Special episode: Yaoqing's number one group (end)

The battle in the void was fierce yet highly efficient.

Qingqiu Ze transformed into a blue-white Gale, weaving through the pursuing Moon-Eating Hunter Pack.

His marksmanship had long transcended technique, becoming an instinct; each shot carried the penetrating force of the north wind and the ruthlessness of Silver Wolf.

He dodged the energy cannon fire from the modified assault boat with the slightest error, and the beast- Borisin were often only seen as a flash of silver before they were decapitated or torn apart by wind blades.

However, the enemy's numbers far exceeded expectations, and they were ferocious.

The corruption of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus not only enhanced their physical bodies but also extinguished most of their reason, leaving only a hunger for flesh and destruction.

More importantly, deep within that lair, the "Flesh Workshop" writhed like living things, constantly spewing out new, twisted monsters—cyborg flesh-ripping dogs, hovering eyeball-shaped psionic sentinels, and even several enormous "Abominations" stitched together from multiple Borisin bodies.

Under the cover of Qingqiu Ze, the "North Wind" fought and retreated, its main gun and close-in weapon system firing at full power, clearing out wave after wave of monsters that rushed at it, but its shield energy was also rapidly decreasing.

The other two assault teams of the White Wolf Guard, following orders, patrolled the perimeter, precisely intercepting and eliminating stray enemies attempting to encircle or escape the battlefield, and continuously sending battlefield data and nest dynamics back to Yaoqing.

"Boss, Engine 3 has been splashed by psionic acid, reducing its output by 30%! Shield remaining at 41%!"

The captain's voice came through the communication channel, filled with suppressed anxiety.

With a single spear thrust, Qingqiu Ze sent the abomination that had lunged at the ship flying. He then hurled his spear, its shaft crackling with hurricane-like psionic energy, piercing through the air and detonating a distant assault boat that was charging its main gun.

He panted, his heterochromatic eyes sweeping across the battlefield. The enemies seemed endless, and the lair's production capacity appeared limitless.

If they continue to hold out, even if the "North Wind" and he can hold on, the assault team responsible for monitoring and blocking from the outside may be worn down by the continuous stream of reinforcements.

"Grey Claw, lead Teams Two and Three to retreat in stages towards the ' Remnant No. 3 ' space station to establish a second line of defense. ' North Wind ' and I will continue to draw the main force away."

He made a quick decision, his voice slightly hoarse from the intense fighting, but still steady.

"The vanguard of the Feixiao has at most half an hour left. Holding the space station's path is victory."

"Boss, you're in too much danger!"

Grey Claw objected.

"Execute the command!"

Qingqiu Ze, without hesitation, charged into the enemy ranks once more.

His armor was damaged in many places, showing signs of corrosion and tearing, and the blue and white paint was stained with dark red and charred black, but his hand holding the gun remained as steady as a rock.

Time ticked by, each second feeling like dancing on a knife's edge.

The shields of the "North Wind" finally overloaded completely under a barrage of psionic energy. Dark red energy beams grazed the hull, leaving charred grooves, and explosions and alarms sounded from inside.

Qingqiu Ze was also surrounded by three-headed abominations and several beast-like warriors. Their mental interference, combined with that released by the eyeball sentinels flying in the air, caused his movements to become unavoidably slowed down.

A hideous giant claw slammed down on his back. Even with psionic energy protecting him, the terrifying force made his throat taste sweet and his internal organs tremble.

On the other side, a beast-like warrior wielding a bone chainsaw lunged at the opening he had created, laughing maniacally.

Is it over?

To die here, to die at the hands of the very people who once abandoned them, and the twisted, Abominations of Abundance?

No!

Within his heterochromatic eyes, the gold suddenly burned to its zenith.

"Roar--!"

A long howl, not entirely human but tinged with the ferocity of a wolf, burst forth from his chest.

Suddenly, a dazzling silver-white light burst forth from his body, and his speed increased dramatically in an instant. He broke free from the encirclement in a way that almost defied the laws of physics. His spear spun, creating a crescent-shaped cyan gale that forced the surrounding enemies back.

His next attack will ignore defense and advance his action bar!

"The North Wind and Flashing Lightning — my Homeward Heart Like an Arrow!"

He raised his spear high above his head, the spear's blade gleaming with a blend of blue and silver light, like a wolf's fang tearing through the darkness.

All the power, all the resentment, all the will to protect were concentrated in this one shot, aimed directly at the core of the "Flesh Workshop" in the distance, which was still spewing monsters.

This shot was faster than thought, quicker than a flash of light!

However, just as the spear's edge was about to leave the body—

Buzz.

