“He knows I once had a pregnancy reaction…”
Clang—
Clang—
Shen Yue, with restraints on both hands and feet, was escorted into a room.
This was the special interrogation room of the Southern Base. The surrounding walls were specially reinforced with no windows, only a single white light hanging from the ceiling. In the center stood a table and chair, both firmly bolted to the floor. The officer escorting him handcuffed his hands to the table and tied his feet to the chair, checked the restraints, and then left.
Two military officers walked in, one a tall, muscular Alpha, the other a Beta wearing glasses, both with cold, stern expressions. The Alpha sat down and looked at Shen Yue in silence for a moment before saying, “Shen Yue, I never expected that when we met again, it would be in a situation like this.”
Shen Yue glanced at him. Ren Jinzhu was not here. Well, that made sense, he hated him that much, so he probably didn’t want to see him anymore.
Shen Yue did not show much disappointment and said calmly, “It’s you, Brother Liao. I didn’t expect Headquarters to send you.”
Liao Lianzhi was an interrogator from the Enforcement and Interrogation Division of the NSMS Headquarters. His rank was slightly higher than those of the interrogation departments in both the northern and southern bases. He and Shen Yue were old acquaintances. He had joined Headquarters earlier than Shen Yue and had once highly valued him, teaching him many things. He had also believed for a long time that Ren Jinzhu was too brutal and sinister, constantly bullying Shen Yue and not worthy of him. However, what he never expected was that the traitor would turn out to be Shen Yue himself. When the news came seven years ago, Liao Lianzhi could not believe it at all. It was only after Ren Jinzhu returned gravely injured that he was forced to accept that the junior who once stood before him with a gentle and refined demeanor had truly done such a thing.
But even though he and Shen Yue knew each other, Liao Lianzhi would not show favoritism. He was famously upright and incorruptible throughout the entire Defense Force system, and the fact that Headquarters had sent him already made their stance clear.
“Naturally, considering the special circumstances of Department Head Shen, Headquarters had no choice but to proceed with caution,” Liao Lianzhi said. “Colonel Ren is your husband, and Department Head Sun Lu is your disciple. They cannot participate in the interrogation. Not only them, entire Southern Base must avoid any suspicion. That is why Headquarters sent me.”
Shen Yue looked at him calmly. “Go ahead and ask. I won’t stay silent, and I won’t lie.”
“That would be best if you can cooperate.”
As soon as he spoke, a faint aura spread throughout the interrogation room. Liao Lianzhi’s eyes widened slightly, becoming bright and clear. At the same time, a large single horn emerged from his forehead. Unlike the black curved horns of Gu Diao-type beings, this horn was straight and golden.
Xie Zhi awakened individual, A-rank ability: Truth and Falsehood Judgment.
Attribute: Metal and Light; a support-type ability specialized in verification.
Awakeners of this type grow a “judgment horn” on their forehead. They can release “judgment light” toward the subject being judged. Anyone selected by the light must answer the Awakened’s questions, and the judgment horn will determine whether their statements are true or false. If the answer is true, the horn remains unchanged. If it is false, the Awakened’s horn will itch, and the judged person will suffer a backlash of pain as if being pierced in the heart by a sharp horn.
The backlash pain does not cause physical damage to the judged person; instead, it inflicts psychological and mental trauma. After the first judgment backlash, if the second ruling determines falsehood, the backlash is doubled; if the third is also false, it doubles again, and so on. The duration of the judgment is controlled by the concentration of pheromones in the Awakened individual’s glands.
Xie Zhi awakened individual innate ability: Sword-Bearer of Justice.
Attribute: Metal and Light; a natural constitution-type ability.
