Chapter 96 Won’t Become the Loser

Chapter 96: Not Going to Lose

Several ships dropped out of warp, hovering in orbit outside Youlan Star.

This area was riddled with numerous wormholes and frequent turbulence, but fortunately, the warships and survey vessels had ample experience. They arrived at their destination unscathed after some nerve-wracking moments.

Outside the viewport, Youlan Star presented a dead, grayish color of decay. Exposed rock formations and metal building ruins, corroded into a honeycomb of holes, resembled a giant skull.

Back when the Zerg swarmed through, they devoured all biomass, leaving behind only this absolute barrenness.

Huo Zeshen gazed down at the planet below—familiar and laden with his countless memories. His eyes turned icy, his jawline tightening.

"Commence operation."

At Huo Zeshen's command, the reconnaissance team, clad in advanced protective suits, swiftly stepped onto the barren land of Youlan Star. They quickly located the hidden passage to the laboratory.

Only a few Zerg were patrolling the vicinity, easily dispatched without effort. The passage entrance was half-buried under collapsed alloy and rock. Two elite marines immediately stepped forward, using portable engineering lasers to precisely cut and clear the obstructions.

The passage was dilapidated, but since the damage had primarily come from external impacts and the erosion of time, some of the deeper internal structures had been preserved.

Once the entrance was opened, a heavy smell of rust and the cloyingly sweet, fishy stench of a Zerg nest hit them. The air here was thick and humid. The surrounding metal walls were covered in a thick layer of something resembling blood vessels.

Huo Zeshen, piloting the Ultimate, took the lead. His feet occasionally stepped on shattered carapaces or dried mucus.

The heavy footsteps of the mech echoed in the enclosed space. Lin Juangui's voice came through the communicator, "A flood of high-frequency biological signals is surging from three and nine o'clock. Be careful."

"Received."

Accompanied by a teeth-grating scraping sound and hissing, a dense flood of worker Zerg, each the size of a hound, poured out from the pipe openings on both sides like a breached dam! Their compound eyes were crimson, mandibles snapping as they lunged forward with a madness to destroy all living beings!

Huo Zeshen didn't retreat but advanced, his right arm's particle cannon unleashing a fierce blast.

A blazing white beam instantly vaporized the dozen or so worker Zerg at the front. The intense energy shockwave scattered the following swarm, but more insects clambered over the remains of their comrades to continue the assault.

Huo Zeshen's eyes were cold. His left arm ejected a massive high-frequency vibration cutting blade, like a scythe of death.

With a swift horizontal sweep, several worker Zerg attempting to get close to Huo Zeshen were cleaved in half. The narrow passage limited the swarm's ability to spread out. Huo Zeshen used the terrain to turn himself into an insurmountable steel barrier, firmly holding the main direction of attack.

"Don't get bogged down!" Huo Zeshen said decisively. "Use high-explosive shells to temporarily block the entrance. We'll take the side path! Then set time-delayed charges to seal this fork. Quickly!"

Huo Zeshen's decision was instant and decisive. In that split second, he chose the option that seemed more dangerous but was actually their only way out, clearly assigning tasks.

A high-explosive missile shot towards the depths of the passage with a trailing flame, followed by a dull roar and violent tremors, temporarily cutting off the threat from behind.

A violent explosion roared from behind. The shockwave, carrying Zerg debris and shattered rock, completely sealed off that fork and temporarily isolated the pursuing swarm outside.

Lin Juangui watched everything from the command room. He knew Huo Zeshen faced danger every day in the military, and injuries big and small were commonplace on campaigns. Even though he knew those insects were no match for Huo Zeshen, Lin Juangui was still worried.

"None." Huo Zeshen's voice was firm.

Lin Juangui secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "The specific coordinates of the data storage center have been sent to your terminals. The internal situation cannot be scanned; it's an unknown state."

"Understood."

In combat mode, Huo Zeshen spoke very little, mostly issuing or receiving orders—simple and effective.

