Chapter 59: Hand in Hand

Chapter 59: Hand in Hand

In the stillness of the late night, the sprawling mansion lay silent, with only Shen Tingyu's study and bedroom still lit.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, his skin still cool from the shower, Xu Qingran was already asleep on his bed. Perhaps due to the first contract bonding, the mental toll on him, as the receiver, was heavy, and he slept deeply, unaware of Shen Tingyu's approach.

Shen Tingyu's gaze fell on him, light and careful.

He mused that if someone had told him years ago that there would be a person he would allow into his private domain, even establishing such an intimate relationship, he would have dismissed such absurdities outright.

Shen Tingyu turned off the bedroom light and returned to the study, activating a wall switch to slide the bookshelf closed, separating the two connected rooms.

He did not continue working at the desk but instead picked up his uniquely designed private communicator and selected one of the few contacts from his list.

The call connected after a prolonged wait.

He stood by the window, the moonlight casting a sharp, silvery glint in his eyes.

Ten minutes later, the call finally connected.

The voice on the other end came through, faint and crackling with static: "Tingyu?"

Shen Tingyu spoke softly: "Destroy Mu Ziyue's base in Tianqin immediately."

There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a hesitant tone: "But you said to wait until his investment peaked before acting?"

"I've reconsidered," Shen Tingyu stated firmly.

The person on the other end wisely did not ask for the reason, only pondered for a moment before saying: "We've investigated, and the ambush site of the X-type leading the I-type devil group is indeed where you predicted."

"But this also means that if we proceed with your proposed plan, Tianqin could become a new disaster zone within the Golden Wing's territory." After a pause, the other person added, "The defense of Tianqin has always been your responsibility, and if something goes wrong, you could be held accountable."

"It matters not to me," Shen Tingyu stated coldly. "Factions and glory have never been my priorities."

He was a man of cold demeanor.

Always was, always would be. He couldn't feel others' emotions, so he only followed his own desires.

Especially when it came to Xu Qingran.

"Moreover, those devils can be swiftly dealt with, and they won't affect other parts of Tianqin."

Shen Tingyu added: "If the Tianqin base isn't destroyed, it will become the Golden Wing's most strategic battlefield in the future."

"Mu Ziyue has hidden a batch of the latest weapons developed by the military research institute there. It's the first batch, and it's also ninety percent of the total production capacity with current materials."

After a few seconds, the other person sighed and then chuckled softly: "At times, I can't help but feel a sense of shame."

"With all my years of experience, I still don't know as much as you do."

Shen Tingyu remained silent.

"Alright, I understand. Thank you for the valuable information." After a brief rustle, the line went dead.

Shen Tingyu stood by the window for a while longer before returning to the bedroom.

Xu Qingran seemed to have turned over in his sleep.

Even though it was only a temporary contract, the moment the mark was formed, Shen Tingyu faintly sensed an additional, weak connection. It was tightly intertwined with the person sleeping in the bed, as if, no matter the distance, as long as he cared, he could feel the other's heartbeat.

It was steady and calm.

And it didn't convey the aversion he had feared.

Xu Qingran didn't mind being in contact with him.

That was enough.

With this thought, Shen Tingyu walked over and tucked him in.

Just as he was about to give up the bed and prepare for an all-nighter, he suddenly noticed Xu Qingran open his eyes.

Shen Tingyu's heart skipped a beat, guiltily worried that Xu Qingran had overheard his earlier conversation in the study.

But Xu Qingran's eyes were hazy, as if he had only partially woken up.

After a brief moment of eye contact, he asked, "I just thought of something."

Noticing that Xu Qingran's expression showed no sign of anything unusual, Shen Tingyu slightly exhaled, "What is it?"

"I was wondering—when you asked me to form a soul contract, were you actually trying to pursue me?"

The room was briefly silent.

Looking into Xu Qingran's slightly moist eyes, Shen Tingyu couldn't muster any anger.

He simply asked, "Are you serious about this question?"

"Wasn't it obvious enough what I did?"

Xu Qingran, calm and composed, said, "Not enough."

