Chapter 15 — ILK Chapter 15

Ham Instant Noodles (2)

When the station officers rotated their shifts, they would set out with a supply convoy. The convoy carried "food" such as nutrient solutions and recovery agents, as well as protective gear and weapons. If a Sentinel wanted to purchase something, they could do so through the base, and the items would be delivered to the station via these supply teams.

Wu Huansheng and Mu An were about to rotate out to the Snow Mountain District. Covered in year-round snow, the area was difficult to access, making mining operations arduous and the consumption of resources and energy both massive and rapid. The rotation frequency for senior officers there was relatively low, often occurring only once every three to four months—several times longer than at other stations.

When Sang Ye brought the instant noodles to them, she only then learned they would be gone for so long. She had only prepared 100 portions; at their rate of consumption, the stash wouldn't even last a month.

Wu Huansheng, however, was accustomed to it. "Someone has to go to the most dangerous and difficult places."

The Snow Mountain District also had natives. Without high-ranking officers, A-rank or above,  stationed there, any rebellion could lead to irreversible consequences due to the terrain and climate. "Marshal Lin went there specifically to suppress a native rebellion," Wu Huansheng noted. "The progress was smooth, but casualties were heavy—on the natives' side, I mean. General Asu is very displeased; she is, after all, the Executive Officer of the base. The Empire's original directive was to coexist peacefully as much as possible, not to drive them to extinction."

Sang Ye understood her point. The existence of natives on Black Tower was no secret, nor were the mineral deposits. If the news of Black Tower could be permanently suppressed, it would be fine; but the passing space pirates, mentally unstable Sentinels, and the families of those Sentinels and natives on other planets were all unpredictable danger factors. If the natives vanished along with the minerals once mining concluded, it would severely damage the prestige of the Royal Family and the Empire.

But these weren't matters Sang Ye needed to worry about. She brought out the instant noodles. She hadn't bothered to divide the sauce into small, pre-measured portions; she simply let the two of them add it according to their taste. If it was too salty, add water; if too bland, add more sauce.

Boil a kettle of water, then stack the ingredients in order: noodle block, sauce, vegetable pack, and ham. Pour in the hot water, cover it, and let it steep for five minutes. Sang Ye also brought a small electric frying pan and a bowl of lard to teach them how to fry eggs. Once the pan was hot with lard, switch to low heat, crack the egg in, and cover it until cooked.

The moment the lid was opened, the aroma of beef wrapped in the thick scent of chili rushed into their nostrils. A sauce brewed from Dangkang bones truly possessed dense mental energy. Sang Ye’s kneading skills were top-tier; even after steeping, the noodles remained springy. The wavy, curly shape allowed the noodles to maintain maximum contact with the sauce during the frying and steeping process, making them both resilient and flavor-absorbent. The ham added a significant boost to both the color and aroma. The entire process took only five or six minutes.

"You can make this just with boiling water? It’s that simple?" The two watched Sang Ye as if she were performing a magic trick, their curiosity piqued as they both wanted to try it themselves.

Sang Ye quickly stopped them. " I didn't make much this time—only a hundred portions. I wanted to test the results first. If you like it, I'll make more for you to take next time. I didn't expect you to be gone for so long..."

She also taught them how to cook the noodles over a flame; cooked noodles would be softer, and simmering the sauce again would make it even more fragrant and mellow.

"We'll tell you how it went when we get back," Wu Huansheng said. "We’ll stay in touch... though communication in the Snow Mountain District is spotty due to mineral radiation. We might not receive messages promptly."

"After we head to the station, Ningning will be looked after by Huansheng’s adjutant. But that child is naturally mischievous; she used to wander out even without legs, and now that she has them, she’ll be even harder to catch." Mu An wore a doting smile. "If she disturbs you after we leave, please be patient with her."

Sang Ye nodded. Wu Jianing was her first patient, so the girl held special significance to her. Wu Huansheng and Mu An then sat down to share that bowl of instant noodles. Everything Sang Ye made was something they had never tasted before. These noodles were different from the fish soup noodles; they were not only springy but full of the fragrance of the deep-fry. The sauce was rich and thick, making the soaked noodles incredibly savory. The salt, umami, and spice stimulated their taste buds, making them take bite after bite. Within a few forkfuls, the noodles were gone. They even drank the soup until the bowl was bone-dry.

