First Interstellar Guide Chapter 65: Undercover Plan

Chapter 65: Undercover Plan

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

Qin Xiao simply couldn’t believe it. This was the Xie Ran he had nurtured and cherished in the palm of his hand.

The Xie Ran he remembered was handsome, with a charming smile and a cute dimple when he laughed. He was confident and spirited, and the elders all adored him. But the youth before him now had a pale complexion, cracked lips, half of his arm missing, and his eye pupils were of unusual colors… He seemed like a creature crawling back from the depths of hell. How could he resemble the Xie Ran from before?

Yet, the familiar voice in his mind and the familiar mental energy were telling Qin Xiao—it was indeed Xie Ran.

Having watched Xie Ran grow up since childhood, how could Qin Xiao possibly be mistaken?

Trembling, Qin Xiao reached out his hand and cautiously touched the young man’s head.

Perhaps due to long-term malnutrition, the person before him had hair as dry as weeds, having long lost its former luster. Qin Xiao felt a pain in his heart so intense that he could barely breathe. His hoarse voice choked up uncontrollably, “Ranran… Is it really you?”

The familiar gesture of patting his head made Xie Ran’s eyes well up instantly. He nodded vigorously, then threw himself into his grandfather’s arms just like he did when he was a child.

Qin Xiao held him tightly. The boy’s body was frighteningly thin, and he wondered how many hardships and trials he had endured.

Sensing the child in his arms trembling slightly, Qin Xiao’s eyes also filled with tears. For over three years, he had thought that his son’s family had perished, but unexpectedly, Qin Luo and Xie Xi’s only son had survived through hardships.

How had Xie Ran spent these three years? What was wrong with his eyes? Why was his arm missing? And what caused such a drastic change in his appearance? Qin Xiao could hardly imagine. All he could do was hold this child tightly and give him a little warmth now that he had finally returned home.

The two of them embraced each other, and it seemed like an eternity passed before Xie Ran finally calmed down.

Qin Xiao gently patted his head and said softly in the mental world, “It’s good that you’re back… It’s good that you’re back… From now on, you’ll stay by grandfather’s side, and I’ll protect you well. I won’t let you suffer anymore…”

Upon hearing this, Xie Ran pushed away from Qin Xiao’s embrace and said, “Grandfather, I can’t stay by your side.”

Qin Xiao was taken aback, looking at him with concern. “Why?”

Xie Ran’s gaze was firm. “Dad, Mom, and hundreds of Starlight Legion soldiers… I don’t want their sacrifices to be in vain.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Xiao furrowed his brow slightly. “What happened on the Starlight ship back then?”

Xie Ran explained, “Back then, Mom investigated a top-secret message. The Dark Night Organization used a desolate star near the Horologium Constellation as a base to research drugs controlling sentinels. She personally led the reconnaissance and vanguard battalions, intending to launch a sudden attack to eliminate the base. However, our whereabouts were exposed by a spy. Before we reached the Horologium Constellation, we suddenly encountered a group of strange star pirates. There were a lot of these star pirates, and their weapons were advanced. The Starlight Legion’s reconnaissance and star pirates clashed, resulting in heavy casualties. Fortunately, Major Tang’s command was precise, and eventually, all the star pirates were repelled. But just as all the soldiers returned to the starship, the starship suddenly initiated its self-destruct program…”

“Mom then realized that the enemy spy had infiltrated the Starlight Legion, and this was all part of their coordinated act. That spy destroyed most of the escape equipment. The starship was about to explode in a few seconds. Dad and Mom worked together to grab an escape pod and send me away. As for the others…” A trace of pain flashed in Xie Ran’s eyes. “They all perished.”

Qin Xiao’s expression turned extremely grim. When he arrived at the scene, all he found was a large number of debris from the explosion. He never expected such an insider’s story. The enemy’s capability far exceeded his expectations. No wonder for so many years, no clues were found no matter how hard they investigated.

“Grandfather, the Dark Night Organization not only colluded with star pirates but also has a large number of undercover agents infiltrating various federal legions and government agencies. What Mom investigated was just the tip of the iceberg.” Xie Ran looked at the old man in front of him, saying each word, “To truly understand them, we must infiltrate their ranks.”

Qin Xiao understood what he meant and his pupils suddenly shrank. “You mean, we should also send undercover agents into the Dark Night Organization?”

