MORIC - Chapter 179

Chapter 179: Who Came to Visit

During the time Xi Zhoumeng was missing, the rumors circulating in the outside world were simply too outrageous.

But the one that remained persistently at the top was that she might inherit her mother Xi Mingguang's command position and directly become the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force.

This topic had spawned a massive thread on the anonymous forums.

Compared to the friendly atmosphere of the Guyun Academy forums, the outside forums could almost be described as vicious.

Even though Xi Zhoumeng was the biological daughter of this generation of the top-tier noble Xi family, many people felt that the position of Commander-in-Chief was absolutely not something an inexperienced Alpha could hold.

Back then, Xi Mingguang had also climbed the military ranks step by step before becoming the commander. On what grounds could Xi Zhoumeng, with her halo, seamlessly take over?

On the way to see Sheng Yangkui, Xi Zhoumeng was selectively reading these comments.

Chi Yueshan hadn't wanted to go initially, but she was dragged along by Xi Zhoumeng. She had no choice but to sit with this person, listening to her drawl out the comments that berated her for being unqualified.

"Aiya, wasn't this youngest of the Xi family an Omega before? Even if she differentiated into an Alpha after being pampered and coddled, what use is that~"

Xi Zhoumeng retorted, "What's wrong with being an Omega? Instead of sitting at home with nothing better to do than surf the web, these people should go feed the Zerg."

"Since Xi Mingguang herself was incompetent and repelled by the Zerg, shouldn't a new commander be selected through another round of evaluations?"

Xi Zhoumeng scoffed, "They've got something to say about everything."

"Besides, didn't the Expeditionary Force get a new commander after Mother returned? Why do I remember there have been two already?"

She sighed again, imitating an AI's voice as she read: "You all think you can prove how amazing Xi Zhoumeng is just by watching that replay? Who knows, the video might be fake… Who modified that mecha, anyway? And it has a mechanical tail. Are they bringing all sorts of kinks to the battlefield now?"

Xi Zhoumeng laughed out loud. "Kinks?"

She tilted her head to look at Chi Yueshan beside her. "Is this a kink?"

It would have been fine if she hadn't mentioned it, but now Chi Yueshan couldn't help but think of Xi Zhoumeng's fluffy tail from that day.

It was so strange. Was there no switch?

Why did it disappear later? Did it only appear when she was nesting?

Would a person like Xi Zhoumeng really nest? Just the thought of it gave her goosebumps.

The hovercar headed towards Shen Yu's base. The once-prosperous Upper World was now a scene of devastation, and controls were strict, both on the ground and in the air.

Ordinary hovercars were completely unable to travel; one had to rely on a specific permit to pass through the sky-rails.

This time, it was Shen Yu who had sent someone specifically to pick up Xi Zhoumeng.

Xi Zhoumeng turned off her light-brain, completely unaffected by the posts online. Dressed in a black dress, she propped her face up with one hand, staring at the occasional commotion below.

There was also distant cannon fire, the booming sounds mingling with the crashing of something falling, and even low-level flying Zerg would appear in the sky.

It was clear that the Queen who had invaded a consciousness still had control over the Zerg; otherwise, despite Shen Yu's long-standing containment efforts, she still hadn't been able to completely eliminate them.

This world was not much different from the Prime Century Xi Zhoumeng had returned to, so much so that she found herself staring, lost in thought.

Chi Yueshan asked, "What are you thinking about?"

She had noticed that Xi Zhoumeng often spaced out after returning, but it wasn't the kind of daze that suggested a lack of worldly desires like before.

Instead, it seemed like she was troubled by something.

Unsure of what she was thinking, Chi Yueshan asked, "Is that 'me' in your head pestering you all the time?!"

After saying it, she felt it was a bit exaggerated and quickly added, "I retract that statement."

Before Xi Zhoumeng could even reply, the one in her head chattered angrily, "Who's pestering! I'm not even a person!"

It was so noisy. Xi Zhoumeng sighed and rubbed her head. "You two are two of a kind."

Chi Yueshan was furious. "How am I? I'm very mature. I'm busy repairing mechas, how would I have time to bother you?"

Xi Zhoumeng said, "That's right. The mecha is more important than me."

Just as Chi Yueshan was about to retort, Xi Zhoumeng asked, "I'm thinking about how to eradicate the Zerg. It feels very troublesome."

As things stood, there were at least two factions of Zerg. One was left behind after she had slain Sheng Xilin back then.

What a miscalculation. If only I had more time.

Xi Zhoumeng sighed again and turned her head. "Do you still remember that Zerg we saw before we went into the folded space?"

"The one with all the different colors, that didn't look so bad, had wings, and its wings seemed to glow."

Of course, Chi Yueshan remembered. After returning, she had looked through a pile of newly recorded data, only to find that this particular Zerg was the one and only of its kind.

And its combat power was a mystery, and it was a bit strange.

Sometimes its attacks were very strong, but other times it seemed like it didn't want to bother with humans.

