The group set off in their mechas.
In the past couple of days, Ming Yi had directly given up on the job. Frustrated yet helpless, Xue Yuanqing had to shoulder all the responsibilities himself.
However, when facing Huo Lingqi, he couldn’t help but feel a little scared.
The man’s mere presence, standing in front of him, was enough to emanate a chilling, battlefield-like aura, causing sweat to form on the back of Xue Yuanqing’s neck and a cold shiver to run through his heart.
Huo Lingqi’s right hand man was even more unyielding. If angered, he could easily drag someone to the garbage dump and toss them into the spatial tunnel overhead.
This made Xue Yuanqing feel utterly helpless these past few days, unable to gather any information on how Huo Lingqi’s team was faring with their surrounding reconnaissance.
But it was fine. It’s okay.
As long as the evolutionary beasts progressed smoothly, they could use Xu Yin and gradually eat Huo Lingqi, step by step.
Xue Yuanqing cast a sly glance at the mecha in the front, with a strange combination of white, black, yellow, and other random colors.
He hadn’t yet seen Xu Yin battle in a mecha, but the impression of Xu Yin’s “useless” persona had deeply ingrained itself in Xue Yuanqing’s mind. He felt that, even if Xu Yin used his mysterious ability to enhance his mental power, he probably wouldn’t be much of a threat.
Moreover, the mecha itself looked so weird; it would be a miracle if it even worked properly.
Huo Lingqi probably only promoted Xu Yin to the same level as Xiao Jiu, leading the soldiers, due to their romantic relationship.
Xue Yuanqing scoffed disdainfully.
At that moment, a casual voice from Xiao Jiu came through the shared communication platform: “So, where are we patrolling today, everyone?”
A chorus of voices followed, all talking over each other.
The casual attitude genuinely startled Xue Yuanqing.
They were only discussing where to patrol after they had already set off? Did Huo Lingqi know their patrols were this careless?
After the initial shock, Xue Yuanqing’s eyes shifted as he thought of something. A mocking smile appeared on his lips.
The lack of urgency seemed to imply that they hadn’t found anything over the past few days.
For him, this was excellent news.
At that moment, Xue Yuanqing couldn’t help but feel that Huo Lingqi’s subordinates didn’t seem as formidable as the rumors had suggested.
With a touch of disdain, he seized the opportunity to interject, providing a coordinate and clearing his throat: “That area has many inhabited planets. We can check there first to ensure the safety of the residents.”
Xiao Jiu’s voice came through, laughing: “Alright, Xue Xiaodi is joining the search for the first time today. Let’s follow his suggestion and head over there.”
Xue Yuanqing felt a surge of satisfaction—today’s progress was going incredibly smoothly!
Ahead, Xu Yin listened to the exchanges on the communication platform. While repairing the mecha earlier, they had used quite a few of the components and parts provided by Huo Lingqi, which had significantly improved the mecha’s performance. He smiled, casually relaying the coordinates to Huo Lingqi.
The man quickly sent back a brief message: “Wait for me. Stay safe.”
Xu Yin responded with an “Mm, kiss you,” a playful smile curling on his lips as he increased the power and followed Xiao Jiu’s lead.
*
On the exiled planet, Huo Lingqi, upon receiving the three words, froze in place: “!”
Lu Yuan, who had been following Huo Lingqi and was about to relocate the base, turned around halfway and found the general himself staring seriously at his terminal, but his ears… were slowly turning red???
Lu Yuan was confused: “General Huo, shall we move?”
Huo Lingqi snapped back to his senses, quickly put down the terminal, nodded expressionlessly, then blushed as he awkwardly took one stiff step after another.
Lu Yuan: Wait, why does he look like a robot now?
After a moment of confusion, as Huo Lingqi walked closer, Lu Yuan lowered his voice and asked, “Did Xu Yin send a message?”
Huo Lingqi gave a slight nod, but suddenly sensed something and looked up ahead.
Not far from them, there was the starship that Ming Yi and Xue Yuanqing had arrived in. In recent days, this starship had become their base, housing both of them and the teams they led.
