"It doesn't matter that I lost my life at such a young age.
But what pains me is the hardship this brings to you, Strategist. After struggling so hard to reach this point, just as you're about to ascend to the pinnacle of your life—
with a mere lifespan of seven or eight hundred years, you haven't even had the chance to serve the Xianzhou Alliance to your fullest… Ah…"
The young Jing Yuan sighed mournfully, his dramatic delivery tugging at the Strategist's heartstrings.
"What?" Initially, the Strategist had been skeptical of Jing Yuan's claims.
After all, he'd been enjoying a hot pot meal and singing merrily when this kid—barely a hundred years old, still underage—suddenly rushed up to him,
claiming that the airship's crew had almost entirely fallen under the control of some unknown creatures.
Who could handle such news?
Fortunately, everyone aboard this ship was a long-life species,
and long-life species had one innate advantage—longevity.
As the saying goes, strange things happen all the time; you just haven't lived long enough to see them.
So, the Strategist wasn't entirely dismissive of Jing Yuan's words.
Upon reflection, he realized there had indeed been a few irregularities within the military ranks lately.
Watching the Strategist lower his head in thought, the young Jing Yuan allowed a faint smile to curl his lips.
There were other officers aboard the ship,
but Jing Yuan had sought out the Strategist first. A strategist was, after all, an advisor—
the brain of the military, its master tactician.
Jing Yuan preferred dealing with intelligent people—
it saved him the trouble of lengthy explanations.
If he'd had to spend excessive time convincing someone of his claims,
he might've truly ended up as fodder for those unknown creatures.
The Strategist glanced at Jing Yuan, then relaxed his brow, adopting a composed demeanor.
"Truth be told, I've had my suspicions for a while now. But let's hear what you've discovered first."
Jing Yuan chuckled lightly and cleared his throat. "Ahem. In my humble opinion, these abominations can control people's minds, but they also have some glaring weaknesses.
However, based on my observations, these weaknesses will become less apparent over time.
So, sir, I'd like to ask you to exercise your authority and retrieve the surveillance footage from the Omniscient Mirror."
"Surveillance footage? Why would we need that?"
"By sheer coincidence, I've glimpsed a fraction of the abominations' secrets.
But regarding their method of infection, I need further confirmation.
The footage might contain clues that could help us."
The Strategist's expression grew conflicted as he muttered inwardly,
"This kid speaks quite persuasively, but accessing the Omniscient Mirror is no small matter—
it could alert the enemy! Causing widespread panic over unverified claims
would be a case of 'penny wise, pound foolish,' wouldn't it?"
"Ah…" The Strategist heaved a long sigh. "To be honest, I think—"
BANG!
With a sharp glint in his eyes, Jing Yuan slammed both fists onto the table.
"Strategist! Lend me one of your most prized possessions!"
"What are you planning?"
"Simply announce that I've committed theft and stolen your belongings. Use that as grounds to retrieve the surveillance footage. Even if my suspicions turn out to be unfounded, you can still arrest me for the crime of theft."
The Strategist fell silent, studying Jing Yuan's resolute expression.
He found it hard to fathom just how mature and resilient this young man's mind was.
After a moment, he chuckled inwardly and relented.
"No need. I'll take full responsibility."
Jing Yuan clasped his hands respectfully in salute. "With such exemplary leadership, the Xianzhou is certain to achieve a great victory in this battle!"
——
"Not only is he mentally mature, but he also possesses the bearing of a leader. No wonder Jing Yuan became the Divine Foresight General." Wise, observing this scene, shared his thoughts. "At the very least, this segment is quite convincing."
Workday: "It seems Jing Yuan fits the standard protagonist mold—displaying remarkable wit and resourcefulness even in his youth. Looks like the film's focus is on him."
"That must be it. A young man in the prime of his life, poised to achieve greatness! I'm looking forward to seeing how things unfold. I can't wait to see them all gather together."
——
The scene shifted. Jing Yuan and the Strategist now stood before a pane of glass—this was the Omniscient Mirror, resembling something like a transparent television.
Jing Yuan sped through the footage at 8x speed, reviewing all recordings from the moment the airship made its emergency landing up to the present.
Fortunately, the ship had limited camera placements, so a quick scan didn't take too long.
Soon, Jing Yuan narrowed it down to less than two minutes of footage.
This time, he played it at normal speed, scrutinizing every detail.
Then, just as a Cloud Knight passed by, a shadowy figure darted across the screen at blinding speed.
Jing Yuan paused the footage with pinpoint precision.
The Strategist stared at the abomination on the screen. "So these things really exist?"
Jing Yuan stroked his chin, pondering the pattern.
"What criteria does this beast use to select its prey?
The footage shows it attacking only twice.
What triggers it? Hundreds of Cloud Knights have come and gone—why were only two targeted?"
At that moment, the Jing Yuan on-screen closed his eyes. Countless images flickered behind him,
as though he were deciphering some grand pattern.
Then, his eyes snapped open. "It's all clear now!
These abominations can control minds and even read memories. But everyone on this ship is a long-life species—
their memories span centuries. During the memory-reading process, if you ask them a question, their answers will be identical, word for word!
That's the flaw in the abominations' possession. Over time, this flaw will fade.
As for their hunting criteria—it's the back. As long as a person's back isn't fully exposed to their line of sight,
they won't be marked as targets. They won't be attacked or infected. Strategist, we can purge these abominations now."
With that, he first identified several uninfected Cloud Knights. Under Jing Yuan's command, the remaining knights passed a test to distinguish friend from foe, defeated their adversaries, and returned home safely.
After this battle, the airship's Strategist, impressed by Jing Yuan's displayed talents,
made a personal appeal to the Cloud Knight General.
"General, everything I've said is the absolute truth, with no exaggeration whatsoever.
Jing Yuan may appear young, but his mind is preternaturally sharp—a true once-in-a-generation genius!
In such a desperate situation, not only did he remain calm, but he also detected the crisis and, in an astonishingly short time, deduced the marionette spider's control mechanisms and countermeasures.
It would be a tremendous waste if such talent weren't put to use in the Cloud Knights!"
The General said little, but the facts spoke for themselves.
This near-bloodless battle had revealed Jing Yuan's brilliance.
Before long,
Jing Yuan rose to prominence within the Cloud Knights, earning their full trust.
In just a few scenes, his repeated extraordinary achievements were showcased—his quick-witted adaptability and pragmatic methods left his superiors both deeply impressed and occasionally exasperated.
Then, the screen faded to black, transitioning to a white-haired woman now in frame.
She stood silently, saying nothing.
A deep voice spoke before her.
"Jing Yuan is a rare gem, but much of what he does doesn't align with the Cloud Knights' standards.
The Abundance Emanators and Shuhu keep attacking the Xianzhou at every turn. I can't keep him by my side—if anything were to happen to him…
You must teach this child well. He is the future of the Luofu!"
"Understood. Jingliu accepts this duty!"