Blame the Villain – Chapter 35
by Little PandaThe Villainous Scientist (15)
Starting From Scratch: Little Marshal x Mad, Dark, Sickly Scientist
Once this shape-shifting Zerg was killed, dealing with the subsequent Zerg became much simpler.
Not long after Jiang Qianyu woke up, the Zerg across the entirety of Insect Egg Planet were completely wiped out.
It was worth mentioning that even though Song Xuyi spent most of her remaining time taking care of Jiang Qianyu, she was still the person in the team who had hunted down the most Zerg.
Eradicating all the Zerg meant that this joint exercise had also come to an end. Just as they had when they arrived, the group boarded the spaceship and headed back to Blue Star.
Although some people were injured during this training exercise, fortunately, there were no casualties, and the students had received the most thorough tempering through the baptism of this period.
Though the atmosphere on the journey back was relaxed, it was no longer as lighthearted and rowdy as it had been on the way there.
Those who had gone through the baptism of war would always carry a subtle change between their brows. It was a resolve tempered by blood and fire, as well as a profound reverence for life.
The battlefield gave birth to heroes and hot-blooded passion, but more than that, it harvested lives. And life should never become a stepping stone for military achievements.
When they set out, they had been green, childish students; when they returned, they were already half-formed soldiers. In less than a year, they would become true warriors.
Only at this moment did everyone realize just how precious their student days were.
Unfortunately, the most precious times were always the ones that slipped away the fastest.
The spaceship soon arrived at Blue Star.
A broken bone takes a hundred days to heal. Jiang Qianyu was now regarded as the hope of medical science on Blue Star; upon hearing the news of her injury, several teachers in the medical school had nearly fainted from fright!
They arranged a premium VIP room for Jiang Qianyu in the campus hospital, using every persuasion to insist that she move in.
Had it been the Jiang Qianyu from before they set off, she certainly would not have agreed to occupy a hospital room separate from Song Xuyi. However, because she currently needed to temporarily lower Song Xuyi’s guard by pretending she no longer liked her, Jiang Qianyu considered it for a moment and ultimately moved into the room the teachers had arranged.
The conditions in the hospital room were much better than those in the dormitory, including a very large wardrobe. After Song Xuyi escorted Jiang Qianyu into the room, she was highly satisfied with everything else, but her brow furrowed the moment she saw that large wardrobe.
Ever since they had shared a dormitory room, under Song Xuyi’s deliberate guidance, Jiang Qianyu no longer needed to sleep in a claustrophobic space—but that was under the condition that both of them were sleeping in the exact same room…
Although Song Xuyi had slept outside for a few days when they were on Insect Egg Planet, Jiang Qianyu had to get up in the middle of the night for her night shifts in the medical tent during those days, so Song Xuyi had no way of knowing whether she had actually fallen asleep.
After thinking it over repeatedly, Song Xuyi ultimately found someone to carry the wardrobe out.
Jiang Qianyu had no objections to this. She thoroughly enjoyed watching Song Xuyi bustle about on her behalf.
By the time Song Xuyi had the wardrobe replaced and returned to the room, a large crowd of medical school teachers had already rushed over, showering Jiang Qianyu with warm concern and inquiries.
These teachers included Alphas, Omegas, and Betas, yet every single one of them had faces full of genuine concern when facing Jiang Qianyu.
Leaning against the doorframe of the hospital room, Song Xuyi watched the tiny, unconscious smile that played on the corners of Jiang Qianyu’s lips despite her outwardly exasperated expression, and she found herself smiling along with her.
Even if Jiang Qianyu herself had not realized it, from Chen Xi to the Alpha teachers, she had actually begun to gradually accept Alphas.
For Jiang Qianyu, this was a positive transformation.
Next, her way of thinking would need to be transformed further.
Perhaps it was not just Jiang Qianyu’s individual mindset, but the mindset of the vast majority of people throughout the entire galaxy.
Song Xuyi had analyzed it: Jiang Qianyu’s development of the Alpha-to-Omega Conversion Drug was likely inspired by the Emperor’s use of Alpha Enhancing Drugs to control Alphas.
