Chapter 76

A new day began. As usual, Xia You and Lu Yinghuai went out for a morning run. After breakfast, Xia You was scheduled to undergo a new phase of physical testing with Wei Cheng, along with a mecha adaptability test.

When they returned, the little tiger was playing hopscotch with Cookie and Snowflake in the courtyard.

The squares were not drawn too large, and Latiao, with his large paws, was cramped in one square. He held his tail high, trying to maintain balance with a gritted-tooth expression.

Cookie, with his short tail, had a natural advantage. He swiftly hopped from the starting square to his target, landing perfectly.

Snowflake, who usually scorned such childish games, snorted lightly, leaped into the targeted square, her long tail sweeping past the other two cats, coiling under her gracefully and giving a playful press.

To be honest, Xia You didn't really understand why Latiao was so obsessed with this game, in which he repeatedly failed. But after watching from the side and realizing that Cookie and Snowflake were unintentionally teaming up to ensure Latiao always came close but never actually won, Xia You could only facepalm in exasperation.

Though the mischievous "Latiao" often acts cutesy and capricious, leaving Xia You and Lu Yinghuai both amused and exasperated, Fan and Xin are fully aware that this crown prince, educated from childhood by the best, is no pushover.

But for now, the young tiger relishes and enjoys being pampered and playing boisterously, and everyone is happy to indulge him.

After all, once he becomes fully conscious of his identity, every move and expression he makes will represent the royalty and the entire empire as Crown Prince Qin Anhong.

Xia You strode over, playfully ruffling Latiao's head, causing the once-steady young tiger to lose his balance and topple over the boundary.

With an indignant whimper, Latiao glared at her, and Xia You, laughing heartily, ran into the house.

Spotting the "suspect" fleeing the scene, Latiao quickly turned to Lu Yinghuai to tattle, with continuous whimpering.

"Uncle, aren't you going to reprimand little uncle? He's bullying me!"

Lu Yinghuai raised a paw to soothe Latiao's head, then sauntered off, his long leopard-like tail casually flicking near Latiao's hind paws.

Instinctively, Latiao took a small step back.

The lynx sighed, and the snow leopard lifted a paw to rub its ears.

It was only then that the young tiger realized that all four of his paws had crossed the boundary. He roared in grievance.

Xia You hugged the incoming black panther, peeked at the whining young tiger outside, and her eyes twinkled with amusement, laughter crinkling her eyes.

After all, the youngest one in the house is the most fun to tease.

As one changed shoes and the other cleaned its paws, they entered the house together once ready.

Uncle Zhou had already prepared breakfast.

At this hour, the white tiger is probably patrolling its territory. Xia You looked around but couldn't find the red panda.

The red panda has always been elusive. Even if he doesn't wish to be found, not even the big cats with their keen sense of smell can necessarily find him hidden in some corner.

Despite his irresistibly adorable appearance, he's exceptionally adept at blending seamlessly into his surroundings.

The Hibernation Center once provided Xia You with a list of those in hibernation.

The list included names of individuals who had entered the hibernation chamber and still showed brain activity.

The name "Zhuo Xi" left a deep impression on Xia You.

It wasn't related to his military merits or rank. Rather, Zhuo Xi stood out on the list as the only individual from the First Legion to have voluntarily chosen medical intervention to hibernate early, even though he didn't meet the mental state criteria for hibernation and had opted for an early discharge.

Zhuo Xi went into hibernation quite early, so early that despite enrolling in the First Legion alongside Fan and Xin Chengzhi, the photos in his file still show him in his youth.

Unlike the records of others, Zhuo Xi's merits page is notably concise, with only one outstanding commendation that wasn't accepted, and no other detailed records.

Lu Yinghuai noticed Xia You's interest in Zhuo Xi's history but didn't grant her access to the sealed soldier profiles, suggesting instead that she might visit the Hibernation Center.

After breakfast, Lu Yinghuai and Uncle Zhou seemed to have matters to discuss, heading upstairs to the study, leaving the ground floor to Xia You.

As expected, after a short sit in the living room, a reddish-brown fluffy ball darted out from somewhere, jumping onto Xia You's shoulder.

Raising her hand to stabilize the forward-leaning red panda, Xia You chuckled, asking, "Have you had breakfast?"

The red panda nodded, then hopped off to fetch a bright red apple from a drawer, offering it to Xia You.

Accepting the fruit, Xia You effortlessly broke the apple into quarters, handing a piece to the red panda and popping another into her mouth.

It was sweet.

Holding his quarter, the red panda returned to Xia You's shoulder, joining her in reviewing the mecha basics.

Occasionally, just as Xia You prepared to turn a page, the red panda would chirp, prompting her to take a closer look.

Understanding the hint, Xia You would re-read the page, reinforcing her grasp on the essential information.

After they had shared the apple, Xia You wiped her hands with a handkerchief, then cleaned the red panda's little paws, preparing to report to the Legion training base.

