Huang Yan didn't turn the livestream's audio back on until the four of them finished whispering.
Although the viewers couldn't hear what they were saying, they hadn't been idle during this time, searching for highlights everywhere!
For example, the two demi-humans from Santorini and Yuying Military Academies standing together gave off a very surreal fantasy vibe. Screenshots turned into memes were already flying all over the internet!
Or how Lucas, the mecha master from the First Military Academy, turned out to be a social butterfly? He could strike up a conversation with anyone!
Because dinner was a very simple barbecue and hotpot setup, both the students and the adults fended for themselves!
After staying on Planet Kashigar for so long, the people from the various military academies finally understood why the four members of Qilin were so obsessed with food...
"Delicious! So delicious!!!"
Wu Pingzhuo grabbed a piece of meat straight off the grill, rolled it around in his dipping sauce bowl, and shoved it into his mouth, not even caring that it was scalding hot.
Seeing this, Fu Xingyuan immediately laid down a fresh layer of starbeast meat. The teamwork between the teammates was completely seamless.
"Now I'm kind of missing those big steamed buns Qilin brought on the way here... Let's bring some next time too!"
It was also the first time He Siyu felt that this kind of banquet was more interesting and comfortable than the ones she used to attend. Plus, the food genuinely seemed to taste better.
"Sure, when we get back, should we take a stroll through the First Military Academy's cafeteria too?"
Leola curled her lips dismissively.
"Our military academy's cafeteria really doesn't have anything worth eating..."
Meanwhile, the people from Valkrie were gathered around a bright red hotpot, each holding a small bowl in their hands.
They somehow managed to eat such a messy meal with an air of aristocratic elegance... If it weren't for the chopsticks fighting inside the pot, one might actually believe they were perfectly harmonious!
"I put that piece of meat in."
"We're teammates, why make a distinction between yours and mine?"
"Please remove your chopsticks from my slice of meat, thank you."
"With such poor hand skills, can your APM even keep up when piloting a mecha?"
The Qilin members walked by with their plates, absolutely marveling at the scene.
"I told you their school definitely teaches them how to act pretentious! If you don't look at their chopsticks, they look so proper, right? But in reality, they've almost poked a hole through the bottom of the pot, haven't they?"
"Sister Ma, aren't you going to eat hotpot?"
"...I'll wait a bit. If I go now, wouldn't they just unite against an outsider?"
"Makes sense."
Huang Yan silently approached the grill, intending to win back some face, but was pushed away by the crowd once again. Ye Yingxuan held onto the grilling tongs and refused to let go.
"Officer Huang, a person needs to have self-awareness. There's no need to force it in areas where you simply have no talent."
"..."
The remaining three teammates hid to the side, snickering. When Huang Yan shot them a glaring look, they immediately scattered like birds and beasts.
"Taylor! Do you want to try my family's secret barbecue rub? Come quick, come quick, you too Mika!"
This birthday banquet didn't last very long. It went on for a total of two hours, and by eight-thirty, everyone had pretty much finished cleaning up.
The students hadn't finished all the ingredients they prepared, so they left the canopy up. They swapped in fresh pots and grill pans, and laid out a portion of the food on the tables to serve as a late-night snack for the soldiers changing shifts in the evening.
The viewers in the livestream hadn't watched their fill yet, but the people on Planet Kashigar had already gone off to do their own things!
The mecha masters had another discussion meeting that night. The usage feedback for the batch of biological weapons sent to the frontlines had come back. What worked well and what didn't both needed to be recorded in detail and then modified.
The six commanders sat together, each holding a packet of Yida nutrient fluid, reading battle reports and news. They extracted the latest information that the adults were unwilling to tell them, analyzing the situation.
At the same time, they ran simulations: if it were them, what should they do right now?
Meanwhile, the individual combatants took this opportunity to go out and help clear out mutant beasts, stretching their limbs.
Over the past two days, no new starbeasts had fallen onto Planet Kashigar, and the mutant beasts that had been left uncleaned for a month had mostly been hunted down by them.
Zhang Lyra sometimes even thought to herself, if the starbeasts and mutant beasts were completely wiped out... wouldn't they lose their source of extra meals and biological weapons?
But reason quickly returned. As long as they could clean them up completely, those two things didn't seem all that important anyway!
They kept busy like this until ten-thirty at night, when everyone gradually returned to their tents to sleep.
Early the next morning, devastating news came from the frontlines... the Zerg had joined the war.
It wasn't just the students; the military headquarters exploded in an uproar too.
"Marshal, this isn't the first time!"
The commanders of the ten major military districts all appeared on the virtual screens, each one looking extremely anxious and agitated!
"The Zerg have evolved intelligence. Now they choose to join the enemy faction right when we are in the middle of a battle!
The M19 black hole, where the starbeast tide first broke out, has already seen instances of starbeasts being parasitized by the Zerg.
The problem is that they can parasitize not only starbeasts but also humans. The lives of frontline soldiers are facing yet another layer of threat..."
Mu Ning stated the facts in a heavy voice, plunging everyone present into silence.
Starbeasts alone were already difficult enough to deal with. Now that the Zerg had joined the fight, it was as if those parasitized starbeasts suddenly gained several extra lives!
Even if they were already dead, as long as their brains weren't blown to bits, they still retained the ability to attack!
Moreover, they used to fear pain and have weaknesses, but now, after being parasitized, they felt no pain at all, acting more like a horde of controlled puppets! Their combat prowess had multiplied several times over, dealing a significant blow to morale.
If the Federation hadn't received the good news about the new weapons and transforming mechas, things might have already devolved into total chaos...
"How effective is a headshot at destroying the nerve center?"
Meng Chongyun's voice was slightly hoarse.
"Blowing it to pieces is effective, but if it's just a rifle headshot, the effect is minimal."
Raymond from the Ninth Military District gave the same response.
"The mecha masters from all military districts are trying their best to streamline the production process for the transforming mechas. Everyone, don't panic. For now, all resources will be prioritized for the high-ranking personnel on the frontlines."
"We are already doing exactly that."
"Is there any movement from the other military districts?"
"Not at the moment."
"None."
"None."
"Good. First, control public opinion. Any military district without enemy attacks is to transfer one-quarter of its personnel and ammunition to the Third and Ninth Military Districts.
Additionally, the medical departments of the military districts adjacent to them must prepare for quarantine and receiving the wounded..."
Meng Chongyun's series of commands was clear and precise.
Meet troops with troops, and water with earth. It was normal to encounter endless problems during a combat operation; they just needed to be handled and resolved one by one.
"Every soldier who has come into contact with a Zerg-parasitized starbeast must promptly go through the scanners... Establish quarantine stations. They must undergo quarantine observation before traveling to other planets..."
"Yes, sir."
This was a last resort.
Compared to the Zerg, ordinary starbeasts and mutant beasts merely had higher lethality. As long as they were cleared out in time, they wouldn't leave any lasting repercussions.
But if the Zerg were brought among the general public, it wouldn't just cause mass panic; it would result in immeasurable losses and trouble. By then, the situation would be entirely out of their control!
"Do this for now, and report back at any time if there are any developments."
"Yes, sir."
