TCPUAAV Chapter 82

 

 

Note: the title means that something rare is happening

 

He’s not even an adult yet.

 

Those five[mfn]Obviously it’s not 5 in english, but in the raws they amount to five words![/mfn] simple words echoed in Merrell’s ears like a demonic chant.

 

During her conversation with Master Ruan, she had considered many things, but age had never crossed her mind. Master Ruan did have a somewhat youthful appearance, but she had assumed he just looked young for his age. It had never occurred to her that it was because he was young.

 

“Maybe his species matures earlier—” Before she could even finish her sentence, realization struck. Ruan Shiqing was an ancient human.

 

Ancient humans reached adulthood at eighteen.

 

She shrugged, a little disappointed. “Alright then, I’ll just wait a little longer.”

 

Master Ruan was right here, after all. It wasn’t like he was going to run away.

 

??????

 

Wait a little longer?

 

Rong Heng, who had assumed she would give up, tensed up again. He fixed his gaze on Merrell and firmly reiterated, “Waiting is not an option either.”

 

Merrell was utterly baffled. She felt that the Crown Prince was becoming increasingly overbearing. “Why? Even if you’re the Crown Prince, you shouldn’t be interfering in your subordinates’ personal affairs.”

 

“…”

 

Rong Heng was momentarily at a loss for words. His expression darkened, his brows furrowed with displeasure.

 

Merrell scrutinized him for a moment, and then a sudden thought struck her. In disbelief, she asked, “Don’t tell me… you have your eyes on Master Ruan?”

 

The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

 

The Crown Prince had always been so cold. In the past, he wouldn’t even think about taking care of children. If any kid dared to wander too close to him, they’d probably be scared to tears by his mere presence.

 

But look at him now—not only was he taking care of children, but he was doing an excellent job of it.

 

And all those children belonged to Master Ruan.

 

Merrell felt as though she had uncovered the truth. The Crown Prince, who had been single for twenty-six years and showed no signs of ever entering a relationship, had somehow, miraculously, developed feelings for someone.

 

Immediately, she expressed her understanding and support with great generosity. “If you’re pursuing Master Ruan as well, then I can step aside. You know me—I’ve never been a fan of overly complicated relationships.”

 

She clapped him on the shoulder with a heavy pat and encouraged him, “Master Ruan really is outstanding. You’d better act fast. Even if I back off, there’s no guarantee someone else won’t come along and pursue him.”

 

Then, without waiting for Rong Heng to respond, she left with a cryptic smile.

 

She could not wait to share this juicy piece of gossip!

 

Meanwhile, Rong Heng stood frozen in place, his face full of question marks.

 

??????

 

What was Merrell even talking about?

 

He muttered in protest, “How could I possibly like him? I just… I just…”

 

Just what, exactly? He couldn’t say.

 

His chest felt tight, emotions surging and swelling—something long buried, something tender, like a seed breaking through the soil and beginning to grow.

 

By the time he left, his thoughts were a tangled mess. His mind was elsewhere, his steps unsteady.

 

Ruan Shiqing looked at him and swallowed back the words he was about to say, instead asking with concern, “You don’t look too well. Are you feeling unwell?”

 

Meeting Ruan Shiqing’s concerned gaze, Rong Heng suddenly found himself unable to look directly at him. He averted his eyes and muttered, “I’m not unwell.”

 

But his heart was pounding harder and faster with each beat. Uncomfortable, he clenched his hands tightly, hastily threw out a, “I have some things to take care of,” and strode away.

 

Watching his hurried departure, Ruan Shiqing was puzzled. “Mr. Rong seems a little strange today.”

 

Merrell folded her arms, watching the scene unfold with amusement. With a sly smile, she remarked, “Maybe it’s because spring has arrived—makes people restless.” She then leaned in and whispered to Ruan Shiqing, “You might not know this, but the Beastkin people retain some of their beast-like traits. For example, when spring comes, they tend to…”

 

She trailed off and shot him a knowing look.

 

Ruan Shiqing blinked in surprise. This was the first time he had heard of such a thing.

 

But since this was clearly a personal matter for Mr. Rong, it wasn’t his place to discuss it. He simply smiled politely at Merrell and let the topic drop.

 

*

 

Rong Heng fled.

 

The moment he returned to Fragrance Tower Manor, he locked himself in his bedroom. With a rough tug, he yanked open the fastened collar clasp of his uniform, pacing restlessly across the room.

 

This loss of control unsettled him. His rational mind told him to stop, but his emotions urged him to keep exploring.

 

Like.

 

The word clung to him as if enchanted, wrapping tightly around his thoughts.

 

It left him flustered and lost, yet from some hidden corner of his heart, a quiet, giddy joy bubbled up.

 

Collapsing onto his bed in a spread-eagle position, he covered his eyes with an arm and softly asked, “Noah, what do you think it means to like someone?”

 

Noah’s voice came through the central control system. “Liking someone is a uniquely human emotion. By definition, it is a ‘pleasant, joyful’ feeling caused by certain hormones in the body. It can make you blush, raise your body temperature, increase your heart rate, and heighten emotional excitement.” She paused for a moment before continuing, “But I have another perspective on this, something I realized while serving Her Majesty the Queen.”

 

Rong Heng moved his arm away, his golden eyes filled with curiosity. “Tell me.”

 

“When you like someone—or even love them—you find yourself thinking about them constantly, accepting all their flaws. Even someone as strong-willed as Her Majesty has moments of tenderness when facing you and Lord Siyan. It is an emotion that arises naturally from the heart, beyond the control of reason. And it often brings about great change.”

