Temporary Orders

As Zane reached his fifty-fifth lap, Captain Han Shu called him back. Zane noticed that since becoming an Ascendant, his physical condition seemed to have greatly improved. An exercise that would have previously left him gasping for air now only made him slightly breathless. It seemed the scholars were right—Ascendants are indeed a life form distinct from humans, and their eventual transformation must be into a higher form of life!

Upon reaching the assembly area, the crowd had grown. Including Zane, the Raven Squad had gathered over a dozen members. It seemed the entire team was now present.

Not all of them were Ascendants, however. According to the Nightwalkers' protocol, a small squad normally comprised three to five Ascendants as the main force, supported by six to eight ordinary soldiers for assistance and logistics.

Captain Han Shu cleared his throat and began introductions, pointing to a man of a similar age beside him, "This is Old Xu, experienced and knowledgeable about those dark creatures. He and Cangdu are both Ascendants of the War God rank, holding the positions of a Level 3 Warrior and a Level 2 Swordsman, respectively."

Zane examined Old Xu, who appeared somewhat worn, with thinning hair and a less upright stance than Captain Han Shu but with an air of seasoned ease about him.

He asked with a grin, "Kid, know how to kill dark denizens for good?"

Zane promptly replied, "You destroy their Will Cages, that's the only way to kill them for sure. Research suggests these cages are akin to human brains, commanding the dark denizens. The higher the denizen's level, the more hidden and harder to destroy their cage."

Old Xu looked impressed, "Not bad, I thought you wouldn't know. Then, do you know the behavioral traits of rabid dogs?"

"Enough."

Captain Han Shu interjected, pushing him aside, "I don't have time for you to show off now."

He then pointed to a woman fiddling with a silver longbow, her dark medium-length hair and pale skin standing out, along with her rare dark red pupils. She kept a distance of two or three meters from the group, her demeanor aloof.

"This is Jiyu, a Hunter of the Level 2 rank within the Huntress rank and also our squad's reconnaissance expert."

Jiyu didn't even blink, as if the introduction was about someone else.

Han Shu didn't seem fazed by her reaction, merely shrugging his shoulders, "As for myself, I'm a Level 4 Guardian of the Bastion rank. Your turn."

Since Orion had instructed not to reveal his new rank and the mission briefing had listed him as of the War God rank, Zane lied without blinking.

"Alright, that concludes our introductions," Captain Han Shu announced loudly. "Listen up, our mission is to retrieve a Star Marrow Pillar, so it's not something our squad can handle alone. This is a joint operation. Besides us, there are four other squads participating. Plus, we will be accompanied by a medical and a retrieval squad. I'm the overall commander for this operation, so everyone better be sharp. Don't embarrass me!"

"Now, let's move out!"

As they approached the Vortex Gate, Zane noticed Flame Soldier, who had delivered his equipment two days prior, among the Raven Squad members.

Zane nodded to him, and Flame Soldier, seeming excited, returned the salute, much to the obvious displeasure of Cangdu, who grunted disapprovingly.

After submitting their request, the squad quickly received clearance and was about to enter the Vortex Gate when several vehicles came hurtling over. The lead vehicle circled in front of the squad and came to a halt, kicking up a cloud of dust over Captain Han Shu. His expression darkened as he stared at the people in the car.

A man in a high-ranking military officer's uniform jumped out and shouted, "I'm Chen Liu, a senior officer from the Bastion's Strategic Department! I've just received orders from military headquarters that I will accompany the mission with members of the Tempest Squad!"

"I haven't been informed of this, Sir," Captain Han Shu responded sternly.

Chen Liu gestured to his communicator, "Maybe you can confirm with your superiors now, Captain?"

Shaking his head, Han Shu moved away to contact the Nightwalkers' headquarters.

Moments later, he returned and nodded, "It's been confirmed. We're departing now, you coming with us, Sir?"

"Of course," Chen Liu replied and got back into his vehicle, leading the convoy through the Vortex Gate.

Old Xu couldn't help questioning, "Captain, did the higher-ups really approve them to join?"

Captain Han Shu grunted, "It appears to be a temporary order from the military headquarters."

Old Xu muttered, "The Strategic Department's people always stay behind in the office, strategizing... what are they doing on the front lines? I hope they don't cause us any trouble."

Scratching his hair, Captain Han Shu said, "Who knows. Let's go. If we dawdle any longer, we might miss the high-speed train to the Lighthouse."

Finally, the Raven Squad passed through the Vortex Gate. Once through the disorienting portal, Zane looked up to find themselves back in the dimly lit interstellar wasteland.

Half an hour later, they boarded a high-speed train bound for the Lighthouse base. Barring any incidents, they would arrive there by this time tomorrow.

The vast carriage housed only the five Ascendants, including Zane.

Captain Han Shu and Old Xu sat together, chatting and laughing about something.

Jiyu and Cangdu each occupied a corner, evidently keeping to themselves.

As for the squad's soldiers, they were seated in another carriage.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zane saw Captain Han Shu approaching.

"Come with me," the captain beckoned with a flick of his finger.

Confused, but obedient, Zane followed. They passed by the Strategic Department's officer.

Chen Liu had donned a protective suit, though he hadn't put on the helmet thanks to the carriage's purification system.

Engaged in a call, he put the device down and looked away as Zane and Captain Han Shu walked by—a clear attempt to avoid Han Shu's gaze, but Captain Han Shu didn't even spare a glance for him. Zane, however, couldn't help but study the officer.

Once they were well past him, Chen Liu looked back towards the rear of the car before picking up the communicator again.

On the screen was an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in the black and green uniform of the Strategic Department. The crossed swords and a star insignia on his shoulder marked him as a general.

"Are you on board now?" the general on the screen asked.

Chen Liu nodded, "Yes, Sir. I'm on the high-speed train. Don't worry, I've brought elite soldiers from the Tempest Corps with me. With them, I'm confident we can prove to the citizens of the bastion that even ordinary people have the strength to face the dark denizens."

"Good," replied the general. "Success may not come in one or two attempts. But if incidents like this happen ten, twenty times, we can begin to unsettle the position of Ascendants within the bastion. At the very least, we can cut the Nightwalkers' budget."

With a heavy snort through his nostrils, the general added, "Those bastards have been riding high for too long. It's time to bring them down a peg!"