Chapter 140
“Foster father?”
Su Ci recalled Xue Wei once mentioning her “sir,” but he hadn’t expected that person to hold such a high position in the Ters Empire.
“What does he want with Xue Wei?” Su Ci asked.
“Marshal Li is on his way to Prison Star,” Guo Hui replied, pausing for a moment before continuing. “He hopes to bring Xue Wei back with him.”
Hearing this, Su Ci was a bit surprised. Was it out of guilt, knowing the dangers of Prison Star, that he decided to take her back? Given Xue Wei’s character and demeanor, it was indeed hard to imagine someone not liking her.
After thinking for a moment, Su Ci nodded. “Alright, I understand. Wait a moment.”
He ended the call and flashed over to the nursery grounds, finding Xue Wei playing with her companions.
Su Ci had no particular opinion about Xue Wei’s foster father wanting to take her away. Unlike the others, she had no binding commitments or agreements with Su Ci. Moreover, Xue Wei was different from the other cubs—she had deep connections with the outside world, ties that even influenced her state of mind.
If she wanted to leave, Su Ci wouldn’t stop her.
But when Xue Wei heard Su Ci’s words, she froze, staring at him in disbelief. “Su Su… Are you serious? Sir is really coming to take me back?”
“Yes,” Su Ci confirmed.
“But why would he come for me? He must hate me…” Tears welled up in Xue Wei’s eyes as she muttered in disbelief.
“Chirp!” The little sparrow on her shoulder also chirped excitedly.
Su Ci shrugged. “You can ask him yourself.”
With that, he took Xue Wei back to the dormitory, leaving the rest of the cubs to look at each other in confusion.
“What does Su Su mean by that? Is someone coming to take Xue Wei away?” Little Lang Ze scratched his head. “Is Wei Wei leaving the nursery?”
“Xue Wei isn’t leaving!” Little Li Hua shouted, her small lion-like face filled with anger.
Although her tone was fierce, her eyes were already red, and her voice was tinged with sobs. “Wei Wei isn’t leaving… Waaah! Brother…”
She couldn’t hold it in any longer and turned to cry in her brother’s arms.
Rong Heng immediately hugged her, casting a slightly annoyed glance at Lang Ze before comforting his sister. “Don’t worry. Xue Wei might not leave. Let’s wait until she comes back and ask her, okay?”
“Okay…” Little Li Hua sniffled, reluctantly holding back her tears as she buried her face in her brother’s chest.
Though the time they had spent together wasn’t long, Little Li Hua had grown to deeply love Xue Wei as a big sister. To her, Xue Wei was almost as important as the nursery’s caretaker robots, so the thought of her leaving was simply unbearable.
Naturally, she felt a surge of hostility toward the “sir” who wanted to take Xue Wei away.
Meanwhile, Su Ci brought Xue Wei back to the dormitory and initiated a video call with Guo Hui.
The call was quickly answered, and Guo Hui initially intended to connect the third party immediately. However, when she saw the little girl standing beside Su Ci, she froze in surprise.
Although Xue Wei’s appearance hadn’t changed much, Guo Hui distinctly remembered the state Xue Wei had been in when she first arrived at the nursery.
Now, her spirits were vibrant, her fair cheeks carried a healthy pink glow, and her eyes—bright and lively—shone with joy. Though her eyes were a little red, she looked nothing like the despondent and lifeless girl she once was; instead, she seemed as though she had been reborn.
Guo Hui found it hard to believe that all this was just because her former foster father had reached out…
She thought of the rumors circulating among the maintenance workers—how the cubs in the nursery had become incredibly well-behaved and polite, even offering tea to the workers during their tasks.
Some workers had even secretly snapped photos of the cubs—although, frustratingly, any attempts to share the pictures were automatically blocked and deleted by the base’s AI system.
As someone who frequently handled reimbursement requests from the nursery, Guo Hui had also noticed a significant shift recently.
Ever since Caretaker Su arrived, her workload had noticeably lightened. This month, the only nursery-related reimbursement she processed was for the creation of the cubs’ identification badges…
Even the nursery’s lone caretaker robot had somehow managed to last this long without breaking down.
