Chapter 79: Obedient Wolf

Chapter 79: Obedient Wolf

These young men wore red bracelets on their wrists, a symbol that they had come into contact with Cheng Du's psychic energy during the amusement park incident.

Most likely, they had lingered in the entertainment area at night seeking fun, only to be caught up in the abnormal events at the park and sustain minor injuries. After treatment, due to their exposure to Cheng Du's psychic energy, they were required to stay for observation.

Not everyone was reasonable.

Rong Mi glanced at them and patted the wolf, guiding Ayin towards the group of youngsters.

Realizing that Rong Mi had overheard their conversation, the young men turned to look at him.

"What are you looking at?" The leader of the group was genuinely afraid of this large wolf. He subtly took a step back, locking eyes with Rong Mi, and said with a stiff neck, "Aren't you just showing off with this big wolf?! Otherwise, why wasn't it with you when the accident happened at the amusement park?!"

Rong Mi: "…."

"Didn't I save people with Ayin?" Rong Mi repeated. "Are your eyes located at the soles of your feet?"

He nudged the Wolf's Companion Medal forward, pointing at the top entry. "Participated in the Amusement Park battle, assisted in defeating Chenge."

"You were in the entertainment district that night yourself, didn't you see the wolf above the amusement park? Don't tell me you were frightened unconscious by the Ice Butterfly!"

The young man: "..."

He had been so preoccupied with how terrifying the wolf was that he hadn't paid attention to the details on the Companion Medal until now. Upon closer inspection, he vaguely recalled seeing that silvery figure high up in the sky.

...Before he, in his panicked escape, collided with a military mecha engaged in combat with the ice butterflies emanating from Chengdie's spirit energy, and was subsequently stunned unconscious.

He felt slightly embarrassed but was unwilling to admit his fault. Just as he was about to continue his defense, he witnessed Rong Mi pat Ayin on the side.

The wolf stepped forward, approaching these young individuals, and lowered its head.

Youngsters: "...!"

Completely unprepared, they never expected the wolf to be suddenly right in front of them. Now, when they tried to retreat, they found themselves backed against a wall.

The young man, hugging the wall, dared not meet the wolf's icy blue eyes; instead, he glared at Rong Mi and bluffed, "What do you want?!"

Rong Mi remained silent, touching Ayin's bite guard and releasing its buckle.

"Young man," he muttered, "Hey!"

A towering figure, taller than a person, blocked the sunlight above them and lowered its head, its breathing audible.

The young man's legs trembled as he watched the wolf's nose twitch, sniffing around them, revealing sharp white fangs between its lips.

"Not afraid?" Rong Mi asked nonchalantly, "If you are, take a good look."

The youth stretched out his hand and patted the wolf's mouth.

"See, aren't Ayin's teeth sharp?"

"They can pierce through ordinary starship armor and breach an Ice Butterfly's energy field."

"Of course, Ayin can also smell the blood in your arteries."

"…Y-Y-You… Stay back!" The young man's legs turned to jelly. He felt the wolf's breath on his face, its fangs almost touching his neck. He shrieked, quivering, "A-Ah… Ahhh! Y-You… Take the wolf away… Away!"

"Ayin can easily snap a human's neck," Rong Mi stroked the wolf's fur gently. "Especially those who don't know their place."

His voice was calm, but the aura he exuded was intimidating. A cold glint shone in his eyes.

Cornered, the youths had nowhere to retreat. Overwhelmed by Rong Mi's presence and the wolf's proximity, they huddled together, their eyes shut as they wailed, "Big Brother! — Big Brother, don't lose your cool! — The military has regulations against letting battle pets harm people!"

Rong Mi raised an eyebrow. "You knew that?"

"Knowing the military's rules is why we dared to gossip about me and Ayin, right?"

"But I haven't officially joined the military yet, so those rules don't apply to me…"

"No, no! — Big Brother, we were wrong! —"

Confused, they'd forgotten that even if Rong Mi hadn't joined the military, they had just seen the wolf's battle pet tag, meaning it would still abide by military regulations.

Rong Mi tilted his head and raised his palm.

The young people assumed he was giving the wolves an attack command and they howled in unison, "Big Brother! Your wolf is magnificent and dashing! Benevolent and kind! So understanding!"

"You're even more handsome with your wolf by your side! Charming and debonair..."

Rong Mi: "...."

Rong Mi raised his hand to reattach Ayin's muzzle.

"Alright then." He relaxed his imposing demeanor and casually said, "I forgive you all."

As the youth finished speaking, the wolf straightened up. It turned its head away and sneezed disdainfully, stepping back several paces in a row.

Ayin shook off its fur, thinking to itself that it wouldn't have approached these stinky young people if not for Rong Mi's orders!

The youths peered at it through their fingers. Seeing the wolf's disdainful gaze, they were momentarily at a loss for words.

"Ayin doesn't bite," Rong Mi said sternly after scaring them. "General Lu Yi's Silver Wolves would never harm anyone without reason either."

