Imperfections Chapter 53

For a moment, Jingheng Lin didn't know what's going on.

To be honest, even a slow man like Jingheng Lin, he could find the subtle ambiguity from the words … Though it was still possible that he just overreacted.

First, usually, commodore Lin was too busy to deign to chat with someone - after all, as an adult, he didn't have much experience about "flirting" and "ambiguity", not to mention keeping it in control; second, Bixing Lu was too vivacious of a man who believed everyone was his friend - Jingheng Lin was not sure whether he always talked like that.

Since Jingheng Lin was too shocked to continue the conversation, leaving Bixing Lu hanging in the air, it suddenly got into an embarra.s.sing situation.

  
Bixing Lu cleared his throat before he continued: "Well…"

 "You…" Jingheng Lin said.

They almost started talking at the same time, and shut their mouths together, looking at each other, and the atmosphere suddenly became super awkward.

By that time, outside the windows, the voice of the Self-Defense Force came, who was gathering outside the mech station. These people all had the same ferocious faces, tortured by a full day of horrible training. Under the command of Sat.u.r.day, they shouted "Hail the Self-Defense Force!" three times, loud enough to shatter the frozen air of the main control room.

Bixing Lu got his mind back quickly, seizing the chance to make a forced smile while he reached to pat Jingheng Lin's hand.

Jingheng Lin: "…"

 "You don't know the old legend, don't you? It has a rite - when two people begin to talk at the same time, they need to pat each other. The guy who moves at first will be lucky in money, as the other one will have luck in love." Bixing Lu said with an implied meaning, "Let me share some luck in love with you. You're welcome. "

When he finished, Bixing Lu stopped looking at his face, standing up and turning away at a great speed - it seemed that he would be kissed by big bully if he left a little slower.

 "Wait a second." Jingheng Lin stopped him.

Bixing Lu paused, turning his head back with mixed hope and worry. Jingheng Lin avoided his gaze and lowered his head to take sips of paled water. After a moment of thinking, he continued to finish his words: "Your friend… The one that took them to yell all day long outside."

 "Sat.u.r.day?" Bixing Lu said without thinking, "He is …"

"Heteros.e.xual" almost jumped out from his mouth, but he realized it quickly and shut his mouth before he made himself embarra.s.sed.

"What?" Jingheng Lin raised one side of his eyebrows. Then he waved his hand carelessly, "Whatever he is, but I guess he probably misunderstands about the causality - tough training is not the cause for why the Silver Ten Squadrons are elites, it is precisely because they are elites that the Silver Ten Squadrons can endure tough training. He missed this point, and his people will all run away soon."
  

Bixing Lu craned his head in from the door, beaming: "Commodore, is this a free offsite instruction?"

Jingheng Lin had already said too many words to him, feeling thirsty - he probably just ran out of battery, returning to a deaf-mute again.

Bixing Lu walked away with a light step. If there was no camera in the elevator, he could have danced with himself for fun.

For Bixing Lu, exploring Lin and this uncertain relations.h.i.+p were just the same as the first time he flew out of the atmosphere of planet Cayley or explore s.p.a.ce - though precursors had already confirmed and eulogized each step, when he approached by himself, he still found that "Practice goes deeper than theoretical knowledge", stirring his soul at each step.

Whenever he got something as a reward, he could be extremely excited and forget where he was.

However, the base was just like a bird's nest in danger under a big storm. The frictions between those wet wings did offer some warmth, but the theme was still thunder and lightning.

It was not surprising that it didn't go well when Bixing Lu told Sat.u.r.day about Jingheng Lin's advice - Bixing Lu found out that his chicken soup might be overboiled. 

To be honest, Jingheng Lin had said nothing wrong, because long-term and strict self-discipline had nothing to do with something like "spirit". It was hard to develop, accompanied with circ.u.mstance, education, scientific and systematic management and self-control. One could not simply get it from yelling "Hail the whatever!" few times a day - 

But Sat.u.r.day didn't believe in "gifted elites" nor "in sequence, step by step" - if he did, he would have not simply chosen dozens of people and forced them to stand in front of Bixing Lu.