Guo Hui looked at Su Ci, her expression a mix of emotions.
This caretaker, whom no one initially believed in, had turned out to be their greatest surprise.
In her mind, one thought was clear: No matter what, they had to keep him here.
As these thoughts raced through her mind, Guo Hui said, “Hello, Xue Wei. Marshal Li Sinian wishes to speak with you. I’m about to connect the call—will that be alright?”
Although their adoption bond had already been severed, Guo Hui couldn’t force Xue Wei to speak with the Marshal if she didn’t want to.
Fortunately, Xue Wei nodded. “Okay.”
With her consent, Guo Hui’s image disappeared from the screen, replaced by a couple sitting tensely in front of the camera.
Xue Wei, who had been mentally preparing herself to apologize to her foster father, was utterly stunned when she saw the figure sitting beside the man. Her tears, barely held back, overflowed instantly.
“Ma-Madam…”
She reached out as if to touch the screen, but her fingers passed through the virtual display. The woman on the screen mirrored her action, reaching out as well.
Though they couldn’t touch, Xue Wei’s tear-filled eyes sparkled with joy, and a silent smile spread across her face.
It’s okay… It’s all okay.
Madam Yan Ya was safe and sound. That explained why her foster father had agreed to see her.
“Wei Wei, my Wei Wei, Mommy is here. Are you alright?” Yan Ya’s voice trembled as she leaned closer to the camera, completely crowding out Marshal Li from the screen.
She gazed at her adopted daughter on Prison Star, her heart breaking as she imagined the harsh environment her child was enduring, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
“We’re coming to get you, sweetheart. Just stay safe at the nursery. In a little over half a month, we’ll be there to see you!”
Although Yan Ya’s health required rest, Li Sinian hadn’t been able to dissuade her. In the end, he had no choice but to bring her along to Prison Star.
Prison Star’s governance by the Star Alliance made the process complex and sensitive. They had to submit an application to the Alliance and navigate the bureaucracy, which had delayed their contact until now.
As for the warship’s landing, the approval process was even more complicated and still ongoing. However, with over half a month remaining, they believed they could manage.
If worst came to worst, they would resort to landing with a smaller spacecraft.
“Madam, please don’t cry. I’m doing very well at the nursery. You don’t need to worry about me,” Xue Wei said as she wiped her tears, trying hard to calm herself down. “Is your health better now?”
Her response only made Yan Ya’s heart ache more. Xue Wei’s attempt to put on a brave face, despite her obvious distress, was almost too much to bear.
Considering the harsh conditions of Prison Star, how could Xue Wei possibly be “doing well”? Yan Ya was certain her words were just to comfort her.
Yet, seeing her adopted daughter’s determination, Yan Ya chose not to dismiss her feelings. She wiped her tears and tried to steady herself.
“My health is much better now. Don’t worry about me. That incident… it was an accident. I don’t blame you,” Yan Ya said earnestly, her voice full of warmth.
“Xue Wei, Mommy doesn’t blame you. Did you hear me?”
Xue Wei, who had just managed to stop crying, broke down again upon hearing those words.
“I’m so sorry, Mommy… I’m so sorry…” She buried her face in her arm and cried uncontrollably.
Yan Ya was momentarily stunned, then started crying and laughing at the same time.
She knew Xue Wei once had parents who loved her deeply. After losing them, Xue Wei couldn’t let go of their memory, which was why she had never called Yan Ya “Mommy.”
Yan Ya never minded this. If anything, it made her cherish Xue Wei even more. And now, finally, she heard that precious word—”Mommy.”
She longed to be by Xue Wei’s side in that moment, to hold her and reassure her of just how lucky she felt to have gained such a wonderful daughter after her devastating loss.
“Sweetheart, Mommy truly doesn’t blame you. It wasn’t your fault.”
Yan Ya spoke with a firm voice, “Don’t worry, Mommy will definitely find a way to resolve your bloodline berserk issue. After that, we’ll live together happily, okay?”
Xue Wei, who had initially intended to refuse Li Sinian and stay at the nursery, now found herself utterly unable to summon the will to reject them.
