After lunch, my phone rang. I figured it must be the Chairman calling; sure enough, it was his voice. "Little Zhao, what are you up to? Do you have time to come over? It's been quite a while since the two of us had a proper talk."

"Haha, yes, you’ve been too busy lately. I’ll be right over. Please wait a moment, sir."

Hanging up, Xu Chen asked me, "Brother Zhao, are you going out? Take this umbrella. Please don’t get soaked like you did this morning, or you’ll get sick."

Su Xue chimed in, "Take it, Junior Brother. Don't let... Qianqian worry about you." Su Xue probably didn't want to include herself in the group of people worried about me, so she quickly changed her wording.

I took the umbrella. "Thank you both. I have something very important right now, so I need to leave first. Since a typhoon is expected this afternoon, don't go out again. Just surf the net or chat. I'll come visit if I have time."

The three women dutifully replied, "Okay. You be careful on the way, and call us if anything happens."

The climate these past two years has been absolutely abnormal. I remember when I was in the small town last year, the rainfall was excessive, and it’s no better this year. Such heavy, continuous rain for this long is extremely rare in the history of Jingdu City; in some places where the sewers were blocked or drainage was poor, the water was up to people's thighs.

Many vehicles were stranded on the road. As the floodwaters rose higher, the fate of these cars would be extremely perilous if the typhoon hit this afternoon. Even if I wanted to help, I couldn't, as I saw too many such situations along the way.

The Chairman was sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed, resting. Li Qi opened the door for me. "Shh, Grandpa just fell asleep. Sit down first."

I quietly asked Li Qi, "Why are you here? Don't tell me our secret is out?"

Li Qi whispered back, "It shouldn't be. Grandpa asked me to eat lunch with him, and then he didn't tell me to leave, so I had to wait here. He probably wants to talk about us. Beg him nicely later. Once he agrees to our relationship, even my father won’t dare to object."

"Fine, no problem."

Li Qi made me a cup of milk tea. "Have you eaten? Have some milk tea. I added sugar for you; it’s very sweet."

I glanced at Li Qi’s chest. "Is it as sweet as you are?"

Li Qi playfully punched me. "Stop it, you dare to be suggestive in front of my Grandpa? I haven’t given birth to any children, so what milk do you think you can drink?"

"Will you let me drink it if you have children in the future?"

"Hehe, we'll see when that time comes. If you treat me badly, I won't have children for you, and you’ll never get to taste my milk."

They had exchanged a few hushed words when Chairman Li Zhenyu coughed lightly and opened his eyes. "Oh, Little Zhao is here. I've been so busy these past few days that I drifted off while sitting here."

I said, "Chairman, you must take care of your health. Chairman Mao once said that health is the capital for revolution. What will we do if we squander our capital?"

The Chairman chuckled. "No fear, our capital is ample. Don’t we have those life-saving injections from Doctor Hua? I might be able to get a few more needles for my old face."

"Haha, of course. You can have dozens of them if you want." Hua Qingqing hadn't revealed the origin of the B injection to anyone, so even the Chairman didn't know the snake bead came from my hand.

Li Qi interjected, "Grandpa, why did you ask Zhao Qian to come?"

The Chairman said, "Yes, there is something. By the way, where did you send Deng Qiang? Teach him a lesson and then let him go. Don't let it affect unity within the army. It’s not worth it over such a small brat."

Li Qi retorted, "Grandpa, I don't agree with that! I am your granddaughter; you know perfectly well Deng Qiang truly tried to insult me! What's wrong with Zhao Qian getting revenge for me? Should I just let his bullying go unaddressed?"

The Chairman said, "I investigated. The facts aren't as serious as you claim. Deng Qiang was probably slapped away as soon as he brushed against you. Besides, it was crowded, and even if it wasn't Deng Qiang, other classmates might have bumped your backside. Zhao Qian beat him up and then castrated him—that punishment is a hundred times over, enough for him to suffer for a lifetime. What use is a half-dead person? Just return him to his father."

Li Qi knew Deng Qiang hadn't gained much advantage. Because he suddenly appeared between her and Ouyang Qing, both were highly vigilant. When they felt him reaching out to touch both their backsides, they reacted quickly almost simultaneously. However, even a fingertip touch is an insult to a girl; that's completely different from an unintentional bump in a crowded space. The unintentional can be forgiven, but the intentional is harassment.

