FT DR Chapter 76: Crisis Quietly Arrives

Chapter 76: Crisis Quietly Arrives

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

“Hello.” The major general’s voice was low, his entire demeanor akin to a serene lake, deep and unfathomable, calm and tranquil. He extended his hand to shake hands with Mu, the palm of his hand cool to the touch. “I am Chen Zhen, affiliated with the Voyager Army’s Third Corps, serving as General Popova’s full-time doctor. I apologize for the interruption, but there are some matters we must discuss.”

Mu suddenly realized that full-time doctors were part of the civilian establishment. Since their main task was to assist their sentinel, their promotions were closely related to the position of their mate. Only the husband of a General could possibly hold the rank of major general at such a young age—Chen Zhen appeared to be under forty.

Facing a guide of this level for the first time, Mu felt a trace of vigilance rising in his heart. Chen Zhen’s consciousness was extremely powerful and profound. Though his consciousness might not match Mu’s, he seemed to have better stability because he had already been marked by Popova.

“I’m sure you have a deep understanding of psychology,” Chen Zhen said after sitting down, speaking straightforwardly. “The three people who questioned you earlier were all subjected to varying degrees of hypnosis. I imagine you must be quite annoyed by such inquiries, but considering the gravity of the situation involving the Commander’s eldest son, we must proceed with caution.”

He was rather frank. Mu chuckled lightly and said, “Indeed, it’s quite annoying. However, since you’ve ‘invited’ me here and it seems you don’t intend to provide any entertainment, I’ll just consider it as an extra pastime. Hmm, you seem stronger than the previous ones, it appears the entertainment has been upgraded.”

Chen Zhen fully appreciated his sarcasm, furrowing his brows slightly. As the youngest major general guide of the Voyager Army, no one had ever dared to speak to him in such a manner before. But the disappearance of Wu Chenghe had caused a huge uproar. The Commander was furious, and his little brat at home was jumping up and down, threatening to boycott the exams if his “dearest senior” wasn’t found.

With the joint exams approaching, there were always one or two graduating students in each family who couldn’t be provoked. He regretted coming back to support his son; it was simply ridiculous! Chen Zhen crossed his legs, lightly tapping his knee with his right hand to calm his inner frustration. “Yes, I am strong. Since you’ve noticed that, I hope you’ll cooperate a bit.” He pointed to the blue cross on his chest. “I am a guide. If you insist on not telling the truth, I’ll have to use the same method to deal with you.”

A guide’s consciousness could overwhelm ordinary humans. His words carried some threat, but they were also truthful. Mu smiled indifferently. He had heard of Chen Zhen’s reputation long ago. Born into a prestigious family, he had been sent to guide school from a young age, becoming the favored disciple of the former principal and a close friend of the current principal, Mrs. Balon. At the graduation ball, he had fallen in love at first sight with Lena Popova, and they had been together ever since, assisting her in her military campaigns until she ascended to the rank of General.

Overall, he was an exemplary guide, a textbook-like figure. It had been a long time since Mu had faced such a powerful guide, especially one who had come specifically to interrogate him. As he looked at the emerald-colored hummingbird on Chen Zhen’s shoulder, his palms couldn’t help but grow damp.

“I previously searched the outer ring with the Imperial Guards and found no trace of the abductor,” Chen Zhen said, not beating around the bush. “According to intelligence from the advance team’s operatives, NTU spies may be involved. Mr. Consultant, may I ask if you have spies infiltrating the outer ring military zone?” 

With that, he lifted his eyelids, and his deep black eyes pierced straight into Mu’s.

Mu felt a chill wash over him, some invisible force instantly enveloping his entire being. The beautiful hummingbird on Chen Zhen’s shoulder flapped its wings and circled rapidly around him, creating a chilling breeze. The Icarus butterfly in stealth mode sensed danger and fluttered twice above his head before remaining still, pretending not to exist.

Mu didn’t even bother to defend against this level of consciousness attack, simply sitting there as it washed over him. He casually replied, “I’m not quite sure. I’m just a consultant and unaware of the operatives’ actions.”

