Ch 52: Interplanetary Planting Master

Parasite

Shen Jin’s appearance was somewhat expected, but still caught everyone by surprise.

After hearing Lu Li mention that Shen Jin was also on Snowfall Star that morning, the other three had guessed that Shen Jin would eventually find an opportunity to meet with them. However, they hadn’t expected it to be this soon. Su He, who had no idea who Shen Jin was, remained confused. Lu Li and Wei Na maintained a calm demeanor, Shen Shen was his usual casual self, and Liao Kai turned his head away, clearly unwilling to acknowledge Shen Jin.

Shen Jin glanced around the group, his gaze briefly sweeping over Su He before finally settling on Shen Shen. “How have you been?” he asked.

“Great!” Shen Shen replied with a smug smile. “I’ve got food, drink, and sleep. I’m surrounded by my brothers, and I don’t have to worry about someone betraying me to gain favor. What do you think, Big Bro—doesn’t that sound good?”

His words were dripping with provocation, and Su He, surprised, looked at Shen Shen. That “Big Bro” made him realize something, but judging by the reactions of the others, none of them seemed phased by it—Shen Jin included. “As long as you’re well,” Shen Jin replied, as if he hadn’t heard a thing. “The Doctrine of Divine So, which had vanished for a few years, has recently started resurfacing. The northwest border regions are particularly affected. The Inspectorate traced their investigation all the way to Snowfall Star. You shouldn’t get involved in whatever’s going on here.”

No one from Shen Shen’s group responded, so Lu Li picked up the conversation. “What did you mean earlier when you said, ‘They’re not the people they used to be’?”

Shen Jin paused, seemingly considering his words carefully. “It’s just my personal suspicion. The Inspectorate has lost a few informants here. I…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a commotion broke out ahead. The crowd became chaotic, and they all extended their senses. The so-called Divine Son on the platform had fallen to his knees, clutching his face as if he had been attacked. Several white-robed individuals, each with the tree-shaped symbol embroidered on their chests, emerged and began searching through the crowd for something.

Lu Li raised an eyebrow, his gaze focusing on one side. He gestured to Shen Shen and the others, and immediately, Shen Shen, Wei Na, and Liao Kai formed a protective circle around Su He. Lu Li then vanished into the crowd. Su He’s eyes followed his figure, and before long, Lu Li reappeared, pushing his way out of the crowd, holding onto the young boy they had seen a few times before.

“Let go of me!” The young boy struggled, still clutching his slingshot, which he hadn’t yet put away.

Everyone immediately realized that this must be the weapon used to attack the Divine Son.

Upon seeing Su He, the boy’s expression grew highly vigilant. Su He couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to poke him gently as he said, “I’m not a bad person.”

The boy looked up and replied, “Uerlen wasn’t a bad person at first either, but after being with people like you, he turned bad.”

Among them, Shen Jin had the most information. He glanced thoughtfully at Su He. Noticing his gaze, Lu Li frowned slightly, then tossed the young boy into Liao Kai’s arms and turned to Shen Jin, saying, “We have different paths, Major Shen. We’ll be on our way.” With that, he grabbed Su He and began to leave, while Shen Shen subtly stepped in front of Shen Jin.

Shen Jin withdrew his gaze from Lu Li and the others, staying silent for a moment before saying to Shen Shen, “What do you think I’m going to do?”

Shen Shen shrugged. “We’re on different sides now, I hope you’ll understand, Big Brother.”

Shen Jin’s eyes locked onto Shen Shen, as cold as a blade. “Different sides? Shen, you’re my brother. You know what I want.”

Shen Shen casually stuffed his hands into his pockets, responding nonchalantly, “Of course, once we both believed we were on the right path. But reality slapped us in the face. Big Brother, do you really think I’d offer up my other cheek after the first slap?”

Shen Jin’s voice turned cold. “You think staying in the Seventh Corps is any different? You’re just another tool in the hands of those in power. You’re so broke that you can’t even maintain a single starship. I’ve heard the rumors about how the Iris has been plundering pirates. Is this the life you and Lu Li really want?”

“Life can’t be perfect, but we’ve already given you our answer through our actions.”

Shen Jin stared coldly at Shen Shen for a long while, before softening his tone. “The exploration team affiliated with the Aokor Group recently discovered a habitable planet near the outer regions. They plan to name it Iris Star.”

Shen Shen remained unfazed, responding lightly, “Congratulations, Big Brother, but we’ve already found a home of our own.”

He extended his senses, noting that Lu Li and the others had already disappeared from sight in the crowd. Shen Shen gave Shen Jin a distant nod and quickly merged into the crowd. Shen Jin stood expressionless, watching him disappear. Soon after, his guide, Su Qin, approached.

“Major? Did you discover anything?”

Shen Jin paused briefly, then replied, “Nothing at all.”

Su Qin sighed in frustration, speaking softly, “I just received news that the other action groups have made progress. They’ve infiltrated the local family and say they’re close to uncovering the true identity of the Divine Son.”

A trace of mockery flashed in Shen Jin’s eyes, his gaze lingering in the direction where Lu Li had disappeared. The boy’s words were intriguing—what did he mean by saying the two had become the same?

