Chapter 244: Vicious, Evil, Terrifying Virus!

"Hello... Mr. Li Yu, you have become Return Star's current 36th A-Level Seed." The Staff Member in front of him respectfully informed him that his information profile had been fully entered.

A-Level Seeds like them all had dedicated liaison personnel to provide various services.

"There are only 35 A-Level Seeds ahead of me?" Li Yu asked, this number was unexpectedly low.

He originally thought that given Return Star's sheer volume, there would be at least eighty to a hundred A-Level Seeds. He didn't expect that including him, there were only 36.

However, this was just what was publicly announced. Return Star should also have internal cultivation channels.

"Yes," the Staff Member replied with a smile.

"Then when will it be my turn?" Li Yu asked curiously.

"There are 35 A-Level Seeds ahead of you. Once they all become A-Tier Lifeforms, it will be your turn."

"About how long will that take?"

"You will have to wait approximately eight to seventeen years."

"What?" Li Yu was instantly shocked. Eight years at the fastest? He hadn't even been in this world for eight months yet.

Now telling him to wait eight years before he could become an A-Tier Lifeform... Although he knew he had to wait, he didn't expect it would take at least eight years.

"Can I cut in line?" he asked.

The Staff Member merely smiled and didn't speak. Obviously, he didn't have the authority to answer this kind of question.

In fact, eight years wasn't considered too long. Normal Interstellar Citizens had a lifespan of 100 to 150 years. After undergoing not-too-expensive Gene Optimization, it could even be doubled.

For B-Tier Lifeforms like him, under normal circumstances, having a lifespan of five to eight hundred years wasn't surprising at all.

If one specifically transplanted the Gene Chains of long-lived creatures, the longest recorded lifespan of a B-Tier Lifeform was 1,563 years.

As for A-Tier Lifeforms, their lifespans were increased by an even larger margin.

So, was eight years long? Not really!

But for Li Yu, it was simply too long. Leaving the A-rank Seed Management Association, he figured he had to find a way to cut in line.

Identifying Dark Star was a great opportunity. General Aisel's promise was to let him become an A-Level Seed after the identification.

But since he had already become an A-Level Seed through his own efforts, General Aisel's promise would inevitably have to change.

Before he could even bring it up himself, General Aisel contacted him.

"The Military has an A-rank Cultivation Quota here, do you want it?" Aisel got straight to the point, unambiguous.

"Do I need to wait?" What Li Yu cared about was this question.

Aisel said frankly, "No need. After identifying Dark Star, you can enter the preparation phase."

Upon learning that Li Yu had become an A-Level Seed, he knew the conditions had to change.

Li Yu's reputation was booming now, and with Klein's endorsement, Aisel himself felt it would be unjustifiable not to raise the price.

However, the external A-Level Seeds were all One Radish, One Hole. Forcibly changing the order would cause many people's dissatisfaction.

And those people would highly likely become future A-Tier Lifeforms. Aisel didn't want to offend them either, so he could only use the Military's basic quota.

"Alright." Li Yu had no hesitation whatsoever. He certainly knew that General Aisel being so generous definitely meant he had other plans, but he didn't care.

First increase his Strength, then they could talk.

...

"Due to Li Yu's... deeds, it has been decided to award Li Yu the Golden Cross Medal, as well as the honorary title of Baron. The Awarding Ceremony will be held in ten days."

As soon as this statement came out, it instantly caused a massive amount of discussion, which didn't exceed many people's expectations.

Before this, many people on the network were already discussing whether Li Yu would be awarded the Silver Cross Medal or the Golden Cross Medal.

Now it was merely confirming the result, once again triggering a massive amount of discussion.

At the same time, another piece of news quietly appeared on the Return Star network.

【Xinhuo Virus Breaks Out Again, Feared to Become a Cosmic Virus!】

【High Echelon Inactive, Virus Ravages Star Systems, Citizens Cannibalize Each Other, Is Return Star's Doomsday Here!?】

A massive amount of video materials began circulating on the network. Ferocious Zombies, dim Earth, corpses everywhere—the terrifying scenes made people shudder.

Although the [Xinhuo Virus] had many reports in the news of other civilizations, there hadn't been much news on Return Star's Internal network.

It had all been suppressed by Return Star's High Echelon to avoid causing more panic.

But this time... it was obviously premeditated. A large amount of news was sent from anonymous addresses, and it didn't take long to sweep across the entire Return Star network.

In the Interstellar Era, news had almost no time limit. This was a Good Thing, but also a bad thing.

By the time the High Echelon reacted and mobilized advanced AI to purge the network, it was already too late. A large amount of video materials had already been saved offline and were being spread in secret.

"..."

"This is our Return Star? What kind of virus is this? This is too terrifying."

"Yeah, it's said the Ferdinand Star System and several nearby Star Systems have all been affected."

