Shi Lang said straight out what he thought about recruiting students from his class. The general council was taken aback and stunned; they had not expected the young man to have thought of anything beforehand.

One of the generals asked in a calm tone, “Sir, what do you mean by the guardian division?”

Shi Lang nodded and said, “I did not plan to hide from you all, but was only waiting to confirm a conjecture of mine before bringing this topic up for an official discussion.”

The others nodded; they could tell that Shi Lang was sincere and not lying to them. The young man also did not wish to see these guys rebel against him, so he gestured for them all to sit down. Earlier, the discussion was so heated that they were all standing on their feet.

The people took their seats, and Shi Lang started speaking, “The Federation home planet has been going through many subtle changes ever since the spirit energy reappeared. We have records that prove such energy existed once before too.”

The other generals nodded, they wanted to understand where the young general was going with this topic. Shi Lang continued, “Since you all know about the existence of spiritual energy, you all must be aware of the effects this energy can have on the human physique.”

The others were confused, and Amelia put up a solemn expression. She was worried that Shi Lang would tell these scheming people about Shi Tao. However, she could not say anything at this moment.

Charlotte asked, “Sir, what do you mean by the changes in the human body, and how is all this related to the Guardian Division?”

Shi Lang did not turn to look at her properly and said, “There is a rare chance that someone with an extraordinary physique is born. This physique is not strong but blessed by the heavens. You must have read about the rare physiques that show up once in a while and are peerless.

The Guardian Division will protect and monitor the rare natural elixirs as well as the rare and varied beasts. Just like us, there will be others watching out for rare things. The federation is not a park where everyone can live happily ever after, we also have evil bastards who will not hesitate to cannibalize their kin for strength.”

He took a deep breath after finishing his piece, and the rest of the generals had a solemn expression on their faces. They had never thought about this issue, but suddenly a person asked, “Sir, you decided to establish a dedicated division for this cause, did something happen?”

Shi Lang knew some smart ass would come over trying to probe him, but he shook his head and said, “Thank you for your concern, General Adali, but nothing happened. How is the situation at the front? I hope it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

Following that, the council underwent an impromptu meeting and discussion. It was late at night when the meeting was adjourned. Amelia had remained standing the entire time; given her strength, this was not a problem for her. When all the officers left the hall, Shi Lang stood up and let out a sigh. Amelia approached him and loosened his tie a little. Then she said, “Why did you indulge them for too long?”

Shi Lang held her waist gently and said, “They think I have been away from the front, so they can now undermine me. Your mother always had an ambition to stand at the helm, and she is trying to rally people for that.”

Amelia nodded and said, “I know that, but who can blame her? The allure of authority drives us military people to keep improving.”

Shi Lang shook his head and said, “One must know that standing at the peak could be blinding. Is that peak even worth it if she is giving up her morals over it?”

Amelia sighed and hugged him, as she also wanted her mother to come around and stop this chase of mad power. She said in a low voice, “When will she accept it?”

Shi Lang knew that she was not talking about the power chase now, it was more about the matter of accepting Shi Tao’s adoption. The couple themselves were very happy with Shi Tao, but eventually they did get bothered by the judgmental look in the eyes of General Charlotte Knight. She believed in keeping her pedigree clean and thoroughbred as a military officer.

Also, her misunderstanding of the advanced technology has made her neglect the basics that Shi Lang explained to his parents. The young man closed his eyes and gently rubbed his wife’s back. He wanted to say something when they heard an exclamation, “Oh, I did not see anything, I shall wait outside.”

Amelia broke away from the cozy embrace, and looking at the source of the sound, they found a small figure with her hands covering her face and eyes peeking through the gaps. Amelia smiled and walked closer to the girl, and scooped her up as she said, “Taotao is being naughty again.”

Then the lounge was filled with giggles and laughter.

pAnda (nov)e1 …

The next day, the people boarded the vehicles and left Elton city. The students did not wish to have any conversations and began to sleep. Shi Lang, meanwhile, was arranging his own work for the next few days. His time here has come to an end, the motive of grooming a nice group of students was accomplished, and now he needed to head back to the front.

His bones were craving some action, and Amelia needed some time to focus on her cultivation. Shi Tao will learn the next phrase of cultivation from Amelia and OB-One. The bot was not only a cultivation expert but also a talented instructor and guide in terms of auxiliary skills like artifact refining, array formation, and alchemy.

Shi Lang wished for Shi Tao to become a leading figure in the future. For that, he will do all that he can. Although his announcement will surprise the students and might even leave them in shambles for a few days, this was a necessary thing for their growth. They were not going to stay under his wing for the rest of their lives and would have to fly on their own one day. It was not up to him how far they could fly. He wished to have them realize this hard truth as soon as possible.

The journey did not last for long, and they reached the FSA in the afternoon. When the class got out of the car, they heard pops, then saw confetti fall and heard a lot of applause.

The trouble class won the school an honor it has been lacking all these years. The class was greeted warmly, and a large red banner was specially made for them. The students received the congratulations with a moderate smile, they knew very well how much they lacked.

While the class was swarmed with congratulations, Shi Lang visited the principal’s office. He knocked on the wooden door, and General Edwards said, “Come in.”

Shi Lang pushed the door open and went inside. The old man did not reveal a surprised reaction and asked, “You came here to tell me that you wish to go back to the front?”

Shi Lang nodded as he sat down in front of him. The old man said, “Why should I approve of this request?”

“So that you make it clear that you do not stand with General Knight in her schemes, and also because you know I am itching again,” said Shi Lang.

He did not sugarcoat or beat around the bush. General Edwards said, “Can you learn some decency? How can you accuse me of such a thing? I withdrew from the council a long time ago.”

Shi Lang chuckled and said, “Did you withdraw or be forced to sit out? Do not get me into the technicalities. Those with the lust for authority and power cannot lead to the growth of society; you know it better than I do, or things would not have come to this point.”

His words made the old man sigh and said, “I have tried to convince Charlotte that she is not doing the right thing, but…”

The old man sighed again and continued, “All because of your coming to the background. Do not blame me.”

Shi Lang shook his head and said, “I am not blaming you for anything, but you better approve of my request. I need to get to the front; many people believe they require salvation.”

General Edward nodded, knowing Shi Lang would go kill a lot of people at the front. He pressed his digital seal on the application and said, “You can deal with your farewells, the letter comes in act tomorrow morning. Godspeed.”

Shi Lang stood up from the chair and saluted the old man before he turned back to get out of the room.