Translator: Helliot
Editor: NH
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Fayn wouldn’t say anything to him anymore, so Adrian sighed. “So whose life isn’t a life?”
“That…” Fayn wanted to answer him, what about Zhong Yan? But those words would be too cruel. Since Adrian has already made his choice, he wouldn’t be able to change his mind by jabbing at him like that. More importantly, if Adrian turned around and asked him, “What about Wei Lan?” Then he could also only be silent.
In the end, Fayn swallowed down the words he wanted to say. Adrian did not notice what he was thinking about so he reassured him, “Anyway, who says ten have to die? If you guys go down then ten of you would be dead. But if I go, only 9 die.”
“That’s not any better!” Not knowing whether he should laugh or cry, Fayn punched him in the chest. Adrian leaned sideways and evaded him, laughing, “Zero and one is a qualitative difference.”
Fayn rubbed his face in exasperation and said, “Fine, I can’t dissuade you. Go then. See if they can figure out a way to put a few more detectors down there. At the very least, that might help you find a way around.”
He just stood up when Adrian suddenly said, “Wait.”
“What is it?”
Adrian reached over to pick off a long white strand of fur from him.
“Oh, that’s from your rabbit.” Fayn said, unperturbed, “Didn’t you tell me to go over every few days to top up its food? I went just before I came over and it got all its fur on me. Seriously scary stuff.”
“It’s molting season for it right now.” Adrian held the strand in his hand and defended his own giant space rabbit.
How strange. He didn’t like that rabbit that much, but he just accepted it because Zhong Yan liked it. However, now that he saw this strand of hair accidentally brought over by Fayn, he suddenly recalled all those times it would rub itself against his body in that intimate fashion. It was clearly such a gigantic creature but it’s courage was the complete opposite. Though, it was very gentle too. Zhong Yan complained that the rabbit was too fat and told him to feed it less, but Adrian would always feed the rabbit extra behind Zhong Yan’s back. He didn’t know why, but ever since getting married, he seems to have become increasingly patient with soft creatures like these.
He didn’t have any good feelings left between him and the Yate family, nor did he feel that the blood of this so-called top-class family was worth that much. Moreover, being indoctrinated with the importance of carrying on the family name and bringing honor to his ancestors at a young age ended up causing a reverse reaction instead. He always believed that all he needed was a partner to stay with him in life. Children were cumbersome burdens and obstacles. But if his partner was Zhong Yan…They’d never even discussed that question. Would Zhong Yan like children?
Still holding onto that strand of fur, Adrian found Zhong Yan.
“It’ll take some time to get the entrance open, and we still have to get the detectors down to check on the situation first before the experts will gather for a meeting. They’ll plan a route for you and make the necessary preparations. That’s going to take a night to complete, at the very least.” Zhong Yan had already taken over the work and explained to Adrian what he told Vahl earlier. “You don’t have to worry about anything. You just have to rest till the equipment and plans are ready. You should start saving up your energy now.”
“Alright. I’ll leave it up to you, Mr. President,” Adrian agreed while stuffing the rabbit fur into Zhong Yan’s suit pocket.
“Huh?” Zhong Yan touched his pocket, confused. “What’s that?”
Adrian said, “Fur from our rabbit. It got stuck on Fayn.”
“Oh,” Zhong Yan wasn’t bothered. His mind was focused on trying to improve the survival rate of the task. “Why don’t we ask them to find you a room to sleep in? Or maybe we can get someone to help you warm up—No, I think you should familiarize yourself with the mechanisms inside that we’ve discovered…”
Adrian stroked his arm and reassured him. “Even if I go now, I won’t be able to descend until an hour later, so don’t worry. Think about it this way, if either I fail or the Institution Star blows up, then, ‘Butterfly’ will wake up the next morning after to take its revenge on humanity. No matter what happens, it’ll be hard for any of us to escape. So, if I die, you die too. We’ll still be together.”
That sort of “I’m not going to die alone, I’m going to drag you with me as well” sort of line actually had a strange calming effect on Zhong Yan. He thought about it and nodded seriously. “That makes sense.”
As soon as he said that, his terminal rang. Adrian asked, “Is it from the Capital?”
“Yeah, things are hectic on that side as well.”
“You should take the call then. I’m going to ask them about the details inside.”
The two of them worked separately for now. Zhong Yan picked up his call but Adrian did not seek out the experts like he said he was going to, and headed for the infirmary instead.
“Boss? Why are you here at this time?” Fayn asked, puzzled.
Without batting an eyelid, Adrian responded, “They told me to come for an examination. What about you? Why are you here during working hours?”
“Working hours? What do you mean working hours? It’s not like I have your permission to do the task anyway so I’ve got nothing to do. What, are relationships not allowed now too?”
“You’re free but the doctor isn’t. He’s busy now, so leave.”
Wei Lan stood up and asked, confused. “What examination? Did the experts ask for it? An oxygen capacity test or something of the sort?”
“Uh…Right. That’s the one.” Adrian responded, a little abrupt. Then, he said to Fayn again, “Well, you’re already here so don’t be idle. Go and help them out at Engineering’s side.”
