Chapter 5 – Very Important People (aka VIP’s)
Wu Xing Yun felt that he had slept until day break. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Wen Nuo standing by the side of the windows in his bedroom looking at the scenery outside.
Wu Xing Yun made a rustling sound as he gets up from the bed. He scratches his head and asked in a sleepy voice: “You haven’t gone to bed?”
Wen Nuo turned his head towards him and replied: “Officers of Command Division can’t afford to. Staff officers have tons of work to do even at the dead of the night. We also have to come up with innovative projects to undertake, and the upcoming deadlines demands even the time of rest.”
Wu Xing Yun responded ‘Oh’. Seems like he shouldn’t be adapting a slacking lifestyle in this place. After he neatly folded the quilt, he changed his clothes, washed his face, and brushed his teeth at a lightning speed. He then went out of the bedroom and stood in front of a full mirror to check his appearance properly and finished tidying up. He fastened his button up to the top one and put his cap on.
The mild temperature in this planet is perfectly suitable for human survival, one can ordinarily come out without the need to wear protective suits. Wu Xing Yun’s Federal Union military uniform is dark grey. In the mirror is a young man with hair similar to the color of a block of coal and lips drawn back into a smile, a smile that shines brilliantly.
Wen Nuo was standing by Wu Xing Yun’s side, watching him continue to fix himself up in silence. While waiting for him to be done, Wen Nuo then commented: “You already look good, no need to keep checking in the mirror. Hurry it up, you will be going at the Federal Union Headquarters for a meeting with the Federal Union high officials.”
Wu Xing Yun was about to go the armory to get his weapons but he got stopped by Wen Nuo: “You are not going to battle, no need to get armed. You…..don’t make this serious expression.”
“Understood!” Wu Xing Yun saluted in response.
The two of them headed to the headquarters. They entered the parking lot of the dormitory. A man driving a Military Carapace car called out to Wen Nuo’s way: “Lieutenant, Sergeant, over here!”
The Military Carapace cars inside the Federal Union Army are mostly used for transit. It’s a car capable of land and sea travel, and it can also fly for a short duration. This type of car also has combat functions at necessary times, but it’s mostly used for ordinary purposes. Anyone who are traveling far all used this type of car, and it can be also used for transporting supplies to the frontlines. Aside from this type of car, there are no other ordinary military or civilian car available in the frontlines.
Wen Nuo and Wu Xing Yun went inside the car and greeted the driver: “Sorry, we were late.”
The driver said ‘Oh’ without a care, not paying attention to the two of them.
Wen Nuo and Wu Xing Yun puts on their seatbelts. They waited for a while but they saw the driver still not starting the car. Wen Nuo can’t refrain from asking: “Why are we not going yet, what are you waiting for?”
The driver replied: “There’s someone else headed to the Federal Union Headquarters. Since we’re going there, he’s riding along with us.”
We Nuo finds it a little strange. He haven’t opened his mouth yet to ask when he saw a person coming over wearing crookedly a designated captain rank cap, it was Ouyang Liu.
Ouyang Liu walked to the front and said to the driver: “Didn’t mean to be late. It was a dreary day for me yesterday, so…..”
The driver was too impatient to hear his explanation, he said: “Late is late, what good is there to look for an excuse? Get in!”
Ouyang Liu awkwardly chuckled twice then went inside the car butt first.
Wu Xing Yun felt uncomfortable all over seeing Ouyang Liu. He forces himself to give Ouyang Liu a smile, but Ouyang Liu gave him back a haughtily raised brow and a raised middle finger.
The three of them didn’t say any word to each other. Once the engine of the car started, the windows also rolled up. The Carapace car launched in its top speed, its light green beetle like body passes through different streets in the city. It ascended upon reaching the river, flying at full blast and passing through layers of clouds until they finally landed in front of the Federal Union Headquarters.
The doors of the Carapace car slowly opens. The driver went out of the car after reaching their destination to take a rest. The three passengers also went out of the car. This is the first time for Wu Xing Yun to see the Federal Union Headquarters based in the frontlines. He thought there would be some difference, but he discovered that it doesn’t have any difference to the other Federal Union bases. The building has a semi-circular shape that was sticking up from the surface while the remaining part was submerged below, a type of building where its greater portion is situated underground.
