Chapter 66: Simply Put

Chapter 66: Simply Put

The news anchor remained silent for a long time.

It wasn’t until a blonde young man suddenly appeared on the screen and snatched the microphone from Shen Tingyu’s hand that he spoke to the camera: "Sorry, our General is just overwhelmed with guilt and nervous during his first interview, so he ended up rambling."

Xie Nanjun maintained a serious demeanor: "So, please ignore what the General just said."

Xu Qingran, watching TV, fell silent.

Xie Nanjun, as the experienced spokesperson of the Golden Wing Battalion, quickly stabilized the scene that had been thrown into chaos by Shen Tingyu’s shocking revelations.

He spoke earnestly: "The unpredictable movements and behaviors of the devil swarms have always been a challenge for the Empire to track, especially the I, II, and III types of devils. They possess natural, excellent camouflage, allowing them to hide well in the universe. The sonic waves emitted by Type III while in flight can interfere with most of the Empire’s current scientific detectors, making it quite challenging to completely lock onto their movements."

Xie Nanjun took a deep breath and continued with a serious tone: "No one in the Golden Wing military wished for the accident in the Lyra system to occur. When the incident happened, the General promptly led the troops to the scene to handle the situation."

"The purpose of today’s interview is primarily to inform the citizens of the Lyra system that the invading devil swarm has been successfully repelled and eradicated under the command of General Shen. The defenses around Lyra have been fortified and reconstructed, and the military is implementing rigorous inspections in the area to ensure that Lyra does not become a new stronghold for the devil swarms."

After responding, Xie Nanjun abruptly returned the microphone to the host and pulled Shen Tingyu out of the news frame.

Before the live interview switched, the voices of the media below could still be heard discussing fervently.

Xu Qingran didn’t continue watching. He walked out of the building expressionlessly and came to a quiet corner to send a communication request to Shen Tingyu.

He tried three times, but each attempt went unanswered.

Xu Qingran remained calm.

—Fine, then never answer again.

Although he didn’t understand the situation with the military base in the Lyra system, with so many people responsible for defense in the Golden Wing Battalion, it didn’t seem like Shen Tingyu’s sole responsibility.

Xu Qingran couldn’t help but get angry thinking about how he was busy building his career here, while that man resigned without a word.

He’d better not run into him anytime soon, or he would definitely beat him up first.

In the end, General Shen Tingyu did not resign.

Mainly because after his controversial interview, public opinion rapidly escalated online.

Even on the Star Horizon forum, referred to as "Xu Qingran’s territory," it sparked intense discussions.

Major social platforms were filled with outcries of opposition from the Golden Wing citizens.

They believed that the Golden Wing Battalion had put too much pressure on Shen Tingyu, leading him to make such a decision for the first time in many years, so they protested against the Golden Wing Battalion.

"This is ridiculous, how can it be only General Shen’s fault? What? Are the officers and soldiers from other battalions just decorations?"

"Who doesn’t know that besides being responsible for Lyra, the General also handles major and minor affairs at the headquarters? Take the earlier incident in the Silver Dragon region, for example, he had to go support the opposing battalion! Even though he’s an E-type, he’s still human. He wasn’t there when the incident happened, how can it be his fault?"

"The Silver Dragon recently had a bunch of veteran generals resign collectively due to dissatisfaction with management. I advise you, Golden Wing, not to be ungrateful and risk disheartening your people!"

"I’m putting it out there, if you dare to fire General Shen, your faction is done for!"

It wasn’t until the incident erupted that people realized that over 90% of the mentions of Shen Tingyu, the E-type, online were praises and defenses.

There were even dedicated Golden Wing supporters who compiled a list of his achievements since joining the military. From leading a lost squad alone in his first year after graduation, breaking through the encirclement of the invading insect race at the Empire’s border, and killing their leader, to recently assisting the Sky Eagle in reclaiming several major regions.

He worked tirelessly all year round, handling everything from major tasks to personally inspecting the Tower of Evil. He was an excellent general with no black marks besides his achievements.

Even the bystanders from the Silver Dragon couldn't resist joining in the fun.

"Then maybe General Shen Tingyu can 'marry' into our Silver Dragon."

"The people of Silver Dragon wholeheartedly welcome him!"

"That's right, and he can join forces with our little lunatic to conquer the world together!"

The people of the Golden Wing Battalion were truly fearful of this happening.

After all, everyone knows that Shen Tingyu is now close to Xu Qingran.

Thus, another round of arguments broke out.

