I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield - Chapter 454 - 381: Farewell and Return

Chapter 454: Chapter 381: Farewell and Return

The room was dimly lit, Qin Tian raised his hand to activate his smart wristwatch, lightly tapping on the virtual screen to send a video call request.

A few seconds later, a soft blue holographic projection lit up in the air, revealing a familiar face.

“Officer!” Qin Tian straightened up and gave a standard military salute.

“Qin Tian, congratulations on successfully completing the Demon Suppression Abyss mission.” Yan Qing’s face broke into a smile, and as his gaze swept over the badge on the shoulder, there wasn’t a hint of surprise in his expression.

“Also, congratulations on your promotion to Major General—now, our ranks are equal.”

Qin Tian was originally from the Seventh Bureau, and even though this promotion was handled through a special process, his original unit would certainly be notified.

Previously, Qin Tian’s promotions were all submitted by the Seventh Bureau and approved by higher units of the Military Department.

But this time was different. Qin Tian triggered the “Special Merit-Based Promotion” regulation, which was directly decided by the highest military committee of the Azure Wood Star Realm, and even Marshal Lin from far-off Kyoto had no say in it.

Previously, to disguise Qin Tian’s identity as a Clone and his ’rocket-like’ growth speed, Marshal Lin personally suppressed his promotion to avoid drawing attention. But now, it’s beyond his control to stop it.

Thinking of this, a sense of sentimentality rose in Yan Qing’s heart.

Qin Tian was someone he personally discovered—at their first meeting, he was a silent and reticent Cloned Soldier who had just awakened his Spiritual Energy. It was Yan Qing who sent him to the military academy for further studies.

At that time, he had noticed the extraordinary qualities in Qin Tian and had high expectations for him.

But he could never have imagined that in just two short years, Qin Tian would not only achieve numerous successes on the battlefield, but his strength and rank also soared rapidly, now even catching up to an old veteran like himself who had been navigating the waters of the Seventh Bureau for decades.

Of course, this was also the inherent limitation of the Intelligence Department.

In the early stages, promotions in intelligence work are quicker; as long as a few lurking missions are completed, or some key intelligence is intercepted, one’s rank can steadily rise. But the further one goes, the harder it becomes.

Reaching the level of a general officer, those who can lead troops and turn the tides of battle are far more likely to earn merits than intelligence officers, and to look across the Empire, there isn’t a single Marshal or General from an intelligence background.

If not for this Demon Suppression Abyss campaign, Qin Tian would have had to endure at least three to five more years, maybe even longer, to become a Major General.

But now, all that is in the past.

Yan Qing looked at the tall and upright figure of Qin Tian in the projection. Now that they are both Royal Major Generals, Qin Tian can no longer spend his idle time on Silver Gray Star, waiting for him to assign tasks.

As a Major General, he would inevitably take a pivotal role in the core of the Seventh Bureau.

Yet within the Seventh Bureau, it’s going to be hard to find a position that matches Qin Tian’s abilities and rank.

Yan Qing let out a gentle sigh, a knowing look flashing in his eyes—Qin Tian’s days of leaving the Azure Wood Star Realm and heading to the Imperial Capital for a higher appointment are probably not far off.

“Officer, no matter how my rank changes, I am still your subordinate, and that has not changed.” Qin Tian said earnestly.

Hearing this, Yan Qing felt warmth in his heart, and he couldn’t help but sigh. Compared to that introverted Cloned Soldier he first met, Qin Tian has changed so much now.

But it’s a good thing.

Yan Qing knew well that while the military is based on strength and achievements, climbing to the top position requires much more than these two things.

The higher one goes, the more unavoidable are the intersections of connections and exchanges of resources.

If Qin Tian remained as silent and unsociable as before, no matter how strong his combat power, he would only become a “blade” in others’ hands, seemingly glorious, but in reality just a pawn manipulated at will.

Only by being someone who can remain true to himself and knows how to navigate interpersonal relationships can he truly integrate into the circle of high-ranking officers and possibly break free from the fate of being a “pawn,” becoming the player holding the board and controlling his own life.

“Officer, the Demon Suppression Abyss mission has been successfully concluded. Please instruct on our next course of action.” Qin Tian stood straight, his tone filled with seriousness.

Yan Qing waved his hand, his tone softening a bit: “This mission has been taxing on you. Return to Silver Gray Star and take a good rest for a while.”

His gaze fell on the Imperator Medal on Qin Tian’s chest, its red-gold base sparkling, each pattern silently recounting the weight of meritorious deeds—he knew better than anyone else that this medal was never handed out lightly, only awarded to those who had reversed the tides on the battlefield and survived numerous brushes with death.

For Qin Tian to earn it, there must have been untold hardships behind it.

As the supervisor who had guided Qin Tian, Yan Qing felt a sense of pride in his subordinate’s success, as well as empathy for the effort behind these achievements.

At this moment, what Qin Tian most deserved was a break, rather than immediately plunging into a new task.

As for the arrangements moving forward—since Qin Tian is now a Major General and holds the Imperator Medal, decisions in the Seventh Bureau alone won’t suffice. It’s necessary to quickly consult with Kyoto and see Marshal Lin’s input.

“Yes, Sir!”

Qin Tian saluted.

Ending the video communication, a smile appeared on Qin Tian’s face. The chance for a vacation was just what he needed, as he had many things to handle next.

First, there was the sale arrangement of the Youth Potion, which he had promised Dongfang Yu a share in, and he certainly couldn’t go back on his word.

Secondly, during his absence, a large batch of Barbarian slaves had been sent to Silver Gray Star, waiting for him to train them.

Lastly, he needed to find a type of Thunder Element Treasure Material to help balance the darkness and thunder spiritual energy within him, allowing him to break through to Tier Six.

With a holiday, he could start working on these matters.

…

The news of Qin Tian’s promotion to Major General and receiving the Imperator Medal quickly spread through the station, and as he walked, many people cast curious glances at him, wanting to see what this rising star of the Military Department looked like.

And Qin Tian’s youth and appearance surprised many.

This newly minted Major General was not only excessively young but also had a face comparable to a male celebrity, sharp yet rugged.

However, as the outside world prepared to dig deeper into Qin Tian’s identity and background, they were surprised to find that the only accessible information about Qin Tian was from the past two years. His prior history was completely blank.

It seemed unlikely a person could emerge fully formed from nowhere, indicating that Qin Tian’s information must have been deliberately concealed.

Yet with so many inquiries, even from members of the Golden Bloodline family, unable to uncover Qin Tian’s background and origins, the power behind this secrecy was all the more intimidating.

A week quickly passed, and the clean-up work from the Demon Suppression Abyss campaign was gradually completed. The casualty lists for all battle groups were finalized, and compensations were disbursed to the families through military channels.

The heroes who had made significant contributions stood on the podium to receive their honors; while ordinary warriors also received Military Merit Points matching their achievements.

The improvised battle groups, formed for the Demon Suppression Abyss campaign, now faced disbandment as the task concluded.

Alongside the spaceships at the Star Port, Chijin Battlegroup warriors carrying their bags frequently looked back, waving at Qin Tian’s group, their voices full of reluctance:

“Commander! Battalion Leader! Brothers, until we meet again!”

Qin Tian stood beside the ship’s gangway, raising his hand and waving hard. This farewell meant everyone would head to different stars, likely never to meet again, but the days spent fighting demons shoulder to shoulder in the Demon Suppression Abyss, defending the line together, would surely be etched in each person’s memory like a brand, forever vivid.

“Brothers, farewell!”