FT DR Chapter 37: The Counterattack of the Commander’s Combo Punch

Chapter 37: The Counterattack of the Commander’s Combo Punch

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

After the fan appreciation event, Jin Xuan’s speech in the Voyager Army caused a stir. Countless teenagers were influenced by his ideas of “human unity” and “federal integration,” aspiring to enroll in federal mainland universities to change the Voyager Army. This positive energy spread like wildfire throughout the Voyager Army’s jurisdiction in just a few days, receiving enthusiastic responses not only from King’s fans but also from some dissatisfied individuals like the Marlow faction, who began considering switching sides to join the movement to establish a unified human front.

A week later, the charity foundation named after Jin Xuan passed the national hearing and officially began operation. With a foundation of over one million in donations raised from auctioning four earrings, along with contributions from various sectors of society, the foundation raised over sixteen million in its first phase.

During this time, over three hundred recent high school graduates applied for scholarships from the foundation, including some children of military and government officials. One girl, originating from the Second Army, even left her family against their wishes and applied to return to Dunkirk’s capital for studies, becoming a role model among young people.

This wave of thought spread unexpectedly quickly, silently changing the minds of Voyager Army’s youth. By the time the military and political leadership noticed its danger, it was too late to stop its ruthless spread.

Taking advantage of this situation, Secretary of State Hobart convened a joint meeting and introduced the draft of the “Voyager Army Descendants Special Education Act” to Congress. The draft stipulated that families of colonels or higher in the Voyager Army must send one child to Dunkirk Federation for higher education, with the government covering all expenses. Consequently, the Voyager Army’s joint exam scores would be adjusted accordingly, and military-related majors would receive priority admission, among other provisions.

It was evident that the Federation was investing heavily in ideological unification this time, with the conditions being so favorable that they exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Attendees at the meeting included not only the three top generals but also senior military officers and officials responsible for education. They had heard rumors about the bill beforehand, so there wasn’t much surprise, only some questions raised about certain details during the meeting. Hobart provided detailed explanations in a very humble manner. There was no preaching or rallying; he simply asked them to consider it and discuss it further in the next joint meeting.

The attitude toward this bill within the Voyager Army was divided. Some staunchly resisted, such as the Second Army led by Lancer, because the two best military academies of the Voyager Army were located in their jurisdiction. Implementation of the bill would significantly affect their recruitment and lead to the loss of excellent teachers. This was something neither Lancer nor even Hannibal wanted to see – it took nearly a century of effort for the Voyager Army to develop two decent military academies, and this would set back the overall education level for many years.

However, some were more supportive, like General Popova. Her Third Army was the latest to be established and had the shallowest qualifications but maintained a relatively close relationship with the Federation. She didn’t mind sending the children of subordinate officers back to Dunkirk’s capital for studies because the capital attracted the elite children from all over the Federation, each student having a complex network of connections. For someone with a weak background like her, there was nothing more important than establishing her own network within the mainstream military and political circles.

In this situation, everyone awaited Hannibal’s lead. If he agreed, the supporting faction would gain the upper hand. Even if Lancer wasn’t pleased, they would have to sign the bill. Conversely, if he disagreed, General Popova would have to abandon this opportunity.

However, just as everyone awaited Hannibal’s decision, the contents of the joint meeting were somehow leaked. An untraceable hacker posted a redacted version of the meeting minutes on the campus network, and overnight, the post was shared millions of times. Almost everyone knew the contents of this draft bill.

Nothing spreads faster than explosive news. Since the “Jin Xuan Charity Fund” was still fresh in people’s minds, this draft bill ignited another bomb among the youth. The day after the meeting minutes were leaked, some students initiated protests, demanding that Commander Hannibal sign the bill promptly and not hinder the human unity front. At the same time, online signatures were flourishing, with over seven million expressing support for the Federation government’s wise decision and suggesting lowering the standard from “families of colonels or higher” to “families of captains or higher” to benefit more people.

Hannibal’s education officials had yet to respond, but the Education Minister in Dunkirk Federation promptly issued a response, indicating on one hand that federal universities welcomed descendants of the Voyager Army to return to the motherland for higher education and on the other hand, stating that they would highly value everyone’s opinions and immediately submit an application to modify the draft to the president.

At this point, the situation had clearly become one-sided. It seemed that anyone who didn’t pass this bill would be considered the common enemy of the Voyager Army’s youth.

