Rigorous training had persisted for an entire week, and a rare silence finally returned to the base.
Inside the training hall, the star power amplification pod emitted a soft "click" as its heavy door slowly slid open. Tendo stepped out, carry the residual heat of his just-completed session. Beads of sweat rolled down his sharp jawline and pooled into faint damp patches at the base of his neck.
Azure star power lingered around him like a thin veil of light before completely retracting into his body, returning him to a state of calm. Within moments, the sharp, cold edge he held during cultivation softened, replaced by the faint exhaustion of someone finally letting down their guard.
After steadying his breath, Tendo began to head toward the lounge. However, before he could take more than a few steps, his path was blocked by a flurry of quick, light footsteps.
"Tendo!"
Jing Liuli ran toward him, clutching Mo Ying in her arms. The hem of her light-colored dress swept across the floor, creating a slight draft. Mo Ying poked its head out from her embrace, its round, golden beast pupils staring at Tendo with a brilliant sparkle. Its small paws gripped Liuli's sleeve, tugging gently, while the tip of its fluffy tail flicked rapidly against her arm in a display of excitement.
"Tendo, let's go to the kitchen! Sister Yun Meng is making roasted star beast energy jerky for Little Jin. She even added crushed Star Energy Fruit—it's fragrant and restores star power. Come try some with us!"
Liuli's tone was bubbly and light, her eyes filled with an undeniable sense of anticipation. Even Mo Ying followed suit, nodding its tiny head in a display of adorable obedience.
Hearing this, Tendo's first instinct was to refuse. To him, cultivation was the most pressing matter at hand. Idly resting to eat roasted meat seemed like a waste of precious preparation time.
But before he could speak, Mo Ying wriggled its small body, nimbly leaping from Liuli's arms and scurrying up Tendo's leg to perch on his shoulder. The little creature affectionately rubbed its furry face against his cheek. The cool sensation, mixed with the faint herbal scent unique to star beasts, quietly dispelled some of his post-cultivation fatigue. It then nudged Tendo's ear with its damp nose, letting out a soft, milky whimper as if it were acting spoiled or pleading.
The refusal died in Tendo's throat. After a moment of silence, he said flatly, "Let's go."
"Yay!"
The kitchen was located on the first floor of the base, adjacent to the supply storage pod. Inside the small space, the rich aroma of star beast meat was already wafting through the air. The scent, mingled with the unique sweetness of Star Energy Fruit, drifted through the ventilation ducts and into the hallway, enough to make anyone's mouth water.
In the kitchen, Yun Meng was crouching before a specialized star power grill. She occasionally tapped the edge of the grill, precisely fine-tuning the star power temperature to ensure the jerky was charred on the outside but tender on the inside. Little Jin lay obediently at her feet, its massive head resting on its thick paws. Its amber eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the sizzling, oily jerky on the grill. Saliva nearly dripped to the floor, yet it forced itself to stay still. The flame star power around it had been retracted to a mere warm glow, and even the flickering light at the tip of its tail was suppressed, fearing an accidental spark might singe its beloved food.
Trot, trot, trot...
Hearing the footsteps, Yun Meng turned and smiled, her eyes full of warmth.
"You're here! Just a few more minutes. I added crushed Star Energy Fruit so it restores star power without being too greasy. Little Jin has been waiting here quietly for ages."
Liuli's eyes lit up. She immediately uncrossed her arms and leaned over the grill, standing on her tiptoes to peer inside. Mo Ying jumped down from Tendo's shoulder and trotted over to Little Jin's side, circling the grill a few times while glancing up at the jerky, its fluffy tail wagging at high speed. Little Jin gave it a disdainful glance and let out a low huff from its throat, seemingly complaining about the noise, yet it still begrudgingly shifted over to make room for Mo Ying in the spot with the best view.
One yellow and one black, the two little creatures sat obediently before the grill, their heads turned in unison toward the same direction, their eyes filled with longing for the jerky. The synchronized sight was incredibly cute.
Seeing this, Liuli couldn't help but let out a crisp laugh that echoed through the kitchen.
"Careful, it's hot."
Just as Yun Meng used specialized alloy tongs to move the roasted jerky onto a cool porcelain plate, Liuli impatiently reached out, only for Yun Meng to gently pat the back of her hand. Liuli stuck out her tongue and sheepishly withdrew her hand, instead picking up a piece that had already cooled and holding it out to Tendo with a hint of pride.
