Rebirth of the Interstellar Pope <Mecha>

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

[Kewei: I have just three words to say: I hate Rufeite. Thank you.]

At night on Guangdi La, the temperature was barely distinguishable from that of the day. The absence of the sun left the planet shrouded in a perpetual twilight, making it feel just as lively as during daylight hours.

The military's rotation system was in full swing, with fighting continuing unabated on the front lines.

No one came to report the military situation to Rufeite, nor did anyone approach him. As a result, Rufeite and Anno were left to gaze at each other in silence. Anno, less troubled by the stillness, would occasionally extend his consciousness to gather information about military activities. In contrast, Rufeite's consciousness was not attuned to such subtleties. Each individual's abilities were tailored to different aspects of their roles; Anno's leaned towards observation, while Rufeite's favored confrontation.

Thus, as Anno meticulously examined the military's personnel and mecha organization, Rufeite busied himself by launching small consciousness darts against the wall.

A dart, no larger than half a finger, zipped back and forth, eventually carving the Chinese character "安" into the surface.

Leaning back on the sofa, Rufeite manipulated the dart with his consciousness until it shrank to the size of a fingernail. "What did you discover?" he inquired.

Anno opened his eyes. "There's a consciousness protection wall. Deputy General Kewei is very meticulous."

Rufeite smirked sarcastically. "Meticulous indeed. He's certainly cautious when it comes to Rufeite Tianjiao."

Anno chuckled lightly. "Your reputation isn't all that bad."

"It's just average," Rufeite replied, brushing off the compliment. "Now, what did you uncover?"

Adopting a connoisseur's tone, Anno reassured him, "Don't fret too much, kid. I have the mecha organization and personnel configuration in mind. All we need to do now is wait."

Rufeite raised an eyebrow. "Wait two hours to secretly scout the enemy and see how many casualties the military has suffered?"

A confident and generous smile spread across Anno's face.

During his time as the Pope, Anno had grown accustomed to carefully restraining his words and actions. No matter the situation, he preferred to smile with pursed lips, concealing his feelings deep within. Very few in the Tianjiao community had ever witnessed him in a rage. From his elevated position, he observed the religious landscape, listening to the elders summarize documents while smiling faintly, as if all matters were mere trifles.

Now, Anno occasionally wondered if his fame stemmed from that very smile.

Rufeite studied Anno, narrowing his eyes with a smirk. However, Anno's smile remained indifferent, contrasting with Rufeite's arrogance.

"What are you laughing at?" Anno asked, curious.

"Then what's the source of your amusement?" Rufeite countered.

"Oh, I just laugh out of habit. There's no other meaning to it," Anno replied, feigning nonchalance.

"Ah~~, I laugh without a reason, and I don't feel obliged to explain why," Rufeite teased.

Two hours felt neither long nor short, but for the two leaders accustomed to a busy pace, the wait proved challenging.

Anno had largely managed to empty his mind, letting his thoughts drift. Meanwhile, Rufeite struggled to maintain his composure. By the time he carved the character "Nuo" into the wall with a dart, Anno was so idle that he was on the verge of dozing off.