Farewell to Military Training

Legion conference room.

The two sat on opposite sides of the table.

"And you are?" Legion Commander Shen Yue looked at Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin said, "The leader of the current Shrek Seven Monsters."

He had already put away his battle armor, and not a trace of aura leaked from his body. He looked like an ordinary handsome young man rather than a Soul Master.

The more unfathomable he appeared, the more Shen Yue understood how powerful he was.

She herself was quite a capable Soul Master, yet she could not completely restrain her aura until she was no different from an ordinary person. She had only seen such a level of control in a few peak Limit Douluos.

Shen Xing set down tea between them, then followed procedure and activated the recorder.

She knew her place. In a situation like this, as a staff officer, she had no right to speak.

But Tang Wulin looked over. "Please turn off the recorder."

Shen Xing froze for a moment and instinctively looked toward Shen Yue.

Shen Yue nodded.

Shen Xing turned off the recorder again, then turned and left.

Tang Wulin smiled apologetically. "Recorders aren't cheap. It would be a shame if it got scrapped."

Shen Yue recalled the reports from below about the surveillance equipment malfunctioning and immediately understood.

She was a straightforward person and did not dwell on such matters. "What do you want to say?"

Tang Wulin said, "The Shrek Seven Monsters have always had a tradition of undergoing military training on Devil Island. Your Shen Clan should know that well. We originally only wanted to return to Shrek from the North Sea Legion, but we happened to run into someone threatening the military's upper ranks, which also exposed the illegal sale of fixed-installation soul-guided bombs."

"My request is simple." Tang Wulin smiled faintly. "Shrek must be given full access to the North Sea Legion's subsequent investigation into where those bombs went."

"That's impossible." Shen Yue refused without a second thought. Reporting internal legion affairs to the Federation was one thing, but revealing them to Shrek was an absolute violation of regulations. Even if the Shen Clan was close to Shrek, they could not set such a precedent.

She said, "Your six companions who were arrested earlier will be released with a single order from me. And as thanks for your righteous intervention, I can arrange a military vehicle to send you away."

Tang Wulin shook his head. "That's a separate matter. I'm not negotiating with you as an individual right now. I represent the academy. Of course, if you think that isn't enough, I can also represent the Tang Sect."

Shen Yue asked in a deep voice, "On what grounds?"

Tang Wulin lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers. "Check your communicator."

Shen Yue frowned and activated her muted communicator.

Her expression changed. After a moment of silence, she raised her head and said, "Fine. Since you're negotiating on behalf of the Tang Sect and Shrek, what you did just now is not enough to serve as bargaining material."

Tang Wulin sighed lightly. "Even Staff Officer Shen's status isn't enough?"

Shen Yue said calmly, "Naturally not. Before the interests of the clan and the legion, I too am a piece that can be sacrificed at any time."

Tang Wulin gave her a somewhat surprised look, but he did not ask further.

Shen Yue said, "If you have no additional bargaining chips, then I will not agree to this."

Tang Wulin said, "The secrets of Devil Island. Unlike the ambiguous legends you have, what I'm offering is absolutely precise information."

Shen Yue's gaze sharpened. "How can we tell whether what you say is true?"

Golden light flashed in Tang Wulin's eyes. A mass of destruction energy and a mass of life energy flowed in his palm, maintaining a wondrous balance between them.

Shen Yue was certain that if that balance were broken, the resulting explosion would be no less powerful than a seventh-grade fixed-installation soul-guided shell.

Tang Wulin turned his hand over and pressed the two masses of energy out against the tabletop. "Is that enough? Not only that, Shrek can also grant the Shen Clan partial exploration rights on Devil Island."

Shen Yue pondered. "I need to discuss this with the clan head."

Tang Wulin smiled faintly. "All right."

Very soon, Shen Yue gave Tang Wulin her reply.

"We can agree to your request. However, if the Federation asks about this matter, the North Sea Legion will tell the truth. At that time, Shrek will bear all consequences alone." Shen Yue spoke in an official tone.

Tang Wulin smiled lightly and extended his hand to her. "Pleasure working with you."

Shen Yue nodded and shook his hand before releasing it. "No need to see you out."

With that, she turned and hurried away.

As the legion commander, her workload was beyond question.

Tang Wulin looked at Shen Xing, who stood in the distance with a hesitant expression, and found it somewhat amusing. "Staff Officer Shen, is there something you need?"

Shen Xing approached and gave him a military salute. "Thank you."

Tang Wulin returned the salute and asked, "Where are my companions?"

At the mention of this, Shen Xing's expression soured. She already knew that the reason she had been dreaming constantly these past few days was because those six had been undergoing military training on Devil Island.

But she did not dare vent her anger on Tang Wulin and could only say stiffly, "The military vehicle is ready. They're waiting for you there."

Tang Wulin said, "Thank you."

Shen Xing nodded and left.

Xie Xie and Xu Lizhi squatted on the ground, whispering to each other. "How do you think the boss will make his entrance?"

"What brilliant insight do you have?" A voice suddenly slipped into their ears.

"Whoa!" Xie Xie and Xu Lizhi sprang straight up, nearly crashing into Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin raised a brow. "That's quite the enthusiastic welcome."

Xie Xie's eyes welled with tears. "Boss, three months apart feels like three years~"

Tang Wulin held him back with one hand. "That's enough. Go drive."

"Me again?!" Xie Xie wailed.

Tang Wulin ignored his protest, stuffed Xie Xie into the driver's seat, and mercilessly shut the door.

The others held back their laughter as they took their seats.

The vehicle slowly drove out of the North Sea Legion.

Inside the vehicle.

Yue Zhengyu asked curiously, "Boss, you got them to release us?"

Tang Wulin said, "Yeah. Otherwise, where do you think this vehicle came from?"

"How was the military training?"

The moment he said that, all six of them went numb.

Even Yuanen turned around and said with grave seriousness, "Shut up."

"..."

Tang Wulin said helplessly, "All right."

Not one of the six wanted to mention that painful past. Even after leaving the North Sea Legion, they still felt as if everything were a dream, so unreal.

Xie Xie could not help muttering, "We're out... This isn't really a dream, is it?"

Tang Wulin kindly offered, "Want me to help you wake up?"

Xie Xie shuddered. "Forget it."

After getting onto the highway, the vehicle continued accelerating.

Before long, Xie Xie pulled off a beautiful drift into a military parking lot.

They were only borrowing the vehicle, and the distance from North Sea to Shrek was far too great. Driving it back was clearly unrealistic.

The six once again boarded a soul-guided train.

That's right.

They abandoned Tang Wulin.

It was not just Xie Xie. The others had all come to deeply appreciate Tang Wulin's terrifying reputation as a soul-guided train killer and planned to part ways with him.

Xu Xiaoyan put it this way: "Captain, you're already a mature adult. I believe you can travel a thousand miles in a day and reach Shrek even earlier than us."

Yue Zhengyu stated, "I need to rest. I don't want to fight evil Soul Masters or terrorists again anytime soon."

Xie Xie and Xu Lizhi wholeheartedly agreed.

Although Ye Xinglan and Yuanen said nothing, the agreement in their eyes explained everything.

The minority had to obey the majority. Tang Wulin could only sigh and, right in front of the six of them, tear open space with a regretful expression before bidding them farewell.

After he left, the six suddenly went blank.

"Wait... Captain can tear through space, so why didn't he take us with him?!"

On the other side, Tang Wulin, who had arrived directly at Shrek, felt refreshed and delighted as he smiled smugly.