Chapter 58.1
For two consecutive days of reducing the dosage of medication, Qi Yan’s reaction wasn’t very significant. He simply began to frequently confirm Lu Fenghan’s whereabouts.
After noticing this detail, Lu Fenghan arranged a small corner for Qi Yan in the command room, where Qi Yan could see him whenever he looked up.
Around the conference table, the captains of the Expeditionary Force were all present.
Lu Fenghan glanced around and fixed his gaze on Captain Wayne of Pingning, who had been yawning continuously. “Still not awake?”
Wayne’s eyes showed clear signs of fatigue. “Commander, are we here for a meeting or a casual chat?”
Lu Fenghan leaned back. “Just a casual chat before the meeting.”
With a look of exasperation, Wayne’s shoulders slumped visibly. “I strongly request the Commander to establish a rule forbidding subordinates from asking their superiors for gossip! Especially in the middle of the night!”
Lu Fenghan was intrigued. “What were your subordinates asking you about?”
Wayne discreetly pointed in Qi Yan’s direction. “They were asking if you’re about to fire the first shot soon. After all, a life-saving favor must be repaid with one’s body!”
Lu Fenghan: “……”
Memories have associative properties. The mention of “the first shot” immediately triggered a memory from his time in Leto. Vincent had let slip that during an internal poll in the Expeditionary Force, not only did they label him as the “Frontline’s Most Difficult-To-Get-Out-of-Single Status,” but they also bet that he wouldn’t fire the first shot before he turned thirty.
“Have you started a betting pool? Which side did you place your bet on?”
Caught off guard, Wayne replied impulsively, “I bet the Commander definitely won’t fire a shot before turning thirty! I’ve thrown three years’ worth of salary into it. I’m sure to strike it rich!”
Beneath the conference table, Captain Magelyn of the Chanyuan ship delivered a harsh kick to Wayne’s leg.
Wayne cried out in pain, “Magelyn, why’d you kick me?”
Magelyn rolled her eyes.
A fool who only knows how to grow muscles, not brains.
Lu Fenghan felt like chatting with these people was a waste of time.
Tapping his fingers lightly on the table, Lu Fenghan asked Magelyn, “While Donald is still distracted—”
Catching sight of Qi Yan nestled on the couch, engrossed in a virtual screen, seemingly feeling a bit cold, Lu Fenghan pressed his palm down, signaling a pause, then stood up. As he walked toward Qi Yan, he took off his own coat, bent down, and draped it over Qi Yan’s shoulders.
Seeing this scene, Wayne whispered gossip to Magelyn, “Tsk tsk, look at that. In these past few days, the Commander’s coat hasn’t stayed on him for more than a few minutes.”
Before Magelyn could respond, Lu Fenghan had already returned to his seat, picking up where he left off, “Will you lead the second attack this afternoon?”
Magelyn possessed a cold, world-weary face, with a high nose bridge and deep eye sockets. She had given herself a hime cut hairstyle. With a military cap in place, she could instantly be the face of this year’s Alliance military publicity posters.
“Sure, I’ve been wanting to lead the charge for a while now. There’s nothing to gain holed up at the base. I’m as poor as a church mouse. My account is like a leaking hole, and it’s already bottomed out. What am I supposed to use to pick up men when we get back to the ground?”
Magelyn had three great passions in life: eating, fighting, and sleeping with men.
She came straight to the front lines upon graduation, working her way up from the bottom to become the captain of Chanyuan. It was hard to say whether she influenced her subordinates or they influenced her habits, but if she were to be dropped into a chaotic world, she’d be a shoo-in for the role of a bandit chief.
That was why every time there was an inspection from above and Erich was sent out to keep up appearances, Magelyn was also pushed forward to show her face because of her good looks. But Lu Fenghan usually gave her a two-word command—shut up.
Thinking further, Captain Wayne of Pingning seemed to have directed all the nutritional value meant for his emotional intelligence straight into his muscles. When Captain Magelyn of Chanyuan wasn’t in combat mode, she was ready to drag any handsome man she fancied straight to bed. Captain Duchamp of Jiangling led his assault team day in, day out, wishing he could roar at the sun about how wild he was. And the captain of the Special Operations Unit, Long Xiyun, brooded darkly as if the Alliance owed him eight hundred years’ worth of unpaid wages…
There wasn’t a single person here who was normal in the conventional sense.
Thankfully, due to the ongoing conflict, senior frontline officers refuse media interviews. Otherwise, if Wayne or Magelyn were to speak, the military’s carefully cultivated image of discipline and order would crumble.
