MORIC - Chapter 195

Chapter 195: Taking Her Wife to the Front Line

The warship was scheduled to land on the next planet in three hours.

Chi Yueshan and Xi Zhoumeng arrived at her current office.

All of Xi Mingguang's old things had been placed on the desk by Xi Zhoumeng. Compared to her Alpha mother's draft battle plans, her own pile of mismatched beauty tools was enough to make anyone who saw it think the Empire was doomed.

Xi Zhoumeng came out after taking a shower. Chi Yueshan had already finished the box of fruit. She asked Xi Zhoumeng, "Aren't you going to sleep for a bit? The Zerg on the next planet are more numerous than on the last one, right?"

Xi Zhoumeng's hair was a little fluffy after being dried. Coupled with the fact that she had changed out of her uniform and into a puffy nightgown, it gave Chi Yueshan the feeling of being back at the Xi residence.

Xi Zhoumeng said, "I'm going to sleep."

She narrowed her eyes and flopped back onto the folding rocking chair she had brought with her.

Inside this office was the Commander's exclusive rest cabin, which had been completely transformed into Xi Zhoumeng's style. The sight made Chi Yueshan's mouth twitch, though she wasn't surprised at all.

Chi Yueshan asked, "Aren't you hungry?"

Xi Zhoumeng replied, "I ate a piece of walnut bread while I was showering."

Unlike Chi Yueshan, whose preferences Xi Zhoumeng had discovered by testing one dish after another, Xi Zhoumeng gave the impression that she liked anything as long as it was expensive and troublesome.

Now, she was leaning back in the lounge chair, swaying gently. The hem of her skirt fluttered, instantly reminding Chi Yueshan of the campus goddess from Guyun Academy back in the day.

It was just that the alumni from Guyun Academy didn't seem to express much shock when Xi Zhoumeng differentiated into an Alpha; instead, they took it for granted.

Things like, "Senior Xi became an Alpha? We're ecstatic! How great is that!"

"I can do A/A too!"

The Commander's office was very large. Even though Xi Zhoumeng had changed the style of the bedroom inside, the outer area remained as it was.

Perhaps Chi Yueshan was staring too obviously, as Xi Zhoumeng lifted her eyelids. "Do you want to sleep with me?"

Chi Yueshan said, "No, I'm not sleepy."

The AI robot brought her favorite sweet soup again. In these moments when no one else was around, Chi Yueshan always had the illusion that she and Xi Zhoumeng were still back at the Xi residence.

Xi Zhoumeng said, "Then go entertain yourself. I'm going inside to sleep."

After speaking, she stood up and slowly walked inside.

Chi Yueshan let out an "oh" and asked, "Can I see your combat logs?"

Xi Zhoumeng paused. "Mine? From just now?"

Chi Yueshan nodded.

Xi Zhoumeng said, "Why are you being so polite? Acting all courteous again?"

She didn't turn around, simply walking inside and lying down on the bed. Propping herself up, she looked at Chi Yueshan. "You can watch from my arms."

Chi Yueshan huffed. "Aren't you going to sleep?"

Xi Zhoumeng replied, "You watch, I'll sleep. It won't affect anything."

Chi Yueshan grumbled to herself but went over anyway.

Xi Zhoumeng didn't waste any time. She shared her light-brain, letting Chi Yueshan look for herself, then rolled over and actually went to sleep.

There was no "watching while leaning in her arms" or anything of the sort.

Chi Yueshan pressed her lips together, scrolled through the files, and began to watch Xi Zhoumeng's latest combat logs.

The audio was chaotic, initially filled with internal communications and Xi Zhoumeng's calm commands.

Xi Zhoumeng in a professional context always felt unfamiliar to Chi Yueshan. Listening to her voice in the combat logs, for instance, she found it hard to imagine that the person beside her, who insisted on wearing her prettiest nightgown to sleep, was like this.

Before long, a video feed appeared. Nowadays, every mecha was uniformly equipped with a cruise module that could record the mecha's position during combat.

If the pilot was killed in action, the cruise module would record until the very last moment.

Watching the combat logs, Chi Yueshan's heart was in her throat. Xi Zhoumeng was simply too reckless.

She also understood why Ling Xun had worn such an indescribable expression.

What on earth are you playing at?

Vomiting while you fight, how old are you!

Chi Yueshan watched the combat logs over and over again. The first time, she got the general overview; the second time, she focused on the degree of compatibility between the mecha and its pilot.

Xi Zhoumeng's piloting skills had become even more exquisite since her return from the Prime Century. Chi Yueshan thought about the "final battle" this person had mentioned. Even though it was only brought up in passing, Chi Yueshan could sense the thrilling danger within those words.

What exactly did she go through?

