They had spent a full two hours covering twenty kilometers, and everyone was starting to feel weary, particularly Vivian. She was relentlessly cursing Feng Yi. Who was she? The high ranking Saudi military commander who devised strategies that determined victories from miles away. In her personal life, she was a refined, elegant aristocrat, pursued by countless men. Yet, to her dismay, she fell into the clutches of an obscure foot soldier on the Big Macs battlefield.

Vivian was shooting daggers at Feng Yi the whole way.

Feng Yi, on the other hand, didn't care a bit. Despite walking through a landscape that swelled and dove, he looked lively, his trouser legs filthy with rain-soaked weeds. His fellow officers, though, looked quite strained, occasionally stumbling and falling. The pace of their march had unknowingly slowed.

Someone suggested that Feng Yi drive off in the Iveco now, asserting that its tail light and energy emissions would make it difficult for the Saudis to detect.

Vivian wholeheartedly endorsed this idea, so much so she wanted to kiss the advisor who proposed it. Regrettably, the advisor's bushy beard seemed to frighten the aristocratic Vivian, who was clearly a member of some sort of 'beauty association'.

Feng Yi looked around and noticed the fatigue on the face of General Augustins. The old man was always stoic, but now seemed worn-out. Although Feng Yi felt some guilt, he knew there was only one path ahead. He urged the people behind him to pick up the pace. "There is no way the Ivecos could keep up with a fully sprinting mobile suit. We might be able to stay undetected while driving slowly, but if we rush and get discovered, all our previous efforts would be in vain."

Everyone understood his reasoning, so no one raised any arguments. The atmosphere became exceptionally quiet, perhaps because they had no place to argue considering they were brought out by Feng Yi. They bottled up their feelings and continued the march in silence.

A few minutes later, the march's pace had somehow slowed even further. Feng Yi disliked the heavy silence. He believed that a demoralized team can sometimes be more fatal than an enemy. As an old saying goes 'Once the soldiers' spirits are dampened, leading becomes incredibly difficult'. He felt that he needed to say something.

"Ahem. There once was a boy who grew up on the 103rd Colonial Planet. The living conditions there were incredibly bleak - it was nothing short of hell. To fill his grumbling stomach, he would often forage on battlefields. It was, in a way, his way of living."

People were confused by Feng Yi's words; they walked and listened in silence.

"One year, for the sake of a girl faint with hunger, the boy went to forage on a battlefield. As 992-missiles began raining down, a Phantom Knight-0001 used its large body to shield the boy."

Everyone was now intrigued by Feng Yi's storytelling. Vivian and Blanche felt their maternal instincts stirring. Yet, they also imagined a happy ending to the story which was unfortunately cruel in reality. The unidentified hero fell forever. To alleviate the hero's pain, the boy tearfully plunged a dagger into the heart of the knight.

God can be a joking devil, closing a door but opening a window in return. The Shadow Rider used its body to save two lives - true Federal bravery.

While people quietly respected the Shadow Rider, Feng Yi continued with his story. "After that incident, the boy had his first idol, one he could never meet again. The boy also found his purpose - to honor the redemption of the mission that was bestowed on him, and he found his dream - to end this damn war. He was willing to stake his life on it. The boy was nothing but a coward, but he was clear about his duty. Living in a country of heroes, brimming with fervor, he dedicated his life to the battlefield. He rescued his brothers in arms, charged fiercely into enemy lines, and fought valiantly for every brave soldier he wished to protect. His choices, while debatable, were the result of meticulous calculation for the benefit of the group."

Vivian's expression softened as she listened, showing respect for Feng Yi in spite of their rivalry.

Feng Yi's words rallied the troops. Yes, they were all brave Federal soldiers. Why surrender to defeat when they could still strive for their goals? With determination, miracles can happen.

Augustins clenched his fists. "All soldiers, heed my order. Let's march…run."

No sooner had the general spoken than the soldiers were rushing forward in full force. It was as if they were ready to face death itself.

Damn it, Augustins suddenly felt something was off. He regretted his words, fearing he might be left behind by the young soldiers.

Feng Yi quickly retrieved Iveco from the Four-dimensional Space Crystal. Due to haste, the vehicle flipped over, to his relief he was strong enough to right the vehicle single-handedly.

He then took two shots to shatter the tail lights, "General, we've travelled some distance from the Saudi camp. If we move slowly and only release minimal energy, the Saudi detection systems won't sense us. Let's get in."

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?" Augustins was somewhat speechless.

"We just got off the plains. Having hills around can effectively block the Saudi detection system."

The Iveco was moving at its slowest speed, just about keeping up with the soldiers. Some personnel who couldn't keep up had trailed behind. It wasn't that they didn't want to run; it was just that they genuinely couldn't due to their physique. Some of them were staff officers who were not accustomed to physical activities. Upon seeing the Iveco, few of the overweight ones immediately fell and couldn't get up.

Augustins frowned. He ordered the two unfit soldiers to join him and the rest, who were pretending to be exhausted, to run laps. This order left Vivian both amused and astounded. These Federal soldiers might not be disciplined, but they sure knew how to entertain!

Vivian turned to Feng Yi and said, "Hey, I want to get on the vehicle too."

"I'm just a small fry, you have to ask our commander."

Vivian stomped her foot in irritation. The fact that she was in great physical condition made Feng Yi not concerned.

At this point, they were getting further and further away from the Saudi camp. After twenty minutes, all the officers had boarded the Iveco. Feng Yi passed food to General Augustins, who was sitting next to him. The general praised Feng Yi and predicted a great future for him.

Next were the other military officers. Unfortunately, when the food was distributed, it was snatched up. Vivian, who had run a long distance and was starving, didn't get any.

Just when she thought she would go hungry, Feng Yi tossed her a pack of grilled meat and a bottle of mineral water, saying, "You've been walking for a long time, eat something."

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