Ch 18: Interplanetary Planting Master

Consolation

Sentinel berserk is an extreme state, usually occurring in warfare or when a sentinel is enraged. In this state, a sentinel loses all reason, driven entirely by instinct, transforming into a brutal and bloodthirsty fighting machine.

This was the state Lu Li was in now. Before anyone could react, he had already thrown several punches, each landing on Lin Ji’s face. There were cries of alarm, confusion, and attempts to stop Lu Li. The scattered members of the Silent Corps regrouped, full of vigilance, not understanding what was happening. Lu Li’s expression remained cold, his eyes revealing no emotion. He attacked anyone who stood in his way without hesitation, moving with a terrifying calm. Someone tried to shoot him sneakily, but he dodged effortlessly and responded with a crushing blow.

“He’s gone berserk,” someone from the Silent Corps shouted. “Stop him!”

No one knew the reason for Lu Li’s berserk state, not even Lin Ji, though he had some vague suspicions. The timing and location of Lu Li’s berserk state were too coincidental, forcing the Silent Corps to assume it was somehow related to them. To prevent the worst outcome, they swarmed him, unable to kill him due to his status, hoping to subdue him through sheer numbers.

Lu Li’s expression remained serene as he smoothly cleared the obstacles in his path. The screams of men, the sound of fists hitting flesh, and the crunch of bones breaking—he moved like a cold-blooded and violent beast, showing no mercy or emotion.

For some reason, Lin Ji did not fight back. He took a kick to the chest from Lu Li, bending over in pain, but only wiped the blood from his mouth, standing silently, waiting for Lu Li’s next attack. Compared to ordinary people, sentinels were much tougher. More and more men fell at Lu Li’s feet, yet Lin Ji, who had endured the most attacks, managed to stand up. When Lu Li’s fists hit his face, Lin Ji didn’t feel pain; instead, there was a masochistic sense of satisfaction. The sound of bones cracking echoed from within, and he curled up, slowly falling, waiting for Lu Li to end his suffering.

As he closed his eyes, Lin Ji thought it would end quickly. He heard Lu Li’s footsteps approaching and even felt the rush of wind from his fist. But the punch didn’t land; someone had stopped Lu Li at the last moment.

“Lu Li,” Su He called out nervously, grabbing Lu Li. “Calm down.”

His voice, his scent, his touch seemed to have a magical effect. Lu Li, immersed in his own world, stopped attacking. Su He breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the blood splattered around his feet and the groans of the injured people nearby. He cautiously hugged Lu Li, whispering, “Calm down, it’s okay now.”

At this close distance, Su He felt more of Lu Li’s emotions. The oppressive pain and sealed darkness in Lu Li’s mind flooded in like a tide, overwhelming Su He. Following Shen Shen’s teaching, he extended his mental tendrils, gently responding to Lu Li’s emotions. Carefully, he entered Lu Li’s mental world, trying to convey a sense of calm. His mental tendrils, glowing faintly, like the warm sun in spring, slowly and steadily melted away the darkness in Lu Li’s mind. The dense darkness covering the mental world gradually faded, revealing the colorful sea of memories once more. Su He didn’t stop, attempting to pass through the sea of memories as he had before, aiming for the dead star at the end. But a fragment of black memory flew in, blocking his way.

Passing through the memory fragment, Su He heard the cries of children. He looked around in confusion, his eyes quickly drawn to a young Lu Li. Lu Li didn’t look well, barefoot and wrapped haphazardly in an adult military uniform, the hem stained with brown blood. Unlike the other crying children, his face was tense as he looked out the window. The innocence of childhood had left him, replaced by a maturity beyond his years.

Su He walked up to Lu Li. The scene outside the window reminded him they were in space. Following Lu Li’s gaze, he saw endless dark beasts surging from the depths of the universe, quickly engulfing a nearby blue planet.

Lu Li’s body began to tremble, his fists clenched tightly. Su He, feeling sympathy, reached out to comfort him, trying to offer some solace. Though no one said it, Su He knew the planet was Lu Li’s home—Iris Star. Some dark beasts bypassed Iris Star, chasing after them. More mechas left the starship, fighting to their last breath, self-destructing to block the dark beasts.

