Chapter Thirty-Nine: At Last, We Meet

It was past 10:00 PM on November 17th when formal contact with the organization was finally established. At that moment, Yu Lian and Ina were hiding on a ridge, observing in secret and enjoying a blockbuster show of their own.

Ina was exhilarated, her eyes overflowing with a sense of revolutionary romanticism that suggested "as expected, a million enemy troops are really just a million pigs." Yu Lian, however, was not satisfied. "It's a pity. If the Senior had two thousand more troops—and I mean soldiers with at least the average combat effectiveness of the Marine Corps—combined with some heavy fire support for a few rounds of coverage, a sudden sortie from the city to drive them out could have triggered a chain reaction among the entire enemy force. It might have even resulted in a glorious, crushing victory... Hmm, no, that’s not quite right. Hesen was able to assemble a million-strong army of sand people from the city-state era; he’s a man of his generation, so he must have had contingencies. The forces within the city are limited; we cannot take risks. Well, though the Senior can be a bit mad, she knows how to stay cautious when it counts."

"Senior?" Ina asked, her curiosity leaning in a rather peculiar direction.

"Ah, no, I meant Commander Eleanor."

"Wouldn't it normally be Commander Bonaparte?"

Yu Lian was speechless for several seconds, prompting Ina to let out a "hehehe" chuckle—a laugh that sounded distinctly predatory.

"I am truly curious about what your image was like at the military academy," she added.

The two discussed matters further and began their return journey. They hadn't yet reached the valley when they received a communication from their signalman. For days, the man had been clutching a broken communicator manufactured by Nine Stars Corporation, calling the city’s headquarters on a secret military channel without success. He had not expected that on this very night, the device would finally receive a response—and from "reinforcements" that had arrived from afar.

After traveling along the mountain trails for half a day, they finally found two orbital drop pods "stuck" into the side of a cliff in a hidden spot. There, they encountered the first group of Commonwealth soldiers Yu Lian had seen since his rebirth, aside from those at Outpost 12.

"I am Captain Richard Winter, commander of the 101st Company." The leading officer, in his early thirties, wore power armor. With his bronze complexion and resolute demeanor, he was clearly an excellent frontline officer forged in the fires of battle.

Another famous figure—and one who appeared in military academy textbooks, no less! He simply wasn't as well-known as the Senior in the city or Ina outside it. Furthermore, he led a heroic team while embodying the image of an ordinary hero... In a sense, wasn't that even more worthy of respect?

Thinking this, Yu Lian stood at attention and saluted: "Warrant Officer Yu Lian, acting commander of Outpost 12, New Yumen Garrison."

"Master Sergeant Ina Kirika, staff sergeant of Outpost 12." Ina’s salute was far more standard and solemn than Yu Lian’s.

"Warrant Officer? It must have been truly difficult for a student to encounter such a situation." Captain Winter understood the meaning of this non-permanent rank, nodded, and smiled. "Can you brief me on the current situation?"

"Let’s talk while we walk."

It took them over an hour to hike back to their hideout, during which Captain Winter gained a full understanding of the situation. Ina snapped her fingers toward the mountain ridge ahead. Only then did the others realize that what they had assumed to be mere mountains was actually the entrance to an inconspicuous canyon. Even the elite Helljumpers rarely saw such a spectacle, and they could not help but be filled with astonishment.

"We don't just have Moon People; we have superhumans too!" Lieutenant Parkin, a man of lively character, whistled and gave Ina a thumbs-up. He was joking, but there was certainly no malice in it.

Captain Winter, who had seen his share of the world, glanced at Ina again. There was no jealousy or scrutiny in his eyes, only a joyful smile. The stronger his comrades were, the higher their chances of survival. This excellent frontline officer understood this well.

"So this is the power of psionics! Truly an incredible, miraculous skill," the Captain remarked with emotion.

To be precise, it was the illusionary concealment of the psionic path. Aside from their aptitude for tracking and capturing, "Star Hunters" were naturally adept at hiding themselves. This barrier capable of masking the canyon entrance was merely an entry-level skill for that path. Yet, even at an entry level, it was sufficient to deceive the naked eye and even less sensitive detectors. This was why Yu Lian dared to hide so many people so close to the battlefield.

As they entered the camp, they were immediately met with a warm welcome from the civilians who had been prepared for their arrival. There was no helping it; these well-equipped, imposing men offered a sense of security—certainly far more than the ragtag garrison troops under Yu Lian’s command.

The 101st Company belonged to the 3rd Marine Division, an orbital drop unit known as the "Helljumper Division." There were over a hundred of these burly men, more than sixty percent of whom were equipped with AS56 Dragoon-class power armor, which looked far more ornate and futuristic than the Garrison’s AS40s. Of course, the remaining forty percent were not empty-handed either, consisting of medical, engineering, and fire support personnel equipped with specialized power armor.

Indeed, Doctor Banks and Miss Belinda were practically drooling over the grey-white medical armor; even Ina, who usually remained composed, found her eyes lighting up when a heavy weapons specialist walked past her, clad in specialized Lynx-class armor and carrying an anti-material man-portable orbital cannon.

Compared to the "naked" soldiers of Outpost 12, this was truly the difference between cannon fodder and regular troops. Look at young George, the military enthusiast, running alongside the soldiers with a group of rowdy kids just like him, shrieking in excitement as if he were watching a parade float at an amusement park.

