Respecting the Future

"Alright, sit down."

"We're almost at the Moon, eat something while I go back to read the manual."

Xu De patted the chair beside him.

"Oh..."

"By the way, Xu, that Lieutenant Libby seems to have been placed under investigation."

"He's been suspended from duty."

After observing the interaction between the two, Price leaned in and whispered in a voice only they could hear.

"Why?"

Hearing this, Hans asked, puzzled.

"I heard it was falsifying records... No one would have noticed, but because of your incident, the higher-ups did a thorough review of the footage."

"...Good grief, that's bold!"

Xu De continued eating his sandwich upon hearing this, but Hans, sitting to the side, was less composed.

"Not really, he didn't dare make the records too exaggerated, after all."

"If it weren't for Xu's appearance, I doubt anyone would have discovered it."

Meeting Price's gaze, Xu De nodded slightly, his expression remaining unchanged.

Whatever happened to Libby had little to do with him.

His only lingering doubt was whether this man was Maliu's former boyfriend, and if Maliu was alright now.

The captain dying was a major problem.

Of course, this thought only crossed his mind for a moment; even if he were the boyfriend, it still had nothing to do with him.

Thinking this, Xu De looked up at the countdown on the cafeteria screen and said.

"We'll arrive at the Moon in an hour. Have you decided on your way out?"

At Xu De's words, the group, who had been gossiping and gloating, fell silent.

But it didn't last long.

"We're going to apply for a transfer to the Eighth Fleet."

Flint said seriously.

There were three paths laid out before them; the first was to remain with the Third Fleet.

But Xu De had explicitly rejected that proposal.

They didn't know his reasons, but they all trusted Xu De, so staying with the Third Fleet was not an option for them.

That left either heading to the Eighth Fleet or transferring to a desk job.

They had earned such great merit that if they wanted to move to the rear for a desk job, they could certainly apply, and it would likely be approved.

After all, their abilities weren't so formidable that the higher-ups would insist on keeping them.

That would be considered safe, in a way.

As for Xu De, they all understood that he couldn't protect them forever.

This was war, not a game of tag, and certainly not a peaceful era; it was a chaotic time, and because of the new weapons of the Coordinators, future battles would surely escalate.

Brothers could be looked after to an extent, but without the tempering of blood and fire, they would only be armchair soldiers.

Being coddled all the way would actually be detrimental to their futures.

It would be detrimental to Xu De as well.

The current choice was essentially between taking a payout and a reputation to leave for the safer rear, or continuing to gamble for a future.

It was like a quiz show where the prize money keeps accumulating; one could certainly walk away with the hundred dollars already won, but answering the next question would mean a thousand, and the one after that, ten thousand.

Greed is sometimes a devil, and sometimes an angel.

Appropriate, rational greed could lead them to greater heights.

At this moment, the group did not choose to stop, their gazes fixed eagerly on Xu De.

"Since you've decided, that's fine."

For once, the corners of Xu De's mouth turned up slightly.

The Third Fleet would be completely wiped out at the Moon.

He wouldn't have time to do anything about it.

After all, there were only a few months left until the Battle of the Moon.

Individual strength—at least his own individual strength—was not enough to influence the course of the war in just a few months.

Even if he disregarded his own safety and forced a spoiler, it would still be the case.

If the assessment was not passed, the best option would naturally be to join the Eighth Fleet.

However, aside from the dead end that was the Third Fleet, Xu De had never intended to make the choice for them from the very beginning.

Everyone was an adult; they should be responsible for their own choices.

"If I don't pass the assessment, I will also apply to go to the Eighth Fleet."

"What are you saying, Xu? How could you possibly not pass?"

Hearing the young man's words, Hans said with dissatisfaction.

He wore an expression of absolute trust.

"That's right, Xu will definitely be able to do it."

Flint nodded, and Price followed up as well.

"Just keep in touch afterward; you can rest easy and go back to the mainland for training."

"Watch us perform!"

Listening to the few of them chime in one after another, Xu De smiled and raised the yogurt in his hand, and the others followed suit, clinking their yogurts together.

"I accept your well wishes."

"To the future."

Xu De's voice was warm and thick, and the other three repeated the phrase after him.

The gazes they exchanged were filled with determination.

If things could go smoothly, that would naturally be the best.

But he was not arrogant; the world would not stop turning without him. After making all necessary preparations, all one could do was fight with everything they had to secure a future.

The Moon, Ptolemy Base.

It was a military base located within the Ptolemy Crater.

Initially, it was a secret base belonging to the Atlantic Federation, but it was discovered in CE 35 and faced condemnation after being made public.

However, the Atlantic Federation had always insisted that it was a Cosmic Police Agency.

Time flew by, and now another thirty-five years had passed. Regardless of whether the base's original intent was a product of the Atlantic Federation maintaining hegemony or to monitor the PLANT, it had now become the largest Earth Alliance lunar base on the moon.

It was also the General Headquarters of the Earth Alliance Space Force, referred to as Lunar Headquarters.

And as the Lunar Headquarters, the command of this place was not the Eighth Fleet.

The Eighth Fleet was merely a garrison unit.

After all, Halberton was only a Rear Admiral; it was impossible for him to be in command of the Space Force General Headquarters.

"The losses this time were heavy. I heard those fleet commanders and the commander-in-chief are still reporting the matter to the General Command on Earth."

"Especially that new weapon capable of jamming communications."

In the cafeteria, Hans looked at the base hidden beneath the crater, where many ships were entering and exiting, and spoke.

"That is only normal."

Xu De took a bite of a tasteless sandwich, his eyes still fixed on the thick manual in front of him without looking up.

Although they had previously been told they would arrive in one hour, eight hours had actually passed by now.

Because their superiors were in meetings, the small fries like them naturally did not receive any priority treatment.

There were only so many openings in the base, and there were so many warships that could potentially explode.

Counting personnel, eliminating various explosion hazards, and performing repairs all took time.

So, even with the base right in front of them, as small fries, they could only stare blankly from the outside.

"Hans, it's useless to be anxious."

Flint looked speechlessly at the youth pacing back and forth in front of him.

"That's right, you're pacing so much I'm about to throw up."

"This bread was already fucking terrible to begin with."

Plate bit into his sandwich with resentment.

He had no appetite after returning from the battlefield, and he had originally planned to have a good meal once they reached Ptolemy. He had even endured his hunger and skipped a meal earlier, drinking only yogurt.

As a result, they were still at the entrance and hadn't even entered the base yet.