Chapter 445: Smoke Screen
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
"Move away please!" Patroclus waded through the crowd of people in front of the training room, trying to get closer.
When he was close enough, Patroclus pressed one palm on the wall as the Deva Lance appeared out of nowhere. The lance sent a wave of energy against the wall, causing the latter to tremble.
Gathering more strength, Patroclus struck the wall again.
The gravity inside the chamber had risen to 20g. Wang Tong couldn't move even a finger, and he felt that even breathing had become an onerous chore.
Wang Tong had started the tactics to help sustain his life. However, the pain was unbearable. He felt as if his body were going to explode from the inside. The GN force was losing its effectiveness, and Wang Tong finally called upon his soul essence as a faint glow started to surround him, illuminating the entire chamber.
Outside the chamber, the energy at the tip of the Deva lance had made it scintillating.
Einherjar's Attack!
"KOM!"
The wall finally gave in, releasing a violent wave of energy through its opening. Luckily, the crowd had been dispersed, so no one was hurt. Without any hesitation, Patroclus plunged into the hole in the wall.
Wang Tong was successfully rescued, but this incident had raised many questions. Captain had called on an investigation committee to delve deeper into the cause of this incident. It was an audacious move under the nose of an iron-fist Captain.
Porten had watched the entire ordeal from start to finish. He, too, was surprised by how quickly the situation had spiraled out of control. He had planned to keep Wang Tong inside the chamber for no more than ten minutes. However, many elements of the plan were out of his reach for good reasons. Having more control over the event meant Porten had to get his hands dirty, and that was a risk he could not afford to take. If Porten didn't set the trap, who did then? This was a question that even Porten didn't have answers for, and he preferred not to ask too many questions.
The failure of his assassination forced him to re-evaluate Wang Tong's power. He was taken aback by how resilient Wang Tong was. Even a 20g environment was not enough to kill him.
'Damn that Patroclus!' Porten cursed in his mind. He found it hard pressed to understand why the Ivantian Prince had decided to save Wang Tong. Wang Tong's death meant one less roadblock for the rise of Ivantians, didn't it?
So, there went Wang Tong's first weekend, sent right back to the hospital.
When Wang Tong opened his eyes for the first time since the incident, he saw the faces of Ma Xiaoru and his friends. Tear streaks had left marks on Ma Xiaoru's cheeks. Wang Tong cracked a smile and said, "I am fine guys, I'm fine. I told you I've got the plot armor, didn't I?"
"Idiot! You almost died if not for Patroclus..." Tears poured out of Ma Xaoru's red eyes. She could barely finish a sentence.
"I will let the others know that you are awake." Zhou Sisi rubbed her tears away and started off.
…
In the days that followed, residents of the Ark had seen a drastic increase in the presence of security forces. Kaost had felt the pressure from all sides, demanding an explanation. The Templars were riled up by the incident and had submitted in their protest.
The Investigation was quick as the evidence was plenty. However, it would be difficult to find the culprit among the thousands of residents aboard the ship. That was not even Kaost's worse nightmare. As the investigation progressed, they found Patroclus' hair and fingerprints scattered around the blockade of the emergency exit. The investigation had thus quickly arrived at a dead end.
Although Patroclus was the main suspect, he was the one that had saved the victim. The two sides of the evidence seemed to contradict each other. But, even if it were Patroclus, what could Kaost do about it? He was not just a no-account. The consequences of his incarceration would be palpable across the confederation. As Kaost mulled over his next move, he found the odds were tallied against the Ivantian prince as he also had the motive, an act of revenge for his defeat at the tournament.
Some other opinions had guessed that it was someone else trying to frame Patroclus. Although they didn't say the name out loud, Kaost knew they were referring to Li Shiming. He was seen around the crime scene right before the incident took place.
Kaost heaved a sigh. The feud between the great houses was tearing the humans apart, and that was why he loathed them. He had hoped that his recent authority being reinstated would deter them from making troubles on the ship, but it seemed that it didn't work at all.
Whoever the culprit was, he or she was a smart one. Kaost was forced to shelve the investigation after seeing that it was going nowhere.
After having received Kaost's decision, Samantha stormed into the captain's office.
"Captain, you need to give an answer to everyone!"
"Hehe, grab a seat and let me tell you my reasons," Kaost said as he smiled at Samantha.
"Captain, everyone knows that it was a failed homicide attempt. You can't just ignore it!" Samantha let a few words out of her clenched jaws.
"Hehe...yeah... Well, grab a seat, please. I am aware of how serious it is, but what do you think I should do? Throw Patroclus behind bars? What if he was framed? "
"That doesn't mean that you should halt the investigation. Wang Tong is my subordinate and also my student. I won't close the case without an answer."
"Hehe, there is no need to be so riled up. I am deeply sorry for what had happened to Wang Tong, but only unity will bring strength. But, since you insist, I will reconsider my decision and leave the case open. I want you to be in charge of the investigation, but just keep it to yourself, OK? As for Wang Tong, I think it is appropriate to offer him some compensation. How about you see to that? Just don't let me see him in my combat units." Kaost said.
"Why?"
"Do I need to explain myself to you, the first mate?"
Silence fell into the room, and Samantha knew that it was time for her to make a compromise.
After leaving the captain's office, Samantha removed the angry mask she had worn while negotiating with the captain. She had been angry for the first couple of days after the incident, but not anymore. She had adopted the angry face only to help her negotiate, and it worked. She had gotten what she wanted, although it came with a caveat that Wang Tong was not allowed to join the combat force.
Sometimes, it was better to be a no-account than a hero, especially when the hero was still a fledgling.
The support of the Templars might seem like a blessing, but in Wang Tong's case, it was a curse, since most establishments would now see him as a threat.
Although Samantha was the first mate, she needed to obey the order of the Captain. Therefore, she couldn't assign Wang Tong to a combat team even if she wanted to. She was aware of how difficult the investigation would be; not the investigation itself, but what would happen after it was done. In some aspects, Kaost had tossed the hot mess to her, but Samantha was not afraid.
"Wang Tong!"
Wang Tong heard a familiar voice, and it immediately brought a smile to his face.
"Zhang Jin? What brought you here?"
Zhang Jin set a bouquet on the night table and sat on the bed next to him. "You look healthy!"
"Haha, yeah, apparently so! But, the doctor had banned me from using my GN force for a month! Bah!"
"Haha, well, maybe you deserve it. I am here to let you know that Patroclus was not behind this."
"Never thought so, haha... Tell him that I will bring him a twelve pack when I can walk."
"Haha, will do."