Fayn acknowledged the order and headed out, but feeling that something wasn’t quite right, he turned around again and observed Adrian, asking, “What are you shooing me away for?”
Adrian ordered him impatiently, “Adjutant Suster, go to the front of the School of Engineering immediately to support the Colonel of the First Regiment and the President.”
“Yes, Commander,” Fayn responded out of habit. Then, he eyed Adrian and Wei Lan suspiciously and asked with some hesitation, “You’re not trying to cuckold me, are you? Don’t agree to whatever he says, Doctor.”
“Get out!” Adrian shouted.
Seeing that he was getting angry, Fayn quickly got out of there.
“Commander…Excuse me, Your Excellency, please follow me.” Holding his electronic medical record board in hand, Wei Lan stood up, but Adrian reached out to take the board away from him.
“Hold on. We’re not going to do a medical examination. I came to ask you something, actually. Wei Lan…Do you know how to use a gene extractor?”
Wei Lan was stunned, but he still responded. “I’ve studied it. But I’ve never actually operated it since graduating.”
“That’s good enough. I fully trust in your professionalism,” Adrian said, his face unchanged. “Medical Officer Wei Lan, I will now explain to you the details of a confidential solo mission for you.”
Wei Lan was a military doctor, with his position as a military man before that of a doctor. He stood up and responded, “Yes.”
“The Supreme Institution’s School of Medicine has a gene extractor. We will head over right now, and you will take a sample of my gene. You have to keep this matter confidential. You and I are the only ones who know.” Adrian ordered him clearly, “Tomorrow, after I head underground to perform my task, if the mission is a success but I fail to survive…”
Adrian stopped. He could feel a sharp pain welling up inside of him, but not for his own possible death. He felt pain for Zhong Yan.
“If I fail to return, hand my gene sample to Zhong Yan. He may do whatever he wishes with it.”
Even Wei Lan could understand the implications of his words. Gene fusion technology was a maturing sector. Though there are few spots available, there are indeed children born of same sex gene infusions each year. Before Adrian and Zhong Yan got married, there had actually been rumors surrounding them that they had produced an illegitimate child through this technology, and till now, some still believed the rumor.
Adrian was actually trying to leave Zhong Yan with a child.
If things really progress to such a stage, then naturally, he would have no way to interfere with any of Zhong Yan’s decisions. But what if Zhong Yan still wanted to live on properly? He had to at least give Zhong Yan a reason to keep trudging on.
“Yes,” Wei Lan answered.
Adrian nodded. “Follow me to the Medical Campus.”
Adrian easily brought Wei Lan over through the place where several soldiers were stationed, but nobody realized that their Commander and their Chief Medical Officer went into the School of Medicine and returned. Wei Lan kept the gene sample properly and the two returned to the medical office. At that time, Fayn just so happened to have walked in.
“Where did you two go?” Fayn asked.
Adrian was not worried that Wei Lan would spill the beans. Even though he personally didn’t like Wei Lan’s character, he always trusts each soldier he promoted in his work, and believed that they could perform their tasks well.
Sure enough, Wei Lan did not say a single word about it. Adrian stepped between them. “Something came up. Didn’t we ask you to go help? Why’d you come back in just an hour?”
So they weren’t going to tell him. Fayn rolled his eyes. However, he did not continue to probe. “What do you mean I didn’t help? Aren’t I here to run errands for the President? The President is looking for you. They’ve sorted out all the mechanisms the detectors can reach underneath the dirty bombs and they’re asking you to head over so they can give you a run down.”
“I’m coming.” Adrian followed him out.
After digesting the underground routes and plans, Zhong Yan wanted Adrian to get a good night’s sleep before getting up for work again, but they could not delay the situation any longer. After midnight, it would be the seventh day since “Butterfly’s” hibernation, which is also humanity’s very last day. It was a race against time, and all the groups working on the planet have completed their work in the highest efficacy possible.
Adrian had only slept for less than four hours, but everything else was ready. Zhong Yan had no choice but to enter the room and wake Adrian up.
“Do you want to sleep a little longer?” Zhong Yan asked with concern while helping him put on his coat.
Adrian shook his head. “No need. It’s enough. I’m filled with energy right now.”
Zhong Yan never tried to interject at places outside of his expertise, so he just nodded to him. Adrian had to take his current clothes off for sure so he could change into the special combat uniform, but Zhong Yan still carefully helped him smooth out his collar as usual, saying, “The presidential decree has been signed. No matter whether you succeed or fail, I will tell the world about your contribution to humanity.”
“I will succeed,” Adrian said as if to make an oath.
He could only succeed. They were on the seventh day of this artificial god’s hibernation. There was no way out for mankind.
Zhong Yan shut his eyes and pondered on whether his sentence would be too weak to bring any psychological impact to Adrian, but he still said it. “But I care more for whether you’ll be able to return or not.”
Adrian took his hand and pressed it solemnly against his chest, promising him, “I’ll give it my all.”