Flame War Anthem: Beyond the Galactic River (GL) - Chapter 5

He had seen many beautiful women, all kinds, in countless forms and poses.

Yet the woman before him, though already tortured to the brink of death, showed none of the deep-seated fear or wretchedness one might expect. She didn’t even utter a single plea for mercy.

She knew full well that these men were among the few hopes she had of escaping this place.

The man accompanying him couldn’t stand her aloof, prideful demeanor. Enraged, he raised his whip and lashed her viciously.

Strangely, she seemed to feel no pain at all. The whip cracked through the air with a sharp, biting force, yet she didn’t make a sound.

The other women, huddled in a corner, screamed in terror, but she appeared numb to it all.

“What a damn b1tch…”

The man cursed under his breath, his voice thick with disgust and fury.

Sen Jie, however, remained silent, watching. A woman with such unyielding resilience was exceedingly rare.

For so long, she had refused to break under this inhumane, horrifying torture.

It was as if the filthy, wretched surroundings meant nothing to her—they didn’t affect her in the slightest.

Her tattered clothes hung loosely on her emaciated frame, stained with shocking splashes of bl00d. Her hair was a tangled mess, like a clump of withered grass.

She didn’t cry or struggle. Instead, she tilted her head back and laughed—freely, defiantly.

If she wasn’t insane, then she possessed a mental fortitude far beyond what most could fathom.

In a place like this, Sen Jie was stunned to see her smile—a smile so pure and gentle, unlike any he had ever seen before.

There was an inexplicable, haunting beauty to it, as if she belonged to another world, untouched by the hellish scene around her.

Her gaze was distant yet clear, like a bottomless whirlpool, pulling him in with an irresistible force.

Life always pauses for certain people or moments.

The instant he met her, the moment he stopped for her, he knew his fate and future were irrevocably tied to hers.

Years had passed, yet in his heart, Wu Chen remained an enigmatic puzzle—the most profound, alluring, and captivating mystery he had ever encountered.

He had to admit, she possessed an undeniable, mesmerizing charm.

She could effortlessly read others, yet her own heart was guarded like the most impenetrable fortress, impossible to decipher or enter.

Over the years, she had carved her own path in NAS through sheer determination, forging a place for herself.

Without extraordinary skill and ruthless tactics, she would have long been devoured by the merciless “beasts” lurking in that world.

It was from that time onward that he willingly stayed by her side, assisting her wholeheartedly, his support unmatched by anyone else.

Now, he was no longer the Fujiwara Akihiko of the past—bound by rigid family rules, neglected and overlooked.

And she was still Wu Chen—her true name unknown, her identity shrouded in mystery.

Before they met, both were lonely souls ruthlessly abandoned and forgotten by the world in some forgotten corner.

The moment he decided to save her, he not only rescued her but also the lost, aimless version of himself.

No matter how treacherous the road ahead might be, fraught with thorns and hardships, at least now, he was the only one standing by her side.

One day, he would claim the heart he had longed for…

New York—one of the greatest cities in the world.

Here, with enough wealth, one could become a ruler who commanded the winds and summoned the rain.

Night after night of revelry, drowning in extravagance, indulging in the finest material and spiritual pleasures the world had to offer.

But most people remained insignificant grains of sand in this vast desert of treasures—ordinary, unremarkable, and utterly forgettable.

Standing atop a towering skyscraper, gazing through the flawless, spotless floor-to-ceiling windows, one could take in the sweeping panorama of New York.

Bathed in the dazzling afternoon sunlight, the undulating concrete structures added a cold, distant chill to the scorching summer heat, as if pushing people away.

As the day of her return drew nearer, Wu Chen’s heart grew increasingly restless.

The lounge, decorated in cool tones, was rarely visited by anyone other than her.

On the bar counter, the sound system looped a Chinese song—Qi Qin’s The World Outside:

Long, long ago, you had me, and I had you…
Long, long ago, you left me to soar into the distant sky…
The world outside is so wonderful, the world outside is so cruel…
When you find the world outside so wonderful, I’ll be here, sincerely wishing you well…

The familiar, melancholic melody flowed like a gentle stream, gradually seeping into her heart.

It was as if a long-sealed lock had been opened, releasing memories she had buried deep—ones she rarely dared to touch or recall.

The events of that day remained vivid in her mind, the emotions of that time still deeply etched in her heart.

Now, even the slightest thought of it brought an overwhelming surge of pain, sharp and relentless.

It had been so, so long ago…

Dongling City, 2 AM. The streets seemed draped in a quiet veil, exceptionally still and desolate.

Most of the cars speeding by were taxis, their drivers working night shifts to make ends meet.

An Jingxi stood tall and straight in his crisp army uniform, motionless on the street corner, his gaze fixed on the empty road ahead.

The streetlights cast a soft, amber glow, like weary but steadfast sentinels in the silent night.

Occasionally, a few struggling moths circled the dim light before drifting slowly to the ground.

The autumn chill grew more pronounced in the deep stillness of the night.

Scattered yellow leaves littered the roadside, silently whispering of the changing seasons.

Soon, all the leaves on these streets would wither and fall, leaving only bare branches behind.

Only with the patience to wait until early spring would new green buds emerge once more.

Yesterday, the commander had solemnly informed her—this mission would be exceptionally perilous. She was to think it over carefully before giving her answer.

After all, he had watched her grow up and was sworn brothers with her father. Sending her on this mission undoubtedly filled him with conflict.

Although the commander hadn’t revealed the specifics of the mission, years of experience and sharp intuition told An Jingxi clearly—this departure might very well be a one-way trip.