Chapter 35: Orientation

Chapter 35: Orientation

Zhang Lingyu: "…."

Rong Mi: "…."

The two of them fell into a brief silence, gazing at each other through the holographic screen.

"General Zhang Lingyu, the Supreme Commander of the Military Command," Lu Yi introduced her to Rong Mi with an even tone, seemingly not perceiving anything unusual about his statement.

Zhang Lingyu had short hair that reached her shoulders, with delicate features and a strong aura. She looked every bit the valiant soldier.

Fixing her gaze on Rong Mi, she temporarily shifted her thoughts away from the furry creature. She arched an eyebrow slightly, realizing that Lu Yi's attitude toward Rong Mi was more serious than she had anticipated.

By summoning Rong Mi ahead of time, Lu Yi intended for her to meet him, and also hinted that once Rong Mi joined the First Legion, his rank might rise gradually, but his position would be of great significance.

"Nice to meet you," Rong Mi politely bowed in greeting to Zhang Lingyu.

In his previous role as Chief Therapist and Chief Mecha Engineer, he had often interacted with high-ranking military officials. Thus, encountering the leader of the military didn't evoke any nervousness; instead, it filled him with surprise.

From the way Lu Yi and Zhang Lingyu spoke to each other, he realized that Lu Yi held a high position in the military – higher than he had initially imagined.

Rong Mi was also surprised that Lu Yi had directly arranged for him to meet the Supreme Commander of the military.

Back when he served on the main warship, it took him years before he had the chance to truly interact with the highest-ranking commander and have his name recognized by them.

Certainly, getting acquainted with the Supreme Commander was beneficial for Rong Mi's entry into the military, as well as for his future plans to prevent the Ice Butterflies' surprise attacks.

On the screen, Zhang Lingyu smiled and saluted Rong Mi. "Thank you for your contributions in those two crucial battles," she said without any airs, smiling. "Lu Yi might be a bit dull, but the First Legion is an excellent choice."

When she said this, she clearly favored Lu Yi, indicating that deep down, she didn't really want Rong Mi to join the Equipment Department or another legion.

"Still... was it truly because of the number of battle pets in the First Legion and Lu Yi's Arctic Silver Wolf that made you choose the First Legion?"

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi chuckled and replied half-jokingly, half-seriously, "Mostly because of the wolves."

The Icefield Silver Wolves were an exceptionally rare type of Star Beast, and even in this era, their numbers were scarce. Rong Mi had never researched how many of these wolves still existed, but based on his understanding of fluffy creatures, their population couldn't exceed double digits.

And to be able to pet one with one's own hands was an extraordinary rarity!

Rong Mi mused that if he hadn't stumbled upon Ayin when the wolf was exhausted and vulnerable, accepting his aid, he might not have been able to enjoy the privilege of petting a wolf as freely as he did now.

Moreover, had he not met Ayin, he would never have had the chance to know Lu Yi.

With the original owner's predicament, there was no way Rong Mi would have joined the First Legion.

Recalling the complicated history between the original owner and the First Legion's Commander, Rong Mi glanced at Lu Yi again.

"I wouldn't say just you," Rong Mi whispered in rebuttal. "Isn't it said that your Commander also raises a wolf?"

Although Rong Mi couldn't quite recall the specific breed of that wolf.

Lu Yi: "..."

For once, he felt a mischievous urge.

He didn't reveal his identity as the First Legion's commander to the young man, preferring to observe Rong Mi's reaction when he discovered the truth on his own.

Almost halting in his tracks.

Lu Yi found both his actions and such childish thoughts amusing, though he only responded with a calm expression on his face.

"Chat among yourselves. I have another meeting to attend," Zhang Lingyu glanced at her timepiece. She had another gathering to join, a conference regarding the investigation into the origin of the spiritual imprints of the Yada Butterflies within Ellen's mental domain. Though the investigation was progressing slowly, she still needed to listen to the reports.

After ending the call, Rong Mi moved around to the medical robot on the other side of Lu Yi's sofa and started examining Lu Yi's medical records with great attention.

"You have a good rapport with the Supreme Commander," he commented casually while reading.

From the way Zhang Lingyu and Lu Yi conversed, Rong Mi could tell that this Supreme Commander considered Lu Yi an absolute ally.

Their relationship seemed more like that of equal friends rather than superior and subordinate.

However, Lu Yi held a high military rank, so their mode of interaction wasn't entirely inappropriate.

Rong Mi pondered: In this situation, it might be challenging for the First Legion's commander.

