While everyone online was talking about Extreme Shadow’s rescue operation, Flying Dragon’s official account reposted the video uploaded by netizens. They also released high-definition rescue videos and photos, deliberately placing close-ups of Jing Xi and Chi Yao right in the center.

As soon as the news broke, netizens started howling again.

“Ahhhhh, keep up this rhythm, Baby Chi! Mommy believes in you!”

“Big shots really only make friends with other big shots.”

“Fanfic writers have more material now.”

“Really hope these two are friends, am I the only one?”

While waiting for the Extreme Shadow warship to land, Jing Xi glanced at the trend of public opinion online and casually liked the last comment.

No one expected this would cause such an uproar.

Extreme Shadow’s warship was distinctively different from Flying Dragon’s; the most striking feature was its flashy blue exterior.

The moment the warship broke through the atmosphere, it was immediately picked up by Flying Dragon’s monitoring center.

At the same time, Chi Yao was accompanying Jing Xi to the passenger cabins to comfort the refugees.

To accommodate more people, the passenger cabins were generally large open rooms, each holding twenty beds.

This was convenient for the legion to transfer civilians, but overcrowding could also lead to unnecessary disputes.

Yan Kai knocked on the door of a passenger cabin. Several families lived inside, including the elderly and children, but everyone looked downcast, and the large space was quiet.

Chi Yao immediately sensed the subtle atmosphere.

Yan Kai: “Major General Jing is here to see you.”

Hearing this, they looked towards the door, their dim eyes gaining a little light.

Jing Xi took the comfort items from his subordinate and handed them to the two nearest elderly people.

“Is there anything inconvenient about living here?”

The two hurriedly accepted the items, shaking their heads vigorously: “No, no, everything is very good!”

Jing Xi had a naturally cold face. Born a noble and holding a high position, he unconsciously carried an aura that kept strangers away.

Seeing these two elderly people frightened by Jing Xi’s approach, to the point where they didn’t even dare to speak, how could they dare raise any opinions?

Jing Xi naturally could also sense their insincerity.

Sector 820’s overall economic level was lower-middle, and the southern continent was even worse compared to the other two continents.

Most of them might need a lifetime of savings to buy a house, but now they faced the threat of it being razed to the ground.

No one could be happy facing such a thing.

He came to offer comfort to dispel some of the panic in people’s hearts; it would be meaningless if it backfired.

Jing Xi was about to speak again when his sleeve was gently tugged.

He straightened up and turned his head; it was Chi Yao.

The other party gave him a look that said, “So clumsy, watch me demonstrate.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Chi Yao approached the elderly people and asked with a smile, “Grandpa, Grandma, where is your home?”

Seeing him smile so kindly, the omega elder’s nervousness facing the officer dissipated considerably.

“No. 52 Daliang Street, ours is an old residential complex.”

Chi Yao pulled up a map to show him.

“Is it here?”

The omega elder nodded, eyes reddening as he spoke: “Yes, I don’t know if it will be affected. We are almost a hundred years old; if the house is gone, what will we do—”

The older one gets, the more attached they become to “home.”

Losing the home they had lived in all their lives at this age might be another kind of ominous sign for them.

Chi Yao turned to look at Jing Xi.

Jing Xi immediately understood and said softly, “The probability of disaster hitting there isn’t high. We will do our best to protect it.”

Hearing this, the elder asked excitedly, “Really?!”

Seeing Jing Xi nod, others gathered around, calling out their own addresses one after another, hoping he could give them a “promise” too.

When disaster strikes, the first thought is to escape with one’s life. once safe, one hopes to minimize losses. This is human nature.

Jing Xi made a gesture for quiet.

“Protecting the property of the people is the legion’s responsibility. Even if your home is unfortunately damaged due to proximity to the battle line, the Empire will help you rebuild. You won’t have to bear it alone.”

Although beast tides often erupt across the Empire, for each individual, it might happen at most once in a lifetime.

