Chapter 149: Joanna and the Crystal (Part One)

Returning once again from the world of the purple moon, the giant salamander carried back eight crystals.

These eighteen crystals were produced within the maximum time limit Ji Yu was able to remain in the purple moon world.

This time, the duration for which the giant salamander was expelled from the purple moon world was a little over three hours.

In those three hours, the humanoid tribe had manufactured a total of eight crystals. Naturally, Ji Yu had plans for them.

He took out three of them and handed them over to the French Countermeasure Bureau, letting them first research whether there were any issues with these crystals. After observing them for some time to confirm everything was fine, Ji Yu intended to have the giant salamander carry the remaining crystals and travel all the way from the deep sea into the Lyon waters.

Then, utilizing its flight capability, the giant salamander would pass right by the city of Wuyang in the Lyon Federation just like a traveler, and hand these five crystals to him.

Following that, he would have the giant salamander travel to the location of the little deer, having the little deer directly and rapidly help it enter the secondary peak state.

Emerging from the deep sea, Ji Yu once again gazed at the realm that had already vanished, and immediately began guiding the giant salamander to ascend.

Rendezvousing with the pod of whales on the ocean surface, Ji Yu immediately led them back toward the waters belonging to the French Federation.

As for the French Federation, Ji Yu's sentiment toward them could neither be called good nor bad. In short, their relationship with the giant salamander was strictly limited to mutual utilization.

The giant salamander would help them, and in return, they could provide the giant salamander with a safer environment. Simply put, that was all there was to it.

Traveling back at high speed, upon entering the French territorial waters, the whale fleet remained in place while the giant salamander, under the watchful eyes of the aircraft carrier fleet, leaped forward swiftly and landed steadily onto the cleared deck of the carrier.

"Lady Salamander, you have finally returned. I wonder if you have made any discoveries today?"

On the deck of the carrier, Joanna wore a crisp military uniform, standing tall and confident as she smiled at the giant salamander.

Standing before the giant salamander, Joanna indeed appeared remarkably tiny, yet despite her diminutive stature, the lady did not show a shred of fear.

After two weeks of getting along, the fact that the giant salamander was female did not even require the creature to state it itself; these people were easily able to draw that conclusion by comparing its physical morphology with normal giant salamanders.

Beside Joanna stood a group of French naval soldiers. These soldiers were not carrying firearms, merely standing to the side and observing.

Additionally, on the bridge of the aircraft carrier, the naval commander and a group of high-ranking naval officers were also watching the giant salamander.

To this, Ji Yu was long accustomed, and therefore paid it no particular attention.

The giant salamander nodded slightly toward Joanna.

At the same time, under Joanna's watchful gaze, it slowly opened its mouth, and to the utter confusion of everyone present, suddenly spat out a bubble from its mouth.

The bubble was about the size of a basketball, transparent yet shining brightly.

Soon after, under Joanna's gaze, she quickly discovered three transparent crystalline bodies suspended in the center of the bubble, reflecting the dazzling sunlight.

The crystals were very small, looking somewhat like fragments of ice.

Joanna felt a trace of bewilderment. She could not comprehend what the giant salamander was trying to express by spitting out a bubble, nor did she know what the crystals within the bubble signified.

However, even as doubt flickered in Joanna's mind, a series of images suddenly began to emerge within her consciousness.

These images played continuously, much like a video.

The content was none other than the giant salamander discovering the deep-sea realm, entering the world of the purple moon, and encountering those humanoid creatures.

Although the entire sequence had been streamlined, conveying the full scope of information still required several minutes.

Therefore, in the eyes of the soldiers standing nearby, the scene they witnessed was Joanna standing still with a bubble floating in front of her, while she herself fell into an inexplicable state of trance.

This trance lasted for a full seven minutes or so, leaving the surrounding soldiers exchanging bewildered and questioning glances.

Meanwhile, up on the carrier's bridge, the fleet commander and senior officials watching the movements of the giant salamander and Joanna also wore expressions of perplexity.

"What is Major Joanna doing? Why has she been standing there completely motionless?"

An officer asked in confusion.

"Perhaps the divine-favored creature is transmitting some of its recent discoveries from the deep sea directly to Major Joanna," the senior colonel Richard pondered for a moment before replying with some hesitation.

"As everyone should know, Major Joanna previously submitted a report stating that the divine-favored creature possesses a magical ability to directly transmit certain images to humans, thereby expressing its thoughts and what it has seen and heard."

"Although we have never witnessed it ourselves, since Major Joanna serves as the special envoy communicating with the divine-favored creature, the situation unfolding right now is quite plausible."

With Richard offering this explanation, the people present immediately wore looks of sudden realization.

"It really is enviable. Major Joanna isn't even thirty yet, and to be able to deal with the divine-favored creature and successfully bring it to our side—such a contribution is monumental. I've heard that the Army Headquarters has been discussing promoting her to the rank of colonel."

