Speaking of this matter, Chi Yao really didn’t have the energy to roast him.

Before Qiu Tianlin came in, Chi Yao said indifferently, “Did you forget something?”

Bo Jin: “What?”

Chi Yao turned his head to look at him and sneered, “Both you and I are currently undocumented blacklisted citizens. Whose family are you expecting Xixi to marry into?”

The Old Bo family.

The Old Bo family ceased to exist eight hundred years ago.

Bo Jin’s expression stiffened: “…”

He struggled to add a sentence: “Once this is all over—”

Chi Yao interrupted him: “Once this is over, who knows how many years you’ll be sitting in prison? Relying on you is less reliable than relying on myself. Heh.”

Bo Jin: “……”

Just as they were speaking, Qiu Tianlin pushed open the glass door and walked in, sitting on the sofa opposite them and looking at Bo Jin.

“You can show your face now?”

Bo Jin nodded. “The evidence collection is mostly complete. I heard you also found a way to deal with the monsters.”

Chi Yao’s gaze darted back and forth between them, finally landing on Qiu Tianlin. “You knew long ago that he wasn’t dead?”

He had assumed that Qiu Tianlin got involved with that organization because he was invited by someone inside. Now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Qiu Tianlin shook his head. “It was just a guess.”

Seeing Chi Yao’s face darken out of the corner of his eye, Bo Jin hurriedly explained, “I gave him a few hints, but he didn’t know it was me.”

Chi Yao: “Did you arrange for him to go in there?”

Bo Jin didn’t deny it. “If we didn’t have a certain understanding of what they were researching, it would have been very difficult for us to find a solution, both for the modified humans and the modified beasts.”

Chi Yao looked at Qiu Tianlin. “You just went in without knowing who arranged it? Weren’t you afraid of being set up?”

“Why should I be afraid? I have at least that much confidence.” Qiu Tianlin pushed up his glasses frames, his expression serious. “Besides, I really am interested in research in this field. If I can get data for free, why shouldn’t I take advantage of it?”

Chi Yao: “…”

You’re a goddamn legend too.

Thinking about it carefully, perhaps it was precisely because of Qiu Tianlin’s personality that neither the lawful nor the criminal underworld treated him as an enemy.

Climbing to the very tip of the pyramid in one’s research field, becoming so strong that no one can replace you—you really can do whatever you want.

Bo Jin pulled the topic back. “Is the agent you’re using to deal with the monsters fully developed? This concerns my subsequent plans.”

Qiu Tianlin looked at Chi Yao. “You didn’t tell him?”

Bo Jin: “What is he supposed to tell me?”

Seeing Chi Yao keep his mouth shut, Qiu Tianlin said indifferently, “The thing inhibiting the monsters’ cell activity isn’t a drug I developed. It’s his blood.”

Bo Jin turned his head to look at Chi Yao, who was sitting in the single sofa next to him, unable to hide his astonishment. “Is what he said true?”

Qiu Tianlin: “To some extent, the organization did indeed successfully research a method to deal with the monsters, but they themselves don’t seem to know it yet.”

If it was blood that was effective, then there were no variables.

But Bo Jin didn’t feel happy about this result.

He was silent for a moment. “Test my blood. See if it has the same effect.”

Chi Yao laughed out of anger.

“What’s the difference between using your blood and using mine? Does your blood smell sweeter?”

Bo Jin: “That’s not what I meant.”

Chi Yao couldn’t be bothered with him. He looked at Qiu Tianlin and asked, “Is it possible to make a substitute agent? If not, tell me sooner rather than later. I don’t want to be drained dry.”

Having his professional ability questioned, Qiu Tianlin’s face went cold. “These monsters are difficult to deal with. The core issue wasn’t that an inhibiting drug couldn’t be developed, but that we couldn’t find the direction. Since the direction is now locked in, it’s not difficult for me. Three days is enough.”

Thinking of those monsters that lost their mobility immediately after being injected with his blood, Chi Yao couldn’t help but ask, “Does my blood have any effect on normal people?”

Especially Jing Xi. Living together for so long, contact was inevitable.

“You can rest assured on that. I’ve already done tests; it won’t affect them.”

Qiu Tianlin spoke calmly, “Ordinary human bodies don’t possess this kind of regenerative enzyme. Even if they accidentally come into contact with your blood, the small amount of regenerative enzymes will be killed by the human immune cells. It won’t produce a strong rejection reaction and has almost no effect.”

