Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Crying was not an option. In this world, Yi Ye had shed tears only a handful of times and didn’t feel the need to break down over a nightmare.

He pushed Qi Wen away, amused by the youth’s expression. Suddenly, he reached out and pinched his face.

Qi Wen’s face was squished like dough, looking goofy and clueless.

“You’re not going to dodge?”

Qi Wen mumbled incoherently, “My idol… touched me… it’s… amazing, why would I dodge?”

“…You’re a hopeless fanboy, buddy.” Yi Ye had too much to say but decided to let it go, simply patting his shoulder. “Fine, I’ll give you a chance. Turn around and let me lean on your back for a bit.”

Qi Wen’s eyes widened, and he quickly straightened his clothes, turned around, and excitedly bent his legs, hugging them with his hands. In a stiff, awkward pose, he revealed his broad and sturdy back, waiting for that slender figure to lean against him.

With his back to the youth, he couldn’t see his face, but soon heard a soft chuckle that made his ears turn red.

When Yi Ye leaned against him, he barely noticed because the youth was so light, like a feather swaying in the wind. But when his hair brushed his neck, he felt the youth’s presence intensely, inadvertently occupying his entire mind.

Qi Wen stayed still, silently listing every god he could think of. He raised his hands in prayer, thanking his lucky stars.

How much good karma did he have to earn a day like this?

Yi Ye made small talk with him, asking about life in the Central Army. Qi Wen answered every question in detail, but he rambled, missing the point, and soon, he heard the youth’s tired breathing behind him.

Once Yi Ye fell asleep, Qi Wen stayed frozen in his stiff posture for hours. Every muscle in his body ached, screaming in protest, “You’re such an idiot, using your muscles like that!” But he was so happy he couldn’t stop grinning. Even though he couldn’t see the youth’s face, just hearing his breathing made Qi Wen feel like he was in heaven.

I wish it could always be like this.

He tilted his head, gently nuzzling the youth’s head.

Idol, if only it could always be like this.

…

Night turned to day, the moon set, and the sun rose over the mountains, waking the birds in the distant woods.

Yi Ye was surprised he’d slept against Qi Wen all night. When he woke up, he was covered with a large military jacket. The jacket’s owner was curled up, looking pitiful in his sleep. When he was woken up, he sat up in a daze, then suddenly howled, clutching his thigh.

Qi Wen: “My, my, my muscle cramped!”

Yi Ye: “…”

Yi Ye: “Stomp your foot, and it won’t cramp.”

Qi Wen believed him, got up, and stomped heavily.

Qi Wen: “Ahhhh, it’s cramping even more!”

Yi Ye clutched his stomach, laughing uncontrollably: “Hahahaha!”

Seeing him laugh, Qi Wen also grinned foolishly, like a simpleton from some village.

After laughing, the two of them limped back slowly. As soon as they entered the camp, they were undoubtedly subjected to an interrogation from Bai Chuan and Eugene. Bai Chuan, who rarely stood on the same side as Eugene, pulled him away one after the other, taking turns to warn him that people from the Central Army couldn’t be trusted, especially someone named “Qi Wen.”

Yi Ye wanted to defend Qi Wen, but he was cut off by a sneeze.

Bai Chuan and Eugene immediately ended the interrogation. Eugene, suppressing his anger, scolded him, saying it was because he spent the whole night out with another man that he caught a cold. Then he called him an idiot, turned around, and went to find the captain for cold medicine, almost sparking flames under his feet.

Yi Ye: "...Is he becoming more and more erratic?"

Bai Chuan hesitated: "Seems like it."

After taking the medicine, Yi Ye's coughing subsided. It was just a mild chill, and he would have recovered on his own in a couple of days without medication.

After packing up, they proceeded to the next mission location as planned.

The next three locations went more smoothly than expected, and they completed 60% of the geological survey mission in six days. As long as they reached over 70%, the mission would be considered successful, and they could return to the main planet.

"The final mission site is outside the city limits." Six days later, in the camp, the two team leaders unfolded the map of City C and pointed to a mountain range on the far west side. "We'll enter the mountain from the southeast and expect to reach the halfway point in four hours. There's a pine forest there, and that's our destination."

The exploration team from the last Blue Flower Star mission had also entered this forest. According to the data Peide brought back, only this pine forest hadn't been surveyed yet. Their final task was to complete the data collection.

"Get your stuff together, we’re out in an hour."

Everyone: "Yes!"