At that moment, a man stood on the second-level platform of the starship, his head covered with a black cloth bag that had four holes cut into it, just enough to expose his eyes, nose, and mouth. He stared at them from afar with a sinister gaze.
He definitely looked like a robber.
Lu Yuan: “…”
Lu Yuan: “What are you looking at?!”
As long as Lu Yuan didn’t speak, Ming Yi could continue his act, but as soon as Lu Yuan opened his mouth, Ming Yi was reminded of the fear he felt that day when he was beaten. He shuddered violently.
And with that shudder, the spots on his body that hadn’t fully healed began to hurt again. He let out a sharp hiss of pain, even his face aching in sympathy!
Who caused this?! It was all because of these people!!
Ming Yi gritted his teeth, desperately suppressing his anger, and sneered, “You’re finished.”
He knew that Xue Yuanqing had already moved out.
Lu Yuan: “???”
A ridiculous declaration of betrayal??
A fool like this, and Ming Yi’s father even dares to send him to suppress Huo Lingqi? Where did they get the confidence?
Lu Yuan looked at Ming Yi with the kind of appreciative, fool-like gaze, scanning him up and down repeatedly.
Ming Yi was so provoked by Lu Yuan’s gaze that he almost jumped up. “What kind of look is that?!”
“The kind of look that says I’m enjoying watching you, got it?” Lu Yuan sneered lightly.
Huo Lingqi glanced indifferently at Ming Yi before turning to Lu Yuan. “Let’s go.”
Lu Yuan quickly nodded, “Mm!”
If Lu Yuan’s gaze could be described as sarcastic or admiring of a fool, Huo Lingqi’s was entirely that of someone inspecting an ant… and Ming Yi was once again provoked.
Immediately, he recalled the day he had been beaten. Through the gaps between Lu Yuan and the others, he had clearly seen Huo Lingqi and Xu Yin in a corner, kissing passionately for what seemed like half the day!
—He had gone to Xu Yin, trying to befriend him, only to get beaten up by their group. But what made it worse was that while he was being beaten, Xu Yin and Huo Lingqi were kissing passionately for more than ten minutes!
This was a humiliation beyond measure for Ming Yi!
At that moment, spurred by Huo Lingqi’s cold, arrogant attitude, Ming Yi blurted out, “Huo Lingqi, do you know how much Xu Yin used to like me?”
Huo Lingqi paused, and Lu Yuan stopped as well, his anger immediately flaring up: “Huh?!”
Ming Yi, startled, took a step back and swallowed hard. But soon, seeing Huo Lingqi’s expression grow colder, he felt a sense of satisfaction.
He laughed out loud, gaining some courage, and continued, “Xu Yin chased after me for two whole years, making a big scene about it. The whole school knew! So, do you really think he’s with you because he likes you, or is it just to get back at me?”
Huo Lingqi turned sharply and walked toward the starship’s ladder.
Ming Yi quickly turned and slipped inside the starship, slamming the door shut, then arrogantly shouted, “Come on, hit me!”
The doors were made of special metal, even beasts couldn’t break through them!
Huo Lingqi was bound to be driven to impotent rage outside, and just the thought of it made Ming Yi laugh even louder: “Hahaha—”
Then, with a resounding “bang,” the entire special metal door twisted and deformed, violently snapping open. It crashed against the inner wall with a loud “clang” before falling completely to the ground.
Ming Yi’s laughter immediately died in his throat: “???!”
Huo Lingqi stood expressionless outside the door.
Ming Yi’s face instantly turned to one of sheer terror.
This was not a man at all!!!
He screamed and tried to turn and escape, but his leg was kicked out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground!
What followed was a series of terrifying sounds.
The noises were horrifying, the commotion immense, and so intimidating that the soldiers who came rushing at the sound could only swallow nervously, too afraid to approach.
—Because no one wanted to lose their life!
When the commotion finally died down, Lu Yuan stepped forward with a tissue, his expression complicated.
Huo Lingqi stood up, calmly wiping his hands.
