When the newly-emerged war hero of the Federation, Han Li, received the military medal representing his meritorious service, he felt utterly heavy. The weight appeared burdensome, anchored in his heart much like the medal hanging on his chest, which gave his expression a distinctly unpleasant look.
The Federation's Major General Tu Yuan, who presented the medal, was not surprised by this scenario. He felt equally distressed. Every accomplishment won by the Federation's military came at the price of numerous sacrifices.
Some say that each military medal is drenched with the enemy's blood, symbolizing honor. Yet, the medals bear not just the enemy's blood but also that of their own men.
The most heartbreaking part is that those who have sacrificed cannot wear their own military medals, let alone their corpses, considering many of them have been reduced to ashes. Hence, every military medal carries a profound weight.
"Casualties are inevitable. The most important thing is to keep living, carrying the will and spirit of your fallen comrades into battle."
Major General Tu Yuan patted Han Li's shoulder, ready to leave after having presented the medal to the only remaining member. Every other soldier from Han Li's Mecha Marine Corps is dead, many of them reduced to ashes.
Their sacrifices, however, enabled the Federation's military to successfully hold vital positions on the frontline of the Alien Planet, recognizing Han Li's merit in leading the battle and engaging enemy forces in his mecha.
"General."
Han Li suddenly interjected, speaking hesitantly when Tu Yuan turned to face him, "I wonder, could the General grant me a favor?"
Tu Yuan wrinkled his brows slightly, "Is it public or private? Is it something for you or somebody else? Is it a matter that is legal and regulated or requires pulling strings?"
Han Li was somewhat nervous. Although cases of preferential treatment within the Federation's military were not nonexistent, they were few and far between. Major General Tu Yuan, known for his stern impartiality, never played favorites, not even with the meritorious soldiers. His actions always followed the premise of legality and regulation.
But, Han Li didn't know anyone within military circles that matched the General's rank. Recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, although now having a chance to reach out to a General, the opportunity would be rare in the short term. Besides, he was almost out of time due to his impending return to the front line.
So, he braced himself.
"There was a lost lieutenant, a pilot in my Mecha Marine Corps named Ji Chenxing. He was a Class 1 mech pilot, with a total of twelve golden stars emblazoned on his mech at the time of our unit's total annihilation."
The Federation's mech pilots are divided into five levels: Level 3, 2, 1, Special, and Ace.
Theoretically, stars could be painted onto a mech as per their whims. However, convention dictates that only one golden star could be added once an Imperial mech had been destroyed and the enemy ape-pilot within was killed.
A Level 1 pilot with twelve golden stars, who had not retired due to injuries, had the chance to be promoted to a Special Level pilot by adding another eight golden stars. But Special Level pilots were scarce in the Federation. Out of millions of Federation soldiers, there were only three hundred thousand mech pilots, and only three hundred of them had reached the Special Level.
There were only nine Ace mech pilots strictly considered to be alive. It seemed like a curse that when the tenth Ace mech pilot came into being, one of them would inevitably die in battle.
A Federation Congressman proposed that Ace pilots should temporarily pull out from the frontline battles, but all Ace pilots strongly opposed this proposal. Li Yuanba, who had 231 golden stars on his personalized mech and was considered the most formidable mech warrior in the history of the Federation, addressed the act during the Federation Congress:
"We can leave the battlefield alive only after we achieve victory in this war. Should you ask what equates to victory? Once I set foot in the Imperial Star, stepping on their Emperor's skull in their capital city, those Imperial apes and monkeys will tell you what victory is."
Mech pilots were precious assets.
The loss forced Tu Yuan to sigh. Although he was privy to this information beforehand, the painful expression on Han Li's face at the moment evoked a sense of empathy.
"Ji Chenxing had a father named Ji Xinghe, who is 65 this year. I visited him a few days ago and told Mr. Ji Star River..."
Before explaining the cause, Han Li paused slightly; took a deep breath, "At that time, Mr. Ji Xinghe asked that we take him to the frontline battlefield. He said, even without a mech, without a Single Soldier Starship, merely an armament would do. He wants to avenge Ji Chenxing."
"Nonsense!" Tu Yuan reprimanded, brows furrowed, "How can a 65-year-old man, 25 years older than me, fit for the frontline battlefield? The strength of those Imperial apes can't be experienced by normal people through videos and news. Don't you also understand, Han Li? Even with a mech, we can't beat them. Without a mech, even a single ape can fight against our battalion. Is he losing his mind? You too? There's no need to discuss it further; I won't let him go to the battlefield."
