The elderly man downstairs laughed heartily, took a step back, and reprimanded, "You didn't even notify me when you got out, but luckily I noticed your personal account was activated and rushed over right away. Hurry up and open the door."
Chen Gu remotely controlled the door to open, and while waiting, he muttered to himself, "This world has an Ossosa too, and he's still my number one crony."
The old man moved with astonishing speed, darting into Chen Gu's room with agility that belied his age. Ossosa's eyes were a bit moist as he cursed and went straight up to give him a tight hug. "Good to see you out."
Then, he pushed Chen Gu away, his old face with its salt-and-pepper beard revealing a sly grin. "Hand it over."
"What?"
Ossosa gestured with curled fingers. "The footage! The full set with Valkyrie! The Supreme Tribunal moved too quickly back then; I only managed to watch the first three episodes. Don't tell me you don't have backups. I know you—there's no way you have less than several backups of that stuff."
Chen Gu was stunned for a moment. "You really are old but not grown up..."
Ossosa was instantly angered. "Bullshit, where have I aged? I'm in my prime, you know? I just took No.6 Life Potion, and I should live to two hundred, barring any accidents."
Why did Chen Beiliu die so early? Chen Gu wondered to himself.
"There are no backups, really. They were all confiscated by the Supreme Tribunal, and they have several experts." Chen Gu wasn't planning to give them to him. His original self really did hide several backups, but he needed to organize his memories to recall where exactly they were.
Ossosa's enthusiasm cooled significantly, and he asked listlessly, "So, what are your plans now?"
Chen Gu glared at him. "You've been eyeing my release date just for those videos, haven't you?"
"Of course not," Ossosa declared righteously. "I'm here for the bond we had. After all, you used to call me 'Dad'." Chen Gu threw a cup at him.
He confirmed it: in both worlds, his buddy was equally ridiculous.
"Chen Jixian wants me to continue going to school." The memory card contained a video message from Chen Jixian for Chen Gu, which he had already watched before Ossosa's arrival. The message also mentioned, "Still at Lubei Middle School."
Ossosa turned serious for once. "For your alma mater to reaccept you, Chen Jixian must have made many efforts." He looked at Chen Gu. "Not to offend you, but you've slowed him down. With the military merits Chen Jixian has earned over the years, he should've been at least a major general by now, but he's still just a colonel."
"On the way here, I inquired about some things. Three months ago, a swarm of the Insect Race unexpectedly crossed the Star Sea and attacked the agricultural planet Thousand Grass Star. The nine thousand interstellar cowboys working the land there fought bravely with rudimentary equipment. They defended their ground resolutely, unafraid of sacrifice, and their actions, broadcast live on the interstellar net, garnered widespread public sympathy and support. But this move by the Insect Race was so sudden that there were severely insufficient military forces near Thousand Grass Star that could provide timely support.
This incident caused a huge uproar, and the higher-ups were being pressured into a difficult position. It was Chen Jixian who led his own elite company, risking his life to suddenly appear behind the Insect Race. Then, in a swift maneuver, he used a special bomb to kill the Insect Race queen, thereby saving the entire Thousand Grass Star.
He had the opportunity to be promoted to major general for this major contribution, but instead, he chose to exchange it for an eighty-year reduction in your sentence, leading to your early release."
Chen Gu then fell silent for a while. This was a burden his original self shouldered, yet there was no doubt he also benefited. Otherwise, if his Soul had transmigrated here, he would have had to endure a full eighty years of Soul Imprisonment, which would have been worse than death.
Seeing his dejected mood, Ossosa patted him on the shoulder. "Come on, I'll take you out for a good meal, to welcome you back."
"Okay."
As the two descended the stairs, a luxurious and majestic business maglev car was parked on the road outside. A bodyguard opened the door, and an assistant came up attentively. "President, the Sunset Glow Restaurant has been reserved, and it's very difficult to get a seat—if it weren't for you, it would be impossible to book on short notice."
"Hmm." Ossosa straightened his clothes. The sleazy demeanor he'd shown Chen Gu vanished, replaced by a dignified, solemn air.
He led Chen Gu into the car. The assistant drove, the bodyguard sat in the passenger seat, and automatic tinting dividers rose between the front and rear compartments. Ossosa's solemnity vanished, and he began boasting to his buddy with that sly grin again. "I am not what I was back then. Now I'm the President of the Empire River Star Energy Physics Research Institute, and even throughout the entire Confederation, I am a renowned expert!"
Chen Gu sat in the car with poise and said, "Dad, I have a billion, kneel down!"
Ossosa: "..."
After thinking for a moment, Ossosa continued, "Four years ago, I was named one of the top ten human scholars in new energy, enjoying a special stipend from the Human Fund."
