DPM Chapter 109-Wen Nuo
Translated by Snowfall77
After a month of the Federation working day and night, the mecha for Mozun was ready to be put to use.
Thanks to its cutting edge technology, Mozun was able to detonate a fixed star. A result he found very satisfying.
Under Mozun’s order, the Federation continued making mecha specifically tailored to mutants.
More Ghost soldiers were recruited from the ordinary people of both the Federation military and the Demon Army. Wu Xingyun, acting as their commander, threw himself into war preparations.
In fact preparations for the future were underway on all fronts. Liu Meng, in an unorthodox move to clear some grudges between the Federation and Alliance, created a prime time television show that replaced the moronic ‘Star River Team’ program. Liu Meng’s show told Mozun’s story, depicting his unending pain of losing his lover forever in the battle of the moon, which had become a scar that no one’d dared reveal before.
But now that lover had returned safe and sound, not a hair missing. Therefore Mozun was setting aside his rancor, and the telling of past events was no longer taboo.
The show did its job. Almost the whole Milky Way flocked to the Alliance, especially after learning the Federation’s actual history.
That was partly why it came as a great shock to Mozun to learn that the Marshal he’d named had resigned and gone home.
“He’s actually……unwilling to join this battle?!” Frowning, Mozun asked Wu Xingyun: “Why?!”
Quiet for a few moments, Wu Xingyun finally said: “I……think he can’t accept everything that’s happened. If Wen Nuo doesn’t want to, we shouldn’t try to force him. Just pick someone else to be the Marshal. What’s the difference?”
Mozun sighed: “I’ve been at war with the Federation for thousands of years, and Wen Nuo is one of the few who was an actual adversary. Him cooperating with us, helping us, would be much better than whatever random mediocre person the Federation might pick.”
" "Although he’d been a soldier for many years, Wu Xingyun generally didn’t trouble himself with learning strategies. Mozun had been fighting for much longer, and Wu Xingyun trusted his judgement.
“I want to visit Wen Nuo,” Wu Xingyun said after some reflection, “It could be my last chance to see him.”
Mozun wasn’t happy with that idea. He knew full well that, even though Wen Nuo had abandoned Wu Xingyun, hurt Wu Xingyun in various ways, his old Company Commander still held a special spot in Wu Xingyun’s heart.
His thoughts torn, at last Mozun nodded: “Fine. Go see him, but……if you’re not back in three days, I’m coming to get you.”
Taking one of the Federation’s new Wagelei ships, Wu Xingyun landed on planet RT32 the next day.
Even though it was Federation territory, there were propaganda posters of the Night Shard everywhere in the capital city, including one of him armored in his new mecha.
No longer depicted as malevolent and brutal, now in the posters Mozun was portrayed like a universal hero, a morning sun rising behind him.
Following the address given him by the Federation government, it didn’t take Wu Xingyun long to find Wen Nuo’s house.
It was a two-story wooden home on the city outskirts, with clover growing by the front door and endless wheat fields behind it. A straight highway led to nearby spaceship docks.
Wu Xingyun had never pictured Wen Nuo living in such an area. But when Wu Xingyun knocked on the door and Wen Nuo answered, Wu Xingyun got a still bigger shock.
Even when Wu Xingyun had returned from the Earth’s last days, Wen Nuo hadn’t looked this depressed and slovenly.
More white hairs had sprouted from his scalp, his beard was in desperate need of trimming, and his clothes were crumpled and smelling of alcohol.
A bottle of wine in one hand, Wen Nuo was in turn surprised at Wu Xingyun’s presence: “What are you doing here? You’re not here to be Mozun’s mouthpiece, are you?”
“No.” Wu Xingyun shook his head. “I’ve just come to see you.”
With a bitter smile, Wen Nuo lightly laughed and let Wu Xingyun in.
The inside of the house was a complete mess. Apparently Wen Nuo couldn’t be bothered to tidy it up. Never mind that in the military he’d been known for his orderliness.
“Sir, are you……doing alright?” Wu Xingyun asked, mildly frightened by what he saw.
Shaking his head, Wen Nuo didn’t answer the question. Instead he talked about something else: “You know……I hated you for a time. I couldn’t understand it. How could a loyal Federation soldier, one I’d raised up with my own hands, go over the enemy?”
