Superstars of Tomorrow - Chapter 213

Chapter 213
Chapter 213: New Bodyguard
Translator: Min_Lee Editor: Tennesh

Yan Biao was no fool . After reacting to Fang Zhao's comment with a momentary freeze, he quickly broke down the pros and cons in his head and concluded that this was an excellent job .

It wasn't that he had never considered his prospects after quitting the military . His initial plan if he retired before 50 had been to become an Indiana Jones–style explorer or something exciting like that . Who knows, he might even discover some treasure and become an overnight billionaire, but considering the severity of his injuries, this was not a realistic goal anymore .

He had considered working as a bodyguard before . Bodyguards for celebrities were paid well . Yan Biao had gotten the lowdown from former comrades who had already retired from the military, but doing bodyguard work for celebrities wasn't a walk in the park either, especially if your employer had a foul temper . They were a major hassle, and celebrities who behaved differently in public and in private were major headaches .

Yan Biao wasn't even 40 yet . By New Era standards, he was just beginning his golden years . He was also restless . The government would naturally find more relaxing work for him . The pay wouldn't be great, but it wouldn't be too low either . He would be able to cover his basic expenses, and the benefits would be great . Still, Yan Biao wasn't content to become a retiree so soon .

From what he had observed so far, Fang Zhao seemed like a reliable fellow . He wouldn't fare too poorly under Fang Zhao's wing .

Having been through the outpost attack, Yan Biao knew Fang Zhao was a competent fighter himself, but at the end of the day, celebrities were constrained in what they could do, especially in public . That was where their bodyguards came in .

Yan Biao switched gears quickly and started tooting his own horn . "As far as bodyguard work is concerned, you can't go wrong with me . In terms of solo fighting skills and professional ethics, I'm definitely one of the elite if not one of the very best . I know when to turn a blind eye and when to shut up . Where else are you going to find such a great bodyguard? Don't judge me by my condition now . Not to brag, but when I recover and get fitted for better prosthetics, taking on five guys alone will be a piece of cake . "

After finishing his spiel, Yan Biao stared at Fang Zhao, who was sitting next to him silently . He couldn't read his potential employer's expression and started wondering, Was that a bit over-the-top?

"When can you start?" Fang Zhao asked .

Yan Biao knew he was in play . He continued, "In most cases like mine, after returning to the home planet, I'll need to receive treatment at the military hospital . I'll get fitted for prosthetics and undergo rehab . A conservative time frame would be half a year, but I haven't been on the home planet for a long time . I won't need to spend that much time with family, but I do need time to catch up on the latest developments on the home planet . I'll need a transition period . But Boss, I'm thinking by the time you complete your military service, I'll be in tip-top shape and ready to go . "

The term "Boss" had come out naturally . Yan Biao was quick on his feet . He didn't feel embarrassed at all .

Fang Zhao nodded . Yan Biao's response was pretty much what he had expected . He had thought the matter through before making the offer . Someone who had served as a checkpoint leader was a rigorous thinker . Even though Yan Biao was a bit too smooth, he had his moral standards .

"Get some rest first . I'll send over your contract later . It will list all the job requirements . " Fang Zhao didn't want to say too much . He got up and prepared to leave . Yan Biao wasn't in the best shape, after all; his energy level was low after surgery and he needed rest .

"Wait . Boss, has the base command reached out to you?" Yan Biao asked .

"Not yet . " Fang Zhao could tell that Yan Biao had something to say . He retracted his step so Yan Biao could finish his thought .

"Then they should be reaching out to you soon . " Considering Fang Zhao was likely to become his future boss, Yan Biao seized the moment to make a good impression . "The identities of the two terrorists who were killed have been confirmed . They are ranked very high on the most wanted list, very dangerous folks . You killed those two terrorists . Add to that the beasts you killed before that, Boss, and you should expect a promotion . You might even get a third-class merit logged on your records . Don't downplay a third-class merit, Boss . They're not easy to come by . "

Fang Zhao didn't seem especially excited . He waited for what came next .

"But . . . " Yan Biao gave Fang Zhao a glance . "Odds are they're going to investigate your gun . If the base command reaches out to you, that's what they're going to ask you about . "

This was a reminder to Fang Zhao . Whether Fang Zhao would be promoted, whether he would be awarded a merit—it all rode on the gun . If he didn't handle the matter properly, nothing would come to fruition .



"Got it . " Fang Zhao didn't seem worried, nor did he press Yan Biao for more detail . Instead, he asked, "What about you? Should I mention you?"

"Me?" Yan Biao gave out a relaxed laugh . The sense of doom in his gaze seemed to dissipate as well . "In cases like mine, I'll probably end up getting bumped one rank and become a retired major . I'll get a bigger pension . "

Yan Biao had performed well as well . Out of the five sentry posts that had been attacked, Outpost No . 23 had been the best protected . It had also sustained the fewest casualties . Of course, Fang Zhao was a big part of the equation, but under Yan Biao's command, his men had fended off two attackers . The storage rooms that had been bombed weren't that important . So be it if they were blown up . The command post and the engine room were the key locations, and these two sites had been defended well . Fan Lin and company had also survived the attack . This in itself was a job well done as far as the base leadership was concerned, not to mention that Yan Biao had suffered serious injuries while rescuing a comrade . A one-rank promotion was a given .

