Emerald Dream · Miao Xin

Su Ming saw a young girl being swallowed by an endless darkness.

Darkness surged like a tide, rolling in from her feet, behind her, and beside her, dragging her deeper and deeper.

Miao Xin!

Su Ming immediately reached out his hand.

Spatial power surged from his palm, invisible tentacles extending forward, piercing through the shattered layer of dark light, and tightly binding the girl's disappearing figure.

He gritted his teeth and pulled with all his might.

Miao Xin raised her head.

Her voice seemed to come from across a vast expanse of time and space.

"Thank you."

"Su Ming, I'm very happy to have traveled this far with you."

The girl's voice was ethereal and calm.

The next moment, Su Ming's hand was empty.

The figure he had grasped vanished, leaving only a multifaceted gemstone, silently suspended there.

The dark, shadowy world crumbled in an instant.

****

Miao Xin!

Su Ming suddenly opened his eyes and sat up.

Above us was a clear blue sky.

He was on the grass, the blades of grass beneath him still damp.

Su Ming looked up.

It was a grassland after the rain.

The air was exceptionally clean, the scents of earth, grass, and rocks mingling together, carrying a cool and refreshing quality.

Su Ming stretched out his palm, and the wind and sunlight shone through his fingers.

But it was excessively quiet.

There were no insects chirping, no wind blowing.

Su Ming stood up and looked around.

The mountains stretched endlessly, completely deserted.

Just like this world, all that's left is him and a rain that has just ended.

Suddenly, a green light flashed by.

A camp appeared out of nowhere all around.

Tents, vehicles, racks, toolboxes stacked in rows, and various pieces of equipment covered in wear and tear.

It's as if someone moved it directly from another time period.

A human figure then appeared.

Some people carried cables past, some were inspecting under the vehicle, and several people in work clothes were operating a machine.

Su Ming frowned.

A small cluster of emerald-colored light appeared before him.

A semi-transparent miniature dragon shadow.

It's Zhimeng.

She looked much thinner than in the last Emerald Dream, and the edges of her body trembled constantly.

Like an unstable signal.

So, it was a dream again.

Su Ming realized what was happening.

He examined his hand closely and noticed that the edges were also slightly flickering.

Beside him, the Zhimeng's mouth opened and closed, as if trying to say something to him.

But Su Ming couldn't hear it.

Or rather, this world is silent.

Robots were moving things around the camp, vehicles were moving, and people were waving and shouting in the distance.

But everything felt isolated.

Su Ming raised his hand.

Let me guess.

"I am emotionally traumatized."

"You're helping me fix it, right?"

Xiao Longying nodded repeatedly.

What do I need to do?

Mini Zhimeng quickly shook her head.

"So you just do nothing and follow the 'plot,' right?"

Xiao Long nodded his head again.

After that, Zhimeng disappeared.

It seems the situation is quite serious this time, even affecting the stability of the Zhimeng's power.

Su Ming felt a little doubtful.

It is true that he was seriously injured in the battle with the Miasma Throat.

My mental energy is indeed somewhat overloaded.

But it shouldn't have reached that level.

After all, the improvement that "Whispers of the Stars" brought him during this period was quite significant.

So, were those previous nightmares also caused by Zhimeng?

****

Su Ming looked around again.

I noticed that He Ran, whom I had met before, was also there.

The girl sat at a table covered with mechanical parts, her sleeves rolled up to her forearms, her face smeared with two streaks of oil, and she held a small, disassembled module in her hand.

A middle-aged man in his forties sat opposite me, demonstrating the repair steps with his tools.

Judging from the cooperation of the other personnel, the two seem to be doing the most crucial work.

The next moment, it was as if the sounds of the world had been connected.

The sounds of wind, footsteps, metal clanging, and the low rumble of an engine in the distance all rushed into Su Ming's ears.

"Uncle Chen Xinrong," He Ran's clear voice rang out, "Did you teach me so much just to dump all the work of repairing the ' Spiderweb ' on me?"

The middle-aged man grinned.

"Young people should be able to stand on their own."

He tapped the outer casing of the detection module with a wrench.

The core has been removed and connected to the testing equipment.

Do you see this waveform?

"The third array is off-center."

He Ran leaned closer for a look.

"Should we just replace the film?"

"Wasteful," Chen Xinrong said.

"These kinds of things were readily available before the war."

"The labor cost for new, unrepaired items is high."

"Now, you are saved."

