Chapter 185
As soon as Lang Ze sensed someone ahead, he agilely leapt to the side, even while carrying Zheng Xing on his back. He landed steadily, successfully avoiding the collision.
The person who had almost been run into paused, awkwardly withdrawing the hand they had extended to offer help.
Lu Jiao, who was a step behind, hurried to Lang Ze’s side, standing beside the young wolf cub while warily watching the strangers.
At the entrance stood three or four unfamiliar adults dressed in uniforms. Judging by the colors, they seemed to be from the action and guard teams, but Lang Ze and the others had never seen them before.
“Who are you?” Lu Jiao asked, stepping forward and eyeing the adults cautiously.
Behind them, Ran Lie and a few others emerged from the nursery building. Seeing the situation, they ran over, quickly reinforcing the cubs’ ranks.
“What’s going on?” Ran Lie asked.
“They barged in suddenly. Who knows what they’re up to!” Lang Ze replied.
“It’s a misunderstanding! Please don’t misunderstand!”
Yun Zixu, standing at the front, waved his hands hurriedly. “Little heroes, we’re friendly forces from Base 26, and we’re here to see Caretaker Su.”
He then grabbed Song Zehe, who stood beside him, and added, “This person is a friend of Caretaker Su. They know each other!”
Song Zehe, who had been dragged into this situation, looked visibly stiff. His expression and body language revealed his discomfort. The reason was simple: this trip came with a specific mission from Base 26—to poach talent.
Of course, if they failed to recruit Caretaker Su, they were instructed to secure other benefits for Base 26.
Song Zehe had been reluctant to come. He didn’t have a particularly close relationship with Su Ci. He had only sent a bit of food to Su Ci in the past, which was repaid with a whole box of top-quality Star-chain Fruits.
How could he impose on Su Ci again?
Poaching talent? It felt utterly unethical. Initially, he had flatly refused to take part in this.
Even though Captain Yun tried his best to persuade him, Song Zehe steadfastly refused to agree at first. However, after experiencing numerous battles and watching his comrades continuously get injured while defending against monsters, even his firm resolve began to waver.
Especially when Captain Yun showed him a video of Su Ci effortlessly purifying and destroying hundreds of monsters with just a wave of his hand.
It was then that Song Zehe realized that the seemingly frail Su Ci was, in fact, a powerful force to be reckoned with. He finally understood why Captain Yun was so eager to recruit Su Ci.
Although Song Zehe doubted his own ability to “poach” someone of Su Ci’s caliber, he thought perhaps he could at least ask for Su Ci’s assistance in eliminating the monsters. That would give the exhausted soldiers some much-needed relief.
Song Zehe wasn’t afraid of battle, but the relentless fights over the past weeks had been overwhelming. Even seasoned veterans were struggling to keep up, let alone fresh recruits like him.
The garlic sprays and smoke grenades had been highly effective, but their production couldn’t keep up with consumption. Moreover, they weren’t effective against all monsters.
As a result, the situation at their base had grown increasingly dire.
Song Zehe understood that their deployment to Prison Star was meant to prepare them for front-line combat. However, he couldn’t help but wonder—was front-line combat always this intense and dangerous?
Since the blood mist infiltrated their base, he hadn’t had a single uninterrupted night of sleep.
Eventually, under mounting pressure, Song Zehe decided to accompany Yun Zixu to Base 24 to discuss the matter with Su Ci.
Even if Su Ci refused to help, their team planned to bring back a mutated garlic plant. With that, they could hopefully replicate Base 24’s success in gradually driving the blood mist out of their base.
It seemed Base 24 was aware of their intentions, but to their surprise, no one tried to stop them.
Perhaps the people at Base 24 were confident that Su Ci wouldn’t leave, or maybe they couldn’t bear to see an allied base fall to monsters. Either way, Base 24 even granted them permission to enter the nursery. Of course, that was the extent of their assistance.
Whether or not they could persuade Su Ci was entirely up to them.
