Chapter 89: Affectionate Warmth

Chapter 89: Affectionate Warmth

"Of course," Lu Yi replied, obediently lifting his head to establish a subtle yet complete empathetic connection with the wolf without any disturbance.

The wolf's actions suddenly became much more restrained, its body pressing closely against Rong Mi's.

Lu Yi felt his entire being enveloped by Rong Mi's warmth.

He could sense Rong Mi's breath whispering near his ear. The young man's palm rested gently on his shoulder.

This time, there was no mental power healing, no ulterior motive. They were simply close, so close it was as if they were leaning on each other.

It might be the first time, or perhaps the last.

Withstanding a sharp surge of pain in his mental domain, Lu Yi suppressed his breath, ensuring no sign of discomfort showed.

Rong Mi's fragmented mental energy drifted around him, and Lu Yi recalled a memory from his childhood when his mother, returning from the warzone for the New Year, had taken him to see fireworks and asked him to make a wish upon them.

As a child, Lu Yi knew it was just a joke, but he closed his eyes and pretended to be serious, playing along with his mother's delight.

Now, the more composed and collected Admiral Lu Yi truly recited his wish in his heart.

May the Goddess of Fortune forever favor Rong Mi.

May he never be plagued by illness or injury.

And may he never again face the brink of death.

The arrival of the young man was like a key that unlocked the door to a mysterious mechanism, setting the gears of destiny in motion.

He should walk alongside the Human Federation into a new age of enlightenment.

"Within the Federation's Safe Zone, there are many picturesque vacation planets," Lu Yi said, gazing at the fireworks in the sky.

"Oh, really? Better than the views inside those space folds?" The youth continued to manipulate his mental energy, drawing unique patterns in the air, glancing back at Lu Yi with eager anticipation.

"Well, then, let's wait until we deal with Cheng Die! We'll ask for leave from the military and go see them together!"

*

Thankfully, nothing untoward happened during the last two weeks before the exam on Capital Star.

Rong Mi adhered strictly to his daily routine, alternating between training, live streaming, and accompanying Ayin in her own training sessions. Occasionally, he would check on the mental domains of both the wolf and General Lu Yi.

Under Rong Mi's constant care, Ayin's mental domain remained in excellent condition. The General's mental domain, however, showed no change. Whenever Rong Mi ventured into his mental sea, he found fragmented branches floating chaotically amidst the silver expanse.

When asked, the General merely stated that he didn't have any particular sensations. Apart from encouraging him to consume more supplements and minimize the use of his mental power, Rong Mi had no other solutions.

For Lu Yi, completely abstaining from using his mental power was unfeasible. He still needed to return to the warzone, making it impossible to halt his training entirely.

Ten days before the assessment began, Lu Yi handed Rong Mi a brand new mecha space button.

After using Lu Yi's mecha during the amusement park base battle, Rong Mi had promptly returned the space button to the General. At present, Rong Mi had no plans to purchase a mecha on the capital planet.

Mecha equipped with powerful weapons were prohibited for ordinary citizens. Despite having special authorization from Lu Yi to carry a combat-ready mecha, such a type... couldn't be bought off the market.

In the upcoming unified assessment, the military would provide standard mechas to all participants who lacked one. Upon passing the assessment and joining a legion, the mecha allocation would be standardized within the respective unit.

In addition, each major legion has its own research and development team for mechas. As the pilots accumulate more time in the legion and increase their contribution points, they can submit applications to customize their personal mechas.

"Your custom-made mecha," Lu Yi handed the spatial button to Rong Mi. "It might not be a perfect fit, so try it out and we can make adjustments."

Rong Mi closed his hands around the object, looking at Lu Yi with great surprise.

The general met his gaze, quirking the corner of his lips in a rare moment of jesting, "Now that you've accepted the mecha, you can't be thinking of running away from the First Legion anymore."

Rong Mi: "..."

"Is that so." The young man chuckled as he opened the spatial device. "Trying to buy me off with a single mech is a bit too cheap, isn't it..."

Rong Mi's voice trails off when he sees the mech.

It was a mecha painted in an extremely low-key manner. Its pure black color scheme matched the style of the First Legion, devoid of excessive ornamentation. However, when the spirit lines of the mecha activated, Rong Mi's dazzling purple would add the most brilliant touch to the machine.

Its streamlined body was tailored for high-speed maneuvers. Rong Mi crouched down to inspect the thrusters on the mecha's feet and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

One could tell from the appearance of its legs alone that this mecha possessed astonishing thrust.

Yet, at the same time, it was a heavily armed mecha.

The cockpit is fronted by a high-energy main cannon barrel, with deployable shooting wings on the back, a set of laser long and short sword sheaths mounted on the central line of the wings, and the light blades and particle cannons in the palm of the mech's hand...

