Chapter 72: Revealing the Identity

Chapter 72: Revealing the Identity

Grandis University is the Empire's official top university, known even to the citizens of the Tianlong system who never venture far from home.

Almost all top talents in various fields have graduated from there, so even cable news channels frequently mention this university. Even in remote places like the Tianlong system, there are people who strive to get into Grandis, hoping to elevate their families' status.

In the military, of course, the Grandis Military Academy is the most famous.

Even if locals haven't heard much about it, they would hear colleagues transferred from other star systems boasting about it, and over time, they developed a deep and impressive impression of the name. They only know that the academy's spots are extremely limited and hard to come by. Not to mention the successive commanders sent here, across the entire Tianlong system, there probably aren't many official representatives with such a background.

Because those with such a background are quickly snatched up by other star systems to excel in the starry battlefields.

Moreover, just coming from Grandis is already quite rare, let alone being a special invitee! That's practically a rare gem in the military!

Deputy Mao adjusted his large round glasses that almost slipped off his nose.

Looking at the equipment being carried into the camp, he hesitantly confirmed: "Are you saying all these are customized equipment for our colonel today?"

"All, all for him alone?"

The Silver Dragon Battalion staff smiled politely: "Yes."

The two groups who were just arguing over the city's conflicts suddenly fell silent, all puzzled and watching the scene unfold.

And the military personnel from the East City camp, who had a deeper understanding of Grandis and the title of special invitee, silently felt guilty for their earlier antics. They could only comfort themselves by saying that even if he is a special invitee from the Grandis Military Academy, he is still a cast-off of the faction... right!

Then they heard one of the more lively staff members say: "These things are perfectly suited for Young Master Xu."

"We really envy your luck in Shangnanzhou. Our Young Master Xu is such an outstanding graduate, even the generals from other star systems couldn't snatch him, and you guys managed to pick him up."

Deputy Mao, recalling Xu Qingran's notably casual and free-spirited demeanor, asked puzzledly: "Is our Colonel Xu so sought after in other star systems?"

"Of course!"

This male representative from the Silver Dragon headquarters seemed to be a closeted fan, speaking with particular pride when mentioning Xu Qingran: "Young Master Xu is the most famous outstanding member of our Silver Dragon Battalion. Even before he graduated, he could single-handedly confront a high-level Haina to rescue the injured Third Prince!"

"His exam results at the military academy were consistently top-notch! And the final graduation exercise, his performance was beyond outstanding, even the online critics were won over and became fans!"

"Eh, such a lively and famous live broadcast event, haven't you heard of it?"

This representative seemed to be visiting Shangnanzhou for the first time, and his inquiring expression didn't make people feel uncomfortable as if being mocked, but rather very sincere.

Deputy Mao could only say: "The existing habitable stars in the Tianlong system don't have very good internet. Important live broadcasts from other star systems... we rarely get to see them."

Cross-star system networking is so slow that even sending an email to the headquarters takes several days.

Live broadcasts are basically out of the question.

Even the news is only available on a few specific official military channels, and the signal is intermittent at best. Most of the time, it's in a state of disconnection, and normal broadcasting is hit or miss.

So over the years, what they know are those military personnel who have served in the Empire's military defense for a long time and have a high reputation, after all, they are mentioned and appear more frequently on news channels.

Like the Golden Wing Battalion, apart from Commander Mu Ziyue, they are only familiar with the figure Shen Tingyu.

The more talkative representative looked shocked, seemingly unable to imagine that the legendary Tianlong system could now be so 'underdeveloped'.

His expression was as if he had been exiled to the frontier, feeling heartbroken, he muttered to his companion: "I said, why Young Master Xu has been so absent recently, not even opening live broadcasts, it turns out the conditions here are so poor!"

His companion also shook his head: "No wonder, as soon as I entered the Tianlong domain, I couldn't load my Star Horizon threads anymore."

So, Deputy Mao watched as the previously composed and dignified representatives gradually let their guard down and became excited and engrossed in conversation whenever Xu Qingran was mentioned.