Because of this, Yun Zixu was extremely cautious when the cubs seemed to misunderstand their intentions. It was obvious to everyone how much Su Ci cared for the cubs; otherwise, he wouldn’t have stayed at the nursery instead of assisting elsewhere.
However, even after Yun Zixu pushed Song Zehe forward, the cubs remained uninterested.
“Little heroes?”
Lang Ze tilted his head, looking at Yun Zixu in confusion.
The other cubs were also puzzled by the title. Lu Jiao asked, “Why is he calling us little heroes?”
“I have no idea,” replied Lu Li, shaking his head.
Ran Lie and Rong Heng frowned, and Zheng Xing, who had climbed down from Lang Ze’s back, shrank behind Lang Ze and Lu Jiao. The unfamiliar scents of these strangers made him uneasy, so he tucked himself away securely.
The cubs were accustomed to being called “little monsters” by others, but they had never heard anyone refer to them as “little heroes.” Still, the title didn’t sound too bad.
“Your bravery in fighting the monsters last time absolutely deserves to be called heroic,” Yun Zixu explained with a smile. “We even fought side by side—don’t you remember?”
The cubs scrutinized him carefully before collectively shaking their heads.
Yun Zixu: “…”
Alright, not remembering wasn’t the point.
“Is Caretaker Su here?” Yun Zixu asked with a smile, his tone as gentle and harmless as possible.
The cubs, who had been guarded moments before, softened a bit after hearing themselves referred to as “little heroes.” Apparently, they appreciated the title.
“Su Su is still sleeping. You can’t make any noise,” Lu Jiao reminded them sternly, her expression serious.
“Of course, of course,” Yun Zixu nodded eagerly, fully cooperative.
However, Lang Ze, usually carefree and boisterous, was not so easily won over by sweet words. Having experienced the harshness of the world, he remained highly vigilant when it came to things he cared about.
“What do you want with Su Su?” Lang Ze narrowed his eyes at Yun Zixu. “You’re not here to take Su Su away, are you?”
That statement immediately snapped the other cubs out of their softened attitudes.
They lined up in a straight row, their previously friendly gazes turning sharp and hostile. Like a group of small but ferocious creatures protecting their territory, they fixed their eyes on Yun Zixu and the others.
Little Tiger Ran Lie and Little Lion Rong Heng even bared their teeth, ready to fight at a moment’s notice.
Even Zheng Xing released his mental energy, locking onto the group of adults.
The cubs who had fearlessly faced down monsters were certainly not intimidated by these strangers. They would not let anyone take Su Su away from them!
Yun Zixu gulped.
Though a seasoned veteran with countless battles under his belt, he felt an overwhelming pressure from these battle-ready cubs. The others in his group, standing behind him, looked even more unnerved.
It seemed that before convincing Caretaker Su, they would first have to persuade these fiercely protective cubs.
Song Zehe, however, appeared calmer.
He had never truly intended to persuade Su Ci to leave the base. His main objective was simply to ask for Su Ci’s assistance to ease the burden on Base 26.
Faced with the cubs’ questioning, he explained earnestly, “We need Caretaker Su’s help.”
“What kind of help?” Ran Lie asked, his tone still wary.
“We’re from Base 26. The number of monsters attacking our base is overwhelming, and we hope Caretaker Su can assist us in easing the pressure,” Song Zehe explained sincerely.
“You’re really not here to take Su Su away?” Lang Ze asked, still suspicious.
“No, we’re not,” Song Zehe assured them, waving his hands. “We would never disregard Caretaker Su’s wishes or force him into anything.”
Yun Zixu, standing beside him, froze momentarily before nodding in agreement. Though it wasn’t his ideal plan, he realized they had little choice but to follow this approach.
It was clear that convincing Su Ci might prove less challenging than getting past this protective wall of cubs.
Song Zehe’s words sounded sincere, but the cubs didn’t immediately believe him. Instead, they turned to Zheng Xing, who was still hiding behind Lang Ze. The little wolf cub asked, “Xing Xing, is he lying?”