He pointed to the ripples on the detector.

"Lower the threshold by two stops, then align the perturbation."

"A few false positives from the system are okay, but missed false positives are the real problem."

He Ran pursed her lips, but still obediently began making adjustments.

"The Spiderweb System can scan for the presence of Eden superhumans in the vicinity, making it a powerful tool for the United Front to monitor enemy infiltration."

Therefore, this thing is very important.

But she's also quite delicate.

In the dream, Su Ming leads a "Spiderweb" maintenance team.

Patrol the mission area, inspect, deploy, and perform emergency repairs.

Su Ming recalled the information he had obtained from his last dream.

Zhimeng says, you'll forget once you leave the dream world.

But Su Ming actually remembered quite a bit.

for example:

In this dream world, Eden has invaded Earth.

It occupies large areas including Africa, South America, and the Middle East.

Currently, the United Front is engaged in a protracted battle with them.

The alliance includes refugees from the already fallen Taya Plane.

****

The sound of a car can be heard.

Su Ming turned his head and saw two off-road vehicles drive into the perimeter of the camp.

The camp sentries quickly stepped forward.

The other driver rolled down their window and handed over their identification.

The sentry checked for a moment, then waved for them to pass.

Su Ming went to greet him.

The car door opened, and a girl jumped out.

Su Ming sighed.

It was someone I knew, just like always.

Miao Xin.

Now Su Ming was able to examine it closely.

It feels completely different from being in a ghost state.

She has delicate features and clean lines.

His eyes were clear and bright, like the sky parted by the wind.

His skin had a healthy light tan, the result of years of exposure to light and the elements.

Her short hair clung to her ears, a few stray strands were blown by the wind and quickly fell back down.

Following Miao Xin off the vehicle were several heavily armed soldiers.

Following the "plot" of the dream, Su Ming stepped forward and saluted the other team's captain.

These people were well-equipped, and their style was completely different from the guards in the area where Zijin was located.

Their movements were concise, and their positioning was also very deliberate.

This isn't just for show.

He Ran suddenly ran over from the repair table and threw herself into Miao Xin's arms.

"Elder sister!"

The oil on his face rubbed off on Miao Xin.

The latter didn't seem to care at all, and smiled as she reached out to hug He Ran.

Miao Xin patted He Ran's head, then took her sister's hand and looked at it.

He Ran had calluses on his palms from the gun, and several bruises on his arms that hadn't faded.

Miao Xin's smile paused slightly.

He Ran, didn't notice and continued talking to her.

Su Ming approached Miao Xin.

"Hello!"

Miao Xin suppressed her emotions.

"Captain Su, I'm He Ran's older sister, Miao Xin."

"I took the day off today to visit her."

"Is it convenient to bother you for one night?"

Su Ming had no objection.

He glanced at his watch.

"He Ran, you are allowed a short vacation from now until 21:00."

"Thank you, Captain!"

He Ran smiled so hard her eyes crinkled.

Su Ming didn't say much.

He turned and went to Chen Xinrong's side, sat down and began repairing the detection module.

Chen Xinrong stared at Miao Xin for a while before turning his gaze back.

"He Ran, this older sister, is very beautiful!"

Su Ming sighed.

"Note: Even on vacation, you're bringing a land and sea escort team."

"His status is not low."

Chen Xinrong raised an eyebrow.

"So young, yet his demeanor doesn't resemble that of a high-ranking military officer."

"Could it be a technical officer?"

Su Ming shook his head but said nothing.

"Hey, Lao Su!" Chen Xinrong said, displeased.

"You're very observant; you must have figured something out."

He lowered his voice.

"Tell me, who is this woman?"

Su Ming glanced at Miao Xin.

She and He Ran had already started taking leisurely walks around the base.

The latter hopped and skipped around her.

Miao Xin was wearing a civilian outfit without military rank, and her right hand was always gloved.

Su Ming withdrew his gaze and replied, "I didn't see it."

He then changed the subject.

"Even if I can tell, I won't say anything."

Chen Xinrong clicked his tongue.

"Mean!"

"Would it kill you to satisfy my curiosity?"

"Stop with the nonsense." Su Ming pushed a "Spiderweb" probe over. "This waveform is unstable; recalibrate."

****

Miao Xin brought a lot of canned crab meat, chocolates, and other similar items as gifts for visiting her sister.

In this day and age, it would be considered a rare delicacy.

Su Ming discussed with them his idea of giving half of it to everyone in He Ran's name.

