Chapter 77

Chapter 77

The journey from the Imperial Capital Star to the frontlines spanned an immense distance.

During this period, Lin Fu's psychic power gradually stabilized and recovered.

He then realized the gap between having and not having a psychic entity was astoundingly vast, to the point where he subtly understood why the interstellar community would deem those without a psychic entity as disabled.

It wasn't a simple matter of one plus one equals two.

With a psychic entity in the psychic sea, the recovery speed of psychic power was exponentially faster, requiring no effort on his part to control.

Moreover, once the psychic entity left the psychic sea, its combat power didn't belong to the host. It was even more ferocious than a human due to the lack of □□ considerations, and its targeted aggression against the Bug race was even stronger.

This was especially confirmed and satisfying to Lin Fu after watching his own psychic entity bite through the energy membrane of the warship.

The black panther, eyes narrowed, lay comfortably beside Lin Fu's leg, enjoying the strokes through its fur.

The hole bitten into the energy membrane was repaired within seconds.

Albert and his two companions watched the panther with eager eyes, itching to reach out and touch it, but they restrained their impulsive hearts upon meeting the panther's gaze.

Zhou Si crouched at the edge of the room, fixated on the spot where the energy membrane had been punctured, wanting to release his own psychic entity for a trial.

He was ultimately dragged back by Albert.

The Fourth Army's warship was still a day's distance from the frontlines.

Lin Fu's psychic power had mostly recovered, and his sensory perception had returned to normal.

He retracted the black panther and was discussing matters of psychic power with the system.

Ever since the psychic entity appeared, the system had assured Lin Fu it would provide him with a conclusion as soon as possible.

As his influence on the frontlines grew, the indirect tally of lives in his hands swelled to an alarming number.

The energy of a single individual may be minute, but when the energies of countless people come together, they can amass to an astonishing extent.

Rather than his own psychic condition, he was now more curious about the status of the original "Lin Fu."

The system said, "We had conducted a scan before our arrival. The original host's initial psychic sea was vast, roughly similar to the current state of the host. However, after years of erosion by psychic toxins, it suffered severe atrophy and pathological changes."

"There's not much residual data in the body, and with the host's soul and psychic power highly assimilated with this body, tracing the origins is challenging. What's certain is that the original host's psychic level was above S+, likely at 2S."

As the system spoke, it suddenly brought up Albert: "The host should pay attention to his psychic power. He is upgrading slowly, and encountering stimuli will accelerate this process. Stable upgrading is beneficial for him, but stimulation-induced upgrades can cause side effects, including a higher propensity for psychic outbreaks compared to normal sentinels. No incidents have occurred thus far, primarily due to the long-term influence of the host's psychic power."

Lin Fu opened his mouth, eventually saying slowly, "Understood."

Upgrading is a form of evolution, but only a few can maintain such a state.

If the original host was at a 2S level... that would make everything fall into place.

A 2S level guide could indeed pose a slight threat to the Bug race.

... Putian Xiangri has already sent a message; Admiral Ped's psychic entity is on the verge of dissipating.

He needs to convey these matters to the Admiral before the dissipation occurs.

……

This time, Albert and his two companions truly returned to the Fourth Army's main star with Lin Fu.

Upon seeing the trio, Putian Xiangri nodded slightly.

Then, turning to Lin Fu, he said, "Major, please hurry."

Lin Fu moved swiftly, grabbing Albert: "Come with me."

Albert stumbled as he was hurriedly pulled along, bewildered and anxious to keep up.

As they descended deeper into the building, Albert's expression shifted from calm to astonished.

Putian Xiangri eyed Albert, wanting to intervene but ultimately remained silent.

Now that Lin Fu was in charge of the Fourth Army, inviting someone over meant that he could not overstep his bounds.

Upon seeing Admiral Ped, Albert couldn't help but place his hand on Lin Fu's shoulder: "It's no good, I'm hallucinating. Let me lean on you for support."

Admiral Ped's smile emerged: "It's alright, take your time."

Having said that, he looked at Lin Fu with a gentle gaze: "You've surpassed my expectations. Thank you."

