My Partner was Assigned to me by the Country

Of course, the speed of civilian airships is naturally not as fast as military ones. They departed at 3:00 pm and landed after leaping through four time zones. When Ryan and Auston walked out of the terminal in Yuemang town, it was already 7:00 pm B612 time, but it was still afternoon in Yuemang town. There was a four-hour time difference between Yuemang town and Xingmang town, and when Xingmang entered the night, the sun that was frozen in the white sky during the freezing season in Yuemang town was still hanging in the sky.

B612 time is calculated according to Xingmang town because the military base is located there.

Yuemang town has its own time system, and it is currently 3:15 pm in Yuemang time.

This is a small town located on a cliff by the sea, with a permanent population second to Xingmang town. The houses in the town are built on the hillside, with no horizontal streets, all with slopes. The walls of the houses are coated with shell powder, which is shining white in the sunlight. The dark green tiles on the roofs are simple and low-key, and do not reflect any sunlight. However, Ryan, flipping through the tourist guidebook, learned that these tiles are not artificially fired, but are scales of a large fish, larger than the blue whale on Earth.

Humans cannot actively capture this type of fish, they can only be picked up when washed ashore. The scales of one fish can cover the roofs of ten ordinary houses.

Yuemang is still the only tourist town on the entire B612 planet. Free tourist brochures are available in the terminal building, which are rough in appearance and have immature handwriting. Each book and each painting has a different style and is not printed by machines. They are made by the children of Yuemang town. Such small brochures are very precious, and when they are no longer needed, they should be sent to the appropriate place instead of being discarded.

Once discovered, the person who discarded the brochure would become a rejected person of Yuemang town, and will be blacklisted on the entire B612 planet. Adventurers wouldn’t want to take that risk, as they don’t want to miss any money-making opportunities.

Yuemang town, which is currently in the midst of a long winter, appears a bit monotonous in black and white. If the warm sunny season arrives, colorful flowers will bloom along the roadside and around the houses, making it very beautiful, as shown in the pictures.

It’s a pity that Ryan and Auston cannot wait for the arrival of the warm sunny season, as they will soon have to leave this remote asteroid.

“We will walk from Dolphin Street to Jellyfish Street, and following Jellyfish Street straight ahead, we will arrive at the Sea Cliff, overlooking the sea. After nightfall, we will have dinner at the Big Shell Restaurant, which serves very good preserved foods that are famous in Yuemang town.” After reading the travel brochure, Ryan quickly came up with the best travel route in his mind, “At night, we can go to the beach to see the hawksbill sea turtles hatching and also see the glowing jellyfish you mentioned. First, we can watch from the shore, and then go back to the Sea Cliff to see the night view. We can spend the night at the Small Shell Hotel, where the sea view room has the best angle.”

“Sorry,” Ryan’s gentle eyes showed a touch of regret in the failed plan, “Only during the warm season can there be fresh sea fish and shrimp available here. Now, we can only eat preserved foods.”

Ryan has always been confident in his plans, as evidenced by his performance in the competition. As long as he does his homework in advance, his plans are not likely to be affected by changes. This kind of self-assurance has quietly taken over the leadership position when he discusses plans with his teammates. The others have not noticed this because they believe in Ryan from the bottom of their hearts. It is more accurate to say that Ryan is the true leader of the team, rather than Derrick being the team captain.

As an onlooker, Auston can see things more clearly than those involved. He understands that the real Ryan is much more assertive than his gentle appearance suggests.

It was the first time Auston had seen the frustration of a failed plan in the eyes of a planner. His lips curled up, “But I have been attracted by the fresh sea fish and shrimp you mentioned.” Ryan had described how to prepare fresh seafood all the way, and Auston was really attracted by the deliciousness he had described.

“I’ll try to make a fishing rod and drop it down from the cliff. Maybe we can catch a fish or half1.” Ryan was joking, but he was actually calculating the feasibility of this idea in his mind. After thinking about the height of the cliff, he wisely dismissed the idea anyway.

The travel brochure was in Auston’s hands, and he lowered his head and flipped through the corresponding page. The sea cliff was 120 meters high, and a 120-meter long fishing line… don’t be ridiculous.

