Beyond Compare

For the rest of the day, Yu Lian went over the various battle plans and details with everyone. He confirmed everything several times, and only after everyone agreed did he finally relax. He forced himself to sleep for a few hours. When he woke, Miss Frederica and Miss Penny had brought him sandwiches and coffee again.

Well, he had to admit that the two young ladies had gotten much better at making sandwiches. At least they'd upgraded from canned vegetables to eggs they'd fried themselves and slices of bacon. But after eating them for days, Yu Lian was about ready to throw up. Fortunately, in addition to the sandwiches, the girls had brought over a plate of roast meat. It had been cooked in the vehicle's oven, but it was better than nothing.

...Yeah, it felt a bit like being served a last meal before a suicide squad went out to clear a minefield.

Yu Lian gratefully accepted the roast and began cutting into it. "I'll have Sergeant Yoyo take a squad to watch the valley entrance. Old Master Wang and Mr. Kelvin's people will be staying behind too. If all they have to do is defend, there shouldn't be a problem."

Frederica nodded. As she watched Yu Lian wolf down the roast, she smiled until her big purple eyes narrowed. "Is it good?"

"The seasoning's too heavy, the meat's poor quality and way too fatty, and the oven temperature and timing were off. Some parts are overdone, others are still a little raw. All in all, it's like one of those roadside all-you-can-eat barbecue places that charges thirty yuan a head. Not exactly high-end." Yu Lian said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, is that so?" Frederica's eyes had curved into crescents. Her smile was so sweet it made Penny beside her shiver. Penny's own smile stiffened, and she looked at Yu Lian almost as if she were offering him last rites.

"Big brother, I bet you weren't very popular at school, especially with girls."

"No, just the opposite. There weren't many girls at my school, but I got along well with all of them. It's the guys who didn't think much of me."

Penny's expression turned openly sympathetic, as though she'd spotted one of those shut-in losers who couldn't get a girlfriend and could only call a picture of a girl their wife. Of course, she was a good girl, so she wouldn't show the sort of disgust that said, "This is so gross I could throw up." At least, not on the surface.

Being comforted with such maternal, accepting sympathy by a little girl who looked barely old enough for middle school was enough to put pressure on even Yu Lian's thick skin. He changed the subject. "I trust you two to handle things, but still, be careful. Keep an eye on the children, especially..."

"Why? Do you mean George?" Penny frowned and protested. "He's a good boy."

If you knew he was always telling people behind your back that you'd grow up to be a shrew nobody would marry, you wouldn't say that.

"Mr. Yu Lian, you don't actually think that because the boy is a military enthusiast and looks up to you—while being even more excited by Captain Winter and the others—he'll sneak after you to the battlefield, mess around, and get everything into a terrible state, leaving you in danger as you suffer heavy casualties trying to save him? Then, with your dying breath, you'll save his life, and only then will he truly understand the reality of war, inherit your legacy, and set off on the path to becoming a hero. You don't really think that's how this is going to go, do you?" Frederica glanced sideways at him, one corner of her mouth curling up. Her sarcasm practically slapped him in the face.

If an adult had spoken that way, she would've seemed mean and bitter. But coming from her, she was just an adorable little sharp-tongued girl.

"Big brother, I think children over five should have at least some common sense, and George is already seven. You're a soldier in the Commonwealth, so you ought to have better taste. You should watch fewer of those ridiculous domestic dramas. The shows from the Alliance are much better. They're more polished, both in production and script, and at least they don't have such idiotic plots. I recommend The Plank Family, Pirates; The Azure House; and Snakeblood..."

Why was I getting TV recommendations from a little girl? And why was a little girl recommending such dark, gritty gangster sagas and political intrigue, plus those weird, hopeless horror shows drenched in fake blood? Ina, who was always swooning over that tomb-raiding uncle in Raiders of the Alliance, was way more wholesome than you!

Yu Lian forced a stiff smile. He felt he couldn't let himself look intimidated in front of the girls, so he replied earnestly, "No, George and his friends are naturally good kids with common sense. But I was actually talking about the councilor and his representatives. Adults aren't necessarily more reasonable than children. In a crowd, they're even more likely to get worked up. And if someone speaks for them, they can do a lot more damage than illogical brats in a bad drama."

The two girls looked at each other and both giggled. Their laughter was sweet and warm. Only then did they seem their actual age.

"Don't worry, Mr. Yu Lian. I kept the councilor in line once, so of course I can do it again. And while I think what you said makes sense, it does feel a little like you're making a specious argument here."

