Chapter 774: Chapter 547: I Don’t Acknowledge, Get Back (Two Chapters in One)
(4600-word large chapter, merged two chapters into one.)
Who killed them?
Everyone wanted to know the answer to that question, but ordinary people couldn’t find a shred of information.
Moreover, the military wasn’t in the mood to pay attention to those media people looking to get their scoop.
Before they had completely figured out the situation, the military would lock down all information that could be sealed off, leaving only the populace riddled with countless questions to speculate.
As the person who had personally slain Testom, Mu Fan sat within the patrol ship, looking down through the thick observation window at the kilometer-long expanse of the explosion site below.
From high above, the severity of the scene was even clearer.
Medicinal rescue vehicles and firefighting teams of all sizes had surrounded three areas, and the leaping fire continued to billow upwards unstoppably.
Many specialized mecha had already joined the firefighting and rescue operations.
As the patrol ship passed the end of the explosion area, Mu Fan also saw a cleared area on the ground where, within a vast cordon area created by thousands of soldiers, heaps of charred bodies were densely laid out.
These damned mutants…
Mu Fan’s eyes were filled with icy coldness.
“Cowards!”
The sound of uncontrollable, angry growls came to his ears. Mu Fan turned his head to see Major Long De’s eyes bloodshot, his fists clenched so tight they creaked.
“Using weapons of war on civilians… they’re all cowards, filthy mongrels! Even the Star Thieves who ambush trade routes are ten thousand times nobler than these people! Only those who are weak and powerless in reality would think about attacking civilians.”
Turning back around, looking at Mu Fan whose gaze was calmly fixed on him, Major Long De nodded vigorously, saying word by word, “Though I don’t know what the intricacies are, I just want to say… good kill!”
Mu Fan, seeing the suppressed pain deep in the other man’s eyes, was vaguely reminded of the scene from years ago when his adoptive parents had been killed in a Star Thief attack.
The Broken Axe Star Thief Group had similarly slaughtered countless civilians when they attacked Loga Star.
But Mu Fan’s eyes quickly turned frosty again.
This world had never spoken of anything fair—everyone just wanted to survive.
He was an orphan who had come out of the wilderness; he did not understand these lofty moralities.
He only knew that if he killed his enemies, he was the one who would live.
That was all.
Creak.
Under the tension of his muscles, a twisted noise came from his fist, and Mu Fan, expressionless, said while looking down below, “This is just the beginning.”
…
When Mu Fan followed Major Long De into the military conference hall, numerous representatives had already gathered, prepared for action.
Military, police, government, academy—representatives from all four factions converged here.
Mu Fan saw a familiar face in the crowd, Instructor Bach.
The middle-aged man with a crew cut gave Mu Fan a reassuring look.
But Mu Fan, as before, had no particular reaction, just calmly nodded his head.
This freshman from the first grade had a determination and composure that was frightening, showing none of the unease a green youth would feel when faced with a grand scene for the first time.
“You are Mu Fan? Take a seat.”
Major General Lick, sitting in the center, looked at the young man with a calm face; his voice was without a trace of fluctuation.
Tens of people sat opposing, as if he were a criminal on trial.
But Mu Fan sat alone, serenely composed, facing the crowd.
They already knew the information about the culprit—a Mechanical Transformed Man from the Night Teeth Team named Testom—it was clear the man had targeted Mu Fan.
After a thought, Major General Lick tapped the cap of his steel pen on the conference table, looking at Mu Fan.
Some things needed to be asked clearly here.
“About tonight’s incident, you were directly involved, so we need to understand some details from you. Did you know the people from Night Teeth were coming for you?”
“I didn’t,” Mu Fan’s faint voice echoed in the great hall.
“Then why did you engage in combat outside the blast zone?”
“He controlled a drone carrying energy explosives to try to attack me, but I managed to evade it.”
“Please tell us the details of tonight’s incident.”
Mu Fan thought for a moment, nodded, and in a simple, exasperating language, told the events as plainly as if he were talking about plain water.
“Just to kill you?”
Major Lick’s face didn’t look too good because, from Mu Fan’s account, it was Testom, now dead, who orchestrated all the explosions simply to delay the military from reaching the place where he confronted Mu Fan.
However, including Testom himself, no one expected that they would be instantly killed on the spot by this composed young man before them.
Thus, the outcome of the explosion case became clear as day.
To kill just one man, Mu Fan, there are already more than 7,000 casualties…
And perhaps this number will still rise.
“What was your purpose for staying at the scene!” Major Lick, hands on the table, eyes demanding, imposed a silent but heavy authority on Mu Fan.
This was the body’s instinctive practice of exerting pressure on the target, creating a psychological strain that would cause the other party to reveal flaws in language and demeanor.
However, to his disappointment, there was not a flicker of change in Mu Fan’s expression under the intense scrutiny of everyone in the conference hall.
Just like a robot.
Finally, when the air grew so still it was almost awkward, Mu Fan spoke.
