Chapter 20: Wake-Up Call

Chapter 20: Wake-Up Call

Humanity's departure from their own galaxy was a hasty "escape" under the sudden assault of the Ice Butterfly Clan.

It was an unforeseen ambush that nobody could have predicted.

A spatial wormhole suddenly appeared within the defense zone of the capital planet.

A massive invasion of Ice Butterflies attacked the capital, catching humanity off guard.

For over a century, the conflict between humans and the Ice Butterfly Clan had been at a stalemate.

The frontlines were engulfed in constant warfare as the clan surrounded the human star domain, attempting to infiltrate it. Mankind shifted from passive defense to gradually understanding the clan's habits and weaknesses, eventually venturing into their territory to eliminate high-ranking Ice Butterflies that commanded the lower-class ones, posing a greater threat to humanity.

After centuries of this strategic game, the Ice Butterfly Clan's strength was gradually depleted, but not without a cost to humanity.

The increased demand for healers due to the abundance of battles led to an elevated death rate among them. As a result, the number of healers in the star domain dwindled, and there was an anticipated shortage of energy reserves for starships and mechas within the next century.

This was a protracted game that had yet to reach its decisive turning point.

The Ice Butterfly Clan's sudden assault on the capital planet upset the delicate balance.

The unannounced attack brought devastating casualties upon the inhabitants of the capital.

All spatial breach alert systems, which should have been activated, failed on that fateful day.

The federal government district was utterly devastated, with numerous high-ranking officials perishing in the assault; the Federal Military Headquarters was among the casualties, leading to a temporary state of command disarray.

While the Federal Military and the planetary defense forces were still focused on aiding the capital planet, several key resource planets were attacked in quick succession over the following days.

Soon after, one by one, nine inhabited planets fell prey to similar attacks.

No one could fathom why so many wormholes would appear within such a short period.

Based on humanity's understanding of the Ice Butterflies, only Subbutterflies were capable of opening wormholes. Given the enormous energy expenditure involved, each Subbutterfly could open a wormhole only once every few months or even years, not repeatedly within mere days.

Hunting down and eliminating Subbutterflies were crucial missions for the various military factions. Despite the threat posed by Subbutterflies around human territories, according to the military records, there were only about five of them, severely wounded and on the run after relentless military pursuits.

The successive wormholes, the throngs of ice butterflies invading through them - they should never have materialized.

Yet, they did.

This was followed by a massive drain of energy, the destruction of mecha warship factories, severed star network communication towers, and countless soldiers and civilians losing their lives.

Simultaneously, the warzone's legions were mired in frontline conflicts, unable to provide timely reinforcement.

Before this wormhole ambush began, the warzone had already endured numerous attacks.

The human fleet's mightiest flagship, the Silvin, which the ice butterflies feared the most, was lost in a fierce battle a month prior to the ambush, causing significant losses to the legion's strength.

Worse still, amidst the chaos, with a lack of regulation, members of the Ice Butterfly Symbiosis Association, who had long been forced to operate in secret, began openly advocating for coexistence with the ice butterflies. They claimed that their leader had struck an agreement with the butterfly overlords, the Adlets, stipulating that humans could share some territories as long as they met the butterflies' demands.

Many planet leaders opposing the association were attacked and killed, while portions of the public gradually fell under the association's indoctrination, signing their documents.

Some planets, still capable, launched their warships, evacuating as many residents as possible who despised, feared, and were enraged by the ice butterflies, along with all resources they could carry.

It was a chaotic era, one in which humanity lost its resource planets, a wealth of crucial historical, cultural, and technological knowledge, as well as related skills. The specialized group of healers vanished during this exodus too.

As the human fleet managed to break free from the encirclement of the Ice Butterflies and found a temporary respite, the number of healers aboard had dwindled to a precious few, all well over a century old. Anticipating a future without new healers, they initiated the "Artificial Healer" research project.