In a way, this actually reflected the subconscious contradiction within Jiang Qianyu: she despised Alphas, yet tacitly accepted that Alphas were stronger than Omegas, which was why she had experimented on her own body to make her physical capabilities equal to an Alpha’s. It was also why she believed that turning an Alpha into an Omega was the greatest possible torment for them…
In this way of thinking, Jiang Qianyu believed that strength was paramount, forgetting that besides brute strength, talent and hard work could also create miracles. In a truly excellent society, every single individual could find their own foothold, and the direction that people’s hearts yearned for was the direction toward which society and civilization would forge ahead.
This was what Blue Star currently advocated, and it was also what Song Xuyi wanted Jiang Qianyu and the millions of common citizens to understand.
With this thought in mind, Song Xuyi signed up for a physical examination just a few days after her return.
The results of Song Xuyi’s physical examination shocked countless people when they came out.
In terms of bodily functions, Song Xuyi was completely normal.
However, Song Xuyi was actually an Omega!
But… how was that even possible?
Others might not know, but Huang Fu was well aware of Song Xuyi’s past identity. How could someone who had reached the rank of Marshal in a place as ruthless as Imperial Star possibly be an Omega?
The researchers studied her case repeatedly and discovered that some specific transformation had occurred within Song Xuyi’s body; her physiological sex characteristics were already 98% those of an Omega.
Just what on earth was going on?
…
The researchers were utterly baffled, yet Song Xuyi, the individual in question, remained exceptionally calm.
“That’s the real reason I resigned as the Empire’s Marshal,” Song Xuyi said, having prepared her excuse long ago. “I woke up one day and found that I had turned into an Omega, and my strength had plummeted. To escape the fate of being oppressed as an Omega in the Empire, I traveled far away to Blue Star…”
“Perhaps you could investigate some Alphas who were originally highly powerful or had committed various misdeeds, but have recently gone against their usual behavior to lie low. You might find some people in the same situation as me…”
Sure enough, Huang Fu went to investigate.
Song Xuyi didn’t know what they discovered, but after some time, the researchers stopped studying her. The production of Blue Gold was ramped up to accelerate the processes of military training and research. Although everything appeared extremely peaceful, beneath this veneer of tranquility, Song Xuyi could smell the scent of a gathering storm that was about to sweep across the entire galaxy.
Not long after, a mech research institute more suited to the Omega constitution began construction. By this point, Song Xuyi had completely lost her Alpha capabilities and become an Omega, but she remained the undisputed number one pilot of the mech squad.
Song Xuyi took the initiative to join this project.
During this period, Jiang Qianyu was just as busy.
Jiang Qianyu’s existence was the hope of medical science for Blue Star. She had reached a secret agreement with Blue Star’s pharmaceutical research institutions: she would provide them with the most advanced research methods, and in return, the institutions would build an exceptionally large laboratory for her.
From Song Xuyi’s perspective, Jiang Qianyu seemed to have indeed let go of her feelings for her, just as she had claimed.
Once her physical health improved slightly, Jiang Qianyu began working in the laboratory, leaving early and returning late, spending the vast majority of her time there. Although she told Song Xuyi that she was merely running errands for her teachers in the lab to conceal her true pharmaceutical prowess, Song Xuyi understood that Jiang Qianyu was actually the one directing the entire laboratory.
This was a secret of the highest classification, known only to the hospital director, the school principal, and the Empire’s generals in charge of medical and pharmaceutical research. Since several generals managed different domains, even Huang Fu remained unaware of Jiang Qianyu’s true identity.
Jiang Qianyu guessed that Song Xuyi likely knew something, more or less. After all, she had shown far too many flaws that she could not explain away. However, since Song Xuyi didn’t bring it into the open, Jiang Qianyu naturally wouldn’t be the first to speak of it.
Jiang Qianyu made every effort to control her urge to draw close to Song Xuyi, personally working overtime to refine the drugs she had researched specifically for her revenge. Only after she settled her blood feud with the vile dog of an Emperor could she focus entirely on pursuing Song Xuyi…
Yet, while Jiang Qianyu tried her utmost to maintain her boundaries and prevent Song Xuyi from sensing her love, everyone else had begun to accept that the two of them were a couple.
