Chapter 053, Mysterious Youth
At the edge of the Cepheus Galaxy, Ling Yu piloted the Black Dragon replica to successfully execute the first space jump.
Looking on as the familiar planet now gradually began fading away, Ling Yu finally took in a deep breath, resisting the bitterness in his eyes, he designated a strange blue planet for the Black Dragon, softly saying, "Black Dragon, go back to the base."
Black Dragon immediately complied with a low voice, "Understood, Master."
Today, returning to Locke Castle, Ling Yu suddenly thought back to a lot of past events.
Such as those pure dreams he had when he was young, for instance, those neverending days of the fires of war on the front line in his youth.
He still remembers when he said that he wanted to take the military academy exam someone once asked him, "Are you afraid of dying on the battlefield?"
At sixteen years old he smiled and said: "Compared with straightforwardly fighting to the death on the battlefield, what's even more frightening is some kind of house arrest...... Torturing someone through that would be like a slow-acting poison right?"
That's right, he hates house arrest even more than death. He hates being under someone's control and he hates losing his freedom.
He lived his life underground from birth, that sort of damp, gloomily cold environment emits a strange smell in the air. For him, it's like a huge and suffocating cage. Only with great difficulty did he grow up and leave that lifeless underground city and saw the fresh and vivid world outside. He didn't expect to once again be locked up in another underground prison after so many years because of the exposure of his Omega identity.
In those three days in the underground prison, Ling Yu had really been thinking all along......
In the end, what did he do wrong?
Is being an Omega on the front line attacking the enemy wrong? But you Alphas and Betas are always being defeated on the battlefield, looking on as their homes' national capitals fall one after another, isn't that so? Is it wrong to have a pair of wings and wish to soar freely in the sky? Wanting to go soaring through the sky is an eagle's primordial instinct. Why do some people insist upon breaking an eagle's wings and trapping them like a canary in a cage?
— This is probably the so-called rule of this world.
Just because he is an Omega, he should not do anything, he only ever needs to be responsible for reproducing and bringing up children.
Even his most trusted Rosen after many years of being classmates and his best friend, when he learned that he was an Omega, he too immediately possessed and marked him in that secret prisoner cell, making him pregnant......
Seeing as Rosen's actions at that time were to save him, he doesn't have any reason to blame Rosen.
He had to admit that when in his moments of complete clarity from his state of unconsciousness, he looked at the familiar features of the man who had his naked self wrapped around his arms in an embrace. A trace of indescribable loss and sorrow suddenly welled up in Ling Yu's heart.
He did not know what this loss was for in the end.
Because he lost his best friend?
Because he finally went back to being an Omega?
Or maybe because...... He can't casually face Rosen anymore and the two can no longer return to the past?
In the past, they could pilot their mechs and attack the enemy side by side. They could command the two legions in tandem to win victories again and again. Making use of the spare moments when they obtained a victory to lay down on a roof and drink a few glasses of liquor, the memory of carelessly chatting about the memories of their youth during school.
The night wind blew past, tousling their hair with the starlight shining resplendently upon their heads. He remembers that Rosen's favorite thing to drink is tequila. That type of liquor tastes extremely strong. It enters like a flame, a flaming heat warming all along his throat all the way down to the bottom of his heart.
They used to be the best brothers and the best comrades-in-arms.
Ling Yu sometimes even thinks that if the person who marked him in the sealed prisoners' cell was not Rosen, would he have had an easier time?
— But of all the people, it was Rosen.
— The friend he most valued and trusted.
Today, Dave brought up: "Weren't you and Rosen once the greatest battle companions? Why is piloting this mech together out of the question?"
At that moment, Ling Yu had even felt a sharp knife cutting open his heart.
......why wouldn't it work?
Because they can't return to the past.
Because he has too many thoughts and memories that he can't let Rosen know of.
He can't let Rosen know that when he was young, as Omega carefully keeping a distance from his Alpha roommates, he was only ever unable to reject Rosen's approach. The older boy with handsome features and deep eyes had previously given him assistance and warmth more times than he could count.
He couldn't let Rosen know that when he went on the battlefield for the first time, he nearly fell into the ambush of the Federation's enemy troops due to his lack of experience. He was alone when he was nearly blown into fly ash as he piloted his mech. At that moment when he almost died, the first thing he thought of was Rosen. Thinking back to their parting, Rosen had said to him that line "take care", although they were two simple words, it nevertheless gave him the greatest courage to keep on living.
