Chapter 57 Iris Base.

Chapter 57 Iris Base.

The two men quickly reached an agreement: there was no time like the present, so they would move Yu Xin's luggage directly to Iris Base today.

After leaving the tea room, Ji Yixing hailed a hovercar, which took Yu Xin back to his residence.

The hovercar journeyed from the bustling commercial district to a different side of the imperial capital. Here, there were no dazzling electronic screens; the entire area was a uniform gray, devoid of any vibrant color. Skyscrapers stood in close proximity, casting perpetual shadows and creating an oppressive, cramped atmosphere.

Yu Xin often felt that this place was like the sunless depths of the ocean on this planet—a chaotic mix of all sorts of people and activities.

The understated yet clearly expensive hovercar seemed utterly out of place here, as did Ji Yixing. Although Yu Xin himself saw nothing wrong with living in such an area, he noticed Ji Yixing's frequent glances and offered an explanation: "I've already been looking for a place elsewhere. Even if you hadn't invited me to your base, I would have moved out soon anyway."

As they spoke, they arrived at his building. The hovercar stopped on the ground-level platform. Though called the first floor, there were actually dozens of levels underground, and Yu Xin resided on the thirty-second floor.

The two went up to his current abode. It was a modest one-bedroom apartment, roughly thirty square meters, where one could see from the entrance to the far wall.

However, Yu Xin had already packed his belongings in preparation for the move, leaving the apartment empty and less cramped than it might have been.

Yu Xin's possessions were remarkably few, mostly items left by the original owner, and not many at that. Yu Xin alone was more than capable of moving them.

As if remembering something, Yu Xin went to the entrance and retrieved a black umbrella: "The umbrella I borrowed from you back then—I never found a chance to return it."

Ji Yixing reached out, took it, and held it in his hand: "It's not too late now."

Both of them recalled that rainy day, the moment their eyes met across the hotel lobby and through the glass display window.

Ji Yixing raised his hands, an innocent expression on his face: "That meeting really was a coincidence. I never expected to run into you there."

The imperial capital had hundreds of millions of permanent residents, with people coming and going daily. It was just their luck to have met like that.

"It's not that I don't believe you." Yu Xin was busy removing his biometric data from the apartment's security system. With a few beeps, the residence was no longer connected to him in any way.

"Let's go." He turned, about to pick up the luggage at his feet, but another hand moved faster, lifting the bag first.

Before Yu Xin could react, Ji Yixing proactively pressed the elevator button: "Let's go."

Yu Xin followed him into the elevator and said, half-jokingly, "Now that you're my boss, should the boss really be carrying the employee's luggage?"

"You're younger than me, and you call me Brother Ji. Can't I look out for you a little?" Ji Yixing turned, looking at their reflections in the elevator. Yu Xin's height reached just below his ears, but his build was a full size smaller. Although he had already witnessed Yu Xin's strength in the program, he still instinctively wanted to do these things for him.

Yu Xin wasn't quite used to it. In both his lifetimes combined, he had rarely been taken care of like this, but he didn't dislike it.

The two went downstairs, and the hovercar transported them to a docking port on the imperial capital that Yu Xin had never heard of before, where they boarded Ji Yixing's private aircraft.

This was clearly a private docking port, not open to the public, reserved for those with power and influence. The facilities inside were far superior to the public docking ports Yu Xin had used.

Ji Yixing was clearly familiar with this place, leading Yu Xin straight through without any issues to his private aircraft's berth.

The aircraft was far more luxurious than any private aircraft Yu Xin had ever seen. Its size was almost that of a starship, and its deep black, heavy appearance, compared to the colorful paint jobs common on civilian aircraft, made it look more like a military craft.

Ji Yixing led Yu Xin across the boarding bridge. The aircraft's heavy hatch slowly opened, and two tall young men dressed entirely in black combat gear stepped out.

"General!" They quickly walked up to Ji Yixing. The pitch-black visors that had covered half their faces retracted at some unseen command, revealing handsome, youthful faces beneath.

They snapped a military salute to Ji Yixing. Out of the corner of their eyes, they noticed the meager luggage Ji Yixing was carrying, and their pupils trembled involuntarily.

One of them, with azure blue eyes, quickly reached out to take the luggage from Ji Yixing: "General, let me handle that."

Ji Yixing handed Yu Xin's luggage to him and turned to guide Yu Xin: "They're members of my guard team—this way."

The two guards naturally fell in behind them, quickly exchanging a glance that conveyed mutual shock.

—Who is this slim, black-haired young man?

—For our general to carry his luggage and personally guide him? Even the Empire's Prime Minister wouldn't get this treatment!

—Do you know him?

—How would I know him? Do you?

—I know even less. I haven't been with the general as long as you have.

They carried on a silent conversation with their eyes behind the two, completely unnoticed by those ahead. Ji Yixing thoughtfully led the way, while Yu Xin followed silently behind.

Yu Xin hadn't missed the guards addressing Ji Yixing as "General," nor their shocked reactions upon seeing Ji Yixing carrying his luggage.

If military ranks in the interstellar empire corresponded to those in his original world, then Ji Yixing's true status was far higher than he had ever imagined.

