Chapter 276: Extra (13)
“Xing Xing, time to eat some porridge,” Lang Ze said softly as he gently lifted the little black cat from his pocket and placed him under the covers.
Zheng Xing shifted, slowly reverting to his human form.
Lang Ze helped him sit up and showed him the small vial. “This is the medicine Little Li Hua gave us—it’ll help restore your mental energy. Just a little at a time.”
Zheng Xing sipped a bit of the medicine from Lang Ze’s hand before starting on the porridge.
“Don’t move. I’ll feed you.”
With Zheng Xing unable to see, Lang Ze was exceptionally patient and meticulous. He made sure each spoonful of porridge was at the perfect temperature before feeding him.
Zheng Xing, feeling the warmth of the spoon against his lips, obediently opened his mouth to take the food.
After eating about half a bowl, Zheng Xing shook his head, indicating he was full.
Having subsisted on nutrient fluids for a week, his appetite had diminished.
“Alright, we’ll save the rest for later when you’re hungry,” Lang Ze said as he set the bowl down.
Just as he was about to speak again, the doorbell rang. He sighed and said, “I’ll get the door. You rest for a bit.”
Zheng Xing murmured a soft acknowledgment.
As Lang Ze left the room, Zheng Xing closed his eyes, focusing on a technique to restore his mental strength. At the same time, he worked to enhance the medicine’s efficacy to speed up his recovery.
At the door, Lang Ze opened it to find Lu Jiao standing there, holding a fruit basket.
“How’s Xing Xing? Is he alright?” Lu Jiao asked as he walked in with practiced familiarity.
“He just woke up and had half a bowl of porridge,” Lang Ze replied.
Lu Jiao placed the fruit basket on the living room table and followed Lang Ze to Zheng Xing’s room. However, both paused at the doorway.
A soft glow radiated from Zheng Xing’s body—something they were all too familiar with.
Sharing a glance, Lu Jiao and Lang Ze retreated quietly to the living room, careful not to disturb him.
[Looks like he’s doing fine now. I’ll head out,] Lu Jiao typed on his communicator.
Lang Ze nodded, walking him to the door.
Before leaving, Lu Jiao couldn’t resist asking, “Have you and Xing Xing made up?”
“We’re fine,” Lang Ze said quietly, his face lighting up with happiness. But then he grew serious, adding, “I won’t make you all worry like that again.”
Surprised, Lu Jiao gave him a thoughtful look before patting his shoulder.
The two boys exchanged a smile before Lu Jiao turned to leave.
At the elevator, Lu Jiao paused instead of pressing the button, lost in thought.
Suddenly, he felt a tug on his pant leg.
Looking down, he saw a small golden monkey gazing up at him with large, round eyes like black grapes.
“Liu Liu, what are you doing here?” Lu Jiao asked, his face brightening as he bent down to pick up the little creature.
Over the years, Liu Liu had grown slightly but was still small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. If anything, the monkey’s miniature size only made it even more endearing.
Since coming to the interstellar frontlines, Liu Liu had proven invaluable. With Lu Li’s mastery of mental control, the two had developed numerous ways to work together.
For instance, Liu Liu could freely switch between physical and spirit forms. In its spirit state, it could move faster, pass through obstacles, and remain completely undetected.
No interstellar creature had yet discovered Liu Liu in its spirit form, making it an unparalleled scout capable of tasks even advanced robots couldn’t accomplish.
Now, the little monkey stood in Lu Jiao’s palm, bouncing with urgency and tugging at his sleeve, pointing toward the other end of the corridor.
“What’s wrong?” Lu Jiao asked curiously, following Liu Liu’s lead to Lu Li’s dorm.
Did something happen to Lu Li?
When Lu Jiao reached the door, Liu Liu leapt from his hand, shifted into its spirit form, and disappeared. Moments later, the door clicked open.
Hesitating briefly, Lu Jiao stepped inside.
He was about to call for Lu Li when he spotted him sitting on the sofa, a holographic screen glowing before him.
On the screen played a video.
It showed an enlarged golden snub-nosed monkey, frail and weak, surrounded by soldiers. Despite its condition, the monkey saluted the soldiers with composure and dignity.
Then it turned toward the camera. A bullet struck its forehead, and the light in its eyes dimmed.
There was no resentment on its face, only calm acceptance and relief.
Behind it, the silhouette of a fallen human lay motionless.
The footage ended.
Lu Jiao stood frozen, staring at the screen, unable to speak.
Lu Jiao stood frozen, replaying the image he’d just seen in his mind. Sensing something amiss, he quickly moved to Lu Li’s side and was met with a heartbreaking sight—Lu Li’s face was streaked with tears.
“Lu Lu?” he called softly, testing his reaction.
Lu Li, about to press the replay button, paused. He looked up, his tear-filled, hollow eyes startling Lu Jiao.
“Lu Lu, are you okay?” Lu Jiao knelt in front of him, holding his cold hands in his own and looking up at him with worry.
Lu Li closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, but ultimately, he couldn’t hold it together. He reached out, pulling Lu Jiao into an embrace, and rested his head on his friend’s shoulder, quietly crying.
His sobs were soft and subdued, as quiet and reserved as his usual demeanor, but they only made Lu Jiao’s heart ache more.
Lu Jiao didn’t know what had happened, but he knew his close friend was in deep pain. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be crying like this.
He stayed with him in silence, gently patting his back.
“It’s okay. I’ll stay here with you,” he murmured soothingly.
The little monkey, Liu Liu, reappeared, jumping onto the sofa. It wrapped its tiny arms around Lu Li’s and pressed its furry face against him, as if trying to comfort him in its own way.
Time passed. Finally, Lu Li’s sobs quieted, and he began to calm down.
