Chapter 378: Chapter 153: Why Surround Us?
Two hours later, the starship appeared in the sky above Dingchuan Academy, slowly descending.
Below, a large gathering of soldiers had already assembled. Lin Hao couldn’t help but smile at the scene below, “Why is the Military Department giving such a high-profile reception? Even the Special Level Guard Team from Blue Capital Star has been mobilized.”
“Perhaps this special training has attracted attention from the higher-ups.”
“I haven’t even given a detailed report yet, and they can’t wait already.”
The ship’s body shuddered, and after a slight sway, there was no more sensation of shaking.
“We’ve landed. We… we’re back!”
“Ding Chuan, we’re back!”
Only at this moment did the young soldiers’ emotions finally become completely liberated.
A half-month of extraterrestrial combat, with nothing but bugs and more bugs, by the end even the base had completely fallen. This brief half-month felt as if it had been half a year.
Drifting in interstellar space like rootless duckweed, it wasn’t until now that they found a sense of belonging to home.
Mu Fan stood among a group of cadets with a smile on his face, finally able to return to normal academy life.
Moreover, out in the distant heavens, after a mottled warship flew into the asteroid belt, it disappeared without a trace.
“Please stand in order, cadets. We will exit the ship in an orderly manner once the cabin door is open.”
The large door of the transport bay slowly lowered, and those at the front started to walk out.
But very soon, one of them was taken aback.
Because there were… too many soldiers nearby, weren’t there?
A colonel stood quietly in the front, hands behind his back, watching people continuously walking out of the starship, his face showing not a ripple of emotion.
When Mu Fan stepped out, his eyes immediately caught the colonel at the front, not because of his rank and status, but because of the high-and-mighty look in his eyes, devoid of any happiness or congratulations, but rather quite indifferent.
Why look at the returning troops with such eyes?
Mu Fan took note quietly, gently tugging at the arm of White Hair beside him.
“Don’t speak just yet, something’s off about the atmosphere.”
“What’s wrong… why do all these soldiers have such deadpan faces?” White Hair also noticed something was awry at Mu Fan’s hint.
And all those soldiers were armed!
White Hair, familiar with firearms, certainly wouldn’t mistake them; these were Pulse Rifles, the Benz K31 model.
These were the real deal, weapons provided to combat personnel!
White Hair, frowning, obediently followed Mu Fan down.
As more and more personnel gathered and began to form ranks on their own, the atmosphere initially filled with laughter and chatter, but it wasn’t long before they too noticed the discordant atmosphere around them.
Mu Fan had already scanned the crowd, and he noticed something.
That is…
Not a single face he recognized.
Be it the faculty team of Dingchuan Academy or the crew from Starship No. 2 that had arrived earlier.
Where had they all gone?
98 cadets had assembled, 2 had been left permanently on Asteroid No. 131.
What followed were the military personnel stationed at Dingchuan Special Training Base.
This time, Lin Hao was at the forefront, followed by a host of accompanying officers.
As Lin Hao appeared, finally, a flicker of movement showed in the eyes of the colonel standing before the armed troops.
Then he stepped forward.
He moved, and the pair of guard teams at his side stepped forward in parallel.
The movements here quickly caught everyone’s attention.
The surrounding soldiers also tightened their grip on their firearms, a movement that Mu Fan once again keenly perceived.
“Welcome back, Major Lin.”
Lin Hao looked up at the approaching colonel, his expression slightly changing, but he still saluted in response, “Colonel Li!”
His mind was already shrouded in suspicion. Colonel Li Shen, the head of the Operations Department of the highest command on Blue Capital Star—his appearance was always linked to certain questionable affairs.
As an administrative planet, Blue Capital Star had not yet experienced war; thus, some said in private that Li Shen’s thoughts were entirely fixed on how to deal with his own people.
With this in mind, the presence of the Special Level Guard Team from Blue Capital Star also found a reasonable explanation.
Li Shen leading the team… Was this a move against them?
“Major Lin, please step aside to talk, and give orders for the crew of the starship to submit to the guard’s inspection.”
This discourteous statement instantly caused an uproar among the listeners.
Submit to inspection!?
What’s wrong with them, they had just escaped death on Planet 131, encountered a Star Thief’s inexplicable robbery halfway through, and now after a rough journey, they had barely set foot on the ground only to be surrounded by a group of armed soldiers telling them to submit to inspection!
“Why are you surrounding us?” Lin Hao did not answer directly but instead counterasked.
However, a furious curse suddenly erupted beside him: “Major Lin, why the hell are you asking him? What ‘inspection’ is there to talk about? I just barely escaped death and now I’m being inspected by our own people, damn it, I’m going back, let’s see who dares to stop me!”
One of the soldiers, known for his explosive temper, lost his cool then and there. He was a firepower specialist from the Light Leopard Team, and like Mu Fan, he was a hulking young man named Paje who had also come from the examination site on Purple Jade Star.
After he spoke, the veteran angrily tried to leave.
Colonel Li Shen noticed the situation beside him, didn’t turn back, and simply casually raised his left hand and gestured with a finger.
As the veteran was about to approach the encircling soldiers, one of them suddenly swung a vicious blow with the butt of his gun, striking the man’s abdomen.
The veteran immediately doubled over like shrimp, unable to straighten his back, as two burly soldiers appeared to pin down his shoulders, and no matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t move.
Li Shen’s voice was as light as his demeanor, “I advise you all not to act rashly. This inspection is a routine procedure approved by the Military Department. I personally do not wish to see the consequences of anyone defying a military order.”
Click!
A chorus of guns being readied silenced any further thought of resistance from those on the starship.
Now all the muzzles were pointed at them, and members of the Special Level Guard Team, who were among the best in the military, emitted a killing aura that finally quelled everyone’s restlessness.
Li Shen, with a smile that was not quite a smile, watched Lin Hao, “I’m sure Colonel Qi wouldn’t want you to disobey military orders either. Please, Major Lin, give the order to undergo a routine inspection. After all, this is an order from the Military Department.”
Taking a deep breath, Lin Hao suppressed the anger in his heart, and spoke to the cadets and accompanying officers, “Submit to the inspection!”
In the military, a higher rank could crush you without mercy.
Without a legitimate reason, Lin Hao simply could not refuse Li Shen’s order.
“Major Lin is indeed sensible. I believe Colonel Qi will be very pleased upon hearing this.” With an imperceptible mocking tone, Li Shen gestured with his hand, “Show Major Lin the way.”
Lin Hao’s eyelid muscles twitched, Li Shen from the start spoke with enormous hostility towards Qi Longxiang, so no matter what the latter said, he knew that this matter was definitely not going to end amicably.
Hence, Mu Fan and others watched as Lin Hao, leading the starship officers, was escorted away surrounded by a group of fully armed guards.
“You all are the future seeds of the military, rest assured the Military Department will not harm you.”
Li Shen again instructed, the surrounding guard soldiers cleared a path, signaling for the cadets to enter in an orderly fashion.
Standing with his arms crossed at the tailgate of the transport ship, Li Shen watched the crowd obediently walk through the passage, a cold sneer hanging on his face.
Mu Fan and White Hair, along with about a dozen people, entered the pitch-black armored vehicle at the soldiers’ signal.
With a clang, darkness enveloped the space, and the various sounds from outside were mostly silenced in an instant.
In this sealed environment, a silent oppression descended.
As the engine noise started up, White Hair nudged Mu Fan, “What do we do now?”
Mu Fan rested with his eyes closed, his eyelids not lifting, yet his faint voice oddly provided a bit of comfort to his companions within the vehicle.
“Tell the truth, and wait to see how things unfold.”