The citizens of the Golden Wing were urgently demanding the faction to explain the situation and ensure that Shen Tingyu would stay.

Finally, an official advisor from the Golden Wing came forward to address the rumors, stating that the Golden Wing Battalion had never placed the blame for this mistake on Shen Tingyu, nor would they impose any disciplinary action on him. The faction flatly refused Shen Tingyu's resignation request.

The matter even drew the attention of the royal family, who ordered their administrative officials to send an official letter to the Golden Wing, instructing them to handle the situation properly.

The message was clear: if the Golden Wing Battalion actually allowed Shen Tingyu to go, they would face the consequences.

In the office of Mu Ziyue, the leader of the Golden Wing Battalion, he sat with his legs crossed on a dark office chair, his emerald-green eyes slightly lowered as he gazed at the letter from the palace on his desk, his expression cold.

Only now did he realize that the young man who had once been at his mercy in the Tower of Evil was no longer a minor player he could easily crush with his power. Shen Tingyu, who ought to have been feared by all as an E-type, was once doubted and insulted by many in the Golden Wing when he first joined the military.

Now, he was being hailed.

Nine years, and Shen Tingyu had truly persevered.

From the moment he left the Tower of Evil and boldly joined the Golden Wing Battalion, he was destined to continue being targeted and tormented by Mu Ziyue. But Mu Ziyue had misjudged the E-type's resilience. For so many years, Shen Tingyu had shown no trace of vulnerability, remaining emotionally stable and flawless, turning all the humiliation into sharp blades that could be turned against him.

This was what Mu Ziyue loathed most about Shen Tingyu.

E-types were supposed to have so many weaknesses, so why didn't Shen Tingyu? When would someone who could become his weakness finally appear? Mu Ziyue had once believed that Xu Qingran might be the one, but the officially released compatibility data turned out to be the lowest.

Thinking about this only fueled Mu Ziyue's anger.

Shen Tingyu had truly become audacious, even daring to intercept the fighter jet Mu Ziyue had prepared to attack Xu Qingran!

This time, when the incident in the Lyra system unfolded, no one knew better than Mu Ziyue just how much the Golden Wing had truly lost.

He had spent eight years perfecting the latest psychic weapon, and it had all been destroyed! And the billions he had invested in building that base, which was nearly completed, had now been reduced to nothing!

Yet he couldn't even vent his anger on Shen Tingyu!

Mu Ziyue narrowed his eyes in thought, recalling the official letter from the palace.

Other matters aside, what infuriated him the most was this letter from the palace, which was essentially a public slap in the face for him, the commander-in-chief.

With this in mind, he reached out, picked up the letter on his desk, and lit it with a lighter.

Only when the flames were about to lick his fingers did he let go, watching the ashes fall into the ashtray on his desk.

A few seconds later, he grabbed the ashtray and hurled it across the room.

It flew toward Ling Yuege's desk, shattering upon impact. A shard grazed her face, leaving a shallow cut. But Ling Yuege didn't seem to feel any pain or care, her eyes still fixed on the screen as she continued her work.

In the room, Mu Ziyue hissed coldly, "Why hasn't that old man died yet?"

Is this a change of heart? Are you trying to go back on your promise?

With a dark expression, he thought to himself, then turned to Ling Yuege and asked, "How’s the research I asked you to follow up on the other day coming along?"

Ling Yuege glanced up at him, tapped a few keys on the keyboard, and after a while replied, "The research institute says the product is finished and is in the final testing phase."

Mu Ziyue’s stern expression finally softened a little.

"Good. Once the results are in, tell them to notify me right away."

The controller given to Ming Hai last time didn’t stimulate Shen Tingyu’s mental reservoir enough, so this time he had them develop something more intense. Even if there’s no natural way to restrain him, I’ll create one artificially!

·

When Shen Tingyu’s 'reckless words' were spreading online, Xu Qingran, still at the Eastern City headquarters, also kept an eye on it.

By then, two days had passed since the incident.

He didn’t call Shen Tingyu again, but while browsing online, he couldn’t resist reposting the most popular blog post, adding a comment: What an idiot.

After reposting, he logged off and left the Eastern District base.

He didn’t realize that what he thought was a small account’s repost was actually from his official account, now titled ‘Silver Dragon Sub-Camp Colonel’. He also didn’t know that shortly after his repost, Shen Tingyu’s main account replied: ‘Sorry, my communicator got smashed by accident.’

The buzz that was finally fading flared up again because of these two.

