Hunting the Peninsula

"Instructor." When the voice suddenly crackled over the communicator, Yang Qingbai was concentrating intensely on piloting the two-man Needlefish-class airship, tossing it violently from side to side while angling sharply upward in an all-out climb. The other person on board was Han Qingyu. Following the plan the group had devised—treating a dead horse like a living one in a desperate bid to cure it—Yang Qingbai was trying to help Han Qingyu relive the sensation of breaking through enemy encirclement during the Zenith War. To that end, on their way here, they had even detoured back to the coastline of Oceania to run several simulations. Qingzi said his body felt an instinctive familiarity with this abrupt gravitational pressure and rapid tossing, but his memory remained completely unresponsive. The transmission came from A Zha, pilot of the ten-man Swordfish-class airship. Over the past year, Yang Qingbai had served personally as an instructor for Stream Vanguard, selecting and training thirty elite source energy airship pilots, and A Zha was among the very best. "What is it? Speak!" Yang Qingbai responded over the channel while throttling down. In fact, under normal circumstances, pilots often chatted idly with one another beyond necessary operational communications. "There are a lot of people watching us down below, Instructor! How about we take a lap over the traction field?! With your skills..." A Zha's voice was tinged with excitement. His degree of fusion was merely average, giving him limited prospects as a combat warrior, but he possessed an extraordinary natural talent for piloting. Becoming a pilot had transformed him completely. As for challenging the traction field... Azure's aerial reconnaissance over the past year had proved beyond doubt that whenever a human craft dared approach the airspace above the traction field, swarms of Great Spike airships would instantly launch a frenzied swarm attack. Azure's aerial combat forces had paid a gruesome price for that lesson over the past year. Yet if it were Yang Qingbai who went... that was a hypothetical scenario many Stream Vanguard officers and soldiers had privately debated. As for the trainees under Yang Qingbai's command, each and every one of them naturally possessed boundless confidence that their instructor could handle it with ease. That was what had prompted A Zha to make the sudden suggestion. A huge crowd, a grand stage—why not show off? The young man had gotten a bit too caught up in the excitement. "Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Over the comms, Yang Qingbai's tone shifted abruptly, cutting A Zha off in a harsh, cursing voice. This was the first time Han Qingyu had ever seen Yang Qingbai lose his temper at someone with such genuine severity. Yang Qingbai was typically a man of smiles and laughter; even when dealing with his trainees, he had always been warm and approachable as a friend. "Do you know what we do?" After a two-second pause, Yang Qingbai's demeanor remained grave, though his tone softened slightly. "We fly ships. Delivering people safely to where they need to go, and pulling people out of danger—that is our entire mission. Do you understand?" "Understood, Instructor," came the simultaneous reply from the other two airships. "Ninety-nine percent of the time, clinging to life and fearing death is our most crucial quality." As Yang Qingbai said "ninety-nine percent," he turned to look at Han Qingyu. Because they had lived through that sole, exceptional one percent together. When the passenger aboard your craft is flying to his death, you can only accompany him into death. "Qingzi," Yang Qingbai said, switching off the comms with a flick of his hand. Han Qingyu blinked. "Hmm?" "It's been six months, and I never really said anything to comfort you. Mainly because I still hold the memory of who you used to be, so it felt strange to suddenly start consoling you. And the person you've been lately... we haven't been all that familiar." Yang Qingbai gave a fleeting smile before checking himself, then continued, "Honestly, an attempt is just an attempt. It really doesn't matter, Qingzi. Even if you can't get back to how you were, you don't need to carry any burden or stress over your current state. Because back then, neither of us ever planned on returning alive." Listening to him, Han Qingyu gave a slow nod. "Do you get what I mean? What I'm trying to say is that after the Zenith War, the two of us were never supposed to exist in this world in the first place. The world was already supposed to go on without Major Qing to hold it up. So you can give it a shot, but there's no reason you have to force yourself to achieve anything." As Yang Qingbai spoke, his gaze remained fixed on Han Qingyu. Feeling those eyes upon him, Han Qingyu still seemed unsure how best to reply. In the end, he simply broke into a grin. Turning back, Yang Qingbai reopened the communicator. "Stay sharp. Prepare for landing." *** Due to its geography, the Antarctic Peninsula was a relatively vulnerable sector in the overall defenses of the Great Spikes, and the first to be abandoned. Consequently, it had become the natural landing zone for the Azure Coalition, as well as the only location in the early stages of the expedition where 1.8 million troops could be deployed and recruits could gain practical combat experience. In Azure's operational plan, once cleared, the Antarctic Peninsula would serve as Azure's forward offensive and defensive base. Supply depots, field hospitals, press stations, command headquarters, and more would all be established here. At present, there were certainly Great Spikes on the peninsula, and in no small numbers. Yet these Great Spikes consisted entirely of black armor and blue-sheened variants, without a single red-shoulder among them. They lingered sluggishly across the ice sheet as though abandoned simply to conserve resources. By now, Azure's elite vanguard had already carved a blocking line across the neck connecting the peninsula to the main continent. Mop-up operations and live-combat recruit training commenced in tandem. By this point, Antarctica was devoid of penguins; they had all been slaughtered by the Great Spikes. In the absence of humans, lower-tier Great Spikes indiscriminately attacked any living creature they laid eyes on, just as they always had. The peninsula was vast, featuring towering icebergs and countless lakes. Under nature's uncanny craftsmanship, the endless white glaciers formed an array of magnificent vistas. Patches of bare rock peeked out from beneath the snow and ice, while deep-blue glacial pools dotted the landscape. "Xu'er, do you know what benefit Antarctica—especially this spot right here—" Wen Jifei pointed at the scarlet patch on the operational map, "—the South Pole, has for you?" Wu Xu stared at it for a few seconds and shook his head. "Setting out from here, you never have to worry about getting disoriented or losing north... because from here, whichever damn way you go, it's north." As soon as Wen Jifei finished speaking, the surrounding group burst into laughter. At that moment, the Stream Vanguard contingent was squatting on an icy boulder beside a makeshift road, watching the Azure forces below stretch out like a long dragon as they pushed steadily into the interior. "Hey! An old acquaintance!" Wen Jifei gave Han Qingyu a tug, pointing down at a female major general walking beside a column from one of the front armies. Caixin was already a major general in the Swiss Front Army. That kind of rapid promotion really showed it was wartime. "An acquaintance?" Han Qingyu asked, puzzled. "A very close one!" Wen Jifei replied. Han Qingyu naturally had no recollection of Yin Caixin. But since Wen Jifei said she was an old acquaintance, and seeing the female major general looking up at him, he did his best to offer a smile. "Han Qingyu!" Locking eyes with him, Yin Caixin suddenly threw up a hand and shouted at the top of her lungs in crisp, fluent Huaxian. "Yeah?" Han Qingyu answered on reflex. "Where's my bracelet?! That old silver bracelet your mother left you—before the Zenith War, you promised you'd give it to me! Do you still have it? Throw it down!" Yin Caixin shouted, wearing a deadpan yet thoroughly aggrieved expression. *Ah, a bracelet? Did I really promise to give it to her before losing my memories?* He did indeed have the old silver bracelet on him, and he had even heard the rumors circulating about it in this world. While he was still hesitating and trying to think it through— "Major General Yin, have you got no shame at all?!" Wen Jifei cursed with a laugh. "Hahahahaha! Didn't they say he lost his memory? I was just trying to pull a fast one—what if it worked? Take good care of him... and take care of yourself!" Yin Caixin broke into loud laughter, waved with easy grace, and marched off into the distance with her troops.