After one round of sparring, Feng Jing had given his group another break informing them of the parts they needed to correct and which things must be personally trained on their own. Feng Jing also checked the works of their logistics and technical support. Afterward, he rechecked the program he created and made some changes in each mode. He even added a warning system in the program which completely utilized the radar functions of the mechas. This would increase the group's survival in the battle.
By lunchtime, the marshal had dropped by the training hall to pick up his lover. His teammates understood that their leader hasn't fully healed to fully join their training schedules. Today was unexpected as Feng Jing only came over to accompany his fiancé to work. Everyone had come out to see him off.
"Lord Jing please take care."
"We will definitely train according to the plan the leader had made!"
"Please get well soon."
"I will do our best."
"We will wait for the leader to return."
Feng Jing smiles kindly towards his team members as he usually does. Among the group, only Xue Ran's expression looks weird as he stares at Feng Jing. Feng Wu realized that Feng Jing mist had spoken to Xue Ran with his real personality and scared the child silly. He knew that Feng Jing's innocent face is only an act Lord Hei is playing along with.
"Okay, I understand. I will rest well so I can join the team as soon as possible. I'm sure that two days from now unless something bad happens I should be able to join the rest of the training. While I'm not around, be sure to listen to A'Wu and A'Yu ba~" said Feng Jing.
"We will!"
Feng Jing, "I will send someone to pick you guys up when I've received an okay from my family doctors and we will continue the training in my place. A'Wu, A'Yu, I will leave the rest to you. These members are final. There is no need to add more. A small team with coordination is better than a wrecked team with lots of members."
Feng Wu, "Please leave it to me."
"I will do my best as well," said Bai Yuyan.
"By the way, you can visit my home anytime A'Yu. Dage would be missing you if he hasn't seen you at the mansion each day," said Feng Jing teasingly.
Bai Yuyan blushed when he heard Feng Yang is mentioned once again. It seems that almost everyone from the Feng Family already knew that the Major General of the Phoenix Brigade was interested in him.
"Y-You… just shut up!" said Bai Yuyan.
Everyone laughed at Bai Yuyan's reaction and started teasing him. After receiving a new piece of gossip the rest of the team had pulled Bai Yuyan away for another interrogation.
"W-Wait. What are you guys doing? Let go!" said Bai Yuyan while being pulled away in the corner.
Feng Wu sighed at this sight and said, "Lord Jing please don't tease Yuyan too much. you know how thin his face is."
"Hahaha~ just for a bit. Don't forget to bring him back for dinner. I'm not kidding when I've said Dage is looking for him every day." said Feng Jing.
Feng Wu responded, "Please don't worry. I will drag him back with me after school."
"Good. good." Then Feng Jing suddenly moved his eyes on Xue Ran who immediately averted his eyes when he noticed him staring, "Xue Ran. Don't be silent all the time. Even if you have your own task, there is still a need to work with the group. You are my team member for this incoming competition after all~"
Feng Wu and Marshal Sirius instantly understood the hidden meaning behind Feng Jing's words. He was indirectly telling them that Xue Ran is someone from outside their faction. But since Feng Jing didn't remove him from the team means that Xue Ran's task is harmless which allows him to remain.
Xue Ran grits his teeth but still responds to Feng Jing's words under the criticizing eyes of both Feng Wu and the mysterious mask man whose identity he had just learned happens to be Marshal Sirius himself. That strongest sentinel in the whole empire.
Marshal Sirius wrapped his hand around Feng Jing's waist and said, "It's time to go home, Jing'er. Or we'll be late for lunch with the family."
"Is it already that late!? A'Wu we are going then… Take care of the rest." said Feng Jing as he left with the marshal.
"Please be careful on the way," said Feng Wu as he bid the two a farewell.
Once the pair had disappeared from their sight, Xue Ran looked at Feng Wu. Feng Wu already knows that he is a spy thanks to the indirect words of Feng Jing just now. Xue Ran doesn't understand why the latter isn't asking him anything.
Xue Ran asked, "Are you not going to ask?"
"Since Lord Jing hadn't killed you yet means you are still useful. I wouldn't touch you as you were allowed to live. It would be a different story if Lord Jing ordered for your elimination." answered Feng Wu.
Xue Ran looked at Feng Wu weird out. "You knew… You know what kind of person Feng Jing is?"
Feng Wu stared at him like looking at an idiot. "I am his aide. I knew anything regarding my own lord. Don't ask too much. You had already entered the blacklist of Marshal Altair with your current identity."
A gloomy expression appeared on Xue Ran's face. He wanted to look at that masked person ever since learning the identity behind that mask but he was afraid of getting killed on stop like how Navi Nash had ended just now. The Marshal had directly turned the young master of the Navi Clan with his own hands. This is the first time he learned that the quantum beast can be single-handedly killed like that by a human being.
"I know my place," murmured Xue Ran.
The two rejoined the rest of the members. Feng Wu had to save Bai Yuyan from the hot seat his friends had placed him in. Now everyone on the team knows that Bai Yuyan is being fancied by the eldest young master of the Feng Family. They've really thought of how lucky he is.
—
After a few hours' ride with the shuttle, Feng Jing and Marshal Sirius had returned back to the Feng Mansion. As expected by the time they arrived, everyone else had already gathered at the dining hall waiting for their arrival. This family had strict rules for eating meals together as one. After spending a few days in the mansion, the marshal had also picked up this habit of eating together as a family. His parents were there as well.
Once they've finished their meals, the adults started asking the marshal about his plans for the incoming competition. As everyone knows, all factions would be present for that event.
