Some Things Must Be Done by Someone

Some Things Must Be Done by Someone

"You saw the news too?" Uncle asked.

"Yeah." Li Yuan nodded.

The Seven Great Planets lay far apart from one another, and quite a few Star Realms had appeared on each of them.

Blue Star had relatively few Star Realms among the Seven Great Planets.

Star Realms led to alien civilizations deep within the starry sea. They were the front line of war between human civilization and the Alien Domain.

Battles frequently broke out there.

The highest-level Star Realm within Xia Country was the "Luo Bu Hai Star Realm" in Beijiang Province. It was a Level 2 Star Realm, with a large military force stationed there year-round.

Over the past few days at school, Li Yuan had heard that fighting had erupted again in the Luo Bu Hai Star Realm, but he had not known how serious it was.

Now, it seemed to be extremely dire.

"The Luo Bu Hai War broke out very suddenly. Headquarters has ordered us to go provide construction support." Uncle spoke with a smile, seeming quite relaxed.

"We're leaving tonight. The high-speed train is at three in the morning." Aunt said from beside them, her eyes full of worry.

Li Yuan looked at Uncle, equally worried.

In Li Yuan's memories, his impression of his parents had already become very vague. After all, they had died when he was only two or three years old.

Li Yuan had been raised by his uncle and aunt, who treated him like their own son.

In Li Yuan's eyes, his uncle and aunt were no different from parents.

His uncle, Li Changzhou, had decent Martial Arts talent. He had graduated from Jiangbei Martial Arts University and also earned a degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources, and Ocean Engineering. After graduation, he had steadily risen to middle management at a state-owned enterprise, with a very respectable salary.

His aunt was named Chen Hui and worked as a middle school math teacher.

After decades together, the couple should by all rights have saved up a respectable family fortune. Why were they still living in this old residential complex?

Li Yuan knew why. Because of him!

The costs of treating his childhood illnesses and surgeries had accumulated to more than a million Blue Star Coins. Later, recuperating his body, all kinds of supplements, treatment expenses, and biological medicines had cost another huge sum.

From middle school onward, practicing martial arts had also been a bottomless money pit.

Take his younger cousin, Li Muhua. The Martial Arts talent he had displayed surpassed Li Yuan's at the same age, and he had even awakened Martial Arts Spirituality in his first year of middle school.

Yet the cultivation resources his cousin received now were not even as good as what Li Yuan had received back then.

Uncle and Aunt had never said anything about it.

His younger brother and sister had never felt that Li Yuan was taking up their resources, either.

But Li Yuan himself felt somewhat guilty toward his uncle and aunt, and even toward his younger brother and sister.

This was also an important reason why Li Yuan had consciously begun cultivating like mad from middle school onward.

He did not want the hopes Uncle and Aunt had placed in him to come to nothing. He was determined to make something of himself.

Especially after entering high school, his goals had become even clearer. He hoped that through his own efforts, he could repay Uncle and Aunt in the future and make it up to his younger brother and sister.

Soon after entering his second year of high school, Li Yuan's physical fitness had reached Level 5.0. Then he awakened the miraculous Mind Divine Palace, causing his martial arts cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds.

The Mind Divine Palace is indeed miraculous, but without working hard yourself, it would still be useless. Li Yuan had realized this after awakening the Mind Divine Palace.

Thus, he dared not slack off even more.

Get into a martial arts university.

Or even one of the Five Great Prestigious Schools, and ultimately become a high-rank martial artist. This had always been Li Yuan's ambition.

Not only for himself, but for his family as well.

Just now, when he learned that Uncle was about to leave for Luo Bu Hai, Li Yuan's heart had trembled.

Uncle Li Changzhou had made it sound so light and easy.

But Li Yuan, who followed the news year-round, knew that when it came to fending off invasions by alien civilizations from beyond the Star Realm, soldiers and martial artists faced the greatest danger.

Next came the workers involved in constructing all kinds of military defensive facilities.

What Uncle Li Changzhou was going to do this time was essentially serve as a combat engineer.

One had to know that ordinary heavy weapons could not stop powerful Star Realm Creatures. Only certain cutting-edge technological weapons or high-rank martial artists could deal with them.

It was extremely dangerous.

If I hadn't gotten sick back then, or if martial arts cultivation hadn't cost so much, Uncle could have stayed in the city with peace of mind, doing municipal maintenance work. He wouldn't have needed to volunteer for an outside assignment just to earn that extra allowance. Thinking of this, Li Yuan felt even worse.

"Xiao Yuan, come into the bedroom first. We'll talk slowly." Uncle Li Changzhou called Li Yuan into the master bedroom.

There were two little stools in the master bedroom, and Li Yuan sat down on one.

Uncle sat on the edge of the bed.

Click. Aunt gently closed the door.

