Chapter 115: You Can Give It a Try

Xuan Xuan was roused early in the morning and headed to the training grounds with Lou Yitong. Upon seeing Zhan Yu, she hopped into his hovercar. Xuan Xuan had always hated having to run ahead while Zhan Yu and Kuang Shao sat comfortably in a vehicle behind her. Now, it was finally her turn to ride, though she felt a slight pang of regret that she couldn't force Kuang Shao and the others out to run instead.

She beckoned for Lou Yitong to join her. Zhan Yu’s lips twitched; he had become not only her personal chef but her personal chauffeur as well. He glanced at Kuang Shao, who sat beside him looking remarkably at ease.

Morning runs were a mandatory part of military training. Xuan Xuan signaled for Zhan Yu to drive the car alongside the special training squad. Zhan Yu’s mouth twitched again, but he complied.

"Sing that song I taught you the other day," Xuan Xuan instructed Lou Yitong.

Lou Yitong glanced at the two men beside her—one a stern, brooding figure, the other a smiling fox. With a grimace, she found she couldn't bring herself to sing.

Kuang Shao rubbed his nose in embarrassment, thinking that she clearly lacked the taste to appreciate his breathtaking good looks. Even Zhan Yu’s usually expressionless face flickered slightly. Were they really that terrifying? Enough to leave this girl so petrified?

Xuan Xuan looked at the two men in the front seat. They were certainly off-putting enough. She began to sing, her voice low and resonant, the song "Despair." Only this song could evoke such raw emotion. It was the same song that had helped her uncover the truth about Xiao Daopeng, so she did not hesitate.

It was the first time Zhan Yu and Kuang Shao had heard her sing, and they were only just learning that the songs Lou Yitong had been performing lately were all taught by Xuan Xuan. They were struck by the same thought: like teacher, like student. Both were equally mysterious, capable of anything, turning the impossible into reality. The lyrics were cryptic, juxtaposing a sense of open-mindedness with profound despair—a contradiction that blended together without the slightest dissonance.

As Xuan Xuan’s voice rose, Lou Yitong’s gaze shifted. Without needing a reminder or further instruction, she began to sing. Her voice carried the weight of hopelessness, of a path with no exit, of helpless desolation.

Zhan Yu seemed to see a sunset over a battlefield strewn with the wreckage of mechs; there were no reinforcements, no weapons, no energy—only an endless, swarming horde of hideous Zerg.

With a jolt, he snapped back to reality. It was over. He looked at Lou Yitong with cold eyes, but she remained lost in her own world. Zhan Yu closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his gaze was clear.

"Kuang Shao," he murmured.

A flash of crimson surged in Kuang Shao’s eyes, his peach-blossom eyes filled with a sudden, lethal malice. The chilling intensity caught Xuan Xuan’s attention, and she frowned. What kind of past did these two have?

Zhan Yu gave another low command. "Ah Shao."

Kuang Shao looked toward Zhan Yu, finally tempering the murderous glint in his eyes. He curled his lips, his peach-blossom eyes crinkling in a way that made Xuan Xuan pause at his sheer charisma. "My, this Lou Yitong’s singing is truly something." He smiled charmingly, as if nothing had happened.

Xuan Xuan glanced at his smile, which didn't reach his eyes. "It only affects those who have a story to tell."

Kuang Shao’s smile faltered slightly. "I have many stories. Which one would you like to hear, Xuan Xuan?"

Ignoring him, Xuan Xuan looked out the window at the crowd, pointing out individuals to Zhan Yu and noting who was in the most critical condition. Her gaze suddenly froze when it landed on Xuan Guo. She was completely unaffected by Lou Yitong’s singing.

Xuan Xuan focused her attention on Xuan Guo, clearly sensing the girl's tension; her hands were clenched tight. She tried to examine her, but because Xuan Guo showed no emotional reaction to the song, she couldn't find a foothold. She was definitely hiding something. What was she nervous about? What was she afraid of?

Xuan Xuan frowned, scanning her from head to toe again, yet finding nothing. The more she found nothing, the more suspicious she became. She remembered Lou Yitong saying Xuan Guo was strange—she truly was.

"What’s wrong with her?" Zhan Yu asked, noticing her gaze lingering on Xuan Guo for too long.

Xuan Xuan shook her head; she wouldn't speak until she was sure.

Zhan Yu asked again, "Do you have a grudge against her?"

Xuan Xuan looked up, surprised by the question.

"She came to me once, saying you weren't in the dormitory at night," Zhan Yu said truthfully. After all, Wanqi Xuan Xuan was his student, and he wouldn't let anyone bully her.

Before Xuan Xuan could respond, Kuang Shao laughed. Zhan Yu simply didn't understand women. He gestured to his head. "Women like that have problems right here."

Zhan Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Never underestimate a woman's jealousy," Kuang Shao flicked his finger.

Xuan Xuan looked at Kuang Shao; no wonder people said he walked through fields of flowers without a single petal clinging to him.

