The night passed quickly. Early the next morning, when Su Cha came downstairs, he deliberately peeked outside. Not seeing Land, he found it a bit odd. Given Land’s intense protective instincts, after an assassination attempt, he was definitely the kind of person who would go so far as to “escort and attend class” for protection.
“Don’t bother looking. He definitely left the capital last night.”
When Su Cha turned around, Li Huai was reading the newspaper, not even lifting his head as he said, “Otherwise, it would’ve started raining already.”
What did Land being absent have to do with rain?
Before Su Cha could figure it out, Li Huai continued, “The Investigation Department said Shen Ningze wants to meet you. Do you want to see them?”
After some thought, Su Cha said, “Sure.”
As if he’d already anticipated this answer, Li Huai had the leave slip ready in advance.
Su Cha didn’t leave immediately. He hesitated for a moment. “Instructor, I have a question.”
Li Huai waited for him to continue.
“You’re so powerful—why did you become an administrator?”
There was no way this man was just an ordinary administrator. No one questioned him giving Su Cha the mechanical gloves, and when he mentioned Yise, he didn’t refer to him as “General” like everyone else did. Last night, he had also completely suppressed the assassin’s spiritual power.
Li Huai paused mid-page-turn.
Su Cha hurriedly added, “I’m just curious. Forget I asked…”
Before he could finish, Li Huai said expressionlessly, “I used to be the deputy commander of the Second Legion.” It was clearly not a pleasant memory—his brows furrowed unnaturally for a moment.
“A few years ago, during a mission to eliminate space pirates, one of my squads got surrounded. It happened to coincide with a beast tide, and the order from above was to retreat immediately.”
“There were three old classmates of mine in that squad.”
Su Cha paused. “There’s a line in the school motto: when you step onto the interstellar battlefield, you must be prepared to fight—and to be abandoned.”
“I didn’t abandon them,” Li Huai said calmly. “I disobeyed orders and went alone to rescue them. Luckily, the beast tide hadn’t fully erupted. They were no longer combat capable, but I could barely hold my own. Unluckily, I overestimated myself. At the climax of the battle, I lost control of my spiritual power.”
Occasionally, people who lose control of their spiritual power survive and even break through—but it’s extremely rare. Still, not impossible.
In that sense, Li Huai’s survival could be described as a one-in-a-billion chance. But Su Cha could guess that the end of this rescue story was likely very tragic.
“When I came to, the area was in ruins—there were beast corpses and theirs as well.” Li Huai let out a self-mocking laugh. “I didn’t dare check if they were killed by the beasts… or by me.”
On the battlefield, such things weren’t uncommon. Sometimes, besides the enemy, you had to face spiritually unstable comrades.
Li Huai looked at Su Cha. “If you get the chance in the future, come back and visit from time to time. Don’t worry about others—just help the people you care about.”
Who knew what kind of deal was made with Fog Star, but the notice had been issued: the energy chamber would open soon. This meant His Majesty no longer planned to delay and was ready to give clearance.
“I will,” Su Cha promised.
In the future, when Ji Tianjin and the others underwent deep awakening, he could help suppress spiritual power outbursts.
Only one night had passed, yet the atmosphere in the capital felt completely different.
Su Cha noticed the whole school had grown much more serious.
That morning he went to class as usual, planning to meet Shen Ningze during the lunch break. On his way to the classroom, he didn’t see a single Fog Star soldier. While looking around, he ran into Ji Tianjin, who was coming out of the combat room.
Su Cha was surprised. “Training this early?” No wonder he’d knocked on the next dorm door earlier and got no response.
Ji Tianjin nodded. “Classes aren’t too packed lately, so I practiced some boxing.”
Early morning boxing? Su Cha was impressed by the dedication. After glancing around again and confirming Land really wasn’t around—
“Did you watch the news?” Ji Tianjin asked suddenly.
Su Cha shook his head.
Ji Tianjin told him to check it.
Just ten minutes ago, before he could meet Su Cha, Shen Ningze had suddenly held a press conference. In the video, his expression was haggard as he voluntarily revealed his past: “I was born with a genetic defect. My father said joining the experiment could change my fate.”
“Later, as I matured, I realized it was wrong. A year ago, I finally made up my mind and secretly reported the illegal experiments.”