"The Ferdinand Star System? I just went there two years ago, I wouldn't have been infected with the virus, would I?"

"I had accidentally heard about it before, how could it have gotten to this degree? Affecting several Star Systems, the death toll is probably going to be staggering."

"Why does it seem like the High Echelon is all dead, not even a single reaction?"

"..."

The impact of this malicious virus incident far exceeded the Terrorist Attack in the Vitel Star System. For a time, there was Public Outrage, demanding the High Echelon give an explanation.

In the Star Casting Palace, Vimala convened an emergency meeting. She was furious, her palm slamming angrily on the Table, making a dull thud: "What exactly is going on!?"

"What is the Network Administration Bureau doing? Why wasn't it blocked immediately!?"

"Queen..." The official called out stood up in shame: "This is a premeditated news dissemination campaign. It spread through subsidiary networks, and they were all anonymous addresses, making it very difficult to purge."

Vimala's expression was grim: "Is that your excuse?"

"Queen..." That official was somewhat terrified.

In the corner, General Aisel spoke calmly: "It's nothing more than the Star Glory Empire's doing. Having failed to assassinate Olivia, and making Li Yu our propaganda tool, they are naturally angry out of humiliation."

"What is the exact situation of the virus control?" Vimala reined in her emotions and asked Aisel.

Aisel's expression was somewhat hesitant, frowning slightly: "The places where the virus was discovered have already been controlled, but we can't rule out the possibility of the Star Glory Empire continuing to spread it."

"Does the Research Institute still have no results?" Another person with a deep voice spoke. His Status was very high, and he bore a seventy percent resemblance to Edwin.

Someone reported: "Prince Connor, the Research Institute already has a clue, but they still need time."

"Release a public announcement stating that the situation regarding the Xinhuo Virus will be publicly announced at Li Yu's Awarding Ceremony," Vimala said coldly.

"Queen... for such a major incident, isn't Majesty Digor going to come forward to respond?" A voice suddenly came from the corner.

Vimala's expression was indifferent: "Majesty Digor is currently at a critical moment of Evolution and cannot be disturbed. Dismissed."

"Yes!"

The phantoms on the Seats in front of her gradually disappeared. The spacious hall was left with only Vimala alone. She looked around, not knowing what she was thinking.

...

Amidst the Public Outrage, Return Star's High Echelon issued a statement that the situation regarding the Xinhuo Virus would be publicly announced at the Awarding Ceremony.

This was equivalent to treating the Awarding Ceremony as a press conference. Consequently, for a time, all the Citizens of Return Star paid extreme attention to the upcoming Awarding Ceremony.

Even those who originally didn't care about this matter turned their gaze towards it. Many people found it strange why they chose to announce the virus situation at the Awarding Ceremony.

Some people even thought this was using Li Yu to divert the massive Public Opinion.

For a time, speculations were rampant. However, aside from this statement, Return Star didn't provide any further explanation.

And countless reporters, like sharks smelling blood, swarmed to the Return Star Central Star System all at once, eagerly waiting for the Awarding Ceremony to begin.

Many Interstellar channels of foreign civilizations also reached an agreement with Return Star because of this incident, and would broadcast the entire Awarding Ceremony live.

As the date of the Awarding Ceremony approached day by day, countless Return Star Citizens became increasingly Anxious.

Many of them didn't even care about the original protagonist anymore; they only wanted to know the situation of the Xinhuo Virus.

Amidst everyone's anxious waiting, the day to hold the Awarding Ceremony finally arrived.

The honor guard fired into the sky, and colorful fireworks burst in the air.

On Return Star's Main Planet, the plaza in front of the Star Casting Palace was vast in area.

In the center of the plaza stood statues of historical great figures of Return Star, radiant and brilliantly glowing, as if spewing golden light. Many large official events were held at the Star Casting Plaza.

At this moment, the airspace above the Star Casting Plaza was set as a no-fly zone, patrolled by Flying Vehicles of the Return Star military.

On the Ground, the center of the plaza was designated as a restricted area where unauthorized personnel couldn't enter. High platforms and Seats were set up.

This was where the high-ranking officials of the Returning Star Government attended the ceremony. The leaders hadn't arrived yet, and the Seats were empty.

Below the high platform were rows of Seats provided for the invitees, which were currently fully occupied.

And on the periphery of the plaza, there was a sea of people, gazing at the center of the Awarding Ceremony from afar.

They actually didn't need to come to the scene to watch the Awarding Ceremony, because the Returning Star Government projected the scene onto the sky. Virtual screens floated in the sky, visible just by looking up.

Almost everyone stopped and watched the Virtual screens, waiting for the Awarding Ceremony to officially begin.

After waiting a short while, Flying Vehicles flew over from the direction of the Star Casting Palace.

Return Star's High Echelon figures finally arrived, entering and taking their seats one after another, with a strong sense of ceremony.