Lu Fenghan, not wanting to entertain Magelyn’s words, first called out Wayne’s name. “Your people have just returned from the war zone, so focus on resting. Only allocate some to assist Magelyn.”
Wayne agreed.
Then he also called out Long Xiyun’s name. “There’s intel suggesting that Donald has set up a new military factory. We have a rough idea of its location. I want you to lead a team to bypass the front lines and find out exactly where it is.”
Upon hearing the words “military factory,” Wayne and the others all fixed their intense gazes on Lu Fenghan.
Lu Fenghan: “Fine. You guys can decide and divide the confiscated items amongst yourselves.”
He emphasized the word “decide,” but fearing they might not understand, he then proceeded to explain, “It means discuss among yourselves. Don’t go causing any petty fights behind my back.”
Magelyn quickly said, “Absolutely! Harmony is precious!”
These four words held little credibility with Lu Fenghan. He felt like he was leading a band of outlaws.
With that thought, Magelyn didn’t seem so glaringly out of place anymore. Lu Fenghan continued, “The new detection system is in our hands, and so is the tempo of this battle. Magelyn, demonstrate your kite-flying skills to lead Donald on a chase and buy us time. Duchamp, once the location of the military factory is found, take your assault team to assist Long Xiyun in capturing it. Don’t just go shooting indiscriminately. There are new weapons inside that need to be handed over to the Technical Department for analysis. Timing will depend on the situation, so coordinate carefully.”
When it came to serious matters, everyone became solemn. “Yes!”
After discussing some operational details, Magelyn purposely lingered behind. “Commander, I’ve also placed a bet in that gambling pool.”
Lu Fenghan’s eyelid twitched, sensing she wasn’t about to say anything flattering.
Magelyn: “I bet that the Commander will definitely fire the first shot before turning thirty!”
Then, she dashed off as fast as a rabbit.
After darting a few steps away, she doubled back, delivering a fierce punch to Lu Fenghan’s chest. “Commander, you’re the youngest brigadier general in the Alliance. We all believe in you. Seize the opportunity! We know you’re broke, but everyone in the Expeditionary Force is willing to pitch in, one star coin per person, to help with your dowry!”
Lu Fenghan: “…Get lost.”
At the door, Wayne waited for Magelyn to come out, immediately slinging his arm around her shoulder. “Did you really bet against me? Magelyn, listen to your brother. The Commander isn’t worth it!”
Magelyn waved her hand. “Relax, I only bet a hundred star coins. The odds were just too tempting, like one to several hundred. If I lose, it’s no big deal, but if I win, I’ll hit the jackpot!”
With the command room door still open, Lu Fenghan overheard their conversation. He instructed Pojun, “Tell everyone to add ten sets of strength training every day for the next thirty days.”
Pojun: “Yes, General.”
A few seconds later, wails of agony could be heard from outside the door.
Lu Fenghan was quite satisfied with this reaction.
Once the command room emptied out, Lu Fenghan sat down next to Qi Yan.
Qi Yan asked, “Are we pushing the front line forward again this time?”
Since its establishment in the Year 145 of the Star calendar, the rebel army had stationed itself in the Omega galaxy outside the Southern Cross Region. The area where the two borders met had always been a war zone.
Before the first major defeat, the conflict zone had been kept beyond Lisbon star, only later retreating to Turin, and then further back to York.
Lu Fenghan unbuttoned the collar of his shirt with one hand. “Hmm, the current Sage of the rebel army has only been in office for two or three years, but he has already caused so much trouble. General Nie and I agree that we can’t afford to delay the war any longer. Otherwise, the Alliance might actually collapse before we know it.
“Plus, as you know, the rebel army integrates military and government. The Sage is essentially a combination of Secretary-General and Supreme Commander. Dealing with this person won’t be easy, and the longer we give them time, the greater the threat they pose.”
Qi Yan nodded. “I’ll do my best too.”
Lu Fenghan always found Qi Yan adorable. He pinched his cheek. “Good, let’s work hard together. When we defeat the rebel army, I’ll also be able to go to the Diamond Sky Plaza, find General Lu Jun’s statue, and tell him he can rest in peace.”
Qi Yan: “You said it was a coincidence that you and General Lu Jun shared the same surname.”
Caught red-handed, Lu Fenghan raised an eyebrow and switched to pinching Qi Yan’s nose. “You remember that so clearly?”
Qi Yan didn’t flinch, just defended himself in a nasal voice, “I have good memory.”
Worried he might hurt Qi Yan, Lu Fenghan let go of his hand, noticing his nose was a bit red. “It turns red so easily, like I’ve been bullying you.”
Qi Yan averted his gaze and murmured softly, “You wouldn’t bully me.”
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