Each lost in their own thoughts, they boarded the aircraft. The interior wasn't lavishly decorated like some civilian aircraft but instead conveyed a sense of streamlined simplicity. The seats, however, were spacious and comfortable, offering an excellent riding experience.

The two guards disappeared as soon as they boarded, likely taking his luggage to another cabin.

"Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

The vast space was now empty except for the two of them. Ji Yixing gestured for Yu Xin to take a seat and turned to the shipboard refrigerator, well-stocked with drinks and alcohol, to ask.

"Thank you, no need." After speaking, Yu Xin fell silent again.

Ji Yixing looked at the young man's fair profile, noticeably tenser than in a relaxed state, and quickly understood why.

He lowered his voice slightly: "What, scared by my status?"

Yu Xin's facial features relaxed a little, and he pressed his lips together: "Not scared."

"But Brother Ji's status is rather unexpected."

If he had known earlier that the other held such a high rank in the military, he would have considered Ji Yixing's offer much more carefully.

The aircraft was now leaving the docking port, slowly ascending. Its superior performance kept Yu Xin from feeling overly uncomfortable. He looked out the window—the once massive structures of the docking port were growing smaller and smaller.

Now that they were already on the aircraft, backing out at this point probably wasn't an option.

He had known there was a disparity in their statuses, but he never imagined the gap would be this vast. He was an open book before Ji Yixing, yet Ji Yixing's true identity had only been revealed to him at the last moment before boarding.

The slight closeness he had begun to feel was now shrouded in a heavy sense of distance. The air around Yu Xin grew much more aloof than before.

Ji Yixing keenly sensed this. Yu Xin was like a kitten that had finally warmed up to him a little but, after a few days apart, had become less familiar again—it would take sufficient time and patience to regain that familiarity.

But it was true that he hadn't been entirely honest first. Ji Yixing rubbed his nose, feeling somewhat at a loss: "Yu Xin, you don't need to treat me differently because of my status. In front of you, I'm not some general—I'm just Ji Yixing."

He hadn't told Yu Xin his identity from the start, partly due to concerns about being on camera, but more importantly, he wanted Yu Xin to know him as Ji Yixing the person before knowing his title.

He wanted Yu Xin to interact with him as naturally as he had during the show, but now that Yu Xin knew he was an Empire General, he couldn't casually and familiarly call him "Brother Ji" as before.

Ji Yixing sighed inwardly but wasn't too disappointed. After all, he had now successfully brought the person back to his base. They had plenty of time to slowly get to know each other.

The aircraft moved swiftly. After several jumps, the edges of the M26 star system came into view. Before long, the aircraft began its gradual descent onto a berth at Iris Base's docking port.

The aircraft's thrusters kicked up massive waves of air as it landed smoothly on the ground. The hatches opened sequentially, and the two guards who had disappeared earlier reappeared, carrying Yu Xin's luggage.

Yu Xin unbuckled his safety harness and rose from his seat. Ji Yixing stood up as well but made no move to get off with him.

"Apologies, I have an urgent meeting in another star system. I should have personally accompanied you on your first visit to the base, but I'm afraid that won't be possible now..." Ji Yixing said regretfully; he had originally intended to give Yu Xin a tour of the base himself, but the meeting he needed to attend was unavoidable. In fact, escorting Yu Xin back had already taken up a significant amount of his time. Bai Yizhou had already arrived at the venue ahead of him, and now they were only waiting for Ji Yixing to show up.

"It's fine," Yu Xin hesitated for a moment before changing his form of address. "The General's matters are undoubtedly far more important than mine. There's no need to go out of your way for me."

"Alright," Ji Yixing sighed inwardly, knowing that rushing things wouldn't help. He still managed a smile. "I'll have Seven and Twelve escort you to the base. Wait for me to return."

Seven and Twelve were the two guards from earlier. Originally assigned to Ji Yixing, they were now personally tasked with ensuring Yu Xin's safe arrival at the base.

The two young guards had been part of the guard for some time. Since becoming official members—no, since even before their selection process—this was by far the easiest assignment they had ever received.

The journey from the docking port to the base was so short that there was no possibility of encountering danger, let alone traffic jams. What need was there for two elite guard members to carry out such a task?

However, since it was the General's order, they naturally wouldn't disobey. Their curiosity about the black-haired young man only grew stronger.

After bidding farewell to Ji Yixing, Yu Xin watched as the aircraft that had brought him there ascended back into the sky. He then followed Seven and Twelve onto the base's shuttle vehicle.

Seated across from the two young guards, Yu Xin wasn't the type to initiate conversation, but it was hard to ignore the curious glances occasionally directed his way.

Perhaps because Ji Yixing wasn't present, Seven and Twelve seemed much more relaxed than during their first meeting. Their previously cold and stern auras softened somewhat, transforming them from two icy combat machines into real people.

"Ahem," Seven, who had azure eyes, was the first to break the silence. Out of courtesy, he removed his mechanical face mask, revealing a young but highly capable appearance. His personality was noticeably more lively. "Let me introduce myself. My call sign is Seven, and my real name is Xue Yi. This guy beside me is Twelve. We're both members of the General's guard. Welcome to Iris Base."