“Please don’t do such an irrational thing because I want to eat fish,” Auston looked at Ryan seriously. He was naturally rigorous and didn’t joke around. No one had dared to joke around with him before, so he thought Ryan was serious.

Auston had even figured out how to convince Ryan to give up his naive idea. They couldn’t get a fishing line of 120 meters in length in Yuemang town, and the wind was strong under the sea cliff. They couldn’t control the direction of the fishing line…

As they spent more time together, Auston’s expressions became more and more abundant. Ryan could easily tell what he was thinking, and couldn’t help but laugh. He leaned over and kissed Auston’s cheek, saying, “You’re such a cutie.”

Auston was stunned as he touched the place where he was kissed, and when he heard what Ryan called him, his face turned red instantly, “Don’t call me that.”

Ryan asked, “Why not?”

“When my mother was still alive, she used to call me that,” Auston said with a nostalgic expression. It had been a long time since anyone had called him that way. He grabbed Ryan’s arm and said, embarrassed, “Say it again.”

Ryan complied, “Little cutie.”

Auston shook his head unbearably and said regretfully, “Don’t call me that. It feels different, there is no feeling of a mother.”

Ryan: “…..”

Ryan: “I definitely don’t have the feeling of a mother on me.” If he did, it would be strange. He would doubt his relationship with Auston.

Auston chuckled and shook his head, feeling childish about his behavior. “Don’t say such boring things here. Let’s get going.”

He took the lead and walked ahead, with a bright smile on his face where Ryan couldn’t see. He lifted his head slightly and looked up at the sky, as if seeing his mother’s loving face. She had told him that her little Auston would find a loving partner who cared for him deeply. He said softly in his heart: Mom, I found him.

Ryan caught up with him, walking side by side with Auston, he whispered, “Little cutie.”

Auston glanced at him with the eyes of a general – a look not to be trifled with. Ordinary soldiers would have been trembling with fear at the unintentional display of authority, but Ryan was not an ordinary soldier. He…..Ahem, he was a soldier with intimate contact with the general, so he dared to touch the tiger’s butt.

Ryan murmured, “Little cutie.” It was such an adorable nickname.

As Auston heard Ryan’s calling, his face turned cold, but those who knew him well would notice a blush creeping up his ears. The mix of annoyance and shyness made his eyes appear more moist than usual, something that Ryan had seen many times before in bed. Ryan knew when to stop, so he called out twice and then stopped abruptly, coughing and turning his head away. The shy young man by nature felt couldn’t help but blush after teasing his lover in public.

The two of them remained silent on the way, but anyone with a discerning eye could sense the smell of newlywed emanating from this young couple – a mixture of shyness, awkwardness, and intense love. Seeing them, an elderly sitting by the roadside basking in the sun couldn’t help but smile knowingly. 

“Laura and I were like this when we first got married.”

“Oh come on, George, with your shameless personality, I’m sure you were kissing Laura on the streets.” 

“Hahaha, that’s all after two years of marriage, kissing in the crowd, it feels wonderful. The young couple should really try it. Don’t wait until you’re older and have to worry about your back and teeth falling out if you want to try it.” 

Amid the friendly banter of the elderly, Auston and Ryan walked away.

The town of Yuemang is currently in the frozen season of the year, and the sea during the long winter is very calm. There are no salty and humid typhoons brewing in the deep sea. Blue and white seagulls hover in the sky. These pirates are very wicked and often steal food from passersby, so the travel guidebook clearly states that you should not eat on the street.

Ryan holds a fish cake in his hand, and Auston has a sponge ice cream in his hand. In the past, Auston would never have eaten in public. Three or four seagulls squawk and dive towards the crowd, and the locals shout loudly to remind them that the seagulls are approaching them, targeting the food in their hands. “Ga-ga-ga!” This is definitely the sneaky voice of imminent success.

“Gah!”

The short cry sounded like a goose being grabbed by the neck. Ryan looked at the pitiful seagull in his hand and estimated its weight, “Definitely over two pounds.”