Chen Zhen raised his eyebrows imperceptibly. Though he had only used a tiny bit of his consciousness, an ordinary human would likely already be entering a semi-hypnotic state. Why was this “special consultant” sitting across from him completely unaffected, with clear and rational eyes? Was his psychological resilience truly strong enough to rival a sentinel’s? Or perhaps… he wasn’t an ordinary person at all?

Chen Zhen observed Mu’s eyes suspiciously, vaguely sensing something unusual. However, after using mental tendrils to probe in the higher-dimensional space, he felt he might be overthinking—it seemed the other party’s demeanor was quite ordinary, with no traces of consciousness fluctuations, and there was no quantum beast either.

His hummingbird sensed his doubt, circling swiftly around Mu’s shoulder, its wings flapping rapidly, before hovering above his head as if it had discovered something. Hummingbirds were extremely sensitive quantum beasts, and Chen Zhen trusted its intuition considerably. Seeing its abnormal behavior only deepened his suspicions. He asked, “But according to the Imperial Guard’s intelligence, there was another person who entered the outer ring with you. Who was it? And where are they?”

Mu was annoyed by the hummingbird hovering above his head, wishing he could hint it to fly away and catch bugs. He rubbed his temples and said, “Another person? Who? I don’t know. I was alone from start to finish. My airship underwent checks when passing through the temporal gate… Could someone have hidden on my airship? You might as well investigate thoroughly. I’m curious myself.”

“The internal system of the Outer Ring Imperial Guard Legion was hacked, and communication was intercepted,” Chen Zhen’s gaze became even deeper, tapping his knee lightly, seemingly following some rhythm. “During this incident, you were the only visitor to enter the entire Outer Ring. We have reason to suspect you brought in others.”

“Wu Chenghe is my student, and my concern for him is no less than that of the Commander. I would never do anything detrimental to him…” Mu stopped midway through his sentence, and his dormant consciousness suddenly experienced a slight ripple. At the same moment, his Icarus butterfly above his head fluttered violently.

Chen Zhen had made a move!

Just as Mu was speaking, Chen Zhen suddenly launched a fierce consciousness attack towards him, extending powerful mental tendrils in the higher-dimensional space, rapidly disturbing them, capturing the slightest response. Sensing Mu’s slight tremor, he seemed to sense something and swung his mental tendrils directly towards him!

In a critical moment, Mu first subconsciously attempted to build a mental barrier. However, the mental tendrils only extended a tiny tip before halting because he suddenly realized it was a trap—Chen Zhen was testing him. If he defended himself, he would undoubtedly expose his consciousness. If he didn’t, his brain would undoubtedly be injured by this attack!

Normally, he would choose to build a defense first, block Chen Zhen’s attack, and then initiate a counterattack to intrude into his consciousness, giving him a suggestion of “nothing happened.” As an Icarus butterfly guide, he was one of the best at suggestion in the world.

But Chen Zhen was different; he was an extremely powerful guide! What’s more dangerous, Chen Zhen’s quantum beast was a hummingbird, the most sensitive, fastest, and most intelligent species in the world!

In a split second, Mu changed his strategy, retracting his mental tendrils, hiding his consciousness cloud, and completely dropping his guard against Chen Zhen’s attack!

With no absolute certainty, he dared not take risks. Just before departing for the Gabriel Military Harbor, he had undergone artificial insemination, and he was currently in the implantation period, making his body quite weak. His consciousness was also affected to a certain extent. If Chen Zhen had any further moves that prevented him from giving the final suggestion, his identity would undoubtedly be exposed.

He had too much information about the “Free Guide Organization” on him, bearing the secrets of thousands of guides. He couldn’t expose himself, even for Wu Chenghe’s sake!

Chen Zhen originally felt a familiar ripple overflowing in the higher-dimensional space, as if a guide’s mental tendrils were stirring, but when he launched his attack, everything abnormal suddenly disappeared. The man in front of him still maintained an ignorant expression. He quickly retracted his attack, but it was too late; a small portion of his attack had still landed on Mu’s body, piercing his brain!

“!” Mu’s voice abruptly ceased, his body trembling violently, his eyes losing their luster in an instant, and he collapsed from the chair, emitting a painful cry, “Ah!”

Chen Zhen was greatly alarmed, quickly jumping up to support him. “Heavens! Are you alright?!” 