Outside the building was a staff standing by since early to receive them. A beautiful lady receptionist walks over to them and greeted Wen Nuo with a smile: “May I ask if you are Rank A Staff Officer Lieutenant Commander Wen Nuo?”
Wen Nuo nodded: “Yes. I was sent to take care of him.” As he said that, he pointed his finger at Wu Xing Yun standing besides him.
The beautiful receptionist then gave Wu Xing Yun a smile and extended her right hand graciously to shake his hand: “Hello, I’ve heard you are the hero who risked his life for the federation. It is an honor to meet you, we all greatly admire you.”
Wu Xing Yun scratches his head. His originally silly smile turned even more sillier looking at the beautiful woman. He was not even aware that the other person wanted to shake hands with him. With a blushing face, he replied: “I….I….I-I’m not…”
The receptionist stared blankly. She thought she had mistaken the person so she smiled a bit awkward and extended her hand to Ouyang Liu instead who is standing besides them. Ouyang Liu shakes the receptionist’s hand and said: “Hello, I am a Records Officer from Combat Command Division, my name is Ouyang Liu.”
The receptionist nodded at Ouyang Liu then gracefully takes her hand back. She did the same thing again to Wu Xing Yun and asked: “Excuse me, may I ask if you are the legendary Specter Ops, Wu Xing Yun?”
Wu Xing Yun shakes his head in a flurry: “It’s…..it’s nothing like that but…..I am…. Wu Xing Yun.” He stumbled on the words he said in a rush, his forehead soaked in cold sweat.
The lady official smiled and said: “Please follow me, the President has been eagerly waiting for you. We’ve been told that Ye Sui Kong will be coming over today just to see you.”
Hence, the three of them walked towards the entrance the building. When they’re about to enter, the receptionist suddenly halted her footsteps and said to Ouyang Liu: “What are you following us for?”
Ouyang Liu replied: “I am the official picked by the military as a part of the marriage escorts, didn’t just mention just now….”
The receptionist interrupted Ouyang Liu’s sentence and pointed at a different entrance leading to an outdoor training ground: “Soldiers sent for the arranged marriage are invited to be screened over there. The total candidates this time are ten thousand. Only the top one hundred most outstanding soldiers will be chosen to escort our great hero. You are still not guaranteed to be among the line up for the marriage entourage so don’t speak too complacent.”
Ouyang Liu glanced at Wu Xing Yun with an unwilling look, then he walked two steps closer to the receptionist and quietly said: “Just make an exception. I am acquainted with Ye Sui Kong and our relationship is good, he’ll meet me…”
The receptionist repeated with a much louder voice: “Participating soldiers for screening, please make a turn and go to the other entrance!”
Ouyang Liu replied: “Don’t you know who am I….I am….”
The receptionist fiercely glared at Ouyang Liu: “I don’t know who you are. I only know that the person the president wanted to meet is Wu Xing Yun and it doesn’t concern you even for a bit! The screening admission is about to conclude, and if you still won’t go, I’m afraid you will not be qualified to be sent along the marriage entourage!”
Being contradicted like this by the receptionist, Ouyang flew into rage out of humiliation. He points his finger at the receptionist and faltered three times: “Yo….You….You….” Afterwards, he turned on his heel and breaks into a run towards the other entrance.
The receptionist stares at Ouyang Liu’s retreating figure and scoffs. She mumbled: “What he’s playing at, isn’t he just a bastard child of the vice president Ouyang? And he wants to be the first one to talk with Ye Sui Kong? Good riddance to someone so nauseating, who does he think is?”
After a short while of quietly ranting to herself, the receptionist suddenly realizes that she till have to guide the two men besides her so she collected herself at once and showed a professional smile: “Lieutenant Commander, Sergeant, please follow me.”
Wu Xing Yun followed closely behind the receptionist, earnestly maintaining his military poise. After passing through the entrance aisle, they stepped into an elevator and arriving at an underpass. After walking through several turns, they halted at outside of a hall.