"Something’s fishy here…"

"But seriously, LOL!"

"So the General’s been in touch with our little lunatic? Can you ask the little lunatic to start streaming again? We really miss him!"

"It’s normal for the uncle and nephew’s wife to get along, so let’s keep it rational, folks!"

"General, do you know where our little lunatic’s been posted? Rumors say he was sent to Tianlong—I can’t handle that! That place is a wasteland; it’s like cutting off all contact!"

"Alright, little lunatic, we’ve been tagging you for a month with no response, but as soon as the General’s involved, you’re all over it, huh?"

"Honestly, the General and Young Master Xu are really close. General, have you thought about switching to Silver Dragon?"

Over the next few days, Xu Qingran helped the 12th District army organize the cleanup of the 10th District.

Though the 10th District is small, spanning about 100,000 square kilometers, the real work is just starting. With limited manpower and resources, fully liberating this district will take time.

During this period, they also need to prevent the rise of another super I-class overlord.

He advised Lin Xuan and Lin Ya, helping them map out a cleanup route based on their available personnel.

Things were going quite smoothly, and Lin Xuan’s attitude towards him also softened a bit.

Maybe starting to recognize his skills, Lin Xuan went from flat-out refusal to at least saying, "I won’t push you to meet the latest demands, but if you can actually secure new military resources for the Southern City—something other colonels can’t do—then I..."

He was still a little stubborn: "Fine, for my sister’s sake, I’ll give you a shot at properly governing the Southern Continent, okay?"

Xu Qingran raised his phone: "Alright, I’ve recorded that."

Lin Xuan: "...?"

In contrast, the situation with Ma Biao, the leader of the Southern City’s 1-9 Districts, was not so optimistic.

After his meeting with Xu Qingran, the defensive battles in zones 1 and 2 continued for another half a month.

The attack surges in zones 3 and 5 still hadn't eased, and the frequency of Class I entities infiltrating residential areas with the help of Class IV was increasing. The high-intensity workload prevented the military guards under Ma Biao from fully recovering their psychic reserves daily, so their condition worsened day by day.

Every day, there were guards who entered standing but were carried out on stretchers from the zones.

And the numbers increased day by day.

Later, even patrol guards from other stations were dispatched, but it was still insufficient.

Someone suggested, "Brother Ma, how about... requesting reinforcements from Lieutenant Colonel Lin?"

Everyone knew that Ma Biao and Lin Xuan had a strained relationship due to differing ideologies. They didn't want to make such a bold suggestion unless absolutely necessary.

But they had heard about the recent changes in zones 10-18 of the southern city.

First, there was the significant victory of capturing the overlord in zone 10, followed by reports of remarkable progress in clearing other zones, garnering acclaim from other residents of the southern city. It was said that if things went smoothly, Lin Xuan's team really had a chance to reclaim zone 10.

Such progress made the people in the upper half of the southern city deeply envious.

As fellow citizens of the southern city, would it not be a disgrace to ask for help from the lower half?

"If it really comes to that, we could set aside our pride and ask the new colonel for help, maybe borrow some people from the eastern city."

Besides the military headquarters, the eastern city also had some residential and affected disaster zones.

Apart from patrol and clearing teams, there were also reserve forces stationed in the camps. However, they were under the command of colonels who held the primary military authority of the southern continent, mostly from other star systems, and only the colonels could mobilize them.

The fragmented southern continent had earlier protested against the Silver Dragon by refusing to obey, and other districts had long since broken away from military control, acting freely.

Previous colonels were indifferent and even scornful of managing, penalizing their insubordination by not sending troops even when they knew the districts were in trouble. Unless they changed their minds and decided to obey.

So Ma Biao's attitude remained firm: "No need, we can handle our own affairs. Why should we display vulnerability to them?!"

In reality, they couldn't handle it.

Especially in the past two days, learning that the area around his residence seemed to have become a loophole for Class I entities, with reports of frequent attacks on nearby residents. Ma Biao was increasingly anxious about the dire situation in zones 1 and 2, putting even more pressure on his soldiers.

That night, a soldier who had been under high pressure and scolded for poor performance finally reached his breaking point.

After being scolded at the station, he began shouting and behaving erratically, then pointed at Ma Biao and voiced his accumulated grievances: "Enough! No matter how much you scold me, I can't squeeze out a drop of psychic energy for you!"

"I'm just a B-level soldier, my psychic reserves are not as extensive as those of higher-ranking officers. I've been guarding the front line diligently for ten days without rest! Do you think I don't want to try harder? What can I do when I've reached my limit?!"

