Stay for Lunch

Over a year ago, when the Great Spikes launched their first large-scale invasion, appearing directly before all of humanity, Second Lieutenant Wen Jifei of Stream Vanguard had immediately led a team to a university in Yuejiang Province near Shenghai to pick up a senior journalism student. Her name was Yao Yue. That had been their reunion after nearly four years apart. When they met again, Yao Yue was still the Yao Yue of old, while Wen Jifei, the rascal "classmate" of her past, had unwittingly become a name that could not be ignored in the source energy world—Second Lieutenant Wen of Stream Vanguard, and later known to the world as the "God of Guns." It was perhaps a story well suited to the human psyche; in the world's longing for beauty and hope, people always wished to see a woman remain true to who she had always been, and to watch a man transform and grow. Given that Hollywood's film industry had churned out more than ten movies about the source energy world and humanity's resistance over the past year or so, this story—featuring distinctive, real-life figures, beautiful and rich with wartime romance—seemed tailor-made for the silver screen. Yet it never appeared. To say no one knew what happened that day was impossible; plenty of people present had survived. But the story was never widely circulated afterward. At Wen Jifei's request, Azure had mobilized its full power to suppress it thoroughly. As for the reason: in the world today, if a girl was known to have captured Second Lieutenant Wen's heart, she would be in real danger. Back then, Yao Yue had been given two choices: first, go with her family to live at an Azure base and pursue her studies in a new direction; second, come with her family to the Third Fixed Exploration Site as a dependent. Whichever choice she made, her story with Wen Jifei could have officially begun. However, though the young woman looked gentle and delicate, she was stubborn to the bone. When she told Wen Jifei over the phone that she had ultimately decided to become a war correspondent, he had had no way to talk her out of it directly. He could only comfort himself with the thought that Yao Yue could never pass Azure's rigorous examination. At the same time, because Yao Yue intended to travel all over, Wen Jifei had to keep his distance from her. Over the course of the following year and more, aside from an occasional satellite phone call, the two had not seen each other again. It wasn't that they strictly couldn't meet; rather, a touch of deliberate avoidance, combined with a mountain of busy work and constant near-misses, had kept them from ever crossing paths. *She actually passed the exam?! And she ran all the way here.* Wen Jifei's joy at seeing her was quickly mingled with worry and helplessness. *Damn it, does Azure's war correspondent exam not even test whether you can swat a cockroach?* *If I'd known it would turn out like this, maybe I should've pulled some strings to get her eliminated.* Thinking this, Wen Jifei turned and walked toward the Azure officials lined up at the site. They had come to deliver the expeditionary supplies and rations for Stream Vanguard; he had to show them courtesy regardless, giving them a warm reception. "Thank you for your hard work!" Wen Jifei smiled as he stepped forward, greeting them and extending his hand. Hands shook, and camera flashes clicked and popped across the crowd of reporters. Yao Yue's mood upon seeing Wen Jifei was joyful and excited. Just now, when their eyes met through the crowd, alongside her secret delight, the young woman had felt a touch of smugness and pride. *So glad to meet you, legendary Second Lieutenant Wen. I am Second-Class War Correspondent Yao Yue, subordinate to the Azure Huaxia Front, hehe.* She spoke in her heart the words she had planned long ago and rehearsed countless times, yet could never say aloud in public. *It's a pity that in the end I still couldn't become a soldier. But I've still taken a huge step forward, haven't I? On future battlefields, I can be a little closer to you.* *You're not looking at me anymore... fine. I bet you're surprised and worried right now—maybe even angry.* *There's really no need for that, Classmate Wen Jifei. Since the world has already come to this, what place is truly safe forever? When your name is already Second Lieutenant Wen of Stream Vanguard, I don't want to choose shelter, to worry and fret in vain from far away, waiting each day just to hear news of you.* *Just let me accompany you through humanity's final battlegrounds in this way, whether it ends in victory or destruction.