490: Chapter 49 Social Event

There were still rest periods between the clearing operations; it wasn't good to stay tense all the time.

Inside a massive martial arts arena within the yaoqing immortal vessel, an informal social gathering was underway.

The participants were the Cloud Knights of the yaoqing immortal vessel and the troops of the Eastern Federation.

Nominally, it was to enhance understanding and promote cooperation. In reality, it was somewhat about testing each other's mettle. After all, they might be fighting side-by-side soon, so they needed to know their allies as well as their enemies.

The atmosphere was quite harmonious at first.

Soldiers from both sides gathered in small groups, and because their cultures were so similar, they chatted quite happily.

The provided food and drinks were also good; the Corporation's logistics were never stingy in this regard. There was an ample supply of various unfamiliar snacks and beverages, which opened the eyes of the Eastern Federation's officers and soldiers, allowing them to relax a bit.

Soon, the focus of their exchange shifted to each other's equipment.

The standard equipment of the Cloud Knights felt truly familiar to the Eastern Federation soldiers in appearance, even a bit retro.

It couldn't be helped; seeing an interstellar army that primarily used cold weapons was quite a shock.

Standard spears, sabers, bows, and crossbows, along with armor that looked like a composite of metal and some special fabric, had an ancient style with a clear Eastern classical charm. Some designs could even be traced back to ancient weapon manuals from the Eastern Federation thousands of years ago.

"Buddy, do you guys... still mainly use this?" A tall member of the Eastern Federation's "Longyuan" squad couldn't help but point at the long saber hanging at the waist of a nearby Cloud Knight, his tone filled with curiosity.

There was no contempt; after witnessing the power of orbital bombardment, no one truly believed the Corporation's main forces relied on broadswords and spears to fight.

The Cloud Knight who was asked looked young. He smiled and didn't mind, casually unbuckling his saber and handing it over. "Want to try?"

The Eastern Federation member didn't stand on ceremony and took the blade, but he froze the moment it touched his hand.

The blade gleamed coldly, but its weight was incredibly light, feeling almost like holding a wooden stick. He subconsciously swung it; the feel was exceptionally comfortable, like an extension of his arm.

"So light?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah," the Cloud Knight explained casually. "As long as it feels right. We don't rely on brute force for attacks; speed is more important."

There was a testing area nearby with various labeled alloy test blocks. His curiosity piqued, the Eastern Federation member walked up to a dummy labeled as high-strength alloy, gathered his strength, and swung the blade down.

"Clang!"

A crisp sound rang out, and Mars flew everywhere.

He withdrew the blade and saw only a shallow white mark on the dummy. Instead, the vibration made his wrist feel a bit numb. He had used quite a lot of strength.

"Tsk, this thing is tough. We'd need high-frequency particle sabers to cut through it easily." He shook his head and handed the blade back to the Cloud Knight. "Your saber looks cool, but it probably struggles against hard targets in actual combat, right?"

The Cloud Knight didn't say anything. He took the blade, walked to another dummy of the same material, and made a seemingly casual swipe.

A faint "shink" sound.

A flash of blade light passed, and the half-meter-thick alloy dummy was silently split in two like butter cut by a hot knife, the surface as smooth as a mirror.

The Eastern Federation members, who had been chatting moments ago, instantly fell silent, their eyes wide with shock.

The Cloud Knight sheathed his blade as if he had performed a trivial task. "It's alright. It just takes a bit of technique."

Eastern Federation members: "..."

You call this "alright"?

Even with our latest power armor and nano-sabers, a full-power strike might not achieve such a clean result! And you call this alright?

Now these Eastern Federation warriors understood that the Cloud Knights' equipment was likely not as ancient as it looked, and it involved plenty of technique. Soon, more similar small tests took place in various corners.

Some Eastern Federation soldiers curiously felt the Cloud Knights' armor and found it was also light as a feather, yet even a full-force thrust with a tactical dagger left not even a mark.

A Cloud Knight demonstrated a crossbow, and the arrows fired easily pierced through multiple layers of composite armor.

The curiosity of the Eastern Federation officers and soldiers gradually turned into silence and solemnity.