The red panda remained attached to Xia You's shoulder, its fluffy tail lazily hanging behind.

Along the way, the gaze of every individual or accompanying creature couldn't help but linger on the red panda perched on Xia You's shoulder.

As Xia You reached the gates of the Legion training base after passing several authentication checks, the red panda gently tugged at her collar with its paw.

Catching the cue, Xia You moved to the side, standing against a wall, extending her hand for the red panda to hop onto.

The furry reddish-brown creature stared intently at Xia You for a moment, then typed on a holographic screen: [You don't want to be a mecha repair technician, but rather, a mecha pilot, right?]

Xia You replied, "Yes."

The red panda's restlessness was evident. He twirled his tail between his paws, seemingly in hesitation and pondering. Finally, he couldn't resist typing: [Given a healer's inherent physical limitations, the negative pressure in a mecha cockpit would leave you gasping for breath.]

[Even if you could enhance your constitution to the pinnacle among healers, and even if your mental strength is unique, it won't change the inherent delicacy of a healer's bones, which are far more fragile than an average warrior's.]

Mechas are colossal entities with remarkable offensive capabilities. Their pilots are not always safe—indeed, the reason mecha warriors possess more robust physiques than others is to withstand the impacts endured during mecha operation.

The red panda's words were blunt and sharp, but they were also very realistic.

Xia You understood this logic, and so did Lu Yinghuai.

The red panda speculated that Xia You must have some way of protecting herself; otherwise, Lu Yinghuai would never allow her to take such a risk.

The next second, Xia You responded with an optimistic smile, "My healing capabilities are far superior to a warrior's. In a sense, isn't that also a form of strength?"

The red panda was so frustrated he almost flipped over.

He stomped in the palm of Xia You's hand, rapidly typing on his holographic screen. Seeing her unyielding attitude, he exasperatedly grabbed his belly and hopped away.

— Fine then! Whatever! Why do I even bother when no one cares!

Only after the red panda departed did Wei Cheng step out from the sidelines. Looking in the direction the red panda had taken, he chuckled, "It's been a while since I've seen Zhuo Xi so agitated."

Xia You blinked, "Major General Wei, you do realize I didn't have the authorization to view the sealed files, right?"

Wei Cheng feigned surprise, "My lady, I was merely sharing some amusing anecdotes about an old friend. How could that be related to the sealed files?"

Xia You chuckled.

No wonder Major General Wei Cheng has been by Lu Yinghuai's side for so long.

Turning, Wei Cheng gestured invitingly, asking casually, "But, why are you interested in Zhuo Xi's past?"

After all, Xia You had never previously shown curiosity about the histories of the companion creatures around her.

Matching Wei Cheng's pace, Xia You calmly stated, "Because I noticed an unusual distribution of grey matter within the red panda."

"There are two chaotic and distorted accumulations of grey matter on his arms and shoulders, difficult to dissolve with mental power."

"I've observed it for a while and couldn't find a way to penetrate it. I thought that understanding the cause of such peculiar accumulations might offer a solution."

Likely due to the presence of this grey matter, the red panda generally avoids exerting force with his arms—even for actions as simple as breaking an apple, he would preferably use tools or seek assistance.

Wei Cheng's steps faltered, the smile on his face fading significantly.

Resuming his stride, Wei Cheng lowered his voice, "Are you aware of the Empire's operation years ago to annihilate the black market's illegal laboratories?"

A faint furrow appeared on Xia You's brow, "I've heard bits and pieces."

Indeed, that was all she had heard.

The news had been widely publicized at the time. Many officials and nobles were tried and executed, and various unheard-of potions were officially named and classified by their illegality. It was only after this incident that the mental power sealing potion Lu Yinghuai had once used came to public knowledge.

"Human experimentation in the black market has always been a lucrative business. Not only backed by numerous star thieves, government officials, and nobles, the intricate connections between laboratories form a covert, impenetrable web in the shadows."

"The Emperor and the Marshal have long sought to eradicate this dark web, but they've struggled to find an entry point."

Enthralled by the story, Xia You couldn't help but ask, "How did they eventually seize an opportunity?"

Wei Cheng reached for the door handle, his eyes reflecting off the metal as he met his own gaze. He began, "At a time when the Empire was at its wit's end, the dark web's master of mechas passed away from old age. In their haste, the dark web issued a reward, hoping to recruit a young mecha prodigy."

"Back then, the Empire's most promising mecha talent had just graduated from the military academy. He had undergone training with the First Legion but hadn't formally joined them yet."

"...He joined the dark web?" Xia You's voice quivered.

Pushing open the door before him, Wei Cheng's voice was nearly drowned out by the cacophony beyond.

Yet, Wei Cheng's response still reached Xia You's ears.

"Yes."

"For twelve years."

The weight of the revelation was overwhelming.

