Jing Xi’s heartbeat went chaotic.

But only for an instant.

“You remember who your first love is?” Jing Xi asked expressionlessly.

Chi Yao: “…”

Jing Xi said flatly: “That little girl from back then may not be old enough to be a grandmother, but she should be a mother by now. Are you sure she’s waiting for you?”

Chi Yao: “…”

Jing Xi walked out unhurriedly: “Don’t wait until reunion only to have the girl’s child call you ‘uncle.'”

Chi Yao: “…”

This guy was getting more and more vindictive.

The two returned to the main cabin and tracked the situation through surveillance footage.

To avoid suspicion, they had Li Yuan and Fang Liang blend into the safety inspection military teams, then stationed some plainclothes soldiers and Extreme Shadow subordinates nearby. As soon as modified humans were identified, plainclothes would follow up with arrests.

Seeing Fang Liang and Li Yuan in military uniforms on screen, the Information Department Chief and Yan Kai watching nearby discussed in low voices.

“Brother Fang doesn’t look like a star pirate at all.” The Information Department Chief marveled. “His bearing and temperament are like someone from the military. He served before becoming a star pirate, right?”

Yan Kai: “How could he serve without even household registration?”

The Information Department Chief slapped his forehead: “Right, forgot about that.”

Extreme Shadow’s recent style shift made him see everyone as upright and proper with correct roots.

“There are many situations without household registration.” Jing Xi kept an eye on Chi Yao from the corner of his eye, his voice showing no ripples. “One type is naturally unregistered with no supplementary registration procedures. Another is originally having it, then losing it later.”

“Losing it later?” Yan Kai was puzzled. “I only know murderers get their registration canceled—”

Halfway through speaking, he remembered Chi Yao was present and immediately shut up.

“There are many situations for registration cancellation.” Seeing Chi Yao look over, Jing Xi met his eyes directly. “Everyone in Extreme Shadow lacks registration. There must be different reasons for each, right, Yao Yao?”

Chi Yao: “…”

This guy’s intuition was truly terrifying.

He chuckled softly: “If Major General fancies him, just say so directly. Would I not give?”

Jing Xi: “I’m afraid some people won’t agree.”

Chi Yao: “…”

The Information Department Chief and Yan Kai completely didn’t understand their riddle.

In Extreme Shadow, who had more weight than Chi Yao when speaking?

After half an hour of surveillance, the light and dark teams cooperated successfully, capturing eight modified humans.

Seeing smooth progress, Chi Yao walked toward the other end of the monitoring station to check the front-line situation.

This beast tide’s attack intensity and distribution density differed from Planet 333. Looking at this situation, it was developing into a protracted war.

He looked at the location where they’d previously discovered the Snake King and beckoned Jing Xi over.

“Export the Snake King’s tracking path.”

Jing Xi pressed several keys on the virtual keyboard. A winding red line appeared on the map.

As the red line extended, it ultimately formed a closed circle.

Jing Xi: “It completely never left that area.”

Chi Yao frowned.

From the sounds heard last time, this snake had obviously also been modified.

Yet it completely didn’t participate in the war.

Chi Yao vaguely felt something was wrong—everything was wrong.

He pulled out a chair and sat down, reorganizing the situation currently in hand.

Mutated beasts were attacking humans. The human-like beasts among them that had been modified weren’t participating.

Modified humans existed among humans. They also didn’t participate in the war but instead attacked Jing Xi who came to rescue.

On the surface, human-like beasts and modified humans didn’t seem to have opposing positions.

But those modified humans were extremely fearful of “them,” indicating “they’re coming” and “will destroy everything,” yet made no actual actions to counter the impending crisis.

If “they” represented the human-like beasts.

Then the current situation could only indicate the human-like beasts were waiting—waiting for some attack opportunity, or rather, command.

Both sides seemed to be waiting.

What were they waiting for?

Jing Xi had the Information Department Chief and Yan Kai go handle matters. Leaning against the console beside Chi Yao, seeing him stare at the map lost in thought, he hesitated a moment before saying quietly: “Actually, there’s something I’ve always found strange.”

Chi Yao snapped back to attention and looked up at him: “What thing?”