Lin Fu shook his head: "You've helped me as well, no need for thanks. There's much I need to tell you."

Admiral Ped's form was becoming ethereal, but he spoke calmly, gazing at Lin Fu: "You know, I'm about to dissipate, and my ability to aid you is limited. Still, I'll do what I can. Tell me everything you wish to say."

Lin Fu took a deep breath, taking a few seconds to organize his thoughts: "My recent trip to the Imperial Capital Star confirmed something. I suspect that the royal family or the council might be trading with the Bug race."

"Moreover, the poisoning incident that befell me years ago might also be linked to the Bug race." He released his psychic entity and said to Admiral Ped, "After the manifestation of my psychic entity, my level might have broken through 2S."

Admiral Ped stared at Lin Fu, then broke into a joyful smile: "That's wonderful, congratulations. I'll transfer my lifelong account and all my mechas to you. You'll have all my permissions."

Admiral Ped had spent most of his life battling the Bug race. His mechas and account contained countless invaluable Bug race data, a unique asset.

Clenching his fists, Lin Fu exhaled: "Thank you."

"There's something else. It's about him." He pulled Albert forward, "He's my friend. Three years ago, on the Desolate Star Tournament, his level inexplicably elevated. After examining the data, I found he's in a slow upgrading process... but likely to suffer side effects. Have you encountered similar cases, or is there any related record in Cheng Su's archives?"

Albert was about to speak when, after hearing Lin Fu's rapid succession of words, he fell silent for a moment.

His golden hair seemed to droop down because of Lin Fu's words: "You brought me here for this?"

Lin Fu ignored him, his gaze fixed intently on Admiral Ped, burning with fervor.

Admiral Ped pondered for a long while: "Level ascension... it's an inevitable trend in evolution. I've encountered two individuals, but without exception, they all failed and subsequently regressed in level... Your friend here is the first successful case I've met. Cheng Su had an unfinished research project, her lab is sealed, and all her data is inside. Come here, I'll give you the key."

His figure grew more transparent by the moment.

After imparting the key to Lin Fu, his form became so ethereal that one could see the wall behind him through his body.

Lin Fu, clutching the rigid Albert, bowed his head to Admiral Ped: "Rest assured, I will do my utmost to restore the Fourth Army to its peak and reclaim its glory."

A cheerful laughter lingered in the air.

Putian Xiangri couldn't help but step forward half a step, then restrained himself, rooted to the spot.

"Tick."

The instrument for detecting mental states emitted a low hum that resonated in the empty metal room.

Lin Fu remained silent for a long time before finally looking up.

He walked out slowly and said to Putian Xiangri, "Seal this room and remodel the other areas... Then covertly assemble the scientific researchers to continue Cheng Su's research."

With the passing of a hero, something else must continue on.

*

The war had begun.

*

At the end of the year 7325 in the interstellar calendar, a massive bug infestation broke out 7 years earlier than predicted.

All soldiers landed on the front lines, the induction process for recruits in the rear legion was accelerated, and the new recruits were quickly transported to the frontier stars for training. Meanwhile, the previous wave of recruits officially stepped onto the battlefield, facing their first major battle of their soldier careers.

At the beginning of the year 7325 in the interstellar calendar, the Ninth and Fourth Legions became the main forces on the front lines, holding off seventy percent of the bug race's assault.

Among them, the Fourth Legion faced targeted attacks from a large number of higher-order bug races due to their control over several S-grade planets.

In the early part of the year 7325 in the interstellar calendar, the Fourth Legion completely withdrew from other S-grade planets, dedicating all their efforts to the defense of Planet S177.

This bug infestation was too unexpected and too fierce.

Humanity had not yet recovered from the last major bug infestation, and the new attack caught everyone off guard.

Although there were no reports of catastrophic defeats in major battles yet, residents in the stable rear star regions were panicking, with many beginning to migrate towards the central imperial star regions.

The reddish-brown soil of Planet S177 had become the most familiar color in the eyes of all interstellar citizens.

Almost every day, countless people logged onto the official website to check the sporadic videos coming from the front lines.