Wu Xingyun opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Wen Nuo waved a hand and continued: “But now I know why……practically everyone knows why. You……you and him……I sent you off to that demon’s side twice……”
Wen Nuo fell silent and Wu Xingyun couldn’t think of what to say.
Everyone did now know the story between Wu Xingyun and the Night Shard……
How Wu Xingyun had found a helpless, crying Night Shard on a blizzarding pass during the Earth’s last days……How Wu Xingyun had helped the Night Shard overcome many obstacles to establish a mutant base……
The Alliance had used the truth as propaganda, making a show of gratitude to the Federation for sending to the Night Shard the lover he so valued. The same lover that convinced the Night Shard to make peace with the Federation. Who hadn’t been touched by the millennium-spanning love story? Almost no one except—Wen Nuo.
“Mozun, the other mutants too, they can unlock their genetic code now.” Wen Nuo stated out of the blue. “You probably don’t know it, but I interrogated those Luoshi Research biologists. Mutant offspring will have stronger capabilities than ordinary humans. Reproduction being one of them. The Alliance has already taken most the Federation’s power. It’s only a matter of time til the Federation is destroyed completely.”
“I’m not willing to serve as an officer. Not like this. And I don’t want to watch the Federation that I’ve given most of my life to slowly wither away.”
“The Federation now exists in name only. I’m not going to pretend otherwise, and fight side by side with your Mozun.” Wen Nuo took a swig from his bottle, his eyes dark with feeling.
“At that time I just wanted him to die. I didn’t care who was sacrificed along the way. But the end result was he got rescued. If it hadn’t been for that nuclear bomb, there wouldn’t have been a black hole, you wouldn’t have gone into it……without you, he wouldn’t have become a mutant. He would’ve died a boy. I……haha……I’m truly the Milky Way’s number one fool!”
Giving a belly laugh, Wen Nuo tried smiling until his expression suddenly faded to helplessness, tears sliding down between his fingers.
Wu Xingyun stepped forward, softly patting Wen Nuo’s back: “You can’t blame yourself. No one knows what the future holds. Maybe it just comes down to fate.”
“Fate?!” Wen Nuo angrily grabbed Wu Xingyun’s arm, dragging the soldier up to the second floor.
The second floor was one big room, the walls covered with portraits, many medals sitting beneath each one.
“This is my great-grandfather.” Wen Nuo spoke slowly. “He once killed a mutant and received recognition of his meritorious service. To me, he was my hero. The Night Shard killed him.”
“This is my paternal grandfather. He commanded battleships, fighting the Alliance for years. You’ve heard of ‘Angel Wings,’ right? That was his squad. He was also died at the hands of the Night Shard.”
“And this is my father……” Wen Nuo stood facing his father’s portrait, unable to speak any further.
Wen Nuo had a clear childhood memory of being held in his father’s arms, watching shooting stars dive across the sky. Then his father had left for battle and never returned. He too had died on the battlefield, fighting against the Night Shard.
“When I first joined the military, it was for the sole purpose of fighting the Night Shard and the Demon Army. For the sake of the Federation, for the sake of the land that gave birth to me. Now……now everything has become a ridiculous sham……”
“The war that spanned generations, the honor and reputation of my family, it already means nothing……”
“Us……what are we fighting for? I endured twenty years in exile for the sake of what I believed in. Now the Federation is falling apart piece by piece. All those new council members who are nothing but Mozun’s puppets. The Federation that I loved, that I gave my life to, is no more. So tell me again, why should I listen to the call of my enemy?”
Standing quietly to the side, Wu Xingyun was unable to answer any of Wen Nuo’s questions.
In the back of his mind, Wu Xingyun had entertained the idea of trying to convince Wen Nuo to fight with Alliance. But now, after listening to Wen Nuo, Wu Xingyun gave up the notion.
Wen Nuo sat dejected on the floor, staring up at the portraits that had represented honor and sacrifice.
Wu Xingyun stayed motionless.
“What do you think, if the Saer take over our galaxy, rule over mankind……will everything we do now become foolish and meaningless too?” Wen Nuo asked Wu Xingyun.
Shaking his head, Wu Xingyun replied: “I don’t know.”
Night slowly descended, neither man finding answers.
Wen Nuo was at a complete loss. Wu Xingyun was pondering Wen Nuo’s questions.