The scene of Jiang Qianyu selflessly throwing herself in the way to save Song Xuyi on Insect Egg Planet had been recorded on video by those who arrived afterward. It subsequently spread across the entire school, sending shockwaves through countless hearts. How many people could be like Jiang Qianyu, facing the full-force blow of a Zerg for their beloved without a single second thought? If that wasn’t love, then what could it possibly be…
Many began to secretly ship Song Xuyi and Jiang Qianyu as a couple.
A few persistent suitors who hadn’t given up hope of pursuing Song Xuyi saw the photo of Jiang Qianyu and Huang Fu posted on Jiang Qianyu’s social media. Combined with the subsequent revelation that Song Xuyi was an Omega, and the explicit warnings from Chen Xi, the others dejectedly abandoned those thoughts.
After all, an Omega could only be marked by one person in their lifetime, and erasing a mark required paying an astronomical price. Now that Jiang Qianyu had already met the family elder, everyone felt that it was only a matter of time before Jiang Qianyu marked Song Xuyi.
Although Song Xuyi was puzzled by the sudden drop in her suitors, this was actually a good thing for her, as it meant she could focus more single-mindedly on her training. Consequently, she didn’t take it to heart.
Huang Fu’s impression of Jiang Qianyu had now become exceptionally favorable.
Huang Fu had also watched the video and was shocked by the prowess Jiang Qianyu displayed, which surpassed that of most Alphas. Song Xuyi could only help Jiang Qianyu round out her lie by claiming that Jiang Qianyu had long been hers—that she was actually an Alpha all along, and had previously disguised herself as an Omega solely to protect her in secret.
Huang Fu believed Song Xuyi’s words and was deeply moved by everything Jiang Qianyu had done for her. Once, upon running into Jiang Qianyu, he even patted her on the shoulder and said with emotion, “Fortunately, there’s still someone like you remaining by Xuyi’s side, never leaving nor abandoning her…”
“Once the interstellar conflict is over, I’ll host a grand wedding for you and Xuyi…”
Standing nearby, Song Xuyi almost choked on her own saliva when she heard this. Just as she instinctively tried to change the subject, Jiang Qianyu’s eyes darkened slightly, and she spoke first. “What happens between Xuyi and me depends on her arrangements. Right now, she’s only thinking of building her career…”
“In most other households, the Alpha handles external affairs while the Omega manages the domestic, but I didn’t expect the roles to be reversed between the two of you,” Huang Fu boomed with laughter, immensely pleased with Jiang Qianyu’s attitude of putting Song Xuyi first in everything. Turning around, he feigned a stern lecture to Song Xuyi. “I heard that many people have confessed to you at school. You can’t let other people turn your head and make you a scumbag. These days, it’s very hard to find a girl as devoted as Little Jiang…”
Jiang Qianyu’s rhetoric was indeed a practical way to deflect the issue, but since she’d phrased it that way, Song Xuyi couldn’t bring herself to deny it. She could only laugh it off and steer the conversation elsewhere, feeling in her heart that there was a high probability she’d end up as the ‘scumbag’ who abandoned a ‘devoted girl’ in Huang Fu’s eyes. What she failed to notice, however, was the smiling gaze Jiang Qianyu cast her way…
In March, the official approval for Song Xuyi to join the mech research project was granted.
Entering the Omega mech research project meant that for the next three months or so, Song Xuyi would have to remain stationed inside the institute under complete lockdown to evaluate the mechs, unable to go outside.
And since Song Xuyi was scheduled to graduate at the end of June, she would likely step straight out of the institute and into her graduation ceremony.
Before entering the institute, Song Xuyi went to see Jiang Qianyu.
There were many oranges arranged around Jiang Qianyu’s laboratory, and the air was filled with a sweet citrus fragrance. Jiang Qianyu seemed to particularly enjoy the scent of sweet oranges; every time Song Xuyi came to the laboratory, she would see many oranges placed by Jiang Qianyu’s side.
Upon hearing the news that Song Xuyi was about to enter the institute, Jiang Qianyu showed no sign of anomaly. “What a coincidence. I have to leave Blue Star soon for some business, and it’ll probably take about three months as well…”
Song Xuyi glanced at Jiang Qianyu, feeling that such a coincidence was somewhat strange. However, Jiang Qianyu had already promised to let go of her feelings, and she hadn’t shown any signs of unusual behavior recently. Thin-skinned as she was, Song Xuyi felt too embarrassed to press her on whether she’d intentionally scheduled it this way.
