Chapter 25

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

Shen Wu Xian Zhou, Shen Wei Jiang Jun Fu.

The atmosphere inside the study was completely different from the solemn killing intent outside.

Xuan Ge had returned from Luofu several days ago; at this moment he was leaning slantwise on that wide, sturdy General's Chair, his fingertips tapping the tabletop in a steady, soft "thud, thud" rhythm.

This trip's gains were not small; at the very least he brought back Dan Shu and Yu Fei, two talents of considerable potential.

Even more, he had figured out the problem Jing Yuan had hesitated to speak of last time.

"Heaven's Deficiency...." His fingers tapping the table stopped, his gaze turning toward Ling Sha, who sat quietly brewing tea by the side tea table.

"Is there really not even a sliver of possibility to reverse it? Even improvement.... won't work either?"

His tone held no impatience; it was more like an inquiry tinged with unwillingness after hitting a bottleneck.

This was already the third time since returning from Luofu that he had put a similar question to Ling Sha.

Ling Sha's hand holding the pot was steady as a rock; the clear tea liquid drew a graceful arc, pouring precisely into the white jade cup before Xuan Ge, steam curling.

She set down the teapot, then lifted those calm brown eyes.

"General~" Her voice was clear, cold, and steady, like the tea flowing in her hand.

"Heaven's Deficiency is like the power you wield — a closed karmic loop, unchangeable."

Her explanation was rigorous and clear, its core consistent with the previous two answers, but it pointed out the essence of "cannot be changed" more deeply.

This is not a technical problem; it is an underlying-rules problem of the Xianzhou People.

Xuan Ge nodded slowly, offering no rebuttal.

He understood perfectly. In fact, before asking Ling Sha, he had already consulted scholars of the relevant fields in the Erudition Society.

The replies received were cautious and conservative:

Theoretically research directions exist, but they require long-term, large-scale, and extremely invasive experiments, and the core research subjects must be Xianzhou Changsheng Zhong who themselves possess the specific Heaven's Deficiency.

He does not fear owing favors. To achieve his goal, making deals with the Corporation or the Society, he wouldn't frown once.

But "human experimentation," especially using Xianzhou compatriots as subjects?

That touches the bottom line he absolutely cannot cross.

This is not a matter of price; it is a matter of principle.

Once that opening is made, no matter the original intent, it will inevitably leave endless calamity.

"Shen Wei General uses comrades for forbidden research"

Such a rumor needs only a single spark to be fanned by certain people who have been watching him, waiting for him to slip up, into a towering inferno that burns all trust to ash.

"If all else fails...." A slightly overbearing thought flashed through.

"Go grab those so-called geniuses who claim they can solve any problem and.... no, 'invite' one back."

He picked up the tea cup, took a sip; the warm tea slid down his throat, carrying away a trace of irritability.

His gaze turned to Ling Sha again, this time with a new calculation:

"Ling Sha, you say.... that Lady Ruan Mei in the Genius Society, who supposedly specializes in the life domain — might she have a way?"

Ling Sha tilted her head slightly, pondered a moment, then said: "General, Concubine has no knowledge of Lady Ruan Mei's specific abilities.

But a genius is a genius precisely because their thinking and methods often diverge from conventional patterns, able to open a path where none seems possible."

She paused, then added: "However, whether it can apply to the Heaven's Deficiency problem of the Xianzhou Changsheng Zhong, Concubine dares not rashly judge."

"Hmm...." Xuan Ge's knuckle rested against his chin, light flickering in his eyes; clearly he had made up his mind.

"Whether it works or not, we have to try. Kidn.... uh, invite! Yes, invite!"

He straightened his body, returning to that decisive, swift-acting state once a decision is made:

"Ling Sha, help me draft a formal invitation letter. In the name of the Shen Wu Xian Zhou Shen Wei General, send it to Lady Ruan Mei of the Genius Society.

Wording polite — say.... long admired your great name, Shen Wu Xian Zhou newly established, thirsting for the universe's wisdom, sincerely inviting you to visit as a guest, exchange insights; all expenses and hospitality at the highest standard."

He thought a moment, then waved his hand, tone relaxing, carrying a touch of his usual roguishness:

"Of course, if she ignores a vulgar fellow like me.... then we'll just think of another way~"

"Hehe~" Ling Sha gave a light laugh, taking it as a response.