Chi Yao: “In other words, my blood is only toxic to those monsters?”

“You could say that.”

Qiu Tianlin added indifferently, “But that’s just your case. It doesn’t mean the blood of all modified subjects is harmless to ordinary people.”

“Good.”

Having asked what he wanted to ask, Chi Yao stood up and walked out. “You two catch up; I won’t disturb you.”

Watching him leave, Bo Jin withdrew his gaze and sighed lightly. “I made him angry again.”

Qiu Tianlin looked at him inquisitively. “You’ve never been this afraid of anyone before. Even if he is the leader of the Extreme Shadow Corps, if you really fought, you wouldn’t necessarily lose.”

Bo Jin looked up, staring at him as if looking at an idiot.

“Don’t you think he looks very much like me?”

Qiu Tianlin took a serious look and shook his head. “Not really.”

Bo Jin: “…”

Business was concluded, and he didn’t want to stay here and disturb this research maniac’s work.

As they walked to the door together, Qiu Tianlin was still pondering the previous question.

“You believe Chi Yao looks very much like you, so you treat him as a projection of yourself, and are exceptionally accommodating to him?”

Seeing his expression of pondering an academic subject, Bo Jin patted his shoulder and said with pity, “You’ve researched for so long, haven’t you found that his DNA is slightly similar to mine?”

Qiu Tianlin: “All human DNA is very similar.”

Bo Jin: “…”

Forget it.

He turned to leave, but was pulled back by Qiu Tianlin.

“If you don’t explain clearly, it’s hard for me to focus on research.”

Bo Jin turned his head and smiled. “Do you think there’s a possibility—that he might be my son?”

Qiu Tianlin’s expression went blank. He paused for several seconds before mumbling, “…Son? Whose?”

Outside the lab, several Flying Dragon military doctors were busy. The two hadn’t intentionally avoided others, so this conversation drilled straight into those people’s ears.

They looked up almost simultaneously, staring in unison.

Holy crap! This guy says Chi Yao is his son?!

Wasn’t it always rumored that Chi Yao was an orphan? How did a dad suddenly pop up, and a handsome one at that?

This guy looks barely over thirty!

This information made it impossible for those who heard it to focus on work.

Taking advantage of break time, someone secretly discussed it in the medical group chat.

“Did you guys see that Alpha who just arrived? I heard he’s Chi Yao’s father.”

“Holy shit! The one who looks super formidable? Good lord, no wonder Chi Yao is so ferocious; it turns out it’s hereditary.”

“What are you guys talking about? Just yesterday I heard he was Major General Bo Jin. How did he become Chi Yao’s father in your version? This rumor is too ridiculous, right?”

“I also heard it was Major General Bo. The main group chat won’t let us discuss it. I just want to know why he suddenly appeared. Was he secretly doing something big all these years? It’s scratching at my heart!”

The few strapping lab assistants looked at each other, faces full of confusion.

Assistant 1: “Could we have heard wrong?”

Assistant 2: “Now that you ask, I’m suddenly not so sure.”

Assistant 3: “If he is Major General Bo, then he definitely can’t be Chi Yao’s father.”

Assistant 4: “But Major General Bo should be pushing fifty, right? How can he be that young?”

One was a Major General with illustrious military merits, the other was a notorious star pirate. How could they be from the same family? And they had never heard that Major General Bo had a son.

---

Capital Star.

When the Adjutant arrived at the Bai family home, he was told that Bai Yi was out.

“When will he be back?” the Adjutant asked.

The butler smiled and said respectfully, “The Master didn’t say when he would return. If he comes back, I will convey your message to him immediately.”

The Adjutant calmly swept his eyes over the mansion’s windows.

This was specially processed one-way glass; even standard detection instruments couldn’t see inside.

“Alright, just say the Marshal has urgent business with him. Sorry to trouble you.”

Watching the Adjutant leave, the butler closed the door unhurriedly, the corners of his mouth instantly dropping.

In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the third floor, Bai Yi watched the butler hurry through the main gate. A moment later, a knock sounded on the door.

“Master, the situation isn’t right.”

The butler couldn’t hide his panic. “The Marshal has never sent his Adjutant over to deliver a message before. Could it be—”

Bai Yi narrowed his eyes, his expression unfathomable.

“Impossible. Even if their operation was busted, they can’t trace it back to me.”

Butler: “But—”

“Maybe they’re just casting a net to probe. What are you panicking for?”

