309 - 317

Chapter 309: Black and White

The battlefield was locked in stalemate. In the center of it all, Lan Qing and Lan Jue's duel continued.

Flashes of lightning painted An Lun's wasted surface an electric blue. The powerful strikes were area of effect, and where by design. Lan Jue wanted to keep Lan Qing engaged as long as possible.

The master strategist, meanwhile, was little taken aback by what he was witnessing. Dodging was pointless for area attacks, but their power was weak. It was a waste of energy.

Already Lan Jue had used his forest of lightning over half a dozen times. Thunder orbs, he'd used four times. Still, the young jewelry master continued his assault like his energy stores were boundless. Lan Qing figured his brother only had about one strong attack left in him, before he'd have to retreat.

He's buying time. Does he think his students actually have a chance?

Lan Qing was keeping his eye on the battle as it unfolded around them. As he fought over supremacy with his brother, he kept track of the tactical situations developing through the fight.

The NEU students were much stronger than he'd originally planned for, if he was telling the truth. Mika and Xiuxiu were battlefield terrors he knew well. His soldiers would suffer dearly at their hands. But, these losses would be acceptable if he could defeat Lan Jue in time. Once he did, there would be no way his enemies could mount a defense, much less steal victory. After all – he was among them!

But there were other hot-spots he was paying close attention to. Tang Xiao, in particular, kept his eye. In tactics, timing and power he was a talented youth. More and more of his soldiers were being lost to the cunning pilot with each passing moment.

Doubt began to creep in to Lan Qing's iron-clad discipline. How on earth was his brother able to locate his forces, and execute such a sneak attack? It had ruined his serpent formation.

Without tactical superiority, even individual power couldn't assure victory. Right now, his little brother beating him in both strategy and troop command. It was something Lan Qing was stunned to face.

The fight continued. An Lun soldiers dropped like flies from the onslaught of student Adepts. When it came to close-combat, the young pilots were terrors. Once they got the rhythm of the battle, even first-ranked pilots could display impressive power. The addition of Disciplines made it that much harder for his men.

Lan Qing's forehead wrinkled, and a pale cyan light sprang up around him. He himself was surrounded by a dim golden light, which radiated out from within. This was a manifestation of his Hannya style.

He couldn't go out like this. His side was already losing ground. Mika and Xiuxiu were too strong to contend with. With the two working together, his soldiers were lost. At present they were moving in to assist Tang Mi. If they were allowed to continue, he'd lose that front as well. It wouldn't be long before his entire force was routed.

The first priority was quickly putting Lan Jue to rest, then closing ranks. That would turn the tide.

Lan Qing began flooding his suit with his Discipline and martial power. His defenses thickened, and the pale gold light that hung over him deflected his brother's lightning bolts. The An Lun super soldier shot forward in a column of blue-gold light, bearing down on Lan Jue with the force of a hurricane.

But just as he was gaining speed a light shot down from the heavens. It was strange, composed of black and white intertwined. They did not intermingle, and yet maintained a balance of hue.

Lan Qing's eyes flashed. The winds racing passed him spun in to a cyclone and spun off toward the light. It grew in size and intensity as it tore across the ruined surface of the planet. Flashes of golden energy flashed chaotically within.

The flashes of blue that filled the sky dimmed in comparison to the apocalyptic cyclone. But as it came upon the strange beam of light, they passed through one another as though neither existed. The odd light swept right passed and full upon Lan Qing.

The vice admiral looked on in surprise and alarm as the maneuver functions of his suit cut out. He was barreling forward at breakneck speed, completely out of control.

Was this… data? Lan Qing was at a loss. For all his wisdom, he didn't know what to do.

His brother's force came through his comm systems. "Heh. Hey bro. I forgot to tell you, we're not actually fifty-one people. I've got fifty-seven."

Lan Qing's mecha began to belch thick, black smoke as the blasts of lightning subsided. Lan Jue pulled up beside his brother.

In the distance, another foot furtively made its presence known. Even the machine's approach was uncouth, almost wretched. It could only be one person.

The surprise in Lan Qing's eyes subsided, replaced with contemplation. He went over the last few moments in his mind.

"So your timing was based on calculations. You must have someone who specializes in it." It took him very little time to uncover the truth.

"That's right," Lan Jue said. There wasn't any reason not to be candid by this point. "Let me introduce you. This is the Accountant, hailing from Skyfire Avenue." He didn't mention the Accountant's relationship to the Keeper out of respect for the young man. No one liked to live in another man's shadow.

"Hey there, Supersoldier. Heh, you're probably feeling pretty crappy right? You want revenge on the Jewelry Master? It's him who made me do it." The Accountant chortled.

From the start, Lan Jue never expected his students to defeat a force lead personally by his brother. Both because the soldiers were exceptional, and the overwhelming strength of Lan Qing. No one knew Lan Qing better than his younger brother, and the stories of Prometheus' abilities were vastly understated.

There was just the tiniest flaw in his otherwise invulnerable exterior. He was using a training mecha.

True combat was conducted in suits the pilot was familiar with, who probably designed them themselves. If Prometheus was piloting Coeus, this would have been an embarrassing brief war game. Thankfully, training mechas were a different story. It was the mechanical composition and A.I. that determined how much martial power and Discipline a suit could take.

Then there was the Accountant, who had improved as well through the training. Not that he'd participated as the students had; his improvement was from assimilation. The young man had endured cruel treatment at the hands of the Bookworm while they were on Lir, but he had also been force-fed a tremendous amount of knowledge.

The Bookworm had already expressed his thoughts to the Keeper, that the Accountant was the best candidate to be their successor. The relative weakness of his Discipline wasn't an issue – after all, even those two old Paragons had to start somewhere, right? They didn't get to Paragon status by being born with the ability. They got it through hard work and study. They reached supremacy by understanding the world around them like no one else. Their cultivation methodology was a unique one, that couldn't be faked or simulated.

But the Accountant also had a strong enough Talent to sustain the constant inhumane treatment the two hateful old men subjected him to. Ever since he was young he'd had to study under the Keeper's tutelage, and his talents in several areas of study were made apparent. While he was exceedingly indolent by comparison, he was standing on the shoulders of giants. He was like a pig, but with two Paragons as his teachers, at least he was a pig who could count.

He hadn't been interested in participating in any of the training. Ever since arriving on An Lun he'd spent his time lazing about the place. But when he was bored and there was nothing to occupy his mind, his thoughts invariable turned to his two teachers and everything they'd been trying to teach him over the last few months. As he absorbed everything he was taught, as well as the medicine the Bookkeeper had volunteered him for, he got stronger. To the point where he had a breakthrough of his own. He was now an eighth-ranked Talent.

Lan Qing's determinations were correct. Indeed, that strange column of black and white light had been a physical expression of the data stream. Although these suits were not bad for what they were, between the Accountant's manipulations and Lan Qing's own overwhelming power the suits were insufficient.

With Coeus it would have ended differently. Never mind the fact that it's A.I. was top of the line, it was also protected from interference by no less than a dozen layers of defensive subroutines. The Accountant would never have broken through his security so quickly.

Had Lan Qing been at all clued in to the Accountant's presence, it would have been very difficult for this data stream to find its mark. However, as it was, Lan Qing was busy dealing with his brother. Lan Jue had gotten stronger, strong enough in fact to be a danger to him. He'd gotten careless, and that's when Lan Jue took his opportunity. In truth it was masterfully done, for Lan Jue had the Accountant use his powers just as Lan Qing was pouring everything he had in to his strike. It left him vulnerable, just what the Accountant needed. Lan Qing had been ready to charge in with everything he had, but it had made him confident. That was what the Accountant capitalized on.

In his brash certainty Lan Qing had chosen not to dodge, but to deflect. Of course it could not be said that his defenses were weak, but the academic powers of the Accountant weren't physical. You couldn't knock it away, and that is what caused Lan Qing to lose control. The black smoke that poured from his suit now, meant he'd lost today's exercise.

Lan Qing was not upset, nor was he too hard on himself for the oversight. It was the first time he'd encountered a situation like this. To him, that had been an invaluable experience. At least he'd be ready for it, the next time.

Chapter 310: Victory!

"I don't blame him. After seeing how much he's grown, I'm happy. Not bad… the fight was not bad at all. I'm delighted you took take the tactical victory." Lan Qing's voice was soft. It was still hard, and cold, but lacked any malice. As ever, he appeared entirely indifferent despite his words of elation.

Lan Jue chuckled. "So, should we call an end?"

His determination was correct. With the loss of Gao Lei and Lan Qing, the soldiers couldn't compete with Lan Jue's students. Despite their dogged determination, they'd lost.

The strengths of the NEU pilots was simply too much. There were two ninth ranked adepts on their side – Lan Jue and Mika. Xiuxiu, Tan Lingyun and Tang Xiao were eighth ranked, as well as the Accountant who'd hid through most of it. Several more were seventh. They were more than an equal to any soldier.

"If any of your students are interested in joining the Iron Army, they have my blessing," Lan Qing announced. "They've earned every promise and commitment we've sworn to. Cease fire!"

As the words rang through everyone's cockpit, the students of the NEU erupted in a triumphant roar! They'd done it! They'd defeated the Iron Army! Although they knew their advantages were many, they still faced an experienced opponent in higher numbers, with mid-level Adepts of their own. To take on and wrestle victory from their idols… this sort of feeling was intoxicating.