The group quickly returned to organize their equipment.

...

Meanwhile, on the Empire's main planet.

A figure abruptly materialized in the central financial building, walking briskly and with urgency, heading straight through the lobby towards the office of Duke Nikolai Jedd.

The receptionist hurried after him: "I’m sorry, but you can’t see Duke Jedd without an appointment. Guards! Guards, stop him!"

A large group of guards blocked the way with guns, the red laser sights trained on the man, temporarily controlling him. The receptionist quickly called the Duke’s office to report the situation.

The guards stared at the man in front of them, both surprised and at a loss. They had never imagined a day when their guns would be aimed at this person—the principal of the Imperial Honor Military Academy, Ace Howard.

The receptionist ran back: "My apologies, Mr. Howard, Duke Jedd has granted you access."

Turning to the guards: "Put your guns down!"

"The efficiency of the Finance Department is truly commendable," Howard said, turning to her.

Ace Howard's public image had always been dignified and gentlemanly, but at this moment, his gaze towards the receptionist was chillingly cold. She shivered involuntarily, "You’re too kind."

Howard let out a low, enigmatic chuckle, then turned and entered the elevator.

...

In the office, Jedd took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he looked at Howard across from him.

"What brings you here so suddenly? Isn’t there an Elder Council meeting this afternoon? Also, why are you staying on the main planet for so long this time? The Imperial Honor Military Academy’s term has just begun, and as the principal, you should have a lot to attend to, right?"

"Is Yi Ye on Blue Flower Star now?"

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

Jedd narrowed his eyes, "Yi Ye is a student at your academy, and now you come to the financial building to ask me about him? Howard, don’t forget you’re just a principal. I have every right to arrest you for trespassing."

Howard ignored his warning: "Duke Jedd, let’s not mince words. You should understand why I didn’t raise this issue at the Elder Council meeting but came directly to you. Let’s leave some room for each other. In the Elder Council, you’re the one who most wants Yi Ye dead. How would you explain it if it got out that he accidentally ended up on Blue Flower Star?"

"Explain?!" Jedd stood up in disbelief, "The Twelve Seats decided to go to Blue Flower Star themselves. This old man doesn’t have the energy to deal with him!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jedd realized and abruptly closed his mouth.

"So you knew from the start."

Since Howard already knew about it, there was no point in hiding anymore. It was better to be upfront: "I did know, but only after he boarded the spaceship. He should be thanking me, this old man, otherwise the two flight attendants who helped him wouldn't still be working peacefully now; they would have been hauled into the interrogation room and grilled... Where are you going?!"

"You have no clue how reckless your actions are. You will doom the empire."

Howard forced out these words and suddenly turned to leave. Jedd immediately pressed the button on his desk, and the alarm instantly blared throughout the finance building.

"Explain yourself before you leave!"

Howard abruptly turned around, his gaze like a blade slicing through Jedd's frail body, chilling to the bone.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, "Do you recall the mechanical gland project from way back?"

Duke Jedd paused for a moment, his eyes suddenly twitching violently: "What... do you mean...?"

"The empire once thought that mechanical glands couldn't fully mimic the biological glands of those with 3S psychic abilities, so the project was scrapped. Dr. Anderson, who was part of the research, was bumped up to one of the Twelve Seats just to shut him up," Howard said with difficulty. "After the research flopped, we had no choice but to keep sending the empire's most valuable talents to Blue Flower Star, using their very bodies for experiments, trying to prove that the pheromones they produced could detect the Zerg Queen. Have you forgotten? That's exactly why the empire kicked off the mechanical gland project and the gland catalysis experiments."

"But we still came up short. Finnian, Judge Ai Linya's son, Central Legion members, and countless other top talents died on Blue Flower Star. But have you ever thought that maybe it wasn't about their 3S psychic level or their strength?" He shook his head bitterly. "No, Jedd."

"It was because the pheromones didn't match."

Jedd stumbled back, toppling a hefty stack of books on the table. He fought to keep his balance: "Of course I know all this! But what does it have to do with Yi Ye?"

Howard said coldly, "What if I told you Yi Ye might be the only one in the universe whose pheromones match the Zerg Queen's, the only one who can help us find her?"

"...You're insane... He's just a Beta! How could he possibly have pheromones?!" Jedd breathed rapidly, "Have you been driven mad by the Zerg? Have you forgotten that Beta glands are inherently defective?!"

Howard looked at him without speaking.

