Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

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Chapter 135

After resolving a major problem, everyone joyfully returned to the spaceship. Huo Luo excitedly sang a tribal song on the public channel, a tune that the Tianxiu people could never appreciate, but Xiao Hui, though not understanding a word, bobbed his head and followed along.

Red Head, having just experienced intense passion in space, was now as red as his hair. He braced himself for Ling Xiao’s mockery but was instead greeted with a powerful embrace.

“Thank goodness you’re okay,” Ling Xiao said, still shaken. “I would have been overwhelmed with guilt if something had happened to you.”

“How could anything happen to me? I have my little angel halo protecting me.”

“Talk less.” Bing Cui pulled Red Head aside for treatment. “The Ember inside you isn’t completely purified yet.”

With the crisis averted, the fatigue in Ling Xiao’s body heavily set in, and he yawned repeatedly.

Yu Ji looked around worriedly. Although the Peacekeeping Force wouldn’t reappear for now, and the severely injured Zhen He had been forcibly taken to Tianxiu, the cost was high—Ying Feng could no longer use his mental power, Ling Xiao was exhausted, Qian Si was suffering from side effects, and Shuang Feng also had significant depletion.

Shuang Feng noticed his concern and reassured, “Once we pass the stargate ahead, we’ll be in Shuixiu’s territory, a high-security area. Shuixiu has tense relations with Huangxiu and has always been protected by Tianxiu. There shouldn’t be any danger.”

“That’s good.” Yu Ji relaxed slightly, glancing at Ling Xiao, who had fallen asleep on Ying Feng’s shoulder, and at Red Head, still flushed. “We can take some time to let them rest.”

Just as Shuang Feng said, the vicinity of Shuixiu was peaceful. After the intense battle, the sudden quietness was almost unsettling.

Ling Xiao had a long dream where Ying Feng and Red Head were both in danger. He was torn, unable to save either, and woke up, realizing it was just a nightmare.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Ying Feng asked, seeing Ling Xiao wake up abruptly.

“Yeah,” Ling Xiao replied sleepily, instinctively touching Ying Feng’s forehead, still warm but much better than during the coma. “I dreamt about that question.”

“What question?”

“The one we answered in the couple’s game, about whom to save first, your best friend or the person you love most.”

“You chose the friend.”

Ling Xiao thought Ying Feng wouldn’t remember and hesitated. “Yes, but when it actually happened, I found I couldn’t choose either.”

Touching his chest, he continued, “I just came back to save you while knowing Red Head was in trouble. Thankfully, he escaped by himself. If something had happened, I would have been so scared just thinking about it.”

Ying Feng patted his head. “It’s alright now, isn’t it?”

“Don’t use your mental power!” Ling Xiao said anxiously.

“This doesn’t consume mental power.”

“Really?” Ling Xiao leaned in. “Then pet me some more.”

Ying Feng, amused and exasperated, smoothed his hair again. Ling Xiao, enjoying the comfort, was about to suggest Red Head try it too, but noticed that Red Head’s blush seemed abnormal.

“It’s been so long, why are you still embarrassed,” Ling Xiao teased. “Don’t worry, I’ve already forgotten about your public kiss in space.”

Red Head barely managed to open his eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t feel well.”

Red Head’s admission of discomfort caught everyone’s attention. “What’s wrong?”

“The spot where I was hit in the back still hurts a bit.”

He downplayed it, but everyone knew that the pain was serious enough for him to bear so long and still speak of it wasn’t minor.

“Let me check.” Bing Can lifted the shirt off Red Head’s back and then froze.

Seeing Bing Can’s expression, which was rare, Ling Xiao hurried over and reacted the same way.

Soon, everyone except Red Head saw the change on his back. From the cervical to the sacral spine, at each vertebra joint, there was a glowing circle. Along the spine, thin lines of light connected these circles, resembling a narrow star chart.

Seeing everyone silent, Red Head became anxious. “What do you see? What’s on my back?”

No one present had seen anything like it before.

“What should we do?” Yu Ji asked.

