A-Ci~~

Nowadays, whenever‌⁠‍⁠‍‌⁠‌‍‌​‍⁠‌‍​‍​‍⁠​​‌⁠ Jiang Ci thought of those three words, he couldn’t help but think of one person. He closed his eyes and a slight heaviness fell in his heart.

— He Zhun.

At that moment, the young beta dressed in a white lab coat stood in front of rows of basketball-sized petri dishes, holding an electronic tablet and carefully recording various new data. Inside the dishes were holy stigmata, which looked like living tendrils, or some kind of strange parasitic organism.

He Zhun looked much the same as before, wearing rimless glasses perched on his nose. However, this time, he wore a mask that concealed his handsome face, leaving only his amber-colored eyes visible, which were slightly downcast. His pupils reflected the dense symbols and scientific terms, making him appear calm and indifferent. Every detail of him seemed to fit the image of a genius researcher.

But He Zhun wasn’t alone in the lab; many others wearing similar lab coats were busy recording daily data. A few days ago, He Zhun had caught the attention of Bernard, the head of the Stigmata Experiment, through a paper he wrote using Badwa as a test subject and he successfully gained the permit to enter the Holy Relic White Tower’s Stigmata Research Institute.

Bernard had uncovered He Zhun’s identity—he was He Qichu’s son.

He Zhun admitted this quite calmly and reiterated that his purpose in being there was to take revenge on Pei Changyun. However, it was clear that Bernard didn’t fully trust him, assigning him to handle the breeding of the lowest-level stigmata. So, for now, He Zhun was just an outer-layer, low-ranking data recorder.

But this situation was something He Zhun had anticipated. He wasn’t in a hurry because the experiment with Badwa had already given him many key pieces of information, such as the fact that stigmatas have different levels, and these levels were related to the Zerg brain fluid used to feed them.

Ordinary believers’ stigmatas weren’t actually gold but rather a dull yellow.

The bishops’ were pale gold, the archbishops’ were brighter and more radiant gold, and Elder Mandala’s were crimson gold. As for Marshal Huo Chao, He Zhun had heard from Leinster that his stigmata were likely black gold.

It was clear that the Pope controlled the entire Illusory God Church through stigmata, but what methods did he use? Did the Pope also inject himself with stigmata?

Just then, He Zhun’s mask suddenly shifted.

He immediately froze, clenched his teeth, and closed his eyes, trying hard to endure the nauseating and horrifying sensation of being parasitized and the creeping movements inside him.

Uncle Jiang… 

This disgusting sensation reminded He Zhun of how that man looked in his dying moments.

Unlike Jiang Ci, who completely missed his father’s death, He Zhun witnessed Jiang Jinsheng’s painful demise.

At that time, Jiang Jinsheng was so thin he looked like a skeleton. The golden stigmata extended from his heart and covered his body, grotesque and terrifying. His once beautiful silver hair had turned old and lifeless, resembling someone who had been drained of all vitality. His scarlet eyes had lost their luster, but even then, Jiang Jinsheng forced a weak, apologetic smile.

[Xiao… Xiao Zhun, I’m sorry…]

[You must be frightened… seeing me like this…]”

[…]

He Zhun was indeed afraid, but it wasn’t because of Jiang Jinsheng’s monstrous appearance.

It was the fear of losing him.

Click, click, click— 

The sound of high heels interrupted everyone’s work, causing even He Zhun to snap out of his thoughts. Without looking, he knew who it was. After all, in the entire Illusory God Church, only one woman could wear high heels inside the Holy Relic White Tower.

He turned his head and, sure enough, saw that familiar seductive figure in the distance.

— Cecilia.

She was speaking to the person in charge, holding a small metal case in her left hand. After a brief exchange, the person in charge turned and pointed at He Zhun, motioning for him to come over immediately.

“…”

He Zhun understood why Cecilia had come. It seemed she had confirmed that Huo Xianfeng was not Huo Chao, though he wasn’t sure if she was here to reprimand him or for something else.

However, the omega archbishop didn’t appear as immaculate as she had during their last meeting. Though her face remained beautiful, one side of her cheek was slightly pink, the color of freshly healed skin, and her expression seemed tired.

— It appeared that the archbishop’s task hadn’t been easy.

He Zhun had been staying in the Holy Relic White Tower, completely cut off from the outside world, so he was unaware that Bright City had fallen.

