Chapter 130

Chapter 130

Ten, nine, eight, seven...

Liu Changming counted down silently in his heart. When he reached the last number, he opened his eyes, not to see the explosion of helium bombs flattening the planet, but something else.

He saw the night wind caressing the Omega's golden hair, strands of silver light intertwining around him, creating a serene and harmonious scene, bathed in a warm glow.

Above the dome, the same silver threads radiated a lustrous sheen, like the silver moon, silently safeguarding everything on this planet.

Liu Changming suddenly smiled, stopping in his tracks. Facing Blint's confusion and anxiety, he said, "You run. I’m not leaving."

Blint, sweaty with urgency, protested: "The First Army Corps has breached the institute. If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late!"

Seeing Liu Changming unmoved, Blint, in a flash of inspiration, brought up the Blooming Plan to persuade him: "Director, the experiment isn’t fully successful yet. Can you bear to see it never reach completion? This is your life's work."

"The Blooming Plan..."

Liu Changming looked up at the sky, interwoven with silver and red brilliance, and said with a hint of wistfulness: "The Blooming Plan succeeded the moment that little Omega appeared."

After saying this, he turned to the bewildered Blint.

For the first time, his smile didn't send chills down Blint’s spine but instead conveyed genuine happiness.

"Go now, it's really too late if you don't leave."

"As for me..." Liu Changming turned and entered the lab without looking back, "there's one last thing to do."

Blint stood frozen, staring at Liu Changming's retreating figure, the last words he would ever hear from him.

Seeing Liu Changming's determination to stay, Blint bit his lip and fled alone.

Almost everyone in the research institute had blood on their hands from Omegas. They knew capture meant a dire fate, so they had scattered and fled before the First Army Corps arrived. The orderly institute was now filled with panicked screams and frantic footsteps, the floors cluttered with various documents, and many expensive instruments dismantled and stolen, leaving chaos everywhere.

Only Liu Changming's primary research lab remained untouched, as if undisturbed by the uproar outside, maintaining its tranquility.

The calm was finally broken when the aluminum door opened and Que Qiu walked in.

"You didn’t escape," he said, standing a meter away from Liu Changming, looking steadily at him.

"I've said it before, all endings are predetermined, including mine."

In just a few hours, their relationship had completely reversed; no longer a captor and captive, but a judge and criminal.

"I have evidence of the Imperial Genetic Research Institute conspiring with nobles to persecute Omegas. According to imperial law, you will be sentenced to death."

Liu Changming nodded, showing no fear, but calmness, as he bent down to open a safe and took out a thick stack of documents.

Meeting Que Qiu's questioning gaze, he smiled and replied, "Yes, I will die. But there are a few things I need to do before that."

"This is all the experimental data collected since the inception of the 'Blooming Plan.' With your genetic data, the experiment can now proceed to proper clinical trials. I’m handing all these documents over to you. From here on, it's up to you to develop the RDRG vaccine."

Liu Changming placed the documents on the lab bench behind him, habitually curling his knuckles and tapping them against the paper as he spoke, just as he had done when speaking to Blint.

"Why me?"

Liu Changming looked at Que Qiu, smiling, "Because you showed me the blooming of roses, and only you can make the 'Blooming Plan' truly flourish."

From the moment he confirmed Que Qiu's genes could cure genetic diseases, he knew the next steps, and the final step, of the Blooming Plan.

Later, as Que Qiu created miracles time and again, Liu Changming became more convinced that only he could truly save this deeply flawed empire.

After a moment of silence, Que Qiu looked into Liu Changming's eyes and said, "You're always deceiving others, but about the answer to that question, you didn’t lie to me."

Back then, Que Qiu had asked Liu Changming what he wanted if the nobles sought to control the empire. What was his endgame in this dangerous game?

He couldn’t forget Liu Changming's response.

Liu Changming had jokingly said he wanted to save the world. Most people might scoff at this or laugh it off, but Que Qiu never doubted it, always feeling somehow that Liu Changming was not joking.

Liu Changming was momentarily taken aback, seemingly not expecting such a response from Que Qiu.

Regaining his composure, he smiled and continued, "Then, you can shoot me now."

"You knew your end the moment you decided to propose the 'Blooming Plan,'" Que Qiu said.

His tone was certain.