The journey to the data storage center was relatively smooth, but the deeper they went, the more apprehensive everyone grew.

They were clearly all worried about the same thing.

Everyone knew that signal transmission among the Zerg was extremely fast. Although they had dealt with those worker Zerg quickly earlier, if the Zerg had already detected their activity, they might be gathering forces to rush towards this location.

Moreover, if their luck ran out and the Mother Zerg's spawning ground was right at the data storage center, whether their group could survive would be completely unknown.

Before they knew it, they had entered the core area of the underground laboratory. At the end of the passage was a severely deformed alloy blast door. The door was covered in huge impact dents and blackened corrosion marks. Thick, muscle-like biological tissue was tangled in the gaps.

The Zerg probably hadn't entered here; otherwise, this biological tissue would have spread inside, and this door wouldn't be so tightly shut as it was now.

Rong Rui whispered beside Huo Zeshen, "We laid proximity mines on the way here. We'll know immediately if something approaches."

Having come this far, other methods were too inefficient. They needed to cherish every minute and second to obtain the information from the data storage center and then evacuate as quickly as possible.

Huo Zeshen made a gesture. Two elite soldiers immediately stepped forward, using high-temperature cutters to carefully clear the biological tissue around the door seam. A pungent smell of burning filled the air, and the password lock on the door was also revealed.

"This is..." Rong Rui hadn't expected that after nearly ten years, this door still hadn't been breached by the Zerg?

Moreover, the lock wasn't the most common gene lock or retinal scan lock, but a password lock—the easiest to crack.

Could it be that the people who set up this laboratory were so confident, completely unconcerned about anyone coming to steal the data?

Huo Zeshen pondered for a moment. He signaled for everyone present to take three steps back. "There might be traps inside. Proceed with caution."

Rong Rui frowned and asked, "Do you know the password?"

Huo Zeshen didn't respond, silently raising his hand to input a string of keys.

"Huo Zeshen, what's the password?" Lin Juangui asked from the other side of the communicator.

Huo Zeshen recalled the excited researchers from years ago, speaking with fervor and madness about how their experiment might succeed in a few more years. He spoke with utmost calm, "My gene sequence."

The moment the blast door opened, Rong Rui's warning suddenly rang out: "High-energy life signs inside! Not Zerg... it's an energy signature!"

"Take cover!" Huo Zeshen roared, maneuvering the Ultimate to dodge to the side. Even so, his shoulder armor was grazed by an energy beam, leaving a scorching molten mark.

A soldier who couldn't dodge in time was hit in the leg, screaming as he fell, quickly dragged behind cover by a comrade.

Inside the door, several floating, metal-octopus-like things slowly emerged. Their cores flickered with an ominous red light. Their tentacle-like mechanical arms were equipped with various lethal weapons.

Huo Zeshen saw clearly what was attacking him. "Suppressive fire! Priority: destroy the sensors of the autonomous defense units!"

The squad members immediately returned fire from behind cover. Energy beams and solid projectiles wildly crisscrossed in the narrow space. However, these defense units were exceptionally agile and numerous, continuously firing beams, pinning Huo Zeshen's group down.

"Huo Zeshen! Listen to me! These units rely on a central server for coordination. Get into the data center now! Target the server rack with the blue marker at the one o'clock direction! That's the regional sub-server. Destroy it! That should disrupt their coordination!"

Lin Juangui spoke rapidly. Everyone in the command room was busy analyzing data and relaying it to him. Like the soldiers in combat, everyone was intensely focused.

Huo Zeshen didn't hesitate, charging into the data center. The rapid-fire cannons on the mech's arms unleashed a barrage at that server rack!

"Bang—Boom!" The server rack exploded, sparks flying.

Sure enough, some defense units froze, and others even began interfering with each other. The pressure let up drastically.

Huo Zeshen seized the opportunity, piloting the mech to swiftly advance, slicing the last few defense units into pieces.

