Chapter 284 - 283

Jian Yu was stunned for a moment, too.

She walked over and took Sheng Yue’s hand.

Red mist seeped into his wrist, traveling along his veins.

His spiritual power was in disarray, and his soul domain was a complete mess.

Jian Yu said, "There’s a black mass in his soul domain."

"His soul domain is injured. It’s not a huge problem. He won’t die," Pei Yin said as he methodically prepared a medicine.

He glanced up, noting the color of Jian Yu’s face. "Go sit down for a minute. I’ll check on you next."

Jian Yu shook her head. "I’m fine."

She looked at Sheng Yue’s cold, pale face and colorless lips, and couldn’t help but think of Yin Jiu, who had been drowsy the entire way here.

Jian Yu tried to heal Sheng Yue.

The soul domain of a 3S Awakener was like a bottomless black hole; no matter how much Green Mist she poured into it, she couldn’t fill it.

"Let me." Si Xu had appeared by her side at some point.

At his urging, the Holy Pearl erupted in a brilliant light.

Jian Yu thought of Red Snake and Yang Zhang. Ever since they returned from Emperor Wolf Star, neither of them seemed to have said a word.

She released Sheng Yue’s hand.

When she turned around, she met Ling Yanzhi’s complicated gaze. A hint of dejection was subtly mixed in with his other emotions.

Jian Yu pursed her lips.

’Who could possibly resist that?’

Jian Yu glanced at the sleeping Sheng Yue and jogged back to Ling Yanzhi’s side.

She sat down silently between Ling Yanzhi and Xi Yu, taking each of their hands.

Xi Yu rested his head on her shoulder and snuggled against her. "I don’t feel good."

Jian Yu squeezed his hand, slowly coaxing out a wisp of Green Mist.

She looked at Ling Yanzhi and asked in a low voice, "Am I being too greedy?"

Ling Yanzhi’s tense nerves relaxed, and the cold, hard aura around him gradually dissipated.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms. "Comforting one person is still comforting, and so is comforting a few. So be even greedier, okay? I’m afraid you’ll leave me behind, too."

Jian Yu lowered her head, burying her face in the warm crook of his neck.

Xi Yu leaned sideways against her.

With the weight of two people pressing against him, Ling Yanzhi felt both blissful and pained.

"..." Pei Yin, coming over with his medical scanner, couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

He pulled Xi Yu off her. "Your face is as pale as a ghost’s, and you’re still trying to compete for attention."

The more Pei Yin scanned them, the more his head ached. "What in the world did you all do? How did you end up so completely drained all at once?"

Xi Yu said calmly, "Admiral Yan colluded with the Soul Ghost Bodies. He wanted to capture us for experiments."

He summarized the course of events in a few sentences.

After listening, Pei Yin was so angry he felt like killing someone. "He’s a 3S, too! If he wants to do research, why doesn’t he research himself? That old coot. All he knows is how to stir up trouble."

Xi Yu gave him a mournful look. "Little Eagle, you stuck the needle in too deep."

Pei Yin’s lip twitched. "Don’t you dare criticize my professional technique with your unprofessional opinion."

Despite his words, he silently pulled the needle out a little. "Just bear with it. Any shallower and the medicine won’t go in."

Xi Yu’s mind went blank. "Before the Clan Leader died, he used to secretly inject me with medicine just like this. He told me it was to save my mother and that I shouldn’t tell my father. Later, I chopped off his hands and pickled his head in a jar of chemicals."

"..."

He ground his teeth. "Shut your mouth. Keep talking, and I’ll pickle you in a jar, too!"

Xi Yu glanced at Sheng Yue, who had already started his medicinal bath.

He blinked. "Okay."

Jian Yu stroked his head and let him lean against her.

Xi Yu closed his eyes, and his breathing quickly became even.

Pei Yin set up a separate soul shield for him, his fists clenched tightly.

Jian Yu pulled at him. "Go check on Ayan."

Pei Yin snapped out of it. "You can tell just by looking at him that he’s... Holy crap, you’re trying to kill yourself!"

