Chapter 432: The Opening Ceremony that Surprised Everyone


    The provincial transportation hub, a military void battleship slowly emerged from the vortex, with several guiding ships quickly approaching to escort the battleship to its designated location.


    Watching the earnest figure of a middle-aged man in uniform on the screen before him, Lin Xiao had an inexplicable sense of exhration, that feeling….


    “Feels great, doesn’t it!”


    Xie Yufei, with her arms crossed, stood behind Lin Xiao and curled her lips.


    Lin Xiao nodded and said,


    “Yeah, who would have thought that a student who hasn’t even fully graduated from high school would be a high-ranking military official? Life is truly unpredictable.”


    He turned his head and nced at Xie Yufei, who still held her arms and looked somewhat discontent, knowing that this sister was not in a good mood.


    After all, who likes to have their preferences arranged by others?


    This time she came not only to send him over but at the behest of Commander Xie Tianyan, to not only escort him but also to arrange for one of her incarnations to follow him back, ostensibly for protection.


    Such ame excuse, how could she not see through it? She didn’t know what Commander Xie had told her, but she came along, looking displeased.


    About this, Lin Xiao was speechless, but he was still quite happy in his heart, surmising it must be better to have a beautiful woman’spany than to be alone.


    The void battleship only docked here without moving any further; just a whileter, a small, ordinary-looking flying vehicle left the transportation hub and flew into the distance.


    Setting the flight route for the vehicle, Lin Xiao tapped on his wristband, and a screen popped up, but it was blurry and showed nothing.


    He wasn’t in a hurry and waited patiently.


    After a few minutes, the image began to clear, and a blurry figure emerged, followed by a crisp voice that was oh so familiar,


    “Is that you, son? The signal here is bad; I can’t see you.”


    He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but he heard a hint of weariness in his mother’s voice.


    A smile spread across Lin Xiao’s face involuntarily as he responded,


    “Yes, Mom, I’m on my way home now.”


    “You’reing back, son!”


    He could clearly sense his mother’s spirits lifting,


    “Where are you now? I’lle to pick you up.”


    He said with a smile,


    “I’m already on the way, I’ll be home soon.”


    “Then I’ll prepare the food you love. Last time, didn’t you say you wanted to…”


    Her voice suddenly paused, because by then, the image had cleared up; she could see him staring straight back at her, or more precisely, at the person behind him. The more she observed, the broader her smile became, as she blurted out,


    “Son, who’s that girl behind you?”


    “Ah…”


    What a curveball from Mom, Lin Xiao thought as he turned to look at Xie Yufei, who had somehow put on a sweet smile. Turning back, his face was also full of smiles,


    “This is Sister Yufei, and she is also my subordinate!”


    “Subordinate?”


    Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine.


    “Yes, my subordinate.”


    “Such a pretty little thing, you haven’t bullied her, have you?”


    “Not at all.”


    Lin Xiao… forced augh


    I wouldn’t dare… I can’t even beat her.


    Thinking this, he suddenly regretted taking this slight verbal advantage.


    But at that moment, it seemed his mother was delighted, and after prattling on for a bit, she hung up of her own ord.


    Lin Xiao scratched his head, not daring to turn around.


    A cool breeze blew from behind, and a ghostly voice whispered in his ear,


    “I am your subordinate?”


    “Ah, no, it’s not like that, Sister Yufei. Listen to my exnation.”


    “Exnation?”


    “Not that, let me exin first.”


    “So exin, how will you do it?”


    She leaned back, her arms crossed, with a look that said she was all ears.


    “Well…”


    Lin Xiao’s gaze wandered as if lost in thought; suddenly, he pointed upwards and eximed,


    “Hey, what’s that up there?”


    “Hmph! Childish!”


    …


    When the flying vehicle appeared above Lin Family Fortress, Lin Xiao was in front of a water mirror, wiping a bruise from his face.


    Normally, a sweep of Divine Power would heal any injury, but his Divine Power was no match for hers, so…


    Seeing her violent side for the first time, Lin Xiao regretted his earlier flippant remarks and knew he wouldn’t dare to provoke her again if there was a next time.


    Clearing his mind, the flying vehicle had already stopped at one of the berths closest to his home within Lin Family Fortress. Jumping from the vehicle, he was surprised to find that other than a security uncle, there was no one else around; he remembered that in the past, every time he returned, he would see many n members, especially the elderly who liked to gather around the berths to chat or y chess, but now he could see none.


    As he passed the security booth, the uncle who had been half-dozing in his rocking chair looked up to see him, propping himself up on his stick and said,


    “So it’s Xiao’er from the fourth branch returning. Your timing is unfortunate; the family has had some issues recently, and everyone’s been busy with that.”


    Lin Xiao asked curiously,


    “What’s been happening with the familytely?”


    “Didn’t your parents tell you?”


    “Not yet.”


    “Oh, if they haven’t told you, that means it’s not the worst-case scenario yet, so no need to worry.”


    The old man tapped his cane and said:


    “Go home, kid. This isn’t something for a child like you to worry about.”


    After saying goodbye to the old man, the streets were just as empty as the docking area I saw earlier. The few people around were all in a hurry, and the Lin Family Fortresscked its usual liveliness.


    “It looks like something big happened to your family.”


    Xie Yufei observed the lifeless Lin Family Fortress and said to Lin Xiao:


    “Why do I feel that wherever you go, something happens? You must have some kind of disaster-attracting constitution.”


