Chapter 152: Not One Less, All Alive
When the Zerg first provoked them, people complained in disgust that the bugs would harass them.
When the Zerg launched their attack, people thought they would just wander around outside the Redstone Galaxy, and that it was pure fantasy for them to dare to attack humans.
Now, the Zerg have bombed two planets where the human expeditionary force is stationed, invaded the star network, and declared war on the entire network. People have only then realized that the Zerg are far from being as ignorant and barbaric as they thought.
They were able to invade the human star network and knew to destroy human military bases first.
They are brutal, but not mindless.
Frontline news is broadcast on StarNet every day.
The expeditionary force suffered heavy casualties and was defeated. The Zerg had already entered the twelve star systems and was continuing to advance towards the central capital star.
The roar of the Zerg is too terrifying. Humans are powerless to resist it. Even warriors with super strong mental power cannot remain sane in the roar.
It was not until then that people remembered that the royal family had not sent anyone to the front line.
The royal family's mental power is specifically designed to defeat the Zerg. The mental power of the former Queen of Divine Light and Emperor Shengwu was so strong that the Zerg were terrified at the mere mention of it.
This is also the reason why the royal family has existed for hundreds of years.
The battle on the front is so brutal, and the expeditionary force is suffering heavy casualties. Why hasn't the royal family sent any royal children to the battlefield?
Having enjoyed the wealth, glory and supreme power contributed by the people, how could the royal family hide away like a turtle when it was their turn to step forward?
Amidst the public outcry on the Star Network, the official accounts of the Royal Family and the Federation separately announced that ten royal children would accompany the newly departed expeditionary force to the battlefields of the twelve star systems.
Jiang He was nestled in Yu Shaoze's study, watching him review his students' papers. She asked curiously, "Shaoze, we're already in a wartime state, why are you still grading papers?"
Yu Shaoze smiled and said, "I can't help it. This is my job. I have to live a normal life."
"Don't worry." He comforted Jiang He, "These fights and killings won't affect our wedding."
Jiang He wasn't worried about that. She whispered, "Will the Zerg wipe out humans?"
"I don't know." Yu Shaoze thought for a moment, "Everything changes and revolves around itself. Humanity has been at the top of the food chain for too long. If we are really wiped out by the Zerg, that's inevitable."
Jiang He didn't expect Yu Shaoze to have such thoughts. She was bewildered. "Aren't you lying down?"
We have to struggle, defend to the death, or die together with the Zerg. How can we be so unmotivated?
As a keyboard warrior at the level of Starnet's angry young man, Jiang He completely couldn't understand how Yu Shaoze, a professor and a high-ranking intellectual, could have such useless thoughts.
"The wheel of time cannot be stopped by one person." Yu Shaoze looked at her, his gentle eyes filled with suppressed melancholy, "Xiao He, we are all just ordinary people."
Yes, they are just ordinary men and women who just want to get married.
After hearing what he said, Jiang He suddenly felt that he was a little extreme.
She went to find Ji Xuyao. This guy was finally at home today. The royal children have been arranged with a lot of courses recently. Apart from the non-pregnant princess, everyone else has been gathered together all day to learn how to attack the Zerg with mental power.
The first group of royal children sent to the battlefield were several people who were old and no longer able to have children.
Jiang He felt inexplicably sad when he heard this firsthand news. "I saw the video of them taking the oath on Starnet. They looked very young."
"The lifespans of royal children are generally very short," Ji Xuyao said. "And because they've led a long and dissolute life of debauchery, their bodies have long been hollowed out."
The excessive debauchery of the royal children is the result of the Federation's deliberate guidance. They do not want a powerful royal family, they just want the royal family to be a mascot put on the shelf.
Ji Xuyao angrily denounced the Federation's shortsightedness and selfishness, but Jiang He was concerned about something else. "Can their mental strength still fight against the Zerg?"
Ji Xuyao smiled upon hearing this, his face showing sarcasm and sadness, "No, their mental strength is not even as good as that of the expeditionary force soldiers."
