Paranoid Alpha Chapter 37: Birth

Chapter 37: Birth

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: CaiCai

The interrogation that day ended quickly. Apart from the participants, no one knew exactly what had happened. Most people only knew that the few individuals who had gone with the Chief seemed abnormal when they returned. Some even remained mentally dazed for a week, as if they had experienced something profoundly shocking.

Many were aware that the Chief’s private doctor had been interrogated that day, but few knew precisely what the doctor had done. Many were curious and inquired with those who had participated, but every person who returned from the interrogation maintained a sealed lip, refusing to speak no matter how much others probed.

The only female senator willing to say anything did so because her husband nagged her. Fed up, she reluctantly replied, “You’ll find out in a few days. If you’re not afraid, you can ask the Chief yourself.”

Her words shut down further discussion, although the private conversations about the incident exploded behind the scenes.

No one could fathom what had occurred with Lyss that caused such shock and silence among the participants.

Soon after, the doctor’s trial concluded. Unlike the military leaders who adamantly denied accusations, the doctor’s cooperation significantly eased the trial proceedings.

After the trial, the doctor sat calmly in the isolation area, awaiting transfer to prison. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. The doctor looked up and saw Lyss entering with a few unfamiliar faces.

“Good day,” the doctor smiled, greeting Lyss, “Chief.”

“Good day,” Lyss, composed and not at all like a victim, responded. “On behalf of the Triss Federation Headquarters, I express gratitude for your cooperation.”

“No need for thanks,” the doctor glanced around before speaking cryptically, “I thought you had another reason for coming to see me.”

Lyss nodded. “Indeed, there is another matter.”

“Is it about the child in your belly?” the doctor asked.

As the people accompanying Lyss prepared to record the conversation, they were stunned at the doctor’s words. Lyss, unsurprised, nodded. But before the doctor could show understanding, he froze.

“A three-month-old fetus separated from the mother and transferred to an artificial womb… Will it be too late?” Lyss inquired seriously.

Incredulously, the doctor’s eyes widened. For a moment, he even doubted his own ears. The room fell into an unprecedented silence. After what felt like half a century, he finally managed to speak in a hoarse voice, “…Are you intending to keep the child?”

The officials accompanying Lyss were not the same as before and now stood motionless. It wasn’t that they weren’t surprised; they were simply too astonished to react.

Facing the shocked gazes of the room, Lyss calmly nodded. “Of course.”

The doctor remained silent for a while, then revealed a thoughtful smile. “I didn’t expect someone like you… to have emotions.”

One official noticed something amiss and quickly furrowed his brow. “What?”

“Nothing,” the doctor collected his thoughts and looked at Lyss, “The optimal time for fetal separation is between three to four months. You’re at the right stage now. You can go directly to the childcare center; they’ll provide a customized plan for you.”

Lyss breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

With that, he turned and walked out, followed by the stunned individuals who finally realized the purpose of the Chief’s visit to the doctor. After the conclusion of the doctor’s trial, a similar incident occurred again. The individuals who had accompanied the Chief exhibited the same signs of mental daze and unusual behavior for a second time.

“…Do you all know as well?” The female senator who had gone with Lyss for the first visit seemed somewhat gleeful. “How was it?”

“Yes, yes, we know…” the person she was addressing seemed absent-minded, replying casually before suddenly snapping back. “What was it?”

The female senator said matter-of-factly, “The Chief’s… belly is getting bigger. This time he went to talk about when to terminate it with that doctor, right? The trial at the military is about to end; when does he plan to do it?”

The male senator’s expression suddenly turned peculiar. “…He doesn’t plan to terminate.”

“What?” The female senator was taken aback.

“The Chief plans to…” The male senator’s demeanor seemed dazed, as if he were announcing that the universe was about to explode, “keep the child.”

The female senator widened her eyes in shock. “What?!”

The news spread like a meteorite’s landing. Everyone who heard was equally astonished. Before they could verify the truth, the Chief took a week-long leave. Initially a half-truth, the rumor was confirmed during this period. For the next week, the Headquarters’ operations almost came to a halt.

This situation continued until Lyss returned to Headquarters after his leave. On the first day of that week, he felt there was something strange about the people around him. This individual was the fifth person to report to him and unintentionally cast glances at his belly.

“That… summarizes my work,” the White Wolf Beta finishing her report couldn’t help but glance at Lyss’s flat abdomen, as if she couldn’t believe it.

After a pause, Lyss calmly evaluated his work, seemingly unaffected.

As the Beta female was about to leave after the evaluation, Lyss suddenly stopped her. Being called back by the highest authority at this moment was not a good sign. The Beta immediately became alert. “Y-yes, what is it? Please ask!”

“Why have you been staring at me since you entered?” Lyss earnestly expressed his confusion. “Actually, it’s not just you; others have done similar things.”

After a brief pause, the Beta blushed in embarrassment. Her tongue nearly tied up, she stuttered, “I…uhh…”

“Is there something difficult to say?” Lyss prompted.

“N-no, I just heard…,” she couldn’t hide it and carefully said, “You’re pregnant… you’re going to be a father?”