In the middle of the night, Shen Tingyu found himself amused by Xu Qingran once again.

Xu Qingran then asked, "So, what exactly are we now?" His tone was very direct.

Shen Tingyu now truly believed that Xu Qingran had woken up just to ponder these questions in his half-asleep state.

He stood by the bed, looking down at Xu Qingran, who had propped himself up with his hands.

Reflected in his eyes was Xu Qingran's soft appearance at that moment, but his mind was gazing at the soul beneath his shell.

Shen Tingyu's gaze gradually softened.

For the first time, his cold, spring-like heart felt a ray of light piercing through.

Instinctively, he reached out to touch Xu Qingran's soft, slightly curly hair, leaned down to gently touch his forehead, then slightly turned his head to whisper in his ear, "Can I say that we are lovers?"

Xu Qingran lowered his eyes without directly answering, but suddenly changed the topic, "The other day, I looked up some information about soul contracts online."

"I heard that especially with Type D, after forming a contract with a partner, even if just holding hands while resting, it can actively transfer a faint spiritual energy."

Shen Tingyu was still feeling down for not getting a response, when he saw Xu Qingran lift his chin and say, "So, boyfriend, I’m allowing you to get into bed and hold my hand while we sleep tonight."

"After all, my main task is to heal your spiritual pool injury first, we can't have no progress at all."

Shen Tingyu stood there stunned for a long time.

When he finally stirred and genuinely felt a flicker of joy, the drowsy Xu Qingran had already drifted back to sleep on the bed.

It was as if the words he had just spoken were part of a dream.

But looking to the side, one could see his hand casually resting on the empty space, palm up, fingers slightly curled, their tips flushed with a soft pink.

The lights in the study were eventually turned off.

The night passed in unusual tranquility.

When Xu Qingran woke up the next day, it was already noon.

Apart from the discomfort of his spiritual pool leveling up, it was rare for him to feel such deep exhaustion.

"Heehee..."

As soon as Xu Qingran woke up, he heard the little system in his head making a mischievous laugh, and he frowned, asking, "Are you malfunctioning?"

"Wow, host, you're killing it! So sweet, hehehe..."

The system laughed like a fan of a romantic pairing.

After witnessing everything last night, it couldn't help but marvel at the huge leap forward!

How did its host and the target go from being buddies to a couple?! But it didn't matter, its performance metrics were hopeful again!

"Shen Tingyu actually held your hand and slept beside you all night!"

"Host, you missed it! The way his fingers slowly laced with yours, and the intensity in his gaze—oh, my ship is so hot!" The system couldn't help but scream in excitement.

"Is this how E-types and D-types act after they get together—so obedient and sweet?"

Xu Qingran paused, speechless, "You sure know a lot."

"Ahem, being a system is tough, host. Please don't snitch on me for reading steamy novels on the job."

Xu Qingran: "?"

He hadn't even noticed these things until the system brought them up.

He lifted his hand, gazing at his palm as he remembered the words he'd mumbled to Shen Tingyu in a haze last night.

The tips of his ears burned red despite himself.

Before transmigrating, he'd already been a man in his twenties, but no matter how chill he was, this was still his first time dating.

There was no resisting a guy like Shen Tingyu.

But now, Shen Tingyu seemed like your typical heartless jerk—wearing him out the night before and already gone by morning.

Xu Qingran stepped out of the room in a sour mood, but it lifted the moment he saw the usual lunch waiting for him in the dining room.

—Oh, he was just hangry.

·

After that, Xu Qingran spent a few more days resting at home, always nagged by the feeling he'd forgotten something.

It wasn't until he caught a news segment about the Silver Dragon Battalion on TV that he remembered the unopened work letter from their headquarters.

The envelope was stuffed to the brim with a thick stack of documents.

He sat on the living room couch, carefully opening it.

The TV was on, and the chatter of the host and guests added a bit of life to the otherwise silent house.

Xu Qingran looked down and pulled out the first beige document with red trim, stamped with the commander-in-chief's exclusive seal.

He glanced at "Mu Ziyu" in the upper right corner and started reading the details below.

