As a soldier, Feng Yi didn't waste any time after receiving his orders. After a while, he appeared in the Capital, Eden. The towering structure of the Presidential Office Building puzzled him, but his thoughts were disrupted when he was invited in by the security personnel.

Past hundreds of elevators and bustling corridors filled with white-collared women and staff carrying piles of data, Feng Yi made his way through two layers of isolation walls to the command center. After a mandatory security check that even included confiscation of his Space Crystal, he came to understand that anyone invited here was already thoroughly vetted, and the security procedures were more of a formality.

Upon his arrival, the lively commanders in the room redirected their sharp gaze toward him...

He decided to trust himself and strode in. He was greeted by a well-dressed gentleman, Brian, the amiable and talkative President who had governed the Federation for many years and always carried an aura of spiritedness about him.

Next was Greedy Wolf, a renowned General of the Atlan Federation who held a prominent position in the God's Thorn legion's leaderboard.

The rest were strangers to Feng Yi. As a humble soldier, he didn't see the point in knowing any more Generals.

Before coming, Angela had repeatedly emphasized that he must maintain a soldier's image and not mess it up. She had even arranged a temporary establishment for him. As he stood before them, their silent laughter convinced him they found the situation amusing. They were just looking forward to his reaction. So, he stepped forward and saluted, "Feng Yi from the logistics and maintenance unit of the 28th Artillery Division at Big Macs 7th Army Group reporting."

Similarly, President Adams responded with a salute. Feng Yi, who was standing stiff as a spear, started to feel a little uneasy. He looked around, doubting that the President was actually joking with him. But, while Feng Yi looked on blankly, the other Generals laughed. It was clear the President had been playing a joke just to see his reaction.

However, Feng Yi didn't respond.

Nevertheless, upon seeing his remarkable appearance and potential to thrive in the political arena, they were quite impressed.

Adams pointed out a chair and said, "There's a chair, sit."

Before Feng Yi's rear end even had a chance to settle onto the seat, another general began reciting Feng Yi's list of accolades, ranging from his role in the Heart of the Butterfly to the Scorpion terrorist organization, and from the dangerous mecha encounters to his daring behind-enemy-lines escapades. Even after he had finished, Feng Yi remained unclear about why his past accomplishments had been mentioned. He had risked his life for months and other than a broken mech, he hadn't received any rewards so far. Could it be that there was a hidden perk today?

Adams asked him, "Do you know why you were called here today?"

Feng Yi shook his head, indicating he completely didn't understand...

"Comrade Feng Yi."

"Yes." Feng Yi replied as a jolt of shock ran through him. He promptly stood back up. The President's expression had changed more rapidly than flipping through a book.

"In recognition of your heroic performance on the front line, the Military Department has decided to award you a Liberty Medal." With a sly smile on his face, Adams handed him a delicate red box, "Aren't you going to take a look?"

"Nebula Hero Freedom Medal..." Feng Yi slowly opened the box and squinted his sharp eyes. This Liberty Medal, delicately crafted from liquid metal, had an extraordinary significance. It not only symbolized the highest honor of the Federation but was also a token of one's accomplishments, qualities, and wisdom. Anyone wearing the Liberty Medal anywhere in the Federation would be treated with the respect due to a hero. This medal was given only after several rounds of strict scrutiny.

Regrettably, the award ceremony was conducted privately, which meant Sir Feng didn't have the opportunity to enjoy the adulation of the citizens—a rather sad fact.

With this medal, at least he wouldn't starve in retirement, which was somewhat satisfying. But, he couldn't help but wonder if there was an underlying plot. As he looked around, the smiling faces gave him the uneasy sensation that he was being manipulated. His mind was filled with thoughts. He rued that even the cost price of a battleship obtained in exchange of Vivian far exceeded the worth of the medal.

After sloggging for thirty years, he felt this one medal was a poor substitute. In this dog-eat-dog world, it was either I fool you, or you fool me. Feng Yi felt utterly fooled.

"Come on, young man, quickly put on your medal."

But as soon as Feng Yi was about to utter a word, the President snatched the medal. A few generals came forward to adjust his gear. Before Feng Yi could react, with a click, a clumsily placed medal was fastened on his chest. Along with the flashing of lights, his image was caught on cameras. Dammit, he just realized that the generals were there to dress him up.

Senior General Greedy Wolf said earnestly, "Young man, the future of the Federation will soon rest in your hands. Good luck."

As soon as he finished speaking, Adams stated, "Feng Yi, you are now appointed as a federal black-clothed special emissary and promoted by three levels to a junior lieutenant."

For better or worse, Feng Yi was now an officer. He asked, "Shouldn't a three-level promotion make me a Captain?"

"Ha-ha! As long as the officers and soldiers are united, it doesn't matter whether you're a Captain or a Lieutenant," Osmund declared. After hearing these words, Feng Yi became sure that he was being fooled, and even his promotion was a part of the joke.

Feng Yi still wanted to speak, but he was escorted out by the busy elderly generals. As he left the room, someone even kicked him a couple of times, though he couldn't see who it was. He felt quite pissed off. Using his Mental Ability through the isolation door, he could faintly hear the old heads joking and whispering inside.

Damn it! What the hell was this? Feng Yi kicked the door a few times but got no response, so he left the Presidential Office depressed. As he walked away, he couldn't help but flip the bird in a final show of defiance.

Still, with the high-ranking Hero Medal, he wouldn't have to worry about doing anything or even shirking work to take a nap on the battleship. Although he felt indignant, he could reluctantly accept it.

After receiving the Hero Medal, Feng Yi wasn't sure if it was genuine or fake. He bit on it, and found it to be quite hard. Then, he decided to test it at a pvp cafe.

You see, the meaning of the Hero Medal was indeed different from that of any other medals. The liquid metal structure contained many femto-circuit facilities, and had an identity verification function. It's a product of black technology, superior to nanotechnology, and grants the highest Sky Network authority.

So it was simple for Feng Yi: just test it, for free. First, he went to a fitness center and slightly swiped his Hero Medal. As expected, it worked! It gave him free access to fitness services, although it barely increased his strength.

Next, he sneaked into a virtual pvp bar to test his luck. Since it had to go through a waiter, he hid and waited for an opportunity to swipe his card directly.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he swiped his card, all the previously locked machines in the bar got unlocked. Then, he scanned his face, and all the machines, even the ones used by other customers, got forcefully locked. Seeing the situation was about to go pear-shaped, Feng Yi hightailed it out of there.

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