 

“Then do you think my mother’s change was good or bad?”

 

Noah fell silent for a moment, as if considering her answer. After a long pause, she finally said, “I don’t think it was either good or bad. But in all those years, Her Majesty never once regretted her choice. She once told me that she was grateful she had held firm against the pressure and chosen Lord Siyan.”

 

“Never regretted it…” Rong Heng murmured, repeating those words. The turmoil in his heart gradually settled.

 

For years, he had rejected all proposed political marriages and kept his distance from romantic relationships—not just because of his duties on the frontlines, but also because of his mother’s history. Her experiences had made him instinctively wary of such emotions.

 

He had always believed that his mother’s marriage was an unhappy one, that she had given far more than she had received in return.

 

But he had never truly considered her perspective, only drawing his own conclusions.

 

Now, looking back, his mother had been far braver than he was. She had pursued what she wanted, faced every challenge head-on, and never regretted her choices—not even in the end.

 

And yet, he had trapped himself in his own worries, hesitating, unwilling to take a step forward.

 

Afraid to even acknowledge his own feelings.

 

Merrell was right—if he liked someone, he should be honest about it and go after them. No matter the outcome, at least he would have tried. If he let fear hold him back and lost his chance because of it, that would be the real regret.

 

The confusion faded from his eyes, replaced by determination.

 

*

 

Early the next morning, after the little ones had returned home, Ruan Shiqing dragged the reluctant cubs out of bed one by one, loaded them onto the land cruiser, and, along with 09, took them to school.

 

Having skipped school for over half a month, the little dragon and the little fox whined and sulked, trying to act cute and wheedle their way out of going.

 

After all, they were big kids now—they didn’t want to be in the same class as the little cubs anymore.

 

But unfortunately for them, neither acting cute nor throwing tantrums worked. Ruan Shiqing ruthlessly crushed their rebellion and personally handed them over to their teachers.

 

With no other choice, the little ones resigned themselves to their fate. The little dragon flicked his tail aggressively as he stomped into school, while the little fox drooped her ears, her big tails hanging limply behind her.

 

Only the little mermaid and Ruan Jiao were relatively well-behaved, following along without complaint.

 

Ruan Shiqing lingered at the school gates for a while, watching from a distance. Once he was satisfied, he and 09 headed to the weapons factory’s lab.

 

After instructing 09 to organize and print the data, he carefully packed everything up before once again boarding the land cruiser—this time, en route to Fragrance Tower Manor.

 

He had intended to find Mr. Rong last night, but given Rong Heng’s pale complexion, he had held back. However, the discovery he had made was simply too exciting. He was eager to verify it as soon as possible, so first thing in the morning, he came looking.

 

Yet just as he arrived at the manor’s entrance, he saw Rong Heng walking out.

 

Ruan Shiqing raised his hand to greet him but paused when he got a better look.

 

Today, Rong Heng was dressed with unusual formality. His pristine white military uniform was immaculate, adorned with medals on his chest. A pocket watch sat neatly in his breast pocket, its golden chain draping elegantly. His polished black boots reached mid-calf, gleaming under the sunlight. Even his long white hair had been carefully groomed and was tied neatly at the back.

 

He looked as though he were attending some grand banquet.

 

Ruan Shiqing hesitated. “Do you have something important today?”

 

If he was busy, then Ruan Shiqing would have to find Merrell or Marlin instead.

 

“No.” Rong Heng walked up to him, lowering his gaze as he tried to mask his nerves, forcing himself to appear calm. “I was just about to look for you.”

 

“Well, that’s perfect! I was looking for you too.” Hearing that he was free, Ruan Shiqing broke into a smile. He took the briefcase from 09, then, unable to contain his excitement, grabbed Rong Heng’s wrist and briskly led him toward the conference room. “I made a major discovery, but I need your help to verify it.”

 

Rong Heng’s words caught in his throat.

 

He stared at the hand holding his wrist, feeling the warmth seeping through their touch. His heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.

 

Barely managing to keep his composure, he kept pace with Ruan Shiqing as they entered the conference room.

 

“What’s got you in such a hurry?”

 

But Ruan Shiqing didn’t answer right away. Instead, he instructed 09 to stand guard outside the room, then carefully checked that all doors and windows were securely shut.

 

Only after ensuring their privacy did he place the briefcase on the conference table and open it, revealing a thick stack of documents.

 

He turned to Rong Heng, his eyes shining like stars. “I discovered something from the Zergs. If my hypothesis is correct, and if we can trace its source, then the entire Galactic Empire will undergo a revolutionary change.”

 

Rong Heng took the report he handed over and read it carefully. “Antimatter? But isn’t this still just a theoretical concept? No one has been able to prove its existence yet.”

 

“That’s true,” Ruan Shiqing acknowledged, handing him another report. “But during my research on the Zerg, I accidentally discovered trace amounts of antimatter within their bodies.”

 

When matter and antimatter meet, they inevitably annihilate each other in a violent reaction.

 

While dissecting the Zerg, Ruan Shiqing had noticed unusual internal reactions. After extensive testing and repeated experimentation, he had finally confirmed his theory—there was a high probability that the Zergs contained antimatter within their bodies.

 

Due to their unique physiological structure, the small amounts of antimatter within them had remained stable and intact.

 

 

 

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AKDJSKJSDKJSD RONG RONG IS SO CUTE!!!

 

Also Merrell is a little sh*t lolol

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~