Chapter 167: Border Region One
Nan Yu's attitude toward them remained calm and detached, almost cold.
It wasn't really his fault.
After repeating the same explanations to every patient who woke up, over and over again, he had long since grown used to it. And once something became routine, it inevitably became a little tiresome. The fact that he could still patiently explain everything without losing his temper was already commendable.
Unfortunately, the two soldiers didn't see it that way.
The first thing they thought after waking up wasn't gratitude toward Nan Yu for curing them.
Instead, they felt his attitude was unacceptable.
They were officers.
Even if someone wasn't expected to be overly respectful, shouldn't they at least speak to officers with a little courtesy?
"What kind of attitude is that? You don't have the slightest bit of manners. Who knows, maybe you got into the legion through connections. If there were fewer people like you around, this legion would definitely be even stronger."
Nan Yu's icy gaze settled on the speaker.
It was Luo Heyi, the uncle of Luo Anwei—the man Nan Yu had been paying particular attention to.
Originally, Nan Yu had thought Luo Heyi was at least someone who could be reasoned with.
Now, however...
Perhaps ending up in his previous condition really had been entirely his own fault.
Nan Yu said coldly,
"If I hadn't been stationed at this base, do you honestly think you would've had any chance of being cured in this lifetime?"
"Your Mental Contamination had already reached S-rank."
"Or did you expect a High-Tier Mental Power User to personally come treat you?"
"Who do you think you are?"
"Have you contributed enough to deserve that?"
"Before opening your mouth, why don't you read your own medical file first?"
Their complete medical records could be viewed directly from the equipment beside their beds.
Luo Heyi snorted before opening his file.
Only then did he realize...
The Mental Power User standing before him hadn't merely cured his Mental Contamination.
He had literally saved his life.
According to his records...
Without treatment, he would probably have died within six months.
...
What had he just said?
How could he possibly have spoken like that?
His still-cloudy mind rapidly cleared.
In an instant, he realized something even more important.
Nan Yu was only a Mid-Tier Mental Power User.
Yet he had cured someone suffering from S-rank Mental Contamination.
That alone proved his Mental Power abilities ranked among the very best in the Empire.
And yet...
Someone as extraordinary as that had just been labeled by him as a useless fraud who had entered through the back door.
So...
What was he supposed to do now?
Apologize?
His temper had always been terrible.
He had bullied others for so many years that apologizing had become something he simply couldn't bring himself to do.
Yet when he saw the unpleasant expression on Nan Yu's face, he immediately realized...
He had completely offended him.
Anxiety welled up inside him.
If he were expelled from the legion because of this...
He honestly couldn't complain.
He had treated the person who saved his life this way.
Not only that...
He had picked a fight with what was likely the greatest Mental Power User the legion had spent years recruiting.
No legion would want a soldier like him.
Remaining here had always been the best possible outcome.
But now...
He truly didn't know what he should do.
"I..."
Nan Yu didn't even wait for him to continue.
After finishing the examination, he simply turned around.
"Get some proper rest."
"When you're able to walk again, someone will come take you away."
As soon as he stepped outside...
He discovered two people standing at the door.
Yu Lanfeng.
And Qin Wenxing.
The two of them had obviously heard every word Luo Heyi had shouted.
Thinking about it...
This really was the first time they'd encountered a soldier like this.
Yu Lanfeng spoke without hesitation.
"Once he's fully recovered, lock him up."
"After Nan Yu publicly becomes a High-Tier Mental Power User, expel him from the legion."
"And remember."
"Don't let him disappear before then."
Qin Wenxing nodded immediately.
"Understood, Marshal."
"I'll handle it."
Forget Yu Lanfeng.
Even Qin Wenxing had nearly exploded with anger after hearing those words.
Over this entire period, everyone had seen with their own eyes what kind of person Nan Yu was.
Everything he had done for the legion...
Everyone knew.
Yet this soldier had reacted like that after having his life saved.
