"Did you find out which faction this new commanding officer belonged to?" Ling Lan asked.
"Major General Ye Kui from the Ye family. They seemed to have formed a collaboration with the second marshal but still maintaining a good relationship with the other two marshals. Hence, all three marshals might have agreed to this appointment. The main goal of this appointment is to take the Li family down a notch. After all, the two successors of the Li family are in your mecha clan. They are using the Li family to suppress you," Li Lanfeng replied with contempt.
"Do you mean that the Li family is placing all their bets on me?" Ling Lan raised her eyebrows.
Li Lanfeng gave an ambiguous smile. "From the looks of it now, yes." If his grandfather still couldn't see who was the real king, he wasn't worthy of being the family head. Sometimes, he felt that his grandfather knew this all along but he just never told him.
Ling Lan wasn't surprised. She knew that the Li family would continue to support her as long as she was still useful to them."Where is Ye Kui?" Since Lingtian was still in control of Base Nebula, Ye Kui should be under their control too. He must be having a bad time.
"He's at the dormitory district." Li Lanfeng smiled. "He's restricted from leaving the compounds."
"You're so bold. Aren't you afraid that he will complain to the military headquarters?" Ling Lan smiled as she glanced at the crowd. She realised that these people had become bolder after following her. They even dared to lock up a commanding officer.
"We were finding spies in the base so Major General Ye has to suffer a little. He is prohibited from all kinds of communication." Li Lanfeng suddenly turned serious.
Yang Mingzhi and Liu Furong couldn't help but smile when they heard this. Li Lanfeng's decisive act of locking Ye Kui up helped to stabilise the situation in Base Nebula. They felt that in terms of ruthlessness and decisiveness, they couldn't be compared with him. No wonder their regiment commander left him at the base.
"Good. We must keep Base Nebula safe. This is the foundation of our journey to being an independent army." Ling Lan commented on Li Lanfeng. Since her father wanted Lingtian to become an independent army, she mustn't let anyone disrupt the plan.
"Independent army?" The three of them looked at Ling Lan in astonishment. Lingtian becoming an independant army affected many parties so before the official announcement, the news of Lingtian becoming an independent army was kept a secret by the military headquarters. Thus, the people at the base didn't know about this."If no accidents happen, yes." Ling Lan nodded. There would definitely be a battle before they really became an independent army. However, she believed that her father would take care of it.
Although she never mentioned it, Ling Lan had always hoped that Lingtian would become an independent army. She had always been on the outside looking in in the battle for power. She was helpless when she saw her father getting impeded in his path. But, when Lingtian became an independent army, she wouldn't have to be a bystander anymore. She could be a participant and help her father. Her father wouldn't have to fight all alone anymore.
'The time will come soon.' This was the last time she would bear with this sense of helplessness.
Ling Lan clenched her fist secretly. Ever since she entered the military, she had been controlling herself. Every step she took was done carefully so that she wouldn't create trouble for her father. Finally, her efforts paid off. It was time for her to reap the fruits of her labour. Everything was worth it in the end.
The three of them felt exhilarated after receiving Ling Lan's confirmation. They knew what becoming an independent army truly meant. This was the dream of all independent mecha clan. All of them hoped that Lingtian would become an independent army but they thought that this would happen many years later. Yet, it was happening now. They wondered if they were dreaming.
Ling Lan didn't care about their shock. She just went past them to the dormitory where Ye Kui was resting. Li Lanfeng made the right decision but it would undoubtedly offend Ye Kui and the Ye family, as well as the people supporting them. As the regiment commander, she needed to take care of these implications so that Li Lanfeng's future wouldn't be affected.
The two soldiers on duty were both lieutenant colonels. Ling Lan recognised them. They were veteran soldiers who had been with Lingtian since its inception. She didn't expect them to be sent over to watch over Ye Kui.
"Regiment commander!" The two relaxed soldiers immediately stood up straight and greeted Ling Lan energetically.
"Old Yuan, Old Jin, thanks for your hard work." Ling Lan had a good memory so she remembered who they were.
"No problem." The veteran soldiers feel elated after being acknowledged for their hard work. They didn't expect their regiment commander to remember their names. They felt touched.
Ling Lan rarely spoke. Normally when she did, it was an order or instructions for training. Besides the team leaders who had to talk to her to report the training progress, no one dared to get close to Ling Lan, much less talk to her. No one wanted to freeze to death.
Everyone was afraid of their merciless and cold regiment commander but they knew that she was a responsible person. Everything she did was for their benefit. However, when they knew that their fierce regiment commander even remembered their names, the feelings bloomed inside them was indescribable.
[A scholar dies for his bosom friend.] Although they were just a member of the mecha clan, they still understand the phrase. They were willing to fight for their regiment commander and even risk their lives for her.
Ling Lan didn't expect her greeting to have such a huge impact. To her, knowing the members of her soon-to-be army was part of her job.
Ling Lan asked Liu Furong and the other three people to wait outside while she entered the place herself. The first thing she saw was a huge courtyard with many plants and flowers planted inside. Some parts of the soil had been turned over to plant new flowers. This must be done within these two days.
This person had his freedom taken away but he still remained composed and even had the time to play with plants. This Ye Kui wasn't a simple person! Ling Lan made a judgment.
The main door opened and a middle-aged man around forty years old walked out.
The middle-aged major general was stunned for a moment when he saw a young major general standing in the courtyard. Soon, he realised who it was and asked, "Major General Ling?"
"Major General Ye," Ling Lan replied calmly.
"You're back." Ye Kui smiled. "This means that Base Nebula is totally under your control."
Ling Lan answered, "I just want to know why did you get yourself involved in this mess?"
"I was thrown here by the higher authorities. I have no choice." Ye Kui didn't conceal the truth.
"Ye family?" Ling Lan liked to go straight to the point.
Ye Kui smiled slightly. "It's a long story. Why don't you come in to have some tea?"
Ling Lan nodded. "Suits me."