“That’s right. I’m the best candidate for the undercover mission.” Xie Ran said calmly.

“You? Ranran, do you know how dangerous this mission is?!” Qin Xiao said sternly, “As an undercover agent, you may be discovered by the enemy at any time and be in mortal danger! Don’t joke with grandfather like this!”

“I’ve already died once. I’m not afraid of death.” Xie Ran seemed to have thought it through carefully, his attitude extremely resolute. In his eyes was a calmness and determination that had never been seen before. “Grandfather, everyone thinks Xie Ran is dead. Due to some adventures, my appearance has changed drastically, and no one can recognize me. Moreover, my arm is missing, and the chip implanted by the Guide Association has long disappeared. Now, I’m equivalent to a person without an identity.”

“…” Qin Xiao looked at his severed arm and heterochromatic eyes, feeling as if his heart was being torn apart. Xie Ran was right—his current appearance wouldn’t be recognized by anyone as General Xie’s son, Xie Ran.

“But your spirit body is a red fox, and many people have seen it!” Qin Xiao said seriously.

“You don’t need to worry about that.” In Xie Ran’s primitive forest, two spirit bodies suddenly appeared—one was a flaming nine-tailed fox, and the other was a fluffy white fox. He said, “I awakened dual spirit bodies. The red fox has also transformed into a nine-tailed fox.”

Qin Xiao looked at this scene in disbelief. Dual spirit bodies? The first guide in federal history with dual spirit bodies? Unexpectedly, this child who had gone through hardships had turned his misfortune into fortune and became the guide with the highest mental energy in the federation!

“I can only show the nine-tailed fox to the people of the Dark Night Organization. The white fox will remain hidden and only come into play at critical moments. Grandfather, my mental energy is strong, and I can seal memories to deceive their mental landscape inspections. With this face, plus the heterochromatic eyes, no one will recognize me. I just need to forge an identity and infiltrate their ranks. They will never suspect any connection between me and General Xie.”

Qin Xiao fell into a long silence. Every word Xie Ran said made sense. With his powerful mental energy, unprecedented dual spirit bodies, special heterochromatic eyes, and unrecognizable appearance… If they were to send an undercover agent into the Dark Night Organization, Xie Ran was the perfect candidate, without a doubt.

But how could he bear it?! How could he bear to let this child, who had finally returned to him after enduring so much hardship, go through storms again?

The task of being an undercover agent was not something ordinary people could handle. Not only did they have to be ruthless and cooperate with the Dark Night Organization’s actions, but they also had to have excellent acting skills and not reveal any flaws in front of the enemy. Being an undercover agent meant that every step in the future would be as precarious as walking on thin ice.

Feeling the emotional fluctuations of the other party through their mental connection, Qin Xiao simply hugged the thin child in his arms tightly—his precious child had suffered so much, but this wasn’t the end. There might be even more hardships awaiting him in the future.

Thinking of this, Qin Xiao felt unbearable pain in his heart. He had failed to protect his son and daughter-in-law, and now, he couldn’t protect the only bloodline left of the two. At that moment, the marshal seemed to have aged several years, but eventually… he agreed to Xie Ran’s proposal with tears in his eyes.

One day later, the Marshal secretly took Xie Ran to the medical bay and restored his arm. Three years of living without his arm had made him almost forget how to use his left hand. It would take some time for him to rehabilitate and regain the same level of agility as before.

During this time, he stayed alone in the suburban villa receiving special training.

Professional training in acting quickly turned him into an excellent actor who could swiftly control his emotions and expressions. His psychological resilience grew stronger, and he also memorized detailed information about all government officials, military personnel, and business celebrities in the federation.

When everything was ready, it had been over four years since the Starlight ship was destroyed.

The Marshal forged a new identity for him—Yu Ran. Both parents deceased, raised by star pirates since childhood, awakened as a guide from a young age, S-class mental energy, spirit body of a flaming nine-tailed fox, now 18 years old. The star pirate group he belonged to had been annihilated in a military siege, with only Yu Ran surviving, fleeing to the remote Norma Planet B73.

Norma Planet B73 was one of the Dark Night Organization’s strongholds, the only secret the Marshal had discovered in the past few years.

Listening to his new identity, Xie Ran nodded. “Pretending to be a star pirate fleeing persecution and infiltrating the organization will make it easier to gain their trust. From today onwards, I’ll be called Yu Ran.”

