When this lieutenant aimed his uranium pistol at them, Yang Ying instantly recognized that beneath the murderous bravado was merely a fragile, hollow shell—a man likely spoiled by a high-ranking family member, unaccustomed to setbacks, which bred this arbitrary arrogance. He was, in himself, no real threat.

After the lieutenant shouted, the crowd that had initially bunched together split into two sides. The Ghost Agents wasted no time disarming the Bos Guard soldiers, ensuring those men wouldn't harbor any further hostile intentions.

During the scuffle, several Bos soldiers were knocked senseless onto the ground and dragged aside by their comrades.

The lieutenant still lay on the ground, clutching his abdomen with his left hand, while his right wrist was bent at a distinctly unnatural angle; Bryce had broken it while wrenching the gun away. If not for the muzzle presently aimed at him, he would surely have let out a piercing scream, releasing the wave of pain.

“What—what do you people want?” The lieutenant’s face was ashen, his eyes locked on the gun barrel before him as he asked in a voice that trembled.

Bryce turned his gaze to Yang Ying, signaling a silent inquiry.

Yang Ying stepped forward and first shook his head at the lieutenant. This small gesture made the man’s face turn even paler.

“This unpleasant incident started because you came looking for trouble. Why are you questioning me now?” Yang Ying spoke in a low tone. “The question isn't what we want; it’s what you want. Our group was simply coming to Bos for a pleasant trip, only to run into unprovoked disaster. Now that things have escalated to this point, I imagine that even if we aren't completely at daggers drawn, you must harbor resentment in secret.”

The lieutenant, who was mentally plotting how to retaliate a hundredfold after escaping, immediately broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing Yang Ying’s words and hurriedly shook his head in denial.

Yang Ying waved a dismissive hand. “Never mind what you’re thinking. The issue is how you can convince us that letting you go won't make things worse. If you leave now, you’ll immediately call in the main forces and falsely accuse us of being terrorists. Our situation would become perilous. Tell me, under those circumstances, how could we possibly let you go?”

“I swear on my life I won't do that!” the lieutenant blurted out instantly.

“You want me to believe your promise?” Yang Ying regarded him with the look one reserves for an idiot.

In the Asteroid Belt, no one trusted the promise of a stranger; even the promises of acquaintances were not to be lightly believed. Those who violated this rule usually ended up as space debris.

“My promise—” The lieutenant immediately realized Yang Ying didn't trust him and grew desperate. His life rested in Bryce’s hands, and seeing Yang Ying unsatisfied with his answer, Bryce lightly placed his finger on the trigger.

“What is happening here? Who are you people? Why are you holding a Bos Guard officer at gunpoint?” A red-haired officer wearing the insignia of a first lieutenant, followed by more than twenty soldiers, ran over quickly.

When the newly arrived soldiers saw the scene, they immediately leveled their rifles at the group.

However, Bryce’s finger on the trigger tightened just slightly, prompting the lieutenant to quickly shout:

“Don’t shoot! It’s a misunderstanding! Put your weapons down.”

The red-haired lieutenant frowned deeply, casting a glance at the lieutenant lying on the ground. Yang Ying noted that the red-haired officer’s look suggested he clearly held little regard for the orders of his superior.

The atmosphere between the two sides became tense.

“You won’t even listen to my command? I am your superior officer, you must obey!” The lieutenant felt the pain in his injured hand and abdomen intensifying. Shouting those few sentences with slightly more volume exhausted what little energy he had left.

The red-haired lieutenant’s frown deepened. He gave a soft scoff. “Lower your weapons.”

The soldiers behind him immediately lowered their rifles in perfect unison, without a single extraneous movement, demonstrating excellent training and discipline.

Yang Ying’s eyes lit up. He knew that mercenaries were often far less disciplined than regular army troops, usually prone to violence and insubordination. Getting them to move as one was not easy. This lieutenant, he mused, was a genuine talent.

Although Yang Ying’s secrets were too staggering to allow an outsider into the core, he could certainly try to recruit this man as an external operative if the opportunity arose.

“Look, wasting time here isn’t a solution. First, tell me about this terrorist situation,” Yang Ying gestured toward the lieutenant. “And his identity. Let me get a grasp of the situation first, then we can discuss a resolution.”

“Agreed!” the red-haired lieutenant nodded. “This is the situation regarding the terrorists: An important meeting is scheduled for tomorrow in Bos City, attended by dignitaries from Bos and two other cities. However, early this morning, a bomb was placed in the hotel where the delegation from one of those cities was staying, killing over fifty people instantly. Cleanup is still underway. The Guard dispatched many men to secure all key locations and traffic routes to search for the bomber. Our battalion was assigned to guard the port.”

Yang Ying’s heart jolted. He inwardly fretted, Could Kuzun and his group have been caught in that? But he maintained an indifferent expression and asked, “Oh? Which city’s dignitary was so unlucky?”

“It was the Mayor of Lehai and the commander of the Lehai Mercenary Corps and their entourage. Fortunately, they only sustained minor scrapes; most of those killed were their bodyguards and other hotel guests.” The red-haired lieutenant didn't detect anything unusual about Yang Ying.

“That’s truly terrible—a completely unprovoked disaster,” Yang Ying sighed in relief, uttering meaningless platitudes, before pointing at the lieutenant groaning on the ground. “And who is he?”

“He is the nephew of Colonel Cande, the Deputy Commander of the Guard; his name is Marier. Sir, could you please ask your subordinate—” The red-haired lieutenant gestured toward Bryce. “—to lower his weapon so we can negotiate properly.”

“It’s the opposite, actually. I fear the moment we release him, he will order his soldiers to arrest us, or even open fire and wipe us out. You are currently in the superior position, therefore we need a guarantee before we can conduct a proper negotiation. It is best to wait until negotiations are complete and we have found a solution before releasing the hostage,” Yang Ying refused without hesitation.

Having a hostage provided a measure of security and prevented the other side from making rash moves.

The red-haired lieutenant nodded, not pressing the issue further. He let the gun remain pointed at Captain Marier and asked calmly, “I have answered your questions. Now it’s your turn. Why did you come into conflict with Captain Marier? How did things escalate to this point?”

“Let me handle this tedious part.”

Brian stepped up and recounted the entire sequence of events. He also brought in several of Captain Marier’s own men to testify. Although these soldiers stammered somewhat, the facts were laid bare, leaving them no room for denial. A few pointed retorts clarified the entire situation.

(This paragraph does not count toward word count. Readers who support this book, please cast your votes! Vote for a Monthly Ticket if you have one; if not, vote for a Recommendation Ticket. I thank you all very much!)