"With the situation already tense, I have to tolerate this daily in my duties!"

As he cursed, he took off his heavy helmet and threw it to the ground.

With red eyes, he angrily asked, "At this point, are you still holding onto your unwarranted pride? Is it so hard to admit that you can't handle it, that our upper half now needs help from others?!"

"Fine, if you think I'm useless and should just die, right?" The distressed recruit smirked, suddenly raising his psychic gun to his temple, "Ma Biao, I'll die right in front of you!"

A bang sounded, and before anyone could react, the emotional soldier collapsed.

The others at the checkpoint panicked, rushing forward to lift him and check his condition.

A more experienced soldier shouted, "It's okay, he didn't have much psychic energy left, merely causing a disruption in his psychic reserves, not severe internal damage! Quickly take him back to the camp in zone four, find... I remember there are two B-level D-types in the camp, right?"

"With their help, we might stabilize him better!"

One of them responded, "Yes, there are... but these days, everyone's mental stamina has been drained. They’ve been helping to replenish everyone’s mental strength, and it’s said they’ve already passed out from exhaustion."

The proposer reluctantly said, "...It’s okay, let’s send him to the military doctor first!"

The fainted guard was quickly loaded into the car.

Everyone around was bustling about, while Ma Biao stood frozen, lost in thought.

Ma Biao had a bad temper, and most of his subordinates yielded to his harsh leadership due to his abilities, keeping a formal distance from him. As a result, he couldn’t truly understand their struggles, and they felt resentful under his constant pressure.

Today’s incident had pushed some already exhausted guards to the edge of quitting.

They shot Ma Biao icy glances, put down their weapons, and helped each other leave the checkpoint.

Someone passing by muttered, "I really envy my cousin working in District 12. I heard that Colonel Lin is competent and easy to get along with, always putting their physical condition first."

"If only I’d listened to him back then, stayed in District 12, instead of trying to show off and play the hero."

Only a handful of guards could still fight, and after persisting for a while, they collapsed one after another.

The swarm of devils had crossed the danger line, but Ma Biao had no choice but to call off tonight’s mission.

The checkpoint quickly emptied out.

Only Sun Hongbing, who was assigned here and had a slightly better relationship with Ma Biao, and who enjoyed the meals Ma Biao treated them to, said goodbye before leaving.

"Brother Ma, if things really go south, arrange for the people in Districts 1 and 2 to evacuate first," the veteran who had just checked the injured guard’s condition walked over, gave his shoulder a pat, and sighed.

He exhaled and added, "I’ll go back to rest first, try to regain some strength."

Every time such a large-scale cleanup operation was conducted, nosy neighbors from nearby would crowd around the checkpoint.

After all, the place was safe, and some were concerned about their family members, so they would watch at the power hub. Today, as Ma Biao was about to leave, he spotted familiar faces in the thinning crowd.

He was stunned, then furious, "...Why are you here?!"

"Didn’t I tell you it’s dangerous here, not to come?!"

The children were scared by his outburst.

Only then did he notice their red eyes, as if they had just cried, and the youngest daughter’s eyes quickly welled up with tears, struggling to hold them back.

After Ma Biao finished scolding, his wife said, "Old Lady Zhang next door just died at home tonight."

The reason was a Class I invasion.

Although the patrol guards arrived and killed the intruder immediately, for a hundred-year-old woman living alone, she couldn’t hold on until then.

And fearing there might still be hidden devils nearby, the patrol guards brought the frightened family to the checkpoint, waiting for Ma Biao to finish his work and go home with them.

Ma Biao listened in silence.

He even thought that his family must have just seen him being scolded.

The second daughter sensed his disappointment, stepped forward, and held his arm to comfort him, "It’s okay, Dad, we all know you’ve been trying your best."

Although Ma Biao was unapproachable and indeed too harsh on his subordinates, in front of his family, he was also the commander who always held the line till the very end on the battlefield. While others’ mental strength was greatly depleted, wasn’t he also exhausting himself every day?

Ma Biao thought of Lin Xuan, who had been frequently praised recently, and a trace of reluctant envy flashed in his eyes.

Lin Xuan was the most talented person in South City, with a spiritual pool rated at double S-level. It was a mindset of admiring strength, which is why more soldiers were willing to serve in the other half of South City than in his area.

He smiled bitterly, helpless: "I'm not strong enough. If only my talent were a bit higher."

