The incident of the commoner's surprise attack on Yin Mingzheng quietly passed by. According to the base's laws, he was taken away by the enforcement team and sentenced to serve after determining his guilt.
These days, when you committed a crime, they wouldn't just lock you up and provide food and drink. Either the crime was severe enough to warrant execution, or you'd serve, doing the unpleasant tasks others didn't want to.
Yin Mingzheng didn't pay any more attention to it, but Shi Qing, in conjunction with Leyouyuan, began resisting those who spread rumors throughout the base.
Saying that Yin Mingzheng was power-hungry? He sacrificed himself to save a million lives!
Saying that Yin Mingzheng looked down on others? He sacrificed himself to save a million lives!
Just water under the bridge, right? Shi Xiaoqing, who had been "corrupted" by Leyouyuan, didn't know how much fun he was having.
No matter what they said, the fact that Yin Mingzheng sacrificed himself for the commoners was set in stone and witnessed by countless people.
That was the greatest shield for a human hero.
The hidden conspirator behind all this was getting frustrated, and public opinion was the least likely thing to kill him.
General Zhao, who was operating behind the scenes, was almost driven to madness. On his end, he had people spreading rumors that Yin Mingzheng indulged his lover in buying things without paying, exploiting the commoners, but no one believed them.
The people he sent were glared at fiercely by the commoners and cursed for a long time. Young Master Shi Qing might not pay money, but people were willing to exchange for his healing ability. That was a healing ability, and anyone whose items caught Shi Qing's eye would be overjoyed, wishing to reach the heavens.
If anyone asked Shi Qing for money, they'd be the real fools.
He sent people to spread the rumor that Yin Mingzheng disregarded the lives of the commoners for power? Anyone could talk about how Yin Mingzheng had sacrificed his own life for the commoners.
General Zhao was filled with hate, but he couldn't find words to counter these claims. Yes, back then, they had shaped him into a hero to cover up the truth of their plot against Yin Mingzheng.
In any case, with the formidable alien warships, there was a 99.9999% chance that Yin Mingzheng would never return.
Since he was already dead, they didn't mind showering him with honor.
But who could have imagined? Yin Mingzheng had returned!
That 0.0001% probability had actually come true.
Now, the person they were desperately trying to suppress was accumulating more and more honors. Regret! Hatred! General Zhao was on the verge of shouting at the commoners who admired Yin Mingzheng:
"Do you think he sacrificed himself willingly? He didn't! It was us! It was all us! You should be thankful to us and admire us!"
However, he could only keep these words to himself, as admitting he had orchestrated the plot to attack Yin Mingzheng and throw him off the plane would likely lead to the adoring commoners turning on him.
No, he didn't need to wait for them to come after him; Yin Mingzheng would take care of him first.
General Zhao was afraid of death.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been hiding in the shadows, resorting to underhanded methods, and even using his own daughter to seduce Yin Mingzheng.
He was different from the other senior generals. Even if some of them had ulterior motives deep down, they would prioritize the overall situation, strategic planning, rather than resorting to the tactics General Zhao used. The other three senior generals didn't trust him, and they certainly wouldn't form an alliance with him.
So, he felt quite sorry for himself.
He had done some dirty deeds before, and when he was under the radar, it was fine. However, if Yin Mingzheng gained real power, he could expose General Zhao.
In the base, there were only four senior generals, including General Zhao, at Yin Mingzheng's level. When the insectoids attacked, the highest-ranking leader sacrificed himself, and at that time, chaos reigned. These four senior generals had their own plans, and none of them trusted the others. Plus, they had similar manpower, so they decided to go their separate ways, forming an alliance to jointly manage the base.
Yin Mingzheng was the only one among them without military authority, yet he was appointed as a senior general. He was also the most formidable among the five.
The strength of an esper was enough to intimidate a large group of people. While Yin Mingzheng had never used his abilities against humans, many had seen how he dealt with the insectoids.
One of the most famous battles in human history.
With a single gesture, he annihilated thousands of insectoids, forcing them to retreat ten thousand kilometers.
