Wang Jingyang told Yu Lian that he would be leaving the Solar System within about a week to embark on his cultivation path again.
Of course, this time, his cultivation would be very different from before. Uncle Wang said that by the next time they meet, he might also be a highly educated talent!
Yu Lian looked at the slug-like worm in the test tube, then directly stuffed it into his pocket and returned to the academy.
This true parasitic protozoan was indeed a sentient being, and its vitality was much stronger than the degraded clones replicated in the Alliance laboratory. If he added some nutrient solution to the test tube, it could live for a long time.
However, with his current strength of "mere" Seven Rings, direct mental communication with it was still not prudent. He would wait for later.
In comparison, the two pictures Wang Jingyang sent him were more worth paying attention to.
The tall, thin figure was hidden in the shadows, revealing only a pair of eerie green eyes, perfectly embodying the vibe of a behind-the-scenes supervillain.
Logically speaking, with current technological standards, a pair of eyes should be enough to pinpoint his identity. But in reality, for a spiritual energy user, even a tiny spiritual energy fluctuation could distort the information captured by vision, making it absolutely impossible to pinpoint his identity through facial recognition databases.
However, this was not a problem for Yu Lian at all. Just by looking at this guy's pretentious behavior—being so gloomy that his outline couldn't be seen, yet deliberately showing his eyes—who else could it be but the leader of the All-Unification Church, Master Frost Wanda?
What, you say this is merely subjective judgment and not evidence?
Heh, am I, Captain Yu Lian, a legal professional? Am I a police officer? Why would I bother talking about evidence with you?
Fortunately, thanks to my own reckless actions in this life, the All-Unification Church and Master Wanda became a universally condemned terrorist cult more than twenty years ahead of schedule. This is truly cause for celebration! It’s indeed a much better thing to celebrate than getting Lieutenant General Vincent killed early!
All in all, the one manipulating Brigadier General Morey from behind through the slug-like worm was, in all likelihood, that cult leader.
Of course, this doesn't mean Brigadier General Morey was merely a tool being used. A spiritual energy user of his level wouldn't be so easily controlled, unless Master Wanda had been hiding his strength until his death in his previous life, and was essentially a Seven Rings or higher grandmaster specializing in mind control?
This only indicates that Morey himself harbored immense resentment, and had even long ago come to the realization that he would do anything to save General Schwartz.
Then, a transaction was completed through some illicit means. For example, some All-Unification Church artifacts Morey confiscated had backdoors, and the will of Leader Wanda communicated with Brigadier General Morey through these items. The two immediately hit it off: the former needed to use the latter to cause trouble and retaliate, while the latter needed the former to strengthen his resolve. Then, all subsequent actions followed.
This should be the true story behind this major incident.
Indeed, being blinded by love is truly inadvisable; everyone, please take this seriously in the future.
Also, from now on, please call me Detective Yu Lian!
Then, there was that stone temple-like building. Its design was slightly flamboyant, clinging to a steep rock face, grand in scale, and exquisitely crafted. This was indeed the style of the Rumina people, but with the productivity of the classical era, it was hard to imagine such a massive and highly difficult building being completed.
This was indeed a structure not recorded in (current) databases, but Yu Lian knew that it was located on the Rumina people's home planet—Planet Runa—which is within the Blue Star Commonwealth's border territory, the New Seville star system.
That was a star system with two habitable planets. Besides the Rumina people's home planet, the other one is, of course, the current New Seville, and before the Commonwealth's independence, it was known as "Tanghauser Gate."
Tanghauser Gate, the legacy of Count Salwen, the main body of the space slug-like worm... Yu Lian felt that with so many clues, it was enough for him to start acting.
Moreover, although Xia Li was uneducated, she would eventually realize it after searching the New World for a long time with no results.
The fact that New Seville was formerly called "Tanghauser Gate," though a very obscure historical reference, was not some secret unknown to all. As long as the Little Queen checked more material and asked more people, she should still come knocking.
...I need to make some preparations.
Yu Lian pondered his next move. However, as soon as he arrived at the academy, he received a call from Feifei, and checking the time, it was indeed almost evening.
Unbeknownst to him, he had actually been drinking beer with Uncle Wang for nearly a whole afternoon? Uh, what kind of lazy middle-aged man's lifestyle habit is this?
Yu Lian was about to go back to his dorm to change clothes when he found that his roommates ABC were also there, packing their luggage. He looked at the red maple leaf insignia—that is, the second lieutenant rank—on the shoulder straps of his three friends, and a mischievous idea immediately began to bubble up.