“Lady Cecilia,” he greeted as he approached, bowing his head with a respectful and obedient demeanor.

Their conversation took place in full view of everyone, so it was easy for those around them to overhear.

“Oh, it’s been such a long time, Xiao Zhun~”

Cecilia’s tone was intimately familiar with him, and the people around them immediately began looking at He Zhun differently. Then, without warning, Cecilia leaned in and casually lifted He Zhun’s mask, revealing a dark gold stigmata imprinted on his pale cheek.

He Zhun hadn’t expected her to do that, and his body tensed as she drew uncomfortably close, crossing the line of appropriate distance. However, He Zhun didn’t shy away, letting her examine him. He still hadn’t fully adapted to the stigmata, so he couldn’t control it as freely as the other followers, nor could he hide it perfectly.

“Wow, so Leinster wasn’t lying after all,” she remarked with a curious and exaggerated tone, even though she had actually learned this from Ace. But in front of He Zhun, she chose to say it was from Leinster. Cecilia ran her fingers along He Zhun’s cheek, feeling the subtle movement under his skin.

He Zhun’s eyelashes trembled slightly, but his voice remained calm:

“…Lady Cecilia, is there something you need from me?”

“Mmm, I came to see Mr. Bernard for something, and I thought I’d stop by to give you a little trouble while I was at it,” the woman smiled sweetly, her words sounding far from threatening despite their implication.

“Leinster thought I was the one who injected you with the stigmata, and he was so mad that he even fought with me over it! I just got back from Bright City, and you wouldn’t believe how terrifying that Huo Xianfeng is—he’s even worse than Huo Chao. Even together, Lia and Elder Mandala couldn’t defeat him~ We barely made it back alive, covered in wounds, and he still treated me like that because of you, Lia is so sad~”

— Bright City had fallen! 

The meaning behind her words was clear. He Zhun’s pupils shook with shock, but outwardly, he maintained a composed expression, quietly apologizing:

“I’m deeply sorry, Lady Cecilia. Is there anything I can do to ease your anger?”

“Mmm…” she hummed thoughtfully, placing the hand holding the small box on his shoulder while her other hand playfully trailed down his face, tracing his jawline and pausing at his throat, tapping gently on his Adam’s apple. With a suggestive tone, she teased:

“Well then, Xiao Zhun, come see me at midnight tonight,” she said, flirtingly tilting her head and winking at him, “and you’ll know how to make Lia happy.”

He Zhun’s Adam’s apple moved slightly under her touch as he lowered his eyes and obediently replied:

“Understood, Lady Cecilia. I’ll be there on time tonight.”

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“Lady Cecilia, Mr. Bernard is waiting for you inside.”

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Cecilia turned away, following the person in charge as she leisurely walked deeper into the facility in her high heels.

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Countless questions flashed through He Zhun’s mind, but he had no definite answers yet. He closed his eyes briefly, adjusted his mask, and returned to his station to resume his work. After his conversation with Cecilia, he could feel the shift in how others were looking at him. The previous animosity and exclusion had suddenly vanished.

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With an emotionless face, He Zhun continued to record data, completing his last entry on the tablet.

Click— 

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There were still ten hours until midnight.

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And she had just returned from Bright City.

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After all, the former was someone the Pope was interested in, suspected of being Marshal Huo Chao, while the latter was the child of the Saintess, whom Cecilia had been obsessed with for a long time.

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If he had a choice, He Zhun just hoped it wasn’t Jiang Ci’s.

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“Outside…”

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Boom! 

Boom! 

BOOM—!!! 

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“An enemy attack?!”

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So, when they thought they were under attack, the first reaction of this group of elderly academicians, with their heads full of white hair, was to protect Jiang Ci. After all, in their eyes, Jiang Ci was an omega and still just a young child in his twenties.

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“No, no…”

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Jiang Ci: “…?”

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Just as the soldier described, the sky was swarming with Zergs. However, the loud crashing noises had stopped. As they looked out, the area that should have been in ruins had completely transformed.

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Jiang Ci entered the junior class affiliated to the Capital Academy of Sciences at the age of twelve and showed unparalleled talent. At that time, Jiang Jingsheng had already passed away, and Jiang Ci’s appearance, along with his abilities, made the old professors of the academy treasure him immensely.

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Pei Changyun, at his wit’s end, had no choice but to send Zhou Jiuya to deal with it.