"Absolutely, I must post about this when I get back to let others know!"

"Indeed, the environment at the East City camp isn't up to par. Shouldn't we pressure the Silver Dragon higher-ups to not be so biased?"

"The timing is indeed good now. Didn't the higher-ups recently resign en masse because they were dissatisfied with the position arrangements for the young lord? Given that it concerns the young lord, Silver Dragon wouldn't dare to ignore this, right?"

Listening to their conversation, it seemed that their previously unknown new colonel was quite formidable in other star systems.

"Speaking of which, where is your colonel?" After finishing their discussion, the representatives straightened their clothes and asked Deputy Mao.

They hadn't forgotten the primary mission of their visit.

Deputy Mao was still processing the latest shock he had received today and spoke slowly, "Sorry, he's not in the camp..."

Then he asked in confusion, "He didn't leave any word about when he would return when he left. I'm his deputy, can I sign for him?"

The representative thought for a moment and replied, "Since these are personalized items, we need the colonel himself to sign for them."

"No problem, we'll wait here for him. Please try to contact the colonel as soon as possible and urge him to return promptly."

Seeing their serious attitude, Deputy Mao nodded absentmindedly.

Just as he was about to invite them into the office building to sit down, he suddenly saw a military truck roaring into the camp, stopping near them.

Under Xu Qingran's instructions, Deputy Mao had been very diligent for the East City main camp and knew it well. With just a glance, he recognized that it wasn't a vehicle from their East City military camp.

He frowned at the large truck, silently vowing to reprimand the guards at the camp entrance later for allowing unauthorized entry.

In the next moment, he saw Xu Qingran, whom he had been anxiously trying to contact, step out of the truck.

Xu Qingran had a particular preference for dark-colored clothes.

He was still wearing his usual black shirt and pants, with a distinctive long coat that only high-ranking Silver Dragon officers would wear. As he got out of the truck, he carried a bag wrapped in what looked like fabric taken from a soldier's uniform, round and somewhat resembling a watermelon.

Deputy Mao was puzzled.

He adjusted his glasses and took a closer look at Xu Qingran, then at the large truck he had driven back.

...Why was it different from the one he remembered Xu Qingran driving off in?

As Xu Qingran walked towards them, his eyes were cold, his lips pressed into a straight line, radiating an aura of impending tension. Shen Tingyu, who had gotten out of the passenger seat, followed silently behind him, his lips habitually curved in a slight smile, appearing amiable.

A snow-white wolfhound jumped out from the back of the truck.

Its eyes were sharp, its body powerful and large enough to carry an adult on its back. It walked beside Xu Qingran, its gaze sharp and watchful as it looked at everyone.

They had returned without any attempt to hide.

Neither made any effort to conceal their identities.

The delegation from South City, who had come to the camp to argue, was stunned.

They thought, isn't the tall man at the front the one who came to their South City to 'challenge', beat up a bunch of people, and then led them to solve several severely affected areas as a super-talented new recruit?

The West City delegation was also taken aback.

They also recognized Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu as the ones they had mistaken for South City people, who had come to West City to cause trouble and fight. Among the West City people was the leader who had captured them and taken them to District 7. He had recently received news from District 7 that they had escaped and caused a big stir.

Are they delivering themselves to him while we're scrambling to arrange a search party?

In Dongcheng, they're pretty familiar with Xu Qingran, the rookie who torched the colonel's office building.

After a second look, they thought the good-looking guy with black hair and blue eyes trailing him seemed familiar, like they'd seen him somewhere.

Until they saw the representatives from the Silver Dragon headquarters step forward with surprise: "Colonel Xu, you're back!"

The voice was loud, and everyone around could hear it clearly.

Eyes popped wide, and gasps of shock rippled through the crowd.

Xu Qingran is Shangnanzhou's new colonel?! Looking back, it makes sense, but... why him as their new colonel?!

The folks from Xicheng were especially floored.

