Where Are the Source Energy Blocks?

The vast majority of people present believed the Golden Eraser captain's appearance was connected to the current batch of recruits graduating from camp; Shao Xuan had stepped forward in person to recruit him, clearly determined to secure this recruit dubbed the Erasers' strongest in a decade. As for why he had personally stepped onto the arena floor, thinking about it, it was naturally also to back Han Qingyu up... After all, the kid had just run afoul of the White Eraser over the past two days. No matter how one looked at it, the Golden Eraser had given ample grandeur and face—perhaps even a bit too much. "To tell the truth, though, that kid... is actually only Grade A." Up in the spectator stands, the speaker stunned even himself the moment the words "only Grade A" left his mouth... *Who am I to say "only"?* Yet the facts did seem to align with what he said: Han Qingyu's degree of fusion test results alone didn't appear sufficient to carry the title currently heaped upon him. The Azure Huaxia Front possessed an enormous system. While Grade S was exceedingly rare, Grade A+ still averaged two or three people each year. Even the Ninth Army alone averaged one Grade A+ every year or two. In short, it all came down to development. "Setting aside the fusion degree for a moment, let's look at the facts. Who else has managed to accumulate merits and perform so outstandingly during their recruit training?" someone beside him explained. "So this 'strongest in a decade' title is based on an overall assessment for now... If you insist on a definitive test, you'd have to stage Guan Yu fighting Qin Qiong, gathering people from different years together for a brawl... which isn't realistic either." "True enough." The man considered this, nodded, then craned his neck on tiptoe, asking in surprise, "What is that?!" As he spoke, the soldier in the center of the ring opened the wooden box carved with the World Azure Alliance flag right in front of Han Qingyu. Han Qingyu possessed a box holding a Silver Azure Guard; he remembered that on the lid of that box was carved the flag of the Huaxia Front. Therefore, this one... was gold. Han Qingyu froze for a second. "Surprised? Didn't expect it?" The glittering gold Azure Guardian Medal lay nestled in the silk-lined wooden box. Shao Xuan gestured toward it and asked with a smile. "I thought about it, but I didn't think it would really be a Gold Guard." Han Qingyu paused, then asked, "Then what about the instructors from our two regiments, and Squad 1123...?" "Credited with three collective first-class merits plus the Starlight Memorial Medal, three generations of pension benefits, and outstanding individuals will be evaluated separately... That's the business of the army and the regiments, and it will be presented during the recruitment briefing later. You don't need to worry about it," Shao Xuan said, raising a hand to pat Han Qingyu's shoulder. "In any case, since you're still a recruit, this Gold Guard also serves as encouragement and cultivation. Both the army commander and the council speaker did their utmost to fight for you at the Alliance International Council." Han Qingyu nodded silently. "Rest easy. You have to understand how significant taking down that thing actually was... Besides, the rewards associated with the Gold Guard are all distributed by Alliance Headquarters, and our army commander is the type who delights in taking advantage, loving nothing more than fighting for such things." Shao Xuan chuckled, looking at Han Qingyu as he continued, "If you're ambitious, strive to earn the Star of Azure in the future." "Star of Azure?" Meeting his gaze, Han Qingyu asked earnestly, "How many source energy blocks does that give?" Shao Xuan: "That... one block a day." *Gulp.* The sound of swallowing saliva. "However, in all of history, only five people have received the Star of Azure to date... And two of those five were from small countries, both having voluntarily given up the benefit because they were already too old and didn't want to tie up too many resources." "What about our army commander?" "Him? How could he?!" Shao Xuan laughed. "He just doesn't use much of it himself, turning most of it over to the army corps supply depot every year..." During their hushed conversation, the curiosity in the stands had grown impossible to suppress. Whispers rippled across the crowd as everyone leaned forward, peering toward the box. "All right, don't feel awkward. According to standard procedure, this was supposed to be presented to you at the opening of the recruitment briefing, where the occasion would be even grander." With that, Shao Xuan reached into the box and took out the Gold Azure Guard... "Whoa!" *Boom!