Chapter 520: Why are you scared?

“Ah… Captain is actually a loyalist.” Everyone yelped in surprise. A few of them had come from large families and understood what it meant to be a loyalist—they were individuals born to serve and die for their master. Their entire life would be enveloped in darkness, never to see the light.

“Aren’t loyalists only allowed to stay in the family and not be allowed to apply for military academies?” Yi Tiange asked what everyone else was confused about.

“It’s because I received permission from Young Master Lan and was allowed to attend military school.” Ling Yi cool expression showed a grateful smile, instantly making him seem to have a warmer personality.

“Permission? Could it be that your Young Master Lan asked your family head for you?” Yi Tiange involuntarily frowned. He understood clearly the importance of loyalists for a family; they were the most secretive existence in a family. Normally, families wouldn’t even allow loyalists to come into contact with the outside world, fearing that they may have a change of heart. If the family head nonchalantly agreed to their child’s requests and didn’t care for the family’s rules, then that family would become closer to ceasing to exist.

“No, Young Master Lan is the family head of the Ling family.” Ling Yi’s response surprised everyone. Ling Yi had come up from the scout academy and didn’t join in the middle, which meant that Ling Yi was given permission to attend before he was 6 years old. In other words, Ling Lan had to have been the family head at that time, or even earlier than that. This meant that Ling Lan had become the family head when he was six or seven years old? He was probably the youngest family head in history.

It should be known that the family head that families chose nowadays required that they be direct descendants that were 30 years old. If the direct descendants did not meet this requirement, they would choose indirect descendants who were at the right age to temporarily be the family head. When the direct descendants became 30 years old, they would then reselect the real family head. This made sure that the family head wouldn’t be controlled and cheated by servants due to young age, creating problems for the family and threatening the legacy of the family.

“He’s not a puppet?” Yi Tiange made a worried gesture with his hand.

Ling Yi stared at him angrily and replied, “Of course not. Young Master Lan is the official family head. He was very strong when he was young. No one would dare to go against Young Master Lan’s orders.”

Hearing this, Yi Tiange looked at Ling Yi with a serious look, patted Ling Yi on the shoulder and said, “Ling Yi, now I can finally safely put my life in your hands. To be able to respect such a young family head and not think of taking power, everyone in your family deserves to be trusted.”

“F**k off!” Ling Yi brushed off Yi Tiange’s hand. Those of the Ling family were all loyal, morally sound and courageous people. Otherwise, how could they nurture someone like General Ling Xiao?

Ling Yi thought about this fact proudly. However, he knew very well that he couldn’t say anything about Ling Xiao. Whenever Ling Qin had contacted him during all these years, he had always reminded him that in order to protect Young Master Lan, he definitely could not allow anyone to know that Young Master Lan was Ling Xiao’s son.

Ling Yi looked at the team members beside him with regret but returned to being calm the next second. He was Young Master Lan’s loyalist. Even if he betrayed his brothers, he would take this secret to his grave.

“However, loyalists that are exposed are no longer considered loyalist. Can you still return to his side?” Yi Tiange finally asked a cruel question. He didn’t believe that Ling Yi didn’t know about this fact.

Ling Yi’s expression showed hesitation, but he quickly firmed himself and said, “Young Master Lan said that when I become stronger, he will let me return.” He felt as if this promise had been made yesterday. He had said that he would take over Uncle Yu’s position and become Young Master Lan’s loyalist captain, becoming Young Master Lan’s most devoted loyalist. He would do what he promised! Ling Yi lowered his hands and clenched them even tighter, as though this could increase his confidence.

Yi Tiange sighed internally. He, Rong Ziruo and Yan Wuyou exchanged glances and an understanding came to be formed from their eyes. Seeing how Ling Yi still dreamt of returning to Ling Lan’s side, they didn’t say anything to deter his dream.

Loyalists were not allowed to be exposed. They were not allowed to have contact with the outside world and were even more so not allowed to have a battle team, friends and comrades like Ling Yi. They only lived for their masters. Ling Yi’s current condition didn’t even meet the lowest requirements for a loyalist. Yi Tiange believed that the young Ling Yi had definitely been deceived by his Young Master Lan.

Ling Yi’s mood slowly calmed and returned to the cool young man from before. He looked at the comrades who had grown up with him and instantly felt full of confidence and courage. He yelled, “Let’s go. We’re going to sign up.”

Ling Yi was the first to take a huge step towards the hover car station that was closest to them. Yi Tiange and the others looked at each other with faces full of smiles. This Ling Yi that was full of energy was definitely their captain. They happily followed.

“Young Master Lan, I, Ling Yi, am coming to you!”