Shen Ningze, like Su Cha, rarely lied when stating facts—but he would downplay or obscure his own perspectives. For example, he didn’t believe the experiments were wrong.
The Investigation Department had confirmed he was the whistleblower. Shen Ningze provided the exact date and wording of the report—it matched the records word for word.
What surprised Su Cha was something else: “The Investigation Department actually allowed him to hold a press conference.”
That clearly helped paint Shen Ningze as a victim—sentencing would surely be more lenient.
Ji Tianjin replied, “Shen Ningze knows a lot of inside information. His cooperation saves a lot of trouble.”
The Investigation Department didn’t care whether he lived or died. What they really wanted was the big fish behind it all.
“The one I’ve wronged most is my friend, Su Cha…” Shen Ningze choked up, almost unable to speak through his tears.
His performative sobbing made Su Cha’s scalp tingle.
“I know you must hate me. I’m blood-related to the mastermind and kept deceiving you… I really want to say sorry in person.”
Su Cha couldn’t take it anymore and directly turned off the communicator.
“Looks like he really wants to see me.”
The guilt-tripping had begun.
At this point, Ji Tianjin brought up another matter: “The assassin who was caught previously worked for a conglomerate—the same one that spread rumors about you.”
“I know. The one that called me a social butterfly.”
From Su Cha’s expression, it was clear he wasn’t offended at all. In fact, he seemed amused.
“If the Investigation Department shifts focus to that conglomerate, the human experimentation case will have to be put on hold.”
His Majesty had granted the Investigation Department unprecedented authority—but also limited their manpower.
Su Cha immediately realized: not a single Fog Star soldier today—“So Xie Rongjue called in reinforcements?”
Ji Tianjin nodded in confirmation.
The department’s staff was limited, but Land could cooperate—especially when capturing desperate fugitives, Land’s team could save the department a lot of effort.
Of course, this kind of cooperation wasn’t free. Ji Tianjin suspected that once everything was over, the real culprit would be handed over to Fog Star for disposal.
Xie Rongjue was born for politics—always the first to make a trade-off when interests were involved.
Ji Tianjin said, “The official site has updated the list. Shen Ningze’s name has been erased. The energy chamber will open early, in just a day.”
Su Cha opened his mouth, then after a while said, “Really?”
He now understood why Land was willing to help—and also knew this signaled the beginning of his departure.
The two of them tacitly avoided any talk of saying goodbye. Talking wouldn’t change the facts. They walked in silence for a while before Su Cha said wistfully, “Soon I’ll be enjoying the good life all by myself.”
“……”
The whole morning was theory classes. At lunch break, a specialized aircraft came to pick him up at the school gate.
As soon as Su Cha got on, a member of the Investigation Department said, “Shen Ningze has some details he hasn’t disclosed. He insists on seeing you in person.”
Su Cha sighed. “I understand. He really values me as a friend. Oh right, do you have a bulletproof vest? And any other gear, I’ll take it too. Safety first.”
The officer gave him a deep, probing look.
Shen Ningze was still being held at the same location. He had already known, back when the doctor came to check if he’d undergone plastic surgery, that many things were beyond saving. The news last night barely touched on the affiliated school, and no Fog Star people stormed the palace in a frenzy—proving Luan Zheng’s assassination plan had failed again. He couldn’t escape.
From outside came two sets of footsteps, one light, one heavy. He knew what was coming—a familiar greeting style:
“Ningze!”
Shen Ningze’s eyelids twitched. He wasn’t the least bit surprised. The door was pushed open from the outside, and that overly enthusiastic tone swept in.
Su Cha was wrapped in layers like a dumpling. “Ningze, if there’s anything else you haven’t said, just get it all out now.”
Shen Ningze never expected Su Cha to show up in full armor. Not just a bulletproof vest—he even had bomb-resistant gear on.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Ningze looked at the officer behind Su Cha. “Can we talk alone?”
The officer was about to refuse when Shen Ningze added, “I’ll tell him everything.”
The officer hesitated. Su Cha gave a slight nod, indicating it was okay.
Considering Shen Ningze’s weak ability, and how Su Cha was dressed—probably even missiles would avoid him—the officer stepped out. Now only the two of them remained.
Once the door closed, Shen Ningze dropped his usual act.
Su Cha didn’t let down his guard at all. Smiling on the surface, his spiritual power was already shielding the area around him.