Jing Xi: “There are indeed many modified people, but those who can mix things up like you are rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. You’ve been so high-profile these years—I don’t believe the people behind the scenes couldn’t discover you.”

Before their first body swap, he’d seen Ghost tell Chi Yao “you’re just luckier than me” and “I’m your ending.”

Even Ghost knew—no reason the people behind the scenes didn’t.

Since they knew, why not deal with it?

Chi Yao had blown up the amusement park and fled back then, even turning around to target Ghost. Could they tolerate Chi Yao showing off in front of them?

Chi Yao leaned against the chair back and thought: “A: They think I haven’t escaped their control. B: They’re treating me as an experimental sample, secretly observing experimental data. C: They think I won’t pose any threat to them. D: Keeping me has other uses.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Was this the time for multiple choice?

Seeing his glare, Chi Yao chuckled softly and said seriously: “The first year or two they chased to kill me. Later, don’t know if they got scared from being beaten or what, but suddenly they stopped caring about me.”

Jing Xi’s eyes narrowed slightly: “Perhaps something more frightening than your informing happened.”

While speaking, an abnormal sound suddenly came from the virtual screen.

Jing Xi’s expression changed as he turned the screen around.

Under dim yellow streetlights, marching troops were attacked by a group of masked people.

These people wore black masks with red patterns painted with eerie smiling faces.

“Ghost!” Jing Xi frowned.

“Been waiting for them a long time.”

Chi Yao stood and strode outside. “Have your people closely monitor that area!”

Jing Xi made a gesture to the Information Department Chief, had Xiao Hong connect with the system to synchronize surveillance footage, then followed behind Chi Yao outside.

Chi Yao’s front foot opened the fighter’s cabin door; Jing Xi’s back foot sat in the co-pilot seat.

On the virtual screen projected before them, Li Yuan led people in intense fighting with Ghost’s people. Several soldiers took bullets to the hand and fled in embarrassment.

A soldier hid behind a building structure. After simple bandaging, he wanted to switch the gun to his left hand.

A black shadow suddenly darted from the wall corner. By the time he reacted, the military knife was already before him.

Bang!

The soldier’s eyes widened. He just watched the black mask before him fall straight down, the knife tip grazing his neck, leaving a very shallow wound.

One second later, he’d be dead.

His heartbeat was loud, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. Deep breathing didn’t help.

“What are you still doing there? Come over!”

A rough shout brought him back to his senses. Looking up—it was Li Yuan in military uniform.

Li Yuan tilted his gun muzzle, saying impatiently: “Hide over there!”

The soldier instinctively looked in that direction.

There was a group of plainclothes Extreme Shadow subordinates.

When Extreme Shadow suddenly appeared on the Planet 333 battlefield and inexplicably helped them—even the commander awarded them medals—soldiers actually didn’t feel much.

Because this matter was too absurd, absurd to the point that facts laid before eyes couldn’t be believed.

But at this moment, he suddenly truly realized Extreme Shadow really wasn’t the enemy anymore.

Not only not enemies, but very reliable allies.

In this moment of distraction, Li Yuan’s arm was slashed by a black mask that darted out.

He quickly retreated, punching the black mask chasing him in the temple.

“Fuck!”

Pain and the scent of blood stimulated his nerves. Power from within his body continuously surged outward.

The struck black mask flew over two meters, crashing into a streetlight.

“Rescue is arriving soon!” Several nearby soldiers raised guns and surrounded him. “We’ll cover you!”

Li Yuan, surrounded in the middle, breathed heavily, pupils gradually enlarging, canines lengthening.

Need your cover?

Li Yuan wanted to toss these obstructive people in front and rush over to kill enough.

This trash wasn’t even enough to pick his teeth with.

Just before taking action, Chu Xiao’s face suddenly flashed before his eyes. Li Yuan’s heated brain instantly calmed.

He rubbed his swollen, aching temple, grabbed the soldier on the left and flung him backward, seized the black mask’s hand holding the military knife, and forcefully bent it back.

The knife tip pierced into the exact center of the smiling face on the black mask.

“All fucking extinction-deserving things!” Li Yuan locked down his counterattacking hand, punching toward the carotid artery in the neck.

The black mask fell into the roadside greenery, painfully twisting and struggling on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.

