Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

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Chapter 102

Heng He numbly pushed the wheelchair forward. The rest of the base’s staff were taken aback upon seeing him with Yue Ying and tried to intervene. However, after making eye contact with Yue Ying, they all respectfully bowed their heads, seemingly acknowledging his departure.

Without any obstacles, they smoothly exited the genetic center’s main entrance. Yue Ying casually pointed to a flying vehicle. Heng He helped him inside and took the pilot’s seat.

“Go above ground,” Yue Ying ordered.

“Yes.” Heng He started the engine, and the ship glided through a long tunnel, emerging above the base.

Yue Ying sat by the window. It had been thousands of years since he had seen the real world. Xing Lou had created the Tianyuan Network for him, allowing his consciousness to roam freely within it, but he couldn’t cross this dimension. Now he could finally see the world with his own eyes, but without the unique vision of the Tianxiu people, he could only perceive tiny lights emanating from the ground in the dark of night.

“Where should we go next?” Heng He, who was now completely under Yue Ying’s control, asked.

“Just wait here. Someone will come for me.”

Not long after Yue Ying spoke, a medium-sized ship deactivated its cloaking. Their small vessel was easily drawn inside. The person coming to fetch Yue Ying wasn’t Xing Lou but Zhen He. Zhen He’s gaze lingered on Heng He for only a moment before returning to Yue Ying. This was his first time seeing Yue Ying’s physical form. Whether it was the golden hair or the deep blue eyes, both were symbols of the ancient royal lineage of the Tianxiu people.

“Do we still need this man?” Zhen He asked, referring to Heng He.

“No. Let him go.” Yue Ying dismissed him effortlessly. “Where is Xing Lou?”

“He will meet us on the Eagle.”

“Alright,” Yue Ying instructed. “Take me to the Soul Tree.”

The ship flew above the Soul Tree, where the newborn soul may mature at any moment. Nowhere was more heavily guarded. Any unidentified flying object, even in stealth mode, would be detected by infrared scanners. However, Yue Ying was indifferent. As the ship’s door opened, he reached out towards the Soul Tree.

“Come to me, my warrior. I need you.”

The soul on the Soul Tree trembled, breaking free and flying straight to Yue Ying. A blue orb of light danced around him, casting a blue glow on his face.

The guards below couldn’t possibly allow this. In an instant, they moved to attack. Zhen He calmly stepped back, curious to see just how powerful this seemingly frail Yue Ying was against Tianxiu’s elite forces. However, Yue Ying did nothing but gaze sternly at them and commanded, “Stand down!”

The well-trained soldiers, as if receiving a supreme directive, simultaneously halted and respectfully bowed before Yue Ying.

Zhen He outwardly remained calm, but he was inwardly astonished. It was no wonder Xing Lou had said that Yue Ying alone could handle it all. After witnessing Yue Ying’s power, he felt a mix of respect and caution towards this seemingly fragile individual, deciding it’s best not to provoke him without good reason.

Yue Ying extended his hand to Zhen He. “Hand it over.”

Zhen He passed him a cylindrical glass container of moderate size. After capturing the obediently entering souls, Yue Ying sealed the container.

“Alright, take me back.”

Zhen He pushed his wheelchair away from the door. As it closed behind them, the ship took off, leaving the elite squad below without a single one attempting to intercept.

“Where to next?”

“Let’s pick up Lan Sheng. He won’t get far on his own.”

Yue Ying handed the bottle to Zhen He, closed his eyes, and rested. Even this small act seemed to have drained him.

“Wake me when they arrive.”

Zhen He held the soul-filled container, finding it hard to believe that they effortlessly obtained Tianxiu’s most precious commodity. Sitting in the command seat was Zhu Yue, who had a special connection with Yue Ying. Without his powers, Zhu Yue was barely stronger than Yue Ying, but at least he could move freely, even if he was extraordinarily weak.

“Got it?” Hearing footsteps, Zhu Yue asked without turning his head.

Zhen He knew he was asking rhetorically, so instead of answering, he counter-asked, “Why didn’t you go see your fellow kin?”

Zhu Yue couldn’t help but laugh. “Because I am now one of you. I don’t want to risk being controlled by someone when I’m unaware.”

“How can one avoid being controlled?”

