Ten minutes later, a squad of blade-like mechas swept across the base’s sky, landing in perfect formation.
The mechas landed almost simultaneously, with only the cockpit of the central unit opening as a figure jumped down.
Pale golden mental threads detached from the back of his head. The middle-aged man, wearing the black and silver uniform of the Silver Big Dipper, sprinted forward with large strides.
As he got closer, his anxious face became clearer.
Jiang Jianming stood alone at the high point, the incoming wind whipping up his newly changed black robes.
He narrowed his eyes, counting silently in his mind… twelve units. To control twelve mechas single-handedly – both the mental power and piloting technique could only be described as unfathomable.
“Ming Ming—”
How strange, Jiang Jianming found himself somewhat amused.
When he was young, he had never thought of his father as someone particularly impressive. Even now, he felt this guy’s image didn’t match at all with titles like the Empire’s First Mecha Master.
In his memories, Jiang Sheng had been gentle and kind-hearted, never truly angry with him.
Dad earned money, cooked meals, did housework, fixed broken aircraft and light computers, and read him books he was interested in. He was always cheerful, even a bit silly in front of him.
Whenever something funny happened, he would laugh happily, and dad would just rub his nose and laugh along.
“Ming Ming!”
Jiang Sheng finally rushed to him, immediately pulling him into a tight embrace. “Ming Ming, baby…”
This was the reunion hug between father and son after seven years and two near-death experiences.
Jiang Jianming’s face was half-buried in the Silver Big Dipper military uniform that carried a faint smell of gunpowder as Jiang Sheng pressed him firmly against his shoulder. “…Dad.”
He let his adoptive father hold him as he gazed distantly and said softly, “Do you know about my background now? Did the chief tell you?”
Jiang Sheng sniffled and made an “mm” sound through his tears.
Jiang Jianming: “If I were really Dad’s son, really born in the Purple Silk Star City of the New Empire, I would have been very happy, right?”
He laughed quietly and hugged Jiang Sheng’s broad back. “But… I’m sorry, I’m not Dad’s biological son.”
Jiang Jianming wasn’t Jiang Sheng’s son, but Wen Helga’s son.
It was just coincidence that they shared the same surname, and coincidence that his character and talents caught Sylph’s eye, leading to the baby being entrusted to the former.
Jiang Sheng shook his head. He released Jiang Jianming, rubbed the young man’s pale cheek with his thumb, and forced a sad smile.
“What does that matter?” the middle-aged man said chokingly.
“Ming Ming, remember what Dad told you when you were little? Whatever you want to do, just go ahead and do it, and make sure you succeed. Don’t think about anything else, remember?”
Indeed, that was how Jiang Sheng had raised his child all those years.
When the child wanted to learn mecha piloting and showed talent, he taught the disabled human according to the standards used by military noble families to train their heirs.
When the child wanted to go to Far Star, he used a year’s savings and contacted the best space travel company to let Ming Ming experience interstellar travel.
He told his child, do whatever your heart desires.
Don’t worry about anything else, Dad will take care of it.
Otherwise, what use was there for someone called “Dad”?
“It’s the same from now on – follow your heart. If you want to treat me as dad, then call me dad.”
“If you want to treat me as just some uncle who raised you, then call me uncle.”
“If you want to treat me as a mecha engineer, I’ll repair your mechas for free forever; if you want to treat me as an officer, I’ll follow the commander’s orders.”
Jiang Sheng gripped Jiang Jianming’s shoulders with both hands and patted them. “As long as you’re okay.”
“Mm,” Jiang Jianming smiled slightly, his handsome features relaxing like spring snowmelt. “Actually, that’s not what I wanted to say…”
“In my previous life, I was very poor as a child, mostly surviving on wild vegetables and garbage. Later, His Majesty the Great Emperor brought me out from the wild areas, but I lost my sense of smell and taste due to chronic crystal disorder complications.”
Jiang Jianming blinked, “So now, I want to eat Dad’s cooking…can I have some tonight?”
Jiang Sheng stared with widened eyes.
“Of course,” Jiang Jianming grabbed one of his hands, “I also want the free mecha repairs, I really need them. And the mental manipulation techniques – can I learn those for free too? Quick, say yes, Dad.”
