Beyond the Zenith

The reason for Zhang Dao’an’s earlier tension had been exactly this conjecture in the notebook. This time-honored bit of fun and training exercise, kept firmly in hand for decades, had this time fallen into chaos, with someone actually carrying off some braised meat.

Even the three earlier groups that had beaten the veterans had never actually touched the braised meat in the pot. There had been frenzied grabs before too, but the crushing advantage of more than twenty veterans guarding the stove had prevented any successes.

The problem this time was both the suddenness of the events and the issue with the lights. If the lights had come on, this never would have happened. Perhaps this was a sign to consider fitting a light onto their source energy maneuvering devices in the future.

The next opening of the source energy field was only a little over ten days away. Immense anxiety settled over the group.

Both Zhang Dao’an and Li Wangqiang feared that the recruit named Han Qingyu had eaten the cooked meat. He could not be treated as an exception, because they had no guarantee he was a genius, or that he was B-rank or above. Many cases had previously proven that excellent qualities and talent in every respect did not mean a person would have passable source energy integration levels, let alone excellent ones.

They only hoped he would turn out somewhat outstanding, though they were not trying to put him on a pedestal. Similarly, they could not have him wait another year before entering the source energy field, because there was no telling what the situation would be like next year. No one could guarantee anything at this point, especially with the frequency of spindle-shaped aircraft landings this year.

If that boy really had eaten the meat, none of them would be able to rest easy, regardless of his results in the source energy integration test soon to come. Even if he tested at B+, A-, or even A, they wouldn’t be able to help but wonder if his integration level could have been higher.

As for anything above A+...

They were veterans. They knew better than to indulge in unrealistic fantasies.

If Han Qingyu had not eaten the meat, then as long as he actually tested at B-rank or above, they would accept it with delight.

That alone would be exceptional.

Although the majority of those in the Coalition ultimately did pass the source energy integration test, most stalled at the D- and E-ranks. These two ranks accounted for the greatest number of soldiers in the Azure Coalition at present.

Technically speaking, F-rankers could still wear the armor, but it was deemed wasteful, so the Coalition usually gave up on those people.

These people didn’t know that Han Qingyu had already eaten the meat.

However, they also didn’t know that he had already come into contact with source energy a long time ago during his first encounter with the Sharpies. It had been an unrefined, dark-golden block of metal, and he had absorbed it with extraordinary ease.

If his case were made public, would it prove that the line in the science notes was wrong?

Probably not.

After all, he was an isolated case, and an extremely special one at that. So, these customs would continue. Future recruits would still have to go through this suffering, and Tradition Night would go on.

Of course, it was also possible that this conjecture that later generations of the Coalition upheld was entirely wrong to begin with, but it no longer mattered. At least for Han Qingyu, it did not matter.

***

Han Qingyu did not manage to bring the meat back to the dormitory.

Dormitory 11 was stopped on the way back. A veteran had chased after them with a source energy maneuvering device. He even carried a straight saber on his back, worn parallel to the metal case, its hilt rising past his shoulder.

“This isn’t necessary, is it?” Wen Jifei asked, his meek body language a contrast to his aggrieved tone.

The previously frantic veteran smiled with unexpected kindness. Unlike before, there was no trace of violence or contempt. Instead, he looked the group of recruits before him over carefully, as if with a touch of admiration.

Then he turned his attention to Han Qingyu, who was clutching the beef, held his hand out, and said gently, “Give it to me.”

Han Qingyu glanced down, held it tighter, and did not move.

Dormitory 11 pressed forward as one.

The veteran simply smiled. The source energy device on his back hummed and vibrated, then flickered with blue light. The black saber shot out past his shoulder with a shing and dropped to the ground before him, sinking into the earth as though cutting through tofu, all the way to the hilt.

Through it all, the veteran stood there, unmoving. He didn’t even reach out to take the saber. Just the threat of it was enough.

Thus, in the end, the beef did leave Han Qingyu’s hands.

It was dragged away from his grasp inch by inch. Han Qingyu couldn’t help but secretly rub the meat a few times through the cloth as it parted.

The veteran opened the cloth to check. There was no problem. He looked Han Qingyu over carefully again. “Did you eat any?”

Han Qingyu shook his head.

“Did anyone else touch it?” the veteran asked, studying him.

Han Qingyu shook his head again.

“We’ll be confiscating this shirt. You, wash your hands.” The veteran kicked the saber up and escorted Han Qingyu to a faucet, watching as he washed his hands thoroughly three times with soap.

