A Likeable Major Qing

"All right, then." The Azure official took his leave. When Major Qing had thanked him just now, the young man had seemed remarkably sincere—quite different from the supposedly unapproachable, occasionally obnoxious figure of legend. So it was all just rumors. Everything was mere hearsay. The official decided that once he returned, he would definitely clarify things to the outside world on Major Qing's behalf: he was a gentle person. Once the official departed, the suite erupted in laughter. As expected, the scoundrels, including Wen Jifei, were all egging Han Qingyu on to agree to it and give it a try. Then, less than two minutes later, a knock came at the door again. "Come in." *Bam!* The words had barely left Yang Qingbai's mouth when the door flew open, crashing against the wall. Two elderly Huaxian men appeared in the doorway. That invincible old man under the heavens had come knocking—did he still want to fight?! Han Qingyu hurriedly stood up, an uneasy feeling gripping him. Touching the half-length steel rod in his pocket, he thought, *How about I let Zhu Jiaming go take a beating first so I can see what's what?* Across from him, Chief of Staff Xu smiled warmly, his expression brimming with benevolence and concern as he stood there placid and steady. "Relax, I'm not here to pick a fight with you this time," Chen Buer said fiercely, squinting at Han Qingyu as he strode in. "I just want to ask: when are you going to pay back the two thousand metal blocks you owe me?!" *Do I owe him metal blocks?* Plague Chicken had already explained to Han Qingyu just how precious those things were. So, should he try to weasel out of it? Han Qingyu instinctively glanced at Wen Jifei. With that single glance, he gave himself away. If this had been the old Han Qingyu, whether he owed anything or not, they would have started snapping at each other on the spot. "Looks like my guess was right," Xu Xiaohong said slowly as he entered and closed the door. Han Qingyu had lost his memories... "It's actually true. He didn't catch it from Old Jiang, did he?" Chen Buer had long wanted to visit Han Qingyu's hometown and drop in on Old Jiang along the way, but unfortunately, he had never found the time. He walked up to Han Qingyu, squinted and studied him closely for a moment, then abruptly turned to Wen Jifei. "What's the exact situation right now?" "He forgot everything related to Azure and the Great Spikes. We haven't noticed any other issues for now," Wen Jifei replied calmly. If that was the case, it wasn't too terrible. Chen Buer reviewed their earlier interactions in his mind; what he had mistaken for sarcastic mockery had actually been rare, genuine concern, and what he had taken for provocation had merely been a young man's mischievous curiosity... He looked again at the harmless expression in Han Qingyu's eyes. "Not bad. Far more likeable than before," Commander Chen remarked. It sounded like a compliment, but Han Qingyu was still struck speechless. *Just how obnoxious was I in the past?!* "No wonder rumors outside say you're going on blind dates. Good, your parents' decision is very wise. This really is a rare chance—one that might actually succeed." Chen Buer continued, turning to Xu Xiaohong. "How about our legion helps organize it? When the time comes, let's see which poor soul draws the short straw. We'll trap whoever we can..." "No." Before Chief of Staff Xu could speak, Han Qingyu blurted out his refusal. Then, for the first time, he felt genuinely pessimistic about his situation. Just for this one matter, his mother was busily making arrangements, Azure offered to help coordinate, and even the Sole Witness Legion wanted to pitch in... Just how terrifying and detestable was I before, to the point that everyone thinks this is such a monumental challenge? "You don't want to? Fine, I thought you were in a hurry." Chen Buer glanced at him and shifted tack. "Well, since you're out of practice, if you want someone to spar with—and you really ought to get some practice in—why not come to me?" *So he still wants to beat me up!* *Dream on!* Having made up his mind, Han Qingyu turned his head. "Zhu Jiaming... you go. The commander's health isn't great and his hands are itching. Why don't you spar with him first?" From a chair by the window, the Little Prince stood up, bewildered. *Send me to spar with the invincible man under the heavens? Does he want me dead, or has he lost his mind? Could it be that he found out about all those people I secretly stopped behind his back?* Speaking of which, the Little Prince hadn't caused any shortage of trouble lately, but he was sneakier than He Tangtang—he had done everything behind their backs. At the same time, almost everyone present was thoroughly baffled. Why did Qingzi suddenly harbor such a grudge against the Little Prince? Only Wu Xu maintained a blank face while stifling a laugh inside. "B-but I'm only at..." the Little Prince stammered weakly, preparing to decline. When he looked over, he suddenly noticed that Han Qingyu's gaze was directed elsewhere. And the person he was actually looking at had his head lowered, pretending not to hear a thing. "Zhu Jiaming?" Han Qingyu called out again. Abruptly—*shhk!