Early morning.
Jiang Lijin rolled over. The bed was very soft, much more comfortable than the hard plank bed at Base Zero. She was just about to go back to sleep when she sensed someone staring at her.
Opening her eyes, she met a pair of bloodshot, slit pupils.
Baal was sitting on the single sofa. The tall man, over 1.9 meters in height, had squeezed himself into the cramped space, his long legs bent awkwardly.
He had already changed into a black military uniform, the gold stars on his epaulets gleaming coldly.
This posture of a Supreme Commander was somewhat at odds with the dark circles under his eyes.
"You didn't leave?" Jiang Lijin sat up, scratching her messy hair.
"Security needs," Baal spat out the words expressionlessly.
Jiang Lijin couldn't help rolling her eyes. What kind of Supreme Commander does security work in someone else's bedroom?
Xiao Yi complained frantically in her mind: [Host, he just stared at you there the whole night! He didn't even change his posture! In the beast world, it's a standard operation for males to play the victim to gain sympathy. Don't be fooled by him!]
Jiang Lijin couldn't be bothered with Xiao Yi's noise and got out of bed to head to the washroom.
The sound of running water echoed. Baal looked at the tightly shut glass door and tugged at his collar in frustration.
The doorbell rang at this exact moment.
Baal strode over and yanked the door open.
Chiron stood outside, carrying a medical kit. Seeing that it was Baal who opened the door, his gray eyes flickered. His gaze swept over the slightly wrinkled hem of Baal's shirt, then moved to the exhaustion in Baal's eyes, lingering for two seconds.
"Did the Commander rest well last night?" Chiron spoke, his voice gentle.
"Very well." Baal blocked the doorway, showing no intention of stepping aside. "Is there something you need?"
"To do a simple check-up for Ms. Jiang." Chiron pointed to the medical kit in his hand and looked past Baal's shoulder into the room. "High-intensity mental power output after a battle requires real-time monitoring."
Baal sneered, "She's still washing up."
"I can wait." Chiron stood his ground calmly.
Two 3S-grade males confronted each other at the door, their energy fields beginning to repel one another. Passing patrolmen in the corridor didn't even dare to breathe loudly as they slipped away, hugging the walls.
The washroom door opened. Jiang Lijin walked out, wiping her face, and paused when she saw the scene at the door.
"Morning, Director Chiron."
"Good morning, Ms. Jiang." Chiron wore a gentle smile on his face. "Do you mind if I take up ten minutes of your time?"
"Come in."
Baal stepped aside with a dark face, followed them in, and casually sat on the sofa, staring at Chiron's movements.
Chiron opened his medical kit, took out a compact scanner, and placed it against Jiang Lijin's temple.
As the device started up, rows of data popped up on the holographic screen. Chiron stared at the screen, his gray pupils contracting slightly.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Lijin asked calmly. She certainly didn't want that power bank to be discovered.
"It's very strange." Chiron looked up, an inquisitive tone in his voice. "Under normal circumstances, the mental sea would shrink or show fatigue after high-intensity output. But not only is your mental sea undamaged, it actually shows signs of a secondary expansion. Its capacity has expanded by fifteen percent compared to when I examined you previously."
Hearing this, Baal frowned. "Fifteen percent? Will this have any side effects?"
"Currently, there are no visible side effects." Chiron put away the device and looked at Jiang Lijin. "This defies existing laws of mental dynamics. Ms. Jiang, after returning to the main planet, you must come to the Central Hospital—no, the Academy of Sciences—for a detailed examination."
Baal snorted coldly from the side. "She is not your test subject."
Chiron ignored Baal's provocation and simply smiled at Jiang Lijin. "The medical pod is already prepared and awaits you at any time."
Just as he finished speaking, the optical computer on Jiang Lijin's wrist vibrated.
She tapped the answer button, and a holographic projection of a blonde, blue-eyed young man popped up.