"She has a problem," Xuan Xuan said bluntly, not wanting to miss any details given the gravity of the situation.

Kuang Shao raised an eyebrow. Was this woman's intuition?

Zhan Yu asked, "How so?"

"She is completely unaffected by Lou Yitong’s singing," Xuan Xuan pointed at Xuan Guo.

Feeling the gazes from the car, Xuan Guo’s body tensed, though she quickly tried to relax in a way that only drew more attention. Even Kuang Shao now sensed something was wrong.

Xuan Guo’s hands were clenched together, desperately telling herself to relax. An internal voice whispered, "They can't possibly find out! They can't!" Yes, they couldn't. She relaxed her hands. So what if they were suspicious? Without evidence, they couldn't prove anything. She looked back at Xuan Xuan in the car, her hands tightening again. She hated how Xuan Xuan stood so high above her, always out of reach—especially since that person was Wanqi Xuan Xuan.

"That's strange. How did you offend this woman?" Kuang Shao asked, sensing that she was no saint.

Xuan Xuan glanced at him, then back at Xuan Guo. What exactly was her confidence based on?

"Make sure to call her over later," she told Zhan Yu.

After morning exercises, Lou Yitong and Xuan Xuan met up, and Zhan Yu gathered everyone Xuan Xuan had selected in a secluded spot, with military doctors on standby. As Xuan Xuan entered, she saw Xuan Guo again. She looked away and asked Kuang Shao, "Did you make it clear to them?"

Kuang Shao nodded, glancing at Xuan Guo. This woman was indeed strange.

Catching the look, Xuan Guo turned to leave; they were indeed suspicious of her.

Xuan Xuan glanced at Kuang Shao—what was he good for?

"Stop her," she said calmly.

Wanqi Weihao and the others instantly stepped in front of Xuan Guo. She looked at them, knowing she was no match for their combined strength. She clenched her fists, hating the feeling of being controlled.

Xuan Xuan walked up. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I should be asking you—why did you bring us here?" Xuan Guo demanded, looking at the restless crowd behind her. "Are you planning some secret experiment on us?"

The murmurs among the crowd grew louder. In the current Federation, with doctors everywhere, the possibility seemed plausible. Seeing that her words were having an effect, Xuan Guo continued, "I'm leaving. It’s my freedom."

"Ha," Xuan Xuan sneered. She really thought highly of herself. "Zhan Yu, how would you feel if I expelled her?"

"Fine by me," Zhan Yu replied, playing along.

"You wouldn't dare!" Xuan Guo exclaimed sharply. If she were kicked out of the First Federal Military Academy, her career would be over. Regardless of the reason, she would have no face left to show anywhere else.

"I wouldn't dare?" Xuan Xuan said coolly. "You're welcome to try."

"You!" She couldn't risk it. Wanqi Xuan Xuan had the power to do it.

"If you don't dare, then behave yourself." Xuan Xuan didn't even spare her a glance, directing Kuang Shao to proceed.

Kuang Shao had the procedure carried out immediately; they would only truly be terrified when they saw what was coming out of their own heads. The disgusting sight made their skin crawl. The room erupted in chaos.

Kuang Shao was clever; scaring them first made the process much easier. With the backing of the Kuang, Wanqi, and Zhan families, plus the descendant of the Xiao family (experts in Zerg research) and the apprentice of the pharmaceutical master Old Ji, the people had no choice but to believe. No one dared to gamble. As life spans increased, people cherished their lives more than ever and feared death even more.

Compared to the others, Xuan Guo was visibly panicked. If they could really extract the parasites, could they also discover her secret?

"Impossible," the voice in her head insisted firmly. "I have a way to keep her from suspecting. Do not be afraid."

Xuan Guo took a deep breath. If Wanqi Xuan Xuan had evidence, she would have acted already. She had no evidence. She calmed her mind and stood aside with the others, watching the small red worms being pulled from their heads, a sight that sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

Xuan Guo looked at her own arm, a flash of fear in her eyes, but she looked up at Xuan Xuan and steeled herself.

Once the low-level Zerg larvae were removed, Xuan Xuan and Zhan Yu stepped forward. Looking at Xuan Guo and the others, Xuan Xuan said, "I will handle your issues myself."

Seeing that the others—aside from Xuan Guo, who looked terrified and anxious—were nodding, Xuan Xuan said, "Do not refuse me." She nodded to Zhan Yu, who understood and followed suit.

Xuan Xuan centered her mind and released her domain. It wasn't large, covering only those standing near her. Inside her domain, she severed all connections except those she controlled. She clearly detected the slender larvae in the others' heads and the faint emanations of mental energy. Xuan Xuan frowned—was Xuan Guo really infected too?

However, Xuan Xuan couldn't find any other issues in the crowd besides the larvae. If it was just the others, that was fine, but there was nothing unusual in Xuan Guo’s body either.

Then why, exactly, was she so nervous?