She had returned covered in wounds. Even though some had healed, the scars were hard to erase. On her flawless, jade-like body, they resembled cracks in white porcelain, making Chi Yueshan feel a sense of pity, yet also feel that on Xi Zhoumeng, even the fractures were perfect.

The current vulnerabilities in Moon-Swallower had been improved. Seeing Xi Zhoumeng's piloting skills grow stronger and stronger, her spiritual power was indeed...

The astonishment in the communication chatter almost made Chi Yueshan want to laugh.

After all, the person beside her could even resist the consciousness invasion of a Zerg Queen.

But Moon-Swallower's core energy source was a Magnetic Star Meteorite. This person was truly reckless, even bringing her own galaxy's Magnetic Star Meteorite over.

The Magnetic Star Meteorite could amplify the mecha's combat power, but just like the mecha itself, it consumed Xi Zhoumeng's spiritual power.

This person was nowhere near her peak condition right now, but Chi Yueshan could no longer even imagine what Xi Zhoumeng at her peak would be like.

In the playback of the combat log, the Moon-Swallower mecha's paint reflected the harsh sun. The thorny rose seemed alive, and its tail hook cruelly and mercilessly pierced the Zerg's flesh. The green fluid that came out upon withdrawal vaporized, resembling an exploding firework.

It only served to make the mecha seem even more cold and ruthless, sending a chill down one's spine.

In the in-cockpit recording, Xi Zhoumeng still wore a nonchalant expression. The massive consumption of spiritual power didn't seem to make her falter.

But Chi Yueshan couldn't help but think of the chip she had given to Sheng Yangkui.

Is she really okay?

She's really a person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She says she won't get involved, but doesn't she end up managing everything anyway?

Three hours passed quickly. Moreover, the AI robot had been programmed with a timer by Xi Zhoumeng. By the time Chi Yueshan finished watching for the fourth time, she still felt a pang of heartache. Just as she was about to reach out and touch Xi Zhoumeng, her hand had just landed on the other's waist when the AI robot began to play music.

Chi Yueshan was startled. She was about to pull her hand back but was stopped by Xi Zhoumeng.

Xi Zhoumeng, her eyes still squinted, said, "Hm? Are you harassing me?"

Chi Yueshan retorted, "What harassment? Isn't it perfectly natural for me to touch you?"

Xi Zhoumeng nodded, while the AI robot at her side tirelessly reminded her—

"Now arriving at the new planet, Liduo Wente'er."

"Planet designation 128755. Due to exposure to unknown radiation over seven hundred years ago, the rain on this planet is red."

"Permanent residents: 261. Medical facilities: 3. Defense center: 1. All permanent residents have currently been transferred to the defense center."

Chi Yueshan had a pretty strong impression of this planet, as it was particularly famous in the tourism section of the StarNet.

Because of its red rain, even in the interstellar era, many people considered it a symbol of love. A considerable number of ships from the tourism hub came here every season.

Even though there weren't many native inhabitants, its tourism industry was very developed.

It was also known for a type of red tree with leaves like strips of cloth. Even many film companies from M-Galaxy came here to shoot on location.

"Commander, please report to the assembly point immediately."

"Mecha inspection is complete."

Chi Yueshan said, "Stop being groggy. Time for work."

Xi Zhoumeng yawned, then lowered her head to hug Chi Yueshan's waist. "I don't want to go to work. I want to lie around at home."

Chi Yueshan hadn't expected a grown adult to act like this, but she suddenly found this side of Xi Zhoumeng adorable.

"You've been lying around for too many years. You have to work for a few days, right?"

Xi Zhoumeng sighed, rubbing her face against Chi Yueshan's tattoo before getting up with some reluctance. "Once the Zerg are wiped out, I can lie around all I want."

Chi Yueshan laughed. "You'd better be."

Xi Zhoumeng said, "But you'll be unemployed by then. Is it really okay for two jobless bums to just stay at home?"

Chi Yueshan kicked her off the bed. "You think too much. I'm not going to be a jobless bum."

Xi Zhoumeng slowly changed her clothes, and after washing her face, she even put on a face mask. She muttered that her pores had gotten bigger lately and she needed to get a beauty treatment soon, then shrieked in horror, "How did a diamond from my new manicure fall off!"

Chi Yueshan: ......

She could even see the agony in the expression on the AI robot's screen.

As expected, Xi Zhoumeng was late.

Ling Xun knew this would happen. She had originally planned to switch shifts, but feeling she couldn't waste this opportunity, she switched back.

She had never been to this planet before. She'd heard that if you picked a red leaf and gave it to someone close to you, they would receive a blessing.

Even though it sounded like utter nonsense, Ling Xun still found herself drawn to the idea.

But to her surprise, the seniors on her team had all shown up as well.

She asked, "Weren't you guys switching shifts?"

The squad was supposed to be on rotation to facilitate night patrols after the warship landed.

Unexpectedly, this time, the whole group was all hyped up.