He regretted his decision in an instant—this man was supposedly the Cabinet-appointed consultant. If anything happened to him, passing through the President’s scrutiny would be incredibly difficult.

Mu frowned in pain, trembling all over, unable to speak. He had never experienced such a heavy attack in his life, and it happened at the weakest moment of his body. Normally, he would want to jump up and use his mental tendrils to pierce Chen Zhen’s consciousness like a sieve. But reason told him he couldn’t afford to be impulsive now. Chen Zhen dared to marry even a Federal Chief like Popova; he must be a ruthless character. If there were any further tricks from him that prevented Mu from giving the final suggestion, his identity would undoubtedly be exposed.

So, the usually disdainful Dean weakly moaned, closing his eyes in pain.

“…” Chen Zhen hadn’t expected to injure him so severely with just a bit of residual power. Clearly, he had thought Mu had extremely strong psychological endurance. Has his perception been wrong? Or was Mu shifting his focus?

At that moment, the door suddenly banged open, or rather, was pushed open forcefully. A red-haired lady in General uniform rushed in from outside. She quickly assessed Chen Zhen’s condition before asking, “What happened?”

Lena Popova, the only female among the Eight Generals, the stunning Federal Lady Warrior. Sentinels and guides were always inseparable. The longer the marriage, the harder it was to separate them. When Chen Zhen came to interrogate Mu, General Popova was waiting next door. Upon hearing the sound of a heavy object falling, she rushed over immediately.

“An accident occurred,” Chen Zhen frowned, trying to lift Mu’s back to move him to the nearby couch. “I accidentally injured him with my consciousness.”

Popova pushed away his hand, effortlessly picking Mu up and gently placing him on the couch. She then turned back to Chen Zhen and asked, “Are you alright? Did you face any counterattacks?”

Having grown accustomed to his wife’s caring but forceful demeanor, Chen Zhen smiled wryly and said, “No, he’s just an ordinary person. I was overthinking.” He turned to Mu again. “Sorry, I made a mistake in judgment, causing you harm. I’ll call for a doctor…”

“No, no need,” Mu immediately interjected. His goal was to clear suspicion, not to reveal his pregnancy, especially not by being carried by a princess-like lady warrior. “I’m a doctor myself. There’s no need to call anyone else.”

However, before he could finish his sentence, a dramatic turn of events unfolded. A large group of people stormed into the room, led by Secretary Hobart, followed by the President’s secretary and four Secret Service agents. Behind them were his proud disciple Wu Chenghe and the legendary invisible spy from NTU—Jin Xuan.

“What on earth happened? Dean Mu, what’s wrong with you?” Hobart was furious as soon as he saw him lying there. He even forgot to harass his first love goddess Popova and shouted anxiously, “Where’s the doctor? Quickly! Call the doctor! My God, Dean, why do you look so terrible? What did they do to you?!” He turned to Chen Zhen, accusing, “Didn’t I emphasize that Dean Mu is the Cabinet-appointed special consultant? Shouldn’t you show him respect? What’s the meaning of this?”

“…” I haven’t even said anything yet. How do you know I don’t respect him? Chen Zhen was speechless, deeply suspicious that this unlucky smiling tiger was airing personal grievances, while cursing his unlucky son a hundred times—if it weren’t for this kid making a fuss, why would he have waded into this mess?

Mu went into panic mode as soon as he saw Hobart’s hair stand on end. When he heard the call for a doctor, he struggled to get up, but was held back by the beautiful Federal Lady Warrior. “Please, don’t move. Let the doctor take a look first. Your complexion is indeed terrible. Sorry, my husband was a bit too heavy-handed, but he’s just following orders to clear NTU’s suspicion.” 

With just a few words, she defended her dear husband while simultaneously glaring at Hobart, indicating not to overreact. Hobart really didn’t want to overreact, but Jin Zhe was not easy to fool. For some reason, he doted on this Dean a lot. If he didn’t know he was a staunch advocate of singlehood, Hobart would suspect his old house was on fire.

“It’s okay, I’m fine. No need for a doctor…” Mu struggled to reach out, but was immobilized by the lady warrior. He watched helplessly as the President’s personal physician rushed over, using a portable diagnostic device to scan him from head to toe, and suddenly felt even worse.

