The General's Love Glitch - Chapter 47

“Qiyue!” Lin Aimin’s heart-wrenching cry pierced the night sky, only to be swiftly scattered by the howling wind.

“Land now!” Lin Aimin roared, his eyes fixed on the control screen, desperate to catch any sign that his willful, spoiled yet beloved daughter was still unharmed.

His eyes were so wide they seemed about to pop out, tears splashing onto the control panel. It was unclear whether they fell from the pain of watching his daughter leap to her death or from his refusal to blink, or perhaps both.

His personal guard had never seen the chief executive so unhinged. In their memory, the chief executive had always been gentle, kind to everyone, considerate of his subordinates, and thus deeply revered. Later, the guard watched as the chief executive selected Zhuo Hanjun from the latest batch of soldiers as a candidate for future general.

It was from that moment that everything began to change.

Was it the ambitious Zhuo Hanjun who caused the chief executive’s drastic transformation?

No. It was the chief executive himself, desperate to tear off the mask of gentleness he had worn for years, who chose Zhuo Hanjun.

And the prerequisite for all this was the removal of General Jun Jue. If General Jun Jue hadn’t been so flawless in the eyes of the Federation’s citizens, the chief executive wouldn’t have had to maintain this facade of perfection at all times, nor would he have had to fear Jun Jue threatening his position as chief executive.

Even though General Jun Jue would never do such a thing, the chief executive knew it, and so did every citizen of the Federation, as the chief executive, Lin Aimin understood that public sentiment was the most terrifying force of all.

That day at the starship port, when a citizen casually remarked that General Jun Jue deserved a reward, but the rank of general was already the highest military position, leaving only the position of Chief Executive, it might have been an offhand comment, but it shattered Lin Aimin’s mask completely. All the darkness and insecurity in his heart were unleashed, leading to this personal campaign.

As his personal guard, he witnessed all these changes in the chief executive but dared not voice his thoughts. He feared ending up like Zhuo Hanjun. His current status was granted by the chief executive, and if the chief executive wished to take it back along with his life, it would be no difficult task.

Amid the chief executive’s anguished cries, the Aimin landed on Planet GR03, crushing vast fields of red spider lilies and sinking into the soil. The scent of the flowers mingled with the earthy aroma in the night breeze.

The moment the Aimin touched down, Lin Aimin was the first to leap off the warship. Kneeling at the edge of GR03, he peered downward, while the guards and federal soldiers still aboard the ship sighed in sorrow.

Miss Lin had gambled with her life to see if the Chief Executive would abandon his attack on General Jun Jue.

“Qiyue!”

Planets float in the vast expanse of space, this is how they exist. Each planet has such a place, akin to a cliff on its surface. A single leap from here would send one plummeting into the void.

The spot where Lin Qiyue jumped was precisely such a place.

Lin Aimin’s voice, laced with regret and grief, tore through the night, fracturing in the wind.

“I’ll kill Jun Jue!” His fear and hatred for Jun Jue deepened further.

Addressing the cliff where his daughter had vanished, he whispered, “Qiyue, wasn’t Jun Jue your favorite? Daddy will send her to join you soon.”

Lin Aimin stood up against the wind, pressing a button on his arm. A portable particle cannon mounted itself onto his forearm as the cold breeze tousled his half-gray hair. He took aim at the half-destroyed, once-magnificent house.

“Jun Jue, I know you’re there. Are you still going to hide like a coward?”

“You always say your duty and mission are to protect the citizens of the Federation. Now that GR03 has been annexed, its inhabitants are also Federation citizens. I’m about to fire this particle cannon and wipe out these lives, aren’t you going to show yourself?”

Lin Aimin’s taunts were wild and unrestrained, a stark contrast to his usual image of a diligent and benevolent leader. The soldiers aboard the warship felt a chill run down their spines, each beginning to fear for their own safety.

…

“General, should we engage him head-on now?” Jiang Li asked nervously.

Jiang Tang added, “If we don’t go out now, that house will be completely destroyed. Madam Weiwei and the residents of GR03 are still inside, General-”

Before she could finish, the particle cannon fired from Lin Aimin’s arm.

