Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Bai Luming seemed utterly oblivious to the collective shock as he calmly walked off the field with Chu Xiao.

Huo Mingyue had also dismounted his mecha. Normally, this would be his time for individual feedback, but this match was clearly unlike any before. He looked at the two of them, momentarily at a loss for words.

Bai Luming seized the moment to suggest, "Vice Commander Huo, I have some personal questions. I wonder if you could spare some time for a private discussion with us?"

"Personal questions," and he even emphasized "private discussion."

The atmosphere among the Nawei Military Region contingent was already tense, and this request pushed them over the edge.

One officer finally couldn't hold back, stepping forward to declare, "Don't push your luck!"

"Now, now, let's not put it that way," Huo Mingyue interjected before the officer could finish. "Having such a private discussion is an honor for both me and the cadets. We've been at it for a while and must be tired, so let's take a short break."

After these smooth pleasantries, he turned to Bai Luming with eager anticipation. "Cadet, where would you prefer to talk?"

The instructors nearby exchanged bewildered glances. "…?"

What did he mean by "an honor for both me and the cadets"? Why did that phrasing sound so odd?

Bai Luming didn't stand on ceremony, pointing to a shaded area. "It's cooler over there. Shall we chat under the trees?"

Huo Mingyue nodded enthusiastically. "That would be perfect."

After just a few brief exchanges, everyone watched as Bai Luming took Chu Xiao by the arm and led Huo Mingyue, as if no one else were present, toward the chosen shady spot.

It took a long moment before a staff member finally snapped out of it and announced, "Well then… let’s take a short break for now! Dismissed!"

As the venue entered its break, the cadets who had witnessed the entire match immediately erupted into lively discussions.

Bai Luming squinted at the bustling scene in the distance, then gestured to Huo Mingyue. "This was already Chu Xiao’s second match. Regarding some of his operational habits, I'll have to trouble Vice Commander Huo to offer some guidance."

"Understood!" Huo Mingyue wouldn't dare slight any request from Bai Luming. It was only then that he finally shifted his gaze to Chu Xiao. "Your name is Chu Xiao, right?"

"Ah, yes!" Chu Xiao had received guidance from Huo Mingyue once before, but this time felt distinctly different.

The moment their eyes met, he was startled by Huo Mingyue's overly serious expression and swallowed nervously.

Chu Xiao felt a pang of anxiety.

Was Vice Commander Huo being so stern because his problems were particularly severe?

After thorough deliberation, Huo Mingyue finally spoke. "Chu Xiao, correct. From the combat process, your reaction times are very quick, but you’re too accustomed to unleashing high-frequency burst attacks. Relying purely on overwhelming firepower is a valid combat strategy, but this style places excessive strain on the ammunition systems."

"Moreover, you have a particularly bad operational habit—you don’t use preemptive braking when ending a thrust, leading to overly abrupt short-distance braking. If you rely solely on manual corrections to compensate…"

"Oh, and your strike angle is also incorrect. It’s better to start with the left limb first, and using pneumatic cushioning for impact absorption during clashes isn’t a good habit either…"

He went into exhaustive detail, dissecting nearly every operational nuance.

The sheer volume of information made Chu Xiao’s head spin, and he couldn’t help but activate his recording system to capture the entire explanation.

Bai Luming watched this mentor-student interaction with a satisfied smile.

Once Huo Mingyue finished, he said to Chu Xiao, "Vice Commander Huo has pinpointed almost every flaw in your operation. Make sure to review this thoroughly when you get back, Xiao Bao."

Chu Xiao responded, "I’ll work hard!"

Bai Luming smiled and turned to Huo Mingyue again. "Vice Commander Huo, if you wouldn't mind, could we get an autograph? Xiao Bao is a huge fan of your legion. He’s always aimed to join the Blaze Legion as his ultimate ambition!"

Chu Xiao’s eyes lit up, and he looked over expectantly. "An autograph… really? Is that okay?"

"Of course."