With his extraordinary mental powers, Zheng Xing could even sense the state of plants to determine how much water or fertilizer they needed. So, detecting whether a human was lying was hardly a challenge for him.
Zheng Xing pursed his lips and said slowly, “No.”
Hearing this, the cubs finally let their guard down, while Yun Zixu and his group felt a sense of relief and embarrassment.
So that seemingly unassuming child had the ability to detect lies? They were lucky Song Zehe hadn’t lied!
“Alright, I misunderstood you. I’m sorry,” Lang Ze apologized quickly. Just as he was about to say more, Li Sinian and Yan Ya, accompanied by Little Li Hua and Xue Wei, emerged from the entrance of the care building.
Noticing the commotion, the couple approached.
As soon as Lang Ze saw Yan Ya, he remembered the earlier news and excitedly exclaimed, “Mommy Yan Ya, the chicks have hatched!”
Hearing this, Yan Ya immediately forgot about the strangers. After all, with Li Sinian present, she didn’t need to worry about such matters. “Let’s go check on them!”
And with that, a swarm of cubs, led by Yan Ya, excitedly headed toward the corner where the chicken coop was located, leaving Yun Zixu and the others behind.
The task of dealing with the visitors now fell to—
Yun Zixu turned his gaze to Li Sinian. The longer he looked, the more familiar the man seemed. Finally, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are you… Li Sinian, the former marshal of the Tes Empire?”
“Yes,” Li Sinian nodded.
Although he would’ve preferred to accompany his wife and the cubs, he couldn’t just ignore these soldiers from another base. So, he stayed to exchange pleasantries.
“Marshal Li…” Yun Zixu began, but Li Sinian cut him off, saying, “I’ve already resigned from my position as marshal. You can just call me by my name.”
Yun Zixu was taken aback. “Then you’re here as…?”
Li Sinian replied casually, “Oh, I’m a caretaker here.”
Yun Zixu: ???
Did he mishear?
The former marshal of the Tes Empire had resigned and come to a penal colony to work as a caretaker?
*
Meanwhile, in the chicken coop, A-Yan was carefully transferring the newly hatched chicks from the incubator to an uncovered box nearby.
He had heard the commotion outside but didn’t concern himself with it. The visitors carried relatively pure auras, suggesting they weren’t a threat to the cubs.
Besides, these little ones weren’t easy to bully.
As for their intentions… A-Yan already had a good guess. After all, there were other bases on the planet, and all of them were currently in trouble.
With Base 24 standing out as it did, it was only a matter of time before others sought help.
Regardless of what decision Su Ci made, A-Yan would follow him unconditionally. After all… A-Yan hadn’t forgotten Su Ci’s promise to bring him along if they ever left.
A-Yan smiled faintly as he finished counting the newly hatched chicks, then sprinkled some feed into the box.
The feed, made from plants grown in the green space, was entirely natural, free from pollution, and packed with nutrients to help the chicks grow strong and healthy.
“Brother A-Yan, we’re back!”
Lang Ze’s voice rang out as he dashed into the coop. The sudden noise startled the chicks, causing them to chirp and scatter in the box. One particularly strong chick even flapped its way out of the box.
“Wow! The chick can fly!”
Lu Jiao exclaimed in amazement, then turned to glance at the little sparrow perched on Xue Wei’s shoulder.
The sparrow, equally curious, observed the chicks. Covered in soft, golden-yellow down, they resembled fluffy little balls, undeniably at the peak of their cuteness.
Although Chrip Chirp found the chicks adorable, it quickly grew displeased upon noticing the other cubs comparing them to itself. Flapping its wings, the sparrow soared in a circle near the ceiling of the coop and proudly declared, “I can fly higher than they can!”
It was true—the chicks could only flutter briefly before dropping back to the ground. However, their earnest attempts to take flight were irresistibly endearing.
After catching the rogue chick and placing it back in the box, A-Yan calmed them down. Then, he carried the box outside to let the chicks bask in the sunlight. The coop was surrounded by a small fence, so there was no concern about the chicks wandering off.
