FT DR Chapter 83: The End of the Hunt

Chapter 83: The End of the Hunt

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Today, Mu attended the final phase meeting as usual, dressed in all black with a pair of black leather shoes on his feet. At some point, a small puddle of dark red blood had formed beneath his feet. Because the color of his pants hid the blood’s hue, it was impossible to tell how much had soaked into his leg, only that the bloodstains on the ground were spreading visibly at an alarming rate.

“Get the ambulance!” Minnie’s face paled, yelling at the school guards, “Damn it! What are you all standing around for? Call the obstetrician, the Dean is bleeding!”

Mrs. Balon’s eyes flickered, looking in surprise at the hem of Mu’s pants where blood droplets were falling one by one, evidently saturating the entire pant leg.

This amount of bleeding… It might not be good… Mrs. Balon’s heart trembled. She had arranged for her subordinates to probe Mu with interference waves before, expecting it to cause him harm, but she hadn’t anticipated such serious consequences. Glancing at the subordinate responsible for the interference, who also wore a shocked and fearful expression, she subtly gestured with a “six.”

A Level Six interference, even Icarus butterfly guides several meters away were revealed. Yet, Mu, who was at the center of the disturbance, showed no hint of vulnerability. Could he really just be an ordinary person with a particularly strong psyche? For the first time, Mrs. Balon began to doubt her own judgment. If casualties occurred due to hunting guides, she would be subject to investigation.

After hesitating for a moment, she approached to support Mu, saying to Minnie, “Quickly help him lie down. He’s having a miscarriage, he needs to lie flat…”

Mu forcefully waved away her hand, his dark eyes burning like fire, but his face as cold as ice, hoarsely saying, “It’s okay. Since you want to search the entire school, go ahead and submit the application now. I’ll wait here. As long as it’s approved, I’ll resign on the spot and make room for your swagger!”

“Please, calm down.” Mrs. Balon hadn’t expected him to be so sharp. Her perfect demeanor showed a crack, “I understand your feelings, but please understand our work. We’re a guide school, discovering and protecting guides is our responsibility! You’re in the fifth month of your pregnancy; bleeding like this is extremely dangerous and could be life-threatening…”

“Mrs. Balon.” Mu’s elegant and gentle face showed a rare trace of hostility as he stared into her eyes, actually smiling, but that smile was so astonishing, “What is the purpose of human life? To be imprisoned, objectified, and used as toys to prolong the lives of federal officials? My student has become your prisoner, my academy has become your hunting ground. Does a Dean like me still need to live on?!”

Mrs. Balon’s complexion was extremely ugly. She never knew Mu was such a difficult person to deal with. If it were any other school where hidden guides were discovered, she could simply shut it down and conduct a thorough investigation. But this was Aston, the cradle of federal military and political elites. Even her husband was a graduate here, so she couldn’t act recklessly.

Mu’s prestige in the Federation was too high. Behind him stood Sienna and the Saint Martin Research Center, the Congress, the Cabinet, and even the President… Mrs. Balon took a deep breath, stepped back two steps, and said, “Regardless, please take care of your health. I’ll report the matter to the Ministry of Education and let them decide.”

Mu’s lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to laugh but had no strength to do so. He muttered softly, “Evolution, reproduction… Does every step of humanity have to be commemorated with blood…”

“Please, stop talking!” Minnie burst into tears. She had been with Mu for almost five years, knowing that beneath his cold exterior lay a heart that was so kind and selfless. She freed her left hand to send a message to Professor Sienna and then supported Mu’s waist, choking, “Dean, please lie down first. This is too dangerous; you might lose your life.”

Mu’s pupils dilated slightly, apparently having lost too much blood. His body swayed for a moment, staring blankly at Minnie, then suddenly said, “It’s meaningless… After all, I have nothing…”

“Dean!” Minnie was horrified, screaming and using all her strength to support his body. Other teachers also crowded around, someone shouting for the internal medicine doctor to bring hemostatic agents, someone helping raise Mu’s waist and abdomen, and some students from the stands rushed over, calling Mu’s name.

