Chapter 16: The Death Toll Sounds
Lu Sili stared at her, an incredibly bright light bursting from his dark purple pupils. That light was no longer just simple appreciation of her appearance and personality, but a trembling sense of soul-deep compatibility and collision.
He hadn’t expected her to be so outstanding.
Even more so, he hadn’t expected that in the high-level, lonely field of scientific research, someone would resonate with his thoughts and even surpass him by far…
He remembered when they first met; he felt she was an ordinary female without pheromones while he was an S-grade maleāa total mismatch.
Now it seemed she was clearly a sparkling gemstone while he was arrogant and narrow-minded. If there was a mismatch, it was that he wasn’t worthy of her.
“Miss Su Miantang, please forgive my previous contempt and rashness!”
Professor Heller stood up excitedly and gave her an apologetic salute. Others followed suit.
“In you, I seem to see the future of Imperial science!”
As she said, once the new suppressant was launched, it would bring about a huge change in national livelihood and make a massive contribution to social stability. This was a great transformation, but no one expected it to be ultimately proposed by a female.
Females were truly the foundation and treasure of the Empire!
“It’s alright.”
Su Miantang stood up; she couldn’t take so many seniors bowing to her.
Lu Sili only understood now what she meant by “I will earn one through my own strength.” She truly did it.
He took a Phoenix Tail badge representing the status of a scientific researcher from a gift box, walked to her, and gently pinned it on her.
“Miss Su Miantang, congratulations on passing the interview and officially becoming a part of the Imperial National Academy of Sciencesāand the first female researcher in a century!”
“I am honored.” Su Miantang curled her lips. Looking at the Phoenix Tail badge on her right chest, she was curious. “Why is it pink?”
She had seen online that regular researchers wore blue ones.
“The female badge has always been pink, but it has never been released to the public. You are the first person to wear it. It’s very beautiful and suits you well.”
“Thank you.” Su Miantang looked at him. “White suits you well too; it’s very elegant and charming. And the perfumeāis it Jean Miss? Does the Dean have an event today, dressing so handsomely?”
Lu Siliās ears turned slightly red at her teasing.
“I… may I invite you to dinner together?”
Fearing she would refuse him like yesterday, he found a suitable reason.
“To celebrate your successful employment.”
The old professors had already seen through his thoughts. Not wanting to disturb them, they all left with smiles.
“Of course. What are we eating?”
“There’s a Serafi star cuisine place in Central City that’s quite good. Shall I take you to try it?”
“Sounds good.”
Su Miantang touched the badge and went out with him happily.
Just as the two were about to board the flight ship, suddenly…
Dongādongādongā Dongādongādongā Dongādongādongā
A loud and long bell toll echoed.
The sound was mournful and sorrowful, shaking the earth and continuing endlessly. It sounded… like a death knell!
Lu Siliās expression immediately became serious.
Within the Academy, thousands of employees rushed out of the buildings. Everyone looked toward the sound of the bell, the atmosphere tense and restless.
The bell seemed to be ringing from the royal palace.
“Not good.”
Lu Sili knit his brows, seemingly predicting something.
Su Miantang: “What’s wrong?”
“When the palace bells ring, there must be a national mourning.”
“But in recent months, no news has come out of the palace about any royalty or nobility being critically ill. That leaves only the Earl of El manor, whose status is equal to the royal familyāGeneral Aslan, who just led his troops into battle!”
He turned on his optical computer and indeed received countless urgent messages. The latest one was:
[Central Department News: At 16:31, Planet X united with enemy leaders from sixteen planetsāincluding Planet Bosca and Planet Vinakāto use miasma bombs on a desolate planet. To protect the hundreds of thousands of hijacked citizens, Aslan blocked the shells with his own strength and died heroically!
All titled nobles above the rank of Viscount, S-grade males, and royal relatives are now summoned to the Yongning City Gate to welcome the remains of the General’s warship brought back by the White Tiger Legion!]
“I’m sorry, Miantang, I…”
“I know. Go quickly!”
“Mm.”
Lu Sili boarded the flight ship and headed to the Yongning Gate at maximum speed.
Su Miantang looked at the unsettled Academy, turned, and walked outside. As she walked, she smelled a strong, pungent scent of burning spirit money.
She looked up; the sky was full of fluttering white mourning banners and spirit money.
On the streets, countless people stepped out of their homes, wearing mourning clothes and kneeling toward the Yongning Gate. They cried and prayed: “General Aslan has fallen…”
“Miasma bombs can level mountains and seas and move planets. To have them all explode on him aloneāhow painful must it have been?”
“Beast God above, please guide the War God’s soul back to his hometown. This will always be his home.”
The sheer scale of this spectacle shocked Su Miantang. On Earth, no single person’s death would have caused such an uproar.
General Aslan.
She had heard Fred and Enzo talk about him. He was their idol and possessed extremely rare SS-grade top-tier combat power.
Before he was born, the Central Empire was mired in war and internal and external troubles, always bullied by alliances of evil planets. But after he joined the army, he swept away the unrest, settled the wars across the star systems, and had protected the Empire’s peace and prosperity until today. He was hailed as the incarnation of an ancient divine beast and the Empire’s War God.
Miasma bombs…
She had seen them while learning about the Central Planet’s cultural background.
A hundred years ago, Planet X had released one, causing the deaths of tens of millions of peopleāmost of whom were femalesādirectly shaking the nation’s foundation.
Now, General Aslan had actually blocked it by himself. He truly deserved the title of War God and the highest funeral rites of the entire nation.
She wondered if Fred and Enzo would be sad upon hearing this news.
Were they safe now?
She opened her optical computer. The chat boxes for both men still showed no signal; the mission must not be over yet.
She wandered aimlessly and, without realizing it, found herself back at the Star-Trail Garden. She decided to observe the rare plants and exotic herbs, looking for materials she could use to make medicine later.
In the southeast sky, a glowing meteor-like object was falling at high speed. With a bang, it crashed into the garden, creating a huge crater and sending out countless sparks that vanished in an instant.
It’s over.
Miasma bombs are nothing more than this.
Aslanās lips curled slightly. The cloak whipping behind him was soaked in blood, staining his handsome, elegant face.
His entire body was riddled with holes, his meridians were all severed, and his blood and consciousness were slowly draining away…
But his life…
Was also coming to an end.
He used the last of his strength to return to the Central Planet, his homeland.
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