His six-year-old second daughter shook her head, hugged him, and said: "Teacher said that this world is made up of people with different levels of talent, so it can function! Because everyone has something they're best suited to do!"

"Different talents come with different responsibilities!"

"As long as you do your best within your capabilities, that's the most impressive thing. Dad, you don't need to compare yourself to anyone else!"

The eldest son also nodded: "Dad, you're already amazing. All my classmates are jealous of me!"

"Don't stress yourself too much or pressure others too much. Worst case, we can just move! Even if districts 6 and 7 are packed and there's no cheap housing left, we can always sleep under the bridge!" After saying this, he patted his chest.

Ma Biao was both angry and amused, ruffling the boy's hair, then hurried them into the car: "Stop worrying! I said I'll handle it, and I will!"

"Head home and get some rest!"

The family returned to their humble little house.

After everyone at home had fallen asleep, Ma Biao lit a cigarette and slipped out quietly, squatting on the cracked stone path in front of the house.

Smoke curled slowly from his lips.

By now, the neighbors were probably all asleep. But to ward off the approach of IV demons, the houses were still lit.

Ma Biao stared at the empty street for what felt like forever before finally covering his eyes.

A burly man, shedding tears of frustration.

In the silence, he stifled his sobs.

·

"Huh? Say that again—who's outside asking for me?"

In the familiar lounge of the 12th District camp, Lin Xuan sipped on health tea his younger sister had brewed, which was said to replenish MT values. Xu Qingran sat across from him by the window, focused on his tablet, not even glancing at him.

Suddenly, someone came in from outside, saying someone wanted to see him.

The name took him by surprise.

The soldier reporting looked just as shocked: "You heard right—it's Ma Biao, the leader from the other half of the district."

The health tea in Lin Xuan's cup was still hot, steam rising from it.

The soldier added, "The guys in the camp were just as shocked when they saw him—they almost thought he was here to start something! But his attitude wasn't as arrogant as before, and he seemed quite serious..."

After a pause, he continued, "I heard that the recent cleanup situation in the other half of South City isn't good."

"Especially in districts 1 and 2 where residents are concentrated, it might not hold much longer. Brother Lin, do you think Ma Biao came because of this...?"

Lin Xuan frowned and remained silent.

He had also heard about this, and there were brothers in the camp whose hometowns were in districts 1 and 2, and they were quite worried. But Ma Biao was particularly proud and xenophobic, never willing to accept cooperation or help from them, so everyone could only worry in vain.

If Ma Biao really came to ask for his help this time, it would be like the sun rising from the west.

Lin Xuan set down his water glass and decided to go out personally to assess the situation.

After Lin Xuan left, the system said to Xu Qingran, "Host, you’re a genius. Ma Biao actually came to see Lin Xuan!"

In a previous conversation, Xu Qingran had casually mentioned to the system that he felt Ma Biao would soon set aside his pride and come to Lin Xuan for help.

That’s just how it goes.

Hearing about the rival half-district's recent victories, as the leader of the other half-district, Ma Biao would surely feel anxious.

Xu Qingran glanced at the long-standing complaint files on his display panel and replied to the system, "As long as he still cares about South City's people, he’ll eventually let go of that meaningless pride."

In such chaos, pride is worthless.

Ma Biao chose to approach Lin Xuan first instead of contacting him, showing he’s got some guts.

But—

Xu Qingran slightly curved his eyes.

No big deal; it’s pretty much the same outcome.

Outside, Lin Xuan met the stocky Ma Biao.

As the reporting soldier had guessed, Ma Biao came to him hoping that he could cooperate and help command the border defense battles in Districts 1 and 2. He also hoped to borrow some people from Lin Xuan's command to alleviate the pressure on the upper half-district's army.

Seeing Ma Biao’s genuine and humble demeanor, completely devoid of his previous arrogance, Lin Xuan felt a wave of emotion.

Thinking of his own youthful vigor and strong competitive spirit, and that he hadn't always been in the right in his clashes with Ma Biao, Lin Xuan didn't make things difficult for him.

Instead, he heavily patted Ma Biao's shoulder and said, "We're all from South City. I understand your concerns."

"Moreover, many of my brothers have their hometowns in your half-district. Since you've personally come to ask, I think they won't mind helping out."

Everyone had just finished the big battle in District 10, and with Xu Qingran's training, the mission success rates in various districts were high, and most people weren’t too drained. If support was needed, they could still spare some effort.

