Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

"To be honest, you're pretty lucky. If you didn't cause the dispute between the 3rd Division and 13th Division, making all of the factions in the military fight over positions which caused them to not have any expendable resources to investigate you, you might have been told to stay in Soldier City for the investigation. If you were really held back in Soldier City, it would have been much more difficult for you to get out of this situation." Ling Xiao rejoiced at the fact that Ling Lan had created a scene. It was originally supposed to test the waters of the military, but he didn't think it would help them reap so many benefits and also accidentally helped her out of a crisis-like situation. Now that she had returned to the 23rd division, it was more difficult for the opposition to lay a hand on his daughter.

The coldness in Ling Xiao's expression seeped through his joyful facial expression. If those people dared to betray his daughter, then that meant they were ready to give up everything.

"Do you know what they had reported you on?" Ling Xiao realized Ling Lan hadn't asked him about this.

"The military is usually careful but they still sent the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee, so it's probably my training methods." Ling Lan didn't need to think and knew that only this would cause people to denounce her.

"Do you know what the name of the crime is?" Ling Xiao smiled. If his daughter could take only such a short time to realize the problem, it meant that she was a sensitive and intelligent person. Even if she was to face other traps and plots against her in the future, she would be able to handle them.

In actuality, the reason why Ling Xiao hadn't contacted Ling Lan wasn't because he was afraid that their relations.h.i.+p would be exposed. What could happen even if they were exposed? Who was Ling Xiao ever afraid of? He wanted everyone to know that he has a capable and special child.

In short, Ling Xiao used this situation to test Ling Lan's problem solving skills. After all, if Ling Lan continued to live within the military, as she climbs the ranking ladder, these plots from different powers would be countless. She must get used to them for her to live in the military. Ling Xiao was very satisfied with Ling Lan's performance this time.

"Probably being violent and violating human rights or something like that," Ling Lan said nonchalantly. Ever since she decided to use this method to forge these mecha operators into sharp blades, she was already prepared that she would be met with a problem like this.

"Do you have any plans to resolve it?" Ling Xiao raised his eyebrow as he asked. Knowing the problem but without the capabilities of providing a solution was also a fail grade.

"It's simple, just don't admit to it," Ling Lan smiled coldly. At that moment, other than the witness statements of those mecha operators who betrayed her, the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee would be hard-pressed to find any other hard evidence against her. How could she leave any evidence if she had already thought that an outcome like this might happen? The video footage were all destroyed by Little Four. Without capabilities similar to Little Four, they were impossible to recover.

"Don't let the number of mecha operators' witness statements get past 10% of the clan's population. Otherwise, even if they don't have evidence, the opposition can still make a case." Ling Xiao reminded.

"Don't worry, I have a way around it." Ling Lan smirked. The game had begun. She was already going to send away those conniving and sly individuals from 250 Ace Mecha Clan after she completed the land clearing mission. She didn't think that they would actively give her an opportunity to let her cast them away in public…

Ling Lan didn't know whether she should mock them for thinking they were smart or pity them for causing their own demise. She only hoped that they won't regret what they had done.

After talking for a short while afterwards, Ling Lan said goodbye to her mom and dad. At that moment, Ling Xiao suddenly asked, "Who was that little punk at the beginning?" During the three months that he was alongside Ling Lan, he never saw a little kid with her. Ling Xiao remembered that intelligent A.I., Meng Lan. Did that Ling Little Four come from the same place as Meng Lan?

Ling Lan was originally planning on telling the truth, she suddenly had a playful thought. She straightened her face and said in a serious tone, "Dad, after so many years, shouldn't you give this little brother an official ident.i.ty?"

"Ling Xiao?!" Lan Luofeng, who was full of smiles while watching the two of them talk to each other, had her eyes went bright red instantly and began to scream after hearing Ling Lan's words.

"Nonsense!" Ling Xiao had a pained expression. He angrily glared at Ling Lan and quickly comforted his wife to not listen to Ling Lan's nonsense.

"Mom, I love you. And Dad, be safe!" Ling Lan's expression showed a hint of playfulness. Lan Luofeng, who originally thought Ling Xiao had done something to betray her, instantly understood that it was Ling Lan's prank. She felt angry and happy at the same time. It seemed that Ling Lan had felt something wrong was going on between Lan Luofeng and Ling Xiao. Thus, Ling Lan gave her a chance to let out her anger.

"She really is my little sweetheart!" Lan Luofeng thought as her eyes began to redden, but it returned to its original large fiery eyes in an instant. She shouldn't waste her daughter's goodwill.

As for Ling Xiao, he was suffering and happy at the same time. He both loved and hated his daughter's prank, and didn't know whether he should cry or laugh.

After hanging up the call, Ling Lan's smile disappeared and returned to her cold expression. She quickly washed-up and changed into a clean major uniform. At the same time, she ordered Li Lanfeng and Li s.h.i.+yu to accompany her to the meeting hall to fight a weaponless battle.

Faced with these kinds of plots, traps and maybe even lying with a straight face, the conniving and sly Li Lanfeng was more suitable than the virtuous Han Jijyun.

