Chapter 38 - The General's Wife is an Illegal Resident in the Star System

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Chapter 38: Returning to the Qin Household

 

 

After Bu Xiaoyu was taken away, Lu Li sat in the garden for a while before heading inside.

 

By the time Qin Yu returned, night had fallen.

 

Lu Li had already prepared dinner and was waiting for him. As he brought the final dish to the table, he heard the sound of Qin Yu's firm steps as he entered, his heavy boots striking the floor with a steady rhythm.

 

"You're back a bit later than yesterday," Lu Li remarked, placing the plate on the table. He went to take Qin Yu's military coat as he removed it, hanging it on the coat rack before returning to sit at the table.

 

"There was a lot to handle today." Qin Yu rolled up his sleeves, pulled out a chair, and sat down, his posture straight and unyielding, like a weapon that would rather break than bend.

 

Lu Li gave a soft "Oh" and, noting Qin Yu's reserved expression, began eating.

 

"Go ahead and ask," Qin Yu said, sensing Lu Li's gaze on him, as if he already knew the questions on his mind.

 

"What happened with Bu Xiaoyu?" Lu Li didn't believe Zhou Junyan's presence earlier was a coincidence. Though no one had told him, he suspected it was related to what Bu Xiaoyu had said to him that morning.

 

"She used Noyce's credentials to investigate you."

 

"She wouldn't…that's a breach of military discipline." As a soldier himself, Lu Li knew how severe the consequences of that infringement would be. The First Legion was known for its strict discipline, and the repercussions would be even more serious here.

 

Qin Yu calmly picked up a piece of meat, chewing it unhurriedly, his face showing no hint of distress over his subordinate's infraction.

 

Lu Li had been curious how Bu Xiaoyu found out he was from the Federation, and now he finally understood. But he still had a question.

 

"Noyce is a captain, after all. How could he be careless enough to be used by Bu Xiaoyu?"

 

"They grew up together."

 

"Oh." Lu Li understood now.

 

It seemed to be a story of unrequited love: he loved her, but she didn't love him back.

 

"What do you plan to do about her? She already knows I'm from the Federation and has even guessed I used to be…a Federation spy." Lu Li wasn't urging Qin Yu to take any specific action, but he knew that without a resolution, the issue would linger. He wasn't afraid of his identity being exposed; he feared Qin Yu would be implicated, possibly accused of harboring a spy. Even a General of the Empire would face severe consequences if this were ever discovered.

 

Qin Yu paused his meal, his gaze steady. "Don't worry. I've transferred her to a distant planet."

 

"A girl, sent so far away…isn't that a bit harsh?" Lu Li could tell Qin Yu likely had no intention of bringing her back.

 

"Breach of military discipline. Unforgivable," Qin Yu responded, his face unflinching and cold.

 

On the surface, it appeared entirely impartial, but those aware of the details would know there was more beneath.

 

Lu Li wasn't about to plead her case; he wasn't a saint. The girl had been reckless, offending even Qin Yu. She probably hadn't anticipated just how severe the consequences would be.

 

Later, he would hear that Noyce had also paid a heavy price for it. Physical wounds would heal, but the hurt to his heart would linger, and Lu Li didn't see him again for several days.

 

Few knew about Bu Xiaoyu's transfer, but the truth couldn't be kept from Marshal Qin. The next day, when Qin Yu went to the First Legion, the Marshal sent for him immediately.

 

"Marshal Qin, you wanted to see me?" Qin Yu stepped into the Marshal's office, his tailored military uniform accentuating his strong physique. The air shifted as he entered, his imposing presence filling the space until even the guards at the door struggled to remain composed.

 

"I heard you reassigned Bu Xiaoyu yesterday. What reason did you have for transferring her out of the First Legion?" Marshal Qin didn't fuss over the formality of his son's address. Qin Yu was more rigid than anyone else, sometimes even more uncompromising than his father.

 

"She violated military discipline."

 

"That girl's been with you for two or three years, hasn't she? Hard to imagine her violating discipline so severely as to be sent to a distant planet." The Marshal was used to seeing his eldest son impose strict penalties but was surprised to see him show such severity to a young woman. His curiosity piqued—just what breach could warrant such extreme consequences? The First Legion was notoriously tight-lipped, and if Qin Yu wanted something kept quiet, even his father wouldn't hear a word.

 

"Did you call me here just to discuss my subordinates?"

 

Marshal Qin saw the impatience in his son's eyes and knew that if he said yes, Qin Yu would turn around and leave. Clearing his throat, he replied, "Of course not. I called you about Lu Li."

 

"Impossible." Qin Yu rejected the idea before he could finish.

 

"I haven't even told you what I wanted to say! How do you know it's impossible?" Marshal Qin, struggling to contain his irritation, nearly slammed his chair, angered by Qin Yu's audacious attitude.

 

A hint of mockery appeared on Qin Yu's lips.

 

Seeing his son's reaction, Marshal Qin knew the issue still had to do with Madam Qin. "I know you're worried that your mother might give him a hard time again. I've already spoken with her; she promised me that if you return home, she won't trouble him again."

 

Qin Yu remained unmoved.

 

Marshal Qin muttered a silent curse, then played a video in which Madam Qin herself made the promise. This gesture was meant solely to convince him; only seeing it for himself would ease his doubts.

