The pale pink liquid slid down from the syringe, disappearing into the gaunt wrist and the protruding veins.
The colorless information interferon was then injected into the withered gland at the back of the neck.
The gland at the back of Yan Mu’s neck, like Yan Qiongyu’s, bore a huge scar left behind after a wound had healed.
Whether it was information interferon or mutagen used to remodel the body, both would cause pain, yet Yan Mu was exceptionally calm. Even her mental state gradually improved, to the point that she could sit up and look at the drifting stardust outside in the universe.
Yan Yan and Yan Lan were pleased by this. Yan Yan often stayed by Yan Mu’s side, while Yan Lan, being more meticulous and calm and having some knowledge of pharmaceuticals, was responsible for supervising Yan Qiongyu in making the medicine.
Aside from the first day, when Yan Qiongyu suddenly blew up an assistant’s head, he did nothing afterward and behaved with unusual cooperation. But the more he was like this, the less Yan Lan dared to relax, keeping a close watch on his every move.
They just hadn’t expected that even with such close monitoring, something would still go wrong in the crucial laboratory.
One of the researchers, whether from excessive nervousness or lack of energy, mishandled things and damaged the separator used to produce the information interferon. The damage to this important instrument seriously slowed progress and required a replacement purchase.
But they had been hunted by the Li family’s legion for over a year, forced to change locations from time to time. This time, because they had captured Yan Qiongyu, the legion was pursuing them relentlessly from behind, forcing them deep into this desolate star region where they dared not show themselves.
The legion was still searching the outer perimeter for their traces. As long as any of their people dared to appear, they would absolutely not escape that tight search, let alone transport large experimental equipment. Yet Yan Mu’s situation could not afford any delay.
Even Yan Lan found it thorny. Having stared at Yan Qiongyu, who was moving in an orderly manner, for too long, he received from him a malicious smile. “Deputy Commander Lan, I didn’t do anything at all. You wouldn’t pin this accident on me, would you?”
Yan Lan did not believe this was truly an ‘accident’, but he could not catch Yan Qiongyu by the handle.
He reported the matter to Yan Mu. Beside him, Yan Yan stood up with a grim face. “This was definitely Yan Qiongyu’s doing. He wants us to expose the coordinates of the ship so that the legion led by Fu Qi can discover us… Even with broken legs he still won’t behave. Let me go teach him another lesson!”
“If he did nothing at all, that would be strange. Let him be.” Yan Mu weakly waved her hand to signal the two of them. “The timing is about right as well. Send the information out. Someone will help us draw Fu Qi’s legion away.”
“Is it almost Luyue?” Yan Mu suddenly asked.
She had married Shan He in Luyue, lost Shan He in Luyue, and also given birth to Yan Qiongyu in Luyue. It was as if she had some inextricable tie to this month.
Yan Lan did not know why she asked, but still answered, “Yes. According to the Imperial calendar, it will be the first day of Luyue in three days.”
“This grand fireworks display was originally planned for Luyue, but forget it. A bit earlier doesn’t matter.” Yan Mu’s expression was calm and casual.
ততততততততততত
Wang Luan searched together with Fu Qi’s legion in the vast universe. The Yanlan Star Bandits were hiding too well; several days passed with no results.
“According to earlier patrol ship detections, the Yanlan people are very likely hiding in this star region.” Fu Qi circled an area on the star map.
Although it looked like only a palm-sized area on the map, in the universe it was an immense region. If they investigated and searched bit by bit, it would likely take a very long time.
Wang Luan looked at that section of the star map and suddenly said, “Starting tomorrow, I’ll pilot my own ship to search.”
Fu Qi understood what she was thinking. It was nothing more than believing that although their military ships covered a wide area, their large numbers would alert the enemy, so she wanted to use her own small ship as bait to lure the star bandits out. But in doing so, she would be placing herself in danger.
Fu Qi wasn’t worried about her as an alpha; he was worried about himself. If anything happened to her, even if Yan Qiongyu returned safely, he would not let him off.
“No. I can’t let you go take risks alone. With just you, no matter how capable you are, you can’t deal with that many star bandits.” Fu Qi refused decisively.
Wang Luan gave him a strange look. “I’m not discussing it with you. I’m just informing you.”
On the surface, she believed that Fu Qi and Yan Qiongyu were on the same side, but deep down she still had some doubts, suspecting whether he would truly do his utmost to rescue Yan Qiongyu. After all, in all sorts of stories, the big villain’s allies were never very reliable, and stabbing someone in the back was normal.
The longer Yan Qiongyu remained missing, the more anxious Fu Qi became, even appearing more haggard than Wang Luan, who had lost her wife—so much so that Wang Luan often looked at him with a subtle gaze.
Fu Qi couldn’t care about that anymore. If he wanted to secure his current position, he still couldn’t leave Yan Qiongyu’s support, let alone those medicines of his, which he absolutely could not cut off now.
“This can’t go on. Miss Wang Luan, don’t be anxious yet. I’ll apply to mobilize more legion soldiers to search.” Fu Qi made up his mind.
He had yet to fully inherit all of the Li family’s legions. Family head Li Zhichang still held many elite forces in his hands. Although Li Zhichang appeared willing to cultivate him, if his actions became too conspicuous, Li Zhichang would notice something amiss. It was just that now there was no time to care about any of that.
Before Fu Qi’s application could be sent out, he first received a transfer order from Imperial Capital Star. Fu Qi only glanced at it once before his expression changed drastically.
“Something has happened on Imperial Capital Star.”
The heads of several prominent families—including clan members—as well as many old aristocrats who had once been active but had gradually gone into seclusion, were almost simultaneously attacked.
