193: Sweet "troubles" and the birth of an "energy artist"

The IPPA Inspection Incident concluded with Homeland's decisive victory and the opponent's humiliating retreat. The nearly crushing strength and mountain-like, imposing aura Excellence displayed during that confrontation served as a silent yet sky-shattering declaration, completely solidifying his unparalleled, legendary status within Homeland. He was no longer just a "special specimen" or "national treasure" requiring strict protection and massive research resources; he instantly became the universally acknowledged, powerful "Guardian God" and "Stabilizing Force" everyone could rely on.

This fundamental shift in status brought with it some "sweet troubles" that initially made Excellence quite uncomfortable, yet also carried a hint of warmth.

There was a time when he was like a piece of sticky taffy that couldn't be shaken off, chasing after Evelyn and the researchers, batting his large, inquisitive eyes and asking endless "hundred thousand whys." Now, the situation had dramatically reversed. Especially the younger researchers (many of whom were young women with keen minds, full of curiosity and admiration for Excellence) began finding ways, using various excuses, both rigorous and clumsy, to actively approach him and create opportunities to talk to him.

They would take papers or data charts on basic energy field theory that they already knew by heart, pretend to have encountered an incomprehensible bottleneck, and approach Consultant Zhuo with a look of "sincerity" to "seek advice": "Consultant Zhuo, look at the energy entropy curve here, and this nonlinear perturbation parameter—I can never quite grasp its convergence threshold. Could you take a look for me?" Although the questions they asked were nine times out of ten far beyond Excellence's current theoretical knowledge, or even if he gave a mystical answer based on his unique perception ("Hmm... this place feels like a pot of water about to boil; the bubbles are rising too fast. You need to turn the heat down a bit to let them simmer slowly..."), they would mostly be completely lost. But this did not diminish the light of admiration mixed with curiosity in their eyes, nor the satisfaction they felt after achieving their main goal of "talking to Excellence."

In the base's public cafeteria, the Master Chef, who used to always wear a stern face and whose hand was as steady as a scale, afraid of giving away an extra gram of meat, now instantly broke into a wide smile when he saw Excellence approaching with his tray. His hand no longer "shook," and he scooped deeply, piling a solid chunk of braised pork or fried chicken cutlet onto Excellence's rice until it looked like a small mountain. He would always add a kind, extra instruction: "Eat more! You're still growing! Training is hard work, you need extra nutrition!" This special treatment made the other team members in line envious, but they only laughed good-naturedly. Some even teased, "Master Chef is playing favorites! We're growing too! We work hard too!" The Master Chef glared: "Go on, get out of here! If any of you can glare away the bad guys like our Little Zhuo, I'll give you a double portion too!" This drew a burst of cheerful laughter.

Walking through the base's corridors or passages, he was greeted by enthusiastic hellos almost every few steps. "Morning, Excellence!" "Excellence, have you eaten?" "Consultant Little Zhuo, you look great today!" Faces both familiar and unfamiliar would actively stop, offering him friendly, warm, and even slightly reverent looks. Even the base's therapy dog, "Da Huang," which possessed the ability to heal hearts, used to just wag its tail when it saw Excellence. Now, seeing him was like seeing its closest companion; its tail not only spun like a propeller, but it would excitedly jump up, affectionately rub its fluffy big head against his legs, and whine affectionately, as if sensing the increasingly gentle, pure, and life-affirming energy field emanating from him.

Adaptation and Sedimentation: Guarding the Original Heart

Initially, facing this sudden, omnipresent enthusiasm and attention, Excellence felt extremely unaccustomed, even a little flustered. He was used to a relatively quiet and focused environment, accustomed to being a learner rather than the center of attention. This feeling of being placed in the spotlight made him shy and awkward, and his young face often flushed red because he didn't know how to respond.

The perceptive Su Mu immediately noticed his discomfort. Instead of giving a serious lecture, she used her unique, teasing, and warm approach to help him relax and adapt. She would put her arm around Excellence's shoulder and jokingly tease him: "Oh my, look who it is! Our 'Homeland Hottie' is out patrolling the mountains! Look at this popularity—it's almost as grand as when the braised pork comes out of the pot at lunchtime!" This left Excellence speechless, and his nervousness largely dissipated amidst the laughter.

