Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Questioning Quentin Ford
The cake meant to be saved for last was now the first thing to be finished.
But Zoe Pierce had to admit, even though it was a little ugly, it tasted alright.
The cake batter and the fresh cream, prepared with precise ratios, were flawless.
Outside the villa, the personnel hiding in the shadows couldn’t help but chuckle.
Miles Sherman and the others hadn’t closed the window, so sounds naturally drifted out.
Besides, Miles Sherman had notified the military about Zoe Pierce’s birthday well in advance. They hadn’t requested any special preparations, only informed them of their intention to celebrate.
So a little noise from them only made the soldiers smile to themselves.
’Youths and their energy.’
’It seems the attack didn’t affect them much.’
After the day’s commotion, Zoe Pierce went to bed earlier than usual.
「Another half a month passed.」
They were finally released.
The Military was undergoing a major purge.
The other teams, who had been undergoing their own trials on other planets, now also knew what had happened.
When Zoe Pierce and her team returned to their unit, they inevitably drew stares.
It was mainly because everyone felt they carried an air of blood and battle.
Especially those Alphas from the First Military Academy. They were all S-Class, and they had weathered the storm so well.
In a way, Nathan Lockwood and his team were already a step ahead of everyone else.
They knew more, and they were more capable.
The trials that had been originally planned were now completely canceled.
However, the military’s attitude toward Zoe Pierce and her team hadn’t changed in the slightest.
Even though the trial had ended in failure, it was no fault of theirs. Their abilities were still continuously improving.
The five of them stepped into Instructor Joyce’s office together.
Instructor Joyce was just the same as ever. With just the few of them in his office, he even joked, "How was the birthday?"
Clearly, he’d heard about it from the guards.
Zoe Pierce grew a bit shy. The fact that her instructor had heard about it made her cheeks flush slightly.
"It was nice." Seeing Instructor Joyce’s gentle gaze, she pursed her lips and spoke.
"Good. Consider it a vacation. No one else gets that kind of special treatment." Instructor Joyce glanced at the team as he spoke.
The team’s expressions were a bit wry.
’It wasn’t the kind of special treatment they wanted.’
His expression turned serious. "During this period, the Military has been conducting an internal investigation. We’ve already caught a few people with dirty laundry, but I can’t give you the specific details directly."
What Nathan Lockwood could figure out, others in the Military could naturally figure out as well.
This organization’s recruitment was very specific, which, in a way, made it easy to rule out other suspects.
Wherever there are Omegas, it’s almost impossible for there not to be Betas.
So, once the investigation centered on the Military’s Beta doctors, they indeed found some leads.
Two Beta doctors initially denied everything. But after a search uncovered communication devices that no doctor should possess, they committed suicide to escape justice.
Of these two doctors, one had served in the military for eight years, the other for five.
Needless to say, this sent shockwaves through the Military.
There was no telling how much information had been leaked over the years.
Investigation after investigation was launched, and the atmosphere throughout the Military was now grim.
Furthermore, the communication devices they’d found were all encrypted. They’d been sent to the communications division, but there were no results yet.
This caused a state of widespread paranoia, especially among the Beta doctors.
Even Quentin Ford himself had made a trip to the Military headquarters.
As the head of the Beta Association, he was summoned for a direct meeting.
While Zoe Pierce and her team were reporting to Instructor Joyce, Quentin Ford was in a conference room in another building, undergoing an interrogation.
"Councilor Ford, it’s now clear that the people the Beta Association has been recommending to the Military have massive problems." Colonel Hanson had already tossed a pile of files in front of Quentin Ford.
His hawk-like gaze was fixed intently on Quentin Ford.
Quentin Ford lowered his gaze to the files. They contained information not only on the two key individuals but also on several people he didn’t even recognize.
"Colonel Hanson, this is certainly not a situation I wished to see," he said, his expression strained.
Everyone knew Quentin Ford was in a tough spot, caught between the Alphas and the Omega Association. His current expression was pained.
"This is a huge blow to our Beta Association and its councilors." Being linked to a terrorist organization and suspected of transmitting intelligence... no matter how you looked at it, Quentin Ford was guilty of lax supervision.
Colonel Hanson wasn’t interested in excuses. He just stared at Quentin Ford. "There’s a mole among the councilors."
"Someone of low status and without money couldn’t possibly support an operation like this."
In the conference room now were not only Colonel Hanson but also several general-officer-rank Alpha leaders.
He was the one in charge of the entire operation, responsible for reporting the results to his superiors.
Quentin Ford pressed his lips together, saying nothing.
Colonel Hanson continued, "I recommend opening an investigation into Councilor Ford and the councilors in his circle."
Justin Lewis, who had been standing by, immediately bristled. "I object. Colonel, have you considered the repercussions for the councilors if we were to proceed with your proposed investigation?"
At this point, a Major General who had been listening to the entire exchange raised a hand. "Taking action against Councilor Ford without any evidence could easily cause a panic."
Even if his personal relationship with Quentin Ford was unremarkable, business was business. Everyone knew the position Quentin Ford held among the Betas.
He had been building his influence for over twenty years, and countless Betas had benefited from his help.
Launching a direct investigation without evidence would undoubtedly provoke a backlash from the Beta population.
While their abilities might not compare to those of Alphas and Omegas, no one could deny that Betas made up the largest segment of the population.
A significant portion of Betas were on good terms with Omegas, and Omegas, in turn, were inextricably linked with Alphas.
After listening to the discussion, Quentin Ford spoke in a calm, deep voice. "I can accept a limited investigation. If the Military wishes to investigate other councilors, I can help facilitate that as well."
"However, I would still like to speak in my own defense."
The elegant man sat in his chair like a pillar of stability, looking up at the Alphas who seemed so high and mighty.
"Forgive my bluntness, but there is nothing for me to gain from this."
"Furthermore, I have long maintained a friendly relationship with Zoe Pierce and her young friends."
Quentin Ford was confident they could verify all of this through their own investigation.
As for what he stood to gain... he was already the most powerful Beta in the entire Federation. Wealth and connections were his for the taking.
What benefit would getting involved with a terrorist organization bring him?
He spoke in an even, measured tone, as if open to negotiation, yet he remained perfectly composed.
"But I have not been without fault in this matter," he said, offering a small smile to the Alphas. "I will conduct a self-review regarding this incident."
Justin Lewis, however, was far more expressive than Quentin Ford. He frowned, a vein throbbing on his jaw, but ultimately, he said nothing.
He was seething with indignation, but he held his tongue given the setting.
None of the others who glanced his way paid him any mind.
Given Quentin Ford’s standing among Betas, such loyalty was to be expected.