They realized that the technical sophistication of the Cloud Knights' equipment far exceeded what they had imagined from its appearance. The technology that could restrain such terrifying power within an ancient form while making it look easy was chilling to think about.

In other words, in scenarios where orbital bombardment was inconvenient, cold weapons actually worked quite well.

Next was a simple exchange regarding physical fitness.

The Eastern Federation sent out elites who had been injected with the latest gene-enhancement serum, their physical capabilities far exceeding ordinary humans. Their results in the hundred-meter dash, weighted squats, and extreme climbing were considered superhuman even among upgraded humans.

But on the Cloud Knights' side, a few ordinary soldiers stepped out and easily crushed those results. They were faster, stronger, and their endurance was absurd; they didn't even break a sweat after finishing the obstacle course.

The expressions of the Eastern Federation officers and soldiers grew even more solemn. This level of physical fitness had already exceeded their scope of understanding.

The friendly atmosphere began to turn a bit subtle, carrying a competitive edge of refusal to lose.

At this point, someone started cheering and suggested a more exciting exchange. For example, both sides could send representatives for a friendly sparring match—cold weapon combat was fine, rules would be relaxed, and it would be a touch-and-go style contest.

This proposal received an enthusiastic response from the officers and soldiers of both sides.

Just looking at equipment and fitness was boring; practicing with real weapons was more direct and would show true ability.

On the Eastern Federation side, everyone's eyes simultaneously turned toward a burly man named Lei Yue. He was the commander of the "Xuanzhong" Special Operations Battalion and one of the recognized powerhouses within the Eastern Federation.

Having stepped onto a path that transcended the mundane, his strength was unfathomable, making him a top-tier combatant of the Eastern Federation military. With him competing, they could at least win a round and save some Face.

Lei Yue didn't decline. He warmed up his wrists, stepped out, and scanned the Cloud Knights' side. "Which brother wants to come down and play?"

There was some quiet discussion among the Cloud Knights. Then, a man around thirty with an ordinary Face and a steady temperament stepped out, cupping his fists toward Lei Yue. "Zhao Tachuan, Centurion of the Vanguard Battalion, Cloud Knights. Please guide me."

A Centurion?

Quite a few people on the Eastern Federation side were stunned; they thought at least a Lieutenant-level officer would come out.

According to the other side's organization, the man before them was only at the level of a squad or platoon leader in the Eastern Federation army. Letting a platoon leader Face off against their Special Operations Battalion commander?

Isn't this... a bit too arrogant?

Lei Yue also frowned slightly but said nothing. "Please."

The two arrived at a cleared-out martial arts arena. There were no specific restrictions on the form—fistfights, weapons, or even the use of their paths were allowed. The principle was to stop before causing serious injury, but it was clear neither side would hold back.

At the referee's command, the match began.

Lei Yue let out a low growl, his aura surging as his skin faintly took on a bronze luster—a sign of him pushing the energy within his body to the limit.

He took a step forward, the ground vibrating slightly, and his fist, accompanied by a whistle that tore through the air, aimed straight for Zhao Tachuan's Face. This punch was enough to pierce heavy armor.

However, Zhao Tachuan neither dodged nor avoided it, meeting it with a punch of his own.

"Bang!"

An incredibly dull explosion rang out, as if two solid metal spheres had collided. A shockwave radiated from the center of the two, making the clothes of the surrounding spectators flutter loudly.

Lei Yue's expression changed. He felt an overwhelming force surge from the other's fist, making his arm go numb and his blood boil. He couldn't help but retreat three steps, his feet thudding on the ground.

Zhao Tachuan, however, only swayed slightly and didn't retreat a single step.

The difference in strength was immediately apparent!

The Eastern Federation officers and soldiers gasped. They knew Commander Lei's strength; to think he was at a disadvantage in a pure clash of power?

Lei Yue's gaze became extremely solemn; he knew he had encountered a tough opponent.

He no longer held back. With a roar, his figure moved like lightning as he executed exquisite grappling techniques. His fists, feet, elbows, and knees turned into a torrential rain of attacks, while simultaneously drawing on the surrounding energy to form an invisible field of pressure.