The soldiers who saw this scene: “…”

Such strong power!

Inexplicably felt their necks hurt.

The black masks far outnumbered them, but the soldier brothers were inspired by Li Yuan’s brutal fighting style and found their own rhythm, actually not falling behind.

In the darkness, crowds surged. Under dim light, the crimson smiling faces looked like messengers from hell.

“Captain, the numbers increased again!” A soldier brother shouted.

“Old Li, should we retreat first?”

The captain among the soldier brothers shouted loudly toward Li Yuan.

Li Yuan tilted his ear slightly. Faint rumbling sounds reached his ears.

This was the sound of the military’s P9 warship.

Li Yuan’s knuckles cracked loudly, his eyes sharp: “No retreat! Our people have arrived.”

Amid the chaotic battle, the sound of bullets entering walls exploded in his ears.

Li Yuan had just swung away a black mask when sudden severe pain came from his abdomen.

“Old Li!”

The soldier captain’s voice came to his ear.

Li Yuan clutched his abdomen. Scalding blood flowed out, sliding between his fingers, quickly becoming ice cold.

He quickly dodged to the side, turning around with a shot.

This shot came from the residential area they were about to inspect next.

“There’s a sniper!”

Li Yuan roared once. Just turning his head, a black mask ahead was raising a gun aimed at his forehead.

Bang!

Before Li Yuan could pull the trigger, the black mask suddenly fell.

“Brother Li!”

Chu Xiao’s roar came from above. Because it was too loud, his voice even cracked.

At the same time, warships descended from all directions, surrounding the entire street within.

“Finally arrived.” Li Yuan leaned against the wall corner panting, sweat pouring like rain.

Chi Yao piloted the fighter flying past, especially conveniently tossing a small smoke bomb into the Ghost pile.

“Fighter’s yours.” Chi Yao put on a purification mask and opened the fighter cabin door.

“Wait.” Jing Xi called to stop him.

Chi Yao lowered the metal rope, thinking he disagreed, instructing: “Pay attention to surrounding surveillance and residents. Don’t let them film modified human footage.”

So many Ghosts—to achieve their goals, they might transform into beasts anytime. If this matter spread online, no one knew what the situation would evolve into.

Now wasn’t the time for exposure.

Jing Xi woke Little Blue and pushed it toward Chi Yao.

“Take it.”

Chi Yao was somewhat surprised.

This guy not only didn’t stop him but learned to pass him guns?

Jing Xi straddled into the pilot seat, pressed several buttons on the console, pulled the joystick to continue the fighter’s descent.

“It listens to Xiao Hei. You command Xiao Hei.”

Chi Yao grabbed the metal rope and tugged. He turned his head and kissed Jing Xi’s face.

“You’re such a caring little padded jacket.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Jing Xi: “Permission to change your phrase.”

Chi Yao laughed aloud: “Love you.”

Jing Xi was satisfied: “…”

Only at times like this would he say sweet words.

Confirming Chi Yao landed safely, Jing Xi opened the newly created public channel.

A cool voice rang in the ears of soldiers and Extreme Shadow subordinates.

“From now on, everyone follow my commands—”

Vision was limited in the haze, but Chi Yao could sense everyone’s presence.

[Black bro, military knife mode.]

Xiao Hei ran out from his terminal. The metal shell rapidly transformed and elongated.

[Isn’t a gun good?]

In an instant, a military knife appeared in each of Chi Yao’s hands, though the left one was shorter.

[Gun speed is too slow.]

Xiao Hei: [You despise my speed condensing air bullets?]

Chi Yao tested the feel and his lips curved up.

[I despise my speed pulling the trigger.]

For this kind of close combat, knives were the best weapons.

All soldiers followed Jing Xi’s orders, no longer entangling with Ghost. Fighting while retreating, they moved to corresponding positions, surrounding all Ghosts within.

“Ah—!”

“Urgh—!”

Screams continued in the fog, accompanied by the dull sounds of sharp weapons piercing flesh and bone, making everyone’s hair stand on end.

Everyone saw through their glasses Chi Yao rapidly shuttling among Ghosts.

His strikes were ruthless. The military knives in his hands seemed to have eyes—every strike definitely took away an enemy.