The entire battlefield—no, the entire Desolate Wolf Star Region —fluctuated extremely slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, the ripples don't spread outwards, but rather converge inwards.

Time did not stop, but it seemed to have been "reorganized" by some higher force, becoming exceptionally smooth.

All the energy beams being fired, the monsters attacking, the exploding debris, and even the spear shot from Qingqiu Ze that condensed peak power... all the attributes of "movement" and "change" contained within them, such as "kinetic energy," "thermal energy," and "spiritual energy," were instantly analyzed and quantified, and then, like pencil marks gently erased by an eraser, silently... "returned to zero."

The energy beam extinguished in the air.

The monster remained frozen in its pouncing posture, then slowly collapsed and dissipated like a sand sculpture.

The flames and shockwave from the explosion vanished into thin air.

The brilliant spear light at the tip of Qingqiu Ze's spear vanished silently, like a blown-out candle flame, leaving only the slightly trembling spear shaft and his heterochromatic eyes filled with disbelief.

silence.

A deathly silence enveloped the void where battle had just raged.

The crew of the "North Wind" were stunned.

The members of the White Wolf Guard were dumbfounded.

The Eclipse Nest ceased its writhing and spewing, becoming like a still, nauseating oil painting.

Then, in the perception of all the "survivors," a point of silver-purple light quietly lit up in the Nihility at the very center of the battlefield.

The light was not dazzling, yet it seemed to contain the weight and depth of the universe.

It stretches and expands rapidly, outlining a slender and upright human figure.

Luo Li appeared on this ravaged battlefield as if she had stepped directly out of a concept.

He wore simple dark clothes, without any exaggerated energy output. His silver-purple hair flowed naturally in the vacuum, his face was calm, and his eyes were gentle, yet he exuded an absolute tranquility and sense of control, as if looking down upon all living beings.

He simply stood there, and it was as if he had become the sole "axis" of this space, and all the chaos and noise were destined to subside the moment he arrived.

His gaze swept over the solidified Eclipse Nest, over the slowly crumbling monster remains, and finally landed on Qingqiu Ze, who stood frozen in place, covered in blood and holding a gun.

"It seems..."

Luo Li spoke, and her voice resounded directly in the consciousness of all living beings, peaceful and clear.

"I arrived just in time. Qingqiu Ze... Senior?"

The last "senior" was said in pure Earth language, with a hint of mockery.

Qingqiu Ze's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He slowly sheathed his spear. Although his blood and qi were still churning and his armor was damaged, he tried to straighten his spine and looked at the god who seemed to have rewritten reality with a mere gesture with complicated eyes.

"... Luo Li."

He responded in an Earth language, his voice hoarse. "You... how did you get here?"

"Just passing by, and happened to receive some rather 'lively' energy fluctuations from an old friend's place."

Luo Li smiled, a smile that seemed to dispel the gloom of the battlefield.

"It seems that after your 'part-time job' here ended, your main job is quite busy too."

His gaze returned to the disgusting nest, and he frowned slightly.

"Even the 'works' of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus are so lacking in aesthetics and basic life ethics."

He casually raised his right hand and snapped his fingers lightly in the direction of the nest.

Smack

The sound was very soft.

But with that soft sound, the enormous nest made of flesh, metal, and twisted psionic energy, along with the unhatched monsters, stored supplies, and even all the contaminated fungal carpets attached to it, disintegrated and dissipated at the molecular level, like stains erased by a higher-dimensional eraser, turning into the most basic harmless particles and merging into the surrounding cosmic dust.

There was no explosion, no screams, no remains.

It was as if it had never existed.

After doing all this, Luo Li felt as if she had casually brushed a speck of dust off the corner of her clothes, completely relaxed and carefree.

He looked at Qingqiu Ze, as well as the "North Wind" and the White Wolf Guard assault ship that were cautiously approaching.

"Do you need help treating the wounded and repairing the ship's damage? Or perhaps we could find a place to rest? You look quite badly injured."

Qingqiu Ze remained silent for a moment, then slowly exhaled, sheathed his gun, and solemnly bowed to Luo Li with a Xianzhou salute.

"Thank you for your help. The White Wolf Group and Qingqiu Ze will forever remember this kindness."

"You're too kind, senior."

Luo Li waved his hand, and in a flash, appeared inside the bridge of the "North Wind". Ignoring the awe-inspiring yet fearful gazes of the surrounding crew, he said to Qingqiu Ze, "Take care of business first. Your ship, and your men, both require urgent maintenance."

What happened next was simpler than you could have imagined.