Bai Yi turned and sat at the tea table, boiling water to brew tea. “What’s the situation with C8586?”

Butler: “We still can’t get in, but no news has come out so far. Presumably, they can’t deal with it either.”

Bai Yi fiddled with the tea cup. “Pei Zhenyue is already conducting a comprehensive sweep? I just wonder if their method of sweeping is useful.”

“We researched for so many years and couldn’t figure it out; how could they possibly have a way?”

At this point, the butler couldn’t help but worry. “What if they guess it’s you? Should we go out and hide for a bit? Once the Capital Star goes under lockdown, it will be hard to leave.”

“Even if, hypothetically, they trace it to me, what can they do? Firstly, there’s no evidence. Secondly, to solve those things, they still need to use our research data. If they dare to move against me—”

Bai Yi smashed the tea cup in his hand onto the floor, his eyes fierce. “Then the fish dies and the net breaks!”

---

On the warship, coming out of the medical area, Chi Yao went directly to the cafeteria to ask for some food.

The soldier serving food saw it was him and added an extra scoop of beef, laughing, “Mr. Chi, our boss hasn’t eaten yet either. Sorry to trouble you to bring it to him.”

Chi Yao took it. “I knew he hadn’t eaten.”

As he walked out, the soldiers serving food shouted in unison: “Welcome to come again next time!”

Chi Yao: “…”

This enthusiasm was unnecessary.

Returning to the rest cabin, as expected, no one was there. He turned towards the command cabin.

Jing Xi was sitting in the commander’s seat, staring at the screen in a trance.

“You have to eat no matter how busy you are.”

Chi Yao went over, pulled him up by the hand, and walked.

Jing Xi closed his hand around Chi Yao’s and walked down the steps with him.

“What did Doctor Qiu say?”

Chi Yao: “Three days. After we eat, let’s find the old man to discuss the combat plan.”

Jing Xi nodded. “With beast tides breaking out in so many places suddenly, online opinion is gradually becoming volatile. I’m afraid it will be exploited by people with ulterior motives.”

In the past, reactionary organizations often used war to cheat money and incite civilians to riot. Although the military successfully suppressed them every time, the consequences—ranging from bankrupt and broken families to casualties and bloodshed—had to be borne by the civilians themselves.

The two sat down to eat. Chi Yao scrolled through his screen while eating; indeed, many extreme comments had appeared.

“What the hell is the military doing! We’ve been trapped for three days! We only have water to drink, listening to the beasts screaming outside every day, scared out of our wits! Have you abandoned us?!”

“Beast tides erupting on so many planets… is the end of the world coming?!”

“They only protect the powerful and wealthy. Ordinary people like us deserve to wait for death, I guess.”

“The beast tide is about to affect our area. We’re waiting eagerly for the army, but there isn’t even a ghost of a shadow!”

Chi Yao scrolled down for a long time before seeing slightly more rational comments, but these were all labeled as “government dogs” and cursed thoroughly.

“When it comes to lip service, no one beats them.”

Chi Yao smiled and closed the window.

Jing Xi looked grave.

“I listened in on the reports from various legions. They all say the beast tide this time is particularly ferocious. The attacks have almost no intervals, not even giving a chance to catch a breath. The difficulty of clearing them is very high.”

The attack frequency of the mutated beasts directly affected the legions’ rescue speed. The difficulty of defense and clearing increased geometrically.

Chi Yao picked up a piece of beef and fed it into his mouth.

“It has to do with its split bodies. The scent emitted by those things makes the beasts agitated.”

Whatever Jing Xi wanted to say was forced back down his throat, and he chewed with puffed cheeks.

Chi Yao patted his head and said casually, “With me here, what are you afraid of? There’s plenty of blood. If worse comes to worst… don’t you know how to stew chicken soup for me?”

Jing Xi was amused, and the heaviness in his heart lightened considerably.

“You dare to drink it?”

Chi Yao: “Why wouldn’t I dare? At worst, we drink it together. Brothers share hardships together.”

Jing Xi: “…”

---

After Qiu Tianlin gave a definite timeframe, everyone sat down to discuss for two hours and finalized the plan.

Pei Zhenyue’s holographic image was projected in the middle of the round table. He looked at everyone and said seriously, “Flying Dragon and Extreme Shadow will form squads to escort the agent to various battlefields. Divide the areas into grids and clear them zone by zone.”

Lin Chengde smiled bitterly.

“To think that in the end, the ones we can trust are a star pirate group.”

