The Star-Glitter Fighter cut through the sky. Inside the cockpit, Lin Yi sat in the pilot's seat and thought for a moment before giving an order. "Star Radiance, connect me to the General Staff—Zhou Donglai."
The communications system responded immediately. Soon, Zhou Donglai's voice sounded in the cockpit. "Comrade Lin Yi?"
Lin Yi skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Chief of Staff Zhou, I'm on my way to the Dragon Abyss Command Center. I expect to arrive in thirty minutes. I need to see Chief Li."
There was a brief silence on the other end. When Zhou Donglai spoke again, his voice carried a note of gravity. "Of course, you can see Chief Li directly, but he's unwell." He paused, then added tactfully, "You shouldn't stay too long. He needs to rest."
Lin Yi nodded. Though Zhou Donglai couldn't see the gesture, the certainty in his voice came through clearly. "I heard about it. That's exactly why I'm coming—to resolve the matter."
Zhou Donglai's heart stirred. He keenly caught the deeper meaning in Lin Yi's words, but didn't press him. Instead, he said solemnly, "All right. I'll make the arrangements."
Dragon Abyss's underground command center, medical wing.
Unlike the command center, where tense activity filled every corner, this place was quiet. The air smelled of disinfectant, and heavy blast doors lined both sides of the corridor. Each one led to a separate medical unit.
Two armed guards stood watch outside the room at the very end of the corridor, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings.
Inside, Li Zhenguo lay in bed. His once-robust frame now looked especially frail.
They said illness could strike like a landslide. The old chief, who had once dominated the battlefield, had grown noticeably thinner. Only his eyes retained their former sharpness.