He was somewhat concerned that although Lu Yi held influence within the First Legion, he might also be a target of the legion commander's animosity.

But Ellen had mentioned that apart from the First Squad returning to the capital planet, the other squads remained in the war zone. Rong Mi, realizing he wouldn't have much contact with that legion commander for at least the next one or two months, put this matter aside and asked out of curiosity, "How much bonus did the military department send me?"

He wanted to calculate his earnings to see how much of the original owner's debt he could repay.

Lu Yi perceived his thoughts and spoke calmly, "I've already cleared your debts for you."

Rong Mi: "???"

Rong Mi looked at him with a bewildered expression.

"In the course of the Barren Star Incident investigation, you granted the team access to your basic information," Lu Yi stated. "I was one of the recipients of the report."

"Advance your therapist's salary."

Rong Mi: "..."

The original owner had incurred substantial debts. Even with Lu Yi's accumulated merits and rewards from the past, paying off this sum all at once would be a considerable burden for him.

Though the Admiral mentioned an advance on his salary, according to the agreed-upon rate for treatment... this amount would equal six or seven years of his wages. He might even run away before then.

Not to mention, Rong Mi had just received a notification of his salary deposit yesterday, showing no signs of any deductions for the advance.

Rong Mi looked at the Admiral, his gaze shifting slightly.

He opened his mouth, about to suggest that the Admiral refund it, but Lu Yi beat him to it.

"The value of my life isn't enough?" the Admiral asked coldly. "Or is Ayin's life not worth it?"

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi closed his mouth.

Silent, he first checked his account to see how much he owed.

He had only checked the deposit notifications before and never accessed the account inquiry page, thus discovering now that all his debts under his name had been cleared.

The records indicated that a "third party" had settled them, shortly after Rong Mi completed the investigation team's inquiries... perhaps even while Rong Mi was still on the inspection spacecraft.

Rong Mi: ... Lu Yi's quite efficient.

The Admiral received the report on his situation and had cleared the original owner's debts even before Rong Mi had mentioned wanting to be their therapist for both himself and the wolf.

After a moment of silence, Rong Mi chuckled to himself.

Seems like he'll be tied to Lu Yi for a long time.

In his mind, he replaced the unknown debt company with Lu Yi as the creditor. For some reason, the word "debt" now seemed bathed in a brighter light.

"You should have told me earlier," he said, jesting with the Admiral without revealing his thoughts. "If you had, I would have run away with the money and not joined the First Legion to 'sell myself' to you."

Lu Yi looked up at him.

The Admiral leaned back on the sofa.

Perhaps from enduring the long meeting, his complexion and lips were eerily pale, even more so than when Rong Mi had first entered the room.

He seemed to be pondering over Rong Mi's words, his gaze darkening slightly. After a moment of silence, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "You can reconsider."

Being ill, Lu Yi's voice inadvertently carried a hint of weariness. Following his words, he couldn't help but cough, wrinkling his brow in discomfort.

Nonetheless, his icy blue eyes remained fixed on Rong Mi, awaiting his response with unwavering focus.

It made Rong Mi feel as if he was taking advantage of a vulnerable patient.

Rong Mi: "…Why are you taking this seriously?"

"I was joking!" he hurriedly clarified, "Even if not for the money, it's for the...!"

The young man's voice dwindled, finally muttering, "Even if not for the wolves, it's for you."

Lu Yi was utterly incapable of taking care of himself.

"lie down first, let me examine your spirit realm," he leaned closer to Lu Yi, observing the man's complexion.

Rong Mi was aware that his strength had waned; even his posture had lost its vigor. Thus, he helped Lu Yi lie down on a bed nearby.

"I was concerned about causing more chaos by forcefully treating your mental sea yesterday, so I only stabilized the surface turmoil. The deeper issues remain unresolved... I asked the medic to call me as soon as you woke up. Did you refuse their attempt to contact me?"

Lu Yi replied, "You needed rest."

His weary body sank into the bedding. He gradually relaxed, allowing Rong Mi to draw near.

Rong Mi sighed softly. "You're too kind. You should take better care of yourself."

As the young man spoke, he effortlessly delved into the surface of Lu Yi's mental sea.

Perhaps it was due to Lu Yi's high level of mental power, but Rong Mi had yet to successfully infiltrate the depths of that silver mental sea.

Lu Yi remained silent.

His fingers, resting beside him, twitched slightly. Amidst the subtle tingling sensation from their connected mental energies, he involuntarily recalled the touch of Rong Mi's palm.