"Sister!" Tinia leaned close to the lens. The background was the extravagantly luxurious CEO's office of the Yunlan Group. He was wearing a well-tailored, custom-made suit, but his blonde hair was a messy nest, making him look exactly like a golden retriever that had just woken up.
"I saw the battle report! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Tinia fired off questions like a machine gun, his blue eyes full of anxiety. "That old man didn't protect you well, did he? I knew those brutes in the military were unreliable!"
The "old man," Baal, was sitting just two steps away, his face turning as black as the bottom of a pot.
"Tinia." Baal spoke coldly, every word seemingly squeezed through gritted teeth. "Watch your words."
Tinia tilted his head and only then noticed Baal at the edge of the screen. Instead of holding back, he smiled even brighter, his tone incredibly punchable.
"Oh my, Commander Baal is here too. I heard Base Zero got sneak-attacked by the Zerg? Tsk, tsk, the Federation military's security system is due for an upgrade. Want to consider our Yunlan Group's new products? For my sister's sake, I'll give you a twenty percent discount."
Baal clenched his fists, his tone hard and cold. "Not necessary."
"Don't try to be tough. If your military budget isn't enough, I can sponsor a bit. After all, my sister is still with you, so I have to spend some money for her safety." Tinia waved his hand with the swagger of the filthy rich. Turning back to Jiang Lijin, his tone instantly softened. "Sister, when are you coming back to the main planet? I'll go back and tidy up first! I've even prepared a gift for you, you'll definitely love it!"
Jiang Lijin's head ached from his noisiness. "In a couple of days. There's still some wrap-up work here."
"Okay! I'll wait for you!" Tinia said reluctantly. "Sister, remember to miss me."
The call finally disconnected. The holographic projection disappeared, and the room fell into a brief, eerie silence.
In the end, it was Jiang Lijin who spoke first, breaking the suffocating atmosphere. She sharply caught the blind spot in the previous conversation.
"Isn't your Base Zero supposedly top secret and super hidden? How is it that it's only been bombed for a day, and even Tinia, a wealthy heir all the way in Valoran, knows about it?"
Baal put away his previous anger, pinched the bridge of his nose, and his expression grew solemn. "It's the Military Council sitting on their high horses on the main planet. That bunch consists of retired admirals. Although they don't directly command troops anymore, they hold immense sway in the Federation. For the sake of profit, they've always maintained close ties with the Imperial Royal Family and top-tier conglomerates like Yunlan. Intelligence leaks like a sieve."
Speaking of this, he looked up and gazed deeply at Jiang Lijin, a trace of worry creeping into his tone.
"Therefore, the fact that you displayed the 'Mass Purification' ability on the battlefield definitely cannot be kept secret anymore. Those old foxes are extremely sensitive to any power that can alter the galactic landscape. I reckon the Imperial Royal Family will make a move in the next few days. They couldn't possibly allow an uncontrollable variable like you to remain in the military."
As soon as he finished speaking, both Jiang Lijin and Baal turned their gazes in unison toward the quiet Chiron standing to the side. After all, this man was an Academician representing the Empire.
Chiron met their gazes and let out a soft chuckle. "Don't look at me. Even though the Academy of Sciences is nominally under the direct jurisdiction of the royal family, I am just a lowly academician. I have no voice among that royal inner circle who pride themselves on their 'noble bloodline'."
He seemed to emphasize the words "noble bloodline" deliberately, his tone laced with undisguised contempt. Jiang Lijin could even detect a hint of teeth-gnashing bitterness beneath his usually gentle voice.
Jiang Lijin crossed her arms over her chest, not showing the slightest bit of panic about being dragged into a political maelstrom.
"What are they planning to do? Are they going to award me the Interstellar Peace Prize, or set me up with some high-ranking, powerful position?"
She thought for a moment, then added:
"Whatever they are up to, if there is no paycheck involved, I am absolutely not doing it!"