As for Li s.h.i.+yu… back then, the reason why her father sent her to 250 Ace Mecha Clan now became her weapon for counter-attacking. Ling Lan even thought that maybe from the very beginning, her father had already prepared everything for her. He was just trying to see whether she will use it or not.

Ling Lan smirked. If this was her father's test, then she would let her father know she wasn't some useless heir.

Not long after, Ling Lan led Li Lanfeng and Li s.h.i.+yu, who had prepared thoroughly, to the meeting hall. As they were walking there, Ling Lan told them about her predictions and why they had come to 250 Ace Mecha Clan. The two of them also made their preparations and walked into the meeting hall full of energy.

The Disciplinary and Investigation Committee had expressions of dissatisfaction when they saw Ling Lan bringing two majors with her. Ling Lan didn't pay them any heed and immediately sat down at the main seat. Li Lanfeng and Li s.h.i.+yu also sat down beside Ling Lan, without any regard for the others. They would, of course, not give the opposition any good looks since they didn't come here to be peaceful.

After Ling Lan showing that she was the master of the place, she gestured the opposition to sit down and speak. Only the senior colonel, who was sly and conniving, wasn't affected and kept smiling, the others were more or less angered by Ling Lan's att.i.tude. Especially the young major, with his expression becoming more twisted.

Li Lanfeng scanned around the room, and knew the senior colonel would be the most difficult person to deal with. He took a deep breath and focused. He must fight a brilliant battle for himself and Ling Lan.

On the side, Li s.h.i.+yu had his eyes somewhat closed. Before his regiment commander throws him into the fray, he would only be a bystander and wouldn't partic.i.p.ate in the battle from the beginning.

"You seem quite busy, Regiment Commander Ling. You made us wait for a very long time." Before Ling Lan could say anything, the young major jumped out and spoke loudly.

"Of course, our regiment commander is a commander of a clan. He is much busier than major like us who don't have actually power." Li Lanfeng said while smiling. Although it seemed he was mocking himself, he was actually mocking the young major. The young major could not find a proper reb.u.t.tal, so the stress started building up in him which almost made him faint.

"Actually useless!" The senior colonel, who led the team, cursed internally at the fact that his subordinate was useless. His expression however didn't change as nodded and smiled, "Indeed. Major Ling has made many achievements at such a young age, resulting in being a regiment commander at such a young age. Perhaps you are a genius that General Ling has set his sights on. Your future is limitless, Major Ling."

Ling Lan had her eyes half open and didn't respond, making the senior colonel feel awkward for talking to himself. He couldn't help but insult Ling Lan in his head for being a sly b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

His words were actually a trap. No matter how Ling Lan responded, they would be able to continue to question her. Now that her lips were tightly sealed and wouldn't say anything, the senior colonel couldn't continue to ask questions. Even if it was the confident senior colonel, he still couldn't help but feel demotivated from the defeat he took at the very beginning of the interrogation.

The entire meeting hall was silent. Ling Lan's group of three came to this meeting with the thought of speaking only when necessary. They won't actively speak to the opposition to let the opposition find a chance to question them. Thus, they calmly held the teacup Lin Zhong-qing had brought and drank from it slowly. This extremely calm demeanor made the people from the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee irritated.

The only way to get through Ling Lan's defenses was to make her panic, increasing the chances of her making a mistake, waiting wasn't an option. Those from the committee knew that they weren't given much time. If they couldn't find hard evidence in the required time, they could only return without achieving anything. Just as Ling Lan had thought, they only had a small amount of people speak and make witness statements. They didn't have actual evidence and the amount of witness statements were not enough to make a case…

After thinking about this point, the senior colonel sighed internally. There were clearly so many people who had stayed back at the base camp, but in the end, only less than 10 individuals were willing to expose their regiment commander's abusive training methods. The others, no matter how much they questioned, threatened or tricked them, they still couldn't make the others say anything. This made the senior colonel admire this young regiment commander's methods of being able to make his subordinate not dare to speak a word in a short time.

However, the more the situation continued on, the more he wanted to rip off Ling Lan's facade. He definitely couldn't let this violent individual rise up the ranks. If that happened, there would be more soldiers going through inhumane training methods. The senior colonel's eyes flickered, and a strong will showed within them. Wasn't this the reason why the Disciplinary and Investigation Committee existed?

The senior colonel threw a glare at this confidant. A lieutenant colonel, who was a subordinate of the senior colonel, spoke out in a formal and cold manner, "Regiment Commander Ling, we've looked through your files. You are a new recruit who just entered the division this year. You're still short a few days for an entire year. Please explain how did you manage to jump the ranks from being a new recruit to a regiment commander?"

After hearing him, Ling Lan raised her eyes and smirked, "I thought the doc.u.ments have it clearly written down. Did you not read it?"

Hearing this, the lieutenant colonel instantly shouted, "Ling Lan, please correct your att.i.tude. When I'm asking you, you must answer."

Ling Lan frowned and spoke with a hint of confusion, "Mr. Senior Colonel, are you here to question about things? Or are you here to interrogate me?"

They want to scare her? However, Ling Lan was quite daring. Otherwise, she wouldn't cause so many troublesome situations to occur, causing her father to have headaches when he cleans up after her. Ling Lan knew it all very well. She was indeed not a naughty child.