It was the documentation required for his assignment day.

The position was clearly stated.

—Tianlong System Sub-Camp... Colonel?

Xu Qingran squinted, wondering if there was a typo between "Colonel" and "Lieutenant Colonel."

But based on the detailed explanation below, it was correct. The high starting point was suspicious, especially since Mu Ziyu, who likely held a grudge against him, was behind the arrangement.

Deep in thought, he set the official document aside and pulled out the Tianlong System introduction manual.

Tianlong was a massive star system. Before the Devil Horde invaded, it had seventeen habitable planets, not counting the energy stations and resource extraction planets.

Now, only three habitable planets remained, each in a different solar system.

The highest rank in each sub-camp was General, followed by other officers, with each planet managed by a Major General. He was assigned to Taiyue, one of the three remaining habitable planets.

Taiyue had five separate continents. As a "Colonel" in the sub-camp, he'd oversee certain districts on one continent, including residential protection and management.

The document also specified his assigned continent—Taiyue's Southern Continent.

The last item in the envelope was the navigation address and coordinates, plus a flat map of Taiyue.

He pulled it out and saw that the Southern Continent was Taiyue's largest, split into Upper and Lower South. He was responsible for all districts in the Upper South.

Xu Qingran ran his fingers along the edge of the manual, lost in thought.

A high-ranking position with such a large area of responsibility—it sounded impressive and important.

But in reality, it was a huge challenge for someone fresh out of the military academy with no management experience.

Xu Qingran let out a soft chuckle.

He thought he understood Mu Ziyu's motives behind this arrangement.

...

"What? Tianlong?! And Taiyue at that?!"

On the light panel's video chat, Xie Nanjun's handsome face popped into view.

His expression was as animated as ever, but after hearing about Xu Qingran's assignment, his face fell as he muttered, "Isn't this a setup?"

After going through the documents, Xu Qingran messaged Shen Tingyu to ask about the Tianlong System's complexities.

Xie Nanjun was in Shen Tingyu's office and, realizing Shen Tingyu was talking to Xu Qingran, pushed for a video call. After all, a D-type, being a treasure-level rarity, was a lucky sight even if one couldn't touch them.

But after hearing their conversation, Xie Nanjun got even more worked up than Xu Qingran.

He crushed the candy in his mouth, swallowed it, and then rattled off, "Who doesn't know that the worst place in the Silver Dragon Battalion is the Tianlong system?"

"No funds, no supplies—nothing. The Silver Dragon headquarters doesn't care at all. Hold it if you can; if not, just dump it. If you die there, no one will even bother to retrieve your corpse!"

After Xie Nanjun rattled off his rant, Shen Tingyu mercilessly pushed his head out of the frame: "You're in my way."

Outside the frame, Xie Nanjun's voice was still clear: "Going to Tianlong is one thing, but do you know what Taiyue is?"

As he spoke, he stood behind Shen Tingyu, his expression furious: "Taiyue is now rated as Tianlong's most dangerous planet. It's right next to the devil hordes and has even shown signs of invasion. It's already been written off as the next planet to be abandoned, and no top brass are willing to touch it with a ten-foot pole."

"And the soldiers sent to garrison Taiyue are basically those who were kicked out of other systems due to lack of merit or strength. Since they've hit rock bottom, they're also incredibly stubborn and hard to manage, flat-out ignoring orders from above."

"Especially the South Continent... the lower part is still somewhat manageable, but if you're sent to the upper part, well, good luck with that. You'll also have to tangle with the most infamous rebel army there."

Xu Qingran wanted the info, and Xie Nanjun couldn't help but spill the beans.

So Shen Tingyu kept his mouth shut, just sat there, eyes glued to the person on the video call.

Xu Qingran asked, "Rebel army?"

"Yeah, they're the most rebellious bunch on Taiyue. It's mostly because of the screw-ups by the old Tianlong management. They drank, shot the breeze, and badmouthed the Taiyue soldiers as useless, calling them and the poor there a bunch of rejects abandoned by the empire and the faction, mocking them as trash."

