309: You can be kind but don't be a saint

A week later, a gray escort spaceship bearing the Interstellar Peace Corporation logo quietly docked at a secret port in Skyreach City.

The spaceship had a cold, menacing design, devoid of any portholes, its surface covered in thick armor plating, making it resemble a mobile prison.

Governor Smith personally led the Governor's Guard, escorting 359 prisoners to the port. Fully enclosed prison vans formed a long line, slowly driving into the port under the watchful eyes of armed guards.

"I've finally waited for this day," Governor Smith whispered to his aide beside him, "Once these people are all in the Prison Planet, we can rest easy."

The aide responded fawningly, "Governor Smith is brilliant!"

Inside the port, two staff members in company uniforms waited indifferently. They wore the emblem of the Prison Management Department on their chests, holding data pads, and expressionlessly inspecting each prison van.

"Governor Smith, correct?" the lead staff member confirmed his identity, "We are from the Prison Planet escort team. Please cooperate to complete the handover procedures."

Governor Smith quickly nodded, "Of course, of course! Here is the list of all prisoners and their sentencing documents, please review them."

The staff member quickly scanned the documents, then began counting the individuals. The entire process was strictly business, without any unnecessary expressions or words.

After the count was confirmed, the staff member signaled to begin transferring the prisoners.

Company armed robots immediately stepped forward, placing special restraint devices on each prisoner. These included opaque visors covering their eyes, sound-blocking ear coverings, and gags to prevent speech.

Before the devices were placed on him, Wilson stared intently at Governor Smith, his eyes filled with hatred, as if to say, "Governor Smith! You will get your comeuppance!"

Governor Smith merely sneered, watching as the robots fastened the restraint devices onto Wilson's head.

The prisoners, like cargo, were escorted by robots, forming a single file line towards the escort spaceship. A scanner at the spaceship's entrance performed biometric identification on each prisoner, allowing them to pass only after confirming their identity.

Taking advantage of a lull in the handover, Governor Smith put on a warm smile, attempting to build rapport with the company staff: "Thank you for your hard work, traveling all this way to receive these serious offenders. May I ask your name?"

The staff member maintained a professional distance: "Governor Smith, you're too kind. Just call me Lifan. This is our job."

Governor Smith continued to try and ingratiate himself: "Mr. Lifan, you've had a tiring journey. Would you like to rest for a moment at the Governor's Mansion? We've prepared excellent refreshments..."

Lifan politely but firmly refused: "Thank you for your kind offer, Governor, but company regulations require escort missions to be completed on time, without delay."

Seeing that direct flattery was ineffective, Governor Smith then began to probe indirectly: "Speaking of which, I've always been curious about the Prison Planet. I hear it's where all the lifelong inmates are held?"

Lifan responded curtly: "Yes."

Governor Smith feigned emotion: "With so many serious offenders confined together for so long, it must form a special internal society, wouldn't it? Like in ordinary prisons, would there also be some small groups or gangs?"

Lifan glanced at him, sensing his ulterior motives, but didn't expose him, merely responding perfunctorily: "The Prison Planet has strict management systems. Prisoners are categorized by danger level and held in isolated confinement, with fixed work and rest times each day."

"Specific details are company confidential, and I am not authorized to disclose them."

Governor Smith was not deterred and continued to probe: "I heard that some prisoners' families try to pull strings. I wonder if the Prison Planet allows visits or the sending of daily necessities?"

Lifan inwardly sneered, but outwardly played along: "The Prison Planet operates a complete isolation system; no external contact is allowed. As for daily necessities, they are uniformly provided by the company."

At this moment, the last prisoner was escorted onto the spaceship. Lifan immediately ended the conversation: "All prisoners have been handed over; we must depart immediately."

"Governor Smith, farewell."

Governor Smith could only give up: "Of course, of course! Thank you for your hard work! I wish you a smooth journey!"

Lifan turned and boarded the spaceship, and the hatch slowly closed. The moment he entered the spaceship, the professional indifference on his face instantly vanished, replaced by deep suspicion.

He quickly walked to the control room and said to his colleague Sukte: "This Governor Smith is problematic; he kept asking about the internal situation of the Prison Planet, and also wanted to know if visits and sending items were allowed."

Sukte put down his data pad, his brow slightly furrowed: "Indeed suspicious. The company has arrested many terrorists over the past decade, but never has Skyreach City sent 359 people at once. This number is too abnormal."

Lifan opened the monitoring screen for the detention bay: "Look at the condition of these prisoners. Although they are all wearing restraint devices, many are subtly shrugging their shoulders, clearly sobbing. And those few children, they look to be at most ten years old."

"I've never heard of an escort of terrorist organization members covering all age groups like this."

Sukte carefully observed the monitoring screen, his expression growing more serious: "Indeed, these people don't look like heinous criminals at all."

He opened his wrist terminal and began searching for recent news from Skyreach City: "Let me check what's been happening in Skyreach City recently."

A few minutes later, Sukte looked up, his tone firm: "As expected. Skyreach City recently experienced a large-scale political purge. The news states that the Wilson faction was accused of kidnapping scientists, first-degree murder, and stealing company technology."

Lifan asked in shock: "Kidnapping scientists? Stealing company technology? What's that about? Interstellar Peace broadcasts haven't reported any related news, have they?"

"Also, even if these charges are true, it shouldn't be severe enough to send them to the Prison Planet! And they didn't even spare children?"