Rong Mi's eyes widened involuntarily, and another sigh escaped her lips.

"High speed, immense power, and an astonishing rate of acceleration," Lu Yi stated calmly. "It ensures comprehensive fire coverage while preserving defensive capabilities."

To enable the mecha to possess these seemingly contradictory abilities, its core had undergone specialized modifications. Lu Yi's original mecha core was dismantled and integrated into the new components of Rong Mi's mecha core.

"The pet orb inside the mecha has undergone special treatment," the officer continued. "It has a space-folding function, allowing Ayin to accompany you."

"Ao!" The Silver Wolf, waiting eagerly by the side, was thrilled by this feature. It wagged its tail joyfully and followed closely behind Rong Mi as they approached the mecha.

Rong Mi reached out to touch the mecha's exterior.

He lifted his head, gazing at the metallic creation standing on the lawn.

Rong Mi could easily envision how costly it would be to produce such a high-performance mecha.

...These matte black metal casings might already be priceless!

"The extravagance is quite remarkable, General," he said, his face glowing with excitement. "I take back my previous words."

"To gift me this... let alone staying in the First Legion..."

"I'd even offer myself in service! It's not out of the question!"

Lu Yi: "..."

Ayin: "..."

The admiral knew full well that Rong Mi was making a lighthearted remark.

The young man laughed brightly, not even glancing at him while he spoke, his attention fully absorbed by the mech as he manipulated it deftly.

Yet, Lu Yi's heart skipped a beat.

After a brief moment of indistinguishable feelings—was it surprise or regret?—Lu Yi furrowed his brow once more.

Is a single mecha enough to warrant Rong Mi's lifelong commitment?

Lu Yi replied calmly, "The mecha is worthy of you, but giving one is not worth your life's devotion."

Beside the young man, the wolf ceased its tail swishing and bowed its head, pushing firmly against Rong Mi's shoulder with a stern expression, clearly sharing the same sentiment as the general.

To pledge oneself so casually is too hasty! No matter how expensive, isn't it just a mecha? Though this particular one was from Lu Yi... that still doesn't make it acceptable!

Rong Mi: "..."

Caught off guard, Rong Mi stumbled under the wolf's playful nudge.

He blinked helplessly, then rubbed the wolf's head, surprised by the general's stern tone.

"Ah, I was just joking," Rong Mi quickly clarified. "It has to be someone you like who gives it to you, of course!"

Lu Yi: "..."

A shadow fell across Lu Yi's face.

Seems like he's still not up to par.

Rong Mi spoke in defense, yet his gaze remained fixed on the mecha.

Thus, no one was aware that his heartbeat had quickened slightly.

He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but speaking such words in front of Lu Yi made him somewhat nervous.

Especially when the General remained silent in response.

Rong Mi: "…"

As he stroked the mecha, Rong Mi swiftly pondered what other topics he could bring up.

While he was deep in thought, Lu Yi had already turned away, glancing at the communicator on his wrist.

"Heavy," he said, turning around to confirm the delivery of their afternoon tea set.

While accompanying Rong Mi at an amusement park, Chen Mo discovered that the young man had a fondness for baked sweets, so he occasionally fed him bits and pieces.

Rong Mi, adaptable as always, stowed away his mecha and walked into the apartment alongside Lu Yi.

The wolf followed closely behind Rong Mi, pacing alongside the youth.

The weather on the capital planet wasn't particularly pleasant that day. The sky was gloomy, as if rain could pour down at any moment.

Rong Mi hung the mecha's compact space button around his neck, trailing behind Lu Yi. Watching the gusts of wind before the rain billow the hem of Lu Yi's clothes, his excitement from receiving the mecha quickly subsided.

His gaze settled on Lu Yi's legs.

The General wore military pants and boots, his long legs straight and strong, but Rong Mi knew that he relied on an exoskeleton for support.

Chen Mo was working diligently on an antidote, though it had yet to be successful.

In the meantime, the military assessment had been unexpectedly moved forward.

It was evident that this was somehow connected to Cecil.

Rong Mi received a notification from the military's assessment system this morning, informing him that the scheduled examination in half a month had been moved forward to a week later.

As he read the notice, Chen Shu's message promptly followed.

"Ami, have you heard about the assessment? And the procedures and methods!" The scout, Chen Shu, eagerly rubbed his hands together. "There'll be individual tests for the next two days, then they'll select a group to proceed to the assessment location. It'll be a team-based evaluation... You must've applied as an operational mecha pilot, right? They'll definitely need a scout, won't they?!"

"We'll ace the individual assessments for sure! And we can team up for the group one!"

Rong Mi replied, "No problem at all!"

Scanning through the details of the assessment, he continued typing.