After he took action, humans finally had some breathing room, allowing them to stay within the base, study the advanced technology left behind by the insectoids on the battlefield, and improve their own weaponry.
Yin Mingzheng wasn't just exceptional in terms of combat; he was also skilled in developing new weapons. Take the earlier example of the slow-release potion; he had developed it.
He was like an undefeated war god, forever etched in the minds of the surviving commoners.
Everyone believed that as long as Yin Mingzheng raised his hand, those commoners who regarded him as a deity would unhesitatingly push him onto the throne.
It was just a matter of time. The commoners who had been defenseless against the insectoids needed something to believe in.
General Zhao had once considered vying for the position of the top leader, but when he looked around, he realized he couldn't match others. He had fewer subordinates, fewer scientific experts, lower combat prowess, and even his scheming was inferior. None of the other three senior generals took him seriously, let alone forming an alliance with him.
So, he felt quite pitiful.
He employed underhanded tactics not because he wanted to, but because Yin Mingzheng was just too selfless. He had only acted a little earlier than Yin Mingzheng, saving a million people. He believed he should be the hero.
Unfortunately, General Zhao's self-perception wasn't that inflated.
He had a clear understanding.
Once Yin Mingzheng ascended to the top, the first person to die would be him.
To prevent this future, he had even instructed his daughter to seduce Yin Mingzheng, attempting to become family.
But Zhao Miaomiao had turned out to be unreliable, wasting her pretty face.
Soft tactics didn't work, so he had to resort to hard tactics.
He had tried everything for Yin Mingzheng, but surprisingly, Yin Mingzheng remained unaffected.
Now, with all the things he had done against Yin Mingzheng, the human hero not only hadn't fallen from grace but had even gained more popularity.
What General Zhao saw wasn't Yin Mingzheng's inevitable rise to the position of the top leader but his own impending demise.
He could only lose hair in frustration while desperately searching for a solution.
Not only was he anxious himself, but he also pressured his daughter. One day, after receiving news that he was about to run for the presidency of the base immediately after a meeting, General Zhao stormed into Zhao Miaomiao's room and slammed his hand on the table, shouting at his daughter, who was applying makeup:
"All you know is makeup! Look, our good days are about to end. If you don't come up with a solution soon, we might as well wait for death!"
Zhao Miaomiao couldn't stand the frustration either. She threw her lipstick out, exclaiming, "Did I not come up with a solution? I even drugged them before, making them do good deeds for each other. But this Yin Mingzheng is like he's blind; he's completely infatuated with that Shi Qing. He's even treating him like a treasure! I walk in front of him, and he treats me like air. What else can I do?"
"No matter what, you have to come up with a solution for me!"
General Zhao slammed his hand on the table again. "He doesn't spare you a glance, but can't you look at him? You could drug Leyouyuan; why didn't you do the same for Yin Mingzheng? He's a man after all. If a beautiful woman like you makes a move, he'll surely fall for it reluctantly! I've analyzed it according to my own male perspective. If you're lucky enough to get pregnant, and his lover is a man, can that man give birth? When you hold your belly and tell him you want nothing but to give birth to this child, he'll definitely feel guilty. Then our family will be this child's maternal relatives, like a godfather in ancient times. What do we have to fear then?"
Zhao Miaomiao felt like her father was daydreaming.
"Dad, calm down a bit. That's Yin Mingzheng we're talking about. Who in the entire base can defeat him? Back then, he was injected with the slow-release potion and sent onto the spaceship. There were so many aliens, yet he managed to escape. With a figure like his, you want me to drug him?"
"Wait a moment..."
As she spoke, she suddenly paused, looking contemplative. "Dad, how did Yin Mingzheng escape in the first place?"
"How did he escape? How would I know? I'm not the most powerful esper!" General Zhao snapped impatiently. "He's already returned; what's the point of discussing this now?"
