Chapter 109: Silver

Chapter 109: Silver

Rong Mi: "..."

He narrowed his eyes and paused in his steps.

Rong Mi: "Let me see your surroundings."

Lu Yi compliantly turned the camera, allowing Rong Mi to view the scene around him.

They were in a conference room within the starship. Lu Yi sat at the head of a long table, while several men and women, dressed in First Legion uniforms, sat on either side. Despite their efforts to suppress it, shock was still evident in their eyes.

They watched their usually stern Legion Commander abruptly answer the communication during a meeting, then switch perspective to "scan" the conference room.

Rong Mi: "..."

The First Legion members: "..."

Lu Yi concluded matter-of-factly, "It's not a hospital room."

Rong Mi: "..."

"..."

Rong Mi mumbled softly, "Anyway, you always try to tough it out... Where are you? Is the military assessment over? How's your mental domain? You just sent me off to the starship without even asking?!"

"And... you're starting work again?!"

The young man fired off a series of questions, to which Lu Yi responded with a smile, answering them in turn.

"I'm on a First Legion starship near the AE sector, dealing with Cecil's venom gland issue."

"The assessment hasn't ended yet; you've only been asleep for a day."

"Are we almost at the 'Sea of Slumber'?"

"The white dolphin is very fast and has the ability to fold space during travel. White is piloting the starship, and like the white dolphin, he's originally from the 'Sea of Slumber'."

Rong Mi: "..."

A day.

Only after receiving this unexpected answer did Rong Mi remember to check the built-in calendar on his communication device.

...He had just been thoroughly frightened by his own assumption!

After all, the last time he had lost consciousness after a battle was also with Lu Yi. It was right after the Ice and Fire Tournament, when they had eradicated an Arachne together.

When Rong Mi awoke, he found Lu Yi's mental domain in chaos, his entire body drenched in blood, barely clinging to life.

Rong Mi was terrified at the thought of seeing the Admiral in that state again.

But then again, it made sense.

Rong Mi consoled himself, thinking that after all this time in treatment, Lu Yi's mental domain had significantly stabilized.

Although Rong Mi couldn't shake off the feeling that it was still not entirely healthy... perhaps it was true that it wouldn't fall into disorder anymore with just a little extra use of mental energy.

Though closing Cecil's spatial wormhole wouldn't require merely "a little" extra mental power.

"I'm fine." Reading the unease in Rong Mi's eyes, Lu Yi reassured him, "Trust the effectiveness of your treatment."

"My mental domain is much better than before. After closing the spatial wormhole, I did feel uncomfortable for a while, but the supplements helped significantly."

"Rest once this meeting is over."

Rong Mi: "…"

Rong Mi looked at him skeptically.

Lu Yi continued, "After entering the 'Sea of Slumber,' focus on your awakening."

"There's still some time." Estimating the duration needed for the starship to penetrate the energy layer and descend, Rong Mi changed the subject as per Lu Yi's suggestion.

Lu Yi was impeccable in his composure, leaving Rong Mi unable to discern anything through the virtual screen. Thus, he could only trust him for now.

"Drink a few more bottles of mental power supplements," Rong Mi advised Lu Yi, noticing the evenness of the admiral's breathing and his gradually easing tension. "Go attend the meeting. The sooner it's done, the sooner you can rest."

Rong Mi knew how to prioritize.

Only through the awakening could Cecil truly be resolved, and a thorough examination of Lu Yi's mental domain would be conducted.

It was impossible for him to ask the starship to turn back to the Third War Zone now. Seeing Lu Yi nod, he waved at him with a casual elegance.

"Wait for my return."

The young man ended the communication. Yet, after the screen went dark, he unusually stared at the emptiness where it had once been for a while.

Rong Mi: "…"

The moment Lu Yi's image vanished, he felt a sense of unease again.

Rong Mi guessed that he had grown too accustomed to acting alongside Lu Yi.

