Chapter 20

Leonard and Charles were neither related nor acquainted and they hadn't met more than ten times in total, so logically speaking, Leonard didn't care that much. However, Charles's father, Mark Ashlin, who was also the leader and owner of the Ashlin Group, was Leonard's boss.

When Charles came to study at Bedrichi, Mark personally called Leonard and tasked him with watching over Charles. Leonard had been doing so for the past few years, fulfilling any request Charles made and handling any trouble caused by him. To please Charles, Leonard even sent his capable subordinate, Tanaka, and a group of thugs to assist Charles in dealing with people he disliked.

Charles was genuinely happy, promising Leonard that he would report to his father after graduation and arrange for Leonard to get a promotion and manage a larger planet. That was exactly what Leonard wanted.

Unexpectedly, an incident occurred when Charles was just about to graduate. Although Leonard had nothing to do with the incident, he was well aware of Mark's temper. If something happened to Charles, the blame would fall on Leonard, the manager of the Bedrichi Branch. Demotion was certain, and if the case was too serious, his neck would be the one on the chopping board.

So far, Leonard didn't dare inform Mark, who was far away on another planet, about the current situation. He was contemplating how to minimize his responsibility. Leonard wanted to suppress the matter, preventing the person in charge of the Apollo Academy from spreading it. However, the person in charge, fearing greater trouble if they concealed the incident, ignored Leonard and reported it directly to the authorities, making the situation spiral out of control.

As Leonard continued to walk back and forth, feeling lost, his Vox suddenly rang. Startled, he stopped and checked the message. A young man from Ashlin Group, wearing overalls, appeared on the screen, holding a stack of messy diagnostic reports with a hospital in the background.

"How did it go? What did the doctors say? Is everything alright?" Leonard asked anxiously.

The clerk shook his head, "No, sir. The doctor said that Charles's current condition requires being in a nutrition cabin. Any long-distance travel or entering space is not advisable, and..."

"And what? Spit it out!" Leonard interrupted.

The clerk hesitated before continuing, "He said that Charles suffered a severe brain injury, and no matter how advanced the medical treatment, repairing it would be almost impossible."

These words shook Leonard to the core. He squatted on the ground, muttering to himself about the dire situation. After a few minutes, he stood up abruptly, his red eyes wide open.

"Find a solution! If Charles can't travel, get equipment and doctors from other planets! Eddies are not an issue! What about the attacker? Have you identified them?"

"The security team is currently reviewing the surveillance tapes from the Apollo Academy. Results should be available soon."

"And Tanaka? What about him?" Leonard took steps toward the virtual screen, appearing ready to explode.

"Tanaka... Tanaka can't be reached at the moment..." the clerk said, his voice diminishing.

"FUCK!" Leonard kicked the nearby conference table and trembled with anxiety.

Leonard, now aware of Charles's condition, wanted to transfer him to a planet with advanced medical technology for treatment. If Charles could be saved, the situation would become much more manageable. Despite the bad news, Leonard insisted on finding a solution.

The Ashlin Group branch mobilized its resources, demanding a thorough investigation into the attacker from Apollo Academy, the local authorities, and the Blauth Empire Council Hall. Simultaneously, they traced Tanaka's whereabouts, pressuring anyone connected to him.

As investigations progressed, Ajax became a prime suspect in the media. A wanted warrant was issued, and the authorities aimed to catch him quickly. Alana, having spent time with Ajax, became key to the investigation.

Alana cooperated, providing information about Charles's activities the day he encountered Ajax. The authorities corroborated the details and compiled a timeline. However, Alana became evasive when asked further questions, appearing innocent with her eyes full of shock.