Chapter 818: Chapter 818

The young investigator, who had been watching He Ao tensely, shook the hand holding his coffee.

Lena, sitting beside, carefully reminded.

Gast quickly turned around and then realized that the coffee in front of Lena had already overflowed, "Sorry, sorry."

He immediately picked up the mocha pot while the young investigator quickly handed him a towel.

Gast took the towel, placed the mocha pot on the cabinet beside him, and hastily wiped the coffee that had spilled from Lena’s cup onto the small coffee table.

"It’s okay, it’s okay."

Lena quickly half-snatched the towel from his hand and began wiping it herself.

Gast glanced at his hand and then at Lena, who was carefully wiping.

The moment Lena took the towel from his hand, he could clearly feel the strength Lena unconsciously exerted.

He had never realized that this fiery redhead woman was also a powerful C-level.

He took a few deep breaths quickly, suppressing the surprise in his heart.

Actually, with his experience, he shouldn’t have lost his composure to that extent, but the words He Ao had just said were indeed quite shocking, causing him to momentarily lose control of his emotions.

He placed the mocha pot on the electric stove that had already been switched off beside the cabinet, and with some remaining shock, looked at He Ao, "Mister Yiluo, thank you for your help the night before last."

He Ao shook his head, "It wasn’t all my doing; the automatic driving system also helped me a lot."

Gast’s eyebrow twitched.

If He Ao had said there was another person helping with the driving, he could believe it, but the Mecha’s automatic driving system he surely knew about? That thing was just an artificial imbecile!

Moreover, with the signals being shielded that night, the offline automatic driving system’s functionality was greatly weakened.

Quickly, he realized that the young man in front of him had seen his surprise and shock, so he deliberately downplayed his own role from that night to give him an easier step to accept.

Initially, he was still skeptical about the matter, but now, Mister Yiluo’s concession dispelled much of his doubts.

His long experience told him that the world never lacked for geniuses.

He had also heard that some people who had never touched a Mecha before could operate it as if it were an extension of their own limbs the first time they tried.

This young boy in front of him might just be that one-in-a-million Mecha genius.

Though the facts were indeed so, and he was convincing himself to accept them, the shock on his face still couldn’t completely fade away calmly.

At that moment, upon hearing He Ao speak, the entire person was somewhat dumbfounded as he stared at He Ao; the young investigator who had just handed over the towel finally mustered up the courage to ask in a low voice, "Was it really you that night?"

Gast’s expression changed and he was immediately ready to speak a caution to his subordinate.

The minds of many in higher positions are unpredictable, and a careless word could easily anger them, causing disaster.

"If you’re talking about the person driving the Mecha, then yes, it was me."

He Ao lifted his coffee to his lips, blew on it lightly, and spoke with a light chuckle.

"You... you’re that incredible?"

The young investigator spoke incoherently, looking at He Ao.

He was not afraid of death, having driven back that night alongside Gast, knowing it was a suicide mission.

But in that dark night, the pure white Mecha that stood tall amidst the blazing flames, destroying the Sky Behemoth and causing countless Dragon Cavalry fighter jets to lose their courage with just a turn and a glance, the majestic War God, had left a deep impression in his mind.

He had imagined countless times what it would be like to meet that legendary Mecha driver.

And he had imagined countless versions of what that legendary Mecha driver would look like.

But he had never imagined the current situation, nor had he thought that this legendary mecha pilot would be so "young."

"Shouldn’t be that impressive, right?"

He Ao carefully sipped his coffee, the rich creamy oils bursting in his mouth.

He had only done the best he could.

"That’s not impressive?!"

The young investigator suddenly widened his eyes, his whole body stiffened up, "You just did that... then that... then... it’s really..."

He choked on his words for a moment before finally saying slowly, "That’s freaking awesome."

Gast couldn’t help but cover his forehead.

Hesitantly, the young investigator continued to ask, "Have you been learning to pilot mechas since you were young?"

He Ao held his coffee, the steam swirling in the dim room, "that night was my first time piloting a mecha."

Indeed, it was Yiluo’s first time piloting a mecha.