In the night sky, another burst of flames erupted. The two projectiles collided midair, exploding into a blinding radiance and a wave of scorching heat. Lin Aimin, standing at the cliff’s edge, nearly lost his balance. He steadied himself clumsily, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Jun Jue had made her move.

“Jiang Li,” Jun Jue called softly, and Jiang Li immediately understood what to do. She piloted a small fighter jet toward Lin Aimin’s position.

As the jet descended, Jun Jue retracted her Silver Fox mech and flipped gracefully through the cockpit hatch, landing steadily in front of Lin Aimin. Her low ponytail, tied behind her, swayed lightly in the wind.

Lin Aimin aimed the particle cannon at Jun Jue, while Jiang Tang, seated in the fighter’s rear, trained her gun on the chief executive.

Noticing Jiang Li’s movements, Lin Aimin withdrew the particle cannon and instead summoned his mech, the Crimson Fox. Its frame bore an uncanny resemblance to Jun Jue’s Silver Fox, as if the two were a pair.

Jun Jue froze momentarily at the sight of the Crimson Fox. The two mechs were indeed a set. The Silver Fox had originally belonged to her father, while the Crimson Fox was her mother’s. When she inherited her parents’ belongings, she had only found the Silver Fox. Rumors claimed the Crimson Fox had been destroyed by vampires during their invasion of the Jun family estate.

How had the Crimson Fox ended up in the chief executive’s hands?

In that moment of distraction, Lin Aimin launched an attack with the Crimson Fox. Jun Jue dodged swiftly, while Jiang Li maneuvered the fighter jet into retreat. Jiang Tang fired at the chief executive’s mech from the rear, though her efforts proved largely ineffective.

Jun Jue immediately summoned her Silver Fox mech and pressed a button to revert it to its original form. She had considered this scenario during its modification, if it could shrink, why couldn’t it expand?

“Engage!”

Lin Aimin twisted the Crimson Fox’s head toward the warship and barked orders at the soldiers aboard. Yet none descended to join the fight, nor did the warship launch any attacks against Jun Jue’s side.

“Traitors! All of you are traitors!”

Enraged, Lin Aimin fired at the warship. Jun Jue instantly closed in, locking him in combat and leaving him no room to attack elsewhere.

“Why do you have my mother’s Crimson Fox mech?” Jun Jue demanded as she countered his strikes.

Lin Aimin suddenly laughed. “Your mother promised to give me a mech.”

“But she broke her word, she gave one to your father, Jun Chen, first. I merely took what she had pledged to me.”

“I don’t understand what Jun Chen had that was so great. She chose Jun Chen over me, even gave up her position as a mech pilot just to be with him, becoming his personal guard. How ridiculous.”

“Was I not good enough?”

Jun Jue had never heard any of this from Lin Aimin before.

Had the chief executive also been in love with her mother back then?

Lin Aimin’s attacks grew increasingly fierce, leaving numerous scars on Jun Jue’s Silver Fox mech.

The more Lin Aimin fought, the more unhinged he became. What was supposed to be a one-sided battle had now turned into a personal duel between him and Jun Jue. He had to go all out.

“So, I killed Jun Chen. Your mother was ungrateful, so she died with him.”

Jun Jue blocked a fierce strike from Lin Aimin and asked in disbelief, “Weren’t my parents killed by vampires?”

“Hah.” Lin Aimin laughed wildly. “That was just my smokescreen. Who told them to befriend vampires in their free time? It gave me the perfect excuse to cover my tracks while slaughtering those bloodsuckers.”

“Never thought I’d fool the entire Federation for so many years. Jun Jue, I’m telling you this so you can die with clarity. Consider it a final courtesy from your elder.”

Lin Aimin concentrated his firepower and unleashed a barrage at Jun Jue, who dodged to the right.

“General, shrink your mech now!” Jiang Li’s fighter swooped in just in time to save her. The barrage struck the surface of planet GR03, carving out a massive crater.

At that moment, Jiang Lan arrived with the Junchen.

Strangely, Jiang Lan didn’t see the Aimin or the 100,000 Federation troops besieging General Jun Jue. It seemed only the chief executive was engaged in combat.

The sheer weight of the revelations left Jun Jue struggling to process them. It took Jiang Li calling her three times before she snapped out of it.

“General, my eldest sister is back.”

“General, should we order the Junchen to attack the chief executive now?” Jiang Lan requested instructions.