At the first faction of the Lingtian Mecha Clan’s headquarters, Ye Xu led a few members and walked into the atrium. Once Ye Xu walked it, he felt that the atrium felt different from usual after walking only a few steps. Before he could think deeply, he heard the people behind him shout out, “Senior Ye, wait a moment.”

Ye Xu turned around to take a look; it was a second-year junior who was part of the atrium’s reception services. The junior was briskly walking towards him with a face full of pleasant surprise.

“Something wrong?” Ye Xu asked curiously.

The second-year junior said while blushing, “Senior Ye, are you going to where Captain Wu is?”

“Yes.” Ye Xu normally wouldn’t go to the headquarters. If he went to the headquarters, he would always look for his own captain to discuss some things about the battle team. Ever since Wu Jiong became responsible for everything in the headquarters, the training arrangements of the battle team were given to this vice-captain, Ye Xu, and this had made him become really busy.

“Could I ask Senior Ye to help me give this to Captain Wu?” The junior suddenly bowed at a 90-degree angle and handed him a small memory card.

Ye Xu was utterly surprised by the person’s respectful posture. He unconsciously took a step back and said, “Stand up and speak normally. Why are you doing this?” After saying that, he pointed at the item in his hands and asked, “And what’s in here?”

“This contains this year’s new cadet applications who are applying for our clan. Please give this to Captain Wu, Senior Ye.” The second-year cadet didn’t stand up but instead lowered his head even more.

“I’ll give it to him on the way there. However, did something happen for you to be this diligent?” Ye Xu saw that the other person’s head was almost hitting the ground and felt sorry for him; thus, he took the memory card and asked him this question confusedly.

The second-year junior breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Ye Xu accept the item and showed an expression of rejoice that seemed like the amount of joy he will feel throughout the rest of his life. Upon hearing Ye Xu’s question, he looked around before drawing closer to Ye Xu and softly saying, “The boss came today.” After saying that, he pointed up to show that the boss was at where captain Wu was.

It had been a while since the clan members no longer regarded Ling Lan as captain but as the boss.

Ye Xu gasped at his reply. He subconsciously took a look at the memory card in his hand, but right when he wanted to give it back to the junior…

“Where did he go?” Ye Xu stared ahead, stunned. The second-year cadet, who had been standing in front of him respectfully, had now vanished without a trace. Ye Xu actually didn’t see when he had run away.

Ye Xu then wanted to find someone else to give the memory card to, but discovered that the atrium that was supposed to be crowded and loud was now empty without a single person in sight. No wonder he had felt something was off when he walked into the atrium—it had been too silent.

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“These punks. Why didn’t I see them run this fast during training? Now they ran away faster than anyone,” Ye Xu said to himself as he clenched the memory card.

Ye Xu turned around and looked at his team members. His team members met his gaze and all of them took a huge step back. One of them held onto his stomach and said with a pained expression, “Vice-captain, my stomach hurts. I’m going to the washroom.” He didn’t want to go see the boss.

Ye Xu dragged him close and then shot a warning gaze at the other members who were moving about. He said, “Whoever dares to run away, I will definitely ask Boss to train them for seven days.”

This kind of threat was really terrifying and made the members stop in their tracks. They all cried out in agony. One member pleaded, “Vice-captain, please let us go this time. Even if we go, we wouldn’t be of any help to you…”

“Right, right. Vice-captain, just let us go please.”

“You guys want me to face Boss by myself? No way. If we die, we die together.” Ye Xu didn’t let them off. He believed that having more people to take the pressure of the boss was a great idea. In addition, even if it had no effect, he would feel it fair if there were other people who were punished alongside him.

Just like that, Ye Xu, who didn’t want to be the only one punished, heartlessly dragged his teammates into the elevator.

After coming to the door of Wu Jiong’s office, the members all huddled behind Ye Xu and pushed him forward. If it were possible, they really didn’t want to come here.

Ye Xu hesitated for a long while, but in the end, bit his lip and pressed down the doorbell on the door frame. The earlier he died, the quicker he’d be able to get into heaven.

“Come in!” Wu Jiong’s voice came out from the doorbell’s little speaker. As his voice faded, the door suddenly opened from the side.

Ye Xu took a deep breath and walked into the door as though he wasn’t going to come back alive.

Wu Jiong’s office was very big. The first thing that came into sight was the living room, where there were many sofas surrounding a large coffee table. The glass of the coffee table was actually a large screen. When they needed to discuss something and needed to go into the virtual world to look for information or watch certain videos, they would turn on the screen and use it. Usually, the coffee table’s function was a coffee table and had tea sets on top.