Even after realizing he had spoken wrongly...
He still refused to apologize.
Instead, he stubbornly continued acting tough.
To them...
That was the very definition of shamelessness.
No matter what...
As soon as Luo Heyi recovered enough to walk alongside the other treated soldier...
He would be imprisoned.
And Qin Wenxing intended to place him somewhere absolutely impossible for anyone to rescue him.
Earlier, Yu Lanfeng had found time to visit the prisoner being held in the interrogation room.
He personally granted the man a quick death.
Someone like that...
If released, would only become a future disaster.
Far simpler...
To kill him outright.
That permanently eliminated the problem.
Recently, Yu Lanfeng had been overwhelmed with other matters, so he hadn't paid much attention to the hospital.
Who would have thought...
That the one time he came over...
He'd witness something like this?
It was infuriating.
More than anything...
Yu Lanfeng felt heartache for Nan Yu.
Had he experienced situations like this every single time?
However, facing Yu Lanfeng's distressed expression, Nan Yu simply shook his head.
"Most people are reasonable."
"They know this is the legion."
"They know I saved them."
"They've all treated me very politely."
"This patient is the first one I've ever met like this."
"So it's fine."
Yu Lanfeng believed him.
Because all the previous patients had been personally approved by him.
Only this time...
Nan Yu had chosen the two patients himself without asking Yu Lanfeng to review the list.
Unexpectedly...
Problems immediately appeared.
"From now on, let me approve the list first."
"I don't want you being wronged again."
Nan Yu smiled and shook his head.
"That's unnecessary."
"Have you forgotten?"
"My purpose this time wasn't simply to save people."
"The most important thing is actually cultivating my own Mental Power."
"His temper really is terrible."
"But I think..."
"Maybe he's just awkward."
"Of course..."
"He treated me like that."
"One apology is absolutely necessary."
"Otherwise, where am I supposed to put my dignity?"
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
"Come eat."
"Let's go."
He took Nan Yu away.
Leaving Qin Wenxing and Yuan Qiyang staring at each other.
Yuan Qiyang simply nodded before heading off to eat as well.
Right now...
Nothing was more important than food.
Qin Wenxing then opened the ward door and walked inside.
Although the two soldiers had spent years unconscious because of Mental Contamination...
They still recognized him.
"Deputy Commander Qin?"
"It's me."
"How are you both feeling?"
Before either of them could answer, Qin Wenxing continued speaking on his own.
"Oh, right."
"I heard both of you shouting from outside."
"So judging by your voices..."
"You seem perfectly fine."
"Do you know who the person standing here just now was?"
"He's acknowledged throughout the Empire as the strongest Mental Power User below the High-Tier."
"He's only Mid-Tier."
"And yet he can cure Ability Users suffering from S-rank Mental Contamination."
"Do you understand what that means?"
"It means our Marshal personally invited him here."
"And it took years before he finally agreed."
"If your behavior causes him to leave for another legion..."
"Do you have any idea what an enormous loss that would be for us?"
Of course they understood.
But now...
It was already too late.
Luo Heyi fully realized just how unbelievably foolish he'd been.
Still...
He couldn't help feeling wronged.
After all...
He had only just regained consciousness.
His mind had still been foggy.
Everything he'd said had been instinctive.
Besides...
If that Mental Power User really abandoned the entire legion just because of a few harsh words...
Wouldn't that be...
A little too delicate?
Then again...
Mental Power Users really were known for being especially delicate.
So...
What exactly was he supposed to do now?
Unfortunately...
Qin Wenxing had only come to inspect their condition.
He had no intention of saying anything further.
Soon afterward, he left.
Leaving the two soldiers alone.
During the following days...
Only service robots entered to deliver food and water.
No one else visited.
Not until two days later, when both men had recovered enough to walk.
The other soldier—the one who had remained mostly silent apart from looking unhappy—was treated exactly the same as the previous recovered patients.
