"Long time no see, Zhong Yun." Yang Siqing set aside the work in her hands and stood up, her gaze sweeping first over Zhong Yun's somewhat pale face, then landing on Shui Lianyue beside him.

"It's you?" Zhong Yun seemed a little surprised. Seeing him looking at Shui Lianyue, he explained, "I'm still not feeling entirely well, so I asked her to accompany me."

Beside him, Yang Yunrong glared at Zhong Yun with undisguised hostility, especially seeing the devastatingly beautiful nurse standing so close to him.

"How are you feeling now?" Yang Siqing wasn't one to dwell on such trivialities. Besides, she recognized the female doctor; she was from the Gong family, a core figure cultivated by the family since childhood. By rank, she was authorized to access certain confidential matters.

"A bit fatigued." Zhong Yun managed a faint smile and turned to look at Shui Lianyue.

Understanding the look in his eyes, Shui Lianyue shook her head. "I'm not leaving. Don't forget what you promised me."

Zhong Yun felt a touch of helplessness. Shui Lianyue believed his condition was dangerous and absolutely forbade him from leaving the medical bay—unless, of course, she could accompany him.

However, what Zhong Yun needed to say now wasn't classified information, so he paid her no mind.

"Arrange a dedicated jet. I need to see the President immediately," Zhong Yun stated.

"Your instructor position has been temporarily suspended," Yang Siqing informed him. "For this period, you should focus on resting."

"There is no more time," Zhong Yun insisted, fixing her with a serious gaze. "I have extremely critical intelligence to report to the Provisional Operations Department, intelligence that concerns the success or failure of this entire operation."

Yang Siqing’s brow furrowed. Given his rank, she was aware of Zhong Yun’s recent activities. Those who knew his background could never treat him as a mere teenager. Moreover, he spoke with such solemnity.

"Arrange a dedicated jet for him right away," Yang Siqing commanded, unwilling to delay. She instructed Yang Yunrong.

In the military, efficiency was everything. In less than three minutes, Yang Yunrong returned to report that the jet was prepared.

Seated aboard the dedicated aircraft reserved only for high-ranking military personnel, Zhong Yun closed his eyes, his mind drifting far away. Every experience since his rebirth surfaced—those moments, some mundane, some tender, some passionate, some sorrowful, flipped through his mind like slides in a projector, starkly clear.

The memories belonged not to this land, not to this nation, but to the people and events of this land, this nation.

He had been too naive before. These people and events were inseparable from the nation. If the nation fell, would the people and events still be the same?

The phone vibrating in his pocket jolted the lost-in-thought Zhong Yun awake. He pulled it out to see it was Liu Yunqi, vacationing at her maternal grandmother’s house. She had told him before leaving that she couldn't contact him while visiting. This was the first call he’d received from her in over a month.

"You're back?" Looking at the perfect face that haunted his dreams, Zhong Yun’s expression softened.

Shui Lianyue, who had been dozing with her eyes closed, heard the sound and opened hers. She immediately noticed the tender look on Zhong Yun's face, finding it peculiar. Just moments ago, his expression had been as grim as a death mask; how had it turned so yielding and gentle in the blink of an eye?

She secretly glanced toward the screen and her first reaction was astonishment. She had never seen such a beautiful girl.

"Where are you?" the girl on the screen asked, her voice lovely, crisp like the clash of ice. Her tone was urgent, clearly showing deep concern for the person she was addressing.

So, she was his girlfriend. Shui Lianyue looked at Zhong Yun with surprise. She hadn't expected that, despite his unremarkable appearance, his girlfriend would be so overwhelmingly beautiful.

"On a jet, heading to Wolfe City. Are you still at home?" Zhong Yun replied after asking her the question.

The tension visibly eased on Liu Yunqi's face. "I just found out... the war has broken out. Big Brother said you became a Major General and joined the rescue team. I'm so scared..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Zhong Yun knew what she feared. The last incident involving him had left a shadow on her heart.

"I’m just going there as an instructor," Zhong Yun said with a reassuring smile, then smoothly changed the subject. "Your grandmother's place has such outdated communications; do you really have no contact with the outside world?"

"Mm. Grandma's house is in... Wait, is there someone next to you?" Liu Yunqi suddenly said with guarded suspicion mid-sentence.

"Oh, right." Zhong Yun glanced at Shui Lianyue. "My... attending nurse." He had almost said adjutant, but that lie would be too easily exposed. Heaven knew how long Shui Lianyue intended to stick with him. Sometimes, excessive devotion to duty could be lethal.

"You're injured?" Liu Yunqi’s voice rose again, her concern evident on her face. "Are you alright?"

"Look at me—I sound full of vigor. What could be wrong?" Zhong Yun chuckled. "Just some superficial wounds. Your brother is making a fuss, insisting on having a medical attendant stay with me."

Liu Yunqi studied Zhong Yun closely. Apart from a slight pallor, he appeared quite spirited. While his injuries might not be as minor as he claimed, they probably weren't serious.