Han Li didn't take offense to the scolding. He blamed his slow explanation which was riddled by nervousness for not making his point clear. With a helpless look and an undertone of sorrow and bitterness in his voice, Han Li said, "General, I didn't mean for you to help send him to the battlefield. Instead, he... he went to the New Phoenix City Police Station's Single Soldier Starship yesterday, which was a patrol model without weapons. He inputted the frontline battlefield as the destination and then got arrested."
Tu Yuan was taken aback.
Han Li hesitated for a while before adding, "When the New Phoenix City Police made contact with our unit, they mentioned that he had several knives meant to be used as weapons."
Tu Yuan asked emotionlessly, "What kind of knife?"
"Kitchen knife, fruit knife, bone-chopping knife, all kinds of kitchen knives from his house, he took them all."
"It's really confusing, how could someone like that produce a mech warrior like Ji Chenxing?" Tu Yuan blurted out, then realizing his words were somewhat improper, hesitated and asked, "Is Ji Xinghe, a retired veteran?"
"No, he's a car mechanic, a master mechanic. Ji Chenxing has said many times that his father's car repair skills are excellent. He can fix any car, including top-tier space-flying cars."
Tu Yuan was amused.
"Master mechanic is still a mechanic. He doesn't think he can fix Single Soldier Starships and Mecha with his car repair skills, does he?"
Han Li hesitated then said, "Ji Chenxing also said that his father is excellent at video games. He used to carry Ji Chenxing to the rank of Glory King in games. After Ji Chenxing joined the army and couldn't play games, his father would keep his game account at the rank of Glory King every season and could even reach more than 2000 points in the peak competition. Ji Xinghe himself also reaches that rank every season, so he's essentially playing two accounts whilst working. Hmm...Ji Chenxing said his father is most proficient in heroes who are mech warriors and those related to repair in the game."
"Games?"
"Yes, games. Star Glory."
Tu Yuan was familiar with the game, Star Glory. It was said to be very realistic, but in reality, it was just a rehabbed version of the federal military's outdated virtual reality training system. It had become backward and was fairly incapable of selecting real talent.
"Games? What use is being good at games? In the real world, he's just a mechanic who fixes cars. If he goes on the battlefield, he could only fix cars there as well. At 65, what good would his sluggishness do?"
Tu Yuan was harsh in his words, but he inwardly sighed. He could empathize with Ji Xinghe's feelings. If Ji Xinghe were forty years younger — no, just twenty — he would dare to directly recruit him into the military.
Although Star Glory has at this stage become unlikely for selecting real talent, many elite players did emerge from it in the past. Not the game version of Star Glory, but the previous generation's virtual reality training system from the military.
But he is 65, already past the age of retirement. And driving a Single Soldier Starship and Mecha requires extremely high levels of physical fitness from pilots. The federation has always fallen behind the empire in this respect because the empire's pilots are all physically powerful apes.
Ape is not a derogatory term the federation uses for the enemy; it's the truth. The empire has no humans, only apes and monkeys with intelligence not less than humans.
This was one of the most shocking discoveries of the federation in the 21st century. It was also part of the reason almost causing its destruction and part of the event sending the federation into a new era.
"Hmm..." Han Li hesitated.
Tu Yuan frowned and said, "Speak."
"Ji Chenxing also said that his father is a very good fighter, a really good one. When Ji Chenxing ranked second in the military school's fighting competition, he couldn't defeat his father even after he returned home. The first place at the time was me."
"How old was Ji Xinghe at that time?"
"It seems to be... 59? 58?"
"..." Tu Yuan helplessly said, "You're young, you don't know the saying 'as old as one's age'. Just because he could fight at 59 doesn't mean he can fight at 65. And it's a father and son's fight, would Ji Chenxing dare to go all out? What's more, fighting between people and driving mechas into battles are completely different things. You should know this very well. You, who got first place, are about to become an Ace Mech Warrior. Ji Chenxing, who got second place, hasn't even become a Special Level Mech Warrior yet. I'm not saying Ji Chenxing is not impressive, I'm just comparing."
"I know, that's why I rejected him." Han Li said helplessly, "But I never expected that he would go steal a Single Soldier Starship. Now he's been arrested by the New Phoenix City Police Station. I only received the news this morning. Although legally, I know we shouldn't do anything, and that's what my superiors also say. But, general, he's Ji Chenxing's father. He just wants to avenge Ji Chenxing."
After a moment of silence, Tu Yuan suddenly asked, "Did you say New Phoenix City?"
"Yes, Ji Chenxing's hometown is New Phoenix City."
"I'm going there for a recruitment campaign anyway, might as well pay a visit."
"Thank you, general."
Han Li knew that Major General Tu Yuan, known for never doing favors, had decided to make an exception, because of Ji Chenxing, and also because of Ji Xinghe.