“Gah——” The seagull cried out pitifully,  and was almost scared to pee after being strangled.

Auston said: “Let it go.”

Ryan released his grip and the seagull flapped its wings hurriedly and flew away quickly, “GaGaGa!” Those two humans were too scary, sniff sniff.

“Young man, nice moves.” Nearby people briefly fell silent before giving enthusiastic applause.

Ryan smiled and nodded to the people before continuing to stroll with Auston.

B612 is a remote and barren asteroid, and Yuemang town, located within it, is not much better. Despite being surrounded by a rich ocean, it is still impossible to enjoy a prosperous and carefree life. This is because the offshore area is dominated by jellyfish, which are numerous and frightening, even though they are not poisonous. When ships pass by, it is as if they have stirred up a hornet’s nest, causing the jellyfish to explode and quickly spread, only stopping when the ship sinks and the people on board die.

Only during the two months of the warm season each year do the jellyfish leave the offshore area to reproduce in the deep sea, and then bring back more baby jellyfish. It is only during those two months that Yuemang and even the entire B612 can enjoy fresh seafood. During those two months, Yuemang town catches a large amount of seafood, which is then pickled, dried, and roasted for consumption throughout the year. So, the pickled food and dried fish and shrimp here are very good.

Leaving Dolphin Street and walking to the end of Jellyfish Street, you will see a small square of about 30 square meters in size. The edge of the square is a straight sea cliff that drops down to the deep blue sea in the distance. Inside the small square are statues stacked with stone pillars, which can barely be called sculptures. The mica stones that were cut into blocks and stacked into a statue of the god would always be destroyed by typhoons. After more than a decade of struggling with nature, people finally gave up and admitted that “gods” are useless in the face of the might of nature. So, they just threw the stones there randomly, instead avoiding one typhoon after another.

“Look, Ryan, the jellyfish in the sea,” said Auston, stood on the edge of the cliff, not afraid of the cliffs under his feet, having stood unprotected at even higher places before. Without a response, Auston looked sideways. ‘Click’, the shutter was pressed and the moment was frozen forever. In the photo, Auston had a gentle smile in his eyes, and his gaze was filled with pure happiness.

Auston warned sternly, “Soldier, your act of taking photos without permission will land you in solitary confinement for a week.”

The gentle sea breeze, which was incongruous with the freezing season, blew through Auston’s hair and softened his features, rendering his warning meaningless. Ryan stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Auston’s shoulder, planting a kiss on his soft lips and lingering for a while before gasping for breath and said, “Auston, you made a little joke.”

Auston was stunned for a moment, but quickly realized what Ryan meant. “Maybe I am not joking.” Taking unauthorized photos of generals was not allowed, not just for him, but for others as well, so none of the generals had any private photos leaked.

This time, it was Ryan who was stunned, “Ah, you’re not joking.”

“This time I am,” said Auston with a sly smile.

The general’s learning and leadership abilities are extraordinary.

“Hahaha,” Ryan laughed.

“Baby, don’t ever imitate their behavior, it’s extremely dangerous. If you’re not steady on your feet, you’ll fall and end up with broken bones.” A young father in the small park is earnestly teaching his son, taking the couple who are playing extreme and romantic by the sea cliff as a negative example.

“But Daddy, it looks so cool.”

The young father, “…” Oh no, it’s over. I knew it would be like this. Hurry and take my son away from here. The farther away from danger, the better.

Playing on the edge of the cliff, Ryan and Auston finally walked down as it was time for dinner. The Big Shell Restaurant was already full of people, but fortunately, Ryan had made a reservation in advance, otherwise they would not have been able to get a seat near the window. Through the clear glass, they could see the deep sea and the countless starry dots in it, like stars falling to the mortal world. Those were the glowing jellyfish clusters that Auston had mentioned, also the creatures that loved to explode themselves. But they were so beautiful that it was hard to feel any disgust.

The dried fish, shrimp, and squid in Yuemang town were still quite good to eat, with a rough and primitive flavor. However, the people in the small town did not delve too much into food, either steaming or eating it as it was, and the best thing was to pair it with a few slices of bread. Ryan and Auston could only give this meal a low-to-medium rating, but the flavor of the dried fish and many other pickled foods was still decent, so they could bring some back when they left.