Su He was pondering the same question. With everyone outside focused on the Divine Son, they had no choice but to return to their rented house and prepare their own meal. The young boy, who had been thoroughly subdued by Liao Kai, immediately began scheming for an escape as soon as he was left alone with Su He. He had learned quickly that he couldn’t mess with the others, and Su He seemed to be the weakest among them.

Su He, guessing the boy’s intentions, extended his mental tendrils. Instantly, Moska, who had been quietly resting in a corner, scurried over. Su He patted Moska, then tapped the metal chair beside him, saying, “You can eat this.” Moska obediently opened its mouth wide and took a bite out of the chair. Despite having only half its body left, its ability to consume and digest was completely unaffected.

The boy was stunned. As the crunching sounds continued, his face paled. He threw himself into Su He’s arms, clinging to his arm and pitifully muttering, “Mom, I was wrong.”

“Don’t call me that. Call me brother,” Su He corrected.

“Brother,” the boy quickly adapted, switching titles with a big smile as if nothing had happened.

Satisfied, Su He nodded and asked, “Do you know who I am?”

The boy shook his head. Su He scoffed, “When I was causing trouble and reigning over small towns, the Federation hadn’t even been established yet. Trying to outsmart me? You’re still too young, kid.”

In the kitchen, the soldiers suppressed their laughter and gave Lu Li strange looks. Lu Li just smiled and shook his head, making no move to stop Su He.

The boy blinked, looking up at Su He with admiration. “Brother, you’re amazing!”

Su He patted his head. “Too late, flattery won’t work now.” He squeezed the boy’s cheek. “What’s your name?”

“Bai Xiaoxi.”

“Bai Xiaoxi, huh? My name is Su He. You mentioned someone named Uerlen earlier. What did you mean by saying he became like me?” As he asked, Su He extended his mental tendrils again, gently touching Bai Xiaoxi’s mental world. Unlike the strong sensory barriers of an adult sentinel, a young sentinel’s barriers were weak, only capable of providing basic protection from external stimuli like food, clothing, and light, but utterly incapable of stopping a guide’s intrusion.

Su He wasn’t trying to extract information this way; he only wanted to gently convey that he wasn’t a bad person. But as his mental tendrils entered Bai Xiaoxi’s mind, a powerful suction force suddenly grabbed hold of Su He’s tendrils. A heavy sense of oppression followed, and Su He’s mental world began to tremble.

“Su He!”

Everything happened in an instant. Lu Li immediately sensed the mental impact. He dashed over in a blur of afterimages. At the same time, Bai Xiaoxi seemed to have seen something shocking. He pushed Su He away and ran off.

“Moska!” Su He shouted. Moska moved swiftly, its tentacles grabbing hold of Bai Xiaoxi. Lu Li embraced Su He tightly, his grip firm, his eyes dark and stormy, as if a tempest was brewing within. Su He had to calm him down, reassuring Lu Li that he was fine, and even warning Moska, “Don’t eat him.”

“Boss,” Shen Shen and the others arrived a moment too late.

“Out!” Lu Li’s voice was low, laced with a hidden fury.

Wei Na immediately understood. Lu Li was like an enraged lion, ready to tear apart anything that posed a threat to his guide. She cautiously led Shen Shen and Liao Kai out, keeping a distance that Lu Li could tolerate.

“I’m fine,” Su He whispered, kissing Lu Li to soothe him, trying to calm him down. The primal instincts of the sentinel within Lu Li were rising like an uncontrollable flood. The thought that Su He had been harmed echoed in Lu Li’s mind, inciting him to kill whoever dared threaten his guide.

“Lu Li.” It was Su He’s first time seeing Lu Li so furious, and he worried that in a moment of impulse, Lu Li might actually crush Bai Xiaoxi. Su He gently enveloped Lu Li with his mental tendrils, comforting him, and said, “I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt, and it has nothing to do with Bai Xiaoxi.”

Lu Li kissed Su He back, his tone finally calming. “It has nothing to do with him?”

“Yes.” Su He searched for the right words. “There is another consciousness in his mental world—no, it’s not exactly a consciousness, but more like a spiritual entity that was dormant. I accidentally woke it up.”

Su He wanted to check on Bai Xiaoxi, who had fainted after being grabbed by Moska. But Lu Li, still holding onto Su He, refused to let go. Su He smiled helplessly, once again warning Moska not to eat Bai Xiaoxi.

The two of them sat together on the metal floor, still holding each other. Lu Li repeated Su He’s words, saying, “It’s a parasitic entity.”

The word “parasitic” was like a switch, instantly connecting all of Lu Li’s lingering doubts. About “she isn’t her,” and what Shen Jin had said. Perhaps cloning technology could replicate a person’s appearance perfectly, but it couldn’t duplicate their mental world. But what if it was an alien lifeform, a spiritual entity, that parasitized? These entities could gently infiltrate one’s consciousness, without altering memories or changing anything. They would quietly occupy one’s mental world, assimilating their presence, guiding their thoughts, until the person became an alien lifeform disguised as a human. As Lu Li thought of this, his expression grew serious.

Not far away, on the floor, Bai Xiaoxi slowly opened his eyes while still held by Moska. He turned his head in confusion, looking at Su He. “Brother?”

Lu Li immediately became alert, on edge. He needed to know—was Bai Xiaoxi still the same Bai Xiaoxi?

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