Originally, Hannibal didn’t have much opposition to this bill. He had his own unspoken ambitions, but he was well aware that realizing them would require an extremely long process. He had been the commander for a short time, his control over the Second Army was not enough, and his infiltration of the Third Army was not yet complete. For the next decade or even several decades, he wouldn’t turn against the Federation. Sending children back to the Federation to study, establish networks, wasn’t a bad thing.

So, he intended to negotiate with the Federation, raising the standard from “colonel” to “lieutenant colonel,” and using this as a condition to gain more favorable policies, even shortening the settlement cycle of military expenses, and so on. But now, because of Jin Xuan’s intervention, things had taken a strange turn, slipping somewhat out of his control. Bringing up the original conditions again might seem to disregard public opinion.

This passive feeling made Hannibal very unhappy. For several days in a row, he punished some subordinates who made minor mistakes, lowering the morale of the entire military department by several degrees.

Wu Chenghe didn’t have much of a reaction to everything happening outside. After his sick leave ended, he returned to school and immersed himself in intense review. He watched the live broadcast that day and gained a whole new understanding of Jin Xuan’s shamelessness. When he heard Jin Xuan thank Commander Hannibal and his entire family, he almost choked on the orange juice in his mouth.

What he didn’t expect was that just because of this small incident, he would be dragged into nasty gossip.

As early as the farewell performance, the unnamed “true love” in Jin Xuan’s mouth had stirred up jealousy among fans. Later, the school newspaper revealed that the “true love” was in the same school. The crazy fans almost investigated every teacher and student in the entire school.

After the terrorist attack on the Grasshopper Space Station, the official obituary mentioned that Jin Xuan had “died while rescuing two interns.” Naturally, many people speculated whether the “true love” was one of these two interns. Now, with Jin Xuan publicly thanking Wu Chenghe at the fan appreciation event, everyone’s focus shifted to him.

Wu Chenghe wasn’t a sensitive person, but unfortunately, his Quantum Beast was a tsundere. On the first day back at school, Little Bulb felt the not-so-friendly gazes around him. Through mental communication and bubble dialogues, it reminded his foolish owner that he was probably going to be targeted again. Sure enough, a week later, Wu Chenghe received an interview invitation from the school newspaper.

“May I ask, Mr. Wu, why did you, who were seriously injured at the time, choose to return to the asteroid alone to rescue King?” After Wu Chenghe refused the interview, the persistent school reporter cornered him on the way home from school, “Are you a fan of his? But as far as I know, you haven’t participated in any fan activities or joined the fan club, and you’re Marlow’s brother…”

Wu Chenghe, unwilling to face the camera, shielded his face with his backpack, trying to bypass the little UFO hovering above him, “I’m not anyone’s fan.”

“Please, you must explain your motive for rescuing King to all the fans!” The school reporter blocked the car door with her body, probably a fervent fan of King, her gaze acidic enough to sour Wu Chenghe’s mood.

With a sigh, Wu Chenghe reluctantly put down his backpack and earnestly said, “Teacher Jin saved me, so naturally, I had to save Teacher Jin. That’s my motive. Now please, let me pass; I want to go home.” To avoid trouble, he added a hint of suggestion in his last sentence.

The school reporter’s pupils contracted for a moment, but she didn’t budge, probably because her love for King was too profound, surpassing even the power of suggestion. She continued to block the door, pressing on, “As far as I know, you’re just an ordinary person without any powers, not even a starship license. Injured as you were, why did you think you could save him? Aren’t you afraid of death? Or has your affection for him surpassed that of a typical student for a teacher, transcending the fear of death?”

Damn, why are both of them so imaginative? Wu Chenghe rubbed his temples, patiently explaining, “In our Chinese tradition, we believe in repaying kindness with gratitude, and when someone who saved your life is in danger, even if you know you’re powerless, you can’t be afraid of risking your life. This is different from Western beliefs. You may not understand it, but you can’t question my motives because of it. So please, let me go; goodbye!”

This time, he increased the power of suggestion. The other person, just an ordinary human, immediately fell into a rigid state under the high-energy attack of the guide, eyes glazed, frozen in place. Wu Chenghe sighed; he didn’t want to treat an innocent lady like this, but he didn’t want to be asked about the emo again. He gently moved her to a stone bench a few meters away and then left in his UFO.

When the school reporter regained her senses, she persisted. That evening, she posted her interview with Wu Chenghe and attached the results of her research on ancient Chinese culture on the school forum, finally concluding that this person was avoiding the important and dwelling on the trivial. He must harbor some unspeakably despicable feelings for the great King!

