Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 55
After some negotiations, the military still disagreed with Ying Feng’s direct request to go to the Gene Center. They had no choice but to land Flying Shark at the designated stopover, then the military aircraft would transport the two of them to the destination under complete secrecy, just like last time.
The two arrived at their destination.
This time, Long Yin didn’t make a personal appearance. They were met by a soldier who was very similar to the one they’d seen at the center the last time—the one Ling Xiao suspected to be a robot.
His cold expression made it clear he had no interest in conversing.
On the other hand, Heng He was as friendly as ever when he saw them. Ling Xiao thought he could understand; working every day with such lifeless colleagues must be utterly boring.
“Relax.” Heng He motioned for Ling Xiao to lie down. “The amount of blood drawn today will be more than last time. If you feel discomfort, let me know immediately.” He inserted a needle with a tube into Ling Xiao’s vein, tapped a few times on the equipment, and dark red blood began to flow out through the tube.
Watching his own blood being drained was torturous. To distract himself, Ling Xiao started chatting with Heng He.
“Does the person next to me have a name?”
“According to historical records, his name is Yue Ying, a member of the ancient royal family.”
“Royal family? He’s an ancient?”
“Yes.”
Ling Xiao turned his head in surprise. Apart from being immobile, the man looked as lifelike as anyone else, showing no sign that he was from thousands of years ago.
“Amazing, isn’t it? The Ancient Tianxiu had a highly advanced civilization. Some of their knowledge even surpassed modern times, like this human cryogenic technology that even modern science can’t achieve. Sadly, when a civilization reaches a certain height, it tends to self-destruct. Nobody can explain why, but this seems to be a universal truth across all planets.”
“No wonder you said you want to use him to unlock the core modification privileges. It’s probably a royal privilege, right?”
Ling Xiao then asked, “Can personal data also be modified this way?”
Heng He was puzzled. “What personal data?”
With Ying Feng absent, Ling Xiao whispered, “I think Ying Feng’s code has a bug. Can you help me modify it?”
“A bug?” This was a serious matter, and even Heng He looked concerned. “What bug?”
“He gets irrationally angry and uncontrollable when he can’t find me.”
Heng He couldn’t help but smile. “That’s not a bug; it’s a personality trait. You might have a misunderstanding about our system. We can only upgrade and repair at the population level. Individual data, like abilities, personalities, and appearances, are generated randomly. Even the main system doesn’t have permission to modify. If it was as you said, for some weaker individuals, we could manually adjust data to make them stronger. But reality isn’t that simple.”
“So that’s it.” Ling Xiao was slightly disappointed.
“What you described, when viewed positively, is interpreted as protectiveness, and negatively, as a controlling desire. Either way, it’s a characteristic of a Qizhu. Everyone who becomes a Qizhu exhibits it, though the degree varies from person to person.”
“Would being a Lone Star count as a bug?”
“You know about the Lone Star?” Heng He loved discussing scientific topics. “Simply put, if we are the upgraded version, then the Lone Star is the initial version created due to a system error. With such vast computations, errors are bound to occur once every few hundred years. The Lone Star, compared to us, is like someone who has had their emotional area formatted. Our predecessors tried to fix this problem but found no solution.”
“Formatted emotional area? That sounds a lot like Ying Feng. Are you sure he’s not a Lone Star that slipped through your net?”
Heng He laughed. “He’s way better than a Lone Star. Last time, after you had blood drawn, he looked upset. If he were a Lone Star, even if someone he spent ten years with died in front of him, he wouldn’t even frown.”
Ling Xiao’s voice grew softer. “Are they really that heartless?”
“Yes. A long time ago, before the prohibition on tracking soul reincarnations was issued, researchers did track the Lone Star and found that even after reincarnation, their emotional areas were still lacking. It takes at least three contract exchanges for them to recover like a normal person. Hence the saying, ‘When a Lone Star falls, they’re cold for three lifetimes.'”
After he had spoken for a while, he noticed that Ling Xiao hadn’t reacted. Upon closer inspection, due to excessive blood loss, Ling Xiao was in a semi-comatose state, possibly not having heard anything that was said.
Heng He turned to look at the amount of blood that had been drawn and sighed. This was just the transitional phase. According to the military’s orders, the amount of blood to be drawn a month later must reach two-thirds. If a Tianxiu person lost three-quarters of their blood, they would be in critical condition, and the two numbers were very close.
As soon as the blood reached the set amount, he immediately removed the needle. At this point, Ling Xiao looked pale, breathing weakly, and his overall condition was very poor.
Heng He called in Ying Feng with some trepidation. As expected, when Ying Feng entered, his expression was worse than before. He even glared at Heng He angrily. Even if it was redirected anger, Heng He felt very guilty inside.