Awakeners with [1]In Chinese tradition, Xie Zhi is a divine, unicorn-like beast associated with justice and truth. It is said to be able to distinguish right from wrong and identify liars or the guilty, often by using … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2373650_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2373650_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });Xie Zhi bloodline power are inherently influenced in temperament, becoming enemies of evil and embodying righteousness and firmness. During interrogation and judgment, they will always uphold truth and justice and will not show favoritism even toward those closest to them. If they do show favoritism, they will suffer backlash from the Xie Zhi bloodline power, their “Truth and Falsehood Judgment” ability will be permanently disabled, and their glands will be completely ruined.
Shen Yue was enveloped in a field of golden light. Liao Lianzhi spoke: “First, introduce yourself. What is your real name?”
“Shen Yue. That is my current name.”
Neither Liao Lianzhi nor his expression changed. He did not suffer any backlash.
“Then what is your true gender? And how did you disguise yourself as an Omega?”
Shen Yue said, “I am an Alpha. I disguised myself as an Omega through a glandular Omega-fitted transformation surgery, which allows me to emit Omega-type pheromones.”
Liao Lianzhi said, “Gender fitting and transformation surgery fundamentally damages the human physiological structure. For ordinary people it causes severe physical injury; for Awakened individuals it results in a drop in rank. When you were at the base, you were a 2S Omega, so what is your true rank…?”
Shen Yue said, “I am a 3S Alpha.”
Liao Lianzhi’s jaw visibly tightened. According to years of research, the AMP Alliance classifies Awakened individuals by pheromone strength into four levels: S, A, B, and C/D. C and D ranks are nearly indistinguishable from ordinary humans; their pheromones are extremely faint, like plain water, and they cannot use abilities. The only difference between them and ordinary people is gland size. From B rank onward, competitive pheromones emerge and a certain bloodline ability is awakened. A-rank Awakeners possess even stronger abilities and show partial atavistic physiological traits. S-rank Awakeners are extremely rare, one in ten thousand, and each possesses extremely powerful abilities.
An A- and B-rank Awakened individual can only awaken one ability in their lifetime. However, the AMP Alliance discovered that among the extremely rare S-rank Awakened individuals, some are capable of awakening a second time, increasing their pheromone level and gaining an additional ability, thus becoming 2S Awakened individuals. The energy threshold required to progress from S to 2S is extremely large, at least on the order of 10⁶ or higher. Even now, the Alliance still does not know why these individuals can undergo a second awakening. The only explanation so far is that those S-rank individuals were never truly “only S-rank” to begin with; once their glands mature to a certain stage, a second awakening naturally occurs.
The highest known level is the 3S Awakened individual, who possesses three abilities. There are approximately 100,000 S-rank individuals registered worldwide, over 500 at 2S rank, and fewer than 20 known 3S individuals globally.
Now, a 3S Alpha, an existence with a probability of only one in a billion worldwide, is sitting right in front of him. Even though he had anticipated this during the investigation, Liao Lianzhi still could not hide his shock.
“As far as I know, gender-fitting transformation surgery is irreversible. How did you recover an Alpha body? And you also underwent strict and detailed physical examinations in the military, why didn’t the medical center detect this?”
Shen Yue said: “Gender-fitting transformation surgery mainly involves injecting related fitting and conversion agents. The doctor assigned to perform the surgery on me, after years of research, upgraded and optimized the drug composition and developed a new type of Omega-fitting transformation agent. This new medication does not cause necrosis of Alpha gland cells; instead, it puts them into a dormant state and selectively activates certain cells to express Omega traits. Afterward, an activating agent can be injected to reverse the disguised characteristics and reactivate the dormant gland cells. As for why it cannot be detected…”
“I am not a medical professional. During the experiments, the doctor maintained full confidentiality regarding spatial procedures. I truly do not know how he improved or optimized it.”
The single horn showed no reaction; what he said was still the truth. Liao Lianzhi glanced at the Beta beside him, who immediately recorded everything.
“Who arranged the surgery for you?” Liao Lianzhi asked.
Shen Yue’s eyelashes trembled. Liao Lianzhi’s gaze turned sharp, and the light enveloping him began to fluctuate. If he answered evasively or negatively, he would still suffer backlash from the judgment horn. At the final second of the allowed response time, Shen Yue slowly said, “It was… my father.”
