CH 119.2

The hospital room had been left in a mess by the black hole and the magical array. After taking a moment to regroup, everyone moved to another secure room, where they all looked at the unconscious experimental creature that Mi Lai had knocked out.

“It’s bigger than the previous two types we’ve seen…” Qiao Zhiya began, eyeing the creature’s dark scales that were similar in shape to his own but entirely black. He suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his skin and an unsettling anxiety gnawing at his heart, prompting him to bury his face in his mother’s embrace.

Sensing his unease, Mi Lai immediately hugged him tighter, filled with a burning desire to wake up the creature and pummel it again. However, she could feel her husband’s power subtly surrounding her, making her feel guilty and causing her to stand still without making any rash moves.

“It’s the purest bloodline experimental creature I’ve sensed. Its bloodline is attracting me. The monster’s target this time was me,” said the Imperial High Advisor, leaning back against the bed with Jian’s help, his brow furrowing in self-reproach. “My bloodline seal was broken on that holiday, and the monster has already discovered my presence. This time, he aimed to capture me, and Qiao was implicated because of me. I’m sorry.”

“You did nothing wrong,” Qiao Yi interjected, his gaze darkening. “Today it was you; tomorrow it could be Qiaoqiao. You are both victims – there is no such thing as implicating one another.”

Qiao Zhiya quickly poked his head out to agree but couldn’t shake off the nagging sense of unease. After saying just a few words, he couldn’t help but retreat back into his mother’s arms, instinctively seeking protection and comfort.

Mi Lai, worried, encased him in her magical aura and stroked his slightly stiff body, asking anxiously, “Baby, what’s wrong?”

With his mother’s aura providing some comfort, Qiao Zhiya’s unease diminished slightly. He glanced back at the experimental creature, feeling a bit embarrassed but still honestly expressed his feelings, “This creature… makes me uncomfortable.”

Hearing this, Mi Lai immediately covered his eyes and took a few steps back, away from the creature. “Then we won’t look at it. It’s too ugly. Just look at Mom.”

Chu Rong, still only able to understand Qiao Zhiya’s words, noticed his apparent fear and wanted to go over and hug him. However, the stern expressions of Qiao Zhiya’s parents made him suppress the urge, instead focusing his gaze on the creature inside the isolation shield.

This experimental creature was larger than any Chu Rong had seen before, its scales denser, with two horns growing on its forehead. Its hands no longer resembled human fingers but had transformed into animal-like claws, and its tail was long. If the previous creatures were 40% human, this one was barely 20%.

“The military research team confirmed that their scales contain Zerg genes,” he explained.

So this was a hybrid of dragon, Zerg, and human genes.

Hearing this, the Imperial High Advisor glanced at the creature with disgust before turning to Mi Lai. “Qiao has just recently transformed and his bloodline is easily influenced by those of the same species. It’s best not to let him stay near such a creature for too long.”

Upon hearing this, Mi Lai immediately carried Qiao Zhiya out, kicking the isolation barrier harshly as they passed it.

The creature inside trembled, its wings shifting as if it was about to wake up. Without warning, Qiao Yi acted, tapping his staff on the shield. A magical array appeared and began spinning rapidly, trapping the creature inside. It convulsed violently before suddenly deflating like a punctured balloon, releasing a foul, black-red mist that filled the isolation barrier, obscuring the creature from view.

With the mist’s release, the Imperial High Advisor’s tense body relaxed, as did Qiao Zhiya’s. Mi Lai paused, looking at her husband.

Qiao Yi put away his staff, drew a magical array in the air, and threw a fire-elemental magic stone into it. With a loud boom, pure magical flames erupted, quickly engulfing the isolation barrier. The black-red mist writhed for a moment before silently dissipating, leaving behind a stench of rot.

Chu Rong’s isolation barrier lacked the ability to contain the stench. Everyone frowned, and with a wave of Qiao Yi’s hand, wood-elemental magic spread through the room, replacing the foul odor with a faint, fresh scent of plants, easing everyone’s nerves.

As the magical flames gradually extinguished, the experimental creature within the isolation shield had been reduced to nothing but a pile of black ash.

“Such things should be destroyed as soon as possible,” Qiao Yi remarked, gently brushing his magic over the ashes and murmuring a prayer before addressing Chu Rong in the lingua franca. “Find a place to bury it.”

The experimental creature had once been an innocent human being, its transformation was against its will. With its sins now expunged, it deserved to find peace in death.

Chu Rong nodded and stepped forward to collect the isolation shield.

The atmosphere grew somber, and silence enveloped everyone.

The Imperial High Advisor’s expression of disgust gradually faded as he recalled the pitiful human experimental subjects he had seen in the past. He couldn’t help but sigh softly. They were all victims, but he had been lucky enough to find salvation and release, whereas many experimental creatures remained under the monster’s control, losing their consciousness in agony.

Qiao Zhiya lay on Mi Lai’s shoulder, his wings and tail drooping as he gazed at the now empty spot where the isolation barrier had been. He loathed those who disrespected life and harmed the innocent at will.

The conversation ended in this heavy silence. Before leaving, Qiao Yi inscribed a protective magic array in the Imperial High Advisor’s room to prevent any further black hole occurrences. Jian breathed a sigh of relief, expressing his gratitude to Qiao Yi.

