Shi Lang brushed off the media and walked away in a Federal Vehicle. The class and comfort of the vehicle were not something he has ever experienced. The driver was a military veteran, an old man with the Seven-star Cultivation.
The old man asked, “Sir, how was the first day at work?”
Shi Lang replied while gazing outside the window, “It was too bland. I had no idea the things in the military were so bothersome. Thankfully this was just for today, after a few meetings tomorrow, I will go to the front.”
The old man smiled and said, “The things at the front are not going to be as easy as this documentation stuff, sir.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “How can I not know? The people in the frontier army are not so easy to subdue. However, if they take it with a smile then fine, otherwise, I will have to convince them with virtue.”
The old man nodded slightly. The word virtue meant power. The power of a soldier, as the two people talked Shi Lang learned that the old man was called, Thomas Shelton. He was a soldier from the first fleet after he suffered from a blast that took a toll on his spine, he was asked to retire, but as an army man, he did not wish to give up and was assigned to drive the first general and at the same time act as his bodyguard on the ground.
Shi Lang was impressed by this valor. Not many people wish to stay in service after something drastic happens to them. However, this did not mean, Shi Lang, trusted this person. After the vehicle reached the destination, an independent villa in the neighborhood where General Charlotte lived, he alighted the vehicle and looked at the new home.
This place was called the General Residence. The appointed generals of all twelve fleets stayed here when they were on the planet. General Edwards had done so much for the federation that the government had awarded him a separate residence in the colonial Federation.
Shi Lang moved inside the house and found that his parents were sitting in the living room. He asked, “Where did Mila go?”
Luna, his mother, raised her head and said, “She went to the cafe, it has been a few days and the business was being affected.”
Shi Lang nodded and Shi John asked, “How was the day at work?”
The young man took off his coat and said, “Tiring.”
He leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he sensed someone approaching him and a soft curve surfaced on his lips. He said, “Did you not leave for the posting?”
The person who approached him was Amelia, she stood behind him and started to gently squeeze his shoulders as she said, “No, I will leave tomorrow.”
Shi Lang nodded and asked, “How are the others?”
“Jenkins and Darcx went back to report to their divisions, Quinn has been reassigned as your adjutant. She was pissed at first but then she said, it will be helpful to learn about you, and then she will defeat you in a duel.”, said Amelia.
Shi Lang chuckled and asked, “Will you be fine?”
His question was related to the command issued today, to clear up Ao. That was where amelia will be reporting. It would be a lie to say that he was not worried or not thinking about her when he gave the command.
Amelia smiled and said, “I will be fine. Do not worry too much. Also, what do you plan to do with the first fleet? They will not accept just anyone, you know?”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “This is the reason the change was needed, the soldiers need to remember that they do not serve the general, but they serve the federation. That is all.”
Amelia nodded and leaned down close to his ear and whispered, “Mom said that the Galactic Council will be looking for you as the head of the General Council. She also said that you must not underestimate their strength because we got away from the Arcadian Fiasco.”
Shi Lang leaned his cheek closer to hers and said, “I will be mindful.”
The couple seemed to have forgotten that the two old people were sitting in the living room as they shared a moment of affection before they set out of the home to go to work. Luna shook her head and cleared her throat to awaken the two from their bliss.
Amelia blushed and after greeting the two people, ran away. Shi Lang looked at his mother and said, “I see that you do not wish to hold a granddaughter soon. Fine with me.”
Then he stood up and went to his room, leaving a stunned set of parents. Luna said, “This boy is getting more and more rebellious. Is he finally coming around?”
Shi John almost spewed the tea out of his mouth.
…
The next morning, Shi Lang was ready to go to work, he found and told his parents that he will not come back home but directly leave the office. Thomas Shelton stood at the door to receive him. The vehicle used by the generals was the fastest on-road vehicle on the planet and they all also had separate lanes for the vehicles so the transit was even smoother.
When Shi Lang reached his office, he found that Quinn was already present. She saw him coming and saluted him in a crisp fashion and said, “Colonel Hayley Dupont, reporting for duty, Sir.”
Shi Lang was surprised when this girl used her own identity for the introduction. He said, “At ease, Colonel. Follow me.”
The girl nodded and followed him to the office. Shi Lang sat down on the chair behind the big table and asked, “You can speak freely when it is just us. What’s up with the change in your name?”
Hayley said, “Well, my father came through to disclose the true identity. So…”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “Fine with me. Can you have the four people sitting outside to meet me march in?”
Hayley nodded and walked outside to call for the four officers. When Hayley looked at all these people, she was shocked, their auras were too thick and bloody for her. At this moment, they were all gloomy. She gulped and said, “The general has called you all in.”
The four people stood up and marched inside the cabin. Hayley followed her quickly, she was curious about the identity of these four people. Four people stood up in a neat queue and then saluted Shi Lang as they said, “Colonel Carlos (Yuu, John, Dalia) reporting, Sir.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “At ease. Remember I promised that one day I will have you all salute me?”
The four people nodded. Shi Lang smiled and said, “Colonel Yuu, and Colonel Dalia, please have a seat.”
He looked at the gloomy men, and said, “I will not hide it from you all, but the fact is that I am very hateful toward the two of you. Anyways, getting back to business. Colonel Yuu, I would like to ask if you can take over the position as the instructor of the martial arts in the Federation Star Academy?”
Yuu was surprised, she asked, “Sir, why me?”
Shi Lang smiled and said, “I learned from you, although I have the talent, the extraction of that talent was made possible when you ground me. By the time the students get recruited and can get some real experience, they are already too much set in their ways. If they receive better martial training from an early phase of education. You will not have to be so hard on them. Camp Ragnarok focuses on enhancing the quality of the soldiers, so do it slowly and instill your skills in the youth slowly. This way we will have a better mortality rate and a better future for the soldiers.”
The people were shocked when they heard his words. However, the logic was sound. Yuu thought for a bit and nodded. She said, “I will take this task, Sir.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “Colonel Hayley, contact Principal Stevenson at the FSA and tell him about this.”
Then he turned his head to Dalia and asked, “Would you like to stay with Colonel Yuu? There will be a lot of broken bones. If you can negotiate with the principal, then he might allow you to coach a few people. You can even boast that you trained me.”
The offer was a blatant temptation for Dalia, and she had no idea to protest against it. She said, “I thought you will never ask me.”
Shi Lang nodded, “Colonel John and Colonel Carlos, you are to depart for the secret divisions called Shadow Executioners and conduct special training for the operators. Then after a few months, then you go to another division and the same process.”
This was a silent punishment for the two men. They could only grit there teeth.