He nudged the taciturn Twelve beside him. "Hey, introduce yourself. It's not really appropriate for you to stay silent when I've already introduced myself, is it?"

Twelve gave him a resigned look, as if accustomed to his partner's unpredictable nature, then turned to Yu Xin. "I'm Twelve, Lu Xu. Hello."

He spoke sparingly, and said nothing more after his brief introduction—a stark contrast to his enthusiastic partner. Seven jumped in smoothly to cover for him: "Ah, Twelve is just like that. Getting him to say more is harder than making him terraform a barren planet. Don't mind him... We've been chatting away, but we still don't know your name."

"Hello, I'm Yu Xin," Yu Xin introduced himself simply.

"Yu Xin, that's a nice name," Seven nodded approvingly, giving him a friendly wink. "Honestly, this is the first time the General has personally brought someone back to the base. If it weren't for that last-minute meeting, he probably would've given you a tour himself. In all my time serving under the General, I've never seen anyone receive this kind of treatment."

"Right, Twelve?" He kicked Twelve's calf lightly with the tip of his military boot.

Twelve pressed down on his restless leg, aware that his gossipy nature was acting up again, and calmly warned, "Senior, perhaps you should talk less. Have you forgotten that they still need someone for the one-year garbage disposal mission on the trash planet yet—"

"I'm just chatting with our new friend," Seven replied.

At that, Seven's eager expression became more serious, though he didn't give up entirely. He continued chatting with Yu Xin: "Is it alright if I call you Yu Xin? Hope that's not too informal. You must be an important guest of our General..."

"Of course," Yu Xin said. "I'm just here to cook for the General. I wouldn't call myself an important guest."

"Wait, cook for the General?" Seven stammered. Even the usually steady Twelve looked surprised too.

The General's eating issues were no secret among them. Over the past three years, many chefs had been invited, but they were always seasoned experts, and it had been a long time since a new chef was brought to the base.

Could this young man, who looked even younger than them, really be the chef specially invited by the General?

He didn't quite seem the part.

Seven and Twelve rarely engaged with entertainment news on the interstellar network, so they weren't familiar with Yu Xin, who had became famous for his cooking.

They were simply surprised because the young man before them seemed quite youthful. Though his demeanor was calmer than most his age, he still appeared delicate, almost as if he had grown up sheltered.

"That's right," Yu Xin replied. "I'll be staying at the base for a while, so we'll likely see each other often."

He extended a hand. "Looking forward to working together."

"That's great," Seven said excitedly. The fact that the General is hiring a chef again after so long—did it mean his eating issues were improving?

With that thought, he shook Yu Xin's hand earnestly. "The General has so much confidence in you, so your cooking must be amazing!"

"Since we're all working under the General, we're all colleagues here now. Welcome to Iris Base!"

As they spoke, the shuttle arrived at the main entrance of Iris Base.

The primary structure of Iris Base was an imposing white building, surrounded by various structures of different sizes and functions, forming an extensive complex. The style, much like the aircraft's interior, was stark and simple, exuding a futuristic technological vibe to Yu Xin's eyes.

What was remarkable was that the greenery here was also well-maintained. Trees were everywhere, and when the wind blew, layers of green waves rippled through them—a far cry from where Yu Xin had lived before.

The simulated lighting system above the base operated 24/7, automatically adjusting intensity and duration according to the season, maintaining an ideal temperature year-round.

The shuttle passed through the base's main gate and continued down the main road. Along the way, Yu Xin even spotted an entire lake.

A breeze swept past, carrying with it the cool mist from the lake and the scent of grass and trees—incredibly refreshing.

It didn't feel like a military stronghold of the empire and more like a perfect vacation spot.

As Yu Xin gazed out at the lush scenery passing by, he was sure that accepting Ji Yixing's offer to come to the base had been the right decision.

"It's quite nice here, isn't it?" Seven said proudly. "Let me tell you, our working environment is envied by other military units from other star systems. After all, not everyone gets to stay by the General's side. We, the Iris Guard, are the best of the best, selected from stationed troops across various star systems..."

Twelve cut short Seven's bragging: "We've reached the base building. We can get off now."

The shuttle stopped in front of the base's most prominent structure. The doors slid open automatically, and the two guards jumped out easily. Yu Xin, with his luggage in hand, followed suit.

"Our escort mission is complete. We need to report back to the General right away. Yu Xin, it was great talking with you. We'll see you again at the base once the General returns." Dragging Twelve along, Seven bid farewell. Twelve remained silent but gave Yu Xin a steady nod.

"Goodbye!" Yu Xin waved goodbye, watching as the two departed. They were the first people he had met at Iris Base, and so far, everyone he encountered had been friendly.

This made Yu Xin look forward to his life here in the coming period.

"So you're Yu Xin?"

Suddenly, a calm male voice sounded from behind him.

Hearing his name, Yu Xin turned toward the source. Before him stood the tall flight of steps leading up to the base building. At the top of these steps stood a young man dressed in a white military uniform, looking down at him.