 

"Now, will that be enough? Your mother has admitted her mistake. Take Lu Li back to the Qin household tonight; your mother has arranged for a big dinner, and Qin Ge will be there too. It's a good time for them to meet."

 

Qin Yu fixed him with a long look before abruptly turning to leave.

 

He didn't say a word, but Marshal Qin knew he had agreed.

 

Lu Li was surprised by Qin Yu's swift return. He was in the study, perusing a book on mecha—one that Qin Yu had left there. He hadn't expected Qin Yu to read such a subject and was still satisfying his curiosity when he heard footsteps approaching from behind him.

 

"What's going on?"

 

"We're going back to the Qin household tonight. Pack up; I'll come to get you later," Qin Yu said directly.

 

"Oh, all right." Lu Li blinked, then smiled and nodded. After all, the military headquarters wasn't really a place for a Federation citizen to stay long, given the abundance of classified information.

 

After Qin Yu left, Lu Li sat in the living room for an hour before he started packing. He had only been staying here for two or three days and had brought only a few changes of clothes, which Noyce had initially provided him, so he finished quickly.

 

Not wanting to let his thoughts wander, Lu Li logged onto the Cosmic Net. Rainwalker, whom he hadn't spoken to for a few days, had left several messages, asking why he hadn't been online and saying how dull the mecha training hall was without him. The other opponents were just too weak—no one could match Lu Li's intensity in a spar.

 

A faint smile appeared on Lu Li's face. Unfortunately, Rainwalker wasn't online at the moment; the last message had been left the previous night. After leaving a reply, he turned his attention to more serious matters.

 

Before coming to Glory Star, he had struck a deal with someone on the Empire's star network, who had promised him an answer today. Though it was still a bit early, he figured he might as well try his luck—and luck seemed to be on his side, as his contact was indeed online.

 

Just as he was about to message him, the other party beat him to it.

 

[Meet at the usual spot.]

 

The "usual spot" was where they'd first met. Lu Li remembered it well, and when he arrived, the contact was already seated there.

 

"Sorry I'm late." Lu Li took a seat across from him.

 

"Not at all, I just got here. Go ahead and inspect the goods." With that, the man transferred the promised data to him.

 

As Lu Li browsed the file, his eyes filled with astonishment. Initially, he had reached out with only a tentative hope, but the man had actually obtained something unavailable on the open market. "Yes, this is exactly what I was looking for. I'll transfer the payment right now."

 

Without hesitation, Lu Li transferred the agreed-upon five million star coins.

 

These five million coins had taken him years to save up after coming to his adoptive father's covert military base. Now, with this transfer, he was penniless. But considering the data's value, he felt the cost was more than justified.

 

It was a necessity. After all, he wasn't from the R star system. If he openly searched for these materials, while Qin Yu might trust him, others aware of his background might grow suspicious.

 

The man confirmed the transaction, then stood up, leaving with a casual, "If you need anything else, you know where to find me."

 

"If I do," Lu Li replied before logging off. He saved the data to his communicator, allowing him to view it without needing to access the star network.

 

He'd spent over a month searching for this information, only to find scattered fragments on the star network, none of which were comprehensive enough to study. It was only after hearing about someone who could procure such rare items that he'd reached out.

 

And, of course, his current identity as a citizen of Glory Star had likely helped in securing the connection.

 

While he didn't know how the man had done it, the data was far more detailed than anything he had found. As much as he wanted to dive into it immediately, being in the military headquarters, it was prudent to wait.

 

The sun had not yet set when Qin Yu returned. Seeing Lu Li sitting in the living room with a small bundle of his belongings nearby, he said nothing.

 

Shortly after the two left, an unexpected guest arrived at the villa.

 

This guest was Prince Brian, the Empire's crown prince and the first in line to the throne. His handsome features reflected the finest inherited qualities of the King and Queen. Roughly Qin Yu's age, they had attended the same academy together and were closer than Qin Yu was to anyone else.

 

"Your Highness," the soldiers at the door greeted him with a salute.

 

"Is Qin Yu inside?" Brian had heard about Qin Yu's recent marriage and had wanted to meet the person who had supposedly been able to change him. But pressing matters had delayed him, and it was only today he finally found the time. Hearing that Qin Yu had even brought his wife to the military headquarters—treating him with such devotion—had piqued Brian's curiosity, prompting him to rush over.

 

"Sir, the General has already left."

 

"Left? Where did he go?" Brian frowned. Could it be what he was thinking?

 

"The General has taken his wife back to the Qin family residence," the soldier reported truthfully.

 

A flicker of regret crossed Brian's face; he had missed them by just a moment.

 

While Brian regretted his timing, Lu Li, who was on his way to the Qin residence with Qin Yu, was feeling a bit nervous. Just a moment ago, Qin Yu had mentioned something.

 

Marshal Qin's younger son, Qin Ge—Qin Yu's second brother—would be joining them for dinner.

 

It wasn't until later that Lu Li learned Qin Ge's name. While Qin Yu was renowned across the star systems, Qin Ge was perhaps even more popular in the R star system.

 

If Qin Yu was the Empire's "God of War," Qin Ge was its "Male God."

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