Jiang He's heart suddenly dropped. The entire Star Network was cheering for the royal children to go to the battlefield to fight against the Zerg. Even the expeditionary force must have felt that they would definitely win the next duel because of the participation of the royal children.
She murmured, "The Federation, they know too, right?"
"Of course they know." Ji Xuyao sneered, "They know the current situation of the royal family very well. It's a pity that I applied to join the war so many times, but was rejected every time."
When he talked about this, his eyes were red and he pounded his fist on the coffee table. He said bitterly, "Just because I am an adopted child of the Holy Martial Emperor's lineage and not a true descendant of the Holy Martial Emperor, they only want to worship me and don't want me to go to the battlefield at all."
Jiang He, "They're sending people to die in vain. Do they want to destroy humanity?"
"The Federation is controlled by the wealthy and powerful. They only care about their immediate interests and don't care about the lives of ordinary people. War allows them to enrich themselves and gain a lot of benefits." Ji Xuyao looked at Jiang He's innocent eyes and sighed, "This world is really not as pure as you think."
"You're just a senior, how do you know so much?" Jiang He looked at him in surprise. "You're trapped on Rose Star and haven't seen the outside world. Everything you said is based on your own imagination."
"Of course not." Ji Xuyao's face flushed red when Jiang He questioned him. He wanted to explain, but then he remembered the confidentiality agreement and stopped talking. "Whatever you say. By the way, aren't you getting married to Professor Yu next month? Why don't you prepare for the wedding instead of worrying about it?"
Jiang He, "Oh."
Her tone was too monotonous. Ji Xuyao stared at her and asked, "Why, you don't want to marry Professor Yu?"
Jiang He shook his head. "I definitely have to get married, but the Zerg are about to attack, and we don't know what the human race will be like next month. My wedding is so insignificant in comparison."
"That's true. I can't predict whether I'll live or die tomorrow." Ji Xuyao laughed sadly. "If I die, you must keep this portrait of the Holy Martial Emperor safe for me. It's the only portrait of the Holy Martial Emperor. You must protect it for me."
Jiang He followed his gaze to the portrait of the Holy Martial Emperor. The features were so familiar to her that every time she saw the portrait, she would feel an inexplicable emotion spreading through her heart. "You're really taking a portrait so seriously."
"My grandfather painted it himself. He said it was the lifeblood of our family." Ji Xuyao knew Jiang He had been brainwashed and had many complaints about the Holy Martial Emperor. He said patiently, "You may not know that when the Holy Martial Emperor led over 47,000 expeditionary forces to sign a peace treaty with the Zerg, he needed a level 12 Violent Turbulence on his way back."
Jiang He said, "I know this. It's recorded in history."
"But history doesn't record it. Emperor Shengwu used his spiritual power to protect the Tianlong, allowing the 47,000-plus expeditionary forces to safely escape the violent turbulence."
Jiang He's eyes widened. "How could it be? The Tianlong is still trapped in the turbulent currents of the Red Stone Galaxy. The Federation has searched for it many times but still can't find its whereabouts. All the expeditionary forces died in the turbulent currents along with the Holy Martial Emperor."
Ji Xuyao stared at the portrait of the Holy Martial Emperor. "The Tianlong reappeared in the turbulent currents of the Red Stone Galaxy in 136 AD and was discovered by the Federation. All the expeditionary soldiers were lying in their sleeping cabins. Their physical functions were intact, but the hull of the Tianlong was damaged, and the system it was most proud of had malfunctioned and could not be restored. Only one person died on the entire Tianlong, and that was the Holy Martial Emperor."
"This is unofficial history, isn't it?" Jiang He's heart was pounding. She suppressed the discomfort in her heart and stared at Ji Xuyao. "How do you, a senior student who has never left Rose Star, know so much? You have such a rich imagination, you're really suitable for writing novels."
"It's true. The body of the Holy Martial Emperor was actually discovered as early as 131 AD when the Feilong disappeared in the violent turbulence." Ji Xuyao whispered, "My grandfather is the descendant of the Holy Martial Emperor. The body of the Holy Martial Emperor was secretly brought back by Lord Li. He asked my grandfather if he was willing to be adopted by the Holy Martial Emperor and continue his lineage. He also took my grandfather to kowtow to the Holy Martial Emperor."