Sure enough, the next moment, the Royal Physician announced his joyful news to the world, “Ah! Dean, you’re pregnant!”

Mu was speechless, and the onlookers were completely petrified. After a while, Hobart was the first to react. Nervously, he stammered, “W-what did you say? H-he’s pregnant?” 

God, I didn’t even know he was married, how did this happen? Jin Zhe, what kind of luck do you have…

The Secretary was still in shock, but Wu Chenghe, who had pushed his way through the crowd, was completely stunned. He pushed past everyone and got to Mu’s side, surprise evident in his voice, “Dean, Dean, you’re really pregnant?”

Mu wanted to smack this idiot, why are you still worrying if everyone heard you clearly?!

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were pregnant, I’m so… sorry.” Chen Zhen was probably the most regretful person among all, as he realized he had attacked a pregnant man!  As the only person present who had given birth, he had the most direct understanding of pregnancy and knew how fragile men could be in the early stages.

Popova sensed his guilt first-hand and quickly grabbed his hand to comfort him. Her sharp gaze swept over the two Sentinel soldiers standing at the door—the ones who had been brought in under the command of the General, especially for this occasion. It was rare for them, a couple of retired soldiers, to take a break and come to Gabriel to help their son prepare for the joint exam. The General had dug quite a hole this time!

“It’s okay,” Mu rubbed his forehead. “Even I wasn’t sure, so I didn’t tell anyone else.”

“Ah! What are you all still standing there for?!” Hobart suddenly realized that the President’s sweetheart was still lying on the narrow couch. He quickly ordered, “Quick, contact the hospital and have Dean taken there for a detailed examination. This is not a trivial matter. Dean is a precious asset to the Federation!”

A group of medical personnel rushed in and swiftly carried away the precious asset, leaving Wu Chenghe worried. He turned to Jin Xuan and said, “I’ll accompany Dean to the hospital. He’s been waiting for this child for so many years. If… something were to happen, he’d be devastated.” 

When he came in, Mu was still pretending to be weak, which was completely different from his usual commanding demeanor, making him look really uneasy.

“I’ll go with you.”

“None of you are allowed to go!” Hobart glared. “The President is waiting for you, and I suspect Commander Hannibal has already returned from the Outer Ring. You’re the parties involved in this matter and must resolve any remaining issues face-to-face.”

The two looked at each other, wanting to argue, but Hobart continued, “It won’t take too much time. The President has a sense of propriety. Dean Mu will be taken care of by the Secret Service, so there won’t be any problems.”

After a moment of consideration, Jin Xuan said, “Alright.” 

Wu Chenghe, in tune with his thoughts, also knew that the bigger picture was more important and nodded in agreement.

In the Commander’s office, Jin Zhe sat on the couch with his legs crossed, looking calm and composed. However, the nervous twitch of his index finger on his knee exposed his inner anxiety. If possible, he didn’t want to be hypocritical with Hannibal right now. He just wanted to sprout wings and fly to the First Hospital of Gabriel, to be with the other parent of his child.

But their compatibility was too high, and they were both virgins. Once they got close, it would trigger bonding heat. He could handle it, but Mu would suffer. If it affected the child, his life would be over— the heartless man had blown his brains out thirty years ago and would surely finish him off thirty years later.

Stay calm, stay in control, deal with everything after the child is born… The President’s fingers were trembling so much they might as well have had Parkinson’s.

“Mr. President.” The door opened, and Hannibal hurried in, followed by his wife, Lilith. He was in military uniform, looking dusty and solemn. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. As soon as I received your message, I rushed here from the Outer Ring.” 

He stood at attention, saluting solemnly. Lilith also saluted.

“Ah, Commander Hannibal.” Jin Zhe stood up and shook his hand, his eyes scanning his face, showing surprise, “What happened to your face? How did you get injured like this?” 

A scar nearly ten centimeters long ran through his nose, starting from below his left eye and ending on his right cheek. Although it had healed, it still left a distinct dark red mark.

“Just a little accident.” Hannibal’s ice-green eyes narrowed slightly. “I heard you rescued my son from the kidnappers. I’m very grateful. Where is he?”