Sukte shook his head: "They are merely sacrifices of political struggle. Look at these reports; they are all published by media controlled by Governor Smith, and the so-called evidence is also provided by them. Anyone with eyes can see what's going on."

"If it were truly as the reports claim, then these wouldn't be ordinary criminals. Not to mention the guys in the executive department, it would probably require the Cloud Knights to be dispatched."

Lifan looked at the helpless prisoners on the monitoring screen, especially the few obviously underage children, and a strong sense of pity welled up in his heart: "These people might all be innocent. Should we report this to our supervisor? Maybe we can save them..."

Sukte shook his head again, his tone calm: "Lifan, I understand your feelings. But first, we don't have conclusive evidence to prove their innocence. Second, even if we report it, the company may not intervene in Skyreach City's internal strife."

"Look at this." Seeing Lifan still wanting to argue, Sukte pulled up a report: "This is the company's monthly allocation record of living supplies to Oceania City-States. There is conclusive evidence that Wilson has long embezzled these supplies for personal gain."

The data chart clearly showed that at least 20% of the monthly supplies were intercepted by the Wilson faction. Sukte continued to explain: "The year before I was promoted, I was responsible for three material transportations to those debtors. The team leader at the time told me that these materials often 'mysteriously' decreased."

"Look at the living conditions of those debtors. According to the supplies allocated by the company, while it wouldn't make them well-off, living relatively decently wouldn't be a problem."

"But now? Their living standards can only be described as 'barely subsisting.' While it wouldn't lead to unrest, it's certainly not easy."

"If there's no problem here, then where did enough supplies for tens of millions of people go? It can't be that the Construction Materials Logistics Department is creating false accounts, can it?"

Lifan silently looked at the data, his expression complex.

Sukte patted his shoulder: "Lifan, you are kind, which is a good thing, but don't be a bleeding heart. Wilson might not deserve this, but he's certainly not a good person either."

"None of those powerful figures in Skyreach City are clean."

Lifan took a deep breath: "I understand. But we should at least note this abnormal situation in the report, right?"

"That's fine," Sukte nodded in agreement: "We'll note Governor Smith's unusual inquiries and our observations in the handover documents, and let the supervisors decide."

"Our duty is done; the rest is for the bigwigs to handle."

Just as Lifan and Sukte were preparing to write the report, an entirely unknown change occurred in the detention bay.

A holographic projection silently appeared before the prisoners, elegantly snapping his fingers. All the restraint devices on the prisoners' heads opened in response, the visors, ear coverings, and gags simultaneously disengaging.

The monitoring equipment was also shielded, ensuring that everything that followed would not be recorded.

Wilson was the first to react, looking in shock at the projection before him.

It was a meticulously dressed male figure, in a dark red suit, elegantly holding a glass of Red Wine, exuding an air of calm and composure.

"You, who are you?" Wilson asked with a trembling voice, both excited and afraid.

The projected figure casually scratched the back of his head, his tone relaxed and confident: "Interstellar Peace Corporation Market Development Department, Red Wine."

The prisoners exchanged glances, at a loss. Red Wine's projection looked around, smiling, and said: "Everyone, don't worry. The company has already noticed the abnormal situation in Skyreach City."

Wilson eagerly pressed: "You mean, there's still hope for us?"

Red Wine elegantly sipped the contents of his glass: "The specific situation still needs investigation. I can only tell you that the company is not unaware of the recent power games in Skyreach City."

He walked towards Wilson, scrutinizing him: "During an internal audit, I unexpectedly discovered that a supervisor on the Prison Planet was privately selling detention slots at low prices for exorbitant profits."

"After questioning, I learned that Skyreach City, due to political infighting, had sentenced over three hundred people to life imprisonment all at once."

Wilson eagerly defended himself: "Those charges were all fabricated by Governor Smith! He did it to eliminate dissenters––"

Red Wine raised a hand to interrupt his complaints: "However, your charges of embezzling and damaging company assets are undeniable."

Wilson's face instantly turned pale: "I... I don't understand what you mean..."

Red Wine's gaze lowered, then he slightly raised his head, looking down at Wilson, who had begun to tremble. After a moment of silence, he spoke softly.

"Twenty percent of the living supplies allocated to Oceania City-States each month went into your pockets."

Wilson still tried to argue: "Those supplies... the supplies, I was for better distribution and management, yes, management."

Red Wine sneered: "Are you challenging the professionalism and capabilities of the Market Development Department?"

Wilson fell completely silent, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He understood that his crimes in this area were undeniable, and he also knew how terrifying this department within the company, which sounded like a sales research department, truly was.

Seeing Wilson trembling, Red Wine's tone softened slightly: "However, one thing at a time. Although you are indeed guilty, your crime does not warrant life imprisonment. Not to mention your family and these subordinates; many of them are innocent."

"Although I personally believe that 'if benefits don't extend to family, then misfortune won't extend to family,' I am, after all, just a P31-level minor character, and I still have to follow departmental regulations."

Whispers of hope erupted among the prisoners. Several children clung tightly to their parents, the light of hope rekindled in their eyes.

Red Wine finished the last bit of wine in his glass and said: "According to normal procedures, prisoners sent to the Prison Planet should be forcibly deeply sedated and then wake up in their cell beds."

"The fact that you are still awake now, naturally, also has a reason."