As long as Jaquili was alive, he would never allow the "Blooming Plan" to be revealed to anyone, tightly gripping the technology that could conquer genetic diseases, monopolizing the resources for ordinary Alphas and Betas of the empire to survive. He might even resort to silencing others to ensure his complete control over the plan.

And for Liu Changming to disclose this information, he had to wait for Jaquili’s downfall. But once his biggest support collapsed, his own catastrophe was imminent. No matter how cunning and well-connected, he couldn't escape the empire's punishment.

His fate was sealed; death was inevitable.

"I told you, for victory, some sacrifices are necessary and unavoidable," Liu Changming said with a smile. "Que Qiu, my choices are different from yours. I can sacrifice those Omegas, and I can sacrifice myself."

Que Qiu didn’t know how to categorize Liu Changming anymore.

A villain?

A good person?

To be reviled or celebrated?

To be judged or forgiven?

He quietly watched Liu Changming, who also silently looked back at him. For a long while, neither spoke further, nor argued about right and wrong.

It was only when rapid but orderly footsteps echoed outside the lab that Liu Changming finally moved.

He pointed to his heart, smiling at Que Qiu, "Your marksmanship is excellent. Go ahead and shoot, aim here. Don't miss."

"No one but you can judge me."

——

"Gunshots?!" Duan Chen Sen abruptly stopped, concentrating and discerning the sounds, then locked his focus on one of the labs.

After dealing with Jaquili and returning from Guard Star, he had rushed to the genetic research institute, fearing for Que Qiu’s safety.

Fortunately, the successful activation of "Silver Moon" was a sign to Duan Chen Sen that Que Qiu was unharmed.

Just as he was about to burst in, the heavy aluminum doors suddenly parted, revealing an Omega covered in blood.

Duan Chen Sen's heart skipped a beat. In front of his subordinates, he tightly embraced Que Qiu, his voice unable to hide his anxiety.

"How are you?! Are you hurt?!"

As he spoke, he began to turn Que Qiu around, checking for injuries.

His subordinates' eyes widened slightly, then they discreetly looked away, not daring to stare.

Seeing this, Que Qiu, who had been feeling heavy-hearted, felt somewhat relieved and said with a touch of helplessness, "It’s not my blood, it’s..."

He paused, unsure how to bring up Liu Changming’s name.

Duan Chen Sen's heart was in his throat, and upon hearing Que Qiu, he let out a deep sigh of relief: "It's good that you’re okay."

Then he quickly updated Que Qiu on the current situation: "The genetic research institute is completely under the control of the First Army Corps. Most people have been captured, but Director Liu Changming is missing. But it’s fine, he can run but he can’t hide. He will be caught soon."

Duan Chen Sen mentioned Liu Changming, but Que Qiu didn’t know how to respond. After a long pause, he said, "There’s no need to search anymore. Liu Changming is dead."

Dead... by his hand.

Even Duan Chen Sen was momentarily stunned: "He's dead?"

Que Qiu took a deep breath and nodded: "Yes. Dead."

"But before he died, he gave me all the data and materials related to the 'Blooming Plan'."

By the time the battlefield was cleared, it was already the next morning.

The radiation shield was destroyed due to last night's explosion, leaving the capital star unprotected. Even the mild morning sun, now with its immense stellar radiation, was far more intense than the previously purified sunlight.

Yet amidst such scorching radiation, all the planets under the empire received a piece of exhilarating news –

The genetic disease had been conquered.

The genes of canaries contain a safe and mild RDRG, which, when made into a vaccine and injected into Alphas and Betas, significantly reduces the risk of contracting the genetic disease. The younger the age of vaccination, the more effective it is.

This meant that the Alphas and Betas of the empire, this generation, the next, and for generations to come, would no longer suffer from the agony and torment of the disease.

They were ecstatic, screaming, howling, and hysterically releasing decades, even centuries, of despair. Hand in hand, they filled the streets, singing praises from the heart for Que Qiu, grateful for all his efforts for the empire.

He truly became the empire's redeemer, the real savior.

Que Qiu didn’t claim all the credit for himself. He honestly disclosed the contributions of Liu Changming and the Omegas who were forced to sacrifice, erecting memorial statues for the fallen Omegas.

As for Liu Changming's rights and wrongs, it was left to the people of the empire to discern.