Xi Zhoumeng said, "I see the current data classifies it as a high-grade Zerg."

Chi Yueshan replied, "Is that wrong? It seemed to be indiscriminate, it even killed the low-grade Zerg that charged at it before."

Xi Zhoumeng said, "I think it's the Zerg Queen."

Chi Yueshan let out a small "ah" and carefully recalled that Zerg. "But I didn't feel like it…"

Even its final attack on Xi Zhoumeng wasn't that exaggerated. It didn't seem like a mindless insect, but more like a person.

Xi Zhoumeng said, "The first-generation Zerg were originally humans who turned into Zerg."

She had selectively told Chi Yueshan some things before, and now she added details about the change of power in the Prime Century. There were also triplets, but compared to the disharmony between Sheng Yangkui's triplets, they seemed more humane.

After Xi Zhoumeng "died" in that world, the remaining Zerg were cleared out, and the Empire enjoyed a brief period of peace.

The succeeding queen was chosen from a side branch of the family and also inherited the scepter, bracelet, and crown. In that case, did Sheng Xilin's consciousness still exist?

And what did her final words in the Zerg language mean?

She had given her all to send Sheng Xiqian far away. It couldn't have been just a farewell. Didn't she hope her younger sister would live again?

Chi Yueshan asked, "Are you saying that the Zerg we encountered could very well be the third princess from the Prime Century?"

The information Xi Zhoumeng had mentioned that Sheng Xiqian was gentle and lovely. If Sheng Xilin wanted to resurrect her, could her consciousness really be preserved for a thousand years?

Species evolve, so what about this consciousness?

Including the one in the royal palace, could she still be the one once known as the genius Sheng Xilin?

Xi Zhoumeng's injuries hadn't fully healed to begin with, and sinking into deep thought caused her brows to furrow, a clear aftereffect of the damage to her spiritual power.

Chi Yueshan handed her a tube of supplement and comforted her, "It's okay. Everyone is here. You don't have to fight a lone battle anymore."

It was rare for her to be so comforting. Xi Zhoumeng, wanting a little more, asked, "Then can I retire? And not do anything at all."

Unexpectedly, Chi Yueshan actually nodded.

"If you're tired, then rest. It's not like you have to carry everything on your shoulders."

However, Chi Yueshan clearly knew what kind of person her Alpha was. "But you wouldn't give up, would you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have risked going to the Prime Century yourself."

Xi Zhoumeng was only lazy on the surface; at her core, she had a strong sense of responsibility.

The strict education of her youth had, after all, instilled in her a willingness to sacrifice herself. Fortunately, she hadn't become a puppet, and her sense of self had grown wildly after she came of age.

Chi Yueshan was a little surprised at first when she heard that the other had killed her entire family, but on second thought, she felt it was nothing.

If it were me.

Forget it, if it were me, I probably wouldn't have her courage.

I would have probably been brainwashed into selfless devotion long ago, with no sense of self left.

It's thanks to Xi Zhoumeng's sudden awakening that I was able to meet her.

Xi Zhoumeng said, "I'm not used to you being so gentle all of a sudden."

Chi Yueshan very straightforwardly gave her a pinch. "Are you a masochist?"

Xi Zhoumeng sighed. "Forget it. Let's go see Sheng Yangkui. From Xi Shuang's description, it sounds like she's on the verge of death."

Sheng Yangkui was currently placed in a sanatorium under Shen Yu's control. When Chi Yueshan and Xi Zhoumeng entered, they had to have their identities confirmed several times.

When they finally saw Sheng Yangkui, she happened to be eating.

Her long hair was somewhat dull and yellow, a barrette holding the stray strands to one side. Her face was only the size of a palm.

Chi Yueshan even felt that the small bowl of fruit looked more cheerful than Sheng Yangkui.

Xi Shuang was right; Sheng Yangkui looked devoid of vitality. It was as if her soul was about to dissipate, making her look like a wooden puppet in every way.

Perhaps no one had told her they were coming. When Sheng Yangkui heard the noise, she first looked puzzled, then turned her head and was stunned for a long while upon seeing Chi Yueshan and Xi Zhoumeng enter.

After a long pause, she finally said, "You're really back?"

Her voice was a bit hoarse. Chi Yueshan couldn't bear to see her like this. She felt that Shen Yu was being too cruel; how was this any different from imprisonment?

The room was densely packed with equipment, all for medical care or monitoring.

After Xi Zhoumeng came in and glanced around, she directly made a call to Shen Yu.

Chi Yueshan held Sheng Yangkui's hand, her first words an apology. "I'm sorry I didn't come to see you sooner."

That practical training mission had lasted three months at most, but their separation felt like three years, or even thirty.

They all still had the appearance of teenagers, yet they were so different.

At least Sheng Yangkui was constantly reminiscing about the only balls, dinner parties, spaceships, card games, and public buses of her life…

She knew this was her third life, and she had no memory of her second.