Two centuries after the project's success, Rong Mi joined the ranks of the artificial therapists.

Despite Rong Mi's strong aversion to the "Artificial Healer" project, he had to acknowledge its significance.

Without the emergence of "Artificial Healers," the mental domain contamination caused by cosmic radiation and the battle with the Ice Butterflies would remain untreated, stripping humanity of its capability to confront them.

Rong Mi also felt fortunate.

Though born in an era fraught with peril, humanity had long since grown accustomed to its nomadic existence among the stars, and no longer wandered in chaos or confusion.

A portion of the fleet had ventured farther, seeking new star systems where they might settle permanently.

Rong Mi's fleet, along with several others, remained in relative proximity to their original stellar domain. On their massive starships, they established communities and pursued new research, hoping that one day, an innovative weapon or advancements in human physiology would enable them to return to their former homelands.

Their fleet once ventured close to the outer fringes of the galaxy that was once inhabited by humans, attempting to establish contact with those who "shared" the system with the Ice Butterflies, seeking rebels among them who might be willing to ally against their common foe.

Yet, they discovered that the humans in this galaxy had become enslaved by the Ice Butterflies, living without freedom and lacking the power to resist.

During that brief journey back to the edge of the galaxy, besides the human beings, scarred and bound in both physical chains and mental restraints, Rong Mi also caught a glimpse of that planet.

It was a vast and spacious world.

Unlike the starship Rong Mi was on or the barren competition planet, this human-inhabited planet was significantly larger in size.

Even for the giant high-level ice butterflies, it was ample space for them to thrive.

Rong Mi shook his head, leaving the shadows of the interstellar nomadic era behind. He began searching for information online.

First, he looked up how to join a military unit in this era. Realizing that the annual military department's unified assessment was just around the corner, he bookmarked the page, planning to delve deeper into each unit's details before submitting his application.

Then, he casually searched for the Ice Butterfly Coexistence Association.

This organization had always been highly secretive. They never openly operated under such an obvious name, instead hiding within various sectors of the federal industrial chain, with numerous branches. Even during the interstellar nomadic era, not all their information could be fully uncovered.

However, Rong Mi was familiar with the emblems of the two largest branches of the Ice Butterfly Symbiosis Association.

Underneath the scattered dots were equilateral triangles connected at their vertices, arranged horizontally, symbolizing butterfly wings beneath the starry sky.

The interlaced swords above, with an inverted U-shape, symbolized the sealed warfare.

He casually sketched the badge designs and searched online, unsurprisingly finding little useful information. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

He slept deeply, due to the excessive mental exhaustion and his subconscious trust in Lu Yi. Even when he faintly heard a knocking sound, he didn't awaken.

Rong Mi turned over and continued sleeping with his face covered by the blanket.

It was unclear how long he slept until he sensed someone tugging at his covers.

Rong Mi was dreaming.

His roommate, who shared the same cabin, seemed to have lost his mind, clattering around with his experimental improved mecha models. The roommate persistently tried to rouse him, insisting they work on the crafts together.

"…Don't bother me. I've finally got some rest time…"

One of Rong Mi's arms reached out from under the covers, waving carelessly to dismiss his annoying friend. Suddenly, something warm and elastic attached itself to his face, followed by a fluffy object nudging his neck.

Rong Mi: "…"

Rong Mi: "What is it... Feels so good!"

Finally, he opened his eyes under the fluffy assault.

And there he saw an enlarged wolf face.

No matter how big a wolf's face was, it was always adorable!

The cute Silver Wolf had leaped onto his resting bed, bending its front paws slightly and placing them beside Rong Mi's face. After pushing against him for a while without any response, the wolf decided to bury its head and nuzzle him.

Rong Mi: "!!"

Such an adorable Silver Wolf!

Half-awake and half-asleep, he didn't think much and instinctively grabbed the wolf's paw by his side, stroking the soft fur on it and even giving the paw pad a peck.

Rong Mi's lips were very soft.