It took a few minutes before Sat.u.r.day began to talk: "Mr. Lu, what's your suggestion?"

 "I think that there is no need for standard military training at first," Bixing Lu said, "For example, you can divide the Self-Defense Force into several groups, and let them prepare for the triathlon by themselves. The team who wins the compet.i.tion could choose the mech first. Take it easy. You'd better start by encouragement, which might be easier than forcing them to train. Many things can't be accomplished overnight."

This time, Sat.u.r.day had kept silent for a longer time. "But Prince Cayley had already blown up the planet Egret, do we still have time to slow down?"

 "It's the only way. That's what we have now. At least, it's better than the time we couldn't even pick up a single mech pilot." Bixing Lu said: "I'm trying to build an anti-tracking system to further hide the coordinates of the base. When Prince Cayley comes around here, we could stop them by guerrilla war for a while…"

"Man, that's enough. I might be slow and uneducated, but I'm not a fool. After the talk with Commodore Lin, I went back and thought about it again. Then I got what he meant - even the IU Armed Force failed, people like us just better save our energy. Am I right?" Sat.u.r.day interrupted him: "I don't believe him. 'Keep walking, and don't turn back', this is what you told me. And I tell myself that once a day. Who the f.u.c.k wasn't raised up by their parents?"

Bixing Lu tried to slow his tone: "When I said that you could be strict with yourself like the Silver Ten Squadrons did, I meant that you could respect yourself as the Silver Ten Squadrons. You can start with their spirit and att.i.tude, not the exact same schedule. Everything undergoes a process, even the Silver Ten Squadrons were newly enlisted once." 

Sat.u.r.day shook his head and said: "Let's just say that I am a loser. Once bitten, twice shy. For so many years I had never slept well, because I always thought that today we lived happily together, while our families could be desperately torn asunder tomorrow. You're the first one that gave me the confidence that I might be able to grasp my fate."

Bixing Lu frowned a bit - he couldn't say anything to refute this point, because Sat.u.r.day's sense of crisis was right. And this Self-Defense Force, which had already formed with his absence. He could only give advice, but not interventions - after all, he was just a scholar, so he wouldn't claim the right of speaking from others.

He just asked: "But no one in the Self-Defense Force used to be a soldier before, have you thought about that? It's impractical to ask them to get used to militaristic management immediately. Like you — can you get used to it right now?"

"Of course I can!" Sat.u.r.day said without a second of doubt.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the "soul of language*" in the ancient eastern story was just a myth from the Earth's small islands.

*言霊, refers to the j.a.panese belief that mystical powers
dwell in words and names, hence ritual words could
influence the environment, body, mind, and soul

Jingheng Lin hit the nail on the head.

Second day of the Self-Defense Force training—

 
The students were squatting in the main control room, stunned as they watched Jingheng Lin using a piece of a.n.a.lysis report to restore the fire allocation of Prince Cayley, even simulating a fight via computer. In the meantime, Bixing Lu tried to tempt Commodore Lin with a low-temperature roast meat, which got no response from the Commodore.

The attendance rate of Self-Defense Force morning training decreased by a quarter, dehydration, sunstroke, stomach problem, over-exercise … All the medical cabins in the base were packed by them.

Fifth day of the militia training—

The Heavy Mech No.3 with Zhanlu's mech core had been fixed up, ready for flight. During its test flight, this mech which was supposed to retire was like a ghost which could s.h.i.+eld the sky, summon the wind, and call for rain - with the mech station shaking under its body, it went to the sky under everyone's marvel. When it was circulating the base out of the artificial atmosphere, it was as if a new star was just formed in the sky. Before its take-off, Bixing Lu got a piece of delicious cheesecake from some places. It had a very delicate appearance, even had petals on it. He tried to entice Commodore Lin with it, but he only got ignored by Commodore Lin.

On the same day, the attendance rate of the Self-Defense Force dropped by more than half - when the people's blood cooled down, the victory of withstanding the high energy particle stream was degraded from "glory" to "brag". As to the slogan, it was tasteless as water after repeating three times, making it unable to inspire anyone anymore.

