Speaking Frankly

"Welcome back, student Wang Ji."

"Hello, General Lian Feng."

Juxia Airport

Wang Ji wore a neat camouflage uniform, tall and imposing as he looked at General Lian Feng standing gracefully outside the airport. He walked over and greeted her with a smile.

She wore a uniform that accentuated her elegant figure, smiling sweetly without a trace of her usual detached calm. "Would you be interested in finding somewhere to talk?"

She pointed toward the helicopter parked in the distance.

"What if I said no?" he said casually. Looking over, he noticed Jess was actually aboard the aircraft and turned back curiously. "Why didn't he come down to greet me?"

"He doesn't think highly of you." Lian Feng smiled and spoke bluntly. "He doesn't like soldiers who act willfully, refuse discipline, throw tantrums, lack organization and discipline, leave without explaining anything, deliberately lose contact, and show no respect for their superiors."

"Mm." Wang Ji nodded at that. "I think he's absolutely right. I don't like that kind of soldier either. Someone like that doesn't deserve to be a soldier."

The earnest look on his face made it clear that he truly agreed.

Lian Feng burst out laughing, clearly not expecting him to be so brazen.

"Come on. Don't tell me you really planned to take a taxi back by yourself?" She pointed over there, signaling Wang Ji to follow her.

He chuckled and did not argue.

He strolled alongside Lian Feng without the slightest awkwardness, relaxed and at ease.

"I don't believe you simply took a casual trip, but there really hasn't been any news from The Other Side of the Ocean..."

After pondering for a moment, she spoke frankly. "We still can't figure out what you went there to do, but I still hope you can place a little more trust in everyone."

"I already trust everyone enough." Wang Ji remained utterly unconcerned as he spoke plainly. "I never intended to be disrespectful, either, and I tried to understand the purpose of Super God Academy. But forgive me for saying so: you never trusted me, either."

Lian Feng was instantly left speechless...

"You never trusted me, yet you tried your hardest to keep me at Super God Academy to wait for a war, even though I was willing to do so.

"But then you continued trying to influence me quickly, reform me, even completely plan out my life, or even... control me.

"Maybe it doesn't count as control, but does that mean it poses no danger to me? Do you really think that's a good thing?

"Is it that I don't trust you, or that you don't trust me?"

Lian Feng listened to those words in stunned silence. As she found herself unable to respond, she abruptly realized that Wang Ji's words seemed to conceal a great deal of information—information she could not understand how he knew.

Had he guessed? Or had he really learned that much common knowledge?

"Do not employ those you suspect; do not suspect those you employ. Either use me or don't. I'm the subordinate here. This was never something I needed to think about." Wang Ji enunciated every word.

"As an ordinary soldier, I am certainly unqualified. But in the world of Super Soldiers, I believe I am not particularly unusual.

"One world may have its own rules, and I do not believe the old rules can be completely applied to regulate it.

"And since you don't trust me, even though I clearly said I wouldn't cause trouble, even though this was my normal vacation, even though there has been no news at all from The Other Side of the Ocean, you still appeared here because you wanted to know what I did."

He shook his head with a soft laugh. "How should I put this..."

Without trust between them, no amount of talking would matter.

He could not simply do nothing when he could so easily strengthen himself, nor would he choose the difficult path and beg others for help.

Nor would he hand over the thing most vital to him just to prove something.

And he would not voluntarily expose his private information just to prove something.

Besides, many things within his reach, things he needed now, could not be obtained from Lian Feng. No matter how much he said, it would be useless.

Once he opened his mouth, it would lead to interrogation... pointless.

"If you insist on clinging to the idea that you must first pull me into Super God Academy, then quickly run some tests on me before you can rest easy, I hope we can part on good terms as soon as possible."

Wang Ji lifted a leg and boarded the helicopter, then continued, "Otherwise, I may always remain like this... To be honest, I find it rather exhausting too.

"What do you think?"

"Actually, living like this must be exhausting for you too, right~"

In the blink of an eye, the city lights had come on.

Wang Ji quietly watched the streams of traffic outside the window, the night glowing like flowing fire. His gaze was tranquil and peaceful, his eyes holding an endlessly deep night.

"There's no one you can entrust everything to, no one you can safely turn your back to.

"So from the start, you wanted to be alone, because you had grown accustomed to that kind of life... so you instinctively wanted to keep living that way.

"But you were still searching for love, and you found it so quickly."

A voice that had already become familiar entered his ears. He had not been spacing out, so he was not startled awake.

"I still think it's rather strange that you took the time to invite me here," Wang Ji said slowly, turning to look at Lian Feng across from him. She wore a burgundy business suit.

This was a Western restaurant, fortunately not some famous spot for couples.

A private room, candlelight, red wine, Western food, fragrance.

"There's no helping it. A child lacking affection, who has suffered persecution and refuses to believe anything you say—spending some time giving him special care can hardly be considered a waste."

Lian Feng held a wine glass between her fingers and gently swirled it, lifting an eyebrow slightly.

Having shed her military uniform, her tone had become more easygoing. If she had to put it into words, she seemed like an older, sophisticated woman not much older than Wang Ji.

"Actually, sometimes I think you've misunderstood something. I'm not particularly pitiful, nor am I as suspicious as you think. I'm simply considering things from the position I ought to have at this moment."

Wang Ji looked calmly at the beautiful and captivating General Lian Feng across from him. "If I hadn't seen through your identities, I wouldn't have thought so much. Or rather, if Ge Xiao Lun or Zhao Xin suddenly learned about your background, they wouldn't be much better than me.

"Every Earthling probably thinks this way."

Lian Feng was slightly surprised. Understanding suddenly appeared in her eyes, and she nodded with certainty. "That is true... It really is the standard way you Earthlings think."

"I have always tried to understand you in a positive light, including Leina and Super God Academy."

Wang Ji's voice was as gentle and calm as ever, and even Lian Feng's eyes suddenly grew somewhat unfocused.

He wore a white suit and looked almost like a grown man. Indeed, he was handsome and refined.

"From the bottom of my heart, I now believe Leina is kind, and I don't think you harbor malicious intentions. I am still judging things, and perhaps your kindness exceeds what someone of my era can comprehend.

"Maybe one day, I will sincerely thank you for helping our Earth. Of course, perhaps I am insignificant and not worth mentioning."

Wang Ji's words greatly surprised Lian Feng.

Perhaps preconceived notions truly did sometimes cause people to miss the right judgment.

"You're right. I do feel exhausted, and I do want someone I can depend on completely, so I chose Qi Lin."

Wang Ji shook his head slightly. "Nor do I think that gaining a few superpowers makes me invincible. I know there are always greater heights above and greater people beyond.

"I know that with a wave of her hand, Leina could reduce me to ashes.

"And being with some new friends and comrades-in-arms feels quite good too...

"But I will say the same thing again: from beginning to end, my not trusting you was never the issue.

"After all, this is my home.

"The real issue is that you don't trust me."