A very long time passed until Wu Xingyun finally spoke: “I think the affairs of human life are impermanent. And we can’t see what the future holds. Yesterday’s heroes become war criminals; today’s demon becomes tomorrow’s hero. I just know, no matter how things change, if I act according to my conscience, then my heart is clear. The Saer arrived. Whether they’d be the enemies of humanity or like gods to us, who knew? But now we do know. They are our enemy and must be dealt with as such.”
Wen Nuo stayed silent, figure hidden in the shadows.
“Maybe, if we can’t forget the past, we never look forward. But if we try to look too far ahead, we forget we’re living in the present,” Wu Xingyun thought out loud. “I get confused myself. Anyway……I don’t want much. I just want everyone to live well. I think that’s what would be good.”
Smiling faintly, Wen Nuo waved a hand at Wu Xingyun, indicating for the soldier to leave.
Wu Xingyun hesitated for a moment before saluting Wen Nuo in the dim light of dawn. “No matter what the future brings, the honor and the glory of the past is forever.”
Saying no more, Wu Xingyun turned around, boarded his spaceship and flew away.
Wu Xingyun returned to Mozun’s side, not anticipating that Wen Nuo would closely follow him.
Wen Nuo had shaved his beard off and his clothes were spotless.
Paying no attention to Mozun, Wen Nuo extended a hand to Wu Xingyun: “After you left, I thought for a long time. Some things, no matter how sophistic the enemy is, can’t be changed. I can’t reverse the collapse of the Federation’s power by myself. Nevertheless, there are still things that must be done. I……am willing to act as Marshal of the Federation military, commanding our warships and cooperating with the Alliance’s operations.”
Eyes lighting up, Wu Xingyun shook Wen Nuo’s hand enthusiastically.
Wen Nuo’s face was blank though. Slightly turning his head, he glanced at Mozun: “But I will never shake hands with you.”
While the humans of the Milky Way vigorously prepared for war, great swaths of thick fog once more appeared along the galaxy’s borders.
The Saer, having settled their internal strife, had come again.
After some two thousand years of preparation, the curtains were pulling apart.
DPM Chapter 109-Wen Nuo
Translated by Snowfall77
After a month of the Federation working day and night, the mecha for Mozun was ready to be put to use.
Thanks to its cutting edge technology, Mozun was able to detonate a fixed star. A result he found very satisfying.
Under Mozun’s order, the Federation continued making mecha specifically tailored to mutants.
More Ghost soldiers were recruited from the ordinary people of both the Federation military and the Demon Army. Wu Xingyun, acting as their commander, threw himself into war preparations.
In fact preparations for the future were underway on all fronts. Liu Meng, in an unorthodox move to clear some grudges between the Federation and Alliance, created a prime time television show that replaced the moronic ‘Star River Team’ program. Liu Meng’s show told Mozun’s story, depicting his unending pain of losing his lover forever in the battle of the moon, which had become a scar that no one’d dared reveal before.
But now that lover had returned safe and sound, not a hair missing. Therefore Mozun was setting aside his rancor, and the telling of past events was no longer taboo.
The show did its job. Almost the whole Milky Way flocked to the Alliance, especially after learning the Federation’s actual history.
That was partly why it came as a great shock to Mozun to learn that the Marshal he’d named had resigned and gone home.
“He’s actually……unwilling to join this battle?!” Frowning, Mozun asked Wu Xingyun: “Why?!”
Quiet for a few moments, Wu Xingyun finally said: “I……think he can’t accept everything that’s happened. If Wen Nuo doesn’t want to, we shouldn’t try to force him. Just pick someone else to be the Marshal. What’s the difference?”
Mozun sighed: “I’ve been at war with the Federation for thousands of years, and Wen Nuo is one of the few who was an actual adversary. Him cooperating with us, helping us, would be much better than whatever random mediocre person the Federation might pick.”
" "Although he’d been a soldier for many years, Wu Xingyun generally didn’t trouble himself with learning strategies. Mozun had been fighting for much longer, and Wu Xingyun trusted his judgement.
“I want to visit Wen Nuo,” Wu Xingyun said after some reflection, “It could be my last chance to see him.”