Jedd's expression changed unpredictably, his hand gripping the cane trembling violently. How could he believe that a Beta could possess the power to locate the Zerg Queen and help the empire defeat the Zerg? It was unreasonable, how could it be possible?!

But... he knew better than anyone Howard's desire to annihilate the Zerg. To destroy the Zerg, Howard had even sent his closest friends to their deaths. What wouldn't he do?

"You—are you really sure?"

"Do you think he could have reached the position of the Twelve Seats without external help? I guided him step by step to the main planet, found ways for Anderson to meet him, acknowledge him, and let him sit at the Round Table because I knew he had the ability. But your ignorance and stupidity ruined everything, all for your own benefit and selfish desires!"

Jedd swallowed hard, struggling to support his aged body as he stood up, "We must send troops to Blue Flower Star immediately!"

The two immediately headed downstairs. But as soon as they stepped out of the elevator, a flash of white light suddenly appeared before them! The deafening roar of an explosion erupted in their ears. Howard quickly moved behind Jedd, using his back to block the falling boulder from above. He clenched his teeth, blood streaming down his forehead, and with a forceful push, he overturned the boulder.

Jedd was still in shock, but Howard dragged him outside. When they saw the scene on the streets, both were stunned.

Screams and roars filled every corner of the streets. People were fleeing in panic, dust and the smell of gunpowder permeated the air. The once bustling street scene had instantly turned into chaos. The limbs blown off by the bombs were reduced to pulp splattered on car windows. Mountains of corpses and seas of fire—it was a living hell.

"How could this happen... The Federation? Did those troublemakers from the Federation launch an attack?!"

Howard's expression was grave. A high-frequency flapping sound suddenly reached his ears.

"It's not the Federation," he said, looking up into the distance. A giant Zerg, four to five meters tall, was flying over the city, followed by ten, a hundred, a thousand... nearly tens of thousands of Zerg swarmed the sky above the main city area, like an impenetrable black fog.

Jedd's face turned pale.

"Where is Ling Pei?!"

"He... left for the Vanguard Legion yesterday..."

"Contact him! Tell him the main planet is under a full-scale Zerg attack. I'll go find Moxi!"

Howard left with these words and sprinted towards the Central Legion base while activating his terminal.

A loud explosion startled Jedd, making him tremble. He averted his gaze and felt along the wall with his fingers, frantically activating his terminal. "Ling Pei… hurry up!"

But Ling Pei's communicator didn’t respond immediately. Jedd tried again and again, but no one answered. After nearly twenty attempts, the call finally connected: "Ling Pei!! The capital—"

"Duke Jedd!"

He was stunned: "You're not Ling Pei? Where is Ling Pei?"

"The General…" the voice on the other end was heavy with sorrow, "The General was ambushed by dozens of Zerg last night and is now severely injured and unconscious! Duke Jedd, the Vanguard Legion is riddled with advanced Zerg spies, and we are also surrounded from the outside. We tried to call for reinforcements from legions in other star systems, but there has been no response. Can the capital dispatch reinforcements to assist us?"

"Duke Jedd? Duke Jedd…"

Jedd lowered the terminal, despairingly gazing at the city sky.

Could it be… that the empire is going to fall today?

*

On the other side, Blue Flower Star.

The exploration team took a brief rest upon arriving at their destination.

Seizing the moment, Qi Wen ran off to gather wild fruits and brought them over to Yi Ye. Yi Ye glanced at them—the yellow fruits were covered in dense thorns. He recognized it; it was a prickly pear. But he had no appetite at the moment, so he waved his hand, letting Qi Wen eat them himself, while he continued to fiddle with his terminal.

But Qi Wen wasn't quiet while eating, chattering on about how good the environment of this mountain was and how there was a hot spring in the center of the mountain. He said that if it could be developed someday, it might become a tourist attraction.

Yi Ye tuned out the chatter, giving a few perfunctory responses, and forcefully tapped the surface of his terminal.

The environmental conditions on Blue Flower Star were too peculiar. Ever since arriving here, their terminals had basically become useless. Apart from telling the time, they couldn't contact anyone in other star systems.

He still wanted to check with Bush Meihua about Little Orange.

Originally, he had thought of handing the dog over to Kaiser, but considering General Moxi's temperament, he might just dismantle the dog and throw it into the recycling station. It was safer to entrust it to Bush Meihua; at least Judge Ai Linya was reliable.

…No matter, they’d be back in four days anyway. There was no rush.