Wei Lanshan's Past

Xixiu finally learned a little of Wei Lanshan's story, as well as her relationship with Vivian.

"Back then, your Aunt Lan was just like you are now. She had been confused, and she had hesitated over going to the battlefield. We grew up together, so we understood each other's character better than anyone."

Xixiu was very surprised. Someone as powerful as Wei Lanshan had once been lost too?

"But that wasn't why she transferred to the liberal arts academy. Your Aunt Lan was a responsible person. When people are young, everyone fears war and death."

Only then did Xixiu learn that Wei Lanshan had been alone too. Like her, she was one of the lonely people in this world.

No wonder, when Xixiu had asked her before, Wei Lanshan had affirmed that people were born alone.

Wei Lanshan, Vivian, and another girl had grown up together in the Orphanage before going to school on the Capital Star. Due to an accident, Wei Lanshan later transferred to the liberal arts academy to study biology and medicine.

That was because the girl whose name Vivian had not told Xixiu—the third of the three of them—developed an irreversible illness after entering military academy.

That girl had been exceptionally gifted. Perhaps that was precisely why the stars had envied her.

The illness she suffered from could not be cured with the Alliance's technology at the time.

Yet the girl was strong. She calmly accepted her fate and told Wei Lanshan and Vivian not to grieve. Though it was a regret that she could not die on the battlefield, being able to know them during her brief life had been her good fortune.

But Wei Lanshan was unwilling to watch her family member fade away like that. If her talent had been allowed to develop, she would have become someone who astonished the Alliance.

Treating that girl as a younger sister, Wei Lanshan swore to cure her. So, at what must have been great cost, she transferred from military academy to Jinghui Star.

As for what deal she had made with the Central Brain to leave military academy, Vivian did not say.

"What happened after that? Did Aunt Lan stay on Gaia the whole time?"

"Yes. After completing her studies—the third year after that person passed away—she went to Gaia. After my service term ended, I followed my assignment and came to Ningkui Star. I've stayed here for nearly sixty years now."

Xixiu did not know what Wei Lanshan had felt back then, but after hearing her story, she became even more confused.

Wei Lanshan's current strength and composure had come only after tremendous upheaval and countless hardships.

So how was she, who had not gone through such trials, supposed to steady her heart?

She had not expected that, after already living one lifetime and being nearly forty by calculation, she would still feel afraid of war.

"After your Aunt Lan graduated from the liberal arts academy, she earned two doctoral degrees. She went to Gaia, but still returned to military academy. After graduating from there, she went to serve at the frontier."

Xixiu had not expected Wei Lanshan to ultimately return to her original path. She truly admired her. "And then?"

"Then your Aunt Lan became famous in a single battle. She fulfilled all of that girl's wishes." Whenever Vivian thought of this, she felt both helpless and heartbroken for Wei Lanshan.

Xixiu listened intently to Wei Lanshan's past, hoping to find an answer within it.

"What did Aunt Lan fight for?"

Not everyone was born with a spirit of self-sacrifice. Wei Lanshan had returned to the battlefield to fulfill that girl's wish.

"For a promise. Xixiu, none of us are as great as others imagine.

"Service is the general trend throughout the Alliance, but participating in war is not what we want. Yet we enjoy all the benefits the Alliance provides us. If no one protects this Alliance, all of it will cease to exist."

Xixiu understood that reasoning. She had thought war was far away from her, only to find it close at hand. That was why she had wanted to retreat.

"Vivian, what about you? Why did you go to the battlefield?"

"To fulfill the wishes of my deceased parents. My parents were soldiers too. They spent their lives fighting for the Alliance. They died on the front lines, to protect the young me and give me a safe rear."

Everyone in the Alliance had, to some extent, a history written in blood and tears. At that moment, Xixiu finally understood that she had to go to this battlefield, no matter what. There was no way back.

"Xixiu, remember this: no one is born strong. There may be people whose physical strength and Mental Power place them at the peak from birth.

"But your heart is what determines how far you can go. So you can be a little braver. When you set foot on that path, you will discover that it is not all sorrow, nor is it all thorns. There will also be breathtakingly beautiful scenery, and the people you meet will be worth knowing for a lifetime."

"I understand. Thank you, Vivian." After ten minutes of silence, Xixiu gave Vivian a smile that put her at ease.

"You're welcome. You can always come talk to me about anything. Don't be afraid, and don't feel ashamed that you could have such thoughts, Xixiu. This is only human nature."

"Mhm. No matter what the future holds, Vivian, thank you for who you are at this moment. I know what kind of life I need to face from now on."

Xixiu left Vivian's office. Vivian sent the conversation she had had with Xixiu to Wei Lanshan, who was in another star system.

After receiving the message, Wei Lanshan sat in the laboratory, silent for a long time.

It was perfectly normal for Xixiu to feel confused.

Through her interactions with Xixiu, Wei Lanshan had noticed that her surprise and curiosity toward this world were not the curiosity of a child encountering new things.

Rather, it was more like: Oh my god, what is all this high technology I've never seen before? And judging from the emotions she had shown on the road while fleeing, when Wu Yuan left, this soul came from some unknown star region that was relatively peaceful and saw little war.

After coming to this world, she had no attachments. From birth, she had only herself. She was not so great that she had been born wanting to contribute to the Alliance, much less prepared to sacrifice herself.

Just like Wei Lanshan had been back then.

Wei Lanshan sent Vivian only one sentence: "Take good care of her. She should be able to adjust by tomorrow. Don't worry. I guarantee that tomorrow, you'll see an incomparably radiant Hong Xixiu."

Xixiu returned to her dormitory, sipping Nutrient Paste as she sketched and wrote on the light screen. Then she lay on her bed and thought carefully about many things—her past life, this life, everything she could think of.

War was cruel. She had to work harder, harder still. She wanted to return whole after going through war and roam the sea of stars.

Having made her decision and strengthened her resolve, Xixiu slept soundly.

When the star rose again, just as Wei Lanshan had said, Xixiu was full of life once more.

She devised an even stricter training regimen, exercised even harder, and used her time with a ruthlessness that made others shudder.

Xue Fanhui had no idea what had upset her. Afraid something might be wrong with her, she could only train alongside her.

Zhen accompanied them as well. Seeing Xixiu work herself so hard broke her heart, yet she could not help in the slightest.

For the first time, she felt anguish over why she did not possess powerful Mental Power.

Xixiu returned to her old routine, every day packed to the brim.

She still insisted on working at the snack factory. She had already finished the beginner programming course and was about to begin intermediate studies.

Her Robot Dynamics studies were going smoothly as well. Before she went to study on Capital Star, she should be able to build Sixi.

She was now Hong Xixiu, her fighting spirit restored! She absolutely, absolutely had to die of old age. It had become an obsession.

Seeing her work so desperately, Xue Fanhui and Zhen could hardly afford to fall behind. They could only rise to the challenge and chase after her.