He cleared his throat, then mischievously pointed to the silver oak leaf Captain rank on his own shoulder.
His three roommates froze for a moment, then quickly understood, and could only stand at attention and salute helplessly.
Yu Lian returned the salute with a mischievous smile.
"You'll lose all your friends if you keep this up," Luo Ming gritted his teeth and said.
"At least I'm very happy now," Yu Lian said as a matter of course.
If they hadn't considered that even if all three of them ganged up, they still wouldn't be able to beat him, roommates ABC would have already attacked.
"Are you... still planning to leave the military?"
"Didn't I tell you? The Moon Surface Military Academy's degree is the most solid kind. If we leave the army, we can easily find a white-collar job, living the good life."
His roommates had indeed received their commissions, but as long as they paid the tuition, they could regain their civilian status within a month at the latest, and would then be known as "reserve officers."
Of course, if the Commonwealth ever needed to expand its military in the future, they would certainly be among the first to be conscripted.
"Anyway, we owe it to you this time! Everyone made a big splash this time. Not just us, but even other comrades received many invitations!" Ris said.
"Everyone's student days have come to a perfect end!" Lu Ke exclaimed with emotion. This was the most emotionally charged day Yu Lian had seen him since they met.
Luo Ming was preparing for the legal examination and the Class A civil service examination, seemingly ready to enter officialdom. This was also his family's tradition. It was said that after starting work, he would marry his last blind date.
Yu Lian didn't quite believe that he and that Miss had fallen in love at first sight; it reeked too much of a marriage of convenience between families of equal standing. However, it was best not to expose such things casually.
Ris was also officially preparing to join the Sea God Fleet, the largest intergalactic shipping giant in the All-Galaxy. He was originally going to serve as a third mate on a cargo ship, but his position was temporarily adjusted, and he would become the third mate and security chief of the Milky Way Civilization's super-luxury cruise ship, the "Good Tears."
Lu Ke, on the other hand, joined White Wing Anglo Company, a security industry giant, still engaging in relatively safe, well-paying semi-clerical work in intelligence and logistics, and indeed starting as a department head.
At least from the start of their careers, everyone had bright futures.
However, it was uncertain when they would meet again in the future.
Thinking of this, Yu Lian directly closed Lu Ke's large suitcase, which was closest to him: "Let's go! Party!"
"Huh?"
"Don't you want to go feast on Wien and those guys' dime?"
Compared to Yu Lian, his roommates were also considered well-off, but compared to Wien and his friends, they were all poor, so they naturally agreed happily. Resentment of the rich is indeed a fundamental human trait!
Horatio Wien had actually already thrown a party once. That was the week before last, when he rented out the grand ballroom of the Guanghan Century Hotel in Moon City to host a banquet for students from both the red and blue teams who participated in the exercise.
Of course, this hotel was actually owned by Chester Kent and his family, so it wasn't much of an expense.
It was also at that gathering that the friends from outside the school officially bid farewell to Yu Lian, and from then on, went their separate ways.
However, putting aside those without names, those with names were all personally recruited by Yu Lian, so there would be plenty of opportunities to meet again in the future.
This party at the Lion's Den was the second one within a month. Although this time all graduating students were invited, it only showed that young masters from wealthy families really liked this kind of event.
Fortunately, Wien finally didn't come to cause trouble this time, acting entirely as a hospitable host.
Since that was the case, everyone was willing to give him face, and they all put aside their grudges from their academy days and began to enjoy the Present. Anyway, once they left the academy, they would only have the identity of "Moon People" left.
"After the banquet, don't disperse yet! Help me gather everyone," Yu Lian whispered to Autumn Mountain Yawata during the reception.
Autumn Mountain Yawata pushed up his glasses, sized up the other party, and sighed expressionlessly, saying in a depressed voice, "You're not planning to round us all up while you're drunk, are you?"
Seeing Yu Lian remain silent, the other party continued, "Anyway, we've graduated, and not all of us will stay in active duty. Even if you beat us up again, the school rules can't control it anymore, and it'll just be the last bit of youthful absurdity if we talk about it!"
Yu Lian pondered for a moment, then clenched his fist and struck his palm forcefully.
So it could be played this way! I've learned something!
"Don't look so enlightened, alright?"
"Wait, you just said, not everyone will stay in active duty?"