But that didn't stop her from being certain that these experiences were still unrelated to her.

Her eyes were filled with surprise and nostalgia. She smiled at Chi Yueshan. "I know you only just got back not long ago."

Sheng Yangkui hadn't even finished the food on her table. Not knowing what to offer Chi Yueshan, she could only push the unopened fruit towards her.

"This was delivered this morning. You eat it."

Her gaze then fell on Chi Yueshan's stomach. "Xi Shuang came to see me yesterday and said you two have a daughter."

Chi Yueshan was just a bit rounder than before, but it wasn't an exaggeration. At least she had a healthy complexion. In Sheng Yangkui's eyes, she was practically a burning sun, seemingly able to ignite others at any moment.

Chi Yueshan nodded. "She's just too little, otherwise I would have brought her for you to see."

The feeling was strange. Chi Yueshan was clearly the same age as her, yet now she was already a mother.

Sheng Yangkui stammered for a long time before finally saying, "Does she look like you or Senior Xi?"

Chi Yueshan didn't know how to answer. The network in this ward was even disconnected from the internet; they could only make calls using a primitive dial-up system.

She pulled up her photo gallery and showed Sheng Yangkui a picture, then asked, "What did Xi Shuang say?"

Sheng Yangkui replied, "She said she looks a bit like you, with a round face."

Chi Yueshan cupped her face. "Have I really gotten fat?"

She did it so dramatically that Sheng Yangkui's eyes curved into a smile. Then, Chi Yueshan grabbed Sheng Yangkui's hand and asked, "How is your health?"

Sheng Yangkui nodded. "I won't die."

She bit her lip. "I will live. I want to see it die."

Chi Yueshan said, "Senior Wen must visit you often, right?"

After all, Wen Xinghuo was now directly under Shen Yu's command, so her clearance should be quite high.

But Chi Yueshan and Wen Xinghuo hadn't been in much contact. The battle situation was intense, and she didn't want to disturb her.

Sheng Yangkui shook her head. "She can only visit me once every half a month. Marshal Shen said so."

Chi Yueshan hummed, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Instead, it was Sheng Yangkui who comforted her. "She's very busy, after all, and with me…"

She lowered her head, her hair falling forward, which happened to let Chi Yueshan see the wound on the back of her neck. "What happened to you here?"

Sheng Yangkui subconsciously covered the back of her neck, shaking her head. "It's nothing, just from before…"

Xi Zhoumeng walked over. "There's no need for this."

As she sat down, she pulled Chi Yueshan's hand away, allowing Sheng Yangkui to relax.

"It chose you long ago, because your genetic sequence as a member of the royal family met the requirements. You should know this; you were screened as a child."

"It was just a matter of which of you three sisters was more suitable."

Sheng Yangkui shook her head. "That's not it either."

Xi Zhoumeng asked, "When you were destroying your own glands, did you ever think about how you would marry Wen Xinghuo after all this is over?"

"Of course, I'm not saying you must have intact glands to get married."

Xi Zhoumeng paused. "What I mean is, don't you two hope to be able to unite with each other completely?"

Her words struck at the heart of all Sheng Yangkui's dreams. Sheng Yangkui pursed her lips. "I have thought about it."

Only then did Chi Yueshan notice that there was also a wound on Sheng Yangkui's neck, as if from a suicide attempt.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "But I don't know what to do. The Queen is constantly putting pressure on Marshal Shen. I'm scared."

"Being protected like this doesn't do any good either."

Sheng Yangkui looked up. "Senior Xi, I feel like I'm completely useless. I might as well die. At least then the Queen would no longer have a next vessel…"

Xi Zhoumeng said, "Shen Yu should have told you that it's because you're still alive that the thing is still showing some restraint."

"No one can guarantee what it will do after its current body completely decays if you're gone."

This ward was like a massive surveillance device. Xi Zhoumeng directly told Shen Yu to turn off the main control.

The elder military officer on the other end sighed. "Why are you so unrestrained?"

Then Shen Yu laughed out loud. "Promise me one thing."

Xi Zhoumeng: "I promise."

Shen Yu: "Aren't you going to ask what it is?"

Xi Zhoumeng: "Isn't it just about being the commander? If you can handle the pressure, I'll do it."

Sheng Yangkui asked, "Then, Senior, how will you kill its consciousness? Like you did before?"

Xi Zhoumeng shook her head. "I need you to be invaded again."

Chi Yueshan nearly stood up to curse her, but Xi Zhoumeng covered her mouth.

The blonde Alpha's words were so direct that Sheng Yangkui smiled and then nodded without hesitation. Her glands had been on the verge of being destroyed by her own hand, and the timely treatment had only left her looking even weaker.

"Is this my final value?"

Xi Zhoumeng said, "Of course not."

"Your value is in building a new regime with us."

"For example, allowing our Marshal Shen to openly marry her Alpha friend."

"For example, allowing Omegas to choose to be with other Omegas."

"For example… sigh, there's too much. We'll talk about it later."

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