Chapter 110: Taking the Initiative

Chapter 110: Taking the Initiative

What frightened Rong Mi even more was that although Lu Yi acted decisively, he was by no means impulsive or reckless.

Each of his decisions was the result of careful deliberation.

So... the idea of "self-destructing again" must have been part of Lu Yi's plan for a long time before its execution.

Perhaps, when they first met, the admiral had already meticulously pondered over this strategy.

Rong Mi took a sudden step back.

"I'm sorry," he quickly said to White. "I just remembered something... I'll make a call."

He hurried out of the cockpit and dialed Lu Yi's communication line once more.

In the starship conference room of the First Legion, everyone watched as their legion commander once again interrupted the report being given below, frowning as he lowered his head to answer the incoming call.

It was already an extremely rare occurrence for Lu Yi to interrupt a meeting to take a call.

All the more so for a crucial meeting pertaining to the offensive on the Ice Butterfly Star Region.

Let alone a second time around!

Seated at the conference table were not just Lu Yi and the officials from the First Legion, but also the commanders of all legions, along with the supreme commander of the Military Department, Zhang Lingyu.

In the holographic projection, Zhang Lingyu leaned back in her seat with her arms crossed, her brows knitted together as she watched Lu Yi's actions without intervening.

She had a fair idea who was on the other end of the communication.

In truth, she wasn't the slightest bit upset that Lu Yi had interrupted the meeting to answer Rong Mi's communication.

She would have preferred Rong Mi to storm into the conference room, slam his hand on the table before Lu Yi, glare fiercely, and literally pull the Admiral off his seat at the meeting, thereby extinguishing that outrageous notion in his mind.

But that was clearly not an option.

Rong Mi was in the midst of a critical moment of his second awakening. Unless absolutely necessary, Zhang Lingyu wouldn't disturb him with anything.

Thus, she watched Lu Yi answer the communication, smoothing his forehead with a gentle pinch before the light screen unfurled.

It seemed as though she was striving to appear more alert and composed.

Zhang Lingyu: "..."

She genuinely wished to roll her eyes at Lu Yi, but of course, she didn't dare.

Lu Yi was using private mode, so she couldn't see his expression towards Rong Mi. All she noticed was that his expression shifted abruptly after he answered the communication.

"Rong Mi?" The admiral frowned slightly. "What's happened?"

Noticing the young man's unusual demeanor, he stood up and signaled for a pause to the others before promptly leaving the conference room.

On the screen, the young man appeared even more anxious than when he had first answered the call.

"Lu Yi," Rong Mi panted, his eyes fixed intently on the other person as soon as the communication connected.

He hadn't given it a second thought when dialing the call, but now, hearing Lu Yi's voice and seeing the admiral's holographic projection, he finally managed to regain some composure.

Since the day he got to know Admiral Lu Yi, the man's complexion had always carried an unhealthy pallor.

Rong Mi gazed at him for a moment, suddenly unsure of what to say.

Before establishing communication, he had only wanted to ask Lu Yi, to confirm with the Admiral that he desired to live a good life.

But... faced with Lu Yi's unwell appearance, Rong Mi felt that such a question was inappropriate.

It seemed inauspicious and, moreover, too heart-wrenching.

"There's nothing," Rong Mi said. "I just forgot to mention it earlier."

"I... I'll heal your mental domain."

The words came out abruptly.

Lu Yi, rarely caught off guard, then suddenly recalled something.

After losing control in the Sea of Slumber, the remnants of his mental power weren't limited to that dagger. There were also traces left within the planet's water bodies and its external energy layer.

Lu Yi had not recalled those events in so long that he had forgotten some of the details.

But Rong Mi had clearly seen them.

"Very well," the admiral lowered his gaze and softly replied.

He leaned against the wall outside the conference room, his fingers resting by his side, yet unconsciously tightening.

There were times when Lu Yi wished he could live to see that day.

But he knew his fate was unalterable.

Moreover, he still had crucial tasks to attend to.

For the Human Federation... and for Rong Mi.

There wasn't much he could do for Rong Mi anyway.

The starship Lu Yi was on indeed remained near the AE sector. Originally, it carried Vice Legion Commander Robert, who oversaw the search and containment operation for the Chrysalis fragments in the AE sector.

Now, the task of fragment containment had transformed into dealing with the spatial wormhole that had already been sealed.

The mental energy fragment that Lu Tianxing had identified as Butterfly's was, in fact, not located within the AE sector but hidden deep within the Icicle Butterfly Galaxy.

