Ch 20: Interplanetary Planting Master

Changes

Broken Star, Earth Standard Time 15:00

The sky was dark, and the fine drizzle had turned into a torrential downpour. The dark blue clouds hung heavily overhead, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

Lu Li looked up at the sky, his gaze falling on the two figures not far ahead. Despite his efforts to persuade them, Su He chose to say goodbye and braved the rain to return to their underground burrow. Lu Li knew it was because Su He didn’t trust him enough yet. Convincing Su He to leave with him would take time and patience.

It wasn’t until the figures disappeared from view that Lu Li turned his attention back to his terminal, connecting to the team channel. “What’s the status of the search?”

“No sign of the target in Area A-5.”

“No sign of the target in Area B-3.”

“No sign of the target in Area B-6.”

“Continue the search.”

“Roger that.”

Three black mechas appeared in a certain area of the ruins. Liao Kai opened the map, showing the nearby area marked as Zone A-9. With two mechas providing cover, Liao Kai extended his senses, spotting a lone figure not far ahead.

“Attention, target sighted. Stay alert.”

“Three against one, Lin Ji can’t escape.”

“Lin Ji was once hailed as a once-in-a-century genius, becoming a Federal Colonel at 20. Do you think that’s just family hype?”

“Don’t worry, since we’ve found him, we won’t let him get away.”

The last speaker, Dong Ming, spoke with a chilling determination. His entire family of eight had perished on Iris Star, including four who were Federal soldiers of the Seventh Corps. To Dong Ming, Lin Ji was nothing short of a murderer.

“Alright, prepare for combat,” Liao Kai ordered. The three mechas dispersed, surrounding the target. Dong Ming, the most eager, led the charge.

“Careful.” A red mecha suddenly appeared, forcing Dong Ming to retreat. He shouted, “I’m Dong Ming from the Iris, what are you doing?”

Standing in his way was one of Zhuang Wei’s guard sentinels. Calmly, the guard said, “General Zhuang orders to ensure Lin Ji’s safety. He will personally explain to Major Lu later.”

“Explain later?” Liao Kai scoffed, advancing with his weapon raised. A red laser beam cut through the rain-soaked darkness. “Major Lu’s orders are to kill Lin Ji on sight. General Zhuang, as the commander of the Second Corps, has no authority over us.”

As he spoke, the two other mechas charged. Dong Ming roared, leaping over the red mecha to attack.

“Stop him.”

A second red mecha appeared, delivering a powerful punch to Dong Ming.

Two kilometers away, on the roof of a ruined building, Lin Ji stood pale-faced, a massive silver wolf quietly at his side. His senses brushed over the combatants as he doubled over, coughing violently. Through his pain, he managed a bitter smile. “General Zhuang, since you’re here, you won’t just watch me die, will you?”

In response, Zhuang Wei stepped out from the shadows, his expression a mix of sighs and pity. “When I heard about Lu Li’s berserk state, I suspected it was related to the Iris Star incident. I didn’t expect to find that Colonel Lin was still alive.”

“Living is worse than dying,” Lin Ji said flatly.

“Even if that’s the case, Colonel Lin must have had a reason to keep going, something unresolved,” Zhuang Wei replied.

Lin Ji remained silent.

Zhuang Wei sighed. “Though the Third Corps didn’t make it in time for the Iris Star battle, I reviewed the combat records. Colonel Lin’s command wasn’t wrong. Iris Star is located within the Federation, surrounded by 18 habitable stars. If the beast tide had gotten out of control, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

Lin Ji’s fists clenched tightly. Zhuang Wei continued, “The key question of the Iris Star incident is whether there was indeed a king beast.”

“Are you implying my intelligence officer deceived me?” Lin Ji asked hoarsely.

Zhuang Wei stood at the edge of the rooftop, extending his senses. The battle continued several kilometers away, with more mechas converging on their location. He didn’t answer Lin Ji directly but posed another question, “Didn’t it strike you as odd that the beast tide appeared on Iris Star, a standard habitable planet with no significant resources or military facilities?”

Lin Ji had pondered this question for 18 years. He looked at Zhuang Wei. “What are you trying to say?”

