Chapter 31: Master

Chapter 31: Master

Silence reigned within the starship for a moment.

The wolf didn't respond, but a furry paw emerged from the crack in the door.

The silver fur was stained with large patches of blood, and as the paw extended, droplets of blood soon dotted the floor.

Rong Mi's heart tightened, but he didn't act immediately, instead standing still in silence.

The Silver Wolf hesitated for an instant before forcefully widening the gap in the door. It tilted its head to peer outside.

Its ice-blue eyes met Rong Mi's through the narrow opening.

"It's me," Rong Mi crouched down, confirming to Ayin.

"Ao!" The wolf let out a short howl.

It sounded like delight or perhaps urgency. Upon recognizing the visitor, Ayin's tail swished energetically, pushing harder against the door.

"I'm here."

Rong Mi promptly reached out, forcefully pushing the hatch open. He then lifted the wolf into his arms.

"Ayin!" The young man stroked the wolf's back. "Your wounds haven't been treated at all... Don't move your left paw anymore."

Supporting the wolf's body, he carefully avoided its left front paw that had just clawed at the hatch. As he hurried inside the starship, he lectured, "Next time, get treatment when you're injured! I know you don't feel safe... but if your body is damaged, you won't be able to fight either!"

"Ooof." The wolf moved its front limbs, making sure not to touch Rong Mi with its claws. It didn't want the blood contaminated with Ice Butterfly venom to soil Rong Mi.

If the poison accidentally touched Rong Mi's skin, it would burn his outer layer and require additional injections of Deciphering and Regeneration Agents.

Unaware of the wolf's small gestures, Rong Mi carried it while swiftly scanning Ayin's mental domain.

The wolf's mental energy was nearly depleted, and its mental domain was extremely exhausted, but there were no signs of chaos yet.

Rong Mi let out a long sigh of relief, telling himself that his treatments over this period hadn't been in vain.

"More reliable than your master... left or right?" Rong Mi cradled the Silver Wolf, turning left and then right at the fork in the corridor, using the wolf as a compass.

Ayin was highly cooperative, instantly tilting its head to the left, guiding Rong Mi towards Lu Yi's chamber.

The Admiral's location was within the starship's medical bay.

However, it was evident that the medical bay had been severely damaged, rendering it non-functional.

Oddly shaped ice formations protruded from the room, and Lu Yi's spiritual energy fluctuations were exceptionally vivid here.

A cold, frenzied, and nearly collapsing energy wave surged through the starship, freezing the entire hatchway solid.

Rong Mi: "..."

In times of chaos, uncontrolled spiritual energy erupted wildly, exacerbating the exhaustion of the already taxed mental domain – a vicious cycle. If uninterrupted, the consequences would be disastrous.

Rong Mi's breath condensed into vapor in the frigid chamber.

The hatchway was frozen solid. Rong Mi released tendrils of purple spiritual energy, gradually etching cracks into the icy surface.

Due to Lu Yi's formidable mental strength, this process was no easy feat.

Rong Mi forcefully suppressed his growing anxiety and could only bide his time patiently.

Yet, he couldn't simply idle away.

He casually sat down on an ice pillar nearby, letting the Silver Wolf rest on its side across his lap. Then, he opened the medical kit, took out two bottles of cleansing solutions, followed by the Ice Butterfly Antidote and a healing potion.

"I'll clean your wounds first," he said, holding the Silver Wolf's left front paw. "It might hurt a bit, bear with it—"

Wolf: "Awooo."

The transparent cleanser was poured over the wolf's forelimb, causing the creature to tremble from the pain but it kept its paw still.

After washing away the blood, Rong Mi noticed that the wolf's injuries were severe; half of its left paw had already rotted.

The black venom had crept up the wolf's claw and reached its knee, though it was previously concealed by the fur.

Rong Mi's brows knitted tightly as he watched, empathizing with the wolf's pain. Swiftly, he administered an Ice Butterfly Antidote, injecting it into the wolf. He then poured nearly half a bottle of the healing potion and, with bandages, carefully wrapped the wolf's wound. Lastly, he gently stroked the wolf's head, feeling a pang of heartache.

"Keep your left paw off the ground and wait here for me." He placed the wolf beside the hatch, glancing at the ice layers beginning to crack and peel from the door. "I'll be out soon."

"Ao." The silver wolf acknowledged, but then rose to its feet. Its front paws curled inward while the other three stood firm, watching Rong Mi struggle to push open the hatch.

Inside the treatment chamber, all instruments were encased in icy crystals, their functions frozen by the low temperature.

The walls, ceiling, and floor were covered with razor-sharp ice formations.

In the very center, the medical bed was likewise encapsulated in frost, resembling an icy sarcophagus.

Rong Mi furrowed his brow, banishing the ominous thought from his mind.

His mental energy swept across the icy layers, causing the crystalline blocks to slowly shatter before him, creating a path.

Lu Yi lay motionless on the medical bed.

The Admiral's face was eerily pale, his chest barely rising with each breath.