"The same goes for the other combat pets in the military department."

"Certainly, it's understandable that you're afraid of large battle pets." Rong Mi tapped on Ayin's battle pet badge screen. "But through all those battles, they've risked their lives to protect the human star domains and you..."

"You should respect them even if you're scared."

"And respect the warriors who stake their lives in the war zones."

"Before gossiping, consider this: no one owes you anything. Instead, it's you who owe the soldiers in the war zones your gratitude, their health, and even their lives."

As he spoke, Rong Mi wrapped his arm around Ayin's neck.

The wolf affectionately nuzzled Rong Mi's cheek, then voluntarily lay down, inviting Rong Mi onto its back.

The expressions on the young people's faces flickered. At times, they felt indignant about being lectured by Rong Mi, at others, they acknowledged the validity of his words. They alternated between anger at being deliberately frightened and realizing... that perhaps they had indeed been ungrateful with their remarks.

Before they could decide on their next response, Rong Mi mounted the wolf and headed for a nearby breakfast stall. Under the watchful eyes of the curious crowd, the wolf stretched its head to catch the breakfast bag offered by a robot, but failed due to the muzzle. It then turned its ears in annoyance.

The wolf let out a low howl, sounding somewhat aggrieved. Rong Mi chuckled and patted its head playfully, mussing up its fur since the wolf couldn't retaliate. With a pile of aromatic breakfast in hand, he rode off, accompanied by the more grievously howling wolf, leaving the onlookers speechless.

The onlookers: "..."

A few wolf-phobic youngsters: "......."

No way! Are large battle pets actually this obedient?

Do they willingly act as carriers for their owners and tolerate being bullied?

They even meekly howl when bullied but still sway their fluffy tails leisurely behind them, seemingly enjoying the experience?

"....Daddy!" After a moment, a little girl, who had been held back by her father from the Silver Wolves, couldn't resist crying out, "Daddy! I want to raise such a big...dog too!"

"Shh, that's a wolf-type battle pet, not just a big dog," the father, who was accompanying his child, promptly responded. "Only brave warriors can raise them! They're heroes who protect our star region!"

Although he was still afraid of these large star beasts, he fully agreed with Rong Mi's words.

Fear aside! One couldn't deny their contributions to humanity!

"Daddy! Then I want to be a warrior too!" The little girl, holding a small cake, didn't quite understand what a warrior meant, but her tone was earnest. After speaking, she glanced at the group of young people nearby.

"Daddy just now didn't let me get close to the big dog...big wolf! But why can these brothers play with the big wolf?"

"Are they warriors too?"

"..." Their faces instantly flushed.

"No, no."

"Not at all."

They hastily waved their hands, scurrying away with their backs against the wall, muttering, "Off we go, off we go."

"..." The young man who had been closest to the wolf shook his head vigorously as he walked away.

For some... unknown reason...

After being intimidated by the wolf, his fear of it had significantly diminished.

Observing the interaction between the wolf and Rong Mi from behind... he somehow felt a tinge of envy.

To be honest! For such a formidable wolf to become so considerate and obedient before its owner...

Indeed, it smelled delightful!

Moreover, after observing them for a while, he had to admit that wolves were genuinely handsome! That fur... Up close, it felt incredibly pleasant to touch...

Perhaps when they returned to the ward later... he could search the Star Network for some wolf-related content to watch?

Rong Mi was completely unaware that his "scolding" had unintentionally triggered the latent furry tendencies hidden within Ayin.

He and Ayin returned to the ward. At the entrance, Rong Mi paused, patted his face, and made an effort to put on a cold expression before pushing the door open.

Gazing toward the entrance where Lu Yi stood, he fell silent.

The admiral leaned back on his hospital bed, already hooked up to his daily dose of medication.

Five days had passed since the battle at the amusement park base, yet the black markings on Lu Yi's face had not entirely vanished.

The doctors explained that the ice butterfly poison used by Lu Tianxing must have undergone special processing and purification, rendering the antidote less effective. The process of detoxification was progressing much slower than anticipated.

Due to the persistent assault of the ice butterfly poison, Lu Yi's complexion remained unnaturally pale.

Rong Mi knew this was not an auspicious sign.

The Silver Wolves entered with their head lowered, then bowed slightly.

The young man averted his gaze, hiding the concern in his eyes. With long strides, he slid down beside the wolf as if on a slide.

He placed a breakfast tray at Lu Yi's bedside, then unwrapped it and handed the food to Lu Yi.

"Eat first, then sleep some more," Rong Mi said, his tone and expression equally aloof.

In recent days, his conversations with Lu Yi had been rather distant. A subtle frown flickered across his face as he scanned the medical robot's screen displaying Lu Yi's data.

He was displeased with Lu Yi's recovery progress, but he didn't comment. Instead, he turned to unpack the remaining breakfast servings.

Rong Mi had brought back numerous bags, mostly filled with pet breakfasts provided by the meal cart.

The large silver wolf had quite an appetite.