The mental energy fragment representing the "venom gland" was evidently restless, especially after sensing Rong Mi's mental energy.

Cecil had long anticipated the changes in Rong Mi's mental energy.

Just as humans didn't wish for Butterfly to appear, Cecil also didn't want to witness a second awakening in humanity.

A decade ago, it launched a massive assault on the human territories, originally planning to take advantage of Lu Yi's absence and wreak havoc, swiftly gaining the upper hand.

Unexpectedly, it inadvertently prevented Lu Yi's awakening.

From that incident, Cecil learned this tactic and planned to use it again.

It couldn't utilize its own fragment to kill Rong Mi, nor could it get Seiko to bring Rong Mi back to the Icicle Butterfly Galaxy. But... perhaps, just like a decade ago, by launching a strong offensive, it could force Rong Mi to halt her awakening and rush back to intervene.

As for the terrifying injuries it sustained at that time...

Cecil had learned its lesson this time!

If Rong Mi's awakening were to go awry like Lu Yi's, he would undoubtedly make a run for it!

Though there was a slight flaw in its plan.

Just as it began attempting to infiltrate the war zone and was about to launch a major operation, its unchecked tentacles, feasting on resources within the war zone, led to its discovery by Rong Mi and Lu Yi through the spatial wormhole it had opened...

These two audacious humans had dared to enter the Ice Butterfly Star Region and wreak havoc!

But Cecil wouldn't give up so easily over this incident!

In the dark universe, the planet that Rong Mi had set ablaze a day ago was still burning.

However, further away, a mass of red light rose, resembling an ominously foreboding omen.

Corresponding to this, in the First and Third War Zones nearest to the Ice Butterfly, starships lifted off and sped towards the AE sector.

"We can't simply wait for our doom," Lu Yi stated coldly from the main battleship of the First Legion.

"Rong Mi has devastated Ice Butterfly's resource planet and cocoon site. Now, the Ice Butterfly star domain is far from tranquil."

"Rather than waiting for Cecil to finish reorganizing the region and then defending passively after another attack, we should take the initiative to strike."

"We must eliminate the 'Venom Gland' fragments."

"..."

The conference room fell silent.

The commanders wore different expressions, while the officers from the First Team all had solemn faces. Even the usually unconstrained Deputy Commander Robert sat rigidly, saying nothing.

It was clear that this operation would be led by Lu Yi.

They were about to enter the Ice Butterfly star domain.

Cecil would undoubtedly meet them in battle.

Just as Lu Yi and Rong Mi had encountered before, the "Venom Gland" would emerge through a spatial wormhole.

And Lu Yi would locate the "Toxic Gland" fragment and destroy it.

It sounded like a risky plan, but not an impossible one.

Moreover, everyone knew that Lu Yi was the one who proposed this, implying that the chance of success was considerable.

Lu Yi had never failed in any battle.

But... there was still one issue.

A decade ago, when Lu Yi's second awakening failed, he self-detonated and shattered Cecil into pieces.

Now, even if the "Toxic Gland" fragment wasn't as powerful as the complete Cecil...

Lu Yi's mental strength was no longer as hyperactive and robust as it was during his self-detonation.

In their previous encounters with Cecil's fragments, Rong Mi was an indispensable main combatant.

If it were only Lu Yi now...

Uneasy speculations arose in everyone's minds.

...Was there any better alternative than self-destruction?

Across the long conference table, General Zhang Lingyu locked eyes with Lu Yi.

She furrowed her brows, aware of the main motivation behind Lu Yi's actions.

On one hand, humans had always adopted a defensive stance against the Ice Butterflies. Now, while the Ice Butterfly territory was in chaos, launching an uncharacteristic offensive would catch them off guard, presenting a rare opportunity.

On the other hand, Lu Yi aimed to eliminate any factors that could jeopardize Rong Mi's second awakening.

He didn't want Cecil to exert pressure on Rong Mi by attacking the human territories.

Moreover, he sought to stifle the possibility of Cecil opening spatial wormholes and disrupting the "Sea of Slumber."

But in Zhang Lingyu's view, there must have been other, unknown reasons behind Lu Yi's decision.

Zhang Lingyu lifted her hand with a composed expression.

"Let's pause the meeting," she said, looking directly at Lu Yi. "We need to talk."

"You've never been one to lack foresight," Zhang Lingyu remarked frankly within the private conference room.