Not everyone pays attention to relevant laws.

Hearing that the state would be responsible for rebuilding, joy finally appeared on the group’s faces.

“Major General, will we be kicked off the warship tomorrow? Will there be someone to protect us afterward?” A beta man holding a child asked worriedly, “My child is only one year old. It doesn’t matter where I live, but the child—”

“We won’t throw you off. The legion fleet has limited capacity and can’t take you with us indefinitely, but we will certainly arrange proper accommodation for you to ensure basic living is not affected.”

After explaining, Jing Xi said to his subordinate, “Go check the supply depot to see if there is milk powder suitable for a one-year-old child.”

Soldier: “Yes, sir!”

The beta man’s eyes flashed, and he thanked him repeatedly.

Flying Dragon was different from the army in his impression; there was warmth here.

Major General Jing didn’t seem as unapproachable as he looked, either.

While Jing Xi was talking with them, Chi Yao was inquiring about something with the two elderly people.

The alpha elder looked at Chi Yao: “You mean the south coast? My wife and I lived by the sea there when we were young. We got rheumatism as we aged, so we sold the house and moved to Daliang Street.”

Earning trust only required a smiling face.

For Chi Yao, this was effortless.

There was only one set of tables and chairs here. Unfamiliar with each other, everyone sat on their own beds.

Chi Yao didn’t want to sit on the elder’s bed, so he could only lean against the wall with his arms crossed.

“There are so many wild beasts there, isn’t it dangerous to live there?” Chi Yao asked.

The omega elder rushed to explain: “There weren’t many before. My husband has a hunter’s license; killing Level 1 beasts was very easy for him.”

The alpha elder pressed his lips together, a bit embarrassed.

“You still remember things from so long ago?”

Omega elder: “Of course, don’t you know how handsome you were when hunting?”

Chi Yao: “…”

I’m not here to eat your dog food.

“Were there many Level 4 or 5 beasts?” Chi Yao asked.

“None,” the alpha elder said. “If it were that dangerous, people in our village would have moved away long ago.”

Omega elder: “In the past, there were at most Level 2 ones. Most alphas in the village could hunt. Some families made a lot of money processing beast bones and horns.”

“That was seventy or eighty years ago,” the alpha elder said. “Don’t know starting from which year, but they said giant pythons appeared in the forest. Several young men from the village were eaten while hunting.”

“It was forty-five years ago,” the omega elder recalled. “Later on, more and more strange things happened.”

Chi Yao asked calmly, “Strange things?”

Omega elder: “Strange sounds often came from the forest. Beasts that used to charge into the village every few days suddenly disappeared. Sea turtles didn’t go back after coming ashore from the sea—”

At this point, Chi Yao raised his hand to interrupt him.

“Sea turtles didn’t go back after coming ashore?”

The alpha elder also looked at his partner.

“How come I don’t know about this?”

“Once when I was walking back, I saw a sea turtle with a mark on its shell from afar. It was probably made by some mischievous child in the village. That kind of mark disappears when it touches water.”

At this point, the omega elder looked confused: “But two years later, by chance, I saw that sea turtle again, and the mark was actually still there.”

Hunters possess a type of gun that can mark prey, used to distinguish prey during team hunts.

Chi Yao: “Are you sure it was still that mark?”

The omega elder nodded: “That mark was missing a corner, and the position was exactly the same. It can’t be such a coincidence, right?”

Alpha elder: “You must have seen wrong. How can there be a sea turtle that doesn’t return to the sea for two years?”

Questioned by the two, the omega elder suddenly became uncertain.

“Did I really see wrong?”

Thinking of that sea turtle with the empty stomach, Chi Yao lowered his eyes halfway, thoughtful.

Before he could figure anything out, a beta girl suddenly appeared in his line of sight. She looked only six or seven years old and was looking at him with timid eyes.

Seeing Chi Yao look over, the girl was startled but pretended to be calm.

“Are you Chi Yao-yao?”