The identity forgery was flawless. As for how Yu Ran “escaped to Planet B73,” it would require a coordinated performance with the Marshal’s side.

On the day Yu Ran departed, Qin Xiao met with him privately, holding his shoulder and saying in a deep voice, “Xie Ran, from this moment on, you will be an undercover agent specially dispatched by the Federal Military, tasked with infiltrating the Dark Night Organization and uncovering the truth behind the scenes. I, as the Federal Marshal, grant you full authority over life and death. When everything settles, I will be your witness.”

Yu Ran saluted the Marshal with a standard military salute. “Yes, sir! I will do my best to complete the mission!”

The two bid farewell to each other in the villa.

Qin Xiao said, “Take care of yourself.”

Yu Ran nodded. “I will. Grandfather… Take care.”

That was the last time Yu Ran called Qin Xiao grandfather. From then on, they would meet as strangers.

On the 15th of November, 499 F.Y., the Marshal ordered the Snow Leopard Legion to besiege the star pirates appearing near the Norma Star Domain. Xie Ran found an opportunity to infiltrate the small “star pirate group” and, through mental suggestion, made everyone believe he was also a star pirate, leading them to Norma.

The Snow Leopard Legion did not doubt the Marshal’s orders and waited in ambush near the Norma Star Domain.

After the two sides met, they immediately opened fire. After a bloody battle, most of the star pirates were killed on the spot. Using his superb piloting skills and the powerful invisibility ability of his nine-tailed fox spirit body, Yu Ran took the opportunity to escape and landed on Norma Planet B73.

Coincidentally, during those days, “philanthropist” Ms. Adeline was providing assistance to impoverished children on Norma Planet B73. Yu Ran pretended to be seriously injured and was rescued by Adeline. After learning about his background and seeing his powerful nine-tailed fox spirit body, Adeline believed he was useful and reported to the organization.

Yu Ran smoothly joined the Dark Night Organization.

Over a month later, the organization sent him to Planet B73 to clean up, killing several unruly officials. A couple who died in a mining accident happened to have the surname Yu. The organization had Yu Ran impersonate their son and infiltrate a cake shop to look for opportunities.

In the early hours of January 1st, 500 F.Y., a herd of beasts attacked the base, and the Eagle Special Forces were sent to rescue. Lu Zexuan met the injured Yu Ran in the collapsed cake shop, and their fate began to unfold from there.

…

Lu Zexuan stood in the depths of the memory palace, having viewed all the memories sealed by Yu Ran.

His heart felt like it was being tightly entwined by thorns, aching so much that the feeling spread like wildfire through his nerves. Unconsciously, even his eyes were a bit moist. It was unimaginable how much pain and suffering Yu Ran had endured over the past few years.

Thinking of the scenes where Yu Ran’s arm was torn off and his eye was blinded, Lu Zexuan’s heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife. He wished he could bear the suffering for him.

The pain Yu Ran had endured made Lu Zexuan feel deeply distressed, but his wisdom and calmness made Lu Zexuan admire him. He had crawled out of hell with great difficulty, but instead of wanting to live a peaceful life, he voluntarily chose to become an undercover agent…

He was truly strong.

Lu Zexuan clenched his fists, trying to calm himself down. Now that their mental landscapes were fused, if Lu Zexuan’s emotions were too intense, Yu Ran would also have trouble sleeping. Lu Zexuan took a deep breath and slowly left the memory palace.

At the moment Lu Zexuan left the palace, a thick layer of silt barrier reappeared behind him, carefully hiding away those memories. No one would think that beneath the thick mud at the bottom of the lake lay the purest original intentions carefully concealed by Yu Ran.

Lu Zexuan left the mental landscape and opened his eyes, looking at the sleeping Yu Ran. He gently reached out and stroked his hair. After more than a year of recuperation, Yu Ran’s hair was smooth and soft, and that soft feeling spread to Lu Zexuan’s heart.

Lu Zexuan whispered, “Ranran, I think I’ve really fallen for you…”

The lively and cute Xie Ran from childhood, who had become the calm and strong Yu Ran after enduring hardships— he was so dazzling that Lu Zexuan couldn’t help but worry and care for him, but he also felt sorry for him.

At first, when Lu Zexuan discovered that Yu Ran was deceiving him, he did feel anger and sadness. But now, knowing all the truths, all that remained in his heart was understanding and compassion.

