The General's Love Glitch - Chapter 40

At 3 a.m., Jun Jue’s light brain screen lit up, accompanied by a short series of beeps.

Ruan Wei was also roused from sleep, blinking groggily as she asked, “General, is something wrong?”

Jun Jue turned off the sound on her light brain. “It’s a distress signal from Lin Qiyue. Probably an accidental trigger.”

This wasn’t the first time it had happened. Whenever Jun Jue ignored Lin Qiyue, the latter would resort to such pranks. After falling for it twice, Jun Jue now treated all such signals as hoaxes.

But Ruan Wei was uneasy. “Shouldn’t we check just in case? What if Miss Lin is really in trouble?”

Jun Jue remained silent.

“Then I’ll call her, okay?” Seeing no objection from Jun Jue, Ruan Wei grabbed her wrist, found the missed call record, and dialed the number.

…

In the dead of night in the Federation, Zhuo Hanjun used Lin Qiyue to escape from prison. After breaking free, she took Lin Qiyue hostage. Instinctively, Lin Qiyue reached out to Jun Jue for help, Jun Jue had always been the first in her contacts and emergency list, even above her father, the chief executive.

“You’ve got a death wish, calling for help?” Zhuo Hanjun flew into a rage and slapped Lin Qiyue hard across the face.

Lin Qiyue’s distress call hadn’t even connected. Zhuo Hanjun’s expression softened as she burst into laughter. “Oh, it’s General Jun Jue. See how much she cares about you?”

Zhuo Hanjun gently patted Lin Qiyue’s cheek with her hand. Lin Qiyue shut her eyes tightly in fear, but her words remained defiant.

“Zhuo Hanjun, if you dare kidnap me, my father will make sure you’re dead!”

“Hah.” Zhuo Hanjun gripped Lin Qiyue’s chin roughly. “Don’t worry, Qiyue. Before I die, I’ll make sure you go first.”

Zhuo Hanjun’s voice was soft, brushing against Lin Qiyue’s cool neck in the silent night. It should have felt comforting, but Lin Qiyue only felt a chill seep into her bones.

She finally saw it clearly, Zhuo Hanjun was nothing but a venomous snake, a shadowy creature who paled in every way compared to Jun Jue.

“Whatever you’re trying to use me for, it won’t work, Zhuo Hanjun. Jun Jue doesn’t care about me. You can’t use me to hurt her. Why don’t you let me go? I’ll let you go too. After all, we were almost married.” Lin Qiyue lowered her stance, trying to bargain for a chance at survival.

Before Zhuo Hanjun could respond, her light brain lit up with an incoming call.

The custom ringtone she had set years ago but rarely heard now echoed clearly in the dark, deserted alley.

“General Jun Jue is calling. Would you like to answer?”

“No!”

“Shut it off!” Lin Qiyue reacted swiftly, rejecting the call. Even if Jun Jue wanted to help, she wasn’t in the Federation right now. Answering would only provoke Zhuo Hanjun and hasten her own demise. Never before had her mind worked so quickly.

The side of her face where she’d been struck still burned with pain.

Lin Qiyue’s device powered off automatically. No matter how many times Ruan Wei tried calling again, it was futile.

“Miss Lin turned off her device.” Ruan Wei pressed her lips together, still worried. “General, is there any other way we can confirm whether she’s safe?”

“Weiwei, I remember how she treated you-”

“Miss Lin isn’t a bad person,” Ruan Wei interrupted firmly. “She doesn’t like me, but she’s never actually harmed me. Last time, if it weren’t for her warning me to leave quickly, I would’ve been captured by Zhuo Hanjun.”

Lin Qiyue didn’t handle the situation particularly well, but it did allow Ruan Wei to escape from Zhuo Hanjun’s grasp. Jun Jue nodded in agreement.

“Don’t worry, Weiwei, I’ll contact the federal guards to confirm Lin Qiyue’s safety.”

“Won’t you inform the Chief Executive?” Ruan Wei asked.

“I’ll send a message to notify them.”

…

When Lin Qiyue’s disappearance was discovered, the Federation was thrown into chaos late into the night.