Faced with Luo Li's superhuman [data] powers, the damage to the warship was quickly "repaired," the wounded were stabilized and their injuries were accelerated, and even the depleted energy was replenished to above the safe threshold.

In less than half a standard hour, the White Wolf Guard squad, which had been on the verge of defeat, had recovered its basic combat strength and was even in better condition than before the battle.

When Feixiao led the Yaoqing main vanguard fleet to arrive at the scheduled time, what they saw was a battlefield that was basically clean, the enemy's lair had vanished into thin air, and only a few assault ships of the White Wolf Group were quietly floating, as well as a strange young man on the bridge who was calmly talking with Qingqiu Ze.

A sharp glint flashed in Feixiao's green eyes, but she didn't ask any questions. She simply took over the area's defense and dispatched reconnaissance units to confirm the safety of the "Remnant No. 3" space station.

Post-war matters were complex yet well-organized.

Qingqiu Ze needs to submit a detailed report to Yaoqing Military, the White Wolf Group needs to assess its losses and achievements, and clues related to the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and the remnants of the Eclipse Moon Party also need to be further investigated.

Luo Li did not leave immediately.

At Qingqiu Ze's invitation, he stayed temporarily on the Yaoqing Xianzhou, lodging in the VIP area near the White Wolf Group headquarters.

The next few days were a dreamlike period for Qingqiu Ze and the White Wolf Group.

Luo Li didn't put on airs like Aeon or savior; instead, she really acted like a visiting old friend.

He visited the headquarters, R&D center, and some production lines of the White Wolf Group, showing a professional level of interest in the group's technologies in materials science, energy transmission, and individual soldier equipment. He also casually offered several optimization ideas that left the group's chief scientist speechless and then overjoyed.

He even attended two informal meetings with senior executives of the group. After listening to some of the difficulties in market expansion and cross-stellar cooperation, he casually offered several practical suggestions, covering resource channels, technology exchange, and risk avoidance, each of which hit the nail on the head.

More importantly, in a private meeting between only Qingqiu Ze and Luo Li, Luo Li clearly stated that Primordial Data Federation was willing to establish a long-term and stable strategic partnership with the White Wolf Group.

The Federation can provide some cutting-edge technology support, secure interstellar logistics channels, and a stable supply of certain special resources;

The White Wolf Group can leverage its foundation and business network within the Xianzhou Alliance to serve as a reliable bridge and window between the Federation and the Alliance, and share some of its experience in military technology applications.

The draft of this cooperation agreement was sent directly to Qingqiu Ze's private terminal by Lu Jingheng. The terms were clear, the profit distribution was reasonable, and it showed great sincerity.

Qingqiu Ze knew that while Luo Li was considering their "old friendship" behind this cooperation, it was more due to her recognition of the White Wolf Group's strength and potential, as well as her appreciation for Qingqiu Ze's decisiveness and sense of responsibility in this incident.

This is undoubtedly a huge boost to the White Wolf Group's status within the Xianzhou Alliance, and also a crucial leap for Qingqiu Ze's personal ambitions.

On the eve of the formal signing of the cooperation agreement, Qingqiu Ze hosted a banquet for Luo Li in the observation deck on the top floor of the White Wolf Group headquarters.

The dishes weren't extravagant, but they were all Yaoqing specialties, prepared under Ningli's personal supervision. Feixiao was also invited, serving as a kind of witness.

The atmosphere at the banquet was initially a bit reserved, after all, Luo Li's presence was just too strong.

But after a few cups of the Jade Liquor, a specialty of Xianzhou, were consumed, and with Luo Li's consistently calm and smiling demeanor, the atmosphere gradually eased.

Feixiao, a straightforward man, blushed slightly after a few drinks, his green eyes fixed intently on Luo Li: "Mr. Luo Li, your methods that day... were unheard of. Was this... the power of the Aeon?"

Luo Li held her wine glass and smiled, "I suppose so. But the forms of power are different, and the emphasis is also different."

General Feixiao's martial arts skills and ability to command troops are a decisive force on the battlefield, which I admire greatly.

This wasn't just polite talk; he genuinely admired Feixiao's indomitable spirit.

Feixiao snorted, whether satisfied or disbelieving, and poured himself another cup.

Ningli sat obediently to the side and behind Qingqiu Ze, occasionally getting up to add wine and serve food to everyone. Occasionally, she would steal a glance at Luo Li with curiosity and awe. Most of the time, her gaze was fixed on Qingqiu Ze, watching the complex and bright look in his heterochromatic eyes when he talked with Luo Li and Feixiao, a look that was different from his usual appearance in the marketplace or on the battlefield.

