Chapter 19: Arduous Work
Upon hearing Yu Lanfeng speak, a realization dawned on Nan Yu.
“So, the shortage of Jingshenli Zhe here isn’t actually because of their numbers, but because of this?”
“Correct,” Yu Lanfeng replied. “This is, after all, a secret. Even Major General Nan couldn’t be told directly, so my apologies”.
Nan Yu’s eyes widened, and he looked at him with some surprise. “No… there’s no need to apologize. I know that military secrets are serious matters and cannot be casually discussed”.
“And… I’m not angry,” he added. “Because coming here this time, I might be the one who benefits the most”.
Yu Lanfeng did not elaborate further, instead shifting the topic. “We’re almost there”.
Nan Yu tactfully fell silent, standing quietly behind Yu Lanfeng. He gazed at the man’s broad shoulders and back, thinking—if, and only if—!
If, after he dissolved his engagement with Bai Zhouyun, he could be with an Yineng Zhe like this, how wonderful would that be? However, he knew it was impossible. In his previous life, right until his death, he had never heard of Marshal Yu Lanfeng having a loved one or even any inclination toward romance.
Thus, Nan Yu kept it as a passing thought. He had also noticed the subtle change in Yuan Qiyang’s attitude toward him. After all, he wasn’t truly a fifteen-year-old boy with a naive psyche.
He accepted Yuan Qiyang’s vague overtures of goodwill without directly reciprocating. Whatever the Prince said, Nan Yu would respond, but he acted as if he were oblivious to the underlying intentions.
After all, he still carried the burden of a marriage contract. No matter how useless Bai Zhouyun was, Nan Yu couldn’t engage in a public display of affection with someone else before the engagement was officially dissolved. If he were discovered, he would undoubtedly face public condemnation.
Even as a Jingshenli Zhe, one’s character mattered.
By the time Nan Yu snapped back to reality, the ship had approached the military base below.
Nan Yu watched intently. He had never seen such a place in either of his two lifetimes, and such scenes never appeared on the Star Net.
But it made sense. A military base was a highly classified location; what would happen if it were exposed on the Star Net for enemy nations to see?
Everything concerning the military was top-secret. Even soldiers could only gradually learn more as they rose through the ranks.
Those at the bottom knew the least; such was the rigor of military security.
Nan Yu knew that for most of what he saw and heard here, he wouldn’t be able to breathe a word once he returned to the Capital Star. He would likely have to sign a non-disclosure agreement on the way back.
He took a deep breath as the ship docked within the military base. The hatches opened, and Nan Yu followed quietly behind the others as they disembarked.
His first instinct upon stepping outside was to look up. The sky above was a sky-blue color, but it wasn’t the natural hue of the planet’s sky. It was the color of the protective shield deployed over the military base, designed to keep the interior clean.
They couldn’t very well have dust storms swirling inside the base as they did outside, after all.
“Marshal!”
“The Marshal is here!”
“Marshal…”
Yu Lanfeng stepped aside and gestured toward Nan Yu behind him. “An outstanding talent among Middle-Level Jingshenli Zhe. I brought him here to help. Take him over there; he can start immediately”.
He then looked at Yuan Qiyang. “Go with him and keep an eye on things. Come find me when it’s nearly settled. Do not waste time”.
Yuan Qiyang straightened his posture. “Yes, Marshal!”
In the military, he absolutely could not call him “Uncle,” or he would be lectured.
Nan Yu blinked but said nothing. He gave a slight nod to the unfamiliar officers and followed Yuan Qiyang. Leading them was a person who appeared quite capable… a Jingshenli Zhe?
Once they had put some distance between themselves and Yu Lanfeng, the Jingshenli Zhe let out a slight sigh of relief. “Hello there. What’s your name? It’s my first time seeing you”.
“I am Nan Yu,” he replied. “I’ve always been on the Capital Star until now”.
“So you’re the Nan Yu everyone talks about! When I was back there, I heard your name. Everyone was wondering if you’d be recruited into the military. I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon. It seems our predictions were quite accurate”.
“Oh, right, let me introduce myself. I am An Mi, the captain of this military base’s mental power logistics team. You can call me Captain An”.
Nan Yu noticed the badge on his uniform—he was a Lieutenant.
“As you can see, I am also a Middle-Level Jingshenli Zhe. Although my abilities might not match yours, I have plenty of experience. Follow me, and you’ll get the hang of things quickly. It’s quite simple”.
“However… you should take a look first”.
An Mi led them quickly to the floor below. Stepping out of the elevator, Nan Yu saw three long, perpendicular corridors. Each was so long that the ends were barely visible.
“There are this many rooms?”
“Correct,” An Mi said. “Follow me. I need to familiarize you with your workspace first so you don’t get lost later”.
An Mi led them down the left corridor. After about two minutes of walking, he pointed to a door at the side. “This is where you’ll be working from now on. I hope you can endure it”.
Nan Yu suddenly had a bad premonition.
When An Mi opened the door, he saw about twenty beds inside, each occupied by a person. Furthermore, every single one of them was tied to their bed.
“As you can see, this is the situation. If they aren’t tied down, these officers might go berserk. Although they can sometimes control themselves, still…”
Nan Yu frowned deeply. Everyone here was restrained; eighteen were unconscious, while the other two had twisted, agonizing expressions, looking as if they were being subjected to gruesome torture.
But Nan Yu knew that when mental power was polluted to a certain degree, it truly felt like being tortured. Moreover, it was the spirit being tormented, not the body, which was perhaps the greatest agony for these soldiers.
Nan Yu took a deep breath, his gaze turning resolute. “Captain An, please teach me. What should I do next?”
An Mi felt his sincerity and was immensely satisfied. However, he knew this child certainly wouldn’t stay at a small border base like this forever.
“Then listen carefully. Those who are still awake have a bit of leeway. The unconscious ones are the ones who need their mental pollution cleared most urgently. There are machines by their bedsides that display their mental pollution levels, how long they’ve been unconscious, and so on. Come here, I’ll teach you how to read them and operate the equipment”.
Nan Yu followed him and seriously learned everything, mastering it all in a short amount of time.
Yuan Qiyang stood at the doorway watching. Realizing there was nothing for him to do, he quietly slipped away without disturbing them. His task was complete.
Though it was a bit of a pity, there would be plenty of time in the future; he didn’t need to rush.
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