Finishing his homework and browsing the forum, Wu Chenghe nearly passed out when he saw the post. Unfortunately, Jin Xuan, daring as always, called him right away. “Are you asleep? Do you want some late-night snacks? I’ll stew some shredded pork and eggs for you? How about some soy milk or milk?”

“I’m not eating! I can’t eat!” Wu Chenghe vented all his anger on him, “Can’t you control your crazy fans and stop them from spreading rumors?!”

“Uh, you saw that post too?” Jin Xuan chuckled, “Don’t be mad, it’s not a big deal. That person with unspeakably despicable feelings is obviously me. Should I arrange an interview with her?”

Wu Chenghe knelt mentally, “Are you trying to kill me faster? These past few days at school, I’ve almost been killed by my classmates’ looks! It’s all because of your fan appreciation event. Couldn’t you have just thanked my dad? Why drag me into this mess? Are you doing this on purpose?!”

“How could I? I genuinely meant it, and I even phrased it ambiguously. It’s their overly sensitive noses; they can smell anything.” Jin Xuan smiled apologetically, “Alright, you don’t have to worry about it. I’ll handle it. By the way, do you want some late-night snacks? How about some fermented rice with eggs?”

Alright, the topic circled back again. Wu Chenghe, his face in agony, covered it with his hands. “I’m not hungry, you can enjoy those milk-inducing things by yourself!” Who would want to eat those!

The next morning, Wu Chenghe was almost afraid to go to school. He lay in bed for about a quarter of an hour until Jin Xuan barged into his room uninvited and pulled him out of bed.

“What are you doing! Who let you in?!” Wu Chenghe was livid as Jin Xuan unearthed him from his blankets. “Breaking into someone’s room is illegal, don’t you have any common sense? I’ll call the cops right now, they’ll have you arrested in no time!”

Jin Xuan ruffled his hair affectionately. “You’re going to be late; I knew you’d catch the ‘snail disease.’ What are you afraid they’ll do? All the bad stuff is my doing. You’re just an innocent kid. Even if they investigate to the end, it’ll only be the shameless me exposed.”

Wu Chenghe pushed away his hand, his face mournful. “They’re all your crazy fans. Shameless as you are, they still see you as deeply passionate. I’m the one who’s in trouble. Liking you means shamelessness; not liking you means cruelty. It’s a lose-lose situation for me!”

Jin Xuan pondered for a moment and said, “Well, then we might as well get married first. That way, they won’t have anything to say, right?”

“…” Wu Chenghe was thunderstruck again. The thought process of an emo was always on a different plane from that of a normal person. “Who would want to marry you!”

“Haha, just kidding.” Jin Xuan patted his head. “Don’t worry, I’ve sorted it all out. They won’t bother you anymore.”

“Weawy?” Wu Chenghe asked skeptically through clenched teeth as he brushed them.

The sight of Wu Chenghe brushing his teeth in a silly way was just too cute! Jin Xuan was charmed again, rubbing his own head with a dazed expression. “Ah, yes, really.”

Rolling his eyes, Wu Chenghe closed the bathroom door and took a shower. Jin Xuan lay in his bed, sending a lecherous command to his quantum beast through mental communication, “Go take a look.” This way, he could see his cute little guide in all his glory through the lion’s eyes… hehehe…

“…” The lion shot him a disdainful glance, nudged the Little Bulb with its nose, and went to play on the rooftop. Ever since it had found a perfectly compatible little buddy, it couldn’t be bothered with this foolish human anymore.

Hurrying to school, Wu Chenghe felt a slight weight lifted from his shoulders as soon as he entered the classroom. Sitting down at his desk, he eagerly opened the school forum and saw a hot post pinned at the top. Surprisingly, it was from Chen Miaomiao.

It turned out that Chen Miaomiao had issued a statement early that morning, claiming that all of Wu Chenghe’s actions were done at his behest. As a senior member of the King’s fan club, his love for King was like a boundless river. After being saved by King at the Grasshopper Space Station, he had been thinking of repaying the favor.

Later, when King perished, he couldn’t accept the official news and wanted to go back to the asteroid to search, but because he had injured his shinbone and couldn’t move, he entrusted his good friend, Wu Chenghe, who had also been saved by King, to act on his behalf. He provided him with a starship and a pass from the Third Army.

Wu Chenghe suffered from a mental trauma, but his body was fine. After seven days of treatment, he had recovered considerably, so he agreed to his request. Thus, although it seemed that this action was taken by Wu Chenghe, in reality, it was Chen Miaomiao who was the mastermind behind the scenes.

