Mingdu, Return to Camp

Mingdu

A city brimming with technology and futuristic style. Here, one could see the latest soul-guided cars racing through the streets at any time, while groups of high-grade mecha—ordinarily rare sights—circled overhead on patrol.

Its prosperity was intoxicating, its extravagance astonishing. This was one of the Federation's most flourishing cities.

At the same time, it was the Federation's capital, its technological hub, the true central core of federal power—the seat of the Federal Assembly—and the battlefield where all factions played their games.

Xie Jiayun strolled along Mingdu's broad, unadorned roads. The stone pavement beneath his feet had been worn smooth and level by time, and every step produced a steady, distinct sound.

Traffic streamed through the streets, people flowed past one another, and the place teemed with life, like an unceasing river of humanity that displayed the city's prosperity and vitality to the fullest.

His gaze wandered over the shops lining both sides of the street, and he soon noticed something interesting: on average, two out of every ten shops were related to soul-guided technology.

The storefronts came in all styles. Some were antique and elegant, exuding the weight of history; others were filled with the aura of modern technology, gleaming with dazzling light.

When he entered one such soul-guided technology shop, a powerful sense of technology rushed over him.

The shelves were packed with a dazzling array of soul-guided devices. Their designs were unique and their functions varied, leaving one's eyes overwhelmed. There were delicate soul-guided communicators that allowed people to converse with ease even thousands of miles apart; immensely powerful soul-guided cannons that could unleash astonishing destruction with the press of a button; and miraculous soul-guided aircraft that could carry people freely through the skies.

Picking up any soul-guided device at random, Xie Jiayun could sense the advanced technology contained within it.

These devices were exquisitely crafted, made from superior materials, with every detail handled just right. Compared with soul-guided devices from other cities, the goods here were clearly a tier above. Like a radiant pearl, they stood out amid countless ordinary stones.

There were quite a few customers in the shop as well. Some carefully selected the soul-guided devices they fancied, while others enthusiastically discussed the latest developments in soul-guided technology with the clerks.

Watching the bustling scene, Xie Jiayun could not help but sigh inwardly. Mingdu truly deserves to be the center of soul-guided technology. Ten thousand years of accumulation have gathered the finest technology and the most outstanding talents here.

After leaving the shop, Xie Jiayun continued down the street.

The soul-guided formation covering the entire city beneath the ground was slowly operating. That was also the main reason this steel city, with barely any greenery, could still maintain fresh air.

He had come to Mingdu on the legion commander's orders, serving as deputy to accompany the Western Legion's logistics minister to Mingdu. They were to attend the once-every-three-years military logistics conference, then receive and escort the next batch of supplies back to camp.

During the past few days in Mingdu, he had remained at the military headquarters, attending at least a dozen meetings large and small. Every day, he was either buried in documents several meters high or wrangling with officials from the Federation Logistics Department.

Only today, when the logistics minister had gone to attend a high-level military logistics meeting and no longer required Xie Jiayun's company, had he been permitted to move freely.

Only then had he finally gained some leisure time to properly look around this city that had long enjoyed such renown throughout the Federation.

This meeting won't be short. With their average strength at the Title Douluo level, they'll have to spend at least three days arguing.

Whenever he recalled the sight of a group of bigshots, each at least a major general, arguing with great relish in the conference room over a few more fifth-grade artillery shells—nearly coming to blows—his mouth could not help twitching.

Yet on the other hand, when he thought of how they were willing to set aside the pride of being powerful figures so that fewer men in their legions would die, respect rose in his heart once more.

They themselves understood how difficult it was to serve as logistics ministers, and in that sense, they cherished one another as kindred spirits.

Still, respect was respect. They could not give ground where concessions were concerned. Once the respect was paid, they went right back to arguing.

He continued wandering aimlessly down Mingdu's avenues, admiring the novel scenery with its strong futuristic air while seeing whether he could gather any good energy materials or discover any unpolished jade of talent buried by others. He quietly made note of them, intending to recommend them to Zhou Mingyu (sword).

(Zhou Mingyu (sword): Just thinking that he still remembers us during his time off makes me want to cry.

Xie Jiayun: I've been doing logistics for so long, it's become a habit~)

Just as he was idly strolling around and about to pass a shop, a strand of energy collected within his sea of consciousness caught his attention.

It was blood qi that had leaked from a Soul Master. Normal blood qi usually felt vibrant, blazing, and exceptionally active.