Wasn't the new colonel supposed to be their boss's grandpa? Wait, a grandpa this young??

Their leader remembered what he'd said to Xu Qingran earlier—he'd bought it all, but now he saw their lieutenant colonel had been full of hot air.

Before they could snap out of it, the reps spotted the guy behind Xu Qingran and blurted, "General Shen Tingyu?! What are you doing here?"

That's when the Dongcheng guards finally got why Shen Tingyu seemed familiar.

They'd just caught his interview on the camp's barely-working TV!

But—

Holy crap, the guy they'd been gossiping about for days was General Shen from the Golden Wing Battalion? What's a Golden Wing guy doing in Silver Dragon territory? And in a dump like Shangnanzhou?

The Xicheng leader nearly passed out.

Wait, didn't their lieutenant colonel brag about being tight with Shen Tingyu? No wonder they looked so weird that day!

"Here to drop something off?" Xu Qingran paused, eyeing the military gear in the distance.

He didn't seem fazed, like he'd expected them all along.

The reps answered respectfully, "Yes, except for guns and knives, you'll need to check and test-drive the rest. Once you confirm everything's good and register your details, we can report back to HQ."

Xu Qingran gave a light chuckle, but his eyes stayed cold.

He said slowly, "Your commander's too kind. I figured he'd just hand me the parts and let me build it myself."

The Silver Dragon staff picked up on his sarcasm and were too scared of his icy demeanor to say a word.

"Leave it. I'll deal with this first, then sign off on it."

With that, Xu Qingran walked past them to the stunned Deputy Mao and said, "Make an announcement. Get everyone in Dongcheng camp together."

"Let's head to... the No. 2 field, where the welcome ceremony was." Xu Qingran said slowly, "Round up the folks from other districts too. We'll sort it all out together."

Before leaving, he remembered something: "Ah, doesn't HQ here have video gear to link up with other district camps?"

Deputy Mao now saw Xu Qingran as if he were lit up, impossibly bright.

So without digging into why he asked, Deputy Mao answered honestly, "Yeah, but we hardly use it, and most other districts won't pick up..."

Xu Qingran brushed off the warning and said flatly, "Good. Get someone on it. In an hour, link up with HQ and the other district camps. Make sure they can all see No. 2 field and hear me out."

"But..." Deputy Mao had just begun to speak.

Then Xu Qingran said, "Just tell them directly that they can see the new colonel through the connection and can curse at will."

"They'll agree."

Deputy Mao replied, "...Okay."

At first, he was skeptical of Xu Qingran's confidence.

Until he saw the East City guards spreading the word and gathering, and the South and West City representatives even asked for directions to the No. 2 venue ahead of time. Later, back at the office, he instructed his subordinates to call the major sub-camps in the South, West, and North Cities. Except for the North City, which, as usual, ignored the call, the other two major cities answered.

Just as Xu Qingran had predicted, they surprisingly agreed to the East City's connection request made in the colonel's name.

At this moment, all of Deputy Mao's past doubts, distrust, and prejudices towards Xu Qingran disappeared.

—No wonder he was an outstanding special invitee from the Grandis Military Academy, a far cry from those previous colonels who were all talk!

·

"Colonel Xu, here's the custom-made sword and sidearm from Silver Dragon, tailored to your specifications."

Xu Qingran pulled up a chair and sat under the high platform at the No. 2 venue, waiting for Deputy Mao's instructions.

The white dog lay obediently beside him, eyes closed as if napping.

The Silver Dragon headquarters representative seized the moment to hand over the lighter weapons first. Two special boxes adorned with shiny silver dragons were opened, revealing a psychic sword and a gun.

The person in front of Xu Qingran eagerly said, "You can test the feel, see if it suits you, and check the overall quality."

He first reached out and picked up the hefty short sword, examining it closely.

The blade was slightly curved, sharp, and hard, with the iconic silver and black color scheme of Silver Dragon. The silver-gray blade bore the engraving of a slender silver dragon. The hilt, coincidentally, featured a pure silver wolf head, each eye inlaid with a sea-blue gemstone.

