42: Chapter 38: Otherworld General Staff Headquarters_1 42: Chapter 38: Otherworld General Staff Headquarters_1 In front of the big screen, a soldier stood rigidly, watching the content of the match, a smile playing on his face.
He looked to be in his fifties, his white hair unabashedly creeping up to his temples.
He was dressed in the latest military green army officer’s uniform, with two shining stars on his shoulder.
His eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s, staring directly at Luo’er, who had fallen in front of the screen, and fell into a state of brief contemplation.
“Chief!” Wang Xu, opening the door, came before the soldier, saluting respectfully.
“Hmm!” The soldier merely grunted without shifting his gaze, continuing to stare as if no one else was in the room.
“Luo’er, he…” Wang Xu, glancing at the fallen Luo’er on the screen, started to say something but hesitated.
“Expected, isn’t it,” the soldier concluded his contemplation and turned around, “Contact Principal Luo Qishan, and tell him to prepare for a meeting in the Headquarters!”
“Understood!” Wang Xu nodded, immediately turning to leave.
Watching Wang Xu leave, the soldier turned back to look again at Luo’er on the screen, shaking his head involuntarily.
Eventually, Luo’er and the others lost.
After months of hard work, with the team constantly dividing and reforming, all was for this day.
And yet, they still lost.
Coming out of the virtual machine room, Luo’er looked dazed.
Not breaking down in tears, was already the ultimate threshold of his endurance.
“Luo’er, we…” Hu Daoke tried to approach him to comfort him, but was held back by Cheng Ziang.
Hu Daoke turned to look at him, only to see Cheng Ziang shaking his head, signaling him not to interfere.
“Luo’er…” Tangmo, with guilt, followed behind him, inseparably walking with him.
She dismissed the others, step by step, followed Luo’er back to his dorm.
Luo’er opened the door and walked in, only to be startled by Tangmo who had followed him in and then casually closed the door.
He was at a loss for what to do next.
“You can cry now, just let it out!” Leaning against the door with her hands behind her back, Tangmo said the only comforting words she could come up with.
“Woo…” Seemingly pushed over the edge by Tangmo’s words, Luo’er finally broke down, uncontrollably sobbing in Tangmo’s arms.
“Just cry, it’s okay!” Tangmo held Luo’er’s head, gently patting him, softly soothing him.
To Murong’s Hunters, they had just won a selection match.
But for Luo’er, he felt like he had lost everything.
From the day his father died, he was incessantly trying to escape the cage that trapped him, in search of his mother whom he missed dearly.
For this, he worked hard.
Even if his talent was not as great as others, he stubbornly did what he could, hoping for recognition, because he knew that this was the only way to leave Earth and go to the Otherworld.
In a resolution passed on May 30, 2021, by the UN Security Council, it was decided to designate a 20-kilometer radius area centered on the Otherworld Gate in Central Australia as a military garrison zone.
It would be guarded by the armies of the five permanent member nations, to prevent an organized invasion by the Otherworld’s forces.
Therefore, no matter what, if one wanted to reach the Otherworld Gate and then go to the Otherworld, they could not circumvent the five permanent member nations, except for the Australian government.
The selection for the Otherworld’s advance troops gave Luo’er hope.
In his final semester of high school, he made many changes, all in an effort to seize a rare opportunity.
However, when the opportunity stood before him, he ultimately missed it.
Only after he knew not how long, did Luo’er collect himself.
The bout of crying had let out all the frustration and helplessness he had bottled up for decades.
Taking a deep breath, Luo’er felt much lighter.
“I’m sorry, I lost control!” Luo’er got up from Tangmo’s arms, wiping his tears, his tears had soaked a large spot on her clothes.
“You’re okay, that’s what matters!” Tangmo shook her head and smiled gently, demonstrating the demeanor of a protective older sister.
“We lost…” Luo’er finally accepted the reality.
“It’s okay, our team is still together, there will be other opportunities, right!” Tangmo reassured him with a smile.
“We…” Luo’er lifted his gaze to look at Tangmo, but he found it difficult to meet her gentle eyes.
“No matter where you want to go, we will be with you!” Tangmo said with a warm and sincere expression.
“Th-thank you.” Luo’er felt at a loss, his face slightly reddening.
He had to turn his face away, not wanting Tangmo to see his complexion.
However, he didn’t realize that his elf-like ears were already bright red.
“For someone older than me, you’re still so shy!” Tangmo chuckled, tippy-toed and reached up to touch his soft hair.
Feeling the warmth from her palm, Luo’er shyly looked at Tangmo.
In an instant, he finally understood why Hu Daoke was so obedient to Tangmo, and why Cheng Ziang was so loyal to her.
“Luo’er, let’s go for a walk somewhere, no matter what the outcome is, the five of us are still together right!” After consoling him, Tangmo suggested.
“Yeah, we are still teammates!” Luo’er, tears still apparent in his eyes, smiled and spoke.
As they opened the door to leave, Luo’er suddenly paused, he had a sharp sense that someone had just departed, but the corridor was empty.
“What’s wrong?” Tangmo asked.