*

After Xia You's physical assessment and mecha adaptability test, she looked as if she'd been dragged out of water, a complete mess.

Fortunately, Lu Yinghuai had an office nearby. Xia You took a bath and rested in the lounge. Only after a while did she languidly emerge, drying off and changing into fresh clothes.

As she left the training base, Xia You looked up at the sky.

Dusk gently settled.

With a slight pivot of his feet, he headed towards the hibernation center.

……

Zhuo Xi's hibernation pod was in Zone C. After verification, the researcher next to Xia You visibly sighed in relief.

"Originally, there were only four hibernation pods in Zone C. After Colonel Fan and Colonel Cheng woke up, only two remained."

The researcher stepped up to the control panel, tapping lightly a few times. Turning around, he said, "If you wish to see, you can only view through the surveillance screen."

Once the hibernation pod is released, the anesthetic gas and nutrient fluid will recede, which can easily cause secondary trauma to the person inside.

Xia You nodded, "I understand."

The researcher sneaked a glance at Xia You, feeling awe towards the young healer who had been gaining significant attention recently.

As the researcher activated the surveillance screen, Xia You stepped forward. Upon seeing the young man lying peacefully inside the hibernation pod, his pupils contracted sharply, hands clenched tightly into fists, shaking uncontrollably.

The young man resting quietly in the hibernation pod appeared youthful. However, from his shoulders down, the sleeves of his clothes lay flat, empty.

Seeing the surveillance footage, the researcher seemed to recall something, saying, "So the patient you came to visit is this one..."

"Speaking of which, my mentor happened to be Officer Zhuo's primary medical practitioner. At the time, Officer Zhuo's physical condition was dire. My mentor suggested using a medical pod to repair his arms, but the project was eventually shelved due to lack of progress."

"Why was it shelved?" Xia You asked in a hoarse voice.

The researcher seemed slightly uncertain, flipping through his digital brain for a moment.

"Ah, found it—"

"Back then, the Marshal personally ordered that the patient be treated at any cost. However, we found that his body severely rejected the medical pod. Every time he entered, he'd convulse and even display self-harming behavior. We used anesthetic gas, but the limb that should've regenerated wasn't healed by the pod..."

"Later on, Officer Zhuo signed to give up treatment. Soon after, we received a notification to administer the hibernation drug to him in advance and sent his companion beast to the sanctuary."

*

Marshal's Mansion - Study

Lu Yinghuai sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in the study, his leopard tail resting on the carpet, with the elderly butler standing behind him.

"Sir, are you suggesting that Zhuo Xi's arm, which couldn't be healed by the medical pod, was due to residual psychic energy from the Bug Queen?" Uncle Zhou pondered for a moment and added, "The Federation still has a sample of the Bug Queen's psychic energy. If needed, we can borrow it."

Lu Yinghuai's eyelids twitched as he quickly typed: [No need for now.]

Uncle Zhou smiled slightly, "Understood."

Lu Yinghuai glanced at the straight-backed elderly butler and slowly typed a line on the screen.

[Xia You's psychic energy has a diminishing effect on the Bug Queen's energy. The remnants in Zhuo Xi are minimal, but with the right approach, there's hope.]

Moreover...

Lu Yinghuai accessed his digital brain, examining the mecha adaptability test data sent by Wei Cheng for Xia You.

Xia You now stood at the vortex's epicenter. While Lu Yinghuai could always have his companion beast follow Xia You, he preferred to arm Xia You with a blade she could wield freely.

As a healer, Xia You's best and safest choice would be to pilot a custom-made biological mecha.

However, such technology, both in the Empire and the Federation, has become legendary. After the demise of the genius inventor, no one could recreate such exceptional mechs.

Reading this, Uncle Zhou paused for a long while, letting out a soft sigh.

The leopard's tail instinctively recoiled.

"So, would you mind explaining to your aging and worried butler how you knew Xia You's psychic energy could diminish the residual energy of the Bug Queen?"

"After all, the Bug Queen has been dead for so long that even the Imperial Research Institute couldn't retain any of her psychic samples."

Lu Yinghuai, who once risked everything to swallow the self-destructing Bug Queen into his psychic sea, remained silent: "..."

Just then, Xia You's figure appeared near the main door.

Lu Yinghuai quickly rose and, curling his tail, dashed downstairs.

He moved so fast he was almost like a streak of black lightning.

Downstairs, Latiao, engrossed in his meal, barely noticed something zip past him.

Little tiger cub: "?"

Uncle Zhou descended the stairs, gently patting Latiao's head, and whispered, "In our household, young master Sun is the most obedient."

At this, Latiao immediately sat upright, puffing out his chest, and affectionately nuzzled Uncle Zhou's cheek.

Not until Uncle Zhou was beaming with joy did the little tiger glance towards the entrance.

A sleek, black panther paw subtly emerged, making a gesture.

Suddenly, the little tiger's affectionate chirps towards the old butler became even sweeter.