The seventh day of the self-defense training—

Some parts of the machines of the anti-tracking system had been finished, and the Heavy Mech No. 3 test had been completed with all the functions running well. Bixing Lu replanned the mech station, left the s.p.a.ce out for the Heavy Mech No. 3. When it returned, Bixing Lu came to welcome him with a bowl of sour and spicy noodles which was just out of the pot. Commodore Lin, who sought for nothing, hid imperceptibly like the Tang dynasty Monk who was touched by the queen of the Kingdom of Women*. Bixing Lu just decided to seize this chance, but was interrupted by Monoeye Hawk - the old Persian cat showed up unexpectedly, turning the "temptation for the tongue" into a war between tongues.

*a reference to the Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en(1)

Meanwhile, the discontent was spreading among the Self-Defense Force. Under the forced repression of Sat.u.r.day, people began to connect under the darkness, reforming new groups.

The eighth day of the militia training, 5:30 AM.

The morning training began on schedule, but Sat.u.r.day only saw a few people outside the mech station, and they were those who had followed him from the beginning.

The whole base was quiet, like a silent mockery. There were only a few older people who couldn't sleep well on the street, who crowded together and looked at them from afar, like dying crows watching around the nearly breathless livestocks.

"Bro Sat.u.r.day," Holiday looked around and found no one who dared to talk, so he just stood out with Sat.u.r.day's gaze and said: "I called them, but they didn't come. They said … said you …"

 "Said what about me?"

"You just know how to 'bully', and not for the base at all. They only run and jump around the mech station like those donkeys, and that this training is bulls.h.i.+t. Why not just ask Mr. Lu to give us a lecture on how to attack with the mech. You just want to take advantage of Cow's absence and try to replace him to be our boss…"

It was impossible for people in the base not to notice that Cow had been missing for days. They just didn't care, even making fun of him by piles - for Cow was totally a villain who knew exactly that he didn't own their trust so he needed something to control them. He was the only one who knew the channel map and the coordinates of the supply station for backup. Worried about being followed by the others, he always went to patrol quietly and alone. It was common that he'd be missed for a few months and show up suddenly.

But this time, accompanied by his leave was the turn of events in the base. With the encouragement of people who had a good head on their shoulders, people began to a.s.sociate.

People usually would not suspect Bixing Lu and those outsiders, for the shadow from Jingheng Lin hadn't pa.s.sed by, and Bixing Lu was almost like a savior that landed from the sky, who brought all the great change to the base - the unchallenged might and the amiable help, combined together, nearly painted by a sense of mythology, truly unquestionable.

They believed that the monk from outside would pray for them, but a lotus that blossomed in the mire would often be full of malicious speculation.

Hiding in the base, those people were lucky, but also unlucky - lucky, because they had survived in the base due to Cow's precaution; unlucky, because this luck made them feel self-abas.e.m.e.nt and self-satisfaction about their survival, unable to face the outside world. They had gotten used to being indolent.

These motley crews, who had been gathered in a rush, only held on for half a month before they lost their morale. Instead of improving combat power, they focused on the internal struggle.
 

"Bro Sat.u.r.day, what are we gonna do? What … why don't we go ask Mr. Lu?" Holiday asked cautiously.

Sat.u.r.day kept his face sullen, reticent - he had told Bixing Lu that "He can" confidently less than a week ago. Now he had to ask for Bixing Lu's suggestion, admitting that he was just a self-esteem bragger? Besides, what can Bixing Lu do?

At best, it was only the similar way for animal training - you walk ahead, showing them the bait in your hands, which could hoax them to run after you. This was different from what he'd envisioned for the Self-Defense Force.

Sat.u.r.day looked up to the sky that had completely gotten bright, gritting his teeth - you cannot wake up a man who was pretending to fall asleep; you cannot cure an incurable disease - he felt endless difficulty and loneliness.

"Bro Sat.u.r.day, do we still train today?" Holiday asked in a gentle voice.

"Of course we do!" Sat.u.r.day said, grinding his teeth, "Why not?"

As he finished, he took the lead in running with a big step, followed by the Self-Defense Force that had less than twenty people. He took a deep breath, yelling out obstinately: "Hail the Self-Defense Force!"