After the dinner, Ryan and Auston went for a stroll by the beach. They lay on the soft sand, looking up at the stars twinkling in the sky. In the sea, there were also sparkling “stars” that corresponded to the ones in the sky, creating a breathtaking view.

Under the shadow of the beach rocks, two figures intertwined in a long and passionate kiss, their love carried away by the sea breeze. Beneath the soft sand, a newly hatched hawksbill sea turtle slid its immature limbs and made its way towards the sea. This was a new beginning.

However, their holiday was short-lived, and dawn arrived all too quickly. Ryan and Auston’s day trip had come to an end, making up for the regret of not having a honeymoon vacation. After a simple breakfast, with a bunch of souvenirs in hand, they returned to the Xingtian spaceship. As they stepped aboard the ship, Auston received a message, and his relaxed and happy expression immediately subsided into indifference. He said to Ryan, “I have something to deal with, you go back first.”

Ryan nodded, “Okay.” After watching Auston leave, he turned and walked into the elevator. The elevator was kept open for him and several close-combat team members inside looked at him as if they had seen a ghost. The three of them clung to a corner of the elevator, wishing that a hole would suddenly appear under their feet and make them disappear immediately.

Ryan nodded to these people and stood facing the door. The three men behind him looked at each other and wanted to chat and find out what kind of relationship Ryan had with the general, but they shrank their heads because of the intimidating smile on his face. If Ryan knew what they were thinking, he would definitely feel wronged. He obviously had a friendly smile.

On Auston’s side, he returned to his office and opened a video call with Master Stephen Anthony. The holographic projection appeared in front of him, and Master Anthony did not look around the simple office. He sat directly on the sofa in front of Auston, “Good day, General Dalton.”

“Good day, Master Anthony.”

Auston Dalton had a detached and indifferent smile, with no discernible flaws. His exquisite and outstanding appearance, tall and slender figure, and the air of a superior leader between his eyebrows made him as charming as rumored. No wonder Sierra was fascinated by him. Meeting Auston for the first time, Master Anthony couldn’t help but feel amazed in his heart. Auston Dalton was as perfect as an angel descending to the mortal world.

The burly middle-aged man with a circle of grayish-white beard on his face was Sierra’s teacher and a disciple of Master McAryan. His sunken eyes were very focused when looking at people. Looking at the impeccable Auston, the master couldn’t help but sigh faintly, revealing a sense of helplessness.

He requested to meet with Auston for Sierra, but before he spoke, he found himself at a disadvantage. Sierra’s actions were like a heavy weight on his shoulders, tipping the scales in Auston’s favor. “I saw the message sent by the General. Sierra, as your exclusive engineer, violated the rules of the Mecha Engineers Association by secretly installing a self-destruct device on Code Zero. As his teacher, I apologize on his behalf and I will make him hand over the password.”

“Master Anthony, Sierra is your student,  and you should know his character very well.” Auston lightly tapped his fingers on the sofa and smiled, “He won’t hand over the password.”

Anthony smiled wryly, “This kid is stubborn.” Not just stubborn, but stubborn to the bone with pride and arrogance in his pursuit of perfect things, especially in his study of mechas. He lowered his posture and prayed, “Sierra has a bright future ahead of him, and there can be no stains on his record. His punishment of being locked up for what he did in the competition is enough torment for someone as proud as him.”

After hesitating for a moment, Anthony said, “Please, do not send the evidence to the arbitration court.”

Sierra is the focus of the Bromfield family’s training, one of the family’s heirs who is expected to climb higher positions, and his record must be spotless and shining, with no room for any blemishes. Moreover, Sierra has a deep obsession with perfection, and a life with a stain will make him psychologically unstable.

Most of the people in the Mecha Engineers Association are a group of fearless guys who have climbed up from the bottom step by step. Once Auston reports Sierra’s actions on the Ice Grassland and on Code Zero, these people will have an outlet for their frustrations against the powerful, and will certainly handle Sierra strictly. Having his Master qualification certificate revoked would be considered light punishment.