"Big brother, a proper young lady should listen and offer compliments when someone's speaking. Even if you disagree, you should try to gently guide them instead of arguing. Arguing won't solve anything. It'll just make girls dislike you. That's a terrible mistake, so please remember it... Ah, big brother, if you keep acting like this, you still won't have a girlfriend ten years from now."

No, what I meant was...

"Of course, no matter what, a young and promising officer willing to talk with two little ladies like us has already done something most dull men can't manage. It's a good start. Keep it up, Warrant Officer. Since you're going to war, take this as a friend." As she spoke, Frederica drew a pendant from her sleeve. A yellow crystal hung from a metal chain.

Seeing Yu Lian still looking utterly bewildered, she sighed as if he were beyond help, stood up, and fastened the pendant around his neck.

"I got this talisman from a master at the Grand Cathedral. They say it brings good luck. Take it. Think of it as a blessing from a friend."

The yellow crystal pendant wasn't particularly valuable, but it sounded lucky. It would've been even better with a black accessory to go with it. Yu Lian calmly let the girl fasten it around his neck.

What he didn't know was that nearby, Miss Belinda, a woman of perfectly average looks and figure, was hiding in a corner and watching it all. She knew that the purple-haired girl, though nearly ten years younger than her, was still far more charming. She could only bite her handkerchief in silence and tuck away the stone talisman she'd just made herself.

The nurse, heartsick, was about to slip away and find somewhere to mourn her shattered heart when Dr. Banks appeared from nowhere and grabbed her.

"Why are you slacking off here? Come help me carry the medicine!"

By the time Yu Lian had put on his new power armor, all the soldiers from the 101st Company and the security force had assembled.

Yu Lian familiarized himself with the AS56's capabilities and estimated that it could let its wearer exert about five times their normal physical strength. He was quite pleased. He felt he'd finally gotten to pilot the squad leader's unit, and had at least evolved from a white-name grunt to a blue-name grunt squad leader. He was only a rookie first-ring psychic, so these formidable weapons and armor built for "ordinary people" could still greatly enhance his combat power.

He looked over at Ina, now clad in a gray-white Lynx special-operations frame. She was fiddling with an enormous, long-barreled anti-materiel sniper rifle... Its caliber was actually 20 millimeters, so it should really be called a cannon.

"You've got new armor and a new gun. You sure you'll be okay?" Yu Lian asked. Every excellent, seasoned sniper had a weapon they knew best. Only by understanding every detail of their partner's ballistics, field of fire, range, stopping power, and even the slightest mechanical quirks could they become a reaper's scythe on the battlefield, appearing and disappearing like a ghost and killing with a single shot. But Ina had started with an ordinary C10, then moved on to a C14 infantry rifle that had been gathering dust in the supply depot, and now she was handling an infantry railgun. Switching weapons three times in one day was bound to affect her feel and aim.

"It's fine. The old me would've needed some time to get used to it, but my instincts tell me I can handle its trajectory. It shouldn't be a problem." Ina sounded completely confident.

Well, this was the Sentinels' specialty. The famed "Scarlet-Eyed Witch" would be a disappointment if she didn't have that kind of confidence and nerve.

On the other side, Councilor Jiang was once again clinging to Captain Winter, tears streaming down his face. "Captain, the future of New Jade Gate, the safety of Tulong, and all our lives are in your hands."

Captain Winter must have been terribly embarrassed, but he still managed to force a smile and hold it until the photographer found the perfect angle and took the picture.

The photographer had certainly captured a good shot. It perfectly conveyed the captain's courage (that was the secondary point) and the councilor's resolute effort to hold back his grief and reluctance (that was the main point). Who knew where they'd found someone so talented?

After finishing with the captain, the councilor bounded over to Yu Lian like a long-armed monkey who'd just stuffed himself with bananas. He grabbed Yu Lian's hand and shook it, his face filled with reluctance, sorrow, and encouragement. It was as if none of their earlier disagreements had ever happened.

"Warrant Officer, sigh, a young man like you shouldn't have to face such a brutal battlefield. But when I look at you, I see the courage and sense of duty of the Commonwealth's young people, and the bright future of our nation! I'll pray to the Spirit of the Universe for you. Please, make sure you come back safe!"

The photographer hurried over too, snapping away with his camera.

It had to be said: when it came to his actual profession—that promising career known as politics—Councilor Jiang displayed a level of professionalism and dedication that Yu Lian could only aspire to.

A quick note on today's fourth update. I'm definitely going to have a stomachache tomorrow, so I won't update. As a little-time author, I only hoped this book could help with household expenses and save up for my son's kindergarten tuition. It's the only thing I can do.

Thank you, everyone! I guess I should also be leaving my last words, hoho~~~~