Chapter 2238 Lin Yiyi's Journey of the Heart
At this moment, Lin Yiyi felt as if she had fallen into an endless abyss of darkness, her heart filled with an indescribable sense of helplessness and a chilling fear. She simply couldn't understand why these students could be so rebellious? Or rather, why they could be so infuriating?
She patiently explained to them again and again, trying to make them understand what terrible and tragic consequences would result from blindly pursuing that mysterious distress signal—a slight misstep could very well lead to their death and burial here!
As the highest leader and commander-in-chief of this assessment, she had issued a very serious and unequivocal order: absolutely no one was allowed to act without authorization, and everyone was to stay here obediently! No rash actions were permitted! However, to her utter surprise, this cruel reality struck her like a bolt from the blue! These students completely disregarded her previous warnings, not only failing to obey her orders and wait quietly for further instructions, but instead running off like wild horses, their speed causing the veins on Lin Yiyi's forehead to bulge!
Faced with this intricate, perplexing, and utterly overwhelming situation, Lin Yiyi felt dizzy and her head throbbed as if it were about to explode; the excruciating pain was almost unbearable. At this moment, she couldn't help but fall into deep thought...
"What exactly is going on? Could it be that the current Chinese Starship Academy has become completely unrecognizable and is vastly different from what it used to be?"
Looking back, she was just an ordinary student among many others. Although her classmates in the special class, considered the cream of the crop, were all lively, cheerful, and playful, they would never openly and brazenly disrespect her as a so-called leader like Li Qifeng! But now, Lin Yiyi knew perfectly well that she had truly messed things up... After all, with her current abilities, she was simply no match for these unruly individuals, like wild horses! Ultimately, the key reason for this incident lay in the academy's sudden and unexpected change of the assessment subjects, especially the unprecedented use of riddles as an assessment method. This directly led to a significant drop in the students' trust in the academy, naturally making them one of the culprits behind the current chaotic situation!
"Sister Lin, what's the best way to deal with this? These brats are so arrogant and unruly, they're practically lawless and think they know everything..."
Xiao Gao stared at Lin Yiyi with a worried expression, his eyes filled with endless confusion and bitterness. At this moment, he placed all his hopes on this experienced leader, hoping to find a magic solution to his problem from her. However, things didn't go as planned. The cruel reality struck his fragile heart like a heavy hammer: even Lin Yiyi herself was helpless and at a loss in the face of such a thorny predicament.
It must be understood that these spoiled brats are all backed by complex and deeply entrenched family forces. If any mishandling or reckless punitive measures are taken, then without a doubt, their powerful and wealthy parents and elders will come swiftly to demand justice and retribution. However, the truly distressing and unbearable situation goes far beyond this. Adding insult to injury, Lin Yiyi is completely unaware that several sharp, hawk-like gazes are now fixed upon this place—a seemingly calm and uneventful assessment has unknowingly transformed into a life-or-death duel between two powerful figures!
After a moment of silence, Lin Yiyi seemed to have made up her mind, and slowly stood up, but her movements were somewhat stiff and slow. She took a deep breath and then spoke softly in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.
"I...I'll go out for a bit."
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around abruptly and staggered toward the door, as if staying any longer would be unbearable for him.
Watching Lin Yiyi walk further and further away until she disappeared from sight, Xiao Gao finally snapped out of his daze and began to silently ponder what everything that had just happened meant. But then, he suddenly let out a long sigh—a sigh like the wail of a demon from the deepest hell. Immediately afterward, he gripped the armrests tightly, gritted his teeth, and with all his might, finally struggled to his feet from the tattered chair that had long since made his back ache, his buttocks numb, and almost glued to him.
The moment he straightened up, a surge of intense pain washed over him like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing his entire body. It felt as if countless steel needles were piercing his skin simultaneously, an unbearable agony; or as if thousands of ants were gnawing at his bones, a chilling sensation. His lower back, in particular, felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, the pain excruciating, as if it might snap at any moment. Faced with this sensation, Xiao Gao was overwhelmed with sorrow and regret.
"What did I do to deserve this? Why did I have to take on this mess instead of living a good life! I was hoping to show off in front of those big shots and make a name for myself, but look what happened... I've really messed things up now, and I'm definitely going to get a scolding!"
Xiao Gao was secretly groaning, while Lin Yiyi walked heavily out of the conference room. In the empty corridor, he took out his phone and dialed Old Li's number without hesitation.
Soon, Old Li's slightly hoarse but powerful voice came from the other end of the phone: "Hello?" The voice seemed to travel through time, carrying the steadiness and authority that comes with age. However, at that moment, a faint commotion also traveled through the phone line to Lin Yiyi's ears. The sound seemed to come from near and far, faint and indistinct, conjuring up an image of a bustling, lively scene. Clearly, Old Li was currently in a rather noisy environment.
