Chapter 353

Wait, really?

Shi Huajing checked Cillin's expression for any signs of hesitation or forced acceptance. It was only after he confirmed that none were present that he nodded—he didn't ask how Cillin was going to pull it off—and moved onto the next topic.

Although Shi Huajing hadn't known Cillin for too long, he thought he knew enough after his time in the Sixth B Squadron. Cillin was a mysterious person who at first glance seemed perfectly ordinary even after he was promoted to a B squad commander of Vanguard. In fact, there were many people who thought that he didn't deserve it. Only those who maintained contact with him for some time would realize that he was usually at the center of many incidents and persons. The man himself was an incredibly difficult mystery to unravel.

"... and that's all the way I can send you inside. What do you think?" said Shi Huajing after explaining his thoughts and the action plans he had prepared for this mission. Once Cillin had decided which one to take, he would immediately put them into action.

Although the Shusag plan seemed like it would work, it was never a good idea to rely on one plan only. At the very least, there should be a backup plan in case the first one failed to bear fruit.

Cillin thought through all the plans Shi Huajing had told him before answering, "I choose the second plan."

Shi Huajing raised an eyebrow. "The second one?"

Shi Huajing thought that the second plan had great merits himself, but the greater element of unpredictability had prevented him from making the decision outright. He wasn't expecting Cillin to choose it from the get-go, and from the sound of it he was planning to pull it off personally.

Earlier, Shi Huajing had told Cillin that there were only captives and escorts were granted entry into the base. If Shusag's way in was the escort way, then Cillin's way in was the captive way. Long story short, being a captive in the base was far harder than being an escort.

When Shi Huajing was explaining this particular action plan to Cillin, he already pointed out that the captives were used as test subjects by Miracle. Moreover, their prison condition could only be described as terrible. Before the captives were even taken into the base and imprisoned like lab rats, their vitals were gauged to see if they would make suitable test subjects. Those who were on their last legs would be killed outright. Those who were fairly healthy would be shot until their vitals fell within the expected range.

But why would the researchers want to experiment injured test subjects when a healthy one would last much longer? It was because this was the preliminary test. They needed test subjects with strong constitution and recovery, so they shot up their captives until their vital numbers were relatively similar and see who could recover better during the time it took to carry them to the base. It was like they were trying to screen for the superior meat. Worse, they didn't even care if the test subjects could survive the journey. At this time and age, test subjects were the last thing they lacked right now.

Every once in a while, the base would check on the captives' condition as a matter of course. They were enemies, and despite their orders the escorts would sometimes give into their emotions and murder a captive or two. Of course, assuming that Shusag didn't experience a sudden onset of stage fright or something, he should be able to put his identity as the head of the escorts to good use and protect Cillin.

"How are you going to falsify your vital signs?" Shi Huajing asked.

Self-mutilation was a technical skill, and in this case even more so.

"Don't worry. I know what to do," Cillin answered.

"Okay. I'll start implementing the plan then. Be warned though: I won't be able to do anything to help after you're inside. You'll have to rely on yourself to get out of whatever sticky situation you might be in."

On an unrelated note, Shi Huajing had been ignoring a certain gray cat who was trying to catch his attention since the start of the conversation. When Wheeze realized that everyone was ignoring it, it started resorting to more drastic actions such as jumping around, doing back flips in midair and other circus shit in between Cillin and Shi Huajing. Still, the duo continued their conversation as if the cat didn't exist.

In the end, Wheeze leaped onto Cillin's shoulder and stare down on Shi Huajing with a disdainful look on its face. However, having grown a couple inches of skin since he rejoined the family, Shi Huajing didn't fall for the bait. He knew full well that the fatso would say something like "hey loser" the instant he gave it attention, and Shi Huajing had no love for self-punishment whatsoever.

A small welcome ceremony had been arranged when the starship arrived on Shi Huajing's territory. It was because he knew that Jiu Xun didn't enjoy such things. Even so, practically everyone in the Shi Family learned that the old man's arrival, and that Shi Huajing himself had gone over to receive him. Some people began wondering if it was possible to curry favor with Jiu Xun and earn the fourth young master's protection that way.

Shi Huajing knew full well that his master hated such things, of course. He straight up declared that no one was allowed to harass Jiu Xun without his express permission, or else.

Cillin, Shusag, Czedow and Wheeze were already gone when Shi Huajing was receiving Jiu Xun as per planned. No one paid them any attention because Jiu Xun and Flanders' arrival had distracted them.

...

