In the command cabin, Yan Kai placed coffee and snacks on the low table in the rest corner, sneaking a glance at the person on the sofa.

“Big Boss, you’ve been watching for half an hour. Are you feeling unwell?”

Chi Yao rested his chin in his hand, staring unblinkingly at Jing Xi, who was busy at the command seat.

“Big Boss?” Yan Kai waved his hand in front of him.

Chi Yao spoke slowly: “If someone told you that even if you were a pig, they would still marry you, what would you think?”

Yan Kai’s eyes widened slightly.

After all this time, this master was troubled by love.

“I’d be very happy.” Yan Kai answered without thinking. “It shows this person loves me very much. Even if I were a pig, they wouldn’t leave me.”

Chi Yao looked up at him thoughtfully.

“But doesn’t that mean in his eyes, there’s no difference between you and a pig?”

Yan Kai: “…”

That also seemed to make sense.

Chi Yao waved his hand and continued to rest his chin, watching Jing Xi.

“Forget it. What am I discussing with a kid like you who hasn’t even grown all his hair yet?”

Yan Kai’s face instantly turned beet red. He held it in for a long time before blurting out: “I-I have grown all my hair!”

At the command seat, Chi Yao’s gaze made Jing Xi feel like he had thorns on his back.

It was like two lasers trying to pierce through him.

Somehow, Jing Xi thought of Yin Wei.

The video call connected, and Chen Bingfeng’s face appeared in the window.

“Lieutenant General Chen,” Jing Xi said respectfully, “is the coordination between the Flying Dragon rescue team and Cygnus going well?”

Chen Bingfeng’s face turned cold: “Are you questioning my command ability?”

Jing Xi looked at him calmly: “Necessary communication is essential for more efficient mission execution.”

Chen Bingfeng smiled disdainfully: “With just those few people you left behind, what help can they be? Is there a need for communication?”

Jing Xi: “Then you mean Cygnus can complete the rescue mission independently?”

Chen Bingfeng narrowed his eyes.

“Although they aren’t much use, they’re better than nothing.”

Jing Xi nodded: “If there are any coordination issues, contact me anytime. I will have the rescue team report their progress to me daily, so I won’t trouble your people.”

Chen Bingfeng’s eyes were sharp: “That saves me a lot of trouble.”

After hanging up, the Cygnus adjutant beside Chen Bingfeng said indignantly: “Is this Jing Xi’s attitude toward a superior?! Turning around to supervise our Cygnus’s work—who does he think he is?”

Chen Bingfeng sneered: “Praised a few times and he thinks he can ascend to the heavens.”

Cygnus Adjutant: “That Admiral Bai seems to think very highly of him too.”

Thinking of what Bai Yi had said, Chen Bingfeng felt like a fishbone was stuck in his throat.

He had operated in the military for so many years, yet his reputation couldn’t compare to Jing Xi, who had only recently joined.

“Just an old man about to die—”

Hearing this, the Cygnus adjutant’s back stiffened, too scared to even move his eyes.

In the Flying Dragon warship command cabin, Chi Yao waited until Jing Xi hung up before walking over leisurely.

“How could that old fox let you withdraw your troops? If Flying Dragon’s people leave, who will do the work?”

Jing Xi turned his head to look: “You heard?”

Chi Yao sneered: “You spoke so loudly, how could I not hear?”

Jing Xi looked at the distance from the rest corner to here.

An ordinary person indeed couldn’t have heard.

“For now, this is the only way,” Jing Xi said calmly. “This way, if problems arise later, I have a reason to ask the higher-ups to pressure him.”

Chi Yao reached out and pressed between his brows: “Then why are you frowning?”

Jing Xi held his hand in his palm.

“Small problems are useless, but big problems—”

Big problems in rescue operations usually meant refugees paying the price.

Chi Yao held his hand back, squeezing his soft fingertips.

“A ready-made benefactor is right in front of you. Are you sure you won’t try to work for it?”

Jing Xi looked up and sized him up: “Indeed very expensive.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Jing Xi lowered his voice: “You want to ask that fleet for help again?”