Seeing Su Cha’s wariness, Shen Ningze gave a sarcastic chuckle. “From the first time I saw you at the hospital, I disliked you. Can’t say why.”
Su Cha sighed softly. Some plastic friendships just dissolve as you walk along.
“I always felt you had traits similar to mine deep down. But you lived a better life.”
Su Cha raised an eyebrow. “If you had started collecting evidence and reported it from the beginning, everything could’ve changed.”
Shen Ningze stepped closer. “In my original condition, I wouldn’t have lived past ten. Do you think the Empire would’ve researched a life-prolonging drug just for me?”
Su Cha took a timely step back, keeping three meters between them.
Shen Ningze frowned slightly. “Is that necessary?”
Su Cha nodded honestly. “You went to great lengths just to see me—very suspicious.”
Shen Ningze’s gaze darkened, and he returned to the previous topic:
“You’ll never understand what it’s like to be treated like garbage by your own family. I wasn’t wrong—I just wanted to stomp on them like they did to me.”
Su Cha didn’t comment on his experience. Shen Ningze sneered, “Tell the Investigation Department to stop looking up all the time. Luan Zheng has a trusted operative named Cheng Qing—he can control rats and knows every underground passage by heart.”
Su Cha had heard that name before—an expelled student from the First Military Academy.
The conversation didn’t last long before Shen Ningze stopped talking and walked to the small bed in the corner. “I’m going to rest now. Close the door on your way out.”
After confirming Su Cha had left, Shen Ningze opened his eyes while lying on the bed. Knowing the original plan wouldn’t work, he decided to switch tactics. Using a broken teacup shard, he slowly cut open his arm and pulled out a small object hidden inside.
The officer had been waiting outside for five or six minutes. Seeing Su Cha come out safe and sound, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“What did he say?”
Su Cha relayed the part about Cheng Qing. The officer immediately sent someone to search for Cheng Qing’s records and ordered increased underground surveillance.
On the way back to school, Su Cha kept thinking about the meeting. He had a nagging feeling something was off—there was no way Shen Ningze had suddenly found enlightenment just to throw himself a pity party.
But even after a full afternoon of classes, he couldn’t figure it out. Just to be safe, he tried calling out to the system again. But ever since unbinding, their link had been severed—no response, just as expected.
Having not slept the night before, Su Cha went to bed early. Before falling asleep, he tried contacting the system one more time—still nothing.
After 11 p.m., the dorm building had mostly quieted down.
At the affiliated school, a shadowy figure slipped by like a ghost.
Shen Ningze was walking freely, yet no one could see him. Even if someone passed by right now, they would only see empty space.
A cunning rabbit has three burrows—Shen Ningze still had a life-saving trump card: a spatial folding device.
He had stolen it from Dr. Jin. Back then, Dr. Jin had used it to hide Su Cha.
But just like the gene serum, this device was immature tech—time-limited.
Originally, his plan was to use an item hidden in the device to cause an explosion in the afternoon, then toss out a corpse he had long prepared, making it look like both he and Su Cha had died in the blast.
Even if the Investigation Department later found he wasn’t in the wreckage, they wouldn’t immediately reveal it. Otherwise, the Fog Star people would go berserk within the Empire trying to find the real culprit, causing massive chaos.
However, Su Cha was far too cautious. Shen Ningze had found no chance to act during the day and had to postpone until now.
“Su Cha.”
His hatred for Su Cha far exceeded what he once felt for Fasite.
Shen Ningze didn’t mind ending up a tragedy—at least he had tried. But he couldn’t tolerate becoming a joke in someone else’s eyes.
“This time, no one can save you.”
Just imagining Su Cha being blown apart in fire and shrapnel made Shen Ningze breathe erratically—perfectly embodying the phrase: a trembling hand, an excited heart.
…..
There was no moon tonight, and even the stars were barely visible.
In the eleventh-dimensional space, the long-legged mechanical doll was getting ready to find its host.
In the afternoon, it had vaguely felt as though the host had called out to it a few times, which was why the system finally decided to make a trip over.
But after only a few steps, the system sensed something was wrong. In this spatial dimension, why did it feel like there were other people overlapped here?
“Who would stack spaces like this if they’re normal?”
Those already large, terrifying eyes instantly darkened even more. The mechanical doll shot forward like the wind.