When people are panicked, it leads to the rise of those who lose their sanity in fear, creating more chaos on the star network.

Some angrily cursed the Fourth Legion as useless, questioning why they had failed to hold their ground.

Others chased after the name Lin Fu with vitriol, extending their ire to all guides, believing that guides should not be granted any rights.

Yet others fought back, telling them not to speak lightly and dismissively from the safety of the rear.

Or perhaps someone noticed the minimal role that the other major legions played on the battlefield.

The chaos on the star network diffused into daily life, leaving everyone filled with animosity.

……

On the front lines, Planet S177.

An overwhelming tide of insects.

From a starry vantage point, one would see the entire planet swarmed by dense, teeming insects, save for a solitary clean area bustling with human activity, devoid of a single bug creature.

Within the garrisoned inner city, towering walls stood tall with energy shields continuously activated.

A hundred kilometers beyond the city walls lay the most intense battlefield on Planet S177, where the ashes of the burned insect corpses piled up to a height of several meters.

These ashes, once cleared of any egg-like materials, were used to construct a second wall around the base to fend off the insect invasions.

Amidst the dense swarm of insects, a figure was almost always at the forefront.

The dark mech, splattered with blood, glinted with a cold light.

One after another, the massive insects were cleaved by the blade; any that struggled were torn apart by a roar from a black panther, smaller than their limbs.

Lin Fu, operating the mech, slashed in a numb, almost instinctual manner.

Around him, a small vacuum of about ten meters in diameter was carved out by the slaughter, expanding with his movement, providing a moment's respite for the weary soldiers.

A golden mech soared into the center of the insect tide, coming beside Lin Fu and connecting to his mech’s internal frequency for a chat: "Lin Fu, you go rest for a few hours, let us take over."

With a reverse grip, his saber bisected a level-seven insect, and he replied between breaths: "I'll be back in five hours."

Having said this, he piloted the mech out of the swarm, entered the area within the second wall after verification, and after a brief respite, he opened the mech's hatch and leapt out.

Clad in a sleek combat suit, the dark green collar was soaked with sweat, the color deepened to nearly black, clinging tightly to his neck.

He removed his helmet, and the streaming sweat dripped down along his jet-black hair tips.

The city's defense forces quickly arrived to inspect the mech, while Lin Fu took a brief respite.

He had only five hours, and deducting the time for the return trip and reaching the battlefield, that left roughly four and a half hours.

During the six months since the arrival of the massive insect tide, such intense combat had become the daily life of everyone on Planet S177.

He was utterly exhausted, every nerve crying out in fatigue. It was a weariness of the soul that no amount of energy could heal.

He entered his spartan dwelling, took a three-minute shower, lay down on his bed, closed his eyes, and coaxed himself to fall asleep as quickly as possible.

However, several minutes passed without a hint of sleepiness, and a vague sense of restlessness lingered at the bottom of his heart.

Opening his eyes, he stared at the ceiling for a long while before turning on his light-brain, looking through his communication records with Cheng Jiu.

The message bar was still on their last conversation.

Cheng Jiu had asked, "Major Lin, have you had the time to miss me lately?"

Just from the text, he could imagine Cheng Jiu's frivolously uplifting tone and his smiling amber eyes.

Their conversations were mostly brief, as time was truly limited for both.

Lin Fu exhaled, shut off his light-brain, and forced himself to close his eyes and sleep.

Just wait a bit longer, this insect tide will disperse soon.

...If it doesn't turn out as he suspected, this could bring a definitive end to the insect tide.

He slept for three hours, and immediately upon hearing the sound from his light-brain, he opened his eyes, clear and lucid, showing no signs of having slept.

The message on the light-brain was from Putian Xiangri.

There was a new development in the insect tide detection; the bugs had changed direction, now purposefully amassing in large numbers along the defenses of the Ninth and Sixth Armies, while those near the Fourth Army were rapidly retreating.

Lin Fu shot up from his bed!

Such movement had no precedent in the past.

The insect tide spread was linear; they never specifically congregated for point-targeted attacks!

Putian Xiangri was meticulous in his work; to facilitate Lin Fu, he would package the data and send it to Lin Fu, followed by a concise report.