After handling these matters, Que Qiu fulfilled his promise to Duan Chen Sen, taking a long vacation and returning with him to Dark Star.

Their intention was to revisit the place where they first met, to reminisce about their journey of trials and sweetness. Unexpectedly, the once sand-covered Gobi Desert was now a brilliant field of gold.

Among the sea of flowers was a terrifying-looking black bear Alpha, with the upper body of a bear and the lower body of a human, clumsily bending over, diligently weeding the flower field.

Hearing their approach, the black bear Alpha looked up, and in that moment of eye contact, both Que Qiu and the bear were stunned.

Though they had never communicated, it seemed a single glance was enough to understand each other's intentions.

The black bear Alpha picked a bunch of roses, carefully crossed the flower field, and approached Que Qiu, offering the flowers.

The seeds once given out of kindness and compassion had now blossomed into a stunning sea of flowers.

The canaries spread for miles, swaying in the wind, bringing warm, fragrant breezes and a spring that seemed to melt everything in its warmth.

In this spring, everyone found redemption and welcomed blooming happiness and hope.

(End of the story)

Author’s note:

Thank you everyone for your support and love, and for accompanying me once again.

I wish all my dear readers a radiant and vibrant bloom in this splendid spring.

See you in my next book~ (It won't be too long~)

The next book will feature an older seme doting on a younger uke. You can follow my column for updates~

"The Cannon Fodder Character Who Is Loved by the Whole World"

Xia Qingqing was the darling of the entire circle, known to everyone as the cherished and pampered jewel since childhood, which shaped his cool and innocent demeanor.

Xia Qingqing had always believed that everyone loved him, until one day, after waking up from a near-drowning, he realized he was in a novel world. His identity was that of a cannon fodder character who, after initially being cherished, was later abandoned; his illegitimate elder brother Xia Que was the true protagonist of the story.

In the novel, Xia Que, with his frail and innocent persona, stole the affection of his family, won the heart of his fiancé, and turned his fortunes around, becoming the envy of all.

While Xia Qingqing himself faced betrayal and loneliness, ending in a tragic fate.

The moment Xia Qingqing awoke was the turning point in the novel where their roles began to change.

He thought everything would follow the original plot, such as being blamed for his own near-drowning, which was actually caused by Xia Que, or not being allowed to show the affection he received since childhood, for fear of hurting the tragically-raised Xia Que; his naturally cool demeanor criticized by his fiancé for being aloof, who then turned to the warm and passionate Xia Que; and so on.

However, contrary to the novel, his family, who should have been disappointed in him, were instead protectively cherishing him. Xia Que, who was supposed to take away all his affection, was left outside the hospital room, not even allowed the pretense of playing the victim.

His father, who treasured him like a jewel: “I’m sorry, Qingqing.”

His mother, concerned for her precious child: “Are you still in pain, Qingqing? Let’s go back to your grandfather's house. Mom will protect you.”

His eldest brother, fatherly and protective: “Get well soon, Qingqing. Big brother will get you the garden you want.”

His younger brother, deeply devoted: “You are my only brother.”

The repentant ex-fiancé's mother, feeling ashamed: “That illegitimate child will never step into the Yu family’s house in his lifetime. Only Qingqing is the daughter-in-law I acknowledge.”

Freed from the original script, Xia Qingqing, in the real world, was surrounded by love, glancing through the gaps at Xia Que, filled with envy and gloom.

The person loved by the whole world will always be favored.

*

The one who saved Xia Qingqing was his fiancé's uncle, Yu Shen, young and accomplished, always proper, with immaculate gold-rimmed glasses, a neatly pressed suit, and buttons done up to the very top.

Rumor had it he was still unmarried in his thirties, living a life between company and home, spotless and tidy, known in the circle as a moral paragon.

Yet this upright man, when drunk, dominantly grasped Xia Qingqing’s slender wrist, pressing him against the car window, their breaths mingling and fogging up the glass.

Bathed in the bizarre neon lights outside, the man leaned over the boy, his deep voice muffled with a hint of moisture: "Break off the engagement with him, dump him; choose me."

Xia Qingqing's cheeks flushed faintly, breathing softly, fresh as an early summer peach about to ripen.

He blinked: "Uncle Yu, this is my first kiss."

Yu Shen's dark eyes deepened, and he chuckled softly: "Coincidentally, it's my first kiss too."