Xiu Jun did not destroy the laboratory.

Everything here was to be used as evidence in court.

Even though his mood was terrible, he wouldn't lose his rationality and wreck this place.

Yue'an crawled out of the Marshal's arms and jumped onto his shoulder. The little cat's head nuzzled against his cheek, letting out soft "meow meow" sounds, delicate and gentle.

Xiu Jun tilted his head slightly, gently nuzzling back against the small ball of fur on his shoulder. He then turned and walked towards the end of this floor.

The staff of the Science Department soon discovered that the shocking facts were far from over.

On the big screen, they saw the Marshal throw the two middle-aged men into the empty safety zone, leave a law enforcement recorder there to monitor them, and then stride into the depths of the facility.

He seemed very familiar with the internal structure of Lab No. 1, the most highly classified lab in the Science Department.

The scientific researchers watching the big screen from the upper hall saw the Imperial Marshal walk confidently to the main camera of Lab No. 1. He looked left and right to check his position, then took three steps to the right. Raising his foot again, he kicked hard at the wall.

The previously perfectly smooth wall immediately revealed three cracks, neat and tidy, forming a doorway large enough for two people to pass through.

Xiu Jun kicked open this perfectly hidden door and strode in with his long legs.

It was a long, stark white corridor, not spacious. The paint on the walls was so pristinely white that even the slightest light made the hallway blindingly bright.

The Marshal had only walked a few steps forward when he couldn't help but stop.

His impression of this place was too deep.

He knew that at the end of this corridor, around a corner, he would see a row of neatly arranged confinement rooms.

Inside were twelve intelligent beings with special talents. Decades ago when he escaped, he had released those lives as well. None of them trusted each other, and they all went their separate ways as soon as they left the building.

But Xiu Jun knew that those confinement rooms must still be holding people now - or other intelligent species.

Cloning technology was strictly prohibited and classified to the outside world, but not in this laboratory.

Xiu Jun had thought about shutting this place down directly after gaining real power, but those above had always protected it. He himself also commanded seven legions - with such a large organization, once he gained real power, he found himself more restrained and unable to find a pretext to make his move.

Many things required a justification.

Xiu Jun had waited so many years for such a natural development. If he didn't seize this opportunity to round up everyone in one fell swoop, it would be an insult to his military reputation.

What's most important in war?

Opportunity.

Strike at the vital point when you catch the enemy's weakness.

Strike hard!

Xiu Jun took a deep breath, closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, he saw that the stark white corridor had transformed into a floral archway. The ground beneath his feet was covered in soft green grass, and a faint floral fragrance permeated the air.

The entire corridor had become a fairytale-like arched flower tunnel.

It was obvious whose handiwork this was.

The Marshal gently poked at Yue'an, who was perched on his shoulder with his little chest puffed out.

"I'm fine," he said.

Yue'an put a paw on his finger. "Meow."

The Marshal stroked his little paw pad. "Really."

Yue'an thought for a moment, but still decided to remove the illusion from Xiu Jun's sight.

The cold corridor seemed to still hold a faint floral scent. The law enforcement recorder, unable to capture mental illusions, just stupidly recorded the man and cat who had been standing still for a long time.

When Xiu Jun took his next step, his pace seemed much lighter.

At the end of the corridor, around a corner, he indeed found a neat row of over ten confinement rooms, just as expected.

Xiu Jun's expression remained calm as he forcibly broke open each door one by one.

The Science Department staff were stunned.

The public image of the Imperial Science Department had been carefully cultivated. Whether it was those convenient little inventions to benefit people's lives, or the groundbreaking scientific achievements in biology that had significant meaning for the entire industry and era, everything demonstrated the cutting-edge excellence of this department.

Countless top talents of the Empire had fought desperately to enter this place. Even if they could only leave a faint mark on the progress of human development, it would be the most perfect stroke for their lives.

They could never have imagined that beneath the laboratory where they had worked for years, such experiments that disregarded law and human rights were taking place.

It's not like there weren't death row inmates!

It's not like there weren't terminally ill people willing to donate their bodies to science!

It's not like there weren't people with superior genetic grades willing to regularly provide blood samples and skin tissue cells for research!

How could they have done something like illegal confinement!?

Over a dozen!

Over a dozen different intelligent species!

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Xiu Jun looked at the intelligent beings he had dragged out. They were all in a daze, unable to speak - they didn't even know how to walk.