Mozun wasn’t happy with that idea. He knew full well that, even though Wen Nuo had abandoned Wu Xingyun, hurt Wu Xingyun in various ways, his old Company Commander still held a special spot in Wu Xingyun’s heart.
His thoughts torn, at last Mozun nodded: “Fine. Go see him, but……if you’re not back in three days, I’m coming to get you.”
Taking one of the Federation’s new Wagelei ships, Wu Xingyun landed on planet RT32 the next day.
Even though it was Federation territory, there were propaganda posters of the Night Shard everywhere in the capital city, including one of him armored in his new mecha.
No longer depicted as malevolent and brutal, now in the posters Mozun was portrayed like a universal hero, a morning sun rising behind him.
Following the address given him by the Federation government, it didn’t take Wu Xingyun long to find Wen Nuo’s house.
It was a two-story wooden home on the city outskirts, with clover growing by the front door and endless wheat fields behind it. A straight highway led to nearby spaceship docks.
Wu Xingyun had never pictured Wen Nuo living in such an area. But when Wu Xingyun knocked on the door and Wen Nuo answered, Wu Xingyun got a still bigger shock.
Even when Wu Xingyun had returned from the Earth’s last days, Wen Nuo hadn’t looked this depressed and slovenly.
More white hairs had sprouted from his scalp, his beard was in desperate need of trimming, and his clothes were crumpled and smelling of alcohol.
A bottle of wine in one hand, Wen Nuo was in turn surprised at Wu Xingyun’s presence: “What are you doing here? You’re not here to be Mozun’s mouthpiece, are you?”
“No.” Wu Xingyun shook his head. “I’ve just come to see you.”
With a bitter smile, Wen Nuo lightly laughed and let Wu Xingyun in.
The inside of the house was a complete mess. Apparently Wen Nuo couldn’t be bothered to tidy it up. Never mind that in the military he’d been known for his orderliness.
“Sir, are you……doing alright?” Wu Xingyun asked, mildly frightened by what he saw.
Shaking his head, Wen Nuo didn’t answer the question. Instead he talked about something else: “You know……I hated you for a time. I couldn’t understand it. How could a loyal Federation soldier, one I’d raised up with my own hands, go over the enemy?”
Wu Xingyun opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Wen Nuo waved a hand and continued: “But now I know why……practically everyone knows why. You……you and him……I sent you off to that demon’s side twice……”
Wen Nuo fell silent and Wu Xingyun couldn’t think of what to say.
Everyone did now know the story between Wu Xingyun and the Night Shard……
How Wu Xingyun had found a helpless, crying Night Shard on a blizzarding pass during the Earth’s last days……How Wu Xingyun had helped the Night Shard overcome many obstacles to establish a mutant base……
The Alliance had used the truth as propaganda, making a show of gratitude to the Federation for sending to the Night Shard the lover he so valued. The same lover that convinced the Night Shard to make peace with the Federation. Who hadn’t been touched by the millennium-spanning love story? Almost no one except—Wen Nuo.
“Mozun, the other mutants too, they can unlock their genetic code now.” Wen Nuo stated out of the blue. “You probably don’t know it, but I interrogated those Luoshi Research biologists. Mutant offspring will have stronger capabilities than ordinary humans. Reproduction being one of them. The Alliance has already taken most the Federation’s power. It’s only a matter of time til the Federation is destroyed completely.”
“I’m not willing to serve as an officer. Not like this. And I don’t want to watch the Federation that I’ve given most of my life to slowly wither away.”
“The Federation now exists in name only. I’m not going to pretend otherwise, and fight side by side with your Mozun.” Wen Nuo took a swig from his bottle, his eyes dark with feeling.
“At that time I just wanted him to die. I didn’t care who was sacrificed along the way. But the end result was he got rescued. If it hadn’t been for that nuclear bomb, there wouldn’t have been a black hole, you wouldn’t have gone into it……without you, he wouldn’t have become a mutant. He would’ve died a boy. I……haha……I’m truly the Milky Way’s number one fool!”
Giving a belly laugh, Wen Nuo tried smiling until his expression suddenly faded to helplessness, tears sliding down between his fingers.
Wu Xingyun stepped forward, softly patting Wen Nuo’s back: “You can’t blame yourself. No one knows what the future holds. Maybe it just comes down to fate.”