“Contact the base,” Bing Can said quickly.

The base was connected at high speed, and upon seeing the star chart on Red Hair’s back, Yu Quan’s expression darkened unimaginably.

“Was there a foreign object that entered your spine?”

“Yes,” Red Head said uneasily. “But I can’t feel any wounds.”

“What exactly is this?” Bing Can urgently asked.

“Since the Peacekeeping Force couldn’t capture any of us alive, they developed this device. If it hits the right spot, it can instantly collect and transmit the hostage’s genetic data.”

“So that strange sphere wasn’t to take anyone away, just to trap them to prevent rescue or suicide?” Ling Xiao asked anxiously, “Is there any way to remove it?”

Yu Quan slowly shook his head. “This device has high precision requirements for hitting, but once it does, removing it would be fatal.”

Yu Quan’s words fell like a bucket of dry ice. “The genetic collection has a process. When the two lines completely connect, that process ends, and the Peacekeeping Force will have a complete Tianxiu gene.”

Prompted by his words, everyone noticed that the two thin lines weren’t static; they were slowly spreading towards each other, much closer than before, with less than a finger’s width between them.

“So Red Head is going to…? Is there really no other way?” Ling Xiao was almost in tears.

“I just received this information recently. If I had more time, maybe I could find a solution, but now…” His voice was filled with helplessness, and everyone could hear the apology in his tone.

Fu Yao, who had returned to the base, silently listened to the entire conversation, his joy of regaining what was lost not yet fully fermented before turning into cruel despair.

“I’m sorry! If I had just…”

“It’s not your fault,” Bing Can interrupted Ling Xiao. “Your choice was correct. If it were me, I would have made the same decision.”

Red Head smiled, no trace of complaint on his face. “After all, Ying Feng is our hope.”

“There must be a solution.” Ling Xiao refused to give up. “We’ve overcome such difficult times. How can we stop here?”

Ying Feng’s wrist terminal beeped, and Ling Xiao only had time to see Fu Yao’s name before Ying Feng subtly withdrew his hand.

“There’s no time left,” Ying Feng suddenly said, startling Ling Xiao, who clutched him tightly.

“I know, just give me a few more words.”

Bing Can took Red Head to a corner, their foreheads touching, whispering something, while Ying Feng stepped forward, his arm tightly grasped.

Ying Feng turned around, and almost in that instant, tears burst from Ling Xiao’s eyes.

“What did the Marshal just tell you?” He whispered in a volume only the two of them could hear.

Ying Feng remained silent, struggling to withdraw his hand, finding it difficult.

“Did he ask you to do it yourself?”

Ying Feng’s arm was painfully gripped by Ling Xiao, but it was nothing compared to the sting of the tears.

“He is my friend, my best friend.” Ling Xiao struggled to repeat these words.

“I know,” Ying Feng responded. “Do you remember that game?”

Ling Xiao lowered his head, tears rolling down continuously. “If only this were just a game.”

Ying Feng also wished it were, but time was running out. Just as he was about to use his power as a Qizhu to force Ling Xiao to let go, Ling Xiao voluntarily released his grip.

“I understand.” Ling Xiao wiped his tears and stepped back. “I’ll distract Bing Can.”

But at that moment, Bing Can’s voice was heard.

“Yu Ji, how far are we from our destination?”

Yu Ji, with red-rimmed eyes, replied, “Still 6,000 EAU.”

“Ying Feng, Ling Xiao, sorry, this is as far as we can take you,” he said calmly. “Please take our belongings back.”

“Bing Can!”

“Recognize me in the next life,” Red Head said cheerfully to Ling Xiao. “You, the little monkey with royal genes.”

“Red Head!”

Before Ling Xiao could say anything, Bing Can swiftly pulled out the dagger from Red Head’s waist, clicked it against his own, and in a snap, the two daggers became one. He thrust one end straight into Red Head’s heart and the other end towards himself. Leaning forward, the two became inseparable, their souls entwined, flying out of the cabin into the vast cosmos.

“What happened?” Huo Luo asked anxiously. “I just saw two blue lights fly away. What’s going on?”