Most terrifying was that even as blood splattered, not a speck of dirt stained his clothes.

This was simply the Grim Reaper descending to harvest.

Simultaneously, Jing Xi landed the fighter smoothly.

Jumping off the fighter, he glanced sideways at the fog once, speaking into the public channel: “Take action.”

All soldiers and Extreme Shadow subordinates on standby entered various residential areas separately, conducting carpet searches under the pretext of investigating dangerous elements.

Chu Xiao followed the rescue team’s people down, running swiftly toward Li Yuan’s direction.

“Brother Li, hang in there! The doctor’s here!”

Li Yuan raised his hand to stop the military doctor from bringing medical equipment.

“Enough. You guys save others first.”

The military doctor looked troubled but didn’t dare say much.

If it were soldier boys in the legion—even officers—daring to refuse treatment cooperation would be scolded. But this was Extreme Shadow’s big shot who punched Ghosts to death with one fist!

“If you don’t get treatment, your blood will run dry!”

Chu Xiao took the medical kit and equipment, indicating the military doctor should save others.

Li Yuan originally wanted to refuse, but the words at his mouth didn’t come out.

A moment’s hesitation lost the chance to refuse.

Chu Xiao aimed the treatment light at his abdomen, taking out emergency disinfection items.

His fingers shook too badly. The packaging paper tore several times before opening.

Li Yuan couldn’t bear watching. He grabbed it and bit it open with his mouth: “I’m the injured one. How are you weaker than me?”

“You’ll be fine… fine…”

Li Yuan listened to this kid muttering, even his eye corners moistening.

He really couldn’t understand—what about a useless villain like him who only knew killing was worth this kid getting close to?

Was bloodline power this strong?

“Is your—father good to you?” Li Yuan watched him bustle about. By the time he came to his senses, this question had already been asked.

Chu Xiao was about to speak when from the corner of his eye he saw a black shadow flash.

“Watch out!”

He pushed Li Yuan away and fought with the black mask that rushed out.

Being pulled at the wound, Li Yuan sucked in a breath.

He raised his hand to shoot, but just happened to be out of bullets.

He quickly loaded a new magazine with blood-covered hands.

In this brief moment, Chu Xiao and the black mask had already fought into a side alley.

Li Yuan turned his head just in time to see Chu Xiao take a kick.

“Fuck!”

Li Yuan cursed under his breath. His breathing that had calmed accelerated again. In the blink of an eye, his pupils became vertical slits, fingertips became slender and sharp, the pain sensation in his stomach receded.

No one could harm him!

Just standing up, his shoulder was pressed from behind.

Li Yuan’s eyes swept over, murderous intent surging in their depths.

“Sit still and don’t move. I’ll go.” Seeing his eyes, Jing Xi said flatly: “Control yourself if you don’t want to worry him.”

Li Yuan paused.

Intense fighting sounds came from the alley again. Jing Xi ran over a step faster than him.

Chu Xiao’s shooting skills were good, but his martial arts were mediocre.

Facing Ghost who’d received specialized training was very disadvantageous.

Jing Xi stood at the alley entrance, expressionlessly raising his gun, shooting through the black mask’s hand attacking Chu Xiao.

Chu Xiao seized the chance to counterattack, controlling the black mask.

“Thank you, sir!” He wiped his face, excitedly shouting at Jing Xi.

Jing Xi: “Bring him over.”

Chu Xiao: “Yes!”

The alley returned to calm. Jing Xi only turned around after people left.

From the corner of his eye vaguely noticing something, Jing Xi was alert, moving sideways against the wall.

The next moment, movement came from the tree trunk in the greenery behind.

Jing Xi looked over coldly.

Across the alley, shadows flickered.

Bang bang bang!

Gunshots continued.

Jing Xi had Xiao Hong activate night mode. Seeing the mask on that person’s face, he was shocked.

Silver smiling face mask!

After this wave of gunfire passed, he immediately gave chase.

He remembered Chi Yao saying silver masks were high rank in Ghost—if compared to military ranks, counted as general level.

This level of Ghost appearing indicated this planet indeed had big problems.

Chi Yao didn’t plan to waste time. He’d long lost patience with these things that lost their humanity.