Li Changzhou's hair had already thinned somewhat. Though he had put on a little weight, he still carried himself with refined grace.

"Originally, your aunt advised me not to tell you. She said she was afraid it would affect your studies in your final year of high school." Li Changzhou smiled at Li Yuan. "But I think the men of the Li Family should be able to bear any pressure."

Aunt Chen Hui said nothing and sat down beside them.

"Uncle, tell me." Li Yuan spoke softly.

"According to the information I've received, the defensive systems at several entrances and exits of Luo Bu Hai have been severely damaged. The military and the Starry Sky Martial Hall have both suffered heavy casualties." Li Changzhou said calmly. "This attack was held back, but if they attack again, there is a risk of the defenses being completely breached."

Li Yuan held his breath. Completely breached?

The entrances and exits of a Star Realm were a critical gate holding back invasions against human civilization.

Once breached, it would absolutely be a disaster.

Back then, his parents had died in a Star Realm disaster.

"This time, there is a risk that I may die." Li Changzhou looked steadily at Li Yuan. "In war, how could there be no deaths?"

"Uncle, can't you not go?" Li Yuan could not help asking.

"Headquarters requires us to go, but if I truly don't want to, there are ways around it. After all, the country has only issued a Level Three Alert." Li Changzhou smiled.

Li Yuan listened.

Xia Country classified wartime dangers into three alert levels, with Level Three being the lowest and Level One the highest.

Once a Level One Alert was activated, it meant the entire country would enter a state of war. Full mobilization would be carried out, and all citizens and all supplies had to be ready at any moment to obey conscription orders.

Over the past century, Xia Country had activated a Level One Alert only once, in 2028.

Above a Level One Alert was a Civilization Alert, a mobilization that could only be declared upon joint confirmation by the highest council of the Seven Star Alliance and the Three Martial Halls.

Once declared, it meant that at least one human planet had fallen into a life-or-death crisis and required the full support of the other planets.

Since the Alliance had been founded, only one Civilization Alert had been activated in several hundred years.

But even the lowest, a "Level Three Alert," once issued, meant massive consumption of supplies and casualties among personnel.

"Xiao Yuan, I can choose not to go." Uncle Li Changzhou smiled. "But if I don't go, someone else will definitely have to take my place."

"Someone has to go to this war, doesn't he?"

Li Yuan fell silent.

"You're the only one who can do it? In such a huge company, they're short exactly one person, and that person has to be you?" Aunt Chen Hui suddenly shouted, her eyes faintly reddening.

Li Changzhou had already discussed it with her earlier.

And in the living room, afraid that Li Qianqian and Li Muhua would notice something was wrong, she had held it in and shown nothing.

But now, hearing Li Changzhou's words, she finally could not endure any longer and vented one sentence.

Li Changzhou froze for a moment, then silently reached out and gently wrapped an arm around his wife Chen Hui's waist, comforting her.

Chen Hui lowered her head. Her eyes were red, but she did not speak again.

After a long while.

"Xiao Yuan, don't worry too much." After comforting his wife somewhat, Li Changzhou looked back at Li Yuan. "I'm not going into close combat like the other martial artists, after all. It isn't that dangerous."

"Besides, I'm an entry-level martial artist at least. I have some ability to protect myself." Li Changzhou smiled.

Li Yuan remained silent.

Uncle had graduated from a martial arts university. At his peak, his physical fitness had exceeded Level 12, but after years of work, he was probably only at Level 10 or 11 now. And many of his combat techniques had likely grown rusty.

Martial arts was not immortal cultivation. One had to train diligently every day.

Suddenly.

Beep! Li Yuan instantly felt a vibration at his wrist and instinctively raised his hand to look.

Your account ending in 1486 has received 56,000.00 Blue Star Coins... Transferred from account ending in... Balance: 58,324.12 Blue Star Coins.

"Uncle, you?" Li Yuan was stunned.

He recognized the ending digits of the transferring account at a glance. It was Uncle Li Changzhou's.

"This is your living expenses for September and October."

"The network might not be reliable once I get to Beijiang Province, so I'm sending it all to you today. Manage it properly yourself." Li Changzhou smiled. "I took you to see Uncle Zhong to buy basic blood and qi medicine before, so you should have experience with it."

"I've already spoken with Uncle Zhong."

"When you have time on weekends later, go to the Martial Hall and buy it from him." Li Changzhou said. "Your aunt will transfer the rest of your living expenses to you later."

"Aunt." Li Yuan looked at her.

"Listen to your uncle." Chen Hui had calmed down somewhat, and her voice was steady again. "Take the money. Don't worry about things at home."

Li Yuan fell silent and did not ask further.

His cultivation truly needed money right now.

"Oh, right."

"Have you thought about which direction you want to choose for your college entrance application?" Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan.