Chapter 46: Junior Xiao Shi
Yu Shi was locked away once again. In the silent, pitch-black void of space, the starship glided soundlessly forward.
The following morning, Zheng Miaoran pushed the door open to find him sitting in the exact same position he had held all night, motionless.
She placed the meal tray on the table and said, “Whatâs wrong with you? Is it because of that man last night? Youâve been researching weapons for so many years; itâs hard to believe youâve never seen someone die before.”
Yu Shiâs eyes were bloodshot, his expression one of exhaustion and weary disgust. His voice was raspy as he replied, “You wouldn’t understand.”
“And why wouldn’t I?” Zheng Miaoran countered. “Isn’t it just because he was an old acquaintance? I saw everything from upstairs yesterday; I just didn’t report you, that’s all. He was a mere secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, yet he dared to challenge the Major despite his lack of strength. He was simply courting death.”
“So, you tell meâwhat is it that I don’t understand?”
Yu Shi remained silent for a moment before speaking. “Secretary Chen was a kind and upright man. He didn’t involve himself in those filthy dealings, which is exactly why he lost his life in such a senseless way. The qualities he possessed are things your kind has long since discarded. That is why I say you will never understand.”
Hearing this, Zheng Miaoran asked crossly, “Were the two of you that close? He was nothing more than an inferior Alpha, yet he’s worth this much grief?”
Yu Shi looked at her coldly. “Tell Qin Yin this: one day, I will kill him with my own hands.”
Zheng Miaoranâs expression shifted. She spat out, “In your dreams,” and left in a fit of rage.
Yu Shi sat at the table with his head lowered, his hair veiling his eyes and obscuring the emotions on his face.
A timid voice piped up. “Teacher Yu… are… are you crying?”
9527 crawled out of his pocket, using its limbs to scramble onto the table, unsure of how to comfort him.
Yu Shi shook his head wearily. “No.”
After a night of quiet reflection, his grief and anger had transformed into a heavy, crushing weight. Qin Yinâs influence was like a swarm of termites; he had managed to infiltrate the Desai Ministry of Foreign Affairs to such an extent that he could murder an embassy official in broad daylight.
Chen Junliang had been a newcomer, ignorant of the twisted politics at play. He had simply been performing his duties, never realizing that even the Counselor had become a puppet.
If things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before Olo regained the hegemony it held a century ago.
For that nation, aggression was a gene etched into their very marrow. At least 80% of the wars on Blue Star were linked to them in one way or another.
9527 said clumsily, “I… I don’t know how to say nice things, so please don’t be too sad. The Human Encyclopedia says that grief can affect your physical and mental health. You have to take care of yourself.”
“Oh! The Human Encyclopedia also says that after people die, they turn into stars. If you look up at the sky, maybe he’s one of them…”
Its voice grew smaller as it realized the room had no windows.
“Uh… er…” It started to glitch, looking like it was about to overheat again.
Yu Shi nodded. “He was always meant to be a brilliant rising star in the political arena. He should have shone brightly and had a magnificent future.”
9527 said indignantly, “It’s all because of those bad people! It’s that hateful Major’s fault heâs gone! Just wait… once I restore my weapon systems, Iâm going to blow this starship into tiny pieces!”
Yu Shi suddenly remembered something and asked, “What exactly did you see in the meeting room that day?”
9527 paused for a few seconds, its voice taking on a sobbing tone.
“Youâyouâyou wouldn’t believe it, I almost forgot because of the shock! Ahhh, Teacher Yu, I saw a ghost that day!! it was so terrifying, so scary that I crashed. I was about to go in, and thenâthen I saw you inside the meeting room!”
“What?” Yu Shi froze.
“Itâs true!” 9527 raised its wires as if swearing to the heavens. “I am absolutely certain I didn’t see it wrong. You were standing right next to that Major. I thought you had infiltrated the enemyâs headquarters, but then you were shouting for me in my ear at the same time. It was way, way too scary!”
Yu Shiâs mind raced as he suddenly remembered where he had seen that transport container before.
After the Simulated Battlefield ended, he had been taken by the Investigation Division for questioning. They had asked him to identify several symbols, and that specific pattern had been among them.
The thing inside had actually been a bionic.
A sudden realization struck him, sending a shiver down his spine and making him feel as if he had been dropped into an ice cellar.
Qin Yin had actually created a bionic that looked exactly like him. The man was utterly insane.
Yu Shi reached back to feel the nape of his neck. Sure enough, there were new needle marks around his gland. It seemed Qin Yin wanted to replicate his pheromones. This explained why the man had gone to such lengths to bring him along.
The pheromones of an S+ Omega were far more precious than any classified list.
In the base’s interrogation room, the door opened from the inside.