"These words somehow reached the ears of the North District army's general in the South Continent. He didn't hold back, blasting it out over the airwaves to the whole North District, letting every soldier hear the top brass badmouthing them in the office."

Xie Nanjun crossed his arms, his tone heavy: "This incident caused a huge uproar across the empire at the time. Even though the Silver Dragon top brass eventually came out to apologize and publicly announced the sentencing of those high officials, the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the North District became estranged from the empire, forming their own 'small faction' in the North District."

"One colonel after another took over the South Continent, but no one could control them."

"They even retaliated against newly appointed rulers, and soldiers from other districts in the South Continent, influenced by the North District, also turned a blind eye to their commanders. If you go there from outside, you'll find yourself isolated and helpless."

Xie Nanjun shook his head just imagining it, then asked, "So, Xu Qingran, where exactly on Taiyue are you being sent?"

Xu Qingran smiled at the camera and said, "What a coincidence, it's the South Continent."

Xie Nanjun: "...?"

Xie Nanjun passionately cursed the Silver Dragon from top to bottom.

"So why did you have to be so foolish as to choose the Silver Dragon? Mu Ziyu, that petty and childish commander-in-chief, you offended him before, he definitely won't let you off easy! And you have so many enemies in the Silver Dragon... take the Feng family and Prince Ningluo for example."

Xie Nanjun had a sudden realization: "They are even related to Mu Ziyu, they must have teamed up to mess with you!"

Seeing Xu Qingran still looking so carefree in the video, he couldn't help but worry for him: "You should be more careful."

"The lunatics on Taiyue don't care about anyone. I remember when our Golden Wing had to stay there for a few days to try to deal with the Silver Dragon's troubles. They are very united, equally hating all soldiers serving the empire."

"I heard before that one of your Silver Dragon colonels went there for a month and spent over a year seeing a psychologist to recover from the trauma!"

Xu Qingran commented, "He must have been too fragile."

Xie Nanjun was speechless, thinking how familiar this arrogant and confident attitude of his was.

He angrily complained about the Silver Dragon a few more times until someone knocked on the door outside and called him out, finally leaving.

Shen Tingyu's office finally returned to quiet.

Xu Qingran glanced at the black-haired man sitting silently and sighed, "It's hard to imagine someone with your personality would accept being good friends with Xie Nanjun."

After all, Shen Tingyu seemed like someone who preferred peace and quiet.

If it were anyone else being so noisy, he might have already punched them by now.

Shen Tingyu pondered for a moment, then smiled lightly and replied, "What can I do? He's too loyal and righteous."

"Noisy as he may be, I still can't bring myself to harm someone with such a sincere heart."

Xu Qingran nodded, recalling another matter: "By the way, have you informed the Shen family about my situation with Tianyi?"

"I've spoken to my father."

That is, the head of the Shen family.

"The discussion went smoothly, and he accepted the outcome. As for when and how the rest of the Shen family will learn about it, it's up to him to decide."

Shen Tingyu paused for a moment, then added, "But I haven't told Tianyi yet."

"He's still young and doesn't fully grasp such matters; he wouldn't understand even if we told him. Later, when no one brings it up around him, he'll likely forget about it."

Xu Qingran had no objections, just realized something: "So, you're not planning to publicly announce the cancellation of my engagement with Tianyi just yet?"

Remembering how high-profile the matter was initially, with the Shen family personally announcing their agreement to the media, now everyone still believes he and Tianyi have a 99% compatibility.

Shen Tingyu curved his lips slightly and replied, "I don't want to do that."

"Xu Qingran, Silver Dragon is too far away from me," his tone became more serious, "I'm afraid you might be tempted away by some shady character in a place I can't see."

So with this engagement to the Shen family, at least most temptations can be blocked.

Xu Qingran raised an eyebrow: "Shen Tingyu, do you really have so little faith in me?"

I'm not like Lu Cheng.

Shen Tingyu looked at him quietly for a while, then said gently, "If I didn't trust you enough, I wouldn't let you do what you want, so far away from me."

Xu Qingran paused.

Tsk, typical Type E.

Then he nodded with a hint of arrogance: "Alright, I approve."