The doors of the hall was wide open, two armed soldiers stood outside of the hall. Inside the hall is a large round table, and in the round table sits few people with random distances in between. Some of them men, some are women, some have military ranks, some have none.
Wu Xing Yun recognized the person whose seat faces the entrance. It was President Huo Bu Si of the Federal Union. He also recognizes the people sitting around the table.
Some of those people are the people he frequently saw in television or read in textbooks. They are the past presidents of the Federal Union before Huo Bu Si. Wu Xing Yun’s legs wobbled for he had never encountered this aspect of society before, don’t even mention speaking to big shots like them.
Wen Nuo pushed Wu Xing Yun from behind and said: “Go in, I will wait for you outside.”
Wu Xing Yun was hesitating to go. He replied: “I’m scared…..”
Wen Nuo originally thought of giving Wu Xing Yun a kick, but when he saw that hint of panicking and helpless look in his eyes, he relented. He held out his hand and strokes Wu Xing Yun’s head. He cups his face and looked into his eyes, his voice gentle: “You are the most outstanding soldier, and ever since it was established, you are the best Infiltration Spectre Lock Ops. You are the hero who was able to shoot and injure the enemy commander, so don’t be scared!”
Wu Xing Yun requested: “I….I want to touch a gun, I’m nervous……”
Wen Nuo continued to gently comfort him and give him encouragement: “How can your Senior Official be allowed to bring a gun in this meeting? There’s nothing to be afraid of, it’s just a meeting with few people. It’s not like they will eat you. I will be here waiting for you, when you get scared, just think of me. I will be waiting for you here, I will wait for you until you come out.”
Wen Nuo’s gentle words worked like a charm on Wu Xing Yun’s frenetic heart and blank mind. He gripped Wen Nuo’s hands and said with all seriousness: “En! I won’t be afraid anymore, I will definitely carry out my mission.”
Wen Nuo slowly let’s go of his hand. He patted Wu Xing Yun’s shoulder then commanded with a loud deep voice: “About turn! March!”
Thus, Wu Xing Yun turned around with a swish, afterwards, he marched towards the direction of the hall. Once outside the doorway, he shouted loudly: “Reporting! Special Military Division, Spectre Lock Ops, Sergeant Wu Xing Yun, reporting for duty to the president!”
President Huo Bu Si with full grey hair slowly stood up and beckoned at Wu Xing Yun, speaking with a gentle voice: “Good child, come in.”
“Sir, yes sir!” When Wu Xing Yun entered the hall, the entrance door slowly closes. Watching the door gradually shutting, Wen Nuo felt that a door somewhere in his heart is also closing off.
Instead of what he promised, he had to walk outside the building and wait by the entrance for Wu Xing Yun. Because he knows, that in this place, a mere staff officer with a Lieutenant Commander rank like him is not allowed to stay for whatever reason. Wen Nuo was somewhat dejected but he walks out with a gleam in his eyes, a resolution in his heart resounded: “I will surely do everything to have a seat inside that hall. And when I am sitting inside there, certainly, even if it takes my whole life, I will end that arrange marriage and take him back. I swear!”
Wu Xing Yun who was inside the hall wasn’t even aware that his pillar of support had already left. He even forgot all those things said to him, mainly because, he was too tensed up.
As the president Huo Bu Si stood up, the other people inside the hall all stood up as well and gave Wu Xing Yun a round of applause. Wu Xing Yun didn’t even dare to breathe. His mind was blanked out, and his entire back was steeping with sweat.
After the applause, Huo Bu Si used that same gentle tone and said: “Sergeant, have a sit.”
Everyone sat down but Wu Xing Yun’s brain somehow short-circuited so he remain rooted from where he was standing.
Huo Bu Si said: “Don’t be nervous, the reason I called you here, is nothing more than wanting to have a chat with you. Take a seat and let’s talk.”
Wu Xing Yun’s head still remained in a state of blankness, but that’s because he saw the Federal Union Interstellar Marshal Shi Fei present as well. Wu Xing Yun turned a little weak in the calf because he saw Shi Fei frowned at him.