Lin Fu opened the dynamic simulation map, fixating on the dense swarm of insects gathering massively towards the Ninth Army's direction, his heart uncontrollably skipped several beats.

Grasping his coat, he rose and headed out, communicating with Putian Xiangri simultaneously: "Keep an eye on the simulation trends, issue a directive to borrow troops from the Ninth Army. Forces from Planet S177 will withdraw partially to assist you."

Slipping into his coat, he rapidly climbed into his mech, saying, "...Divert one-tenth of the forces to them; I'll keep watch here."

Putian Xiangri wasn't surprised by his decision but hesitated before asking, "Only one-tenth? Additionally, won't you be personally aiding the Ninth Army?"

Perhaps Lin Fu's solo presence would prove far more useful than the one-tenth of the forces being deployed.

Clenching the edge of the psychic connection console, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, Lin Fu's voice was low, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat: "I need to stand guard here. No one can guarantee that the insect tide's migration path won't deviate unexpectedly or double back. Should the tide return, the Fourth Army would face annihilation."

Putian Xiangri was silent for a long while before responding, "Understood."

"I shall execute the order immediately."

After ending the communication, Lin Fu surged to his feet and hastily left the inner city to return to the front lines.

Just as the data had indicated, the insect presence at the front lines was visibly diminishing.

Left behind on the planet were only vast numbers of lower-tier insects.

The higher-tier insects capable of interstellar jumps would execute the Queen's commands immediately, abandoning the non-jumping lower-tier insects.

Orders were dispatched to everyone's light-brain.

Lin Fu didn't disclose the full situation to prevent complacency among the troops, which could give the insects an opportunity.

For a period, all soldiers stationed on Planet S177 noticed their Major General slaughtering the remaining lower-tier insects on the planet in a somewhat frenzied manner.

Perhaps "slaughter" was not quite appropriate for insects, yet all who witnessed the Major General's state could hardly think of a second, more accurate term.

These lower-tier insects didn't require the Major General's intervention, yet he seemed determined to eradicate them personally.

Soldiers who followed him into combat almost developed psychological trauma.

The insect tide's jump was rapid.

While Lin Fu was eliminating the lower-tier insects on one end, more and more insects were amassing at the positions of the Ninth and Fourth Armies.

Putian Xiangri provided Lin Fu with daily situational reports at fixed intervals.

All frontline data must undergo verification by the primary star before feedback can be provided.

Lin Fu chiseled the ground open, exterminated a nest of lower-tier insectoids without leaving a single survivor, and then activated the communication request from Putian Xiangri.

The other party stared at Lin Fu with a stern expression: "Major General, I must remind you, your prolonged presence on the battlefield is excessive, even for surveillance purposes."

Lin Fu lifted his eyelids, his dark, deep black eyes unflinchingly fixed on him: "Your only concern should be the insectoid tide monitoring; my actions on the frontline don't require your special analysis."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, the blade of his knife piercing through a beetle, then twisted the knife, splitting the insect into several pieces.

Putian Xiangri pursed his lips, looking at him with gradually furrowing brows: "It's my negligence. Perhaps I should have initiated this communication sooner. Major General, haven't you noticed your unusual aggression?"

He said, "The threat from General Cheng's end shouldn't be enough to make you lose your sanity and self-control."

Lin Fu never lacked madness, but it was always matched with absolute rationality and self-control.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to make the decision to stay behind and defend the Fourth Army's front lines while the Ninth Army was besieged by the insectoid tide.

When necessary, he would suppress his own emotions, rather than letting them drive him to unleash his anger on his subordinates.

...Lin Fu froze.

He looked at Putian Xiangri, his hand gripping the Tang sword tightened, then gradually relaxed. After a long moment, he exhaled and said in a low voice, "Thank you for the reminder. I'll be mindful."

Putian Xiangri nodded, completed the remaining work report, and ended the communication.

Lin Fu listened quietly to his entire report, and after the communication ended, he bowed his head, covered his forehead with his hand, hunched over and closed his eyes for a long time, before finally looking up, sheathing his Tang sword, and ordering, "All units, return. Let the next wave continue the extermination work."