The two shared a smile through the video call.

Shen Tingyu asked him again: "When are you heading out?"

Xu Qingran thought for a moment: "I'll head to Bishui Villa first to settle my things, rest for a day, and then leave."

After a long pause, Shen Tingyu let out a deep sigh.

He reminded him: "Remember to keep in touch with me often."

"I will."

With that, the two ended the call.

Xu Qingran officially moved into Bishui Villa as planned.

He had erased all traces of Xu Yan and Zhu Ailian's family life here, restoring Qi Shengxue's original decor as much as possible.

After settling in, recalling that the Ni family was also on Tianshe, and their residence was on the same planet, he took the time to buy gifts and paid them a visit.

Old Master Ni was very pleased with him, kept patting his shoulder, praising his military academy performance, while regretting that he and his daughter weren't meant to be.

Ni Xiaoyuan was at a loss for words.

Xu Qingran was warmly invited to stay for dinner. Over the meal, he learned that Ni Xiaoyuan had been assigned to the Andromeda Galaxy to monitor the latest developments of the demon factions there.

Ni Xiaoyuan was equally surprised to hear he was heading to Tianlong: "How could that be?"

"Tianlong's management usually only sends experienced veterans. Fresh graduates needing more training would never be sent there."

"You are..." Ni Xiaoyuan's expression was complicated.

Though she trailed off, everyone got the gist.

Old Master Ni, ever blunt, slammed the table in anger: "Foolish, truly foolish!"

"It's management like this that's causing the Silver Dragon Battalion's decline!"

As a veteran of the Silver Dragon Battalion, seeing it in such disarray and being criticized, he couldn't be more upset.

It was a classic case of frustration over unmet potential.

"It's okay, it's the same no matter where I go." Xu Qingran himself was the least concerned.

Recalling his military academy feats, Ni Xiaoyuan gained confidence in him: "Hang in there, classmate. I believe you can bring Tianlong back to its glory. Once my two-year graduation restriction is over, I'll apply to come and help you!"

Although he didn't know what the situation would be like in two years, Xu Qingran still replied, "Thank you."

After some preparations, Xu Qingran rested for a day at the mansion in Bishui Villa, then set off alone in his badly damaged aircraft, inputting the navigation coordinates for Taiyue Star in Tianlong.

Tianlong sits on the far edge of the Kayan Empire, and it took Xu Qingran about five or six days to finally enter the star system.

On the way, he further understood the situation of Shangnan Continent.

The continent is divided into four major cities by region, named familiarly as East, South, West, and North.

North City, the largest, is rebel-controlled with thirty-three districts.

Next is West City, with twenty-six districts.

Then East City with nineteen districts, and South City with eighteen districts.

Most military bases are in East and North Cities, with thirteen districts in North City being military garrisons.

The rest, including South City and West City, are mostly residential areas. Only a small part of the military sub-camps of Shangnan Continent and some energy stations are located there.

Xu Qingran's headquarters is in East City's District Three.

But as soon as he entered the Tianlong system, an unfamiliar call came through.

After answering, he heard a noisy background sound on the other end.

After a while, a trembling voice asked, "Hello, are you the new colonel taking over Taiyue Star in Tianlong, Shangnan Continent?"

As soon as the boy's weak voice fell, Xu Qingran heard the sound of something breaking in the distance, as if someone was smashing things.

There was also chaotic cheering.

He was silent for a moment, then replied, "Hello, I am."

The other party seemed unaware of his identity—at least, they didn’t have a strong recognition of the name Xu Qingran.

They said apologetically, "Hello, Colonel, I am your adjutant."

"I’m calling to let you know there’s been a hiccup with the accommodations we arranged for you... But I’ll have it rearranged right away. I wanted to ask when you might arrive? If it’s within five days, you might need to find temporary lodging on your own."

Listening to the commotion on the other end, Xu Qingran quickly grasped the situation.

Though Taiyue Star was visible in the distance, Xu Qingran said, "Don’t worry, I’ve just left and will arrive in a few days."

The other person sighed in relief: "Got it. Safe travels, Colonel!"