“I will apply to my superiors to reduce the blood draw, even if it slows the progress. But you must allow him to recover on his own. Don’t use any medical methods. Any drug could leave residues in the body. The slightest toxicity can be fatal to the test subject.”
Ling Xiao, on the bed, groaned and struggled to open his eyes.
“Is it over?”
“Yes.” Heng He quickly approached. “Rest here for a while before you leave.”
Ling Xiao nodded weakly. No matter how tough he tried to act, he couldn’t get out of bed at the moment. He didn’t want to fall flat on the floor if he tried.
“By the way.” He spoke with a little more strength after a pause. “In two weeks, we’ll be taking the entrance exam for Royal Sky…”
“Royal Sky Military Academy?” Heng He exclaimed joyfully. “Impressive. I wish you success. You want me to avoid that timeframe, right?”
Ling Xiao nodded again.
“No problem,” he began, downloading the Royal Sky school calendar from the internet, then exclaimed, “Ah!”
“What happened?” Ling Xiao struggled to lift his head.
“Today is Royal Sky’s Open Day.”
The Royal Sky Military Academy adopted a fully enclosed management system. It had two open days each year, held on the eve of the entrance exams, to attract candidates and better promote the school culture.
“Ah,” Ling Xiao said eagerly, “I want to go…”
“You’re practically half-dead. Just go back and rest.” Ying Feng refused.
“Yes,” Heng He also advised. “You need rest now.”
“I feel much better. I’ll be fine after resting a while longer.” Ling Xiao didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity.
“No.” Ying Feng was adamant.
“I want to go!”
“I won’t allow it.”
Watching the two confront each other, Heng He regretted bringing it up.
Ling Xiao was frustrated. He realized that direct confrontations with Ying Feng always left him at a disadvantage. Even a beast, after running into a glass wall enough times, would learn to take a different path, let alone an intelligent human.
With that thought, Ling Xiao softened his tone slightly. “Please let me go.”
Given his current weak state, this hint of vulnerability was far more effective than any ordinary person’s plea. In Ying Feng’s eyes, it was almost as if Ling Xiao was saying, “This might be my last wish. Please fulfill it.”
As expected, Ying Feng hesitated, not immediately refusing.
Even Heng He was moved by Ling Xiao’s pitiful appearance. He took off a spatial button from his neck, pressed it, and out popped a stepping board attached to two large wheels and handlebars. Ling Xiao had seen these devices used for transportation at the base.
With another press, the device transformed into a wheeled chair, a thoughtful design for employees to sit and work anytime, anywhere.
“You can borrow this. Just return it next time.”
Ling Xiao’s spirits lifted, and with his primary concern addressed, Ying Feng relented.
“You can only go for two hours.”
“No problem!” Even an hour was fine with Ling Xiao.
After a brief dizzying journey, Ling Xiao transferred to the Flying Shark and arrived at Royal Sky. The shock of reality was even stronger than online. He insisted on walking through the gates, but after just a few steps, he collapsed. Ying Feng quickly pushed him onto the wheelchair in time.
Despite it being only a visit, Ling Xiao was as excited as if he were enrolling. He looked around eagerly, and if not for his physical condition, he might have wanted to run several laps around the campus.
Ying Feng pushed him to the joint combat department, where students had released many S-level simulated creatures and put on a training demonstration for visitors. Unlike the battle robots used by Ling Xiao and others, these creatures realistically mimic real-world beasts. They had a variety of attack moves and were more challenging to deal with.
Due to the spectacle of duo combat, many people had gathered here. Students wearing different primary school uniforms clustered together. Most of them were like Ling Xiao and Ying Feng: mature, but not fully grown, somewhere in between childhood and adulthood.
“Ah!” Suddenly, a redhead noticed them, pointing at Ling Xiao and exclaiming with exaggerated surprise. “So even Tianxiu has disabled people!”
Ling Xiao, realizing he was the subject of the comment, turned puzzledly to Ying Feng. “What does ‘disabled’ mean?”
Dissatisfied with the redhead’s attitude, Ying Feng was about to respond when another person slapped the redhead’s hand away. “Rude.”
Approaching them, Ling Xiao noticed both wore silver-white uniforms with “Lion Hope Academy” badges.
“You look pale,” the man observed, studying Ling Xiao closely. “Are you injured?”
He gripped a crystal in his hand for a moment, which disappeared, leaving a white glow in his palm.
Just as Ying Feng was secretly stunned that the man had mastered abilities taught in higher institutions, he gently placed his palm on Ling Xiao’s forehead. A moment later, he frowned in confusion.
“He’s lost at least half of his blood.” He stood straight and asked Ying Feng. “What happened?”
However, Ling Xiao was even more curious. He marveled at how the man could assess his condition so accurately. “How did you know?”