Zhao Tachuan remained steady. His movements didn't seem fast, yet he always managed to block, dodge, and counterattack at just the right moment.

His Moves were simple and efficient, without any unnecessary flair. Each strike contained terrifying power and exquisite control over energy. At times he was as solid as a rock, at times as fluid as water, and at times he erupted with a thunderous offensive.

The two moved at high speeds across the field, their figures intertwining. The sounds of fists and feet colliding and the booms of energy clashing were constant. The battle was exceptionally intense, leaving the spectators dazzled.

The hearts of the Eastern Federation officers and soldiers were in their throats.

They had never seen Commander Lei go all out like this, nor had they ever seen someone who, under such a fierce assault from Commander Lei, not only held their ground but even faintly held the upper hand!

This friendly sparring match lasted for nearly ten minutes.

Finally, after a violent clash, the two separated and stood facing each other. Lei Yue's breathing was slightly hurried, and sweat appeared on his forehead, while Zhao Tachuan's breathing remained steady.

"Impressive," Lei Yue took a deep breath and cupped his fists. "Centurion Zhao's strength is formidable; I, Lei, am not your match."

He admitted defeat. Although he might still have some trump cards, the opponent clearly hadn't used their full strength either. Continuing would be meaningless and might even damage their relationship.

Zhao Tachuan also returned the gesture. "Commander Lei is too kind. Thank you for the match."

The sparring ended with a Cloud Knight Centurion slightly besting one of the Eastern Federation's top combatants.

The Eastern Federation officers and soldiers were collectively petrified, their Faces filled with disbelief and the daze of a shattered worldview.

He won? Our commander... lost? Lost to a Centurion?

A Centurion is this fierce? Then what level are the Thousand-men Commanders above him? What about the Lieutenants? The Generals?

If they thought about it that way, someone like General General Feixiao... they simply couldn't imagine it.

An Eastern Federation officer couldn't help but whisper to a Cloud Knight he had recently befriended, "Brother, does this Centurion Zhao... have some special identity?"

"For example, is he actually a general's personal guard, or a top expert from some secret unit temporarily training at the grassroots level?"

The Cloud Knight had a matter-of-fact look. "Brother Zhao? He doesn't have any special identity. He's just the Centurion of the Third Squad in our Vanguard Battalion. He's been in the service for quite a few years and has earned plenty of military honors. He's a good guy."

"He's really just a Centurion?" The Eastern Federation officer persisted.

"Genuine and true," the Cloud Knight confirmed, adding, "But Brother Zhao's skills can indeed be ranked among the top three in our battalion."

Top three... only in one battalion... The Eastern Federation officer was completely speechless, his mind feeling a bit chaotic.

The news spread quickly, and the Eastern Federation officers and soldiers collectively fell into silence and self-doubt.

They had previously felt they could finally hold their heads high in terms of firepower. But now, they discovered that at the most basic level of individual combat strength, there seemed to be an insurmountable chasm between the two sides.

Their equipment couldn't compare, their physical fitness couldn't compare, and now even their top combatant couldn't beat a grassroots officer from the other side?

How could they coordinate in battle after this? When danger struck, who would be protecting whom?

Their worldview had been severely impacted.

The subsequent atmosphere of the social gathering clearly became subtle and gloomy. The looks the Eastern Federation officers and soldiers gave the Cloud Knights were tinged with a bit of awe and a hint of complexity.

After the event, the Eastern Federation officers and soldiers returned to their quarters in small groups, remaining taciturn along the way.

"A Centurion... just a Centurion..." someone muttered to themselves, as if possessed.

"These people from the Corporation... just what kind of monsters are they?"

"I'm starting to understand now why these people could become urban legends..."

"The foundation is different; they're on a completely different level..."

Ye Ming walked at the back of the group, listening to the soldiers' discussions, his heart equally heavy.

He had originally thought that after so many years of development, although the gap between the Eastern Federation and the Corporation remained huge in terms of technology and resources, perhaps it had narrowed somewhat in individual quality and top-tier combat power.

Looking at it now, the gap might be much larger than imagined.

This road is still very long.