At that moment, everyone present, including Lena and Klin—who couldn’t join the conversation and didn’t know what was happening—widened their eyes, their pupils suddenly contracting.

"Your... first time... piloting a mecha..."

This time, it was Lena who stuttered when she spoke.

"Destroyed a Sky Behemoth?"

Gast trembled as he took up her words.

He Ao looked at them with a bit of confusion, "I did mention, I had the help of the automatic driving system, plus I had read some books about mechas when I was a child."

Yiluo had indeed read many books, and his favorite toy was also a mecha toy.

Gast nodded in agreement.

Right, right, right, it’s all done by the automatic pilot; you don’t know anything... What kind of monster is this!

Among them, apart from Klin, it was initially the most shocked young investigator who felt the least shocked upon hearing this news.

He had never really piloted a mecha and didn’t recognize the difficulty involved in piloting one.

And the things He Ao did had already shocked him enough to reach his threshold of shock, so much so that he felt it was perfectly reasonable for anything to happen if it involved He Ao.

A genius piloting a mecha for the first time and taking down a Sky Behemoth, what’s wrong with that? It’s reasonable! That’s what genius is!

He lowered his head, cautiously and nervously asking, "Is piloting a mecha hard? If I start learning at my age, can I still master it?"

Which young soul doesn’t harbor a dream of mechas, especially after witnessing that legendary battle.

"As long as you’re diligent, it shouldn’t be too hard?"

He Ao pondered for a moment before carefully speaking.

In Vian’s memory, when he first learned to pilot a mecha, it indeed wasn’t hard.

Although the control method of Federation mechas was the anti-human joystick control, as long as you figure out the functions of each joystick and spend time practicing, you could get the hang of it.

A glint of excitement sparkled in the young investigator’s eyes.

Gast quickly coughed, "Mastering mecha controls requires a prolonged period of study. Once this matter is resolved, I can recommend you for further studies at the Federal Military Academy."

"Thank you, Director!"

The young Investigator immediately saluted, excited.

"However, piloting a Mecha is not an easy task. You must be mentally prepared."

It’s like a math problem, where geniuses see the answer at a glance, but ordinary people take much longer.

The ’simple’ in a genius’s view is worlds apart from the real ’simple.’

Gast feared that this young man’s expectations were too high and that he would fall too hard when the time came.

Yet when the young Investigator listened to Gast’s words, he opened his mouth as if he wanted to argue but dared not.

At that moment, He Ao laughed and said, "Everyone has a different definition of difficulty, but regardless of whether it is hard or easy, one must subjectively believe it’s straightforward, then tackle it with the mindset prepared for handling tough problems."

The young Investigator nodded; he didn’t quite understand but it was clear he was taking it in.

Gast’s brow twitched.

He felt the young Investigator’s eyes nearly sparkling as he looked at He Ao.

How did the subordinates he trained himself end up following someone else after just a few words?

He glanced at He Ao, who was holding a coffee on the side.

The youth looked young, but he seemed to possess a maturity that did not match his age.

It was the older young Investigator who seemed more like a child being scolded in front of this young boy.

He didn’t suspect there was anything wrong.

Geniuses are always precocious.

It’s a blessing for the genius, but also their adversity.

While Gast was pondering, He Ao had already turned his head to look at him and asked, "Director Gast, have you contacted Ains yet?"

Hearing this question, Gast’s expression turned solemn as he softly said, "The Federal Bureau of Investigation Headquarters accepted our data and stated they would initiate an investigation; they have already sent an investigation team here."

"Why only send an investigation team?"

Lena was somewhat surprised, "Doesn’t the Federal Bureau of Investigation care even when its branch offices are being attacked?"

"It’s not that we don’t care···"

Gast’s expression was a bit awkward.

"What did United Industries argue?"

He Ao seemed not particularly surprised by this outcome and asked softly.

"This is the problem,"

Relieved that someone interjected, Gast exhaled and slowly said, "United Industries claims their Security Minister secretly conspired with the Eternal Secret Teachings, bringing their team and the borrowed Sky Behemoth to besiege us. They claim last night’s incident was purely accidental and that they were also victims dragged into it by the Eternal Secret Teachings."

