With Aleph’s help, he stood up and nodded:

“I’m going to rest now, soldier.”

“Yes.”

Aleph saluted and watched as Hermes’ body walked out of the facility.

His steps were so tired, and although he was so tall, he looked a little hunched.

“Is this lake really that beautiful?”

Aleph looked back at the Black Lake. There was not a ripple on the pitch-black surface in the windless facility, nor was there anything special about it.

It was just a lake that was a little dark in color.

……

The next day, the Qilang army began a large-scale march towards the east of the front-line base.

The person in charge of this operation is the Great Wall Protector, who is called the Extraditioner. He is a highly modified war machine with three heads and six arms, and a huge body. Just walking can make the earth tremble.

That powerful being will be responsible for protecting the vigilance around the Sky Eye Facility No. 0 and clearing all roads.

At this moment, on the main traffic route of the front-line base, Aleph was looking at the tall statue in front of him with dissatisfaction.

The last time he met this strange mechanical statue, he was almost beaten to death.

Although this guy saved his life when the massive missile attack from the Bright Moon came, as a soldier, Aleph considered it a despicable experience.

However, [Extrader] Maha did not seem to have any such grievances. When he led the troops through the main road and walked to Aleph’s side, he suddenly stopped and stretched out a hand to Aleph:

“Goodbye, benefactor.”

Looking at the mechanical hand with glowing patterns on it, the corner of Aleph’s mouth twitched.

He took a deep breath, and finally reached out his hand and shook hands with Maha:

“The road ahead is very dangerous. If you need help, call us immediately and reinforcements will arrive soon.”

“Don’t worry, benefactor, I will stop those ominous things.”

Maha spoke in a calm mechanical voice, revealing a sense of ethereality.

“The unnecessary sacrifices are enough. You don’t have to make a fuss about it.”

Aleph’s eyes lit up after hearing these words. Wow, this guy doesn’t look like a human being, and he speaks with some passion.

He cleared his throat and nodded to Maha:

“I wish you good luck on your journey.”

“Afterwards, I hope to be able to spar with you again.”

Maha’s last sentence finally brought back bad memories for Aleph. The corners of his mouth twitched again, and he wanted to say something, but the being with three heads and six arms had already embarked on the march, leaving behind only a tall figure.

The vanguard army of the Qilang people set out. This was the first spear that mankind stabbed into the black tide, and it was also the prelude to this decisive battle.

Looking at the huge figure leaving, Aleph’s expression became much more nervous.

He knew that the real decisive battle was about to come.

……

On the edge of the watchtower of the front-line base, Edward propped his chin up in boredom, watching the Qi Lang army marching eastward in a mighty manner.

For some reason, the mighty momentum at this moment could not arouse his desire to fight. He had no interest at all and even felt a slight anxiety.

In the past, Edward’s life was only about training and fighting. He was treated as a blade to be sharpened, and the only thing he needed to maintain was the sharpness of the blade.

Fighting is his duty, anxiety is impossible, so what is going on now?

Edward frowned, looked into it carefully, and then quickly found the reason –

——He is hungry.

This is incredible, I actually feel anxious because of hunger?

Just as Edward was worrying, light footsteps were heard on the stairs of the watchtower.

His eyes lit up imperceptibly, and when he turned around, he saw Hallilali coming up with two lunch boxes:

“I waited a long time and said a few more words, so I’m a little late.”

Halle Lali placed Edward’s lunch box on the temporary table in the watchtower and then sat down at the table.

She opened the bento with great interest, used the chopsticks to put a piece of meat into her mouth with an unskilled touch, and began to chew with satisfaction.

Halle Lali took two bites and suddenly realized that Edward didn’t sit down, so she tilted her head in surprise:

“what happened?”

“Nothing,” Edward looked away and sat down at the table, “I’m hungry and a little distracted.”

“Oh, I thought this kind of scene would make your blood boil.” Hallilali smiled lightly.

“Come on, what do you take me for?”

Edward tapped Hallilali’s forehead gently, and the girl smiled even more happily. She stood up and touched Edward’s nose. A few grains of rice stuck to the corners of her mouth, making her look messy, but she didn’t care.

“When I first got here, you were pretty fierce. You can’t blame me for having that impression of you, can you?”

“I’m not fierce now?” Edward sat down at the table.

“At least it’s better than before.”

Hallilali also sat down again, gently wiped the rice grains from the corners of her mouth, and then concentrated on eating.

Edward opened the lunch box and found that the combination was still simple: a few pieces of braised pork, fried spinach, and some sauce.

To be honest, he was very satisfied. After all, this was outside the Great Wall and he could actually eat meat. It was a great blessing.

This was all thanks to the logistical support provided by Hafgard. According to Edward’s original expectation, military rations and canned food were the highest benefits.

