"Jingliu, it's time to return to the squad," the captain's voice called out from behind.
"..."
She suppressed all distracting thoughts and turned to walk toward her assembling comrades.
The battlefield cleanup was nearing its end, and the Cloud Knights began their orderly withdrawal.
Jingliu walked at the front of the group, her gaze sweeping across the land that had just witnessed a bloody slaughter.
"We should be able to rest for a few days after we get back."
Behind her, a fellow soldier's voice carried a hint of exhaustion.
Jingliu pursed her lower lip.
Rest... but Master isn't on the Yaoqing. He's on another expedition, his mission far heavier than her own, and the danger level is worlds apart.
She hadn't even shed her status as a Cloud Knight recruit; how could she become the sharp blade in Master's hand and strike down even more powerful Abominations for him?
She was still far from being considered strong.
She needed more combat, to challenge more powerful enemies to temper herself.
Rest?
She didn't need it.
Every day spent resting was another day's delay in the time she could spend slaying enemies alongside her Master.
Only by Master's side could the post-war recovery time be shared, and only then... would there be time to find the answers troubling her heart.
Even on the Yaoqing, which was at the front lines of hunting the Abominations of Abundance, large-scale battles didn't happen all the time.
Small-scale battles were different.
Any race bearing the blessings of Abundance that had plundered or devoured life and civilization was considered an Abomination and was a target for the Xianzhou Alliance.
Beyond that, small Borisin tribes and Wing-Makers' nests could also be counted as small-scale battles.
As long as one passed the post-war physical examination, they could apply to continue the expedition.
Returning to the Yaoqing flagship, Jingliu quickly went through the procedures.
While undergoing her check-up at the Alchemy Commission, she looked up the list of Cloud Knight squads about to set out.
As soon as the examination ended, she immediately returned to the Cloud Knight barracks.
"Applying for assignment to the Troop 1753 small-scale battle expeditionary force." Jingliu placed her soldier's jade message on the desk.
The dispatching officer looked up at her, pulled up the information on the jade message to check carefully, and then frowned.
"You just finished the Lubuti-VIII campaign. According to regulations, you have a ten-day rest period."
"I waive my rest."
Jingliu's voice was calm.
"My physical tests have passed, and my mental state assessment is normal. I meet the standards for continuous deployment."
The veteran officer pulled up her relevant data in the system and, after a moment of silence, said, "Continuous combat is a heavy burden on the body and mind. Are you sure?"
"I am sure."
"Troop 1753's mission is to clear out a small Borisin tribe. It's expected to end in seven days. Application approved. Assemble at Military Port Zhen-56 tomorrow morning at exactly 06:00."
"Thank you, Officer."
Jingliu picked up the jade message and turned to leave... the flames of war never ceased.
Jingliu didn't expect that another two years would pass.
In those two years, she participated in dozens of small-scale battles. Such a record finally qualified her to follow a Vanguard on an expedition.
She had now become a rising star in the Cloud Knights, shedding her recruit title.
She was 18 now, and Master still hadn't returned to the Yaoqing.
Except this time, the expeditionary force led by Master hadn't lost contact, and logistics were normal.
The reason he hadn't returned was that after wiping out that Black-Claw Hound tribe and capturing the Nest Father alive, they had unexpectedly intercepted intelligence on more troublesome Abominations.
If they returned to the Yaoqing to rest, the hard-won intelligence would become useless.
By then, it would be enough for that massive swarm of Abominations to slaughter dozens of civilizations.
The temporary hunting mission was urgent. After receiving permission from General Wind of Evil, Qi Zhimu led his army to set out without pause.
Temporary hunting campaigns weren't within the Divination Commission's observations, so they lacked sufficient and accurate enemy intelligence. Not only did the battle fall into a stalemate, but they were also surrounded by multiple Borisin fleets.
Reinforcements set out quickly at the start of the temporary hunting mission, but they still failed to rendezvous smoothly.
This was why Qi Zhimu had been gone for two years.
Fortunately, it only took two years.
Now, a battle report came back from the front: the hunting mission was over, and the entire army was returning to the Yaoqing, a journey of about one month.
Jingliu began preparing to follow her Master on expeditions, training diligently and bitterly.
The days of waiting were exceptionally long, but she patiently counted the time.
Until one morning, news arrived: the expeditionary force led by Qi Zhimu was expected to arrive at the Yaoqing flagship's Cloud Knight Barracks Delve this evening.
The starship hatch opened, and Qi Zhimu was the first to step out, followed by two guards.
Having not seen him for two years, he had hardly changed, except that the sharp, murderous aura between his brows had not yet faded.
Jingliu waited in the corridor Qi Zhimu was bound to pass through, the sound of footsteps approaching from afar.
"Master, congratulations on your triumphant return." Jingliu bowed, her voice relatively calm.
Qi Zhimu stopped, his voice somewhat cold and hard.
"To wipe out those Abominations, we lost too much. Tens of thousands sacrificed. It's far from a triumphant return."
Jingliu fell silent, then raised her head to look him straight in the eye.
"I have already participated in dozens of small-scale battles. According to Cloud Knight regulations, I possess the qualifications to follow a Vanguard on expeditions. I can definitely help you, Master."
She was waiting for a word of affirmation, a word of praise, even if it was just a look of recognition.
However, Qi Zhimu's expression didn't change at all.
"You are still far from ready."
Jingliu froze.
"Master, I can—"
"Can what?"
Qi Zhimu interrupted her, his eyes showing not a hint of the warmth of reuniting with a disciple.
"Participated in a few dozen small-scale battles and you think your wings are fully grown?"
"I am no longer the recruit I was two years ago. I can do it!"
Jingliu insisted, an urgency in her voice that she hadn't even noticed herself.
Qi Zhimu was silent for a moment, his tone remaining calm: "Then prove it to me. Participate in fifty medium-scale battles. If you're still alive by then, we'll talk about following a Vanguard on an expedition."
Jingliu's pupils shrank slightly.
Medium-scale battles were different from small ones. The probability of an expedition was not low, and being gone for three or four months was commonplace.
Outside of emergency martial law periods, for the sake of the Cloud Knights' health, there was a mandatory leave period after every battle.
Fifty battles?
Medium-scale battles didn't happen all the time either. At the current frequency, fifty battles would take at least nearly a dozen years... "But Master, Seniors Sleeping Snow and Clear Cold haven't been through that many battles either."
A hint of grievance crept into Jingliu's voice.
"Why can the two of them follow Master into battle?"
This was indeed the truth.
According to Cloud Knight military regulations, Jingliu's current military merits and strength met the standards for following a Vanguard on an expedition.
Qi Zhimu's eyes narrowed slightly: "Will you not even listen to your Master's words?"
"I wouldn't dare... I just don't understand."
"In addition to fifty medium-scale battles, I'll add one more requirement: complete all training to date within six hours, and maintain consciousness after passing the special strike-resistance training. Then, I'll allow you to follow a Vanguard in a large-scale battle."
Leaving her with these requirements, Qi Zhimu stepped past her.
Behind him, Sleeping Snow and the other, who were holding their helmets, glanced at each other.
They wanted to say something to Jingliu, but in the end, they remained silent and followed Qi Zhimu.
Jingliu watched his departing back, her lungs feeling as if they were blocked by something, making it hard to breathe.
Two years of hard work, fighting on the edge of death until now—why could she still not get her Master's recognition?
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