Chapter 230
Su Ci listened to the little wolf cub’s plea but didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned back slightly on the sofa.
Seeing this, Lang Ze became anxious. He quickly moved closer to Su Ci, tugging at the edge of his sleeve, his large tail wagging behind him.
“Su Su, you’re the best! You definitely know how to help Xing Xing, right?” The little wolf cub pleaded, trying to charm Su Ci while adding more offers to sweeten the deal.
“I’ll let you rub my ears and tail every day! And whenever I get delicious snacks, I’ll bring them to you first! Please…”
There was no denying that Lang Ze’s ability to act cute had become increasingly polished, leaving A-Yan, who was watching, with mixed feelings.
It wasn’t that A-Yan couldn’t learn to do the same, but as an adult now, such childish behavior didn’t suit him. He also worried that Su Ci might lose patience and smack him for it.
Su Ci stared at the little wolf cub for a moment before, finally giving in, placing his hand on Lang Ze’s head and giving his fluffy ears a good rub.
Lang Ze allowed Su Ci to pet his ears, his green eyes brimming with anticipation and shining as though they could speak.
At last, Su Ci withdrew his hand and asked, “Does Zheng Xing want to heal his eyes, or are you asking on his behalf?”
Lang Ze immediately looked guilty, but he quickly straightened up and replied confidently, “I’m asking on my own, but Xing Xing definitely wants to be able to see.”
Su Ci nodded and continued, “There is a way.”
Lang Ze’s eyes lit up, but then Su Ci added, “But you need to ask him first—does he really want to?”
Does that even need asking? Lang Ze thought.
However, his retort died in his throat after Su Ci said a few more words. Lang Ze stared at him with wide eyes before eventually nodding.
“Okay, I’ll go ask him.”
Lang Ze agreed and prepared to leave. When his eyes fell on the pile of snacks on the coffee table, he hesitated for a moment before speeding up his steps.
“Su Su, I’m heading back!”
As the little wolf cub dashed out of the room like a gust of wind, Su Ci took his time shifting his gaze back to the snacks. He picked up an unfamiliar packet, opened it, and began munching.
A-Yan walked over and sat beside him.
“Do you think Zheng Xing will agree to have his eyes treated?” A-Yan asked.
Su Ci, chewing on the spicy snack he’d just opened, shook his head. “Hard to say.”
*
Fourth floor of the nursery, Room 403.
The room was dark, with no lights turned on. In the dimness, Zheng Xing lay quietly on his bed.
He wasn’t asleep, just silently waiting. Second by second, time passed, but the familiar presence he was expecting didn’t appear outside the hallway.
Zheng Xing sat up, facing the door, and tilted his head in confusion.
Was Lang Ze not coming today?
He waited a little longer before lying back down. Pulling the blanket over his head, he turned onto his side. But after lying still for a while, he turned back again.
He couldn’t sleep.
Images of his friends’ discussions about the universe and stars replayed in his mind. Using the limited visuals he’d experienced, Zheng Xing tried to construct an image of the starry sky in his head.
But no matter how much he imagined, he knew it wasn’t the true picture of the cosmos.
Drowsiness began to creep in, and Zheng Xing’s thoughts grew hazy.
Suddenly, his ears twitched. Swiftly, he pulled the blanket off his head and turned toward the door.
The metal door slid open automatically, accompanied by the sound of light footsteps. A familiar presence filled the room—
“Xing Xing, are you awake?” Lang Ze leaned against the edge of the bed and asked.
Zheng Xing didn’t reply. Instead, the room’s lights slowly brightened, stopping at a dim level, just enough to see.
The little wolf cub, lying on the bed’s edge, gazed into a pair of pale blue eyes—eyes as beautiful as translucent gemstones.
But unfortunately, those eyes, though reflective, held no lively sparkle.
Lang Ze paused for a moment, then grinned happily. “Hehe, I knew you weren’t asleep.”
This time, he didn’t eagerly climb into bed or burrow under Zheng Xing’s blanket. Instead, he stayed by the bedside, resting his chin on his folded hands, leaning close to Zheng Xing’s head as he spoke.