Wu Chenghe had already been escorted to the exit by two school guards. Hearing Minnie’s scream, he turned around abruptly, first stunned, then dashed back into the arena, shouting, “Dean!”

“Stop him!” shouted the guides escorting him, and a school guard immediately kicked Wu Chenghe in the knee. Wu Chenghe stumbled but didn’t fall, using mental suggestion to push away the people blocking him and continuing to sprint into the arena.

“Stop hurting him!” With a warning glance at the school guards, the guide ran over to chase Wu Chenghe, simultaneously using conscious telepathy to command his hummingbird to attack the Icarus butterfly on Wu Chenghe’s shoulder. Wu Chenghe’s steps slowed down for a moment, and another school guard took the opportunity to tackle him, bringing him down to the ground.

“Dean!” Wu Chenghe couldn’t break free from his restraint, shouting hoarsely. His gaze pierced through the crowd, seeing clearly the rapidly spreading pool of bright red beneath Mu’s feet. In an instant, he thought of the IMD he had just dealt with; Mu’s situation was so similar! At this stage of pregnancy, with this amount of bleeding, one slight mistake could mean death for both mother and child!

Was this a warning from the heavens?!

The aftermath of the Level Six interference had severely stimulated his brain. Coupled with Mu’s unconscious appearance, it filled him with extreme panic. Wu Chenghe stared at the shifting figures in the arena, gradually falling into a terrifying hallucination. He suddenly felt that the surgery he had performed during the competition was not on an IMD at all, but on Mu!

Yes, he was the one who injected anesthesia into Mu’s spine, then personally removed his child, as well as parts of his body.

“What… what have I done… Why was I made to do that surgery… You… you beasts! Devils!” Wu Chenghe trembled all over, his eyes staring blankly. He felt like his heart was about to burst. He had never hated the world as much as he did at this moment. If possible, he truly wished this was just a dream, or that he had died long ago, died in a field hospital a thousand years ago.

“I hate you! You executioners, Nazis…” The chaotic consciousness brought about by the interference plunged Wu Chenghe completely into the illusion. He couldn’t help but cover his face and cry, his forehead against the ground, his body curling up in pain.

The school guards were frightened by his breakdown and released him. A guide came over and knelt beside Wu Chenghe, soothing him with telepathy, stroking his sweaty hair, and then quickly injecting a sedative into his jugular vein.

“He’s out of control, side effects of interference, he’s having hallucinations,” the guide frowned, calling Monica over. “You watch him, let the school guards carry him to the shuttle. His consciousness is very strong, he might wake up soon. When he wakes up, don’t let anyone approach him, let him be alone, and put away anything in the cabin that he might hurt himself with.”

“I understand,” Monica said, trembling with fear as she watched the semi-conscious Wu Chenghe. She had never seen him lose control like this before. In her mind, Wu Chenghe had always been gentle and cheerful, even in the face of the Free Revolutionary Army’s villains, he remained so calm…

She felt like she had done something wrong, but her long-term education as a guide prevented her from completely questioning Mrs. Balon’s orders. All she could do was cry in anguish. Her ragdoll gently tugged at Wu Chenghe’s pants, emitting pitiful meows. Wu Chenghe unconsciously glanced at it, the medication taking effect, and he closed his eyes.

The scene was chaotic, and the school guards arranged for everyone to leave. Chen Miaomiao tried several times to get close to Wu Chenghe, but was stopped and had to leave the experimental center with an anxious expression. Before leaving, he saw Wu Chenghe being carried onto the elevator by two school guards, heading to the rooftop landing pad. After hesitating for a moment, he sent a message to Marlow.

Just as the students had evacuated, a medical UFO marked with the Saint Martin Research Center landed on the rooftop of the experimental center. Sienna, dressed in an Arab black robe, hurriedly walked into the arena with two doctors. She had rushed to Twin City this morning with the intention of taking Mu to the Saint Martin Research Center for childbirth after the final phase meeting. She never expected to receive a message from Minnie in the afternoon, saying that Mu had an accident and was bleeding profusely at the meeting venue.

Seeing Mu lying unconscious on the ground, Sienna’s eyes reddened, murmuring, “My Lord…”

Minnie breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Sienna. “You arrived just in time, Teacher Sienna!” 