Just a few days ago, they had parted ways when Rong Mi went to participate in the military assessment. Back then, he did have some concerns about Lu Yi's health, but... his emotions weren't as intense as they were now.

The young man shook his head.

To Rong Mi, this intense sense of concern was a very unfamiliar feeling.

He furrowed his brow, lost in thought alone, until a soft thud echoed from the bulkhead of the starship.

"Thump."

Rong Mi turned his head to see a white dolphin had spotted him through the glass panel on the side of the corridor. It swam up to the window, peering inside with its long snout gently bumping against the starship's hull.

Rong Mi waved at the dolphin in greeting.

The dolphin swam closely alongside the starship, its black eyes fixed unblinkingly on Rong Mi.

This reminded the mech pilot once again of the dream he had just had and the memories it stirred.

"...You've seen the era of the interstellar nomads, haven't you," the young man murmured to himself. "I understand now."

"The white figure beneath the water on that planet was one of your kin."

By sheer coincidence, he had visited the Slumbering Sea during the era of the interstellar nomads.

Only then, that planet had already been under the rule of the Ice Butterflies.

Rong Mi exhaled deeply, finally pushing away all distractions and moving forward through the passage.

This was a small starship, similar in size to the one Rong Mi had used during his military assessment. The distance from the rest cabin to the cockpit was quite short.

Rong Mi quickly arrived at the cockpit entrance and politely knocked on the door.

"Awake?" The hatch slid open.

Standing before the operation panel in the cockpit was Commander White, his silver hair contrasting with his dark eyes, dressed in the uniform of the First Legion. He turned to look at Rong Mi.

As expected, he hadn't been operating the starship himself; instead, he had only activated the simplest autopilot function, allowing his white dolphin battle pets to guide the ship downward with their energy waves.

"Glad to meet you," White smiled. "We're almost at our destination."

Despite his youthful appearance, his gaze held a polished smoothness and tranquility that came with time, an unexpected... kindness that didn't match his outward demeanor.

Rong Mi: "..."

Suddenly, Rong Mi became curious about how Admiral Lu Yi would react if White looked at him with such a gaze.

Perhaps he was completely oblivious.

The young man pondered, answering his own question.

Lu Yi never cared about others' gazes; he remained cold when he should and scolded when necessary, acting as he pleased.

...Anyway, Rong Mi knew he couldn't control him!

Rong Mi: ...

He had just mentioned clearing his mind, but now he was thinking of Lu Yi again. Rong Mi hastily banished the thought from his mind.

He smiled at White and directed his gaze towards the flowing layer of silvery-white energy outside the cabin.

"These gas energy layers remind me of Mithril," Rong Mi engaged White in conversation, curious. "Does the 'Sea of Slumber' produce Mithril?"

"Mithril?" White looked at him blankly, as if he had never heard of such a thing.

Rong Mi didn't expect him to be unaware.

"A unique metal." The young man reached out to touch the dagger that Lu Yi had handed him.

He was about to pull out the dagger to explain, but White shook his head.

"If it's just metal, your sense might be slightly off," White paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts before continuing.

The relationship between Rong Mi and Lu Yi was well-known among the upper echelons of the First Legion.

White was aware that this emerging young mecha pilot had healed Lu Yi's mental domain. Moreover, their commander held a unique attitude towards Rong Mi.

After all, it was common knowledge within the First Legion's high command that Lu Yi had dismantled his own mech to create a new one for Rong Mi.

White, himself an ace mech pilot, understood how precious a mech was to someone like him or Lu Yi.

Many mech pilots affectionately referred to their customized mechs as their "wives."

Based on White's understanding of Lu Yi, the most likely way the general would choose to repay the favor would be by following protocol and paying a hefty treatment fee.

Perhaps he would also help Rong Mi navigate through some non-principal related troubles, smoothing his path within the military.

