Seeking Kolev

[Level 6, Room 625, Kolev.]

Who's this?

Yang Ming had zero recollection of the name. Calmly, he tore the note into shreds and soaked them in his soup.

Either way, having a target was better than flailing around like a headless fly.

The vial of medicine Dr. Lina had brought could sustain Yang Ming for a few months. Before the next hearing convened, he had enough time to track down this Kolev.

Unfortunately, after a week of effort, Yang Ming still hadn't managed to see the man in person. But he had dug up plenty of information about this Kolev.

He was a notorious Star Pirate, having roamed the interstellar seas for over forty years. He had single-handedly built the formidable Black Dragon Pirate Group and was wanted by dozens of nations.

Listen to that—a Star Pirate!

What does a pirate live on?

A pirate ship that can jump!

Even if this old pirate was already locked up, he was bound to know some black-market intel and definitely had channels for getting a ship!

The moment Yang Ming heard that Kolev was a pirate boss, he had already picked a cute name for his future private spaceship.

During that week of searching for Kolev, there were actually some other amusing incidents.

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

They didn't appear on the same day, and each was already aware of the other two batches of "fakes."

All three groups of intelligence officers insisted they were the real deal and the others were impostors, but none of them gave Yang Ming any substantial information.

In truth, before taking the capsule Dr. Lina had given him, Yang Ming had already figured things out.

The first batch of intelligence officers Yang Ming met that day came from the Sherman Empire.

They kept harping on self-sacrifice and Imperial Glory, and their tone carried an arrogance of superiors toward subordinates.

The Sherman Empire Military Intelligence Department's intent was for Yang Ming to stay put, deny the existence of the War God Program during the second public hearing, and claim it was a slander by the New Federation against the Empire.

Very imperial.

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

Their focus was on the "War God Program" and "Geglov's experiments." Clearly, they were more interested in the War God Program's data and wanted to pry some intel out of Yang Ming.

The third batch of intelligence officers was the one with Dr. Lina.

That's right—in Yang Ming's judgment, Dr. Lina wasn't from the Sherman Empire's camp, because there were too many inconsistencies.

First, Lina knew he was a modified human but volunteered to keep it secret. After learning the research ship was destroyed by a modified Valkyrie, her reaction was far too calm throughout.

Second, Lina easily got her hands on a Gene Stabilizing Potion and appeared before him with two "Empire intelligence officers," even though her official role in the Empire was just an ordinary doctor with a loose military connection.

Third, the aura Lina gave off after taking off her white coat was just too captivating.

During those two meetings, the crow's feet at the corners of Dr. Lina's eyes had vanished. She looked a good ten years younger, radiating feminine charm.

This change was actually quite jarring.

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

To be precise, Lina wanted the last surviving fruit of the War God Program—to fish him out and continue the gene fusion research.

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

To intelligence organizations across nations, the existence of the War God Program was no secret—otherwise, it wouldn't have drawn the Humanity Association's survey ship. A spy or two from other powers on Geglov's ship was hardly surprising.

'Better focus on finding the Star Pirate Kolev first.'

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

Since Lina's goal was to secretly extract him, she wouldn't let him lose control and go berserk. These capsules might have some tracking markers mixed in, but the efficacy was guaranteed.

"Hanton..."

The elderly roommate suddenly spoke, his expression turning serious as he leaned close to Yang Ming and muttered a few words.

"Mr. Bailin wants to see you. During the afternoon yard time, make sure you meet with him."

"Bailin?"

Yang Ming felt a twinge of unease.

He had helped Bailin deal with a troublemaker, and Bailin had given him Kolev's name and cell number—wasn't that already settled?

"Sigh," Roommate A murmured with a hint of emotion, "Kid, Mr. Bailin isn't someone to mess with. I hope you don't end up in conflict with him."

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

Respect on the surface.

In the afternoon, Yang Ming found Old Bailin enjoying a fine steak.

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

Bailin wiped his mouth, the sauce of unknown origin clinging to his beard, making him look a bit ridiculous.

Yang Ming, sitting to the side, raised an eyebrow, declined the soda a burly man next to him offered, and quietly watched Bailin.

Old Bailin smiled and said:

"Kolev is treated as the prison's crown jewel—that's an honor for Kor Port Prison, you can think of it that way.

"He's at the deepest part of Level 6, in a fully sealed single cell, and his yard time is in the morning, alongside those high-ranking Sirs from Level 1.

"But I can help you, Captain Hanton."

Yang Ming immediately went on high alert.

Nothing good comes from an unsolicited favor.