In reality, Song Xuyi knew that Jiang Qianyu had still gotten in touch with the civilian Omega organizations just as she had in the original plot line, and her departure this time was likely to secretly supply those organizations with formulas and drugs.
Yet Song Xuyi didn’t know where her confidence came from: perhaps it was because of the gentleness Jiang Qianyu had shown lately, perhaps it was because of the faint fondness Jiang Qianyu had expressed for life on Blue Star, or perhaps it was simply pure trust in Jiang Qianyu herself. Song Xuyi consistently felt that Jiang Qianyu wouldn’t walk down the path described in the original plot outline, which would cause the blood of the galaxy’s citizens to flow like rivers.
“I’ll bring you a gift and make sure to rush back for your mech graduation ceremony.”
This was the last sentence they spoke before ending their conversation.
Both of them thought this was merely an ordinary promise, and neither anticipated that the political landscape of the galaxy would undergo such volatile and treacherous shifts in the days to come:
Because she proposed a bill allowing Omegas and Betas to enter the military, Second Princess Zhao Man was placed under house arrest by the Emperor for several months. After her house arrest was lifted, the Emperor assigned two adjutants to Zhao Man, ostensibly to assist her, but in reality to monitor her every movement.
Zhao Man knew full well what was happening, but she had no choice but to take those two adjutants with her to the front lines.
The two adjutants knew absolutely nothing about the battlefield yet presumed to direct Zhao Man’s operations. Fortunately, Zhao Man was highly experienced in combat and ignored them entirely, securing several victories of various scales. Consequently, public clamor for Zhao Man to become the Emperor’s successor grew louder and more intense by the day.
During a battle against the Zerg, Zhao Man never expected that the two adjutants would withdraw the reinforcement troops she had prepared, leaving her isolated army surrounded by the Zerg swarm. After days of bloody combat and heavy losses, Zhao Man managed to escape with her life, only to find upon returning to camp that her lover, Zhou Sui, had been arrested by those two adjutants, who had also discovered Zhou Sui’s identity as an Omega.
For an Omega to enlist in the military without authorization was a capital offense. To protect Zhou Sui, Zhao Man found a pretext to execute the two adjutants.
However, the Emperor used this incident to launch an offensive, stripping Zhao Man of her rank as Marshal and even exiling her to the lawless, ungoverned sectors of space—a lawless sector meant that the Zerg could freely enter and exit, making it clear that the Emperor intended to use the Zerg to eliminate Zhao Man.
At this point, Zhao Man completely gave up on the Emperor.
In April, two special guests quietly arrived on Blue Star.
As an outstanding figure among the younger generation, Song Xuyi, who was currently testing the new mechs, also met this ‘guest’.
The two generals, who had once been the most loyal servants of the Empire, reunited on Blue Star. Looking back at their past glory and comparing it to their current downfallen states, they shared a smile, their hearts filled with deep emotion.
“You’ve changed a lot,” Zhao Man said, studying Song Xuyi with a complex expression. “I heard you became an Omega.”
“I heard the Second Princess once became an Omega, too.”
Song Xuyi curled her lips. “But once I got used to it, I didn’t find it very difficult to adapt, because Blue Star is wonderful.”
“Yes, Blue Star is wonderful,” Zhao Man laughed, and then her eyes darkened as she extended her hand toward Song Xuyi. “Would Marshal Song be interested in joining me to build thousands more Blue Stars?”
“I’m willing to serve Your Highness!”
In May, Zhao Man encountered star bandits in the lawless sector and went missing.
At the same time, Alphas on various planets suddenly obtained a massive quantity of Alpha Enhancing Drugs from an unknown faction. Having secured an alternative source for the drug, the powerful Alphas who had long been dissatisfied with the Emperor began to ignore his commands.
Overnight, the political situation on Imperial Star underwent an earth-shattering change.
The Left Chancellor—the Emperor’s most trusted Alpha chancellor—launched a rebellion, placing the Emperor under house arrest and propping up the First Prince as a puppet Emperor.
Somehow, the Left Chancellor, who was notoriously cruel, lecherous, and had forcibly taken over a dozen Omegas, died at the hands of the Omegas in his inner courtyard. Overnight, every single Omega in his household vanished without a trace.
