carefully unlocked the door and crouched beside Ji Shileng.
As he draped the blanket over him, his hand accidentally brushed Ji Shileng’s neck. He frowned.
Ji Shileng was shivering with cold.
A flicker of panic rose within him. He reached out to feel Ji Shileng’s forehead.
No fever.
Only then did he relax a little.
He wrapped Ji Shileng completely in the blanket and lifted him into his arms.
As though sensing the warmth, Ji Shileng instinctively nestled closer against his chest.
Shang Jianli sighed soundlessly and carried him out of the detention center.
He had grown so much lighter.
Held in his arms, he was almost weightless, like a cloud.
One careless moment, and that cloud might dissolve.
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