With a bitter smile, Zhuang Wei said, “It’s not about what I say. It’s about finding the truth.”

Lin Ji replied indifferently, “Well, General Zhuang, you might not get your answer. After I was compromised, my chief intelligence officer, Sentinel Song Silan, committed suicide. Her husband, Guide Han Qi, and their young son disappeared, presumably dead. No one knows the truth.”

“That’s the problem,” Zhuang Wei interrupted. “Three years ago, I received a message from Han Qi. He tried to convey something but only managed one sentence.”

“What was it?”

“She wasn’t herself.”

A loud thunderclap and blue lightning tore through the sky, drowning out Zhuang Wei’s words. But Lin Ji heard him clearly. His pale face twisted with rage.

“It’s raining, it’s raining.”

The underground world was always a beat slower than the surface. While the fine rain initially went unnoticed, the torrential downpour sent the usually reclusive underground dwellers scrambling outside, carrying every pot, pan, and container they had. Water was scarce on Broken Star, with fresh water packs priced as high as nutrient packs. Except for those in the core area, most people barely met their minimum water needs. Every rainfall was a cause for celebration.

Han Rui peeked outside at the commotion, then cautiously withdrew into the burrow. “Should we go out to collect some water?”

Su He, distractedly arranging energy stones in a formation, nodded absentmindedly.

Han Rui sat beside Su He. “You seem preoccupied. What’s on your mind?” Ever since returning from the Iris, Su He had been off. Han Rui worried, unsure what Lu Li might have said to him.

Su He set aside what he was doing and sat down next to Han Rui. “It’s not really a concern, just thinking about when we can buy a starship to leave Broken Star and what we’ll do afterward.”

Han Rui detected Su He’s hesitation. “Did Lu Li say something to you? Do you want to leave with him?”

“Not entirely.” Su He didn’t hide the truth from Han Rui. He toyed with a stone on the ground, feeling lost. “I used to think it was simple: grow vegetables, sell them, buy a starship, and leave Broken Star. Once we left, we’d find a planet, keep farming, make lots of money, and travel the universe. But…” He chose his words carefully. “Today, when Lu Li went berserk, I saw a memory in his mind about Iris Star.”

The memory of a planet’s instant destruction and the brutal reality of war had shaken Su He deeply. Alongside the sorrow, it sparked a youthful fervor to make a difference. When Lu Li promised not to force a bond, Su He began considering enlisting in the military.

He looked at Han Rui. “I want to join the military, go to the Seventh Corps with Lu Li. I checked the network, the Seventh Corps is stationed on the border, and they have high casualty rates. They must need constant reinforcements.”

Han Rui asked, “Did you tell Lu Li? Did he agree?”

Su He was confused. “What does my enlisting have to do with Lu Li? Do I need his permission?”

Han Rui sighed, not wanting to disillusion Su He. “If you enlist while hiding your identity as a guide, you’ll be cannon fodder on the front lines. It’s too dangerous. Sentinels won’t let guides be in such perilous situations. Lu Li will definitely stop you from enlisting.”

Su He was left speechless.

“Then…” Su He tucked his legs in, resting his chin on his knees. “Should I still go with Lu Li?”

Han Rui hesitated, looking at Su He. “If I don’t leave, will you stay with me?”

Su He was taken aback but quickly replied, “Of course, we promised to leave Broken Star together.”

Han Rui nodded, looking down and not continuing the topic. He got up and found a used water pack. “I’ll go collect some water.”

Su He smiled and waved. “You go ahead, I’ll join you after I plant these seeds.”

They parted ways in the burrow, and Han Rui soon found the closest route to the surface. The surface celebration was still in full swing, and Han Rui skillfully blended into the crowd. For a moment, Han Rui’s mental world sent out a strong warning, making his hair stand on end as he warily scanned his surroundings.

“Look! What is that?” someone exclaimed, pointing at the sky.

Han Rui looked up. In the dark, stormy sky, dozens of thick bolts of lightning converged. Bright flashes tore through the darkness, creating a massive rift across the sky. From this rift, dark beasts, glowing with blue light, poured out like meteors, rapidly descending towards the ground.

A scene of holiday fireworks flashed through Han Rui’s mind, but he muttered under his breath, “A beast tide.”

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