Chapter Twenty-One: A Grievance Session?

Yu Lian and his companions trekked a little further through the canyon when the narrow passage suddenly opened up. Just as he had predicted, it revealed a relatively spacious area, easily the size of half a football field. However, the rock walls on both sides slanted upward and inward, meeting at the top to form a narrow slit of sky, as if a reception hall had been carved out specifically within the mountains.

It was approximately four o’clock in the morning.

"Four hours of rest," Yu Lian ordered.

The soldiers finally breathed a sigh of relief. Despite the hour, the adrenaline from the recent battles kept them awake, and they began to unpack their field rations. It was the most peaceful and proper meal they had had in twelve hours.

Nurse Belinda, carrying a midnight snack she had carefully prepared—essentially a simple sandwich with, at most, two extra slices of luncheon meat—cautiously approached Yu Lian. Yu Lian, who was busy tinkering with a few large sausages—or rather, improvised biological batteries—did not even look up as he took the sandwich and devoured it in a few bites.

The young nurse stood to the side, looking dejected, and left only after Ina (and Uncle Karl) arrived and sat down beside Yu Lian.

As Yu Lian chewed on his bland, oily, and low-salt sandwich, he thought about how military field rations in the space age were inferior to the instant Mapo Tofu and spicy chicken from his hometown. He then opened the tightly bound "large sausages" and poured in a handful of steel ball bearings he had prepared earlier.

"So, does this turn the biological batteries into electromagnetic bombs? Like what you did back in the mountains?" Karl asked. He must have heard about Yu Lian’s actions from the others.

"If I poured in thermite and iron oxide, they would become high-temperature incendiary bombs. So, I’m preparing two of each," Yu Lian replied.

The old mechanic didn't know much about weapons chemistry, but he knew that while the mixture sounded simple, applying it was a true test of one's craftsmanship, especially without precision instruments. Yet, watching Yu Lian’s inexplicably practiced movements, it was clear he had done this many times before.

"Are all Lunarians monsters?" Uncle Karl sighed, full of wonder.

"Lunarians aren't monsters; Officer Yu Lian is just special. The top students from the elite bureaucratic groups only learned how to eat while wrapped in feather blankets like Imperial nobles. He is the only exception I’ve encountered so far," Ina remarked.

"Well, there were actually quite a few talented people among my classmates..." After all, that was the legendary Class 830! They were the last group of famous commanders born after the establishment of the Lunar Military Academy. On one hand, the turbulent era was approaching, providing a stage to make history; on the other, everyone was indeed a talent, as if the glory, courage, and wisdom of the entire Commonwealth and all of humanity had been concentrated into that single class.

However, even so...

Thinking of this, Yu Lian felt a wave of melancholy. He quickly lowered his head, and then heard Ina say, "I attended a short-term course at a military academy as well. Although it wasn't as prestigious as the Lunar Military Academy, it was a proper ground assault course at a higher institution, and I’m certain they never taught us these things. So, I’m even more curious about your experiences outside of the academy."

Those who make a name for themselves must have extraordinary qualities! This level of sensitivity was beyond the reach of an ordinary person.

Though he couldn't see it, Yu Lian could feel her piercing gaze, which made him feel restless. As he continued to tinker with the bombs, he said casually, "You want to learn? I'll teach you!"

It felt like teaching someone how to be a star performer, a restaurant mogul, or a viral idol; only those who have experienced that rush truly understand it.

"I’m actually more interested in learning how you pinpointed the position of those two burrowing bugs. Can you sense them just by putting your hand on the ground? You shouldn't have awakened back then, right? Do ordinary sensitives have such sharp senses? I’ve always been quite confident in my own senses, you know."

Yu Lian paused for a moment and looked up at her.

"I know I’m a sensitive; I’ve known for a year," Ina said, her tone calm.

This time, it was old Uncle Karl who was surprised. It was evident he had just found out as well.

"Hey, this... Ina, then why are you still..."

Why stay in this godforsaken place? She was a psionic. Nowadays, the Commonwealth was preparing to emulate the Empire and the Alliance by building its own psionic training groups and special forces. Forget about awakened ones; they were eager to accept any sensitive with potential. Especially a front-line non-commissioned officer like Ina, who had combat experience. If she submitted an application, she would likely be transferred back to Earth within a month, promoted from an NCO to an officer, and her career trajectory would be no lower than any elite academy graduate.

After all, the elite graduates were just "bureaucrats," but psionics were superhumans! What civilization wouldn't worship superhumans? Especially state-sanctioned ones!