This is absolutely not allowed by the Bromfield family. Instead of negotiating with Auston themselves, they let Anthony come over for the discussion. It can be seen how high Anthony’s status is in this family.

Auston looked admiringly at Anthony, “You are a good teacher.” He was willing to sacrifice his own face for his students, but his students may not appreciate it.

Anthony smiled helplessly, “I am very close to his father, and I have received a lot of help from the Bromfield family.” The latter is the key point.

Auston nodded but did not let go. Using emotional cards with him is useless.

Without showing some sincerity, it is impossible to impress the iron-blooded General. Anthony said, “After the Xingtian ship returns, I will send someone to pick up Sierra and bring ten mechas to the Golden Crusade. Except for the core neural center, this batch of mechas uses biological mecha technology, which is much better than mechanical mechas of the same frequency.”

Auston smiled but said nothing.

Anthony added more chips, “Fifteen, no more.”

Auston’s smile faded, “Sierra’s target is not someone else, it is my lover.”

Anthony knew the whole story through Sierra’s assistant, “He did not harm your lover in the end, and even helped him make a name for himself in the entire Xingtian Ship.” 

“So, are we supposed to thank him for his ruthless actions?”

“Sorry, that’s not what I meant.”

Auston lifted his chin slightly, “It wasn’t Sierra who provided the opportunity for him to gain fame, it was my Ryan’s strength that proved himself. He could have done it without Sierra.” His words revealed a proud sense of honor.

“You’re right.” What else can Anthony say, he couldn’t wait for General Auston to show off his wife, he stated his bottom line, “Twenty units.”

General Auston leaned forward and said, “Twenty-five.”

Feeling sorry for Ryan in his heart, Auston couldn’t give him a perfect explanation and there was no way to make sure that Sierra would receive the punishment he deserved. Although the Bromfield family was focused on scientific research and had little strength in military and politics, as one of the six great families of the empire, the final result of submitting the evidence to the Association would not be as good as he had hoped. He closed his eyes slightly. Since the beginning of this matter, he had been waiting for the reaction of the Bromfield family, and now he got it, but there was no joy in his heart.

Anthony gritted his teeth and sighed, “Okay.” There were only thirty mechas in this batch, and Auston asked for twenty-five at once, which depleted their inventory all at once. What’s missing is not only the inventory but also Master McAryan’s trust in him, the anger of other generals, and the dissatisfaction of the Bromfield family.

“Sierra alone managed to get so many mechas for the Golden Crusade Legion, he’s a good person,” Auston picked up the glass on the table and raised it to Anthony, the pale pink liquid inside seemed to be alcohol but was actually strawberry-flavored sparkling water.

Anthony said, “You’re different from the rumors.” Those who had interacted with Auston often described him as a meticulous and serious gentleman, but now he seemed to be a little playful? 

Auston smiled, “There are always some changes after marriage.”

“Well, your marriage must be very happy,” Anthony sincerely said.

Auston smiled and didn’t say much, but his satisfied expression showed that his marriage was very happy. Anthony couldn’t help but feel envious yet strangely satisfied that Sierra didn’t get what she wanted. As a poor student chosen by the Bromfield family, he lost his freedom when he chose to rely on the Bromfield family. From employment to marriage, to the marriage of his children, all have traces of arrangement. When he was young, he hated being arranged and wanted to escape. As he grew older, he worried about losing his value, and now he is tired of being raised like a cow or a sheep. Seeing Sierra hitting a snag and falling flat at Auston’s place, he felt a deep sense of joy from the bottom of his heart, so he didn’t actively deal with Auston.

After the call, Auston sat quietly for a while, his gaze scanning the office aimlessly, and finally fell on the moonlight rose on the desk, the only one inserted in the glass vase, the colour of fire like sweet love. He stood up and walked to the desk, opened the glass candy jar and took a strawberry hard candy and put it in his mouth. It was very sweet.

With this sweet mood, Auston didn’t go back to his own dormitory after leaving the office. He went straight to Ryan’s place, wanting to apologize to him and express how much he missed him. Is this what being in love feels like? His friend Blair advised him to devote himself to his marriage and look for the feeling of love, but perhaps he had already found it.