The surroundings finally fell quiet. The cylindrical storage core was located in the center of the room, emitting a faint fluorescent glow, protected by multiple layers of force fields.

Why hadn't the Liang family sent anyone to check on this place for so many years? Did they think these defense units were invincible, or did they believe no one could break through the Zerg swarms?

It seems to be both. If Lin Juan-gui hadn't called so many people here today, Huo Ze-shen and his team might not have made it out alive.

"Arrived at the data storage center." Huo Ze-shen's breathing was slightly labored as he slowly approached the storage core. Suddenly, the ground beneath him shattered! A lurker that had been lying in wait, its carapace nearly blending with the metallic floor, sprang out!

It wasn't a Zerg, yet it attacked just like one, moving with astonishing speed. Its scythe-like forelimbs stabbed straight toward the relatively vulnerable joint connecting the legs of the Ultimate!

"Watch out below!" Lin Juan-gui and Rong Rui's warnings rang out simultaneously, but they were half a beat too late.

"Riiip—" A grating sound of tearing metal echoed as a burst of blinding sparks erupted from the left leg joint of the Ultimate mech. Hydraulic lines snapped, spraying hydraulic fluid.

Huo Ze-shen let out a pained grunt. Intense vibrations transmitted through the neural interface system. A damaged Ultimate would drain even more of his mental energy, and now he could barely stand.

"General!" his team members exclaimed in alarm.

"Cover me!" Veins bulged on Huo Ze-shen's forehead as he fought through the agony. He manipulated the damaged mech, using its intact right leg and arm to lunge forward like a wounded beast! The cutting blade on the mech's right arm plunged precisely into the base of the protective force field generator.

The force field flickered a few times before vanishing.

Huo Ze-shen grabbed the cylindrical container, wrenching it from its pedestal and shoving it into the storage compartment on the mech's chest.

"Mission accomplished! All units, retreat!" Huo Ze-shen ordered hoarsely.

Seizing the moment the Zerg-shaped mech charged at him, Huo Ze-shen dashed out, trapping it inside the data center.

Let it wreak havoc in there. Who knows who would win if that mech faced off against the bugs outside.

The team retreated under fire, with Rong Rui providing precise fire to clear the pursuing Zerg on the periphery. Huo Ze-shen dragged the damaged mech along, each step excruciatingly difficult. Yet, he remained utterly composed, directing the squad along the predetermined evacuation route.

Upon learning the item had been successfully secured, the tension that had gripped Lin Juan-gui finally eased slightly. He leaned against the console, letting out a soft sigh, his fingers unconsciously tapping the desktop.

This evidence was hard-won and must be utilized to its fullest potential. First, they needed to understand exactly what was stored within the core to truly hit a nerve with the Liang family.

However, that brief moment of relief was fleeting. The energy hum of an abnormal program activating suddenly emanated from outside the command center door, followed by the harsh, grating sound of a lock being violently forced open!

"Bang—!"

The heavy metal door was blasted inward by a tremendous force, crumpling and collapsing in a cloud of dust.

Five soldiers in combat gear, their gazes sharp and hostile, stormed into the command center. The barrels of their energy rifles instantly locked onto Lin Juan-gui and the few technicians. Leading them was a lieutenant with no eyebrows, his smile particularly vicious.

"Nobody move! Mr. Lin, we've heard so much about you." The lieutenant's gaze swept over the panicked technicians before settling on the calm-faced Lin Juan-gui.

Lin Juan-gui understood. The Liang family's infiltration was deeper than imagined. Like the endless Zerg, moles had managed to hide within Huo Ze-shen's direct command, lying dormant until confirming the storage core had been retrieved before striking.

Their objective was clear: use him as leverage against Huo Ze-shen.

Faced with the targeting of multiple energy rifles, Lin Juan-gui showed not a trace of panic. He even straightened up slowly, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather. "It seems the Liang family offered you quite a high price."

"Elder Liang never imagined General Huo could be ensnared by you into returning to Youlan Star to retrieve this garbage that poses no real threat to the Liang family."

