The so-called “Walkers” are an upgrade from “Travelers,” the second ring of the “Wander” Star Ring. Yes, that’s the path Yu Lian followed in his previous life, and the path that Ash Stein, the Commonwealth adventurer, is on.
Of course, Yu Lian didn’t feel any familiarity at all; instead, he started to get a headache. He knew all too well how difficult the awakened ones on this path were to deal with. Especially in this situation…
“They’re already on the second ring, why…?”
“Why be a reporter? Who says spiritual energy users must fight and kill? Spiritual energy is a gift from the universe spirit, but being a reporter is my life’s pursuit! Besides, tracking current events, keeping up with social hot topics, and letting ordinary people understand the truth—isn’t that more meaningful than fighting and killing? Or, young Warrant Officer, do you have an irresponsible attitude towards journalists?”
He pushed up his glasses, and a sharp light seemed to flash in his eyes. Then, the drone beside him started taking “click-click” photos.
Yu Lian began to retreat step by step, looking left and right for an escape route. Otherwise, what? He couldn’t just beat someone to death, could he? This was Moon City after all, one of the largest commercial cities in the Solar System. No people didn’t mean no surveillance!
“In any case, since you haven’t objected, that means you’ve agreed to the interview, right? Warrant Officer Yu Lian, I heard you’ve returned from an internship in New Yumen. I heard the Sand People there resisted because they suffered too much forced labor and abuse. Is that true?”
Yu Lian, who was about to continue escaping, stopped. He sized up the other person, thinking that this reporter was quite different from those flashy, cheap tricks outside.
However, this question was still difficult to answer. He could only force a smile and continue forward.
“Hmm, Warrant Officer Yu Lian, returning from New Yumen, remained silent. It seems he feels guilty and can only acquiesce,” the reporter muttered to his microphone.
I didn’t say that!
“Then, Warrant Officer, I heard that in this New Yumen incident, due to the corruption and dereliction of duty of the former Governor Mr. Yamadera, the military and civilians of the colony suffered a considerable number of casualties. Do you agree with this statement?”
Yu Lian thought of that fat governor, then of Lieutenant Kruse who went to pick up goods, then of everyone having to walk to reinforce, and then of the deceased Lieutenant Mondson. His mood began to become irritable, and his expression instantly turned unpleasant.
“Warrant Officer Yu Lian’s face is grim; he must be full of resentment towards the already-departed former Governor Yamadera. We have reason to believe that former Governor Yamadera’s illegal actions have had a considerably negative impact on the security of the Commonwealth’s extra-galactic colonies! For this, we must ask: who exactly sent such a greedy national parasite to such an important position? We need the Commonwealth Government, we need the President to give us an answer!”
Yu Lian listened in awe. With this ability to point east and hit west, to pull and drag accusations, it would be a pity if this gentleman weren’t a reporter.
“You do news like this? Does anyone actually watch it?” he couldn’t help but ask.
Reporter Prince explained with a matter-of-fact attitude: “It doesn’t matter! Someone will always help with the editing anyway. So-called conscientious news is all made this way. Your expression isn’t very rich, so it’s not easy to collect material, but as long as you appear on camera, it’s news. BB, don’t film this part, cut it!”
“Okay, Master.” The drone emitted a crisp, sweet loli voice, making Yu Lian shiver.
“Then, next question, regarding the Katai Kingdom’s aggression against us in the Gibraltar Star System…”
Yu Lian was deeply moved. This was the first reporter among all he had met this time who used a term like “act of aggression,” which was fair, rational, and principled. However, he still refused to answer the question, trying his best to maintain a deadpan expression as he climbed back from where he came.
However, Reporter Prince was not going to let him go. With a swift somersault, he climbed onto the wall and continued to pursue and ask, “Hey, Warrant Officer, handsome young man, at least answer these few questions for me. I heard that the reason General Paris was dismissed was actually the Central Government’s final purge of old generals from the Independent War era? Is that true? Ambassador Marvin is said to be the President’s confidant; do his actions completely represent the President’s will? Have you met him? What kind of person is he? How does General Paris feel about being forced to leave his post? Does he have any grievances against our current government? Tell me about it.”
It must be admitted that this guy’s stance was very neutral and objective, but his questions were truly sharper one after another. Besides fleeing in disarray, Yu Lian no longer knew what else he could do.
“Also, Warrant Officer Yu Lian, here’s another piece of news. I heard that two years ago, something seemed to have happened during your school’s combat exercise on Mars? Could you reveal a little…”
At this instant, the anger belonging to student Yu Lian instantly filled all his emotions, completely overriding the composure that Ranger Yu Lian should have had. He gritted his teeth, clenched his hands, and his eyes seemed to be flickering with flames.
“Oh, I understand, I understand. Actually, I was just asking. In fact, our superiors have also issued a gag order; it’s hard to say, really hard to say.” The reporter took a step back, falling into a disadvantage in front of Yu Lian for the first time, and raised his hands with a smiling face, saying:
“Alright, that’s a really good expression, Warrant Officer! So, to repay you, I also got a piece of news… Our side did indeed win this conflict, and the Central Government’s external propaganda is also like this, after all, they have to give an explanation to the general public. Therefore, the command echelon will receive promotions and awards. Even General Paris, at least, is being promoted in name but demoted in reality. And the brave vanguards who made a splash will certainly receive medals, such as you! However, there are also quite a few high-ranking officials in Congress who are furious about the Outer Rim Fleet’s actions. So, whether the fallen soldiers are martyrs who sacrificed for the country or just ordinary work-related injuries is still being debated.”
