Yu Lian and his companions continued through the canyon for a while, and the narrow passage suddenly opened up, just as he had said, revealing a relatively spacious area, about half the size of a football field.
However, the rock walls on both sides slanted upwards, forming a narrow 'line of sky' at the zenith.
It was as if a welcoming hall had been specifically carved out of the mountains.
It was approximately four o'clock in the morning.
"Rest for four hours," Yu Lian ordered.
The soldiers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although it was already this hour, after several battles, everyone found it hard to sleep for a while and took out their field rations.
This was the most peaceful and proper meal they had eaten in twelve hours.
Nurse Belinda carefully brought over the late-night snack she had meticulously prepared—which was really just simple sandwiches with at most two extra slices of luncheon meat compared to others—and cautiously delivered it to Yu Lian.
Yu Lian, who was busy tinkering with a few large sausages… ah, no, homemade biological batteries, didn't even lift his head, casually took it, and shoved it into his mouth in a couple of bites.
The little nurse stood by, looking crestfallen, and only left with even greater disappointment when Ina (and Uncle Karl) walked over and sat down beside Yu Lian.
As Yu Lian chewed on the bland, low-oil, low-salt sandwich, he thought about how the army's field rations in the cosmic era were still inferior to the quick-heating Mapo Tofu and Spicy Chicken from his hometown, while he opened the tightly tied "large sausage" and poured in a handful of steel balls he had prepared earlier.
"So, this way, the biological battery turns into an electromagnetic bomb? Just like you did in the mountains before?" Karl asked.
He must have heard about what Yu Lian did in the mountains from others.
"If I pour in thermite powder and iron oxide, it can become a high-temperature incendiary bomb.
So, I'm going to make two of each," Yu Lian replied.
The old mechanic didn't know much about weapon chemistry, but he knew that while such adjustments sounded simple, they required considerable skill on the operator's part, especially without precise instruments.
However, seeing Yu Lian's inexplicably skilled movements, it was clear he had tried this many times before.
"Are Moon People all monsters?" Uncle Karl exclaimed with emotion.
"Moon People are not monsters; it's just that Yu Lian is quite special.
The top students from the elite bureaucratic group only learned to eat wrapped in feather blankets like Imperial nobles; so far, I've only seen this one exception," Ina said.
"Well, a considerable number of my classmates are indeed talented…" After all, they were the renowned 830 Party!
They were the last batch of famous generals to emerge after the establishment of Moon Surface Military Academy.
On one hand, it was because the turbulent great era was approaching, naturally providing a stage for creating history; on the other hand, everyone was indeed talented, as if the essence of the entire Commonwealth, the glory, courage, and Wisdom of all Earth People, had converged in this one period.
However, even so, it still…
Thinking of this, Yu Lian felt a bit melancholic.
He quickly lowered his head, then heard Ina say, "I also took a six-month short course at a military academy.
Although it's not as prestigious as Moon Surface Military Academy, it's a legitimate higher education institution with a ground assault major, and they definitely didn't teach these things.
So, I'm more curious about your experiences outside of the academy?"
Those who can become famous must have extraordinary qualities!
This level of sensitivity was not something ordinary people could match.
Although Yu Lian couldn't see her, he could feel her gaze, which was so bright it made him uneasy, so he continued to tinker with the bomb and said casually, "You want to learn? I'll teach you!"
This was like Teacher Liu teaching how to sell movies, Sect Leader Ming opening a restaurant, or Ikun teaching singing, dancing, rap, and basketball—the satisfaction was known only to those who experienced it.
"I'd rather learn how you determined the location of those two burrowing worms.
Can you sense them by pressing your hand on the ground?
You shouldn't have awakened back then, right?
Do ordinary sensitive people have such strong senses?
I'm quite confident in my own senses, you know."
Yu Lian paused slightly and looked up at her.
"I know I'm a sensitive person; I've known for a year now," Ina said calmly.
This time, it was old Uncle Karl who was surprised.
He clearly had just found out.
"Hey, this… Ina, then why did you…"
Why are you still stuck in this godforsaken place? You know, that's a spiritual energy user.
Now, the Commonwealth is just preparing to emulate the Empire and the Alliance, to establish its own spiritual energy cultivation groups and special forces.
Not to mention awakened ones, they are willing to accept sensitive people of any aptitude.
Especially front-line Sergeants like Ina, who have combat experience, if they apply, they would probably be transferred back to Earth within a month, instantly promoted from Sergeant to officer, and their promotions would certainly be no slower than any academy top student.
After all, top students are just "elite bureaucrats," but spiritual energy users are superhumans!
What civilization wouldn't admire superhumans? Especially superhumans on the official payroll!