It was a series of suicide attacks initiated by many omegas. These omegas, who used their bodies as explosive weapons, were servants, lovers, or even beloved partners by the sides of those nobles. The longest period of infiltration was sixteen years, the shortest two.
Most of these omegas had been given out as “gifts” by the already deceased Prince Qing Jiangxi of Luxin. This prince, infamous for his libertine ways, loved doing such things; nearly every noble on Imperial Capital Star with a name to speak of had received his “gift.” Now, these gifts had triggered a chain of explosions.
Even though some nobles had protection and were not harmed, the number of omegas carrying out suicide attacks was too great and far too sudden. Many nobles still died because of it—two imperial princes among them. In the past several hundred years of the Empire, there had never been a terrorist attack with such a horrifying casualty rate.
In a single day, panic spread across Imperial Capital Star. Before the matter could even be investigated clearly, the imperial family chose this moment to stage a power struggle, plunging everything into chaos.
All legions stationed outside were summoned to return to the vicinity of Imperial Capital Star. The legion led by Fu Qi was no exception. His situation was even more urgent, because his biological father, Li Zhichang, had died in this attack—the only family head among the major clans to die on the spot.
Now Li Zhichang’s adopted sons and daughters were fighting to divide up the power in his hands. If Fu Qi did not rush back now, then once the situation settled, he would lose out to those who had moved first and would be suppressed by them.
After agonizing over it for a long time, Fu Qi finally clenched his teeth and said, “I’m going back to the capital. I’ll leave a unit here to continue the search. Yan Qiongyu will be in your hands!”
Wang Luan: “…………” You’re entrusting him to me—he’s my partner, isn’t he?
As Fu Qi departed with the majority of the legion’s soldiers, Wang Luan also piloted her own ship and plunged into the vast universe.
No matter what, even if she was alone, she had to find Yan Qiongyu.
If this were a story, it was about time for her hero-saves-the-beauty arc.
Wang Luan drifted through space for two days, approaching a debris zone that was almost completely motionless. Affected by radiation waves, her link signal with the legion warships was cut off.
There were many places in the universe where communications could not be received. Not only could signals not get through, but detectors were also affected. They had analyzed that the Yanlan Star Bandits were very likely hiding in such places, so every time Wang Luan encountered one, she charged straight in.
The previous times had all ended in disappointment. This time, just as her small ship passed through the debris zone, it was salvaged by another ship.
Wang Luan looked at the emblem on the ship and was overjoyed—she had really run into star bandits!
It was the first time in her life she had been so happy to encounter star bandits.
ততততততততততত
Yan Lan observed Yan Qiongyu through a pane of glass and probed, “Fu Qi has already led the legion back to Imperial Capital Star. Looks like your ally has abandoned you. Do you have any way left to save yourself?”
Yan Qiongyu sighed regretfully. “Looks like I’m definitely going to die this time.”
Though his mouth said he was doomed, his demeanor remained composed. Yan Lan felt an inexplicable unease. Why, at a time like this, could Yan Qiongyu remain so calm after losing his rescue—did he still have some arrangement?
Yan Qiongyu glanced at him through the glass and offered friendly advice. “I’ve already fallen to this point. There’s no need for Deputy Commander Lan to be so wary of me. Why not spend more time with your godmother and properly enjoy this final stretch of time?”
A star bandit hurried over and whispered in Yan Lan’s ear, “Deputy Commander, we salvaged a private ship that wandered in by mistake.”
“By mistake?” Yan Lan stepped aside and asked. “Not legion personnel?”
“Doesn’t look like it. Our people have already taken control of that small ship. There’s only one alpha inside.”
“Kill them,” Yan Lan said curtly.
The reporting star bandit hesitated. “That person said she knows how to repair ships. She’s very useful.”
Yan Lan’s heart stirred. Repair ships? Their ship didn’t need repairs, but the urgently needed separator did require fixing. It would still take some time for a new separator to be delivered—better to let someone try.
“Bring her over.” Since the other party was alone, Yan Lan didn’t pay it much mind, only instructing, “Have someone keep a close watch.”
Wang Luan was pressed forward by two star bandits, one in front and one behind, as she boarded the ship.
She had recently been anxious to find Yan Qiongyu and hadn’t had much time or energy to take care of herself. She looked a bit sloppy, completely like an interstellar drifter—wearing a thick coat and long pants, her long boots stained with grime, and a hat pulled low to cover most of her face.
She was taken to the side of the glass laboratory to repair that separator. As she passed by, she saw Yan Qiongyu sitting inside the lab.
It had been over a year since they last met. She stared at him without blinking, yearning to take in a few more looks.
Sensing the gaze, Yan Qiongyu casually glanced over—and saw Wang Luan.
Yan Qiongyu: “…………?”
Why was it that he always ended up seeing Miss Wang Luan, who shouldn’t be here, in the most unexpected places?
Why did it seem like this wasn’t the first time he’d had such a question?
Wang Luan had already hurried out of his line of sight. Yan Qiongyu nonchalantly withdrew his gaze, looked at the pale pink reagent in his hand, and after a long while suddenly cursed, “Tsk, fuck him.”
Even a villain who had smiled for several chapters after being captured and having his legs broken couldn’t quite smile at this moment.
The researcher standing beside him looked at him blankly. What did this godson just say? Fuck what?
No—how could he possibly say something like that? It had to be auditory hallucination. Having witnessed an assistant’s head explode before his eyes, and another companion dragged away to be executed for accidentally damaging the separator, he lived every day fearing that the next one the godson killed would be him. His nerves were taut and his mind unsteady.
He was already so tense that he was hearing things.