"There's no problem with personnel deployment; I can lend you some," Lin Xuan paused, then added helplessly, "But as for asking me to help with command, I might not be able to do that now."

As Xu Qingran had said before, there was something wrong with the way he used his psychic energy.

However, during the big battle in District 10, he couldn't adjust it. Even though Xu Qingran later transferred some psychic energy to him, he still nearly damaged his psychic reservoir from overuse. It wasn’t until the next day that he noticed his psychic energy was recovering slower than usual and his head started hurting when he tried to use it that he discovered this.

The military doctor at the clinic said he needed to take it easy for at least a month to ensure his psychic reservoir could repair itself properly and avoid leaving any sequelae.

After hearing the explanation, Ma Biao looked somewhat dejected.

He also hoped to continue commanding this battle, but as an S-level psychic energy user, his ability to detect higher-level demons wasn’t as strong as an SS-level’s. To keep things running smoothly and reduce the soldiers’ strain, a higher-level commander was needed.

Lin Xuan thought for a moment and said, "I can’t help you right now, but I know someone who can."

"He’s likely at SS-level psychic energy, and his psychic energy is quite abundant now. You might be able to ask him for help."

In the lounge.

While Lin Xuan was out talking to Ma Biao, Xu Qingran grabbed a cup of water.

Right as he finished his drink and set the cup down, the lounge door was pushed open from outside.

Ma Biao looked up, stunned.

He didn’t expect to see the person he least wanted to meet sitting on the sofa!

Sunlight filtered gently through the blinds behind Xu Qingran, lightening the shade of his brown hair and giving him an almost illusory softness and docility.

At the sound, he glanced up, unsurprised to see Ma Biao walk in, as if he’d expected it, and gave a casual smile. He didn’t initiate a conversation, just gave him a glance, then continued to focus on his own matters.

The atmosphere tensed up instantly.

Ma Biao remembered the conflicts with Xu Qingran and his own arrogant remarks at the 6/7 district rest stop, his face darkening and fists clenching at his sides.

In the next moment, he strode towards Xu Qingran, his expression fierce.

His footsteps thudded heavily, and the scar on his forehead seemed to gleam with added menace.

The system, noticing Xu Qingran still hadn’t looked up, his legs elegantly crossed as he focused on his light board, quickly warned, “Host, aren’t you going to look up? I think Ma Biao’s about to throw a punch——”

Just as the words were about to finish, Ma Biao, with a vengeful demeanor, suddenly dropped to his knees a few steps away from Xu Qingran.

His face was a mix of reluctance and shame, but mostly resolve to protect his home, as he boomed, “Please, help the people of districts 1 and 2 fend off the devil groups from districts 3 and 5!”

“I was blind not to see your worth before! If you can secure these two districts, I’ll call you big brother and even hand over the leadership of upper Nan City to you!”

Ma Biao had a lot on his mind as he traveled to district 12 that night.

He came to understand a few things about himself.

Maybe he wasn’t cut out to be a leader, always burdening others with his worries.

Look at Lin Xuan and his troops, who treat each other like brothers, while his own men see him as nothing but a tyrant. Before, he might have cared deeply, but now all he wants is for his family to live worry-free in this small, safe corner of the world.

“You can call me big brother, but keep the leader’s position.”

After a moment of silence, Xu Qingran’s voice broke through.

Xu Qingran set the light board aside and looked down at him with a faint smile. “Just do as I say.”

Xu Qingran made it clear: next time, he’d have to beg for help.

And Ma Biao, anticipating this, had already met the condition, so he quickly agreed.

Three days later, with tensions in districts 3 and 5 at a breaking point, a new combat plan was launched.

It was dusk, the sun lingering on the horizon.

The upper Nan City troops were surprised to find reinforcements arriving from the lower half!

They leaned out of their military trucks, grinning and calling out, “Hey, brothers! Long time no see!”

The upper half troops glanced at Ma Biao, but he remained composed, even saluting the lower half reinforcements. “Thanks for the backup, brothers.”

Ma Biao’s men looked even more stunned.

—Had their leader been body-snatched? In all their years, they’d never heard him sound so friendly!

Ma Biao didn’t pay attention to others’ reactions.

Truth be told, he was still on edge.

With Xu Qingran still absent and the lower half tied up with other tasks after a major cleanup, Lin Xuan could only spare a few men.

There are two major districts to deal with, and he was somewhat worried they might not hold out.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly felt a slight tremor on the land they were standing on, causing the sand grains between the stone bricks to shift.