The Silver Wolf let out a howl, its fur standing on end.

It let out a reproachful howl, swiftly retracting its paw and turning to jump off the bed. In the process, it angrily swiped Rong Mi's neck with its fluffy tail.

The gesture was menacing, yet it seemed not to have applied any real force.

It didn't hurt.

It was even a bit ticklish.

Rong Mi was fully awake now.

He sat up and noticed a slight crack in the rest pod's door through which the small Silver Wolf was squeezing itself, leaving the room without looking back.

Silver Wolves, as predator Star Beasts, were creatures of dignity and territorial boundaries. It was only natural for them to be unhappy after having their paw unexpectedly kissed.

Rong Mi rubbed his head, mentally apologizing to the wolf but couldn't resist touching his lips.

He wanted to try that again!

"Ahh... You just, umm... So, what you're saying is?" Lost in thought, an unfamiliar voice echoed in the corridor, laced with curiosity.

It seemed as though he had been in conversation with someone, who had suddenly fallen silent, not continuing the discussion.

After a brief silence, Lu Yi's voice rang out.

"I will personally report his situation to the Supreme Commander," the man's voice remained as aloof as ever. "Please also send me a copy of the initial suspicion report you've prepared."

"If necessary, I can vouch for his security."

"Of course, you have the authority to make such a decision," the other person's voice spoke up again.

His voice was young, and the tone with which he addressed Lu Yi was filled with deep respect. This caused Rong Mi to momentarily pause in thought, but then she understood the reason behind it.

Lu Yi indeed carried an unmistakable air of sternness; even his casual glances imposed an unconscious sense of pressure, prompting others to instinctively adopt a formal and respectful demeanor when speaking to him.

All to avoid provoking an unpleasant response from him.

Rong Mi had treated some high-ranking military officers on the main ship before, and they all possessed a similar aura to Lu Yi's. However, probably due to differences in their mental power levels, the pressure they exuded was not as intense as Lu Yi's.

Rong Mi had grown somewhat accustomed to this sensation, coupled with his naturally carefree nature and strong resilience, he quickly adapted to Lu Yi's imposing presence.

He guessed that the investigator outside probably lacked relevant experience.

Getting up from the bed, he casually tidied his hair before pushing the door open.

Sure enough, the investigator standing in the corridor facing Lu Yi was quite young.

Dressed in the gray uniform of the Investigative Team, he turned his head upon hearing the sound, looking at Rong Mi.

Lu Yi said, "I apologize."

"Ayin, out of concern for your well-being, took it upon himself to unlock your room using his paw print. By the time I realized it, he had already entered your quarters."

Rong Mi immediately conjured the image of the Silver Wolf earnestly lifting his paw to align it with the high-mounted cabin door scanner for unlocking.

...It was simply too adorable!

Rong Mi instinctively glanced around for Ayin, but the wolf wasn't in the corridor. He deduced that Ayin must have run off, feeling embarrassed.

This wolf has quite a temper!

Rong Mi felt that if he didn't sincerely apologize and appease the wolf the next time they met, he might bear its grudge for a long while.

With investigators waiting, it was clearly not the right time to ask about how Lu Yi had soothed the wolf.

Rong Mi simply said, "No need to apologize. I was just too deep in slumber. Is the investigation team ready for their routine questioning?"

"Yes," the investigator sighed in relief. "Please follow me to the interrogation room."

They had already recorded statements from everyone on the planet, except for Rong Mi, whose situation was the most complicated.

Due to the First Legion's Commander, Lu Yi, requesting them to wait momentarily, they had been on hold for hours.

A meal had been consumed, and all other interview records had been organized. The defensive field around the abyss was provisionally set up, awaiting a more specialized legion squad to handle it. With no other tasks at hand, they returned to Rong Mi.

... Had it not been for Commander Lu Yi's timely intervention, this conversation might not have taken place today!