“Ranran, you probably don’t have the energy to consider matters of the heart right now. It’s okay, I won’t make things difficult for you. Just remember, I’m your sentinel, and I’m willing to protect you with my life.”

…

Yu Ran had depleted a significant amount of mental energy, and he slept for a long time. He woke up groggily the next noon, finding himself sleeping in Lu Zexuan’s embrace. Yu Ran blinked in surprise, rubbing his temples as he sat up. “How long have I been asleep? Shouldn’t we go find the other team members?”

Lu Zexuan replied, “No rush. You’ve depleted a lot of mental energy, so you should rest for another day.”

Yu Ran thought for a moment and said, “Alright, a day should be enough to recover. Let’s go find the others tomorrow.” Meeting Lu Zexuan’s gentle gaze, Yu Ran asked softly, “You’ve seen all my memories, haven’t you?”

Lu Zexuan nodded. “Yes.”

Yu Ran asked, “Is there anything you want to ask?”

Lu Zexuan remained silent for a moment before saying, “No. If I were in your shoes, I would have made the same choices as you.”

Yu Ran’s heart warmed slightly—indeed, if it had been the Eagle Legion in trouble and Lu Zexuan’s parents had tragically died, he would have undoubtedly struggled to survive and willingly become an undercover agent to find the real culprit behind it all. Their beliefs were actually the same, and this was the key to Yu Ran’s decision to cooperate with Lu Zexuan.

As they locked eyes, Yu Ran didn’t see any pity in Lu Zexuan’s eyes; instead, there was only trust. This made him feel much more comfortable. He didn’t like being pitied or sympathized with.

Lu Zexuan gently wrapped his arm around Yu Ran’s shoulder and whispered in his mind, “Ranran, the past is gone and cannot be changed. But from now on, you’re not alone. If you’re tired, you can lean on me, and if you have any troubles, you can talk to me. We’re mentally connected now, and in our mental world, unknown to others, you can always find me.”

Yu Ran was taken aback. These past few years, he had almost always been alone, and it hadn’t been easy. But now, he has Lu Zexuan. They could face difficulties together, make plans together…  What was even more miraculous was that since their mental link, they didn’t need to connect with mental tendrils anymore. They didn’t even need to look at each other.

Even if they were back to back, doing their own things, in their mental world, they could still communicate at any time—and most importantly, no one else would know about it! Even under the nose of the Dark Night Organization, they could chat in their mental world.

Yu Ran smiled. “The feeling of mental connection is quite amazing.”

He felt extremely pleased. He didn’t know what this emotion was, but he just felt… reassured, for the first time in many years. He had thought that only the two foxes would never leave him, but now… Lu Zexuan wouldn’t leave him either, after all, they were mentally bound. The feeling of having someone accompany him was unexpectedly comforting.

Yu Ran suppressed his smile and suddenly remembered something. “By the way, since I need to recover my mental energy today, why don’t we practice acting together?”

Lu Zexuan was taken aback. “Practice acting?”

Yu Ran said, “When I take you out with me, you’ll already be my puppet. Do you know how to act like a puppet?”

After pondering for a moment, Lu Zexuan put on an expressionless and cold look. “Like this?”

Yu Ran couldn’t help but laugh. “Pretty close.”

Lu Zexuan indeed had no trouble putting on a cold expression; acting like a “unconscious puppet” with a deadpan face wasn’t difficult for him. However, maintaining that expression constantly, regardless of what Yu Ran said or did, was quite challenging.

They began practicing acting on the back of the spider queen.

Above their heads, many little spiders buzzed and chirped.

【Don’t you feel that Ranran is in a much better state than before?】

【When he was on the Red Spider Star, he always seemed to be lost in thought, looking very sad】

【This time, he brought back a strange person, and he doesn’t seem as sad anymore】

The queen listened to the little spiders’ chattering and said softly, “Because he has a companion now. He’s no longer alone.”

Humans were social animals, and she could sense the loneliness in Yu Ran’s heart during his three years here. But now, indeed, Yu Ran’s condition has improved significantly. She hoped that he had found someone he could trust, which was why he could relax and sleep in the other’s embrace, right?

To the spider queen, human life was fleeting. She hoped they would always accompany each other and walk the rest of the way shoulder to shoulder.