Chi Yao raised his eyebrows: “You said yourself that’s the military’s mysterious organization. How could I, a space pirate, order them around?”

Jing Xi: “…”

Jokes aside, Chi Yao’s gaze swept over the holographic map on the monitoring console.

“With someone surnamed Chen here, it’s not appropriate for them to appear.”

Without much explanation, Jing Xi understood.

But if not that fleet, did Chi Yao have other military forces in his hands?

Thinking of something, Jing Xi’s expression stiffened.

“It can’t be—”

Chi Yao looked down at him, chuckled, and drew a circle in his palm.

“In here, only they can enter.”

Jing Xi was stunned: “You planned this long ago?”

Chi Yao said indifferently: “Aside from private friendship, on official business, it’s better if we don’t interfere too much with each other, Sir.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Really holding a grudge.

Because of online public opinion, messages in the small digital group exploded for a long time.

[B45: Didn’t expect the military to have such a shameless general.]

[L50: Comparing them, the old man is much more amiable.]

[B33: To join the water army group, add 0808088.]

[N90013: Boss, count me in!]

[N90011: Aren’t you guys still near 333? Quietly go bag the one surnamed Chen.]

[B45: No, we can’t do that. Boss, does the front line still need support @Y]

Unexpectedly, just after tagging him, Chi Yao sent a message.

[No support needed. Bagging is approved.]

Everyone: [……]

Worthy of being you.

Jing Xi thought Extreme Shadow would arrive tomorrow at the earliest, but unexpectedly received Extreme Shadow’s signal that same evening.

When Chi Yao connected the video call, the two were eating in the rest cabin.

“Boss.” Fang Liang looked at Jing Xi beside him and nodded slightly. “Major General Jing, thank you for taking care of our boss.”

Just after greeting, Li Yuan squeezed into the frame.

“Boss, that farming old man has gone crazy. The flowers in the small garden were all replaced with green onions, ginger, and garlic. He even climbed into our yard in the middle of the night to plant corn, damn it.”

He enlarged a photo.

In the picture, the original small peach garden was unrecognizable. Everywhere there was soil, grain and vegetables were planted. Even the green belts along the river weren’t spared.

Chi Yao: “…”

Chi Yao: “My strawberries in the yard weren’t touched, right?”

Li Yuan: “No, they don’t dare touch your yard for now.”

While they talked, Jing Xi’s gaze rested on Tie Xiong.

Tie Xiong sat obediently on Li Yuan’s shoulder, a glass water ball hanging from his neck containing a small gold fish.

Similar to when they left, it was still half-dead, moving as little as possible.

Noticing Jing Xi’s gaze, Tie Xiong shook the water ball and explained very thoughtfully.

“Fishy isn’t dead.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Chi Yao glanced at it: “Why did you bring it out too?”

Fang Liang: “Afraid that group of people would steal it for breeding.”

Chi Yao: “…”

The fish in the glass ball twitched, flipped over, and continued to lie paralyzed.

After some discussion, Chi Yao had Fang Liang bring some people to the south to meet them, while Li Yuan took some to support Jin Ze.

Li Yuan was dumbfounded listening.

“Let me swap with Brother Liang. Fighting suits me better.”

Chi Yao: “There’s no profit in the south.”

Li Yuan heard this and thought it made sense.

After sending people away, wouldn’t he be free to pick up whatever was left?

Li Yuan: “Then I’ll go north!”

Fang Liang glanced at him with an expression like he was looking at an idiot.

“This mission is urgent; we didn’t bring much military equipment—”

Jing Xi understood: “Flying Dragon will bear all expenses.”

“Thank you, Major General Jing.”

Fang Liang thanked him hurriedly, afraid he would regret it a second later.

After hanging up the video call, Jing Xi looked at Chi Yao sitting opposite him: “Fang Liang is really thrifty. A good seedling for an adjutant.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Chi Yao arranged it this way for another factor.

Jiang Feng was guarding the garrison base and couldn’t leave, so they didn’t have a useful assistant by their side.

Although Yan Kai was diligent, he was still immature and could only barely manage not to make mistakes.