* ... "Hey!" Another female reporter beside her nudged her with a soft hiss. When Yao Yue looked over, she whispered a warning, "Didn't you say it can't be public? You're being way too obvious." Her name was Lin Ya, Yao Yue's college journalism classmate and roommate. Back at the university, when Wen Jifei had stood atop the Qing Spear-class airship opening fire and slaughtering Great Spikes into a mountain of corpses... Lin Ya had suddenly rushed out to take photos of the battlefield, the soldiers, and Second Lieutenant Wen. She said she was going to be a war correspondent, and added, "From now on, I'll go to the front line and snap photos of your Second Lieutenant Wen for you, Yao Yue." Looking back, had she not been stirred by those words, Yao Yue might not have made up her mind right then to become a war correspondent as well. "Is... is it that obvious?" Yao Yue instantly grew flustered. She remembered Wen Jifei's warnings over the phone, and after six months of study and acclimation, she now understood with full clarity what kind of existence Stream Vanguard and Wen Jifei were in today's world. "If someone knows you two have a thing going on, it looks pretty obvious." Lin Ya used a phrasing that nearly made Yao Yue blush. After speaking, she turned her head and gestured with a twitch of her mouth: "Looks like everyone's surging forward. What do you think, should we yell a couple of questions in a bit? Will he show you favoritism and answer ours?" "I... I don't know!" Yao Yue whispered back. Wen Jifei was angry, and quite seriously so. Even though he wasn't looking at her anymore, Yao Yue knew it clearly, because whenever he was mad and gave someone the cold shoulder in the past, he looked exactly like this. Just then, the press corps surged forward while swinging like a tail toward the right side of the grounds. Yao Yue and Lin Ya were a step too slow. Swept along with the moving crowd, they were shoved into the back row and could only stand on tiptoe, craning their necks to see. Although Stream Vanguard hadn't prepared a departure ceremony, the venue originally had a simple raised platform used for everyday drills and addresses. After a brief exchange with the Azure officials, Wen Jifei walked onto the platform alone, facing the throng of reporters. At this moment, Second Lieutenant Wen was in full gear, the Elegy of the Square slung diagonally across his back, his war saber jutting over his left shoulder... His face was stiff, looking distinctly displeased. *Looks like he's going to chase us away again,* the reporters thought as they looked up, feeling a bit timid. Stream Vanguard's attitude toward reporters had always been resistant and distant, not just toward ordinary civilian media, but toward official Azure reporters as well. Over the past year and more of observation, only two people seemed to have been slight exceptions—Ashleia and Ian, who had by now achieved immense fame in media circles. Probably because they shared years of friendship with Stream Vanguard, and Ashleia was truly breathtakingly beautiful. "Came all this way for nothing again." "Yeah, looks like we won't even get a chance to ask questions." "Even if we asked, he wouldn't answer... Besides, Major Qing, Lieutenant Wu Xu, and Second Lieutenant Shen haven't even shown their faces. We can't even get a photo." No major commotion erupted, because the reporters had mentally prepared themselves long ago. Before coming, they knew the chances of being refused and chased off were extremely high; they had only come to try their luck. It was precisely this awareness—knowing there was no chance of hospitality—that had them carrying their own food and water in their backpacks. Lin Ya and Yao Yue hadn't brought any. As newcomers, they were unfamiliar with the situation and lacked such awareness. Seeing all their fellow reporters quietly snapping photos without making a sound, only casting the occasional aggrieved glance at Second Lieutenant Wen on the platform, the two young women felt rather baffled. "Everyone," Second Lieutenant Wen Jifei finally spoke, in English. With just those two words, the grounds fell dead quiet. They waited for the eviction order, while a few prepared to make a desperate grab for the remaining seconds, shouting random questions to test their luck. "In a little while... stay for lunch." Wen Jifei remained expressionless, still looking not particularly pleased. He raised his wrist to glance at his watch and said, "It's ten-thirty. If anyone is thirsty, I'll have logistics bring over some water." *Plague Chicken can actually speak English now, and speak it so well...* Recalling what he was like back then, Yao Yue nearly burst out laughing. The reason she didn't laugh was that the atmosphere all around had frozen in dumbfounded bewilderment—like neglected imperial concubines in the Cold Palace whose nameplates had suddenly been picked by the emperor.