“Xing Xing, I just went to see Su Su,” he said softly.
Zheng Xing could tell Lang Ze had something important to say, so he turned his head slightly, listening carefully. Then, he heard Lang Ze speak in a cheerful tone: “Su Su said he has a way to heal your eyes.”
Hearing this, Zheng Xing’s expression didn’t change, but the hand clutching the blanket suddenly tightened.
His heart skipped several beats. But Zheng Xing quickly calmed himself, reasoning that if that were all, Lang Ze wouldn’t be acting this way.
If it were simple good news, Lang Ze would have rushed in immediately, joyfully dragged him out of bed, and shaken him awake before excitedly sharing the news.
Something wasn’t right.
The little wolf cub noticed Zheng Xing’s calm reaction and bit his lip before cautiously asking, “Xing Xing, don’t you want your eyes healed? If they’re healed, you’ll be able to see what the stars look like!”
Zheng Xing blinked slowly. So Lang Ze had noticed his disappointment earlier in the day?
He pursed his lips and softly asked, “Big Brother, besides that… did Su Su say anything else?”
Lang Ze froze—Xing Xing was so sharp!
His eyes darted around nervously, and he replied with a hint of guilt, “Not really… just that your eyes can be healed… I even gave Su Su all the snacks I collected so he’d agree!”
Lang Ze emphasized this point.
But Zheng Xing sat up, his soft voice firm as he said, “Then… I’ll ask him myself…”
Hearing this, Lang Ze quickly grabbed his arm.
“Su Su is already asleep! If you go now, you’ll wake him up!”
Zheng Xing lowered his head, neither speaking nor resisting, but his quiet demeanor radiated stubbornness.
Despite his gentle voice and slow actions, Xing Xing was firm in his decisions. If he didn’t want to do something, no one could force him.
Lang Ze scratched his head and sighed before reluctantly confessing, “Su Su said that if your eyes are healed, it might affect your abilities…”
Zheng Xing’s mental strength was not only exceptionally powerful but also unique.
Unlike others, who could use mental strength to perceive vague shapes or colors, Zheng Xing’s perception was a stream of digitized information. This allowed him to quickly grasp the essence and characteristics of things.
For instance, he could understand the precise needs of plants—how much water or fertilizer they required—and identify a monster’s weaknesses in battle with remarkable speed.
This ability wasn’t simply the result of strong mental power but an innate trait of Zheng Xing’s species.
Such extraordinary abilities came with a significant trade-off.
Though the base’s records listed Zheng Xing’s species as an unknown feline beast, Su Su had told Lang Ze that Zheng Xing’s kind was born blind.
Their blindness was an unfortunate condition but also the foundation of their strength.
If Zheng Xing’s sight were restored, he might lose this unique trait entirely. Even if it were partially retained, it would likely be severely diminished, and he would be stuck at his current level, unable to improve further.
Ultimately, the choice had to be Zheng Xing’s.
As Lang Ze relayed Su Su’s explanation, Zheng Xing listened attentively, his head gradually lowering. His heart, which had been racing moments ago, returned to its normal rhythm.
Seeing this, Lang Ze asked, “Xing Xing, don’t you want your eyes healed?”
Zheng Xing clenched his small hands tightly. After a moment of silence, he whispered, “I… I need to think about it…”
If he lost his abilities, he wouldn’t be able to serve as the “eyes” of the cub squad anymore. If Lang Ze, Lu Jiao, or the others faced danger, he wouldn’t be able to warn them or guide their attacks toward the monsters’ weaknesses.
He didn’t want to lose his ability to protect his friends.
But… he also longed to see the world with his own eyes.
As tears rolled down his cheeks, he heard Lang Ze’s panicked voice. “Xing Xing, why are you crying? I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please don’t cry!”
Then the little wolf cub scrambled onto the bed, wrapping his arms around Zheng Xing in a clumsy embrace.
Tears welled up in Zheng Xing’s eyes. Was this what it felt like to cry? Resting in his big wolf brother’s arms, he sniffled in confusion but obediently stopped the warm liquid from flowing further.