Evelyn, meanwhile, had an in-depth conversation with him from a more rational perspective. She told Excellence: "Excellence, everyone's enthusiasm and respect for you are genuine. This isn't just because of your powerful ability, but because you stepped forward at the critical moment and protected Homeland, protecting everyone. This is what you deserve; it is the respect a strong person should receive." But she also solemnly reminded him: "The important thing is that you maintain a sense of normalcy amidst this praise and attention. Don't be misled or constrained by them. Don't forget the original intention and foundation of your power. True strength lies in inner peace and focus, not in external clamor."

Excellence took her words to heart. His nature was pure and his mind transparent, and he quickly understood the meaning. He no longer deliberately avoided people or felt uneasy. Facing everyone's goodwill, he learned to respond with a gentle and sincere smile and politely return greetings, but for those overly enthusiastic "requests for advice," he would politely but firmly state that he needed to focus on training and studying. He maintained his original rhythm and focus in life: when it was time to train, he was fully invested and focused; when it was time to study, he was tireless, chasing Evelyn with questions; when it was time to rest, he would play around with Su Mu or tease "Da Huang." That dedication to power and thirst for knowledge, that inner purity and kindness, never changed due to external circumstances. This maturity and insight, far beyond his age, brought comfort and satisfaction to Wang Jianguo and Evelyn.

Burst of Inspiration: The Leap from Utility to Art

Interestingly, this atmosphere of intense attention, goodwill, and leniency, along with the unprecedented control and confidence brought by his power reaching a new height, subtly inspired another unexpected and aesthetically pleasing direction for Excellence's ability application—the artistic expression and creation of energy.

Perhaps it was because his understanding of energy had delved into the "programming" architectural level, no longer satisfied with simple "use" and "defense"; perhaps it was because the elevation of his state of mind allowed him to better perceive and appreciate the world's "beauty"; or perhaps it was simply the natural expression of a young person's long-suppressed innate desire for "fun" and "creation" in a safe and relaxed environment.

One afternoon, while conducting routine fine energy manipulation practice on the training ground, Excellence attempted to simultaneously guide several streams of energy, each with different attributes and slightly different colors (in his "Energy Vision," different frequencies and phases of energy presented as different "colors"). Like weaving colored ropes, he made them intertwine, separate, and interweave again. His original intention was to practice multi-threaded precision control to avoid signal interference. But unknowingly, he became immersed in the brilliant, changing trajectories and light generated by the flowing energy. Subconsciously, like a painter holding an invisible brush, he began to guide these "energy pigments" to spread, render, and embellish the air according to the starry sky image he had seen the previous night in a popular science book that appeared in his mind... Gradually, a living, vibrant, immense abstract map of the starry sky, composed purely of energy, appeared prominently in the middle of the training ground! Against a deep blue "background," silvery-white "stardust" shimmered, spiral "nebulae" slowly rotated, emitting hazy, dreamy purple and pink halos, and occasionally, one or two "shooting stars" streaked across, trailing brilliant golden wakes... The sight was breathtakingly beautiful, completely transcending the limitations of matter, filled with vitality and mystery!

Just then, Su Mu and two other researchers happened to be passing by the training ground after finishing another experiment. They pushed open the door and, seeing the miraculous scene, instantly froze in place as if paralyzed by a spell, eyes wide and mouths agape in an O shape, completely forgetting to breathe!

"Oh my god..." one researcher muttered unconsciously, her voice as soft as a sleep talker's.

"Excellence!" Su Mu was the first to snap back, letting out an incredulous gasp, her voice slightly strained with excitement. "What... what are you doing?! Are you... painting with energy?!"

Excellence was awakened from his immersed state by her exclamation. He looked at the energy starry sky he had unconsciously created, suspended in the air, and paused for a moment himself. Immediately, an unprecedented feeling of excitement, mixed with accomplishment and playfulness, surged into his heart. His eyes lit up, and he turned to Su Mu with a brilliant smile: "Yes, Class Monitor! Do you like it? This is for you! Look, this is 'Energy Fireworks'!"

