Muxi recalled the locations mentioned in the book, closing her eyes slightly as if concentrating her Mental Power to sense the signal jammers.
A moment later, she opened her eyes, pointed toward an unremarkable patch of ground not far away, and said softly, "In that direction."
Fesili glanced in the direction she indicated, gave a grunt of acknowledgment, and strode toward it.
"It’s right here, underground!"
Fesili made a gesture to the squad of soldiers following behind him. The soldiers understood immediately, fanning out toward that spot and beginning a meticulous search. Before long, a soldier shouted excitedly, "Found it! We actually found one!"
"And over there, too!"
Everyone felt a surge of joy. But before the excitement could fade, Muxi pointed to another spot, and the soldiers successfully unearthed a second jammer.
The group began to look astonished—this was impossibly accurate!
It was as if Muxi had activated some kind of cheat code. Her finger kept pointing to different locations, and every time, the soldiers followed her instructions and dug up a jammer with perfect precision. By the time they reached the fifth one, the looks the soldiers gave Muxi were filled with shock and admiration.
"This female is incredible! How can she find these jammers so accurately?"
What kind of Mental Power must she possess to do this?
"Enough talk! Get back to work!"
Fesili was equally stunned. This young female’s level of Mental Power was higher than his own. Why would such a genius end up on a barren planet? He quickly composed himself, carrying Muxi as he moved from one location to another.
As the eighth and ninth jammers were unearthed, the smiles vanished from everyone’s faces. Fesili looked at the dozen or so thumb-sized signal jammers, his eyes turning increasingly cold and grim.
"Continue the search."
His voice was icy, carrying an unquestionable authority. The soldiers obeyed, immediately scattering to conduct a more thorough sweep of the surrounding area.
With the signal jammers destroyed, they were finally able to contact the base. Fesili reported the situation, including a report on Muxi’s condition. They did not have enough energy cells left to fly back to base. The base instructed them to wait for rescue while investigating the anomalies on the barren planet. The planet was not suitable for long-term survival, and the sudden gathering of so many Zerg suggested something suspicious was afoot.
After a few days, Muxi had grown accustomed to the military life, taking the initiative to greet the soldiers she met. They stopped calling her by that generic term for females, choosing instead to address her as "Miss Muxi."
Fesili had been very busy these past few days, leaving early and returning late. Muxi hadn't been idle either; she joined the soldiers in helping to change bandages and treat the wounded.
For several days, Fesili and his team found nothing, and they were preparing to relocate their camp. Today, however, Muxi noticed that the atmosphere in the camp was highly unusual. While there had always been a sense of tension, today it felt particularly oppressive.
Unsure of what had happened, she followed the others toward the rear of the camp, where several tall tents had always blocked the view. It was her first time going there. Soldiers, whether wounded or not, stood perfectly straight, all facing that direction.
At one meter sixty-five, Muxi looked quite petite among the tall soldiers. She was blocked completely by the dense crowd and couldn't see what was happening at the front. No one paid her any mind.
"Salute!"
Fesili’s voice wasn't loud—at least not from where Muxi was standing—but the ten thousand soldiers present seemed to move as one mind. They simultaneously removed their helmets and saluted, their movements uniform and precise. The sight was spectacular yet filled with a heart-wrenching gravity.
Muxi’s curiosity and anxiety grew. She tried to stand on her tiptoes, attempting to peer through the gaps between the soldiers, but she still couldn't see anything. Soon, flames rose in the distance, and as the thick smoke billowed up, the pungent smell of burning flesh drifted toward them.
Muxi’s face turned pale, whether from the acrid fumes or the terrible realization dawning in her mind. She swayed, only steadying herself by grabbing onto a nearby soldier. Driven by an inexplicable urge, she eventually squeezed her way to the front.
Looking at the towering flames and the mountain of corpses being consumed by the fire, her world went black, and she collapsed in a dead faint.
***
When she woke up, she was in a new environment. Remembering the scene she had seen before losing consciousness, her body trembled uncontrollably.
"You're awake?"
Fesili’s voice sounded from the side, laced with a hint of concern. But Muxi was in no state to respond; she simply stared blankly ahead, her eyes hollow and filled with sorrow.
"Were you frightened?"
Fesili’s voice came again, even more worried than before. He sat down gently on the edge of the bed, his eyes locked onto her pale face. Muxi, still caught in those terrifying memories, shook even harder. Her lips parted, and it took a long while before she squeezed out a weak, shaky voice:
"Those... those people..."
Before she could finish, tears burst forth, cascading down her cheeks.
"There were too many casualties. If we didn't handle it this way, we wouldn't be able to take them home," Fesili said, offering a rare explanation.
Muxi continued to weep. She knew it was a necessary measure, but witnessing the mountain of corpses being reduced to ash was simply too much to bear. She opened her mouth, her throat feeling as if it were constricted by something, and finally managed to say, "How could there be... so many?" Her voice was filled with grief and disbelief.
Fesili poured her a glass of water. "If it weren't for you, the number of casualties that day would have been even higher."
Muxi stared at him blankly. She had always been skeptical about whether her singing had really saved them. After a long silence, she seemed to come to a decision and met Fesili’s gaze directly: "I want to stay."
She knew that once they returned to the base, Fesili wouldn't let her stay in the military, and he had already made other arrangements for her. But she wanted to stay now; the impact of yesterday’s scene had been too profound. If her singing could reduce the casualties, then she was willing.
As a descendant of the Chinese, she wanted to do what she could.
That’s right—the barren planet they were currently on was what was once Earth. Tens of thousands of years ago, the water sources on Earth were severely polluted. Many plants and animals mutated and became inedible, and humans could no longer survive there, forcing the entire nation to migrate to other galaxies. To adapt to the new environment, humans had undergone constant genetic modification, eventually gaining the beast-man bloodline suited for interstellar survival. The Chinese Empire was the successor to the former China.
Fesili instinctively opposed her request.
"Do you know what it means to stay? This place faces various dangers at any time. The threat of the Zerg has not been lifted, and the environment is harsh and inhospitable. It is not suitable for you."
Although he was reluctant to part with her, he knew that she would be better protected within the Empire.
"The base has already sent people to pick you up. You will be able to go back in five days at the latest."