Miao Xin did not object.

This is basic human decency, and it's also a way of helping He Ran.

She left all the prickly pear cakes for her younger sister.

But these snacks are too much for one person.

Distributing the burden among the thirty-odd people in the camp is far from enough.

Moreover, all of these jobs involve physical labor.

Both men and women have a large appetite.

Su Ming personally participated.

Together with the chef, he chopped up the crab meat and stir-fried it with egg whites to make a crab-like dish.

A large amount of vermicelli was added to further refine it into crab roe vermicelli.

This creates a main dish that can be shared among more than thirty people.

After that, he asked the chef to cut up an old pumpkin, add sago pearls, and make a large pot of chocolate soup.

Diluted chocolate has a strong aroma but a weak flavor.

But it can ultimately be shared by everyone.

Because of the guests' visit, Su Ming was generous and had the logistics department use some of the meat reserves.

Finally, a rather sumptuous dinner was prepared at the camp.

Miao Xin and the guards didn't stand on ceremony either.

Everyone held their chocolate soup bowls and toasted each other like they were drinking wine.

In this era, hot, sweet rice with meat is a must.

In addition, there are brief windows of opportunity when there are no urgent tasks.

It is a celebration.

****

At 9 PM, He Ran to report back from her leave.

Su Ming nodded and continued organizing the forms.

He had to fill out a bunch of supply requisition forms, including reports on supply consumption, patrol progress, equipment maintenance status, and more.

On the table, there was also a "Regional Monthly Announcement" that only the team leader was authorized to read.

It's a list of names.

Next to them are labels such as "wounded," "missing," or "killed in action."

Even though this is the rear area, it has never been peaceful.

A set of "Spiderweb" equipment that originally belonged to the friendly brothers' team was assigned to his side's defense range.

There was another knock on the door.

This tapping method is somewhat unfamiliar.

Judging from the force he exerted, he didn't seem to be one of those tall and burly guards.

"Please come in, Comrade Miao Xin," Su Ming said.

The door opened.

Miao Xin walked in.

She smiled slightly and closed the door.

Then, she suddenly reached out her left hand and grabbed Su Ming's collar.

His expression hardened.

For a moment, Su Ming thought Miao Xin had also entered a dream.

It's her in person!

But what followed proved otherwise.

"Why did you give He Ran such heavy shooting training?"

Miao Xin glared angrily at Su Ming.

"He Ran is excellent," Su Ming replied calmly. "She possesses excellent qualities and great potential for development."

"She's my sister, of course I know!"

Miao Xin suppressed her anger and said, "But do you know what this means?"

Su Ming knew, of course.

We are currently at war.

Those who excel in military skills will be transferred to the front lines.

Because there is also a severe shortage of maintenance personnel there.

Su Ming raised his hand and flicked Miao Xin's hand, signaling her to let go.

The latter stared at Su Ming for a long time before finally letting go and taking a step back.

"He Ran won't be transferred to the front line," Su Ming said.

"I give her ample training so that she will have more ability to protect herself should she encounter infiltrating enemies."

The enemy is not just the Eden Transcendent.

There were also puppet troops who defected to the occupied territories.

Or rather, most of the harassers encountered by the rear base were these people.

They were subjected to brutal and ruthless armed training round after round, and then thrown over through various channels.

How much defense line it can break, how much damage it can cause, that's all we can count.

Neither side treats them like human beings.

Su Ming looked up at Miao Xin.

"Given He Ran's top-notch performance in the training camp, he would never have been assigned to our rear maintenance team."

"I confirmed at that time that she was on the ' Immediate Family Protection list'."

Immediate Family Protection means that close relatives will not be deployed to the front lines at the same time.

Even if one party is sacrificed, the other party will try their best to stay in a relatively safe position.

However, due to the brutality of war, this rule could no longer be followed.

In other words, some important members also enjoy this privilege.

****

Miao Xin's momentum weakened somewhat.

Don't spoil her too much.

Can't you see it?

He Ran herself sounded somewhat dejected.

"I would choose to go to the front lines."

Su Ming shrugged.

"Yes."

"If your older sister were to sacrifice herself, she would absolutely apply to go to the front lines."

That's why I need to train her well.

In this era, death is not a topic that needs to be avoided.

The human population has decreased by a full 60 percent compared to before the war.

After that, Miao Xin remained silent for a while.

"I'm sorry," she said to Su Ming.