Small, transparent, and beautiful, perfectly scaled and free of impurities.

Next was the gun.

Still in silver and black, matching the knife's design style but presented differently. Clearly, they were a set, including other military weapons, brooches, high-end custom clothing from brand collaborations, all featuring similar elements.

Xu Qingran was pleasantly surprised by the meticulous craftsmanship of the items Silver Dragon had custom-made for him.

This craftsmanship was clearly intended for lifelong use.

Just as he was puzzled by this inconsistency with Mu Ziyu's character, the Silver Dragon headquarters staff holding the box explained, "These military weapons were jointly discussed and made by Silver Dragon and the most famous military weapon manufacturer, the Ni family, in our camp."

"All the manufacturing processes were manually adjusted, polished, and colored, with the most experienced and well-reviewed craftsmen from the Ni family participating in the entire customization process."

"In terms of appearance—including the high-end custom clothing given—it was designed and produced by Ji Wanying, the daughter of the Ji family head and a famous designer in the Kayan Empire, leading her team."

"And the external aircraft, fighters, and mechs were custom-made with the help of the Mo family, which has the most advanced research and technology in the Silver Dragon Battalion."

Although they said so, in fact, these were all actively requested by their families.

Mu Ziyu originally thought of simplifying everything when it came to things for Xu Qingran, but he almost offended the major families of Silver Dragon, so he simply let them discuss and decide for themselves.

Including the delivery of these items, it was all arranged by the Ji family with the headquarters staff.

So, it doesn't have much to do with Mu Ziyu or the Silver Dragon's management.

After hearing their explanation, Xu Qingran understood why these finished products were so exquisite and why their design style resonated with him.

He looked down to admire the exquisite knife in his hand, his drooping eyelids concealing a rare softness.

—His mood, which had been sour for days, finally lightened a bit.

He tried channeling a bit of psychic energy into the knife and, for the first time, felt such a smooth release of power. The weapon in his hand even felt lighter, and he could imagine the convenience and comfort it would bring him in combat.

The psychic gun felt the same way.

It truly felt like the hype promised—a weapon tailor-made for him!

Xu Qingran finally understood why Shen Tingyu always complained about the weapons' poor quality and roughness during their training sessions.

Turns out, he'd been using exclusively customized, high-quality gear all these years. Using those mass-produced training weapons was like forcing a sports car driver into a beat-up old clunker.

"Good, I'm satisfied," Xu Qingran said, putting the items back into the box and closing it.

Hearing this, the people around him sighed in relief and smiled.

One of them accidentally brushed the round bag beside Xu Qingran's chair with his foot.

After apologizing, he casually asked, "Young Master, what's this?"

Xu Qingran had been carrying it around since he stepped out of the car.

The silver-black cloth wrapped it tightly, making it impossible to tell what was inside.

Xu Qingran crossed his legs, rested his hands on them, looked up at the questioner, and smiled faintly. "Nothing, just a human head."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Until Shen Tingyu walked by, his eyes curved as he gently pressed a cup of warm tea against Xu Qingran's cheek to get his attention before handing it over.

General Shen Tingyu's gentle presence broke the tension in the room.

The questioner laughed, saying, "Young Master, you really know how to joke."

Xu Qingran smiled without a word, sipping his tea in silence.

An hour flew by.

As the crowd grew, Xu Qingran moved to the most prominent high platform.

He kept the same posture, head down, toying with the gun in his hand. But it wasn't the one the Silver Dragon personnel had asked him to test—it was another short gun, dark gold with a three-legged golden crow design.

At his feet lay that round object.

Below, a sea of heads.

Shen Tingyu and the white dog Xu Qingran had picked up stood at the edge, watching from a distance.

The personnel from the Silver Dragon Battalion headquarters didn't have to participate in this event, but out of curiosity, they stood near Shen Tingyu to watch. They lamented that the situation on Taiyue Star didn't allow it, otherwise they would definitely have livestreamed it for the netizens.