“Your father?” Liao Lianzhi repeated.
“To be precise, my adoptive father,” Shen Yue closed his eyes briefly, as if suppressing some emotion, then continued:
“I was adopted by him when I was three years old. From then on, I was trained under his supervision. Aside from me, there were many other children. He brought them from all over the world and arranged for them to study under him. This included humanities and history from various countries and regions, the languages of major nations, as well as firearms, ammunition usage, military assassination, diplomacy, and so on. After a period of study, we would be sent to a selection camp. Only children who passed the evaluation in the selection camp could continue to the next stage of training, while those who failed would be eliminated.”
“Eliminated meaning…?”
“The children who went in with me… I never saw them again afterward,” Shen Yue said softly. “They were probably killed.”
This kind of brutal child-selection system was once widespread when Awakened individuals were first discovered. The methods of selection were extremely cruel. At that time, in order to obtain children who might develop into high-ranking Awakened individuals, the so-called selectors would even kill an entire child’s family, leaving only the child behind to be raised and trained. The very first clause passed in the AMP Alliance’s “Ability Regulation Act” explicitly prohibited this inhumane selection system.
This was highly important intelligence, indicating that even in modern times, there were still people who openly challenged basic morality and justice. Liao Lianzhi’s expression turned serious.
“Where did you receive your training?” he asked.
Shen Yue replied, “I don’t know. Even now I still don’t know. The training base and the selection camp are not in the same location. Each time I was knocked unconscious and taken there. After passing selection, I would be knocked unconscious again and taken out. They had Awakened individuals capable of disturbing climate and celestial positioning, so I was never able to determine my location.”
“What happens to the children who pass the selection?”
Shen Yue said, “There are twelve rounds of selection. The children who pass the final round leave both the training base and the selection camp and are arranged to work by my father’s side. So far, a total of nine children have passed the final selection. All nine are S-rank or above. I am one of them.”
Liao Lianzhi pointed at the document beside him. “Write down the information of the other eight children.”
Shen Yue shook his head.
“Are you unwilling to cooperate?” Liao Lianzhi frowned. “Department Head Shen, you should tell the truth about everything. We can still fight for leniency on your behalf.”
“…I can’t remember,” Shen Yue said, lowering his gaze. “After I was taken back by my father seven years ago, a high-ranking Awakened individual used an ability on me that made me forget many things related to the organization. What I just told you was probably only because those childhood impressions were deeply ingrained, so I could barely recall them.”
The judgment horn showed no change. Shen Yue was not lying, he truly could not remember.
Liao Lianzhi did not force him further. “Seven years ago, you mean the incident when you defected from the base?”
“…Yes,” Shen Yue replied. “These nine children were all sent to various countries by my father. After I came out of the selection camp, my father arranged for me to undergo the Omega-fitting transformation surgery so I could disguise my identity and enter Zhongjing Special Military University, becoming a pawn he placed here.”
Zhongjing Special Military University was the country’s only official public military academy, located in the capital, Zhongjing. There was no information about it available online. Only a very small number of people at Headquarters knew of its existence. The school was established in YS1972 specifically for Awakened individuals. Its admission process was highly unusual: designated instructors secretly conduct global investigations, screening candidates and privately inviting them to take examinations. Very few students pass these exams.
“I was the last of the nine children to pass the final selection. When my father sent me here, he said I was originally someone he picked up from this place.”
Even with perfect laws and strict enforcement, things like this could never be prevented completely. Those with immense power and wealth always found ways to obtain whatever they desired. Whether he was truly “picked up” or abducted, apart from Shen Yue’s adoptive father, no one could know the truth anymore.
Liao Lianzhi said, “What did he send you to Zhong University to do?”
“He had me disguise myself as an Omega in order to get close to high-ranking Awakened military officers,” Shen Yue said, pausing slightly toward the end, as if the words were difficult to say.
