Chapter 152

Chapter 152

The topic now shifted to their future—a matter of great importance. Discussing such issues within the Federation's military training building was too risky. They stopped talking and headed back to their dorms to pack.

Having been expelled from the Federation's team, they needed to pack up and leave within twenty-four hours. They kept quiet about being 'dismissed'—knowing other students who had refused to sign the agreement would soon receive their notices. Previously, those who had not implanted the Mech-War System saw Zhou Ying and his group as a symbol of resistance. If they knew Zhou Ying's group chose to leave, they might follow suit... It was an unspoken understanding, but broadcasting it could lead to accusations of "Zhou Ying and his group inciting dissent, blatantly defying the higher-ups," a serious disciplinary offense.

Therefore, it was best for them to leave in silence.

As the four of them, carrying their luggage, left the training building that night, they felt an unreal sense of disbelief.

It wasn't until Zhou Ying answered a call on his wrist-computer and exchanged a few words that a hovercar descended from the orbital track, gently landing in front of them.

"Let's go," Zhou Ying said.

They stowed their luggage in the car's rear compartment and got inside. The interior was spacious, more than enough for the four of them.

"How do you want to get back? Book a starship ticket and use the transit station, or shall we rent a spaceship and take a leisurely journey back, treating it like a road trip?" Zhou Ying reclined lazily in his seat, his pale fingers gliding over the screen, inquiring.

"You're taking this rather easy…" Yan Jingyi's face was lined with frustration, primarily because Zhou Ying's demeanor now was vastly different from their earlier secret conversation, where he seemed intent on 'stirring up a big event.' Now, he was leisurely discussing a road trip.

"We don't need a road trip, it's a waste of time. What are your plans next? Going back to the military school dorms?" Yan Jingyi asked.

The military school was currently on break. Holman was out on a long-term mission, so Yan Jingyi and Ya Ning were likely to head straight home.

Zhou Ying turned slightly, watching the lights along the flight track blur past, casting fleeting, glowing reflections in his deep eyes.

“I’m going back to the Zhou family estate. As for my brother, you can take him wherever,” Zhou Ying decided.

Zhou Zhuo frowned, “I can’t let you go back alone.”

“Don’t be silly, brother. You accompanying me won’t help. It'll just stir up those tiresome family disputes again, like ‘who's the rightful heir of the Zhou family’... Instead, I might as well settle the matter on this trip, preventing any absurd ideas from them,” Zhou Ying said calmly, looking out the window, “I’m serious this time. Don’t hold me back, brother.”

Zhou Zhuo: “…”

Zhou Ying's words left Zhou Zhuo at a loss for a retort.

Yan Ning knew the brothers always looked out for each other. To them, their family was another kind of treacherous den. Zhou Ying always harbored a protective instinct towards his brother, preferring to handle matters personally.

"It was okay in the past, but not this time. You can't handle all this alone. Not just Zhou Zhuo, we all should go with you," Yan Ning stated firmly, his green eyes fixed, "Didn't we agree to change the status quo together?"

This was the first time Zhou Ying so resolutely expressed his desire to return to the Zhou family.

With that statement, everyone understood his intent: he planned to unite the great houses to suppress the military's influence.

Zhou Ying had intended to break free from the stifling system, carving a path through his own strength. But with the military's troubling direction, the original plan seemed unfeasible – not entirely though. Zhou Ying could easily rely on his mechatronic talents. But that didn't align with his ambition.

He wanted to chart a different course.

Uniting the major houses to pressure the military and provoke a major reshuffle in its hierarchy, like Ning Hongxue did with Gong Liri. This was the unspoken part of their previous secret discussion.

How could they be sure the great houses would support them?

Simple, because most of these houses were privileged classes. To maintain their status, they needed influence within the military. In short, they needed to form alliances, promote protégés, creating mutual protection.

The Federation nominally practiced democracy, but in reality, it was an oligarchy manipulated by these houses. Ning Hongxue’s reputation among them was already poor. Since becoming the military's chief commander, he advocated decentralizing military decision-making, diluting central power and resources to local areas, and suppressed house influences within the military, replacing them with his own people. This was like cutting off the houses' external connections and reducing their influence, irritating the capital's houses. On the other hand, upgrading the "Mecha-War System" to the "Mind Matrix System" would significantly weaken the power of the commander group, many of whom were pushed into positions by family influence. This was a key promotion path for house scions, which Ning Hongxue was now blocking, clearly intending to weaken their penetration into the military.

At the core, the "Mind Matrix" technology, controlled by Ning Hongxue, conflicted with the military foundation of the great houses.

"The houses maintain their status not just by shrewd management or expanding capital, but primarily through military influence. They meticulously select descendants with high psychic power levels to maintain this influence," Zhou Ying explained, "My brother and I were born under this premise. The houses' obsession with bloodlines is almost fanatical... Have I ever mentioned my mother to you?"

Yan Ning and Yan Jingyi looked solemn, shaking their heads.