"Is everyone here?"

Amidst the rising and falling discussions below, Xu Qingran suddenly spoke.

In the next second, everyone who had been talking instantly went silent.

Even though they hadn't initially intended to cooperate so readily, they were unconsciously subdued by Xu Qingran's authoritative demeanor.

"Then let me reintroduce myself. I am Xu Qingran, the current colonel of your Shangnan Continent."

Apart from those present who had already experienced the shock of the truth and Lin Xuan from the southern lower district of Nancheng who knew the truth and remained relatively calm, the people from other battalions were all shocked and in an uproar. Especially Ma Biao and his team from Nancheng, who had expressions that were both surprised and resigned.

Ma Biao slapped his thigh in frustration, saying, "We should have thought of it earlier! If it weren't for this identity, how could a new recruit act so freely!"

It was their own fault, blinded by the stereotypes left by previous colonels!

In Nancheng, where Xu Qingran had personally trained them, they were more accepting of him as their colonel.

The main problem lay in Xicheng. Apart from the 15th district, which had just experienced a terrifying scene and was now silent, staring at the video feed they dared not disconnect, the military personnel from other districts were voicing their complaints loudly.

Especially in the 7th district, where the guards were still reeling from the release of their hard-captured prisoners and the loss of so many of their own.

Suddenly, they found that one of the people they had captured had become the colonel now in command over them.

A representative from Xicheng immediately questioned, "Colonel, since you hold such a position, why did you—why did you join forces with the general of the Golden Wing Battalion to come to Xicheng and kill indiscriminately? Could it be that you are a spy sent by the Golden Wing to hasten the downfall of Tianlong?"

"Killing indiscriminately?" Xu Qingran chuckled lightly. "Do you think those people died innocently?"

A pointed question, neither too harsh nor too mild, silenced the people from Xicheng.

They knew very well in their hearts what kind of things they had done. But they still felt indignant. Since they had gained power and strength, what was wrong with acting with impunity in the areas they governed?

"In my view, they died innocently, so what?!" the man retorted.

"This is how things are done in Xicheng. You, an outsider, have no right to judge—"

Before he could finish, a gunshot suddenly echoed through the venue.

The scene, which had started to get noisy again, went silent once more. The crowd suddenly parted to reveal a certain area. Lying on the ground, convulsing until he died, was the man who had just been boldly challenging Xu Qingran.

Looking back at Xu Qingran on the high platform, he was still sitting in his original spot, as if he hadn't moved at all.

In his hand, he continued to toy with the psychic gun that, although not his exclusive, he used just as skillfully.

Even so, everyone present knew that it was he who had fired the shot.

Especially the other districts connected via video, their camera feeds focused on Xu Qingran, clearly capturing his every move.

This ruthless act of killing stunned everyone present.

The people from Xicheng even began to wonder if Xu Qingran intended to rule them with a 'tyrannical' hand.

"By the way, people from Xicheng, there's something I still need to give you."

The man on the high platform said, grabbing the round, bulging bag by his side and tossing it towards the area where the Xicheng military personnel were gathered.

Someone instinctively reached out to catch it and began to unwrap the damp, sticky cloth.

The surrounding crowd watched curiously.

After a moment of unwrapping, when the contents were revealed, the person suddenly let out a scream as if frightened by a ghost from a horror movie, then forcefully threw what they were holding.

The object hit others, triggering a new wave of screams.

The soldiers from the East and South cities were bewildered by their dramatic antics, straining their necks to get a look. Only when they screamed and scattered, creating an open space, did everyone finally see what Xu Qingran had thrown over.

The Silver Dragon reps near Shen Tingyu turned pale.

Holy crap!

It was actually a freaking human head!!

What Xu Qingran threw to the West City people was the decapitated head of the tyrannical lieutenant colonel from District 15.

"This... this is the lieutenant colonel..."

"Is this colonel out of his mind? So now Silver Dragon isn’t sending us useless, washed-up officials, but plucking someone straight out of a mental institution to deal with us, right?!"