Just as Lan Jue had promised them, this was an experience they would remember until the end of their days.

On top of this, they knew their victory meant they could enter the Iron Army themselves at their leisure, AND they got to leave with a mecha to use for a whole year! They were the Bloodlust Warsuits, symbols of the brave departed. This was their prize. They weren't just sturdy suits, for when you got in to one you were imbued with the spirit of Blood and Iron!

The field was cleared, and the students gathered back at base to celebrate. So elated were they in their victory, that they temporarily forgot their fear of their Demon Drillmaster and hoisted him in to the air.

Lan Jue didn't stop them, or admonish them for their actions. He let them have their moment – it was the release of two months of pressure.

There was no alcohol anywhere on An Lun, so when the students were done with Lan Jue and sought further ways to expel their energy, they took to the training field. They ran about wildly, shouting and recounting the battle. They were as wild as the planet they'd come to adopt.

Standing on the sidelines, watching his charges jump and shout, the hardness gradually went from Lan Jue's eyes. He was pleased to find his own hard work paying off. Not only had he given them a true battle experience, he'd given them confidence. If they could take on the Iron Army and come out victorious, who else stood a chance?

"Thank you." The soft voice came from behind.

At once, Lan Jue adopted his ice-cold persona. He turned his head, and spied Tan Lingyun standing nearby. The Savage Goddess had snuck up behind him at some point.

She walked to his side, fixing him with an appreciative look. "You've changed them for the better. Me, too. I've learned quite a lot these last two months, and improved more than I have in the last several years. If possible, I would like to continue training. If you accept, I'd like to stop being an assistant, and be a student."

"The training isn't over," Lan Jue answered.

"Huh?" She looked at him inquisitively.

They'd said the training would be two months! They'd already learned so much. From knowing only the basics to taking out the Iron Army, that was how far they'd climbed!

"Didn't you say we were leaving? What do you mean the training isn't finished?"

Lan Jue answered with a nod. "Who said training finished once we left here? If you recall, I said this portion of our training was finished. We've still got the third round of exercises. Like I said at the beginning, this training might take longer than two months."

Tan Lingyun blinked at him. "What else could there be to learn?"

"You'll know when we get there," Lan Jue said dismissively. "Stop asking questions. If there's nothing important you may rest for the remainder of the day. We leave in the morning."

Tan Lingyun looked at him for a moment. She chewed on her lips for a moment before blurting out.

"Are you married?"

Surprised did not describe Lan Jue. The possibility of this happening was the farthest thing from Lan Jue's mind.

"What the hell?"

"Nothing," Tan Lingyun said. "Just a casual question."

"It's a question I refuse to answer," Lan Jue replied. "This has nothing to do with the training."

He gave her no space to reply. He turned his back on her, and left the field.

Tan Lingyun watched as he walked away. Suddenly, she shouted after him. "Give me a chance to pursue you!"

Lan Jue very nearly fell on his face. He recovered, and nearly ran to the dormitories.

Tan Lingyun burst in to a fit of laughter. All of the pressure fled from her through gasping breaths. This man, this demon drillmaster, Lei Feng, Zeus – he was a coward!

With her chest puffed out pridefully, Tan Lingyun sneered.

"You have no chance." The soft, emotionless voice interrupted her laughter.

Tan Lingyun jumped. She'd never heard someone approach. When she turned, she saw only a woman with fiery red hair and a silver mask.

She knew this to be one of the other assistants Lei Feng had brought with him. No one knew who she was – they simply called her 'assistant instructor.'

The red- haired one, and the black-haired one. That was how the students referred to Mika and Xiuxiu.

"Why do you say that?" Tan Lingyun was not affected by the negative comment. She stood where she was, surrounded in an air of high-handedness.

"You're back of the line," she said. "He's had a healthy following for a while. So if you think you're just gunna jump in, you've got another thing coming."

Tan Lingyun blinked at her. "You two?" Tan Lingyun took a minute to size up her sudden competition. Mika, she discovered, was no less a catch than she. She looked back at the two ember-red eyes behind the mask. They glowed, almost.

Tan Lingyun knew that look. This was war.

'Timid' was never a word Tan Lingyun had had in her vocabulary. She bulled through every challenge she'd ever faced. The harder the task, the more she rose to the occasion. And the stronger her ego. Learn and overcome – that was principle.

She had always had an idol in her heart, like any woman, but it was not Zeus. It was Prometheus.

She was no longer a young girl. It was time for her to find a boyfriend and settle down, 1 but she had some pretty lofty standards. In her mind, her future man would be perfect; he would be possessed of herculean strength and sage-like wisdom. Prometheus fit that mold rather well, so he was her ultimate goal. Had her parents not expressly forbidden it, she'd have joined the Iron Army herself long ago.

She'd been blessed with the opportunity, through this training, to see Prometheus with her own eyes. However, when she finally met him that fervent sense of puppy love had calmed.

When she'd approached Lan Jue with her conjecture before, she was going to ask him to introduce her. She couldn't slip from the excitement of the discovery. But never once during that night did she dream about the green-masked man. No, the scene that played in her mind over and over was an experience she'd remember forever.

She was on his lap, watching as he masterfully commanded his mecha suit. She remembered watching him work, feeling the heat of him against her, surrounded by his masculinity. That was what she remembered.

The next day she woke up red-faced and flustered. Throughout the morning she couldn't shake the thought from her mind. The excitement she used to feel for Prometheus was gone. But the image in her heart wasn't gone, just replaced. It was Zeus.

He was a cold, cold man – but heroic! For the last two months he had been ruthless to everyone he came across. She herself had to fight through more than a few weak moments.

But in the end this terrible experience had lifted them to lofty heights. The ARC classes were unprecedented, and through them she saw that Zeus was strong in more than just combat.

And just now he'd beaten Prometheus in smarts! Although she hadn't seen how, the victory was enough. After that, Lei Feng completely usurped Prometheus from his spot in her heart. That's why she'd confronted him like she had – she sure was backward when it came to relationships. But pouring her soul and seeing it reduced to a joke was more than she could handle.

"Just because he doesn't like you doesn't mean he won't find interest in me. Let's just see who he picks!" Her hands were clenched in to fists, and her voice rose to a challenging crescendo.

Mika just laughed. "Sure! At the very least we'll see how novel you make the situation." With the final words hers, Mika turned and walked away. She didn't see Tan Lingyun as any sort of competition. She knew who her real competition was.

ζ

Lan Jue walked from the training field in a confounded daze. She certainly was cute…

But curiosity was all there was. She was a good girl. He could still remember his maltreatment at her hands, how awkward she'd made everything. Still, he had a very good impression of her. She was grumpy, mean, with a terrible temper – but with a fundamentally good heart. That's why he'd risked his identity to help her out – and ended up somewhat getting himself exposed anyway.

"Come with me!"

Lan Jue turned his head, and saw his brother standing nearby.

1. This is the single greatest Chinese trope you'll come across. Understand this, and you'll get relationships in China. A woman's role in the far east has always been to find a good man, and provide. They are expected to do this immediately – I mean, immediately after university. Remember that they are forbidden from having any relationships prior to college, and even then it should never go beyond a few stolen kisses. This means there are slews of 25 year-old parents, and every year you don't have a husband and a child, you're less and less desirable. So much effort is poured in to nabbing a good man from both parents and the girl herself that school can often be an afterthought. This is, however, thankfully changing.

Chapter 311: Lan Qing's Analysis

Lan Jue didn't say anything, and asked no questions. He immediately trotted over to his brother and followed him as Lan Qing left.

Before long a mag-lev car appeared parked nearby. They both got in, and started for the bowels of the camp deep underground.

Eventually they reached their destination – a metal door set by itself far from anything else. Lan Qing exited the car and stood before it as a beam of light swept over his body.

The doors opened with a groan of protest. The brothers entered.

They walked in to a simple room which, like the rest of An Lun's military base, was mostly metal. Every inch of the place was densely covered in instruments and computer screens. A couple workers were busily toying with the equipment. They all stopped, and snapped to attention as Lan Qing entered.

The vice admiral returned their salute. Without a word, they sat back down and continued their enigmatic work. Lan Qing made his way to one screen in particular, and Lan Jue followed at his heels.

"We've already prepared all the mecha suits for your students. Gao Lei is bringing the arm bands by personally." Lan Qing said.

Lan Jue answered with a nod. "Thank you."

His older brother waved dismissively. "No need for that. Your students' due reward, nothing more. Your people for exceeded expectations, a rare thing these days."

His words were simple and his tone indifferent, but from his mouth is meant quite a lot.

A small smile crept on to Lan Jue's face. "How could my students be anything less than spectacular? You just commanded an army, and I had a few kids."

"Don't be so self-satisfied," Lan Qing replied. Lan Jue stared back, at a loss after his brother's chastising tone.

Lan Qing turned on the monitor. A few button presses, and a recording of their simulated battle appeared on the screen. It was showing from the beginning.

As they watched, a series of changes swept across the battlefield. From the staggering charge of the Iron Army, to Lan Jue's surprise assault leading Delta squad, they watched the fight unfold.

"Why am I watching this," Lan Jue asked.