Chief Executive Lin Aimin was furious, sternly reprimanding several guards specifically responsible for Lin Qiyue’s safety.

Lin Aimin only knew that his daughter liked Jun Jue and disliked Zhuo Hanjun. He never imagined she would disguise herself late at night to visit Zhuo Hanjun in prison, let alone help her escape. What was even more infuriating was that she was now missing, and her safety was uncertain.

Initially, when he received Jun Jue’s message alert, Lin Aimin didn’t take it seriously. But upon checking, he found his daughter had indeed slipped out.

When he asked Jun Jue for more information, Jun Jue only said she had received an emergency distress call and then lost all contact.

How could this old father not worry?

Using the location tracking from Lin Qiyue and Zhuo Hanjun’s optical brains, they only found Lin Qiyue’s device in a filthy ditch. Zhuo Hanjun’s optical brain had been specially modified and couldn’t be tracked.

Lin Aimin had once regarded Zhuo Hanjun as a useful pawn, meticulously arranging every detail for her. But he never expected that the obedience he valued most was merely Zhuo Hanjun’s outermost disguise.

Although it was clear from the first time Zhuo Hanjun acted without his orders, bringing reporters to confront Jun Jue only to be outmaneuvered, that she was inherently rebellious, he had hesitated then about whether she could still be used. The answer was yes. He saw her jealousy and resentment toward Jun Jue as sharp arrows, hoping they would strike and pierce Jun Jue.

But this arrow was too wild, it could turn back and wound its master.

This time, what exactly did Zhuo Hanjun plan to do with Qiyue?

…

Near the starport district, behind an abandoned house, inside a small metal shed, Lin Qiyue’s hands and feet were bound with elastic straps by Zhuo Hanjun, and her lips were sealed with tape.

Inside the shed, apart from them, there were two other living creatures, two rabbits, one white and one gray. Zhuo Hanjun crouched before them. Though her eyes were still bloodshot, her expression had softened, and the rabbits nuzzled gently under her touch.

The tenderness in Zhuo Hanjun’s eyes now was entirely different from the feigned warmth she had shown before.

Lin Qiyue watched Zhuo Hanjun in confusion. Outside, the sky had turned completely dark. Zhuo Hanjun stepped out for a few minutes and returned with several cleaned carrots, breaking them into small pieces for the rabbits while keeping two for herself.

“Want some?” Zhuo Hanjun suddenly turned, pressing a carrot against Lin Qiyue’s lips. Lin Qiyue didn’t want to eat raw carrots, but she had been silent for too long and desperately wanted to speak, so she nodded vigorously.

Zhuo Hanjun eyed her coldly, a trace of the earlier gentleness lingering in her gaze as she warned while peeling off the tape: “Qiyue, I advise you not to make a sound. First, no one’s around here, screaming won’t bring help. Second, I’ll find it noisy. I won’t hesitate to kill you immediately. Understood?”

Lin Qiyue continued nodding frantically, taking the carrot and taking a symbolic bite before tentatively asking, “Where is this place? Are these rabbits yours?”

Zhuo Hanjun only answered the second question. “Found them.”

Seeing that Zhuo Hanjun’s mood seemed stable for the moment, Lin Qiyue ventured another question: “Zhuo Hanjun, I don’t understand. What use is capturing me to you?”

Zhuo Hanjun had already eaten half a carrot and was holding the other half in her hand. She was using a recycled, discarded computer to browse Federation news, everywhere, there were wanted notices for her, along with reward posters offering leads on her and Lin Qiyue.

“Qiyue, you’re the chief executive’s precious daughter. How could you be useless?” Zhuo Hanjun glanced up. “The chief executive is very worried about you. Your value-” She paused to count the digits on the screen. “Eight zeros. One hundred million star credits. Now, every citizen in the Federation knows about the massive reward and is out looking for you.”

Lin Qiyue pressed her lips together, disbelief flickering in her eyes. Would her father really go to such lengths to find her?

“Don’t lie to me. My father might not even know I’m missing.”