"Tendo, try it! You have no idea, Sister Yun Meng's cooking is actually amazing!"
Sister Yun also knows her way around a kitchen?
With a touch of curiosity, Tendo took the jerky and took a small bite. The meat, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, was wrapped in the sweetness of the Star Energy Fruit, perfectly balancing the heavy richness of the meat. It was unexpectedly delicious.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, the kitchen door was pushed open. Caroline walked in carrying a thick stack of experimental records, her brow slightly furrowed and her face smudged with a trace of light purple potion, looking somewhat haggard. Spirit Fox sat steadily on her shoulder, its small paws occasionally patting the stray hairs falling by her ear with a gentle motion, as if trying to soothe her tense emotions.
"Instructor Yun, is there any fresh water? I accidentally splashed some potion on my face while tuning it earlier; it's a bit itchy."
Caroline's tone carried a hint of helplessness, and exhaustion lingered in her eyes. It was clear she had been struggling with a breakthrough in her potion research for a long time; even during rest hours, she hadn't managed to get any real sleep.
"Caroline, I'll get it for you!"
Before Yun Meng could stand up, Liuli quickly set down her jerky and ran to the storage cabinet. She pulled out a clean cup, filled it with warm water of the perfect temperature, and handed it over. Beside her, Yun Meng pulled a gentle wet wipe from a nearby box and handed it to Caroline.
"Wipe with this first. It'll remove the residual potion. Then rinse your mouth with water; you'll feel much better."
As Caroline took the wipe and carefully cleaned her face, Spirit Fox suddenly jumped from her shoulder and nimbly ran to the grill, letting out a low cry at a small, neatly cut piece of jerky.
"You want some too?"
Yun Meng smiled and handed a small piece over. Spirit Fox took the jerky in its mouth and crouched back down at Caroline's feet, eating it in tiny bites with remarkable poise.
"By the way, Caroline, how is the development of your restraint potion going? I heard the Doctor say it was close to stabilizing last time."
Liuli asked while chewing on her jerky, her voice muffled and her lip smudged with a bit of meat crumb.
Caroline sat at the dining table and rubbed her throbbing temples. Her tone held both the relief of seeing initial results and the frustration of lingering details.
"It's mostly stabilized. During testing, it successfully restrained the star core rotation of high-level star beasts, rendering them temporarily unable to mobilize star power. The issue is that the duration isn't long enough—it only lasts about fifteen minutes. I'll need to repeatedly adjust the ratios to try and extend it to half an hour to buy enough time in actual combat. However, I accidentally discovered that Spirit Fox's saliva contains a special active factor that can slightly neutralize the irritation of the potion. I might try adding it; it could also reduce the lethal damage to the star beasts, leaving some room for error."
As she spoke, Caroline looked down at Spirit Fox at her feet. Spirit Fox seemed to understand; it set down its jerky and gently rubbed its head against her ankle in a submissive and affectionate gesture.
Tendo leaned against the wall, quietly listening to their conversation without interrupting. His gaze, however, drifted toward Little Jin and Mo Ying by the grill. Mo Ying had quickly finished its portion of jerky and now had its eyes glued to the remaining half-piece in front of Little Jin. It cautiously leaned in, its tail pressed low to the ground. Then, it gently rubbed its furry head against Little Jin's paw, its golden eyes full of flattery. Little Jin flicked its tail impatiently and let out a low whimper as if complaining about the other's greed, yet it still softened and pushed the jerky toward Mo Ying. Mo Ying immediately snatched it up and scurried into a corner, happily gnawing away with its tail wagging in satisfaction.
This scene caused the corner of Tendo's tight mouth to twitch imperceptibly. He rareley shed his usual coldness, allowing a faint trace of softness to color his expression.
"By the way, Tendo."
Yun Meng suddenly remembered something. She picked up a skewer of golden, glistening jerky and held it toward him, her tone carrying genuine concern.
"Have you been pushing yourself too hard in your training lately? The Doctor mentioned to me yesterday that you drive yourself until your star power is completely depleted every single day, not even giving yourself a moment to breathe. Overextending your body like this will damage your foundations. Rest once in a while. Combining labor and rest is the only way to improve steadily. If you truly leave behind hidden injuries, it will only hinder your future breakthroughs. The loss outweighs the gain."
