The last shred of defiance

Lighthouse Base, the office at Nightwalker Headquarters.

Zhou Wang's arrogant face was frozen on a screen. The image had been transmitted through Tianyang's electronic eye. Over the past half hour or more, the screen had faithfully displayed the boy's entire involvement in defending the line.

Ling Feng sat in his chair, twirling an electronic pen in his hand. The adjutant beside him knew that he always did this when mulling over a problem.

The pen finally stopped, and Ling Feng switched off the screen.

Only then did his adjutant, Lin Yang, speak. "Should we notify Han Shu and have him kick Zhou Wang out? He already seems to hold a grudge against Tianyang. He might even attack him during the rest of the operation."

"No need," Ling Feng said casually. "Someone who never faces trials is unlikely to amount to much. That's why I sent him straight into missions instead of throwing him into a training camp. He has to keep proving through his actions that he's worth investing in. If he can't even handle a clown like Zhou Wang, then his potential is nothing special."

Lin Yang smiled.

Ling Feng gave him a puzzled look. "What are you smiling about?"

"It's been a long time since I've seen you place such high hopes in a young man," Lin Yang said.

Ling Feng took off his glasses. "Have I really been that obvious?"

Lin Yang laughed, then added, "Still, now that you've put him on Han Shu's team, it won't be long before the others start getting suspicious. Judging by how Tianyang killed that Demon Hound just now, his abilities are very different from those of the War God Class."

Ling Feng nodded in agreement. "Very different indeed. He's only rank 1, yet he's already shown speed on par with the Hunter Class. And he could target the Demon Hound's weak point and kill him in a single strike. I don't think he has any experience with that. It might be an innate ability of his Assassin rank."

"A few more fights like that, and even a blind man will realize he's no War God Class. But does that matter?"

Lin Yang seemed to grasp something crucial. "If you're saying that, then the City Lord must already know."

"You guessed right. With the City Lord informed, keeping the news contained will be much easier. Actually, there's no need to conceal the new class for too long. We just need to give Tianyang enough time to forge a strong bond with the Nightwalkers. Once we announce it then, we won't have to worry about the other legions poaching him."

Ling Feng smiled, then grew solemn. "What worries me more is the commander's falling-out with Minister Wade at yesterday's Military Command meeting."

Lin Yang rubbed his face. "I was wondering why the Strategic Department suddenly sent a high-ranking official into the Inverse Realm with us. So it was to cut the resources allocated to Ascenders. Looks like Minister Wade still hasn't let go of what happened to his son all those years ago."

Ling Feng leaned back. "In recent years, people's envy of the resources and privileges Ascenders enjoy has reached an unbearable level. Minister Wade actually has a good chance of succeeding if he makes his move now. But with Tianyang's appearance, he may face a major obstacle to his reforms."

"As long as Tianyang can prove that the Avenger Class can serve as a deterrent against a hostile fortress, Minister Wade's plan will be difficult to carry out."

Lin Yang sighed. "Life would be so much simpler if our battlefields were only in the Inverse Realm."

Ling Feng put his glasses back on, their reflected light concealing his eyes. "But it would also be much less interesting, wouldn't it?"

"At my age, an ordinary life brings much more happiness than an interesting one," Lin Yang muttered.

Inside the field medical vehicle, Tianyang sat quietly in a corner, waiting for his examination.

The vehicle was like a small mobile clinic, equipped with its own generator to ensure that power would not fail while the wounded were being treated.

It contained an operating room, an intensive care unit, and a temporary ward. Together with a well-trained medical team, these facilities greatly improved the survival rate of Inverse Realm explorers.

Small-scale expeditions could not possibly be equipped with a medical team, however. Only important operations like recovering the Star Pillar enjoyed such lavish support.

Before long, it was Tianyang's turn.

As the boy was about to enter the examination room, he happened to encounter the high-ranking Strategic Department official, whose head was wrapped in sterile bandages.

Chen Liu had pushed for this rescue operation, hoping to further tarnish the Ascenders' reputation. Instead, the Children of Darkness had dealt him a resounding slap in the face.

The haughty arrogance he had displayed at their first meeting was long gone, replaced by a gloomy expression.

Tianyang gave him a slight nod of greeting, but Chen Liu ignored him.

Stepping into the examination room, the boy paused in surprise. Xun was the one conducting the examinations.

The girl's delicate, pretty features had yet to fully mature. At the sight of Tianyang, her beautifully curved lips lifted into a kind smile.

"You don't look injured." Despite saying this, Xun patted the snow-white examination bed, motioning for Tianyang to lie down.

Tianyang took off his uniform and lay on the bed in just his armor. "That's what I thought too, but the captain insisted I come," he said helplessly.

"Captain Han cares about you all." Xun pulled down a medical scanner. As soon as she leaned close to Tianyang, her cute nose wrinkled slightly. "Did you step in something?"

Remembering that he was still splattered with the Darkfolk's refined bodily fluids, Tianyang said awkwardly, "Maybe I should come back later."

Xun reached out a slender, soft hand and gently held him in place. "You're already here. Let's not waste time."

She switched on the device and began the examination.

Lying on the bed, Tianyang studied Xun's sweet, lovely face. He could even see the fine down beneath her earlobes, illuminated by the light.

"Um, why did you want to become a nurse, and join the Inverse Realm medical service?"

Xun's movements paused briefly, but she gave no answer and continued her work.

Tianyang thought he had probably asked a stupid question.

"You're fine. Just a few minor muscle strains. No medication needed."

A little later, the girl spoke softly as she studied the results.

Tianyang got off the bed and picked up his uniform. "Sorry for the trouble."

But just as he was about to leave the examination room, the girl's voice sounded behind him. "The Inverse Realm medical service pays well. My father is ill, and I need contribution points to save his life. There are easier ways, but I don't want to be tied down. You should understand how expensive freedom is in the fortress."

When Tianyang turned around, Xun had already begun tidying the equipment. He silently watched her back for a moment before leaving the room.

By easier ways, she probably meant becoming the wife or lover of an Upper Citizen. With what Xun had to offer, that should not have been difficult.

Yet she had chosen a harder path.

Tianyang had once read a book that said: Life is a journey of endless compromises, but sometimes, we should preserve a shred of defiance for ourselves. Otherwise, what meaning would life have?

Perhaps Xun's choice was the last shred of defiance she had kept for herself.