    Lin Xiao retorted discontentedly:


    “This happened before I came back, okay? It would have been the same whether I returned or not. It’s just a coincidence.”


    “An exnation is a cover-up! A cover-up means guilt, and guilt means it’s a fact!”


    …..


    Lin Xiao always felt that ever since Xie Yufei followed him home, she’d be weird, liking to pick on him more. However, a good man doesn’t fight with a woman, so he wisely chose not to continue the argument.


    Arriving at the front door of his home, he pressed the doorbell and turned to Xie Yufei:


    “Let’s not tell my parents about my current situation for now. I will find the right time to talk to them.”


    She pursed her lips and said:


    “Who’s interested in your family’s affairs?”


    Just then the door opened, and his mother’s face, both surprised and delighted, appeared before him. She took his hand, examining him carefully, and then her gaze shifted to Xie Yufei, her smile growing even warmer as she enthusiastically said:


    “Son,e in quickly, and you too, miss. I’ve prepared some delicious food for you.”


    Before he could speak, Xie Yufei wiped away her previous expression and greeted with a bright, sweet smile:


    “Hello, aunty, I’m your son’s subordinate!”


    Jin Yunzhu didn’t react at first and asked subconsciously:


    “Subordinate? What subordinate?”


    Lin Xiao coughed lightly, and the beautiful colonel exined with a smile:


    “I am Lieutenant Lin Xiao’s messenger.”


    The mother was still somewhat confused, so Lin Xiao hurriedly exined:


    “I’ve already been promoted to lieutenant and am the captain of abat team. She is the messenger assigned to me by my superiors.”


    “So that’s how it is.”


    Jin Yunzhu nodded, somewhat understanding. In fact, she didn’t understand this stuff at all, but whatever her son said was right. Besides, this youngdy was really pretty. Though not as delicate as thest Shen Jia girl, this girl’s aura of vigor was very appealing.


    In the living room, as Lin Xiao ate some bright red fruit, he asked his mother, who was peeling fruit for Xie Yufei:


    “Mom, where’s Dad?”


    “He went back to the ne.”


    “When I came back, I found the fortress a lot emptier. The old man at the docking area said there was trouble with the n ne. What exactly is happening?”


    His mother paused, handed the freshly peeled fruit to Xie Yufei with a smile, and she thanked her politely, eating while following the conversation between mother and son.


    “It’s the Zhang family matter again. You know our Lin n and the Zhang n are archenemies. There is conflict every so often, but this time the scale is a bitrger,” she said with a smile.


    “Son, don’t worry about these things. Your grandparents, uncles, they can all handle it. Just focus on your studies. By the way, aren’t you taking the college entrance exam soon? Howe you have time toe back?”


    Lin Xiao exined:


    “Mom, have you forgotten that I was specially recruited by Radiancest year? I don’t need to take the college entrance exam and can directly advance to Huiyao University.”


    “Oh, look at me, I had forgotten.”


    Jin Yunzhu said as if suddenly enlightened:


    “Son, you’re so aplished. I’m proud of you. Radiant University is the number one Super Academy in the Main World. I’ve heard that those who sessfully graduate are at least True Gods. Once you graduate ande back, our n can rely on you and Lin Xu. When we have four True Gods, we will certainly be able to surpass the Zhang family and then be…”


    She suddenly stopped mid-sentence, and Lin Xiao hurriedly asked:


    “Mom, I’ve grown up now. There are things you shouldn’t keep from me anymore. Your son is quite capable now; maybe I can help.”


    Jin Yunzhu subconsciously nced at the girl her son had brought home, and liking her more the more she looked, she nodded and said:


    “Indeed, you’ve grown up, and you even know how to find a girlfriend for yourself now. Your mom doesn’t have to worry about your future…”


    “Cough!”


    Lin Xiao immediately interrupted his mother’s musings, sneaking a peek at Xie Yufei. She maintained her sweet smile, but he couldn’t tell what she was really thinking. He returned to the topic and said:


    “Mom, let’s stick to the important matters.”


    Jin Yunzhu, still somewhat eager to talk more but seeing her son wasn’t interested, went back to the matter at hand:


    “Actually, it’s not that big of a deal. As you know, our Lin n and the Zhang family’s territories are all in a group of nes in the AX-14 Crystal Wall System, centered around the Heya ne, each upying half. To monopolize the group of nes, both families have been contending for the past two thousand years.”


    “Initially, trying to vie for nes and worshipers without limitation led to huge losses for both sides, and neither could develop well. Concerned about this issue, your great-grandfather and the old ancestor of the Zhangs reached an agreement to set up a method of conflict. The oue of this method determines the victor, with the winner taking the bet territory and the loser conceding it. Right now is the beginning of the new round of conflicts.”


    “I see!”


    Lin Xiao had somewhat of an epiphany.


    He knew about the feud with the Zhangs and that there were disputes, but he didn’t know the specifics, so he continued to ask:


    “How exactly do they decide the winner? Who’s winning and who’s losing now?”


    Jin Yunzhu exined:


    “This time, the Zhangs put up ne B6 for the bet against our C4, C5, and C11 nes. Both sides agreed to send five descendants each, limited to those under a hundred years old, to fight. Whoever wins three out of five battles will determine ownership.”


    Lin Xiao was shocked to hear:


    ne C5 is a medium-sized ne, given to his father by his grandfather shortly after his parents were married.


    Over nearly forty thousand years in Different Domain time, starting with the original settlers from the Divine Realm,