His will moved with his heart! The tranquil starry sky map suddenly contracted inward, and then, like the most dazzling holiday fireworks, it burst open! Countless brilliant light spots shot out and scattered like a rainstorm, illuminating the entire training ground like a dreamlike wonderland! Before Su Mu and the researchers could recover from this second shock, the scattered light spots, under Excellence's precise and flawless control, rapidly re-coalesced and combined in the air like all rivers returning to the sea. In the blink of an eye, they outlined a massive, lifelike, vivid cartoon smiley face that was mischievously winking at Su Mu—it looked exactly like Su Mu when she smiled!

"Hahahaha!" Su Mu looked at the massive smiley face in the air that belonged to her. First, she was stunned, then she burst into happy laughter, shaking uncontrollably, nearly bringing tears to her eyes. "You Little Brat! You... you're amazing! This... this is simply miraculous!"

Energy Artist: The Warmth of Protection

From then on, Excellence seemed to have opened the door to a new world, gaining a new hobby he never tired of—"Energy Painting" and "Energy Sculpture." He regarded energy as the most magical "pigment" and "carving knife," treating the entire space as his "canvas" and "exhibition hall."

His creative subjects were boundless: sometimes, he would condense incredibly lifelike flowers swaying gracefully in the breeze, even simulating the effect of dew drops rolling; sometimes, he would sculpt a mighty lion made of flame, its mane seeming to blaze fiercely yet emitting warmth rather than heat; sometimes, he would create grand, impressionistic scrolls depicting the rotation of star rivers and the birth of the cosmos; he could even create "Energy Short Films" with simple narratives—such as depicting the process of a seed breaking through the soil and growing into a towering tree, or telling a miniature story about a brave little warrior defeating a Shadow Monster.

His works were not only breathtakingly beautiful but also full of lively vitality and a warm, heart-healing power. Soon, attending Excellence's "Energy Art Exhibition" became the favorite leisure activity and spiritual enjoyment for Homeland members. Whenever Excellence created, it often attracted a large crowd of onlookers, who quietly watched, immersed in the beauty that transcended reality. A day's fatigue and tension seemed to be washed away, and morale and enthusiasm for work were greatly boosted. Some researchers suffering from high psychological stress even reported significant relief from anxiety after viewing Excellence's vibrant energy creations.

Evelyn conducted an in-depth analysis and study of this new direction in Excellence's ability development from a scientific perspective. She believed that this was not a "deviation" or "waste" of ability; on the contrary, it was a manifestation of Excellence perfectly integrating emotion, aesthetics, imagination, and exquisite energy control. It was a significant indicator that his entire ability system was maturing, becoming harmonious, and responsive to his will. Artistic creation greatly trained his ability to perceive and manipulate energy at the most subtle level, and it also provided him with another unique perspective for understanding the essence of energy. She solemnly recorded this phenomenon and named it the "Emotional Energy Form Creative Expression under Excellence's Field."

Su Mu, without a doubt, became Excellence's most loyal "Number One Fan" and "Chief Curator." She even pestered the logistics department until they specifically vacated an empty room that had undergone special shielding and energy field stabilization treatment, turning it into Excellence's "Exclusive Gallery." Whenever Excellence created a particularly satisfactory and relatively stable "Energy Sculpture" or "Energy Painting," he would carefully "store" it in the room's specialized energy field so it could be maintained for a longer viewing time. Su Mu would act like a true curator, naming each piece, writing simple introduction cards, and frequently dragging others to visit, proudly introducing them: "See this! This is the latest masterpiece by our Homeland's youngest, national treasure-level, and unique Energy Artist—Master Excellence! You won't see this anywhere else!" Her expression was prouder than if she had won an award herself.

Powerful strength did not make Excellence aloof or cold-hearted. Instead, through the path of artistic creation, it allowed him to better discover and appreciate the beauty of the world, and to transform his inner warmth, goodwill, and beautiful visions into a visible, tangible force that could soothe hearts, warming and protecting everyone around him in a softer, more lasting way. This ability for "tender" creation, beyond his "imposing" deterrence, made his personal charm more three-dimensional and dazzling, and also made his connection with the large family of Homeland tighter and deeper. He was not only the shield and sword protecting Homeland, but also the light and color illuminating and warming its heart.