Even Wu Xu was curious about the answer—or rather, looked forward to it with quiet anticipation.
Present in the room, he, Wen Jifei, Rusty Sister... nearly everyone stared intently at Han Qingyu's face, their eyes filled with both eager anticipation and threats that were either overt or barely veiled.
Han Qingyu shot Ashleia a discreet glare and said, "Why do I have to choose? Can't I bring everyone?"
"No," Wen Jifei, Rusty Sister, and Wu Xu blurted out in unison before Ashleia could speak.
"Well, it's just out of curiosity. I imagine a great many people share my curiosity, even though we always talk excitedly about the scenes where you appear together..."
Ashleia continued. This time, she had captured just such a photograph—a picture of this lineup standing side by side.
"It's from behind. At the time, the faint red light of dawn was shining down. The eight of you, carrying blades and spears on your backs, stood abreast before the church at the entrance of Alphonse's manor, your chins slightly lifted... Behind you stood the ranks of Stream Vanguard warriors.
"It's a fantastic photograph, I promise. May I publish it in the future? With a title like *The Return of Justice*, or *Armies at the City Gates*..."
"If it's for the future, let's discuss it later. From behind shouldn't be a problem," Wen Jifei said perfunctorily, then turned back to keep staring at Han Qingyu.
They had been through battles like that together back before he even possessed a source energy firearm. So if Han Qingchong didn't pick him, Second Lieutenant Wen would not be pleased.
"Warning you in advance: if the answer isn't me, I might run away from home out of heartbreak," Rusty Sister murmured softly in a pout.
Wu Xu said nothing, for if he threatened to run away from home as well, the threat would carry far too much weight. Even so, he stared at Qingzi with deadly seriousness.
"..." Han Qingyu turned toward the Stream Vanguard soldiers present and asked with a chuckle, "What do you think? Who do you think I should pick?"
"We don't think," Lao Xiu said.
"Yeah, we're not stupid," Black Tooth laughed.
Beside them, Commander Storm burst out laughing.
How should one put it? Among these people, Wu Xu was unquestionably the strongest; by all logic, the choice should have been him. Yet Wen Jifei's gun was a unique existence, and the tacit understanding between the two of them had already proven to be the absolute highest. Rusty Sister had her smaller column sword, and she would get angry...
"I feel like I'm about to faint," Han Qingyu said.
"You are not," Zhe Qiuhong said with a straight face.
Han Qingyu shot her a fierce glare, turned back around, and threw caution to the wind. "Tangtang."
Everyone present, including He Tangtang himself: "Huh?"
"I choose Tangtang. In the final pursuit of Alphonse this time, I took Tangtang with me—did you all forget?" With a deadpan, serious expression, Han Qingyu turned to Ashleia and said, "Because He Tangtang is truly the invincible existence right now."
"Get the hell out of here," He Tangtang muttered under his breath in the Huaxia language, touching the bump on the back of his head.
Yet Ashleia earnestly jotted it down in her notes.
...
"Give it to him. After special discussions, the Supreme Council has decided to approve Major Han Qingyu's privilege request," Kemore said.
He was in a position to push this through. Part of what made the privileges granted by Azure to a Star of Azure so extraordinary—to the point of being defined as supreme—was reflected in this: it did not require an overall vote; it merely required assent in principle and a lack of unanimous, collective opposition.
All manner of gazes in the chamber—shocked, confused, suspicious—turned toward Kemore in unison.
As Speaker, Kemore had always been a gentle figure who never showed a forceful hand. This stemmed from Azure's system, and also from his background.
Four years ago, when he became Azure's newly appointed Speaker, the reason was not that he was the most outstanding candidate, but that among those qualified, he was the most harmless.
He had been harmless for four years.
"You are abusing your authority, Speaker Kemore!" someone challenged on the spot.
"Azure Alliance 1994 Annual Proposal No. 34, regarding the opening of an investigation into Alliance Council Speaker Kemore on suspicions of abuse of authority... will enter the voting procedure shortly," Kemore said calmly.
The entire chamber fell dead silent.
This meant Kemore intended to force this decision through and hand over three source energy aircraft.
*Clack, clack, clack, clack...* The sound of combat boots pounding rapidly against the concrete floor drew near.
While the soldier who had delivered the earlier report had not even left yet, another soldier came running up to the chamber doors.
"Reporting, sir!"
"Speak."
