Some people are born with an intense sense of presence. If Qin Zhen was one such person, Cang Bai was the ultimate archetype of the other.
Without the need for movement or speech, wherever he stood became the focus of the entire room. He was someone from whom you could not look away, yet dared not look at directly. His brilliance was so dazzling it was almost piercing.
“Commander!” The Vice Commander was the first to react, stepping forward with large strides. “Commander, why have you come?”
He finished speaking and turned, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone in the activity room. “The Supreme Commander has arrived, and you are all just standing there?”
In an instant, everyone except the doctors and nurses snapped into a military salute with perfect synchronicity.
Director Lao trotted over with small steps and bowed respectfully, feeling deeply perplexed. A surprise visit yesterday, and now another sudden appearance this morning without any prior notification from the adjutant. This was unprecedented.
“Commander, we are currently assigning Childcare Specialists to the new class of expectant members.”
“I heard.” Cang Bai’s expression and voice were both flat, as neutral as plain water. “Is someone dissatisfied with the assignment results?”
He walked further into the room. As he passed Tie Tu, the three meter tall giant seemed to shrink by a head.
Director Lao felt a surge of energy at these words. He shot a quick glance at Qin Zhen, thinking to himself that this was perfect. This was not him targeting the boy; Qin Zhen had brought this on himself.
“Yes. According to the rules, those who fail to be chosen are assigned randomly. Number 1069 was assigned to Specialist Tie Tu. As you know, Commander, expectant members have their own preferences when choosing a specialist. It is normal for Number 1069 to feel some slight dissatisfaction after failing to select his preferred candidate.”
While speaking, he led Cang Bai toward Lu Yanqiu’s group.
No one dared to breathe loudly. The Director’s words carried clearly to every corner of the activity room. Hearing this, Lu Yanqiu could not help but part her lips in surprise.
Director Lao’s explanation seemed like an objective description, even offering a mild excuse for Qin Zhen, but how could she fail to hear the malice behind it? He was essentially pinning Qin Zhen to the cross of disobeying assignments. For a soldier to disobey an order was a taboo in the military.
At this moment, who else would speak up for him besides her?
Lu Yanqiu struggled for a moment and was about to speak when a weak but courageous voice rang out from the neighboring group.
“That is not true. Brother Qin is not dissatisfied. He just did not react in time.” Ni Hong braced himself and left Tie Tu’s line to stand beside Qin Zhen. “Brother Qin, speak up!”
To everyone’s shock, Qin Zhen had no intention of taking the easy way out. “I am dissatisfied!”
His low shout not only stunned Ni Hong but terrified everyone else. Was he mad? To be so stubborn right in front of the Supreme Commander? Being with Tie Tu carried risks, but there was still a chance of becoming a Beast Soldier. To offend the Supreme Commander meant he might lose the chance to be a soldier at all.
Seeing Qin Zhen’s bloodshot eyes and stubborn expression, the crowd began to speculate. Could it be that his orphanage background was just a cover? Perhaps after entering the military academy, he had been recruited by a powerful family and now possessed a massive backing. After all, gaining the qualification to fuse a Beast Egg at such a young age did suggest such a possibility.
The Supreme Commander’s next question seemed to follow this line of thought. Cang Bai’s indifferent gaze swept over the number on Qin Zhen’s chest, moved slightly upward past his bobbing Adam’s apple, and settled on his tanned face.
“What is your name?”
“Reporting to the Supreme Commander, my name is Qin Zhen!”
“Which Star Sector are you from?”
“Colony Star F1901, Sixth Star Sector!”
The Sixth Star Sector was the most remote sector in the Empire, and F19 was its most distant province. Such a place did not look like the home of a powerful family. While the crowd was confused, Cang Bai paused briefly.
He asked again, “What is your dissatisfaction with being assigned to Tie Tu?”
“I have no dissatisfaction with Instructor Tie Tu. I am just.”
“Just what?”
No one could imagine how Qin Zhen felt at this moment. He was on the verge of tears. From the moment his idol appeared, his anger over the assignment results had vanished. An indescribable sense of grievance welled up in his heart, making his nose sting and his eyes turn red.
Only those close to Qin Zhen knew that whether in the orphanage, at school, or in the barracks, his walls were covered in posters and photos of the First War God. The most frequent search terms on his communicator were Supreme Commander and First War God. This man was his only spiritual role model and his greatest motivation to keep fighting in this lonely, alien world.
Qin Zhen had imagined more than once what he would say or how he would act if he ever met his idol in person. He wanted to earn a word of praise, a small smile, or even just a glance. But he never imagined that when his idol truly stood before him, within arm’s reach, his heart would be filled with such grievance and an uncontrollable urge to vent.
“I was clearly the first one to choose Doctor Lu! I was the first to run to her, the very first in the line!”
“Out of all these instructors, I did not consider anyone else. I only wanted to choose Doctor Lu!”
“I knew Doctor Lu would definitely choose me too, but.”
Unfortunately, Qin Zhen could not find the right words to explain. He could hardly say that in his subconscious, he had treated this mutual selection as a confession, only to realize his feelings were unrequited and he had been rejected by his goddess. He was emotional, but he had not lost his mind entirely. He could not say something so embarrassing.
Qin Zhen’s inability to finish his sentence led the more cynical members of the crowd to suspect a conspiracy, while those with simpler minds saw the truth. Seeing his flushed face, they wanted to laugh but did not dare. After all that drama, it turned out he was just suffering from a broken heart. No wonder he was acting so distraught.
Cang Bai looked at Lu Yanqiu, then turned slightly to look at the blind selection box in the distance. This terrified Director Lao. He frantically made eye contact with the Vice Commander and Lu Yanqiu, fearing that the hidden manipulation would be exposed.