Jiang He was stunned. "Why is there no record of this in history? Who is Lord Li? How can he be so powerful?"
"Because the Holy Martial Emperor was still alive at that time," Ji Xuyao said. "My grandfather said that the Holy Martial Emperor's mental power was drained, and her consciousness collapsed and dissipated. Because of the violent turbulence, she was covered in wounds, blood and flesh, like a human pig, living and dead. With the Holy Martial Emperor's powerful ability, even if everyone on the Tianlong would die, she would not die. At that time, my grandfather listened to the analysis of Lord Li and others and felt that the Holy Martial Emperor drained her mental power to try to save the Tianlong, which is why she ended up like that."
"They never gave up searching for the Tianlong in the turbulent currents of the Red Stone River. Sure enough, five years later, they finally found the battered Tianlong, along with the expeditionary soldiers who had been deemed dead. They were still intact because the Holy Martial Emperor risked his life to protect them."
More than 40,000 expeditionary soldiers were loyal subordinates of Emperor Shengwu. They supported the imperial power and were a danger to those in power who were trying to suppress the royal family.
Perhaps those in power would not hesitate to let them die a second time.
They were arranged by Lord Li to apply for new identities, hide their real names, and leave their hometown with their relatives and loved ones to start an ordinary life.
Jiang He listened to Ji Xuyao until he finished speaking, then asked, "Who is Lord Li?"
"Li En," Ji Xuyao said, "you probably don't know him. He was the one who manipulated the government, single-handedly pushing the royal family away from the central government and effectively imprisoning them on this Rose Planet. The Li family is now the richest chaebol in the entire galaxy. He has few descendants, but they are all very powerful. Most of the current federal government is controlled by Li's descendants."
Jiang He really didn't know.
Seeing that she was very interested, Ji Xuyao said a few more words, "Li En is the child of Queen Shen Guang's second husband, but he has no blood relationship with the husband. It is said that the husband Bai Yueguang entrusted him to him before his death. Because of this reason, Li En is not favored by Queen Shen Guang."
Because of his unique status, Li En remained invisible until Queen Shenguang's death. However, some say he was exceptionally handsome. Like his mother, his beastly nature after the mutation was a fox. While not powerful, his demeanor was captivatingly alluring. Emperor Shengwu and Queen Renhe both favored him, but the two princesses became enemies because of him. After Queen Renhe ascended the throne, she gave most of her power to Li En. This gave Li En the opportunity to overthrow the royal family.
Jiang He was amazed. There was indeed a person named Li En in history, but there were only a few records about him, which was far less detailed and impressive than what Ji Xuyao described.
"What happened next?" Jiang He asked, "Did Queen Renhe marry Li En?"
In history, Queen Renhe got married and divorced many times. Later, she simply stopped getting married, but she kept changing male partners. The royal family's debauchery started with Queen Renhe.
However, official history only describes her as pure, kind, genuine, and kindhearted. Unofficial history, on the other hand, contains a lot of erotic novels about her amorous nature.
"No." Ji Xuyao shook his head. "Li Enzhi is not in the harem. He is very ambitious, and he likes Emperor Shengwu."
"That's getting too far off topic." He brought the subject back. "I have no family, and I'm not married. This house was originally given by the royal family to the descendants of Emperor Shengwu. If anything happens to me, the house will definitely be reclaimed. I don't care about anything else in the house, except this portrait of Emperor Shengwu. Please help me preserve it. It's the only remaining portrait of the Emperor Shengwu. My grandfather said it's the backbone of the royal family and a cherished memory for over 47,000 expeditionary forces."
"Okay, but only if I'm still alive." Ji Xuyao said earnestly, and Jiang He nodded in agreement. "By the way, where are you going? Why are you still dying?"
"I've applied for the second batch to go to the front line." Ji Xuyao said, "Maybe it will be approved."
