Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

"Your master's hands are not clean. You still have room for regret." Qi Zhimu's voice was rather low.

"I only care about my master, I don't care about the other disciples!" Jing Liu blurted out.

Qi Zhimu didn't think much of it, nodded gently, reached out and gathered a strand of ice-colored hair, the comb slowly passing through the strand.

Jingliu couldn't feel the heat from his master's fingertips, but he could sense that his oppressive aura was slowly dissipating.

He was carefully and somewhat clumsily combing her hair.

The gazes of countless people around her seemed to vanish from her world, leaving only the soft breathing behind her and the gentle sound of a wooden comb brushing through her hair.

Her long hair was styled into a neat bun, but it was also stained with a dark, bloody color.

No one would think that the bloodshed tainted the girl's coming-of-age ceremony.

That was the blood of the Immortal Ship's greatest enemy, which ironically became a different kind of symbol of honor.

With the blood of the enemy, we instill in our descendants the spirit of the Cloud Cavalry.

Qi Zhimu took the hairpin from the tray and steadily inserted it into the hair bun that Jing Liu had styled.

The ceremony is complete.

But Qi Zhimu did not stop. He took out another hair ribbon, neatly folded, with flowing cloud patterns embroidered on a dark blue satin surface.

He bent down slightly, the bloody scent from his hands brushing against Jingliu's face.

A blue hair ribbon was tied to the hairpin, its long strands cascading down her flowing hair, giving her a touch of competence and a hint of fragility.

Jingliu involuntarily turned her head, her eyes glistening with tears.

Looking at the girl in front of him, who had grown up quite a bit, and at the look in her eyes that was different from when they parted, Qi Zhimu's expressionless face, which had remained blank for more than two years, twitched the corner of his mouth stiffly.

It seemed like she wanted to smile, but it didn't quite look like a smile.

Perhaps after two years of bloody battles, they've forgotten how to laugh.

Blue suits you very well.

At that moment, Jingliu felt a warm current flow from the top of his head straight to the bottom of his heart.

All the waiting, all the worries, find their home in the knot of this blue hair ribbon.

"...Thank you, Master."

She closed her eyes, letting her tears fall onto Qi Zhimu's blood-stained boots.

Welcome back, Master...

……

Nighttime, Dan Ding Si.

Several physicians were conducting a tedious post-battle examination on Qi Zhimu, while Jing Liu stood quietly to the side.

General Sha Feng was also present.

After listening to Qi Zhimu's detailed account of the battle report, they finally understood why the patrol team had been gone for two years.

The reason is not complicated: on the way back, I happened to pass by an unfamiliar star system and captured a large amount of imaginary energy that was abundant in destiny.

Upon entering that galaxy, the expedition team discovered a new and abundant population of aberrant species.

Resembling both a horse and an ox, with thick skin and flesh, its healing speed is almost the same as that of a human.

It has a horn on its forehead and possesses a peculiar ability to interfere with communication frequencies and emit a magnetic storm that can destroy communicators.

Not only will the Jade Omen system of the Immortal Ship be damaged, but even the company's interstellar peace communications will be disrupted.

The completely unfamiliar new species caught the patrol team off guard.

If they weren't so large, not so agile, and not so intelligent, it would be quite difficult to exterminate them.

Species capable of interfering with communication equipment pose a significant strategic threat.

Yaoqing Immortal Boat has a close working relationship with the company. Currently, this abundant monster has been added to the company's list of enemies, and they are working together to research ways to restrain its abilities.

Communication could not be maintained during combat, and many tactics could not be executed efficiently.

To maximize the preservation of combat strength, the patrol team adopted a relatively conservative tactic, gradually eliminating and hunting down the monsters.

After studying those monstrous creatures briefly, Qi Zhimu temporarily named them Si Luo.

He also discovered that the unicorn's horn seems to possess a more powerful ability to unilaterally block certain deep connections that are difficult to describe.

For example, the connection between brain commands and limbs.

During the battle on the way back, many Cloud Cavalrymen would inexplicably be a beat slower in their movements, clearly influenced by Si Luo.

"General, in addition to the aforementioned abilities, I suspect that Siluo can also affect synesthetic beacons."

Qi Zhimu recalled the battle with those monstrous creatures and said uncertainly.

"But there is no intelligent civilization in that world, so it cannot be verified."

"Have you captured any live ones?" Sha Feng asked.

"Yes, but we didn't have enough restraints when we set out, so we only brought back less than two hundred, which have now been delivered to the Dan Ding Division's Department of Research on Iniquities."

"The sample size is too small..."

Since there is no intelligent civilization in that world, it is generally not necessary to completely eradicate those monstrous beings for the time being.

In unusual circumstances, the threat is enormous.

Many guesses flashed through Sha Feng's mind, and he tentatively guessed: "Is the Siluo extremely destructive to the world's ecology?"

"Yes, judging from the rate at which different monstrous creatures destroy the ecosystem, I'm afraid that in less than six months, the ecosystem of that world will be completely destroyed, leaving only the Siluo species."

No wonder.

Upon receiving Qi Zhimu's confirmation, Sha Feng's face showed a look of realization.

Qi Zhimu spoke slowly and deliberately:

"The expeditionary force suffered severe damage to its weaponry and navigation resources, making it impossible to thoroughly investigate whether the Siluo or other aberrant species still exist in that star system."

"At Yaoqing's current travel speed, it is expected to arrive at that star system in 26 days."

"The arrangements for the subsequent hunting operations are left to the general to decide."

"Hmm, let the Dan Ding Division study the Si Luo for five days and draw some basic conclusions before making a decision." Sha Feng had a plan in mind.

Having served as general for nearly a century, he was already adept at handling these matters.

"In the next two months, the only place near the Yaoqing route where the abominations exist is the unfamiliar star system you mentioned, so there's no rush."

At this point, he glanced at the silent girl and sighed inwardly.

Very few people survived in Cangcheng.

People always need to find something to rely on in life, and the young girl has not yet experienced the cruelty firsthand.

Having lost all her loved ones, her only solace was in her master, Qi Zhimu.

"You have led the expedition with great merit and hard work. According to the Yunqi's rule that they must take leave after experiencing major battles, you shall rest for two months and spend more time with your apprentice."

"Thank you, General."

"Thank you for your concern for my master, General."

The master and apprentice spoke one after the other.

Sha Feng waved his right hand lightly: "I'm just following the rules. I have important business to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

Jingliu was very sensible and saw General Li off on behalf of Qi Zhimu.

Two quarters of an hour later, the tedious post-war inspection finally came to an end.

"Lord Zhimu, there is nothing wrong with your body. You may leave now."

Thank you for your trouble.

"You're too kind, it's just my duty."

The master and apprentice boarded the star raft. On their way home, Jing Liu activated the automatic cruise and looked out at the rafts passing by, but his eyes unconsciously glanced at Qi Zhimu.

I want to say something, but I don't know how to start.

As he drew closer to home, the words that Jingliu had been preparing for a long time turned into a different topic when they reached his lips.

"Master, when can I join you on your hunt for those monstrous creatures?"

I wanted to say that I missed my master very much...