Chapter 48: Death Stands at the Edge of Space, Sickle in Hand
Yu Shi leaned against the back of the door, holding his breath in a defensive stance.
9527 was frantically scanning its system, generating countless plans in a split second: feigning illness and fainting, employing a honey trap, stabbing itself… As long as Yu Shi didnât beat it afterward, it was willing to try anything.
Right then, a slight vibration rippled through the starship.
Everyone felt the jolt and exchanged wary glances. 9527 braced itself against the wall, momentarily convinced an earthquake was occurring.
Someone ran over, shouting anxiously, “Major, a warship has intercepted us ahead!”
Qin Yinâs movements stiffened. He furrowed his brows. “Can you identify the nationality?”
“The hull coating is obscuring the markings, but their intent to attack is clear. Theyâre definitely coming for us.”
Qin Yin made a snap decision. “Summon all commanders to the meeting room. You two, escort him back to his room. He is not to leave without my explicit command.”
He threw a chilling glare at 9527 before leading his men toward the meeting room at a brisk pace.
9527 felt as if its soul were about to drift away. After being marched back to the room by the guards, the audio in its earpiece went dead. It could only pace back and forth by the door, anxiously peering through the crack.
Yu Shi took advantage of the chaos to slip out of the storage room. The attack on the starship provided the perfect opportunity to escape. He had intended to head for the warehouse, but he ran into the doctor halfway there.
“What are you doing running around?” the doctor snapped, looking displeased. “Follow me.”
Not wanting to cause a scene, Yu Shi had no choice but to follow him back to the laboratory.
The cramped room contained only a bed and a surgical lamp. The air was thick with the sterile scent of disinfectant, triggering flashes of unpleasant memories that left Yu Shi feeling chilled to the bone.
The doctor told him to sit. He pulled on a pair of examination gloves, pried Yu Shiâs mouth open, and used a penlight to inspect his oral cavity. His movements showed no regard for Yu Shi as a human being.
Yu Shi forced himself to endure the discomfort, remaining motionless.
“You didn’t go out and eat anything random this time, did you? I warned you last timeâyou must have my permission before consuming anything. Do not defile this body. Now, turn around. Let me see your gland.”
The doctorâs tone was overbearing, his face alight with a morbid fervor as he reached out to brush the hair away from Yu Shi’s nape.
Yu Shi felt a wave of unease. He realized then that the doctorâs control over the bionic wasn’t just physicalâit was psychological.
The sensation was profoundly eerie.
The doctor continued his relentless brainwashing. “Why are you shrinking your neck? After so many examinations, youâre still not used to it. I created you; every inch of you belongs to me. Hmph. If it weren’t for the Majorâs sake, I wouldn’t be injecting pheromones into your system. I would have made your gland produce our own unique pheromones independently.”
Yu Shiâs stomach churned. He hadn’t expected the man to be such a literal psychopath. A wave of nausea hit him.
“Itâs a bit red. Is it a rejection reaction? Why is this happening?” the doctor murmured, sounding pained as he applied a bit of healing agent to the wound.
Yu Shiâs eyes scanned the shelves, landing on large bottles of hydrogen peroxide and anesthesia.
Suppressing his revulsion, he asked, “Where did you put the warehouse key?”
“The warehouse key? Itâs on me. Why do you ask…” the doctor replied absently, his hands moving to unbutton Yu Shi’s collar.
Just as the man prepared to proceed with the next step of the examination, Yu Shi lunged toward the shelf, grabbed the hydrogen peroxide, and dashed it into the doctor’s eyes.
Caught off guard, the doctor let out a piercing scream, clutching his face as he immediately released an aggressive pheromone.
He was a low-ranked Alpha, but since Yu Shi was unable to release his own pheromones, the pressure nearly buckled his knees.
“Guards! Someone, come quickly!” the doctor roared manically, fumbling blindly for the alarm.
Yu Shi braced his body and poured the entire bottle of anesthesia into the man’s mouth. The doctor struggled violently, and it took every ounce of Yu Shi’s strength to pin him down. Only when the man beneath him stopped moving did Yu Shi let go, gasping for air.
He didn’t have time to rest. He scavenged the key from the doctorâs body and stumbled out the door.
Back when the containers were being moved in Desai, Yu Shi had noticed several crates bearing a unique markingâthe K9 military insignia. They likely contained the classified data Qin Yin had stolen.
He had to find a way to retrieve or destroy those crates before leaving the starship.
To his surprise, the path to the warehouse was deserted. It seemed all the guards had been reassigned due to the attack.
Just as Yu Shi inserted the key into the lock, the alarm system in the corridor blared. He couldn’t afford to hesitate. He ducked inside and began a frantic search. After a few moments, he discovered a familiar gun case.
“This is…” his voice trailed off as his hands began to tremble. He pulled the weapon out.
“Sidewinder.”
The long-lost Sidewinder lay quietly in its case. By some strange twist of fate, it had returned to his hands.
The serpent-shaped barrel was uneven against his skin, the texture feeling like the flow of time itself, telling the story of its past and present.
This gun had followed Shao Yinghai through countless battles across the stars. It still felt as though it carried the phantom warmth of his fatherâs hand.