Yu Lian stood in place for nearly half a minute, looked deeply at the other person, clenched his fists, and then turned back to quicken his pace. This time, he didn’t stop again.
This time, Reporter Prince didn’t continue to chase, but instead said to his camera drone: “BB, did you get it?”
“Got it, Master!” A smiling face appeared on the little drone’s screen, and then a picture was projected, which was Yu Lian’s expression when he was silent just now.
“Hmm, very good. Although the expression fluctuated, the emotions in his eyes were truly complex! Just add some background music and make some adjustments! Hehehe, today’s harvest is good! That’s a wrap!”
“Eh, Master? Is that it? But he didn’t say a single word!”
“I told you, an excellent reporter must have editing skills that can be nominated for the Yagami Award (the highest film award in the galaxy). Oh, and also, BB, don’t talk like that outside, or I won’t be able to protect you.”
Reporter Prince didn’t follow, but Yu Lian’s troubles weren’t over. Since the back exit was blocked, he could only leave through the front door. But this meant he would inevitably run into the reporters. They couldn’t block General Paris and were still unsatisfied. Sure enough, a few sharp-eyed ones spotted Yu Lian. After a moment of thought, they suddenly realized that this student, who looked particularly easy to bully, wasn’t he the other protagonist in this “Gibraltar incident”?
As a student, he stormed the enemy fleet Command HQ, slew the enemy’s renowned spiritual energy user, and argued forcefully even in front of the Empire’s Countess and Suliuka King, upholding the Commonwealth’s national dignity… All of that sounds good!
But, “A young officer with deep connections, eager for achievement, sidelined the old Commander and led the Outer Rim Fleet to act independently”—which one had more news value?
In short, regardless of which media faction it was, representing goodwill or malice, it was universally acknowledged that Yu Lian had traffic.
“That’s the Warrant Officer who came out with General Paris!” a reporter shouted.
A large group of people suddenly turned their heads, like zombies sniffing out human scent.
Yu Lian felt this scene was even more terrifying than encountering a Bug Swarm or a Nine Rings bigshot. He shivered on the spot and, trying to move, found himself already surrounded. He wanted to use Field Shimmer, but realized that many more people had gathered to watch the commotion, and he wasn’t sure if shimmering would injure innocent bystanders.
More importantly, two warning drones were slowly floating towards him.
“Warning, warning, Commonwealth citizen! Using spiritual energy in a public place violates the ‘Commonwealth Basic Law on Supernatural Power Management’ and the ‘Galactic Awakened Moral Conduct Guidelines.’ Please do not test the law!”
Yu Lian now felt extremely irritable and really wanted to cause a scene, but he managed to restrain himself.
He leaped, stepping on a pillar in the airport hall to climb a few steps, then made a flying leap, bursting out of the surrounding crowd.
I climbed the pillar, so that doesn’t count as using spiritual energy, right?
Many reporters were dumbfounded, not even having time to film.
Of course, there were also quick-witted individuals: “Look! Is this the skill of the vanguard warrior from the Xiwei Star System battle? How agile, how brave, how decisive! This is our Moon People, an excellent representative of our Children of the Blue Star! What reason do we have not to believe that the future Commonwealth will still be a nation of courage and hope! When the youth are strong, the nation is strong! Long live the Commonwealth!”
Similarly, there were also quick-witted individuals representing different agendas: “Look! This is a student from Central Defense University, he should be a circus performer! Our taxpayers spend so much to support the so-called cradle of Commonwealth generals, are they just training acrobats?”
Yu Lian pretended not to hear, performed a tactical roll upon landing, then sprang up and dashed out the main door in two or three steps. But seeing the heavy traffic on the main road and feeling the reporters closing in from behind, he suddenly didn’t know where to go, feeling a sense of being caught in an ambush from all sides.
Immediately after, with a sudden “whoosh,” a crimson power motorcycle swung its tail, stopping in front of Yu Lian with an almost brutal maneuver.
The rider, dressed in a form-fitting black mobile suit, took off her helmet, her dark long hair fluttered lightly, and then a brilliant smile appeared on her face.
“Hey, handsome, need a ride?” the female rider said.
“Zhi Xia!” Yu Lian’s face lit up, and he leaped onto the motorcycle. His hand didn’t naturally wrap around her slender waist but instead gripped the hanger between the seats.
The female rider twisted the knob, and the motorcycle roared out like an arrow from a bow, leaving a blast of air in the faces of the chasing reporters.
However, it would be too naive to think it ended so simply. Since the reporters had decided to turn into a zombie siege, how could they stop without biting off something?
The female rider heard the commotion behind her, glanced at the rear window with the corner of her eye, and tapped her earbud: “Fina, there are four news vans chasing us. There are drones on both sides trying to intercept! Preliminary estimate, over a dozen! Also, there’s a siren at 8 o’clock; it must have alerted the security robots.”
Another light female voice came through the earbud: “Speed up, cross four intersections from Guanghan Street, switch to land mode, and enter Laurel Tree Street! I’ve already sent Annie and the others to meet you. Also, Zhi Xia, put on your helmet! Tell Yu’er to put on his helmet too!”
“Hey, Feifei.” Yu Lian greeted the person on the other end of the earbud, but it seemed she didn’t hear him at all.
The second update today, the girl who appeared is a tool character, don’t overthink it!