The sonic waves near the cave continued, and Flying Dragon’s main force could only hover in the outer circle. The battle situation fell into a stalemate.

After 8 PM, Jing Xi followed Chi Yao to the hangar to personally welcome the people from Extreme Shadow.

Through the monitoring screen, the hangar doors opened, and a spaceship flew in.

Jing Xi: “Is this a modified military 890?”

The cabin door closed, and Chi Yao opened the metal gate and walked out.

“Bought on the black market.”

Jing Xi: “How much did it cost?”

Chi Yao thought about it: “Thirty million?”

Jing Xi: “…”

Even if it was a phased-out military spaceship, its quality and performance would be better than ordinary spaceships.

The 890 was a standard model with low manufacturing costs and huge room for expansion and upgrades. It could transport and fight, but was eliminated just because Zhao Hongyi called it an “old man machine” that wasn’t presentable.

Jing Xi: “You also have times when you get ripped off?”

Chi Yao slowly added: “Ten ships.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Seeing Jing Xi looking over, Chi Yao chuckled: “I prefer not spending money, but sadly I haven’t recruited a mechanic yet.”

Jing Xi: “When I’m free…”

Chi Yao: “Hmm?”

Jing Xi paused and shook his head.

“Nothing.”

Before finding a cure for Chi Yao, he probably wouldn’t have any free time.

Over there, Fang Liang led the Shadow Guards and Tie Xiong off the spaceship.

Jing Xi saw Tie Xiong looking calm and collected, curiously looking around, seeming to say something to the small fish.

Why wasn’t this little cannonball sticking to Chi Yao this time?

Looking sideways, he saw a mask on Chi Yao’s face.

Jing Xi: “…”

No wonder he was so calm in the video call too.

The two went to meet them. Yin Wei smelled Chi Yao’s scent and hopped over to rub against his clothes.

“Awooo~”

After Fang Liang greeted them, he looked at Jing Xi and said respectfully: “Our fleet has sent the signal.”

“I’ll have them mark it.” Jing Xi picked up Tie Xiong and led them upstairs. “For convenience, you probably need facial disguise too.”

As he spoke, Tie Xiong suddenly leaned close and sniffed him hard.

Jing Xi: “What’s wrong?”

“Why do you have Boss’s scent on you?” Tie Xiong frowned and thought, then sneered: “You were definitely eaten by Boss, right?”

His immature face mimicked Chi Yao’s ruffian air perfectly.

Jing Xi: “…”

He looked at Chi Yao with condemning eyes.

—What on earth have you been teaching the child?

Chi Yao was very calm: “Just the literal meaning.”

Tie Xiong: “Where were you eaten? Intestines or brains?”

Facing his innocent eyes, Jing Xi patted his head: “Six plus seven. If you answer correctly, I’ll tell you.”

Tie Xiong glanced at him, spread his hands, and started counting.

“One plus one equals two, two plus two equals four—”

Chi Yao: “…”

Fang Liang looked at his boss and then at Tie Xiong, shaking his head inwardly.

Jing Xi, the man who could easily grasp the weaknesses of everyone in Extreme Shadow.

No wonder he could be a general at such a young age.

After simple disguises, Jing Xi called Yan Kai over to coordinate with Fang Liang.

“This is someone I temporarily transferred from the garrison. He will share part of your work.”

Yan Kai saluted and shook hands with Fang Liang: “I am Yan Kai.”

Fang Liang subconsciously returned the salute: “Fang Jing.”

Jing Xi glanced calmly.

The military salute wasn’t a classified movement; anyone could learn it.

But Fang Liang’s reaction speed, posture, and hand gesture were even more standard than Yan Kai’s.

In the command cabin, a group of soldiers watched the big dog swaying past behind them, not daring to move.

“W-Why did such a big dog suddenly appear?!”

“It looks like a level-five mutant.”

“Who let it in?!”

“Shh! The Boss brought it.”

When Lu Meng entered, he saw Extreme Shadow’s big dog finish patrolling the territory, jump onto the command platform, and lie down ready to sleep.

“…”

Why did it come too?!

“Xi Xi, come here.”