He was taken to their shared dormitory.
Luo Heyi...
Was escorted into a solitary confinement cell.
Meanwhile...
Over those two days...
Qin Wenxing had received a certain person's relentless series of communication requests.
Every single time...
He rejected them without hesitation.
Today, however...
He silently stared at the latest request.
If he refused this one...
It would be the one hundred and thirty-first rejection.
The caller truly was persistent.
Finally...
He accepted.
The young man appearing on the screen looked exhausted.
Although his military uniform remained perfectly neat...
The overwhelming fatigue in his eyes couldn't be hidden.
The instant Qin Wenxing answered...
Those weary eyes immediately lit up.
"Brother Qin!"
"You finally answered!"
"Can you tell me..."
Qin Wenxing already knew exactly whom he wanted to ask about.
Merely thinking of that person worsened his mood.
"You mean your uncle?"
Luo Anwei nodded nervously.
"Yes."
"I know it's confidential."
"But I really want to know."
"And even if I told anyone afterward..."
"No one would believe me anyway."
"So please..."
"I'm begging you."
Qin Wenxing had just been about to refuse.
Then his eyes caught sight of Nan Yu standing some distance away.
His expression subtly changed.
He prepared to end the call.
However...
Luo Anwei apparently noticed.
"Brother Qin!"
Taking advantage of that brief moment...
Nan Yu walked over.
He sent Qin Wenxing a short message.
Only three words.
Tell him.
Qin Wenxing didn't understand what Nan Yu intended.
But...
If the Marshal listened to Nan Yu...
Then perhaps he should too.
"If you really want to know..."
"I can tell you."
"He really has recovered."
Luo Anwei let out a long sigh.
It felt as though every ounce of pressure he'd carried these past days had finally disappeared.
Qin Wenxing frowned.
"You're that happy just because someone like him recovered?"
"Do you know what he did after waking up?"
No one in the world understood Luo Heyi better than Luo Anwei.
So...
Hearing those words...
He wasn't surprised in the slightest.
"Thank you, Brother Qin."
"I know you must have helped a lot."
"So..."
"My debt to him has already been repaid."
"Whatever happens to him from now on..."
"Has nothing to do with me."
"Any trouble he causes from this point forward..."
"He'll have to face himself."
"It has nothing to do with me anymore."
"From today onward..."
"I'm finally going to start living for myself."
"Thank you, Brother Qin."
"Thank you so much."
"If I ever get the chance..."
"I'll definitely repay you."
Qin Wenxing was genuinely surprised.
He knew perfectly well...
Luo Heyi had been allowed treatment entirely because Nan Yu personally chose him.
It had nothing to do with Qin Wenxing.
Yet...
With Nan Yu standing nearby...
He didn't deny Luo Anwei's misunderstanding.
Because...
More than anything...
He wanted Luo Anwei to finally step out from Luo Heyi's shadow.
This...
Was the perfect opportunity.
After Luo Anwei happily ended the call...
Qin Wenxing belatedly turned toward Nan Yu.
"Sorry, Nan—"
Nan Yu raised a hand, stopping him.
"No one knows."
"So let's just leave things this way."
"I think very highly of Luo Anwei."
"If he can eventually become the Marshal's right-hand man..."
"Then another person capable of sharing the Marshal's burden will appear."
"Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"What do you think, Deputy Commander Qin?"
How could Qin Wenxing not think the same?
Luo Heyi would remain imprisoned for at least several more years.
Those years...
Would be more than enough for a determined Luo Anwei to demonstrate his abilities.
Eventually...
He would obtain everything he deserved.
Perhaps...
Qin Wenxing himself could allow himself one small hope as well.
Nan Yu blinked in surprise.
"Deputy Commander Qin..."
"You seem a little strange."
"Don't tell me..."
"You like Luo Anwei?"
"...Huh?!"
Qin Wenxing nearly jumped out of his skin.
He practically leaped several meters backward.