He had briefly regained consciousness on the isolation warship and knew that Rong Mi had been holding his hand then.

Fingers intertwined.

"Our connection is closer than you might think," Lu Yi spoke abruptly, sensing the fluctuations of the young man's spirit energy.

Rong Mi was engaged in battling the swirling vortex within Lu Yi's spiritual domain and casually responded, "What? What kind of closeness? The kind where Ayin can hear everything you say? How obedient of the wolf!"

Lu Yi continued, "When I'm in an unconscious state, I involuntarily receive some of the wolf's senses. Like hearing, sight..."

And touch.

Lu Yi paused in his explanation.

He knew that Rong Mi enjoyed petting the wolf.

It was a straightforward way to express affection and also a means to deepen their bond with Ayin.

If they had to consider touch... perhaps the young man's interactions with the Silver Wolves would no longer be... as joyful.

Lu Yi's brow furrowed slightly, a rare expression of uncertainty adorning his face.

Through deliberate control, his empathetic connection with the wolves could be reduced to around ten percent. It would only increase when he was in a state of mental haze, unable to control himself, or when the wolves were under strong stimulation.

Thus, although he could sense Rong Mi's interactions with the wolves, he could tolerate it under normal circumstances.

Rong Mi had no idea what Lu Yi was pondering, but he vaguely grasped the general's subtle hint just now.

The young man frowned.

He had never heard of the kind of empathy Lu Yi mentioned. As he subconsciously paused in his grooming of the general's mental domain, he ventured a guess, "Jeweled Hare?"

Lu Yi's train of thought was disrupted by Rong Mi's voice.

He didn't continue the sentence, simply nodding. "I'll keep an eye on the Jeweled Hare."

Rong Mi: "…"

How ironic that he had just told Ayin not to tell Lu Yi!

Never mind. He thought. What wrong could a wolf possibly commit?

"I didn't expect you to directly receive Ayin's hearing, but I did speculate that Ayin might convey some crucial information to you," Rong Mi said without much concern over Lu Yi's knowledge. "But I was planning to discuss this with you in private at an appropriate time."

He had initially intended to wait until Lu Yi was less occupied.

Rong Mi continued, "The transportation of Adaot's corpse requires dissection. I want to ask Chen Shu if he's willing to bring Damon along and give it a try."

"If the Gem Rabbits react differently before and after the energy preservation process, I'd like to gather information with Chen Shu, submit our findings, and apply for further investigation... without disrupting their habitat or daily life."

Lu Yi replied simply, "Okay."

He agreed promptly, asking no unnecessary questions. Just as he hadn't probed into Rong Mi's sudden improvement in mecha piloting skills and mental strength after the Ice and Fire Tournament.

This was precisely why Rong Mi didn't mind sharing the Gem Rabbit information so straightforwardly.

Among Rong Mi's secrets, the Gem Rabbits were by no means the most significant.

If Lu Yi were to dig deeper, Rong Mi might still be on that investigation starship right now.

A moment of silence settled in the room.

Rong Mi soothed the restless waves in Lu Yi's mental domain, untangled the chaotic vortex of his shallow mental sea, and watched as the ice butterfly poison-infused mental sea calmed down.

Lu Yi's surface mental sea was now much more stable than when Rong Mi first met him, making it possible to begin the purification process.

The detoxification might not be comfortable, but such pain was necessary. After some thought, Rong Mi decided to seize the opportunity and try purifying a small amount today.

So, Rong Mi attempted to lift a strand of the ice butterfly poison while simultaneously starting the purification process, distracting Lu Yi by casually asking, "While mutual respect is usually called for, I won't pry into your secrets..."

"However... Can you share a wolf's senses at any time and place?"

Rong Mi was certain that there was a hidden secret behind Lu Yi's empathic connection with Ayin, as he had never heard of such a close bond between a human and a star beast.

Moreover... wouldn't this easily lead to a split personality?

Two entwined energies were forcibly separated, akin to removing an alien object from flesh without anesthesia during surgery.

Lu Yi let out a low breath, maintaining an even tone.

"Not anytime, it depends on the wolf's mood and how conscious I am."

"If there's something you don't want me to know in the future, remember not to tell Ayin."

He paused for a moment, not elaborating further, but warned, "Also, don't strip in front of Ayin anymore."

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi placed a hand on Lu Yi's shoulder, remaining silent for a moment.

"You saw me undress," he stated, subconsciously recalling the physique of this body.

