So, for the Allied Forces, money isn’t the issue—the problem is that there are no rules or regulations for this.

“I’ll give it a try. When I had Big Jack submit the application for enlistment procedures, I also mentioned this matter in passing.” James Lane smiled and said, “Even if the application doesn’t go through, I still have some money on hand myself... Anyway, I’m all alone, nowhere to spend it.”

The Allied Forces do indeed have salaries or, rather, stipends, and as a combat squad leader, James Lane’s allowance isn’t low. But he no longer has any family, and over the years, most of his income has gone to help out brothers around him who needed money.

A brief silence fell inside the vehicle as the topic came up.

But in fact, the most pressing and worrisome issue before them wasn’t any of this, but rather the source energy block that had mysteriously disappeared earlier.

As the most important loot from every operation, the thing that the higher-ups always eyed like a dog after a bone, it was supposed to come from the spindle-shaped aircraft—bigger or smaller, it didn’t matter...

But this time, they couldn’t even find a trace of it.

“It’s not like there’s no precedent for this. I’ve heard of similar situations happening abroad before, and the final conclusion was that the source energy block just happened to be completely depleted.”

“Exactly! No one here would have taken it anyway. We can’t use that thing directly ourselves, and if we turn it in for refining, we even get a reward back. Who would be crazy enough to steal it?!”

“The problem isn’t with us—it’s whether the higher-ups believe it or not. What a coincidence, not even a scrap left...”

The vehicle was filled with anxiety and heated discussion.

“It’s fine, as long as we have a clear conscience.” James Lane reassured the others, saying, “At worst, I’ll go answer their questions and write a few more incident reports... At most, we’ll just be put in isolation for a few days.”

He made it sound easy, but “isolation review” was hardly a light matter.

...

“By the way, um... what about that thing they called the source energy block?”

In the room, Henry Clark, who hadn’t slept all night, had already gone over his previous experiences and all the unbelievable things he’d seen several times in his mind, and finally remembered this detail.

He had clearly seen that thing, and had even been hit by it.

Logically, after hitting me, it should have landed in the dirt pit, but they searched that pit so many times... So could it really still be on me? Stuck in my belt?

He jumped out of bed, rummaged through his belt, clothes, pants... In the end, he just stripped himself bare, shaking out his clothes again and again.

But no, the thing was still nowhere to be found.

Instead, after undressing, Henry Clark unexpectedly discovered a faintly reddened edge at his heart, with the main part pitch black, like a smudge of coal. It was about the size and shape of a leech.

He casually tried to rub it off with his thumb... but it wouldn’t come off.

The mark seemed embedded in his skin. So, could it have been burned by the metal block? It didn’t feel hot to the touch, but maybe it was still harmful? But it didn’t hurt at all, not even a little... How could that make sense?

It was more likely that he’d bumped himself on the ground earlier, a bruise he hadn’t noticed because he was too tense—maybe that made more sense.

With his mind muddled from a whole night of confusion, Henry Clark couldn’t figure anything out.

“Clatter, clatter, clatter...”

A faint clanging came from outside—the sound of the water jar lid being moved, the tin ladle rattling. Henry Clark had been familiar with these sounds for years.

Outside, the sky was still gray, but his parents were already up. Fetching water, making breakfast, feeding the pigs, then heading to the mountains or the fields... Ordinary days passed like this, year after year, day after day.

“I just took a look, the light’s on in Henry’s room.”

“Yeah, probably feeling upset, didn’t sleep all night.”

“Yeah, but we don’t really know how to comfort him.”

“Sigh... Watching this, my heart aches too.”

His parents’ hushed conversation wasn’t very clear, but Henry Clark listened quietly. As his thoughts churned, he suddenly seemed able to imagine some scenes that might happen in the future:

When news of his sacrifice suddenly arrived at this humble home; when his parents, hair turned white, had no one left by their side...

After coming home last night, Henry Clark had kept his lips sealed, not mentioning anything to his parents—he didn’t know how to bring it up, and didn’t dare to, even a little.

But in the end, he would have to leave, and there was only one day left.

Even though he had already resolved to do everything he could to survive and hopefully return home to care for his parents one day, the reality was that Henry Clark still had to consider: if he suddenly died one day, leaving just his parents behind...

Thinking about what he should do with this last bit of time, what else he could do, Henry Clark got dressed, opened the door, walked to the kitchen, and stood in front of his parents, giving them a goofy smile in response to their concerned looks.

“Why are you up so early, Henry?” his mother asked, hiding her worry.

“I... Dad, Mom, I want to head out early and go to the county.”

Mom: “What for?”