Most importantly, this lieutenant colonel with double S-tier psychic ability was considered a seriously tough soldier in their West City.

Even among those of the same psychic level, few could hold a candle to him. If Colonel Xu didn’t pull some shady tricks, then he must have won in a one-on-one fight?! Is this new colonel really that much of a badass?!

Regarding these questions, the surviving soldiers in District 15 had the most to say.

When Xu Qingran single-handedly beat up the West City lieutenant colonel, they were all there, watching. The lieutenant colonel, who usually had almost no match in West City, was as helpless as a kid facing a pro in front of him.

Not only was he overpowered in technique, but even his prized psychic energy was utterly crushed, and his physical fitness was no match either.

At first, it might have seemed like a fair fight, but later, as his stamina and focus waned, it turned into a straight-up beatdown. Moreover, this new colonel was as brutal as he was good-looking, the more he hated someone, the harder he laid into them.

Other soldiers in District 15 who tried to intervene were all taken out by another guy and a white dog who accompanied him.

Xu Qingran didn’t even glance at those minions, grabbing the lieutenant colonel by the collar and pummeling him, listing his hateful crimes one by one. Each accusation left the other guards in District 15 speechless, with no words to refute.

Among the West City military guards, there were naturally normal people too.

But they’d long been desensitized by their surroundings, not noticing how much evil their leaders had indirectly guided and indulged. It wasn’t until Xu Qingran calmly listed their crimes, his calm, icy tone hitting them like a sledgehammer, that they felt utterly ashamed.

So now, the surviving guards in District 15 were the ones who’d been whipped into shape by Xu Qingran.

—With the top leader gone, of course, they had to follow all orders from this colonel.

"Kidnapping innocent men and women, condoning cults that kill and take blood, harming children."

The person on the high platform suddenly spoke coldly.

"Allowing illegal poachers and human traffickers to run rampant, illegally collecting protection fees from the empire’s people, with chaotic discipline. Not clearing out illegal underground factions, but instead using their positions to aid and abet, colluding with them."

Listing the crimes committed by the West City military guards.

He looked up at the scattered West City guards, as disorganized as their current state.

And asked, "Which of these acts is innocent?"

Xu Qingran chuckled softly, "If there is any, please point it out, and I will apologize to you."

On the field, it was certainly silent.

The military guards from the East and South cities probably heard such shocking details for the first time, their looks at the West City folks tinged with disgust.

They were just rebellious and slacking off, but not as twisted as the West City crowd.

It always felt like the military uniforms they wore had been tainted.

"Today is my official appointment."

Xu Qingran, who had just dropped a bombshell, finally rose from his chair, standing tall and looking down at the crowd below.

"There are some things I need to make clear to you upfront."

He tilted his head slightly, a smirk playing on his lips, his eyes icy: "I'm not like the colonels before me."

"They couldn't defeat you because they weren't capable."

"They didn't dare to fight you to the death because they feared death and were too cautious."

His gaze drifted lazily over the crowd below.

Then he continued slowly: "I have the ability, and I'm not afraid of death."

"So you can choose to continue opposing me, but until I die, anyone who crosses me will end up like that." Xu Qingran brandished the gun he had taken from Shen Tingyu, pointing it in the direction of the person he had just shot.

The crowd finally caught on—

Xu Qingran was threatening them, right?! Is this how a colonel acts?! Acting like a gangster, shooting anyone who doesn't obey like they're just kids!

Someone stammered, "Y-you... aren't you afraid that if you kill everyone, there will be no one left to guard this place for you?"

Xu Qingran raised an eyebrow, asked, puzzled, "What do I have to fear?"

"If all the guards of Shangnan Province die—shouldn't you be the ones freaking out?"

The crowd's expressions froze.

After all, Xu Qingran has no ties to Shangnan Province, Taiyue Star, or even the entire Tianlong System. If Shangnan Province falls and is completely overrun by the demons, it's the guards, most of whom have families in Shangnan Province, who will truly suffer, left with nowhere to go and forced to wander.

