Shi Lang took the whole team to the spaceport, with Shi Tao, and the pair of father and daughter rode the lev-bike at a high speed. The little girl was giggling and filled with excitement. Jill and the rest witnessed the scene with a smile of peace on their faces.
Crystal asked her, “Big sis, why are you trying to impress that child so hard?”
Jill replied, “Because you might not have noticed, but Boss is in his most gentle mood when he is around that girl. Now, do you understand?”
Crystal was surprised and came to a realization that the ace division was trying to make the child like them so that Shi Lang will go easy on them. She replied, “I have been enlightened. Thank you for your guidance.”
Jill chuckled as they reached the space-port. Then they used special clearance to board a spaceship and took off. The general council had never restricted Shi Lang’s privileges. The ship moved fast and Shi Tao watched the scene change from a viewing hole, the only window-like space in the ship and exclaimed.
Shi Lang then held her in his arms and said, “Now, we sit tight and take a deep breath.”
Shi Tao calmed down and took a deep breath, the next moment, Shi Lang knocked her out and then said, “Initiate space jump.”
Sonic replied positively and then he initiated the space jump. The distance between the two planets was drastically reduced and the ship appeared hovering over the war planet. Shi Lang gently channeled the spirit energy and Shi Tao woke up. She looked around in a daze, and then asked, “Dad, why did you knock me out?”
Shi Lang replied, “So that you do not suffer from the symptoms of the space jump. We are here.”
The girl was surprised and hopped off his arms to look at the situation from the viewing hole. The spaceship landed on a spaceport on the war planet, and the area in charge rushed over to greet Shi Lang.
The place they selected was the most neglected part of the entire planet, and there was a valley nearby that was surrounded by tall mountains and could be used as the cover for the teleportation array.
Shi Lang did not waste time and said, “I need you to have a parameter put around the valley over the dump sector and have all the waste accumulated removed from that place. I need that valley cleared in two days’ time. You can tell your higher-ups that it is my command.”
The person was surprised but he nodded and then rushed off to inform the higher-ups and then get the clearance to start the work. Ace Division was given a reserved barrack to live in. This place was off-limits for the regular fleet soldiers.
Shi Tao hopped as she walked around Shi Lang. She was very fascinated by this place, and when she looked at the passing soldiers saluting Shi Lang and the rest, she simmered down slightly. The young general asked, “Tao, what happened?”
Shi Tao caught up to him and held the corner of his sleeve as she asked, “They all are so scary.”
Shi Lang smiled and asked, “Why do you think they are scary?”
The girl replied, “They do not smile, they all act like robots around you, look at the people following us, they also acted like machines. Why is that? Big brother Theseus is also the class monitor, but people can come and present their ideas to him without any fear. Why are you so strict with the people?”
Shi Lang smiled and said, “I am not strict with them if they keep trying to improve themselves but you know they do not try hard enough. Do you know this lady behind me, Captain Jill?”
Shi Tao nodded and Shi Lang continued, “She has the potential to step into the next realm whenever she wants to, but she has so much fear in her heart that it hampers her cultivation. Tell me, will Theseus accept anyone in the class lagging behind for silly reasons?”
Shi Tao shook her head and Shi Lang said, “Everyone in the military is a potential hero, however, over time, they have all grown to fear death in the path of power, so either you hold your dear life and act like the king among the weak. I do not like such people and thus I am strict with them. The day I stop being strict will be the day when I stop caring for them.”
Shi Tao nodded and cast a gaze behind her and found Jill looking down at the ground as she walked. Shi Lang did not lower his voice at all. He was simply too cold for the people to handle.
Shi Tao wanted to say something nice to Jill but Shi Lang held her hand and shook his head. The girl followed him inside the barrack. This was a common barrack, with no separate rooms for anyone, just separate shower rooms.
…
In the evening, the team had dinner in the food court, when Shi Tao spotted a basketball court outside. She asked while pointing at the court, “Dad, will you play a game with Tao? I have learned from Sister Lina and others.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “After we eat the meal and only when you finish that green in your plate. I will play as long as you ask me to.”
Shi Tao nodded and then she began to eat her vegetables forcefully. When she was done, she rushed to the sink, trying to clean her dishes, but she was not yet tall enough. A soldier behind her saw this and said, “Young Miss, would you like me to help you?”
Shi Tao turned around and said, “Umm, big brother, my dad said, in military camps, we all must do our own work. I cannot have you clean the dishes, but can you lift me up a little, I know how to wash them.”
The soldier was surprised but just when he was about to lift her up when Sparrow appeared beside him. A cold glare from her made the big man step to the side, and she lifted up Shi Tao.
The girl smiled and said, “Thank you sister sparrow.”
Sparrow smiled sweetly and said, “You are very welcome, my dear.”
Shi Tao washed the dish and asked, “I will play a game with dad, would you like to come? We can team up and beat him.”
Sparrow was excited but then she shook her head and said, “If I played then your father will make me run laps for losing. Cut me some slack, young boss.”
Shi Tao chuckled and said, “You all fear him, wait I will defeat him in the match and then ask him to lap.”
Sparrow chuckled and put her down when the girl was done. Sparrow said, “Brothers if you do not want to suffer from the wrath of the Shura, do not touch his princess. I swear, he will be merciless and unreasonable.”
…
Shi Tao and Shi Lang stood on the basketball court with the ace division surrounding them from the side. Tao dribbled the basketball skillfully when Shi Lang said, “Hmm, let’s make things interesting. Tao, how about I give you some boost?”
Shi Tao asked, “What do you mean dad?”
Shi Lang gestured for her to wait as he moved around the court and engraved the court with a few markings. He took out some low-grade spirit stones and embedded them in the ground.
He said, “There are three types of spirit arrays here. If you step on them, they will allow you to accelerate your speed, jump higher, and even block the opponent. I will play with the average strength similar to a teacher in the normal classes in the school, which is the spirit-gathering realm.
I will not use these arrays, and it is only for you. How about it?”
Shi Tao nodded and asked, “What is the catch here? Brother Theseus has taught me there is no free lunch in the world.”
Shi Lang chuckled, “If you lose, you will be training with me again. If I lose I will follow your command.”
Shi Tao tilted her little head and said, “If you lost, then I want you to put on the spirit-blocking cuffs and run laps around the training ground. How is that?”
Shi Lang was surprised, but then he nodded with a smile. Shi Tao giggled and asked, “Have someone neutral, play referee.”
Shi Lang nodded and looked around for a random soldier to play the role of the referee. The referee stood in the center of the court and then he released the ball into the void. Shi Tao moved forward and stepped onto the jumping array in the center, and took the lead.
Shi Lang missed the ball by an inch and the little girl moved around like a rabbit running from a tiger. Sparrow could not help but cheer, “Go, Tao.”