Uncle Karl’s startled reaction drew everyone’s attention. Doctor Banks, thinking something had happened, rushed over, causing everyone else to gather around.

"It’s nothing. I just told everyone that I’ve been a sensitive for a long time. I just never mentioned it," Ina said calmly.

Then, Uncle Karl’s surprise spread like a contagion, even more potent than the plague bugs of the future, instantly infecting everyone.

"I quite like New Yumen. Although it’s dusty, and the wilderness is full of wild beasts and sand bandits, and the latest shows and movies arrive half a year later than in the Galactic Core, I grew up here. I’ve never been to Earth in my life. I hear it’s too bustling; I’m afraid I’d get lost if I went there," Ina shrugged.

"There are plenty of places with a human touch there, too, like my hometown," Yu Lian muttered under his breath.

"B-but, Sergeant Major, that’s Earth, after all..." the nurse said, her face full of regret. Had Ina’s reputation in the military not been so high, she would have been tempted to crack her head open just to see what was inside.

Doctor Banks looked at Ina, then at Yu Lian, as if trying to figure out if there were any physical commonalities among psionics, but his gaze was a bit strange, as if he were trying to see something glittering and golden on them.

Sergeant U-U whistled, "I heard that psionics get a subsidy of over a million a year! And they’re awarded a 150-square-meter apartment in Pearl City or Big Apple City, too."

"Over a million..." Sergeant Baka the Bear-man was stunned, his small eyes beginning to glow.

"Girl, I truly hope you understand what you’re giving up," even the steady Uncle Karl looked full of regret.

Everyone truly couldn't understand Ina's choice; they all looked at her as if she had missed out on a fortune.

"My old factory was acquired by a consortium from the Alliance. Although I still have some skills, a troublemaker like me who led workers to protest the acquisition wouldn't be allowed to stay, would I? But I have a wife and children to support, so I had to find a place to earn a living. Later, I saw the Governor's recruitment ad. Someone like me could get the treatment of a Sergeant Major, plus technical allowances, so I steeled myself and came here."

Uncle Karl’s meaning was clear. If it weren't for the money, he would never have come to New Yumen.

"Me? Hey, studying medicine is expensive. My family emptied all their savings for me, but I still couldn't afford those prestigious medical schools. I didn't have any relatives who were famous doctors or hospital directors, so I could only work in a remote, small hospital with a very low income. But... I have a younger brother! He’s much smarter than me and has always been good at his studies. I convinced my parents to send him to the Empire for his studies, and then I boarded the ship to New Yumen," Doctor Banks said.

"I, heh heh heh, I wasn't good at school since I was a kid! And if I kept hanging around the neighborhood, I’d either be a thug for the gangs or selling drugs. I always felt I could be a great rapper! Wait, buddy, why are you looking at me like that? I’m really good... listen to me, yo yo yo, uh, fine, fine, anyway, nobody supports me so I can't get famous. But I have a mother, four younger brothers, and three younger sisters at home; I had to do something, right? So I got on the ship," U-U said.

"My... the farm back home went bankrupt. I have a daughter, her health isn't great, and she needs a gene repair injection once a month. If I serve in New Yumen, the Garrison Headquarters can provide my daughter with an apartment in Tulon and free monthly medical care," the Bear-man Sergeant said.

The garrison didn't actually have such good benefits; they just lusted after your... strength! Yu Lian thought.

But then again, why did this subtly feel like a "speak bitterness" meeting? Perhaps, before the small goal of going home, he should set another small goal?

"Um, sir, what is it like to be a psionic?" the nurse asked, blinking suddenly.

"What, you want to be a psionic too?"

"Heh heh heh, who wouldn't? Everyone says psionics are the chosen people, the successors of the Enlightened, the chosen ones of the spirit of the universe! They are the navigators destined to lead all civilizations to ascension."

Such a long string of parallelisms really didn't suit your persona. Yu Lian said with a straight face, "Do you even understand what those words mean?"

"Not really, heh heh heh..." the young nurse stuck out her tongue. "But it must be very impressive... heh heh heh."

"If I said I don't actually like being a psionic, would that sound pretentious?" Yu Lian asked.

"Extremely pretentious!" Ina said firmly.

And just like that, Yu Lian realized everyone was looking at him with the same expressions people use for those who claim "I regret creating Alibaba" or "I have a normal family," and he felt a sudden sense of desolation.

You bunch of uneducated illiterates really do have zero points in reading comprehension and logic. My enjoying the experience of being a psionic and my not liking psionics are two completely different things.