930 – Loved you for 10,000 Years
TL: BluVerse

PR: DreamerChrysalis

“You… I think I know you. You…” Tang Le’s voice trembled slightly. He was increasingly certain that he originally belonged to Shrek.

The woman chuckled softly and put her hat back on. “Yes, if you can’t even recognize her, how could you possibly recognize me? It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m so foolish. After all these years, why can’t I see through it? But I’m tired, and now that you’re back, I don’t want to keep going like this. I’ll find a chance to return what’s yours. From now on, you’ll have to bear your own responsibilities.”

With that, she turned to leave, opening the dormitory door. Just before stepping out, she suddenly looked back, her lips quivering slightly.

“There’s something I’ve always wanted to tell you but never did. While you still don’t remember the past and your heart hasn’t been refilled with memories of her, I’ll say it now. Otherwise, I fear I won’t have another chance.”

“Humans have many love stories. Between men and women, they often say things like ‘I’ll love you for 10,000 years.’ But do you know? I really have loved you for 10,000 years.”

After speaking, her body suddenly became ethereal, and in the next moment, she vanished without a trace. The slowly closing dormitory door was the only indication that she had ever been there.

Tang Le stood dazedly on the spot. The woman had come suddenly and left quickly. Throughout the encounter, she spoke words he couldn’t comprehend. Yet, for some reason, her final sentence shook him to his core. He instinctively wanted to say something but had no idea what to say.

High in the sky, she sat quietly, her hat removed, letting her long hair flutter in the wind.

Gazing at the bright moon, she smiled, a joyful smile. “Finally, I got to say those words to him. Such a relief, it feels wonderful. It’s good enough that he’s back, that he’s alive. What more could I ask for? Even if he did like me, what difference would it make? He is still the same, but I am no longer who I once was. This is my love, yes, this is it, and it’s great.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gazed at the moon. Some things could be forgotten in a moment, but some things last forever, unchanging.

When Lan Xuanyu returned to the dormitory, his eyes were filled with fatigue. From Tang Sect to Shrek, then going to seek out the Head War God, he had maintained a highly focused state at all times. His inner worries kept his mind constantly tense. Being finally back at the dormitory, he could relax a bit.

“Xuanyu, you’re too exhausted. Don’t push yourself too hard.” Tang Le frowned slightly, sending a gentle flow of soul power into his body.

Lan Xuanyu smiled. “I’m fine, Uncle Le. We have some leads. General Yu agreed to help us appeal to the Federation, citing Teacher Nana’s merits, to request a Federation fleet for the rescue. Both the Sky Fighter Department and the War God Temple will support this mission. General Yu will even personally accompany us. But he said that the more strong individuals involved in the rescue, the better. I’ll go to the academy and Tang Sect tomorrow to see if we can get a few god-level experts to help us.”

“Hmm.” Tang Le’s expression also relaxed slightly. “I’ve already thought about it. If it’s not possible to deploy a mothership, I’ll go myself. With accurate coordinates and a warship for remote resupply, I should have a chance. It’s the fastest way.”

“No, no way. It’s too dangerous.” Lan Xuanyu was startled. He understood what Tang Le meant; Tang Le was planning to search for Nana inside the star by himself.

“Besides, you wouldn’t be able to find Teacher Nana! I have a connection with her, which allows me to sense her presence within a certain range. How would you find her?”

Tang Le shook his head and said, “No, I think I can too. I have a feeling that as long as I get within a certain range of her, I might be able to find her. Of course, if you can persuade the Federation to dispatch a mothership, that would be the best option, as it would greatly increase our chances. But we can’t afford to delay too long; we must prepare for both scenarios.”

“No, Uncle Le. Teacher Nana has already left me; I absolutely can’t let you take such a huge risk. I can’t lose you too.” After a day of emotional upheaval, Lan Xuanyu could no longer hold back his tears.

Men’s tears were often silent, but that didn’t mean they didn’t feel sadness.

Feeling his emotional turmoil, Tang Le hugged him by the shoulders. “Don’t worry, I understand how you feel. I will make sure I can be safe before I go to rescue her. Let’s work together on this.”

“Okay!”

After taking a shower and returning to his room, Lan Xuanyu found it hard to meditate. His mind was filled with thoughts of Nana, making it impossible to calm down.

What he wanted most for now was for the Federation to approve the deployment of a mothership to rescue Nana as soon as possible. Otherwise, he really had no other solution.

Despite convincing Yu Mucheng with his talent, Lan Xuanyu felt increasingly powerless. If he were strong enough, he wouldn’t have to rely on others.

He informed Bai Xiuxiu of the day’s events. She told him that if they were going to rescue Nana, she would definitely join. Lan Xuanyu agreed; at this moment, he desperately needed someone by his side for support.

He didn’t realize when he fell asleep, but when the soul communicator’s vibration woke him up the next morning, Lan Xuanyu was still groggy. His head felt heavy, an unusual state given his cultivation level, caused by the intense emotional fluctuations of the day before.

Seeing the caller’s name, he immediately woke up. The call was from Yu Mucheng.

“Xuanyu, the Federation held an emergency meeting overnight and has agreed to the rescue mission,” Yu Mucheng’s voice came through.

Upon hearing this, Lan Xuanyu felt as if color had returned to the world. He practically jumped out of bed and, with a trembling voice, said, “Thank you, thank you, General Yu. I…”

Yu Mucheng interrupted, “Don’t get too excited before we actually pull off the rescue. The greater the hope, the greater the potential disappointment. Also, this isn’t the result of only my influence on the Federation. Our support from the Sky Fighter Department, as well as messages from Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, played a crucial role. Otherwise, this decision wouldn’t have been made overnight. The recognition you have from the academy and Tang Sect is likely deeper than you realize. It seems we can’t take all the credit.”

From Yu Mucheng’s conversation, Lan Xuanyu learned that both Shrek Academy and Tang Sect had sent clear messages to the Federation yesterday. They stated that if the Federation did not carry out the rescue mission for Nana, Shrek Academy and Tang Sect would no longer allow their members to participate in the Sky Fighter missions.

For the Federation, the Sky Fighter Department was already a very important division, with many top-level experts. Although the Sky Fighter Department was loosely managed and tasks were issued as missions with substantial rewards, the problem was that these missions involved extremely difficult issues the Federation found hard to resolve, or matters that were tricky to handle publicly.

Tang Sect, Shrek Academy, Spirit Pagoda, and the War God Temple were the four major organizations that formed the foundation of the Sky Fighter Department. If Shrek Academy and Tang Sect withdrew, the loss to the Sky Fighter Department would be immense and immeasurable, far beyond the mere mobilization of a cosmic fleet.

Moreover, the request for the rescue mission was reasonable. The Sky Fighter Department and the War God Temple also supported the rescue since the situation arose from attempting to complete a Sky Fighter Department mission. After an emergency overnight meeting, the Federation naturally decided to deploy a mothership to attempt the rescue.