After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation gradually shifted from serious business to casual conversation.

Luo Li suddenly put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and gave a smile that was somewhere between gossip and curiosity. He looked at Qingqiu Ze and asked in a low voice in Earth language, "By the way, senior, there's something I've been curious about for a long time."

Qingqiu Ze's heart skipped a beat, a bad feeling creeping over him. "... What's the problem?"

Luo Li deliberately glanced back and forth between Ningli, who was standing quietly, and Feixiao Xiao, who was sipping wine with his ears slightly perked up, before slowly asking in a voice only the three of them could hear clearly, "So what exactly is it that you... like Ningli, who is gentle, considerate, and can make cherry blossom cakes?"

He paused, his smile deepening.

"I still prefer someone like General Feixiao... who can fight, drink, and fight side-by-side across the battlefield?"

puff--

Feixiao, who was drinking, choked suddenly and coughed violently. His green eyes glared at Luo Li, and his face flushed even more, whether from the alcohol or something else.

Ningli exclaimed "Ah!" and almost dropped the wine pot in her hand. Her face instantly turned as red as a ripe fruit. She lowered her head in a panic, her fox ears sticking nervously to her hair.

Qingqiu Ze: "..."

He felt his wolf ears and facial expression freeze. His heterochromatic eyes glared at Luo Li, filled with accusations of "How could you ask such a question?!" and "Asking this in front of them?!"

Luo Li smiled innocently, as if she were simply asking, "How's the weather today?"

An eerie silence fell over the observation deck, broken only by Feixiao's cough and Ningli's soft, bewildered breathing.

After a long pause, Qingqiu Ze took a deep breath, picked up the wine glass in front of him, and drank it all in one gulp, as if he needed alcohol to embolden himself.

He put down his cup, not looking at Feixiao or Ningli, but staring at the table in front of him. His voice was somewhat stiff, yet unusually clear as he said, "Ningli... is family."

He paused, as if choosing his words carefully, then added in a slightly lower voice, "Feixiao... is a comrade-in-arms,... an important ally."

A very standard, very "Qingqiu Ze" style answer.

Instead of directly stating "like," it uses "family" and "important ally" to define two completely different, yet equally important, relationships.

Feixiao stopped coughing, glanced at him, snorted, and turned her face away to continue drinking, but the corners of her mouth seemed to curve upwards briefly before quickly flattening again.

Ningli raised her head, her eyes slightly red, but she tried to smile warmly and gently at Qingqiu Ze.

Luo Li observed the subtle tension between the three, his smile growing even more delighted. He raised his glass. "Understood, understood. Family and important allies... all are good, all are important. Come, to our important family and allies, and to our future cooperation—cheers!"

Qingqiu Ze secretly breathed a sigh of relief and raised his glass again.

Feixiao also raised his glass.

Ningli quickly poured herself a small glass, held it with both hands, and gently clinked glasses with everyone else.

The crisp sound echoed in the observation deck.

Outside the window, the artificial skylight of the Yaoqing Xianzhou simulated a dazzling galaxy, the port remained bustling, and the shadow of war had temporarily receded.

For Qingqiu Ze, the scars of the past may still remain, but the road ahead is already different.

He has a "family" to protect, "comrades" and "allies" to whom he can entrust his back, and now, he has a powerful and unique "junior" and partner from the other side of the stars.

The future of the White Wolf Group, and his future, seems to be speeding towards a starry sky that is far broader and brighter than the "White Lightning" of the past could have imagined.

The answers to some questions may not need to be rushed. Time will provide the best solution.

The banquet ended, and both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

Luo Li lingered in Yaoqing for several more days, officially signed a cooperation agreement with the White Wolf Group, and had some friendly exchanges with Feixiao, representing the Yaoqing military, before gracefully departing to return to his Federation composed of data and stars.

Life in Qingqiu Ze has returned to a new "normality," but it is already different.

Ningli would still bring warm snacks, Feixiao would still come uninvited with military business or simply a pot of wine. With the support of the cooperation agreement, the business of the White Wolf Group was booming.

Occasionally, after finishing his official business late at night, Qingqiu Ze would stand in front of the observation window on the top floor, gazing at the boundless sea of stars, his heterochromatic eyes reflecting the Yaoqing lights and distant starlight.

He would remember that cold, snowy plain, the noisy livestream room in the sandbox world, the desperate battles in the Desolate Wolf Star Region, the god who annihilated everything with a snap of his fingers, and the heart-pounding question in the observation deck that night...

Then, the corners of her lips would unconsciously curve into a very faint, yet genuine, arc.

White Lightning has finally found its own pack and its way home.