Lin Yiyi knew time was of the essence and there was no room for delay. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and quickly and clearly recounted everything that had just happened to Old Li, emphasizing the various difficulties and obstacles they were currently facing. After he finished speaking, Lin Yiyi, who had expected some guidance or advice, was surprised to find the other end of the phone completely silent! Apart from the occasional faint, almost imperceptible breaths coming through the receiver, there was no other sound.
In an instant, a nameless fear surged through her. Lin Yiyi gripped her phone tightly, her palms gradually becoming damp with sweat, and a fine layer of perspiration beaded on her forehead. She knew very well that what was about to befall her would likely not be pleasant words…
Finally, Lin Yiyi felt her consciousness begin to blur, as if the whole world was drifting away from her. She tried hard to stay awake, but her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and images flashed before her eyes like a frenzied movie screening. The sounds also seemed distant and indistinct, making it impossible for her to hear what Old Li was saying…
When the phone went dead, Lin Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief. However, a huge emptiness immediately followed, leaving her feeling weak all over. She dragged herself back to the conference room and sat back in that familiar chair like a walking corpse, her eyes vacant and lifeless, like a soulless shell.
The crowd, who had been quietly waiting for Lin Yiyi to speak, exchanged glances, none daring to break the eerie silence. After a long while, Xiao Gao finally mustered his courage and asked.
"Sister Lin... what should we do next?"
His tone was filled with trepidation and unease, as if he were afraid of accidentally offending his female boss, who at this moment seemed indifferent to everything and had no will to live.
Lin Yiyi slightly raised her head, glanced at Xiao Gao with lifeless eyes, then slowly lowered her head and answered weakly.
"You don't need to do anything... just watch..."
After saying that, he fell silent, sinking into a deep despair.
.............
However, just as Lin Yiyi ended her call with Elder Li, far above the Morning Star, an important negotiation that had been interrupted by an unexpected event resumed.
This mysterious morning star bears a striking resemblance to the blue planet we know: it has an abundant supply of oxygen, clear and sweet freshwater sources, and an incredibly hard granite crust. It is no exaggeration to say that the morning star is simply a magnified version of the blue planet!
However, in terms of geographical features, Venus stands out from the rest of the world. Compared to the vastly different ratio of freshwater, saltwater, and land on Earth (approximately 7:3), Venus presents a near-perfect 50/50 balance. Even more astonishing is the exceptionally even distribution of water resources, as if meticulously designed by nature. From afar, Venus resembles a dazzling pearl, encircled by a broad, boundless blue ribbon, like a magnificent belt cinching the planet, dividing it in two. It is precisely this magical "ribbon"—the Sea of Hope, a name imbued with hope—that serves as a natural boundary, with China and the United States each occupying a prominent position on either side of Venus, creating a confrontational posture.
Undoubtedly, although most of these two continents are now separated, a contiguous landmass remains. This unique region has become a focal point of conflict between the two powers, naturally evolving into a strategic stronghold and a forward position for their confrontation. Here, various conflicts frequently erupt between the United States and China, sometimes escalating into small-scale battles. For this reason, this area is known as the "first battlefield" and has received high attention from the Chinese government. However, unexpectedly, a rare scene of tranquility has recently appeared on this once-smoke-filled battlefield—both sides have ceased all friction and launched a unique round of negotiations.
Old Li carefully tucked the mobile phone-like optical computer into his pocket. After all, people of his age often have deep feelings for the past, so many optical computer manufacturers have catered to market demand and launched this retro-style product design.
At this moment, Old Li was inside an enormous military marching tent. This tent soared into the clouds, reaching a height of seventy or eighty meters; its width was even more astonishing, spanning hundreds of meters! Normally, such a vast space could easily accommodate hundreds or even thousands of brave and fearless soldiers. However, now, this incredibly spacious tent appeared unusually deserted—a soft, comfortable carpet covered the expansive floor, and in the center of this carpet, more than twenty exquisitely designed chairs were neatly arranged. Clearly, a crucial and significant three-way meeting was about to begin here…
Just then, a deep, hoarse voice suddenly came from the depths of hell.
"Old Li, you are such a busy man! If I hadn't had the good fortune to witness this scene today, I would probably have thought that the world-renowned Li Tiandao was already old and frail and no longer capable of handling important tasks! Only a highly respected senior like you can shoulder such a heavy responsibility!"
Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice and saw a tall, burly man sitting in his seat, tilting his head to look at Old Li. The man had a thick, long white beard that hung down to his chest, swaying gently with his movements; his head was completely bald, yet his smooth, mirror-like forehead gleamed with a bright luster, like a golden sun hanging within. Even more striking was the long scar across his face, running from his forehead to his chin, making his already fierce and ruthless appearance even more terrifying. A single glance was enough to send a powerful sense of oppression through one's being. Without a doubt, based solely on his unique physical features, it was certain that he was from the United States.
Despite the fact that the person standing before him was the representative of the formidable enemy that had fought countless fierce battles with China for many years, Old Li remained expressionless, showing no emotional fluctuation whatsoever. He didn't even lift his eyelids, as if he didn't see the other party at all.