With Mu unconscious, no one else could contend with Mrs. Balon. Without higher-level leadership from the main school, she couldn’t control the situation! Sienna’s presence was a relief; she held high prestige, and even the Congress and the President would defer to her. Mrs. Balon wouldn’t dare to assert her authority in front of Sienna.

“Thank you, thank you for informing me in time, my child,” Sienna said, patting Minnie’s hand. She didn’t even glance at Mrs. Balon, just instructed someone to take Mu onto the medical UFO.

Mrs. Balon had always respected Sienna, but Mu’s suspicions had not been completely cleared. It would be better to keep him at Aston Affiliated Hospital for closer monitoring. She hesitated for a moment before saying, “Teacher Sienna, you can’t take him away from Aston.”

Sienna turned to give Mrs. Balon a cold look but remained silent. Mrs. Balon was unsettled by the meaningful glance; steadying herself, she continued, “York City is too far from here. Why not send him to Aston Affiliated Hospital first? He is your student, but he is also the dean of the medical school.”

“He is my son,” Sienna said coldly. “I am now demanding to take my son away as a mother, Principal Balon.”

“Taking him away like this could delay his treatment…”

“I have his MPA,” Sienna interrupted Mrs. Balon. “If you want to protest against my actions, you can sue me. My lawyer will contact you.”

MPA, medical power of attorney, Sienna had the authorization to make all decisions on Mu’s behalf while he was unconscious. Mrs. Balon had no further excuses and could only step aside. Sienna nodded slightly and left.

The medical UFO from the Saint Martin Research Center was quite advanced. As soon as Mu was brought in, Sienna instructed them to stop the bleeding, provide oxygen, clean his body, and check the condition of the fetus. The UFO lifted off from the platform at the experimental center and flew steadily towards York City.

After a brief rescue operation, Mu regained consciousness. He opened his eyes to see Sienna’s familiar face and couldn’t hold back the sadness in his heart any longer. A tear slid down his cheek as he weakly said, “They… they took him away.”

Sienna held his hand, her dry palm caressing his forehead. “I know, I know…”

“I… I still have nothing,” Mu choked out. “I couldn’t… couldn’t protect him. I should have… should have sent him away early. He… he did it for me…”

“Hush, it’s not your fault. Where could you have sent him? The entire Federation is under the scope of the Protection Law.” Sienna comforted him gently. “This is fate, my child. He was sent by heaven to protect you from this calamity.”

“No, no, I would rather it was me who lost my freedom.” Mu suppressed his sobs. “He’s so young, he’s my only relative, Sienna, Mom… I couldn’t protect him.”

Sienna sighed, not saying anything more, just holding his hand to comfort him. After a while, she softly said, “For the sake of the child, you have to be strong. You’re already a father, Mu. You have to protect not only Wu Chenghe but also your daughter, and countless free guides.”

Mu closed his eyes and asked, “How is she?”

“She’s fine, her heartbeat is a bit slow, but still strong. Once you’re in a more stable condition, the doctors will perform surgery to remove her,” Sienna wiped the sweat from his forehead. “But you’ve lost too much blood. You probably won’t be able to conceive again in the future. I’ve signed a surgery consent form for you, for a partial hysterectomy.”

Mu was silent for a moment before saying, “Okay.”

“Get some rest,” Sienna said. “We’re almost there. When you wake up, you’ll be able to see your little baby. She’s probably cuter than you were when you were a child, always so proud.”

Mu knew Sienna was trying to cheer him up, so he wanted to laugh along, but he couldn’t manage a smile. Weakly, he squeezed Sienna’s hand and hoarsely said, “Mom…”

“Hush, get some sleep,” Sienna said. Once he closed his eyes and settled down, she spoke softly, “Wu Chenghe won’t be in danger at the guide school. They’ll take good care of him. Mu, I’ll try to talk to the Congress and see if we can expedite the reform process to fight for some freedom for these young guides.”

Mu nodded. He knew Sienna had been working hard on this matter, but there were too few guides, and too many high-ranking officials needed the guides. The people who could amend the laws were precisely the beneficiaries of those laws… Reform, it’s not so easy!

