Night did not bring much darkness here; the floodlights outside the battlecruiser illuminated the entire area as bright as day.
Outside the starship, soldiers either stood or lay about, and quite a few moved back and forth.
They all bore varying degrees of injury. Some soldiers had their arms stained red with blood, their wounds deep enough to expose the bone, yet they still forced themselves to stand, trying to help comrades nearby who were even more severely wounded.
Though the pain turned their faces pale, not a single one uttered a sound.
The soldiers pacing back and forth also wore weary expressions, busy hauling supplies and tending to the wounded.
Despite the victory, very little joy could be seen on their faces.
Her gaze swept over the injured soldiers, a heavy, suffocating sensation tightening in her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Fesili led her through a maze of turns to the outside of a row of heavily guarded tents. A quick glance showed there were at least a dozen of them.
They entered the centermost tent, which was large and sturdy.
Inside, dozens of soldiers with ferocious expressions were tightly bound. Roars escaped from their muzzled mouths, terrifying to behold.
Their eyes were bloodshot, as if they had lost their minds, and their bodies struggled incessantly, trying to break free from their restraints.
"What happens if they aren't pacified?" Muxi asked, her voice strained.
"They become Abandoned Beasts."
Muxi drew a sharp breath. Though she had mentally prepared herself, she was still frightened.
An Abandoned Beast had only one end: either die, or have its martial power crippled and be dumped onto a Trash Star to fend for itself.
"I can try. If it doesn't work, don't blame me."
She made this clear beforehand, just in case something went wrong and the blame fell on her.
"Alright."
Hearing Muxi's words, the soldiers outside the tent also wore expectant expressions.
They had already learned from the adjutant that this female was the hero who had saved them on the battlefield today.
They craned their necks to take a closer look. Had she not been used to standing on stage, her legs would have turned to jelly under the gaze of so many eyes.
Fesili turned and swept an expressionless glance over the soldiers, who instantly straightened up and scattered.
Seeing them disperse, Muxi let out a slight breath, closed her eyes, and tried hard to calm herself.
When she opened them again, she had already decided on the song to sing. Not certain if other songs would work, she once again chose a national anthem-style piece.
She lifted her chin slightly, cleared her throat, and a soft melody began to flow gently from her lips.
"Moonlight spills upon the expeditionary road, longing shadows linger by my side. Are loved ones far away safe and well, the yearning in my heart has never been forgotten..."
Muxi's singing, carrying soothing Mental Power, slowly dispersed with the melody. Initially, the soldiers inside the tent who had been wearing ferocious expressions and struggling and roaring incessantly gradually grew quieter.
Their originally bloodshot eyes now showed a hint of daze.
Fesili stood to one side, distinctly feeling his own Mental Power slowly recovering along with her song.
Outside the tent, soldiers who heard the singing stopped what they were doing and listened intently.
The soothing Mental Power spread with the melody, and the soldiers outside felt a warm current wash over them, instantly easing their throbbing brains.
As the music flowed gently, their tense nerves gradually relaxed, and the irritability and anxiety in their hearts were smoothed away one by one.
Inside nearby tents, the blood-red color in the eyes of the bound soldiers slowly receded, and the madness in their minds was being suppressed bit by bit.
"Crossing the barriers of mountains and rivers, longing shines like stars in the night sky. The distant dream remains brilliant, the courage in the heart has never been extinguished..."
Muxi gradually immersed herself in the song. The scene before her eyes shifted, and she felt as if she had returned to the stage, growing more and more absorbed.
Although the tens of thousands of soldiers outside the tent could not understand the lyrics, their eyes inexplicably grew moist, and they thought of their families and friends far away.
When she finished singing, silence reigned both inside and outside the tent.
Everyone had yet to recover from their shock.
Fesili was the first to snap back to reality. Pulling back his thoughts before the soldiers could recover, he took Muxi and left, returning to the starship.
After they left, the soldiers began to stir.
"My Mental Power has recovered! That's amazing, my head doesn't even hurt anymore."
"It's incredible. I've never seen a female with such powerful Mental Power. I feel like my mental sea of consciousness has been completely cleansed."
"She must be a high-level Guide, maybe even the legendary S-class!"
The veteran soldiers fell into deep thought, guessing Muxi's origins and background.
How could such a powerful Guide appear here?
Was she sent by the Empire to save them?
Admiration flashed in the eyes of some younger soldiers.
"If she could stay in the army forever, we wouldn't have to be afraid of anything anymore."
His remark won the approval of quite a few people.
...
Back in the room, Fesili did not stay long. Telling her to find him next door if she needed anything, he left.
Muxi remained immersed in the shock that a casual song of hers could pacify rampaging beasts.
It wasn't until she heard the door close that she slowly came to her senses.
She was actually this powerful?!
"Of course!" A milky voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.
"Who's speaking?" Muxi jumped in fright and hurriedly looked around.
"It's me, Master!"
Following the direction of the sound, Muxi saw a soft Little Milk Cat resting on her shoulder.
The Little Milk Cat was snow-white all over, fluffy like a cute little fur ball.
Its large, round eyes—one gold and one blue—were very cute.
Muxi widened her eyes in speechless astonishment.
This voice actually came out of a Little Milk Cat's mouth?
"You... how did you appear?" Muxi stammered.
The Little Milk Cat tilted its head, looked at Muxi, and said, "Master, I've always been by your side!"
"..."
After the Little Milk Cat chattered on to explain, Muxi still found it hard to believe her eyes.
She reached out and gently touched the Little Milk Cat's head.
It was actually real, even its body temperature felt so authentic.
The Little Milk Cat closed its eyes comfortably and let out a soft meow.
"You really are my... mental avatar?"
The Little Milk Cat nodded and said, "Yes, Master. When your Mental Power becomes strong enough, I will appear."
Hearing the Little Milk Cat's words, Muxi's eyes lit up.
The books stated that only those with high Mental Power levels could condense a mental avatar.
Most were in a virtual state, but hers was actually physical!
That meant her Mental Power must be at least SS-class.
With enough strength to back her up, she felt much less panicked.
"Do you have any special abilities?" Muxi poked its little head and asked curiously.
The Little Milk Cat blinked its eyes and said, "Master, I have all sorts of abilities. I can help you sense danger around you and enhance your Mental Power.
My mind is linked with yours, so I know whatever you're thinking!"