"We’re all looking forward to your arrival!"

After setting his aircraft’s navigation to the Shangnan Region, Xu Qingran ended the call.

Instead of heading straight to the East City military camp, he landed in the smaller South City.

It was early evening, with just a sliver of the sun left on the horizon.

Xu Qingran landed his aircraft in a sandy clearing near a residential neighborhood.

The buildings looked much like the ordinary homes from his past life.

Even the checkpoints between districts were cruder than anything he’d seen since arriving in this world.

No robotic drones patrolled the area. Instead, a hand-carved sign hung above, reading 'Taiyue Shangnan·South City District 6-7 Checkpoint.' A row of pale white long lights hung above it, one of which was broken and had not been repaired.

For the first time, he truly understood the disparity in resources here.

Xu Qingran walked into District 7 of South City through the pedestrian passage at the checkpoint.

The buildings were streaked with blue-black stains.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the watchtower blared an alarm, sending people scrambling home to lock their doors and turn on lights. The IV-type devil groups climbing on the inanimate objects outside also stirred and grew active.

The streets were crawling with their sluggish forms.

As the briefing had mentioned, IV-types were timid and posed little threat.

Xu Qingran strolled casually among them, taking in the residents’ way of life.

Now and then, he caught people peering out their windows, wide-eyed, as if baffled by his presence outside at this hour.

As he walked, an IV devil clinging to a broken lamppost lunged at him, its movements aggressive.

But Xu Qingran had already drawn the knife at his waist a split second before it attacked.

As it leaped, he slashed with precision, striking its energy core in one swift motion.

The other IV devils, sensing danger, didn’t attack but instead retreated into the shadows.

As Xu Qingran sheathed his knife, he heard applause from behind.

He turned around and saw several men in Silver Dragon military uniforms walking toward him from the other end of the street.

They clapped and called out, "Not bad, kid!"

They were likely the guards responsible for patrolling the South City area.

When Xu Qingran arrived, he wasn't wearing his official work uniform, but rather his usual shirt and trousers, so the soldiers didn't recognize his identity.

After looking him over, they even asked, "Young man, you look unfamiliar. Are you new here?"

Noticing his natural noble demeanor, they added, "Are you here for a visit?"

Apart from being slightly behind in technology compared to other star systems, Taiyue Star's network is also outdated.

He noticed upon arrival that at least in South City District 7 where he was, there wasn't even Wi-Fi installed.

Most people here can only make phone calls, and few have communicators capable of cross-system connections. So, it wasn't surprising to him that these soldiers, who had been working here for years, didn't recognize him.

"No, I'm here for duty."

The men looked at him puzzled again, "Duty?"

"Hahaha, you're joking, right? You're not saying you're part of the new Silver Dragon military batch, are you?"

After saying this, they laughed heartily, doubled over.

They only stopped when they noticed Xu Qingran wasn't laughing but silently watching them.

After they stopped, he said with a faint smile, "That's right, I'm here to report."

The soldiers were shocked by his answer, "Young man, you look very young?"

"I just graduated from the military academy," Xu Qingran replied matter-of-factly.

Their eyes widened in even greater astonishment.

Then they looked him over again several times.

Although Xu Qingran, after undergoing various rigorous training sessions, is now in a very strong physical condition with powerful muscles, because of his protagonist's body, even though he has reached the physical level of a double S, it still doesn't show much on the surface.

Especially when dressed, his non-aggressive appearance makes him look quite thin and weak.

New graduates are generally not sent to a remote outpost like the Tianlong system unless they are really of poor quality.

The soldiers naturally assumed Xu Qingran was here due to his poor performance.

They first looked at him sympathetically, then said, "Young man, new recruits usually have to report to the East District. You don't even know the place, do you?"

Xu Qingran didn't explain, silently letting them imagine on their own.

"But it's okay, I just received a rumor that our new colonel in Shangnan Continent will arrive in a few days. You can familiarize yourself with the environment of South City first!"

The speaker was a burly man with stubble, about twice his size.