The only hope was Jin Xuan. He was the President’s brother, and Wu Chenghe had already been marked by him. If the President knew about this, perhaps he would do something. Mu hovered between hope and despair, gradually closing his eyes and falling into a deep sleep once again.

Within the Presidential Residence, Jin Zhe had been feeling a twitch in his eyelids, which worsened after the joint economic meeting. It was almost like a facial paralysis. He attributed it to not getting enough sleep recently. As a materialist, Jin Zhe didn’t entertain thoughts of ominous signs or anything like that, just drank some coffee to stay alert. Autumn was always his busiest time, with mining, industry, agriculture, and the military… Every day, there was a crowd waiting to cry poverty, complain, or argue with him.

It was tough being a president, making him not even have time to care about the father of his child’s guide.

“Mr. Hobart wants to see you, Mr. President,” the secretary’s prompt sounded. “He says it’s urgent.”

“Let him in.”

“Yes.” As soon as the secretary’s voice fell, Hobart walked into his office, his face unusually grim.

“What’s wrong?” Jin Zhe raised an eyebrow, jesting as usual. “Is your wife buying another cat? Or did she ask you to move out to make room for the cat?”

“Something happened.” Hobart stood opposite him, hands on the desk. “Listen, Jin Zhe, you need to stay calm…”

“What’s going on?” Jin Zhe’s joking expression vanished in a serious tone, asking, “Did Jin Xuan get hurt… No, your face looks so grave, did he… die?”

“It’s not him.” Hobart said, “Two months ago, a group was sent from Tungusic Base to Aston Medical School for training. Did you know about this?”

“Really?” Jin Zhe had been too busy lately, letting his secretary handle some of the auxiliary industry files for him. After a moment of thought, he said, “Jin Xuan mentioned it… What happened?”

“There was an accident during the training’s final meeting. Dean Mu…”

Jin Zhe’s face changed as soon as he heard Mu’s name, immediately standing up. “What happened to him?”

“He had an accident, lost consciousness at the scene, and bled a lot. Sienna has his MPA and took him back to York City with her.” Hobart said, checking the time. “They should be almost there by now.”

The blood drained from Jin Zhe’s face, his voice trembling. “How is he? Is his life in danger? And the child? Is the child still there?”

“I don’t know.” Hobart shook his head. “I’ve already contacted the Saint Martin Research Center. They said they would do everything they could to save him.”

Jin Zhe stood there like a statue, then abruptly snapped out of it after two seconds, closing the file he was working on. “Call the Special Agent Backup Vehicle. I’m going to York City.”

“Wait a moment.” Hobart grabbed his arm. “There’s another piece of news, worse than this. Wu Chenghe is a guide,” Hobart said in a low voice. “Mrs. Balon arrested him during the final meeting and has taken him to the Tungusic Base.”

Jin Zhe was once again stunned, and after a while, his tall figure even swayed slightly. He understood why Mu had the accident. He leaned against the edge of the table, lost in thought for a moment, then said, “Block the news. Inform Aston Medical School that all personnel present must be individually informed to keep quiet, including the guide school. Strictly confine this information within the known circle. And for the media and the internet, have the Information Department set up keywords to erase all circulating news.” After a pause, he continued in a deep voice, “Jin Xuan can’t know about this. He’s on the front lines, surrounded by enemies. If he has a mental breakdown, it’ll be a dead end.”

“I’ve already instructed them to block it, but there were too many people at the scene, and leaks are possible.” Hobart said. “But I’ve informed NTU, they won’t disclose this matter to Jin Xuan.”

Jin Zhe almost frowned, gripping the edge of the table so hard that it felt like he might snap the five-centimeter-thick wood. “He’s going to lose it. You don’t know how stubborn he is. He went to the Tianque Spaceport for that child…”

“He shouldn’t have kept it from you,” Hobart shook his head. “If he had told you earlier…” He stopped halfway. What difference would it make if Jin Zhe knew earlier? Jin Xuan was just a civilian major, far from having the qualifications to attend a dance party. Did he expect the President to break the law and help him cover it up?

