NIKKE, When the Milky Way Blossoms

The girl said helplessly, "Please try not to turn on the do-not-disturb function on your phone in the future. The intelligence department has sent you a message, but we haven't received a reply from you yet."

"Ok?"

The lieutenant raised an eyebrow in confusion, then took out his phone from his pocket and looked at it...

"Hey, Labi, can I have your phone?"

Lhabi: "?"

"My phone is dead."

Lhabi: "..."

……

Even though he was sitting in the teachers' office, where there were charging ports everywhere, Phoenix's act of asking Lapi to borrow his phone was already outrageous enough—it was ridiculously absurd.

However, to the lieutenant's utter surprise, after he plugged the phone in and turned it back on, a full twenty-six red dot messages suddenly popped up on the chat interface...

Welcome to the special ground intelligence squadron's group chat!

[Ampa: Let me introduce myself. I am Ampa, the Deputy Director of the Intelligence Department.]

[Ampa: Lieutenant Phoenix, from today onwards, I will be your direct superior. At the same time, the Special Ground Intelligence Squadron is officially established.]

[Ampa: The former captain of Squad 04-F should have already briefed you on the matter of the special ground intelligence squadron, so I won't repeat it here. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions.]

[Ampa: Below is the list of members of the Special Ground Intelligence Squadron. You, as the captain, will invite your subordinates.]

[Ampa: Members of Squad 04-F, Lapi, Christine, and Lorf.]

[Ampa: Members of the guard, Mihara and Yuni.]

[Ampa: Marian, a member of the Silver Lance Squad.]

[Ampa: Diesel, a member of the Infinite Orbit Force.]

[Ampa: Member of the Shining Pearl Squad, MMR Affiliated High School, Nadja and Tia.]

[Ampa: Members of the Aegis Force, Helen, Master, Anker.]

[Ampa: A total of twelve Nikis, excluding the three from the Aegis force, the other nine have all served on missions with you. This should reduce unnecessary adjustment periods between you.]

[Ampa: As for the Aegis forces, keep a close eye on these three. Because Vice Commander Burning is in charge of the daily maintenance of the Praise, they are very close to him and are spies that the command has forcibly placed in the squadron.]

[Ampa: Remember to reply when you see this message.]

[Ampa: Please reply when you see this message.]

[Ampa: Lieutenant Phoenix?]

[Ampa: ...]

[Notice: The entire ground intelligence special squadron is muted for one month]

[Notice: Ground intelligence special squadrons are prohibited from inviting others to join group chats]

Welcome to the intelligence department's special ground intelligence squadron's group chat.

[Deputy Minister Ampa: Everyone, let me introduce myself. I am Ampa, the Deputy Minister of Intelligence.]

[Deputy Minister Ampa: Your captain, Lieutenant Phoenix, will explain the details.]

Phoenix: "..."

For some reason, when he saw his superior create a new group chat and leave a message in a seemingly aloof tone, the lieutenant felt that the intelligence department was much more humane than he had imagined.

Putting aside the fact that they considered details like clearing chat history when disbanding the group chat, the sheer hunger and thirst permeating their words was not the style of the Central Command or the military.

How many disdainful looks must a deputy minister of a department have to endure to become like this?

Phoenix couldn't imagine it, nor did he have the inclination to savor it.

At this moment, he was more concerned about Maruchana's feelings.

"Teacher." The lieutenant turned his head to look at Maruchana, who was reviewing the students' exam papers, and said frankly, "We received news from above that Nadja and Tia will be accompanying me on missions from now on... high-risk missions."

"..."

Upon hearing the instructor's words, Maruchana's fingers, which had been swiping the screen, trembled slightly to a visible degree. Caught completely off guard, the woman turned around in astonishment, asking incredulously:

"A high-risk mission? The Central Committee wants two students to go on a high-risk mission with you?"

After saying that, she immediately realized that she had lost her composure and quickly composed herself, pursing her lips tightly, and brazenly meeting the lieutenant's gaze again with her brown eyes.

