Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 9

If one were to say that Yao Tai’s words offer these soon-to-be awakened fledglings another possibility for their coming-of-age ceremony, Zhi Shang’s supplement was undoubtedly a shot of confidence. Many hesitant couples were now resolved to embrace this pivotal moment in life in a peaceful manner.

Among them were Lan Sheng and Ping Zong. By the time Ling Xiao got the news, the two had already registered at the school infirmary, waiting for their awakening period to formally conduct the coming-of-age ceremony.

“Have you two really decided on this?”

“Yes,” Ping Zong replied with a smile. “I willingly offer my heart’s blood to be his Qizi in this lifetime.”

“I’ll use the rights and abilities I gain to protect him.” Lan Sheng’s words were already bearing the demeanor of a Qizhu. “I’ll never use my position as a Qizhu to oppress him.”

Hearing this, Ling Xiao felt a pang of emotion, full of genuine blessings and envy.

“Hey, are you too moved to speak? I can understand the pain in your heart as a single guy,” Lan Sheng teased, poking Ling Xiao’s face and bursting his emotional bubble.

“Forget it, you two prioritize romance over friendship.” Ling Xiao wiped away non-existent tears. “After you finish your ceremony, you’ll be promoted, heartlessly leaving me behind.”

“That’s why you should try harder. We aren’t the first to register. Many have reported to Dr. Yao before us. The academy will likely see a batch of graduates soon.”

“It’s not that fast. Didn’t Dr. Yao mention that even after the ceremony, both parties must be confirmed physically and mentally sound before being allowed to graduate?” Ping Zong said with a hint of worry.

“What could possibly go wrong?” Lan Sheng waved dismissively. “You’re overthinking.”

“Huh?” Ping Zong noticed two figures in the distance. “Isn’t that Ying Feng and Zhu Yue? Did they also go to the infirmary to register?”

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao turned quickly and indeed saw the two emerging from a white building, which was the Bikong Academy’s medical building.

Ling Xiao’s heart skipped a beat, and he didn’t catch what Lan Sheng said next.

“Why are you spacing out?” Lan Sheng nudged him.

“Oh, nothing…” Ling Xiao averted his gaze. “I just remembered something. I need to leave.”

Ling Xiao left swiftly, leaving Lan Sheng and Ping Zong exchanging puzzled glances.

“Why did he leave so suddenly?” Lan Sheng was perplexed.

“What did you just say? Blood collection?”

“Didn’t you see the notice at the entrance of the infirmary? Everyone has to give blood for some research.”

Ping Zong sighed. “Why didn’t you mention it earlier?”

Lan Sheng slapped his forehead. “I forgot as soon as I turned around. I think Ying Feng and Zhu Yue must be going for blood collection. I just don’t know what Ling Xiao is up to.”

Before Ling Xiao could even think of a proper excuse, he was already standing outside the medical room. He hesitated, unsure how to convey his intention to Doctor Yao.

—Doctor Yao, may I know if my classmate, Ying Feng, has registered?”

Asking such a privacy-invading question would probably not yield an answer.

—How many students in our class have registered for the coming-of-age ceremony?

Doctor Yao would probably reply, “Mind your own business.” This approach seemed unlikely to work.

As Ling Xiao was pondering over his options, someone interrupted his thoughts.

“Young man, are you here for Dr. Yao?”

Following the voice, Ling Xiao recognized the uniform of a nurse.

“Ah? Oh, yes,” Ling Xiao stammered in response.

“She’s not in the medical room right now. You might have to wait.”

Ling Xiao’s anxiety eased a bit. “Oh, do you know where she went?”

“I just saw her heading to the rooftop. Maybe she needed some fresh air.”

Ling Xiao nodded in thanks, and the nurse left.

The rooftop… Ling Xiao looked up, thinking maybe he could indirectly inquire by making casual conversation. He quickly went up to the rooftop but didn’t see the person he was looking for.

Was the information wrong? Or had she already left? Just as Ling Xiao was about to turn back, he heard a familiar voice coming from a hidden direction, separated from him by a wall.

Why would they talk in such a secluded corner? Curious, Ling Xiao moved closer to the wall, hearing the conversation even clearer.