Others also noticed the movement and exclaimed in surprise, wondering if some great demon had appeared.

Until someone pointed to the distant sky and shouted, "Holy shit, look over there!"

Following the direction he pointed, they saw rows of fighter planes flying towards them from the other side of the sky.

The closer they got, the louder the engine's hum became. About a dozen of them, heading towards Districts 3 and 5.

And the source of the minor ground tremors soon appeared in their sight.

Ma Biao was positioned at the checkpoint leading to District 3, and on the main road connected to the checkpoint, large trucks loaded with guards and military supplies were slowly approaching their position.

At the front was an off-road vehicle.

As it got closer, Ma Biao saw Xu Qingran driving through the windshield. One hand was on the steering wheel, while the other, wearing a black glove, waved at him through the window.

This shocking scene not only stunned everyone around but also left Ma Biao in awe.

The moment the off-road vehicle stopped, the large trucks behind also came to a halt. Then, a group of people dressed in Silver Dragon Battalion uniforms, armed with rifles and knives, exited the vehicles in an orderly fashion.

...What is this? Where did all these people and supplies come from?

In his astonishment, Ma Biao watched as Xu Qingran walked up to him.

Facing his questions, Xu Qingran calmly said, "Where else? They're from the East City Camp, of course."

Ma Biao was shocked again.

He asked in disbelief, "How did you manage that? Did you request it from the colonel? And he agreed?!"

After a pause, he added, "Let me be clear, my goal is only to protect South City. I have no intention of surrendering to the Silver Dragon Battalion!"

"If you've agreed to any strange terms with the new colonel on behalf of South City, I'd rather not use East City's people. This is our bottom line!"

"Relax," Xu Qingran said, "I didn't agree to any strange terms on your behalf. All I did was submit an application for you."

Ma Biao looked skeptical: "And the colonel approved it?"

Xu Qingran: "He approved it."

He approved it himself.

This matter dates back to two days ago.

After agreeing to Ma Biao's request, he returned to the East City Camp and helped them submit a troop transfer application, then went to Deputy Mao's office to get it stamped.

Deputy Mao told him at the time, "...But according to the rules, these rebellious soldiers who refuse to comply are not allowed to receive support from the East City Main Camp."

Only then did he realize that even the leaders of the armies in South City, West City, and North City, like Ma Biao's 'colonel' and Lin Xuan's 'lieutenant colonel,' were not officially recognized by the Silver Dragon Battalion authorities.

Only on the day they surrender are they allowed to be issued qualification certificates and re-entered into the main camp system.

All these rules were established by previous colonels.

Xu Qingran shrugged it off: "You said it yourself, those were the rules set by previous colonels. Now that I'm in charge, isn't it my call to decide what the rules are?"

"Even if the Silver Dragon headquarters doesn't agree, they're too far away to control me."

He smiled with his eyes curved, his tone cool: "If they dare, let them transfer me from here."

If they can't transfer him, then of course, this place is his to command.

Xu Qingran not only approved the troop transfer request but also had his adjutant clear out all available military equipment, combat vehicles, and fighter jets from the East City camp.

It must be said, Tianlong's resources are truly at their worst.

After personally reviewing them, the better-performing fighter jets in all of East City could only muster about a dozen, combat vehicles only about twenty, and those psychic guns and cannons... In any case, this time he came, he almost emptied East City.

The adjutant was so anxious that he angrily asked, "Colonel, if you empty the camp, what if East City is attacked?!"

Xu Qingran: "It's fine, we can just have headquarters send people to reinstall the network then."

Adjutant Mao: "...?"

Is that the point?

In any case, under Xu Qingran's insistence, East City was stripped of most of its personnel and military equipment.

Ma Biao didn't know that Xu Qingran was the colonel himself, only marveling at how capable this new soldier was, actually able to get the new colonel's approval.

It seems this new colonel is somewhat different from the previous muddleheads.

Thinking this, he handed the communication device to Xu Qingran.

Xu Qingran didn't take it but asked, "What is this?"

"The main communication channel used by the commander to communicate with other squads," Ma Biao exhaled lightly, feeling as if the moment he handed over the item, he finally let go of years of persistence. "You'll need this for command."

Xu Qingran just glanced at him and asked, "What are you thinking?"

"This southern half of the city is your responsibility; those are your team members. How to command them is your own responsibility."

Ma Biao looked up sharply, only to hear Xu Qingran say, "Just give me a deputy commander's communication for necessary interjections, oh, and that main bracelet that can share psychic detection information."