Xie Ren walked out, leaving the sound of agonized wailing behind him. His subordinates were waiting at the door for the shift change, entering to take over as soon as he stepped out.
He went to the warehouse, grabbed a bottle of beer, and leaned against the railing to drink.
Another bottle appeared beside his, clinking against it with a sharp ting.
Xie Ren turned his head. “Old Song, what are you doing here?”
Song Zhaohui replied, “Just checking on the progress. Has that researcher cracked yet?”
“No. Heâs tough as nailsâharder to handle than those soldiers.”
“Hey, don’t you usually stay dry during missions? What made you want a drink now?”
Xie Ren remained silent, taking one long gulp after another.
“Hey, I heard Boss Nie revoked your command status,” Song Zhaohui said, nudging his arm. “Tell your brother, what the hell is going on?”
Xie Ren wiped his face, his expression gloomy. “Itâs nothing.”
Song Zhaohui mocked him, “If it was nothing, you wouldn’t look like a dying dog. Don’t play dumb with me. Are you planning to board a ship to find someone?”
Xie Ren frowned. “How do you know that?”
“How do I know? I saw your damn flight path map!” Song Zhaohui raised his voice. “If you want to court death by boarding that ship, at least think about your rank. Do you have any idea what the consequences of an unauthorized flight are? At best, youâll be demoted and investigated; at worst, you can forget about ever wearing stars again! Dammit!”
The more he spoke, the angrier he got. He had gone to borrow Xie Ren’s optical computer the day before yesterday while no one was around.
Knowing the password, Song Zhaohui had opened it only to find that flight map. He had been both shocked and furious.
He had waited two days for the kid to confess on his own, but Xie Ren hadn’t said a word, clearly planning to finish this one job and then disappear. Song Zhaohui grew more incensed the more he thought about it, which was why he finally cornered him.
Xie Ren went quiet for a moment. “Old Song, are you going to report me?”
Song Zhaohui punched him. “If you ever talk to me like that again, weâre done as brothers.”
Xie Ren fell silent.
“Dammit, youâre still not talking? Iâve come all this way to ask youâwhat the hell is so important that youâd throw away your entire career?!” he demanded.
Xie Ren let out a breath. “I don’t want to, but this is the only way. Once itâs over, Iâll go to Uncle Nie and accept my punishment.”
Song Zhaohui was at his limit. “Who the hell are you looking for?!”
“Iâm going for… that Junior Xiao Shi you mentioned.”
Song Zhaohui was stunned, his beer bottle crashing to the ground. “Who??”
Xie Ren said helplessly, “Yu Shi. But heâs a man, so for God’s sake, don’t ever call him that to his face.”
Song Zhaohuiâs brain tied itself in knots as he finally recalled the internal notification from a few days ago. His eyes widened in disbelief. “Junior Xiao Shi is thatâthat senior researcher? Wait, that means heâs your instructor… Iâm a bit confused, let me process this…”
“He is my instructor, and a very important friend,” Xie Ren said seriously. “I have to find him.”
Song Zhaohui was still reeling from the shock. “…Youâre surprisingly respectful to your teachers. But wait, since the Third Institute has already issued a global alert, can’t you just wait for them to rescue him? Is there really a need to be this desperate?”
A flash of anxiety crossed Xie Ren’s eyes. He bit his lip and said unhappily, “Didn’t you see that researcher in the interrogation room?”
He pointed toward the room and made a gesture. “Three whole days, and the Allied Forces haven’t sent a single person to negotiate. Theyâve clearly treated him as a discarded pawn. When those garrison troops were evacuating the command point, they rushed to destroy the equipment first. Not a single one of them gave a damn whether he lived or died.”
“He may not have been on the front lines killing enemies, but he spent his entire youth soaking in a lab, developing countless weapons for the Allied Forces. And now, this is the end he getsâabandoned.”
His voice took on a slight tremble. “For the last few days, every time I close my eyes, I can’t help but wonder… after all this time, will Instructor Yu think that Tiangui has abandoned him too?”
Song Zhaohui went silent, his expression turning complex.
After a moment, he spoke. “Tiangui won’t abandon any of its citizens, provided that citizen remains loyal to their country. Do you know that in the two days since Qin Yin left, over a hundred spies have been arrested in the First Zone? Many are celebrities and elites, and it’s rumored that they even include…”
He lowered his voice. “…the Vice Chairman.”
“The officials have suppressed the news. His influence is deeply entrenched; the rot goes deep. To be honest, even we’ve been whispering in private that the researcher might very well be one of his advisors.”
Song Zhaohui looked at him. “Why are you so certain he hasn’t committed treason?”
A dark ferocity flashed across Xie Ren’s face. He said in a deep voice, “Old Song, if youâre willing to doubt a researcher who poured his heart and soul into Tiangui for six years just because of an unresolved matter, how are you any different from the mindless rabble?”