Huo Mingyue clearly understood the implication behind Bai Luming’s words.

This wasn’t merely about an autograph. From the moment Chu Xiao was put forward for a second match, it was evident that Marshal Bai was mentoring this young cadet. By emphasizing it now, he was essentially recommending him directly to the Blaze Legion.

After signing for Chu Xiao, Huo Mingyue looked at him with renewed consideration. "You want to join the Blaze Legion?"

He was also very curious about what exceptional talent this young cadet possessed.

Being personally recommended by Marshal Bai was practically a guarantee—this was a genuine direct recruitment from the top!

"Yes, I want to join the Blaze Legion!" Chu Xiao was never one to be shy. Hearing Huo Mingyue’s question, he declared proudly without hesitation, "Since I was little, Marshal Bai has been my idol! I hope to join the White Army and become someone as strong as him! Marshal Bai is the only hero in my heart and my lifelong role model!"

From the moment Chu Xiao said "since I was little," Bai Luming was caught off guard, coughing violently as if choked by air.

The passionate, forceful words made Huo Mingyue’s mouth twitch involuntarily.

He kept glancing at Bai Luming, who stood right beside Chu Xiao, constantly fighting the urge to speak.

If he hadn’t firmly promised Marshal Shen not to give anything away, Huo Mingyue would have loved to shake this oblivious young man by the shoulders and shout—

Your idol is standing right next to you! Do you have any idea how unbelievably lucky you are? How many people would cry tears of envy? You’re casually hanging out with the top commander of our Blaze Legion every day! That’s Marshal Bai’s shoulder! That’s Marshal Bai’s back!!!

Huo Mingyue struggled to maintain his composure and nodded gravely to Chu Xiao. "Keep it up. You can do it."

Hearing a "you can" from the vice commander of the Blaze Legion made Chu Xiao beam with delight.

Bai Luming was also pleased that Huo Mingyue understood the subtext of his words. Roughly speaking, Chu Xiao was now effectively handed over to the Blaze Legion internally.

With all plans set, he waved to Huo Mingyue. "Vice Commander Huo, based on your earlier performance, I have a few minor details I’d like to ask about. Could we step aside for another chat?"

Huo Mingyue knew well that opportunities to receive guidance from Marshal Bai were rare and precious. Even though Marshal Bai had been in the co-pilot's seat the whole time, he was still eager for any pointers.

Hearing this, he nodded repeatedly, thrilled. "Yes! Of course! Let’s go! I’ll listen to you… ahem, what you have to say!"

The three figures under the shade almost held the entire venue’s attention.

Both the cadet and instructor groups were still discussing the recently concluded guidance match. As they talked, they watched from a distance as Huo Mingyue spent a long time privately instructing Chu Xiao, then took Bai Luming to a corner for a separate session, before finally returning under everyone’s eager gazes.

When they came back, both Huo Mingyue and Chu Xiao looked as if they’d been enlightened.

Bai Luming walked at the rear, a faint smile on his lips.

Given his current special status, he couldn’t openly give directives, so he had only hinted at a few critical minor flaws in Huo Mingyue’s operation. If improved upon later, they could significantly enhance practical combat performance.

The first thing Huo Mingyue did upon returning was to find Liang Deng. "Colonel Liang Deng, you’re the leader of this No. 6616 Military Region contingent, correct?"

Liang Deng stepped forward when named. "Yes!"

Huo Mingyue smiled at him. "You’ve worked hard. This time, the No. 6616 Military Region has indeed nurtured some excellent prospects."

His words made everyone nearby prick up their ears, silently exchanging countless glances.

Though not explicitly stated, Huo Mingyue’s comments clearly conveyed strong approval of the cadets’ abilities, indicating he was very satisfied with the recent private guidance session.

Judging by the situation, after Ji Xinghan being pre-selected by the Golden Plume Legion, is the No. 6616 Military Region about to have another person selected for the Blaze Legion?

But this Chu Xiao... At the mention of the name, those present couldn’t help but recall the rumors that had made waves not long ago.