His eyes were closed, his consciousness completely absent. Blood stains were visible on his pillow and lips, and the connectors of the medical tubes piercing his body were also soaked in crimson.

More distressing than when Rong Mi first laid eyes on him...

It was even terrifying to the point that the first thing Rong Mi did was to reach out and feel for Lu Yi's pulse at the side of his neck.

For the first couple of seconds, Rong Mi sensed nothing.

A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on the young man's forehead.

His breaths were rapid as he suppressed his anxiety, reasoning with himself: If he was already gone, the dispersion of his mental energy would gradually cease, and the starship wouldn't be in this icy, wintry state...

Rong Mi's palm moved downward and exerted a gentle pressure. After a moment, he finally detected the general's faint pulse.

He let out a long sigh of relief, then cursed inwardly under his breath.

He wasn't sure who he was cursing at; he just couldn't help but feel infuriated seeing Lu Yi like this.

The young man swiftly pulled out an oxygen mask and placed it over Lu Yi's face, removing the damaged medical equipment tubes from the general's body. Then, he lifted Lu Yi's arm and carefully inserted a portable life support needle from his own first-aid kit into the inner side of the general's arm.

The life support device immediately emitted a piercing alarm, indicating that Lu Yi's condition was utterly dire.

Rong Mi was merely a Psyche Realm Healer, incapable of meddling in too many affairs. Thus, he simply reached out and placed his hand on Lu Yi's forehead, delving into the latter's psyche.

His mental energy threads were instantly engulfed by a chaotic sea of silver and black.

Lu Yi's psyche ocean roared, surging through its world as if it intended to shatter Rong Mi's mental energy into pieces.

Rong Mi was prepared to endure the agony of his mental energy being torn apart, extending more threads to temporarily resist the fury of Lu Yi's psyche realm.

Yet, that silver-black sea unexpectedly parted before the young man.

As if recognizing Rong Mi's mental energy vibrations, Lu Yi's turbulent mental energy swirled around Rong Mi's threads.

They continued to howl and tear at each other with a frenzied intensity, as if they were on the brink of self-destruction.

But not a single strand of Rong Mi's mental energy was harmed.

Rong Mi had never encountered such a situation during any of his healing sessions.

Not even during the previous treatment for Lu Yi...

As if, no matter what, Lu Yi would never harm him.

Rong Mi felt his heart being gently tickled, causing him to lower his gaze involuntarily.

He leaned down, their foreheads touching, and delved deeper into the general's mental sea with more of his mental energy, unknowingly grasping Lu Yi's palm.

"Mis... Don't be too hard on yourself either, General," Rong Mi murmured. "Come, just cooperate a little."

"Since in your subconscious... you can control your mental energy not to harm me, you can also refrain from harming yourself."

Purple mist swirled amidst the silver-black sea, calming the frenzied silver waves, conveying Rong Mi's words deep into Lu Yi's mind.

The youth exerted all his strength to soothe, repeating the words over and over until the storm on the surface of the silver-black sea finally showed signs of subsiding.

Rong Mi sensed a slight pressure on the back of his hand, as Lu Yi gently squeezed his hand in return.

Rong Mi lifted himself up, witnessing Lu Yi's fluttering eyelashes.

It was as if he was trying to open his eyes, but failed to do so.

"Conserve your energy." Rong Mi thus extended a hand, covering his eyes.

He felt Lu Yi's eyelashes brush against the palm of his hand, gentle like the shallow breaths of the Admiral.

"You don't need to see," the young man spoke softly. "The battle is over. You're safe, and we'll be taking you back to the flagship for treatment right away. Hold on a little longer, even if it's tough."

Lu Yi: "..."

Lu Yi furrowed his brow.

The Admiral's pale lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

His body was far too weak.

Rong Mi tightened his grip on Lu Yi's hand. "Save your words until you've completed your treatment."

"Otherwise, I'll charge you extra for healing fees in the future."

Lu Yi: "..."

A subtle curve graced the corners of Lu Yi's lips.

Then, the general's finger gently descended, leaving an imperceptible pressure on Rong Mi's palm. After a moment, he released his hold.

Regaining momentary consciousness, Lu Yi slipped back into unconsciousness.

The turmoil in his mental sea had come to a complete halt.

Rong Mi sighed in relief, only to let out a deeper sigh shortly after.

A week's worth of treatment seemed to have been rendered futile, causing him frustration.

"Misfortune better not strike again when we reach the capital planet," Rong Mi muttered as he contacted Ellen to have Lu Yi transported back to the main ship's infirmary.

The general was reconnected to a full suite of medical equipment, and various alerts indicating his physical condition popped up, sending the medical team into a frenzy.

Rong Mi observed from the side, scanning the data displayed on the medical robot's screen, silently adjusting the treatment plan in his mind.

He had initially intended to wait until Lu Yi's mental domain was completely stable before starting the detoxification process for both him and the wolf from the Ice Butterfly poison. But now, it seemed more reasonable to proceed with both tasks concurrently.

Otherwise, it would take too long.