“Nothing, just an illusion!” Luo’er shook his head, not dwelling on it further.
In the Principal’s office, when Luo Qishan saw Luo’er collapse, he felt an inexplicable joy, despite the pain in his heart.
Luo’er had ultimately lost, he couldn’t defeat the final team and didn’t earn the qualifications to enter the Otherworld—this outcome was what Luo Qishan had hoped for most.
Although this was a heavy blow for Luo’er, it didn’t matter to Luo Qishan.
For him, as long as Luo’er stayed faithfully by his side, he was content.
He was over eighty years old now and no longer wanted to see his grandson venture into that perilously dangerous Otherworld.
Once, he sent his son into the Otherworld, only to bring about his premature death, ending his young life at the mere age of 29.
Conservative or stubborn, even if Luo’er resented him for a lifetime, he didn’t want to lose his only grandchild again.
Just seeing him at his side, even if it meant imprisonment, he was satisfied.
Setting down his teacup, Luo Qishan sighed heavily.
Just as he was recovering, the communicator on the table suddenly lit up.
Luo Qishan tapped the communicator, bringing up a translucent screen that displayed Wang Xu’s figure.
“Chief!” Wang Xu had a worried look on his face.
“Headquarters has requested that you come to the meeting room in Zone 7!” After a pause, Wang Xu slowly relayed the information.
“I’m not sure, it’s most likely about…
the results of the selection,” Wang Xu faltered as he spoke.
“Yes, the helicopter is en route!” Wang Xu informed him, and Luo Qishan immediately heard the booming sound of a distant helicopter.
After a moment of hesitation, Luo Qishan said slowly, “Understood, I’ll be right there!”
“Yes sir!” Wang Xu nodded, and then switched off the communicator.
Luo Qishan rose and walked to the window, where a military transport helicopter was flying toward the administration building’s rooftop helipad.
Watching the approaching helicopter, Luo Qishan’s brow furrowed with suspicion.
“Lin Wei, what are you planning?” he murmured to himself.
When the helicopter landed on the helipad, Luo Qishan was already there waiting.
After boarding, the helicopter quickly took off, heading toward another secret base.
After the initiation of the Origin Project, concerning the subspecies, the Ministry of Defense had developed a series of plans and invested substantial military funds.
This included the establishment of the headquarters.
The full name of the headquarters was the Otherworld Combat General Staff Headquarters, with the highest military official being the Chief of General Staff.
Only a Major General could hold this position, currently occupied by Major General Lin Wei.
As its name suggests, the Otherworld Combat General Staff Headquarters was mainly responsible for combat operations in the Otherworld.
With the arrival of the thirty-year peace era, the headquarters’ mission had transformed into expanding their influence in the Otherworld.
But with the impending third Otherworld war laid out by the United Nations, the Ministry of Defense required ample intelligence from the headquarters to determine if they needed to deploy troops to the Otherworld.
Hence, with the first batch of subspecies having completed high school, the General Staff Headquarters decided to select a small team to be sent to the Otherworld for pre-war reconnaissance to decide whether to participate in the third Otherworld war.
The Otherworld Gate was located in Australia, and since Australia was a steadfast ally of the United States, it resulted in their inability to dispatch more power to the Otherworld.
Should the Origin Project be exposed, it would be a heavy blow to both the country and the headquarters, leading to the decision to only send a small team in secrecy into the Otherworld for reconnaissance.
As the Chief of General Staff, Lin Wei held considerable qualifications.
Thirty years ago, he participated in the second Otherworld War that led to a disastrous defeat for the United Nations army and miraculously withdrew from the battlefield.
Thus, when it came to fighting in the Otherworld, he held deeper insights than anyone else.
In relation to the Origin Project, the Ministry of Defense had constructed a series of military facilities on Hainan Island’s Qiongzhong Mountain area, including Haiya Academy.
Luo Qishan was now heading to another military facility on the island, which was where the General Staff Headquarters was located, in Zone 7.
After the aircraft stabilized, Luo Qishan got off the helicopter with the help of the shuttle staff.
Lin Wei, who was the Chief of General Staff, had been waiting there for a while and showed great respect for his former senior.
“Elder Luo!” Seeing Luo Qishan, Lin Wei stepped forward and slightly bowed.
“You’re a Major General now, I cannot accept such respect.” Luo Qishan, noticing the two glistening stars on his shoulder, simply stated.
“You’re too modest, no matter what, you are our respected senior.” Lin Wei spoke respectfully.
“Enough with the formalities,” Luo Qishan waved his hand and said, “What do you need me here for?”
“Regarding the selection of the advance team to the Otherworld, we believe it’s necessary to hold a meeting for decision-making.”
“Hasn’t the competition already ended?
You’ve already found the team you need,” Luo Qishan replied, but a sense of unease lurked beneath his words.
“No, we have other ideas regarding the selection!” Lin Wei stated.
“What are you trying to do exactly?” Luo Qishan asked, feeling increasingly uneasy.
“Let’s discuss inside, everyone is waiting for you!” Lin Wei gestured, inviting him in.