“Oh, he heard that Dean was coming and was particularly excited, so he went to see Dean first.” Jin Zhe replied, shaking hands with Lilith behind him. “Mrs. Simpson, it’s been a long time.”

“Please, call me Colonel Lilith, Mr. President.” Lilith’s expression was stern. “I am primarily a Colonel of the Federation, and secondly, the wife of the Commander.”

Hannibal’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze shifting to his wife, his brow furrowed. Jin Zhe chuckled and said, “Colonel Lilith is still as beautiful as ever. Hannibal, you’re so lucky to have such a wife.”

At any time, the President’s tone was so sincere and warm. Lilith’s expression softened slightly, “You flatter me, Mr. President.”

The three sat separately, and Jin Zhe said, “It’s really a coincidence this time. My fleet just arrived and I heard about the attack on the Outer Ring of Gabriel. I happened to meet the fleet of General Lancer and the Commander’s Guards besieging the attackers’ mecha, and we managed to kill them.”

Hannibal smiled slightly, seemingly relieved, but the smile was indescribably cold. “Thank you, Mr. President, and General Lancer. My son’s safety is truly a relief.”

“You say that, but last time it was Wu Chenghe who saved Jin Xuan, and this time we saved him. It’s all fate.” Jin Zhe smiled. “Speaking of which, this time Dean volunteered to assist in the investigation of the Black Pearl case, mainly because of his suspension from school. Hannibal, I know you’re worried about Wu Chenghe being injured in the Black Pearl case. I’m also deeply sorry about this matter. The capital didn’t take good care of the cadets from the Voyager Army, the police work was inadequate, and I’ve already taken steps to address these issues. This time, I personally came to Gabriel to oversee the investigation progress, hoping to give you an answer as soon as possible.”

Hannibal was already guessing what he was going to say, but remained calm, “You’re exaggerating, Mr. President.”

Jin Zhe waved his hand, “No, not at all. If possible, I really wish I could share your pain. As parents, it’s even more painful for us when our children are hurt. I raised Jin Xuan myself, so I understand your feelings. But Hannibal, the child is already grown up, and as elders, we must also consider his personal wishes and future development. Wu Chenghe is excellent at Aston Medical College and gets along very well with Dean. Dean Mu has almost taken him as his closed disciple, and everyone in the college knows it. If you insist on taking him away now, it will not only damage your father-son relationship but also cause great loss to the college.”

Hannibal had already guessed what he was going to say but remained calm, “He’s still young, and after such a big incident, I don’t feel comfortable leaving him alone in the capital.”

He now was almost certain that Wu Chenghe had been taken away by Jin Xuan, although he still held onto a glimmer of hope—maybe they hadn’t… after all this time?

Lilith listened to his words, giving him a cold glance, disappointment flashing briefly across her face.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by it swinging open. Wu Chenghe and Jin Xuan walked in. Upon seeing his son, Hannibal’s expression became extremely complex. Wu Chenghe’s guide traits were so perfect, just one night’s work, and he seemed to have suddenly become an adult, shedding his previous youthful appearance, revealing handsome contours on his face, a tall and broad figure, and his eyes, calm as water, containing infinite healing energy.

But soon, flames of jealousy crawled into Hannibal’s eyes. He scanned his son’s slightly open collar, and through the thin white fabric, he could vaguely see a small red dot— the marking totem, which only guides marked by sentinels would possess.

He touched him!

Hannibal’s fierce gaze swept over Jin Xuan, almost wanting to pierce him with his eyes. His black-and-chestnut eagle screamed in despair in the high-dimensional space, drawing a fierce growl from the Barbary lion. Jin Zhe’s lion sensed his malice and stood alertly in front of Jin Xuan, but did not attack, just stared intently at the black-and-chestnut eagle.

In an instant, Hannibal took a deep breath, suppressing his black-and-chestnut eagle, retracting his aura, and calmly said, “Charlie, as long as you’re okay. The President wants you to return to the capital for school. What do you think?” 

