Chapter 495 - 318: The Void Giant Whale’s Predation, an Epiphany on Natural Law; The Call Between Marshal Zhang and Vice Admiral Qin Rui

Chapter 495: Chapter 318: The Void Giant Whale’s Predation, an Epiphany on Natural Law; The Call Between Marshal Zhang and Vice Admiral Qin Rui

"After all, the more of these void creatures there are, the more planets will be born within this Crystal Wall System after they die. These planets, along with the life and resources they nurture, will all become part of the Blue Star Federation’s foundation in the future!"

Lu Mei nodded thoughtfully.

Since Zhang Yi’s Main Divine Position was the Natural Divine Position, watching this scene caused his understanding of it to deepen involuntarily. He sank into a state of enlightenment, leaving Lu Mei’s words unanswered.

Wondering what was wrong with Zhang Yi, Lu Mei turned her head and saw him, lost in a state of epiphany. Instantly, she dismissed the thought of waking him. As she gazed at Zhang Yi’s nearly perfect side profile, the longer she looked, the more she liked what she saw. Her furtive glance soon turned into an open, entranced stare!

Ten or so minutes later, Zhang Yi broke out of his state of epiphany. He suddenly sensed a gaze fixed on the side of his face. Turning his head, he met Lu Mei’s clear and focused eyes. She seemed to have been watching him for quite some time!

"What is it?" Zhang Yi asked softly.

Lu Mei quietly averted her gaze and looked out the porthole, her tone still calm. "It’s nothing. I just saw that you had entered a state of epiphany and decided to stand guard for you, that’s all!"

Zhang Yi nodded. However, he had a feeling that the situation just now wasn’t quite as Lu Mei had described it.

There seemed to be a light in her eyes just now! It was more like she was peeking at me.

But Zhang Yi didn’t expose her. After chatting for a few more moments, the two quietly admired the view outside the porthole.

***

Meanwhile, in the command center of the Xuanwu-III Type Integrated Warship, Vice Admiral Qin Rui had been listening to Colonel Zhao Feng’s report.

"...That’s the basic situation. The fifty students led by Chief Instructor Yang are all in good condition. They have boarded the warship and entered their assigned cabins to rest," Colonel Zhao Feng reported.

Vice Admiral Qin Rui nodded, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. "Mm. Are there any particularly outstanding prospects in this batch of students? You should have had a chance to find out when they were boarding."

Upon hearing Vice Admiral Qin Rui’s question, Colonel Zhao Feng answered immediately, "Yes! The most outstanding one is a student named Zhang Yi. Just this morning, during the boarding and acclimation period, the manifestation of his Divine Position and his Divine Suppression that he inadvertently revealed have shockingly already reached the level of a Ninth Transformation Demigod! Moreover, according to what those students revealed in their conversations, this student, Zhang Yi, is apparently the overall captain for all the students from the Yanhuang Federal Region. Furthermore, based on information revealed by Zhang Yi himself, he seems to have already been recruited by Tianya Academy. We just don’t know which campus recruited him."

"Zhang Yi..." Vice Admiral Qin Rui slowly mulled over the name. A knowing smile flashed in his eyes. "The power of a Ninth Transformation Demigod, and he’s only eighteen! To possess such power at his age... he is truly remarkable! In a moment, ask his chief instructor for a detailed report of his results and information from the previous rounds of competition in the University Alliance Training Camp. I will take a look at it myself later."

Colonel Zhao Feng was startled by Vice Admiral Qin Rui’s words.

This is an extremely rare occurrence! To be noticed by Vice Admiral Qin Rui... this student named Zhang Yi has a smooth road ahead of him! If Vice Admiral Qin Rui is willing to put in a little effort to cultivate him, combined with the student’s own Talent, his future will be limitless!

Colonel Zhao Feng’s mind raced as he listened to Vice Admiral Qin Rui’s orders.

"Alright," the Vice Admiral continued. "I’ve said what I needed to say. Go get Zhang Yi’s file and send it to me. Continue to keep an eye on this student, Zhang Yi, but be discreet. Do not disturb him unnecessarily. Go on!"

"Yes, sir!" Colonel Zhao Feng saluted and left with his new task.

