Hours turned into days, but Qiao Zhiya’s dedication never wavered. He keep working through the encrypted text, and his magical abilities subtly enhancing his skill. He discovered that the key to cracking the code lay in understanding the unique syntax and structure of the old Federation military ciphers.
Chu Rong checked in on him regularly, bringing food and giving him praises. Despite the hurdles, Qiao Zhiya made steady progress, all thanks to his natural aptitude for learning and problem-solving.
One evening, as Qiao Zhiya pored over a particularly intricate passage, a breakthrough occurred. He gasped, his eyes widening as the encrypted text began to make sense. He quickly scribbled down his findings, his heart pounding with excitement.
“Chu Rong!” he called out, his voice echoing through the study.
Chu Rong rushed in, his expression full of concern. “What is it? Did you find something?”
Qiao Zhiya held up a encrypted passage, his hands trembling with a mix of excitement and apprehension. “I think I’ve found a reference to the identity of the mastermind behind all of these.”
Chu Rong took the paper, his eyes scanning the text. As he read, his expression grew darker, the implications of the information sinking in. He looked up at Qiao Zhiya, a mixture of pride and urgency in his eyes.
“We need to share this with the others immediately,” Chu Rong said, his voice resolute. “This could change everything.”
With the crucial piece of the puzzle in hand, they hurried to the conference room where Chu Huai and Chu Yan were waiting. The atmosphere was tense as Qiao Zhiya explained his findings, the gravity of the situation becoming increasingly clear.
Chu Huai and Chu Yan listened intently, their expressions reflecting the shock and determination that mirrored Chu Rong’s. The truth was finally within reach, and they were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.
As they prepared to take the next steps, Qiao Zhiya felt a profound sense of accomplishment. He had proven his worth and played a crucial role in uncovering the truth. And with Chu Rong, Chu Yan, and Chu Huai by his side, he knew they wouldn’t stop until peace was restored.
Chu Rong’s mind was a storm of questions and concerns as he held Qiao Zhiya close. The revelation about the black hole devices and the possibility of Qiao Zhiya being from another dimension or universe was overwhelming. It meant that his previous understanding and memories might have been incomplete, or worse, manipulated. The idea that Qiao Zhiya’s home existed in another realm or time was both fascinating and terrifying.
Qiao Zhiya nuzzled into Chu Rong’s embrace, feeling the tension in his body. He sensed the weight of the revelations and uncertainties they were facing. Despite the complexity of their situation, he felt comforted, nestled in Chu Rong’s arms like this.
“Chu Rong,” he whispered as he looked up, “I know this is a lot to take in. But, I promise, I’ll do everything to uncover the truth. That’s why I need to understand where I came from and what all of this means. And I want you by my side as we do this.”
Chu Rong’s gaze softened. He nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to Qiao Zhiya’s forehead. “We’ll figure this out together. No matter what, I won’t let anything happen to you. We’ll uncover the truth, piece by piece.”
As they prepared to leave, Chu Rong ensured that all the sensitive materials were securely stored and transported back to Chu family’s residence. He coordinated with his brothers, instructing them to enhance security measures and keep a close eye on any further developments.
Back at their home, Qiao Zhiya immediately set up a workspace in one of the quieter rooms. He spread out the books, notes, and the replicated drawings of the red patterns from the black hole transmitters. He fell deep into thought, his mind muddled with all these information. He tried to look for any connection, any insights between all of these.
One evening, as the sun set and the room was bathed in a warm, golden light, Qiao Zhiya made a breakthrough. He had discovered a crucial link between the patterns on the transmitters and the codes in the books. It was a key that could potentially unlock the secrets of the black hole technology and reveal more about his origins.
“Chu Rong!” Qiao Zhiya called out, excitement evident in his voice.
Chu Rong, who had been working in an adjacent room, rushed in. “What is it? Did you find something?”
Qiao Zhiya pointed to his notes, his eyes shining with excitement. “I think I’ve found a way to decode the patterns and understand how these transmitters work. It might lead us to more information about my home and the people who created this technology.”
Chu Rong’s eyes widened in surprise and pride. He placed a reassuring hand on Qiao Zhiya’s shoulder. “That’s incredible, Qiao. Let’s take this to the next step. We’ll gather all the resources we need and consult with experts if necessary. We’re getting closer to the truth.”