His voice echoed alone in the grief-filled space. Ling Xiao walked to where they had left, tears in his eyes, picking up the closely clasped daggers and pulling out the ungiven remembrance stone from his waist.

“I will definitely take your belongings back to Tianxiu,” he promised, hearing Red Head’s cheerful laughter as if coming from the crooked marks. “I promise.”

Huo Luo’s communication continued, but the content changed.

“The scouts report that the acceleration track to Huoxiu is blocked by Huangxiu’s troops. Should we change course?”

“We can’t,” Yu Ji replied, fighting back immense sorrow. “Changing course means detouring, straying too far from Tianxiu. Our soul traction is getting severe; I can feel my strength draining, and Ying Feng doesn’t have much time left.”

“Passing here is the limit our bodies can endure. It’s the territory of Huoxiu,” Shuang Feng added.

“Then let’s fight them while we still can!” Huo Luo, leading Thunder Wolf, charged ahead, and the Wolf Star troops soon engaged fiercely with the independent army of Huangxiu. The blockade remained unbroken despite the intense battle.

As the fight dragged on, with casualties on both sides, the situation became increasingly unfavorable for them.

“They are evenly matched, but we can’t let the Wolf Star forces deplete too much here. Ying Feng needs them for the last stretch,” Yu Ji said, standing up.

Ling Xiao pocketed the belongings of Red Head and Bing Can and pulled out something else. “You’re right. I haven’t used my Ember yet. Let me go.”

He took a step, but suddenly felt a pain in his neck and lost control of his body.

Yu Ji, who easily took the Ember from Ling Xiao’s hand, said, “Let me go instead. Remember, you have a more important task.”

Before Ling Xiao could react, Yu Ji was already at the hatch. Freed but determined to follow, Ling Xiao protested. “You can’t use Ember…”

Before he could finish, the same sensation struck him, and Shuang Feng calmly walked past him, immobilized. “I’ve learned it too.”

Shuang Feng stood beside Yu Ji, an orange syringe appearing in his hand. “You must take Ying Feng back.”

As they rushed out, Ling Xiao lunged to follow but only hit the cold cabin wall.

“There’s a gap in the blockade!” Xiao Hui asked Ying Feng anxiously, “What do we do?”

“Full speed ahead!”

Xiao Hui pushed the control stick, and the spaceship, along with the Wolf Star’s mech troops, broke through the blockade from the gap. Two tiny figures behind them blocked all pursuit, their shadows gradually receding into the vast cosmos, eventually becoming two indistinguishable specks of dust.

“We’re 3 EAU away from the acceleration track, 2, 1… Jump engine activated, beginning acceleration…” Xiao Hui’s voice was methodical as the spaceship, under the track’s influence, sped towards their next destination at light speed.

“We’re reaching the critical point. Are you okay, Ling Xiao?” Xiao Hui turned back to ask, just in time to see Ling Xiao collapse to the floor, as if he had suddenly malfunctioned.

“Slow down!” Ying Feng quickly instructed him, moving forward to pick him up. There was a barely noticeable pause in the air before he placed Ling Xiao back in the chair.

“How are you feeling?” Ying Feng squatted beside him.

“I can’t seem to move much.” Ling Xiao struggled to wiggle his fingers, “but I think I can go a little further.”

“We’ve gone far enough.”

“Have we?” Ling Xiao’s voice was slightly stiff. “Your power is also greatly reduced, right? You almost couldn’t lift me just now.”

Ying Feng couldn’t refute but said, “I will definitely come back.”

“I believe you will come back.” Ling Xiao gazed intently at Ying Feng. “I also believe you will succeed.”

Thunder Wolf approached the spaceship. “There’s not much time left. Hand over Ying Feng to me!”

Ying Feng didn’t get up but instead brushed the hair from Ling Xiao’s face.

“Thank you for accompanying me this far.”

“I’ve always said you are my pride,” Ling Xiao smiled faintly. “And I want to be your pride too.”

Ying Feng leaned down, gently kissing Ling Xiao’s forehead.