The squad that had followed Lin Fu out of the city was stunned.

They had prepared themselves for continuous insect extermination in the wilderness for ten days to half a month. Why were they returning so soon?

Lin Fu offered no further explanation, turning to leave immediately after issuing the command.

The next group taking over received the message en route to the handover.

On the way back, Lin Fu had a brief conversation with the system: "Am I just succumbing to emotional agitation, or is there some other issue?"

The system hesitated for a moment before responding: "Upon checking, your mental sea has been slightly affected, possibly related to prolonged high-level contact with higher-tier insectoids. The system might not be able to help you remove the influence. Host, please be more cautious and try to avoid non-stop battles with higher-tier insectoids."

Lin Fu responded calmly, "Understood."

Had Putian Xiangri not reminded him, he might have remained completely unaware, continuously influenced until the system flagged a serious issue, which would then require a great deal of effort to rectify.

Anxiety filled his heart; his fingers curled and fumbled on the light-computer several times before reason prevailed and he withdrew them.

Now was not the time for contact.

As the commander of the corps most affected by the onslaught, Cheng Jiu’s role dictated that while leading a vast army, he was also a principal force in combat against the high-tier insectoids.

On the battlefield, insectoids that reached level nine could only be significantly harmed by commanders of considerable rank.

Unlike Lin Fu, Cheng Jiu couldn’t continually repair his body.

He had only himself to rely on.

Contacting now would only serve as a distraction.

Lin Fu convinced himself.

Yet, the anxiety in his heart didn't lessen but grew, leaving him unsure whether his current irritability was solely due to the insectoids' influence.

Or if there were more reasons behind it.

He forced himself to return, closing his eyes and standing under the cold shower in the bathroom, letting the water cascade over him.

His entire body turned ice-cold, his skin numbing from the chill until he finally turned off the water. After dressing, he collapsed onto the bed, closing his eyes to force sleep.

……

This sleep lasted surprisingly long, yet Lin Fu woke feeling utterly exhausted.

He had a long dream where he was still alive, living in a chaotic zone where survival meant scavenging for food and books amid the roar of gunfire.

He and his comrades had planned to take down a stronghold; they dashed through a hail of bullets and, unsurprisingly, emerged victorious.

The stronghold's supplies filled several large trucks, and everyone in the cargo area traded interesting trinkets they had found.

As usual, Lin Fu asked for books. His comrades, upon finding any, would bring them back for him.

This time, Lin Fu additionally requested a world map and a planetary globe.

In the dim carriage, swaying with the motion of the train, he cradled a few worn books and a globe the size of his head, peering intently at each region illuminated by a sliver of light, contemplating where to visit in the peace to come.

After much deliberation, he resolved to embark on a journey around the world.

Upon returning to their residential area, they distributed the found candy among the dirt-smudged children of the neighborhood.

A throng of kids surged forward to grab the sweets, but one child approached Lin Fu, tiptoeing to reach up to him, a lollipop with its wrapper peeled off in hand. His face was smudged with dirt, unwashed for too long, obscuring his features except for his beautiful, light brown eyes, clear as amber.

Clinging to the edge of the vehicle, the child strained to look up and said to Lin Fu, “Big brother, this candy is for you.”

Lin Fu stared into the child's eyes for a long time, so long that the boy, anxious that Lin Fu might refuse, began to well up with tears in his pretty amber eyes, whimpering softly, “Big brother…”

Lin Fu bent down, patted the boy’s head, took out a handkerchief from his breast pocket, and wiped the child's face clean of dirt and dust before accepting the lollipop, saying, “Thank you for the candy.”

Instead of happiness for the accepted candy, tears brimmed in the boy's eyes and spilled over, clutching Lin Fu's finger, “Big brother, don’t die.”

At those words, Lin Fu looked down in shock to find a hole in his abdomen he hadn’t noticed before, with blood incessantly flowing, pooling at his feet and staining the child’s hand.

He wanted to say, let go, run.

But the child clung to his hand desperately, pleading, “Big brother, please don’t die.”