Lan Qing stared at the screen with his arms crossed. "We're looking for problems. You and your students did very well this time. In training, your students do very well especially on an individual basis. As soldiers, though, they're far from adequate. Where this a real battle, the Iron Army would certainly have come up victorious, despite suffering heavy loses."

Lan Jue narrowed his eyes as he watched the recording. He spoke, his voice thick with challenge and irritation. "You wanna try it again? I never took you for a sore loser."

Lan Qing fixed his brother with an even, hard stare. He reached out and pressed a few keys. The image of the screen magnified so every detail was apparent.

As he watched, he saw dozens of black figured darting across the screen. They were An Lun soldiers – rather, a simulation of troop movements, and as Lan Jue watched his smug expression faded.

Among them he saw Gao Lei, who was rushing to meet Tan Lingyun. In the end he'd been defeated, unable to break free from Tan Lingyun's indelible frontal assault. She'd cleared the path for victory by smashing that part of the line.

However, as he watched there was a change. Gao Lei wasn't defeat, but perished together with Tan Lingyun in a ball of flame.

Lan Qing's quiet voice explained while Lan Jue watched. "Each Bloodlust Warsuit comes equipped with a self-destruct system. It varies with each individual, and can only be initiated by the pilot. For pilots without Disciplines, when the energy flow reaches critical mass, they press the button. For Adepts, the suit's own energy and their Disciplines combine to extend the force and blast radius. When their core detonates, the resulting blast in three times stronger than the pilot's individual strength. Your assistant wasn't weak, certainly, but wasn't suited for command. She took out Gao Lei, but sacrificed her squad in the process. She failed to protect her comrades-in-arms, despite her status as an eighth-ranked Adept. This is not behavior befitting a soldier. If Gao Lei had employed the self-destruct sequence during their encounter, there would be an eighty-seven percent chance he'd have taken her with him. The remaining thirteen percent sees her alive, but rendered combat ineffective. That's a one-hundred percent chance you lost your squad leader and all her soldiers."

Lan Jue watched, though incredulity was clear on his features. "But would Gao Lei have chosen the right moment? After all, he'd be giving his life."

Lan Qing answered by knocking his fist on the desk. He spoke to the soldier on his left. "In the last five years how much of our total losses have come from self-sacrifice?"

The soldier shot to his feet and saluted. "Vice Admiral! In the last five years, self-destruction has accounted for eighty-four point six-three percent of total casualties."

Lan Jue looked at the soldier in surprise.

What did this mean? That more than eighty-percent of the An Lun soldiers chose death when their mechas suffered critical damage. Once that decision was made, there was no going back – no escape. What Lan Qing was trying to impress upon his brother, was that Gao Lei – in fact, almost all of his soldiers – would have taken his students with them if this were a real fight.

"This is too cruel!" Lan Jue was not a pacifist. On the contrary, he had significant blood on his hands from past battles. A few times he'd been willing to give his own life in the course of a fight, much like on Taihua.

But to require that of his students? He simply couldn't imagine it.

"Cruel?" Lan Qing sniffed. "There is no such thing in war. Only victory, and defeat. Had Gao Lei chosen self-sacrifice, your assistant would have been lost. His remaining forces would have captured the advantage, and maybe even gone on to win their skirmish without any further losses. One life for twenty – it's simple math. These twenty soldiers could then go one to support their brothers fighting other enemies. The other engagements would end similarly. Your students are strong physically, but do they have the same strength of will, strength of character? After seeing their friends lost to even just three kamikaze attacks, their morale will have been completely eroded. Ten, and you students would be routed. I'd have needed only thirty percent of the soldiers I brought to secure victory."

Lan Jue listened carefully, but internally he was conflicted. He felt like he knew nothing.

"But they're people, not machines!" Lan Jue looked at his older brother fiercely.

Lan Qing, as always, remained indifferent. "Alas, that's what the Iron Army is – machines of flesh and blood. If you can't give yourself to the cause, then you aren't really a warrior of blood and iron. Officers, commanders, vice admirals… we all have this self-destruct sequence installed. Coeus, is equipped. By the time we join the Iron Army and step in to the Warsuit, we are ready to give our lives for the Alliance. What your students faced today wasn't the real Iron Army. It was like fighting us with our arms and legs tied. Watch!"

He pressed another button. The video slowed to a crawl.

Lan Jue's keen observations revealed what his brother wanted to show. One by one, as the soldiers' suits neared annihilation, they brought their right hands to their waist and fumbled for something.

"That's where the self-destruct signal is initiated. Even in an exercise you can see them, unconsciously reaching for it. You know we've carefully calculated how many it would take to destroy a god-ranked pilot. How many would it take to end a ninth-ranked Adept? Confidential military information, of course, and exceedingly important. The Iron Army routinely suffers very little damage in a fight, but our death rates are sky high. Now you know why this is."

Lan Jue was well and truly stunned. He'd wracked his brain, pulled out all the stops to help his students win victory over the Iron Army. In the end, though, it had all been a game.

Lan Qing started the recording over. "But, if you left those kids under my command, accompanied by a trained combat unit, things would be different. Of your five groups, only one met the grade."

The video cut to Charlie squadron, led by Tang Xiao. They watched as he defended his team through the conflict, then rush in to secure victory.

"Deployment here was well thought out. Your officer is strong and competent. Clear-headed. The defensive advance caused their enemies to give ground. They had no recourse but to take to the air. They proceeded to wipe the enemy forces without casualties. This, is the bright spot among your chosen teams. This student is qualified. The others are unacceptable, yourself among them."

"You aren't far off, but still inferior. The reason being, you were too focused on me." Lan Qing had no qualms underlining Lan Jue's faults. "Your tactics were reactionary, revolving around how I paced the battle. You were locked in to one objective and left the rest of the field to their own devices. If you'd have micro-managed better, losses would be significantly lower. But your greatest fault lies in deployment. You students are all Adepts, and not weak. Why, then, didn't you arrange them by specialty? In this way you did well with this team, though even then their full power wasn't accessed."

Chapter 312: Qianlin's Discipline

"If you gave me these fifty students to train," Lan Qing said, "They'd be eligible soldiers within a year. At present, if they meet a powerful enemy they will most certainly fail, and at heavy cost."

It was rare for Lan Qing to speak this much, at least as far as Lan Jue knew. In simple words, he delineated each one of Lan Jue's tactical mistakes. He explained the capabilities of the students, and how they were still not reaching their potential. Every detail was delivered, painstakingly explained.

At first he'd been upset with his brother, but as Lan Qing's instruction continued Lan Jue's features changes. He grew serious and attentive. As he watched it was clearly shown that, without Lan Qing and Lan Jue present, the winning side would not have been his.

The An Lun soldiers were truly like machines. They made for terrifying enemies.

At last, Lan Qing finished his explanation. He handed a copy of the recording to Lan Jue. "Inside is all the data we've collected. When you get some time, look it over. Pay attention to the soldiers, and how they react in different circumstances. From there, teach your students in accordance with their needs."

Lan Jue took it with a wry grin. "I thought I'd figured it out already. Now when I look at it, though, I see we've got a long way to go. Thanks for pointing it out. Do you think they should remain for a while longer?"

Lan Qing answered with a shake of his head. "We've focused on their deficiencies, but the kids you brought have talent. Under your training, they've been given a strong foundation, including in their Disciplines. They've gone about as far as they can go at this point in the fundamentals. But remember, the strongest get there through actual battlefield experience. Now, what they need is to be tempered, not trained. Here's my suggestion…"

Lan Jue nodded his head, while his brother imparted his knowledge. "I feel like I've been hard, but it's nothing compared to what you're saying."

Lan Qing's voice was dispassionate. "A short time of brutality so that they may live longer in the midst of war. Are you their father? No – you're their drillmaster. You're here to teach them how to kill."

"I know."

"By the way," Lan Qing went on, "This one here has a noteworthy Discipline. Unless I'm mistaken, that's a very rare amplification Talent."

The video passed frame by frame, focusing on two mecha suits. They were surrounded by a pale white light, and the bottom one was veritably tearing through whatever was in its path. They watched as it cut through the ranks of the Iron Army, blades flailing madly.

The other mecha remained plastered to the first one's back, and followed where it went. The white light was coming from that one.

As Lan Jue watched, he blinked in recognition. Wasn't that Tang Mi's suit? Who was that behind her? He couldn't remember assigning a student with that sort of Talent to her team! He narrowed his eyes in thought.

"If the Discipline is pure amplification, it'd have unending uses on the battlefield When you get back to your pupils, pay attention to this one."

"Yeah." Lan Jue nodded. He already had his suspicions.

By the time he returned to the barracks, most of the students had already gotten the excitement out of their system. As the milled about among the crisply-made beds, they felt free and uninhibited for the first time in months. It was hard for them to express the sensations they were feeling.

Lan Jue did not immediately share what he'd learned from Lan Qing with them. Instead, he walked directly to a single room, and knocked on the door.

A familiar, charming face answered. As the door opened and she saw the golden-masked man on the other end, she shook ever so slightly. However, she reacted instantly.

"Hello, Drillmaster."

"Can I come in?" he asked quietly.

"Of course." Qianlin opened the door wider. She took a step back, her heart still racing somewhat from the surprise of his arrival. Since the beginning of their training, this was the first time Lan Jue had taken the initiative and sought her out.