Lin Juan-gui chuckled softly, a hint of pity in his voice. "Alright. The Liang family has never been honest with its collaborators. Have you considered that if this stuff were truly unimportant, why would they send you on a suicide mission?"

"Mr. Lin overestimates himself. No one can save you. None of them are faster than my gun."

"It seems your resolve is quite firm. Even if I were willing to offer more money, you'd still sell your lives for the Liang family. Actually, you know, I've had the Liang family dancing in the palm of my hand for a while now. You're just following orders. Why sacrifice your lives and your families' futures for the ambitions of others? Isn't that a losing proposition?"

A flicker of hesitation appeared in the eyes of two soldiers behind the lieutenant. The lieutenant's face also showed a brief struggle before being replaced by renewed ferocity. "Enough talk! Contact Huo Ze-shen immediately. Tell him to hand over the storage core!"

Lin Juan-gui had never severed the communication link with Huo Ze-shen. "You heard them. They want to use me to threaten you."

Lin Juan-gui tapped a button on the console, and Huo Ze-shen's voice came through clearly in the command center. "Hmm."

The lieutenant stared suspiciously at Lin Juan-gui. As he was pondering, Lin Juan-gui suddenly raised his leg, kicking the energy rifle from the lieutenant's grasp. Before the lieutenant could react, Lin Juan-gui aimed and fired at his throat.

"Zing—"

An extremely faint yet sharp whistling sound cut through the air. Several sniper rounds were shot into the room from an inconspicuous vent above the control room, piercing with pinpoint accuracy through the wrist bones of the men behind the lieutenant.

Their guns clattered to the floor. Simultaneously, a section of the smooth wall on the side of the command center slid open, revealing a hidden passage—an emergency escape route designed into the ship's original plans.

"Good thing I took precautions when upgrading the ship all those years ago. The people outside have been dealt with. Are you alright?" Rong Rui clapped his hands, with a look of lingering apprehension.

Lin Juan-gui frowned, his expression annoyed. He looked at Huo Ze-shen, who wasted no words, executing the traitors on the spot.

Several crisp, decisive sounds rang out. Each person now had a small, scorched hole in the center of their forehead.

Lin Juan-gui didn't even have time to speak. His eyes met Huo Ze-shen's, as if questioning why he left no survivors.

Huo Ze-shen took the rifle from Lin Juan-gui's hand. "They deserved to die."

Lin Juan-gui looked at the man before him, who seemed like a god of death descended yet whose eyes held only concern for his safety. Then he looked down at the eliminated threats on the floor, his brow still furrowed. "I still had questions to ask."

Huo Ze-shen's voice carried a barely perceptible hoarseness. "They were the lowest-level pawns. If you want to know something, ask me."

Lin Juan-gui had a subconscious feeling Huo Ze-shen was hiding something, but he had no mind to dwell on it. He reached out, asking Huo Ze-shen for the storage core.

"We'll go directly to the analysis platform." Huo Ze-shen gave Lin Juan-gui no chance to speak further, turning and walking out of the command center.

Lin Juan-gui glanced at Rong Rui, as if asking what had happened. Rong Rui whispered, "He rushed back like his life depended on it, and his leg is injured. I've already called the medics. Maybe he's just upset that people under his command betrayed him."

At least from Rong Rui's perspective, that was the reason for Huo Ze-shen's agitation.

The storage core retrieved from the depths of the Youlan Star laboratory was placed on a specialized blast-proof analysis platform. It was cold to the touch, made of an unknown material, with no physical ports on its surface—only a faint ring of energy-sensing patterns.

Huo Ze-shen's leg injury had received emergency treatment and stabilization from the ship's doctor. The interior of the battleship they had returned to had also undergone another round of security purges.

Lin Juan-gui stood before the analysis platform, his fingertips lightly tracing the cold surface of the core. He remained silent, his gaze intensely focused.