She chastised him lightly, "Why are you so careless?"

"It's all because of you," Zhong Yun began spinning another tale. "I was training, and somehow, I started thinking about you, got distracted for a moment, and the accident happened..."

"Stop talking nonsense," Liu Yunqi said, slightly embarrassed, mainly because someone else was present with Zhong Yun.

Although Zhong Yun didn't mind Shui Lianyue's presence, he couldn't speak overly intimate words out of consideration for Liu Yunqi's delicate sensibilities. Still, he managed to coax her into a state of happy smiles nonetheless.

Finally, Zhong Yun's dedicated jet arrived in Wolfe City, forcing him to end the call.

In the President's office, Zhong Yun glanced at Shui Lianyue beside him, finding it strange. Why did the President seem to treat her as transparent, completely unconcerned by her presence? Was the Presidential Office a place where anyone could just walk in?

"I heard you were promoted. Congratulations," Shi Jinfan's gaze was complex. Although this seventeen-year-old boy had already given him countless surprises, he was still shocked by this news.

After achieving Level Ten in physical arts, one was crowned a 'Strongman' precisely because they possessed astonishing, incredible power.

A Level Ten Strongman was a headache even for him, the President; it was a force of deterrence. They could not only fly and destroy steel mechas with bare hands, but due to their small stature, they could conceal themselves among the ordinary populace.

If a Level Ten Strongman unleashed destruction without restraint, the resulting damage would certainly be far greater than that caused by a single mecha.

After Zhong Yun reached Level Ten, many of his usual measures would no longer be effective against him.

A flicker of doubt crossed Shi Jinfan's mind: after a lifetime dedicated to weakening the power of the noble houses, would he ultimately end up personally fostering a power far more terrifying than all of them combined?

The thought vanished as quickly as it came; this was not the time to dwell on it. Priorities mattered. The most pressing issue was how to stabilize the front lines. Otherwise, if the nation perished, everything else was moot.

"Thank you, Mr. President," Zhong Yun nodded slightly.

"I heard you sought me out for something, and that it concerned the success or failure of the Rescue Team’s mission?" Shi Jinfan cut straight to the chase, his eyes fixed intently on Zhong Yun. "That is correct," Zhong Yun replied with a grave expression. "I have a method that can allow the Rescue Team to appear behind enemy lines without them realizing it."

A sharp, dazzling light flashed in Shi Jinfan’s eyes. "Are you serious?"

Zhong Yun looked into his eyes and nodded slowly, firmly.

Shui Lianyue’s eyes widened, staring unblinkingly at Zhong Yun. Though she was only a military doctor, she had taken military courses in college. She understood the significance of what Zhong Yun was proposing to the Davor Army.

If Zhong Yun could truly deliver on his promise, it meant the Davor Army could infiltrate and sabotage the enemy's rear, gaining a strategic advantage. Destroying just one enemy supply convoy could deliver a crushing blow.

Shi Jinfan understood this logic perfectly, which was why he momentarily lost his composure. This piece of intelligence was too vital, vital enough to potentially reverse the tide of defeat. With careful handling, eliminating all invaders was not out of the question.

In cosmic warfare, victory wasn't determined solely by the quality of warships. Too many factors influenced the outcome—a sudden cosmic storm could annihilate an entire powerful fleet.

Shi Jinfan clenched and released his fist repeatedly. He suddenly stood up, his face twitching slightly with excitement, and roared, "Convene an emergency meeting immediately!"

In the conference room of the Provisional Operations Department, every member who wasn't currently on assignment was present.

Zhong Yun stood at the command console, explaining his plan to the assembled officers below.

After hearing Zhong Yun’s explanation, the audience erupted in discussion. His entire strategy pivoted on one fundamental premise: the secret spatial jump point he claimed to know of.

However, none of them had ever heard of any secret spatial jump points existing in the cosmos. Betting Davor’s last hope on such a vague possibility was far too reckless.

They knew the main forces on the front line could collapse at any moment, allowing the Hongxian Federation’s armies to breach their defenses and occupy Davor’s residential star.

Someone stood up to voice their skepticism. "Are you absolutely certain that this so-called secret spatial jump point truly exists?"

"Before the space remote sensor, high-tensile metals, and stealth mechas were invented, did you not have the same doubt?" Zhong Yun countered.

The man’s expression faltered. "But that’s not the same thing!"

"Everyone present," Zhong Yun took a deep breath and spoke with profound weight, "our nation stands at the precipice of survival or destruction. Our soldiers are fighting bloody battles; every day, countless soldiers fall into eternal slumber in that sector of space. Every day, countless women become widows; every day, countless children become orphans... We cannot afford any more delays. Davor cannot bear this much sorrow."

Zhong Yun’s gaze swept over every face in the room. "Gentlemen, please make your decision swiftly."

P: Rolling on the floor begging for monthly tickets. Brothers who still have them, please cast your votes.