A senior said, "Came to see the red rain. Never seen it before."

Ling Xun asked, "Haven't you been in the Expeditionary Force for a long time?"

The senior replied, "The last patrol was during the last Zerg Tide. We don't usually patrol this area. It's a major tourist planet, and the garrisoned troops are already very strong. There's usually no reason for us to come here."

Ling Xun said, "But there are quite a few Zerg here. I looked at the positioning on the star chart..."

Her expression suddenly grew solemn, because this planet's peculiarity wasn't its red rain or red trees, but its communication problems.

Planet Liduo Wente'er was close to M-Galaxy. No one knew what had happened to M-Galaxy, the neighboring star system to R-Galaxy, but it was as if the entire galaxy's population had lost contact.

She was worried that after landing on Planet Liduo Wente'er, a situation like the one during the practical training would occur again.

Although that was an isolated case, the appearance of Zerg would cause magnetic turbulence from Zerg radiation.

However, the previous commander's death had occurred under such circumstances. It hadn't even been on Planet Liduo Wente'er, but simply because that colorful Zerg had appeared.

What if that Special-Grade Zerg appeared on this planet?

Would communications fail again?

Ling Xun voiced her concerns, but her captain said, "The tech department has already made a contingency plan for that. It's not a problem. We also have more primitive methods... uh, although I think they're pretty useless."

"The most dangerous thing would still be the sudden appearance of that Zerg."

"Commander Xi is very young. I'm still..."

The captain was, after all, one of Xi Mingguang's former subordinates. Her impression of Xi Zhoumeng was that of the pampered daughter Xi Mingguang occasionally mentioned.

Even after witnessing Xi Zhoumeng's ferocious fighting style on the last two planets, she couldn't help but worry.

Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a blonde Alpha in a uniform approaching from the gangway ahead.

The Moon-Swallower mecha, its inspection complete, was parked at the very front of the hangar bay exit. It was unclear if Xi Zhoumeng had overheard them, but as she walked, she said, "It's fine. I haven't seen it in a long time. I'm actually quite looking forward to seeing it again."

Everyone's military boots were issued together, but for some reason, she had actually found the time to modify hers. The combat boots she wore now had mechanical spine heels that clicked against the floor with each step.

Down below, the officers standing by the mecha cockpit elevator all looked up in unison.

They discovered that their Commander was followed by an Omega.

Ling Xun looked up in surprise. "Yueshan, why are you..."

Chi Yueshan was standing right next to Xi Zhoumeng. Only when Xi Zhoumeng turned and let go of her was she free.

Chi Yueshan started, "I'm..."

Xi Zhoumeng adjusted her ring while admiring the monitor on her wrist. It was unclear what new function had been added, but it even had a mirror.

Ling Xun: ......

Her captain: ......

Xi Zhoumeng said, "This is my mecha technician. She is also the current head of the Capital Star's Mecha Guild."

She leaned against the railing. Even though many had never seen her in person, looking at her from a distance now, it was obvious that only someone like her was worthy of the classical and magnificent mecha at the front.

"This time, she will fight alongside me."

Down below, the vice-commander who had just signed in was stunned. She was at least ten years older than Xi Zhoumeng and had also followed Xi Mingguang for many years.

It wasn't that she didn't know what the young miss had been like during the practical training—it was a frenzied slaughter, her output both savage and elegant.

But that was an emergency during your academy's practical training! This is a proper Expeditionary Force operation. How can you bring an Omega into the mecha cockpit?

She wasn't the only one who thought this; for a moment, everyone around was rather astonished.

"Putting aside bringing someone along, the mecha cockpit is bound to spiritual power. An extra person means an extra drain on spiritual power..."

"Is that the young Mecha Technician Chi who gave us suggestions for mecha amplification?! I heard the head of the mecha technician team mention her before..."

"I know, she was heavily pregnant just a few months ago. She's already had the baby..."

"Really? She looks so young. An Omega who knows so much about mecha?"

"She's the one who installed the tail hook on the Commander's mecha. You should have seen that tail hook when the Commander was clearing out Zerg on the last two planets... It was incredible."

Xi Zhoumeng cupped her face in her hands, enjoying the current atmosphere. Finally, she said with a smile, "There's no rule that says you can't bring someone into the mecha cockpit, is there?"

"Of course, someone with low spiritual power would feel the effects."

"But what does that have to do with me?"

She pulled Chi Yueshan to the conveyor belt and sent her directly into the mecha cockpit.

"An excellent mecha technician shouldn't just look at combat logs; they also need to observe the situation on the battlefield."

"You all have a long way to go."

Ling Xun sighed and explained to her captain, "Senior Xi is just like this. She always brought someone with her during the practical training, too. My sister has even been in her mecha cockpit."

"Can't be helped. Who's to blame when the ceiling for spiritual power assessment is only S+?"

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