“Fate?!” Wen Nuo angrily grabbed Wu Xingyun’s arm, dragging the soldier up to the second floor.
The second floor was one big room, the walls covered with portraits, many medals sitting beneath each one.
“This is my great-grandfather.” Wen Nuo spoke slowly. “He once killed a mutant and received recognition of his meritorious service. To me, he was my hero. The Night Shard killed him.”
“This is my paternal grandfather. He commanded battleships, fighting the Alliance for years. You’ve heard of ‘Angel Wings,’ right? That was his squad. He was also died at the hands of the Night Shard.”
“And this is my father……” Wen Nuo stood facing his father’s portrait, unable to speak any further.
Wen Nuo had a clear childhood memory of being held in his father’s arms, watching shooting stars dive across the sky. Then his father had left for battle and never returned. He too had died on the battlefield, fighting against the Night Shard.
“When I first joined the military, it was for the sole purpose of fighting the Night Shard and the Demon Army. For the sake of the Federation, for the sake of the land that gave birth to me. Now……now everything has become a ridiculous sham……”
“The war that spanned generations, the honor and reputation of my family, it already means nothing……”
“Us……what are we fighting for? I endured twenty years in exile for the sake of what I believed in. Now the Federation is falling apart piece by piece. All those new council members who are nothing but Mozun’s puppets. The Federation that I loved, that I gave my life to, is no more. So tell me again, why should I listen to the call of my enemy?”
Standing quietly to the side, Wu Xingyun was unable to answer any of Wen Nuo’s questions.
In the back of his mind, Wu Xingyun had entertained the idea of trying to convince Wen Nuo to fight with Alliance. But now, after listening to Wen Nuo, Wu Xingyun gave up the notion.
Wen Nuo sat dejected on the floor, staring up at the portraits that had represented honor and sacrifice.
Wu Xingyun stayed motionless.
“What do you think, if the Saer take over our galaxy, rule over mankind……will everything we do now become foolish and meaningless too?” Wen Nuo asked Wu Xingyun.
Shaking his head, Wu Xingyun replied: “I don’t know.”
Night slowly descended, neither man finding answers.
Wen Nuo was at a complete loss. Wu Xingyun was pondering Wen Nuo’s questions.
A very long time passed until Wu Xingyun finally spoke: “I think the affairs of human life are impermanent. And we can’t see what the future holds. Yesterday’s heroes become war criminals; today’s demon becomes tomorrow’s hero. I just know, no matter how things change, if I act according to my conscience, then my heart is clear. The Saer arrived. Whether they’d be the enemies of humanity or like gods to us, who knew? But now we do know. They are our enemy and must be dealt with as such.”
Wen Nuo stayed silent, figure hidden in the shadows.
“Maybe, if we can’t forget the past, we never look forward. But if we try to look too far ahead, we forget we’re living in the present,” Wu Xingyun thought out loud. “I get confused myself. Anyway……I don’t want much. I just want everyone to live well. I think that’s what would be good.”
Smiling faintly, Wen Nuo waved a hand at Wu Xingyun, indicating for the soldier to leave.
Wu Xingyun hesitated for a moment before saluting Wen Nuo in the dim light of dawn. “No matter what the future brings, the honor and the glory of the past is forever.”
Saying no more, Wu Xingyun turned around, boarded his spaceship and flew away.
Wu Xingyun returned to Mozun’s side, not anticipating that Wen Nuo would closely follow him.
Wen Nuo had shaved his beard off and his clothes were spotless.
Paying no attention to Mozun, Wen Nuo extended a hand to Wu Xingyun: “After you left, I thought for a long time. Some things, no matter how sophistic the enemy is, can’t be changed. I can’t reverse the collapse of the Federation’s power by myself. Nevertheless, there are still things that must be done. I……am willing to act as Marshal of the Federation military, commanding our warships and cooperating with the Alliance’s operations.”
Eyes lighting up, Wu Xingyun shook Wen Nuo’s hand enthusiastically.
Wen Nuo’s face was blank though. Slightly turning his head, he glanced at Mozun: “But I will never shake hands with you.”
While the humans of the Milky Way vigorously prepared for war, great swaths of thick fog once more appeared along the galaxy’s borders.
The Saer, having settled their internal strife, had come again.
After some two thousand years of preparation, the curtains were pulling apart.
