Chapter 21: What Else Can Be Transformed

At the very moment the centrifuge started, Jing Zhiming did not feel the usual increase in pressure that weighed down heavily inside the machine. Instead, he sensed a force pressing firmly against his back from the chair, like an inflating pressure hugging him tightly.

Outside the centrifuge, Xu Yan was intently watching the display on the computer. At that moment, his mind was flooded with a continuous flow of information exchanged between himself and Jiyu.

One was calm; the other, tense.

The calm one was naturally Jiyu, while the tense one was Xu Yan.

The weight index fluctuated constantly as the centrifuge began operating, gradually increasing pressure until it reached 7G. After running at this level for a minute, it slowly dropped back to 6.5G.

Duan Peng and Zhang Xudong watched anxiously from the side.

When the pressure dropped from 7 to 6.5, Zhang Xudong asked curiously, “Why did it decrease?”

“Perhaps the captain is injured. His safe endurance limit is 6.5G. If it stayed at 7G continuously, he might experience retinal graying, and if prolonged, it could lead to blindness,” Xu Yan explained.

“So, he can’t improve further?”

Zhang Xudong was well aware of the reason; it was the very cause that forced Jing Zhiming to retire from the Interstellar Corps years ago.

“Physical endurance can be improved, but the captain’s injury is a different matter. He needs to heal first,” Xu Yan said.

Inside the centrifuge, Jing Zhiming felt a brief gray haze over his vision as the pressure lessened, and then it disappeared. He glanced at the weight pressure index and sighed quietly—he simply could not reach his former peak.

Although at this level he could still survive within the Interstellar Corps, any extreme situation would be a fight for survival.

That had been the reason he was forced to leave the Corps years ago.

Stepping out of the centrifuge, Jing Zhiming pushed his personal concerns to the back of his mind; his own experience spoke volumes.

“Xu Yan, I’ll credit this achievement to you,” Jing Zhiming said. “Tomorrow, I’ll have the Interstellar Corps training center people come take a look.”

Afterward, he patted the centrifuge with a tinge of sentiment and said, “It’s a pity such excellent training equipment doesn’t belong to the Jinjiang Special Forces. Well, you’ve done what you needed to. Go report back to the First Squad. You’ve worked hard today; no training tomorrow.”

With that, Jing Zhiming turned to leave.

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“Captain!” Xu Yan, disbelief etched on his face, exclaimed, “Captain, why would I go back to the First Squad? We should be selecting people to join Duan Peng and me in training!”

Jing Zhiming shook his head. “Impossible! The Command Center has made it clear: Jinjiang Special Forces have their own roles. I might be overthinking it.”

“Captain,” Xu Yan grew anxious, “even if Jinjiang Special Forces have their own role, it doesn’t mean we can’t add training modules! After all, the equipment is already with our team. Are they seriously going to take back these retired old devices?”

Jing Zhiming glanced at Xu Yan. “You don’t want to join the Interstellar Corps?”

“Captain, what do you mean?”

“I’m thinking of submitting a special application so that you and Duan Peng can join the Interstellar Corps Training Center and become genuine members of the Corps.”

“I won’t go!” Xu Yan’s refusal startled not only Duan Peng beside him but also Jing Zhiming himself.

Thinking he misheard, Jing Zhiming asked again, “What did you say?”

Xu Yan immediately stood at attention. “Report, Captain, I said I don’t want to join the Interstellar Corps.”

Jing Zhiming stepped forward, touched Xu Yan’s forehead, then his own, muttering to himself, “No fever…”

Xu Yan laughed bitterly. “Captain, I really don’t want to go now. The last time I went, it was clear the Interstellar Corps looked down on us Jinjiang Special Forces. Other special forces were the same. It’s because our overall physical fitness isn’t as good. But with this new training equipment, our Jinjiang Special Forces will be just as strong!”

Jiyu’s reluctance stemmed from his impaired body, far from his original condition. If he could recover to even half—or a third—of his previous strength under Earth’s conditions, he would be fearless. He only needed a chance to pilot a shuttle off Earth to pursue his research, bringing back precious experience from Earth for further study.

Xu Yan had promised him that.

Given his current physical state, joining the Interstellar Corps meant he could hardly communicate as freely with Xu Yan as he did in the Jinjiang Special Forces. That was his firsthand impression from the last time he went, which is why he preferred to stay and train with Jinjiang.

So, after finally sensing Jing Zhiming’s thoughts, he had no intention of joining the Interstellar Corps. If he could gain spaceflight opportunities within Jinjiang, that would be perfect—no worries of being tracked.

Yet Xu Yan’s impassioned words rekindled a long-dormant spark within Jing Zhiming.

Looking at Xu Yan, he asked, “What else can you modify?”

Xu Yan smiled mysteriously. “Captain, whatever you want me to modify, I can do it. But there’s one condition—you can’t let anyone know it’s my work.”

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“Why?”

“Report, Captain, because I don’t want the Interstellar Corps to forcibly take me away. I love Jinjiang, and I love you, Captain!”

Though such sentimental words gave Duan Peng and Zhang Xudong goosebumps, Jing Zhiming seemed to take great pleasure, nodding repeatedly. “Good! Good! Good!”

Patting Xu Yan on the shoulder, he said, “I agree to that condition.”

Then turning to Zhang Xudong and Duan Peng, he warned, “Besides the four of us here today, if a fifth person learns of this, you two will be treated as having leaked Jinjiang Special Forces’ strategic secrets. I’ll shoot you both on the spot!”

Duan Peng and Zhang Xudong exchanged looks and retorted, “What if you and Xu Yan tell others yourselves?”

“That’s your problem for not stopping us!” Jing Zhiming said dominantly.

“Where’s the fairness?” The two men—one broad-shouldered and muscular, the other lean and sinewy like a cheetah—could only grumble quietly, unwilling to argue further.

Though they knew Jing Zhiming’s harshness was partly in jest, they lacked the courage to refuse.

Excited, Jing Zhiming did not rush to select team members but instead pulled Xu Yan to inspect each piece of equipment, asking what improvements could be made after modification.

It seemed he truly believed Xu Yan’s claim that he could modify anything without hesitation.

After a thorough round of explanations and satisfied listening, the two bewildered men trailed behind like silent attendants, unable to interject a word.

What followed was the two men each lugging over a tall stool, sitting dumbfounded as Jing Zhiming and Xu Yan planned modifications for every training device.

Some parts needed to be remanufactured.

The Special Forces’ resources were limited; some components could be fabricated in-house, while others required professional suppliers to handle.

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End of page three.