Hungry dragon cubs come to the door

Beta Quadrant, Glass Main Star, Bruce Manor.

Contrary to the home planet of the First Empire, the main planet of the Second Empire has far more precipitation in winter than in summer.

Coming into November, the rain is getting more and more abundant, and the rainy days are more frequent.

It's only three o'clock in the afternoon, if it's on the home planet, it's a good time to bask in the sun.But Liuli Star was already covered with dark clouds, and it was more than half dark, which looked a bit scary.

When Newman Bruce got off the flying car, it was already raining in the sky.

His expensive suit couldn't get wet like this. The doorman saw him from a distance and hurriedly took out his umbrella to meet him, but Newman blocked him.

He has important things to do and doesn't have time to care about these minutiae.

Newman hurried into the house, briefly blew on the drying device in the entrance, and went straight to the study on the second floor.

The overall decoration of the manor has chosen a retro style, and even the doors are old-fashioned doors with copper rings.

He knocked on the thick wood, and every knock was full of a sense of age, as if he had restored a film and television drama.

After getting the answer, Newman pushed the door open.

There is a huge floor-to-ceiling glass window in the study room. If it is a sunny day with sufficient light, the view is excellent, and you can see the distant mountains thousands of miles away, and the floating clouds moored lightly on the top of the mountains.

However, today happened to be bad weather. When Newman arrived home, it was just raining, and it was only a few steps away, and it turned into a downpour in an instant.

Bean-sized raindrops crackled on the glass, the wind was strong, and the two kinds of noise intertwined together, it was really gloomy.

But it's not just outside the window that's gloomy.

Behind the ancient pear wood desk is a large chair. At this time, it turns to the window, leaving Newman with exaggerated patterns on the back of the chair and the family crest of the Bruce family.

The lights were not turned on in the room, Newman walked over carefully, and stood respectfully in front of the desk: "I just received the news that Major General Qiao Jianqiao has arrived at Weisan."

An old but thick voice sounded slowly: "Is the news accurate?"

"Exactly." Newman said, "I saw the photo, it is indeed the major general himself, and Lieutenant Colonel Patton picked him up personally."

"Oh? It seems that they asked the First Empire for help."

"Yes. Judging from the time when the news on the dark web spread, Major General Qiao should have rushed over as soon as he received the request."

"I didn't expect that he would lose his temper."

Newman chuckled: "I can trouble the old man to come here in person. From this point of view, the news of His Majesty's disappearance should be true."

"Ha..." the voice chuckled, "It's really the right time, location, and harmony of people. Who can say that it wasn't the little emperor's preference?"

"God bless the Bruce family." Newman echoed, "There is another piece of good news. The Academy of Sciences has restarted the 'Black Diamond' project."

"When did this happen?"

"A month ago. But it's not necessarily related to His Majesty's disappearance, maybe it was arranged a long time ago."

Newman didn't get an answer, so he took the initiative to ask: "Then I will deploy now?"

"Calm down, Newman," said the voice, "it's because you're impatient that that brat Vogt will follow your example. Be patient. Patience is the best quality and the most important heritage of our family." --Understand?"

Newman lowered his head: "I see, father."

The old voice paused for a long time before slowly opening his mouth: "I recently discovered that I made a big mistake."

"You mean..."

"The child Vogt switched volunteers, named Yu Yan, do you remember?"

"Of course I remember, Father." Newman thought of how the boy and Qiao Jian's call made him face that day, and his teeth itched with hatred.

"Do you know that he is Qiao Cho's student?"

"I know, he was a member of the major general's 'Morning Star Project'." Newman didn't understand why his father said this, "but there are many children in the plan, and he is just the most ordinary and ordinary one among them."

"It's not that simple." Sighed, "Indeed, I thought the same way when I was selecting candidates. This child has the qualifications of the 'Morning Star' and can enter the ranks of the Expeditionary Army, but he has no family or any forces to support him." , the most suitable... to be chosen."

"Father is always considerate. Vogt was too reckless, otherwise there wouldn't be that... farce."

His ignorant son will never know how much effort the Bruce family needs to deal with a whim.

Fortunately, His Majesty had already visited the Second Empire at that time, so he didn't have time to take care of these trivial matters, otherwise, if there was a big trouble...

Newman couldn't imagine the consequences.

"I also only recently found out that this Yu Yan is not only the student Qiao Cho personally picked, but also his favorite one. Before Yu Yan entered the First Military Academy, he was taken to spend many vacations by Qiao Cho's side."

Newman froze for a moment.

Major General Qiao seems to be indifferent to everything, and has a special "ability" to keep youth forever, like an old urchin, but in fact he is quite a cold person.

He has never been married in his life, and has never even been in love. He has dedicated himself to the empire.

The students he picked, no matter how excellent they were, no matter how highly rated they had been given, to him they were nothing more than tool people who would contribute to the empire.

How can there be a student who can be treated with the same care as his own child?

"Sorry, Father, I really don't know..."

"It's not your fault. Qiao Cho pays attention to privacy. Yu Yan was only ten years old when he caught his eye, and he is 24 years old this year. In the past 14 years, almost no one knows about it." Sighing deeply, "At the beginning, Yu Yan was [-] years old. Yan as Vogt's replacement target, now it seems that it is a very stupid decision. But there is no way, the past cannot be changed, we can only look forward."

"You mean?"

"If my guess is correct, Qiao Cho is the actual person in charge of the 'Black Diamond' project. He is old, and His Majesty's disappearance may be facing unimaginably dangerous situations. According to Qiao Cho's personality, he will definitely tell him before departure. All unfinished business has been arranged. And Yu Yan, the student he is most optimistic about, is also the person who is most likely to inherit his mantle."

Newman's heart trembled.

Is this father implying that the Major General will reveal the "Black Diamond" project, or even hand it over to Yu Yan?

"Who would have thought that exchanging that child to Noah's star would actually be pushing the boat along the way—we gave Joe a big gift. I regret it so much. We have to do something before everything is irreversible. You understand Do I mean?"

Newman nodded: "Adjust the strategy."

Win over Yu Yan, or get rid of him completely.

"You know what to do. I'm also making arrangements for the next thing that needs you to come forward. I've paved the way for you to this point, Newman, don't let me down again."

The 42-year-old Newman Bruce was taught like a child. He felt embarrassed, ashamed and humiliated, but he could only clenched his fists and gritted his teeth: "...Yes, father."

"Go. Don't go back to the manor until it's done. Save some time on the road."

When it comes to this point, what is the difference from "don't come back to see me if you can't do it".

Newman left the study silently.

The current head of the Bruce family, Rembert Bruce, was still sitting where he was, laughing lowly as he watched the violent storm that seemed like a family revival symphony.

"Qiao Cho, Qiao Cho, I want to see, at the age of 70, what troubles can you make?"

A pale lightning illuminated the dark room, and also illuminated the thin photo paper in Rembert's hand.

In the photo, seven or eight energetic young people are dressed in military uniforms, smiling brightly at the camera.

Behind them is the iconic building of the First Military Academy of the Empire, with rockets orbiting the parent star.

The photo was taken on a sunny day in the early summer of AD 77.

At this moment, in the late autumn of the 124th year of the Imperial Era, the wind and rain are howling outside the window.