"Grandpa! How could you say that? Hmph. Zhao Qian treats me well. From now on, I will only let Zhao Qian protect me. I only feel truly safe when he is by my side."

I secretly gave Li Qi a look, signaling her not to get stuck on this issue. "Chairman, didn't Deng Qiang go to the 101 Hospital? Although I am an expert doctor at the Army's 101 Hospital, I don't treat castration cases. Furthermore, he hasn't come to me seeking treatment, so I don't know where he is."

Li Zhenyu stared at me and asked, "Deng Qiang disappeared from the hospital last night. Is he really not with you?"

I stated firmly, "Really. Why would I want such a scumbag around, wasting food?"

I wasn't entirely lying. Although Deng Qiang was captured by the people we sent, we immediately packed him up and put him on a cargo ship, letting him drift around for a while until things blew over.

The Chairman said, "That's strange. Who could have abducted Deng Qiang without anyone noticing? Little Zhao, I know you treat Qiqi very well and won't let her suffer any grievance. However, for the sake of national stability and unity, on this matter, I hope you can consider the bigger picture. Don't bring endless suffering upon the nation and the people for a moment of satisfaction. If you know Deng Qiang's whereabouts, please tell me."

Li Qi rushed to say, "Grandpa, is my happiness not more important than national stability and unity? From the very beginning, you have shown the nature of a politician in this matter, disregarding my personal safety to consider the so-called bigger picture. Do you think you're great for doing that? If it were Zhao Qian, he would definitely consider me first, not push me aside for the stability and unity you keep talking about!"

Li Zhenyu’s face turned very pale. I pushed Li Qi out to the side room and said sternly, "Stay here. Don't come in again without my permission. How dare you speak to your grandfather like that? I’ll be angry if you keep this up."

Li Qi listened to me obediently, lowering her head. "I really despise the heartless actions of politicians. Don't worry, I promise I won’t become like that. People in politics should also have human compassion."

I returned to the room. The Chairman looked embarrassed. "Sorry for the spectacle, Little Zhao. I admit I was somewhat unfair to Qiqi on this matter, but I am also helpless. I recall you once said that when one is in the Jianghu, one cannot control oneself. Now I deeply understand that feeling."

"I can understand your feelings right now. Are Deng Sifang and Zhu Ergui forcing you to hand him over?"

The Chairman nodded. "It’s complicated to explain. Although the conflicts between various factions in the army are not huge, the L Province and Cheng D military regions have always moved together. Even as the head of the military, there are times when I cannot fully control every unit. Their work involves the peace of our country's western gateway, so I have to treat this cautiously."

I said seriously, "Chairman, I don't entirely agree with your view. National stability and unity are not bought through tolerance and indulgence of certain people. While there is the ancient warning, 'A small impatience spoils a great plan,' have you considered that tolerance is equivalent to condoning their wicked deeds? Stability and unity gained this way will eventually cause a disaster for the country. It's like planting a time bomb for yourself, and in the end, you will have to spend ten times the effort to fix the great mistake you made by holding back for a moment!"

The Chairman sighed deeply while sitting on the sofa. "I have no choice. I’ve tried several times to reduce the strength of those two military regions, but I always meet with opposition from the majority. The country isn't decided by me alone. Moreover, the reach is too long; they are far away in the frontier, and there are things I can't do even if I want to."

"Hehe, it’s not that you don't want to do it, sir, but you have too many scruples. Unlike me, I just do what I want without caring about other people's opinions."

The Chairman asked, "If you were me, how would you handle this matter?"

"If I were you, setting aside the issue of Li Qi and Deng Qiang for a moment, I would first demand that Deng Sifang and Zhu Ergui clearly confess the wicked deeds they have committed over the years. In their current status as convicts, they have no right to demand anything from us. If we want them dead, no one can utter a single dissenting word."

"How so?"

I transferred the evidence Peach had collected to the Chairman’s dedicated computer via my phone. "You can look at it when you have time, sir. With their behavior, forget stability and unity—it’s a wonder they didn't revolt against you before."

The Chairman took this matter very seriously. He put on his reading glasses without a word and began reviewing the investigation materials from start to finish. The expression on his face grew increasingly solemn. "How could this be? Do they still respect the law? The country and the army are not their personal property! They actually dared to use the military to traffic drugs—isn't this undermining the very foundation of our Great Dragon Country!"