Chi Yao shot a look over. “Looking down on star pirate groups?”

Lin Chengde: “I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

“Star pirates are originally just a bunch of simple bad guys. As long as the benefits are sufficient, tell them to go east and they won’t go west.”

Chi Yao smiled. “Unlike some ghostly things disguised in human skin, who knows what they’re scheming all day long.”

Late at night, Jing Xi was refining the combat plan. Chi Yao didn’t disturb him and went alone to the top of the docked warship to sit and enjoy the breeze.

On the scorched earth not far away, many people were still walking around. Who knew how many times they had conducted carpet-style detection? Shouts came from the temporary camp by the scorched earth from time to time; it sounded like the little brothers from the corps were tormenting the Flying Dragon soldiers again.

Two more days.

Hearing soft footsteps nearby, Chi Yao leaned back, leaning right onto the Hidden Guard.

With this big guy here blocking a lot of the wind, it instantly became warmer.

“Awoo?”

Chi Yao leaned against him and closed his eyes.

“It’s good to be you. Someone feeds you, someone combs your fur, and someone even helps you find a wife.”

Ever since the end of the War of 333, the dog’s status in Flying Dragon was higher than his own. Wherever it went, it was surrounded by admirers, with soldiers lining up every day to feed and groom it.

The Hidden Guard’s tail circled around to cover him, and it mimicked a little wolf pup’s yip a few times.

Chi Yao: “…I know, don’t rush me.”

Just as he was about to fall asleep, footsteps sounded in his ear again.

“You’ll catch a cold sleeping here,” Bo Jin said in a low voice.

Hearing his voice, Chi Yao’s drowsiness vanished completely.

He opened his eyes just in time to see Bo Jin sitting down.

“Sit further away.”

Bo Jin lay down next to him and consciously pulled the dog’s tail over to cover himself. “I’m cold.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Have some shame, will you?

With an extra person suddenly lying on its stomach, the Ying Weistared at him eagerly, its front claws extending their hooks, ready to swat this shameless person away at any moment.

Bo Jin looked up and met its fierce gaze.

“Let me lie down for a bit.”

The Hidden Guard’s front leg, which was about to extend, twitched. It sniffed carefully, then turned its head away, pretending not to see.

Can’t win against him, forget it.

Chi Yao: “…”

My dog can’t be this cowardly.

Bo Jin looked at the starry sky for a long time.

“I’m sorry. I’ve let you suffer a lot over the years.”

Chi Yao’s brow jumped. “I was born to suffer more than others, wasn’t that what you said?”

“If there were a choice, of course I wouldn’t want you to follow my old path.”

Bo Jin’s voice was very low. “From the moment I gained consciousness, I was a modified human. I didn’t even have the chance to struggle. It wasn’t until I became an adult and entered the military that I realized my existence was a mistake. Do you know what it feels like to completely deny your own self?”

Chi Yao rested his head on his arms, his voice languid. “Of course I know.”

It was like being torn apart, shattered into pieces of rags, unable to find oneself.

Bo Jin chuckled low. “True, you experienced it earlier than I did.”

Chi Yao: “Why did you join the military?”

Bo Jin: “Orders from the organization’s higher-ups. Following Bai Yi was the same.”

Chi Yao: “When did you rebel?”

Bo Jin: “After meeting your dad and Ah Shen.”

At this point, Chi Yao’s eyes flashed, and his voice turned cold. “You knew you weren’t a normal person, yet you still harmed my dad?”

Bo Jin turned his head and glanced at him.

“You knew you weren’t normal, why did you harm Jing Xi?”

Chi Yao: “…”

Chi Yao turned slightly, putting his back to him, and huffed, “Xixi’s offensive was too fierce; even gods couldn’t stop it.”

Bo Jin: “Who wasn’t like that?”

Chi Yao: “……”

What are you showing off for?

Bo Jin pillowed his head and looked at the sky. “But back then, I didn’t think I could have children. The child inherited the modified genes and was born abnormal.”

Chi Yao’s expression froze.

“Fortunately, your dad was in the Ursa Major constellation from pregnancy to birth. After discussing it, we decided to conceal your existence, fearing the organization would snatch you away.”

Recalling the past, Bo Jin’s expression finally showed some fluctuation. “But in the end, you were still taken.”

Hearing this, Chi Yao turned around. “That storm—did you hide on purpose?”