TN: Marshal rank is the highest rank in the military and their chief of command. Now you know why WXY turned into a piece of paper ready to be blown away x’D
Wu Xing Yun didn’t know at what point did he made a mistake so it causes him to be even more nervous. Just when he’s about to collapse from too much tension, Shi Fei shouted loudly all of a sudden: “Sit down!”
Wu Xing Yun instinctively saluted: “Sir, yes sir!” then he sat his butt on a chair nearest to him.
Everyone who witnessed the scene all laughed. However, the laughter lasted only for a short while and then it stopped. Because everyone knows to themselves, that because of their own incompetence, the simple, honest, adorable, and courageous soldier in front of them is coerced to be married off for peace.
Once Wu Xing Yun settled his butt on the chair, his mind eased up a little. He especially regretted just now that he didn’t bring a gun with him before they left. Even if he couldn’t bring a real gun, a model gun would have sufficed as well. He touches a gun whenever he’s nervous, it can calm him down better.
While having such thoughts in his heart, the president Huo Bu Si started talking: “Sergeant, I believe Lieutenant Commander Wen had already explained the mission to you. I summoned you here for several reasons. The first one is, I wanted to meet with you, to ask you what you would request from the Federal Union. This is your chance to put it forward and we will fulfill it with the best that we can.”
Wu Xing Yun stood in attention right away: “Reporting, obeying orders is a soldier’s sole purpose in life. I will surely give my best to accomplish the mission the Government of the Federal Union assigned to me! I don’t need any reward.”
Huo Bu Si nodded his head and said: “Think about this matter carefully and get back to me, it’s never too late to tell me what you want. The second matter I have to discuss, is that we have already discussed the particulars for the peace negotiation with the demon army and have come into an agreement. The arrange marriage will be set to October 1st, next month. We will choose one hundred loyal and reliable soldiers that will escort you to the marriage ceremony and provide you with protection until you arrived at Ye Sui Kong’s encampment.” As he reached this point of discussion, Huo Bu Si paused, then he said: “Soldier, do you clearly understand?”
Wu Xing Yun nodded, then he asked somewhat in doubt: “I understand, but what does it have to do with me?”
Huo Bu Si glanced at the Interstellar Marshal Shi Fei. Shi Fei explained: “There are ten thousand candidates standing outside right now for the preliminary screening. After this, you will go out and personally choose the soldiers who will be your escorts for the marriage. Whoever you like, you can choose.”
Wu Xing Yun turned tense being looked at by Shi Fei. He stood up and saluted in attention: “Determined to accomplish this task!”
Shi Fei chided: “Attention!”
Wu Xing Yun stood in attention at once.
“At ease!”
Wu Xing Yun conditionally relaxes his feet.
“Sit down!”
Wu Xing Yun conditionally sits down.
“Later, you are not fucking allowed to stand up, it’s an order!” Shi Fei snarled in a loud angry voice.
Wu Xing Yun shivered. He answered after sitting down: “Understood!”
Huo Bu Si continued on: “The third matter of business, is also the most important one. Ye Sui Kong will be coming here today to meet with you in person. That is…..umm…” The president was looking for a proper way to phrase it.
A lady scientist present at the meeting took over and said: “It’s gonna be a blind date! He’s coming over to have a look at you!”
Wu Xing Yun’s spirit was roused up. He couldn’t control his emotions and replied: “That’s great!”
Everyone looked at each other in dismay, the Interstellar Marshal Shi Fei flew in rage: “What’s so great about it? Don’t you even have a little bit of pride left as a soldier? Are you that much in a hurry to get married of? Who is putting political ideas in your head? Drag him out and he shall be placed in front of a firing squad!”
Being reprimanded by the Marshal, Wu Xing Yun immediately droop his head and answered in a quiet voice: “I-I…..I just thought that…this would be a perfect chance to lie in wait, and kill him…..”
Bonbon wanted to say:
Stay tune to find out 😉
Guys if you want explanation for military rank and drills just ask me in comment section.
—Snacks for Bonbon?—
This chapter is dedicated to Jwel for giving me hot and piping coffee to wake me up haha~