“Not yet.”

Jun Jue had initially thought this war was about her, that she had somehow threatened the chief executive, despite spending all these years solely defending the Federation without ever dabbling in politics.

Now it seemed the seeds of this conflict had been sown long before, during her parents’ time. This was personal vengeance between them and shouldn’t involve others.

“Jun Jue, if you’ve got any guts, let’s settle this privately, no outside help allowed.” With the Federation troops refusing to intervene and possibly even turning against him, Lin Aimin felt the desperation of a cornered beast. This was his last resort.

He had little confidence Jun Jue would agree.

“Fine.”

Jun Jue steadied herself, leaped from the fighter, and summoned the Silver Fox mech. This time, she wouldn’t hold back. She would avenge her father and mother, and deliver justice for the wrongfully slaughtered vampires.

Once Jun Jue went all out, Lin Aimin found himself completely outmatched. The little girl he’d watched grow up had become a formidable Federation soldier, truly worthy of her rank as General.

If only she had agreed to marry Qiyue and serve under him, things wouldn’t have come to this.

This was all Jun Jue’s fault. Jun Jue deserved to die!

Blinded by bloodlust and realizing he stood no chance, Lin Aimin resorted to a despicable last resort. If he was going down, he’d drag Jun Jue with him.

Jun Jue only felt her legs suddenly grabbed by the crouching Silver Fox mech, swiftly dragging her toward the cliff’s edge where Lin Qiyue had fallen not long ago, now devoid of gravity’s protection.

Unable to steady herself, she was pulled along by Lin Aimin and retaliated by striking his back.

Lin Aimin felt his spine shatter, spitting blood inside the mech’s cockpit. He laughed hoarsely, “Jun Jue, Uncle Lin will teach you one last lesson, never show the slightest mercy to your enemies.”

The moment he finished speaking, he mustered all his strength and yanked hard, sending both the Crimson Fox and Silver Fox mechs tumbling over the cliff.

“General!” A chorus of panicked shouts erupted as fighter jets and two warships attempted to take off, diving downward to rescue her. But this peculiar location severely hindered the warships’ speed, and the modified fighters couldn’t even leave the planet.

Jun Jue felt weightless. To slow her descent, she retracted the Silver Fox mech, the howling wind nearly deafening her as it rushed past her ears.

Closing her eyes, she whispered sorrowfully, “I’m sorry, Weiwei, I-”

“General!”

In her dazed state, Jun Jue thought she heard Ruan Wei’s voice. Forcing her eyes open mid-fall, she saw Ruan Wei above her, wings spread wide, diving toward her. The iridescent feathers shone brighter than the galaxy itself.

Finally, Ruan Wei’s wings enveloped her, halting her descent.

A pair of pink wings unfurled from Ruan Wei’s back, lifting them both upward at a gentle pace.

“Weiwei, you can fly now,” Jun Jue murmured, her breath brushing Ruan Wei’s neck, tickling her slightly.

“General, don’t speak yet,” Ruan Wei replied weakly, she was running out of strength.

Jun Jue fell silent, resting quietly within the cocoon of Ruan Wei’s wings.

Once again, Ruan Wei had saved her life.

“General, I… I don’t think I can hold on much longer,” Ruan Wei stammered, on the verge of tears. She had only jumped after seeing Jun Jue fall, and the sudden emergence of her wings had been entirely unexpected. Now, her strength was truly spent.

The pink wings flapped slower and slower, but the radiant pair below remained steadfast, still cradling Jun Jue securely.

“Weiwei, let me go. You can make it up alone,” Jun Jue urged.

“No! How heartless, General, trying to leave me even now?”

Jun Jue smiled and pressed a kiss to Ruan Wei’s shimmering wings, eliciting a shiver from her.

“Don’t worry, Weiwei. Neither of us will die,” Jun Jue reassured her. If they could just hold on a little longer, rescue would surely come.

Sure enough, a minute later, the Junchen broke through the resistance, accelerating toward them. The hatch opened, welcoming them aboard.

“General, Madam Weiwei, are you alright? The medical bay is ready, shall we proceed with treatment?” Jiang Lan asked urgently.