Song Zhaohui hesitated. “Do you really know him that well? Do you know how hard it is for people to maintain their bottom lines when faced with temptation? Iâve seen comrades of over ten years turn into lapdogs for the enemy with my own eyes. Among those arrested this time were ‘patriots’ who looked perfectly decent on the surface. Human nature cannot withstand the test!”
“Yes, I know him that well,” Xie Ren said. “Iâve read every article heâs written, watched every speech, and studied every report. He is a pure person who spends all his time researching weapons. Even the lead on the bionics in the Seventh Zone was something he helped the Investigation Division find.”
Song Zhaohui was still hesitant. “But…”
Xie Ren said, “I know what you want to sayâthat you can’t judge a personâs heart from the surface. Maybe I haven’t known him for that long, but Iâve known him through his actions for many years. His results aren’t just cold data; they are products of flesh and blood.”
He sighed. “Old Song, just leave me be. I never regret my decisions. This has nothing to do with you.”
He turned to leave, but Song Zhaohui called out, “Wait. You really are a stubborn bastard… You can steal a warship, but can you activate the weapons on it? If you run into danger on the way, not even God could save you!”
Xie Ren said gloomily, “I just want to find him as quickly as possible. Don’t worry, Iâll try to avoid armed conflict if I can.”
“Bullshit! You think you can avoid it just because you want to? Do you own space?” Song Zhaohui cursed under his breath before pulling something out and throwing it at him. “Take this and get lost. Just say you stole it.”
Xie Ren caught the access chip, calling out in surprise, “Old Song?”
It was his command authorization chip.
“Shut up. I don’t know anything. You took it while I was drunk. Now go, go, go!” Song Zhaohui picked up his beer bottle and walked away as if avoiding a plague.
He had barely reached the door when Tao Minwan ran over, looking tense. “This is bad! Boss Nie is calling everyone to the meeting room!”
Song Zhaohuiâs eyes darted around as he muttered guiltily, “Holy crap, does he have super-hearing? Did he hear our plan already?”
Tao Minwanâs tone was grave. “Marshal Li has gone missing in the Sixth Zone! On the Sovereign’s orders, Heaven’s Punishment has coordinated with the local military to launch a full-scale search.”
The two men exchanged a look, both struck with shock.
“Bionics are divided into two main categories. One is like a traditional robot, where the skin and organs are mechanical. The other is what weâre discussing today: highly replicated clones.”
“These bionics can replicate organs without triggering rejection. Their appearance and tactile feel are identical to a real person. Consequently, their applications are much broader, spanning medical, military, and entertainment fields. In medicine, for example, there is a famous theory that bionics could advance gland transplantation, allowing the entire population to reach a higher rank…”
The lecture from that bionics scholar echoed in Yu Shiâs mind.
“However, when it comes to gland replication, current technology has yet to achieve it. If it were to succeed, it would bring about a world-altering transformation.”
The anesthesia at the back of his neck hadn’t worn off yet, and a faint, stinging pain radiated from his gland.
9527 stammered, “Itâitâs a bionic. That means they want to copy you. Ah, I get it! The bad man must know you won’t commit treason but still wants your research results, so he plans to train a researcher who can replace you… If they succeed, they might plant that duplicate in the Third Institute… Oh my god, thatâs terrifying.”
Yu Shi said calmly, “If they truly succeed, they will spread bionics all over the globe.”
9527 was so scared its circuits were trembling. It murmured, “Human warfare is getting filthier and filthier. What should be tools for social progress are now being turned into the vanguard for invading other nations. This is scarier than a hot war. We can’t let them succeed! We have to report this to the Interstellar Alliance!”
Yu Shi said, “The biggest technical hurdle right now is that a bionicâs gland cannot produce pheromones.”
“Are you saying they want to… to cut out your gland?!”
“Perhaps.”
While he was unconscious, someone had already extracted his pheromones. It was likely they would operate on him as soon as they reached the Seventh Zone.
If 9527 had tear ducts, it would be bawling by now. “Waaaah, don’t! Teacher Yu, I don’t want you to die… hic… what should I do? How can I help you? Waaaah…”
Yu Shi patted its display screen. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t die.”
He began to loosen the tightened screws, temporarily disconnecting the circuits. 9527 went silent and entered shutdown mode.
Its hub was extremely narrow, and the internal wiring was invisible. He had to rely entirely on touch, trying again and again.
After an unknown amount of time, sweat beaded on Yu Shiâs forehead. Finally, he felt the spot that had burned out previouslyâonce this was repaired, he could move on to the next step.
Just then, the door opened. A doctor in a white coat entered, followed by Zheng Xiao, whose expression was grim.
Yu Shi instinctively tucked 9527 back into his pocket and took a wary step back.
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