"My mother, though possessing high psychic power, wasn’t suited for childbearing. But if she couldn’t pass her genes, the Zhou family wouldn’t accept her. So, she took a risk, using genetic technology... and that’s how we were born," Zhou Ying continued, "Our parents truly loved each other. Sadly, they died young. My brother’s psychic level exceeds 3S, a ‘product beyond scientific expectations.’ They believed something extraordinary must have occurred during his birth that could lead to a genetic breakthrough. So, from my earliest memories, my brother was constantly taken to labs... until they realized they couldn’t discover anything, then they let him join the army."

Zhou Zhuo’s status within the family was always delicate. Some regarded him merely as a 'valuable experimental subject.' Until their grandfather, the family patriarch, furiously declared:

"They are the rightful heirs of the Zhou family! To those whispering behind the scenes, better look in the mirror. What value do you bring to this family? Can the family survive without you?"

The elder Zhou indicated that the future head of the family would be chosen between Zhou Ying and Zhou Xiao. This declaration effectively quelled the rumors within the family. It also indirectly proved that the elder's thinking aligned with many other clan leaders, emphasizing bloodline and strength.

Although noble families enjoyed engaging in convoluted power plays, they knew the importance of having strong descendants in the military to secure their family's assets.

However, with the widespread adoption of "Psychic Matrix Technology," individual strength in a team has become less critical, and traditional promotion methods and selection criteria are being completely rewritten... Essentially, it's Ning Hongxue who calls the shots. This is true consolidation of power.

In short, there are irreconcilable conflicts between Ning Hongxue and the noble families, especially with the Zhou family.

His sister died at the hands of the Zhou family.

He was exiled from the capital to a chaotic and dangerous remote military region due to the power struggles among the noble families.

Therefore, while Ning Hongxue might consider collaborating with some forces, he would never contemplate working with certain noble families, particularly the Zhou family.

Hence, leveraging the power of the Zhou family is the most prudent choice.

"Our family still maintains that nauseating style, and other noble families aren’t much better," Zhou Ying turned to his friends and said seriously, "We're facing a thorny path ahead. I plan to use a strategy of pitting one against another, but it’s easy to get bitten back. Although I'm mentally prepared, you don't have to get involved... Yaning, didn’t you say you wanted to return to Lance Star? It's not that bad there now."

Zhou Ying and Zhou Xiao owned shares in Kangheng Life Sciences Company. They had invested all their profits over the years into the development of Lance Star. Plus, with Bai Sha's communication with the Federal Council, the Federal Government paid a lot of attention to that small planet, cleaning up radiation, improving environmental quality, and attracting investment with preferential policies... Lance Star has transformed significantly, with some thriving areas even comparable to larger planets, making it a comfortable place.

"Don't be ridiculous, how could we choose to stay out of it at such a critical time? We will stand or fall together with you," Yaning took a deep breath and rubbed his temples, "But Zhou Ying, you need to think about this first—what exactly is your ideal future? If we bring down your uncle and the military returns to being ruled by the noble families, what then?"

Zhou Ying was momentarily stunned.

He knew that allowing the military to continue under Ning Hongxue's direction was wrong and that his friends had no prospects in such a system. But he couldn't just create chaos for the sake of chaos. He needed a comprehensive plan, at least a vision of a beautiful future as he saw it.

Yaning's words pulled him back from his hidden excitement—

He couldn't be driven by ambition alone.

Though young and naturally ambitious, he couldn't afford to have nothing but ambition.

"Thank you," Zhou Ying said earnestly, his eyes holding a subtle smile, "I will seriously consider this issue."

……

Zhou Ying returned to the Zhou family as planned.

The birthday party he and his brother used to have at home served as a good pretext for his return, making his arrival seem less abrupt.

"Master Zhou Ying, please. Your room is still in the same place, and the furnishings haven't been changed much. If you have any other requests, just let me know."

The assistant who accompanied the elder was a familiar face. Having served the elder for decades, his attitude was reflective of the elder's—always respectful towards Zhou Ying, but this level of warmth and reverence was unprecedented.

This was the treatment of an official heir.

Zhou Ying managed a small smile: "You can go. I'll handle things myself if needed."

Upon his return, Zhou Ying had a long and in-depth discussion with the elder. The elder, true to his role, saw right through Zhou Ying's intentions and knew what he planned to do. Fortunately, Zhou Ying's plans aligned with the interests of the entire Zhou family, so the elder not only refrained from stopping him but even offered to help.

"I am already halfway into the grave, and sooner or later this family will be in your hands," said the old Mr. Zhou, who had never shown weakness in front of others. Zhou Ying was genuinely startled when he heard these words, almost shattering the teacup in his hand. "We are blood relatives, both bearing the Zhou surname. Trust me, your grandfather would never harm you. I will teach you everything you wish to know and learn..."

Zhou Ying slightly raised his eyebrows.

He thought it would take more time to secure the position of heir. He didn't expect the old man to be so straightforward, abandoning the old schemes.

"Do you know how many people from other families have visited our Zhou residence lately?" the old man said calmly, "Some came looking for me… and some for you."