Bo Jin shook his head. “We really encountered a cosmic storm. We were swept to a distant planet and forced to land. The radiation there was very strong, and our equipment was damaged. Your dad and the others fell ill because of it, and even now they have to lie in treatment pods regularly.”

Chi Yao’s mind flashed to Jing Shen (Jing Xi’s father)’s slightly pale face and his unstoppable coughing.

“So you broke with Bai Yi and turned against him?”

Bo Jin shook his head. “At that time, I didn’t know he was part of the organization. Several modified humans with the same goal as me entered the military and were ordered to follow other generals. I thought I just happened to need to follow Bai Yi.”

Chi Yao’s eyes flashed, thinking of Chen Bingfeng.

That man ostensibly followed Zhao Hongyi but was actually just using him as a gun.

Bo Jin: “After that storm, I once thought Bai Yi had guessed my identity and made a move against me, but thinking about it carefully, it didn’t seem right.”

Chi Yao sneered. “If he discovered your identity, he would only move against you alone. How could he drag the entire Xuanwu Legion down with you?”

Bo Jin nodded. “Exactly. Thinking about it now, he probably felt that I was always obeying publicly but defying privately, disobeying the organization’s orders, so he decided to get rid of me and promote someone else.”

Having placed a disobedient pawn in the best position, Bai Yi couldn’t back down now. Unless he got rid of Bo Jin, the situation could slip out of his control at any moment.

From their reunion until now, this was the first time father and son could have a proper chat.

Taking advantage of his son not losing his temper, Bo Jin racked his brain to explain everything he could.

Chi Yao: “What was that about Jing Shen saying Qiu Tianlin took care of Xixi?”

After saying that, he suddenly thought of something. “Xixi’s illness?”

Bo Jin nodded. “The Jing family is a major noble family, and Ah Shen was young and promising; there were many people secretly wanting to sabotage him. At the time, we didn’t know who Bai Yi was targeting, or even if he was an enemy, so we asked Qiu Tianlin for help.”

In the struggles between great families, having a not-too-serious illness could help avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble. No matter how great an achievement a person made, in the eyes of others, they were flawed.

Thinking of this, Chi Yao stood up.

Bo Jin: “Leaving already?”

“My wife is waiting for me.”

Walking to the skylight, he turned his head and smiled. “I’ll leave this place for you to lie down. You’re alone anyway.”

Bo Jin: “…”

The master left. The Ying Weilooked at the person on its stomach and tried to sneakily crawl away.

“Your son ran off, and now the blanket wants to run too?”

The Ying Weifroze, lay down aggrievedly, and covered its face with its front legs, shutting itself off from the world.

Returning to the rest cabin, Jing Xi was still busy at the desk.

Chi Yao walked over and hugged him from behind.

“Still not sleeping?”

“I won’t feel at ease if I don’t prepare sufficiently.”

Jing Xi leaned back relaxedly. “Were you with Xixi (the dog) just now?”

Chi Yao: “How did you know?”

Jing Xi: “You have the smell of fur conditioner on you.”

After saying that, he added, “It’s much more expensive than the shampoo we use.”

Chi Yao: “…”

He hadn’t felt it just now, but as soon as Chi Yao arrived, Jing Xi’s sleepiness welled up.

He stood up and led Chi Yao back to the bedroom. “We’ll finalize the escort team tomorrow.”

Jing Xi unfastened his belt with one hand, when he was suddenly hugged from behind.

Chi Yao pressed against his shoulder. “Xixi.”

Jing Xi chuckled lightly. “Hm?”

Chi Yao: “Your parents aren’t dead. They’re still alive.”

Clang.

The belt in Jing Xi’s hand suddenly slipped to the floor, making the sound of metal striking.

Hearing the short, sharp gasp, Chi Yao felt a pang of heartache. He turned the person around and hugged him tight.

“When the war is over, I’ll go with you to pick them up.”

Jing Xi raised his hands to hug him back, his eyes rimmed with red.

“Mn.”

Two days later, Qiu Tianlin, sporting a head of messy hair, along with the military doctors, neatly stacked the packaged agents on the countertop.

Qiu Tianlin: “There wasn’t time for live subject testing, but I guarantee it works.”

Chi Yao pulled out a vial and examined it casually.

“I trust your work.”

He looked at Lin Chengde behind him and the holographic projection of Pei Zhenyue. “Well, it’s up to you two to decide.”

Pei Zhenyue and Lin Chengde exchanged a glance and nodded. “Commence operation—”