Fortunately, Lu Yanqiu was not foolish enough to expose him then and there. The Director was the Director. Even if the Supreme Commander learned the truth, he would not oust the Director over someone as insignificant as Qin Zhen. Doing so would only make Qin Zhen’s life in the center harder and drag her down with him. Besides, aside from this incident, Director Lao was generally a good administrator.
“In that case,” Cang Bai’s calm eyes returned to Qin Zhen’s face, “how about I serve as your Childcare Specialist?”
“What?”
Not only was Qin Zhen stunned, but everyone in the activity room widened their eyes in shock. Qin Zhen had disobeyed an assignment. Everyone thought the Supreme Commander would at least reprimand him to make an example of him. How did the conversation suddenly turn into the Supreme Commander personally becoming Qin Zhen’s specialist?
“There are 108 expectant members in this class and only 21 specialists. Each specialist teaches five people, which leaves exactly three extra. Aside from Qin Zhen and Number 1070, who were drawn by Director Lao, we will draw one more person from the box. I will serve as the specialist for these three.”
“But Commander, you are occupied with a myriad of state affairs.”
“Does Director Lao believe I am unable to fulfill the duties of a Childcare Specialist?”
“I would not dare.”
“Adjutant Qi.”
At Cang Bai’s low call, the adjutant waiting outside entered. After saluting, he took out three identical small black boxes and handed two of them to Qin Zhen and Ni Hong. Qin Zhen was too dazed to take it, so Ni Hong took it for him. He opened it to find a sound card in the shape of a black ring.
Seeing the emblem of the Beast Empire on the ring, the tears Qin Zhen had been holding back finally began to fall. Looking at Cang Bai just a step away, he felt as if the people and objects around them had transformed into colorful mist, enveloping his idol. He suddenly remembered a classic line he had heard in his previous life.
“My beloved is a peerless hero. One day, he will come to marry me while riding on seven colored clouds.”
Of course, that line did not fit the current situation perfectly, but with a slight modification, it matched Qin Zhen’s state of mind exactly. My idol is a peerless hero. He came to save me while riding on seven colored clouds.
After the specialists were assigned, it was time for the first meeting between the instructors and students to get to know one another. Because this class of expectant members was still in quarantine, the meeting was arranged within the same building, including the one for the Supreme Commander. However, his room was not with the others. It was in a specially prepared area on the top floor.
Director Lao stood in the corridor nearby, filled with worry. “I wanted to tighten the discipline on Qin Zhen, but who knew he would turn a disaster into a blessing. Vice Commander, why did you not stop the Commander?”
Beside him, Ding Xiaoyi asked coldly, “Are you implying that while Tie Tu can manage Qin Zhen, the Commander cannot?”
Director Lao choked. “I, of course that is not what I meant.”
Ding Xiaoyi snorted. “Did you never wonder why Adjutant Qi happened to have three sound cards on him?”
“Are you saying?” Director Lao finally realized. “The Commander came here specifically to be a Childcare Specialist? In thousands of classes, this has never happened. Could it be? Could the Commander have an interest in Qin Zhen?”
“It has nothing to do with Qin Zhen. No matter who you drew from that box, they would have become the Commander’s students.”
“Then Qin Zhen is still quite lucky.”
“Lucky? The Commander is even less tolerant of flaws. If Qin Zhen dares to behave in a way that disgraces the military again, his fate will be far worse!”
Ding Xiaoyi paused, his tone becoming more serious. “Director Lao, I must remind you again. Qin Zhen was in the wrong first, but our goal is never to destroy him. It is to reform him.”
“Yes, yes. You are right.”
The large room contained only one table and a high backed chair. The person in the chair sat with their back to the window, with the upright Adjutant Qi standing beside them. Adjutant Qi inserted a crystal card into a communicator, opened the resume files, and placed it before the Supreme Commander.
“Commander, while I was retrieving the files, I did a quick investigation. The Director’s office received a complaint against Qin Zhen at noon today. The wife of Chang Yongzong claimed that during the gestation sac examination, Qin Zhen attempted to assault Old Man Chang. This is likely why Director Lao specifically assigned him to Tie Tu.”
The amount of information in this sentence was so vast that even the calm Cang Bai looked up. Old Man Chang was over seventy. Assaulting Old Man Chang? If he had judged correctly, the meaning of Qin Zhen’s confession in the activity room was clear. He had acted out because he felt abandoned by the one he loved. On one hand, he had feelings for a young and beautiful woman. On the other, he was accused of assaulting a man in his seventies.
“Do not concern yourself with trivial matters.” Cang Bai’s voice remained emotionless. He had not asked Adjutant Qi to investigate the specialist assignment.
“Yes. It was my own decision.” Adjutant Qi admitted his fault. “I will call them in.”
Ni Hong was not sure if Lu Yanqiu was the best instructor, but the Supreme Commander of the Empire was undoubtedly the best. This made him very anxious and a bit dazed. Despite the thrilling and bizarre process, Qin Zhen had fulfilled his promise to him.
Ni Hong looked at the silhouette standing stiffly at the door. He hesitated before finally saying, “Brother Qin, stop standing at attention. The Commander is not coming out yet. Adjutant Qi said he would call us when it is time.”
Before he finished speaking, the door was suddenly pushed open. Because Qin Zhen was standing too close, he was struck hard by the door.
“Ow!” He let out a painful groan and clutched his nose while turning around. However, his eyes were smiling. “That is the Supreme Commander and the War God of the Empire, Xiao Ni. We have to do our best to leave a good impression, understand?”
Ni Hong looked at the person outside the door. “Brother Qin.”
Adjutant Qi, standing outside the door, was silent. A good impression? That was likely gone now.