Zhuo Hanjun chuckled. “Believe what you want. Soon enough, I’ll trade you for what I need.”

“What do you want?”

A wicked smile curled at Zhuo Hanjun’s lips. “I want to take your father’s place.”

“You’re insane!” Lin Qiyue’s face paled with horror, and the two rabbits at Zhuo Hanjun’s feet scurried away in fright.

“How could you possibly replace my father?”

“Because…” Zhuo Hanjun glanced down at the barely nibbled carrot in Lin Qiyue’s hand and resealed her mouth with tape. “Because I have you. I’ll find a chance to kill the chief executive, then marry you. Tell me, who else would take his place if not me?” She traced Lin Qiyue’s lips through the tape.

Lin Qiyue’s eyes widened in terror, muffled protests escaping her sealed mouth.

“You… won’t… succeed!”

Despite her fear, Lin Qiyue clung to a shred of rationality. Though her father hadn’t raised her for politics, growing up in his shadow had instilled in her a sense of how things worked. Someone like Zhuo Hanjun was utterly unfit for governance.

All she had to do was wait quietly, biding her time for an escape. She refused to believe Zhuo Hanjun could succeed nor did she want to marry such a person. As for her chief executive father, her feelings were now a tangled mess.

Zhuo Hanjun had said she would wait until just before dawn to contact her father and execute her plan. There was still time. Lin Qiyue closed her eyes, leaning against the soft haystack, breathing in the faint scent of grass. She told herself to endure, to conserve her strength.

Zhuo Hanjun kept her gaze fixed on Lin Qiyue, her only bargaining chip now. She couldn’t afford another mishap like before. Her nerves were stretched taut; even the slightest rustle outside the small tin shed set her on edge.

Thinking Lin Qiyue had fallen asleep, she began murmuring to herself.

“Qiyue, do you know? I never wanted to hurt you. But I have no choice now. Last time, you ruined my plans, made me collapse before Jun Jue. I have to use you to reclaim everything I’ve lost.”

In the darkness, Lin Qiyue blinked lightly. Earlier, the dim glow from Zhuo Hanjun’s discarded computer had provided some light, but now it was pitch black. She considered fleeing under cover of night, but after weighing the difference in their combat skills, she decided to stay put.

…

Nearly seven o’clock. The break of dawn.

Zhuo Hanjun used the discarded computer to contact the chief executive directly.

“Get me the most combat-capable warship and have it ready at the starport, and I’ll return Qiyue to you unharmed. Otherwise, I’ll kill her and expose all those shady plans you and I had against General Jun Jue. What do you say, chief executive?”

Lin Aimin was on the verge of crushing his tablet, but he maintained a calm, low voice. “I need to confirm Qiyue is safe first. Switch to video call.”

“Sorry, chief executive, this old tablet’s video function is broken. You’ll have to prepare what I want first before I return your precious daughter to you. A fair deal, don’t you think?”

Fair my ass!

Lin Aimin was nearing his limit. Zhuo Hanjun knew exactly what he wanted to hear. “I need the warship to kill Jun Jue. Isn’t her disappearance exactly what you want?”

Lin Aimin wavered. If Zhuo Hanjun could really kill Jun Jue…

“Dad…” Lin Qiyue struggled to speak, but the tape over her mouth muffled her voice to a faint whisper.

She could hear Zhuo Hanjun’s words but not her father’s responses, leaving her frantic. After a few more exchanges, Zhuo Hanjun cheerfully ended the call and yanked her up by the arm.

“Let’s go, Qiyue. Time to take you home.”

Lin Qiyue stumbled as she was dragged along, barely managing to steady herself.

By the time they reached the starport, it was swarming with fully armed soldiers, as if the Federation were holding a military parade. Zhuo Hanjun marched through with her head held high, parading the gagged Lin Qiyue as if she were the chief executive himself, casually mingling with the troops.

But this was no friendly visit. In her hand was a bladed particle gun, its pressure perfectly controlled, just one ounce more force, and Lin Qiyue’s pale neck would be sliced open.