Although he said so, from the tone of his voice, it was clear that he had no hope of passing.
Jiang He guessed that Ji Xuyao must have found a way to leave Rose Star and he wanted to sneak away.
Tsk!
Jiang He did not expose his lie. They ordered takeout and had a farewell meal together. They drank some wine, and Jiang He climbed over the wall of Ji Xuyao's house, feeling a little tipsy.
Ji Xuyao said speechlessly at the door, "You don't want to go through the main door, but you have to climb over the wall. You are really sick."
Jiang He, who had already climbed over the wall, rolled her eyes when she heard this. This guy didn't even tell her in advance. Who would want to climb over the wall for no reason?
She took two steps and saw a pair of black leather shoes appear in her sight.
Looking up, it was Yu Shaoze.
Yu Shaoze, wearing a windbreaker, had a tall figure, and in the dusk light, his fair and bright facial features were particularly eye-catching.
For some unknown reason, Jiang He asked him, "Shao Ze, are you alienated?"
"No." Yu Shaoze took her hand. Just one street away from home, they walked on the sidewalk, feeling the evening breeze. "I'm an ordinary person."
In this age where everyone is alienated or deformed, ordinary people are also called defective products.
But when Yu Shaoze mentioned it, his tone was calm, without any trace of inferiority.
"You're not ordinary at all." Jiang He was actually about to say that Yu Shaoze was so handsome and a bit like Li En that Ji Xuyao had mentioned, and wanted to tease him about whether he was a beast-type fox. But after hearing his answer, he swallowed the teasing back and said, "You're super amazing. An ordinary person can become a professor respected by everyone and be in charge of the security system of Rose Star. Shaoze, you are too modest about your position."
Yu Shaoze glanced at her bright face in the afterglow of the sunset, wishing time would stop at this moment. "I was too weak. I wanted to join the expeditionary force, but because I was a defective person, I was shot down."
"You're not a defective person. Although you have a weak body, your brain is strong." Jiang He corrected him seriously, "People with strong brains are super powerful."
After wiping it off, she asked curiously, "Hey, you actually signed up for the expeditionary force? I thought you weren't interested in being a soldier."
"I'm not interested because I can't go," Yu Shaoze joked to himself. "If I can't get it, I can only pretend not to care to save face."
Jiang He heard the sadness in his words and didn't laugh along. She took his hand and swung it, "Shao Ze, you are very strong. You don't need to save face for yourself. You need to know yourself. You are super strong."
Yu Shaoze's intelligent brain rang at this time. He picked up the phone and listened to a few words from the other party. He said, "I understand," and then hung up.
Jiang He asked him, "What's wrong?" The intelligent brain video is bound to the person himself, whether it is video or audio, others can neither hear nor see it.
Yu Shaoze said in a low voice, "Those five royal children are dead, and the expeditionary force that went on the mission with them is also dead. The entire army is wiped out."
The four words "the whole army was annihilated" were like drums beating on Jiang He's heart, making her breathing instantly difficult and her eardrums buzzing uncomfortably.
She blurted out, "Shao Ze, can I join the army?"
"No." Yu Shaoze looked at her with some pity. "Do you remember the last full-body checkup? You are a mutant, but no symptoms of mutantness were detected on your body. That's because your body hasn't recovered."
Jiang He lowered his head in frustration and clenched his fists tightly.
She heard Yu Shaoze say, "Someone from the Federation will come tonight to select some royal children to go to the front lines."
Jiang He murmured, "How is the mental strength of the royal children sent this time?"
After hearing Ji Xuyao's words, Jiang He no longer had any hope for the Royal Family, but when he heard Yu Shaoze say "not so good", Jiang He still couldn't hide his frustration and disappointment.
"The Zerg just keep killing people," she said sadly. "Does the Federation have to keep giving away lives like this? How can they just watch the expeditionary force die wave after wave?"
Suddenly, a black motorcycle came speeding towards the two of them from behind. When it got close to Yu Shaoze, the person on the back of the motorcycle swung the bayonet in his hand and cut towards Yu Shaoze's neck.
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