Once inside the Junchen, her feet firmly on solid ground, Ruan Wei exhausted, released Jun Jue. She had no strength left, both pairs of wings retracting on their own.

Though injured, Jun Jue carried Ruan Wei effortlessly to the medical bay. The healing pod had little effect on vampires, so after treating her own wounds, Jun Jue took Ruan Wei to a private room.

The guards, deeply concerned for Ruan Wei, brainstormed frantically. One suddenly exclaimed, “Wait… isn’t Madam Weiwei a vampire? Drinking blood should restore her, right?”

A clamor erupted as the guards vied eagerly, “I’m healthy, Madam Weiwei can drink mine!”

Jiang Lan rubbed her forehead. “With the General here, where would it be your turn?”

Inside the room, Jun Jue placed the unconscious Ruan Wei on the bed, bit her own fingertip, and brought it to Ruan Wei’s lips. Soon, Ruan Wei began to suckle.

Before long, Ruan Wei opened her eyes. Her irises, now purple from the awakened flight ability, shimmered like amethyst, breathtakingly beautiful.

“General,” Ruan Wei sat up, a hint of pride in her voice, “I saved you again.”

Jun Jue pulled Ruan Wei tightly into her embrace.

On Planet GR03, Jiang Tang, Jiang Li, Tao Xinran, Sun Qian, and all the Federal troops were grieving for Jun Jue and Ruan Wei.

Suddenly, Jiang Tang’s communicator lit up, and Jiang Lan’s voice came through: “Madam Wei awakened her flight ability at the critical moment and saved the General. Both the General and Madam Wei are now safely aboard the Junchen. Please rest assured. Additionally, General Jun Jue and Madam Wei kindly request everyone’s assistance in rebuilding the devastated GR03.”

“The General also said that all Federal troops upheld military justice this time and did not aid the oppressor. There will be no penalties or negative repercussions, instead, everyone will receive a six-month bonus.”

“Wonderful! General Jun Jue and Madam Wei are alive!” The Federal troops erupted in cheers.

Tears streamed down Tao Xinran’s face as Sun Qian, a native of GR03, joined Jiang Li in leading the Federal troops to rebuild the war-torn planet.

Jiang Tang searched her pockets but found no handkerchief, only a tissue, which she handed to Tao Xinran.

“Miss Tao, it’s alright now.”

At the massive crater left by the bombardment, the Federal troops were heatedly discussing how to fill it.

After wiping her tears with the tissue Jiang Tang had given her, Tao Xinran walked over, with Jiang Tang following behind.

Tao Xinran suggested, “Why not turn it into a small valley and scatter flower seeds?”

The idea was met with unanimous approval, especially after seeing footage of General Jun Jue and her subordinates planting seeds earlier. Everyone wanted to witness firsthand whether GR03’s soil was truly as miraculous, capable of sprouting flowers so quickly.

The residents of GR03, now aware the war had ended, came to help, bringing an abundance of flower seeds. Without bothering to ask the names, everyone scattered handfuls into the valley and waited for the miracle.

And the miracle did happen. The scorched brown soil, ravaged by artillery, soon bloomed with beautiful flowers.

Even the star lord, who had initially been distraught over his half-destroyed golden mansion, came to assist. Having endured the hardships together in the underground shelter, the residents treated him with newfound warmth.

“Miss Tao, shall we try too? See what flowers grow?” Jiang Tang asked.

“Sure,” Tao Xinran replied, grabbing a random handful. Jiang Tang took the same kind, and together they cast the seeds into the valley. The mingled seeds blossomed into a stretch of pristine white flowers, winding all the way to their feet.

“Lilies,” Tao Xinran smiled at Jiang Tang, whose heart skipped a beat, prompting her to awkwardly avert her gaze.

The Junchen ascended into view, and Ruan Wei, pulling Jun Jue along, went to scatter seeds as well. Jun Jue stood by, watching Ruan Wei with tender indulgence.

After carefully selecting her seeds, Ruan Wei cast them with hopeful anticipation.

Beautiful blue flowers quickly sprouted, swaying gently in the evening breeze.

“It’s the blue spider lilies!” Ruan Wei cheered.

The same blue spider lilies that Jun Jue had planted last time.

…

Author’s Note:

Weiwei: Though my flying ability unlocked a bit late, I have two pairs of wings!