In the main control room, Bixing Lu was waiting for his students for the morning reading. Leaning on the windowsill, he watched Sat.u.r.day and his people run away, then he took a glance at the calendar in the corner of the wall - only less than two months left before the deadline that Jingheng Lin had set.

The mechanism of the long-distance communication was similar to the long-distance scan. One only needed enough power, a big enough mental network and an accurate enough distribution of transfer points - Jingheng Lin had scanned all the transfer points around the secret channel to the outer s.p.a.ce, leaving the long-distance communication machine on each transfer point so that Zhanlu's communication range could expand to outer s.p.a.ce via the transfer point net and scan the target communication. Once the communication key from both sides had been paired, the channel of long-distance communication would be established when one side gave the response.

Bixing Lu knew that Jingheng Lin could give the signal to the eternal s.p.a.ce at any time, because the survey map for military use had been completed and the Heavy Mech No. 3 had lifted off successfully. The only reason that he had yet to send a signal was that he had made a commitment and was keeping to his word.
 

Mint, who was the first to arrive, walked behind him: "President Lu, I guess these people are done for. The guy is pitiful."

Bixing Lu turned back with a serious face, looking at her: "Who are you talking about?"

Mint's p.u.b.erty might be taking a little longer - as a seventeen-year-old girl, she could still grow tall, her skin and muscles unable to keep up with this skinny shape. She stood on one leg, with the other leg barely touching the floor, wobbling as she was chewing gum: "n.o.body - why are you acting like a rigid dean? If you keep acting this way, we won't help you anymore."

 "What did you help me with?" Bixing Lu asked in a wonder.

"Fool uncle Monoeye Hawk," Mint answered, "He told us to give him a notice as long as Commodore Lin is approaching you. He also promised that he will pay us one day. President Lu, does your dad have the empty-nest elderly syndrome*?"

*empty nest refers to a home where the kids have grown up
and moved out, leaving their parents behind

Bixing Lu: "…" 

"By the way, President Lu, is that true that you like Commodore Lin? Such a scary man, I can't even dare to look at his face. How bold you are." Mint skillfully blew a bubble with the gum, and with a broken sound, she asked curiously in a low voice,. "Have you kissed him?" 

Bixing Lu was nearly choked on his own spit.

"Are you kidding me? Are old men like you so traditional? When I was in planet Beijing, I always go to the cheap bar with a bunch of guys. I would talk to whoever bought me a drink. We could kiss once if he was my type. As long as the kiss is good, we continued to get along, or we just said goodbye to each other. It's very efficient." Mint continued to say. "For such a long time, uncle Monoeye Hawk had even gotten mad twice, yet you haven't kissed him? What do you do when you are together?"

As soon as she finished, the elevator door of the main control room opened - Jingheng Lin was walking in. After completing his morning training, hetook a shower, which brought a rare color to his face. His hair was still wet, carrying with it a sense of rush of hormones.

Bixing Lu's eyes involuntarily fell on his lips, and he suddenly felt not good. He forced himself to look away, turning to Mint in a failed attempt to cover it up: "What did you say? Are these proper words for an underage girl like you? Don't think that the school regulations are not existing just because we're not in Beijing-β. Now, hand in your homework and go write your self-criticism!"

Jingheng Lin looked at him in surprise, for Bixing Lu seldom lost his temper. He probably thought the way that he instructed the little girl was funny, with a subtle smile appearing on his face, he asked: "Didn't you say that we would test the anti-tracking system today?"

It was as if Pandora's box opened inside the mind of this he well-informed young scientist, flitting through hundreds of descriptions of kisses in a split second. He quickly cleared his throat. 

"This way. Follow me." Bixing Lu said. "I initially planned to test on the ground, but I just got a new idea."

The author has something to say: 

This morning I noticed a message saying that there are people leaving comments about this book under other books. With the present level of civilization, why do people still do things like ordering KFC's chicken in McDonald's? Please write your comment with this book under right this book. There are totally enough room for all of these. Have courtesy.

Ps. About yesterday's snot problem, what is wrong about knowing the taste of snot? All of you never tasted it before when you got cold? ╮(╯▽╰)╭ ps again. Happy Children's Day!