Finding Kolev

[Sixth Floor, Room 625, Kolev.]

Who was this?

Yang Ming had no recollection of him. Calmly, he tore the note to pieces and soaked them in his soup.

Whatever the case, having a target was better than wandering around blindly.

The bottle of medicine Lina had brought would keep Yang Ming going for a few months. He had plenty of time to find this Kolev before the next hearing.

Unfortunately, despite a week of effort, Yang Ming still hadn't managed to meet him in person. But he had learned plenty about Kolev.

He was a notorious Star Pirate who had roamed the stars for over forty years, founded the powerful Black Dragon Pirate Group, and was wanted by dozens of countries.

Just think—a great pirate!

What did pirates need to make a living?

Pirate ships capable of jumping!

Even if the old pirate was now behind bars, he had to know something about the Black Market. He was bound to have connections for getting a ship!

The moment Yang Ming heard Kolev was a pirate chief, he had already picked out an adorable name for his future private spaceship.

There had been other amusing developments during the week Yang Ming spent looking for Kolev.

Those three batches of officials from "Empire Military Intelligence Department Twelve" had shown up again.

They hadn't appeared on the same day, and each group now knew about the other two batches of "impostors."

All three groups of intelligence officers insisted they were the real ones and the other two were fakes, but none of them had given Yang Ming any more useful information.

Actually, before taking the capsules Lina had given him, Yang Ming had already figured things out.

The first batch of intelligence officers he had met that day had come from the Sherman Empire.

They kept emphasizing self-sacrifice and the glory of the Empire, and spoke to Yang Ming with the kind of arrogance a superior showed a subordinate.

The Sherman Empire Military Intelligence's position was that Yang Ming should stay put and, at the second public hearing, deny that the War God Program existed and claim it was a slanderous fabrication by the New Federation against the Empire.

Very Empire.

The second batch of intelligence officers that day had probably come from another major power, most likely the New Federation.

They had focused their conversation on the "War God Program" and "Geglov's experiments." Clearly, they were more interested in the War God Program's records and wanted to fish some information out of Yang Ming.

The third batch was the one with Dr. Lina.

That was right. In Yang Ming's estimation, Dr. Lina wasn't from the Sherman Empire's camp. Too many things didn't add up.

First, Lina knew he was a Modified human, yet had volunteered to keep it secret. When she learned the Research Ship had been destroyed by the Modified human Valkyrie, her reaction had been far too calm throughout.

Second, Lina had easily obtained a Gene Stabilizing Potion and appeared before him alongside two "Imperial intelligence officers." Yet her position in the Empire was only that of an ordinary doctor with some ties to the military.

Third, Lina's demeanor after taking off her white coat was simply too captivating.

The crow's-feet at the corners of Dr. Lina's eyes had disappeared during those two meetings. She looked more than a decade younger, radiating feminine charm.

The change was rather abrupt.

If Yang Ming's guess was right, Lina was after his body.

More precisely, she wanted the War God Program's only remaining success. She wanted to get him out of there and continue her research into gene fusion.

She might be from the New Federation, the United States of Freedom, or the Guer Alliance... Most likely, she was from one of the Milky Way Galaxy's four major powers.

To the intelligence agencies of various countries, the War God Program was no secret. Otherwise, the Survey Ship from the Humanity Association wouldn't have come. It was perfectly normal for one or two spies from other powers to be aboard Geglov's ship.

Better find the great pirate Kolev first.

Yang Ming took out the medicine Lina had given him and swallowed the third capsule.

Lina's goal was to get him out of there secretly. She certainly wouldn't let him lose control and go berserk. At most, the capsules might contain some sort of tracking marker, but the medicine itself was guaranteed to work.

"Hanton..."

His elderly roommate suddenly spoke up. Looking grave, he came over to Yang Ming and quietly said a few words.

"Mr. Bailin wants to see you. Remember to meet him during afternoon recreation."

"Bailin?"

Yang Ming was a little puzzled.

He had helped Bailin deal with a troublemaker, and Bailin had given him Kolev's name and cell number. Weren't they even now?

"Ah," Roommate A murmured with a sigh. "Bailin isn't someone to trifle with, kid. I hope you won't end up in conflict with him."

"Thanks for the warning," Yang Ming said with a smile. "I have the utmost respect for Mr. Bailin."

Respect in words, at least.

That afternoon, Yang Ming found Old Bailin enjoying a delicious steak.

"Getting in touch with Kolev isn't easy."

Bailin wiped his mouth. Some sauce of unknown origin clung to his mustache, making him look a little comical.

Yang Ming, sitting beside him, raised an eyebrow, declined the soda a burly man offered him, and silently watched Bailin.

Old Bailin smiled.

"They treat Kolev as the prison's last trump card. It's a point of pride for the prison—you could put it that way.