Uncle Karl's startled reaction drew everyone's attention.
Doctor Banks, thinking something had happened, hurried over, which caused everyone to gather around.
"It's nothing, I was just telling everyone that I've been a sensitive person for a long time.
I just never said anything," Ina said in a calm tone.
Then, Uncle Karl's startled reaction, like a contagion worse than future plague insects, instantly spread and infected everyone.
"I really like New Yumen.
Although it's very windy and sandy, and there are wild beasts and desert bandits everywhere in the wilderness, and the latest dramas and movies always arrive half a year later than in the Galaxy Native Land, I grew up here after all.
I've never been to Earth in my life.
I heard it's too prosperous there; I'm afraid I'd get lost if I went," Ina shrugged.
"There are also many small places full of human warmth there, like my hometown," Yu Lian mumbled softly.
"But, but, Sergeant, that's Earth after all…" The nurse's face was full of regret; if Ina's prestige in the military wasn't so high, she would have been tempted to pry open her head and see what was inside.
Doctor Banks looked at Ina in surprise, then at Yu Lian, seemingly trying to figure out what commonalities spiritual energy users had in appearance, but his gaze was a bit strange, as if he expected to see something glittering and golden emanating from the two of them.
Sergeant Youyou whistled, "I heard that spiritual energy users get over a million in annual subsidies!
And they're also rewarded with a 150-square-meter apartment in Pearl City or Big Apple!"
"Over a million…" Bearman Sergeant Baka was shocked, his small eyes starting to glow.
"Girl, I really hope you understand what you're giving up?" Even the most composed Uncle Karl had a face full of pity.
Everyone indeed couldn't quite understand Ina's choice, each looking as if she had missed out on a hundred million.
"My former factory was acquired by a consortium from the Alliance.
Although I still have some skills, how could someone like me, who used to lead workers in protests against the acquisition, possibly stay?
But I still have a wife and children, so I had to find a place to make a living.
Later, I saw the Governor's Office's recruitment advertisement, saying that people like me could enjoy Sergeant major treatment and technical allowances, so I simply made up my mind and came over."
Uncle Karl's meaning was clear.
If it weren't for the money, he would definitely not have come to this New Yumen.
"Me? Hehehe, studying medicine is very expensive, and my family has already spent all their savings on me, but I still can't afford those famous medical universities.
I also don't have any elders who are famous doctors or hospital directors, so I can only work in remote small hospitals, with very low income.
But… I have a younger brother!
He's much smarter than me; he's been good at studying since he was little.
I convinced my parents to send him to study abroad in the Empire, and then I got on the ship to New Yumen," Doctor Banks said.
"Me, hehehe, I wasn't good at studying since I was little!
And if I continued to hang out in the community, besides being a thug for the black (meow) gang, I'd have to sell drugs.
I've always felt that I could be a great rapper!
Wait, buddy, why are you looking at me like that?
I'm really good… Listen to me, yo yo yo, uh, okay, okay, anyway, if no one promotes me, I won't become famous.
But I still have my mom, four younger brothers, and three younger sisters at home; I have to do something, right?
So I got on the ship," Youyou said.
"My… my family's farm went bankrupt.
I also have a daughter who isn't in very good health and needs a gene repair fluid injection once a month.
If I serve in New Yumen, the Garrison Command HQ can provide my daughter with a suite in Tulon and free medical care every month," the Bearman Sergeant said.
The Garrison Command HQ doesn't have such good treatment; they just covet your body… ah, no, natural divine power!
Yu Lian thought.
But then again, why did it subtly feel like a grievance meeting?
How about, before the small goal of going home, we set another tiny goal?
"Um, Commander, what's it like to be a spiritual energy user?" the nurse asked suddenly, blinking her eyes.
"What, do you also want to become a spiritual energy user?"
"Hehehe, who wouldn't want to?
Everyone says that spiritual energy users are the chosen people, the successors of the Enlightener, the chosen of the universe spirit!
They are the navigators destined to lead all civilizations to ascension."
Such a long string of parallel phrases doesn't fit your character.
Yu Lian said with a straight face, "Do you understand what those words mean?"
"Not really, hehehe…" The little nurse stuck out her tongue and said, "But, it must be very powerful… hehehe."
"If I say I don't really like spiritual energy, would I sound pretentious?" Yu Lian asked.
"Extremely pretentious!" Ina stated with certainty.
Then, Yu Lian found that everyone was looking at him with expressions like "regretting founding Alibaba" and "ordinary family," and he suddenly felt desolate.
You uneducated illiterates really have zero points in reading comprehension and logic.
My enjoyment of the experience of being a spiritual energy user and my dislike of spiritual energy are completely two different things.