"Latest transmission! In addition to the three source energy aircraft, Major Qing further requests 15,000 sets of tenth-generation source energy apparatuses..." the soldier shouted.
*Boom!* The chamber erupted into complete chaos.
"Give him an inch and he takes a mile!"
"What is he doing?! Toying with the Alliance?!"
"You see? Do you all see now?! He has no sincerity whatsoever!"
"..."
Compared to three source energy aircraft, fifteen thousand source energy apparatuses was not an outrageous request. But because it had been tacked onto the original demand—a further demand piled atop what was already considered excessive—the councilors felt completely incensed.
Amid the vehement outcry, even Kemore, who had just made an agonizingly difficult decision, momentarily felt a pang of helplessness and slight aggrievedness.
*That guy really doesn't know how to be considerate of others at all...*
"Wait." An assemblyman in the hall who had always maintained a neutral stance suddenly stood up.
"Wait!" Because the hall was far too noisy, he had to raise his voice and roar at the top of his lungs.
Then, waiting until the clamor died down slightly, he looked at the reporting soldier at the door and asked, "Did you just say... tenth-generation apparatuses?"
"..." The chamber grew quiet.
"Yes, sir!" the soldier replied, finally able to finish his report, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"You didn't mishear?"
"No, sir! The message just received clearly stated that Major Qing possesses tenth-generation source energy apparatuses with an efficiency roughly 1.3 times that of the ninth generation..."
*Boom!* In an instant, nearly every councilor hailing from the military shot to their feet in unison across the entire hall.
The people on the dais stood up as well.
"The three source energy aircraft for 15,000 tenth-generation apparatuses is not a privilege request. Major The Qing will temporarily reserve his privilege...
"'This is a trade,' Second Lieutenant Wen said. 'Be satisfied—in truth, this is a gift.'"
The soldier finally finished his report.
"Agree to it!" The military councilors present roared collectively without a second's hesitation.
Because no one understood better than they did what a 1.3-fold increase meant for the entire Azure military.
That was 1.3 times! A thirty-percent leap!
No matter how precious or powerful source energy aircraft were, the ones who ultimately took to the battlefield to hack the Great Spikes to death were still the frontline soldiers, the apparatuses on their backs, and the blades in their hands.
"We should even thank him, for he could have kept this lead all to himself for a very long time, had he truly wished to," the Mitli general and councilor added.
At that moment, Kemore broke into a silent smile, one filled with profound emotion and relief.
"Wipe those suspicious sneers off your faces," the Mexican councilor said loudly. "If only you had seen him bleeding and running across the circular redoubt on Xilang Peak, rushing to reinforce every position that needed him."
"I don't believe this is an attempt to curry favor with us," Kemore said slowly, looking across the chamber. "It is simply that his cherishing of his Azure comrades remains unchanged as ever."
...
The tenth-generation source energy apparatuses were personally escorted to the Alliance by Wen Jifei and Wu Xu.
The two-man, ten-man, and hundred-man craft—the three source energy aircraft—were already on their way.
Inside the newly cleared medical tent, Zhe Qiuhong and the nurses were preparing for another surgery, the clatter of metal instruments ringing out sharply.
"Does there really have to be a fifth time, Big Sister Zhe? Didn't you say it was almost healed and a success after the first time?" Rusty Sister asked, aching with sympathy.
Caixin stood beside her, sniffling.
She had seen that arm; it was already in a gruesome state, endlessly wrapped in bandages only to be undone again.
"How could this happen?" Milla's tone held a touch of anger and confusion.
Zhe Qiuhong halted her hands, stood up, and turned her gaze, which finally rested on Milla.
"This one is prepared for you... Your arm can undergo surgery now, Milla."
In truth, given Han Qingyu's own constitution, the arm surgery had already succeeded entirely on the first, or at least the second attempt. The reason a third and fourth were carried out was that a vast physical disparity existed between him and Milla; it had to be verified, calibrated, and tested.
At that moment, Milla understood... She froze on the spot, tears streaming steadily down her cheeks.
Neither Rusty Sister nor Caixin could speak another word.
Outside the military tent, bathed in sunlight, a hearty voice rang out.
With one arm bound in bandages, Han Qingyu was laughing arrogantly and carelessly issuing provocations, declaring he would beat He Tangtang, the Little Prince, and Black Tooth all together with just one hand.
Chapter 593