Lan Jue stepped inside, and Qianlin shut the door behind him. It was a small room, with little more than a single-person bed. There was hardly any room to stand, and with the two of them there it felt tight.

Qianlin pointed to her bed. "Go ahead and sit." In this private setting, she didn't refer to him by his title.

Lan Jue complied, sitting on the bed and pulling the golden mask from his face. For reasons unknown, Qianlin felt a wave of relaxation overcome her as Lan Jue's true face was revealed behind the mask.

"Much better without the mask," she sighed almost unconsciously.

Lan Jue answered with a chuckle. "Why? Am I not myself with it?"

Qianlin nodded her head emphatically. "I think so. You're scary with that thing on. Everyone's afraid."

"How about you? Are you scared of me?" Lan Jue said around a smirk.

Zhou Qianlin returned his smile. "Yeah." She shivered theatrically.

Lan Jue couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I never thought you were scared of me. I'm actually here to ask you something. Do you know what your Discipline is? You were the one supporting Tang Mi earlier, weren't you?"

Qianlin had guessed this question was coming. She nodded her head. "Yes. I just… could feel it. I just suddenly knew. It was all very strange, but it seems like my abilities are purely support. It doesn't work on all levels, but it does seem to join with the target's own Discipline and amplify it. Tang Mi and I gave it a try, and it worked very well. You saw it on the battlefield.

Lan Jue nodded. "Try it on me, let's see."

"Alright," she replied. Qianlin raised her hands, and gently pressed them toward Lan Jue. Instantly, ripples of pure white light radiated from her palms and fell over her drillmaster.

Lan Jue felt a sensation of warmth and comfort wash over him. A pale blue light emerged around him like a halo.

He searched his feelings, and was surprised at the result. His discipline was full, surging with excess and… oily? No – but motive, surging through the meridians like a raging inferno. Though the addition didn't push him through to Paragon levels of ability, it was at least half a rank higher with Qianlin's help.

For Lan Jue, amplification to this level wasn't enough to turn the tide of a battle. But the fact she could even amplify powers as high as his was an impressive feat.

Qianlin was currently a fifth level genetic Talent. Where she to use her amplification Discipline on an equivalent Adept, the results would be spectacular. It was a truly impressive Discipline to possess. What's more, if she kept improving at her current rate, her powers would be able to significantly impact his in no time.

"I never would have thought you'd have such an extraordinary Talent. It's support, but a wildcard."

Qianlin answered with a roguish smirk. "'Wildcard' doesn't sound like such a good thing. Did it help you?"

"A little," Lan Jue admitted. "It's true that a wildcard has few individual characteristics that are personally helpful, but as a good support the benefits are endless. Since it's very rare for someone like you to use your powers on someone with an identical Discipline, you're essentially a universal amplifier. You can help everyone on the field to push against the enemy. Your Discipline is also very pure, and very gentle. I felt no ill-effects from your energy. This makes your abilities even more precious. Keep improving, you're sure to be the primary support for the ARC students."

There were three other support Disciplines among the students.

"I'm just trying to keep up," she said.

"It's been rough on you," Lan Jue replied. "You're thinner."

Qianlin sighed. "I can handle rough. I just miss my friends from the hospital. I've been gone for so long, and they can't get out. I wish I could see them. I'm sure they're worried."

Lan Jue gave her a reassuring smile. "Take it easy, I've taken care of it. Ke'er and Guoguo go there often. They're helping you look after your duties, so things are good when you get back."

Qianlin's face lit up. "Really?"

Lan Jue nodded.

"Thank you." Qianlin could feel her cheeks redden with heat. She wasn't sure whether it was from excitement or modesty.

The questions that needed asking were asked, and the results were pleasing. Lan Jue prepared to leave. He was, after all, in the women's dormitory, and remaining in a students too long would certainly be suspicious.

Just as Lan Jue was rising to his feet, however, Zhou Qianlin reached down, perhaps to grasp something from the bed. It happened simultaneously, and the result was what one might expect.

Qianlin yelped as they collided, and Lan Jue instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist. The force of the bump plopped him right back down on the bed. The arm around her waist pulled her right on to his lap.

Qianlin instinctively steadied herself with an arm around Lan Jue's neck. Her eyes shone, and there was little bashfulness there.

Her soft flesh and feminine smell lingered between them, and Lan Jue pulled her tighter. For a moment, he really didn't want to let go.

But this was the dormitory!

"I should go." He said.

"Don't move." Qianlin said, softly.

They remained that way for a moment, in each other's arms. He looked to her eyes, framed by long lashes, and didn't have the heart to make her move. So they sat, with Qianlin's head on his shoulder and Lan Jue unsure of what he should do. Except remain calm.

His heart didn't get the message. An intense ideological struggle raged within. Just then the gentle sounds of breathing arose. Zhou Qianlin's supple body relaxed as she slipped in to sleep.

Her sweet smell hung in his nose, with her head against his shoulder. In his arms, she snuggled closer.

Chapter 313: Light Bulbs

A strange, gentle sensation lingered within Lan Jue. The training had been exceptionally laborious for these talented kids, but Zhou Qianlin persisted. Never once did she cry out in pain, or for help.

He slowly stood with her in his arms, then laid her gently onto the bed. She never loosened her hold on his neck – even when he tried to get himself loose, she just held him tighter. "Don't go," she murmured.

Lan Jue hadn't been expected her to pull back, and she'd gotten quite strong after her two-month training. He practically fell down on top of her.

Qianlin's breath caught in her throat, but she didn't wake. Only her cheeks reddened.

The contact was like an atomic bomb in Lan Jue's brain. They were so close, this sensation… Lan Jue's breath began to quicken, and Zhou Qianlin instinctively gripped the bed sheets.

Bang bang bang! A knock sounded at the door. Tang Mi's voice called in. "Qianlin…. Qianlin you there?"

Lan Jue's eyes popped wide, and he shot to his feet. He was so quick to extricate himself from the student that he banged his head against the wall. He pressed a hand to his head and winced. Qianlin was, by this point, completely awake.

"I'm here Little Mi. What's up?" She fought to bring herself back under control while speaking to her friend.

"Open the door, I have to talk to you about something," she said.

She glanced at Lan Jue, who had already replaced his golden mask. He gave her a nod.

"Coming." She stood and opened the door. Tang Mi's impatient face appeared on the other side. She blinked curiously at her friend's rosy cheeks and heaving chest, then gave her wink

Qianlin just looked at her, confused and unsure of her meaning. Tang Mi pulled the door open the rest of the way to step inside, and that's when she saw Lan Jue.

"Ah! D-drillmaster, you're here too! Hello." She snapped to attention.

He nodded. "I also had something to discuss with this student. Our business is complete – I'm leaving." He shot Tang Mi a glance before swaggering out of the door.

Tang Mi smiled sweetly, and stepped aside to let him pass. But the moment he was gone she shut the door with a disdainful sneer, as though she were removing something repulsive.

"Little Mi… what are you doing?" Qianlin said in agitation.

Qianlin's friend looked her over. "Are you alright? Did he do anything to you?"

Qianlin's response was cold and irritated. "What the hell is wrong with your head?! He was asking me about the fight today, and my Discipline. Now what do you want?"

Tang Mi heaved a sigh. "Good… good. It scared me! I thought… well, you're so pretty. And he's so strong. If he wanted to, ehm, emulate the birds and the bees, which one of us could stop him? It's good he didn't do anything."

Qianlin's lips curled in to a frown. "What makes you think the Drillmaster is such a despicable person?"

Tang Mi sniffed derisively. "Who says he's a good man, either? Have you already forgotten how he tormented us? I still remember the needles he stabbed us with. That pain, I'll remember for the rest of my life. When I'm stronger, I'll give him a taste of his own medicine! Henh henh henh henh…"

The young politician's daughter laughed in spite of herself. "Alright, that's enough. Weren't you just telling me about how much improvement you feel you've made? Say what you will about the Drillmaster, but his methods are effective. Why the change of heart all of a sudden?"

Tang Mi chortled. "Alright, fine. I'll be honest – he's actually very cool, and ruggedly handsome I think. I wish I knew what his face looked like under that mask. They say people with disabilities hide them behind masks. I think that's probably why he does it, otherwise why wear a mask all the time? His assistants, too. It's all too strange, am I right?"

Qianlin was on the verge of erupting in to laughter. She quickly and silently relayed this information to Lan Jue through the Spiritcaller gem. She responded to Tang Mi before she could tell something was amiss. "How do I know?"

Tang Mi continued on her ruminations. "Or maybe he's as handsome as Poseidon! That'd be nice. Then he'd be the perfect man. You know I saw the way Tan Lingyun was looking at him – very unusual. She's been staring at him through the whole training, intentionally or not. Like she wants to eat him. Think I should throw my hat in the ring? I may not have a mature figure, but my advantage is in age!"

Qianlin patted her forehead. "Hey! Would you stop being such a nympho? You go through dream lovers like candy. First it's this one, then another. How about a little consistency!"

Tang Mi adopted an indignant, morally superior air. "I like what I like. If, one day, there is a man who is worthy then I'll put all my attention on him."

"Alright," Qianlin said, wishing to change the subject. "Get out of here, I'm sleepy. I think I'll take a nap. Rest is a rare thing."

Tang Mi jutted her tongue out at her friend. "It still looks like you're upset! And I don't get a 'thank you' or anything. I risked offending the Drillmaster to come save you!"