Lacking the support of the Left Chancellor, the First Prince was soon assassinated, and the Third Princess ascended the throne…
Within a short span of a little over a month, by mid-June, several successive waves of rulers had sat on the throne. However, on average, these people couldn’t even hold the imperial seat for a week before dying at the hands of an Omega or a Beta.
At the same time, notorious and abusive Alphas across various planets met sudden deaths, and the perpetrators were invariably the very Omegas or Betas who had suffered endlessly at their hands without any power to resist…
The laws of the Empire couldn’t seek justice for these weak victims, so they raised their blades and began to carve out justice for themselves…
Only then did the arrogant Alphas realize the sheer power of Omegas.
They had no idea where the Omegas had acquired the strength to assassinate Alphas, and this unknown only bred greater panic. Alpha rulers on every planet began to feel deeply threatened, locking down their star systems in an attempt to protect themselves.
But for the Omegas, this was a taste of freedom they had never experienced before!
They began to step out of the tiny confines of their inner residences, walking freely down the streets without needing to wear veils or heavy cloaks, no longer fearing that they would be abruptly abducted while walking in public…
Behind them stood a mysterious figure.
That mysterious figure had supplied them with the most outstanding pharmaceuticals, which could strip the high-and-mighty Alphas of their strength and enable the victims to enhance their own power to seize control of their own lives…
The imperial order, in which Alphas had monopolized the ruling class for thousands of years, began to crumble…
Planets locked themselves down one after another, but even this couldn’t stop the deaths of the Alphas.
Interstellar shipping lanes were severed, bandits and outlaws ran rampant everywhere, the Empire plunged into utter chaos, and the Zerg at the borders began to stir restlessly…
Yet at such a critical juncture, on Blue Star—the most remote corner of the Empire—the Second Princess, who had previously been declared dead, suddenly reemerged. Leading a well-equipped Blue Star army, she launched an assault on the rebel forces of Imperial Star under the banner of “rescuing the Emperor,” acting as a rising star that brought brand-new hope amidst the ruins.
It was a nearly perfect army, especially the vanguard mech division, which was invincible and crushed all obstacles before it, sweeping all the way to the imperial capital!
Furthermore, the public was astonished to discover that many of the soldiers in this formidable mech division were actually Omegas and Betas!
So, Omegas and Betas really could step onto the battlefield relying entirely on their own abilities…
Not only could Omegas go to war, but they could also perform outstandingly.
In particular, that elegant Omega mech pilot who was always charging at the very front—her gentle smile formed the sharpest contrast with her clean, brutal combat style. She would remain a role model for countless mech pilots even thousands of years in the future…
Eras continued to move forward, yet the pursuit of certain ideals would never change: such as justice, such as equality…
In a conference room on a distant planet, Jiang Qianyu remained silent for a very long time after hearing this news.
The people around her were divided into two factions, mirroring her own deeply conflicted heart.
One faction consisted of Omegas who had suffered immense hardships and utterly despised Alphas; they insisted on overthrowing Alpha rule to establish an Omega-led regime that would enslave Alphas, wiping away the hatred of being humiliated and abused by Alphas for so many years.
The other faction, led primarily by Zhou Sui, wanted to align themselves with the Second Princess.
Zhou Sui spoke softly to comfort her. “Qianyu, we won’t force you. I’m only telling you what I know: the Second Princess is my partner, and she promised me that she’d build the entire Empire into a star system like Blue Star in the future. I believe her, and I hope you’ll believe me, too…”
Zhou Sui projected the holographic footage of the Blue Star army in battle onto the center of the conference room:
In the Blue Star army, Omegas and Betas also charged at the vanguard. They could attain high military ranks, commanding Alphas to salute them when they met. These achievements were earned through their own efforts and talents, with everyone sharing the exact same opportunities…
For a moment, everyone present fell into a brief daze.
Jiang Qianyu’s gaze fell upon the gentle yet dangerous figure of Song Xuyi at the vanguard of the formation. After the battle concluded, Song Xuyi shut down her mech and carefully comforted each and every injured soldier…
So… it’d already been more than two months since she last saw Xuyi.