"At least I probably won't... right?" Autumn Mountain Yawata said, picking up a wine bottle and refilling Yu Lian's glass.
The reason his words sounded so hesitant was probably because he was intimidated by Yu Lian's subsequent gaze.
What kind of butterfly effect is this? Which of you 830 Party core members didn't stay on?
"Don't I have a business? Oh no, don't I have our business to manage? This kind of thing needs someone to keep an eye on it, so I can take over later."
Take over? Take over what? Isn't it just a gang leader? A future marshal, Commonwealth Naval Operations Minister, Volunteer Army Chief of Staff—is such a future not better than a mere gang leader?
No, even if it's just to correct this mistake, you must appear today!
Yu Lian stared at the other party with sharp eyes.
A few seconds later, Autumn Mountain averted his gaze, then unnaturally pushed up his glasses: "So, it should be a good thing, right?"
"Then you'll have to judge for yourselves! And it's better to say it while drunk, otherwise I'm afraid I'll scare you."
When he said that, even if it was just to prove that he wouldn't be scared, at least Wien would definitely go.
If he went, how could everyone else not go?
Autumn Mountain Yawata sighed, thinking that, among other things, this guy was truly Wien's natural nemesis. He wasn't foolish enough to ask who "everyone" included, and was about to go notify them one by one. But at this moment, he suddenly realized the problem.
...Wait, when did I become your secretary?
But by this time, Yu Lian had already walked away with his wine glass.
Subsequently, Yu Lian chatted, joked, and drank with other acquaintances who were destined to remain nameless as minor characters, before slowly making his way over to the girls' side.
He observed the surroundings and saw Eaglet Tsukasa Ruri alone in a corner of the grand ballroom, holding a cup of oolong tea, looking as if she was observing secretly, with a serene and relaxed smile on her face.
Yu Lian adjusted his collar and walked over.
Miss Eaglet Tsukasa Ruri's gaze flickered. She nervously looked at Feifei, who was still at the banquet, then quickly scanned the other girls from the student council, and immediately became more and more nervous.
"Ruri, why are you here alone?"
"I, I can't drink alcohol. Captain Yu Lian knows that, right?"
"It seems so." Yu Lian thought for a moment, then said, "Oh, you're planning to leave school tomorrow night, right?"
Ruri's face flushed red, and she nodded.
Graduating military cadets like them, even those about to join the military, would receive nearly a week of vacation while awaiting deployment orders from the Defense Committee's personnel department. As for those who didn't join the military and paid tuition, they had even more freedom.
"I remember, Ruri, it seems you're not planning to stay either, are you?"
"...We, the only one confirmed to stay is Annie," she said, lowering her head, her voice growing softer and softer.
There was nothing to be done; the student council was truly a gathering of young ladies from prominent families, and very few of them genuinely intended to pursue a military career.
"The opportunities to meet in the future might not be many," Yu Lian sighed with a hint of melancholy.
"Yes..." The girl's voice grew softer and softer.
"Then tomorrow morning, ten o'clock tomorrow morning. I have something to say. Oh, by the way, it needs to be a bit discreet, how about under the big banyan tree on the small hill in the back garden?"
Ruri suddenly looked up, her almond eyes flashing with a joy close to shock, but then a hint of panic, even fear, appeared: "Captain Yu Lian, you, you, you, it's too sudden! No, although I... but, Feifei, you... no, I..."
Why are you so incoherent? And why are you blushing?
Yu Lian looked at her inexplicably: "What does this have to do with Feifei?"
"But you, Captain Yu Lian, this kind of thing, I... I can't, although I... Phew! Captain Yu Lian, do you really understand what you're saying?" By the end, the girl seemed to have finally regained her composure, her face sinking as she complained. But her words also seemed to carry a hint of anticipation.
"Yes! It's tomorrow morning at ten, let's talk slowly," Yu Lian decided for the girl without question.
After half a minute of continuous shock, Miss Eaglet Tsukasa Ruri showed an expression that was almost on the verge of tears, covered her small face, and left the venue directly, disappearing from sight.
So what exactly is wrong with this girl? What happened to her calm and elegant Yamato Nadeshiko persona?
Yu Lian shrugged, bewildered, picked up his wine glass, and walked towards Miss Annie Romanova, who was closest to him.
"Ah haha, Annie, you're drinking! Let's have two drinks. Gulp gulp gulp gulp gulp gulp!"
Hmm, tomorrow I should revise the outline for the third volume. It really needs adjustment, so I'll take a leave of absence today.