Rong Rui stood nearby, arms crossed. "No physical interface. Forced decryption or incorrect energy frequency might trigger an internal self-destruct sequence. The Liang family really hid their dirty secrets deep. We risked our lives to get this thing back, but what's the use if we can't open it?"

Lin Juan-gui turned to look at Huo Ze-shen, whose face was pale. "Is it related to your genes?"

Since Huo Ze-shen's genetic sequence could open the data center door, the biometric key for this storage core might also be linked to him.

Huo Ze-shen nodded, his gaze complex as he looked at the core.

This wasn't just evidence; it was directly tied to his origins. He knew he should muster the courage to unlock this storage core, but he feared the unknowns it might reveal...

"I expended too much mental energy earlier. Can I have some pheromones?"

Every time Huo Ze-shen sent the Ultimate back for repairs, using it again became more taxing.

He tried his best to avoid getting injured, but as a Federation General, he was always on the front lines. How could a mech remain undamaged?

The more the Ultimate drained him, the weaker Huo Ze-shen would be after using it.

At first, he could handle it. But now, with physical injuries and a mind full of turmoil, he was starting to reach his limit.

Rong Rui, having good situational awareness, left the room, closing the door tightly and activating the ventilation system.

Lin Juangui tore off the pheromone blocker patch Huo Zeshen had given him earlier, gradually increasing the concentration of pheromones he released.

Huo Zeshen pressed a hand to his forehead, and Lin Juangui stepped forward to gently massage it for him. "What are you worried about?"

Huo Zeshen opened his eyes, his face rarely showing such a lack of resolve. "You loathe insects, don't you?"

Almost no one liked those disgusting creatures with their prolific reproductive abilities. Huo Zeshen's worry came down to one thing: if he truly was the only surviving successful experiment, with insectoid genes in his body, would Lin Juangui see him as a monster?

Lin Juangui took a deep breath. How could someone as perceptive as him not know what Huo Zeshen was thinking?

He wrapped his arms tightly around Huo Zeshen from behind, as if giving him strength. "Don't be afraid. I will always accept you and everything about you."

Whether Huo Zeshen was an ordinary person or a successful experiment, Lin Juangui would never release his grip on the other man's hands.

Feeling Lin Juangui's light yet warm pheromones, Huo Zeshen seemed to reach a firm decision.

"Xiao Juan, I have always... loved you."

This love was murky, tainted by Huo Zeshen's countless selfish desires and yearnings. He wasn't pure, but this was the only thing Huo Zeshen could give to Lin Juangui.

Lin Juangui nodded. "I understand."

Huo Zeshen took a long, deep breath and patted Lin Juangui's hand, signaling him to let go.

With Lin Juangui's pheromones, Huo Zeshen's mental energy recovered somewhat. He stood up and walked to the analyzer, his fingers dancing rapidly across the virtual keyboard as he coded a temporary interference program.

Lin Juangui watched quietly from the side, surprised that Huo Zeshen even knew how to do this.

A few minutes later, a pale blue energy barrier formed around the storage core. Lin Juangui finally voiced his question: "Where did you learn all this?"

Huo Zeshen turned to look at Lin Juangui. "Do you remember I said before that after each phase of the experiments, they would erase the subject's memories?"

Lin Juangui nodded.

"They didn't know my memories couldn't be completely erased."

To survive, Huo Zeshen had to pretend to remember nothing.

He hid himself, honing his acting skills, but an observant researcher still noticed something was off.

A sense of crisis rose in Huo Zeshen. He made many preparations, almost killing the researcher and turning him into fertilizer. But the researcher hurriedly said, "I can help you escape! Trust me this once, please!"

Huo Zeshen remained silent. His cold, expressionless face always seemed menacing. He raised a shovel to strike, but the researcher continued, "I have a grudge against the people who built this lab! I really won't harm you. I'll tell you everything I know! And I won't say a word about what happened today!"

"Speak."