His calm voice resonated in the hall, and it struck a chord in the hearts of every attendee, causing their palms to tighten unconsciously upon hearing the reply from the young student before them.
“To let you find the murderer, and then pictures of his death would naturally be circulated.”
“Unfortunately, the military won’t be able to conceal this news because the public needs an explanation, those who have lost loved ones need an account from the government and military. My appearance can provide you with the result the public wants in the shortest possible time.”
Listening to the orderly response from across the table, Major Lick had a bad premonition flash through his mind and a faint sharpness appeared in his eyes.
“What then? Are you just kindly letting us wrap things up?”
“Of course not…”
Mu Fan lifted his head to look at the faint light overhead, his gaze distant, as if it could pierce through space.
“I simply wanted those rats hiding in the dark to also see this news clearly, to see the content they wished to see.”
An eerie silence fell upon the hall, even Instructor Bach looked at Mu Fan with a shocked gaze.
Bald Ruan once told him that this kid was very naive…
But now, it seemed he was not just naive, he was terrifyingly so!
“You’re referring to the rats as… the S-class Mercenary Group… Night Teeth? Have you truly gone mad?”
Lieutenant Colonel Lick finally clearly recalled a video sent by his subordinates, featuring none other than Mu Fan, who had been through a simple procedure!
Was this youngster before him really mad, did he truly understand the horror of what he was doing now?
The Night Teeth Team, with just one person, had caused such massive harm to civilians, if one were to consider, that rumored death toll of 150,000 at the hands of this organization might well be a number that doesn’t even count as a conservative estimate.
Provoking such a mad organization in the shadows was something only someone who was equally mad would do.
Led by Major Lick, the high-ranking officials seated nearby all observed the solitary young man.
“I’ve come here to ask one thing—if I wipe out the Night Teeth Team, how much is the bounty?”
Mu Fan asked coldly.
At the other end of the long table, the head of the Security Bureau was sweating profusely, instinctively reaching to roll up his sleeve to shield his face.
“Director Andris, if the Night Teeth Team is wiped out, how much is the police department willing to offer as a bounty?”
Hearing the words of the military major, the director was already internally cursing.
They from the police would have to put up the money, and then the military would take all the credit for stability—is there such a good deal in the world?
We do the dirty work, and you reap the benefits?
Besides, wasn’t this idea too fanciful?
“I think it would be better to be more down-to-earth before saying these things, you might not be very familiar with the Night Teeth Team…” Director Andris tried to compose his words; at this moment, he wasn’t facing an ordinary student but someone more terrifying than a serial killer!
“I am very familiar, the Night Teeth Team consists of three major divisions, one team leader, twelve deputy captains.” Mu Fan, seated alone across from him, bluntly interrupted the Security Bureau director’s speech.
Director Andris looked at Mu Fan with a look that could kill; the police were ready to offer a reward, what more did he want!
“Given the number of people involved, we might need some time to calculate before we can tell you the final amount.”
Eventually, under the silent stares of his colleagues, Director Andris said dejectedly.
“Fine. The Testom who died in this incident was a level six mutant, and the Federation has issued a bounty of 12 million Star Coins. May I ask when will the police deliver the payment?”
Mu Fan ignored the scores of imposing gazes in the room and just looked blankly at Andris.
“24 hours! It will be transferred to your personal account within 24 hours.”
“I don’t want it,” Mu Fan shook his head.
Andris’ complexion turned ugly. If you don’t want it, then why ask? Was it fun for you to make him speak in front of so many people?
“What do you mean by asking that!” Andris’ voice sharpened, already frustrated from being forcefully dragged here by the military, and now toyed with by a student who held no official position.
“Use that money for humanitarian aid. Just make the transaction process public,” Mu Fan said indifferently, his decision on the fate of the 12 million Star Coins taken lightly.
He wasn’t taking a single cent for himself.
This surprised everyone, Mu Fan’s commoner background astonished them to the core.
This huge sum of money could have done many things, but this young man casually threw it away.
In a corner of the crowd, a female military officer with a cold appearance looked down at the table, her eyes filled with deep hatred.
“How can you…” Andris murmured, coveting the large sum of money more than once given his status.
“Instructor Bach, now that today’s matter has been explained, may I leave?” Mu Fan turned to look at his instructor, completely ignoring Andris.
Mu Fan was not brought in as a prisoner, so naturally, there was no possibility of taking coercive measures against him.
Now that this young man had spoken, they had many things they wanted to say, many questions they wanted to ask, but they no longer knew how to begin.
However, at that moment, a cold female voice resonated from the corner, causing everyone to involuntarily look back.
“You carry the lives of so many people on your shoulders, do you really think you can wash away these sins with that money? You are the root of all calamities.”
The meaning behind this statement finally brought an excited gleam to the eyes of the military and political high-rank officials present.
Finally, someone had stood up!
Mu Fan stood firm, squinting his eyes as he turned around, and it was Rong Wei from the Special Service Department, her eyes filled with deep-seated hate.
