Three days later.
Jiang Ye and Cen Yemeng went to the conference room and met the intelligence officer, Snake Man.
"Commander, sir!" Snake Man stood up and saluted crisply.
"You returning in person to report must mean you have important intelligence," Jiang Ye said. "Please proceed. We want to hear every detail."
"My identity on the planet of exiles is that of an interstellar black market arms dealer. The day before yesterday, in the early morning, I saw Chokumura Rintaro. I was waiting at the Governor's Mansion to meet with a high-ranking air force official when Chokumura Rintaro walked right past me," Snake Man's expression held a hint of lingering fear. "His demeanor was completely different from the video and photos. Others walking on the wooden floor make a 'pat-pat-pat' sound, but he walked with a heavy 'ka-ka-ka' sound. His face was imposing even without anger, and his aura was incredibly strong, clearly indicating a dominant personality. He also commanded great respect; everyone stood up and saluted when they saw him, but no one dared to look him directly in the eye. Even the officers speaking with him kept their heads bowed, like children before an elder."
Jiang Ye and Cen Yemeng exchanged a glance and continued to watch Snake Man.
"The high command of the planet of exiles has placed an astonishingly large order with me," Snake Man said, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it over.
Jiang Ye took it and read.
Nuclear weapons.
Biological weapons.
Intelligent war machines.
Space weapons.
And some warp drive ships, likely for interstellar escape or surprise attacks.
The total amount was forty-eight trillion.
"With such a massive order, would they entrust it to an outsider like you, whom they've only recently met?" Jiang Ye asked suspiciously. "Isn't it possible they're testing you? Would someone capable of procuring such arms risk their life by going to a blacklisted planet like the planet of exiles?"
"This matter is quite complex. Firstly, it is logical. Secondly, this is precisely what made me decide to return and report," Snake Man said. "I've been continuously building relationships with higher-ups within their organization during my time there, in other words, constant bribery. I believe both commanders are aware of this; I've spent more money than any other intelligence officer."
"There is a high-ranking official on the planet of exiles named Jiangshang Rongzi. I gained her trust primarily through her," Snake Man said, pulling a photo from his pocket and handing it over.
Jiang Ye and Cen Yemeng took it and looked. It was an intimate photo: a fair-skinned beauty sat by the edge of a hot spring, looking back with a smile, remarkably beautiful and moving, but with a hint of melancholy and the authority of someone in a high position in her gaze.
Jiang Ye was somewhat taken aback. "Why is the profile photo of this nature?"
"She doesn't have any photos in the media, and I couldn't access her official records. I could only take one myself," Snake Man said, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I have many more photos of her; this is the most conservative one."
Jiang Ye and Cen Yemeng both looked surprised.
This intelligence officer… he's quite something!
In such a short time, he managed to take such a photo of a beautiful woman from the planet of exiles' high command?
Jiang Ye couldn't help but scrutinize Snake Man, suddenly noticing that this intelligence officer was truly handsome. His face was a blend of feminine and masculine features. While his skin wasn't fair, it was healthily pleasing to the eye, giving him a charismatic appearance.
"This Jiangshang Rongzi holds many positions. She is the supervisor of the Tenth Army of the planet of exiles, responsible for overseeing troop discipline, personnel, and weaponry during peacetime, and for supervising military operations and execution during wartime. She is also a member of the planet of exiles' global governance think tank, responsible for strategizing the planet's development. Furthermore, she is a close confidante of Chokumura Rintaro, often appearing among his entourage and even visiting his home," Snake Man explained rapidly.
"However, her most important identity is not among these public positions," Snake Man suddenly changed his tone.
"You mean to say…" Cen Yemeng narrowed her eyes. "Chokumura's woman?"
"You could say that, but not in the way you might be thinking," Snake Man replied. "After spending a pleasant night with her, she personally told me that she is Chokumura's illegitimate daughter. Chokumura's wife is unaware that Jiangshang Rongzi is her husband's illegitimate child, so her identity cannot be publicly revealed. However, Chokumura dotes on her privately, even more than his legitimate children, because Jiangshang Rongzi's mother died when she was very young."
Jiang Ye was once again astonished.
This intelligence officer was actually involved with the daughter of the leader of the planet of exiles.
And he'd only taken such a short time.
What a talent!
He's truly sacrificing himself for the planet.
"Jiangshang Rongzi has a very contrasting personality. She is serious and capable in public, possessing the aura and authority of a high-ranking official, even personally executing subordinates who are found to be problematic."
"However, deep down, she suffers from extreme insecurity and a desperate craving for affection, like a desert dweller yearning for water. Because her mother died when she was young, and her father was too busy to spend time with her, she grew up among the military elite, in a world of strict hierarchy and brutal, bloody power struggles. Several senior officers who accompanied her were successively killed in power struggles, even beaten to death in front of her. To protect herself, she had to keep everyone at a distance, like a young cub without the protection of an adult beast, surviving alone in the jungle. Therefore, her emotions have always been suppressed, cold, and fearful of loss."
"I recognized this trait in her and exploited this weakness. She quickly fell completely, falling deeply in love with me and fearing losing me intensely, as I was the first person who could truly talk to her. Moreover, I don't belong to the planet of exiles, so I can leave whenever I wish and am not easily crushed by their power grinder," Snake Man said quickly. "To ensure my safety, she introduced me to her father, granting me special privileges, which is why I received this order."
Jiang Ye nodded in realization.
This intelligence officer truly had capabilities.
"However, my identity on the planet of exiles is not that of a top arms dealer. I claimed to be the illegitimate son of a top arms dealer. I explained that my father had over a hundred children, and with so many children, they weren't worth much, so no one paid attention to me wandering the universe. But I assured them that obtaining goods from my father was definitely possible," Snake Man said. "This explanation served three purposes: it earned Jiangshang Rongzi's empathy, made Chokumura think of his own daughter, and simultaneously justified my identity."
"So, the planet of exiles wants you to get these armaments from your father?" Cen Yemeng suddenly thought of a question. "The planet of exiles is not within the Galactic Empire's territory. How will they pay?"
"Gold," Snake Man explained. "The planet of exiles' treasury holds at least ten thousand tons of gold, piled high. Their global deep mining reserves are tens of thousands of tons more."
Cen Yemeng immediately understood.
Gold was indeed a hard currency. This rare, difficult-to-reproduce, easily preserved metal, which could be used to manufacture critical components, had been a natural form of money since ancient times, recognized everywhere.
"After explaining all this to you two commanders, I will now deliver the intelligence I truly came to convey," Snake Man said. "I've heard whispers that Chokumura is preparing to expand his military and mobilize the entire population into the army."