He resolved most. The few that escaped were also captured by soldiers surrounding nearby.

The scene was busy but orderly, but Chi Yao hadn’t seen Jing Xi for ages.

“Where’s your boss?” Chi Yao randomly grabbed a soldier.

The soldier looked bewildered: “He didn’t say in the public channel where he went.”

Seeing Li Yuan sitting alone in a wall corner, Chi Yao was about to go over when a beta lieutenant called to stop him.

“Mr. Chi, should these people be brought back first or wait for the boss’s next instruction?”

Chi Yao: “Bring them back to the warship first. Clean up here too.”

Beta lieutenant: “Yes!”

After Chi Yao walked away, another alpha lieutenant poked the beta lieutenant’s hand, saying quietly: “Why did you ask the star pirate for instructions?”

As Flying Dragon warriors, never dreamed there’d be a day following Extreme Shadow boss’s arrangements.

The beta lieutenant looked matter-of-fact: “I think his meaning must be the boss’s meaning. Can’t be wrong.”

Alpha lieutenant: “…!”

Thinking carefully, seemed somewhat reasonable.

“How is it?”

Chi Yao walked toward Li Yuan, his gaze sweeping over the bloodstains on his clothes.

Li Yuan gritted his teeth: “Can hold on.”

Chi Yao raised his chin toward Chu Xiao: “Take him back first. Have Chun Qin look at him.”

Chu Xiao was just unable to persuade. Hearing this, he immediately nodded in agreement.

Li Yuan was helped up, worriedly instructing: “Be careful. Those bastards are very cunning!”

Chi Yao impatiently dealt with it, waving them away, opening his terminal to contact Jing Xi. But the communication didn’t connect for ages.

[Xiao Hei: Have located wife’s position for you.]

A virtual window suddenly popped up in his vision. Chi Yao glanced at it and quickly walked toward the target point.

“He’s my wife. You should call him madam.”

[Xiao Hei: What’s yours is mine.]

Chi Yao: “Want to wear a big flowered coat?”

[…]

Xiao Hei conscientiously muted itself.

A cold wind blew past. Faint sounds entered Chi Yao’s ears.

“Coming… they’re coming… kill…”

Chi Yao stopped, carefully distinguishing.

This sound wasn’t “heard.”

Could sense this sound was very far from here.

“They?” Chi Yao frowned.

Referring to these masked Ghosts?

Jing Xi chased the person all the way to an unpopulated small alley. Surroundings were pitch black—not even streetlights.

[Scan.]

[Xiao Hong: Scanned. Target not found.]

Jing Xi frowned.

How could it vanish into thin air?

[Xiao Hong: Shielding devices may exist nearby.]

Jing Xi lightened his footsteps walking forward. Behind him suddenly came movement. He immediately raised his gun and turned.

“It’s me.”

Chi Yao came over.

Jing Xi’s tense nerves relaxed slightly.

“Things resolved over there?”

Chi Yao nodded and looked around.

“Discovered something?”

Jing Xi paid attention to surroundings, saying flatly: “Saw a silver mask, but lost track.”

Chi Yao’s eyes flashed. He calmly raised his chin.

“If lost, forget it. Lots of things over there waiting for you to handle.”

This wasn’t a place for talking. Jing Xi naturally understood his meaning. Without saying more, he followed him away together.

Inside a two-story house not far away, the person wearing a silver mask watched him walk away through curtain gaps, anger and murderous intent surging in his eyes.

“That person is very familiar, like I’ve seen them somewhere.”

Returning to the warship, Jing Xi and Chi Yao walked toward the medical cabin.

Chi Yao: “The range of people you’ve seen—say it’s large, it’s very large; say it’s small, it’s very small. Think more carefully?”

Jing Xi thought the whole way but still shook his head.

“Mind’s somewhat chaotic. Can’t calm down.”

Chi Yao took his hand: “You also have times you can’t calm down?”

Jing Xi: “Always feel something’s going to happen.”

Speaking of this, Chi Yao’s expression darkened.

If consistent with his speculation, the front lines were probably changing.

Before he could speak, he heard Jing Xi say faintly: “Things keep happening one after another. When can we go back and do what comes next?”

Chi Yao: “…”

This was what you’re truly troubled about, right?