Seeing their positive reaction, Sang Ye breathed a sigh of relief. The first step of her medical plan was a success.

Wu Huansheng felt the same influx of mental energy as before—a powerful, commanding sensation—though it wasn't quite as massive as the previous time. This was due to the ingredients. Until she grew new wheat and rice, Sang Ye wanted to be careful with her storage ring's reserves. These noodles were made with ordinary flour to avoid waste. Aside from the Dangkang bone broth and ham, there were no other spiritual ingredients, so the "infusion" was naturally lower.

Once my upgrade and outdoor planting plans succeed, I won't have to worry about ingredient costs anymore.

Wu Huansheng and Mu An left the base with the supply team. As they approached the Snow Mountain District, the transport soldiers prepared to activate the energy shields and oxygen supply as per standard procedure.

However, even after driving three or four kilometers into the district, there was no sign of snow. The view was unusually clean—a vast, white expanse as far as the eye could see. Most of the Snow Mountain District was under constant snowfall, with mineral radiation twisting the very fabric of space. Transport ships, which relied on quantum gravity waves for orientation, were paralyzed here. In these conditions, humans relied on primitive motor vehicles, using sonar and infrared imaging to move forward.

"It must be a once-in-a-century occurrence to see it not snowing here," a soldier remarked.

Wu Huansheng and Mu An exchanged a look. As "veterans" of the Black Tower base, they knew exactly why this was happening.

The vehicles traveled for another half-day. The silhouette of a small garrison base appeared in the distance. Here, the ground seemed to have a fault line. One step back was eternal permafrost covered in white snow; one step forward was scorched earth, blackened by intense flames. The melting snow formed a slope that allowed the convoy to drive down.

The garrison base consisted of black buildings—silent and solemn—but the massive cracks and fire damage were clear evidence of the fierce battle that had taken place. The melting snow had exposed the original foundations and "underground spaces." Gates, parking lots, and landing pads had all collapsed into the current subterranean level.

Imperial experts had surveyed the snow depth and permafrost here; the deepest parts reached a staggering 200 meters. There were minerals in the snow, minerals in the permafrost beneath, and the mountain itself was a giant vein. No wonder space pirates saw this as a "treasure vault."

And there, sitting on the ruins in front of the base entrance, was a man.

He had shoulder-length black hair—though the black wasn't pure; a single braid on the left was a brilliant gold-red, shining like a gemstone. His face was fair and handsome, possessing the aesthetic beauty of an Orpheus sculpture from ancient Greek myth.

Except for the constant expression of impatient, volatile irritation.

The lowest temperature in the Snow Mountain could reach -200°C. Even Wu Huansheng, an A+ Sentinel, wore her protective suit properly. This man, however, wore only a thin combat uniform. He was tall, and even while sitting, one could sense his long limbs and the terrifying explosive power hidden within.

There wasn't a Sentinel in the Empire who didn't know him, but for many, this was the first time seeing him in person. He sat on the debris, silent yet radiating an unsoothable restlessness, watching Wu Huansheng get out of the car and salute him.

"Your Highness."

Lin Changli shot her a glance, his gaze landing on the distance behind her, where flames were erupting amidst burning and wailing. Wu Huansheng noticed the commotion and frowned. "Your Highness, we only need to suppress and appease the natives. We must minimize casualties as much as possible. The disturbance you've caused these past few days is too great, and too many Sentinels have seen it. General Asu’s report will be very difficult to write."

Lin Changli sneered. "Who is the report for?"

"...Her Majesty the Empress."

"And who am I?"

"...The Eldest Prince, Marshal of the Imperial Planetary Legions."

"And who does this planet belong to?"

"..." Wu Huansheng was rendered completely speechless.

Lin Changli looked down at her, his eyes crimson with the strain of overdrawn mental power, filled with mockery. "This planet was my eighteenth birthday present. It was bought from the Black Tower Royal Family. I should have total right of disposal. Even if I wanted to use 'Red Matter' to destroy it, that would be my right. The Royal Family abandoned their people and fled; allowing them to continue living here is merciful enough. Why do they keep causing trouble for me?"