"This proposal is no different from attempting suicide to strike at the 'Toxic Gland' fragments."

"What are your chances of survival, according to your estimation, after eliminating the 'Toxic Gland' fragments?"

Lu Yi: "..."

"He doesn't seem like the one to ask such a question," he observed Zhang Lingyu, his tone aloof.

The answer was too straightforward, not requiring any inquiry in the first place.

Zhang Lingyu: "..."

Zhang Lingyu held her breath, the words stuck in her throat.

"I understand that there will still be a period of time before the real awakening begins after we reach the Sea of Slumber." She tried to remain calm. "Accumulating energy, adjusting the state of your mental domain... I recall it took you about a week."

"Being generous, even if Rong Mi needs two weeks or even a month... we still have time."

"Chen Mo is on his way to the warzone aboard a starship and will arrive within three days," she said hastily. "The serum he brings can completely neutralize the Ice Butterfly venom in you, but you'll need five days of rest to ensure that all toxins are eliminated."

"Even if we adopt our usual defensive stance, no matter how powerful Cecil is, he wouldn't force Rong Mi to interrupt her awakening within a week."

"By the time you resume your role as commander and return to the battlefield in seven days... do you think you won't be able to stop Cecil?"

""Don't you trust the soldiers who have fought alongside you in the warzone all these years?!"

Zhang Lingyu couldn't help raising her voice. "In the worst-case scenario, if we really reach a dead end at that time... couldn't you use the current method then?"

Lu Yi fell silent for a moment.

"Neither Chen Mo nor I have mentioned this to you," he said, his expression unchanged as he tapped his temple. "Rong Mi treated my disordered mental domain."

"But... there's a more severe issue here."

"My mental tree's roots have long been fractured."

"Ever since ten years ago."

Zhang Lingyu: "…"

Zhang Lingyu looked at him in disbelief.

"The crack has been widening these past few years."

"Currently, my mental tree's roots are almost completely severed." Lu Yi spoke with an even tone, "In the last week, the pain in my mental tree's roots has doubled."

"I've started experiencing brief spells of dizziness and fainting."

Zhang Lingyu: "…"

Zhang Lingyu didn't need Lu Yi to elaborate on his condition to understand how severe a fragmented mental tree was.

"To maintain my state, I've been taking psychical domain activators."

As the name suggests, it's a drug that stimulates the vitality of the mental domain.

Its effects might be limited on most people, but on Lu Yi...

It could elevate his mental power to its peak condition.

Zhang Lingyu: "...."

"…You're merely delaying the inevitable with a deadly poison," Zhang Lingyu spoke after a long silence, her astonishment still palpable. "You're seeking your own demise!"

She understood now.

Taking this drug would probably shorten the lifespan of his mental tree from ten days to just five, and one that was already on the verge of collapse in five days would now crumble within one or two.

"Time is running out," Lu Yi acknowledged with a nod, not denying her observation. He replied calmly, "I believe my death needs to be utilized in the most rational way."

"I can't hold on for seven days anymore."

Even if he didn't take the medication and managed to survive this week... He might not live long enough to witness Rong Mi's successful awakening.

Lu Yi was reluctant to rush Rong Mi, nor did he wish for his own life or death to become a burden on the young man's shoulders.

Of course, he knew that Rong Mi cared about his condition.

But...

The young man's attitude towards him was limited to that of an ordinary friend or comrade-in-arms.

Rong Mi might have come from a future with even more turmoil and warfare.

He had certainly seen his share of deaths and experienced numerous partings.

Although Lu Yi didn't want to add another layer of grief to the young man,

he also believed that his death wouldn't turn into Rong Mi's shackles.

The youth would eventually overcome these negative emotions.

And Rong Mi, having journeyed from that war-torn era to this present...

His life must have ended once before, only to restart anew.

The young man could step fearlessly back into the battlefield, but Lu Yi wished not to see him sacrifice himself again.

The Admiral knew his capabilities were no longer sufficient to entirely resolve the crisis originating from Cecil.

Yet, he could still do more.

Remove more threats.

Pave the way for Rong Mi's future battles.

Smooth the path for the young man to proceed unobstructed.

And one day, Rong Mi would be able to return to the safe sectors.

Wander the streets and lanes.

Walk alongside the wolves...

Basking in the tranquility of peacetime.

Lu Yi's lips curved slightly.

Even if he were to depart, Ayin would still be there.

He thought calmly.

A wolf would always remain by Rong Mi's side.