As they advanced, Zhuo Hanjun spotted the chief executive standing atop the warship she had demanded. Dressed in a dark green military uniform adorned with gleaming gold insignias, he cut an imposing figure, though not quite matching the legendary “God of War” Jun Jue, it was enough to stir envy and madness in her.

Just as Zhuo Hanjun opened her mouth to demand the chief executive fulfill his promise, an almost imperceptible beam of dark light shot into her mouth.

One. Two. Three.

Lin Aimin silently counted to three. Zhuo Hanjun’s entire body tensed with excitement, and the blade nicked Lin Qiyue’s neck. A flicker of emotion crossed the chief executive’s eyes.

Lin Qiyue collapsed in terror, clutching her bleeding neck, as she watched Zhuo Hanjun charge wildly toward her father, shouting at the top of her lungs:

“Kill the Chief Executive! General Jun Jue is more fit to lead the Federation!”

She repeated the phrase like a broken record. The soldiers froze in place, unsure whether to act without orders, while the Chief Executive’s personal guards had been instructed beforehand to hold their fire.

With vacant eyes and mechanical movements, Zhuo Hanjun pulled the trigger. A small particle blast struck Chief Executive Lin Aimin in the shoulder.

Gritting his teeth in pain, Lin Aimin finally barked, “Zhuo Hanjun, possibly under General Jun Jue’s orders, kidnapped Qiyue and attempted assassination. All units, you are authorized to shoot her on sight.”

As bullets riddled Zhuo Hanjun’s body, Lin Qiyue lay bleeding on the ground, too terrified to watch the hail of gunfire, her ears filled with the deafening sound of death.

When Zhuo Hanjun fell to the ground, the world fell silent. Lin Qiyue opened her eyes and saw her father, the chief executive, leaping down from the warship, clutching a wound on his shoulder as he ran toward her. Tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably.

The pain from her neck injury, coupled with the injustice of being used as a pawn, made her tears burst forth uncontrollably. She could only sob, utterly unable to speak.

Lin Aimin knelt beside his daughter, frantic yet meticulous as he tended to her wounds. The live broadcast drones in the air captured the image of this loving father worried for his daughter perfectly.

“Qiyue, don’t cry. It’s alright now. Zhuo Hanjun won’t be able to hurt you anymore neither will Jun Jue. Daddy will protect you properly.”

Federal citizens who had stayed up all night for the massive bounty were stunned when they saw the live broadcast from the starport early in the morning. The internet quickly erupted in heated discussions.

#No way, Zhuo Hanjun wanted to die but had to drag Jun Jue into it? On purpose?#

#The murky waters of politics, who among us outsiders can really see the truth?#

#Miss Lin is so pitiful. Physical wounds can heal, but the scars in her heart might never fade.#

#I still can’t believe it. Did General Jun Jue really covet the chief executive’s position?#

#Never underestimate the power of ambition. The struggle for power can truly warp a person beyond recognition.#

…

Planet GR03

Jiang Lan, who had been closely monitoring the Federation’s movements, had already pieced together the situation and prepared to report it to the general during breakfast.

At the table, Jiang Lan relayed the facts.

After hearing it, Jiang Tang was the most furious. “That Zhuo Hanjun is insane! If she wanted to die, fine, but why smear the general’s name?”

Jiang Li chimed in, “So malicious. What did our general ever do to her?”

The star lord set down his chopsticks hesitantly. “Is this something I should be hearing? Should I excuse myself?”

Ruan Wei tugged worriedly at Jun Jue’s sleeve. “General, what do we do now?”

At that moment, Jun Jue was patiently peeling an egg. After finishing, she placed it in Ruan Wei’s bowl before looking up and saying, “Zhuo Hanjun is just another victim.”

“She’s a victim?” Jiang Tang was the first to object.

Jun Jue glanced at her and said seriously, “During the energy defense battle on GR03, the soldiers under my command were all acting like they’d lost their minds, disobeying orders, just like the sudden erratic behavior Jiang Lan described in Zhuo Hanjun.”

…

Author’s Note:

Weiwei: I don’t get it. Why must they always target the general? (._.)