He felt the little wolf cub’s hands gently cradle his cheeks, wiping away what must be called tears. Then Lang Ze hugged him tightly again.
“It’s okay,” Lang Ze said. “Whether your eyes can see or not, I’ll always stay by your side. We’re the best of friends, the closest of brothers!”
“I’ll train hard in my sound illusion techniques and practice the Starfield melody. That way, I can show you the stars again. How about that?”
The room fell quiet. After a while, Zheng Xing softly murmured, “Okay.”
His voice carried a heavy nasal tone, full of grievance, making it sound all the more pitiful.
Lang Ze’s expression fell slightly, but his voice remained cheerful as he said, “I’ve learned a new song from Mommy Yan Ya. How about I hum it for you?”
Without waiting for a response, he began to imitate how Yan Ya would soothe Little Li Hua to sleep. Gently patting Zheng Xing’s back, he softly hummed the new tune.
It was a lullaby—gentle and tranquil. Even the typically boisterous little wolf cub imbued his humming with an uncommon tenderness.
Zheng Xing closed his eyes, listening to the unfamiliar, calming melody. Gradually, his consciousness began to drift.
When the light from the ceiling finally dimmed completely, Lang Ze confirmed that Zheng Xing had fallen asleep. He let out a quiet sigh of relief, his bright eyes in the dark showing a trace of regret.
He felt like his well-meaning actions had upset Xing Xing…
Lang Ze, unsure of what to do, sat for a while before letting out a yawn. Unable to resist his own sleepiness, he lay down with the little boy in his arms and soon drifted off.
The night returned to peace once more.
*
The next morning, Lang Ze didn’t mention the previous night, as though everything he’d said to Zheng Xing was just a dream. Likewise, Zheng Xing didn’t bring it up either, acting as if nothing had happened.
However, when Su Ci was having breakfast, the two children arrived at his room one after the other.
Zheng Xing came first. It was his first time voluntarily coming to the caretaker’s quarters.
The boy appeared nervous and uneasy. Even after Su Ci invited him to sit on the sofa, he curled up in the corner, pulling a cushion close to shield himself. Only then did he seem a little more at ease.
Su Ci continued eating, while A-Yan, busy preparing the training uniforms, struck up a conversation with the boy.
“Lang Ze told you about it?” A-Yan asked.
Zheng Xing nodded, curling himself into a tight ball and replying with a barely audible “Mm.”
“And what do you think?” A-Yan continued. “If your eyes are healed, you’ll be able to see this colorful world.”
“I… I don’t want to.”
Zheng Xing’s voice was soft, but Su Ci and A-Yan heard him clearly. “I… I don’t want to lose my ability.”
Then he fell silent again.
A-Yan opened his mouth, about to say something, when he suddenly stopped and turned toward the door. The metal door slid open, and Lang Ze ran in once again.
“Su Su, Brother A-Yan, good morning!”
He didn’t notice Zheng Xing, who was blending into the sofa corner with the cushion. After greeting them, Lang Ze hurried over to Su Ci.
“Su Su, I talked to Xing Xing about what I asked you last night!” Lang Ze said, slowing down as he continued. “I think… he might not want to go through with it…”
When Su Ci had explained the price of restoring Zheng Xing’s eyesight, Lang Ze had already guessed his choice. They weren’t children raised in a sheltered greenhouse—Lang Ze especially understood that.
His early experiences had shown him the harshness of the world. In a world where the strong prey on the weak, what would Zheng Xing do if he lost his abilities? How would he protect himself?
Lang Ze wanted to protect Zheng Xing forever, but he also knew his own limits. He couldn’t even match Ran Lie or Rong Heng, let alone the many stronger forces in this world. It was impossible for him to always stay by Zheng Xing’s side.
That’s why Zheng Xing needed the strength to protect himself.
After listening, Su Ci looked at Lang Ze and asked, “So, are you here to ask for your snacks back?”
To his surprise, Lang Ze shook his head.
“No, leave the snacks with you,” the boy said, his green eyes glinting faintly. “We’re still young—who knows what might happen in the future?”
“If Xing Xing ever wants to heal his eyes later, will you help him then? Our deal still stands!”