He couldn't let Rosen know that when he was promoted to the rank of Major General, those few years when he charged onwards to assault the enemy with the Dark Night Legion, each of the few spare minutes he had of leisure to talk to Rosen was the most relaxed and happy time of his entire day. Every time the Dark Night Legion was victorious, he reported the battlefield situation directly to his immediate superior, Rosen. Hearing Rosen say "good job" with his tone full of praise, filled his heart with joy right away.
— What about Omegas, Omegas can also take their men to win a victorious battle, using their own strength to defend the homeland.
His mother had passed away after she gave birth to him in that dead city. Ling Yu was an orphan as a child. After he became a soldier, he worried that his Omega identity would influence others. He had never made friends with any Alphas, almost all of his friends were Betas.
Only Rosen is special.
Rosen is the only Alpha out of all of his friends.
He and Rosen got to know each other in their youth at the age of 18, so he especially cherished this hard-won pure friendship.
However, after Rosen knew that he was an Omega, everything became different.
His most trusted comrade-in-arms who had once fought side by side countless times, after rescuing him from the prison to let him know that he was pregnant, suddenly looked at him with that kind of gentle and tender gaze as if he was a house pet, saying: "Don't worry, stay here at my side and give birth to the child."
Don't worry, stay here at my side and give birth to the child
Each word is like a clap of thunder ringing in his ears. Ling Yu did not know what he felt at that time, just that heart seemed like it was harshly tightened with a thin metal wire. The kind of contorting pain nearly made him unable to breathe.
......as it turned out, Rosen, you are also no different.
Just like those Alphas, in your hearts, an Omega only needs to be at ease and stay at your side, just having children is enough.
Ling Yu doesn't like that, Ling Yu longs for the free expanse of sky and not closely protected behind the holding cell called "Rosen's Residence".
You have known him for so many years, but just because he is an Omega, you have forgotten what he desires the most?
— It's freedom.
He was shut off in that underground city for a full 16 years. He continuously had a few familiar faces at his side in the Undercurrent Organization. Such a big castle was cold and cheerless, the skeletons of the dead were littered throughout the town. He left behind all of the memories from his childhood and his adolescence in that gloomy and damp City of the Dead.
He didn't want to stay in Rosen's residence for the rest of his life.
Lifelong house arrest is more terrible to him than death.
So Ling Yu chose to leave.
After leaving Cepheus for so long, many memories have become blurry. This time, if not for Dave finally completing the manufacturing of the Nine-Tailed Fox as well as Ling Yu's inhibitor also being nearly used up, he would not have secretly lurked back to the City of the Dead in the capital star.
The military's monitoring of the capital star is very strict. Once he comes back, he must brave great dangers. If by any chance he is discovered, all of his previous efforts would have become wasted.
So he has no other choice but to leave in a hurry, there is not even enough time to see that child.
He remembers how cute that child was in his early years. His clear jet-black eyes were as bright as the prettiest gem. That little guy really loved to laugh. He always grabbed onto his Dad's hand, calling out Dad...... Now, he only sees how his own son's life is from the photos and videos that Zhou Yi passed through. In a blink of an eye, Xiao Yuan is surprisingly already an 18-year-old boy......
Ling Yu walked up to the dashboard and faced the vast cosmos outside the porthole.
In the quiet space without a single person, the man who has always been calm and collected, could at last no longer conceal the sadness welling up in his heart, his pale fingers tightly grip the edge of the dashboard.
Black Dragon felt sorry for him and couldn't help but say : "Master, you......"
Ling Yu waved his hand and motioned for it to stop talking.
He never once regretted his decision.
But at this moment, standing alone in the vast and obscure cosmos...... He suddenly missed those two people very much.
***
At the same time, at Rosen's residence.
Rosen was sitting by the bed and looking at his sleeping son when Black Dragon's golden eyes suddenly flashed.
Rosen seemed to sense something so he turned his head. He opened the mental communication channel with Black Dragon: "What have you detected?"
Black Dragon hesitated all of a sudden, then said: "Master, I have detected abnormal movements from an S-Class mech, it seems to be leaving the Cepheus Galaxy. The other side has the induction system that only the mechs that Mr. Aston manufactured will have, it's not King Lion, it's not White Feather, and it's not Suzaku......"
Rosen slightly wrinkled his brows.
Mr. Aston has only manufactured four S-Class mechs. Apart from Black Dragon, there is Suzaku, White Feather, and King Lion. If it is not these three, then what could it even be? Could there be an additional fifth one?