After returning from Yuemang town, Ryan immersed himself in making dinner. He liked to relax this way, and he felt satisfied when he saw his family’s expressions of admiration as they ate. His cousin Connor muttered that he was sick and wrote it into his own novel, creating a crazy adventurer who made soup out of washing his hands. The dried purple seaweed from Yuemang town was in good condition, so Ryan used it to make dumplings with meat. By the time Auston arrived, he had already made several batches.

Opening the door to the sound of music and the sight of Ryan humming in his apron, Auston was momentarily stunned.

Ryan: “Eating dumplings with seaweed and pork for dinner will definitely be very fresh.”

Auston regained his senses and walked over to the table, staring absentmindedly at the dumpling skins.

Ryan: “What’s wrong? Work is not going well?”

Auston shook his head and took a few steps towards Ryan, resting his head on Ryan’s shoulder. “No, things are going well.”

Ryan turned his head and kissed Auston’s forehead. “Then you must be tired,” he said. “Don’t think too much, just relax. Can you make dumplings? Let’s make them together.”

“When I was little, my mom taught me,” Auston recalled with a faint smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve made them, so I probably won’t do it well.”

Ryan’s face fell. “I don’t want it to taste like Mom’s cooking.”

“No, it’s the feeling of home.” It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced in a very long time. When he walked through the door, he felt as if he had traveled back in time and stumbled upon his parents in the kitchen, seeing his home. In the hall of memories, he now had another similar picture, that is his Ryan. Many years later, when Auston thought back to this scene, he would also smile.

“I’m sorry,” Auston said.

Ryan’s heart softened, and he asked, “Huh?”

“I can’t tell the Mecha Engineers Association about what Sierra did in the competition, and about implanting a self-destruct device in Code Zero. I’m sorry.” For the first time, Auston had doubts about his decisions.

Ryan: “Is there any obstacle?”

Auston explained his conversation with Master Anthony to Ryan. Ryan exclaimed in surprise, “This is a good thing. It’s not very useful to tell the Association about Sierra. With his background, it’ll just add a little stain to his record and make him unpopular, but it won’t cause any substantial harm. But now it’s different. The twenty-five latest model mechas will not only bring 25 mecha warriors to the Legion, but also double the combat power. Auston, I support your decision!”

He took a towel and wiped his hands clean, then turned around and grabbed Auston’s shoulder, saying seriously, “I’m not a revengeful person. I don’t have such a strong desire to win. I hate protracted battles. I always crush my enemies at the first opportunity if possible. I hate Sierra because he implanted a self-destruct device on Code Zero, and he wanted to hurt you.”

Ryan’s eyes flashed coldly, “He’ll never make any progress in his life unless he changes his personality.”

In a room on a certain floor of the Xingtian ship, which could no longer be called a dormitory, the luxurious and elegant decor of the bedroom covered an area of more than 100 square meters. Suddenly, the person curled up on the bed woke up, his face as pale as paper. Sierra touched his neck in fear, dreaming that Ryan was viciously choking him, laughing wildly and saying: I know the core content of the mecha, but you don’t, hahaha.

“It’s impossible, impossible…” Sierra repeatedly denied it, but he had already contacted his teacher and confirmed that what Ryan said was the correct (the device blocking his personal terminal was just a child’s play for him), “How could that trash know something I don’t? Why did he!!! I am the mecha genius, the heir designated by Master McAryan, I am the one who should know the core content, Only I am.”

Sierra suddenly threw off his blanket and rushed to his desk, frantically flipping through books, but every word on them turned into the mocking face of Ryan.

“Ah!!!!”

Sierra’s assistant, Benedict, had just opened a crack in the door and upon hearing Sierra’s screaming, he was hesitant about whether to enter or retreat. 

The indifferent voice of Master Anthony came from the terminal, “Let Sierra calm down. General’s decision is final, and we must follow it. It’s best if you don’t come to see Sierra in the future.”

Thinking back to how he was scolded by Sierra when he came to see him earlier, Benedict nodded and said, “Yes, Master.”