As Mr. Zhou detailed it for him, Zhou Ying realized that there were more people refusing to integrate the system than they had initially thought.

Some, like Zhou Ying, were adamant from the start about not integrating the system into their mechs. Others were students from noble families who lost trust in similar technologies after experiencing the Mech-Warrior System.

They were all proud individuals. Getting them to wholeheartedly follow a commander was hard enough, let alone blindly obey an AI system as expendable pawns in battle… unless they were dead. The notion of 'collective thinking' was unacceptable to them, as was the idea of their worth being calculated by a cold, calculating AI system— and this mindset wasn't exclusive to the noble-born; wouldn't ordinary students feel the same?

"In the future, more and more people will support us," said the old Mr. Zhou, "You must learn to discern who can be useful to you and who needs to be eliminated." His voice suddenly became harsh and cold.

"I used to regret that your brother, despite his immense talent, had such a soft heart. But you are not much different, and more importantly, you are more like a Zhou—unfettered by so-called 'blood ties'. You were like this when you left the Zhou family, and I assume you will be the same in dealing with Ning Hongxue. Unlike your brother, who is indecisive and can’t preserve anything other than self-sacrifice."

Zhou Ying remained silent.

He was expressionless, but inside, he was scoffing.

Knowing that he had no desire for the power of the Zhou family, yet daring to make him the heir, was an assumption that he could do nothing without the power of the Zhou family.

Sadly, for now, that was the case.

They then discussed Ning Hongxue's so-called "Spirit Matrix Technology" experiments in the military.

"Ning Hongxue is absurd. He is merely retracing the steps of the Silver Empire. Using technology for dictatorship? Forget whether the domestic populace will support him, would the Ares Empire just sit back and watch? Continuing this research will only lead to rebellion and fragmentation... National decline is imminent."

"If the noble families are considered ugly, then Ning Hongxue is planting a time bomb in the roots of the Federation."

"I've been wondering too," Zhou Ying said thoughtfully, "How did he suddenly come across these bizarre technologies?"

"Who knows? Maybe it's another Silver Era relic unearthed from some remote site," said old Mr. Zhou nonchalantly. "There are many incomplete technologies left from the Silver Era, and some scholars spend their lives trying to restore just a fraction of them. Those noble families, quiet as they may be, probably have some secrets up their sleeves, waiting for the right moment to use them."

The genetic engineering technology used to breed Zhou Ying and his brother partly came from the 'knowledge inheritance' of the Silver Era.

After a pot of tea and reaching a 'mutually beneficial' agreement with the old man, Zhou Ying hastily retreated to his room, feeling utterly drained from the conversation.

Memories from the past surged like a tide upon his return to the old house, unpleasant ones that could stimulate the darker sides of human nature.

Zhou Ying knew he had always been petty, deep-thinking, and vengeful since childhood, capable of infuriating his uncles and cousins to the point of losing sleep and appetite.

Bai Sha's appearance was an unexpected twist.

There were three things Zhou Ying was most grateful for regarding Bai Sha. First, during his empty youth, Bai Sha's presence constantly reminded him of his love for mechs, rescuing him from endless hatred and confusion. Second, Bai Sha had once saved Zhou Wei's life, his most important relative in this world. Third was…

It was Bai Sha who first made Zhou Ying realize that he was willing to go to great lengths for someone other than his brother. Without expecting anything in return, without questioning the reasons, purely for the sake of friendship.

First, there was Bai Sha, then Yanning and Yan Jingyi.

Zhou Ying, rolling over in bed, chuckled to himself, opened his communicator, and after humming and adjusting his voice to sound both weary and lost, sent Bai Sha a voice message:

"Next time there's a joint military exercise, you probably won't see us there."

After a while, he indeed received a response from Bai Sha.

Bai Sha sent three question marks first, then asked, "Why?"

"Because the military is implementing a new technology in the team, supposedly called 'Spirit Matrix Technology.' In short, everyone is assigned by an AI system. We didn't sign the compliance agreement, so we were kicked out of the team," Zhou Ying explained. "But we're okay, just going home to continue the holiday, no punishments, no expulsion from the military academy."

"'Spirit Matrix,' huh?" Bai Sha mused, "Sounds like they're really trying to be fancy. Alright, I got it. You guys rest well, and wait for me to break their flawed system. But aren't you a mech engineer? Have they gone mad, not even wanting mech engineers anymore?"

"I can't just abandon my friends," Zhou Ying said after a brief pause, sighing, "Even if they didn't intend to expel me, I wanted to stand with everyone. That's what true friends do."

"Hmm... that must be tough for you," Bai Sha seemed moved by his noble sentiments.

"Let's not talk about these unhappy matters. At least in the next match, we won't have to face each other on the battlefield," Zhou Ying said. "Considering the time, it must be early morning in the Empire, right? Don't just focus on your research, make sure to rest properly. Good night, we all miss you."

"Good night," Bai Sha responded gently, "I miss you all too."