Surprised that this was the reason, Lyss paused for a moment and then understood the unusual behavior of the people around him. He nodded calmly. “Yes, the fetus has been separated and transferred to an artificial womb. All parameters show normalcy.”

“Really?!” The Beta female, no longer stuttering, was now excited. “Congratulations! Can I ask the gender? I want to prepare a gift for the baby!”

“Thank you, but there’s no need for gifts.” Thinking about the still-forming child, Lyss’s tone softened. “It’s a girl.”

The Beta didn’t notice any strangeness in his tone and replied cheerfully, “A girl! That’s wonderful. Congratulations!”

Lyss thought of something and his expression flickered. “…Yes, I also think a daughter is wonderful. Thank you for your blessings.”

The Beta didn’t notice anything unusual and left excitedly. Lyss knew that the moment he said this, even before tomorrow, the whole Headquarters would know about it. he didn’t mind; instead, he felt a subtle sense of anticipation.

The child that was a bearer of his hopes was coming, and the arrival of life always brought joy.

Thinking of his daughter, still in the embryonic stage, Lyss, for the first time in his life, understood the desire to share joy with others. As he almost couldn’t help but smile, he suddenly remembered a phrase said to him once before.

“Chief, I’ve never seen you smile. Can you smile for me?”

The smile vanished from his lips, and his bright golden eyes dimmed. But the person he truly wanted to share this joy with was no longer by his side.

During the first half-month back on Triss, despite the trials pressing down on him, Lyss could still force himself to sleep.

With the end of the trials, Lyss had to lift his head from self-deception. He began experiencing mild insomnia, sometimes staying awake until late at night. But whenever he couldn’t sleep, he felt a tiny figure accompanying him inside his body. At those moments, he would gently close his eyes and soon sink into dreams.

During this period, he began dreaming frequently. The dreams contained everything—Lu Jin eating hurriedly with a lunchbox in front of him, a little girl happily leaping towards him, blood, smoke, and gunfire scattered around—but conspicuously absent was the person who should have been there in his dreams.

Another half-month passed, and when the fetus completed the separation from the mother, Lyss experienced genuine insomnia.

He stayed awake night after night. Due to his unique constitution, the insomnia didn’t affect his life too much.

Life seemed to return to normal. His half-dried hair and ears after a bath wouldn’t be wiped by someone else; they would air dry naturally. His dinner at home remained a slightly cold nutritional liquid; no one would spend over three hours in the kitchen just to prepare dumplings for him anymore. The cold night became unbearable, insomnia and longing merged into a shackle, locking away the courage and strength to look forward.

Lyss knew clearly that he was trapped in his memories, unable to break free. Yet, he didn’t shed another tear.

His heart seemed frozen in sorrow, wounds temporarily concealed beneath the ice, waiting for the day they’d thaw.

This seemingly normal yet highly abnormal state persisted for a whole half year, until the day the baby was born.

The Chief’s child naturally drew widespread attention. Triss Headquarters managed secrecy well until a day before the due date when Chief Secretary Lillia began contacting the media.

On the due date, numerous media outlets eagerly waited outside the maternity center. Those notified dared not make a move, nervously waiting there.

“Mr. Lyss,” Lillia glanced at the time, a bit anxious. “It’s been half an hour.”

Lyss felt his breathing growing difficult. He didn’t feel like speaking, just pursed his lips and shook his head.

Others from headquarters, seeing his state, didn’t dare make a sound. A few seemed on the verge of fainting.

Time passed, they didn’t know how long it took before the red “in labor” light suddenly turned green. Soon after, a mechanical voice rang out, “Baby girl A506 successfully delivered. Mr. Lyss Silverfang, please enter the delivery room.”

Lillia was nearly about to exclaim in excitement, hastily covering her mouth, gesturing urgently to Lyss.

Those who had held their breaths immediately sighed in relief, congratulating Lyss with joy.

For a moment, the room buzzed with excitement, yet Lyss felt detached. He couldn’t feel the usual happiness, just a post-tension unease in his breath.

After thanking everyone, Lyss followed the voice prompt into the delivery room.

The room was bright and exceptionally clean. Lyss walked somewhat dazedly to the center, where a nurse approached, carrying a neatly washed bundle – the baby.

Her cries were particularly robust, full of vigor, unlike other omega babies.

Honestly, newborns, even when clean, weren’t particularly attractive. They looked more like monkeys than humans, except for those two damp, white animal-like ears, which were somewhat cute.

“Chief, here’s your daughter,” the nurse gently and carefully handed the bundle to Lyss.

Lyss gently took the swaddled baby, quietly observing the tiny wailing figure.

They were not alike at all. Lyss couldn’t understand why this thought had randomly occurred to him. Could it be a mix-up?

Perhaps sensing his thoughts, as he took the bundle, the baby immediately stopped crying. The nurses nearby were surprised. “Chief, she recognizes you!”

Almost to affirm the nurse’s words, the baby unconsciously made a couple of grabs with her hands, catching nothing, and then slowly opened her eyes.

Lyss was stunned. Her eyes were like green agate, clear and bright without a trace of shadow – just like Lu Xingye’s, who had grown up happily without experiencing death or departure.