Somewhere at the borders of Sector C, a fleet had stopped by a space filled with debris, wreckages, and lifeless soldiers. The lives that were lost here were utterly meaningless compared to the vastness that was the universe.

Two fighters flew away from the center of the battlefield and entered the command ship. A moment later, the infamous Sward and a subordinate of his—the latter was just promoted to Sward's aide a while ago—stepped out of the fighters and onto the hanger.

No one paid the aide any attention. Of course, no one dared to stare at Sward either. His expressionless and gloomy face never failed to strike fear into both his enemies and allies, not to mention that his space combat uniform was covered in blood everywhere. It was obvious that the monster had just returned from a satisfying massacre.

"LTC Sward, the captain is looking for you," said another lieutenant colonel in an indifferent tone before leaving. He had just finished fighting a battle, and he was so tired that all he wanted to do right now was to black out for a couple of days straight!

Sward walked straight toward the bridge without even nodding at the guy. However, everyone was used to his quirks since a while ago.

Shusag had no problems navigating his way through the ship because he had memorized its rough layout, and because Czedow had also shown him a detailed scan a short moment before they flew in. There were a couple of ID checks on the way, but Shusag passed them all with Czedow's help.

His face had been made to look like the real Sward's, and his body shape looked the exact same after some minute changes as well. Adding that unique quality into the mix and Czedow manipulating the verifiers to produce the results they wanted, and no one suspected that the man striding his way through the corridors like he owned the place weren't Sward at all.

According to the regulations, aides weren't allowed to enter the bridge unless they were given express permission by the commanding officer himself. That was why Shusag went in alone while Czedow waited outside.

An impatient-looking man was sitting inside the communications room. He was the captain "Sward" was supposed to meet and the final authority of this ship. His expression relaxed a little when he saw Shusag.

The captain was clearly aware of the type of man Sward was because he didn't waste his breath trying to reprimand the latter's blood-covered outfit or minimal verbal responses. He simply sent him on his way after instructing Shusag to escort the captives to the base and updating him on the latest relevant procedures. After all, no one liked to spend time with a man like Sward.

Meanwhile, multiple spaceplanes were transporting half-dead captives into the store room of the transport ship next to the command ship. Perhaps the soldiers themselves had no idea what was about to happen to the captives.

All the captives temporarily kept inside the lightless store room were wounded in some ways. Some of them had taken injuries during the battle. Some had been shot after they were taken captive. At any rate, the entire store room was chock full of blood stench. There wasn't even a window or a vent to ventilate the smell, only life support keeping the oxygen level at a suitable level.

Cillin's body was covered in blood, but none of it belonged to him as a matter of course. He looked terrible, but that was it. Wheeze had also tampered with the vital checker to make it looked like Cillin had taken some pretty serious injuries. Right now, he was observing his surroundings using the bit of light shining from the command button at the corner of the store room.

Wheeze had left to conduct reconnaissance, or so it claimed. Cillin was pretty sure that it was investigating the ship's food stock right now. Considering the gray cat's abilities, its safety was among the last things he should worry about right now.

Speaking of worry, the overwhelming blood stench and oppressive darkness of the store room were aggravating many of the captives in various ways. He could sense it through their elevated heartbeats, heavy breathing and more. Their groans could only be described as full of despair.

Cillin did nothing, however. He simply leaned against the wall and observed everything in silence. He was lucky he got a corner to himself because he was among the earlier ones to be tossed inside.

There was a young man lying on the ground not far away from Cillin. He was among the many who were tossed in after him. At first, Cillin didn't notice anything unusual about the young man because one, he couldn't see his face because his back was facing toward him, and two, the guy had put on quite the show during his entry. He had rolled a couple of times across the floor when he was tossed in before climbing to the edge of the store room, shivering all the while. He also wouldn't stop coughing and spat out a couple mouthfuls of blood. He had looked like he was a couple of minutes away from death.

Eventually, his coughs quieted to the point where there was nothing at all. The others probably thought that he had succumbed to his injuries and died, but Cillin sensed otherwise. His senses were telling him that the guy had just... fallen asleep.

Yue Lou?

The guy's sleeping habits seemed to be as terrible as ever.

Cillin wasn't expecting to find a familiar face at this place, and he certainly wasn't expecting the level of gunshot wounds the latter was suffering from. Although it wasn't fatal, the guy had danced the dance at least one time before the reaper. Unless Yue Lou's skills had degenerated since the last time they met, this should never have happened to him.

What puzzled Cillin the most though was the puncture wound behind his back. Someone had clearly shot Yue Lou from behind.