His appearance already bore a resemblance to his original self, about six or seven points alike. Ever since his rebirth, Rong Mi had noticed that his features and bone structure were slowly changing, aligning with his original appearance.

But muscles needed training.

The original body lacked a sense of strength.

Rong Mi had just started his exercise regimen and hadn't seen any noticeable results yet.

Perhaps it was due to this reason that an indistinct... sense of bashfulness emerged within him at the thought of others seeing his body.

This was quite unusual.

Living space was a scarce commodity during the interstellar nomadic era. On the starship Rong Mi inhabited, there were no private shower stalls; only communal baths existed. He was accustomed to being unclothed in front of others.

Whether they were people he cared for or not made little difference.

But the mere thought of Lu Yi... for some inexplicable reason, his cheeks began to flush.

Rong Mi cleared his throat, affecting nonchalance as he said, "It's fine. I used to shower with others in public bath areas frequently. We're all of the same gender anyway."

As he spoke, he parried the attack: "Would Admiral mind if I've seen your body?"

Lu Yi: "..."

Lu Yi's voice was detached as he said, "I am drawn to men."

Rong Mi: "..."

He was unsure why Lu Yi suddenly brought this up, but he happily engaged in the conversation, albeit with a hint of inexplicable joy, "I also prefer men."

Lu Yi: "..."

Lu Yi gazed at him, his icy blue eyes reflecting only Rong Mi's image, without saying a word.

There seemed to be an enigmatic glint in those eyes.

It made Rong Mi feel as if the other's gaze was pulling him in.

Due to the treatment, Rong Mi and Lu Yi were very close to each other.

This intimate eye contact left him slightly dazed, instinctively prompting him to continue the conversation.

Rong Mi: "Of course, I also love fluffy things."

Rong Mi: "..."

Lu Yi: "..."

Rong Mi: "Er... No, that's not what I meant... Ai... Ai! Why are you smiling!"

Despite the pain in his mental domain, the Admiral's lips curled up into an unconscious, faint smile.

Then, he felt rather helpless.

Lu Yi suppressed the hint of a smile and said calmly, "I understand."

"Next time, wear clothes when you bathe the wolf."

"Okay..." Rong Mi blushed at his own thoughtless remark but quickly regained his composure.

"Were you awake when I was bathing with Ayin? I wasn't asleep yet, so there was no need to worry about disturbing me. Why didn't you call a medic to summon me?" His focus shifted back to Lu Yi's mental domain. "The surface layer of the Ice Butterfly poison is relatively easier to handle... Admiral, relax a bit more. I'll try to delve deeper into your mental sea."

"It seems like I've truly gone a bit further this time," Rong Mi murmured.

It was likely that Lu Yi had become more accepting of him, proactively opening up more territory within his mental domain.

"The more I go down into your mental sea, the more chaotic it gets... Doesn't it hurt?"

"Pain," Lu Yi closed his eyes again, his tone subdued.

Rong Mi delved into the intricately entwined energy currents within Lu Yi's mental sea, causing the latter to furrow his brow slightly and breathe with increased urgency and irregularity.

"Endure a little," Rong Mi murmured, instinctively reaching out to smooth away the crease between his brows. "This time, we'll go deeper, and the healing will be much more soothing... If I had treated you yesterday, you would have spared yourself a whole night of pain."

"Admiral, you should pay more attention to your mental domain condition. That's also the fruit of my labor," he said softly. "Don't take matters into your own hands next time."

"As therapists, we tend to appreciate compliant patients."

Lu Yi made no response.

His jet-black hair fell across his forehead, accentuating the sharp and handsome contours of his face, now tinged with weariness.

Observing his relaxed gaze, Rong Mi assumed he had dozed off unintentionally due to exhaustion, so she too remained silent.

When the treatment was finished, Rong Mi straightened up.

Lu Yi's pale lips parted slightly, uttering a brief, soft response.

"Very well."

Rong Mi spent numerous hours each day in Lu Yi's cabin for several consecutive days, treating the Admiral and cross-referencing the data from Lu Yi's medical equipment to confirm his improving physical and mental state.

However, on the Star Network, rumors about Lu Yi were heading in an entirely different direction.

News that Lu Yi had suffered another mental domain breakdown due to the Space City battle, leaving him severely injured and on the brink of death, had almost spread across the entire network.

Since the Admiral hadn't left his cabin much these past few days, many had witnessed him being rushed into quarantine with bloodied wounds. These rumors were circulating more and more within the Third Fleet.