When he laughed, it boomed from his chest, "Maybe by then, you'll just be assigned to work in South City!"

In his conversation with them, Xu Qingran learned that they were the soldiers responsible for patrolling South City Districts 6 and 7.

They work in two shifts, rotating daily between the two districts. Their main tasks are to ensure that the residents are following the curfew rules, that no playful children are still wandering outside late at night, and that no houses with power outages are invaded by IV demon hordes, among other miscellaneous tasks.

During their patrol, they heard residents mention a strange young man wandering outside late at night, so they decided to investigate.

"So you're a military academy student too! No wonder you've got some skills!" the man praised.

Xu Qingran smiled slightly, without hesitation accepting the compliment.

The few who knew he was about to become their colleague were especially warm towards him. They even invited him to ride along in their patrol SUV to get a feel for what it's like to be a patrol guard.

After more than two hours of patrolling the entire 7th district, it was nearly midnight.

They took Xu Qingran to the checkpoint, where they spotted his aircraft in the distance.

It was an unfamiliar model, but covered in scratches and dents, it looked like an old clunker.

The guards looked at Xu Qingran with even more pity, thinking his poor and unskilled nature made him a perfect fit for their Tianlong system.

No wonder they sent him here.

The bearded guy asked him, "Hey kid, did you just get to Taiyue today?"

"Have you eaten yet? If you're up for it, we're grabbing a late-night bite after our shift. Wanna join?"

Xu Qingran agreed with a smile, "Sure."

He followed the bearded guy toward the checkpoint rest stop, oblivious to the sly grins the other guards exchanged.

The rest stop was pretty basic.

There were no high-speed trains here, just small local ones. Late at night, there were no passengers or trains running.

The bearded guy grabbed a cold meal box from the lounge and handed it to him, saying, "Sorry kid, all I've got is this basic boxed meal. Hope you don't mind!"

Xu Qingran took it with a thanks, saying, "No worries, I'll eat anything."

He gave it a subtle sniff when he opened it, checking for any 'extras', before digging in with relief.

They cracked open a few beers, chatting and eating, their voices growing louder and more animated as the drinks kicked in.

"So, who do you think the new colonel's gonna be?" someone asked.

"Probably just another old-timer here to coast along."

"They change every few days, and we've made it clear how we feel, so why do they keep sending people here? It's not like we can't get by without a leader. Honestly, the squad leaders in South City are way more competent than those pompous big shots!"

This got a big laugh from everyone.

The bearded guy chimed in, "Yeah, I heard today that once the new colonel shows up, East City's throwing some big welcome ceremony for him, dragging in all the big shots from the South Continent to celebrate."

"Day in, day out, wasting time on all this pomp and circumstance—it's the same every time!"

Xu Qingran wondered why he hadn't heard about this.

The bearded guy laughed again, "So I heard the folks from East City trashed the colonel's newly renovated office and dorm this morning!"

"Totally wrecked it, haha!"

Hearing them mention the key point, Xu Qingran casually asked, "Sounds like you're not too happy with those colonels, huh?"

A man, red-faced and burping, said to him, "Hell no, nobody in the South Continent's happy with them, right?"

"Honestly, who with real ability would be willing to come here? Those who come are either pushed up without ability or just want to coast along and get a title, can't do a damn thing."

"And they always put on that big official air, trying to pressure us with their status."

"Ha, the military guards thrown here aren't afraid! After all, we're the batch abandoned by the empire, we're all going to die sooner or later, who cares about their little threats?" They might have already come to terms with it, speaking in a rather light-hearted tone.

Xu Qingran listened to their barrage of insults and complaints about the new colonel they hadn’t even met yet, quietly eating without interrupting.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, the bearded man came over and patted his shoulder again, saying mysteriously, "By the way, Comrade Xu, there’s actually a secret treasure hidden beneath our rest station. Since you’re here anyway, do you want to take a look?"

Xu Qingran stared straight into his eyes, holding his gaze for a while.

Only when the man couldn’t handle the pressure, his pupils trembling slightly, did Xu Qingran look away and say, "Sure."