* He Tangtang pushed halfway out of his seat, burst into source energy, and bolted out the door. *Now I get it!* The Little Prince realized what had happened. With a *shhk*, he erupted into motion as well, tearing out in pursuit. "He Tangtang, I'm going to kill you!" The shout echoed back from the hallway, fading into the distance. Inside the room, Han Qingyu looked left, then right. *The environment around me is far too treacherous. It feels like not a single person here is normal, including Plague Chicken... Dammit, and he's even a major general!* Han Qingyu's gaze finally settled on the corner where Wu Xu and Rusty Sister were sitting. He walked over in silence and sat down between them. Without saying a word, he quietly pulled out the metal blocks Wen Jifei had given him and handed one to each of them. He resolved not to step out the door again. And so he endured, all the way until the global enlistment launch ceremony the following day. *** Thanks to communication from Stream Vanguard, the Azure organization had no choice but to cancel all activities and segments that originally required Major Qing's presence. The group's seats were arranged slightly toward the side in the third row. As a result, the various squads back in Huaxia, Medical Station 101, Fenglong'ao... countless people around the world waiting in front of their televisions could not catch a glimpse of Major Qing. "If tomorrow were doomsday, what would you choose to do?" The official host spoke in English, but the live television broadcast undoubtedly provided simultaneous interpretation in various languages. Han Qingyu could understand English, but listening to it stirred nothing inside him. The topic failed to pique his interest in the slightest, because the answer was obvious: if doomsday came, he would go fight. "Perhaps kiss your beloved and tell them you will love them forever," the host's voice continued gently. Han Qingyu didn't have a lover either. "Eat the food you've always craved but never tried?" None. "Meet the person you've always wanted to see but never visited?" Still none. "Or let your conventional life run wild just once?" He couldn't even think of what he would do to run wild. "Go home." He had just left home. "Go to the place where you wish to be buried?" He didn't want to die. At this point, the host's voice suddenly grew passionate. "I believe none of these choices are wrong. Therefore, let some people in this world go and do what they might never have the chance to do in the future. "And we—we shall stop it. Stop doomsday!" In those two sentences, "they" and "we" held no explicit designation. As to which group one belonged to, Azure left that for the viewers before their television sets to decide for themselves. The television feed promptly switched, the high-angle camera cutting to the grounds outside. *Boom... Shhk-shhk-shhk-shhk-shhk!* Ten thousand Azure personnel stood in formation. Devices engaged in rapid succession, azure light flickering. *Clang-hum...* Across the majestic military array, a forest of long sabers cleared their scabbards. At this moment, words were unnecessary. Azure's slogan appeared on television screens in every country, rendered in each local tongue. Then, the subtitles for the Azure enlistment campaign flashed across the screen. With that, the blood of those watching before their screens was ignited, beginning to boil. With that, Azure's global enlistment officially kicked off in full force. ...A song began to play as a voice-over while the camera slowly panned across the military formation. *"A youth's black hair drifts before my eyes, light shining in his pupils—he is one who holds the stars..."* Harada Niisa herself was not yet visible on screen, but she was standing directly in front of Han Qingyu and the others. From her slender frame burst a soaring, metallic voice. She seemed to sing with every ounce of her being, her clenched fist dancing in the air. *"You in the white shirt, so much is yet undone, isn't it?* *Yet the starry sky you once loved has turned to a battlefield of blood and strife.* *Time to change your clothes—will you shoulder the war box once more?* *It is always so: as the youth weeps in helpless confusion, growth takes place, always.* *Go to that place you once gazed upon, become a hero, shining in place of its light.* *The sea of stars is like a barren battleground;* *fighting, slaughtering—are you afraid?* *Trembling, yet never backing down, right?* *I will wear the dress you love best, look up at the starry sky, and wait for your return.* *I will write many letters, folded into pretty shapes.* *...* *Upon that dome above, the stars remain forever.* *Your names alone are a brilliant legend."* The lyrics were in the East Island tongue. Yang Qingbai explained that the song had already been covered and rewritten with new lyrics across various countries, but because she was the original artist, Azure had chosen Harada Niisa to perform it this time. At the same time, to avoid overshadowing the event and turning the launch ceremony into pure entertainment, they had not placed the girl directly on screen. "What's this song called?" Han Qingyu asked, unable to understand the words. Yang Qingbai kept his eyes on the stage. "'Forever the Stars.'"