“It’s simple.” Zhu Yue casually responded, looking straight ahead. “Don’t look into his eyes. Better yet, cover your ears too. He can’t even stand up on his own; a slight touch could end his life. What do you have to fear from him?”

Zhen He silently took note of his words.

Zhu Yue locked on a certain objective, and the spaceship began its descent.

“We’ve found him,” he said with a slight smirk. “Our prize. Without him, all our previous efforts would have been in vain.”

……

Fu Yao’s fleet was racing here at full speed. Ying Feng consumed too much mental power all at once and was forced to stop and rest. But despite this, he still persistently tried to use his mental vision and sensory sharing again and again, just hoping to quickly find out Ling Xiao’s whereabouts.

The person sent to investigate Lan Sheng has also returned with a report. “The person who took Ling Xiao is called Lan Sheng, confirmed to be a patient at the Disease Control Center. He was admitted a year ago and signed a ‘Rehabilitation Death Agreement’ with the center. The primary doctor said he had been actively treated until his emotions began to change abnormally half a month ago. He escaped and went missing yesterday, and the center reported it immediately.”

“How did he escape?” Fu Yao asked.

“We’re still investigating, but we suspect an inside job.”

Fu Yao frowned deeply. He had long felt that a force was conspiring together. Even after eliminating Tai Yin and Ye Hai, this force had not disappeared. It was still lurking in the shadows, opposing the country. But he could never determine their real objective.

If Fei Jing was also a member of this force, then the most likely possibility was that this was an organization trying to break the blood pact. But why would they kidnap Ling Xiao? What secrets did he hold?

“Long Yin is going to great lengths to get control over you. What does he want you to do for him?” Fu Yao asked Ying Feng.

Ying Feng frowned. Although the experiment had ended, the confidentiality agreement was permanent. He wasn’t sure what he could disclose.

“Without the backing of a powerful force, even if Lan Sheng had a close relationship with Ling Xiao, he couldn’t have taken him away on his own. There must be accomplices. I suspect this incident is related to what Long Yin wants you to do. I know you can’t speak of it, but I will ask him myself. My student has been in trouble twice because of this, and this time, I want an answer, no matter what.”

Nie Yun’s voice came from the communication device. “Report, we’ve found the ship that kidnapped Ling Xiao!”

Fu Yao and Ying Feng both looked alarmed. “Where?”

Coordinates were quickly relayed, “Directly below us, anchored on the land, motionless.”

Fu Yao immediately ordered his main ship to approach. Soon, a stationary aircraft appeared on the surveillance screen.

Fu Yao glanced at Ying Feng, who looked solemn. There was no sign of relief or happiness in discovering the target.

“How is it?”

Ying Feng shook his head. “Ling Xiao isn’t in there.” At this distance, if Ling Xiao was inside, he would definitely sense him.

Ying Feng’s conclusion was correct. After landing and searching the aircraft, there was no sign of anyone inside or out. Ling Xiao had vanished.

“There’s still hope.” Fu Yao, seeing Ying Feng’s distressed look, tried to console him. “We’ve laid a trap in the vicinity. There’s no way they could escape.”

Then Nie Yun whispered something in Fu Yao’s ear, and his expression turned incredulous.

“What did you say?!”

Ying Feng had never seen Fu Yao this shaken before. Whatever it was, it wasn’t trivial.

“What happened?” he asked.

Fu Yao’s face now looked even worse than Ying Feng’s. “My soldiers have been collectively controlled, including those arranged by Long Yin at the base.”

“The base?”

Repeating this bad news was difficult for Fu Yao; it was a disgrace to the entire military.

“Yes, the soul has been stolen.”

Ying Feng’s eyes flickered. Given the coincidental timing—the end of the experiment, Lan Sheng’s escape, and the simultaneous disappearance of the soul and Ling Xiao—he could only think of one person associated with all of this:

Yue Ying.

……

A slender body, golden soft hair…

Ling Xiao opened his eyes, and as his blurry vision gradually focused, a clear figure appeared before him. He tried to move but found himself immobilized.

Before him, black bars divided his vision into segments. If the person in front of him wasn’t trapped in a cage, then he certainly was.