Fragments of memory flashed byâShao Yinghaiâs handsome face grew clear as he held the Sidewinder, teaching Yu Shi how to shoot, how to dismantle the components, how to load the magazine, and how to master every inch of the weapon.
Every curve and groove of this gun was etched into Yu Shi’s soul.
His eyes stung, and a wave of heat blurred his vision. He nearly lost his grip on the weapon.
A second later, a cold voice rang out from behind him, shattering his reverie.
“What are you doing here?” Zheng Miaoran asked, staring at the mess on the floor.
Yu Shiâs breath hitched. After a pause, he turned around. “The doctor sent me for a catalyst. Iâve been searching for ages but canât find it. Do you know where it is?”
His tone was respectful yet hollowâa perfect imitation of the bionic.
Zheng Miaoran studied him suspiciously. “What is that in your hand?”
Yu Shi didn’t speak.
When he gripped the Sidewinder, he realized there was still one bullet in the chamber. The problem was that this was a pheromone weapon; it required a specific userâs control to fire.
If his theory was correct, it could only be operated by Xie Chengfeng.
She stepped closer, her voice sharp. “I asked what youâre holding. Have you gone mute?”
Suddenly, the starship lurched violently, as if struck by a massive force. A dull, thunderous boom echoed through the hull.
In the blink of an eye, the heavy metal shelves began to topple!
“Watch out!” Yu Shi lunged forward, grabbing her and yanking her toward him.
The massive iron frame crashed onto the spot where she had been standing. With a deafening thud, items scattered everywhere.
“You… you are…” Zheng Miaoranâs face was a mask of disbelief.
At that moment, the starship began to shake incessantly. The shipâs automated system blared through the speakers: [ Aton 1 is under attack. All personnel, don protective gear and enter safety pods immediately! ]
Zheng Miaoranâs eyes went wide. Before she could move, Yu Shi drove a needle of anesthesia into her nape.
She gripped his collar tightly, her face full of unwilling frustration as she slumped into unconsciousness.
Protective suits were placed every three meters along the corridor, with safety pods every ten. Yu Shi smashed the display glass, quickly fitted her into a suit, and hauled her into a pod. Then, he raced back into the warehouse to find those crates.
The starship was being battered by heavy artillery. The shaking grew more violent, and the corridor was a scene of total chaos, filled with the thunder of running footsteps.
He struggled to maintain his balance, stumbling as he searched. Finally, he found the crates with the K9 markings. He shoved them into a safety pod within the warehouse and then climbed in himself.
The moment the hatch sealed, an explosion rocked the ship.
BOOMâ!!
Xie Ren piloted the Horus, tearing through the orbital path. High-velocity shells streaked through the star clusters like a rain of falling meteors.
The artillery struck the hull of the Aton 1 with pinpoint precision, tearing holes in the brown outer shell. Sparks showered into the void.
Qin Yin stared intently at the main screen, his voice tight with rage. “Have you identified the model of that warship yet?”
Zheng Xiao spoke up quickly. “The hull is using camouflage paint. Based on the shell type and trajectory, the system calculates a 90% probability that it is the Eye of Horus.”
Qin Yinâs gaze turned icy. Having been embedded in K9 for years, he knew exactly what that ship wasâa specialized vessel of the Falcon Regiment.
A cold light flickered in his eyes. “Zheng Xiao, you should have just killed that brat when you had the chance.”
“Activate the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System,” Qin Yin commanded. “Let him taste our armor-piercing rounds.”
The commander followed the order, hitting the ignition. The Aton 1 deployed several Gatling cannons, launching a ferocious counterattack.
Xie Ren operated the system with practiced ease, weaving through the hail of bullets. He completely ignored the preset orbital paths, constantly shifting his attitude and angle of attack. The massive, thousand-ton warship moved like a swift darting through a forest, skillfully dodging every strike.
An armor-piercing round streaked toward them, aimed directly at the command bridge. Xie Ren executed a high-G barrel roll, pulling the nose of the ship up. The shell whistled past, missing him by a hair.
Wearing his flight helmet, he let out a sharp whistle.
The enemy commander shouted, “The pilot is a professional! The Horus is smaller than us; it’s too hard to hit! Itâs coming in for a ramming maneuver! Switch to saturation bombing mode immediately!”
He slammed the fire button, only to find he had lost his lock. He couldn’t target the Horus.
“Whatâs happening?” the commander stammered.
Qin Yinâs expression darkened. “Itâs a radar-absorbent stealth coating. Switch to infrared tracking.”
The commander moved the control stick frantically, sweat pouring down his forehead. “IâI’m trying… itâs too agile. Itâs playing with us. The Aton isn’t a high-end combat vessel; I don’t have a clear shot…”
Qin Yin turned to Zheng Xiao. “Prepare for an emergency landing. Get him into a safety pod first.”
He didn’t specify who “him” was, but Zheng Xiao understood instantly. He turned and strode out of the bridge.
He had barely reached the door when the commander let out a terrified shriek. “Below us! Itâs beneath us! Itâs launched a suicide drone! Major, quickâget into your suitâ”
Before the sentence was finished, the drone carrying a loitering munition slammed directly into the Aton 1.