What did the most beautiful, powerful, and resilient strength look like?
It wasn’t losing heart when falling into a low valley, nor becoming arrogant when returning to a lofty height. It was striving to hold one’s destiny in one’s own hands, constantly pressing forward, constantly climbing upward…
Exactly like—Song Xuyi.
Perhaps this was the very reason Xuyi attracted her so deeply.
A trace of inexplicable fatigue rose within her heart, accompanied by a sense of release.
Jiang Qianyu lowered her head, looked in Zhou Sui’s direction, and softly uttered, “Alright.”
It wasn’t that she believed in the Second Princess, but rather that she believed in Song Xuyi. She wanted to see more people in the world live their lives the way Song Xuyi did.
The Blue Star army breached the defenses of Imperial Star.
The imperial palace of Imperial Star was virtually deserted; upon hearing the news of Zhao Man’s forces breaking in, the palace’s residents had already fled long ago.
Zhao Man’s adjutant held the rest of the troops outside the chambers, following Song Xuyi as she stepped into the inner palace.
As soon as they entered the inner palace, they were met with a foul, reeking stench. The once-haughty Emperor, with his arms and legs broken, was huddled in a corner of the wall, with a few expired nutrient solutions placed in front of him…
“Who’s there?” the Emperor rasped, widening his eyes in the darkness to stare at the two figures approaching against the light. Once he recognized Song Xuyi, he shrank back in terror. “It’s you… Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”
As if suddenly recalling something, the Emperor’s eyes bulged, and he glared at Song Xuyi, letting out a harsh, cackling laugh. “Marshal Song… You’re about to die. Only if I live do you have a chance of survival…”
…
Song Xuyi was taken aback.
The Emperor seemed to want to say more, but Song Xuyi drew her sword.
Throughout this entire campaign, although Song Xuyi had injured some opponents while operating her mech, she had never personally killed anyone. In her own words: “Military force should be used to defend against foreign enemies, not directed at the citizens of our own Empire…”
Yet this time, meeting the astonished gaze of the adjutant, who’d stepped forward specifically fearing that Song Xuyi wouldn’t be able to bring herself to do it, Song Xuyi thrust her sword straight into the Emperor’s chest.
“—I’m taking revenge on you on behalf of someone, and on behalf of the tens of thousands of wailing souls of her entire family!”
…
Song Xuyi walked out of the inner palace. She heard herself speak in a quiet voice, “We’ve arrived too late. His Majesty has already perished at the hands of the rebels…”
No one questioned Song Xuyi’s words, for she had previously been the Marshal most loyal to the Emperor. Some sharp-witted individuals did manage to guess what had occurred, but what of it? The Emperor had committed countless atrocities; his death was a well-deserved punishment…
With the Emperor dead, Zhao Man, who possessed the only remaining royal lineage, naturally became the new Emperor. The Blue Star forces began reclaiming and securing the palace…
It was foreseeable that after fighting alongside Zhao Man all this way, Blue Star would become the most prominent planet within the Empire.
Sitting on the city wall, Song Xuyi looked at the blood-red sunset glow on the horizon. Various fragments of memory flashed through her mind, and suddenly, everything connected into a single line…
No wonder! Song Xuyi had always wondered why the Emperor hadn’t dispatched any pursuers to hunt her down when she fled Imperial Star before. She’d assumed the Emperor held some lingering affection for the original host’s body, but she’d never imagined that the Emperor had already struck long ago…
The adjutant assumed Song Xuyi was feeling downcast because she had killed the Emperor. Thoughtfully refraining from disturbing her, he quietly set down two documents next to her.
One was Song Xuyi’s graduation certificate from the military academy, and the other was a new letter of appointment, designating her as the newly instated Marshal.
Through the course of this long campaign, Song Xuyi had earned herself an exceptionally outstanding graduation certificate.
Today was the day of Song Xuyi’s graduation.
“Xuyi! Xuyi!”
An unknown amount of time passed as the sky gradually darkened. The System’s voice suddenly rang out with great excitement inside Song Xuyi’s mind: “We’ve completed the mission!”
Song Xuyi was startled.
Throughout this assault on Imperial Star, Jiang Qianyu had never once shown her face. Song Xuyi had originally thought she might be lying low, but the System’s broadcast indicated a certain reality—Jiang Qianyu had abandoned her plan to establish her ideal Omega-led regime.