"I am only responsible for providing source crystal information for your army."

"As for other arrangements, you handle them yourself."

Ma Biao's command is actually quite good, but he tends to get impatient and restless in emergencies, affecting his mindset and judgment.

If adjusted properly, as the leader of the southern half of the city, he'd be fine.

Of course, another main reason Xu Qingran refused was laziness.

That day, when he saw Lin Xuan as the main commander, his mouth hardly stopped, having to look ahead and behind, his lips cracked after the battle. For such troublesome tasks, although he doesn't refuse to do them, he prefers not to if possible.

After Xu Qingran got the items he mentioned from Ma Biao, he turned around and took out something like a cannon from the off-road vehicle he came in, effortlessly carrying the big guy that looked heavier than himself, and leisurely headed towards the interior of Zone 3.

Leaving only Ma Biao, still holding the main commander's communication, standing there in a daze.

By the time the sky darkened, Ma Biao had already arranged the positions for each unit and the defense and attack tasks.

Unlike Zone 10, the main goal for Zones 3 and 5 now is to first clear the devil groups from the alert range.

Tonight's mission mainly focuses on Zone 3, with some people also sent to Zone 5, but mainly to stabilize the current situation. Once the situation in Zone 3 stabilizes a bit, they will then move on to Zone 5.

The soldiers from the East City camp haven’t been on a mission like this in a long time, and they are skeptical of tonight’s primary and secondary commanders.

As for the original personnel from the upper half of South City, hearing that the commander sharing the psychic detection info tonight is a ‘rookie,’ they also feel uneasy and distrustful.

Until night falls, and the devils awaken.

Xu Qingran chose a building with a good view nearby, set up the only long-range psychic cannon he could find in the camp, and fixed his gaze on a group of creatures slowly swelling in the vast view ahead.

The difference between a psychic cannon and a gun is that it packs a much bigger punch than a gun with each shot.

Correspondingly, the psychic power consumed for each shot is also higher, and the demands for compressing and controlling psychic power are several times tougher. Without top-notch focus and control of psychic power, handling such a powerful weapon is out of the question.

The evening breeze blows.

In Xu Qingran’s eyes, a cool, pale glow slowly flickers to life.

Centered on himself, the first wave of psychic power quickly scans the area within a few kilometers. As he gets feedback, the info is instantly shared with the troops in today’s combat zone.

The moment they obtain the info about the Type I and Type II source crystals in the vicinity, everyone is strongly shocked by what they read.

This is some crystal-clear perception!

Like someone with bad myopia and astigmatism finally getting glasses that fit just right.

The blurry world snaps into focus!

Even the backup from Lin Xuan’s lower district is blown away.

They’ve been fighting in Tianlong for so many years and have never shared such clear detection info!

It’s important to know that info sharing, because it goes through a layer of procedure, will have some interference and lag, and can pick up about 80% of what the sharer sees. The sharper the sharer is at detecting and sensing source crystals, the clearer the info they can get.

And the info shared by Xu Qingran, even after interference, is still so clear that it gives them the illusion that their own perception of source crystals could be so effortless!

This guy’s perception skills are off the charts!!

While everyone is still amazed by the detection info shared by Xu Qingran, they see a light blue psychic beam in the sky, like a shooting star with a tiny tail, zipping by.

Then, it nails a Type I mother body on the field that’s been a pain for weeks, about the size of a mansion.

Bullseye.

The next second, the source crystal shatters, and countless chimeras rain down in a deluge.

Everyone is shocked again.

Who’d have guessed that a psychic beam attack as thin as a string would come from a psychic cannon, known to be trickier to handle than a gun!

This is a psychic cannon that’s unstoppable if controlled well, but a total waste if not, and even a general double S-level might not be able to handle it right away!

Ma Biao is also dumbfounded.

Remembering just before the battle started, he saw Xu Qingran setting up the psychic cannon on the rooftop of a high building and asked him, “Do you have any experience using it?”

Xu Qingran, without turning his head, said to him, “I practiced for two days in East City before coming.”

Ma Biao: “...”

Two days?

Is this fucking possible with just two days of practice?! What kind of monstrous level of psychic ability does Xu Qingran possess?!

On the rooftop, a cool breeze gently tousled Xu Qingran's hair and playfully ruffled his black and silver trench coat.

He withdrew his gaze, adjusted the aiming direction of the psychic cannon, and simultaneously released a second wave of psychic detection.

He smirked and let out a soft chuckle.

—Piece of cake.