For a long, long time...

Maruchana, who ultimately chose to compromise, gave a complex, bitter smile. The usual majesty between her brows was gone, replaced by a deep sense of helplessness.

Seeing the teacher's pitiful expression, someone suddenly smiled and said in a deliberately relaxed manner:

"Don't worry, teacher. Tia is so lucky, they won't even care if I die..."

"no!"

Unexpectedly, the moment Phoenix uttered the word "death," Maruchana, who had just looked helpless, suddenly opened her eyes slightly and subconsciously interrupted the man's words.

You can't die either!

Chapter 184 The Eve of Returning to the Outer Edge

In Maricana's eyes, Instructor Phoenix was someone who absolutely could not die.

But I don’t know why…

When the thought that "the instructors are dead, so no one will avenge them on the Ark" crossed her mind, Maruchana suddenly felt that she was a very hypocritical and materialistic woman.

When it comes to a matter of life and death for a friend, they're still thinking about what benefits the friend can bring.

"I'm sorry... I need to be alone for a while."

Feeling deeply ashamed of her selfish thoughts, the teacher subconsciously brushed her hair behind her ear again. Without waiting for the instructor's response, she hurriedly walked towards the door.

He brushed past Lhapi, and then hurriedly disappeared at the end of the corridor under the girl's questioning gaze.

Lhabi: "..."

For some reason, Lapi always felt that the personalities of the girls would change after spending a lot of time with the lieutenant.

As she watched Maruchana's departing figure, fragments of knowledge remaining in her memory suddenly leaped from the sea and merged into the girl's mind.

I don't know which bestselling youth novel once contained this sentence.

Everyone has at least three faces. One for the public; one for family; and one for loved ones.

Lhabi: "!"

The literary soul hidden deep within her quietly emerged, and in a moment of enlightenment, Lapi silently applied this phrase to Mihara, Marian, Anis, and even the lieutenant, suddenly realizing that everything made sense.

In other words, wouldn't Maricana, who repeatedly lost her composure in front of the instructors, be...?

"Lavi, get ready. You and I will go to the outer edge area tomorrow or the day after."

Just as the young girl was seriously studying the lieutenant's romantic luck, inside the room, Phoenix unplugged his phone, stood up, and said solemnly:

"The higher-ups plan to completely blockade MMR Affiliated High School and then smuggle the squadron members to the outer perimeter in batches."

I've sent you the list; please go and tell them.

Upon hearing the task assigned by the lieutenant, Lapi immediately suppressed her deeply hidden girlish thoughts and responded with impeccable rationality:

"Commander, it's better if you deliver this official notification yourself."

Although everyone privately has a good relationship with the commander...

Very intimate...

However, public and private matters must be clearly distinguished, and maintaining authority in public affairs is a necessary condition for a leader.

Besides, Helen, Master, and Anker aren't very familiar with the rest of the squadron, and their relationships are rather strained. If I were to intervene, it might cause them unnecessary feelings of isolation.

Lapi's words undoubtedly convinced her commander.

Moreover, even the person involved herself was unaware that her words not only persuaded him but also successfully changed the commander's assessment of her.

He has a talent for management!

After listening to Lapi's words, Phoenix, looking surprised, discovered that the young woman's management talent and experience far exceeded his expectations.

In addition, given Lhabi's meticulous nature, with just a little training, he will be fully capable of leading an army on his own in the future.

They were practically the right and left arms of the emperor in the process of purging corrupt officials!

"Okay, I'll inform them about this tomorrow." The person, who readily agreed, nodded and sighed with a slight headache.

"I'll go check on Maruchana's situation first."

……

……

The artificial nightlight shone into the classroom. Under the deep blue light, Maruchana sat alone by the window, watching the students on the playground outside, some standing as punishment for reciting their lessons, others setting up camp to study. Her expression was a mixture of relief and guilt.

The portable drone hovered quietly at her shoulder, faithfully accompanying her like a pet...