Stas’s expression shifted repeatedly before finally settling into a calm mask. He activated the long-range comms system and spoke to Kelingail: “Summon the thousand personnel who just returned to base. Form ten ad-hoc task forces. Each unit will comprise five battleships, ten drones, twenty mechs, two logistics vessels, two interceptors, and two combat reconnaissance ships… etcetera. They are to be stationed near the jump gates along the Galler-to-Galun route. All border disturbances must be prevented!”

Ziye, gripping her fists, asked anxiously, “What about the Teacher? What about Teacher Tang Wen?”

Stas remained silent for two seconds, then added to the comms, “I need video footage within five minutes. I need to know if the people aboard the Interstellar Federation shuttle are dead or alive!”

Ziye clenched her fists tighter. “Aren't you going to rescue him?”

Stas didn't answer. He took a cigarette from its case, placed it in his mouth, lit it, and said in a deep voice, “I cannot.” Tang Wen was piloting an Interstellar Federation shuttle; everyone who knew him knew he was a designer for the Interstellar Federation.

Regardless of whether Fia was responsible for the hijacking, the Directorate could not casually intervene. Otherwise, the Directorate’s scales would tip toward the Interstellar Federation. Not only would they face public condemnation, but before Tang Wen could even be rescued, internal strife might erupt.

The Directorate’s forces were drawn from various factions—soldiers from the Interstellar Federation, soldiers from Fia, and troops from numerous other legions and powers. Any hint of favoritism would cause unrest among the personnel.

If Fia was behind this, the incident had already escalated into a war between two powers. The Directorate could only step in if either the Stellar President was petitioned or a mediation request was filed.

In short, he had no justifiable way to save Tang Wen!

Ziye glared at him for a long moment, then snorted and activated her own comms, searching for Tang Wen’s location. She quickly pinpointed the exact coordinates and pulled up the star chart. Comparing the map, she confirmed: he was indeed within Fia territory and currently executing a jump.

Tracing a line along the direction of the jump on the star chart, she saw the destination: the Niyah System, the capital of the Fia aristocratic families!

Damn it!

Ziye finally couldn't hold back an expletive.

Fia, Fia—always Fia!

The thought of Fia sent her blood surging backward; she couldn't control her emotions.

She took a deep breath and said to Stas, “I won’t trouble you to act. Lend me one of your unmarked battleships; I’ll go retrieve him myself.”

Stas saw her small face flushed with anger. He felt an urge to laugh, but the tension wouldn't allow it. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Little girl, calm down. Fia’s people usually don't execute their hostages.” With that, he told the driver to turn the vehicle around.

Back at headquarters, Stas had no time to spare for her. He immediately gathered his people to strategize, ordering surveillance on Fia’s movements while simultaneously monitoring the Interstellar Federation’s actions to ensure their planned operations wouldn't endanger Tang Wen.

Though his surface relationship with Tang Wen wasn't ideal, they were sworn brothers who had been inseparable since they were nursing infants. He viewed Tang Wen as someone he was obligated to protect.

If Tang Wen suffered any harm, he would never forgive himself!

Ziye sat in Stas’s lounge area and whispered to Little Sprout, “Should we... go take a look in Fia? But we can’t just enter Fia now, can we?”

If she could get within 10km of Tang Wen, she could have Little Sprout interfere with the enemy vessel’s instrumentation, causing malfunctions, allowing her to swoop in and abduct Tang Wen...

Of course, that was the ideal scenario.

If a fleet had captured Tang Wen, jamming so many systems would exhaust Little Sprout to the point of collapse, even if it didn't kill it. Even if it survived, there would be no chance to save Tang Wen.

What should she do?

Ziye sank into deep distress.

Even though she disliked Tang Wen, this situation had nothing to do with personal feelings.

If Red Hair and the other one hadn't hijacked a Fia transport ship beforehand, Fia wouldn't have hijacked an Interstellar Federation vessel, and consequently, they wouldn't have captured Tang Wen; if she hadn't been at the Directorate, Tang Wen probably wouldn't have come here and been kidnapped.

Ah, this was a frustrating mess.

Little Sprout flew out of her embrace and shouted, “Stupid Ziye, big idiot!”

Ziye, already agitated, pinched its cheek: “Stop bothering me! I need to think hard about how to rescue Teacher Tang Wen!”

Little Sprout slapped her forehead with a wing: “Idiot! Isn’t Teacher Tang Wen your professor? Aren't you from Lings University? If you use the prestige of Lings University, Fia won't dare stop you from entering!” The remark was like a sudden flash of light that woke her up.

A brilliant idea struck Ziye; she sprang up: “I know what to do.”

Little Sprout puffed out its chest proudly, waiting for praise. To its surprise, Ziye snatched it up, clipped it to her waist, and hurried off to find Stas, completely forgetting about commendation.

Stas was in a meeting, guarded by two sentinels who kept everyone away.

Ziye waited outside impatiently, frantically pinging his comms. When he finally emerged, she rushed forward immediately: “I know how we can save the Teacher!”

Stas’s expression was grave, tinged with undisguised worry.

Since Fia had kidnapped Tang Wen, they would surely send envoys to negotiate with the Interstellar Federation. If talks succeeded, that would be a relief, but the consequences of a breakdown were unimaginable.