So Edward also ate his simple lunch box, and the two of them ate on the top of the watchtower in silence.

Ever since what happened that night, Edward and Halle Lali seemed to have formed some kind of tacit understanding, and they would meet at this place during their daily rest time.

At first, the two said nothing, but just looked at the empty wilderness together, deep in thought.

Until one day, Hallilali brought her lunch box.

After that, the two had more common topics. Edward, who was originally taciturn, began to express himself more and learned a lot about Harley and Lally.

He had never told a person so much about himself before, and even he was surprised.

He told Halilali about his childhood life and his experiences growing up to the present day – not much, actually. Most of it was repetitive training, some crackdowns on evil forces, and the concepts he had been instilled with since he was a child.

Halle and Lally talked about a lot more things with Edward: from art, life, thoughts, to the constellations in the sky. She was very knowledgeable and could tell a lot about a simple hill on the plain, as if she knew every detail of the world.

“I knew a little about it before coming to Dust Star.” This was her explanation.

Halle and Lally told Edward many stories, but they never mentioned anything about other worlds. When Edward asked about it out of curiosity, the answer he got was very simple and straightforward:

“I can’t tell you. Just knowing that information is a kind of pollution to you.”

Edward had some understanding of it, but he was not that curious, after all, he was not a scholar.

Over time, the two formed a habit of eating together in the watchtower every day at noon and evening. As their interaction deepened, Edward also developed an inexplicable feeling for Halle and Lali.

He was confused by this feeling – it was not taught in the schools of the Federation or in the military.

When he went to ask Aleph and Ivar, all he got was strange looks from them – looks that he couldn’t understand, they were inexplicable.

“Just be happy.” Aleph said this and pushed him out of the dormitory.

“…”

As Edward finished the last bite of food in his lunch box, his hunger dissipated and the boredom he had felt before also faded.

He raised his head and met the blood-red eyes of Hallilali – the latter had finished eating before him and was looking at him with interest.

Edward suddenly realized that his earlier anxiety had nothing to do with hunger.

……

Interlude) Odin People (Part 2)

After finishing her meal, Hallilali leaned against the edge of the watchtower, raised her head and squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

She looked like a cat taking a nap, harmless, with star-like highlights twinkling between her long eyelashes.

Before the [Inverted Sword] was assembled, Harilali had relatively little to do. Before that, she was mainly responsible for the layout and security of the front-line base. As the army advanced, she naturally became the one with the least time.

Girls always need a nap.

“…”

Edward leaned against the railing, silently looking at Halle and Lali. She was so beautiful, her profile alone seemed to represent the concept of beauty itself, and the midday sun became much dimmer because of her.

Halle Lali seemed to notice Edward’s gaze. She opened one eye and whispered:

“Am I pretty?”

“Huh?” Edward came back to his senses and shook his head, “I don’t know either.”

“Then why are you staring at me?”

“I have no concept of beauty,” Edward said honestly, “it’s just that it’s pleasing to the eye.”

“Ha…comfortable…”

Halle Lali stood up, frowned at Edward in dissatisfaction, and then sighed:

“You really said such words without changing your expression or heartbeat.”

“Why did your expression change? You are not scary, and you don’t have any strong malice,” Edward said.

“Oh, wood.”

Helplessly, Hallilali raised her head again, squinted her eyes, and stared at the midday sky.

“Edward, aren’t you nervous?”

“I’m not nervous,” Edward shook his head, “You know why.”

“Because you were trained as a blade by the Federation from childhood to adulthood?”

“Ah.”

“But you might die?”

“That’s an acceptable price to pay.”

“really?”

Hallilali stood up, walked in front of Edward, and looked up at the silver-eyed man who was a head taller than her.

He had just emerged from his teenage years, but he was already at least 1.9 meters tall, which was quite exaggerated for a Halilali.

But even so, Hallilali knew that even a tiny bullet could penetrate his skin.

Not to mention the giant sword of the Lord of the Black Tide.

“…”

Looking at the girl standing in front of him, Edward neither admitted nor denied it.

He just stared at Harilalli for a moment, then suddenly stretched out his hand –

——rubbed Hallilali’s head:

“Ouch…what are you doing…!”

Halle Lali turned her head, got rid of Edward’s big hand, and frowned again:

“Don’t keep acting strangely without changing your expression. I’m asking you a question!”

“Just now when I reached out my hand, weren’t you afraid that I would hurt you?”

Edward’s words were so sudden that Haley and Lali were stunned for a moment.

“hurt me?”

“Yes, literally.” Edward nodded. “You are very strong, but I believe that if your neck is completely broken, it will be difficult for you to repair it, right?”

“Um…”