"Special A Mech Corps" was pierced by shafts of purple light shooting skyward, causing those nearby who weren't training to murmur, speculating they were testing new weaponry. Some more sensitive individuals felt the terrifying power contained within, sending shivers down their spines.

Commanding officers of neighboring camps received urgent evacuation orders and hastily assembled their soldiers to clear the area. In less than ten minutes, the surrounding military encampments were completely vacated.

In the sky, four figures hovered, gazing at the purple light that speared the heavens like a pillar, all finding the situation somewhat troublesome. This kind of unknown Special-Type anomaly was always a headache, because not knowing its characteristics meant facing unknown dangers lurking within.

Generally speaking, it was far more difficult for a Special-Type ability to evolve to the Tenth Level than it was for a main combat-type ability. Conversely, once a Special-Type ability reached the Tenth Level, its destructive power was far more terrifying than that of an ordinary physical powerhouse.

However, the people inside could not be abandoned. All four sensed at least several hundred individuals within the camp.

The four were clad in Lieutenant General uniforms, all appearing over fifty years of age, enveloped in a milky-white, transparent radiance. They were old acquaintances, their gazes intersecting in the air.

"Brother Yang and I will jointly suppress that individual; Brother Zhang and Brother Gong will be responsible for the rescue," a square-faced elder stated gravely. The other three nodded, signaling their agreement.

Whenever an individual advanced to the Tenth Level, the sheer magnitude of the energy caused a temporary loss of control. At this juncture, the energy generated by the person advancing was extremely terrifying, even more formidable than the output of a standard, established Tenth-Level expert at full burst.

Therefore, when someone was about to advance, the best course of action was to maintain a significant distance. As the square-faced elder approached the camp, he felt as if his body was being ensnared by invisible, fine threads.

A thought flashed through his mind: "Binding-Type?" The milky-white radiance surrounding him suddenly flared brightly, repelling the binding purple energy. The "Brother Yang" mentioned by the other square-faced elder also flew forward, encountering similar resistance.

After shaking off the restraint, the two crossed the perimeter wall and hovered above the camp grounds. A colossal purple cocoon stood at the center of the camp.

Scattered around the great purple mass lay rows of soldiers. Fortunately, peering through the dense purple mist, one could discern the slight rise and fall of their chests.

Among them, one officer wearing a Major General's uniform was kneeling, struggling desperately to stay conscious. The square-faced elder and the elder named Yang exchanged a glance, simultaneously raising both hands.

Egg-shaped orbs of white light ignited between their palms. The white light rapidly expanded; when its diameter reached two meters, the two men separated their hands, stretching the light into long strips.

Two dazzling milky-white beams shot directly towards the purple cocoon. The white light was blocked fifty centimeters from the cocoon.

However, the light did not dissipate; instead, it swiftly traced the outline of the cocoon, spreading along its surface. The two white beams each formed a semicircle, merging together to completely encase the entire structure.

As soon as the purple mist emanating from the cocoon was severed, the square-faced elder roared, "Now!" The remaining two elders did not hesitate. They pierced through the outer purple mist and appeared in the clearing.

As their surrounding white light surged, the purple mist was instantly dispersed. The over three hundred men lying on the ground were all unconscious.

It was clearly impossible for the two to carry everyone away. The two elders who arrived later simultaneously extended their hands forward, shooting out two beams of white light into the area already encircled by the milky-white field surrounding the purple cocoon.

A sound of movement echoed, and then the doors opened. A squad of soldiers ran in with quick, practiced efficiency.

One by one, they lifted the prone soldiers and carried them out through another door. Soon, half of the people lying on the ground had been carried away.

Suddenly, the milky-white light barrier surrounding the purple cocoon expanded slightly. All four elders recoiled half a step simultaneously, then held their ground.

Even so, the white light barrier slowly inflated outwards, doubling in size in mere seconds. The faces of the four elders were grave.

Even the combined strength of four Tenth-Level experts could not fully contain the energy erupting during this promotion—it was truly terrifying. The soldiers behind them filed in orderly streams, rushing to carry the remaining individuals toward the other door.

Not a single unnecessary sound was uttered; the scene was fraught with tension. With only a few people left on the ground, the light barrier was nearly overwhelmed, and a tendril of purple energy managed to leak out.

The four gritted their teeth, urging the power within them, reinforcing the enclosure around the purple cocoon. Finally, even the last Major General was evacuated.

Once everyone was clear, the four slowly retreated, simultaneously controlling the expansion of the milky-white light barrier. By enclosing the purple cocoon within the light curtain, the emanating energy was compressed.

When they finally released it, the resulting blast would unleash an unimaginable force. Expanding the barrier to its maximum limit, the square-faced elder commanded, "Three, two, one, release." The instant the command was uttered, all four withdrew their hands, shooting out like lasers in retreat.