Lu Yuan thought for a moment, then, in an effort to calm the general’s potentially frayed nerves, whispered, “General, don’t believe him. Xu Yin likes you, and it has nothing to do with this fool. There’s something I should tell you, but I’ll only say it quietly…”
Huo Lingqi perked up his ears.
Lu Yuan continued in a low voice, “Xu Yin actually always carried a picture of you close to him. Before you came here, he showed it to me and at that time, he didn’t even know it was you. He said you were incredibly handsome, incredibly good-looking, and particularly heroic. Uh, he was really moved by you. He said that with you around, Ming Yi was nothing. During those lonely and difficult times, he held onto your picture to get through it…”
Lu Yuan exaggerated the story, and Huo Lingqi’s eyes gradually lit up, shining with a stunning brilliance.
As Lu Yuan finished, he confidently added, “It must have been love at first sight when he saw the picture. Now that he’s met you in person, he’s probably completely captivated!”
Lu Yuan believed that if Xu Yin and Huo Lingqi had fallen for each other, their feelings must be burning hot, to the point of being “unable to extricate themselves,” so what he said was definitely true.
Ahem!
Huo Lingqi, upon hearing this, straightened his back even more, his face flushed with color.
He quickly finished wiping his hands, and, with his ears turning pink, asked with a restrained tone, “Which photo was it?”
Lu Yuan hesitated for a moment: “Uh, I really can’t describe it, but there definitely was a photo. You can… ask him about it later. Just don’t tell him I was the one who said it, alright?”
Huo Lingqi thought for a moment, then nodded with a restrained gesture, casting a look of approval at Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan, feeling flattered, smiled awkwardly, “Heh, so, General, shall we go?”
They still had to set off and catch up with Xu Yin and the others.
Huo Lingqi elegantly turned and stepped out of the starship.
Inside the starship, on the ground…
Ming Yi: “Wuwuwuwu…”
The soldiers hiding nearby: This… must be what they call “getting exactly what you deserve.”
*
Meanwhile, after a few minutes of jumping and travelling, the group arrived at a certain star system and spread out, beginning their search.
Soon, Xu Yin received a message.
It was from Xue Yuanqing.
Xu Yin, while observing his surroundings and chatting with Xiao 018 in his mind, smiled and chose to answer the call when he saw who it was.
Xue Yuanqing’s voice came through: “Xu Yin, I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
018: “Doesn’t he realize how awkward this topic is? Why pick now, during the search, to have a chat across the mechas? Is this the legendary ‘As long as I’m not embarrassed, it’s the other person who’s embarrassed!’?”
Xu Yin couldn’t help but laugh: “You’re picking up on that?”
018: “Hmph.”
Xue Yuanqing, leading his team, gradually closed in on Xu Yin, unknowingly surrounding him and the few soldiers he brought with him.
The whole team was slowly approaching a certain planet.
Xu Yin pretended not to notice and teasingly asked, “What do you want to talk about?”
“I’m sorry about your parents,” Xue Yuanqing said, his tone serious. “But the decisions made by my father and the others are things that neither Ming Yi nor I can change. I hope you won’t…”
“Won’t what?” Xu Yin interrupted him.
Xu Yin raised an eyebrow and said, “You can talk about those things when you and your father are in the same position as us.”
Xue Yuanqing paused for a moment.
Same position as them?
Become criminals?
Xue Yuanqing was momentarily stunned, but then he chuckled, realizing the absurdity of the statement.
Was he supposed to end up in prison with his father?
Was that some kind of daydream?
Sorry, but he and his father weren’t going to prison. Once they took care of Huo Lingqi, they would start eliminating the rest of Xingyun Council, one by one.
Once the mutated beasts took control of the star system they had secretly given away, and with the proper cooperation, they could complete this goal within two years.
At that point, the An Luo Star Nation wouldn’t need the Council anymore.
All that would be needed was the “Xue family.”
Xue Yuanqing narrowed his eyes.
He sighed theatrically and said, pretending to be helpless, “…Alright, look, there’s a planet ahead. Let’s land and check it out.”
…
Hummm. What a coward. Thanks for the translation 😍
Lu Yuan being an excellent wingman. I really like these kinds of characters with good emotional intelligence and decent character.