The Commander had spent most of his life following orders, relaying the directives of the Marshal and the Emperor, and issuing commands to officers. Dealing with a group of scholarly old men was far outside his comfort zone. So, all he could say was:

[Jiang Ci is already preparing for military school. I’ll let him suffer a bit. If he finds it unsuitable, he’ll come back.]

But then Zhou Jiuya realized that if Jiang Ci really did get into military school, he’d have a hard time explaining things. So he quickly added:

[To be honest, if he actually passes, you all know Jiang Ci’s personality—an omega like him won’t last long in a group full of alphas. He’ll eventually come back…]

He hadn’t even finished speaking when the room erupted in anger.

[Suffer?!! Why should an underage omega have to suffer?!]

[Do you have any idea how precious a talent like Jiang Ci is?! His potential is on par with his father’s!!!]

[Zhou Jiuya, you’re ruining him!!!]

That was just the beginning. The Commander, who had always commanded the battlefield, found himself trapped in a circle of criticism, surrounded by old men who berated him furiously.

[And what do you mean by ‘Jiang Ci’s personality’? What’s wrong with our Xiao Jiang?!]

In their eyes, Jiang Ci’s personality was perfectly fine—he was just a bit quiet, a little introverted. For a genius, that was entirely normal!

[—What genius doesn’t have a few quirks?]

They all had their own eccentricities. 

That was normal!!! 

Zhou Jiuya: …

Zhou Jiuya was losing his mind.

For the first time in his life, he faced a situation where he couldn’t fight back, and he couldn’t argue his way out of it.

In the end, the Commander simply started avoiding them, hiding until Jiang Ci successfully got into military school, hiding until that boy began to shine in military competitions and mecha tournaments. He hid until Jiang Ci transformed from the genius of the youth class into the Empire’s only omega major general in the First Legion.

By the time that moment came, Zhou Jiuya no longer needed to hide.

Because by then, no one doubted Jiang Ci’s abilities anymore.

No one knew that on the day Jiang Ci was promoted to Major General, while countless people were celebrating, a group of old men at the Capital Academy of Sciences were pounding their chests and wailing in tears.

At that moment, as everyone stood frozen in shock, they saw Wan Jiang standing proudly in the center of the training ground, next to a massive Zerg creature, almost as tall as a person.

At this point, all eyes were focused on the center of the training ground, whether they were soldiers from the First Legion or the elderly academicians at the top of the Central Temple.

Jiang Ci saw Huo Xianfeng atop Ossa’s head and felt an ominous premonition rising in his heart.

This guy wasn’t about to say something outrageous again, was he? 

Thinking of this, Jiang Ci quickly dialed Huo Xianfeng’s communicator. Since Xiao X was gone, he had given Huo Xianfeng a communicator. Now, the Major General quickly dialed him at record speed and, lowering his voice, asked,

“Huo Xianfeng, what are you up to this time?!”

Instead of responding immediately, Huo Xianfeng leisurely connected the communicator to the Central Temple’s broadcast system. Waving at Jiang Ci, he said,

“A-Ci, it’s break time, bring Bai Ze down and come down to play!”

The next second, the broadcast faithfully repeated this message.

“Come play!” 

“Play!” 

“Play…” 

Jiang Ci: “…”

Zhou Jiuya: “…”

At the moment Huo Xianfeng’s words echoed, the Legion Commander standing on the ground felt like a complete fool.

— A colossal fool!!!

He had pushed aside countless urgent military matters, rushed here in a heat of excitement, all because of Huo Xianfeng’s provocation… to play?

Play???

And in front of everyone, with all eyes on them!!!

Zhou Jiuya’s temples throbbed wildly as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before he got too angry.

In the midst of all those scorching stares, Major General Jiang Ci stood expressionless, like a quiet and beautiful statue. Though outwardly he remained calm, every cell in his body was feeling a familiar sense of embarrassment.

He realized that whenever Huo Xianfeng called him “A-Ci,” it was either in front of a lot of elders or during intimate moments.

This guy, Huo Xianfeng, just couldn’t go a day without stirring up trouble! And it always had to be something this dramatic!!!

But the worst part was, no one could stop him!

Jiang Ci silently stared at the bold and confident young man below, and finally couldn’t help but turn his head away and silently cover his face.

How could he put it…

It was like his boyfriend was standing outside his house, shouting, “Let’s go on a date!”