The milky-white light barrier popped like a balloon struck by a gentle pinprick, and the purple energy erupted, instantly engulfing the entire camp, spreading out to a radius of one kilometer. Thousands of meters away in the mid-air, the four elders felt a measure of relief; thankfully, the person's ability wasn't inherently destructive, or they would have been in a truly messy situation.

The purple light churned and raged for over an hour before slowly subsiding. The four had waited above.

Seeing the purple energy weaken, they simultaneously flew down towards the camp, all eager to know who was undergoing the promotion at this critical time. Just as they neared the camp, a military transport shuttle zipped past them, entering the site a step ahead.

After entering the camp, the four saw several medical personnel loading a completely naked youth onto an automated stretcher. Landing near the shuttle, all four looked deeply perplexed.

They had distinctly seen everyone carried out before they released the containment field; how could one person have been left behind? Fortunately, the youth was not in mortal danger; they could sense the vigorous life force stirring within him.

"Did you see anyone when you came in?" the square-faced elder asked the medical staff. "No," the questioned medical attendant shook his head.

"I only saw this one youth." He then boarded the shuttle with the stretcher. As the shuttle departed, the square-faced elder murmured, "How could this be?

Did he leave immediately after advancing?" "Impossible," Elder Yang countered. "After advancing, all internal energy is depleted; they almost always fall into a coma." A sharp-featured elder's expression flickered, as if something occurred to him, before he slightly shook his head.

The square-faced elder noticed this. "Brother Zhang, do you have an idea?

Share it so we can discuss it." Elder Zhang smiled faintly. "It's nothing, really.

I was just wondering if perhaps it was that youth. However, that youth looks barely in his teens; how could he possibly..." He trailed off.

The complexions of the other three elders simultaneously shifted. What Elder Zhang refrained from saying was: how could someone barely in their teens possibly advance to the Tenth Level?

But in this world, they knew there was indeed an anomaly—a freak who reached the Tenth Level before even hitting his twenties. Could this youth also be...?

The more the four considered it, the more logical it seemed. Since no one else was present at the site other than the youth, who else could it be?

Their habitual thinking had subconsciously assumed that anyone capable of reaching the Tenth Level would be at least forty or fifty years old, leading to this misunderstanding. Yet, they sincerely hoped this wasn't true.

One body-defying anomaly was more than enough. All four fell into a contemplative silence.

After a long pause, the square-faced elder finally spoke, "We will check with the main command headquarters regarding this camp's commanding officer. The truth will become clear then.

Thinking further now is pointless." The other three nodded. Disinclined to wait for transport, they flew directly toward the main command headquarters.

Zhong Yun slowly woke from his unconsciousness. As he opened his eyes, he saw a pristine white ceiling and a thought immediately surfaced: I'm in a hospital.

"You're awake?" A familiar voice sounded. Zhong Yun turned his head and saw a face as pure as water.

In eyes as clear as an ancient pool, a hint of mockery shone through. "Are you an angel?" Zhong Yun's eyes widened, and the words slipped out unconsciously.

"That's right, I am the angel in white." As if recalling a memory, a slight smile touched the corner of her lips. "I'll become an angel too..."—cough—a hacking cough shattered the warm atmosphere of their reunion.

The latter half of his sentence choked in Zhong Yun's throat. He turned toward the source of the sound, intending to see which inconsiderate fool dared interrupt him at a moment like this.

What met his gaze was a face more familiar than any other, and Zhong Yun’s somber expression instantly fell. He stared in shock, "Why are you here?" The woman as pure as water was Shui Lian Yue, and the one who interrupted him was Fei Liming, the persistent nuisance who caused him endless headaches.

Fei Liming was lying prone on a nearby bed, waving vigorously at Zhong Yun, his face flushed with excitement. "Zhong Yun, I never expected to see you again!

I thought you were dead!" "You're the one who's dead." Zhong Yun touched his face, then turned back to Shui Lian Yue. "Right, why are you here?

Huh? And how did I end up here?" Shui Lian Yue sat on the edge of Zhong Yun's bed, gently turning his head to examine his eyes while answering, "I was reassigned here.

As for you, you were brought in by the medics." Shui Lian Yue was very close to him, and the faint, almost imperceptible fragrance enveloped his senses again, quickly stirring feelings within him. Shui Lian Yue, however, didn't notice his unusual reaction.

The time they had spent together previously had built a strong sense of trust, so she rarely kept her guard up around him. After checking his pupils and noting the data on the monitoring equipment bedside, Shui Lian Yue stood up, walked a few steps, then paused.

"It’s truly good that you survived. When I heard about the Tong Guang Star incident, I..." Zhong Yun, feeling a pang of loss at her nearly departing, asked when she cut herself short, "What is it?

Were you devastated by my death? Did you cry buckets?" Shui Lian Yue turned back, giving him a look that dismissed his ego.