She said no more, rose and walked to the writing desk to one side, spread out the special Xianzhou letter paper with its faint cloud patterns, dipped brush in ink.

The brush tip hovered an instant, then fell; line after line of clear, elegant yet spirited characters flowed onto the page.

The content followed Xuan Ge's requirements exactly; the wording was respectful but not servile, curious but not offensive, presenting the posture of "inviting as a guest, discussing research" perfectly properly.

Finished writing, she picked up the Shen Wei General's seal carved with thunder patterns from the desk, pressed it lightly into the ink paste, then stamped it firmly at the end of the letter paper.

The seal impression was vermilion, exuding undeniable authority.

She carefully sealed the letter paper into a special jade box capable of ultra-long-distance Lingxi transmission, and summoned the personal guard on duty outside the door.

"Deliver to the Sky Ferry Bureau, highest priority, transmit to the Genius Society — Lady Ruan Mei contact channel archived by the Xianzhou Alliance."

"Yes!" The guard received the jade box with both hands and left swiftly.

The Xianzhou Alliance maintains basic, non-emergency contact channels with certain known forces or individuals in the universe that are generally not activated.

This invitation letter made use of precisely that kind of channel.

Evening, night already deep.

In a side hall of the General's Mansion inner courtyard, however, lamps were warm and steam rose thick.

Hot pot sat on a specially made low table; red broth boiled, white mist swirled, assorted fresh meat slices and vegetables filled the surroundings.

The personal guards outside the door were already off duty at this hour; after all, they had wives and children waiting on a warm kang at home.

Ling Sha picked up a slice of meat cooked to just the right temperature with her chopsticks, rolled it in the dipping sauce, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly.

After swallowing the food, she lifted her gaze to look at Xuan Ge across from her, her voice sounding somewhat hazy in the steam, carrying a trace of clear, faint complaint:

"General, your abacus is truly exquisitely calculated.

You brought back Miss Dan Shu and Miss Yu Fei from the Luofu, claiming it was to share Concubine's worries.....

Could it be you're hoping that in the future Concubine might free up more time to keep the General company in this manor..... processing documents?"

She bit down on the word 'documents' with slightly more weight, the teasing implication self-evident.

Xuan Ge was just stuffing a piece of parboiled tripe into his mouth; hearing this, he nearly choked, hurriedly chewed a few times and swallowed, revealing a smile that looked slightly aggrieved at being seen through:

"Hey, Ling Sha, you're wronging me~~ They came over to genuinely help share your workload at the Alchemy Commission. This is me caring for my subordinates, cherishing talent!"

As he spoke, he naturally picked up a large cooked meatball with his chopsticks and placed it on the plate in front of Ling Sha: "Come come, eat more, you've had it hard recently."

Ling Sha glanced at that meatball, didn't move her chopsticks, just let out a light 'hmph', her tone still flat, yet conveying an 'I'd believe you if ghosts existed' meaning:

"Concubine sincerely hopes the facts truly are as the General says."

She didn't continue to expose him. Some things, mutual tacit understanding is enough.

The General's little scheme of 'never diligent when he can slack off', she knew it inside out, and..... had long since grown used to it.

Just as Xuan Ge was preparing to 'defend himself' a couple more sentences, his chopsticks picking up food suddenly halted in mid-air, his brows sharply furrowing, his gaze sharply shooting toward the direction of the side hall's tightly shut courtyard gate.

"Hm?" He put down his chopsticks.

Almost simultaneously, Ling Sha also stopped her movements, tilted her head to listen, then likewise looked toward the door: "General?"

The relaxed atmosphere between the two instantly dissipated.

In just a few breaths' time, urgent yet deliberately muffled footsteps came from outside the courtyard, rapidly approaching from far to near.

Immediately after, the side hall's door was shoved open from outside with a 'bang'.

A Shen Wu Army soldier wearing black light armor, no helmet, rushed in.

He didn't even get a clear look at the situation inside the hall, or rather simply couldn't be bothered, and went straight down with a 'thud' onto both knees on the cold floor tiles at the doorway, his armor striking the ground with a dull thump.