I said to the Chairman without beating around the bush, "I haven't been idle on this either, sir. I have been investigating the affairs of those two military regions all along. Earlier, Liu Hu suggested I reorganize things because the ground forces were too chaotic, which was also unfavorable to our underground defense zone. However, considering your reservations, I didn't agree."

The Chairman sighed. "Your thinking is correct. The two military regions involve too many personnel. If I could have acted, I would have done so long ago. Furthermore, Tan Zhong's influence is involved; I have my difficulties too."

"Now that Deng Qiang is missing, how do you plan to respond to those two?"

The Chairman chuckled, "It’s because you won't help me. With your capabilities, if you wanted to find someone, you could find them even if they turned to ash."

I replied, "I actually want to help you, sir, but asking me to find that kid Deng Qiang? Forget it, I have no interest. I’d rather go home and spend time with my girlfriends."

"You, you've already snatched my granddaughter away. Do you plan to be my cheap son-in-law?"

I replied awkwardly, "It wasn't all me kidnapping her. Mainly, we truly love each other. You saw that Qiqi feels very strongly for me. When the two of us are together, we can accommodate each other. This is a huge change and great progress for her usual temperament."

"I have noticed that. Qiqi has changed a lot; you could say she's grown up and become more sensible than before. You deserve the most credit for this."

"It's not all my credit. Everyone eventually grows up. Once anyone finds their direction in life, they quickly transition from a child to an adult."

"Little Zhao, what is your direction? If you were to help me, how would you do it?"

"My direction, sir? It's not very clear right now. You know my affairs are a mess; I'm involved in everything, but I'm severely short-handed. It's my girlfriends who are carrying the main load. Sometimes I feel sorry for them working so hard."

"Hehe, every one of them is outstanding. It's your fortune to have them helping you. Perhaps they are all happy working for you, so you don't need to feel too guilty. Let's talk about the two military regions in the west."

"Isn't that simple? Just pacify them. Since they don't want to manage it themselves, let's grant their wish. If they obey the orders and arrangements of the Military Commission, that’s fine. If they refuse to obey, we will directly eliminate them. We cannot leave hidden dangers for ourselves, or how can we achieve unification in the future? If the home front is in chaos, how can we reclaim Ming Island and other lost territories?"

"Pacifying them presents too many difficulties. The forces of the coastal military regions cannot be moved, and the western front is too long. I fear hostile foreign powers might take the opportunity to attack me. At that time, there’s a danger of separatism in Xinjian and Xizang!"

"That's true for you, sir. For me, it only takes three to five days to fully reclaim the territory of those two military regions. If foreign powers dare to interfere, that gives us the perfect excuse to send troops and take them down. This operation guarantees you won't have to dispatch a single soldier, and as for military expenses, since you are Qiqi's grandfather, it would be improper for me to ask. Consider it my filial piety to you, sir."

The Chairman chuckled, "If someone else said that, I wouldn't believe it, but since you said it, I do. It seems my face isn't as good as my granddaughter's. You two need to be more serious and not cause any messy situations. I will talk properly with Qiqi's father in a while."

"Thank you, Chairman. But even if you don't agree, Qiqi won't marry anyone else. She promised me. So, you should really listen to her opinion on this matter. What era is this? We can't still be clinging to feudal customs."

"Let's put that aside for now. If we use the forces of the Three-Habitat Army, it will be hard to explain to the entire nation, especially since you have no official military post. This could easily lead to misunderstanding. Moreover, isn't the main force of the Three-Habitat Army already transferred to Wenlai and Xijin? It's too late to recall them now."

I replied, "I don't plan to use the Three-Habitat Army as the main fighting force. If necessary, I will deploy one million machine soldiers, but I think 500,000 will be enough, supported by 2,000 'Cheetah' attack helicopters. Do you think the forces of those two military regions can handle that?"

"What a grand undertaking! I didn't realize you had hidden so much strength. Fortunately, you are not our enemy; otherwise, the entire Great Dragon Country would be subject to your will. It seems my understanding of you is insufficient. Just the 2,000 'Cheetah' attack helicopters alone might be too much for those two military regions to handle, plus 500,000 invincible machine soldiers—you are practically unrivaled under heaven."