Qianlin smirked. "Yes, yes – thank you ever so much, Sister Mi."

Eventually, with great effort, she managed to send Tang Mi off. Qianlin couldn't help but shake her head. Tang Mi was a good friend.

ζ

Lan Jue had returned to the boy's dormitory by the time he heard Qianlin's messages.

The Spiritcaller Power Gem:

Lan Jue's voice was thick with umbrage: She thought I was there to take advantage of you?!

Zhou Qianlin: Then what were you doing laying on me?

You pulled me!

You're strong as an ox. I weigh a hundred pounds, how can I pull you?

Ah? So you deny it? So if that kind of man, I guess I could just sneak in there while you're asleep…

…

What do you think about that?

I wouldn't be disinclined.

I… a thousand showers wouldn't clean the spirit from that. You really pulled me!

It's fine, no need for excuses. At any rate, it's not like you were in any rush to get off me. What, you didn't think I was awake?

This is emotional abuse! I'm being framed!

Don't worry. I forgive you.

…

ζ

In the early morning, the traditional bugle call the NEU students had all come to recognize roused them from their slumber. There was no departure party or flashiness – it was just time to go. Not even Gao Lei was present. Only the guide was there, to lead them to Zeus-1.

The small sapphire ship took off and glided through the atmosphere, under escort from two An Lun patrol ships.

After a moment, Lan Jue's ship shook and they sped off toward the stars.

Lan Jue watched An Lun shrink in to the distance from a porthole. He struggled with conflicting emotions.

Brother. I'll be back. I look forward to standing at your side in the fight to come.

The students felt similarly. They were silent as An Lun slowly disappeared behind them. A month wasn't very long in the grand scheme, but they'd learned a tremendous amount in that time. Everything they'd gained here would benefit them for the rest of their lives. It was an important, life-changing experience.

As they set their course for home, the students all unconsciously tightened their safety harnesses. Who knew if the Demon Drillmaster would take this chance to test their g-force resistance again.

But the ride was unexpectedly smooth. However, it wasn't long before a silhouette appeared before the ship, suspended in space.

"Do you all think you really won that battle, yesterday?" Lan Jue's question was simple, but there were clear notes of disdain.

He snorted. "Truth is, that's what I thought. Then, I discovered I was wrong…"

Lan Jue went on to share what he'd learned with the students. Their faces blanched as they came to the realization.

He then went on to discuss groups. After discussion with his assistants, the squads were restructured. There were still five teams, with some changes. Jin Tao switched with Tang Mi, for one, replacing her as captain of Echo squad.

The reason for the slight change was simple: Echo had taken the most casualties from their exchange. Only Qianlin and Tang Mi had survived. Their decimation was a direct result of Tang Mi's command.

Jin Tao had been in Geng Yang's group for the fight. Although Delta was sacrificed, he fought with bravery and relied on his own strength to pull him through. He'd put himself between the enemy and his squad to cover their retreat. Unfortunately, his opponent had been Prometheus.

Although they'd ultimately been defeated, Geng Yang and Jin Tao's sacrifice had revealed the enemy's location. Although Jin Tao's time on the field had been brief, he'd performed admirably. That is why he was promoted.

Tang Mi was also commended. Charlie squad, under his command, performed the best. Tan Lingyun, conversely, was criticized for the great losses her team had endured.

After the teams were restructured, they found their roles similarly adjusted. After witnessing the demonstration of their Discipline, Lan Jue was able to separate them more effectively. New tactics were devised to better suit the changes.

Chapter 314: The Crimson Massacre

The interior of Zeus-1 was not exceedingly large, but they were able to explain maneuvers and tactics with the help of a whiteboard. Sadly, the ship didn't come equipped with a sim pod, otherwise they'd do this in DreamNet where the results were likely to be better. But even if they had a pod, that idea was no good. DreamNet was in the midst of an upgrade.

This sort of training was a blessed relief to the students. As far as they knew, the training was over – they could relax on the way back to school. In fact, the ARC classes had been a truly transformative experience. They were looking forward to the next few days, as they returned to normal life.

They were somewhat surprised by how quick the flight was. When they peered out of the portholes on either side, they saw a queer sight.

It was an asteroid belt, that stretched for hundreds of millions of kilometers. The background light of the universe shone between them, obscuring the details so all that they saw where hulking silhouettes suspended in nothingness.

This isn't right! There was a specific flight path for the return to Skyfire, and to their knowledge they weren't supposed to be any asteroid belts this large on the way. Could they have gotten lost? Unlikely! All shapes came equipped with cruise control, especially combat vessels.

In the midst of their confusion, Lan Jue turned on the ship's holographic projector. As the light sputtered to life, an enormous silver ship was revealed in the distance. A few of the students recognized it immediately. It was a cargo ship, for interstellar travel. It could be fitted to house both freight and passengers. Judging by the markings, it was an Eastern ship.

It floated easily along the lane. The transport vessel hung in space, disappearing among the asteroids and re-appearing moments later. It looked almost like one of them.

Lan Jue said nothing. He just returned to his seat, and kept his eyes on the ship.

These ships were effective for their purpose – comfortable, and spacious. It was humming along at a good speed, he determined. Ships like this could sustain sub-light speeds for quite a long time, longer that normal patrol boats. They were both comfortable, and spacious.

As they watched, there was a twinkling light in front of the silver vessel, and suddenly a massive net of shimmering light appeared. The ship collided head-on with the deterrent. Thankfully, it's shields were operational. They lost control, but the shields kept them from being destroyed. Instead, the silver cargo ship spun listlessly through space.

Just then, seven or eight patrol ships of varying colors appeared from the blackness. They were like specters, arriving without notice. Obviously they had set an ambush: eliminate your target's ability to flee, and mop up.

In no time at all, they were surrounded.

The silver ship was fighting to right itself when the ships appeared. The pilot seemed to know what was coming, and tried to urge the ship forward. Unfortunately, although the ship's top speed was impressive, it needed time to reach that level.

A barrage of guided missiles collided with the ship's shields. The attacks came in concurrent blasts, one after the other, that prevented the ship from gaining speed.

The students, under careful observation, were beginning to understand. The beleaguered ship looked to have been stopped by a cloak mine. It was likely placed there by one of the Alliance from back in the day. It operated like any other mine, except that it was fitted with a cloaking device. It's sheer damage, and the fact that you could be right on top of one when it went off, made them exceedingly dangerous. Because of the insidious nature of the weapons, the Alliances eventually agreed to discontinue their use. After all, ships were expensive.

Pirates. That's what they must be, those vicious boats surrounding the silver cargo ship. The ship came to a full stop as damage rendered it inoperable. The video's angle cut to the interior.

Armed personnel stalked the halls bearing laser rifles, their faces set as they faced inevitable demise. Thousands of souls were on board, and at this moment they were clambering over each other in terror.

At last, the shields failed. Without weapons to defend itself, the pirate boats were able to pull up right alongside. The hulk was cut and breached quickly, venting the ship's oxygen in to space.

Several mecha suits fought through the hole. The screen flashes as laser fire was exchange. But the passengers were no match. Unequipped and unprepared, the interior of the ship became a hell-scape, with mountains of bodies and rivers of blood.

Men, women, children, elderly… it didn't matter. They were put down without a second thought. Only a few pretty women were kept, locked in the hold below.

The fresh blood and mangled bodies were reflected in the students' eyes. The images were terrifying, atrocious, sickening. They fought rage and nausea as they watched these mechas callously murder everyone they came across.

The video panned to the side, revealing a pirate mecha standing nearby. It raised its alloy sword overhead. He brought the blade down on a child – he mustn't have been more than five or six. Screams and gasps sprang up all throughout the NEU trainees.

Their cries had no power over what they saw. They could only look on in terror as innocent lives were summarily extinguished. They were Easterners, like them, just trying to get somewhere.

In the end, the ship was a floating hulk of metal, home to nothing but the dead. The prettier victims had been hauled away, and the ship itself towed in to the black.

The pirates knew when to go and when to stop. They'd only breached the outer hull, leaving the interior structure undamaged. Even in this condition, a ship of this size would catch a pretty penny, not to mention whatever cargo it may have contained.

The image dimmed, and vanished. Lan Jue's dark voice hung in the ship's bridge.

"What you just watched happened about six months ago. It as a massacre. It happened on the outskirts of the Shattered Starfields. That part of the lane was supposed be patrolled by the North, but they were inexplicably absent that day. The victims were our own, from the Eastern Alliance. Two-thousand three-hundred passengers, two-hundred sixty crew. Fifty-four women were abducted, and all the rest were put to death. They were pirates, the Crimson Flag. According to our intelligence reports, they were among the best equipped pirate clans in the Fields. Their base wasn't in the three main planets of that system, but that didn't matter – their benefactor was the Northern Alliance. It you were to claim they had no connection to the North, no one would believe you. More than two-thousand five-hundred lives, taken in this way. The Crimson Flag hid in deeper recesses of the Starfields after that, knowing that the East would send a fleet to answer for this crime. However, the North – who controlled the regions around the Starfields – blocked their passage. To this day those pirates have never answered for this atrocity. It's been known ever since as the Crimson Massacre."

The students collectively glared at the space where the screen was. Their hearts were full of anger, and sadness. Many of the young men openly sneered, their knuckles white as they gripped their arm rests.