Behind the living room was Wu Jiong large office desk. At that moment, Wu Jiong wasn’t sitting at his desk but was sitting on a sofa facing the door. He saw that Ye Xu had walked in and smiled, saying, “Ye Xu, you’ve come?”

Ye Xu took a quick look around and didn’t see Ling Lan’s presence. He instantly let out a sigh of relief. “So Boss isn’t here.”

Wu Jiong frowned and asked, “You’re looking for Boss?”

Ye Xu instantly shook his head. “No, no, I just heard someone from below say that Boss came here and was in your office.” No longer feeling pressured, Ye Xu began to make random guesses. “Did Boss go to his own captain’s quarters? Or did he go to the silent room for Closed Door Meditation? Or maybe he went to beat up Qi Long and the others…”

Wu Jiong’s expression showed a hint of strangeness. He quickly cut off Ye Xu and asked, “If you’re not looking for Boss, then why are you here?”

Ye Xu raised the memory card in his hand and begrudgingly said, “It’s those punks from downstairs. They thought Boss was here and gave me this list of new cadets applying for the clan. Before I could react, they all ran away without a trace. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come to find you at this time. They’re afraid of Boss and I am as well.”

As Ye Xu spoke, he looked down and began to look through the memory card he had in his hand. He wanted to know what kind of outstanding cadets were available that was worth their attention this year.

“What are you afraid of?” A clear and cold voice suddenly rang out.

Ye Xu, who was looking at the information, thought it was Wu Jiong who had asked him. He raised his head in surprise and said, “Huh? Captain, you’re joking, right? Don’t tell me you’re not afraid. I don’t believe that. The Boss’ cold glare is the sight of death and could freeze someone to death instantly. Besides that, the aura on Boss is domineering enough to make someone suffocate. Standing beside Boss is actually the same as going against the reaper.” Ye Xu patted his own chest with fear for his life and finished, “I don’t want to die young.”

Wu Jiong’s smile grew increasingly bitter, and the expression he wore as he looked at Ye Xu became more and more sympathetic. Was this guy this slow? Those who wanted to die didn’t die like this.

“Ye Xu, looks like your training wasn’t enough. I don’t see Qi Long and the others feel uncomfortable being around me.” That cold voice rang out once again.

Ye Xu’s expression changed instantly—he straightaway lowered his head, peeked up at Wu Jiong and accused him, “Captain, you’ve made a fool of me!”

Wu Jiong shrugged and mouthed silently, “Idiot.” Not being able to differentiate Boss’ voice? What was he if not an idiot?

Ye Xu laughed bitterly as he turned his head towards the direction where the voice had come from, and he saw Ling Lan sitting in one of the sofas with its back faced towards the door. Ling Lan had her arms crossed together and was watching him coldly.

“Boss, Boss, seeing you really makes me happy.” Ye Xu suddenly pounced towards Ling Lan and made a hugging motion.

Ling Lan stopped Ye Xu by bringing up her right leg and placing it against his chest. “Don’t give that sh*t. In any case, to train your nerves, you’ll be training with me for seven days next week. If you still can’t get it right, then we’ll train more until your nerves are gone.”

“No, Boss!” Ye Xu began to cry in agony. He turned around and looked at Wu Jiong with an expression full of entreaty, asking for him to save his life!

Wu Jiong thought it was funny and immediately helped his own vice-captain get out of the situation. “Boss, Ye Xu’s nerves definitely needs training, but the mecha clan still needs him as a laborer. Aren’t there new cadets that want to join? We’re short on assessment officers. When we’re done with this, I will send him to you and let you train him.”

“Captain, you really are the captain!” thought Ye Xu. Ye Xu was so moved that he was crying and sobbing. He had definitely made a smart choice when he had joined Wu Jiong’s battle team. As long as he made it past this period of time, Boss would be very busy. After a long time passed, he would automatically escape from this nightmare.

Ling Lan huffed. She exerted a bit of strength into her right leg and kicked Ye Xu onto one of the sofas on the side, saying, “Since your own captain says so, then I’ll let you go for now.”

Ling Lan looked towards Wu Jiong and continued, “Since you’re short on assessment officers, I’ll let Qi Long and the others come help you.”

Wu Jiong’s eyes flickered as he replied, “That would be great. With Qi Long and the others joining, we will be able to handle this year’s new cadet evaluations.”

Although he hadn’t received the detailed list of applicants, Wu Jiong already knew that almost half the new cadets had applied for the Lingtian Mecha Clan after receiving information from the application department. It seemed that the glory that Ling Lan had obtained through leading the First Men’s Military Academy in last year’s Grand Mecha Tournament had made a huge influence on these new cadets; otherwise, a newly formed mecha clan that was founded by a second-year cadet would never have been swarmed by new cadets.