Having said what needed to be said, Fang Zhao left Yan Biao's hospital room . Even though he was quite tired, Yan Biao was on a bit of a high . He turned and tossed in bed, trying to think of which former comrades had gone into bodyguard work . He could ask them for advice .

Not long after Fang Zhao left, a clinical psychologist showed up .

The psychologists looked up experienced soldiers like Yan Biao from time to time . Retiring soldiers were also subject to exit interviews . Their job was to assess if the soldier's psychological state was appropriate for their new civilian post and whether they showed any sociopathic tendencies .

After reading Yan Biao's work and patient history, the psychologist had been brainstorming for ways to console Yan Biao, but the conversation took a completely different turn than what he had expected .

Yan Biao had his regrets, but he was clearly not depressed . Yan Biao's mental state was probably the best out of all the wounded soldiers .

The psychologist was a bit baffled when he left Yan Biao's hospital room, even doubting his own professional judgment, so he asked a colleague to drop in on Yan Biao as well . The prognosis was the same .

"He seems . . . quite upbeat," the colleague marveled as he jotted down notes from the interview .



Yan Biao hadn't disclosed his conversation with Fang Zhao . He hadn't signed a contract yet, after all, and he hadn't officially retired from the military, so he had decided not to tell anyone about his next move . Still, he was in a totally different mindset now, especially when he got the contract Fang Zhao sent him . His smile then was as wide as a Cheshire cat's .

The contract listed various requirements . Yan Biao studied them carefully in typical fashion and couldn't find anything he took issue with . The pay was especially generous . His pay level during probation was already higher than what he had expected his permanent salary to be . Still, Yan Biao didn't think being a bodyguard was straightforward, that it was easy money, but at least it was better than early retirement . All he hoped for now was a quick recovery so he could start his new job in the best shape possible . Fang Zhao's other bodyguard was former special forces, after all . As a retired major once stationed on a foreign planet, he had to measure up as well .

That's right—in a year, Baiji might become a full-fledged military installation . As a retired major from the Baiji military district, he couldn't afford to lose face .

Just as Yan Biao was looking forward to the next stage in his life, Fang Zhao was summoned to a conference room on base .

As soon as he entered, Fang Zhao saw five members of the base senior command, including Shanta .

The farewell ceremony for the fallen soldiers had concluded . Security protocols for the base and the various outposts had been upgraded . Everything was returning to normal . It was time to tally merits . But some of the candidates for merits who were still on active duty had to be interviewed .

Fang Zhao was the first one .

Under normal circumstances, meetings between the base's senior command and rank-and-file soldiers took on a serious tone . The top brass would posture as well, but somehow, they couldn't play their parts in front of Fang Zhao .

After all, Baiji's advancement in the global development order was all due to Fang Zhao .

When Fang Zhao entered the room, everyone couldn't help but burst into smiles, regardless of the expressions they had intended . It was a lost cause . Every time they saw Fang Zhao, they were reminded of the Baiji power ore, after all . Thoughts of the Baiji ore led to rosy predictions for the planet's future .



Fang Zhao performed a standard New Era-style military salute in accordance with his service manual .

"Sit down first, Fang Zhao . Relax . We just want to have a chat," Shanta said .

Once Shanta set the tone, the others gave up all pretenses and stopped suppressing their smiles .

Fang Zhao sat down in the chair reserved for him . He wasn't nervous, but he didn't ignore decorum either .

Shanta was secretly impressed . The way Fang Zhao carried himself—it definitely grew on him . Still, procedure had to be followed .

Shanta's gaze shifted to the box on the conference table . "Let's talk about your gun . " The box contained the firearm that Fang Zhao had voluntarily surrendered after the terrorist attack . A quick run of the model and the serial number had already revealed its owner .

"The gun is my great-grandfather's . It's for personal protection . Prior to the attack, it had only been fired on a shooting range . It has never been used publicly on the home planet . "

Fang Zhao said he had taken the gun from his great-grandfather, but he didn't volunteer that it was a gift from Great-Grandfather Fang . The interview was recorded and would be considered along with written material Fang Zhao submitted .

Shanta and company knew very well that even their own kids and grandkids played with their guns before they were licensed to carry . They turned a blind eye as long as nothing serious went down . If they went by the book, the barracks of every military district on every continent would be filled with offenders .

Once they ascertained the identity of the gun's owner, the senior command had a sense of how to proceed . They wouldn't press Fang Zhao for details . The severity of the offense was up to them . It all depended on the attitude of these senior commanders . If they treaded lightly, then it wasn't a big deal . Not to mention that Fang Zhao had offered a full explanation . Every bullet the gun had ever fired had been accounted for . The logs of the firing range where it had been used could be easily traced . The other bullets had been retrieved from the bodies of the beasts and terrorists that Fang Zhao had shot . The evidence backed up Fang Zhao's story .

But a minor refraction was still a refraction . It was impossible to cover up . However, the senior commanders could play it down when applying for a merit on his behalf .

Shanta released Fang Zhao after a brief conversation of about 10 minutes . He then took out the paperwork he had prepared ahead of time and ticked the box next to the item "third-class merit . "