Trying to call out

“Give me​​⁠​⁠‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​⁠‍‍‍⁠⁠​‍⁠‌ a hand—”

In the spaceship’s quarters, Jiang Ci sat at his workstation, not even looking up as he passed a blueprint to the side.

“Huo Xianfeng, help me carve this piece of metal into the shape shown here.”

“…Using the King as a servant?”

Huo Xianfeng, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, snorted.

“Jiang Ci, you’re the first to try that.”

“…?”

Jiang Ci froze, turning his head as he realized he might have been too engrossed earlier and caused his tone to sound a bit rough.

“How is this using you?”

He quickly got up from the workstation, walking over to grab Huo Xianfeng’s hand. But the stoic man crossed his arms, refusing to let Jiang Ci pull him up.

Jiang Ci had no choice but to grab Huo Xianfeng’s tail instead. Even though the outer defensive layer on the tip of Huo Xianfeng’s tail had healed, Jiang Ci still carefully avoided touching it directly.

“It’s just that the tools here for cutting metal are too limited, and none of them can handle the hardest Loden metal. Obviously, only the strongest, sharpest, and most incredible weapon in the world can do it.”

Jiang Ci had recently gotten better at saying such things naturally, completely unaware of how often he now asked Huo Xianfeng for help. Unlike before, he no longer tried to handle everything by himself.

“Hmph.”

Huo Xianfeng glanced at him and coldly chuckled.

“Jiang Ci, your sweet-talking has really improved.”

And your skin has gotten thicker. The once-stubborn omega who would rather struggle alone to death than ask for help seemed almost gone.

The Major General pressed his lips into a thin line and asked,

“Huo Xianfeng, are you going to help or not?”

“Hmph, a trivial matter.”

Huo Xianfeng took the blueprint and the piece of metal. Now that the core brain had been repaired, the scientists were working on cracking the theoretical framework of the time-travel device. Jiang Ci’s assigned task was to build the external model.

Huo Xianfeng studied the blueprint carefully for a few seconds, memorizing the detailed structure. Then, his tail lifted up and a fine needle extended from its tip to begin the precise carving and engraving as per the blueprint.

Jiang Ci watched from the side. The more he understood Huo Xianfeng’s tail, the more impressed he was by its versatility—not only could it be used for combat, but it was also capable of tasks requiring surgical-level precision.

Sometimes, Jiang Ci couldn’t help feeling envious and even wished he could grow a tail too.

“How’s the situation with Pei Changyun?”

“…Not great.”

Jiang Ci hesitated, his expression turning solemn.

“Yesterday, there was a significant earthquake in Su City, south of Eternal Cloud Planet. Uncle Changyun personally went to oversee the relief efforts and offer condolences. This action immediately regained some public support. With his honest admission and his team’s behind-the-scenes work, the populace has gradually begun accepting the fact that he’s a Beta.”

But this was not necessarily a good beginning.

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Jiang Ci loathed such things, and his disgust was evident as he spoke, nearly gritting his teeth in anger.

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Gender discrimination intensified, reaching a point where one’s fate was dictated by their gender and rank. Betas, while not as severely oppressed as omegas, still occupied a low social status.

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In an alliance system, his authority would have been stripped away in an instant.

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Jiang Ci closed his eyes briefly before continuing,
“I helped set up part of the security network earlier, so thankfully, the situation is under control for now.”

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Jiang Ci felt a sense of helplessness.
“However, the man acted under public scrutiny, posed no direct threat, and given the current sensitive climate, according to the imperial law, the’re no grounds for severe punishment.”

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Jiang Ci examined it and checked that it matched the blueprint perfectly. Despite Huo Xianfeng helping him numerous times before, Jiang Ci still couldn’t help but marvel.

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“If it were up to me, I’d execute anyone who dared challenge the Emperor’s authority—leave none alive.”

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In human society, public opinion and the moral high ground can sometimes be even more fearsome than military strength—even for an Emperor.

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Despite this, Huo Xianfeng couldn’t help frowning.
“Huo Chao really left Pei Changyun with a mess to clean up.”

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“—Because Huo Chao is dead,” Huo Xianfeng said coldly.

“Everyone saw Huo Chao perish alongside the Zergs. The Zergs’ identity as invaders cannot be erased.”

What’s more, back then, Huo Xianfeng had genuinely intended to slaughter and exterminate humanity, so explanations were meaningless to him.

“And if Huo Chao had designated Pei Changyun as his successor, then Pei Changyun’s reign would forever be overshadowed by Huo Chao’s legacy. Every achievement of Pei Changyun’s would be attributed to Huo Chao.”

But by leaving nothing behind, while a few might accuse Pei Changyun of stepping over Huo Chao to gain power, to the majority of humanity, which had been in despair, it appeared that after Huo Chao’s death, Pei Changyun had stepped up to save the crumbling Empire.

Jiang Ci quickly understood and even grasped a deeper layer of reasoning.
“Could it also be because Marshal Huo Chao died, yet the Illusory God Church still exists? He came from that Church and was controlled by it. If Huo Chao named Pei Changyun as his successor, the Church could use that connection to manipulate him.”

Only by severing all apparent ties between Huo Chao and Pei Changyun could the Church lose any leverage over the latter. After all, except for Huo Chao, Pei Changyun never had any association with the Church.

As for the Marshal and the Consul, those were merely military titles. The Dawn Legion no longer existed, and neither did the Alliance. It was as though their connection had ceased to matter, leaving behind only traces of camaraderie at most.

And camaraderie could never be used as leverage.

Huo Xianfeng pondered for a moment and nodded.
“It’s possible. Moreover, when Pei Changyun swiftly consolidated all power, even if the Illusory God Church exposed Huo Chao’s identity as a ‘Son of God,’ it would have little benefit to them. Instead, it would tarnish Huo Chao’s legacy.”

He sneered.
“Because in the most critical time, the Illusory God Church fled for their own survival.”

“…”

The heavy topic of the evening ended there.

The room’s lights dimmed significantly, leaving Jiang Ci working under the glow of a desk lamp.

Jiang Ci was still young, and his theoretical knowledge couldn’t compare to that of senior academicians, so he was only assigned simpler tasks. Even so, he wanted to challenge the more complex problems.

At present, the balance of military power between the Empire and the Church was no longer insurmountable, but space shuttle devices remained the enemy’s ace weapon.

Thus, everyone was working tirelessly on that problem.

Huo Xianfeng lay on the bed with his eyes closed but did not sleep. He calculated the time—another half month, and the larvae would complete their molting phase. Then, he would begin strengthening his forces. By then, no matter what the Illusory God Church was plotting, he did not believe they could surpass his strength on the battlefield.

Then, the King’s consciousness connected to the Zerg’s spiritual network. Gazing at the galaxy-like array of glowing points, he was unexpectedly soothed by the sight.

—Until he noticed a familiar light.

A light that should have been extinguished in the darkness three hundred years ago suddenly emitted a faint glow.

It belonged to Huo Chao.

Back then, because Huo Chao had been injected with the Royal Zerg’s neural fluid and his human consciousness had been one-way linked to the Zerg’s spiritual network.

How… how could this be?

How was this possible?!!

The next second after the shock, Huo Xianfeng connected without hesitation, just like three hundred years ago.

Then, he began trying to call out to his dear friend who should have been dead—

[…Huo Chao?]