"Skipping two ranks straight to a sub-thirty colonel? Is this considered the first case in our French Federation within the last fifty years?"

A colonel in his forties exclaimed in admiration.

"Special circumstances call for special treatments. Having such a rate of promotion isn't overly surprising."

"However, with the addition of the divine-favored creature, if it continues to make even greater contributions to our French Federation during this period, I believe Major Joanna might well become a general before turning thirty-five."

"A general under thirty-five, and a female general at that?"

The deputy fleet commander looked at Joanna's distant silhouette while wearing a thoughtful expression.

"I recall that Major Joanna is still unmarried, right?"

As soon as the deputy fleet commander uttered those words, the officers inside the bridge fell completely silent, casting strange looks toward him.

"Heh~, what's this? General, are you planning to play matchmaker between Major Joanna and that boy of yours?" a colonel joked.

"That brat of mine won't do. At least, after inquiring about Major Joanna's temperament, I am terrified that my son's third leg might never stand straight again," the deputy fleet commander replied in a bantering tone, revealing how deeply exasperated he had long been with his own son.

"Then who are you planning to match her with?" someone else inquired.

The men present were all senior colonels, mostly over the age of forty. None of them obviously harbored any personal romantic notions toward Joanna.

After all, a future general, a rising star in the military, was not someone just anyone could match with.

However, just because they had no such ideas did not mean others in the military lacked them.

"Who to match her with?"

The deputy fleet commander pursed his lips, gesturing toward Fleet Commander Morton, who was currently deep in thought nearby.

In an instant, everyone came to a sudden understanding.

Fleet Commander Morton was already sixty-three years old this year, and his son was well into his early forties.

Although his son had never served in the military, one of his grandsons was currently serving in the army. Moreover, owing to this familial connection, though his grandson was only twenty-six years old, he already held a field-grade officer rank.

In addition, the commander possessed extensive connections throughout the French Federation, alongside a considerable estate.

With such a background, his grandson was indeed well-matched for a rising military star like Joanna.

Seeing all eyes turn toward him, Fleet Commander Morton remained silent, merely offering a faint smile to everyone present.

"Alright, all of you stop stirring up trouble."

"Although my grandson is quite capable and I am very satisfied with his character, whether he can successfully pursue our beautiful major remains an unknown."

"Right now, those old fellows over at the army department aren't pushovers either; their moves are much faster than mine."

"Anyway, let everything happen as fate dictates."

"However, I think you fellows aren't without a chance. Aren't many of your grandchildren still little kids? You lot should have taken action long ago, shouldn't you?"

The fleet commander wore an expression that saw right through everyone present, causing a portion of them to look somewhat embarrassed.

Indeed.

These men had practically turned into old foxes within the military.

Upon learning that the young girl valued by the giant salamander had been admitted to study at the French Academy of Nobility, these people had long since instructed their families to have their little ones befriend the young girl named Lucy.

After all, when it came to affection, nurturing it from childhood was always the best approach.

Seeing that everyone fell silent for a moment, the fleet commander chuckled and shook his head, then once again directed his gaze toward the giant salamander and Joanna on the deck.

***

Once Joanna had finished viewing all the imagery played out within her mind, she stood rooted to the spot, looking at the items suspended inside the bubble before her, long unable to calm the shock surging in her heart.

The world of the purple moon, an unknown humanoid civilization, magical crystals, and those crystals capable of resisting the radiation of the purple moon.

Everything—every single detail—exceeded Joanna's expectations.

Taking a deep breath, Joanna tried her best to steady her state of mind, while immediately speaking to the giant salamander:

"Lady, your discovery is of immeasurable help to us. For this, I express my deepest respect."

With those words, Joanna bowed deeply to the giant salamander.

Straightening back up, Joanna immediately said to the giant salamander: "Your handling of those humanoid creatures was exceptional, Milady. I will report the matter of the trade immediately. Furthermore, I will have the research institute analyze these crystals right away."

"This matter is of monumental significance. I need to have the fleet dock immediately so I can make a personal report. Therefore, I must apologize, but I have to leave for the moment."

To this, Ji Yu non-committally had the giant salamander nod.

Following that, the blonde beauty turned on her heel and strode away, quickly breaking into a jog.

Soon enough, in Ji Yu's field of vision, Joanna entered the entrance of the bridge and vanished from sight.

Seeing this, Ji Yu smiled inwardly.

"This blonde beauty has a rather resilient mindset. To think she didn't have an overly dramatic reaction—quite interesting indeed."

With this brief banter, Ji Yu immediately had the giant salamander leap off the carrier's deck and into the water.

Shortly after, accompanied by a tremendous roar as it broke through the ocean waves, the giant salamander vaulted out of the sea and began gliding toward the French mainland.

By now, the giant salamander had long since established a new habitat.

This habitat was located precisely in the river system a few dozen kilometers outside the capital of the French Federation—a place boasting a pleasant environment while also being closest to the school attended by the little girl, Yang Nana.