This Mutant Tomato was truly a plant of pure and unpretentious character. It couldn’t be corrupted by wealth or subdued by force.
Whether Lin Xiaohe tempted it with space dollars and skill points or threatened it with destruction, the tomato remained aloof, unapproachable, and inviolable, deducting affection points left and right with the slightest provocation.
Having no other choice, Lin Xiaohe had to set it aside for now, pack her things, and head back to the 5th Division camp.
“Insect Goddess, will you come back?” a soldier asked hesitantly when he saw Lin Xiaohe.
Allen shot him a glare. “Xiaohe’s going to the Central Military Academy. After graduation, she’ll at least be assigned to the Fifth Star Ring. Are you cursing her by asking her to come back to Milos?”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant.” The soldier’s face turned red with anxiety.
Lin Xiaohe recognized this soldier as one of the rescued prisoners. She smiled and said, “You’ve recovered nicely. You’re able to work normally now.”
The soldier hadn’t expected Lin Xiaohe to remember him. His eyes lit up instantly. “The psychologist said I have a firm belief in my heart. It will be like a bright lamp in the dark night, guiding my way.”
The transport vehicle arrived.
Lin Xiaohe needed to take this vehicle to the spaceport, and then board a transport ship to leave Milos.
She waved goodbye to the two of them. “May your guiding lamp never go out. Goodbye, brothers.”
Allen’s eyes welled up with tears. “Safe journey, Xiaohe.”
The soldier prayed devoutly, “Insect Goddess, your radiance will illuminate the entire galaxy.”
The transport vehicle drove very fast. Lin Xiaohe hugged her white mech case, her face pale, her stomach churning.
After a stylish drift, the vehicle finally stopped.
Lin Xiaohe immediately jumped out, holding onto the door and retching.
“The renowned Insect Goddess gets carsick?”
Lin Xiaohe turned toward the voice. It was an old acquaintance—the aloof officer from the transport ship.
He was still expressionless. He reached out a hand to steady Lin Xiaohe. “Nice to see you again, cadet. Oh, no, I should say Lieutenant Lin now.”
Lin Xiaohe weakly straightened up, glanced at the officer’s shoulder insignia, and smiled. “Should I say, ‘Reporting, sir’?”
“Looks like you’re fine, still strong enough to joke.” The officer released his grip, put his hands in his pockets, turned, and led the way.
Lin Xiaohe held the white mech case in her left hand, cradled the Mutant Tomato in her right arm, and had a white backpack slung over her shoulder, hiding Xinbao and the others inside.
The aloof officer didn’t look back, just slowed his pace slightly. “Lieutenant Lin, are these the local Milos specialties you’re planning to take back?”
Lin Xiaohe’s heart skipped a beat. She replied jokingly, “Yeah, these are my spoils of war.”
“Quite a unique set of spoils. Hope you can successfully take them back.”
“What do you mean?”
The aloof officer led Lin Xiaohe to a white machine. “Place your spoils on the conveyor belt.”
Lin Xiaohe’s arms tightened slightly around the Mutant Tomato, a trace of nervousness showing on her face. “What’s this for?”
The aloof officer patiently explained, “It’s a device used to detect if plants have mutated. You know, Milos used to be a planet of mutant plants.”
Cold sweat formed on Lin Xiaohe’s palms. She deliberately complained, “What’s there to check? Which planet doesn’t have mutant plants or mutant beasts?”
“Lieutenant Lin, obeying orders is a soldier’s duty.”
“Yes, sir.” Lin Xiaohe’s expression darkened as she placed the Mutant Tomato on the conveyor belt. Silently, she hoped the tomato would be as stubborn as ever in front of this machine.
Mechanical arms on both sides of the belt secured the flowerpot, and a transparent glass cover enclosed the entire plant.
It was clear they were taking serious precautions.
Lin Xiaohe’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Sir, have people tried to take mutant plants out of Milos before?”
“Many have. But none have succeeded.”
Lin Xiaohe stared nervously at the instrument, her heart pounding wildly.
If a problem was detected, what excuse could she use?
The aloof officer seemed to notice her anxiety and casually changed the subject. “I’ve watched your battle footage. Your mech is quite distinctive.”
“Yeah, I inherited it from my father. He used to be a mech pilot and also a modifier.”
The officer nodded. So it ran in the family. “Were your weapons also modified by your father?”
Everyone assumed the weapons on the pink Beetle mech were deliberately modified to look like plants.
After all, Lin Xiaohe was young and probably had some quirky hobbies.
“That’s right. My dad’s incredibly skilled.” Lin Xiaohe said confidently.
The aloof officer was momentarily taken aback by the pride on Lin Xiaohe’s face, then smiled. “You have a good father.”
“My whole family is great.” Lin Xiaohe breathed a huge sigh of relief when she saw the Mutant Tomato emerge from the machine completely unharmed.
The aloof officer then pointed to her backpack.
Lin Xiaohe clutched the backpack with both hands, looking wary. “These are treasures I brought from home.”
The aloof officer opened his smart device, searched Lin Xiaohe’s previous travel records, and confirmed that she had indeed brought three Stardust Plants before arriving on Milos. He said nothing more.
The two walked toward the transport ship.
Lin Xiaohe headed familiarly toward the cargo hold but was stopped by the officer. “Follow me.”
She was led to the passenger cabin of the transport ship, where twenty or thirty people were already seated. They looked somewhat familiar.
The aloof officer didn’t introduce them. He arranged a window seat for Lin Xiaohe and left.
Looking out the window, amidst a torrent of steel, humans seemed as insignificant as ants.
Lin Xiaohe leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes to rest.
She carefully replayed her recent experiences. Something still felt off.
Why was the control over mutant plants on Milos so strict?
What secret was hidden deep within the mutant plant zone?
And then there was the Empire’s base in the Black Sand Desert. If it was just to hide the existence of the prisoner camp, there would have been no need to use a nuclear bomb and resort to mutual destruction.
Did the Federation Command not detect the anomaly inside? Or did they already know its secret?
“Curiosity killed the cat. The less you know, the longer you live. You just want your family to live a good life together. You’re not really trying to be some kind of savior. Why bother with all this?”
Lin Xiaohe whispered to herself.
Just thinking about seeing her family soon lifted her spirits.
“Lin Xiaohe.”
“Huh?” Lin Xiaohe looked up. It was a tall, sturdy boy with regular features, wearing a military academy uniform.
Zhou Fei clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth. “Remember this. My name is Zhou Fei. I’ll be waiting for you at Steel Star Sea! Personal bravery means nothing. War is the art of command. An individual can never single-handedly turn the tide of battle.”
With that, amidst the applause of the others, he turned and sat down.
Lin Xiaohe was utterly confused. Who was he? What was Steel Star Sea? Why did saying just one sentence make him seem like some kind of hero?
A bunch of lunatics!