Her heart was filled with mixed feelings, but more than anything, she felt happy for Jiang Qianyu…
“Xuyi, you’re indeed the best Task-Doer! I really didn’t follow the wrong person…”
“I’m so glad,” Song Xuyi agreed with the System’s excited tone. Listening to the System’s endless chatter, Song Xuyi suspected that the System had somehow gotten drunk. She lay down on the city wall and began to chat idly with the System. “System, have you ever seen the Main God?”
“Never.”
“System, did you ever find out what that unidentified attack from last time was?”
“I found out, but the Main God seems to have met with some accident recently. I suddenly can’t contact it…”
“System, why is there a rule that Task-Doers aren’t allowed to fall in love in these small worlds?”
“I don’t know either. That was decreed by the Main God.” As if fearing that Song Xuyi would think it incompetent, the System added, “Every Task-Doer has different mission guidelines. Your guidelines have only one rule, and that’s that you can’t fall in love…”
“Then… what are the consequences of disobeying the Main God?”
“Xuyi, how could you have such a dangerous thought?” The System’s voice turned frantic. “Task-Doers who disobey the Main God’s orders always end up deeply, bitterly regretting it in the end…”
In other words, even if she disobeyed the Main God, the System didn’t actually know the specific consequences…
Song Xuyi blinked, having obtained the information she wanted. Before the System could freak out any further, she changed the subject. “System, can I stay here for a while longer?”
“Of course you can!”
…
Gradually, a massive crowd gathered beneath the city walls, their cheers shaking the heavens!
With the establishment of the new dynasty, many soldiers from Blue Star also received their graduation certificates on this very day. This epoch-making campaign, which marked the transition into the late interstellar era, served as their most meaningful graduation ceremony.
Song Xuyi also joined the celebrating crowd. She walked alongside the people, eventually arriving at her former Marshal’s Residence. The layout of the residence remained unchanged, and several elderly servants had kept everything in perfect order.
Song Xuyi walked into the courtyard and entered her old bedroom. Everything felt as if it had happened only yesterday; it was right here that she had first laid eyes on Jiang Qianyu, who was more exquisite than a porcelain doll…
…
Amidst her reverie, a soft creak sounded as someone pushed the door open.
A figure walked in, carrying the scent of wind and frost, her steps hurried and weary—
Song Xuyi blinked.
Under the dim lamplight, the exquisitely beautiful girl held a bouquet of flowers. They were incredibly vibrant blossoms, a variety with which Song Xuyi was intimately familiar.
In the dream Jiang Qianyu had once had, the woman named Zhao Qingyu had wanted to use this very bouquet of flowers to confess her love to the girl she cherished.
Jiang Qianyu had traveled across several planets before finally locating these flowers, which were known as roses.
“Happy graduation,” Jiang Qianyu heard herself say softly, forcing the corners of her lips upward to squeeze out a smile. “Thankfully, I made it in time for your graduation ceremony.”
She wanted to be happy.
It was just… she’d heard that the Emperor died at the hands of the rebels. Being unable to slay the Emperor with her own hands felt like punching a bale of cotton, leaving an immense, suffocating frustration in her chest that made it impossible for her to feel any joy…
“Thank you for your gift!”
“In return,” she heard the girl she loved say softly as she accepted the flowers from her hands, leaning close to whisper in her ear, “I helped you—”
“—kill the Emperor!”
…
In that instant, Jiang Qianyu’s mind went entirely blank.
So… Xuyi knew everything all along.
She wanted to weep, she wanted to scream; countless emotions boiled within her veins, as if they were about to burst from her chest…
Yet Jiang Qianyu could only bite her lower lip, desperately keeping her emotions under tight lock and key, not daring to let even a shred of her love slip out.
How could Xuyi be so cute?!
It was as if every single inch of her had grown from Jiang Qianyu’s own flesh and blood, gentle and considerate to her very core…
…
Yet, beyond Jiang Qianyu’s expectations, Song Xuyi took the initiative to embrace her.
“Qianyu, you must live well and be happy…”
It was an embrace carrying the slightly cool scent of sweet oranges.