Stared at by the two elders, Chi Yao could only continue acting the “approachable young man” persona.

He squatted in front of the girl and smiled: “I am Chi Yao-yao.”

Unexpectedly hearing him say that, the girl was amused and relaxed a bit.

“You are very amazing, I am your fan.”

Walking out of this lounge, seeing Chi Yao’s goofy expression, Jing Xi whispered, “If you’re tired, go back and rest first. Chun Qin and the others will be here soon; someone needs to meet them.”

Chi Yao: “You’re not tired, how could I be tired?”

Jing Xi: “…”

On the way to the next lounge, Chi Yao opened his hand, a cartoon brooch lying in his palm.

“This is me?” Jing Xi picked it up to look.

The cartoon figure had long hair and wore a military uniform, standing in front of a chibi-style Flying Dragon mecha.

Although Jing Xi really couldn’t see where this person resembled him, the mecha’s features were obvious.

“I sacrificed my looks to get this.” Chi Yao snatched it back, wiped it on his clothes, and put it in his pocket.

Jing Xi: “…What did you do now?”

Chi Yao: “Exchanged a hug with my little fan for this.”

Jing Xi glanced at his pocket: “Since she’s your fan, why was she wearing a brooch with a drawing of me?”

Chi Yao said with a wooden face: “…She said with you suppressing me, I can’t do bad things anymore.”

The corners of Jing Xi’s lips lifted, then pressed back down under Chi Yao’s warning gaze. He nodded slowly and methodically: “Impeccable logic, clear train of thought.”

Chi Yao: “…”

---

Time was limited; Jing Xi couldn’t visit every room.

Chi Yao was purely accompanying Jing Xi and had no interest in visiting these refugees.

As a result, these refugees were very interested in him.

“Mr. Chi, is Extreme Shadow really going to cooperate with the military in the future? So impressive!”

“Hello, my wife is your fan, can I get an autograph?”

“Ahhhhh, you are so tall and handsome!”

Surrounded by a group of young men and women, Chi Yao scanned them casually; there were Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.

“…”

Strange pheromones rushed straight to his brain.

“Excuse me.” Chi Yao suppressed his impatience, taking two steps back to distance himself. “My wife doesn’t allow me to get too close to others.”

Hearing this, Jing Xi: “…”

You just hugged a little fan for a brooch.

If not for Jing Xi’s sake, Chi Yao would have already thrown them out.

But for some reason, after saying this, the group’s eyes shone even brighter, looking at him like wolves that had been starving for a month.

Chi Yao: “…”

So annoying.

Walking to the fifth lounge, Yan Kai received a message and whispered in Jing Xi’s ear: “Boss, Extreme Shadow’s warship has arrived.”

Outside the warship, Chun Qin held Iron Bear’s hand and walked up the steps outside the hatch, with the Shadow Guard following behind.

Stepping into the hatch, she suddenly heard a group of men bow and shout in unison.

“Flying Dragon welcomes you.”

Chun Qin: “…”

She silently retracted her foot and looked at the emblem above the metal wall.

It is a Flying Dragon warship alright.

Iron Bear laughed loudly, giving no face as he said, “No need to welcome, I’ve meowing been here several times.”

Chu Xiao stretched his neck to look behind the big dog.

Brother Li didn’t come this time?

Both sides stood there, one side bowing, maintaining this posture for several minutes without anyone speaking.

The atmosphere gradually became awkward.

“You’re here?”

Hearing the voice, Iron Bear looked over, saw it was Jing Xi, broke free from Chun Qin’s hand, and ran over.

“I’m here!”

Jing Xi bent down and picked him up.

“Grown taller.”

Iron Bear’s eyes sparkled: “I’m going to become an adult very soon.”

“Sorry to disturb.” Chun Qin walked over to greet him.

Jing Xi: “Where are your people? Let them come over for a meal, everything is ready.”

The bowing men chimed in.

“Prepared lots of marrow bones.”

“Enough to fill you up!”