But... it should never include dismantling one's 'partner' just to acquire materials for a high-quality mecha because of a desire to gift Rong Mi one.

Since Lu Yi and Rong Mi had an unusual relationship, White felt no need to hold back in his speech.

"The energy barrier outside the planet wasn't this color before," he sighed. "The wavelength was somewhat different too."

"The Sleepy Sea's protective energy layer used to be a simple pure white."

White: "As you know, the Admiral also attempted a second awakening here."

Rong Mi: "..."

Looking at the silver within the energy layer, Rong Mi's heart suddenly skipped a beat. He had a feeling that what White was about to say wouldn't be pleasant.

"He interrupted his awakening at the time to confront Chengdu. When he returned to the Sleepy Sea later, his mental power was almost beyond control."

"That was no longer just a disorder of the mental domain... Anyway... calling him a human bomb wouldn't be an exaggeration."

White shook his head, finding it difficult to put into words the memories of that time.

"Uncontrolled hyper-concentrated mental energy... some erupted into the planet's atmosphere, integrating with that energy layer."

"Some of the mental energy also descended, infusing the water bodies with silvery threads."

Recalling the past, White saw the young man's eyes widen slightly as he gazed at him with an expression of profound astonishment, almost blank. White chuckled. "Human mental energy altering the planet's environment... it does sound unbelievable, doesn't it?"

"It does seem like a fairy tale."

"But Lu Yi was in a very unique state then. Although he was on the brink of death, his mental domain was unusually active. The density of energy fluctuated wildly, yet its intensity was staggering. He even demonstrated new abilities that one usually acquires only after a complete second awakening..."

"That's when the Silver Wolves came into existence."

Subsequently, as his mental energy potency continued to soar, even the residual energy that the Silver General couldn't convert reacted with the ambient energies surrounding the planet, giving rise to an exceptionally unique form of solidified energy residue... akin to a special energy ore.

"Greetings, General Silver," White addressed the Silver Wolves who had been accompanying Rong Mi, seeking affirmation from his ally. "Am I right?"

Rong Mi: "..."

Rong Mi's gaze also turned toward the Silver Wolves.

Wolf: "..."

Ayin blinked, his expression unchanged as he subtly shifted back a fraction of a step.

Wolves seldom perform such gestures.

Or perhaps... wolves had never performed such an action.

Ayin never knew fear, nor did he ever retreat.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, it found Rong Mi's current expression truly terrifying.

Terribly so that it couldn't help but retreat slightly.

Ayin: "..."

The wolf's mind raced, trying hard to comprehend the cause behind the young man's reaction, but to no avail.

Didn't White mention something about Master Lu Yi's past?!!

Could Lord Rong Mi be angered by Lu Yi's past experiences?

What happened to the energy crystal?

Didn't Lu Yi gift his dagger to Lord Ami?

It was a unique and valuable item.

Lu Yi presented it as a token of affection.

Though Admiral had never revealed his feelings... this dagger was somewhat qualified, right?

In some ways, Ayin was as unreliable as Lu Yi.

The wolf, confused, took a half-step back and then dared not move, sitting straight and awaiting Rong Mi's response.

But Rong Mi only looked at the wolf without speaking.

He was, of course, aware of the origins of the Silver Wolves.

Chen Mo had mentioned that Lu Yi was forced to separate a significant amount of his mental energy to form a contract with the Star Beast, resulting in the birth of the Ice Plain Silver Wolves in an extremely unique manner.

But Rong Mi wasn't aware of the rest.

"I remember after Lu Yi was out of danger, he collected those substances and melted them into a silver dagger..."

White: "..."

Something crossed White's mind, causing him to abruptly pause in his narration.

"...That dagger did resemble metal in terms of texture." He looked at Rong Mi as he continued, his voice inadvertently filled with cautious confirmation, "That dagger had the property of absorbing energy... um... it might be related to the special wavelengths emitted when humans release energy near death..."