The impact was devastating, instantly blowing apart half the starship. The crew were thrown about, grabbing onto anything they could. Zheng Xiao lunged for Qin Yin to protect him. The commander fought the wheel, desperately trying to roll the heavy main cabin.
Inside his safety pod, Yu Shi hit the retrieval button for 9527, but before the connection could be severed, the entire pod was violently ejected!
He slammed hard against the hatch door, his protective suit the only thing between him and the impact.
Above the Seventh Zone, a brilliant explosion erupted like a supernova. The two warships collided in mid-air, and the Aton 1 began to break apart into fragments.
Countless safety pods were flung into the void. Some entered the orbital path and fell toward the Seventh Zone; others were caught by safety lines, trailing the descent of the starship wreckage. But many more drifted straight into deep space. When their hatches failed, the occupants died instantly.
Yu Shiâs head and torso were subjected to immense pressure. His vision went dark, and he lost consciousness for a few seconds.
When he finally woke, his mouth tasted of iron. His ribs felt as if they were about to snap, and he had lost all sensation in his limbs. There wasn’t a single bone in his body that didn’t ache.
9527âs main body was missing. He forced himself to fumble around the pod. As his vision cleared, he realized a terrifying truthâthe safety line connecting the pod to the ship had snapped. He was drifting toward the depths of space.
Once he drifted too far, there would be no hope of recovery. He would be buried in the void.
Yu Shi looked at the cracks in the hatch. His suit was flashing warnings of high pressure and oxygen depletion. It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him; he was instantly drenched in sweat, his mind a total blank.
For the first time, he truly felt the shroud of death. It was a sensation that made even a veteran of the battlefield or a man of iron will tremble from the depths of his soul.
A chill spread from his feet through his entire body. The space behind him was no longer a romantic sea of stars; it had become a black hole capable of devouring all life.
Nearby safety pods were rupturing. People were crushed instantly, their suits becoming empty shells in a macabre magic trick.
The greatest torture wasn’t death itself, but watching oneself die, second by second.
Death stood at the end of space, sickle in hand, beckoning to him with a cold wave.
Yu Shi felt as if he were being submerged in an endless ocean, his nose and throat clogged with seaweed, unable to draw a single breath of oxygen. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, and he didn’t even notice the shards of the hatch embedding themselves in the back of his hand.
His protective suit had failed completely. The alarm in his ear jerked him back to consciousness.
[ You have entered mild hypoxia. Please don your oxygen mask immediately. ]
The female automated voice rang out. Through the haze, a face appeared in his blurred vision.
The face had sharp brows and a high bridgeâhandsome beyond reproach. He thought he was hallucinating; why else would he see Xie Ren?
With a dull thud, the hatch door was completely breached, and his field of vision cleared.
Xie Ren, dressed in a space suit, reached through the debris and artillery fire to grab his hand.
Yu Shiâs body jerked to a stop. The safety pod drifted away with the gravity, and the crates and items inside spilled out into the void.
A sudden clarity hit him. He stared in disbelief at Xie Ren, who had seemingly descended from the heavens.
Xie Ren had a safety line tethered to his waist. Through his helmet, his eyes were bloodshot as he gritted his teeth, holding onto Yu Shi with a death grip.
Hope flared in Yu Shiâs chest. He gripped the man’s hand back, adjusting his posture. Slowly, using the safety line, the two of them crawled back toward the Horus.
The Aton 1 was directly above them. Safety pods and transport crates continued to rain down. Yu Shi fought to climb into the hatch. He glanced upward and his pupils suddenly contracted. He waved his hand frantically to warn Xie Ren.
Qin Yin stood at the jagged edge of the broken Aton 1, his gaze bone-chilling. He raised his gun and aimed at them.
Xie Ren acted instantly. He swung Yu Shi with a powerful heave, throwing him into the cabin. As they brushed past each other, he snatched the Sidewinder from Yu Shi’s waist and aimed it at the figure above.
Yu Shi was flung inside, crashing against the cabin wall. Despair surged within him, his eyes turning red.
It was over. Xie Ren didn’t know that the gun couldn’t be fired.
The Horus blared its closing warning: Ten seconds, nine, eight…
Yu Shiâs heart felt as if it had been plunged into an ice cellar. Cold and hollow, he closed his eyes, unable to watch. Warm tears tracked down his cheeks.
Xie Ren…
You shouldn’t have come.
The heavy crack of a gunshot echoed in his ears. BANG!
BANG!
A second shot followed, almost simultaneously with the first.
Yu Shiâs eyes snapped open. He saw muzzle flash erupt from the Sidewinder. The final bullet tore through the artillery fire, colliding with Qin Yinâs bullet in mid-air before continuing its path to strike the man squarely in the chest.
The hatch door hissed shut as the countdown ended. Three, two, one.
At the exact moment the warship engaged its engines, Xie Ren managed to scramble past the outermost airlock door.
VROOOMâ
The Horus ignited, using its last remaining fuel reserves to drift toward the desolate Ninth Zone.
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