“My Qizhu is impressive, right?” The redhead popped up again. “He’s the only student in the primary academy who can activate the soul crystal!”
Suppressing his surprise, Ying Feng replied indifferently. “There was a minor incident earlier. He’s fine.”
“I can prescribe something to help him recover faster,” the man offered kindly.
“He can’t take medicines due to his current condition.” Ying Feng paused, then added, “Thank you for your kind offer.”
“That’s fine.” Seeing Ying Feng decline, the man didn’t insist. The redhead chimed in, “You both don’t seem like candidates here. Just visitors, right? We’re preparing to apply to this combined combat department and will soon be students at Royal Sky Academy!”
Ling Xiao’s mouth twitched. The thought of attending the same school as such a person seemed quite unappealing.
Thankfully, his Qizhu stepped in. “Quiet down. Speak less.”
The redhead, heeding his Qizhu’s advice, fell silent. The man then apologized. “Sorry for the disturbance. Please continue your tour.”
Ying Feng nodded, watching the two leave.
“He mentioned ‘Soul Crystal’ earlier? What’s that?” Ling Xiao, not wanting to be mocked for his ignorance, held back until now to ask.
“It’s probably referring to the crystal he had in his hand.”
“The skill activated using mental power, as mentioned by our instructor?” Ling Xiao was amazed at the talents outside Bikong. “I can only move paper balls now, but he’s mastered abilities I don’t have.”
Just as Ying Feng was about to reassure him not to worry, he looked down at Ling Xiao’s pale face. The sparkle in Ling Xiao’s eyes hadn’t dimmed in the slightest. Clearly, the excitement came from encountering a rival. Ying Feng suddenly felt that his concerns about Ling Xiao feeling inferior were somewhat unnecessary.
Though physically weak, Ling Xiao’s spirit was lively. He quickly felt parched, licking his lips for the third time within a minute. If he had an attentive partner, they would have offered him water by now. But clearly, the word “attentive” couldn’t be used to describe Ying Feng, and even referring to him as a “partner” was a stretch.
Unable to move on his own, Ling Xiao had no choice but to turn to Ying Feng for help. “I’m thirsty.”
Ying Feng looked around and spotted a vending machine in a corner. Thinking Ling Xiao would be fine staying put, he left him alone to buy some water.
Upon swiping his card, he reflexively went to select his usual drink but remembered that people in a weakened state shouldn’t consume cold beverages.
Which one should he pick then? This choice stumped Ying Feng.
Just as he was struggling to make a choice, a sudden cry of alarm came from behind him. When he turned around, he saw an S-level simulated creature pouncing fiercely towards Ling Xiao, who was immobile. The military academy students hadn’t anticipated such an event; by the time they thought of rushing to help, it was already too late. Ling Xiao, seated in the wheelchair, was about to be struck by the creature’s sharp claws.
Among the people present, those with quick reactions had already taken a step forward, ready to lend a hand. Some covered their mouths in shock. Just then, a figure—not rushing, not flying—just seemingly ‘refreshed’ right in front of Ling Xiao in full view of everyone, aimed at the S-level creature’s stomach, and kicked it fiercely twice.
After a backflip in the air, the figure landed steadily. The creature that was kicked flew straight towards two students from the junior academy. Seeing the creature flying towards them, they calmly executed a sleek set of moves. The poor little monster lay motionless on the ground.
“I’m so sorry.” A student from the Joint Operations Department ran over to apologize to Ling Xiao and his companion. “When this creature’s health drops to a certain level, it chooses the weakest target to break through and escape. It was our mistake not to stop it in time.”
Ling Xiao, the weakest one on the scene: “…”
“But how did you get here just now? I didn’t see clearly.” Ling Xiao asked Ying Feng. From his perspective, it seemed like Ying Feng had descended from the sky.
“It’s nothing,” Ying Feng nonchalantly replied, hopping over. “What do you want to drink?”
Not far away, two instructors from the Joint Operations Department who had been observing the situation nodded in approval after seeing everyone’s performance.
“That student from Lion Hope can already manipulate the soul crystal. It’s rare among junior academy students.”
“The two students from Chunyang are also good. Their moves are clean and efficient, without any hesitation.”
“But the one that left the biggest impression is from Bikong. To be able to instantly move to the location of his Qizi requires a certain level of emotional connection and mental strength of the Qizhu. It’s surprising that at such a young age, he can master such a difficult skill.”
“This year’s candidates are strong. The results are promising.”
Both instructors nodded in agreement.
After a while, one of them suddenly realized.
“But the Qizi from Bikong has difficulty even standing, right? They probably can’t apply for our department?”
The other showed a look of agreement.
Thinking that such a talented individual might not join them, both instructors fell into deep disappointment.
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