Most of them had heard of the Crimson Massacre, some even knew the details. The Shattered Starfields were a chaotic and unruly place, where 'complicated' failed to describe it. Larger ships simply couldn't make it through due to this. On top of that, the East couldn't send ships through their own borders to the Starfields without having to traverse the whole of it to get to their last known location. The closest ingress was in the North's territory.

But the North decreed their space unapproachable. Each request by the East to pass was met with cool refusal. They negotiated, but the North couldn't forgive the grievances that had built up between them over the years. This is one reason why many suspect the North were complicit in the massacre.

Lan Jue had asked Chu Cheng about this when it'd occurred, but he didn't know anything about it. The Northern military was an independent force and the strongest of all human federations.

The video they were watching had been given to him by Lan Qing. The vice admiral sometimes had his hands tied in the bureaucracy of the military machine. Lan Jue was not so constrained.

The Mercenary King stalked the Shattered Starfields, decimating every pirate clan he came across. They would feel the cold gaze of death on their backs in every dark corner when he was finished. They dared to assault Eastern civilians. They slunk deeper in to their holes after that.

Lan Jue rose from the captain's chair. "If you recall, before we left for An Lun I noted that our training period may increase as needed. Your training, is not yet finished. Specifically, this is our third phase. Originally I'd planned something else, but with some additional data concerning the Crimson Flag – plans change. Your task is simple: Annihilate the Crimson Flag."

"Professor, put me at the front!" Jin Tao fiercely shot his arm up. His eyes were red – his grandfather had been one of the victims.

Others followed, who originally had been loathe to interrupt their Drillmaster.

Lan Jue looked out the porthole. "Accountant. Take us to the Starfields."

The Shattered Starfields! Their Drillmaster's words set a fire for vengeance in their chests. They were headed for the legendary pirates' haven.

If An Lun had been a common site on the map, how much truer it was for the Starfields. None of them, however, had ever previously had a yearning to visit.

The pirate playground, a den of degenerates and scum. Danger lurked around every corner. That was where they were going.

The heat in their blood cooled a few degrees. Only the confidence earned from their training and skirmish victory stopped some from outright fleeing. After all, they were students. Out there were pirates. What they were about to experience could mean life or death!

But Lan Jue looked in the faces of each of his students, and he was satisfied. They remained calm, and in the face of this revelation that was no easy task.

"We will head directly for the heart of the Crimson Flag territory. Your task will be to suit up, in the Bloodlust Warsuits that you have earned, and eliminate the clan. They should all die a thousand times, but you can give them one at least. In the process, your second objective is to rescue a compatriot under their control. This is the third phase of your training."

Zeus-1 deftly maneuvered toward the heart of the Shattered Starfields under the Accountant's masterful control. The sapphire ship darted like a fish between the spiraling asteroids, failed planets and ship wreckage.

Chapter 315: Lord and Lady

The star map he'd been given from the Moonfiend Empress was in Lan Jue's hands. Although the entire ordeal had been a trap, the map was real enough. It'd been a little while since their last visit, but the map should still be current enough for their purposes.

The Crimson Flag wasn't among the strongest of the Starfields' pirate clans, and compared to the Moonfiend pirates they barely registered. However, they did have the Northern Alliance as silent benefactors. They fit right in on the borders of the Northern Alliance's stretch of the Starfields.

Their base of operations was a small planet, roughly a tenth the size of Skyfire. It resided in a relatively stable part of the asteroid belt, so it was relatively safe from impact.

According to intelligence from the An Lun army, the Crimson Flag had a moderate roster. As far as was known, they had three mecha combat camps that were all excellently equipped. They may have appeared as lawless cretins, but underneath were hardened, armed killers.

They also possessed two battleships, and somewhere between ten and fifteen patrollers – more than almost any other pirate clan. Each of those were equipped with enviable power gems that made them more than a match for any similarly classed ship they may encounter.

Zeus-1 was cutting through the blackness, already approaching the Northern Alliance side. They would be arriving at their target in two days. The Crimson Star, was the name of the planet they'd come to dominate.

"Engage stealth cloak," Lan Jue commanded.

The shimmering blue color of Zeus-1 deepened until it matched the expansive darkness of the universe around them. This obviously wasn't proper stealth, but a special cloaking capability of the coating Zeus-1 was covered in. Following, Lan Jue had the Accountant start their radar interference to conceal them from scanners. Within the scope of these functions, the ship was all but invisible.

Lan Jue sat up on the captain's chair. His eyes were hard and cold. He'd made several incursions to wipe out pirates during his time as a soldier for hire – but he never got his hands on the Crimson Flag.

"We're approaching radar range." The Accountant coaxed Zeus-1 in to orbit around the Crimson Star. Any closer, and they'd be spotted.

"Prepare main battery," Lan Jue growled. "Accountant, give me a layout of enemy positions."

The young man looked at Lan Jue wide-eyed. The drillmaster looked him right in the eye. "I have faith."

"Alright." The Accountant nodded his head resolutely. Suddenly, his hands were dancing on the keyboard lightning fast.

Zeus-1 was indeed the most excellent craft he'd had the opportunity to pilot. Everything – from the combat systems to the life support and everything in between – was state of the art. The ship's radar scanned the planet white the Accountant kept his eyes glued to the screen. A rapid sequence of frames flicked before him in quick succession as he and the ship put their minds to uncovering the enemy's position.

"Found them." He pointed to something on the screen. "Their airfield is here."

"Status of main weapons?"

Mika's voice answered. "Primed and ready."

Lan Jue slapped the armrest of his chair. "Fire!"

"Fire!" Mika confirmed the command. Their cloak dissipated, as congealing orbs of energy appeared before the ship's main barrels. A few moments later the space around them lit up with resplendent blue light, as a series of lethal energy beams peppered with starlight burst forth.

The students unconsciously gripped their armrests as they witnessed the battle commence.

It wasn't long ago that many of these kids were taking their first interstellar trip, their first ride in a fighting vessel. Now they were engaged in open combat. But could Zeus-1 find its target from this distance? Would it cause sufficient damage for an opening salvo?

They had their answer right away.

A shield protected the airfield. It flashed white as Zeus-1's battery make contact. It was sufficient to block the surprise attack from causing damage. However, as the students watched from the main screen in the ship's cockpit, the beam began to twist and rotate. The action condensed the energy, and increased its penetrating capabilities.

A drastic explosion arose, the sound of crashing metal and roaring flames audible even from their location.

Then, the Crimson Star reacted. Dots of light appeared on the surface, and that's when the Accountant spoke up. "It's a planetary defense system… shit, are we sure this is a pirate colony and not a Northern army base?"

Neither his mouth nor his hands ever stopped moving. In the midst of his curses the Accountant immediately re-engaged their stealth routines, and pulled the ship out of stable orbit. It pitched in to a combat roll.

Mid-maneuver the students could see what the Accountant had – dozens of anti-airship volleys were converging on their position. They danced around one another to form a wide-reaching net of deadly energy. Thankfully, the Accountant's reactions were swift and the ship narrowly avoided destruction. They raced to a safer distance.

"These idiots think they can hit me?" The Accountant was hyper-focused, almost like a different man. The formerly lecherous youth with a sour temper glared at the screen in front of him. Flashes of black and white twinkled in his eyes like lines of code. His fingers raced over the keys faster than the students could keep up.

Even with the gravitational stabilizers engaged, Zeus-1's occupants pitched and jerks with each severe motion of the ship. Now, the students understood why Lan Jue had subjected them to that extreme g-force. Right now it was looking downright necessary. At the very least, their former experience afforded them a sense of calm, and their bodies were better equipped to handle the rigors.

"Drillmaster. Our main battery penetrated their shields and have destroyed one battleship. Heh, I bet that hurts!" The Accountant cackled gleefully as he made the report and dodged incoming fire.

"It'll hurt a lot more before we're through," Lan Jue said with fire in his eyes. "Turn us around. Prepare to engage."

It was time to nail this coffin closed.

The Crimson Flag would have to respond after such a devastating loss. They watched as several patrol ships took off and headed their way. They spread in to an intercepting formation as they drew near.

Lan Jue could not help but admit that these pirates were well trained. They scrambled an answering force in no time at all, under fire from an unknown enemy without provocation. Clearly they were always vigilant for this sort of situation. Out here, every pirate clan had to be ready, and mastered their own ways of doing it.

Lan Jue's expressionless face remained pointed at the screen. He watched the boats approach, stoic. No matter how powerful this foe, he thought, they must pay for what they've done. Zeus-1 turned to face its pursuers, hidden in the inky blackness of space.

Eight pirate patrol ships were en route. The Accountant's determinations were correct, and one of their battleships lay smoldering on the tarmac. The second had yet to lift off, either because they were underestimating Lan Jue or for some other purpose.

ζ

The leader of the Crimson Flag was a man named Feng Lin. He was an exceedingly portly fellow. At this moment, he was watching his screens with a malevolent twinkle in his eye.

The harsh notes of an alarm rang from all directions. The sudden attack had set off the planetary alarm and defense systems.

He was in the battleship, the one that had been spared destruction by the surprise attack. He was a man known for his brutality and blood lust, but also his caution. It was the arrogant pirates that became corpses, so he chose his flagship and headquarters to be one of the battleships and kept it under ground. He'd have kept both there, if they'd possessed the ability to make the underground hangar large enough.