Their eyes glanced at the Shadow Guard, unconsciously swallowing saliva.

What a fine doggo.

These looks, this build, this fur, this strength—definitely the Empire’s Number One Dog!

The Shadow Guard, fur standing on end from being stared at: “…”

In the dining hall, soldiers bustled in and out of the kitchen, serving dishes to Extreme Shadow’s people.

Seeing a large basin of marrow bones, Iron Bear ran to gnaw on bones next to the Shadow Guard.

“Most are failed products.” Chun Qin put down her chopsticks. “Should be new recruits and reserves recruited by Ghost.”

Jing Xi: “Reserves?”

Chi Yao explained: “Just like Legion recruitment, Ghost also has standards. Only those who meet them can enter. Those who only meet partial conditions enter the reserve list and get a spot by completing missions.”

Jing Xi’s face was dark and expressionless. “They sent failed products because they were afraid I’d discover anomalies?”

“Possible,” Chi Yao said lightly. “It’s hard for ordinary people to distinguish the difference between them and normal people.”

Failed products looked normal on the outside and wouldn’t beastify; only a blood test could reveal abnormalities.

Over there, Chu Xiao and the brothers from the recruit camp were busy as bees.

By the time Chi Yao and Jing Xi noticed, they had already mingled with Flying Dragon’s lackeys.

“This Chu Xiao is really good at making friends.”

Chi Yao smiled, remembering Li Yuan’s previous instruction to take care of him. “Even Old Li was won over by him.”

Jing Xi: “Maybe it’s the mutual appreciation between snipers?”

Chi Yao: “Then why didn’t Old Li have mutual appreciation with Old Lu?”

Thinking of that scene, Jing Xi got goosebumps all over.

“…Maybe Old Lu doesn’t have a heart?”

Just in case, Extreme Shadow’s warship didn’t dock inside the fleet.

They followed Chun Qin to the hangar bay.

Seeing the scene before him, Jing Xi’s brow twitched, unsure what expression to make.

The hangar bay was the largest space, originally used to park various transport and combat vehicles, but now it was full of white, fleshy people.

These people had been stripped down to their underwear and tied up tightly.

This binding method reminded Jing Xi of hairy crabs, and roast suckling pigs.

In an instant, his vision went dark.

“Chi Yao?” Jing Xi raised his hand to remove the hand blocking his eyes.

“Not allowed to look.”

Chi Yao covered his eyes and led him out. Jing Xi couldn’t see anything and stumbled while being pushed out in his embrace: “Do serious work, stop messing around.”

Chi Yao stood at the hatch, looked back inside, his face stinking.

Not only ugly but also smelly.

“Chun Qin, let’s go to the monitoring room upstairs.”

“Okay, refreshments are already prepared in the monitoring room.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Did she anticipate Chi Yao would drag him away?

Arriving at the monitoring room, Jing Xi pulled his hand away.

“They’re wearing pants, what can’t I see?”

Chi Yao had a shocked expression.

“You wanted to see them without pants?”

Jing Xi: “…”

Is that the point?

The monitoring feed was infrared imaging; whether they wore clothes or not made little difference.

It was hard to change Chi Yao’s mind on things he insisted on. Jing Xi sat in the chair with no temper left, thinking about what to ask Chun Qin.

Turning his head, he saw Chi Yao open his photo album and enlarge a photo of him.

“What are you doing?”

Chi Yao: “Washing my eyes first.”

Jing Xi: “You took so many photos of me just to use them like this?”

A little cute.

Chi Yao scrolled down one by one, his mood visibly improving.

“I don’t want those white fleshy bodies to stay in my brain for a second longer.”

Jing Xi: “So that’s why you like taking photos so much?”

To pull them out and look at any time, covering up bad memories.

Chi Yao: “Memories might disappear, but photos never will.”

Jing Xi was stunned.

Chi Yao tilted his head looking at him, and chuckled softly: “I won’t forget a second time—”