Feng Xuan asked, "I heard they've made changes in the things regarding the competition. What did Astra say to you, Sirius?"
"It's nothing much, Grandfather Xuan. They had just moved the location to an abandoned star at the edge of human territories. Citlali Star." answered the marshal politely to his future wife's elders.
"Citlali? That abandoned star near the territory of the Zergs! Who is the crazy person who suggested this? What would have happened if the royalty of the Zerg Race learned about this! Are they sending the children to their deaths!?" exclaimed Xue Xia.
Hiccup!
Feng Jing was startled by his Xiao Yeye's yelling that he began to hiccup uncontrollably.
Hic! Hic… hic!
"Jing'er drinks water," said Sirius as he helps his lover to calm his nerves down.
Feng Tian sighed, "Xiao Jing go back in your room for a bit. Dad needs to talk with Sirius for a while."
Feng Jing looked at the marshal worriedly but didn't speak a word.
"I will be back soon. When I've returned I'll help you hatch the egg okay? Take a nap for a bit, Jing'er." said Sirius as he ruffled Feng Jing's silver hair gently.
Knowing that his lover needs to talk with the elders, Feng Jing first excused himself and turned to his room with a set of tea and a few desserts. Once Feng Jing left the hall the area was suddenly filled with silence and tension that wasn't present when the child was around.
Altair Reeva, "While the child is gone let's talk about something serious… I've learned that the one who suggests the change of location is Janus Stellan. Marshal Janus is notorious for his fixation with the zergs. I knew a few things about this but… I need to hear it from my future in-law's side. Why is Janus Stellan so obsessed with the Zerg's direct lineage? Uncle Feng, Uncle Xue I know that you used to be close with Marshal Janus."
Once the topic of Janus Stellan's obsession with the Zerg Race was mentioned, the expression of the two elders, Feng Xuan and Xue Xia had turned dark. Just based on their reaction, they knew something about this subject.
"This… it is not that we are hiding it intentionally but because… the federation had forced us to sign a sealing order," said Xue Xia.
Mrs. Altair exclaimed, "Sealing Order from the Federation itself!?"
At this moment, even Reeva and Sirius realized how serious the secret about Janus Stellan's obsession was.
"Everyone in the Feng Clan was asked to sign it?" asked Altair Reeva.
Mrs. Feng, Navi Luna, nodded her head and answered, "Yes. Everyone in the family including the aides was tasked to sign it."
Feng Yang spoke, "Uncle Reeva, even though I was forced to sign after entering the military. Among the youngest descendants who knew about that person's existence, only Xiao Jing hasn't been forced to sign anything yet. This is because he is a minor and protected by the Empire's laws."
"Jing'er knows about this too?" asked Sirius.
Feng Yang nodded his head and said, "He should be but… he was still very young when he met that person. So… we don't know if Xiao Jing still remembers him."
"Xiao Si, you should try asking Xiao Jing about that person. Among us only he is able to tell you anything. Moreover, I think he still remembers that person. After all, he and Uncle Stellan used to dote on Xiao Jing as if he was their baby." said Navi Luna.
Marshal Sirius hesitated. He doesn't want to get his lover to get involved with the problems regarding the federation and the outside forces. His plan is to get his fated person to join his unit and closely protect him at all times. This is without exposing the latter to blood and war. Only he needs to do the killing, his young lover shouldn't be too exposed to the battlefield. But with how things are going, he knew that Feng Jing would get involved in the political wars regarding whether he likes it or not. The federation elders were only silent right now. This is because Feng Jing hasn't formally joined the military.
But once Feng Jing joins the federation those bands of old relics would definitely force him to sign the sealing order agreement. This is unless he openly blocks those old men from targeting his lover. Then he suddenly thought of General Feng Xuan's demotion. They said that the cause of his injuries was Marshal Janus sending him to a death zone. Thinking of that sealing order and Marshal Janus's obsession, Altair Sirius thinks that these things are closely related.
Marshal Sirius asked, "Grandfather Xuan. Please only answer the question you are allowed to."
"Sigh~ go ahead and ask," said Feng Xuan.
"Is Grandfather's injury caused by Marshal Xuan?"
"…"
"Was the order of sending grandfather to the death zone a suggestion made by Marshal Janus?"
"Yes."
"Does the Sealing order something that involves that person, Marshal Janus is obsessed with?"
"…"
"Does Marshal Janus hate the Feng Family?"
"He doesn't."
"Am I in the way of Marshal Janus's plans?"
"Yes."
"Does Marshal Janus's plans involve the person connected to the sealing order?"
"…"
"Are you allowed to mention that person's name?"
"…"
"Last question. Did Marshal Janus also sign the sealing order?"
"He doesn't need to as he is the person who wanted to keep it a secret the most."
After the question and answer between Marshal Sirius and Feng Xuan had ended, Altair Reeva and his wife could mostly understand the content of the sealing order. Anything regarding that person is erased and taboo. Those who signed the sealing orders are not allowed to tell anyone anything about things that involve that person, if one breaks the agreement, would be killed immediately.
"I understand now. Please excuse me for today," said Marshal Sirius politely to his elders and parents before leaving the hall to see his lover.
Once Sirius had left, his father had cursed for the first time. Now, General Reeva knows why the old goat, Janus, is targeting his son. It is because his son is in the way of his plans that he wanted Sirius dead. Sadly, Sirius isn't really involved with the problem Janus Stellan has. But because his son is blocking his path of taking over the federation that he wanted him dead.
Altair Reeva, "That unreasonable old bastard!"