"The dagger was inscribed with energy patterns capable of holding mental energy, allowing Lu Yi to replenish his mental energy into it while using it..."

The admiral had indeed used that dagger initially. However, after his mental domain worsened in recent years, Lu Yi's sensitivity to mental energy decreased, and he tried to avoid close combat with the Ice Butterflies. Thus, the dagger was put away.

"Have you seen that dagger?" White observed Rong Mi's expression, slowing down his speech, "You... don't need to worry if you have. It's just that it's different from General Silver. It has completely severed its connection with Lu Yi, so there won't be any empathetic situations."

White assumed that Rong Mi misunderstood the dagger as a special "locator," which was why her gaze grew increasingly grim as she listened to his explanation.

In reality, Rong Mi was merely recalling the "Mithril" that was discovered during the era of interstellar nomads.

Rong Mi had heard about this unique metal due to its rarity, despite being found on several planets across the galaxy.

Recalling now... the planets that produced Mithril were actually not too far apart.

Their locations... scattered along the edge of the human territories that were already under the control of the Ice Butterflies at that time.

They likely overlapped with the current warzone.

According to White's account,

if what Lu Yi emitted in his dying moments was indeed mental energy that reacted with other substances to create a new form of "metal,"

then the origin of this "Mithril" could only be a terrifyingly intense explosion.

The explosion that gave birth to Ayin left behind only a dagger. Hence, the term "Mithril" had yet to be coined here, and White initially had no idea what he was referring to.

But later... the Mithril discovered during the interstellar nomadic era far exceeded the quantity found in this single dagger in White's possession.

Without much deliberation, Rong Mi knew that under such circumstances, there was no way Lu Yi could have survived.

In the original timeline... in the original history...

Lu Yi had perished in that cataclysmic self-destruction.

It was as if he had repeated the very method he had once used against Cheng Die, putting it into practice once more.

...Why though?

Rong Mi pondered deeply.

But during the era of interstellar nomads, much of history had been lost, and he couldn't even uncover the reason behind Lu Yi's sacrificial act.

He didn't know which battle it was for.

Or what he was trying to prevent.

Was it for Cecil's resurrection? Or the large-scale assault of the Ice Butterflies? Or perhaps... simply because Lu Yi knew his mental domain was irreparably disordered, that death was imminent, and he refused to spend his last days lying on a medical bed, waiting to die.

... Hence the resolve to embark on a grand endeavor with full force.

Rong Mi shuddered.

Only now did he realize that he had deliberately avoided contemplating Lu Yi's historical outcome for a long time.

As Lu Yi's therapist, Rong Mi was well aware of the dire state of Lu Yi's mental domain. He knew that without effective treatment, the general's mental state would soon crumble completely.

Yet, Rong Mi had always hoped that in history, Lu Yi might have found his own therapist or some means to survive.

But now, he had abruptly learned of Lu Yi's utterly tragic end.

In this moment, Rong Mi even forgot how fleeting his own life truly was. He pushed aside the memory of the agony he endured when his genetic illness flared up, threatening his life.

Just minutes ago, he had tried to push Lu Yi out of his thoughts, but within minutes, Lu Yi had once again filled his mind.

Rong Mi even recalled the expression on the General's face when he entrusted him with the dagger on Capital Star.

Lu Yi's expression at that moment was utterly unperturbed.

Not even when Rong Mi recognized the unique secret silver metal did his gaze betray any surprise.

Rong Mi had always been aware that Lu Yi harbored suspicions about his true identity.

But the admiral had never broached the subject, and Rong Mi had never inquired about Lu Yi's speculations or elaborated on his own origins.

For he had already arrived, and those repressed historical events were no longer just history.

He didn't wish for the grim future he had experienced to cast a shadow over Lu Yi's present.

Yet, regardless of what Lu Yi might have guessed...

When Rong Mi identified that dagger, Lu Yi should have been able to deduce...

...the heroic demise that awaited him.