"N-No!"
"Nothing like that!"
"I... I still have work to do."
"I'm leaving first."
Only after Qin Wenxing had disappeared into the distance did Nan Yu finally burst into laughter.
The next moment...
A hand gently rubbed his head.
"Having fun?"
Yu Lanfeng had quietly walked up behind him.
Nan Yu finally stopped laughing.
"It's the first time I've ever seen Deputy Commander Qin like that."
"Don't you think it's funny?"
Honestly...
Even Yu Lanfeng had never seen Qin Wenxing show such an expression before.
"It is."
"If that soldier really is as outstanding as you say..."
"I wouldn't mind helping them along."
Nan Yu rolled his eyes.
"You're getting ahead of yourself."
"Who knows whether they even like each other?"
"Let's leave it up to them."
"If they really end up together..."
"Then we can congratulate them."
Only now...
Did Nan Yu finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The strongest Ability User who had once stood under Bai Zhouyun's command...
Had finally been kept within the legion.
And judging by everything...
Luo Anwei seemed to like Qin Wenxing very, very much.
If possible...
Nan Yu certainly hoped to bring the two together.
But first...
Luo Anwei needed an opportunity.
Keeping him in the rear forever wasn't an option.
Yu Lanfeng immediately said,
"In that case..."
"Transfer Luo Anwei's entire squad to the front lines."
"Give every member the opportunity."
"As for the official reason..."
"We'll say they performed exceptionally well during previous operations."
Nan Yu smiled.
"Perfect."
"That way Luo Anwei won't stand out too much."
"Once they're at the front..."
"Everything will depend on military merit, contributions, combat ability, and the number of Ability Beasts they kill."
While this matter had been settled...
Yu Lanfeng still had another major operation underway.
The database continued filling with more and more personal records.
Naturally...
The number of inconsistencies...
Failed matches...
And identities with absolutely no corresponding national records...
Continued increasing as well.
One month actually passed surprisingly quickly.
Around the twentieth day...
Qin Wenxing completed the investigation of the entire Border Region One Military Base.
In the end...
Two hundred and thirty-one soldiers were found to have problematic identity records.
Naturally...
The rear military hospital had also been investigated.
Everyone there with suspicious records was transferred to the military base as well.
With Yu Lanfeng personally stationed there...
Bringing them all together wasn't inviting wolves into the house.
It was making absolutely certain...
None of them could escape.
Yu Lanfeng's orders were quickly carried out.
Once again...
Qin Wenxing was placed in charge.
Nan Yu couldn't help suspecting Yu Lanfeng was doing it deliberately.
Qin Wenxing had already been incredibly busy lately...
Yet Yu Lanfeng still handed both jobs to him.
The first...
Inform Luo Anwei's squad of their transfer to the front lines.
The second...
Escort every suspicious individual identified during the investigation from the rear to the military base.
It was during this assignment...
That Qin Wenxing and Luo Anwei officially met face to face.
They merely exchanged polite nods.
Nothing more.
Watching secretly...
Nan Yu was practically dying of impatience.
Then he looked around.
So many giant glowing light bulbs surrounded them.
Right.
Right.
These people really shouldn't be here.
They'd just have to wait until later.
Naturally...
Neither Qin Wenxing nor Luo Anwei knew someone was secretly observing their every move.
Yet...
Both of them vaguely sensed a chilling feeling.
Their instincts warned them something was wrong.
Because of that...
Neither spoke much.
In fact...
Luo Anwei exchanged fewer words with Qin Wenxing than with the officer responsible for handing over work.
At least work handovers required plenty of conversation.
Meanwhile...
Many others deliberately approached Qin Wenxing to build relationships.
After all...
He was the Marshal's deputy commander.
For so many years...
Yu Lanfeng had never appointed a second deputy.
That alone demonstrated just how exceptional Qin Wenxing was.
Consequently...
While everyone else actively tried getting close to Qin Wenxing...