After an unknown amount of time, Su He only saw clusters of firelight flickering and extinguishing in the dark universe. Only a few mechas were left to block the dark beasts when they finally received help from the Federation. Numerous Federation starships jumped out of wormholes, their firepower halting the dark beasts’ advance. The crying children began to cheer, crowding the windows, eagerly looking at the fallen planet. Their parents, friends, homes, and some soldiers from the Federation’s Seventh Corps were still there. But the expected rescue did not come. Weighing the pros and cons, the reinforcements abandoned Irises Star. Three black hole bombs were launched. There was no fire, no explosion; it was as if Iris Star was forcefully torn apart, a black rift running through the entire planet. Countless dark beasts were sucked in, along with the surviving humans on the planet.

Water droplets fell to the ground. Su He, eyes closed, bent down to hug Lu Li. Warm tears smeared across Su He’s face. He witnessed the cruelty of war for the first time, even if it was through Lu Li’s memories.

“Su He.”

Lu Li’s emotions gradually cleared, his self-awareness taking control again. He tightly hugged Su He, pulling him close. Their proximity brought him immense comfort, and the black fragments in the sea of memories seemed to be wiped clean, emitting a faint milky white glow.

“Su He.”

Lu Li pressed his forehead against Su He’s, their breaths mingling. Despite Su He’s muddy face, Lu Li didn’t mind. He saw his reflection in Su He’s clear eyes, feeling a warm, genuine concern.

“Su He.”

Su He mumbled a response, avoiding Lu Li’s gaze. The intensity of Lu Li’s gaze made him feel the flames of desire burning within. He knew Lu Li was fine now and should leave, but the embrace felt too good. He listened to Lu Li’s heartbeat, smelled the clean scent of him. Their breaths intertwined, heartbeats syncing, a warm strength flowing through him, making him want to protect Lu Li forever.

As Lu Li calmed down, the chaos in the black market subsided again. The remaining leader of the Silent Corps directed people to move the injured. Han Rui hesitantly approached Lin Ji, helping him up, asking, “Are you okay?”

Lin Ji shook his head, silently standing up and walking away. His body bore many wounds, but he made no move to bandage them. A silver giant wolf appeared, quietly following him. Han Rui pursed his lips, watching Lin Ji’s retreating figure with a sense of loss.

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving Lu Li and Su He still tightly embracing. They seemed oblivious to their surroundings, as if the world consisted only of the two of them.

“Um, boss.”

Shen Shen called out bravely. The pink bubbles surrounding the boss and the guide were almost blinding. He feared that if this continued, they might bond in public. As a qualified adjutant, he was determined to protect Lu Li’s public image and privacy. After all, the Iris was right there, with over a hundred rooms providing everything needed for bonding. Shen Shen also wanted to remind Lu Li that the guide might want to wash his face first. He couldn’t imagine Lu Li kissing a muddy face. The thought of this made Shen Shen shudder.

Shen Shen’s reminder snapped Su He out of his trance. He quickly pushed Lu Li away, pretending they had nothing to do with each other.

Lu Li: “…”

Shen Shen: “…”

Su He nonchalantly slung his bag over his shoulder, avoiding Lu Li’s gaze. “You’re okay now, so I’m leaving.”

“Wait a moment,” Lu Li said gently. “Didn’t Vice-Admiral Shen say he wanted to buy apples? Please deliver them to the Iris.”

Su He shot a glance at Shen Shen. “I won’t sell them at the price he offered.”

Shen Shen: “…”

Lu Li chuckled. “The price can be negotiated. Vice-Admiral Shen meant no harm, just a haggling tactic.”

Su He knew Lu Li probably wanted to talk, using the apples as an excuse. His attitude softened, and his guard lowered.

Lu Li seized the moment. “Reno wants to see you too. He’s been worried because he can’t reach you.”

Su He hesitated. He had been ignoring Reno’s calls because of Lu Li, but he knew Reno meant well. Avoiding him didn’t feel right. Maybe he should meet Reno. Su He glanced at Han Rui, who nodded, understanding Su He’s thoughts. “I’ll go with you.”

The four left the underground world. Su He suddenly exclaimed, noticing it was raining. The fine raindrops washed away the mud on his face. He closed his eyes, trying to wipe the water off, but his clothes were dirtier.

Lu Li removed his jacket and draped it over Su He’s head, using his shirt sleeve to gently wipe his face.

Su He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze wandering.

Lu Li smiled, rolled up his dirty sleeve, and said nothing, leading the way.

Su He watched him, his face inexplicably turning red.

Shen Shen glanced kindly at Han Rui, who took a cautious step back.

Shen Shen: “…”

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