"But that’s obviously just an excuse···"

Lena frowned slightly.

"It indeed is an excuse, but as long as United Industries ’reported’ the incident beforehand complying with procedural workflow, and with a big consortium operating on their behalf, it is difficult for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Headquarters to jump to conclusions directly."

He Ao slowly continued.

"Reported the incident beforehand?"

Lena was baffled for a moment.

Gast looked at He Ao with some surprise and continued,

"After I had left, they ’reported’ the case through a traitor they had bribed inside the Bureau and suppressed the news through him. He reported directly to headquarters, bypassing me. They claimed the problem was discovered only after the Sky Behemoth had left. They had all arrangements in place well before the incident,"

At this point, he sighed, "Instead, it was we who were caught off guard."

"Wint City is too far from Ains,"

He Ao looked at the electronic fireplace burning with firelight, "Plus, with Gast not dead, not seriously violating the Federation’s taboos, it’s easy to drag out the time a bit by manipulating things, then follow the normal investigation procedure. By the time, just blame everything on the Eternal Secret Teachings, and United Industries can stay out of it."

"I had applied for direct support, but it wasn’t approved. Instead, they assembled an elite investigation team to come here, which is all the normal internal process of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,

"But since Wint City is so far from Ains, by the time the investigation team arrives, investigates, reports, and verifies, at least half a month would have passed."

"Is this purely a procedural delay?"

Lena caught on somewhat, "Does United Industries plan to use the Eternal Secret Teachings to gain complete control of Wint City, then betray the Eternal Secret Teachings, using the power of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to wipe them out, thus acquiring a clean Wint City?"

Her expression darkened slightly, and she spoke through clenched teeth, "All the bad deeds are done by the Eternal Secret Teachings, making them look like innocent lambs. Pretty clever plan."

She then pondered, "If they manage to pull this off, won’t all past issues be wiped clean? And how could the Federal Bureau of Investigation be such bastards to allow United Industries to deceive them?"

Gast gave an awkward smile beside her.

If the Federal Bureau of Investigation were truly clear and pure, he, a distinguished C-level, wouldn’t have been assigned so far away from Ains to Wint City.

Strictly speaking, there was nothing wrong with the approach taken by FBI Headquarters; it was all standard procedure.

But the same thing, in different hands, through different processes, could produce entirely opposite results, and still all be within regulations.

There are too many factors that could be ’manipulated’.

He looked up at He Ao, "From the current situation, the cooperation between the Eternal Secret Teachings and United Industries doesn’t seem entirely solid. Perhaps we can exploit their disputes."

As he spoke, his tone gradually lowered.

The Eternal Secret Teachings and United Industries are both cunning old foxes full of scheming; the more contradictions they have, the more they will restrain themselves from falling out.

Deliberately instigating might backfire.

He Ao nodded slightly, thinking, and turned to Klin, who had been unable to get a word in, and asked softly, "Mister Klin, do you know any recent movements of the Eternal Secret Teachings?"

"I’m not sure about other areas,"

Klin pondered and replied, "Recently, there have been more and more ’sermons’ in the Storm Zone, and more people have been chosen to enter the Kingdom of God. Some of my old comrades have also been ’sent’ into the Kingdom of God, and many aimless gang youths have been recruited by the Eternal Secret Teachings. They’re also continuously recruiting new members from their ’followers’, and it seems like they are expanding massively."

He Ao still pondered and nodded, turning back to Gast, "When is the FBI Headquarters’ investigation team expected to arrive?"

"They should be here before tomorrow night."

Gast answered quickly.

"The weather forecast says there will be a snowstorm tomorrow night."

Lena mentioned with some confusion.

Gast nodded, "They are speeding up to avoid the storm, trying to arrive before the snowstorm tomorrow night. The specialized fighter they are using is faster than an airship."

He Ao looked up, gazing at the character cards floating in his field of view.

He had already made some deductions, but he felt that something was still missing.