“So you chose Colonel Ren, and approached him,” Liao Lianzhi said.
Shen Yue looked away, his hands tightening slightly, but he did not refute it.
“Tell me about the mission seven years ago.” The incident of Shen Yue’s defection seven years earlier was the main focus of Headquarters’ attention, and also the primary purpose of this interrogation.
Shen Yue said, “I only learned after the base issued the order that the force behind the Yanzhou pharmaceutical factory was my father. At the time, the Southern Base discovered that this pharmaceutical factory was producing prohibited drugs targeting Awakened individuals and had close ties with the terrorist organization Circus, so they planned to dismantle it. He contacted me using his own methods.”
“Did he want you to stop the base’s operation?” Liao Lianzhi asked.
Shen Yue pressed his lips together. After a moment of silence, he said quietly, “No.”
“He wanted me… to kill Colonel Ren.”
Liao Lianzhi’s brows furrowed tightly. “He wanted you to kill Colonel Ren? At that time he was already your husband, and you even had a child together. But in the end, you still chose to act against him.”
“Yes…” Shen Yue replied without expression.
“You personally stabbed Colonel Ren with a knife, right in his chest. If not for his high rank, he would have died. On top of that, the entire pharmaceutical factory exploded, and all members of the action team except you and Colonel Ren were killed. Do you know how many lives you took?!” Liao Lianzhi said in a low voice.
“….” Shen Yue knew he was beyond redemption. Any defense was powerless. The facts were exactly as stated, and he had nothing to say.
“When the explosion happened, there were still many resisting personnel inside the pharmaceutical factory. You even killed your own people?”
Shen Yue raised his eyes, revealing pupils as dark as the abyss, an emptiness indistinguishable from darkness itself. Those eyes resembled an ocean at the end of the world, cold as an ice peak.
“The moment I was discovered, I had already become my father’s discarded pawn. Those so-called resistance members were actually mercenaries from the terrorist organization Circus. Circus itself was also hired by my father. For the sake of his goals, he could abandon anything. He has many such pharmaceutical factories across the world; to him, losing one meant nothing.”
Liao Lianzhi stared at him and said softly, “It seems you have learned your adoptive father’s nature as well, discarding anything when necessary.”
Shen Yue did not respond. His face was extremely pale; under the glow of the judgment light, his exhausted features looked almost translucent. Yet even so, his beauty was still impossible to conceal. There was even a fragile, broken kind of beauty to him. It was hard to believe that such a cold, ethereal face, like moonlight itself, belonged to a 3A Alpha. It did not feel out of place; rather, the deathly stillness and sorrow in his eyes blended together to form a unique aura, powerful yet fragile, resilient yet easily broken, making him all the more striking and captivating.
He sat there quietly, saying nothing. Apart from the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye and his jet-black pupils, his entire body was pale white, as if he would dissolve into foam and disappear the next second. Looking at him, Liao Lianzhi let out a sigh and said, “After that, you disappeared. No one saw you for a full seven years. Where were you during those seven years?”
Shen Yue replied, “I was taken away by my father. When I regained consciousness, I was already in the organization’s research institute.”
“From what you’ve described, your adoptive father is an extremely cold and cruel man,” Liao Lianzhi paused, then asked, “If you didn’t complete the mission, why didn’t he kill you?”
“I didn’t kill Colonel Ren. My father was indeed very angry. Everyone involved in the Yanzhou pharmaceutical factory operation was killed except me. The reason he didn’t kill me was, first, because I am a 3S Alpha, killing me would be a waste. But more importantly—”
Shen Yue’s voice carried a weary gentleness as he said softly, “He found out that I had once experienced a pregnancy reaction and had even given birth to a child. My father was extremely shocked, so he didn’t kill me. Instead, he kept me locked in the research facility for doctors to study… for all these seven years, it has been like this.”
References[+]