"Didn't you want to kill me?" He Ao glanced at the young man and smiled.
"President Bode, we can talk this through," the young man said with a smile, slowly slipping his hand into his pocket.
Then, in the next instant, he pulled a Gauss Pistol from his waist, aimed at He Ao's head, and fired several shots.
Bang, bang, bang! The bullets struck He Ao's brow with crisp reports.
"He's a Class B transcendent," the old man said hoarsely. "An ordinary Gauss Pistol won't work on him."
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" The young officer froze.
Then, without hesitation, he shoved the old man forward, accelerated backward, and ran out of the tent.
The old man looked visibly stunned, as though he had never imagined the young officer would push him forward.
"It seems your son isn't very devoted to you." He Ao looked up at the old man and smiled.
"He thinks getting the Authority Key means he can command the troops." The old man merely shook his head, straightened, and gazed calmly at He Ao. "Bode, you've got some nerve."
"I just like doing things I'm good at." He Ao smiled.
"Do you think taking out army headquarters will stop my troops from attacking?" The old man looked at He Ao. "You seem to have oversimplified modern command structures. If I die, the deputy commander immediately takes over. If he dies, a battalion commander immediately takes over. The entire chain of command won't collapse just because you cut off its head."
"Of course." He Ao smiled as he looked at the old man. "But do the officers under you know you're attacking the vice president?"
The old man's expression shifted slightly.
"As long as the Federal Parliament hasn't passed a motion to impeach me," He Ao