“What do you mean?”
Rong Wei propped herself up from the table as she stood, her ample chest nearly bursting the seams of her uniform.
Her sharp phoenix eyes stared at Mu Fan, “What do I mean? Didn’t you understand? I am saying you are the culprit! If it weren’t for you, the explosion would never have occurred, and there wouldn’t have been so many deaths.”
As a lieutenant colonel of the Special Service Department, and the only one in the military system to have ever interrogated Mu Fan, Rong Wei’s statement drew more of the leadership’s attention toward her.
And naturally, some looked at Mu Fan with disdain.
Rong Wei was right; if everything was traced back to the end, it all started because of Mu Fan.
Her words struck home, and if Mu Fan couldn’t answer even half a point, then today’s encounter, which had been relatively peaceful thus far, would take on a completely different meaning.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, each harboring their own thoughts, Mu Fan looked up indifferently and fixed his gaze on Rong Wei.
“I do not admit it.”
Mu Fan’s words fell with weight.
The four icy words thrown out left Rong Wei momentarily stunned.
His right hand raised four fingers successively, looking directly at the military and political officials with ulterior motives:
“First, I did not know who was coming.”
“Second, I did not know what the person coming would do.”
“Third, what I knew was that he came to kill me, so I killed him.”
“Fourth, and this is the last point.”
Mu Fan’s calm eyes stared at Rong Wei, at the military flower from the Special Service Department, at the cold woman who had piled the cause of countless lives onto his own shoulders.
He saw the deep malice in Rong Wei’s eyes, and also the schadenfreude in some of those around him. After surveying the room, he spoke indifferently:
“In what I, Mu Fan, do, I need not explain to anyone.”
“Even if ten thousand people died, what does it have to do with me? Disbursing that money is simply because I wanted to do it.”
Everyone listened in stunned silence to these chilling words.
From beginning to end, this freshman from the first grade at Dingchuan Academy had never cared at all about the lives of these thousands of people.
Mu Fan looked on coldly at the reactions of the people, his face expressionless.
Whether he cared or didn’t, what did it have to do with any of you?
“You’re a soldier, have you forgotten that you’re still a soldier? I’m going to take you to a military court!” Rong Wei said, her body trembling.
“There’s no charge, I don’t accept it!”
“Stop him!” A lieutenant colonel suddenly stood up, having taken a dislike to this youngster for some time, being one of the representatives from the Intelligence Department.
Click, click, click—behind Mu Fan, two soldiers simultaneously raised their guns at him.
For ten years, no one had ever dared to be so blatantly arrogant right under the watchful eyes of their Intelligence Department and Special Service Department.
Moreover, when he stood up, the highest-ranking officer present, Major General Lick, didn’t make any move, which was telling of the superiors’ stance.
If playing nice didn’t work, then they would forcefully take you down.
Only by pushing you out could they completely shake off the black mark over the military’s head!
However, this lieutenant colonel seemed to be unaware of what exactly had occurred in the Special Service Department back then.
So, he also did not know that Mu Fan’s response was going to be so intensely overwhelming that it went beyond any control of the situation.
The lieutenant colonel drew his service pistol, disengaged the safety, and aimed it at Mu Fan’s head, walking toward him step by step.
“You criminal, utter another word of sophistry, and see if I don’t execute you on the spot!”
“Charges?”
Mu Fan said indifferently, his eyelids lowered.
“I’ll give you charges!” With a grim face, the lieutenant colonel took large steps and rushed right up to Mu Fan, thrusting the gun barrel forward forcefully.
There was a slap sound, and the lieutenant colonel’s arm froze mid-air.
Upon closer inspection, Mu Fan’s right hand was raised, precisely grasping the barrel of the service pistol.
“Let go!”
“Roll back to where you came from.” Mu Fan lifted his eyelids, his gaze icy cold.
How could this lieutenant colonel be acting on a whim? The officials behind him were probably watching him with cold detachment.
However, they were destined to be disappointed.
“I’ll damn well kill you!”
Veins on the lieutenant colonel’s temple bulged out in fury, his finger about to pull the trigger.
“Stop!”
“Put down the gun!”
Several people in the hall stood up, their faces filled with panic, at the turn of events.
Bang!
A loud gunshot echoed through the hall.
One of the lights on the ceiling of the conference room burst instantly.
Under the unpredictable and immense force of Mu Fan, the gun barrel was forcibly lifted toward the ceiling.
He really dared to shoot…
Mu Fan’s eyes narrowed, a ferocious glint flashing in his pupils.
His right foot shot up violently, kicking out with a thunderous force!
Clang!
As military and political dignitaries looked on with shock and anger, a figure was directly kicked more than ten meters away, crashing into a large vase and smashing it, then toppling over six or seven chairs before finally coming to rest in the corner of the room.
Blurgh!
A mouthful of fresh blood was spat out; the lieutenant colonel clutched his chest in pain, his eyes filled with fear and disbelief as he stared at the demonic