Chapter 78: Planning Together

Inside the military zone, aircraft and mechs were constantly returning. With nightfall, it had become nearly impossible to continue any further explorations outside. Yet the commotion did not disturb the conversation between Ma Jun and Miles.

Ma Jun did not answer Miles’s question directly. Instead, he pointed at the scar on Miles’s forehead and smiled. “That’s a fine medal you’ve got there!”

Mentioning this made Miles swell with pride. For a soldier, if you had no scars, you’d be embarrassed to even call yourself a serviceman. The scar on Miles’s forehead was a memento from his very first arrival on Pandora. He had not chosen to erase it with any of the advanced cosmetic procedures available, opting instead to keep it—a testament to his life as a soldier and a constant reminder to remain vigilant.

“Yes,” Miles replied, “it’s a gift from Pandora.”

“Colonel Miles, you must have heard of Life One, haven’t you?” Ma Jun asked.

“Of course. It saved humanity from the food crisis.” Miles nodded with great approval.

“To be honest, it brought me a lot of wealth—and just as much trouble,” Ma Jun said with a shrug. “For all our technological progress, it’s almost ironic that humanity still faces existential threats. And here on Pandora, these capitalists care for nothing but profit, clinging to a façade of virtue, while extracting superconducting ore at a snail’s pace.”

“Capitalists have always been that way.”

“Just think about it—the widespread use of superconducting ore would dramatically advance our technology. With it, billions could escape Earth, giving our mother planet time to recover. Yet the company works with infuriating slowness.”

“Exactly!” Miles agreed fervently. “And they’re wasting vast sums on those pointless avatars.”

“Today I was collecting plant samples to upgrade Life One, and those Na’vi attacked my colleagues!” Ma Jun said angrily. “These primitives are simply impossible to communicate with!”

“Need my help? I can assign a squad to escort you,” Miles offered.

“Really? That would be wonderful!” Ma Jun replied with delight. “You know, the people I brought here are still unfamiliar with Pandora and moving cautiously. The lives of these young people are precious—we need courage in action, but we can’t let them die in vain.”

“Absolutely.” Miles felt Ma Jun was a kindred spirit. Their exchange left him deeply appreciative.

“Alright, it’s settled then!” Ma Jun rose to his feet. “We’ll set out tomorrow morning at seven. This time, I must collect those plant samples. And if the natives dare provoke us again, they’ll learn just what we’re capable of!”

After securing Miles’s support, Ma Jun whistled as he returned to his quarters, cigarette dangling from his lips. Once inside, he closed the door, lay down on his bed, and picked up a tablet.

On the screen was a message from Qian Modo. It read: “Boss, the Carl family and the company have approached me privately. After four or five rounds of probing, they’ve tried to win me over. I’ve used the opportunity to acquire quite a few valuable things—advanced technology.”

The message was timestamped four in the afternoon.

Ma Jun slid his finger across the screen to send a reply: “Get ready on your end. I may summon you to another dimension at any time. Things will wrap up here soon. Don’t worry about my safety.”

After replying, Ma Jun stretched luxuriously. Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.

“Come in!”

“Good evening, sir!”

The visitor was Carls, one of the mercenary captains under Ma Jun’s command, dressed in uniform. Upon entering, he snapped to attention and saluted.

“No need to be so formal, have a seat,” Ma Jun said with a cheerful grin as he sat up.

“Yes, sir!”

“How are the kids doing with their training?” Ma Jun asked, lighting a cigarette. “Everyone familiar with the base?”

“Reporting, sir—everyone is now well-acquainted with all internal security measures and can handle any emergency, inside or out!” Carls answered with firm conviction.

“Excellent.” Ma Jun exhaled a plume of smoke, eyes narrowing. “Tomorrow morning, you’ll personally lead five hundred men to secure my laboratory. Until I wake up from the avatar link pod, anyone who approaches the lab is to be shot on sight! Also, tonight, set timed explosives in every area of the base except our own sector. Be cautious—any questions?”

“None whatsoever, sir!” Carls looked a bit exhilarated.

Ma Jun chuckled. “Carls, you know, perhaps after tomorrow your name will be written into the annals of human history.”

“Sir, all I know is to protect your safety and follow your orders in everything.”

“Well said.” Ma Jun nodded, taking a deep drag and squinting. “Carls, your father was bedridden for years, and your sister juggled her studies with bar work. But since you came with me to Pandora, their lives have changed. Your father is back on his feet, your sister no longer works in that filthy bar—instead, she’s focused on her doctoral studies.”

Though humans had invented faster-than-light communication, connecting Pandora to Earth was still costly. Thus, Carls did not know his family’s current situation, only that part of his monthly wages was wired home.

Carls’s eyes reddened, but he said nothing more. “Sir, no matter what happens tomorrow, I’ll give my life to protect you!”

As night deepened, the human base on Pandora stood in stark contrast to the surrounding, beautiful forest.

Deep inside the base, in an office, Parker scrolled through a screen that displayed a message:

“Tomorrow, Ma Jun will link to his avatar again. While such connections are usually perfectly safe, nothing is absolute. A rare accident could always occur. If it does, no one can predict the outcome. Humanity will lose a great scientist, even if his usefulness has come to an end.”

“Ma Jun is an orphan and once made a will—should he die unexpectedly, all his assets will go to his assistant, Mr. Qian Modo.”

“Junma Technologies—Ma Jun owns twenty-five percent, along with some shares in other families. These holdings are considerable and have great potential.”

The sender was listed as none other than President Stark.

After reading, Parker took a sip of water and muttered, “Well, it seems Ma Jun is in for an ‘accident’ tomorrow. I’d better be on the scene first thing to manage the aftermath. Oh, and I’ll bring Miles along, just in case anything unusual happens.”