Only Luo Anwei kept his distance.
His behavior quickly made him seem like an outsider.
Before long...
Everyone learned that Luo Anwei wasn't approaching Qin Wenxing because he'd offended him in the past.
If he dared approach now...
He'd probably lose this precious opportunity altogether.
So he simply hid quietly in the corner.
Soon...
People who had always disliked Luo Anwei began whispering bad things about him into Qin Wenxing's ear.
"Luo Anwei has never fit in."
"Many team missions required cooperation."
"But he always insisted on acting alone."
"He caused enormous losses."
"And created all sorts of problems."
Listening through the surveillance feed...
Nan Yu gave Yu Lanfeng a rather complicated look.
Who would've thought...
Even Yu Lanfeng's legion had people like this.
Apparently...
No place was immune.
Every organization had people who weren't serious.
People who lacked integrity.
People with terrible character.
Even Yu Lanfeng's legion wasn't an exception.
Yu Lanfeng's expression had already darkened considerably.
He didn't mind soldiers being somewhat petty.
Or somewhat narrow-minded.
But...
He absolutely would not tolerate people fabricating things out of thin air.
Nor falsely accusing others.
If everything they said had genuinely happened...
Then at worst...
They were merely being stingy and holding grudges.
But...
If everything was fabricated...
Then they were malicious slanderers.
People like that...
Had no place remaining in his legion.
Fortunately...
Qin Wenxing didn't simply let them continue.
His expression became extremely serious.
"Everything you just said..."
"Is it true?"
The group immediately became excited.
They assumed their words had worked.
Soon...
Luo Anwei would lose his opportunity.
Perhaps...
One of them might even replace him.
"Yes!"
"It's all true!"
"Deputy Commander Qin..."
"Someone with such terrible character..."
"Someone who even ignores his superior's orders..."
"Surely doesn't deserve this opportunity."
Before Qin Wenxing could respond...
Someone interrupted.
"No wonder the air smells so awful today."
"So it turns out there's a bunch of people standing here spewing nothing but crap."
"You really have no shame."
"What did you say?!"
"Who gave you the right to speak here?"
"Don't forget you're ranked near the bottom!"
Nan Yu immediately recognized the person defending Luo Anwei.
It was Luo Anwei's former squad captain.
They had once gotten along very well.
Later...
The captain had been replaced.
The current one was an absolute idiot.
Apparently the former captain had been injured...
Which explained everything.
In that case...
Luo Anwei's recent days must have been extremely difficult.
Qin Wenxing raised a hand.
"Enough."
Then he looked back at those who had been speaking.
"Now."
"Tell me exactly how Luo Anwei committed all those things you accused him of."
"Explain every incident."
"Describe every loss in detail."
"I'll be submitting this report."
"If everything is true..."
"Then all of his privileges will indeed be revoked."
The people spreading rumors became even more excited.
Meanwhile...
Luo Anwei...
And the still-recovering former captain who had defended him...
Both wore rather strange expressions.
Neither said another word.
They simply stood there quietly...
Watching the others perform.
Honestly...
The more they listened...
The more it resembled watching an opera.
Qin Wenxing, however...
Listened with complete seriousness.
At the same time...
He recorded every single statement.
They would all become evidence later.
By the time they finally finished...
According to their story...
Luo Anwei had become an utterly unforgivable villain.
A monster guilty of every imaginable crime.
Someone who shouldn't even exist in this world...
Because his mere existence threatened to destroy it.
Forget Qin Wenxing.
Even Nan Yu and Yu Lanfeng, watching from another screen...
Were completely speechless.
How could people actually invent stories like this?
It was almost impressive.
No one knew how they had managed to come up with such outrageous lies.
Qin Wenxing calmly put away his recording device.
He looked at all of them.
"Very good."
"Now..."
"Please present your evidence."
Silence.
Every one of them froze.
Their minds seemed to stop functioning.
Evidence?