As for Xu Qingran?

He's just a colonel assigned here by his faction. If Shangnan Province falls, at worst, he'll bear the blame and take a hit to his record. In the worst-case scenario, if Silver Dragon pins all the blame on him and insists on his death, he wouldn't bat an eye.

As he said, he simply doesn't have the same baggage as they do.

The people from other camps also went quiet.

...That's cold.

"Or, you could simply choose to follow all my arrangements and orders," Xu Qingran added casually.

His tone was calm and unhurried: "This way, you won't just survive, but I can also help you reclaim the lost territories of Shangnan Province, step by step."

These words resonated with most of the guards.

Isn't the reason they work so hard to defend Shangnan Province's bottom line, dreaming of one day making a contribution and reclaiming the lands taken by the demons? But Xu Qingran is just one person—can he really pull that off?

Xu Qingran knew that just saying this now wouldn't convince the people of Shangnan Province.

In fact, they might have already been fooled by other high-ranking officials with similar rhetoric several times before.

So he didn't plan to explain.

Time and outcomes will reveal all truths.

The dark golden psychic gun twirled around Xu Qingran's index finger before he suddenly grabbed it and fired in a specific direction.

A cry of pain rang out, and when everyone looked in the direction Xu Qingran's gun was pointing, they were shocked to see that a leader from the 7th District of West City's sub-camp had been shot in the leg. The spot where the leader fell was also quite telling, being somewhat distant from the gathered crowd, as if he was trying to sneak away.

This leader was not only trying to escape but also planning to report back.

Xu Qingran was well aware of this.

He chuckled silently and added to the soldiers under his command in Shangnan Province: "By the way, let me emphasize one more thing."

"I know your skills aren't top-tier, and you are soldiers who have been discarded or exiled by other star systems. This is an undeniable fact," Xu Qingran said.

The crowd went silent once more, expecting him to mock and belittle them, as previous colonels and generals had done.

But then they heard him say: "I accept any level of talent under my command, and I accept any level of inferior talent."

"But I won't tolerate those who, through their own actions, label themselves as trash."

Take the lieutenant colonel from the 15th District, for example.

Take the leader from the 7th District.

And the other lowlifes he had taken out.

Xu Qingran accepts average ability and is even willing to help them adjust to their most suitable positions.

But if they are already average and still degrade their own morals, he'd prefer fewer people over tolerating such societal trash.

The West City soldiers felt the guiltiest.

Today, Xu Qingran not only showed his true colors but also issued a stern warning to the East, South, and West cities.

Why not the North City?

Because the North City still ignored the notice from the headquarters.

So, a nervous West City resident asked resentfully: "Since everyone is equally rebellious, why haven't you treated the North City the same way you treated West City, even though they don't obey or respond to you?"

Xu Qingran caught this question as he descended from the platform.

He stopped, raised an eyebrow, and shot back: "North City?"

"They are not garbage at all; on the contrary, they are the best among you."

Whether it's military discipline and order or the defense of the North City region.

Before contacting these four districts, he had already conducted a simple background investigation.

The North City region is the largest, and despite their insurgent forces having severed ties with the Silver Dragon faction for so many years, they've still managed to hold their own against the demon hordes. The city's soldiers are highly disciplined. Aside from their rebellious streak, there's really no fault to be found with them.

He smiled and said: "What can your West City possibly compare to North City?"

The questioner blushed in shame.

Xu Qingran had just stepped down to wrap up today's little meeting when he saw his deputy, who had gone somewhere in the meantime, running up to him from a distance.

Out of breath, the deputy said: "Colonel Xu, another starship has just landed at the East City landing field."

"It's a starship from the Golden Wing Battalion."

Xu Qingran glanced at Shen Tingyu not far away and frowned, asking: "What are the Golden Wing people doing here?"

The deputy also looked uncertain: "It's the security team. They mentioned that the incident they're investigating is linked to our West City in Shangnan Province."