…..
Nighttime.
By sunset, the base had been roughly cleaned up, with only the fortress’s final enemy elimination work remaining.
Jiang Jianming borrowed an empty room where researchers usually stayed for the night, maintaining his simple and low-key style.
Honestly, he was a bit uncomfortable with how everyone seemed ready to burst into tears upon seeing him now, so he preferred the quiet.
In the evening, Jiang Sheng enthusiastically prepared a large feast.
Freshly baked honey pumpkin cake gleamed golden and sweet, tomato beef brisket sat in white porcelain dishes, steaming crystal soup dumplings released wisps of vapor, and colorful salad drowned in dressing. There was also appetizer porridge, fruits, and desserts…
“How is it, Ming Ming?” Jiang Sheng asked proudly while removing his apron.
Jiang Jianming fell silent after one glance – this… was definitely too much to finish.
He had to knock on the next door to invite Audrey.
The three ate together. Jiang Jianming had just taken a sip of porridge, carefully tasting it, when he suddenly looked up to find both of them watching him.
So he smiled gently, waved his spoon, and said, “It’s delicious.”
After dinner, Jiang Jianming collapsed. His body was still weak – he could hold up during the day while staying alert, but now that he relaxed, his whole being became languid.
Not to mention, he had some fruit wine just now, making him even more dizzy.
Audrey sat beside him, silent for a long while before reaching out to grip his wrist.
A flash of melancholy crossed her eyes, “Jiang, thank you for waking up safely.”
“And thank you too… Commander.”
Jiang Jianming turned to look at her, thinking silently that this topic was unavoidable after all. “Does this need thanks?”
“It does. Before, I never dared imagine that Commander Aslan would be a non-crystal human.”
Audrey lifted her head, smiling with curved eyes, “Will you find me disrespectful? Perhaps I should be more reverent? But… I still want to say these possibly offensive words to you.”
She said very seriously. “Jiang, you’ve worked hard. Commander, you’ve worked hard.”
Audrey found it hard to imagine how many humiliations and injustices one had to endure as an inferior race in that era to carve out such a path through the sea of stars to reach this point.
If nothing else, she at least knew that new humans of that era took pride in displaying their crystal bones.
So she could also fully imagine how, when subordinates proudly displayed their crystal bones, the Commander had to endure pain like slow slicing, swallow the blood in his throat, while maintaining a calm expression.
“How could that be offensive?”
But now, the black-haired young man before her smiled openly, “It wasn’t that hard really. I was just too lucky to be able to see today.”
Audrey didn’t say much more, just gazed at him with complex emotions.
After seeing his friend off, Jiang Jianming insisted on taking a hot shower, but emerged in a half-dazed state, barely able to walk steadily.
Jiang Sheng picked him up and carried him to bed.
“Ming Ming, rest well.”
Jiang Sheng turned off the main light, leaving only a dim bedside lamp. In the faint light, he bent down to stroke the young man’s black hair.
“Look at you, you just woke up from a year-long coma, then commanded battles for half a day. How can your body handle it?”
The bed was large. Jiang Jianming’s face rested sideways on the soft pillow, covered with a thick cotton quilt and an additional blanket.
Between sleep and wakefulness, he felt today had been a warm, good day, yet also somehow melancholic.
Because something very important was still missing. He was actually not content; he yearned for more.
It seemed like many years ago, he had said he wanted something when he woke up… what was it?
He couldn’t remember.
He fell asleep, his dreams tumultuous, with jade-green eyes forever filled with endless love.
Platinum curls, firm embraces, red apples. Proud eyebrows, soft lips, nights spent tangled in bed whispering sweet nothings.
He…
He missed His Highness Ryann.
****
The next morning.
Two figures walked into the Black Shark Base.
It was Chief Sylph in black armor and clothing, and General Emma of the Third Fortress of Silver Big Dipper.
It was still early, but Jiang Jianming had already washed up and changed. He was sitting by the window in the dim morning light, casually discussing the Far Star battle situation with Lance and Changze.
Seeing the two approach, Jiang Jianming composed himself, stood up and gave a formal military salute. “Chief, Major General Emma.”