"Dad, I have a billion, kneel down!"
Ossosa: "I've won the Confederation's highest award for scientific advancement three years in a row!"
"Dad, I have a billion, kneel down!"
Chen Gu knew the principle of not showing off wealth but didn't mind boasting to his old mates. Like all the small actors in his previous life, he had a dream of becoming a "Life Actor of the Year."
In Chen Gu's own colloquial terms, that meant: be prudent when necessary, put on an act when required, and be outrageously silly when the moment called for it.
Well, profound and all-embracing indeed.
"Vulgar and mercenary!" Ossosa was irritated, but Chen Gu laughed. "Dad, with my billion, I can get close to anyone."
Ossosa couldn't out-talk him and started making phone calls in frustration. "I'll call Zhao Ji and the gorilla."
Chen Gu didn't object. According to the memories of his original body, the four of them were best friends during school. Soon, Ossosa hung up and said, "Zhao Ji will come right away, and we'll meet at Sunset Glow Restaurant. The gorilla... has got some issues to deal with, so he can't come right now. He'll come and see you later."
Chen Gu noticed Ossosa's hesitation but didn't press the issue. After all, over forty years had passed, and following that incident, it was inevitable that some people would want to keep their distance from him.
Even Zhao Ji, who was willing to come, wouldn't be as unreserved as before.
However, it's been forty years since Ossosa last saw me, and I've only just transmigrated here, yet our ridiculousness still connects so seamlessly.
Ape dung!
"That bastard Zhao Ji finally realized his childhood dream and succeeded in living off a woman. He married the daughter of the President of Tao Industrial and is now the Vice President of Tao Industrial's branch on Empire River Star."
Chen Gu recalled, "A big arms dealer, eh?"
Ossosa nodded and added, "The gorilla formed a rock band but didn't make it big after several years, so he switched to being a producer. Twenty years ago, he established his own music company, and now he has many popular singers under his label. It's normal for him not to come. With paparazzi trailing him, his presence would have made it hard for us to have a good meal."
Chen Gu smiled and said nothing.
Sunset Glow Restaurant was located on the highest floating island in the city. At dusk every day, the afterglow of the sunset on Empire River Star would bathe the entire restaurant in a pale golden light, a sight both splendid and elegant. Moreover, the delicacies here were among the best in the entire Confederation, making it very difficult to get a reservation.
The three friends reunited after forty years. Zhao Ji dressed like a successful man in a low-profile but exquisite custom suit. At the gathering, he insisted that Chen Gu drink nine drinks straight. They reminisced about the old days, and Zhao Ji expressed indignation on behalf of Chen Gu. "That case shouldn't have been handed such a harsh sentence. It's just that everyone knew about it, and everyone was calling for your head. The Supreme Tribunal didn't sentence you based on the law but was swayed by public opinion..."
But what was the point of talking about it now?
An hour later, Ossosa's assistant came in. There was an emergency at the research institute, and Ossosa had to rush back immediately. Zhao Ji was about to offer to take Chen Gu home when he suddenly received a call from a woman and scurried off with his tail between his legs.
Chen Gu waved to Ossosa. "I'll go back by myself and sober up along the way. You go ahead with your work. I'm a big grown man now. You think I'll get lost?"
Ossosa left him to it and hurried back as well.
Chen Gu still had many things to sort out in his mind. He strolled back, pondering as he went.
As he passed a tall building, its exterior holographic screen was broadcasting breaking news: "Earlier today, the Second Prison suffered a serious attack. Our city's Fourth Special Police Team responded swiftly, taking just twenty minutes to eliminate all sixty armed rioters.
It is reported that this attack was carried out by the heretical 'True Knowledge Sin,' aiming to rescue the imprisoned 'Prophet' Wei Jiangqi of the 'True Knowledge Sin' from the Second Prison..."
Accompanying the narration were various clipped scenes, including the aftermath of the attack on the Second Prison, the numerous atrocities committed by the 'True Knowledge Sin' across the Confederation's colonies, and some fanatical followers waving weapons and shouting loudly at the crowd. The report ended with a jail photo of Wei Jiangqi.
The man had disheveled white whiskers but stared at the camera with a look that pitied "you ignorant fools."
Did this happen after I was released from prison? Good thing I left in time. Chen Gu was struck with a thought.
"... The order in the Second Prison has now been restored, and no prisoners have escaped. The public need not worry.
Additionally, in this attack, two prisoners were killed in the chaos. They were..."
Chen Gu had walked some distance when he suddenly stopped. The names of those two prisoners were very familiar—they were the two convicts sentenced to 'Soul Imprisonment' just before him!
A coincidence? Chen Gu was suspicious.