Pre-portioned meat for ordinary pets needed to be purchased in multiples for the big guy.

Rong Mi unwrapped the meat slices and held them out to feed the wolves.

Ayin looked down for a moment. Then, the wolf extended its tongue, gently rolling the meat slice from Rong Mi's hand, inevitably licking the young man's fingers in the process.

Lu Yi: "..."

The general lowered his gaze.

He was now fully awake, with minimal empathetic connection to the wolves. The sensation on his finger was so faint it was almost imperceptible.

Yet, seeing this scene, he couldn't explain why he still felt a burning sensation. His fingers trembled slightly, and his throat moved involuntarily.

Rong Mi didn't notice these subtle movements.

The young man fed the Silver Wolves while eating his own breakfast, his attention divided between the notification that popped up on his communication bracelet.

Due to the appearance of Cheng Die's spirit energy fragments, the military assessment had been brought forward by half a month. In one week, the first individual ability screening would take place. Those who passed this initial test would proceed to the second round, a group assessment. The details of the second round would be announced concurrently with the results of the first screening.

In the discussion section below the notice, numerous examinees wailed in despair, stating that they had originally planned for a month of training, only to be caught off guard by the military's sudden announcement.

For Rong Mi, however, this assessment was merely a routine formality. He felt no tension as he casually glanced through the comments, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Lu Yi had set aside his breakfast and activated a light screen.

Rong Mi: "…."

"Injured personnel," Rong Mi called out without turning back, maintaining his detached tone but raising his voice slightly, "What did I just say?"

He fed Ayin the last piece of meat before wiping his mouth. "After eating, rest. What are you looking at on that screen?"

Rong Mi grumbled, "The military wants you to work overtime?"

Lu Yi: "No."

Rong Mi hadn't been giving him the cold shoulder these past two days.

But when the young man spoke to him, he used as few words as possible, preferring single syllables over full sentences.

Lu Yi knew that this was the consequence of his continued concealment of his identity. Thus, he endured it, striving to comply with Rong Mi's requests and declining numerous military meetings.

Lu Yi looked at Rong Mi and, to prove his innocence, he extended his hand to flip the screen towards the young man, activating the speaker mode.

"Ahh... Isn't this Rong Mi?" On the screen, an elderly man with gray hair saw Rong Mi and immediately his face lit up with a smile.

He raised his hand in greeting, "I've seen quite a few recordings and photos of you on the Star Network these past two days!"

"Thank you for treating Lu Yi's mental domain."

The old man bore a resemblance to Lu Yi, with a sturdy build but a visibly exhausted expression.

Rong Mi guessed the man's identity and replied with a smile, "Mr. Lu, Senior."

The old man chuckled, but his complexion was terrible, clearly affected by Lu Tianxing's betrayal.

The Lu family had generations deeply rooted in the military, enjoying high prestige within its ranks. The sudden turn of events with Lu Tianxing was hard for him to accept.

Moreover, not only did Lu Tianxing betray, he even attempted to kill Lu Yi.

The day before the incident was exposed, Lu Tianxing had called the elder Lu, chatting and laughing as usual, discussing mundane family gossip just like any other day.

The old man was completely unprepared for the subsequent events, never imagining that the next day he would receive news of Lu Tianxing's detention in the military and Lu Yi's hospitalization.

He had seen his share of intrigue and deception during his time in the military, but this incident was a significant blow to him.

What the old man feared most was that Lu Yi might find it hard to cope emotionally.

At one point, the bond between Lu Tianxing and Lu Yi had been even closer than his own relationship with Lu Yi.

It had been many years since the old man could truly read Lu Yi's thoughts.

...But fortunately, Lu Tianxing hadn't lied about one thing: Lu Yi's feelings for Rong Mi were extraordinary.

Thankfully, there was Rong Mi.

"Ah, hello there," the old man perked up, engaging Rong Mi in casual conversation. "Hospitals don't allow random visits these days, and I don't have any credentials as a therapist to get in. These past few days, the Lus have been busy with the investigation, but now that I have some free time, I thought I'd call and check on Lu Yi."

"I was worried that he wouldn't rest properly in the hospital, but it seems he's being looked after now. That's good to hear."

Rong Mi blinked, not detecting any underlying meaning in the old man's words.

Lu Yi sensed the veiled mockery in the old man's tone, but his expression remained unchanged as he nodded subtly.

"..."

The elder Lu stroked his chin, glanced at Lu Yi, then at Rong Mi. He thought to himself that Lu Yi admitted it openly, but Rong Mi was clearly still unaware of the situation.

...He hoped they weren't at the stage where Lu Yi hadn't even started pursuing her yet!

Lost in his unreliable thoughts, however, Lu Yi, despite nodding, didn't let the old man's teasing distract him.

"You consulted with the doctor about me last night and contacted me today,"

The Admiral leaned back slightly and spoke calmly, "Is there something?"

"You visited the military prison this morning."

"Did Lu Tianxing send you to convey a message to me?"