After Colonel Zhao Feng departed, Vice Admiral Qin Rui immediately opened a private, encrypted communication channel in the command center. A moment later, a general appeared on the screen, dressed in a military uniform, his face stern and radiating the aura of a high-ranking commander. It was none other than Zhang Yi’s grandfather—Zhang Shumo!

"Marshal!" A respectful smile was on Vice Admiral Qin Rui’s face.

"Xiaoqin, have you seen him?" Zhang Shumo’s voice was gentle yet powerful.

"I haven’t seen him in person, but my subordinate has already reported the young master’s situation to me. According to the report, the young master is working very hard! Not only does he already possess the power of a Ninth Transformation Demigod, but he also became the overall captain for all the students from the Yanhuang Federal Region through his own sheer strength. Marshal, your grandson has inherited your outstanding Talent!"

A flash of pride passed through Zhang Shumo’s eyes, but he merely said, "He earned it himself. I didn’t provide him with much help—at most, I just gave him a suitable platform to develop on. Who would have thought the kid was so formidable, able to stir up storms at will. He shot to prominence in no time!" Zhang Shumo said with a laugh, clearly very happy inside.

"How is it? Is the journey going smoothly?"

"Smoothly," Vice Admiral Qin Rui reported briefly. "Aside from the students from the Yanhuang Federal Region, the students from the other four regions have also been brought aboard the warship." Then, his expression turned serious. "Marshal, about the upcoming competition, do you need me to..."

"No! No! No!" Marshal Zhang, on the other end of the video feed, quickly waved his hand in dismissal. "Don’t give him any special treatment. Test him as he should be tested. A great tree cannot grow in a greenhouse. You just need to ensure that this year’s University Alliance Training Camp exchange competition is fair and just. As for the rest, let him forge his own path! We of the Zhang Family aren’t so delicate!"

"Understood! I’ll handle it with the proper discretion," Vice Admiral Qin Rui said.

"Oh, right, remember to send me a complete copy of my grandson’s progress and results from the previous rounds of the University Alliance Training Camp competition. I want to study it carefully."

"Of course."

***

As noon approached, Zhang Yi and Lu Mei both received an internal map of the Xuanwu-III Type Integrated Warship on their personal terminals, sent by Chief Instructor Yang. The map clearly marked the areas that were off-limits to them. At the same time, the location of the student cafeteria was also highlighted.

Chief Instructor Yang’s message also made special mention that the student cafeteria on the Xuanwu-III Type Integrated Warship had prepared delicacies from the Gourmet World specifically for them. Many of the foods offered significant benefits, even for Eighth and Ninth Transformation Demigods, as they could enhance their Spiritual Power or make their Divine Power flow more smoothly.

After receiving this news and noticing that it was already close to noon, Zhang Yi and Lu Mei decided to head to the student cafeteria for a good meal.

Following the directions on the map, the two soon arrived at the student cafeteria on the middle deck of the warship. The cafeteria was simple and bright, with a minimalist design. Before they arrived, quite a few other students were already there. The air was filled with the tantalizing aroma of food, enough to invigorate one’s Spirit just by smelling it.

Along one side of the cafeteria was a long, buffet-style serving counter laden with colorful, alluring dishes that radiated fluctuations of Energy. There was Star Marrow Rice, so translucent it seemed to contain points of starlight; Butter Mammoth Steaks, from mammoths that grazed on the Sweet Grassland and fed on Cream Grass, making the meat melt in your mouth with a natural, creamy fragrance; Spice Flame-Broiled Whole Chicken, from birds that fed on various spices, which naturally marinated every muscle fiber with flavor; and ribs from the Small Tamed Flying Dragon, the Celestial Vault Winged Dragon, slow-roasted and smoked over air-dried fruitwood, giving the meat a unique wild aroma and a sweet, fruity flavor.

Besides these main courses, there was Hundred-Flavor Mushroom Soup made from Hundred Flavor Mushrooms and a vegetable salad made with Rainbow Tomatoes and Nebula Lettuce. All these delicacies looked incredibly tempting!

"These are all top-tier ingredients transported from the Gourmet World!" Lu Mei clearly recognized some of them. "They’re really sparing no expense! I just wonder if this is funded by the University Alliance Training Camp, or by that top-tier big shot Chief Instructor Yang mentioned."

Zhang Yi nodded, and was just about to get some food when he noticed that the atmosphere in the cafeteria felt a little off.