Only afterward did the veteran let him return to the dormitory, even secretly tailing the group for part of the way.

Once the veteran had left for good, Han Qingyu immediately brushed his teeth again.

As for the remaining seven, they first stared at him with great grief, then suddenly thought of something worth puzzling over.

“That’s it? It’s over just like that? No consequences? They’re not going to deal with us?”

There was no answer.

Meanwhile, the veteran carried the large piece of beef back to the kitchen.

“It’s fine,” he said as he entered. “He didn’t eat any. I watched him wash his hands three times.”

He set the beef down and found a place to sit. Forcing the kid to wash his hands seemed a little unnecessary, but there was nothing wrong with taking extra precautions.

The other veterans behind the black window finally relaxed.

As they were getting ready to go downstairs and partake in the meat together, a voice came from outside the back door. “The braised meat, where is it? The braised meat...”

A tall figure, wearing only a singlet and shorts, came charging in groggily. He charged all the way up to the veterans before stopping, glancing at the stove and the beef, then back at the veterans.

“What... Is everyone already gone?” he asked.

The veterans were stunned. After a long pause, one of them asked, “You came to grab some meat to eat?”

The big guy didn’t bother denying it and gave an awkward laugh. “Ah, I slept too deeply. Must’ve overslept.”

“Then what about the others in your dormitory?”

“None of them dared to come,” he said glumly. “But they told me that a lot of dormitories were heading out to the canteen kitchen tonight to grab meat, which is why I came...”

As he trailed off, he suddenly glanced around, only now taking in the evidence of the earlier chaos in the kitchen.

Holding back their laughter and munching on meat, the veterans rose and surrounded the big guy.

“I see. Then how about... we put on a special round just for you?” they suggested.

The big guy thought it over. Though unwilling, he said in resignation, “Never mind.”

In good spirits, having had their fun and relishing in the fragrant meat, the veterans did not give the big guy a hard time, simply bursting into raucous laughter. “Fine, we’ll let you go then.”

With that, they turned, breaking their encirclement, joking with each other as they got ready to sit back down.

Out of nowhere, the big guy grabbed a piece of beef off the stove and turned to run.

That was fast.

“Oh, come on... has this batch of recruits gone mad?!” The bronze-mark veteran sighed, feeling as though he was about to go mad himself.

Luckily, the few soldiers who had gone out to chase Han Qingyu earlier still had their source energy devices on and could activate them at once. A veteran snatched the meat while simultaneously sending the big guy flying with a kick.

“Wash your hands!” the veteran barked.

While the big guy washed his hands three times with soap, he took two kicks to the backside, but did not resist. Once clean, he turned around and spread his hands open. “Team Leader, want to check?”

The veteran stepped closer.

The big guy quietly and slowly lowered his hands.

The veteran subconsciously bent down to follow.

Out of nowhere, the big guy snapped his teeth at the beef in the veteran’s hand.

“What the—” The veteran brought his hand up and leaped aside, narrowly dodging him. “Fuck!”

That bite was only off by probably less than a centimeter.

“I’ll kill you, you brat!” the veteran cursed, voice strained with not just grievance and anger but also more weariness than anything else.

The veteran’s fury at his own misstep soon bled away into laughter.

“The Coalition really does breed talent in every damn generation,” he said with a shake of his head. “This batch of yours... Never mind, get lost!”

The veterans’ kindness and tolerance that night exceeded many people’s expectations.

After all, it was Tradition Night.

For many veterans, their Tradition Night had happened many years ago. Some of the brothers, whom they had once grabbed meat together and taken beatings together, were, by now, already gone. For some, they were the only ones left of their original dorm.

The second half of the night belonged to the veterans themselves. There would be no sleep tonight. They were all eager to down a few cups with the beef, and once drunk, to reminisce about lost brothers and recall old stories.

There would be no shame in shedding some tears on this night.

***

In the dead of night, the drunken men draped arms over each other’s shoulders and sang the seventy-year-old anthem of the Azure Coalition’s Oriental Republic Army Group.

I have a keen blade; I cast off my old robes and take up arms,

Strike the oars midstream to redeem the boundless Grand Harmony.

Of the countless men through the ages, how many were true men?

Heads falling upon the yellow dust, their merits carved upon heaven,

From death until this day, the hot blood still runs deep crimson.

I have a red tassel; with it I can bind the great dragon...