At these words, Liuli and Caroline both looked over, their eyes filled with sincere worry. This wasn't a calculated persuasion; it was pure concern between comrades.
Tendo took the jerky and remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"I'm fine. Besides, we don't have much time left. It shouldn't be wasted on meaningless rest."
Unexpectedly, Caroline was the one to offer a rare, solemn rebuttal to his claim.
"Tendo, from the perspective of Star Source Medicine, overextending your star power leads to star source disorder, which actually lengthens your cultivation cycle. In severe cases, it can cause irreversible damage. I'll prepare a mild recovery potion for you with thousand-year star grass extract. It will rapidly replenish star power and nourish your star source foundation. It's far more effective than just enduring the wear and tear on your body."
"I can help you adjust your training rhythm too!" Liuli chimed in immediately, her tone eager and her eyes sparkling. "We can set aside half an hour every day to practice stealth techniques with Mo Ying. Mo Ying's stealth ability is the strongest among all star beasts. This way, I can help you consolidate your practical skills for future ambushes, and you can take the chance to relax your mind so you aren't always wound tight. It's two birds with one stone."
Mo Ying seemed to understand, immediately dropping its jerky and running to Tendo's feet to repeatedly rub against his shins. Its golden eyes were full of pleading, and its small tail wrapped around his ankle—clingy and obedient, looking as though it wouldn't stop until it got its way.
Tendo looked at the group surrounding him, then down at Mo Ying, who refused to let go of his ankle. His azure eyes gradually softened. He had intended to refuse as decisively as always, but looking at the genuine concern in everyone's eyes, he fell silent for a moment and then gave a slight nod. He uttered a single, simple word.
"Okay."
That one word instantly dispelled the slightly tense atmosphere caused by the persuasion, replacing it with a relaxed, cozy warmth. Liuli clapped her hands excitedly, and Mo Ying hopped around a few times, its tail wagging even more vigorously.
The afternoon sun filtered through the kitchen's porthole, casting dappled shadows across the floor and bathing them in a warm glow. The remaining jerky on the grill continued to sizzle, the sweetness of the Star Energy Fruit intertwining with the savory aroma of the meat to fill the air. The star beasts lay contentedly at their masters' feet, occasionally letting out satisfied murmurs. It was a healing, heartwarming scene.
Spirit Fox curled up by Caroline's feet for a nap, its ears twitching occasionally. Little Jin stood by the grill, licking Yun Meng's palm now and then for comfort. Mo Ying huddled by Tendo's feet, its body pressed against his leg and its tail gently brushing his ankle.
Tendo chewed on his jerky, quietly listening to Yun Meng, Liuli, and Caroline chat about potion ratios, training techniques, and the trivialities of the base. The nerves he had kept taut for so long finally relaxed, and the fatigue between his brows lightened.
He had never cared about the future of the Federation, the deadlock between humans and star beasts, or whether the plans of the Doctor and Enite would ultimately succeed. What he sought was always the mastery of his own power and destiny.
But that didn't mean Tendo was heartless. At the very least, this rare touch of mundane warmth made him feel that such a rest was not entirely meaningless. After all, sometimes, the word "comrade" can be very expensive.
Toward evening, the base's communicator suddenly emitted a series of urgent beeps. The Doctor's steady voice came through the speakers.
"Tendo, Yun Meng. The plan is nearly ready. You can begin your preparations. If all goes well, the first batch of fish will take the bait in fifteen days at most. If we can catch them, our subsequent tasks will be much simpler. Thank you for your hard work."
At the Doctor's words, the relaxed atmosphere in the kitchen vanished instantly. Everyone gathered their thoughts and entered a state of battle readiness, their smiles replaced by solemnity. Yun Meng quickly packed up the grill and took Little Jin to the perimeter of the base to begin reinforcing flame traps and star power warning arrays. Caroline clutched her records and hurried back to the lab to adjust her potion ratios and optimize their effects. Liuli picked up Mo Ying, preparing to enter the base's hidden tunnels to check every possible infiltration point.
Tendo also turned and walked toward the training hall.
Now that the Doctor had cast the line, how big a "fish" they could attract and land would depend on their subsequent skill. And this also meant that the original Embers, which had supposedly disappeared, would reappear in the public eye under a new name.
A name called Glimmer.
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