Yet this blood qi carried an air of dead silence and coldness. More importantly, it was far too impure. Though it clearly came from one person, it was mixed with the blood qi of many others.

Over the years, Xie Jiayun had seen all sorts of Soul Masters in the military. As a Soul Master possessing the Tree of Life martial soul, his healing abilities were powerful and well-regarded, so other departments often borrowed him to assist with their work.

But throughout his eight years of military service, he had only encountered this kind of impure, sinister blood qi on one type of person—the evil Soul Masters.

What shocked Xie Jiayun most, however, was not the existence of an evil Soul Master hideout here, but the familiar aura he sensed within that shop.

Even so, Xie Jiayun showed no sign of anything amiss. He maintained that carefree appearance of someone stealing a little leisure amid his duties, silently memorized the shop's name, and headed for other stores as naturally as any ordinary passerby.

Half an hour later,

Xie Jiayun stood atop a building twenty meters away. When he saw the figure emerge from that shop, his suspicions were finally confirmed.

Three days later

Inside the conference room, illuminated as brightly as day by soul-guided lights, a group of bigshots dressed in high-ranking soul engineer uniforms and military uniforms bearing general's stars sat around an enormous soul power projection sand table, arguing fiercely.

Soul power rippled through the air. As runes flashed, the interests and strategic considerations of every side crashed together like surging tides.

The conference table was piled with supply lists, troop deployment maps, and emergency allocation plans. Every sheet of paper bore the crushing weight of war.

Xie Jiayun stood quietly in a corner of the conference room, his gaze moving among the bigshots.

He could feel the tension and gravity filling the air. Every fierce exchange of words was like clashing blades and flashing swords upon a battlefield.

At times, those bigshots passionately expounded their own views; at others, they coolly analyzed the situation. Soul power pens flew through their hands across the light screens, sketching out blueprints for logistical support.

After a long discussion, the lines on the soul power projection sand table finally stabilized, and all sides reached a consensus.

The bigshots rose one after another and straightened their clothes. Their eyes revealed exhaustion, yet also determination. This logistics conference had finally drawn to a close after intense negotiations and exchanges.

Minister Li, who had led the Western Legion's delegation this time, walked out of the conference room with steady steps. His figure was straight and resolute. Xie Jiayun followed closely behind him, and they took a soul-guided car out of the city.

They were about to lead the Western Legion's logistics troops stationed outside the city to receive the soul-guided military train that carried the hopes and responsibilities of countless comrades.

When they arrived at the military train depot beyond the city, the massive soul-guided military train lay across the tracks like a steel beast. Its body gleamed with a dim blue light, the mark of soul power propulsion.

The carriages were filled with every kind of supply: weapons and ammunition, rare metals, medical drugs, and daily provisions.

Minister Li walked to the train and completed the handover with the officer responsible for escorting it. Soul-guided identity verification and key systems flashed in the air, confirming the quantity and quality of the supplies.

Afterward, Xie Jiayun and the logistics troops began working busily. They skillfully operated soul-guided loading equipment, moving crate after crate from the train cars and stacking them neatly onto transport vehicles.

As the final crate was loaded onto a vehicle, the return journey officially began. Powered by soul-guided engines, the logistics convoy slowly departed from the military train depot.

Xie Jiayun sat in the front passenger seat of the lead vehicle, looking out the window. The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across the earth, illuminating this logistics convoy that bore such a mission.

On both sides of the road stretched an endless wilderness. The occasional vehicle drove past in the distance, yet none dared approach this well-equipped logistics force.

The vehicles sped across the wilderness, kicking up clouds of dust. Xie Jiayun knew they bore the heavy responsibility of supplying the Western Legion. Every transport concerned the very lives and deaths of the soldiers at the front.

On the return journey, Minister Li occasionally communicated with various parties through his soul-guided communicator, ensuring that the transport route remained safe and unobstructed. Xie Jiayun also kept constant watch over the vehicles' condition and changes in the surrounding environment.

They did not dare relax in the slightest, because every detail could affect the success or failure of this transport mission.

As night fell, the logistics troops finally returned safely to the Western Legion's encampment. When the vehicles slowly entered the camp, the soldiers greeted them with thunderous applause.

Looking at those weary yet resolute faces, Xie Jiayun finally relaxed as well. They had successfully completed this transport mission.