With renewed determination, they continued their research, inching ever closer to the answers they sought. The journey was far from over, but together, they were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, united in their quest for truth and understanding.
‘If my memory isn’t wrong, and everything really was just a coincidence, would Qiao Zhiya’s memory confusion become worse after this almost invisible “memory confirmation”? Would it eventually harm his brain?’
‘And those two horns on Qiao Zhiya’s head, what if they were really caused by human experiments…’
Qiao Zhiya leaned against him, noticing a slight unease in his demeanor, he looked up at him with a puzzled expression and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Chu Rong came back to his senses, slowly releasing him, he lowered his head to look into Qiao Zhiya’s innocent and concerned eyes, couldn’t help but reach out and touch him, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly, he asked in a low voice, “Qiao… Despite anything that might happen… After you graduate, let’s get married.”
Qiao Zhiya was stunned at his words, then his face slowly blushed, nodding vigorously, unable to help but throw himself back into his arms, filled with joy, he replied, “Okay!”
‘When I find a way back home, I must take Chu Rong to meet my parents. Maybe then, we can have a wedding witnessed by my parents…’
He thought happily, a silly smile subconsciously appearing on his face. Lately, he’s been rather gloomy, no thanks to the burden of the conspiracy. Now, he felt relaxed and cheerful.
The decryption of the mysterious text and the investigation of the Ning Tianxing laboratory proceeded simultaneously. About a week later, the collapsed ground of Area D on the 8th floor of the laboratory was completely cleared, and the dark red patterns, similar in color to the ground, were carefully drawn and sent to the military for research.
After learning about this, Qiao Zhiya also asked Chu Rong for a copy of the pattern.
The public was completely unaware of the busy activities of the upper echelons of the Federation and the Empire. They didn’t even know that Ning Tianxing, who had been tried before, was just a clone. In their eyes, the war had ended with the trial, and their attention was focused entirely on this year’s festival theme.
Because of the war, the theme of this year’s festival was decided early on, it was “Peace”. Everyone was happily preparing to welcome this special New Year, eagerly anticipating the “Joy with the People” event jointly organized by the Federation and the Empire to start as soon as possible.
The Chu family also began preparations for the festival, but because of Chu Huai and Chu Rong’s special status, this year’s festival for the Chu family was destined to be anything but easy.
“Does Dasao really have to go?”
Qiao Zhiya stared at Gu Yan’an’s growing belly. His eyebrows furrowed as he muttered, “The banquet, the plaza celebration, and the live broadcast fireworks show at night, the whole process takes several hours. It’s exhausting.”
Gu Yan’an patted him reassuringly, handing him the dress catalog, saying, “Don’t worry, I can sit through the entire banquet. I just need to show up briefly at the celebration, and I can’t stand for long during the live fireworks show. It’s no big deal. If anything, it’s you. You’ve been stuck in the lab all day, helping Xiao Yan with the mechas, researching all sorts of messy stuff, occasionally going to see Master Ren to check on the manually-piloted mechas. You’re so busy your face has gotten thinner. So, since it’s festival time, you can’t be busy again. Have a good rest, okay?”
Qiao Zhiya was still worried, but didn’t want her to worry too much, so he tactfully stopped talking about it. Looking at the dress catalog in his hand, he found a military uniform inside and asked in confusion, “Why is there still a military uniform? I’m not a soldier yet, I shouldn’t be able to wear this.”
“It’s not a military uniform, it’s a formal dress made from the modified uniforms of the military academy students. You’ll have to wear this during the fireworks show and stand with Xiao Rong to receive the gratitude and blessings of the people.” Gu Yan’an explained with a smile, slightly teasing him as she glanced at him. “You and Xiao Rong are truly deserving of credit for defeating the Zerg Queen. The festival organizers originally planned to make statues of your mechas and place them on the square, but unfortunately, they had to give up because the deadline couldn’t be met.”
‘Sta-statue? A real one?’
Qiao Zhiya was dumbfounded. Imagining himself and Chu Rong standing in front of everyone, receiving the public’s blessings alongside the statues of two mechas, his face turned red in an instant. He quickly chose a suit, not caring anymore about the event that Gu Yan’an would attend while pregnant, and rushed back to the laboratory, making Gu Yan’an laugh until her eyes were squinting.