“You’re back to work so soon. Can your body handle it?”

Ling Xiao was surprised. Had Dr. Zhi Shang come to the academy?

But he quickly dismissed the idea. The voice sounded distorted, more like it was coming from a communicator. So, Dr. Yao was communicating with her Qizi… Ling Xiao remembered what Lan Sheng had mentioned earlier about eavesdropping on a private conversation. He wasn’t sure if he should continue listening.

“I’m fine.” Dr. Yao’s voice sounded weary. “Thankfully, the base has the most advanced medical equipment. The side effects of the second generation were beyond my expectations.”

“You can’t be reckless like this again,” Zhi Shang emphasized. “Even though you’re my Qizhu, I hope you’ll respect my decisions.”

Dr. Yao chuckled but didn’t comment. Realizing his words might be in vain, Zhi Shang sighed, softening his tone.

“I mean it. You always abuse your privileges. It happened before, and it’s happening now.”

Ling Xiao was very curious about what “before” referred to. Dr. Yao began, “This time, I injected a semi-finished product of the second generation. Afterwards, I used the strongest purifier and lay in the medical pod for two hours. After resting under your meticulous care for an entire night, I still felt unwell.”

“Back then, when Teacher was desperate, he would inject several times my dosage. After a physical confrontation with the military, he escaped injured with nothing. No medication, medical equipment, and with a fledgling who loathed him by his side…”

Zhi Shang remained silent from the moment she started the old story.

“Do you think… Teacher is still alive?”

After an awkward silence, Dr. Yao changed the subject. “Forget it. How are things on your end? Did you find out the cause of the malfunction? Was it accidental or intentional?”

“We found the cause. An intern caused a command conflict while setting the program. Although it was human error, it wasn’t intentional.”

“That’s good. I believe Yu Quan wouldn’t do what you suspected.”

“Yes,” Zhi Shang admitted with a hint of guilt. “The previous incident was too coincidental, and I lacked trust in my subordinates. Thankfully, I only mentioned this suspicion to you. After the last event, combined with his nature, Yu Quan already has difficulty gaining trust. I can’t let him fall into a predicament again.”

He paused, then continued, “In any case, we once studied under the same mentor. In a few days, I plan to apply to the military department again to end his probation period and promote him to a full-time researcher.”

Yao Tai nodded in agreement. “It’s about time. He’s been an assistant for quite a while. If it drags on any longer, I might become the principal.”

Her joke lightened Zhi Shang’s mood. “How’s your principal lately?”

Yao Tai sighed. “Same as always. However, his recent approach of gentle mobilization has yielded good results. Combined with your cooperation, several pairs of students registered this morning, expressing their willingness to follow your example and donate blood voluntarily.”

This seemingly uplifting news, however, only deepened Zhi Shang’s worries. “Actually, ever since I made that statement, I’ve been reflecting on whether what we did was right.”

“It’s not your responsibility,” Yao Tai responded sternly. “I was the one who ordered you to do it.”

“The thought of those trusting fledglings, realizing the truth isn’t as rosy as I painted it when they undergo the coming-of-age ceremony…”

“Stop overthinking,” Yao Tai sharply interrupted, yet she couldn’t prevent him from finishing.

“…I regret it. Is it really right for us to deceive the children this way?”

Unbeknownst to Yao Tai, Ling Xiao, who had eavesdropped on the entire conversation from behind the wall, hardly dared to breathe. Only when he was sure that Yao Tai had left did he slowly relax.

What was happening? Alarming thoughts rang in Ling Xiao’s head. He felt he had inadvertently heard something he shouldn’t have. What had the doctor deceived them about?

Having forgotten his original reason for seeking Yao Tai, Ling Xiao thought of consulting someone. After some consideration, only one person came to mind.

“So, you came to ask me?” Zhen He lay leisurely on his luxurious recliner, looking as comfortable as could be. He didn’t even lift a finger when Ling Xiao entered.

Internally, Ling Xiao criticized; Zhen He was nothing like the person he first met. If he’d shown his true nature from the beginning, probably few would’ve sought to do business with him.