"The legion assessment will take place in a combat zone, and it's actually the First Legion's jurisdiction! That's quite a risky area," Chen Shu said on the other end of the communication device, sounding rather surprised.

"The format seems to resemble a mission of locating resource planets within the combat zone, transporting supplies, and simultaneously clearing out Ice Butterflies," Rong Mi summarized after swiftly browsing through the exam rules. "The delivery route might not be safe; there could be Ice Butterflies lurking around, and there's also a chance of encountering 'Space Pirates'."

It was clear that the Ice Butterflies referred to the real ones encountered in combat zones.

As for the Space Pirate groups, they were assembled from personnel drawn from various legions, forming fleet units responsible for increasing the challenge level during the assessment. This was also to ensure prompt rescue in case anyone encountered difficulties dealing with the Ice Butterflies during the test.

"Only the military could come up with such a setup," Chen Shu whispered in disdain. "That warzone is indeed lawless since it's far from the legion bases, but apart from Ice Butterfly and the legion fleets, there aren't any regular fleets passing through… Who would pirates even rob there?"

Rong Mi: "We need to come up with something eye-catching."

He spoke, his eyes still scanning the details of the assessment criteria.

The overall assessment score is composed of points earned from combating Star Pirates, the comprehensiveness of information gathered on resource planets, the number of resource shipments delivered, the number of Ice Butterflies eradicated, as well as subjective grading by the military examiners.

This assessment doesn't eliminate candidates based on a percentage. As long as one scores eighty-five points or above, they pass.

"The practical aspect of this assessment is indeed intense, probably due to the matter of the Chrysalis fragments," Rong Mi observed, connecting the context.

"There'll be extended periods of space travel during the evaluation, and we must constantly watch out for wormholes and the Ice Butterflies that may emerge from them. After all, there are many more wormholes opened by Ice Butterflies in the war zones compared to the safe zones! And this time, we're even going to the outskirts of a war zone."

"Each team will have a starship for the assessment group... You know, during my reconnaissance missions, I was aware that there were fleets providing support in the background. If we encountered an Ice Butterfly we couldn't handle, we could always retreat. The thought of a single warship exploring a war zone on its own does make me a bit nervous."

"Don't worry," Rong Mi closed the examination details and offered a balanced assessment. "Although it's an unexplored resource planet and route in a war zone, the military has already conducted initial explorations. The toughest part has already been done for us."

"It's quite normal under such circumstances for a single warship to conduct exploration voyages when the military's manpower is insufficient."

"Even if we're truly cornered by Ice Butterflies, the proctors will come to our rescue," Chen Shu reassured himself.

This terrifying assessment was as routine for Rong Mi as eating and drinking were to others.

In the era of interstellar nomads, when manpower was scarce, it was common for a starship to embark on long voyages independently from a fleet.

Fighting Ice Butterflies in outer space... that was a task he knew all too well.

Chen Shu: "..."

"The thought sometimes escapes me what kind of training you've undergone," the scout murmured, slightly intimidated. "It's quite daunting."

"The military's assessment this time likely has something to do with Chengdui's psychic fragments," Rong Mi dismissed the examination details without acknowledging Chen Shu's internal grumbling. "With more personnel needed in the safe sectors to deal with the fragment issue, the vacancies left in the war zones need filling. I suppose those on leave have been summoned back."

"Except for certain injured individuals."

Like Lu Yi.

As Rong Mi recalled the assessment requirements, his gaze lingered on Lu Yi's retreating figure, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

Sincerely hoping that the injured would recover swiftly.

As Rong Mi's departure for the assessment drew closer, the recovery of the injured seemed distant, yet Ayin, who had already decided to accompany Rong Mi in the assessment, became increasingly clingy.

Almost every time Rong Mi finished training or a live stream and removed his virtual helmet, he would find the large silver wolf lounging by his side. Sometimes it dozed with half-closed eyes, other times it gazed absently at his feet. The wolf's fur was fluffy and warm, making Rong Mi unable to resist pouncing on Ayin's back for a deep whiff.

The wolf usually allowed this without complaint, unless Rong Mi went too far.

At such moments, Ayin would struggle to its feet, squeeze out of the room, and seek out Lu Yi as if to appeal to the general for justice.

The general would then give Rong Mi a calm glance, reminding him to know his limits.

But Rong Mi dared to do it again the next time.

There were no limits when it came to snuggling with something soft and furry! Especially his own big, fluffy wolf!

This peaceful routine continued for several days, until Rong Mi easily passed the remote individual assessment and prepared to depart for the military's centralized assessment location.

Since most participants were military academy students, the military had set up transport starships at various military academies. All candidates were required to take the designated military transport starships to the assessment site.

The nearest military academy was located on Millit Star, a day's journey away from the capital.