At that time, Jiang Qianyu believed this was merely Song Xuyi’s blessing to her. She happily snuggled into Song Xuyi’s embrace, fantasizing about their blissful future life together, never once imagining that this was actually Song Xuyi’s final farewell.
Jiang Qianyu returned to Blue Star, dreaming of her future happiness with Song Xuyi, and entered the laboratory with a heart full of excitement to research a drug that would turn Song Xuyi back into an Alpha…
Meanwhile, Song Xuyi led the grand army outward, marching to confront the Zerg who had seized the opportunity of the Empire’s internal strife to launch an invasion.
The army led by Song Xuyi remained as invincible as ever, driving the Zerg out of the Empire’s territories and seizing several planets formerly under Zerg control.
In that final battle, the corpses of the Zerg piled up like mountains, and the sky was filled with billowing smoke. Looking at the cheering soldiers who rushed toward her, Song Xuyi smiled as she stepped out of her mech, collapsed to the ground, and never woke again…
…
Song Xuyi’s autopsy showed everything to be completely normal. Everyone believed it to be a tragic accident, mournfully commemorating the Empire’s Marshal.
It wasn’t until a former confidant of the late Emperor defected and revealed a secret to the public: when Song Xuyi departed from Imperial Star, she’d already been poisoned by the Emperor with the Alpha Strength-Loss Drug—a chronic toxin that stripped Alphas of their strength and induced a natural-looking death within five years…
No wonder the Emperor hadn’t dispatched any forces to hunt down Song Xuyi when she left Imperial Star. It was because the Emperor knew she didn’t have long to live…
Once this news spread, everyone despised the late Emperor’s sheer cruelty.
As for Jiang Qianyu, who had shared the closest relationship with Song Xuyi during her life, she returned to the laboratory with an expressionless face upon hearing the news.
No one knew that Jiang Qianyu sat in the laboratory with a deathly pale face, injecting herself with the Omega-to-Alpha Conversion Drug she’d just finalized and originally intended to present to Song Xuyi. Then, almost instantly, she consumed that very same Alpha Strength-Loss Drug—the chronic poison that stripped Alphas of their strength and induced a natural-looking death within five years—and wiped the blood from the corners of her lips.
She would endure every single ounce of pain that Xuyi had suffered.
…
Two years later, Jiang Qianyu developed a highly contagious Anti-Zerg Genetic Drug that targeted the genetic makeup of the Zerg.
Vast swathes of Zerg collapsed on the battlefields, and the Zerg threat that had plagued humanity for thousands of years was completely resolved…
“With the Zerg issue resolved, she should forgive me, right?”
Jiang Qianyu watched the live broadcast of the battlefield, the corners of her lips curving upward. Inhaling the sweet citrus fragrance that lingered in her laboratory, she felt as if she could once again see Xuyi’s form as she fought on the battlefield…
Jiang Qianyu had never imagined that the Alpha Strength-Loss Drug she’d developed under coercion for the Emperor would ultimately be used against Song Xuyi…
Jiang Qianyu pressed a button, completely destroying all formulas for the gender-conversion drugs she’d developed.
Jiang Qianyu had come to realize that a change in gender-based strength couldn’t save humanity; only humanity could save itself.
Xuyi’s pursuit had been correct: in the current Empire, ABO divisions were clearly defined, and society was governed by the rule of law. Everything was progressing in an increasingly positive direction. Jiang Qianyu had never imagined that this once-decaying Empire could become so beautiful…
Yet no matter how beautiful it became, this world no longer had her.
Jiang Qianyu closed her eyes: now, she was going to meet her…
Countless memories swept through her mind: her own, and those of Zhao Qingyu from her dreams… Suddenly, as if a black cloth had been violently ripped away, a flood of memories that had never appeared before erupted within her mind…
“So that’s how it is!”
Jiang Qianyu sighed softly, letting go of all her misgivings entirely.
“Xuyi, we’ll eventually meet again…”
Jiang Qianyu curled her lips, slipping into the eternal darkness…
The author has something to say:
Hehehehehe~
It shouldn’t be… too angsty, right?
Hands on hips: I’m definitely not a devil!
Next story: An inspirational, self-made wealthy real heiress cutie × A beautiful, impoverished student villain who escaped from a devil’s den.
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