Without waiting for an invitation, Ling Xiao picked a chair and sat down. “Aren’t you an intelligence officer? Don’t you know more than others?”

“It’s true I am an intelligence officer,” Zhen He drawled lazily. “But do you still have money?”

Ling Xiao was displeased. “I gave you an entire month’s allowance.”

“So?” Zhen He replied matter-of-factly. “If you can’t pay, why bother asking? I run a small business here, no credit.”

“You’re such a…” Ling Xiao was at a loss for words. “People like you… nobody must like you. No wonder you haven’t reached adulthood yet.”

Zhen He fixed him with a creepy smile that sent shivers down Ling Xiao’s spine.

“Forget it. Just pretend I didn’t say anything.” Ling Xiao felt instinctively that it was better not to offend this person. “Do you have someone you like?”

“Yes,” Zhen He responded very directly.

Ling Xiao was surprised that he admitted so readily. “Where is that person now?”

“They don’t want me.” Zhen He’s gaze shifted to the distance. His reply seemed unrelated to the question. “If I truly had someone with mutual affections, I wouldn’t engage in any coming-of-age ceremony with them.”

“Why?” Ling Xiao was taken aback.

“Because those coming-of-age ceremonies are all lies. Two people who truly love each other shouldn’t be together because of such a formality.”

Ling Xiao perked up his ears. “The doctor said she deceived us, and you’re also saying the coming-of-age ceremony is a lie. What does the real coming-of-age ceremony look like?”

Zhen He shook his head meaningfully and simply made a hand gesture resembling asking for money, causing Ling Xiao to deflate immediately.

“I’m starting to understand why the person you love doesn’t want you.”

Zhen He didn’t seem embarrassed at all. “Thanks for the compliment.”

“We have another visitor.” Zhen He clapped twice. “Welcome.”

Ling Xiao was surprised because the visitor was Ying Feng.

“Are you here for him too?” Ling Xiao asked.

Ignoring the question, Ying Feng flicked something towards them. “I came to return this.”

Zhen He caught it with a smile. “Well done, boys. Did you find what you were looking for?”

Just thinking about the two droplets of blood on the windowsill made Ling Xiao grunt in displeasure.

Ying Feng seemed in no mood to linger. After returning the unlocking device to Zhen He, he turned to leave. Seeing him go, Ling Xiao immediately jumped up from his seat. “Wait!”

Zhen He played with the unlocking device Ying Feng returned, watching the two of them leave with a playful look in his eyes.

“Interesting.”

He twirled a ring on his finger, which turned out to be a secret communication device that conveyed messages in a very special way, even avoiding military signal interception.

“Yo, the former Chief Researcher,” he greeted irreverently the elder who had lived for more than four hundred years longer than him.

The man in the projector responded coldly, “I told you not to call me that.”

“Alright, Lord… Tai Yin,” Zhen He thought for a moment and added a suffix. “The research materials you left in the lab have been successfully copied.”

“Well done.” Tai Yin’s mouth softened a bit.

“It’s all thanks to our inside-outside cooperation. I’m surprised it didn’t raise any suspicion. But I don’t understand. If you have an informant at the base, why not have them send the data directly? Why the need for such a roundabout?”

“You don’t understand the base’s management. It seems open, but it’s actually very strict. Internal staff can’t bring anything out. Only people outside the base can, and students are the least suspicious.”

“I see. So we should also thank Bikong for arranging such a perfect field trip. It seems the school doctor, who proposed this idea, has a deep connection with Lord Tai Yin?” Zhen He hinted.

Tai Yin ignored him. “I’ll handle the surveillance footage from the base. This has to be done without leaving traces; it’s not time to expose anything yet. As for the ones you chose, you’re responsible for them. Don’t let them say what they shouldn’t.”

Zhen He tossed the unlocking device—more precisely, a memory stick—into the air and caught it repeatedly. “Of course, even they themselves are still in the dark. I believe they can’t say anything. Speaking of which, I think any one of them is a rare talent. I really hope one day…”

He caressed the shell of the memory stick. “…They can fight alongside us.”

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The author has something to say:

Little tip: The Qizhu may not necessarily be the gong/T, but can also be the shou/P.

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