Interstellar Power Couple
Translator: Lala
Quality Check: Asuka
Editor: Chesh
First Published on Chaleuria
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Chapter 50 Part 3: Heavenly Tribulation
The atmosphere between the two groups grew stiffer and stiffer. Party Leader Yu said in a timely fashion, “Everyone, with regards to the reassessment of Lei Jue’s elemental abilities, I suggest we vote again. We of the Elemental User Council still firmly stand by our principle that we mustn’t, under any reason, force an ability user to do anything. Also, I believe Lei Jue’s attitude on this matter is already quite clear.”
The Vice Party Leader asked, “Do you mean to say then, Party Leader Yu, that Parliament’s decisions aren’t as important as the Elemental User Council’s principles?”
Party Leader Yu cocked an eyebrow. “Vice Party Leader, you surely must know that I don’t mean that. Moreover, does everyone here really believe that they will never become ill in the future? We’d all originally thought that, after Elder Ming, there would never be another wood ability user with such strong powers. Now that an even stronger one has miraculously appeared, shouldn’t we increase our efforts to protect him?”
“The protection of an elemental user doesn’t conflict with asking him to provide us with biological samples, though, does it?” asked Feng Gu’s father, Feng Qing Yuan.
“How could it possibly not?” Xiao Lingyu asked. “You’re forcing our Little Jue to do something that he doesn’t want to do and it’s affecting his mental wellbeing, so of course it conflicts with his protection!”
“You… your reasoning is clearly flawed!” Feng Qingyuan was quite irritated at being rebuked by someone so much younger than him.
“Everyone,” Xiao Zhicheng interjected at that moment, “Lei Jue had depression before he married this unworthy son of mine. I believe that, so long as you try, you are all capable of understanding why that was, so I don’t wish to comment on it. The reason why we’re so stubbornly against someone forcing Lei Jue to do something he doesn’t want to do is that we don’t want him to be triggered and hurt because of it. After all, he suffered from constant oppression in the past, and is thus particularly sensitive to these kinds of acts. I would therefore like to ask which is worth more—using his biological samples to perform experiments that might not even produce any result whatsoever, or maintaining Lei Jue’s optimal state so that he can treat the patients who need his help?”
“So what Lei Jue means to say is…” Marshal Zhao Nan from the Eastern Hua District smiled. “It’s confirmed that he’ll help patients from other districts who need healing?”
“Yes, aside from those who side themselves against me,” Lei Jue replied. “Among those supporting me, I believe there are already many people who need help; I don’t have time to worry about my haters.”
“Then I, too, agree that we should vote again,” said Zhao Nan. “It would be a waste to let go of the benefits placed right in front of us. Let’s decide quickly, and show some consideration for those of us who are suffering from jet lag.”
“Your decisions are too hasty, General Zhao; does the power of the Parliament mean nothing to you?” the Vice Party Leader said firmly. “I still insist that the testing of limitations must be carried out, and the biological samples must be supplied as well. This is all for the benefit of our country, and in light of that, all individual sentiments must naturally be placed aside. Moreover, Lei Jue, since you are so against providing a sample, I have reason to believe that you are hiding something!”
“Enough! Everyone stop fighting,” Party Leader Li, who hadn’t said much until now, chimed in. “Lei Jue, I understand your desire for freedom, as well as your dislike of being forced into anything. It’s just that providing a biological sample isn’t a big deal, and the special abilities that you have shown up until now are indeed different from any wood ability user that we’ve seen before. We therefore have a duty to get to the bottom of why that is, and furthermore, to confirm that your abilities are definitely safe to use in the future. So please consider this carefully. Should we not try to understand each other here?”
“Grandpa Party Leader, I understand what you’re trying to say,” Lei Jue said with a smile. “It’s just that, although I can promise that I will not harm anyone without cause, can you promise that the people of this room will not harm me?”
“I indeed cannot. The only thing I can promise you is that your biological samples won’t be used for the purposes that you fear.” After speaking, Party Leader Li looked at Xiao Zhicheng. “Marshal Xiao, I hope that you’ll be understanding of this matter.” Without waiting for Xiao Zhicheng’s reply, he directly called out the Inspection Team’s personnel in charge of collecting the samples. “Little Ning, bring the young Mr. Lei to collect the samples.”
“I object!” Xiao Lingyu directly stood up behind Lei Jue to protect him. “Without his consent, don’t even think about forcing him, no matter who you are.”
“Xiao Lingyu!” The Vice Party Leader shouted, his expression grave. “Don’t think that just because you have an S-plus rank ability, you can go against the decision of Parliament!”
“This has nothing to do with whether I have an ability or not. So long as you guys are against Little Jue, I cannot agree with you.” Xiao Lingyu’s hands slowly rose up, and golden electricity manifested rapidly within them. One could almost hear a crackling sound along with it, and the sight put everyone on alert. “My abilities may be spontaneous in other situations, but if anyone dares force Lei Jue, my abilities will definitely activate on command.”
Party Leader Li’s expression turned ugly. “Do you plan to start a fight here, Lieutenant Colonel Xiao? Consider the consequences.”