The person awarding the medal was Prince Connor, Edwin's father. He appeared last, bearing a gentle smile.

Li Yu casually glanced at the guest Seats below the high platform. Besides the reporters,

Those seated were all Return Star elites, and Olivia was also sitting in the front row.

The Golden Cross Medal was a top-tier medal in Return Star, worthy of everyone's attention.

Prince Connor pressed his hands down in a virtual gesture. Only after the whole venue quieted down did he slowly open his mouth to deliver a speech. His voice traveled very far under the effect of an amplification enchantment.

The Awarding Ceremony was now considered officially started, broadcast simultaneously on various Interstellar channels.

At the beginning, it was naturally a whole set of official rhetoric, thanking the Return Star Citizens for their support and emphasizing the achievements of the Returning Star Government.

After a long speech, Prince Connor had a serious expression. Li Yu was almost falling asleep listening.

At this point, Prince Connor changed the subject and finally got to the point.

"...Some time ago, a shocking Terrorist Attack occurred in the Vitel Star System. The Citizens suffered heavy casualties, and many people lost their family and Friends..."

"...Towards the factions that launched the attack, we express severe condemnation, and we will never stop hunting them down!"

"Similarly... in this attack, an admirable figure emerged. With his B-Tier body, he blocked the attacks of two A-Tier Lifeforms, protecting countless Return Star Citizens from death..."

"He is Li Yu!"

As his voice fell, fierce applause erupted at the scene. Li Yu revealed a mechanical smile and stepped onto the podium.

"...We cannot chill the heart of every Hero. We have decided to award him the Golden Cross Medal, as well as the honorary title of Baron, to remember his deeds!"

Prince Connor took the Golden Cross Medal from a Staff Member's hand. The patterns on it were magnificent and complex, and the colorful ribbon was exquisitely beautiful.

Li Yu accepted the salutes on stage. The Camera Lens broadcast his face onto the Virtual screens. His handsome appearance and smile were imprinted in the hearts of countless Interstellar spectators, leaving a deep impression.

Connor personally awarded the medal, solemnly pinning it on Li Yu's chest.

"On behalf of Return Star, I thank you for your selfless bravery!"

Flashes lit up, permanently recording this scene.

"I know everyone has many questions they want to ask. One by one." Prince Connor's tone was gentle, pointing to one of the reporters who raised their hand.

"I am a reporter for the Return Star Citizen Daily. Prince Connor, may I ask what is going on with the Xinhuo Virus? Do you have anything you want to say? Or are you not prepared to answer this question?"

Coming right up with a royal flush, this reporter was truly brave. No one cared about the recipient of the Golden Cross Medal, Li Yu. His deeds had already been spread to death, there was no more novelty to it. Naturally, it was the Xinhuo Virus that attracted people.

Prince Connor restrained his smile, glanced at this reporter, and said in a deep voice: "I am naturally prepared to answer this question. The Xinhuo Virus is a virus first discovered on Xinho Star..."

The reporters realized the next part was the most critical moment. They raised their spirits to twelve points and stood in strict formation.

Staring intently at Prince Connor, the pens in their hands were steady, ready to write news drafts at any moment.

"...We exhausted our efforts... barely managing to contain it within a certain range, not wanting to cause panic among the Return Star Citizens..."

The next moment, another reporter stood up:

"According to the news, at least two months have passed since the Xinhuo Virus was discovered. Haven't you researched a solution yet?"

"Where are the taxes the Return Star Citizens pay every year going?!"

Connor was displeased inwardly. Whenever something happened, they brought up taxes, wasn't it annoying? But he could only say with an expression of deep sorrow:

"We are doing our best, but the instigators behind this virus possess Technology no less than, and perhaps far exceeding, Return Star's."

The crowd below was instantly in an uproar. Technology no less than, and perhaps far exceeding Return Star's? This target range was quite specific, one could even say it pinpointed the target.

"Are you hinting that the Star Glory Empire is the poisoner?" A brave soul immediately asked.

"On this question, the recipient of the Golden Cross Medal, Baron Li Yu, has more of a right to speak." Connor pointed to the Mascot on the side—Li Yu.

Him?

The reporters were somewhat confused. What did this have to do with Li Yu?

Could this recipient of the Golden Cross Medal also be a key figure in the Xinhuo Virus? Their eyes gradually lit up.

Connor directly threw the Hot potato over. Li Yu instantly cursed the Old Fox internally, but this was his mission, so there was nothing he could do.

He took a step forward, looked around, ignored the previous question, and feigned a look of deep sorrow: "Actually, it's not the first time I've seen the Xinhuo Virus."

"In the No Man's Land System, there's an infamous Marauder—Dark Star. On his Mothership, I saw this Vicious, Evil, and Terrifying virus for the first time..."

Li Yu gnashed his teeth, speaking slowly. The reporters below wrote furiously, terrified of missing any key words.

(End of this chapter)