"The treatment for your master is quite troublesome," the young man grumbled to the silver wolf, not out of annoyance but with a hint of concern in his voice.

He sighed again and stroked the wolf. "Lu Yi won't wake up anytime soon. Let's get you treated first."

Ayin's front limbs were severely injured, so Rong Mi took the wolf for a trauma clearance surgery.

The medical warship of the Third Legion was already overcrowded, but there weren't many people waiting outside the Star Beast Treatment Room.

The doctor inside the room couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Rong Mi carrying the wolf in.

"...Why is it so well-behaved now?!" With the assistance of the medical robot, the doctor swiftly completed the operation, confirming that the venom was no longer spreading. He then applied a healing agent and redressed the wound.

"This silver wolf was fiercely aggressive before," the medical robot was bandaging the wolf's paw. The doctor, standing beside them, checked the injury report, prescribed medication, and whispered to Rong Mi, "It only followed Admiral Lu Yi's medical bed, not allowing anyone to come close or dress its wounds. Anyone who stepped too close would be frozen."

"Several medical robots were damaged while transporting Admiral Lu Yi to the isolation warship."

Recalling the chaotic scene earlier, it was hard for him to believe that this motionless, docile silver wolf, like a stuffed toy, was the same one that had been fiercely enraged before.

The doctor glanced at Rong Mi again as he spoke.

In reality, wolves were incredibly loyal Star Beasts. Most of the time, they would only acknowledge one master in their lifetime and would refuse to leave their side when their owner was injured.

Yet, Ayin's reaction now was unusual.

It was as if Rong Mi was another master to him.

The doctor couldn't help but feel that there was something special about the relationship between this young, handsome man and Admiral Lu Yi.

Unaware of the doctor's internal monologue, Rong Mi held the wolf, imagining Ayin's intense anger and concern.

He felt a twinge of sympathy.

Gently patting the wolf's back to soothe it, he waited for the medical robot to finish bandaging it. Then, he smiled at the doctor in gratitude before carrying Ayin out of the treatment room and into the adjacent recovery observation pod.

It was standard procedure for a combat pet to be placed in an observation pod after surgery. If the pet showed no adverse reactions within an hour, they could leave with their owner.

The wolf lay in Rong Mi's embrace, drowsy with exhaustion. It gently nudged its head into Rong Mi's chest, seeking a comfortable position, but for some reason, it suddenly whipped its tail in a fit of temper.

"What's wrong?" Rong Mi looked down at it.

The wolf met Rong Mi's gaze, its ice-blue eyes conveying a clear reproach.

In the next moment, its uninjured right paw twitched, reaching towards the zipper of Rong Mi's shirt.

Rong Mi: ?

Confused, Rong Mi lowered his head to examine the zipper of his garment.

"Not fond of this outfit?" he asked, puzzled. "But the design of the mecha pilot suits has always been like this. I've worn them..."

Rong Mi's voice trailed off.

Reflecting on the cabin lights, he noticed a golden-brown hair trapped in the zipper puller.

It was left there when the big lion, Sandel, had brushed against him.

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi: "... You saw that?!"

He turned his gaze back to Ayin, thinking that the wolf must have regained its strength.

Realizing the crisis was completely over and the wound likely didn't hurt as much, it probably figured that Lu Yi had received treatment and wouldn't be in danger anymore... Thus, it started to notice the 'evidence' on its clothes!

Ayin: "... Oof."

The wolf let out an unhappy growl, locking eyes with Rong Mi before lowering its ears and turning its head away.

Rong Mi: "..."

Who could handle this!

"I accidentally brushed against it," Rong Mi quickly explained. "I didn't deliberately pet the lion!"

The lion had rubbed against him on its own!

As he spoke, he plucked the brownish-golden fur and tossed it aside. After some thought, he vigorously rubbed the wolf's back, plucked a loose hair, and affectedly tried to wedge the fur into the zipper of his own jacket.

Wolf: "…"

The wolf grumbled softly in discontent, objecting to the rough treatment of its fur. However, upon seeing Rong Mi deliberately trap the silver wolf hair in the zipper, Ayin's ears twitched slightly.

It shifted its gaze away subtly but contentedly.

Rong Mi: "…"

This was too childish!

Childishly adorable, even!

Rong Mi gently patted the wolf's head.

"I've said it before, Ayin is the handsomest and cutest fluffy," the young man reassured, "Ayin ranks first in my heart! - Even though all fluffies in the world are cute...!"

Ayin: "…"

The wolf casually flicked its tail, though not entirely pleased, it let the matter slide without any intention of "correcting" Rong Mi's statement.

Rong Mi found the situation highly amusing.

As he was entertaining the wolf, the observation pod's door was pulled open from the outside.

Rong Mi casually lifted his gaze, and then, without realizing, his hand stilled in mid-stroke.

Rong Mi: ...Oh no.

Having just finished playing with the wolf and showering it with compliments, he caught sight of a new adorable fluffball.

If he were to follow Lu Yi's suggestion now and ask the wolf for permission to pet it...

Would the wolf consent?