Unexpectedly, Major General Emma’s expression immediately changed, looking terrified like a mouse seeing a cat—
She suddenly snapped to attention, her boots making a crisp “pop” sound, giving a salute hundred times more forceful than Jiang Jianming’s!
“Please, please don’t do this!!”
The Major General spoke with full vigor, “Commander… you are the eternal glory of the Empire, and the eternal leader of Silver Big Dipper! This subordinate absolutely cannot accept your salute!”
Jiang Jianming froze for a moment, then quickly said, “Major General, please don’t be like this. I can’t really be considered the Commander now. That ‘part’ of my consciousness is becoming increasingly faint… many memories are unclear now.”
“But you are!” Emma seriously corrected, “At least you’re the Commander who lost his memories. Our previous disrespect was because we didn’t know—”
She instantly lowered her head, swiftly completing a perfect 90-degree bow that could rival a triangle ruler, loudly saying, “This subordinate was discourteous!!”
Jiang Jianming: “.”
Why? He couldn’t help but ponder again in confusion: Though the overall situation should still be very serious, why did everything seem to have the potential to turn into a joke after he woke up…
“Well then,” the Chief stepped forward two paces, looked at Jiang Jianming silently for two seconds before speaking again, “May I still call you Little Excellency for now?”
Jiang Jianming breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, please make sure to do so.”
It had to be said that the chief was indeed steady, although it might have been due to the mask and electronic voice…
In the following period, the conversation between the four people proceeded along two lines.
Jiang Jianming and Yuan Changze briefed Major General Emma again about the Far Star situation, while Audrey met with the chief, albeit wearing Diana’s face.
After hearing the whole story, the chief asked. “Where is Diana?”
Audrey felt somewhat embarrassed. “She… she seems… too scared to come see you…”
Beside them, Yuan Changze was speaking seriously. “Excluding His Highness Ryann as a special case, I experienced relatively minimal mental influence in the Crystal Nest. I suspect non-crystal humans have an advantage when fighting in the Crystal Nest, and Miss Diana agreed with this hypothesis.”
“Therefore, I want to contact the imperial military! First, to request troops to assist the Silver Big Dipper expedition force, and second, I hope… more non-crystal humans can come to the near Crystal Nest space sector to contribute in roles such as staff, communications, technology, and logistics.”
These words carried great weight, but Emma remained very calm. After some thought, she mused. “We cannot let non-crystal soldiers risk chronic crystal disorder by going to the Crystal Nest…”
Jiang Jianming chimed in at the right moment. “It’s possible, Major General, the Base Body project should be near completion.”
Emma’s eyes suddenly lit up—indeed, this meant they could equip non-crystal humans with disposable combat base bodies.
Even if the base bodies became infected with crystal disorder, after the consciousness returned, the original body would still be healthy…
She exclaimed excitedly. “Yes! As expected of the Commander, I am thoroughly convinced!”
Jiang Jianming: “.”
So this had nothing to do with that…
He pondered for a while, then asked, “Yuan Changze, did you record the three-dimensional star map coordinates of the Crystal Nest?”
Yuan Changze immediately replied. “Very clearly, Your Highness Jiang.”
“Then let’s do this.”
Jiang Jianming raised his voice slightly, and the others immediately fell silent, watching him and listening to what he had to say.
Jiang Jianming: “I’m very concerned about the Crystal Nest situation. I hope the Third Fortress can spare some soldiers and allow me to first lead a small fleet to jump to the near Crystal Nest space sector to assist the expedition force.”
“Major General Emma, please continue guarding the Third Fortress, and also request the Second and First Fortresses to be on high alert. One bishop of the Crystal Cult is still missing and needs extra attention.”
“Meanwhile, please have the chief take Yuan Changze back to the country to explain the situation to Her Majesty and Old Marshal Chen, and quickly mobilize troops from the nine star cities for support.”
“Then, we can…”
In the early morning light, the young black-haired officer analyzed and planned with clear logic. He soon opened the three-dimensional star map and gestured with his fingers.
The chief watched silently throughout. At this moment, Sylph thought to herself—
Yes, he had returned.