He raised his head, his young face utterly bloodless, eye rims red, filled with shock and despair, his voice carrying violent trembling as he screamed:

"General——!!!"

This one kneel, this one shout, nearly scared Xuan Ge to death.

If not for a heaven-shaking upheaval, his well-trained Shen Wu Army would never lose composure like this.

Xuan Ge rose instantly, his movement so fast it stirred a gust of wind, in a few steps he was before that soldier, reached out and grabbed his arm, hauled him up from the ground, and asked in a deep voice:

"Qiu Ye, calm down, speak clearly, what happened?!"

Qiu Ye, and his younger brother Qiu Han, Xuan Ge knew them better than anyone.

Their father Qiu Chou Ye was one of the personal guards who followed Xuan Ge into a death battle during the Shuhu Rebellion back then.

In that battle, tragic to the extreme, when Xuan Ge himself was on the verge of exhaustion, Qiu Chou Ye used his body to block Shuhu's fatal strike for him, his body and soul both perishing.

This bond and sacrifice, Xuan Ge had never forgotten.

After the war, he brought the pair of young twin brothers Qiu Chou Ye left behind to his side and cared for them attentively.

Later he arranged them into the relatively safe but equally important Fifth Army logistics system, both to temper them and as a form of silent protection.

The brothers also lived up to expectations, working diligently and steadily, never once causing trouble.

That letter last time saying 'General, I'm in an online relationship', that was that kid Qiu Han.

Xuan Ge supported the trembling-all-over Qiu Ye, patted his back, helped him steady his nerves, his voice gentled but still carrying undeniable force:

"Take a deep breath, Qiu Ye. Tell me, what happened to Qiu Han? One word at a time, clearly."

Under Xuan Ge's steady gaze and that thread of warm current's soothing, Qiu Ye forcibly suppressed his nearly collapsing emotions, teeth biting his lower lip until blood seeped out, his voice still trembling but finally able to narrate coherently:

"General..... my younger brother Qiu Han, he..... he met a girl before, through the interstellar network.....

The two of them, they dated for a few months. A few days ago, that girl said..... said she wanted to meet, meet in reality.

That kid Qiu Han took it to heart, a few days ago he came to beg me, asked me to help him cover a patrol shift.....

He, he brought the five-man squad under his command, drove a small utility ship, and set off to go meet her....."

Qiu Ye's voice trembled more and more: "Agreed..... agreed at most a day and a half for the round trip, stay in contact.

But..... three days have passed! A full three days, not a single message sent back!

I felt something was wrong, used my logistics permissions to check, their ship's signal, last disappeared in the 'Ni Na Bai' star system's outer periphery, then..... then completely cut off!

I felt it wasn't right, immediately reported to the Third Army's duty officer, the officer personally led a team, took the fastest reconnaissance ship to search....."

He violently raised his head, his eyes holding bottomless fear and despair:

"The Ni Na Bai Star System..... has nothing!

No ship wreckage, no distress signals, no battle traces..... it's like, like they never went there at all!

General..... Qiu Han..... Qiu Han and them..... are gone!

Six people, one ship, vanished into thin air! Begging General..... save my brother! Begging you!"

By the end, this young man who had always shown himself steady and reliable at his logistics post finally couldn't suppress a choked sob, yet bit his teeth down hard, refusing to let tears fall.

Xuan Ge listened to the end, his face left with only an ice-sealed gravity.

A few months of online dating? Sudden invitation? Squad missing?

That's not right, that kid just told me a while ago he'd been online dating for ten years.....

He patted Qiu Ye's shoulder, sensing there was no Memory power on him.....

"Alright, I know."

Xuan Ge's voice wasn't loud, yet carried a nail-driving, iron-clad power, instantly dispelling the despairing chill around Qiu Ye.

"From now on, you stay by my side. Qiu Han's matter, I'll handle it."

"Yes, General!"

Qiu Ye forcibly suppressed her emotions, mustering every ounce of strength to straighten her waist, raised her hand with a "click" to fasten her Face Mask, concealing all vulnerable expressions.

Behind the metal Face Mask, only a pair of eyes remained, rekindled with hope, desperately suppressing anxiety.

He retreated half a step, like the most loyal bedrock, standing silently and steadfastly at Xuan Ge's side.