"Chairman, you overestimate me. Our world is not a world of machines; human thought is too complex. To truly be unrivaled under heaven, relying solely on robots won't work. However, regarding the two military regions, I think we need swift action, preferably without the world noticing. That's why I want to deploy the machine soldiers."

"Then how many machine soldiers do you have in total? And 'Cheetah' attack helicopters? How many submarines with underwater hangar capabilities? What is the strength of your cruisers and destroyers? Are you confident in controlling Nansha?"

Seeing my silence, the Chairman continued with a smile, "I won't ask anymore, I won't ask anymore. There are things you need to keep secret, of course. Tell me how I should cooperate with you in rectifying the affairs of those two military regions."

"All you need to do, sir, is suppress the people from the Military Commission so they don't cause trouble afterward. Then you don't need to worry about anything else. However, I have one condition: after Deng Sifang and Zhu Ergui step down, can their positions be left to people from our Three-Habitat Legion? After all, the Three-Habitat Legion originated from the sequence of the PLA; fundamentally, they are still your forces, just meticulously selected by me. If the people sent by the Military Commission take over those two military regions, I won't trust them; I fear they might affect my underground defense zone in the future."

The Chairman pondered for a long moment. "This matter is very difficult. The appointment of military region commanders requires the consent of the Military Commission; it's not up to me alone. Tell me the names of the candidates first, and I will slowly work on getting everyone else on board."

On this point, I wasn't afraid of the Military Commission playing tricks on me. By then, the actual control of the military regions would be in my hands. Whether they agree to hand over power to whomever they send would be up to me to decide. If it’s not someone I nominate, there’s no way in.

After settling the matter, I stood up to leave. "Chairman, you should rest a bit more. I need to get back to work. Starting from the next moment, all information sent from L Province and Cheng D military regions to the Military Commission will be received by us. Since you have authorized me, I will reply to them on your behalf and issue orders from the Military Commission. If they don't comply, we will proceed according to the original plan."

Li Zhenyu sighed and waved, signaling that I could leave. In truth, he remained hesitant about this matter because the two military regions involved too much, making it hard for him to decide. However, things had come to this point; if Deng Qiang couldn't be produced, those two wouldn't let the matter rest. Everyone was forced onto the same path; whoever had greater strength would be the winner.

Li Qi disregarded her grandfather’s scolding and went home with me. What followed was even more crucial. As the planner of this 'conspiracy,' she certainly wouldn't miss it. Soon, a small operational command center was formed in the main living room.

Shen Jian from the Air Force also joined this time. If necessary, fighter jets, bombers, and transport aircraft would all participate in the battle. The operational area spanned millions of square kilometers across the two military regions, and any complex situation could arise. If we didn't act, fine, but once we decided to act, we had to ensure absolutely no mistakes.

"Huh?" Cai Bao’er asked doubtfully, "Commander Zhu, why do you have instant noodles to eat? Are you just pretending with an empty bowl?"

Zhu Da slurped his noodles. "Am I sick? Why would I pretend with an empty bowl? I was busy checking the terrain just now and didn't even have lunch."

Cai Bao’er said, "I’m dizzy. I bought a few eggs from the locals, but the altitude here is too high; they won’t cook through. Look, the yolk is all runny."

Yi Xiaorou smiled, "Hang in there a bit longer. The Chairman has already agreed for us to handle the affairs of the two military regions. Once we take over military authority, many practical products will be developed and utilized, and living conditions on the plateau will improve significantly then."

The other two said, "Finally received the order! Hurry up and tell us what to do. We have too much work; we can't waste time on these trivial matters."

I stated, "Our usual approach is to concentrate superior forces for a surprise attack, and this time is no exception. I have already issued an order in the name of the Military Commission to Deng Sifang and Zhu Ergui, ordering them to report to the capital immediately for investigation. If they are not present by 8 AM tomorrow, we will revoke all their positions and strip them of all military authority in the name of the Military Commission, sending newly appointed personnel to manage the two military regions. If they comply, fine; if not, that will be a matter for the four of you."

Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er exclaimed, "They better not comply, or we won't have anything to do! This is a great opportunity for practice. Each of us commands over 200,000 troops! Thinking about it makes me excited."

Li Qi smiled, "Brothers, if you fight this battle well, forget 200,000 troops; you'll command 2 million later. But greater power comes with greater responsibility."