Affected by the presence of the experimental creature, Qiao Zhiya seemed dispirited and lethargic after leaving the room. Mi Lai, worried, took him back to their quarters. Qiao Yi and Chu Rong did not follow, instead heading to the study.

“I need the original pieces of those teleportation devices—all of them,” Qiao Yi stated as they sat down.

He had already mastered much of the basic lingua franca vocabulary. His aptitude for learning far surpassed that of Qiao Zhiya.

Chu Rong, prepared, handed over a space button containing all the teleportation devices. “Qiao has tried to study them before but never got any results.”

“That’s because he was only working with blueprints,” Qiao Yi replied, recalling what Qiao Zhiya had told him. He fixed Chu Rong with a nearly severe gaze and said, “Qiaoqiao has given you his complete trust and autonomy, but you haven’t reciprocated equally. Chu Rong, you must understand that Qiaoqiao is an exceptional, capable adult dwarf and elf. His strength is sufficient to protect anyone. I appreciate your desire to protect him, but a healthy relationship requires mutual support. One-sided giving and receiving won’t lead to a good outcome.”

His words were fluent and free of errors, indicating he had carefully prepared them in advance.

Chu Rong involuntarily clenched his fists, feelings of guilt and self-reproach stirring within him.

“I understand,” he said, meeting Qiao Yi’s gaze seriously and firmly. “Uncle1Chu Rong referred Qiao Yi with 伯父 (Bofu), which can mean your father’s older brother, or can be used to respectfully refer to older men around your father’s age., I am trying to change.”

Qiao Yi held his gaze for a few moments, his expression gradually softening. Without another word, he left the study.

Back in their quarters, Qiao Zhiya had already fallen asleep under Mi Lai’s soothing care. Qiao Yi checked him with his magic, relieved to find nothing amiss. He then turned to look at Mi Lai, who was sitting obediently.

“Qiao Yi…” Mi Lai tugged at his clothes, speaking softly in a placating tone, “I promise I won’t recklessly endanger myself anymore.”

Facing his beloved, Qiao Yi’s anger quickly dissipated. He embraced Mi Lai, gently stroking her hair to show his forgiveness.

Mi Lai immediately closed her eyes and smiled, hugging his waist in return.

That night, Qiao Zhiya slept in Qiao Yi and Mi Lai’s room, while Chu Rong kept watch over the empty room, once again unable to sleep.

Unlike the quarters on the flagship, every corner of the house was filled with Qiao Zhiya’s presence — the pillows he slept on, his favorite pajamas, the toys he made, and the little trinkets he casually left on the bedside table. The familiar scent permeated the air, but he was conspicuously absent, intensifying Chu Rong’s feelings of emptiness and longing in the late hours of the night, leaving him sleepless.

On the other side, Qiao Zhiya went to bed early and woke up early. Having skipped dinner the previous day and fallen asleep, hunger woke him directly in the early hours of the morning.

The room was dimly lit, and it took him a moment to remember what happened before bed. He turned his head to the bedside and saw his parents embracing each other peacefully asleep, which eased his mind.

Thinking of his parents’ magical exertion the day before, he carefully climbed out of bed, took out several large pieces of emerald jades and ink jades, placed them beside the bed, and waited for his parents to unconsciously replenish their strength before leaving with a comforting aura, flying out of the room.

He was starving, feeling like he could eat an entire table of food right now.

As he left, heading straight for the kitchen, he noticed light leaking from his laboratory on the first floor, with faint sounds coming from inside.

“Hmm? Is someone in there?”

Curious, he fluttered his wings and flew over.

The door was half-open, and as he approached, Chu Rong’s figure in sleepwear came into view. His hair was slightly disheveled, sleeves rolled up, meticulously organizing scattered toys and small items on the workbench, looking serious and focused.

“Chu Rong?” Qiao Zhiya softly called out, glancing at the clock on the wall, feeling like he might still be half-asleep and experiencing an illusion.

Seemingly absorbed but actually lost in thought, Chu Rong was brought back to reality by Qiao Zhiya’s voice. He turned his head towards him, his eyes showing a hint of confusion and doubt, as if questioning whether he was imagining things. Then quickly, his gaze cleared, and he put down the toys in his hand, striding over to embrace him, furrowing his brow as he asked, “What’s wrong? Can’t sleep or had a nightmare?”

Qiao Zhiya relaxed his fluttering wings as he landed in Chu Rong’s embrace, shaking his head. He glanced at the faint shadows under Chu Rong’s eyes, about to speak when a rumbling sound interrupted.

—His stomach protested from being hungry for too long.

He shut his mouth, quickly placing a claw on his stomach, embarrassed and wishing he could disappear into a hole.

Chu Rong paused for a moment, then his expression relaxed. He gently rubbed Qiao Zhiya’s slightly sunken stomach, without asking further questions, and carried him out towards the kitchen.

His lack of inquiry effectively eased Qiao Zhiya’s embarrassment and awkwardness. Qiao Zhiya couldn’t resist leaning his head against Chu Rong’s chest, even daring to bury his head in Chu Rong’s collar and nuzzle his firm, warm skin.

Chu Rong allowed him to be affectionate, feeling quite content as he pinched Qiao Zhiya’s tail, his lips subconsciously curving upwards.