* Stunned silence lasted only an instant. In the next moment, no matter how immense their curiosity or how numerous their questions, everyone present suppressed them, rising to attention. In the second-floor viewing room, although no one could see inside, Qi Shantong did the same, rising to attention before casting a stern glare at the indignant White Eraser member beside him. "What are you doing?!" The White Eraser member turned, startled. "We may disagree with many things about Azure past and present... but we cannot fail to respect the honors defended with countless lives over a hundred years." "Yes, sir." Catching Qi Shantong's expression, the squad member snapped to attention. Similarly, Liang Ge, who was still standing on the ring platform, had to stand at attention once more. Thinking back, if he had actually beaten Han Qingyu to the point of severe injury just now, and now Han Qingyu was receiving the Gold Azure Guard... To pick on a recruit only to kick an iron plate was bad enough, but behind it lay a silver plate, and behind that, a gold plate... none of which he could afford to kick. Soon, Shao Xuan meticulously pinned the medal on Han Qingyu, read from a card in his hand explaining Han Qingyu's outstanding performance in the battle of Area 1123 along with the reasons for awarding him the gold medal... then took a step back and led the salute. *Whoosh.* The entire hall saluted, chanting in unison: "For all that breathes, no retreat in battle, our bodies bar the sky!" This unified slogan echoed through the entire simulated combat ground, causing Han Qingyu, who had felt awkward all along, to suddenly zone out for a moment. The scene before him overlapped with the image of that night across the mountains and plains, where ranks saluted in unison to see off Zhang Dao'an and the others. "Instructor Zhang..." ... It was finally over. It was undeniable that such a ceremonial display served an unquestionable purpose in terms of internal protection, but Han Qingyu was still neither accustomed to it nor fond of it. If possible, he would rather all medal presentations be like the time he received the silver one at Regiment 425—gathering a few leaders in a small office, collecting it, and calling it a day. What he genuinely liked and looked forward to, for now, was only source energy blocks. However, why did it seem they hadn't brought any? When are they going to give them to me? They didn't forget, did they? Would it be bad to speak up and ask right now? Right as Han Qingyu's head was spinning with questions, Shao Xuan smiled at him and said, "Right, after all this, you still haven't undergone our Golden Eraser's assessment, have you?" With that, he shed his officer's jacket and began putting on an apparatus. "Come on... I'll spar a bit with you." "Whoa—" Amid the arena-wide clamor came shock, excitement, as well as touches of envy and jealousy. An opportunity to spar with the Golden Eraser captain, the Ninth Army's current top combatant, was not something just anyone could get. And on an occasion like this... in a public setting, a senior expert picking someone to give them a chance to cross hands essentially carried a sense of passing the mantle and showing high regard. Yet Han Qingyu's mind hadn't caught up at all. Taking advantage of the noise, he mumbled under his breath, "Where are the source energy blocks?" "Hm? You... don't have any? Or are you afraid you won't have enough?" Shao Xuan asked, having caught the murmur, then turned to the soldier beside him. "Give him one of mine." "Yes, sir." The soldier acknowledged, searched his pack, and promptly handed one over. A blue crystal source energy block, full. Perplexed, Han Qingyu took it into his hand quite naturally. Sitting at the edge of the ring, Qin Guowen watched with an expression of utter absurdity and disbelief, thinking to himself, *You actually dare take that? I clearly gave you one yesterday... Do you even know who's standing in front of you? You dare even this...* Han Qingyu: "Thank you, Captain Shao." With that, he opened his apparatus and swapped out the source energy block. The one he took out was also full; he stowed it away, then loaded the one he had just received. Qin Guowen shot straight to his feet. Han Qingyu glanced at him, turned back, and said rather naively, "Captain Shao, you're way too formidable. Could I... fight Captain Qin instead?" The veterans across the arena chuckled, all thinking the kid had no understanding of what this sparring opportunity meant and failed to cherish it. Regimental Commander Li and Lao Jian also exchanged looks. "This kid... he's good in every way, just too honest." Qin Guowen, however: "..." *Is this punk really that confident about fighting me?!* *Still, he really is strange right now. What if... what if he goes into barehanded melee right off the bat, and worse, what if he ambushes me with a dirty trick while I'm in apparatus mode...* Thinking this over, he looked up at Liang Ge of the White Eraser, then turned his head to look at the arena full of veterans and recruits... Qin Guowen silently sat back down.