He looked to be a man in his forties, with a face unfortunately plagued by scores of soybean-colored growths. They were about the size of his eyes, and twitched with the muscles of his face as he frowned.

Ever since they'd attained support from the Northern armies, he had grown complacent and confident in his strength. He was the uncontested lord of his domain. But in contrast to his fierce exterior, Feng Lin possessed a delicate heart, and feared death. His covered this ruling his pirates with an iron fist. As for the planetary defense system, it had cost him quite a lot of money for that peace of mind. After all, it was a system to ensure planetary dominance. It was a micro-version, to be sure, but nonetheless difficult to acquire since it was military grade.

It was a source of pride. Other than the three largest planets in the Starfields, no other clan could match his technical superiority.

Though he was a cruel man, he was prudent, and so did not get himself involved in a fight he couldn't win. He only revealed his presence if the advantage was well in his favor. It was this quality that got the attention – and support – of the North. But to the other pirates of the Starfields, it was a shameful existence. The called him the Lady, for his feminine timidity.

This was why the second ship wasn't in flight – Feng Lin's cautiousness. However, it had been refitted to allow for long-rate engagement. That was its trump card, in the event he encountered an enemy he couldn't best.

"Who the hell is this?!" he bellowed. Feng Lin watched the screen before him as the patrol boats spread out and searched for the culprit.

The enemy had been briefly revealed through radar, and from what he'd seen it was a smaller ship, like a patrol boat. But that didn't make any sense – that blast had had the force of a battleship behind it!

"Bastard… when I get you, I'll skin the flesh from your bones and use your tendons as guitar strings!" Feng Lin growled ferociously at the screen. However, he did not give the order to have his ship engage. Feng Lin's nickname was not given lightly.

Chapter 316: Valiant Clash

Just then, a series of energy beams glowed stark against the black sky. They swept over a patrol boat, and that was when the little blue boat appeared on Feng Lin's screen.

He shows himself! Feng Lin's eyes narrowed as he carefully regarded the image on the screen. Something he saw, however, turned his face a ghastly pale.

The golden lightning bolt painted on the side.

Boom–! The assailed pirate boat exploded in a shadow of flames and debris. A fiery ball burned ferociously where it had been.

Meanwhile the sapphire ship weaved and dodged. The remaining vessels couldn't land a strike.

"Enough! Retreat!" Feng Lin shouted.

His lieutenant looked at him in confusion.

"Boss – retreat? We can take this guy! It's got some crazy firepower, but there's only one of them."

Slap! Feng Lin turned around and with such speed and force that the slip he gave his attendant sent him spinning.

"Moron. Don't you know who that is? That boat belongs to Zeus. Dial the planetary defenses up to eleven. Whatever you do, do not let Zeus get close to our base. Send a distress signal to our allies in the North. Now!"

The orders were roared at his subordinate. But the last few sentences were filled with something else – a clear and present fear of the man who was coming for them.

Zeus was an infamous character in the Shattered Starfields, a name everyone recognized. His solo murder trip around the Starfields had ended with no less than thirty pirate clans wiped from existence.

When it came to things such as this, Feng Lin did not overestimate his abilities. There was only one attacker, but Feng Lin knew himself, and the men he commanded. Clans much stronger than theirs had fallen before the wrath of the mercenary king. What chance did they have? The only advantage they had right now was the planetary defense system.

A deep regret had settled in Feng Lin's heart. How could he forget this monstrous killer! He should never have agreed to attack that Eastern cargo ship, like the North had asked – or at least not that obvious. All it had served to do was announce their culpability.

But hadn't Zeus been gone for several years? Why now? Why here? Damnit! What shit luck!

The skin tags and carcinomas of his face became a crimson red as his anger rose. It made him look particularly unpleasant.

ς

One of the eight ships sent to intercept them was destroyed. After the Accountant's impressive display, the remaining seven had turned tail and fled.

"The hell is this? Too scared? I thought they were pirates!" The Accountant watched slack-jawed as his targets made for cover. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"Prepare for light speed," Lan Jue calmly instructed.

"Light speed." Mika and Xiuxiu responded with one voice.

Lan Jue then turned his attention back to the students. "When we breach and make landfall, the fight is yours. I will not be participating. You all remember your task?"

"Yes, sir!" The students' response was quick, but their hearts were struggling against confusion, fear, and excitement. Their courage and training kept them stable.

Lan Jue's deep voice continued. "Alpha squad will be responsible for destroying their planetary defenses. Bravo will proceed with the extraction mission. The remaining forces will focus on exterminating these pests. There will be no survivors."

"Yes, sir!"

This time the answer came from Tan Lingyun, Wang Hongyuan, Geng Yang, Jin Tao and Tang Xiao.

The bloodlust in Tan Lingyun's eyes was obvious. She'd never participated in an actual battle, but the desire to enact justice ran deep to her bones. After seeing the cruelty to her compatriots on that video, a fire was ignited within her for vengeance.

Wang Hongyuan was much calmer than his co-worker. To him, this sort of 'cleanse' was not a problem. After all, there was a reason he chose a life on Skyfire, working in education.

Tang Xiao, as cunning as he was, had had his confidence boosted considerably after the An Lun training. His determination to succeed and grow stronger burned fiercely.

Geng Yang, in comparison, was more fearful of what was to come. But, he was a star pupil, the pride of the NEU. Before Tang Xiao's sudden inexplicable leap in power, Geng Yang was the one to watch. There was no time to slow, no time for hesitation. So he swallowed his fear – he couldn't play second fiddle to Tang Xiao!

Jin Tao's eyes were a dangerous red, and his heart already roared in his ears. He yearned for battle – to visit ruin upon those bastards who hurt his family!

"Main drive systems prepped."

"Energy levels at maximum capacity. Main thrusters are open!"

Mika and Xiuxiu delivered their reports one after the other.

"Holy shit! What do you think you're doing?!" The Accountant looked at Lan Jue like he was a mad man. Was he planning to use their ship to ram through the defenses? Granted it was a watered-down version of the system, but it still had enough firepower to rival a battleship. If they chose a straight rush, the defensive systems would undoubtedly tear them apart. What's more, the system was designed to be condensed and intensive. Getting passed one line of defense didn't mean you were out of the woods. They were likely to encounter resistance every step of the way. A blitzkrieg was not something the pirates feared.

Of course, Lan Jue wasn't swayed in the slightest by the Accountant's fears.

"Engage!"

Lan Jue closed his eyes, and from overhead a half-helmet descended and settled on his crown. The armrests also reacted, simultaneously opening and extending two metal orbs beneath his palms.

The Accountant snapped back around and busily banged the keyboard before him. However, he was surprised to discover that his screen had gone dark – he could not control the ship from his station. The whole of the ship's interior went dark. From the window, he could see that a pale blue light had sprung up around the ship like a bubble – their shields.

He's really going to try and ram through? This guy's crazy!

The Accountant knew he couldn't stop it. He couldn't do anything.

Suddenly the passengers of Zeus-1 were violently thrust against the backs of their chairs as a tremendous accelerating force arose. The students felt it too, and for those brave enough to turn their heads they could see the universe warping uncomfortable from the windows. Zeus-1 charged screaming toward the Crimson Star like a vengeful bolt of lightning from the gods.

The planet's defenses were already operating at full capacity, as per Feng Lin's command. A wall of laser blasts pierced through the planet's atmosphere to meet them.

Part of the system's strength was its lack of a 'blind side.' Of course, this was supplemented by frightening powerful weaponry. The trade-off was a stupendously expensive price tag, and the power gems to run it.

As a result, Zeus-1 could not evade or out maneuver the system to reach their objective. The only avenue open to them was a head-long rush.

Zeus-1's shields flashed as the strikes collided. The whole ship shook under the assault. The students looked on in shock; only a few had complete confidence in Lan Jue, the rest had gone pale.

This was space they were floating in. Once the shields were gone, there was only a thin sheet of metal between them and asphyxiation. No one would survive if the hull was breached.

Everyone's mind was on the same fact. The question was, would the shields hold?

The ear-piercing squeal of the ship's alarms filled their ears. They shook and pitched, but in that moment a vibrant blue light erupted around Lan Jue. Bolts of errant electricity revolved around him. His hands were living lightning, opaque and super-charged as they sat on the metal orbs. The brightest point was around their Drillmaster's helmeted head.

The Accountant was more than familiar with all manner of technological devices. Now that the process was revealed, he understood what Lan Jue was going for. Specifically, he was using his Discipline to reinforce their shields. But was this crazy guy's individual power enough to face down an entire planet's defensive systems?

The Accountant was scared, furious, but as he looked once more out of the window he spied their shields – studier than ever. Shimmering bolts of electricity surrounded them like a protective net and fed their defenses. Although the anti-aircraft batteries were strong, they weren't enough to pierce Lan Jue's power. They were deflected harmlessly in to space, like they were little more than an afterthought.

Zeus-1 was picking up speed.

Lan Jue's patrol ship was fitted with excellent drive systems that could ramp it up to light speed in no time. It had been fast enough to circumvent the Bastion and battleship attacks during their earlier foray in to the Starfields.

Despite the fully-powered systems desperately trying to dissuade it, Zeus-1 would not be denied. It drilled through the planet's thin atmosphere under heavy assault. The ground came in to clear view.