"I don't care how you write your reports, and I don't care how much General Asu wants to skim off the top. If Her Majesty is unsatisfied, she is welcome to come here and execute me personally," Lin Changli said with sheer venom.

Wu Huansheng wisely shut her mouth. Everyone at the Black Tower base knew not to mention anything related to the Royal Family in front of Lin Changli. One couldn't speak of it when he was normal, let alone now, in a state where he looked ready to enter a mental riot at any second.

Mu An quietly released his mental power, wanting to probe the extent of Lin Changli’s mental collapse. The next second, a splintering pain exploded in his mind.

"Do you want to die?" Lin Changli mocked.

There was a massive gulf between Mu An and Lin Changli’s mental power. Simply extending a single mental tentacle to check his condition resulted in a backlash. He hadn't even thought about entering Lin Changli's mental landscape!

"Your Highness!" Wu Huansheng’s spiritual form surged out, countless vines weaving into a sphere to protect Mu An and construct a defensive barrier. "Don't go too far!"

Lin Changli gave an impatient "Tsk." "What did I do? What did I do this time? I did nothing. He stuck his tentacle out and got backlashed; is that my fault? If I wanted to do something, he'd be dead already. Is it your turn to shout at me?" He was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; his already volatile temper flared as he jumped up.

Wu Huansheng, panicked by her husband's injury, fell silent again, cautiously guarding the vine sphere. Lin Changli looked at her defensive posture and suddenly let out a cold, self-mocking laugh.

"Since you’re here, I'm leaving." He looked toward the distant fire. As if hearing a summons, the flames suddenly shot into the sky and streaked toward him.

"Your Highness, do you need us to send a convoy to escort..."

"Forget it. Who's protecting whom?" Lin Changli said dismissively. "I'll go by myself."

He jumped down from the ruins and walked past Wu Huansheng with a leisurely stride. When he reached the vehicles, he sensed a scent—a scent that made him instinctively want to be close. Lin Changli felt he was truly losing his mind; he must be close to death to be hallucinating such a feeling. He gave a nonchalant shrug and walked into the fire, completely unaffected by the sub-zero temperatures.

Wu Huansheng had brought a supply squad of about 30 people. After a brief rest, they would rotate with some of the Sentinels at the small base, letting them return for mental channeling. Other bases usually had two or three Guides, but the Snow Mountain base had none. Guides were rare, and the conditions were too harsh for them. The only way the Snow Mountain base got a Guide was when a senior officer like Wu Huansheng brought one along during a rotation. And only Mu An was willing to follow her through such hardships.

Wu Huansheng gave Mu An a healing agent. The Sentinels who had rushed over upon hearing a Guide had arrived almost burst into tears seeing this. Their luck was terrible—the Guide had been injured the moment he arrived. The Snow Mountain base had just endured days of fierce fighting; not only were nutrient solutions and healing agents exhausted, but the Sentinels' mental states were teetering. Many had abnormal, bloodshot eyes, cracks appeared on the skin of others, and some had their spiritual forms exposed, pacing anxiously around their masters.

It weighed heavily on Wu Huansheng and Mu An’s hearts. But Mu An was in terrible shape.

Wu Huansheng suddenly thought of the pile of instant noodles, eggs, and the whole ham Sang Ye had stuffed into her hands. Although she knew these were precious items meant for her own treatment, she couldn't ignore the suffering Sentinels.

She gritted her teeth and ordered the supplies to be unloaded immediately. While the most critical Sentinels took the healing agents, she and Mu An began making the instant noodles using the method Sang Ye taught them. They had very few cooking utensils, but the base had plenty of substitutes. Some nutrient solution containers were large, round vessels—anything that could hold water would do.

In a fit of resolve, Wu Huansheng used up all the instant noodles and was generous with the ham, slicing it with a combat knife into small pieces to steep in the various "bowls." Mu An and several Sentinels who had learned the process were frying eggs. They were clumsy at first, but soon their eggs were no longer burnt at the edges.

The Sentinels had never seen anything like this, but the aroma and mental energy emanating from the noodles made them long for it, their faces a mix of suspicion and curiosity.

Finally, all the noodles were ready.