Hearing this voice, Lu Meng subconsciously looked at Chi Yao, but saw him waving in the direction of the big dog.

“…”

Damn.

Changing the dog’s name to match their boss’s name—who is he trying to bully?!

Yin Wei twitched its ears, not wanting to move.

Chi Yao said to Jing Xi: “I said it’s not hungry. No need to prepare the marrow bones.”

“Awooo!”

A gust of wind blew past, and Yin Wei squatted obediently in front of Jing Xi, eyes sparkling.

Lu Meng: “…”

Still came to mooch food and drink.

Jing Xi couldn’t help touching its fluffy fur, his palm sinking in immediately.

Felt so good.

Chi Yao pulled his hand back.

“Don’t touch randomly. He’s male.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Aside, Yan Kai, who was handing over work, saw Fang Liang glancing over there occasionally and leaned close to whisper an explanation.

“That big shot over there has a very good relationship with our boss.”

Fang Liang: “Oh.”

Fighting to the death is them; being clingy is also them.

Tired.

A moment later, honest soldiers carried over a large bucket of fragrant marrow bones.

Yin Wei picked one up in its mouth, lying on the floor eating happily.

Tie Xiong squatted by the bucket, seeing Yin Wei eating so happily, and swallowed his saliva.

He glanced carefully at Jing Xi, quickly tore off a piece of meat, and stuffed it in his mouth.

Chi Yao pretended not to see.

“Since everyone is here, let’s probe the situation tonight to leave time to adjust the plan.”

Jing Xi: “What do you want to do?”

Chi Yao lifted his chin in Yin Wei’s direction.

“Full of food and drink, time to work.”

The white mecha landed about 35 kilometers from the cave.

Chi Yao took off the ring on his middle finger, opened the card slot on Yin Wei’s collar, and embedded it.

“If you can’t stand it, run back. Don’t be stupid.”

Yin Wei: “Awooo.”

Jing Xi looked worried: “Is it okay for just it to go in?”

Compared to a level-five wolf king, Yin Wei had absolutely no advantage.

Even if they were both level five, the aggression between different species was vastly different.

Yin Wei seemed to understand his doubt, patting the ground with its front paws and throwing its head back to howl like a wolf, indicating it was very capable.

Jing Xi: “…”

Just like its owner.

On the warship, many officers gathered in front of the monitoring screen, looking nervous.

Among them, only Lu Meng knew the truth. Everyone else thought Jing Xi had caught a big dog to test the sonic strength in the circle.

“It’s going down!”

Someone shouted, and everyone immediately looked at the blue dot on the screen.

“Magnify, magnify!”

A window enlarged, showing a big dog in the picture.

It wagged its tail and suddenly sprinted toward the forest.

In a few minutes, a pack of mutant wolves appeared on the screen, pouncing toward the big dog.

“Finished!” An officer cursed. “How can a dog beat a wolf?”

Lu Meng’s scalp tightened.

Chi Yao’s dog shouldn’t be bitten to death so easily.

Sure enough, the next moment, white light shone from the metal rings on Yin Wei’s neck and limbs, and pieces of metal armor enveloped it.

“Awooo!”

Yin Wei roared, neither dodging nor evading, and charged directly into the wolf pack.

“Ow ow ow! Awesome!”

“Faster than before! This dog master is too strong!”

“Holy crap, I actually got fired up watching a dog!”

In the warship, the officers cheered, while only Lu Meng’s scalp tingled, his eyes glazed over.

Although he knew this big dog wasn’t simple, tearing apart a wolf pack with its bare hands—this was too damn strong?!

Completely fearless!

That momentum, that killing intent, was no worse than a wolf king.

How had they survived under its claws before?

On the mecha, Jing Xi watched Yin Wei on the monitoring screen and asked Chi Yao: “Who made its armor?”

Chi Yao paused.

“Bought it.”

Jing Xi: “You can buy armor for dogs?”

Chi Yao: “…Custom made.”

Jing Xi turned to look at him, narrowing his eyes.

“Your heart rate sped up. You’re not telling the truth.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Jing Xi looked at him, implying something: “I really want to meet this maker.”

Chi Yao: “…………”