Rong Mi had caught wind of these whispers and noticed that Lu Yi had no intention of clarifying them.

Rong Mi: Tsk.

It seemed this man was deliberately using the negative news about his health to manipulate the situation, luring out those in the military who were hesitant to act against him or those collaborating with Ice Butterfly, who wished him dead.

Nonetheless, Lu Yi didn't hinder Ellen, Sun Tong, and others from spreading word about his recovery.

It is in the mingling of truth and fiction that fake news becomes all the more convincing.

While Lu Yi underwent treatment, the Third Legion, having received the order to dissect the Yadian corpse, proceeded with the dismantling process in an orderly manner.

Desolate Star had undergone a transformation so thorough that it was unrecognizable.

Before commencing the handling of the Wild Ice Butterfly, the investigative teams on the planet, individuals connected to the Icefire Tournament, and journalists had all been orderly evacuated.

After the battle, the planet's surface was scarred and pitted. Upon it lay a blanket of Arachnoid corpses.

The intact body of Yada was enormous, its wings enveloping the entire planet's surface.

Corrosive blood seeped into the depths, and Rong Mi knew that for centuries to come, the planet would be a barren wasteland devoid of life.

Troopers from both the Third and First Legions were swamped with tasks.

They had to manage the monitoring of the spatial wormholes left behind by Yada, assist in the reconstruction of the space city, be on guard for any anomalies in the vicinity... and dismantle Yada's corpse while setting up energy isolation devices.

The First Legion's warships and mechas were still under repair, so Rong Mi remained aboard this Third Legion cruiser.

Despite having signed a confidentiality agreement with Lu Yi, Rong Mi, as an informal member of the military, found himself entirely idle when manpower was sufficient.

Supervising Lu Yi's mental domain and physical therapy sessions, Rong Mi's main task was to convince Chen Shu to bring the Gemstone Rabbit to the scene of the Arachne dissection and energy containment process, to observe if the rabbit would display any changes before and after the containment.

The moment Rong Mi mentioned this to Chen Shu, the latter immediately agreed.

"Woah... it'd be great if we could go there to verify!" Chen Shu exclaimed happily. "But reconnaissance agents don't have access to the dissection site."

Even though several days had passed since the Arachne's death, and the Third Legion had promptly activated the insectoid mental energy cleansing device after the battle, residual insectoid mental energy would still be released during the dissection process.

These undetectable energies by humans could potentially attract insectoid attacks.

The military typically established an energy isolation barrier around the Arachne during dissection, and directly sealed the energy afterward. However, there was always a risk of minor energy leaks before the containment was completed.

To ensure prompt reactions against unexpected insectoid attacks and prevent intentional rule violations that might lure the insects, only elite combat units from the legion were involved in the Arachne's dissection.

"Relax, I've already arranged for someone to get us in," Rong Mi assured. "As long as you and Damon are willing. Of course, there will be another special background check."

"Certainly, no issues with investigations. I have nothing to do with Ice Butterfly... Damon is willing!" Chen Shu glanced at the rabbit nestled beside him. Damon looked back at Chen Shu, pressing its claws on the small comic drawn by Chen Shu titled "Rabbit's Challenge: Identifying Insectoids." The rabbit's paw confidently tapped the page marked "Want to Go."

Chen Shu: "Damon might be scared... but I've already asked it, and it's more eager to prove its capabilities. Damon is a battle pet, after all!"

When Chen Shu bound Damon with the battle pet contract, the rabbit knew it was about to face one of the most terrifying aspects of the universe.

But this was a brave little rabbit.

It desperately wanted to tell humans that the Ice Butterfly's influence was secretly expanding... they needed to work harder to protect their homes.

As well as the homes of the Star Beasts.

Two days later, at the agreed time, Chen Shu specially switched shifts to visit Rong Mi's starship, waiting for the "leg" Rong Mi mentioned to lead them into the Ice Butterfly dismantling site.

Rong Mi herself was an ace mecha pilot, and Chen Shu had always assumed that Rong Mi's 'leg' was some influential and skilled mecha pilot in the First Legion's First Squad... like Squad Leader Ellen.

Chen Shu had heard of Ellen before and was quite envious of her golden-brown Thunderlion!

Those who raised fluffy creatures loved to pet others' fluffiness too.

With the anticipation of seeing a big lion, Chen Shu arrived early at the designated meeting spot and boarded the starship.

There, beside Rong Mi, I spotted the commander of the First Legion, Lu Yi.