"Did you use your mental power?" Rong Mi asked Lu Yi as they walked out of the starship with the investigators. "How are you feeling? Has a medical team come to attend to you?"

Lu Yi's complexion was significantly paler than before, and he leaned against the starship's hatch while speaking, appearing somewhat weak. Though his movements were subtle, Rong Mi could tell.

Logically, if the investigation team had arrived, the medical team should have been there too.

Lu Yi's poor appearance was due to the disorder in his mental domain, and the subsequent energy collision that injured his body during the chaos.

Rong Mi had already stabilized the surface turmoil in Lu Yi's mental sea. If he had received proper treatment, his condition shouldn't be this grim.

Nodding, Lu Yi then spoke, "It's the second day."

Rong Mi: "..."

He had indeed received treatment... but he'd also used his mental power again.

The young man glanced at the time on his communication bracelet before falling silent and looking back at Lu Yi.

He had indeed mentioned not using mental energy on the first day.

But he also said it was best to avoid using it for the entire week!

"The cooperation in setting up the defensive field." The admiral remained leaning against the cabin door, briefly gesturing towards the deep pit outside with a concise nod.

Rong Mi: "..."

This was part of Lu Yi's responsibilities, and Rong Mi had no grounds to argue.

"I'll be back soon," he could only say. "Bear with it, no matter how unbearable it is."

A slight curve formed at the corners of Lu Yi's lips, almost imperceptible.

"Relax," he assured. "I'm doing fine."

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi was unsure what Lu Yi's definition of "fine" was, and thus couldn't find himself agreeing. At the same time, he silently cursed the military investigation team in his heart.

How inconsiderate! They still needed Lu Yi's assistance to set up the defense field at this moment.

The team leader couldn't help but sneeze.

He rubbed his nose and said guiltily, "I hope Commander Lu Yi isn't cursing me behind my back... Admiral isn't that kind of person."

He knew that Lu Yi was injured, but looking at that enormous high-level Ice Butterfly down in the pit, he felt that it could wake up at any moment.

Thus, he just wanted to finish setting up the defense field as soon as possible.

The equipment was in place, but a high-level defense field required a high-level mental power to activate. The higher the mental power, the better the effect of the activated defense field.

To activate a defense field that could withstand a high-level Ice Butterfly... On this desolate planet, Lu Yi was currently the only option.

While Rong Mi was asleep, Lu Yi had already lifted the starship out of the deep pit, now parked on an icy plain not far from the edge of the pit.

Rong Mi followed the investigator out of Lu Yi's starship and climbed the gangway of the investigation starship parked beside it.

The investigator held back for a while before finally giving in. With a tone that was either admiration or envy, he turned to Rong Mi and said, "You have a good relationship with Admiral Lu Yi. Few people speak to the Admiral like that."

The star region where he usually resided was far from the war zone, with little interaction with the First Legion. But three years ago, he had been recognized as an outstanding rookie investigator and thus attended a military commendation ceremony on the capital planet.

High-ranking officers from the military headquarters and the commanders of various legions were in attendance. Among them, Lu Yi stood out the most: both in appearance and the weight of the medals on his formal uniform.

The investigator initially failed to recognize Lu Yi's identity and thus paid extra attention to him for a while. He noticed that most people, including some high-ranking officers and legion commanders whom he could identify, seemed tense when speaking with Lu Yi.

It was a stark contrast to the ease and familiarity with which Rong Mi had just conversed with him.

Rong Mi let out an "ah" and replied truthfully, "Not bad."

They had fought side by side, weathering the Ice Butterfly crisis together, so they were no longer strangers.

Moreover, Lu Yi's personality and appearance... mainly his silver wolf! He was exactly Rong Mi's type!

Rong Mi's focus on the investigator's comment wasn't on his relationship with Lu Yi.

...But rather, Lu Yi's military rank.

"An Admiral?" he exclaimed in surprise, "That impressive?"

...Judging from this rank, Lu Yi must be a significant figure in the First Legion!