"Brace for impact!" Xiuxiu's sweet voice rang loud in the cockpit.

The students felt their harnesses tighten. The shields outside their window flared with energy. They were charging at light speed – slowing down would be a problem. Unless you hit something. Like a planet.

Boom…..!

It was like the entire planet shook. A shockwave of excess energy blasted out in all directions. Four of the seven returning ships were instantly disintegrated by the force. The remaining three fled wildly, colliding with one another in their furious escape. The damage was extensive – they were no longer threats.

ς

Feng Lin sat in his captain's chair, staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at what he'd just seen. This was why Zeus was so terrifying – this was the mad Mercenary King. Not even a planet could stop him.

Zeus-1 crashed in to the surface like a nuclear bomb. Their point of collision left a crater twenty kilometers wide. Where there had been an airstrip, there was now only rubble.

Chapter 317: Your Turn!

Zeus-1 was, itself, a weapon of mass destruction. After the terrible collision, by virtue of the ship's powerful shields, it revealed itself to be completely undamaged. Of course, the impact was still felt – the NEU students were all dizzy and confused after the strike.

Hack! Cough! The Accountant heaved and sputtered, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling. He coughed for several minutes.

His discipline was unique. It had very little effect on the physical body, so he was struggling to keep himself in equilibrium following their crash landing.

Mika and Xiuxiu, meanwhile, had already disengaged their harnesses and were milling about the bridge. Lan Jue was next, and as he rose to his feet he indicated with his right hand. In response, a bolt of lightning shot out, fractures in to countless smaller projectiles, and landed upon each of his students. The purpose was to dull their nerves so that the impact didn't hurt so badly. It would also help them recover faster.

"The rest is up to you."

The Crimson Star was pretty hostile to life, as might be expected, though it wasn't quite so bad as An Lun. You could survive in this atmosphere for a short time, at least. Gusts of strange, toxic-smelling air filled he ship when its doors were opened. By then several of the group leaders were already standing and organizing their people.

The interior of the patrol boat was too small for them to get set with their mechas right away. Originally it wasn't constructed to handle even the amount of people it ferried now. They'd have to choke down the caustic air for a few moments before exiting the plane, and getting in their new suits.

Lan Jue was the first to disembark, with Mika and Xiuxiu at his heels. They didn't need a meacha suit just yet – their Disciplines would sustain them. Eventually, all the students followed. The Accountant remained behind the ship's controls, shutting the door once everyone had left.

The An Lun mechas were relinquished from their interspacial confinement through their wristbands, so it took very little time for the students to extricate and board them. They arranged themselves by team, and awaited instructions.

Lan Jue didn't keep them waiting. "Keep a line of communication open with the ship. It will provide you with a map, and markers for all objectives. Remember that this is a live fire battlefield. You aren't using training mechas. How you proceed out there could mean everything. If you fail, the price will be your life. Now is the time to put away all your fear, all those negative emotions. Focus on the enemy. Focus on the person we're here to save. Move out!"

Five small groups of students launched toward the skies at his command. Under their squad leaders' commands, the teams raced toward their predetermined targets.

Mika and Xiuxiu stood at Lan Jue's shoulders. Xiuxiu's timid voice chimed in. "Boss… are we really leaving them to their own devices?"

Lan Jue chuckled. "So long as the pirates don't mount any sort of effective defense. Remember, they're the school's elite piloting An Lun Warsuits." As he spoke, he fitted his flight suit helmet on his head. He spoke in to the mic. "Accountant, give them the map."

The Accountant had, by now, entirely recovered. He couldn't help but share his thoughts. "Jewelry Master, you are unequivocally insane. What if your shield wasn't strong enough, ey? What then?"

"Impossible," Lan Jue responded indifferently. "Stop with the nonsense and get to work."

The former mercenary took his own advice, for even before he'd finished talking his right hand was already lifting. He could feel the surging energy of the phylactery stone in his palm.

Lately, all of his more powerful manifestations – whether the training on An Lun or their dramatic entrance here – were touched by the power of the phylactery. With power enough to run a mother ship in his palm, certainly some would be expelled unconsciously when in combat. During the course of his fights some would leak out and fuse with his own abilities.

ς

Tan Lingyun, commanding Alpha squad, was racing toward her own objective – the main controls for the planet's defense system. Now that they were passed the defensive perimeter, it would be much easier to disrupt.

In no time at all, the Accountant had tapped in to the planet's communication systems, using it to deliver information to the students. The control systems were located deep in the enemy base. Its layout, even personnel locations, was revealed on the Accountant's map.

Tan Lingyun looked over the information from within her own Warsuit. It wasn't as well designed or as powerful as her Sovereign-ranked suit, but she wanted to feel the spirit of the blood iron soldiers as she performed this righteous mission.

As ever, her weapons were dual swords. They glinted as she raced forward to their objective. Her radar incessantly swept the area before her for surprises. She kept one eye on the stream of information the Accountant was feeding them.

This was a true fight! Lan Jue's address within Zeus-1 had inspired her. Her failure during the An Lun trainings was serious, and now the chance arose for her to redeem herself. What happened was irreversible – there was only the path forward.

Clearly, she was advancing much more cautiously than the last time.

However, as time went on Tan Lingyun discoveredn that her caution was perhaps unwarranted. The information they were receiving from Zeus-1 was supremely accurate. All she had to do was following the route laid out, and that was it.

Hell, this real fight was looking much easier than their training!

Similar revelations were shared by the other group leaders. The Accountants information was exhaustive, comprehensive and completely accurate. It was like he had a dozen eyes in the middle of the camp, feeding him info.

Tan Lingyun and her team arrived at their target in ten minutes. According to their intel, there were thirty mechas stationed here. Because of their rather flashy entrance, the suits were already armed to the teeth and prepared to defend the system.

It was the pride and joy of the Crimson Flag. There were here to obliterate it.

Lingyun raised a hand signal, and came to a stop just outside the enemy's detection radius. The enemy had long ago engaged their own interference devices, which served to hide them well. Pirates, of course, were well versed in actual combat, and knew what had to be done.

Luckily, the pirate interference systems would only effect mechas, and not the whole of Crimson Star's electrical systems. What's more, the cameras they relied on outside of the base belonged to the Accountant now! That was how they got such accurate information concerning enemy routes.

Tan Lingyun gave out tasks to her charges, using the information in her mecha to direct them. The first strike group included her, and the eleven members spread out. They turned on their own radar as they pressed forward.

Tan Lingyun stalked like a cheetah. Silent as the grave, she crept up behind an enemy mecha and readied her blades to pierce it through the cockpit.

Interstellar pirates lived a life of blood and corpses. They made them, or became them. And so, even though Tan Lingyun approached from his blind side, the pirate's sixth sense kicked in. He felt the impending danger, and strafed sideways.

Clang! Lingyun's swords pierced the enemy mecha's metal shell. She'd missed the cockpit, but it was good enough she felt. She poured her supernatural energies in to the blades, and right away they glowed with a vibrant green. She wrenched her blades sideways to the cockpit, and the blades moved smoothly through like a hot knife through butter.

A scream arose from somewhere inside the suit. Tan Lingyun didn't stay to gloat – in a blink, she was stalking her next prey.

The attacks on other targets were also underway. The students' maneuvers weren't exactly refined, but they had just completed an exhaustive two month training course. Though they weren't on their A-game, they were still talented Adepts with extensive mecha training. They had the advantage.

The entire operation was unfolding before them.

Similar scenes were playing out for every squad. They swept through the enemy forces without any showy moves or fancy tactics. This was war, and wars were won with strength and discipline.

The students' foundations were solid. What they lacked, was actual battlefield experience. This was their first time encountering a true enemy who wished to see them dead. Clearly they weren't used to it, yet. Still, they possessed a unique supremacy in their Disciplines.

Obviously, Talent alone wasn't going to win the day. But it could save their lives, and give them a chance to correct their mistakes. Luckily the opening charge had gone smoother than they'd anticipated. Now, however, with the fight well and truly under way, things were becoming more challenging.

Now was when their individual strength would be revealed.

Alpha squad was under Tan Lingyun's command. Wang Hongyuan was responsible for Bravo, and Charlie followed Tang Xiao. Geng Yang and Jin Tao led Delta and Echo respectively.

Jin Tao's squad was composed of melee specialists. Their objective was the underground base of the Crimson Flag. They encountered opposition immediately.

Jin Tao led the charge. A faint golden aura surrounded his Warsuit as it plowed ahead. In his wake a strange image followed, like a spectral lion that moved faster than the wind. He leapt like a beast on a nearby enemy and then, with the golden aura around him flaring, he tore the machine's arms off. He repeatedly rammed his suit's head in to the mangled enemy's cockpit until the screaming stopped.

Fierce, vicious, and wild. He was an angel of death, who's like a knife cut a bloody swathe wherever he went.

The Crimson Flag was not a weak clan, but even if they were twice as powerful they couldn't match up to the Iron Army! They were decent fighters, withextensive combat experience. But they didn't cooperate, so they were a mess disparate parts falling to a superior force. Against the soldiers of An Lun, they'd have lost. But these were pirates, and their deaths were all but assured.

Lan jue, Mika and Xiuxiu did not engage. This was truly in the hands of the students, now.