Crying uncontrollably, she nodded and said, “Okay.”
At that moment, Yan Ya wiped her tears and turned to Su Ci, who was standing beside the girl. “Caretaker Su, could you please give her a hug for me?”
Su Ci didn’t refuse. He reached out and gently pulled Xue Wei into his arms, softly patting the top of her head.
“Don’t cry. They’ll come to pick you up soon.”
“Mm…”
Xue Wei tried to hold back her tears, but as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, her lips quivered, and she leaned against Su Ci, her gaze fixed on the screen.
She had so much she wanted to tell her foster parents. She wanted to say that she might have found their child. But just as she was about to speak, she hesitated.
What if she was wrong?
If Madam heard her say this, she would surely be overjoyed and rush over with high hopes. But if it turned out to be a mistake…
The thought of this possibility made Xue Wei too afraid to voice her suspicion.
Just then, the image on the screen began to flicker and destabilize.
Li Sinian’s voice came through. “Xiao Ya, we’re about to enter a wormhole. The connection will be cut off soon.”
As reluctant as Yan Ya was, she nodded in acknowledgment.
She turned to Xue Wei and said, “Wei Wei, we’ll be apart for just a little while. Wait for Mommy; we’ll be reunited very soon.”
In the end, Xue Wei didn’t mention anything about Rong Heng or Li Hua. She thought to herself that she could tell them once they arrived—it would be the same.
“Alright, I’ll wait for you here.”
As the screen went dark, Xue Wei’s emotions gradually settled.
She turned back to Su Ci, her eyes clear and bright. “Su Su, thank you so much for bringing me such wonderful news. Thank you so, so much!”
Su Ci could sense that the heavy knot of gloom that had hung over Xue Wei had finally been untangled and completely dissipated.
He smiled faintly and said, “I didn’t do much.”
Xue Wei also smiled, her gaze still brimming with gratitude as she looked at him.
“Let’s go. The others are still waiting for you on the green field,” Su Ci said.
Thinking about the impending farewell, Xue Wei’s smile dimmed slightly. After some hesitation, she asked, “Su Su, if… Xiang Yang and Li Hua really aren’t Madam and Sir’s children, will they be adopted?”
Xue Wei was confident that Madam and Sir would be more than willing to adopt the siblings.
As for the other children…
Xue Wei couldn’t bear to part with them either. However, adopting so many children at once might be beyond what Sir and Madam could handle. Besides, children like Lie Lie might not even want to be adopted.
Hearing her question, Su Ci gave her a deep look before finally replying, “That’s a question you’ll need to ask Xiang Yang and Li Hua themselves.”
“Alright, I will,” Xue Wei nodded obediently.
Su Ci looked at her, initially planning to send her back to the others and then proceed to clear the water source. But now, he felt uneasy.
Rong Heng was a key figure in Su Ci’s future plans; letting him leave wasn’t an option. But… what if the little lion insisted on leaving?
Of course, he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.
Thus, Su Ci brought little Xue Wei back to the green field.
Under Rong Heng’s reassurance, Li Hua had calmed down and was helping A-Yan harvest the fruits of the Emerald Beans.
When Xue Wei appeared, Li Hua immediately dropped the basket she was holding and ran toward her.
“Sister Xue Wei!”
The other children also gathered around, bombarding her with questions about the “Sir” and whether she was really leaving.
Su Ci gave them space and went to sit on a lounge chair by the wall.
“Su Su, are we still heading out today?” A-Yan came over to ask.
Su Ci shook his head. “Let’s wait a little longer.”
“Chirp chirp!”
The little sparrow flew over, perching on the armrest of the chair and tilting its head to look at Su Ci.
“Leaving this place soon—happy about that?” Su Ci asked, looking at the plump little sparrow.
The sparrow didn’t chirp, but instead rubbed its beak against his hand, its actions full of reluctance.
Su Ci gently stroked its small head with his fingertip, then glanced at Xue Wei, surrounded by the other children. After a moment’s thought, he quietly summoned the base’s AI.
The chances of Xiang Yang and Li Hua wanting to leave were slim, but if they really were the lost children of that couple… Su Ci recalled that Xue Wei had mentioned their circumstances aligned in every way except for their age.