The scanner blared a warning as the readings suddenly skyrocketed.

Pei Yin wanted to slap him but was afraid he’d accidentally make the man fall apart.

"Stop messing around! Your condition is the worst. A few more minutes and you’ll be taking a bath right next to Sheng Yue."

The flashing blue light of the Star Brain reflected on Ling Yanzhi’s face.

He raised an eyebrow, but upon meeting Jian Yu’s stern expression, he reined in his imposing aura.

Jian Yu looked at him quietly.

Ling Yanzhi’s expression froze, and he explained in a small voice, "I was looking something up."

Pei Yin suppressed his anger. "Give me your hand."

Ling Yanzhi cooperatively extended his hand.

He had logged into the Star Network to browse recent events but didn’t see any official news from the Alliance about Emperor Wolf Star’s independence.

Ling Yanzhi asked, "When did Emperor Wolf Star become independent?"

After giving him the injection, Pei Yin said snappishly, "I wasn’t at the base. All I know is that old geezer used his seniority to rally a few other planets against the Alliance."

He tilted his head towards Si Xu. "He went. He should know."

Si Xu was succinct. "The talks failed. They declared independence unilaterally."

Ling Yanzhi lowered his gaze and smiled, letting out a yawn. The corners of his eyes were tinged with red. "He’s getting desperate."

Every year, the Alliance integrates the resources of major planets and then redistributes them to ensure that the Awakeners of each planet can have sufficient room for growth.

Emperor Wolf Star is rich in Beast Plant resources but has few Awakeners. This year, the resources allocated to it were one-third less than those for the Imperial Capital Star.

Yan Tianba was reluctant to part with the High-level Beast Crystals, Mecha, and other resources allocated by the Alliance, so at first, he chose to swallow his anger and keep quiet.

That was until the Alliance proposed to take back the corps he was temporarily managing on the Imperial Capital Star.

Yan Tianba must have felt he was getting a raw deal. He dropped his usual kind and cheerful facade, refusing to give an inch and becoming aggressive during the assembly.

He simultaneously boasted about his past achievements while demanding Emperor Wolf Star receive the same treatment as the Imperial Capital Star.

Si Xu didn’t know what the Alliance was thinking, but he felt that Admiral Yan was...

"Just using it as an excuse," Ling Yanzhi said, voicing Si Xu’s thoughts.

Pei Yin, still worried, checked Jian Yu as well.

There was nothing wrong with her physically; in fact, her face had even gotten a little chubbier.

He looked at the few people slumped over every which way and couldn’t help but sigh. "Does the Alliance know?"

Ling Yanzhi said, "It’s been reported."

The Alliance was likely caught off guard. When they learned of Yan Tianba’s betrayal, they must have panicked. They didn’t make any proper arrangements and just sent a ship to pick people up.

He frowned slightly. "The people I asked the Alliance to pick up? Where are they now?"

Pei Yin had been at the school the whole time, so he didn’t know.

Si Xu said something shocking, "Most of them are dead."

Jian Yu’s pupils contracted.

Si Xu’s fingertips caressed the Holy Pearl. "They were poisoned. Some couldn’t be saved."

Jian Yu turned her head and found that Ling Yanzhi had also fallen asleep.

Her heart felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

She had a feeling that Ling Yanzhi and the others went to the Slave Market because of the message she had Red Snake deliver.

’If they hadn’t gone to the Slave Market, would this have ever happened?’

With a grim expression, Pei Yin moved the two sleeping men onto beds.

"The Alliance knew there was something wrong with the Slave Market. They knew Yan Tianba was fully aware of how absurdly fast a Super 3S can grow. And they still dared to send those two to investigate? What were they thinking?"

Pei Yin didn’t mince words. "The Alliance really needs a change in leadership. I refuse to believe they were unaware of the situation on Emperor Wolf Star."

Given how arrogant Yan Tianba and his whole family are, what was there even to investigate?

Jian Yu’s eyelashes trembled slightly. "Where is Zhao Jiangyou?"

"Zhao Jiangyou?" Pei Yin was stunned for a moment. "You mean the person Little Yan brought back?"