"He's at the very end of the sixth floor, in a fully enclosed single cell. He gets recreation in the morning, together with those big shots on the first floor.

"But I can help you, Captain Hanton."

Yang Ming immediately went on high alert.

No one offered help without wanting something in return.

The old man before him was no philanthropist. Anyone who'd earned such an untouchable position in prison had to be ruthless.

Bailin had offered to help him. He was probably after something. Yang Ming could still achieve his goal on his own—by force if necessary—but it would take much longer and entail more complicated risks.

"What would I have to do for you?" Yang Ming asked.

Bailin smiled. "You don't have to do anything for me this time. A friend gave me a job, and it pays well. Actually, I only asked you here so you'd know I'd helped with this."

Yang Ming's smile turned more amused. "What about your rules?"

"My bottom line has always been flexible. You'll soon be transferred to the cell next to Kochev's," Old Bailin said. "Don't worry about anything else. Our mutual friend has already arranged everything. He hopes you can leave here safely."

A mutual friend? Is Lina behind this?

Yang Ming realized at once that he'd been making assumptions, and that Bailin's words had contained a subtle suggestion.

"Then I'll wait for your good news."

Yang Ming replied calmly. As he got up to leave, the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself.

He sensed a conspiracy.

More than one conspiracy was slowly unfolding around him.

Three batches of Empire intelligence officers, none of them easy to tell apart;

Old Bailin, whose attitude had subtly changed;

An old pirate delivered right to his doorstep;

What was next?

Yang Ming decided that no matter what they were up to, he'd use their arrangements to meet the notorious Kolev first.

He always had one trump card in hand.

—Lesser Ancient God Lifeform.

Old Bailin's information really was reliable.

Yang Ming had just finished recreation and hadn't even had time to pack his few belongings when Chief Guard Gulipa's gleaming bald head appeared outside the four-person cell.

"Captain Hanton, I think you deserve better accommodations."

Gulipa spoke gently.

"I hadn't read your file carefully before. It wasn't until this morning that I realized you weren't here to serve a regular sentence. You came from the Humanity Association's detention facility to experience life in our Kor Port Prison, is that right?"

Yang Ming glanced at the Imperial military uniform he still hadn't changed out of and smiled. "That's right, Chief Guard. I was supposed to be sleeping in a soft bed in the Humanity Association's detention facility and eating delicious, well-balanced meals every day."

"What a blunder on my part," Gulipa said gently. "Fortunately, there's still time to fix it. Come with me, Captain. You'll receive the respect an Imperial Soldier deserves."

Yang Ming could only nod in thanks, while cursing inwardly:

Damn it, a bunch of smiling snakes.

With several guards, Gulipa escorted Yang Ming, who was in handcuffs and leg irons, to Room 624 on the sixth floor.

Gulipa smiled. "You've been looking for Kolev, haven't you?"

"Yes," Yang Ming replied evenly. "Do you have any advice for me, Chief Guard?"

"Kolev is extremely dangerous," Gulipa said quietly. "You were right to think I was under some pressure. I had to make these arrangements and put you in a private cell next to Kolev's. That's how the Interstellar Court works. The powerful Sherman Empire can directly influence how we operate, but I still have to warn you... You'd be better off staying away from Kolev. That's all."

Yang Ming watched Gulipa's profile.

The Chief Guard's well-kept face showed no unnecessary expression.

Structurally, the sixth floor of Kor Port Prison was much like the fifth. Rows of neat cells resembled the square containers aboard a Transport Ship.

In one corner of the sixth floor stood two rows of single cells for special inmates. Each was almost completely enclosed, with a thick alloy door.

Yang Ming made a rough calculation...

Breaking down one of those doors would take a few minutes;

but tearing through the thin metal wall would take only a dozen seconds.

A brilliant design.

Just as Bailin had said, Yang Ming had been assigned to Room 624, with only a wall between him and Room 625.

The single room was fifteen or sixteen square meters, and its accommodations were even better than his cabin aboard the Research Ship. A bed, bookshelf, desk, toilet, and showerhead occupied the four corners, while a ventilation system had been installed in the seams of the walls.

"Not bad at all," Yang Ming said admiringly.

"I'm glad you're satisfied. Enjoy your stay."

Chief Guard Gulipa said with a genial smile. As he was leaving, he stopped and turned toward the door the guards were about to close.

"Captain Hanton, just to be sure, I'd still like to ask you one thing... At the next hearing, will you repeat the answer you gave last time?"

Yang Ming thought for two seconds, then said solemnly, "I'll defend the Empire's honor with my life. That's the bottom line for me as an Imperial Soldier."

Gulipa smiled in relief. His white-gloved fingers moved slightly, and a guard beside him pushed the thick alloy door shut.

The instant the electronic lock showed it was sealed, Gulipa's smile vanished. His eyes turned razor-sharp.

Like a hawk.