Lu Jiao stood and brought him a glass of juice.
“Drink a little. It’ll help you feel better,” he said softly.
Lu Li accepted the juice and took a small sip. He froze for a moment, then looked up at Lu Jiao in surprise.
“This is… Star-chain fruit?” he asked hesitantly.
“Mm-hmm.” Lu Jiao smiled gently. “I brought it from Earth. It’s been frozen and well-preserved in my storage pouch.”
No wonder…
Lu Li sniffled, the familiar taste of his childhood bringing a faint warmth to his chest. He took another sip and felt his mood lighten.
Lu Jiao sat down beside him, saying nothing. He didn’t ask any questions, understanding that everyone had their own secrets. If Lu Li wanted to share, he would. If not, his role as a good friend was simply to stay by his side, ready to support him when needed.
After a long silence, Lu Li finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
“That was my father,” he said.
Lu Jiao’s eyes widened in shock. Though he had suspected as much upon seeing the golden snub-nosed monkey, hearing Lu Li confirm it was still deeply startling.
Unlike Rong Heng and Little Li Hua, who had been fortunate to reunite with their parents, most of the children from the orphanage had no family left.
After witnessing Rong Heng and Little Li Hua’s joyful reunions, Lu Jiao had occasionally fantasized about his own parents coming to find him.
But unlike them, he wasn’t so lucky.
Still, compared to the love and happiness he had found at the orphanage, that small regret felt insignificant.
Yet now, to learn that Lu Li had discovered his father’s fate—and that it was so tragic—filled Lu Jiao with an ache for his friend.
Gripping Lu Li’s hand tightly, he looked at him with concern.
After coming to the interstellar frontlines, they had met many beast-blooded warriors, some sharing the same ancient bloodlines as them. Most came from the Crimson Flame Tiger and Red-Tailed Lion lineages, both of which were relatively common.
Despite all being descended from the ten great beasts, Lu Li and his companions—having trained under Su Su—demonstrated far superior strength, earning the respect and allegiance of these warriors.
But the golden snub-nosed monkey? Lu Li had never encountered anyone else with that bloodline.
He hadn’t paid it much mind until a few weeks ago, when he met someone on the battlefield who had known his mother.
His mother, Lu You, had been an exceptional warrior who sacrificed herself to protect her comrades. Even now, her memory lived on among those she had saved.
Lu Li hadn’t thought much of it, assuming his bloodline came solely from her. But the way her comrade had hesitated when asked about his origins planted a seed of doubt. Investigating further, Lu Li eventually unearthed the truth about his heritage—and through Xiao Zhi, he obtained the final footage of his father.
“My father was once an incredible warrior,” Lu Li said softly. “But in the end, he became a monster who killed countless innocents—a murderer.”
“Because… of the golden snub-nosed monkey bloodline.”
“It turned against him.”
Just one glance at the video had told Lu Li everything. The frail golden snub-nosed monkey was his father’s true form. But the part of him that had gained control—his fractured soul—had gone berserk.
That fragment had succumbed to madness, attacking anyone in sight.
Lu Li now understood the meaning of Su Su’s words when he was young:
“The greater the power, the greater the need to master it. If you lose control, the consequences will be more than you can bear.”
Lu Jiao’s grip on his hand tightened. The sharpest and most insightful of their group, Lu Jiao looked at him with unwavering determination.
“Lu Li, don’t be afraid. You are you.”
Lu Li froze, staring at him.
Yes, he was afraid—or rather, terrified. He feared becoming like his father.
He couldn’t forget the look in his father’s eyes before he died, nor the sorrow hidden behind the relief and release on his face.
“Not every golden snub-nosed monkey experiences that kind of backlash, right?” Lu Jiao continued gently. “Even if they do, I don’t believe the Liu Liu we know now would ever do something so cruel.”
He recalled that when Lu Li was younger, Liu Liu had briefly taken control of his body. At the time, Liu Liu was temperamental, but even then, it was more mischievous than dangerous, often joining Lu Li in his childhood squabbles against Lang Ze, who they saw as a “big bully.”
“And besides, don’t forget Su Su’s teachings,” Lu Jiao added. “If you don’t believe in yourself, can’t you at least trust Su Su? With Su Su and Brother A Yan guiding you, what’s there to fear?”
Hearing Su Su and Brother A-Yan’s names was like finding an anchor in the storm. Lu Li’s chaotic, panicked thoughts suddenly settled, and a sense of peace began to return to his heart.
Yes, there was Su Su and Brother A-Yan…
They had always been there, teaching him how to control his talents and abilities. He had done well so far, and even Liu Liu had become increasingly well-behaved over the years.
“You’re right,” Lu Li said, nodding firmly. “As long as I keep practicing the techniques Su Su taught me, that same tragedy won’t happen again.”
Seeing that Lu Li had worked through his fears, Lu Jiao let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Then Lu Li added, “Youyou, I want to see them…”
He wanted to visit his parents. Though they had passed away many years ago, he wished to pay his respects. If possible, he hoped to bring their remains back to Earth.
“Of course you can!” Lu Jiao said, clapping him on the shoulder. “The war is almost over, and when it is, I’ll go with you.”
Lu Li froze in surprise, then smiled.
Now a grown man, with fair skin and striking golden hair, his smile lit up his handsome face like a prince in a fairytale.
“Youyou,” he said softly, “having a friend like you is such a blessing.”
Lu Jiao’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “Meeting you and growing up together has been my blessing too.”
The two young men shared a warm smile.
Beside them, the little monkey tilted its head in confusion. Though it didn’t fully understand what had happened, one thing was clear: Lu Lu was okay now!
Overjoyed, it clapped its tiny hands and began hopping up and down in excitement.