The post was well-organized, with solid evidence and heartfelt emotion, resonating with everyone. Even Wu Chenghe, after reading it, began to doubt whether this was his idea or not.

And so, under the joint operation of Jin Xuan and Chen Miaomiao, this little incident was quietly resolved. Wu Chenghe finally faded from the public eye and returned to his peaceful life.

A month later, the Grasshopper Space Station terrorist attack case was officially closed. All the criminals involved were killed on the spot. The Federation provided generous compensation to the families of the victims and established a scholarship fund at the Gabriel School in the name of all the deceased, specifically to assist students from disadvantaged families.

Due to lax defense, the Second Army received a written reprimand from the President, and those involved were investigated for dereliction of duty. Lancer, even though he did not receive any substantive punishment, was ordered to improve the defenses around Gabriel Military Harbor and to enhance counter-terrorism drills.

With the dust settled on the terrorist attack incident, it marked an imperfect ending. Meanwhile, discussions about “The Voyager Army Descendants Special Education Bill” had intensified, with the signing vote drawing nearer.

One sweltering evening, Wu Chenghe returned to the apartment after school to find Hannibal already there, tidying up the fruit platter in the dining room.

“Hey, not busy today? Why so early?” Wu Chenghe dropped his backpack and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a towel.

Hannibal, who had been overwhelmed with various tasks lately, felt a bit relieved seeing his son. He smiled faintly and handed him a bottle of yogurt. “I’m taking it easy today. What do you want for dinner? I’ll take you out.”

“No, not hungry in this heat.” Despite Gabriel Military Harbor being an artificial port, it simulated the natural environment of the Dunkirk Federation. It was currently June according to Federation standards, so the weather was quite hot.

“Then just eat something at home. Oh, I brought you a suit to try on,” Hannibal said.

Wu Chenghe noticed several sets of high-end tailored men’s suits on the sofa, puzzled. “Why did you buy me a suit? We’re not allowed to wear this at school, right? Besides, it’s so hot; it’d be weird to wear this kind of thing.”

“Well, it’s not for school. We have a reception to attend on Sunday, and formal attire is required,” Hannibal explained as he arranged the fruit platter on the coffee table, habitually patting Wu Chenghe’s head. “It’s organized by the Secretary of State, Hobart. The three star marshals and their families are all invited. I received the invitation on your behalf, but I didn’t tell you earlier to avoid disturbing your review. The suit was delivered today, so I’m telling you now.”

“A reception?” Wu Chenghe thought of the recent uproar over “The Voyager Army Descendants Special Education Bill” and guessed that Mr. Hobart probably wanted to pull some strings again before the final vote. He nodded. “Okay.”

“Good boy.” Hannibal compared a white suit on him and then a light gray one before suggesting, “Try this white one. You look neat, and white suits you.”

Wu Chenghe put on the suit, and Hannibal adjusted the accordion pleats on his shirt and tied a navy blue pinstripe narrow tie around his neck. After a careful look, Hannibal said, “Very handsome. Try on the blazer.”

Following his instructions, Wu Chenghe put on the blazer and looked at himself in the three-dimensional holographic mirror. He almost didn’t recognize himself—usually in school uniforms or casual clothes, wearing formal attire made him appear much more mature and upright, almost like a man.

“It seems like you’ve grown taller,” Hannibal compared his head to his own, saying, “When you first arrived, you were only up to my upper lip. Now you’re almost up to my nose.”

“Really?” Wu Chenghe was pleasantly surprised. He opened the holographic mirror’s measurement tool and indeed found that he had grown by one and a half centimeters. 

Excitedly, he said, “Ah, I’m almost 1.7 meters tall now!” It must be because of his efforts to eat well and exercise regularly. As for the sporadic feeding from the Death Knight, that probably had little to do with it!

“Silly child, you’re only seventeen. You’ll grow taller in the future,” Hannibal said, amused by his excitement. He adjusted the collar of his blazer and said, “I remember your mother was also nearly 1.7 meters tall. Taking into account my height and applying the genetic formula, you should surpass 1.77 meters in the future. With proper nutrition, you might even reach 1.8 meters.”

“Really?” Wu Chenghe clasped his hands together, thinking how wonderful it would be to grow to 1.8 meters. Although it was far from the 1.95 meters of the emo, with some proper exercise, he might still be able to enter the category of “stylish man.”

As for the usefulness of becoming a stylish man as a guide with a gender of “male-“… he hadn’t thought about that yet.

 

 

 

 

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