Several people accompanied him as they walked deep underground the rest station, passing several flights of stairs, arriving at an ancient space that was barely decorated and starkly different in style from the rest station.

In front of them was a long and deep corridor.

Xu Qingran stood at the entrance, thoughtfully gazing into the depths.

Suddenly, someone shoved him hard from behind, and his steps carried him into the corridor.

When Xu Qingran turned around, the entrance was already blocked by a heavy, reinforced door.

Outside, the men who had just been calling him brother and treating him warmly now wore mocking, disdainful expressions.

The bearded man chuckled, "Kid, since you’re about to join us, you need to understand the 'rules' here in advance."

"Your first lesson is: don’t trust people so easily."

"Places like Taiyue Star, especially the Upper South Continent, are full of thugs who don’t care about life or death."

"They hate outsiders like you the most. You need to learn to fall in line."

Xu Qingran’s expression remained completely calm.

No surprise, no anger—just coolly observing them.

Eerie noises came from the depths of the corridor.

The bearded man kicked the sturdy door, smiling at him with a sly grin, "I told you there’s a big treasure here. You can get a good feel for it—after all, such opportunities are rare."

After saying that, everyone laughed and headed back upstairs.

"Host, they’re such jerks! How could you be fooled by them?"

"I wasn’t fooled," Xu Qingran replied calmly.

Having dealt with all sorts of people for so long in the apocalypse, their tricks were nothing new to him.

He was curious about their intentions, so he played along. This way, he could also learn about the locals’ mindset and gather intel for his future role.

The movement in the depths of the corridor rumbled, as if something was squirming.

The system kept fretting, but its host turned and walked into the darkness without hesitation.

·

Upstairs, several people, stuffed and tipsy, gathered around the table.

A companion asked the bearded man, "Brother Liu, that kid looks like a pushover. Will he be okay?"

The bearded man sneered, "What could happen? Those before him just took a few months to recover, right?"

"Besides, if a military academy student can’t even survive Brother Ma’s 'little pet,' then he’s bound to die in some corner of the Upper South Continent sooner or later."

They were chatting, drowsy and on the verge of falling asleep.

Suddenly, they heard a heavy thud from below the lounge.

It sounded like someone was kicking the door repeatedly.

They were stunned, not yet grasping what was happening, when the rhythmic sound abruptly stopped after a loud bang.

The world suddenly plunged back into silence.

The noise had woken them all up, and they looked at each other around the table.

After a long while, someone finally spoke up, "...Hey, could that be the kid making that noise?"

"Uh, did he really manage to escape?"

The bearded man retorted, "Impossible, that's a high-tech door that can even hold S-class individuals. He's just a weak little soldier—"

Before he could finish speaking, the metal door leading to the basement was suddenly kicked open from the inside.

Everyone shot to their feet, their expressions a mix of shock and fear as they looked at the young man standing at the doorway.

In one of his hands, he was gripping a squirming, bluish-purple tentacle.

The bearded man, who was closest to him, had just turned to face him when, in the next second, Xu Qingran kicked him squarely in the abdomen.

With a powerful mental force impact, the man was sent flying over ten meters, crashing heavily into the wall, and everything he had just consumed came spewing out.

The others were horrified.

...This didn't seem like the strength of a frail weakling?!

As the bearded man had said, the people of Shangnan Continent were bold and daring.

Seeing this, the remaining men didn't hesitate and charged forward to fight back, seeking revenge for their brother.

However, not only were their mental power levels far inferior to Xu Qingran's, but their combat skills were also completely outclassed.

Xu Qingran had never had such an easy fight since arriving here.

When he had them all writhing on the ground in pain, he hadn't even broken a sweat.

Xu Qingran's gaze slowly swept over everyone, finally stopping at the man who had fallen right at his feet.

With a gloved hand, he forcefully grabbed the man's hair, forcing him to look up.

Then, expressionlessly, he shoved the slimy tentacle he had just cut off from the alien creature into the man's mouth.

"I've experienced your rules," Xu Qingran said with a light chuckle, looking down at the man before him, speaking unhurriedly. "Now, it's your turn to learn about—my rules."