Rosen blankly stared, suddenly a terrifying thought flashed through his mind......
Was it......
Looking like it guessed the same answer as its master, Black Dragon said in a low voice: "It must be that replica."
Except for Suzaku, all S-Class mechs have a replica left in the Mech Association. Once the main body is damaged, the original replica's intelligence can be taken out to recreate an identical mech. The replica has the exact same mental power and performance as the original. The difference is that the replica is like a newborn baby and has no memory or sentiment to the master, it can completely re-match to once again recognize the master.
Since Black Dragon had its main body's data processed and stored in the Mech Association, then in that case, where did the real replica go?
Ling Yu......
Rosen's face sank, he immediately stood up and said: "Black Dragon, go!"
Black Dragon understand it's master's intentions and decisively carried Rosen straight out, rushing immediately out to the Cepheus Galaxy!
Around the Cepheus Galaxy, the purely white nebulas and the twinkling stars seemed to have not changed a bit and the faint airflow fluctuations around it nevertheless made Black Dragon keenly aware of the anomaly, "Master, there was a large mech just now that executed a space jump here."
Rosen said with a cold face: "Calculate the destination of the jump at once!"
Black Dragon immediately pulled out the universe star atlas centered on the Cepheus Galaxy from its data center and quickly calculated the time and distance, finally locking on five possible target points: "From here, the space jump can only jump to five galaxies."
Cigar Galaxy, Milky Way Galaxy, Ursa Major Galaxy, Lotta Galaxy, Isville Galaxy......
Rosen looked at the star atlus that appeared in front of him and harshly frowned.
There are too many planets to count in these five large galaxies. Where would Ling Yu go? In this boundless universe, isn't it easier said than done to find a single person who is piloting an S-Class mech?
Rosen was silent for a long time, he finally took a deep breath and said in a low voice: "Go back."
Noticing its Master's dispirited mood, Black Dragon couldn't help but say: "Master......"
Rosen lightly waved his hand, "Forget it, his level of piloting mech is not worse than mine. Since he took your replica, both its speed and performance are the same as yours. We were far too late, it's simply impossible to catch up with him...... Besides, I also don't know where he'd go."
Even though this kind of conclusion was analyzed with extreme calmness, however looking on helplessly, watching as the person who he missed the most be so close to himself, Rosen felt a stab of pain in his heart.
After returning to his residence, he went to Lin Yuan's room and watched his soundly asleep son and raised the corners of his mouth into a smile. Rosen couldn't help but gently reach out and touch his son's soft black hair and swore inwardly from the bottom of his heart—
Xiao Yuan, I will definitely bring your dad back!
***
The outer edge of the Isville Galaxy.
On the holographic projection screen, the surrounding scenes of the universe are cast out in real-time. Countless meteors with their long tails in tow rapidly streak by from outside the window. Not too far away is a water-blue planet. In the vast cosmos, it is as beautiful as a brilliantly glimmering blue gem.
Planet Naomi.
This planet has an abundant energy reserve, the stored energy even exceeds the sum of all the planets put together in the Cigar Galaxy.
After going through such a long period of space flight, Ling Yu had long since adjusted his mood, he had an undisturbed expression as he piloted Black Dragon, accurately positioning the coordinates on the planet, and vertically descended in the center of a spacious and void base.
It's already very late at night, the base is just as brightly lit as it was before.
When the gigantic mech reached the ground, it produced a loud "bang" sound. After a while, the young and handsome man calmly came out from the cockpit of the mech, placing the dark blue military cap on with his hand. The silver-medal emblem on the front of his cap is like a male eagle spreading its wings as it soared through the air, this is the symbol of the Lacey Emperor's XX Department.
The row of officers standing in front of him immediately orderly saluted and said: "General!"
Ling Yu gave a slight head nod, "I left for the whole day, did anything happen on the base?"
An officer immediately relayed a report with a clear voice: "Three hours ago, enemy troops launched a sneak attack and was completely annihilated by us!"
One person next to him laughed and said: "Those dumbass sons of bitches didn't know how many secret weapons we have hidden away on our base. They actually ran right to their deaths, they were bombarded by Laozi into pissing their pants in terror!!"
(TN: Just like an arrogant way to refer to yourself.)
Ling Yu couldn't help but smile."
After staying in the army for a long time, some men just like to use vulgar language and curse profanities all day long with their mouth.