Ling Xiao tried to discern his surroundings, his eyes finally settling on a familiar emblem. He had seen it before, on the spaceship where Tai Yin was. Had he been kidnapped again to the same place? But wasn’t Tai Yin dead?

While he was pondering, another young figure appeared on the scene. Ling Xiao remembered there were many underdeveloped adults on the Eagle. So not everyone had moved to the Wolf Star; some had stayed.

However, to his astonishment, the young man who had just appeared knelt down in front of the golden-haired boy. It was only then that Ling Xiao recognized him. If he could speak now, he would’ve almost shouted out in surprise.

Xing Lou?

Xing Lou, the first-year student from Bikong Academy? The one who was afraid of spiders and looked so much like the ancestors of Tianxiu people. Why was he here?

Xing Lou knelt in front of Yue Ying, respectfully lifted his right hand, and gently kissed the back of it.

“It’s an honor to finally meet you, Your Highness.”

Yue Ying gently touched his face. “The last time I saw you in this form was four thousand years ago. I was a child then, and you were my respected elder. Time has passed so quickly. Now we look almost the same age.”

Xing Lou took out a corroded emblem from his pocket, solemnly placing it in Yue Ying’s hand, then closed his fingers around it. “I promised your ancestors to take care of their descendants, but I failed them. I’m no longer worthy of keeping this emblem.”

Yue Ying examined the emblem. Only direct male descendants of the royal family would receive such an emblem when they came of age, symbolizing their royal status. Unfortunately, he was forced into cryogenic sleep before reaching adulthood, missing out on this important rite of passage. The Tianxiu royal family soon met its decline. The founders overthrew the monarchy to establish a republic, marking a new era.

All these events happened during his long slumber and were known to him only after he awoke, with the help of electronic devices. Waking up to find his homeland gone and witnessing his coming-of-age ceremony with such a worn-out emblem, how could he not harbor deep hatred towards the one responsible?

“Xing Lou…? …Yue Ying?”

The two, deeply engrossed in their own world, finally noticed Ling Xiao, who had been unconscious but was now struggling to get up. Using the bars for support, he managed to stay upright. Seeing these two familiar figures, Ling Xiao was filled with questions.

“You’re awake,” Yue Ying signaled, and Xing Lou stood up, pushing his wheelchair closer to Ling Xiao.

“You…” Ling Xiao’s eyes darted between the two, finally settling on Yue Ying. “Who are you?”

“Don’t you remember me?” Yue Ying replied calmly. “We used to be the closest of allies. At my slightest whim, you’d do anything for me. You obeyed every command I gave, swearing eternal loyalty to me.”

Ling Xiao listened to him as if hearing an incomprehensible tale, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Have you not felt it yet?” Yue Ying placed his hand over his heart. “The telepathic connection between us. No, for you, it would be a soul connection.”

As if under Yue Ying’s influence, Ling Xiao imitated him, placing his hand on his chest. The same emotions from the man were transmitted into his mind: hatred—nothing but intense hatred, just like before, but even more potent this time.

“Who… are you exactly?”

With a calm demeanor, Yue Ying replied, “I am a Tianxiu person.”

“That’s impossible.” Ling Xiao shook his head in denial. “Your hair, your eyes, none of them match the characteristics of a Tianxiu person. Furthermore…”

His gaze landed on Yue Ying’s wheelchair. “Tianxiu people have strong bodies; they don’t get sick, and even if they get injured, they recover quickly. No one would be so weak as to not be able to stand or walk.”

“Indeed,” Yue Ying replied with a faint smile, a hint of sorrow evident in his expression. “The genuine Tianxiu people, while having wisdom surpassing ordinary beings, pay for it with our physical robustness. Our race, let alone the ability to attack, can’t even defend ourselves properly. We’ve been constantly bullied and oppressed by other races, enduring humiliation and disgrace.”

“And that’s why you were created, isn’t it? The strongest artificial warriors created by the Tianxiu people. We endowed you with intelligence almost on par with ours, extraordinary combat abilities superior to any other race, and even an immortal body that doesn’t exist in nature to help us defend against enemies. Yet you all—you annihilated your creators, eradicated all opponents, and took over our planet for thousands of years. You rewrote Tianxiu history, establishing your own civilization—a civilization built on lies. Tell me, have you been happy all these millennia?”

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