There was no helping it; one group were the guard dogs kept by the Governor’s Mansion or the Sector Government, while the others were elite troops under the direct command of the Commonwealth Central Military Commission. Even if they were still the "Marine apes" looked down upon by the Navy, the gap in combat power and equipment was worlds apart.

Consequently, Councilor Jiang Yudong, who had just started feeling a little better, rose clutching his stomach. He grabbed Captain Winter’s hand and wouldn't let go, his eyes brimming with tears: "You—you’ve finally come! The people of New Yumen have been waiting and hoping, and you have finally arrived!"

Captain Winter felt a chill run down his spine. He tried to pull his hand away, but found that his armored, assisted-muscle-driven iron grip couldn't shake the man off.

"As long as you are here, everyone has a backbone! I am truly, wuwuwu..." The Councilor couldn't stop sobbing, and the representatives behind him began to weep as well, as if they were the people of an old revolutionary base who had finally waited for the return of their own army.

But then again, if the Marines were "our army," what did that make the garrison that had stayed with them for days?

Humans are prone to herd mentality; with the Councilor and the representatives all crying, it looked like everyone else might start weeping too. At that moment, a violent-tempered old man in a cowboy outfit, wearing a felt hat and clutching a pipe, strode out from the crowd. He jumped beside Councilor Jiang Yudong and slapped the back of his head with a palm the size of a palm-leaf fan: "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?! These kids have had a hard enough journey; can't you act like a decent human being?"

The Councilor was furious, but upon hearing that familiar voice, he immediately wilted like a pricked balloon: "Uncle, Uncle..."

With such a hot-tempered old man to interrupt, the group didn't have to spend the whole night weeping. Captain Winter took the opportunity to pull his arm free: "We still have a military meeting to hold, so we won't disturb you further... Hmm, my soldiers are quite exhausted; I hope they can have food, water, and a place to rest quietly. Don't worry, all expenses will be recorded and paid for by the Outer Rim Fleet Command at market price. Apologies for the trouble."

Only elite units like the Helljumpers, who still held onto certain fine traditions, would do this. If it were any other department—even the "noble" Navy fleet—that last sentence would never have been spoken. Consequently, the Councilor put on a dignified and perfectly measured expression of gratitude: "No trouble, no trouble at all. Everyone, please rest assured. I will urge the Governor’s Mansion to cover all expenses; how could I possibly trouble the Outer Rim Fleet with such matters?"

Yes, after all, the entire food and water expenses for nearly a thousand refugees over the past few days had already been put on the Governor’s Mansion’s tab; a hundred more soldiers wouldn't make a difference. The Councilor had already accepted this reality and decided to let himself go completely.

The 101st Company indeed hadn't brought much food or water. They had only carried two units of ammunition and energy packs, and had even left most of their heavy weaponry at their base. One had to realize that a standard orbital drop company, aside from 100 to 150 maneuver infantrymen equipped with full-coverage military power armor, should have included over a dozen vehicles such as multi-terrain infantry fighting vehicles, drone terminal vehicles, and surface-to-air missile launchers, along with low-altitude transport craft and gunships.

"There was no choice. We were actually conducting arctic training on Yumen 7 in this star system, so we didn't bring any vehicles or airships. Later, our Captain received the distress signal regarding the siege of the New Yumen colony and rushed over immediately," Captain Winter explained helplessly.

This was consistent with the "history" Yu Lian knew.

"So, are our warships already in orbit, sir?" Ina asked, pleasantly surprised.

Orbital bombardment, let’s go! Boom, boom, boom, boom! Even if it were just a destroyer three or four hundred meters long, it could leave millions of enemy troops in shambles. That must be what the girl was thinking.

Captain Winter paused and gave a wry smile: "Apologies, it’s only a strike ship."

Strike landing ships were often used in space warfare in conjunction with assault ships for deep penetration, splitting enemy lines, and final boarding maneuvers. Every ton of this vessel type was dedicated to acceleration, protection, and impact; at most, they carried a few close-in defense guns. How could they possibly be used for orbital bombardment?

"Don't worry, we have already relayed the request for reinforcements to the Nebula Garrison and the Outer Rim Fleet; more help will arrive soon," the Captain said.

In theory, that was how it worked. But the current situation was that no one knew what other cards the sand people and the forces behind them held, nor when they might launch their next move. In reality, they could not afford to wait.

More importantly, Yu Lian knew what would happen next, but he could not say it.

"I need to hold an online meeting with the Garrison Command. Warrant Officer, and Master Sergeant, please join me."

If Captain Winter were a rigid, stubborn person focused on status and rank, he would never have allowed an intern student like Yu Lian or a "garrison bottom-feeder" non-commissioned officer like Ina to attend the meeting. Fortunately, this frontline officer—who would go on to be featured in military textbooks—was actually a kind, pragmatic, and intelligent man. And as the saying goes, like commander, like subordinate; the other officers and elite master sergeants of the 101st Company were all reasonable people, and no one expressed dissatisfaction.

Of course, the identities of "Moon Person" and psionicist were enough to make them look at the pair in a different light.

The communication device carried by the 101st Company was far superior to the broken machine from Nine Stars. They quickly connected to the headquarters in Tulong City. Light shone from the device, coalescing into a holographic projection of the other side.

Yu Lian, the reborn, finally met Senior Eleanor—the person who "seemed to have a very close relationship with him"—for the first time since his rebirth.