Chapter 584

Fortunately, the space suit came with built-in powered exoskeletons; the three of them exerted force together, two lifting the legs and one lifting the arms, raising the Blood Xue Shi Paoxiao.

The central control hall was located on the middle level; everyone kept a distance from each other as they entered the cargo elevator.

Perhaps due to considerations for housing sixty thousand people in the future, the elevator was extremely wide, its space comparable to an entire room, with posters pasted on the walls, all featuring slogans like "HD996A Planet, A Beautiful New Life" and "Have More Children, the Base Will Support Your Retirement."

Hmm... this was rather strange—HD996A Planet was eighty-one light-years from Earth, yet it already used sub-light cruise engines; logically, bioengineered humans or artificial wombs should have been widespread by now, but the promotional posters suggested a preference for natural reproduction?

The Laughing God seemed to notice Li Cheng staring at the posters and said lightly, "Actually, it makes sense. No matter how advanced technology becomes, as long as humans haven't achieved mechanical ascension and remain primates—naked apes—they're still governed by physiology."

Prolonged lack of companionship, especially physical comfort and bonding from a partner, reduces opportunities for oxytocin and endorphin secretion, thereby increasing the likelihood of depression."

Edith glanced at him. "Sexual repression causes depression?"

"Exactly."

The Laughing God shrugged. "Also, physical contact and hugging with pets like cats and dogs—animals with soft fur and constant body temperature—can promote oxytocin and endorphin secretion, indirectly alleviating depression caused by sexual repression."

So I often go to pet stores and tell the clerks I'm suffering from sexual repression, so I need to buy a dog or something. Every time, the clerks look at me with weird eyes. I don't know why."

"What do you think?"

Zhongli Mie Ming sighed, then suddenly realized, "Wait—you remember going to pet stores? Do you retain personal memories?"

"Faint impressions, only."

The Laughing God thought seriously and said, "Before I came here, I seem to have been the leader of a fairly successful comedy troupe, with many comedians and stand-up hosts under me. Beyond that, I can't recall anything more."

"Now that you mention it, I have a vague memory too."

Dir picked up the thread, uncertainly saying, "I think I was once part of a group full of cute girls—could it have been some idol girl group?"

Loss of Control murmured, "I think I was a PhD student under a professor."

"Restoration technician," said Su Nisheng.

Everyone exchanged glances, their doubts deepening.

According to the Chatterbox, one colony base on HD996A Planet housed sixty thousand people; even if we assume ten bases, that's six hundred thousand people.

With Earth's massive population, you could easily gather six hundred thousand human elites—scientists, engineers,

Pilots, doctors, logistics management experts, and so on.

So why are we now getting comedians, restoration technicians, and idol group members? Even if they were taking anyone they could find, this is absurd.

"I was probably a lawyer."

Edith said uncertainly, "Maybe the base has memory implant devices that can rapidly teach knowledge and skills?"

"Possibly."

Loss of Control remained noncommittal. After a period of travel, the cargo elevator finally reached the base's middle level. After exiting and turning several corners, they arrived at the central control hall.

The central control hall was oval-shaped, dominated by a massive fish-shaped screen covering the entire front wall, with rows of computer desks facing it.

Ergonomic chairs stood behind the desks, likely designed to accommodate acceleration and deceleration during space travel, or perhaps to reduce noise—all chairs were magnetic levitation models.

Among them were noticeably larger and wider chairs, presumably for crew members with big appetites.

In the center of the room, a transparent plastic cover enclosed a deep red circular button marked with an X.

Loss of Control placed the Blood Xue Shi Paoxiao's corpse down and, following the smart wristwatch's instructions, lifted the plastic cover and pressed the button.

Hum!

Alarms blared throughout the entire base. Several metal ceiling panels folded inward, deploying rows of robotic cleaners shaped like sentry turrets.

The sentry robots extended two metal rods, slender as pencils, appearing small and cute.

"Weapons? That's way too kawaii."

The Laughing God couldn't help laughing—but the next second, the two metal rods of the sentry robots unleashed violet arcs of electricity that pierced more than half the central control hall. Thousands of lightning bolts flashed overhead and vanished instantly, as if you could smell ionized air even through the mask.

"Never mind what I said."

The Laughing God immediately backed down. Damn it—no wonder even a space alien with strength rivaling Captain America could only operate in shadows and dared not openly destroy the base.

With this kind of power, even Professor Yang would scream, "I can't tell you anything, aaaaaaaaaa!"

"The crematorium is in another sector of the Xinxian Base. The stellar storm shut down the doors to that area—we can't burn the body. Come on, place the Blood Xue Shi Paoxiao's corpse here."

Loss of Control grabbed the corpse's arm and dragged it into a cylindrical "elevator" in the corner of the central control hall.

The elevator had inner and outer layers; the inner layer connected via pipes to the ceiling and extended upward.

The entire system resembled the pneumatic tube logistics systems used in hospitals, except this one was electromagnetically propelled, not air-driven.

"This is a recyclable orbital cargo vault."

Loss of Control positioned the Blood Xue Shi Paoxiao in the farthest corner. The vault's inner walls had many binding straps equipped with ratchet tensioners to secure cargo. "Set the coordinates and launch the corpse into outer space. Space aliens can't cross the universe. Whether the corpse is infected or not, it won't affect us anymore."

As Loss of Control placed the corpse and stepped out of the vault, closing the door, he said, "Say whatever you want to say now."

Valkyrie sighed. Though they'd only just met and known each other for minutes, seeing a living person die like this still stirred a mournful sense of kinship—she said insincerely, "He was a good man. He had a heart of gold."

The Laughing God pressed his hand against the thick transparent glass of the cargo elevator shaft and gritted his teeth: "Six, Dad vows to avenge you."

"Just send it already, don't waste time," Edith shook her head.

As Loss of Control pressed the button, the cargo vault rose extremely slowly, then suddenly accelerated when it reached thirty centimeters above the ground—hum! —and vanished from sight.

The orbital vault was linked to the security system; once Vault One launched successfully, the sentry robots retracted back into the ceiling.

The first death had occurred, yet the space aliens remained hidden among the survivors.

Loss of Control turned around, his tone complex: "The Xinxian Base is huge. If we remaining survivors cluster together, we can't possibly repair all the rooms within one hour and forty-five minutes."

I propose drawing lots randomly to form three groups. In twenty minutes, regardless of what happens, return to the central control hall."