This old man wasn't some philanthropist; to secure such a lofty position in prison, he had to be ruthless.

Bailin offering help on his own initiative meant he likely had an ulterior motive. Yang Ming could still achieve his goal himself—resorting to force if necessary—but it would take longer and involve more complex risks.

"Then what do I need to do for you?" Yang Ming asked.

Bailin chuckled. "This time, you don't have to do anything for me. A friend gave me a commission—a tidy sum. Honestly, I invited you here just to let you know I've put in the effort on this matter."

Yang Ming's smile turned a shade more sardonic. "What about your rules?"

"My bottom line has always been flexible. You'll be moved to the cell next to Kochev soon," Old Bailin said. "Don't worry about the rest. That mutual friend of ours has arranged everything. He wants you to leave here safely."

A mutual friend? Was Lina behind this?

Yang Ming quickly realized he'd been jumping to conclusions, and Bailin's words carried a hint of manipulation.

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

Yang Ming said calmly, rising to leave, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

He sensed a conspiracy.

More than one conspiracy was slowly unfolding around him.

Three batches of Imperial intelligence officers, their authenticity hard to gauge;

Old Bailin, whose attitude had subtly shifted;

The old pirate practically handed to him on a silver platter;

What else was coming next?

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

He still had a trump card in hand.

—The Lesser Ancient God Lifeform.

Old Bailin's information network was indeed sharp.

Yang Ming had just finished yard time and hadn't even packed his meager belongings when Chief Guard Gulipa's gleaming forehead appeared outside the four-man cell.

"Captain Hanton, I think you deserve better living conditions."

Gulipa said gently:

"I didn't study your file carefully before. Only this morning did I realize you're not here for regular incarceration—you came from the Humanity Association's care facility to experience life at Kor Port Prison, correct?"

Yang Ming glanced at his Imperial uniform, which he'd never changed out of, and smiled. "Yes, Chief Guard. I was supposed to be at the Humanity Association's care facility, sleeping on a soft single bed and eating balanced meals with meat and vegetables every day."

"What a blunder on my part," Gulipa said softly. "Fortunately, there's still time. Follow me, Captain. You'll receive the respect due to an Imperial soldier."

Yang Ming could only nod in thanks, cursing inwardly:

'Damn, a bunch of smiling tigers.'

Gulipa, flanked by several guards, escorted Yang Ming—now in handcuffs and leg irons—toward Room 624 on Level 6.

Gulipa smiled. "You're looking for Kolev, aren't you?"

"Yes," Yang Ming replied calmly. "Any advice, Chief Guard?"

"Kolev is an extremely dangerous individual," Gulipa said in a low voice. "You're right to think so. I've been under some pressure and had to make these arrangements—letting you enjoy a single cell next to Kolev. The Interstellar Court works this way; the mighty Sherman Empire can directly influence our procedures. But I still advise you... you'd better stay far away from Kolev. That's all."

Yang Ming studied Gulipa's profile.

The Chief Guard's well-maintained face showed no extra expression.

Level 6 of Kor Port Prison was structurally similar to Level 5—rows of neatly arranged cells like square containers on a transport ship.

At the corner of Level 6 were two rows of single cells for special prisoners, each nearly fully sealed with thick alloy doors.

Yang Ming roughly calculated...

Breaking through those doors would take a few minutes;

But tearing through those thin metal walls would only take a dozen seconds.

A brilliantly designed setup.

Just as Bailin had said, he was placed in Room 624, separated from Room 625 by only one wall.

This was a single room of about fifteen or sixteen square meters, with living conditions even better than his dorm on the research ship. A single bed, a bookshelf, a desk, a toilet, and a showerhead were distributed across the four corners, and a ventilation system was installed in the wall seams.

"The conditions really aren't bad," Yang Ming said, full of admiration.

"As long as you're satisfied, have a pleasant stay."

Chief Guard Gulipa said this with a beaming smile, but as he was leaving, he paused and turned his head to look at the door the guards were about to close.

"Captain Hanton, just to be safe, I still want to ask you one thing... at the next hearing, you'll repeat your previous testimony, right?"

Yang Ming thought for two seconds, then said in a deep voice, "I will defend the Empire's honor to the death. That is the bottom line of an Imperial Soldier."

Gulipa smiled with relief at that, his white-gloved fingers sliding lightly as the guard beside him pushed the thick alloy door shut.

The moment the electronic lock showed it was sealed, Gulipa's smile quickly faded, his eyes turning razor-sharp.

Like a hawk.