The Marshal held each of their hands one by one, facing the law enforcement recorder. He showed their inner wrists to the camera, and after seeing the marks there, he looked up at the recorder and said, "Clones, Batch 6."

Science Department staff: ...Holy shit.

When Xiu Jun was brought up by the Science Department staff who had prepared rescue tools, he brought with him the dozen or so clones he had rescued and the two middle-aged criminal researchers.

The soldiers anxiously took over the two criminals, and if it weren't for the presence of so many onlookers, they would have loved to give them a good kick. The Marshal raised his eyes and saw the sympathetic and pained looks in everyone's eyes as they gazed at him.

"I want to take a copy of the law enforcement recorder's records," the Marshal said, pretending not to notice their stares. "It won't implicate any of you."

No, no, no, it's fine even if it does implicate us!

The acting department head, who had vaguely guessed that the experiments below weren't clean but never imagined they would be so unethical, felt his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

"Marshal Ji," he said, his lips trembling as if he had many things to say, but in the end he could only bow deeply to this soldier. "I am truly sorry."

Xiu Jun didn't look at him, reaching out to take the large cloak handed to him by a nearby soldier without a word.

"We will record and account for the illegal experiments below, and we will also give you an explanation of where the clones will go," the acting department head paused. "If needed, we are willing to testify in court for you."

Hearing this, the Marshal finally turned to look at him. His eyelid twitched and his lips pressed together slightly, as if trying to put on a gentler expression, but failing as usual.

"I have no issue with those who seek knowledge earnestly and truthfully," he finally said.

The acting department head was stunned for a few seconds, only coming to his senses as Xiu Jun was preparing to leave.

Is this... a sign of reconciliation!?

The Marshal left the Science Department headquarters with his troops, ignoring the standard procedures and directly imprisoning the suspects in the military prison.

The two middle-aged men inside were still shouting defiantly.

Xiu Jun stood at the prison door, looking at these two men with eyes cold enough to freeze someone to death.

"This time, none of you will escape," he said, his voice like ice.

After completing a series of follow-up procedures, Xiu Jun checked the time. The sky was already beginning to lighten.

Yue'an, having been active all night, had been sleeping in his pocket the entire journey back.

The Marshal looked at the white ball of fur in his pocket for a moment. His feet, which were originally headed towards his office, changed direction and went to the canteen first.

Yue'an was awakened by the aroma of food.

He opened his eyes and poked his little head out of Xiu Jun's pocket, stretching his neck. His pink little nose sniffed the air, and then, still half-asleep, he climbed up Xiu Jun's coat all the way to the table.

As usual, the Marshal was eating in his own office. Besides his own food, he had specially ordered a large amount extra, obviously prepared for the bottomless pit that was Yue'an.

Seeing the table full of food, Yue'an was instantly awake.

What could make a cat happier than waking up to a feast?

The Marshal watched as the little furball hurriedly groomed himself, then reached out to place a portion of food in front of Yue'an.

"Eat," he said.

Yue'an's ears twitched, his actions paused, and his just-awakened brain started to work, remembering the big event he had caused before falling asleep. He instantly became timid.

"Eat," the Marshal said again, "We'll talk after you're full."

Yue'an: "...Meow."

It sounded not much different from 'eat your last meal'.

"It's alright, eat," Xiu Jun rubbed Yue'an's airplane ears. "We can talk while you eat too."

Yue'an lowered his head and took a few bites, then looked up at Xiu Jun, then ate a few more bites, then looked up at Xiu Jun again. Finally, he simply stopped eating and extended his fluffy little paw to push the bowl towards Xiu Jun.

Xiu Jun pushed the bowl back. "I've already eaten."

Yue'an lowered his head to look at the bowl of orange-yellow sweet soup. After a moment's thought, he still upheld the spirit of not wasting food and buried his head to drink the soup.

The Marshal looked at the pure milk-white cat in front of him, without a single spot of other color, and spoke in a very calm tone.

"Don't do this again in the future," he said. "At least, tell me before you do it."

Remembering the panic he felt when he realized Yue'an was missing, Xiu Jun couldn't help but reach out to pinch Yue'an's ears.

"Don't suddenly disappear," the Marshal said.

Yue'an obediently allowed the pinching. "...Meow."

"Don't do big things without a word."

