The bloody beef, fried in a flat-bottomed pan, scattered with pepper and various accompaniments, began to emit a rich aroma. The silver table knife cut through the tender flesh, and in contrast to the bloody scene, Xu Le's hand pierced the buffalo's head with a different "hand" gesture. While the beef contained some bloody liquid, it was the flavorful juices that were more enticing.
Ordinary citizens who relied on synthetic food year after year had no resistance to such natural food, let alone the good meat enjoyed by Xu Le and his repair shop boss.
After a satisfying dinner, Xu Le cleaned up the tableware and retreated into the strange, oversized refrigerator where he stored the remaining beef and offal. Alone in the room, he stood in a daze, then pulled out a bottle of red wine and two cups from a drawer before climbing up the rickety steel ladder onto the lawn above the refrigerated storage area.
Repair shop boss Feng Yu had been here for quite some time, watching as the world faded into darkness, consumed by pervasive blackness. After receiving the glass of wine handed to him, Feng Yu took a sip and smiled faintly, saying, "Flatter me with my precious LaBelle. What do you want to ask?"
Xu Le raised the bottle to his lips, following his uncle's gaze towards the distant prairie. In the deepening darkness of the night, he wondered what magnificent sight the setting sun had presented earlier. He knew the repair shop boss had many secrets hidden from him, but he didn't want to pry. He had chosen to follow Feng Yu in the hopes of learning about machine repair, not to hear a story that would astound him.
After all, everyone had their own secrets and desired not to be disturbed.
"Actually... I'm not a fool," Xu Le suddenly spoke, not intentionally feigning awkwardness or hesitating in his speech. He carefully selected his words, placing emphasis on certain expressions, as if conveying his emotions through this rather clumsy method.
In the dim light of the night, the young man's narrowed eyes seemed somewhat cautious. He had already guessed something. During his two years with Feng Yu, besides acquiring knowledge and practical skills in machine repair, the boss's strange and often ugly postures had left him puzzled.
Although Xu Le had a simple personality, it didn't mean he lacked intelligence. He always assumed that Feng Yu's attitude and exercises were part of his training, possibly learned during his time in the army. Hence, he played the fool, thinking that it might make his body stronger. If there were any advantages to be gained from what the boss taught, he was willing to learn.
However, after killing the buffalo earlier, an inexplicable chill settled in his heart. The boss was merely an army deserter skilled in machine repair, so why would he possess such great power and teach Xu Le such formidable skills? Did the boss usually teach him... the legendary military secrets of assassination?
"I never thought you were a fool. On the contrary, I believe you're talented," Feng Yu said, bringing his lips closer to the rim of the glass. His expression remained calm, but a strange sense of happiness flickered in the corner of his brow.
"I'm not talented. I'm not sure if what you're teaching me is useful," Xu Le reluctantly met Feng Yu's gaze, asking, "The Ministry of Defense's machine repair officer exam doesn't test field operational skills. I don't want to waste my time on these things again."
Xu Le's voice began to tremble, as if enduring some kind of pain or hardship. Feng Yu, however, didn't bother to look at him and replied calmly, "Considering your character, it seems you've encountered a real conflict... I'm not entirely sure about this matter. Where does your conflict stem from?"
Xu Le's voice continued to quiver, occasionally interrupted by deep sighs. He said with anger, "This is the 63rd year of the 37th Constitution... With human civilization having developed to this point, why should I bother with these supposedly useful skills? Is a person truly powerful enough to directly confront machine armor or fight in outer space battleships?"
"I understand. You want to become a machine repair master capable of repairing machine armor and battleships, thinking that these cold metal machines surpass individual humans, much like an army of ants," Feng Yu coldly replied. "But don't forget, regardless of how advanced human development becomes, humans are still living beings. You exist within this body, which is the last line of defense preserving your life. You must understand it from A to Z, revolving around the unassuming first-order machine."
"As for machine armor and battleships, they're just extensions. They are not necessities," Feng Yu slowly closed his eyes. "A person cannot hide in machine armor for their entire life. You still need to eat, sleep, use the bathroom, experience love, reach climax, take a bath... When a person isn't wearing clothes, that accounts for 1/10th of their life. Don't you take off your machine armor during that time?"
Xu Le listened in astonishment, feeling that his boss's words were unreasonable but imbued with an inexplicable strength that defied his argument.
Feng Yu finished the remaining liquor in his cup, then lowered his head and smiled. "Perhaps one day, the battleships in outer space will become nothing more than trash."
"Machine armor doesn't rely on crystal ore. The current high-energy compression technology is sufficient to power machine armor on land," Xu Le knew that the boss had spoken so many words today to convince him, yet he stubbornly refuted, "Furthermore... what about preserving life and the physical body? I won't go to war with the savages of Westwood or the Empire. I want to become a machine repair master to make money and pursue work that I enjoy. Why should I concern myself with all this?"
"We're not discussing your future life because, in my opinion, you might not even pass the Ministry of Defense's exam. Perhaps you'll end up calling me 'boss' for the rest of your life," Feng Yu laughed, his laughter gradually fading away.
"Think about the people on Highwood's three stars. Consider those families that have lasted for thousands of years, even the Seven Great Families. Why do they always respect the students of those old men?" Feng Yu spoke of Highwood, the name of the Capital Star Circle district consisting of three inhabited planets. It represented the pinnacle of federal civilization, with wealth, comfort, and ease of life. As for the Seven Great Families, they were unreachable for Xu Le, a youngster from Eastwood. But the old man mentioned by Feng Yu...
"My biological mother... you called him the 'god of war'..." Xu Le's voice trembled violently, whether due to pain or fear.
"Alright, you don't need to squat in the horse stance anymore today. Do some gymnastics again," Feng Yu ignored Xu Le's shocking revelation and smiled. He pondered in his heart, this boy... though he has an inherent conflict with these matters, he is diligent in his initial endeavors. Apart from him, how many young individuals can endure the daily, two-year horse stance test?
"Pay attention to your breath, relax your mind," Feng Yu stood up and calmly observed Xu Le, who had fallen to the ground after maintaining the proper horse stance for half an hour. He spoke word by word, "You must feel it and remember the most painful trembling in your muscles, rather than trying to forget it."