paranoianovel Chapter 372: Keep Thinking
Chapter 372: Keep Thinking
Zhou Heng shook his head. "Fighting desperately and being effective are two different things. Your strength is already far beyond what this mission requires. When we get back, I will submit a request to headquarters for an additional merit evaluation for you."
Xu Wuyi didn’t refuse. "Thank you."
Back at the third outpost, Zhao Tieshan personally greeted them on the landing pad.
He glanced at the condition of the squad, then looked over at Xu Wuyi. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but he didn’t press for details. He simply clapped Zhou Heng on the shoulder. "You’ve worked hard. Go to the medical station and get your injuries treated, then take a half-day’s rest."
"As for tomorrow’s rotation, your squad can push back your shift until the afternoon."
"Yes!"
In the medical station, Chen Wu’s fracture was set and treated with a biological fixation gel. Li Hongwei’s wound was sutured, and she was injected with a Potion to promote healing. Wang Hai underwent an internal organ examination; there were no major issues, and a few days of rest would be enough.
Xu Wuyi had only sustained minor scrapes. After a simple disinfection, he left the medical station.
He returned to the barracks to find Chen Wu already on his bed, snoring like thunder. Xu Wuyi didn’t disturb him. He quietly washed up, changed into clean clothes, then sat cross-legged on his bed and began to regulate his breath.
His consciousness sank into his sea of consciousness.
The Golden Crow soared, and the Earth was still.
Three days of high-intensity combat and vigilance had tempered his Spiritual Power to an unprecedented degree. While the total amount hadn’t grown by much, it had become far more condensed and resilient.
More importantly, he had gained a more tangible understanding of "defending" and "bearing."
This wasn’t a theoretical understanding, but an insight born from personal experience.
Defending wasn’t about passively waiting, but actively constructing a defensive line, controlling the tempo, and seizing the right moment.
"Bearing" wasn’t about absorbing damage head-on, but about guiding, neutralizing, and dispersing it—channeling the impact into the earth until it vanished.
These realizations were still vague, but they had already planted a seed in his mind.
After half a day of rest, the fifth squad resumed their daily defensive rotations.
Compared to defending the mining area, the pressure on the main defensive line was much lighter. Star Beast raids were still frequent, but they mostly consisted of ten to twenty beasts, rarely exceeding fifty.
Moreover, the line had comprehensive fortifications and fire support. The Martial Artists only needed to hold key positions and eliminate the few Star Beasts that managed to break through.
Xu Wuyi, however, maintained his habit of extreme vigilance.
His Spiritual Perception constantly covered the three-kilometer western sector he was responsible for.
He could instantly detect any approaching Star Beast and eliminate it before it could breach the network of firepower.
Zhou Heng and the others gradually adapted to a combat style that revolved around Xu Wuyi.
They no longer tried to compete with Xu Wuyi for kills, instead focusing on support, covering gaps, and coordinated defense. As a result, the squad’s overall efficiency improved, and their casualty rate plummeted.
Other squads soon noticed the change in the fifth squad’s performance.
"Old Zhou, what’s the deal with that kid on your squad?" the captain of the second squad asked quietly, leaning in during a shift change.
Zhou Heng just smiled. "A student from Star Martial University. Champion of the youth tournament."
"No wonder..." The other captain had a look of sudden understanding, then couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. "With that kind of strength, he must be a top-tier Martial Artist, right?"
"Just about."
The fifteen-day tour of duty slipped by in a quiet routine of rotating shifts, constant vigilance, and daily combat.
Xu Wuyi didn’t intentionally focus on his cultivation, nor did he consciously seek out new insights.
He simply stood his watch, completed every battle, and then sat in quiet meditation during his rest periods, allowing his body and mind to recover naturally.
Within this rhythm, he found an unexpected and rare sense of peace.
It wasn’t relaxation, but a different kind of focus—a focus on the present moment, on the task at hand, on every breath and every heartbeat.
Occasionally, he would recall the Flame Venerable’s teachings, the principles of the Golden Crow Carrying the Earth, and his own quest to understand "Earth."
But more often, he simply gazed out at the wastelands of the Star Realm, at the dark red sky, and at the Star Beasts wandering in the distance.
Then, when a Star Beast attacked, he would strike with his spear.
...
「At the end of August, the garrison mission concluded.」
Xu Wuyi returned to Xingjing aboard a transport ship, accompanied by Zhou Heng and the others.
Fifteen days of fighting side by side had forged a bond of trust and understanding among the squad members. As they parted ways, Chen Wu clapped Xu Wuyi firmly on the shoulder. "Brother, if you’re ever in the Seventh Star Realm again, look us up for a drink!"
"I will."
Back in Xingjing, Xu Wuyi didn’t immediately begin his next test mission.
He first went to the research institute to submit his mission report and claim his merits and resource rewards. Then, he returned to his apartment and completely relaxed for three days.
For those three days, he didn’t cultivate, didn’t use Visualization, and didn’t even touch a weapon.
He slept, ate, wandered the streets of Xingjing, watched an old movie at a theater, and spent a whole afternoon on a park bench, watching children play.
It was a period of complete mental relaxation.
For the first time in over three years, he allowed himself to "waste" time like this.
But the results were surprisingly effective.
On the evening of the third day, as Xu Wuyi sat on his apartment balcony gazing at the stars, he suddenly smiled.
He understood.
’Cultivation isn’t just about burying your head in hard training, nor is it only about life-or-death battles. It also requires you to stop, catch your breath, look at the scenery along the way, and feel the warmth of life.’
’The Earth can bear all things not just because it is dense and solid, but because it is vast and all-encompassing, allowing everything to grow, flourish, wither, and be reborn.’
After three days of relaxation, Xu Wuyi threw himself back into the cycle of cultivation and missions.
The research institute assigned test missions twice a month. While the content varied, the core was always a practical combat assessment.
Xu Wuyi had grown accustomed to this rhythm, completing every mission with overwhelming force and consistently receiving an S-class rating.
He took on a garrison mission every month and a half, each lasting fifteen days.
He had been to the Seventh Star Realm, as well as the Third and Ninth, witnessing the different landscapes and environments of various Star Realms and clashing with all sorts of Star Beasts.
Time flew by amid this high-intensity training.
「In the blink of an eye, it was mid-November.」
Xu Wuyi gradually settled into this rhythm of life. Cultivation, missions, and rest formed a dynamic equilibrium.
His power grew steadily. His Life Energy Level reached 38.7, but his Spirit Level was stuck at 39.9, just a sliver away from Level 40.
But it was a barrier he just couldn’t seem to break through.
Xu Wuyi wasn’t worried.
He maintained his habit of contemplation.
During missions, he contemplated "defense" and "offense." During garrison duty, he contemplated "coordination" and "command." And during his rest, he contemplated "bearing" and "tolerance."
These thoughts didn’t lead to any sudden Enlightenment, but like a trickling stream, they continuously fed the lake of his mind, building up a profound foundation.
In mid-November, Xu Wuyi didn’t accept the next garrison mission.
He requested a leave of absence from the research institute and returned to Star Martial University.
It was time to enter seclusion.
...
「Hidden Dragon Garden, Villa No. 7, Underground Cultivation Room.」
Xu Wuyi sat cross-legged in the center of the room. The Energy-Gathering Runes on the surrounding walls began to glow, pulling Heaven and Earth Energy toward him.
He didn’t immediately circulate his Cultivation Technique, instead sitting quietly for a moment.
Simply breathing, simply feeling.