A Nawei officer cleared his throat: "Vice Commander Huo, while individual ability is an important criterion for selecting new recruits, when recommending someone for the Four Great Armies, wouldn’t it be better to conduct a background check first?"

"Background check?" Huo Mingyue caught the implication and instinctively glanced over. Seeing that Bai Luming showed no change in expression, he said, "We in the White Army don’t do things in roundabout ways. If you have something to say, say it directly."

The Nawei officer replied, "For specifics, you can ask Instructor Sander. He’s quite familiar with the matter."

Sander took the opportunity to step forward: "I do have some understanding. Well, as for Chu Xiao, two years ago, he participated in the reserve force selection at our Nawei Military Region. He was in the infantry group and performed exceptionally well. Unfortunately, during the final assessment, a mechanical rampage incident occurred, and... well, if Vice Commander Huo requires a background check, I can organize the materials and submit them to you for evaluation afterward."

Huo Mingyue certainly knew what "mechanical rampage" meant. However, this candidate was personally chosen by their Marshal Bai—that alone was enough to outweigh any other practical considerations.

He glanced at the Nawei officer who had spoken earlier, then at Sander, and slowly said, "That won’t really be nec—"

Before he could finish the word "necessary," an amused voice interrupted him: "Sure, that’s fine. We’ll trouble Instructor Sander, then."

The familiar voice made Sander look up immediately.

He had already gotten attitude from this trainee named Lu Ming several times, and now, seeing that smiling face, his first reaction was a vein throbbing in his forehead.

Bai Luming, however, paid no mind to Sander’s reaction. Instead, he met Huo Mingyue’s gaze with a slight, teasing smile: "The Blaze Legion is such a by-the-book military unit. If we’re going to recruit someone, a background check is absolutely necessary. Not just a check—we need to dig deep. Since everyone seems quite interested in that incident from back then, why not take this opportunity to clarify what really happened? If needed, we could even set up a small military court. That would be even better."

After speaking, he slowly blinked and asked, "Don’t you think so, Vice Commander Huo?"

Huo Mingyue responded decisively: "Of course! It must be done!"

Sander’s expression, originally intending to stir trouble, stiffened slightly: "Well... Vice Commander Huo, that matter was already thoroughly investigated back then. The verdict documents are all there for reference."

"That won’t do," Bai Luming drawled even more. "What kind of authority does an organization like the Nawei Military Region have, compared to the Blaze Legion? How could their findings be sufficient for reference? The White Legion, as a formal military unit, has its own standards for evaluation. A small military court might even be too modest. Since there’s controversy, it’s best to have the military’s internal review agency come take a look. Only then can the truth be fully uncovered!"

Sander was getting heated: "Don’t stir up trouble here! I know the No. 6616 Military Region wants to protect Chu Xiao, but there’s no need to exaggerate. Why would the White Legion’s military review team have time to waste on something like this? Vice Commander Huo, don't mind him. I can completely—"

"I will submit an application."

Huo Mingyue’s statement left Sander completely stunned: "What?"

Huo Mingyue glanced at him, his expression starkly different from the one he’d shown Bai Luming—icy cold: "I will submit an application to have the military review board look into this matter."

Sander: "......?"

For a moment, he wondered if he was hallucinating.

Was the White Legion’s internal review team really going to be mobilized for an incident of this level?

Due to Sander’s repeated disrespect toward Bai Luming, Huo Mingyue’s impression of the Nawei Military Region had already reached its limit.

Feeling a slight vibration from his micro terminal, he opened the newly received message, and his expression relaxed slightly. He instinctively glanced in Bai Luming’s direction.

"There’s no need to involve the military review board."

A moment later, Huo Mingyue closed his micro terminal and, under everyone’s gaze, revealed a faint smile. "I have a better candidate to handle the ruling."

The message he had just received was brief and clear:

Marshal Shen Yanfeng, the current commander of the Blaze Legion, will officially arrive at the Nawei Military Region in one week.