"Dream on. I was incredibly relieved.

A shameless man like you—the sooner you die, the sooner you find peace." With that, she left the room with light, quick steps. "I am so wronged," Zhong Yun muttered, clutching his forehead.

"Dr. Shui, you haven't examined me yet..." Fei Liming weakly stretched an arm toward Shui Lian Yue's retreating back, his face etched with grievance.

Zhong Yun's lips twitched. "Uh, Fei Liming, why are you here?" Fei Liming pushed himself up slightly, stuffing a pillow under his chest to ease the strain of lifting his head.

"I was injured." "I know you're injured." Zhong Yun had a powerful urge to roll his eyes again; the massive wound on his back was impossible to miss. "I mean, why are you in this military camp?" Fei Liming's eyes lit up.

"I'm here as part of the rescue team!" Zhong Yun was astonished. "Your family actually agreed to let you join?

I assumed that although the major clans formed the 'Rescue Teams,' they wouldn't allow direct lineage members to participate." He realized he had misjudged. For the Fei family to send Fei Liming to the 'Rescue Team' was genuinely beyond his expectations.

If he remembered correctly, Fei Liming was the direct grandson of the Fei family head. "I fight for my country; I regret nothing even if I die!" Fei Liming exclaimed, his youthful face radiating an unexpected intensity.

"It's not just me; Zhang Xiao is here too." "Zhang Xiao?" Zhong Yun exclaimed. "He's here too?" But considering his personality, it wasn't entirely surprising that he would join the 'Rescue Team.' Upon returning to Dawo, Zhang Xiao was hailed as a hero by countless citizens.

After being taken home by his family, there had been no news of him. In fact, Zhong Yun hadn't seen him for several months.

"Right, how did you escape? When I asked Zhang Xiao about your whereabouts, he refused to say," Fei Liming suddenly inquired.

When Zhong Yun was first brought in, Fei Liming nearly lost his composure. Seeing a person you believed dead suddenly appear alive right before your eyes was enough to scare someone senseless.

"Oh, I boarded the Tong Guang Star, but I managed to escape before it even set sail," Zhong Yun replied smoothly with a pre-rehearsed lie. "What incredible luck," Fei Liming wasn't suspicious at all, only marveling at Zhong Yun's good fortune.

"Once we hit the front lines, I must stick close to you and Zhang Xiao. Your luck is incredible." Zhong Yun was about to say more when the ward door was pushed open, and two people walked in.

"Little Yun, you're not dead yet, are you?" a slightly heavier man boomed as soon as he entered. "Why are you here?" Zhong Yun was truly dizzy.

What day was this? Why were so many acquaintances popping up before him?

"Wherever you are, that's where we are," the heavier man chuckled. These two were his steadfast comrades, Tian Hai and Chen Wen.

They had heard Zhong Yun was injured and rushed over during their break to check on him. "Didn't expect you to get hurt on your first day here," Tian Hai teased.

Suddenly, he noticed the other person in the room, and as he took in the sight, a chill shot up his spine, straight to his scalp. He stumbled backward several steps, pointing a trembling hand at Fei Liming, whose forehead seemed to bear a giant question mark.

"H-he he he..." After stuttering for a full minute, Tian Hai couldn't form a coherent sentence. Chen Wen smacked Tian Hai's head.

"That’s not Fei Yingming, don't embarrass us!" "What?" Tian Hai turned, his face a mask of shock and bewilderment. "Not him?" "You know my brother?" Fei Liming watched them with a gentle smile that sent shivers down Tian Hai's spine; the face, identical to Fei Yingming's, was terrifying.

"We do," Chen Wen nodded, his gaze shifting questioningly to Zhong Yun: Why is this person here? Zhong Yun shrugged slightly: How should I know?

Fei Liming's eyes brightened, and he said excitedly, "Are you my brother's friends?" Chen Wen and Tian Hai exchanged a look. Friends with Fei Yingming?

Fei Liming's question struck them as absurd. Saying Zhong Yun and Fei Yingming were mortal enemies might be an exaggeration, but they certainly couldn't be called friends, not when they were rivals for the same woman.

"No," Zhong Yun interjected. "We actually have some history with your brother." "Uh..." Fei Liming was momentarily stuck, a flicker of awkwardness crossing his face.

Then, understanding dawned in his eyes. "No wonder you've always been so cold and dismissive towards me—it’s because of my brother." "It seems you and your brother have a good relationship," Zhong Yun observed.

"Yes," Fei Liming lapsed into nostalgia. "He was always my idol growing up." Idol?

Chen Wen and Tian Hai exchanged glances. Fei Liming looked at Zhong Yun seriously.

"My brother is my brother, and I am me. Even though you had conflicts with him, I hope it doesn't affect our friendship.