"Meow."

The Marshal wanted to say many more things. He had thought of many more "don'ts".

In the end, he just let out a light sigh, keeping all those "don'ts" to himself.

"Don't do this again, I'll worry," he said softly.

Xiu Jun wasn't worried about Yue'an going to the battlefield, nor was he worried about Yue'an getting into fights, and he was even less worried about Yue'an going out to wander or forage for food.

Given Yue'an's almost bug-like abilities and physical qualities, it would definitely be the other party who would be in trouble.

He was only worried about Yue'an encountering someone with ill intentions who might approach him and eventually harm him.

But there are more good people in this world. You can't forbid people... no, forbid cats from going out to play just because there are bad people, right?

That would be like stopping eating for fear of choking.

The Marshal felt that since Yue'an had saved his life, he should do his utmost to ensure that Yue'an lived happily and freely. As long as he didn't do evil, Yue'an could do whatever he wanted.

Xiu Jun couldn't bring himself to restrict Yue'an's actions out of concern for the possibility of being tricked.

Moreover, not being able to keep an eye on Yue'an or stop him from causing trouble was ultimately due to his own lack of ability.

Xiu Jun had never been one to blame others. The concept of being strict with oneself and lenient with others, instilled by his parents, was deeply ingrained in his bones.

If he were strong enough, he would be able to keep an eye on Yue'an.

If he were strong enough, he wouldn't have had to endure those disgusting people for so long before finally having a chance to take action.

The Marshal thought it over and over, and always felt it was due to his own lack of strength.

Yue'an looked up at Xiu Jun, rubbing his little head randomly against the other's wrist.

The Marshal looked at the oil smeared on his wrist.

Little rascal.

Xiu Jun wiped off the oil with an expressionless face, then extended a finger to poke the little furball sitting on the table, making him fall over.

Yue'an got up, and sensing that the crisis signal had passed, he perked up again. He meowed righteously at the Marshal, expressing his dissatisfaction at being poked over.

The Marshal listened for a while, then reached out to poke him over again.

"Meow!!"

Yue'an patted his hand with his paw, sat on it, using the Marshal's hand as a chair, and buried his head to eat.

Yue'an was also sensible. He knew it was best to behave and stay under Xiu Jun's watchful eye to ease his caretaker's mind.

With such a big event, Xiu Jun would surely be very busy. Yue'an decided to find some light and enjoyable leisure activities for himself.

Xiu Jun was indeed very busy.

The Science Department's issue was already very sensitive in public opinion, and the commotion caused by Xiu Jun leading troops into the Science Department was not small. Now it had directly ignited topics on the Star Network, with people guessing what exactly had happened.

This lawsuit was one that Xiu Jun was absolutely determined to fight.

But exactly what information should be disclosed to the public was a topic that needed to be discussed together by the Military Propaganda Department and the Imperial Propaganda Department.

Xiu Jun had spent the entire day in meetings with his legal team and the person in charge of the Military Propaganda Department. He returned to his office, planning to send Yue'an home first.

However, as soon as he entered his office door, he saw his three legion commanders and a cat sitting around a square hard-shell box, the atmosphere tense and solemn.

"One Bamboo," one said.

"Pong! Three Strings!" another called.

"Chow, Five Wan," said the third.

"Meow! Meow meow!" Yue'an chimed in.

"Hu! Hahaha!" the fourth legion commander laughed.

Yue'an jumped up angrily. "Meow meow meow meow!"

"A bet's a bet!" The fourth legion commander smiled and extended his hand towards the little cat beside him. "Come on, let me squeeze your paw."

Yue'an reluctantly extended his little paw pad, allowed it to be squeezed once, then immediately retracted it. He turned his head to meow at Xiu Jun, his little paws patting the box. He walked to Xiu Jun's feet, his little head nudging him towards the only empty position.

Xiu Jun lowered his eyes to look at the tiles carved with different patterns randomly placed on the hard-shell box.

The patterns were carved very poorly, uneven, clearly carelessly scratched out by Yue'an's claws without much thought.

Yue'an's little head nudged Xiu Jun's hand.

"Meow!"

Avenge me!

Otherwise, don't even think about rubbing my belly again!

Xiu Jun: ...

Xiu Jun rubbed his cat.

Xiu Jun picked up a tile.

I understand the principle, but what exactly is this thing?