Following A-Yan’s gentle reminder to keep quiet, the cubs obediently crouched around the box, watching the chicks peck at the feed. Occasionally, they would lean over to whisper to one another in hushed tones.
Nearby, Yan Ya couldn’t resist snapping photos and videos. Her heart felt completely healed by the scene.
If she were honest with herself, her initial decision to stay at the care center had been for the sake of her two children. But after living here for a week, she now found herself genuinely wanting to stay.
True, the care center didn’t offer the material comforts of the outside world, nor did it boast a wealth of exciting entertainment or complex social circles. Yet her spirit felt far from impoverished.
On the contrary, she experienced a sense of peace unlike anything she had known before.
Every day, she prepared three meals for the children, watching as they cheerfully devoured the food she cooked. She accompanied them in lessons and games, finding joy in the simple, repetitive routines that always seemed to offer something new.
Her greatest joy, however, came from the day Lang Ze had called her “Mommy Yan Ya.” Soon, all the other children had followed suit.
How wonderful would it be to stay and watch these children grow up? If possible, she was more than willing to be their “Mommy Yan Ya” forever.
With this newfound purpose, she and her husband applied to become caretakers at the care center.
Given their prestigious résumés, the positions might have seemed like an odd fit. But with Su Ci as the sole official staff member of the care center, his approval was all it took for the human resources department to greenlight their applications. After all, there were still vacancies to fill.
Moreover, these two new employees not only requested minimal salaries but also donated a substantial amount of supplies to the base and the care center.
Under such circumstances, only a fool would turn them away.
Thus, the Li Sinian couple smoothly joined the Nursery staff. As for the now fully cognizant Lai Ze, the iron-eating beast, he decided not to report back to the base immediately. Unable to revert to his human form yet and concerned about his daughter Qiqi’s severe state of beastification, he chose to remain temporarily at the Nursery center. He hoped to both find a solution for their condition and stay close to his wife and child.
The Nursery center was no longer the lonely place it once was—at least during the day.
The cubs eagerly shared their self-imposed “new rules” with the newly arrived trainee caretakers, emphasizing the importance of maintaining quiet at night. Although neither Wen Yan nor the Li Sinian couple fully understood the reasoning behind these rules, they strictly adhered to them, and so far, no mistakes had been made.
“Let’s give the chicks some names!”
The wolf cub’s cheerful suggestion quickly garnered the enthusiastic agreement of the other cubs. However, Yan Ya couldn’t help but feel a little worried. Naming the chicks might make it easier to form emotional bonds with them, but these chicks were destined to become food in the future.
Looking over at the chicken coop, she hesitated before coming up with an idea: the hens could be kept for egg-laying, allowing emotional attachment without issue. As for the roosters, aside from one or two for breeding, the rest could be moved to a more remote location where they would be raised away from the Nursery center. This way, the children wouldn’t see them regularly, making it less upsetting when the time came for butchering.
A-Yan agreed with Yan Ya’s proposal. He had already considered that raising all 20 chicks within the Nursery center might take up too much space. Keeping a few while relocating the rest to be cared for by automated feeders seemed like the ideal solution.
In the distance, Yun Zixu, overhearing the lively activity near the chicken coop, couldn’t help but ask, “Are they… raising chicks?”
“They are. My wife’s project,” Li Sinian replied with a nod.
Hearing the unmistakable pride in his tone, Yun Zixu fell silent. This former grand marshal, who had resigned from his prestigious position to work as a caretaker, had even brought his wife into the fold? He couldn’t comprehend it but found himself deeply impressed.
What Yun Zixu didn’t anticipate was that an even greater shock awaited him.
After waiting nearly an hour, they finally saw the legendary caretaker, Su Ci.
On the green lawn, under the sharp gazes of the cubs, Yun Zixu explained his purpose for coming: he hoped Su Ci would assist at Base 26 to deal with their growing monster problem. However, the famed caretaker didn’t immediately respond.
Instead, he yawned, his demeanor utterly languid, and turned to the red-haired tiger-eared boy standing nearby.
“Want to go?” Su Ci asked.
