The long-standing, planet- and star-sea-spanning "traditional friction" between the navy and the army (especially the Marine Corps) had never truly disappeared, regardless of changes in the nature of warfare.
It stemmed from subtle competition and one-upmanship born of different combat environments, different ways of thinking, and even different systems of honor.
Seeing these "green giants" appear, the Pluto Fleet officers who had been leaning against the windows in awe almost reflexively wiped the relaxed expressions from their faces.
They quickly turned to face the direction of the Marine Corps soldiers, instinctively straightening their backs and lifting their chins.
The relaxed curiosity on their faces was swiftly replaced by the somewhat aloof and proud demeanor befitting naval officers.
No words were spoken, but a silent atmosphere had already begun to permeate the space between the two groups of soldiers from different branches.
The officer at the forefront, the most burly of them all, wearing four silver diamond-shaped epaulettes, stopped about five paces away from Qin Bei Wang.
His gaze sharp as lightning, he quickly scanned the one bar and two stars on Qin Bei Wang's shoulder, denoting the rank of lieutenant colonel. The stern expression on his face was instantly replaced by a formal, rigid seriousness.
Snap!
He brought his heels together, his back ramrod straight, and delivered a standard, almost textbook-perfect army salute. His voice boomed like a bell, echoing through the hall:
"Sir!"
"Dragon War Legion, Hundred Dragons Marine Division, 104th Orbital Drop Brigade, 3rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment, Armored Cavalry Squad!"
"Feng Jinsheng, Captain!"
All the soldiers behind him snapped to attention simultaneously, their movements perfectly synchronized, like a wall of dark green instantly solidified.
Though they made no sound, a solemn aura washed over the scene.
Armored Cavalry Squad... Qin Bei Wang understood.
So they were an elite armored infantry unit operating light assault mechas or heavy powered exoskeletons. No wonder the lowest rank among them was an experienced sergeant major, and their physiques were exceptionally burly—basic requirements for operating heavy equipment.
His expression remained calm as he similarly raised his right hand, returning a crisp, clean naval salute.
"At ease."
His tone was steady, neither warm nor cold, fitting the standard response of a senior officer to a subordinate unit.
However, right at this delicate moment of the brief salute exchange, with both sides maintaining rigid protocol—
"Wow! Mom, look!
Those uncles are so... so strong!
Like the steel giants in the cartoons!"
A childish exclamation full of wonder came from the direction of the hall's lounge area.
A boy of about seven or eight, dressed in fine clothes, was excitedly pointing at Captain Feng Jinsheng and the muscular soldiers behind him, his little face flushed red, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
But beside him, a lavishly dressed, exquisitely made-up noblewoman paled. She hurriedly pulled the boy back to her side.
Covering his mouth with her hand, she lowered her voice, speaking with clear displeasure and a scolding tone.
"Silly child! What are you shouting about!"
She disdainfully glanced at the figures in dark green uniforms. Though her voice was low, the hall was unusually quiet at that moment, and her agitated emotions made her words clearly audible to everyone.
"What's so great about being one of those 'tin cans'?
Dirty, exhausting, and you have to charge to the front to get shot at!"
She pulled the little boy closer to her and continued her "earnest teachings."
"If you're going to join the military, you should join the interstellar navy!
Best of all, become a fleet commander!
Like that Lieutenant Colonel... what's his name... Qin something Wang?
Yes, yes, Qin Bei Wang!"
The noblewoman's voice carried a hint of envy and shrewd calculation.
"Look at him, commanding such a massive starship, hiding in the back, firing from afar with a 'boom,' and then running away after the fight!
So safe!
And with great achievements!
That's the path a smart person should take!"
She patted the little boy's head, her tone "affectionate" yet pragmatic.
"But then, with your timid nature, you probably wouldn't even dare to fire a gun.
Forget it, forget it. Mom can't bear to see you suffer.
When you grow up, I'll have your father arrange a position for you in the Quartermaster Department or the Logistics and Communications Bureau. No wind, no rain, not even a glimpse of the enemy—that's what I call stability!
We won't learn from those foolish brutes..."
Her words abruptly stopped as she finally noticed the eerie silence around her and the countless gazes fixed upon her.
Captain Feng Jinsheng's originally stern face had now darkened like the bottom of a pot, veins faintly throbbing on his forehead.
The soldiers behind him clenched their jaws, fists tightening with audible cracks, their eyes burning with the fury of humiliation.
Even the naval officers behind Qin Bei Wang wore somewhat peculiar expressions.
Though they were categorized as "smart people," the noblewoman's extremely utilitarian and completely distorted view of military values also made them uncomfortable.
Qin Bei Wang sighed inwardly.
This deeply ingrained prejudice against certain branches of the military and the utilitarian view of professions had long existed in certain circles of the Federation.
In the simplistic and crude understanding of many: armored cavalry piloting mechs ranked above ordinary infantry; the navy commanding starships ranked above the army slogging through the mud; and at the very top, the most enviable positions were always those in logistics or administrative roles, far from the front lines, safe and worry-free.
Though the interstellar navy looked down on those "land barbarians," that was an internal military matter.
It was not something to be profaned by those who had never set foot on the battlefield.
Thus, Qin Bei Wang was deeply dissatisfied with the noblewoman's words.
He leaned in and whispered to Zhuang Zhi Xuan.
"Look into their identities later. I quite like that little brat.
He has the potential to become a destroyer captain!
When he turns eighteen, I'll request him from the Recruitment Bureau!"
In this Interstellar Era, military service was an obligation for every citizen.
Therefore, it was almost impossible for the boy to escape his grasp.
Then, Qin Bei Wang slowly turned his gaze to Feng Jinsheng, his tone still calm.
"Captain Feng, prejudice has always existed.
But true value is never determined by the words of others."
"Your dignity lies wherever your battlefield is.
Proceed with your duties."
Captain Feng Jinsheng took a deep breath and snapped another salute. This time, the gesture was less procedural and carried more genuine solemnity.
"Yes, sir!"
He gave Qin Bei Wang a deep look, then turned and left with his soldiers, their steps still heavy but now carrying a hint of something more, truly departing.
The hall fell silent once more.
Qin Zhi Xuan stood beside Qin Bei Wang and said softly, "Their size is quite intimidating."
Hearing this, the corner of Qin Bei Wang's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, his gaze still calmly fixed on a distant, empty point in the starry sky outside the window.
He understood all too well the reason for their exaggerated physiques.
It was a typical outward manifestation of injecting low-grade Gene Enhancement Serum.
This type of serum could significantly enhance basic muscle strength, bone density, and trauma tolerance. Relatively inexpensive and easy to mass-produce, it was the mainstream choice for arming ordinary Marine Corps members and some basic military units.
The cost, however, was a marked promotion of muscle hyperplasia, leading to a general trend toward "gigantism" in physique, along with a heavier physiological metabolic burden.
As for him, and the true core leadership of the Federation, what they used was something entirely different.
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