After leaving the energy warehouse, Gu Qing walked calmly along the corridor, his expression composed. Suddenly, an unusual gleam caught his eye.
Deep within the hangar stood a silver-white mech entirely different from the standard black, dark blue, or iron-gray models surrounding it. Its lines were clean and elegant. Nothing stood near it, as though an area had been deliberately cleared just for its presence.
Under the lights, the silver shell emitted a cold luster. It did not resemble an ordinary mech—it looked more like a solitary sentinel standing in the depths of a galaxy.
Gu Qing slowed unconsciously, murmuring, “This mech… its aura is formidable…”
Adjutants Yier and Feili exchanged a glance. Their tone grew even steadier than before.
“That is General Milton’s ‘Silver Crown,’” Yier said solemnly.
“Only the General himself can activate it,” Feili added, reverence threading through his voice.
Gu Qing’s gaze lingered on the silver frame. That quiet presence stirred something faint within his heart. Lowering his lashes, he said softly,
“…It feels lonely.”
Within his sea of consciousness, the Heavenly Dao Little Dumpling poked its head out, its voice lower than usual. “Tsk… This mech is different from the others. It is excessively handsome, but… somehow, it resembles you a little, Gu Qing.”
Gu Qing smiled faintly, his eyes still resting on the Silver Crown, silently acknowledging that same aloof pride. He turned slightly toward the adjutants.
“You hold your General in high esteem, do you not?”
Yier answered in a deep voice, “The General is worthy of our lifelong loyalty.”
“He is the most exemplary female soldier we have ever seen.”
Gu Qing paused slightly. Looking at them, he asked gently, “‘Most exemplary’… in what sense?”
Feili explained, “The General was born a commoner. During his time at the military academy, he was the only SSS-level military female, arousing jealousy from every noble-born female cadet. Noble male insects sought to claim him as their own.”
“And he never bowed his head.”
Respect and anger flickered across Yier’s eyes. “That year at the academy, I was oppressed by noble-born cadets. He personally pulled me out of that situation. He had no background, no backing—yet for my sake, he openly severed ties with high nobility.”
Feili continued, “I come from a declining noble family. In their eyes, I was no different from a commoner. It was General Milton who brought me into the legion and taught me what honor and responsibility truly meant.”
Yier gave a restrained cold laugh. “He does not covet power. He does not flatter male insects. Back then, some wanted him as a consort, even as a principal spouse. He refused them all. He would rather rely on the battlefield than on status.”
His tone shifted, lower and urgent. “The General’s spiritual sea is already nearing collapse. Years of high-intensity combat have left hidden damage.”
Feili’s expression remained composed, though concern lay beneath. “He consistently refuses purification. He does not wish any insect to see his weakness.”
Yier sighed. “That stubbornness is both his shield and his shackles. That is why the military reassigned him to the rear.”
Gu Qing listened quietly, his fingers tightening imperceptibly in his palm.
This solitary and proud General bore pressures and loneliness beyond words.
For once, the Heavenly Dao Little Dumpling quieted. “…Sword Venerable, this General… he truly makes one’s heart ache.”
Gu Qing remained silent, a glint flashing through his eyes.
—Outwardly too calm, burying emotion deep within.
—Not without feeling, merely afraid of being seen.
He turned away. His gaze rested on the Silver Crown one final time before he walked on.
Inside the sea of consciousness, the Little Dumpling wriggled its round body mischievously. “Do not forget—back at the hot springs, you teased him until his face flushed and his legs nearly gave out, and then you acted as though nothing happened! Why not take this opportunity and claim him before he slips away?”
Gu Qing: “…”
The Little Dumpling hurried on, “Relax, relax—I support your freedom in romance! That Milton is beautiful, has strong spiritual power, a steady aura, and an inspirational background. He is practically a rare limited edition—”
Gu Qing’s brows knit slightly, though he did not interrupt.
“In short, this General is a long-term investment prospect! Perhaps through marriage you could gain control over the energy stones—”
“Silence.” Gu Qing’s voice was cool and decisive.
The Little Dumpling immediately fell quiet, though it continued to skitter secretly in some corner of the spiritual sea. “Hehe… I knew you were wavering.”
Late at night, the military office was dimly lit. On the projection screen appeared the figures of Yier and Feili. Feili remained as composed as ever, though his voice was lower than usual.
“General, regarding Lord Gu Qing’s visit today, I believe an early report is necessary.”
Reclining against his chair, purple eyes veiled in shadow, Milton spoke lazily. “Proceed.”
Feili lowered his gaze slightly. “Though he showed interest in the mechs, our observations suggest he does not intend to steal military secrets.”
Yier continued, vigilance in his tone. “His reaction in the energy storage sector… was overly calm. Especially upon contact with an S-class energy stone—he exhibited no physiological abnormality. The stone even showed a brief fluctuation at his fingertips.”
“He proposed the hypothesis of linkage between energy and the spiritual sea—too precise,” Feili added quietly. “Not the insight of a layman.”
Milton tapped the armrest with steady rhythm. In the cabin, only that faint sound remained, echoing like the slow stirring of his thoughts.
Yier spoke again. “He did not ask many questions. Yet each one struck at the core. His humility was perfectly measured, but it could not conceal his… interest in the energy stones.” He hesitated slightly. “It did not feel like greed. More as though… he truly wished to study them.”
Milton slowly opened his eyes, focusing on the reports from his two adjutants. After a moment of silence, he gave a soft, low chuckle—its undertone impossible to discern, whether mockery or wariness.
“That male insect asked such questions… It is certainly not mere academic curiosity.”
“Yes, General.” Feili bowed his head slightly.
Milton fell silent again. Beneath the surface, currents stirred.
Gu Qing’s composure, restraint, and keen perception regarding the energy stones had already proven that he concealed his true strength. He was not merely the mental harmonizer he appeared to be. That power… perhaps far exceeded the limits Milton had anticipated.
Milton turned to look out the window. In the depths of the universe, star trails flowed quietly. His violet eyes were deep as night, his voice low and even.
“Gu Qing… what exactly do you intend to obtain from us?”
After a moment of silence, he exhaled softly.
Those black eyes—clear and innocent like the night sky after rain—why did they always remind him of a poisonous plant?
Quiet. Beautiful. And impossible to guard against.