A day before their departure, Lu Yi took Rong Mi away from the capital on his private spacecraft. They arrived at Millit Star's port right on time, before the candidate vessels had set sail. Lu Yi and Rong Mi strolled down the main street of Millit Star for a while before walking side by side towards the special docking bay designated for the assessment spacecraft.

"I can go up myself," the young man said, standing in front of the boarding ramp with his wolf. He tossed the empty ice cream bucket into a trash bin and waved at Lu Yi.

This was a novel feeling.

It was the first time in Rong Mi's life that someone had seen him off as he boarded a spacecraft.

And all he was doing was attending a routine examination.

Back when he'd undertaken high-risk missions to lure the Yades onto the flagship, no one had ever stood below the ship's gangway to see him off.

In truth, Rong Mi didn't really want Lu Yi to leave the capital star.

The antidote for the Ice Butterfly poison on Lu Yi's body was still under intense development, with the first batch of drug trials just beginning. It seemed unlikely that it would be completed before Lu Yi's leave ended.

Although the poison was concentrated in his calf, living with it would inevitably take a toll on his body.

At a time like this, every extra day of rest was a bonus. Lu Yi didn't need to go through the trouble of operating his starship just to send him off.

But the Admiral insisted, and Rong Mi couldn't dissuade him.

"I'll pass the assessment eventually," Rong Mi sighed. "I'm more worried about you than that."

"Take care of yourself, General." It was an overused phrase, but the young man spoke with sincerity. "With only a few days left of your vacation, stay at home and rest properly. The medical robots can be rough when changing your bandages; it might be better to have someone else assist you..."

A corner of Lu Yi's lips curved upward in response.

Rong Mi: "...."

Rong Mi let out another sigh.

He knew that Lu Yi wouldn't ask for anyone else's help.

The Admiral was quite cautious, like a wolf, not fond of having people too close.

Rong Mi understood that it was because he had grown familiar with him that the Admiral didn't object to his proximity.

"Be ever mindful of your mental domain," Lu Yi advised Rong Mi, "Should any distinctive signs of a secondary awakening emerge, request a special pause during the assessment and inform me immediately."

The young adult's Second Awakening progression values have been steadily rising, albeit not yet reaching the critical threshold of 90%. Consequently, there is no immediate need for them to relocate to a designated site for isolation in preparation for their Second Awakening.

"The unification assessment only lasts three days. I reckon that with the intensity of combat during the evaluation... it won't meet the criteria for awakening." Rong Mi spoke boldly, simultaneously giving Lu Yi a thumbs-up as he spoke, indicating that there was no issue.

In reality, he was somewhat anxious about the progress of his second awakening.

He always longed to delve into Lu Yi's mental domain to conduct a thorough examination on the Admiral.

Otherwise... it wouldn't feel quite right.

The two stood facing each other at the entrance of the connector tunnel, each lost in their own thoughts, falling into a brief silence together.

"Quick, quick, quick! —The ship is about to depart if you don't hurry up!— The connector tunnel will close soon, buddy! Don't get lost in a gaze for an eternity—" A candidate dashed past Rong Mi at his side, brushing shoulders with the young man.

Observing Rong Mi's seemingly affectionate farewell, fixated on the handsome figure across from him, the runner couldn't help but offer a well-intended reminder amidst his rush, "Love is indeed precious, but career even more so! —If you miss the assessment, the one at a disadvantage will be yourself!—"

Rong Mi: "...”

Rong Mi was speechless for a moment, amused yet exasperated by the candidate's vivid imagination. But he heard the impending departure signal of the starship, so he simply waved at Lu Yi and led the wolf towards the passage.

Lu Yi stepped back, watching him board the starship.

Moments later, the docking ramp retracted inward. The isolation door above the starport closed, indicating that the starship was preparing for departure, also obstructing Lu Yi's view.

However, the Admiral did not head to the docking bay where his own starship was originally parked.

He turned around, climbed an elevated ramp, and proceeded to another docking port on the upper level. After verifying his identity, he entered the connecting passage.

"I didn't expect it to really be you, General Lu Yi," remarked the group of officers chatting by the starship's entrance as they rose to their feet and saluted him upon his arrival.

Some of them were acquaintances with the First Legion's Deputy Commander, Robert, and had heard the news beforehand. The others were genuinely surprised to see Lu Yi here; they had never anticipated his presence.

"Do you have any particular candidates... or examination teams that you're focusing on?" The officer who was on friendly terms with Robert was slightly more at ease in Lu Yi's presence, curiosity driving him to inquire, "This unified assessment allows for free team formation. The team assembly period begins five days prior to the exam."

"From the moment the candidates board the starship, they can start selecting their teammates for the assessment," he explained.