Yet this kind of environment makes him feel especially familiar.
This is his favorite place.
Although it's dangerous and full of excitement, however together with his comrade-in-arms, he feels that every day of his life is especially lively.
After some brief accounts from several officers, Ling Yu soon turned and walked back to his lounge.
The Isville Galaxy is on one of the front lines for the Empire and the Federation's year-round battle. The conditions cannot be as good as those in the capital star. The soldiers all live together in the living quarters. The junior ranking officers above the rank of major have their own separate lounges.
Although Ling Yu is a general, his style has always been frugal. His lounge is a three-room, one living room bungalow. Two bedrooms were separately occupied by two people and the other is used as a public study.
The man who lived with him was sitting on the sofa reading a book when he pushed the door open.
The man looked refined, the clothes he wore on his body is a clean, neat white shirt and the same colored casual pair of pants. In this place where the flames of war raged across the land, this kind of attire looks a bit out of place. The man looked down at the book with a very serious expression. With the faint air of a scholar on his body, it makes him exhibit a kind of unique cultured and refined temperament.
Ling Yu couldn't help but say: "It's almost dawn already, why are you still not asleep?"
The man looked up and his eyes were full of unease, "You went to the capital star, I was awfully worried, I haven't slept at all." Soon after he finished speaking, he placed the e-book in his hands down and walked over to face Ling Yu, and asked in a low voice, "Were you able to get to the City of the Dead without a hitch? Is the Nine-Tailed Fox finished?"
Ling Yu nodded and said: "Dave's level really made me feel amazed. After not seeing him for so many years, I truly didn't expect him to be able to manufacture a double S-Class mech."
The man smiled and said: "When we were young, Dave always said that if one day he leaves that dead city, he must make a mech that makes everyone bow down and worship it, but it must also only be for Omegas to pilot in order to infuriate those Alphas to death."
Recalling those pure dreams of their childhood, Ling Yu also let out a rare smile, "Dave's dream should be achieved very soon "
The man smiled and asked: "Are the pilots of the Nine-Tailed Fox chosen? If I didn't guess wrong...... It must be you with Rosen?"
As Ling Yu faced his profound smiling expression, he couldn't help but feel a trace of embarrassment flash through his eyes, avoiding his gaze, he said: "I am not with Rosen...... His Majesty has other candidates. By the way, I saw a child stealthily intrude into the Central Laboratory in the City of the Dead. "
Ling Yu changed the subject and brought out a sterile bottle filled with a few strands of hair out of his pocket and handed it over to the other man.
"That child looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years old. He ran around all by himself in the underground city with a lot of guts, he. I was worried that he found out about the secret of His Majesty so I temporarily knocked him out with neuro-anesthetic." Ling Yu paused, "Since he knows the way to enter the underground city, he should be some Omega's descendant from the Underground Organization. You can help and look up and examine his genes and check who the parents of that child are."
"The descendant of an Undercurrent Organization member?" The man's expression was a little surprised. He took the hair from Ling Yu's hand and said, "I will check it out right now."
Ling Yu nodded and said: "Let's go together."
The two walked shoulder to shoulder to the medical bay in the base. The man picked up a white overcoat from the door in passing and put on a mask and brought the sterile bottle with the hair into the laboratory. Ling Yu quickly changed clothes too and kept pace with his footsteps.
In the spacious laboratory, various advanced medical instruments reflect a soft luster under the light. The man steeps the hair in a special blue liquid and then puts it into the gene detector.
The gene detector began to rapidly analyze the gene sequence in the hair. Soon, a string of complex data appeared on the screen and the genes in the database were checked and compared in detail.
After a moment, a line of results pops up on the screen.
The target gene and a gene in the database have a match of 99.99%.
That name in the database is actually unbelievably familiar to the two —
Ling Han.
Ling Yu looked at the man beside him in shock, "Brother, he is......?"
In a flash, Ling Han's face was drained of any blood. The original cultivated and refined man seemed to have all of his strength taken away. Dazedly looking at the results on the screen, the complex and painful emotions hidden in the depths of his eyes is heart-wrenching.
After a long time, he asked in a low voice: "That child...... Is he named Snow?"
(TN: And yet another plot twist of the century appears lol. I'm making a comment thread right here for those who wish to be spoiled further, I just ask that it stays in this one thread or if you feel the need to start you own put spoiler warnings. If I see one that has a spoiler in plain sight I'm gonna put that delete comment button to good use~ Peace!)