Xiao Lingyu smiled and said, “I don’t need to. If you must insist on forcing my beloved, I am not the one who should be considering the consequences.”
Apart from Xiao Lingyu, the highest rank present here were A-rank elemental ability users—the five Marshals of the Five Great Districts. Despite this, they weren’t confident that they could stop Xiao Lingyu, and at least half of them didn’t even plan on trying.
Lei Jue squeezed Xiao Lingyu’s hand. Even though he had some power himself, he liked the feeling of being protected. It made him feel warm that there was someone who cared for him.
But with this, the meeting room had well and truly sunk into a deadlock.
Lei Jianying was probably the only one who was happy right then, because the Xiao family would suffer no matter how this turned out. Parliament would definitely make them pay, regardless of whether or not Xiao Lingyu’s rebellion succeeded!
However, in the next moment, something strange happened; everyone caught sight of a huge black mass flying at them from the window. The blackness completely covered the skies, as if it were going to block out daylight completely!
“Emperor hawks?” Zuo Zhihuan looked stunned. “Why are there so many emperor hawks flying over? Don’t they stay on Suspension Mountain no matter what?”
“Should a sin be committed against an element user, a wonder must surely follow,” Si Wannian said. “This couldn’t be some sort of display of heavenly tribulation, right?”
“Rubbish! It’s not like an elemental user has been hurt, so why would there be any heavenly tribulation!” The Vice Party Leader’s expression was abnormally twisted.
“Then how about you go outside, sir, and see whether or not they dare attack you?” Xiao Lingyu said with a smile.
The people in charge of security hurriedly ordered the guards outside to chase the emperor hawks away, but despite their efforts, the emperor hawks grouped together and flew in the direction of Parliament, each one half the size of a person. Whenever the guards chased away a wave of them, another wave would come, and the ones that were chased away would return. The worst thing, in the guards’ opinion, was that it wasn’t just emperor hawks. There were other animals heading towards them, too—everything ranging from rainbow birds to butterflies congregated to where they were with everything they had, so numerous that there was practically nowhere to stand outside!
Naturally, the people in the meeting room saw this and could no longer stay sitting, wanting to see just what was going on.
The voices of the guards came from the head of security’s communicator. “Sir, unless we kill them, we have no way of dispersing them.”
The head of security looked at the Parliament Party Leader. “Sir, what should…”
There were so many animals here, it wasn’t a situation where they could open fire without worry.
Party leader Li frowned. “Open fire. They’ll go away on their own after seeing a few die off.”
Lei Jue hurriedly shouted, “No! It’s not like they’ve actually destroyed anything. They’ll eventually leave on their own! Why are you opening fire!”
The vice party leader ordered, “Open fire!”
The head of security could only obey, and ordered his subordinates to shoot. Everyone present heard only small sounds from the guns, yet quite a few emperor hawks had already dropped down, bleeding. Lei Jue’s heart ached as he watched, turning, about to go outside to heal them. These emperor hawks had been summoned by him from Suspension Mountain, so how could he just watch them die like that?!
Right then, however, the head of security quickly stepped in and stopped him. “Without the orders from the Party Leader, you are not to go outside!”
More gunshots sounded from outside just then, because those emperor hawks hadn’t left, despite seeing their companions being wounded. Instead, they charged in with even greater force!
Having watched so many emperor eagles being hurt, Lei Jue felt the flames of his heart erupt, and everyone watched as a halo of green-colored energy immediately lit up around him! But just when they all thought that the light might heal those emperor hawks, something incredibly strange happened. The plants that were fine just moments before acted like they had been drained of all the water in them and instantly wilted!
The meeting room was at least three hundred meters square, and there were at least twenty pots of plants in it. However, none of them escaped their fate. Even more terrifying was that even the plants outside the meeting room dried up as well. The big, lush trees looked as if they’d been drained of all life.
Could it be that this was the legendary… divine retribution?!
In the silence, Lei Jue said, “Lingyu, explode the window for me.”
Xiao Lingyu didn’t even think twice before pointing the golden light in his hands at the window, and the blast-proof, bulletproof, incredibly strong glass on it shattered into shards under the force of his power, flying everywhere. Lei Jue immediately sent the healing energy within his body outside, enveloping the wounded hawks.
When the emperor hawks were healed, the plants that had been lifeless miraculously recovered, like their wilting had all been an act.
But then something even more astonishing happened. Lei Jue saw that there was still glass on the window that looked like it was about to fall, and, worried that it might hit someone, raised his hands and was about to use the green energy to pull it over to him. But the hand he raised was his left hand, and the wisdom energy on his left hand came into play at that moment. Therefore, all that everyone saw was Lei Jue waving his hand and a cloud of pale golden energy flying out from it that hit right on that piece of broken glass, melting it on the spot.
Drip! The liquefied glass fell onto the ground.
In that moment in the meeting room, shock covered everyone’s faces.
Wasn’t it said that only the God of Nature from the legends had multiple abilities? Then what the hell was up with Lei Jue?!