Those pale eyes, swimming in tears, caused Lin Fu's heart to ache.

Don’t cry, please don’t cry.

*

On an A-class planet within the Ninth Legion's jurisdiction, dark mechas soared through the insect swarms, reaping them like wheat.

Further afield, artillery boomed, targeting the lower-tier insectoids.

The main forces on the battlefield were the high-tier insectoids and the humans piloting mechas.

Suddenly, a jolt of alarm surged through him, and the communication from the rear monitor came through.

Cheng Jiu connected and saw the other party sweating profusely, exclaiming, “General! Something’s happened! For some reason, the insect swarm in front of us has completely disappeared, and the Sixth Legion has reported the same situation!”

His voice trembled with palpable fear, “General… we, we suspect the swarm might have moved… to the Fourth Legion.”

As he finished speaking, he saw his general's face undergo a drastic change, “What did you say!?”

The monitor's voice trembled as he repeated himself, but before he could continue, his complexion changed again, as if he had seen something horrifying: “General, the insectoids have suddenly appeared at the Fourth Army’s defensive line... just one light-year away from Planet S177... The swarms that vanished from our front and the Sixth Army’s front have all appeared there.”

Cheng Jiu didn’t wait to hear the rest, cutting off the communication and immediately contacting Jing Cun: “Mobilize reinforcements for the Fourth Legion at once. I’m going there myself, and you’ll temporarily take over command!”

Merely by observing his expression, Jing Cun could guess what had transpired and hurriedly complied: “Yes, I’ll mobilize forces immediately to accompany you.”

Cheng Jiu interrupted: “I’m leaving right away. Have them follow.”

Jing Cun protested: “General! You can’t go alone! I know you're anxious. I’ll quickly gather men to accompany you, and the main troops will follow. Just wait a moment, give me one hour!”

After ending the call, Jing Cun rushed to contact those who could accompany Cheng Jiu to the Fourth Legion.

Jing Cun worked with remarkable efficiency; although he asked for an hour, it took only half that time to assemble the troops, who waited at the port.

A-class planets faced the brunt of the insectoid onslaught, making it much easier to muster forces there.

Upon seeing Cheng Jiu, they saluted him in turn.

The lowest rank among them was a lieutenant.

Lieutenants Milton Su and Yan Yan looked to Cheng Jiu: “General, we’re ready to depart.”

They hoped the Fourth Legion could hold out a bit longer until their arrival.

……

The massive upheaval at the front should have been kept under strict confidentiality, yet somehow the news had leaked.

The StarNet exploded with activity!

“How could this happen!? Nothing like this has ever happened in history!”

“This must be a joke! How could those insects understand the concept of a feint? And how did they just vanish? Insectoids can’t create wormholes!”

“Exactly, if you're going to fabricate a story, at least make it believable before posting!”

“What now!? My sister just enlisted with the Fourth Legion last year! What will happen to her if this is true? I should’ve never let her join the Fourth Legion!!”

“Calm down, the one above. Your sister’s a greenhorn. The front lines would have to be wiped out before it's her turn. You should be more concerned about the soldiers on Planet S177!”

"Major General Lin Fu should be able to hold them off, right? He's so formidable, even S-class planets have fallen to him."

"How dare Lin Fu's fans bring up the matter of the S-class planets! At the onset of the war, he abandoned so many S-class planets and retreated back to Planet S177. Is he planning to abandon S177 as well this time, retreating to an A-class planet? Oh no, perhaps even a B-class planet would be better, to shorten the front lines and reduce pressure."

"Are you looking for a fight up there!? Think you're the only one with a mouth, huh? You can't make it on the battlefield, but online, even sentinels below S-class are no match for your verbal combat, right?"

"Lin Fu is nothing but a deserter! The Fourth Legion is just a breeding ground for cowards! Bah!"

"Damn! Getting all riled up, are you? You're disabled, can't even make it to the battlefield, only fit to loaf around in the rear waiting to die. You're even less useful than a guide dog."

"What's all the fuss about? Shouldn't we be afraid of the Bug Race breaking through? Why is this swarm so eerily strange? Doesn’t the council owe us an explanation?"