“You always have been.”

The shuttle, escorted by the mechs, quickly disappeared, leaving the spaceship carrying Ling Xiao and Xiao Hui floating in place.

“Xiao Hui.”

“What’s up?” Xiao Hui immediately ran over.

“Go a little further forward.”

Xiao Hui hesitated. “But we’ve already reached your limit.”

“I know,” Ling Xiao slowly blinked, “but I feel that if we’re closer to him, there’s a higher chance he’ll come back.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, I know what my body can handle.”

Reluctantly, Xiao Hui advanced a bit further towards Huoxiu and then refused to move any further.

Ling Xiao lay quietly in the chair, appearing asleep, and only after a long time did he open his eyes.

“How much time has passed?”

Xiao Hui checked the time. “They should have arrived by now.”

Ling Xiao weakly nodded, then started talking about trivial matters.

“Even though I found you, I regret that I didn’t spend much time with you.”

Xiao Hui, recalling the past, lowered his head sadly.

“When we get back, you should go with Luoluo back to Wolf Star and learn your mother tongue. That’s your homeland, where your kind is. Staying in Tianxiu, you’ll always be an outsider.”

Xiao Hui silently nodded.

“Let me pet your fur one more time.”

The tall figure vanished, replaced by a gray wolf, no longer cute but very majestic. Ling Xiao lifted his hand with difficulty and slowly stroked its back.

“It’s not as soft as when you were younger,” he remarked.

“It’s prickly.”

Suddenly, Xiao Hui, now a wolf, excitedly howled towards the window. Ling Xiao turned to see, and blue souls streaked past the window, flying towards the direction of Tianxiu, like a grand meteor shower of the century.

“He succeeded.” Ling Xiao watched this rare spectacle. At that moment, the warning indicator for Ying Feng’s condition lit up red.

“It’s time for him to come back.”

Ling Xiao mustered all his strength, pulling out another transparent syringe from his pocket. “This time, no one will stop me.”

But before he could grip it firmly, the syringe rolled onto the floor.

“It seems I can’t do it,” he called Xiao Hui for help.

Xiao Hui, back in human form, picked up the syringe, hesitating to inject it into Ling Xiao’s arm.

“If Ying Feng doesn’t return, you’ll perish here,” he said worriedly.

Ling Xiao smiled slightly. “After living with him for so long, don’t you trust him?”

Xiao Hui hesitated but proceeded at Ling Xiao’s insistence.

“Hurry, Ying Feng is running out of time.”

Xiao Hui, with a determined bite, injected the needle into Ling Xiao’s skin, slowly pushing the liquid in.

“Do you know?” Ling Xiao murmured, “In my last life, it took two injections to kill me. I always thought I’d need two this life too.”

A blinding white light flashed. Xiao Hui, afraid of the brightness, closed his eyes. When he reopened them, Ying Feng, who should have been miles away, was already standing before them.

Ling Xiao looked up at him with a smile. “You’re back.”

“I am back,” Ying Feng said softly.

“I knew it. You wouldn’t let me down.”

“Being your Qizi in this life, I am very happy.”

“If I can in the next life, I still wish to…”

Ying Feng extended his right fist. Ling Xiao slowly raised his own, and their fists finally collided in the air.

But in that instant, Ling Xiao’s hand passed through Ying Feng’s translucent body, limply falling down.

Bright spots of light surrounded Ling Xiao, dancing around, telling of their love, from their first meeting in the first life, through countless lifetimes, never ceasing.

Tears rolled down Ling Xiao’s cheeks, but the smile never left his lips.

“Don’t worry. I’m not sad,” Ling Xiao explained to Xiao Hui. “This is a natural reaction when one of the pact partners departs. Quick, bring it here.”

Xiao Hui hurriedly opened the bottle he was holding, and the gathered soul fragments tumbled into it. He quickly sealed the bottle and carefully placed it in Ling Xiao’s arms.

Ling Xiao hugged the bottle containing Ying Feng’s soul close, rubbing his cheek against it.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

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