I genuinely value you as a friend." Chen Wen and Tian Hai looked at each other again, both finding it incredible. Fei Yingming and Zhong Yun were naturally at odds due to Liu Yunqi.

But now, Fei Yingming's younger brother was insisting on being friends with Zhong Yun. Chen Wen found it particularly ridiculous.

He had always suspected Zhong Yun played a major role in Fei Yingming’s death. What would Fei Liming's reaction be if he ever learned that Zhong Yun might have been the one who killed his brother?

Zhong Yun stared intently into Fei Liming's eyes; they were sincere and open. It was genuinely hard to imagine that the cunning and cruel Fei Yingming could have such a brother.

"Give me some time," Zhong Yun responded. "Alright." Just then, a medical attendant entered and wheeled Fei Liming away.

Once he was gone, Chen Wen asked, "How did you meet him?" "At the training base," Zhong Yun replied with a wry smile. "I kept trying to avoid him, but he's like a persistent shadow.

Running into him even here... it's just..." "Let's drop him," Zhong Yun decided, pushing the thought aside.

"By the way, why are you here?" "Same reason as you," Tian Hai cut in. "Same as me?" Zhong Yun was filled with questions.

He was here as an instructor; were they too? "Exactly!

Joining the rescue team, supporting the army on the front lines to resist the invaders," Tian Hai stood up, gesticulating wildly, imagining the exhilaration of piloting a mech and routing the enemy, laughing heartily. Zhong Yun stared blankly at Chen Wen, who simply nodded.

"Are you both insane?" Zhong Yun suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Chen Wen by the collar, his agitation rising. "Do you have any idea what you're signing up for?

This is war; people die in war! You cannot go!" By the end, he was nearly roaring.

Chen Wen reeled, momentarily dizzy, before shaking off Zhong Yun's grip. He looked at Zhong Yun with a strange expression.

"Of course people die in war, but..." His chest heaved, and his voice rose in pitch. "But our country is under invasion!

If we don't step forward and join the resistance, our nation will be finished! Do you expect me to be a coward, hiding in a safe place while waiting for the enemy to conquer us and turn us into subjugated slaves?" Chen Wen shouted his outburst; he rarely showed such emotion, clearly having reached his limit.

"There are many ways to save a nation; why must you go to the front lines to seek death?" Zhong Yun's face flushed alternating shades of red and white. Chen Wen looked at him coldly.

"You don't need to say any more." He turned and walked toward the door, stopping halfway. "I will not..." "I will not stand by and watch my country be destroyed by the flames of war, even if the price is death." He walked out without looking back.

"Chen Wen!" Tian Hai panicked. He glanced at the doorway, then at the stunned Zhong Yun.

With a resolute hardening of his jaw, he stood up and chased after Chen Wen, tossing back only, "Sorry, Little Yun..." The sound of footsteps faded. Zhong Yun slumped back onto the bed, defeated.

His father was like this; Chen Wen was like this; Tian Hai was the same. For Dawo, they were willing to lay down their lives.

Yes, this was their country, the place where they grew up. Just like his own nation, when war loomed and enemies invaded, countless people stepped forward without hesitation, sacrificing their lives simply to defend their homeland.

Their blood ran hot. Chen Wen was right.

He was a coward, willing to disregard Dawo to preserve his own life. Zhong Yun clenched the white sheets tightly in his hand.

But I cannot let them go to die. For his parents, for his friends and family, for his beloved, for these compatriots who shared his blood, he could no longer remain a bystander.

Zhong Yun slid off the bed and walked out of the ward. "Zhong Yun, where are you going?" Shui Lian Yue, who happened to be passing by, saw him exiting and quickly rushed over to stop him.

"You still need to stay for observation for another day." Zhong Yun looked at her. "Do you have a phone?" "What's wrong?" Shui Lian Yue instinctively sensed something was amiss with him.

"Who do you need to contact?"

"The highest commander here," Zhong Yun stated gravely. "You will inform him immediately that I, Zhong Yun, have matters of extreme importance to discuss with him."

"You should go back to the infirmary first..." Shui Lian-Yue attempted to pull him back into the room.

"Contact the highest commander now," Zhong Yun commanded sharply. "Do you intend to compromise military intelligence?"

Shui Lian-Yue was startled; she had never seen Zhong Yun so enraged. Frowning her delicate brows, and seeing his resolute expression, her heart softened. "Alright, I will notify him, but I can't guarantee the Commander will agree to see you."

"Just go and inform him," Zhong Yun cut short any further discussion and returned to the room.

Shui Lian-Yue watched him with a hint of worry before leaving the room and hurrying toward the liaison point in the medical bay.

"Zhong Yun wants to see me?" Yang Siqing looked up from a stack of official documents, facing Yang Yun-Rong with a slight look of surprise. After a moment of thought, she instructed, "Go and fetch him."

P: Another week has passed. Seeking recommendation votes.