Su Ming didn't say much, only making a gesture to see the guest out.

He had a lot of forms to work on today.

If we keep talking, we'll probably be filling out these forms until the wee hours of the morning.

"Captain Su," Miao Xin, but she still had something to say.

"I lost control of my emotions just now."

I cannot avoid sacrificing myself.

"That won't stop He Ran from doing what she does after that."

She covered her face with her left hand and lowered her voice.

Do you understand?

I accept my fate.

But when I think of He Ran...

Su Ming sighed.

He felt he wouldn't be able to finish this form today.

Su Ming said solemnly, "Comrade Miao Xin."

I can promise you one thing.

"If that unfortunate situation were to occur, I would keep an eye on her."

Miao Xin's eyes lit up slightly.

From her conversation with He Ran, she could sense that her younger sister trusted the captain quite a bit.

"He Ran is somewhat mischievous, but not particularly opinionated."

Su Ming spoke frankly.

"I'll most likely be able to persuade her through a combination of coaxing and cajoling."

"Then, when she reaches a certain age, we'll find a way to persuade her to find someone she likes, get married, and have children as soon as possible."

"Further on, the war should be nearing its end."

Miao Xin narrowed her eyes.

She wasn't angry that Su Ming might interfere in He Ran's private affairs.

Miao Xin's greatest hope is that He Ran can survive the war.

She doesn't care about the methods used.

****

The problem is that the current situation is unclear.

"How did you know?" Miao Xin's expression held a hint of amusement.

The United Front has achieved a key breakthrough.

However, this is currently classified information from top-level sources.

Su Ming, the junior repair team leader, made a timing judgment that was basically consistent with the military's senior staff's prediction of the war's progress.

Su Ming sighed.

"Too many details."

"The coverage of ' Spiderweb ' is increasing."

"The quota for operational materials remains unchanged, but the approval and response from higher authorities are much faster now."

"The frequency of enemy infiltration attacks has not decreased significantly, but the quality has deteriorated."

"And many more."

With a little analysis, many military secrets become as transparent as can be.

Miao Xin found it very strange that someone like Su Ming would be in the back.

But she didn't ask.

At least, someone like that can truly protect He Ran.

Miao Xin asked another question, "What if you also sacrificed your life?"

Su Ming laughed heartily.

"Then there's really no other way."

He spread his hands.

"The boundary between life and death."

"I can't promise myself I won't die in a battle!"

****

Miao Xin also knew that her expectations were excessive.

She suddenly bowed deeply to Su Ming.

"Thank you!"

Su Ming quickly stepped aside.

He helped Miao Xin.

"I can't accept that!"

"If anyone should say it, it's us who should thank you!"

Su Ming has two hands, but he only uses one hand to support Miao Xin's left shoulder.

Then, he stepped back and saluted Miao Xin.

Miao Xin straightened up, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Impressive, you even guessed my identity."

"There's nothing I can do, my brain cells are just too active," Su Ming replied.

He didn't want to guess.

But holidays usually start in the morning.

Based on the time Miao Xin arrived and extrapolating the driving distance, the most suspicious location is a nearby air force base.

Then, matching is performed based on Miao Xin's characteristics.

The base's ace pilot is a woman nicknamed "Broken Wing".

The process requires some reasoning.

But because of his work, Su Ming always maintained a sharp mind.

The brain can function on its own.

Miao Xin extended her right hand and patted Su Ming on the shoulder.

The sensation transmitted through the gloves was indeed mechanical.

Broken Wing, who lost his entire right arm in a past battle.

But even after recovering from serious injuries, she remains an ace in the rough.

"He Ran, I'm entrusting this to you." Miao Xin said.

"My plans have changed tonight, I have to go back immediately."

"You've worked hard," Su Ming said.

He opened the door and went out with Miao Xin.

He Ran saw them, she ran over and threw herself into Miao Xin's arms again.

Her eyes were filled with reluctance.

Miao Xin used her mechanical right hand to vigorously ruffle He Ran's hair.

This infuriated the latter, who swallowed back the tears that had been welling up.

The group walked to the entrance of the camp.

The escort team has already started the off-road vehicles and is waiting.

"Goodbye!" Su Ming said to Miao Xin.

Miao Xin looked at him and suddenly smiled.

I really enjoy chatting with you.

"Let's talk again next time."

"See you next time!" Su Ming said with a smile.

The off-road vehicle drove out of the camp, its taillights blending into the night.