He instructed the base AI to pull up Rong Heng and Li Hua’s files.
A stream of data immediately appeared on the holographic screen.
Rong Heng and Li Hua came from a small frontier nation in the Star Alliance. They weren’t the children of criminals but… were rescued during an investigation into illegal human experimentation.
When they were rescued, Rong Heng was just over three years old, and Li Hua was still an infant swaddled in blankets. It could be said that these unscrupulous scientific maniacs were utterly inhumane.
Su Ci stroked his chin and asked the AI, “Xiao Zhi, can you find out what exactly this human experimentation involved?”
“Please wait a moment.”
About ten minutes later, the base AI’s voice came through, “It was an experiment related to cryogenic human preservation.”
The ability to freeze humans and revive them at a set time had always been a hot topic among interstellar scientists. While many experiments had been conducted on animals, human trials were strictly prohibited.
Upon seeing the name of this experiment, Su Ci immediately understood why the siblings’ ages didn’t align.
He then asked the base AI to retrieve information about General Li. After reviewing his ferocious beast bloodline and its unique traits, Su Ci was almost certain—Rong Heng and Li Hua were indeed the lost children of this couple.
Evidently, Rong Heng’s second awakened bloodline power came from his father.
As for Li Hua’s psychic control… Su Ci leaned more toward the idea that it was an awakened ability, like Yan Ping and others. Of course, her formidable mental strength could also have been inherited from her father.
Given the siblings’ complex circumstances, it was no wonder their parents had struggled to find them.
Su Ci sighed. If this were true, it was going to be troublesome… But then he reconsidered and quickly calmed down.
Leaving aside whether Xiang Yang and Li Hua would even acknowledge these parents, Rong Heng’s physical condition alone meant he couldn’t leave just yet.
And since they couldn’t leave, they could stay and help him farm.
A small smile played on Su Ci’s lips. Then, he glanced at A-Yan beside him, thought for a moment, and said, “Xiao Zhi, pull up the information on Number One.”
He had always been curious. A-Yan, despite being a spirit born of this planet, had somehow ended up being housed in the childcare center as an orphan.
However, the AI responded, “You do not have permission to access this information.”
Su Ci frowned. He had obtained the highest level of authority for Base 24, yet he still couldn’t access A-Yan’s files?
What was going on?
Just as he was about to say something, the holographic screen in front of him began to flicker erratically. The AI’s mechanical voice turned fragmented, interspersed with bursts of static.
“Zzzzz… Attempting to retrieve Number One’s records… Zzzzz… Number One’s archive is empty… Zzzzz…”
Su Ci froze. Number One’s file was empty?
Why?
A vague sense of realization began to dawn on him, but it felt as though something was stopping him, preventing him from uncovering the truth.
That obstruction felt familiar, almost like…
The power of rules?
Wait!
In a flash of insight, Su Ci suddenly understood something. He quickly pulled back his wandering thoughts.
But it was already too late.
“Zzz… No Number One… No Number One…” The voice of the base AI stuttered, struggling as if under immense pressure, but in the end, it managed to say the words.
“The childcare center does not have a Number One.”
As the AI’s final declaration echoed, it was as if something tenuously holding the world together suddenly gave way with a resounding snap.
“Boom—”
Platinum light surged from A-Yan’s body, enveloping him entirely in a blinding glow. He slowly began to float into the air, his eyes shut tightly as the radiant energy overwhelmed him. His small, childlike body, which had remained unchanged for nearly a decade, began to transform and grow rapidly.
Simultaneously, under the crumbling constraints of ancient rules, the blood mist that had long retreated to the desolate corners of the prison planet surged anew. Like a storm unleashed, it roared back to life, sweeping toward every human base on the planet with unstoppable momentum.
In an unknown dimension, a figure wearing a mask sat cross-legged in silence. At that moment, the figure’s red eyes slowly opened, glowing with eerie intensity.
A frenzied voice erupted into the void, brimming with unrestrained ecstasy.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
“The Spirit of the Rules… I’ve finally found you!”