“He wouldn’t have told me. He wants to protect Wu Chenghe and me,” Jin Zhe smiled bitterly. “He’s always been like that since he was a child.”

“What do we do now?” Hobart sighed, asking.

Jin Zhe thought for a moment and said, “Notify the guide school to take good care of Wu Chenghe. Have the Special Agents prepare a shuttle and a starship. I want to visit Mrs. Balon at Tungusic.” After a pause, he added, “We can’t keep this from Hannibal. He’s Wu Chenghe’s father, and according to federal law, an official notice must be sent to him.”

“I’ll take care of it right away,” Hobart nodded, hesitating, “What about York City…”

Jin Zhe closed his eyes, apparently engaged in intense mental struggle. “Go there, keep me informed of Dean Mu’s condition at all times. When he wakes up, tell him the President extends his condolences and wishes him a speedy recovery. Tell him that thousands of students at Aston Medical School are waiting for his healthy return.”

“Mrs. Balon has requested the Ministry of Education to conduct a thorough investigation of Aston Medical School. She suspects there are guides that have been overlooked.”

“Wait until she finishes the prosecution on the Saint Martin side. Mu and Sienna won’t give up easily. I’ll personally provide them with the best lawyers in private.” Jin Zhe was silent for a moment and then said, “Hunting guides is her job and her right, but tell her if the hunting of guides endangers the safety of ordinary people again, please have her put her resignation letter on my desk. I’ll respond to her immediately.”

“Yes.”

On a starship bound for the planet Ida, Wu Chenghe slowly regained consciousness, greeted by the sight of a light green metal ceiling.

“Brother,” a gentle voice called out beside him. Wu Chenghe slowly turned his head to see Monica’s worried face, her eyes red from crying, her cheeks glistening with tears.

“Are you feeling better, brother?” Monica asked softly, her small hand covering his hand. “Do you want some water? Are you hungry?”

Wu Chenghe’s mind was in chaos, everything was a blur in front of him. He saw his butterfly quietly resting on the blanket on his chest, while Monica’s ragdoll lay obediently at his feet, a furry little paw gently scratching at his trousers.

“Where am I?” Wu Chenghe asked.

Monica bit her lip and said, “On a starship. We’re flying to Tungusic Base. We’ll arrive in about twenty minutes.”

Tungusic Base… Wu Chenghe thought he would feel despair and pain when he heard this name, but strangely, he felt nothing. His entire brain was empty, unable to conjure any emotions. After a while, he muttered, “Oh.”

“I want to be alone for a while,” Wu Chenghe said.

Monica hesitated, then stood up and walked to the door, gathering her courage to say, “Brother, don’t be afraid. You’ll get used to it. The teachers… they’re all very nice.”

Wu Chenghe didn’t respond. Monica waited for a while, her eyes downcast to hide the tears in the corners of her eyes, and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Wu Chenghe still didn’t respond.

Monica left, and the door closed behind her, quieting the cabin. Wu Chenghe sat up on the bed, his confrontation with the ten guides had left a slight injury to his consciousness. Combined with the effects of interference waves, he was still a bit unsure of what was real and what was illusion. He rubbed his head and forced himself not to dwell on whether the surgery target was IMD or Mu. He stood up and went to open the cabin door.

The door was locked. They had confined him here, and there was nothing in the cabin, not even a separate bed. They must be afraid he would commit suicide. Wu Chenghe didn’t know if there were surveillance cameras here, but he had no time. In just over ten minutes, this ship would land at Tungusic Base. They would interrogate him, give him a physical examination, and soon they would find out he had been marked.

Jin Xuan was on the front lines. If he were exposed at this moment, it would be a disaster. Wu Chenghe opened his personal terminal, quickly activated the cleaning software left by Jin Xuan, and deleted all their call records, emails, and more. He even deleted all the cache and backups left in the information center, leaving nothing behind.

At this moment, he was extremely grateful that he had learned a little bit of hacking, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable. After doing all this, he quietly sat on the bed, looking through the transparent porthole at the dark universe outside. In the distance, the Idas star gradually appeared in his field of vision, strange and lonely, like a gray-green little ball.

 

 

 

 

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