From that day on, Huo Zeshen learned why he underwent those strange tests. Perhaps out of a guilty conscience, or perhaps truly bearing a grudge against the Liang family, this researcher helped Huo Zeshen, an unstable element.

But he was too afraid of the day the truth would come out, unsure of his own fate. He quickly taught Huo Zeshen many things related to the experiments and what he could do with his clearance level before planning to resign.

However, it wasn't easy for anyone who came here to leave. His memories were erased, and he became a basic lab staff member again.

The day Huo Zeshen went to find him, he didn't know the man had lost his memory. By the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late. Huo Zeshen was forcibly restrained, watching as the clueless researcher was killed. He trembled all over and was thrown into the memory-erasure device several more times.

For a long time afterward, Huo Zeshen was in complete disarray. He truly forgot who he was, where he was, and what he was supposed to do.

Because of this incident, Huo Zeshen was placed under strict surveillance, which only eased after several years.

By then, Huo Zeshen had become a somewhat simple-minded child who couldn't even speak.

But his genes were exceptionally superior. No one would abandon such a perfect specimen.

Huo Zeshen still didn't want to recall the things he had experienced, but he knew this storage core must have recorded everything.

Should he let Lin Juangui see all this? Lin Juangui gave him an encouraging look. Huo Zeshen approached the storage core, closed his eyes to clear his mind, and focused entirely on the cold device.

At first, the core showed no reaction. But gradually, the faint energy patterns on its surface began to glow with a very dim, eerie blue light.

The energy frequency was matching. The storage core was reading Huo Zeshen's genetic traits and mental imprint.

Huo Zeshen felt a slight pull from the core, as if something was scanning his entire body, especially his brain and spinal cord.

The sensation was uncomfortable, carrying a cold feeling of being scrutinized.

Suddenly, the light from the core stabilized, pulsing rhythmically like a breath. The metallic outer shell unfolded layer by layer, revealing a more intricate internal structure made of some kind of biological crystal.

A beam of light projected from the center of the crystal, forming a complex, constantly scrolling stream of data and holographic images in the air.

The project log clearly displayed all the details of the Liang family's "God-Making Project," including Liang Xiancheng's approval signature and fund flows.

The experimental objective was explicitly stated: to create biological weapons and a new human race surpassing humanity yet controllable, using mechas to absorb life force, thereby achieving the redemption and transformation of the old human race.

Horrifying amounts of footage and data recorded the process of forcibly merging insectoid gene fragments with human embryos. Failed specimens were directly discarded or used for other extreme tests. The project numbers of the few near-successful experiments were prominently listed.

Huo Zeshen's number, his first awakening photo, his annual growth records, and the number of experimental phases he underwent were all documented in great detail.

In the lab, Huo Zeshen wasn't a person; he was an object of observation. He didn't understand family or emotions. Even though he displayed excellent genetic traits, his eyes remained dull and vacant.

Huo Zeshen clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. His breathing grew heavy.

Even with prior mental preparation, facing his past as an "experimental subject" so directly still dealt him a massive blow.

Lin Juangui quickly operated the instruments, making complete backups of all the data, encrypting it, and transmitting it to multiple absolutely secure offline storage devices.

Only after finishing this did he walk over to Huo Zeshen, gently placing a hand on the man's arm, which trembled slightly from suppressed emotions.

The light from the storage core gradually dimmed and finally went out completely. It had fulfilled its purpose.

"I know you're hurting right now, but... this world needs your guidance to reach its conclusion. Whatever the reason, just like you dealt with those traitors, drive the knife deep into their hearts. Do whatever brings you satisfaction, okay?"

Lin Juangui rarely showed his ruthless side to this world's Huo Zeshen, but there was no need for pretense now. He needed Huo Zeshen to take this first step.

Huo Zeshen knew Lin Juangui supported him. He reached out and pulled Lin Juangui into a tight embrace.

When he looked up again, all traces of weakness had vanished from Huo Zeshen's face.

With Lin Juangui's help, he knew he would never be the loser.