A marked guide like him had lost the value of fighting for, the situation was irreversible, so compromise was the only option. He had lost this round completely, but since he had joined the game, he had to accept defeat. But he absolutely would not allow anyone to take away what belonged to him. Even if it was all destroyed, he would not concede defeat! The black-and-chestnut eagle was a species that wouldn’t even let a corpse go to waste. One day, he would trample all those who had plotted against him underfoot. Hannibal’s gaze swept past Jin Zhe, Jin Xuan, and finally lingered on his disobedient wife, his lips tightly pursed: Jin Zhe, Jin Xuan, Lancer… I will crush you into dust!

Wu Chenghe felt the heavy killing intent emanating from him but was not afraid. He looked at Jin Zhe, who gave him an encouraging look. So he calmly said, “I want to go back to the capital.”

As expected, Hannibal lowered his eyelids and said, “Alright, I respect your decision.”

Wu Chenghe, no longer willing to indulge him, coldly said, “Thank you, Commander.” He then turned to Jin Zhe, “If it’s alright, I’d like to go to the hospital to see Dean. He… doesn’t seem to be feeling well.”

Jin Zhe was eager for him to go and comfort his loved one, so he waved his hand, “Go ahead, Jin Xuan, you escort him. Ask the hospital to prepare a rest room for him, and let him stay with his teacher for these days.” He then said to Wu Chenghe, “Dean Mu accepted NTU’s invitation for you this time and came all this way. He’s exhausted his body, so take care of him.”

Wu Chenghe could never adapt to his overwhelming familiarity, and his mouth twitched subtly, “Yes.”

Jin Xuan was already full of black lines: This old man definitely has a problem!

The two bid farewell to everyone and went downstairs to get in the car to go to the First Hospital. Jin Xuan stood at the door of the Military Commission Building, and his brain suddenly short-circuited— Mu should have undergone artificial insemination. His application at the sperm bank had been hanging for five years without finding a suitable donor. Why did he find one after returning from St. Martin Hospital last time?

During that time, Jin Zhe seemed to have gone to St. Martin Hospital to see Wu Chenghe, and they met Mu once. Yes, the old man started acting strange from that time onwards. It was said that after he left St. Martin, he went back again, and the center even declared martial law for two days under the pretext of a drug leak.

All the clues converged, and Jin Xuan’s heart rose with a terrifying speculation—Damn it! Could the child in Mu’s belly be Jin Zhe’s?! Damn it, it was entirely possible!

Jin Xuan opened the door to a new world, shocked to the point where he didn’t even know which way to go. Wu Chenghe waited for him for a long time and didn’t see him coming down the steps. He asked in puzzlement, “What’s wrong with you?”

Jin Xuan’s eyes went blank as he glanced at him and shook his head, “Nothing, I’m just considering the route… let’s go this way.” 

It was better not to tell the clueless one about this. What if he blurted it out to Mu…hehe, it felt like a rhythm of doom was looming!

At the other end of Gabriel Military Harbor, the sounds of Major General Chen and his wife teaming up in a double act came from the Chen Miaomiao family home, interspersed with Chen Miaomiao’s despairing screams, “Ah! Dad! Why are you hitting me too?! I’m the third generation of the old Chen family, if you hit me again, I’ll change my surname!”

“You try changing it for your mother to see!” Popova casually picked up an eggplant and hit her son with it. “Dare to threaten your dad with the joint exam, are you itching for a beating?” Seeing her husband still angry on the side, she picked up the eggplant, stuck it under her arm, and pushed him out, “Darling, don’t be angry, go to the study and rest for a while. The soundproofing is good there. Let me deal with this brat. You can rest assured, there won’t be any lasting damage, I just want him to know what parental authority is!” 

Normally, Mr. Kind Father wouldn’t beat up his son like this, but today he was really badly tricked. You should know that his two major principles in life are: one, don’t hit your wife (because you can’t win), and two, don’t hit those pregnant (spouse)!

“Leave it to you.” The rarely stern father turned away without looking back, heading for the study.

Closing the door, all the noise was blocked outside, and Chen Zhen took a deep breath, calming the anger in his heart, then dialed the number of his good friend Mrs. Balon. All the way, he carefully recalled the process of fighting Mu. There were some suspicious points. There were too few guides in the Federation, even a tiny possibility couldn’t be given up.

 

 

 

 

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