Counterfeit Hero

The office was silent.

Hastings flicked the switch on his wheelchair, moved to the window, and quietly gazed at the early winter scene of Hydefield.

The sky was as clear as a polished jade, with only a few wisps of floating clouds. Two warplanes moved slowly, one after the other, in the vast expanse of blue on the horizon. Behind the warplanes were two white lines, tightly knit and unbroken. A rain had made the distant view doubly clear. Towers of soaring Space Cities, spiraling aerial highways and the undulating Feaoqi Mountain painted a pristine, immaculate picture.

”After you leave, will it be destroyed by the war?” Francis walked noiselessly to Hastings’ side, staring at the city outside the window. The temples of this Feiyang President were already streaked with white. At this moment, he stood quietly here, more like a cultivated scholar.

”That depends on our luck.” Hastings smiled slightly, without turning his head.

Francis withdrew his gaze, looked at Hastings, his lips moved, but for a long time, he still couldn’t speak, only letting out a long sigh.

Hastings’ medical report had already been released. It was presented by a medical team composed of the most advanced medical experts of Feiyang, absolutely without the slightest error. The report showed that Hastings’ physical condition had reached quite a bad stage. According to the experts’ predictions, at most one year of life remained!

This was a cruel report. No one liked to know their deadline. However, Francis had no choice but to come personally and tell Hastings this news. They had been partners for many years. Before Francis became President, they were already partners. Therefore, Francis knew that this news could not be concealed under any circumstances. They had too many things to do, and the time was only a year...

Francis didn’t dare to imagine what Feiyang would become after losing Hastings. Leefer, Qian Bolin, Fiscella... who would be a match for Sobel?

Would he have to watch helplessly as this nation collapses ferociously during his term?

Francis closed his eyes, as if he could see the overwhelming warplanes rushing from the horizon, groups of Mechas storming into the city. Countless explosive flames soared into the sky. Amidst that endless barrage, buildings turned into ruins and vibrant lives into cold corpses amidst pools of blood. The azure sky was completely obscured by billowing black smoke, and the whole city resembled a fiery hell.

That was... the scene of doomsday!

”At this moment, Douglas, should strike...” Francis poured himself a cup of coffee, changing the subject, trying to make his tone seem more relaxed: ”What plans does the Command Department have for the Southeast war situation?”

”None at all,” Hastings laughed, suddenly saying something completely unexpected to Francis. He flicked the switch, and the wheelchair swiftly did a turn, heading toward the desk: ”Do you know what I will do in this last year?”

Francis was momentarily stunned by these words, asking instinctively, ”What?”

”Are you curious why I don’t care at all about the war situation in the Southeast Star Domain?” Hastings’ wheelchair rolled past the immense interstellar map.

Francis coughed once, not saying a word.

Hastings’ question hit his true doubts. Indeed, this was his real query.

Francis understood very well that Hastings must have known about his own health condition. And this period of suddenly increased activity in the Feiyang Army also indicated that this Feiyang Military God was already preparing for Feiyang after his departure. However, if initiatives like actively attacking the Karsdon Star River, frequent personnel appointments, and the formation of alliance forces across major war zones for Fei, were Hastings laying the groundwork and steering Feiyang in this last year, then some of his other behaviors, many found, including Francis, hard to comprehend...

For instance, the war situation in the Southeast Star Domain!

As far as Francis knew, neither the Southeast Allied Army under Fiscella’s leadership, Mars Front Army under Carolina’s command, nor Douglas leading four A-level fleets deep into the Southeast, received any operational guidance from the Command Department. Hastings seemed to have completely forgotten the Southeast Star Domain, and the Military Department’s biggest and most direct intervention in the Southeast war situation was only to send Qian Bolin to Chuckna to form the Eastern United Army!

This was unlike Feiyang’s usual mode of operation. Particularly when it involves the life and death of Feiyang in this century-long war, with Hastings watching days of his limited time slip away while doing nothing, it seemed unusual no matter how one looked at it.

”Honestly, I’m not the only one who finds it strange...” Francis let out a dry laugh.

In fact, there were already opposition parties criticizing the government’s competence in handling the current war situation. They dared not question Hastings, but dared to question the government, even though everyone understood that the war situation was beyond governmental control, such criticisms were still widespread. This is politics.

”I’ve held this position for thirty years now,” Hastings’ wheelchair came to a stop in front of the old-fashioned wooden desk: ”People say I’ve elevated the Feiyang Republic to the throne of a superpower. Over the years, I’ve always thought so too...”

Francis silently stared at Hastings’ back. More than anyone, he understood how much this elderly man, who could only sit in a wheelchair, had sacrificed for this country over the past three decades... those people weren’t wrong!