In his estimation, the probability of negotiations collapsing was as high as seventy percent!

No matter how useful a designer was, he couldn't compare to territory.

The next round of negotiations would inevitably involve redrawing boundaries around the Galler-to-Galun stretch. If talks broke down, Tang Wen might not even keep his life!

Now, all he could do, all he had to do, was ensure Tang Wen’s survival.

Hearing that Ziye had found a solution, he rubbed his forehead, grasping a sliver of hope: “Tell me.”

Ziye cleared her throat: “Teacher Tang Wen has another identity: he is a professor at our Lings University. If he were merely Professor of Karga, Fia would not dare trouble him, and even if they did, it would be useless. You understand.”

Stas’s eyes lit up. He opened his arms and hugged Ziye: “How did I not think of that? You are brilliant!”

Ziye smiled faintly: “You were just too worried about him!”

She, too, had been too anxious; if Little Sprout hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have thought of it either.

Stas pondered: “This suggestion is excellent; it’s worth a try. But it won't be easy. To make Fia admit Tang Wen is only affiliated with Karga, we must have the Interstellar Federation terminate his contract with them.”

Would the Interstellar Federation agree to dissolve the contract with Tang Wen?

Ziye urged, “Isn’t it just a piece of paper? Compared to the Teacher’s life, it’s insignificant, isn't it!”

Stas shook his head, remaining silent.

He knew the inside story.

Tang Wen’s designs were becoming increasingly exquisite, his value soaring. The Interstellar Federation treated him like a priceless jewel. If they terminated his contract and failed to re-sign him promptly, and he was poached by another power, it would be not only a huge loss but also a significant strategic vulnerability for the Interstellar Federation!

Persuading the Interstellar Federation to release him would be genuinely difficult.

He wasn't skilled in persuasion, and holding the Directorate’s title, he was ill-suited to approach them. Now, he could only find someone familiar with the Interstellar Federation to handle this delicate task.

Stas activated his comms, scrolling through his contact list. Suddenly, his finger stopped, and a long-absent smile touched his face. He dialed a number: “Vic, it’s Stas.”

Stas had few mutual friends with Tang Wen, and Vic was fortunately one of them.

Lawyer Vic was a capable man who preferred to avoid entanglement with factions, often taking on cases for individual clients—and usually winning—thereby managing to offend nearly every major power.

Entrusting him with this mission might just succeed!

Stas held his comms, then glanced down to see Ziye watching him restlessly on the sofa. He said, “This matter won't be settled in a month or two. If it drags on, it could take half a year or even a year. I’ll send someone to escort you back first. Don’t worry about Tang Wen; I will handle the arrangements.”

Ziye looked at him with a wronged expression, saying nothing, resembling a pitiful, abandoned child. He quirked his lips into a smile and, as an exception, gently ruffled her hair: “Be good.” Ziye stroked Little Sprout’s small head: “Okay, I’ll go back to school.”

Stas arranged for Ziye to be sent away, then changed into standard military fatigues. He boarded a Directorate shuttle with the personnel responsible for security investigation of the Fia families and proceeded, following standard procedure, toward the Niyah System, Fia’s capital.

In the wake of such an incident, Ziye was in no mood to return to school. She instructed the captain to take her back to Coley.

Unexpectedly, Old Dog had already returned to the Bean Sprout Villa, and Red Hair, opting to avoid trouble, had decisively gone to Karga to resume his duties as a dedicated, conscientious teacher.

Ziye greeted him with a sullen mood and intended to retreat to her room to sleep.

Old Dog stopped her, examining her up and down with concern. “Why is your complexion so poor? Did something happen? Is the person kidnapped really your friend? Did he do anything to you?”

Ziye shook her head: “I’m fine. He really is my friend; he placed an order for twenty thousand robots just yesterday. If you don’t believe me, ask the Pervert—they all know.”

Old Dog looked puzzled. “Then why do you look like this?”

The situation made Ziye want to punch him. If not for their reckless actions, Tang Wen wouldn't have been taken by Fia? Raising her fist, just as she was about to strike, a thought suddenly occurred to her: “What exactly did you hijack from Fia? How could it be so valuable?”

Old Dog didn't speak. Instead, he activated his comms screen and typed two characters: Medicine. He immediately erased the text and added, “Currently, the Pervert is running tests. Word is the efficacy is astonishing.”

No wonder. If it were just ordinary cargo, why would Fia value it so highly!

Ziye’s hand suddenly froze. Could it be that Fia's hijacking of Tang Wen wasn't simple retaliation, but an exchange for this batch of goods?

If that were the case, the situation was even more complicated!

The Interstellar Federation would first hunt down those who hijacked the transport ship. If Red Hair and Old Dog were exposed after the rescue, even if the Federation managed to placate them through amnesty, they would eventually be eliminated, along with everyone connected to them.

Even if Red Hair and Old Dog couldn't be found, the ship was currently docked at an Interstellar Federation space station. The Federation would dispose of the cargo; if they could lure Red Hair and Old Dog out, that would be best, but even if they couldn't, they now had leverage to trade with Fia.

In that instant, she realized she was walking a tightrope!

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