"No," Zhao Miaomiao furrowed her brow. "You saw the situation back then, Dad. The sky was filled with aliens, at least tens of millions of them, all armed with advanced weaponry. Yin Mingzheng was injected with the slow-release potion and sent up there. Logically, he should have had no chance of survival. Yin Mingzheng never mentioned how he escaped after returning. The commoners in the base regard him as a god, and they don't ask questions. But in that situation, even if he had three heads and six arms, he couldn't have escaped. General Zhao still didn't understand why his daughter was bringing this up, and he was on the verge of exploding in frustration.
"Can't you think of something related to us? Can you?"
"I am thinking!" Zhao Miaomiao snapped in frustration. "Right now, it's either we die or Yin Mingzheng dies. If he takes power, it'll be our death. So, we won't let him take power."
"In that case, find some people now and spread rumors within the base that Yin Mingzheng colluded with the aliens to escape. Emphasize that it's impossible for him to have escaped those aliens on his own."
"But everyone in the base worships Yin Mingzheng as their faith. Who will believe what we say? We might even end up exposing ourselves," General Zhao ridiculed her wild idea. "Don't provoke Yin Mingzheng any further."
Zhao Miaomiao, however, believed that this plan was feasible. Her eyes revealed a sinister glint. "Even if they don't believe us, we'll present evidence."
She glanced at General Zhao. "Dad, we can't become the top leaders in the base anyway. It might be better to switch to somewhere else."
General Zhao was taken aback. "Are you saying..."
"Yes," Zhao Miaomiao affirmed. "The insectoids."
"The insectoids haven't been able to capture the base in all these years because Yin Mingzheng was here, right? When Yin Mingzheng went missing, the insectoids immediately started invading everywhere, and they only stopped when he returned. The insectoids couldn't deal with Yin Mingzheng, and they have their own leaders. Their leaders are intelligent like humans, right? If we're willing to cooperate with them against Yin Mingzheng, do you think they'd be willing to work with us?"
This idea struck a chord with General Zhao.
Indeed, the insectoids were formidable, and capturing Blue Star was only a matter of time for them. Instead of defending the base, it might be better to join them. When Blue Star was captured, he, as a human who had allied with the insectoids, could be regarded as a hero.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. In the end, General Zhao nodded. "Alright, let's do it!"
Lately, Yin Mingzheng had become increasingly busy. He had to fight the insectoids, manage internal affairs within the base, and prepare for the upcoming election. There was hardly a moment's rest.
Amidst this busy schedule, he would always take some time during his limited moments of relaxation to hold Shi Qing and listen to him chatter like a little bird, sharing interesting stories from within the base.
Yin Mingzheng could clearly sense Shi Qing's growth. In the past, when faced with unexpected events, his little prince would curl up in his arms and cry. But now, when something unexpected happened, the once gentle and obedient little prince would roll up his sleeves and take charge, fearlessly confronting disputes or fights, always choosing to confront the fiercest adversary.
However, in Yin Mingzheng's eyes, an angry Shi Qing still resembled an adorable pufferfish. Despite his irritation, he couldn't help but want to poke him.
Although he found Shi Qing cute, Yin Mingzheng still held Leyouyuan responsible for teaching his sweet, lovable, innocent, and well-behaved little prince to be cunning.
Yin Mingzheng didn't know that during this period, while he and Shi Xiaoqing were busy sowing discord between others, Leyouyuan had also developed a new understanding of him.
You couldn't judge a book by its cover.
Both of them had never imagined that the innocent and well-behaved Shi Qing they had cherished had been corrupted by themselves.
In any case, they both silently cursed each other in their hearts: Traitor!
During a break on this particular day, Yin Mingzheng was caressing Shi Qing's soft hair and comforting him in his usual low, magnetic voice. "Let others handle those matters; you don't need to get directly involved."
"I like it this way," Shi Qing replied, snuggling up in Yin Mingzheng's arms. This was his unique way of acting cute.
Just as they were being affectionate, Leyouyuan arrived.
Seeing Shi Qing in Yin Mingzheng's embrace, he felt a pang of jealousy but immediately suppressed it. There was business to attend to. He sat down next to them with a stern expression.
"The base is spreading new rumors again, saying that you colluded with the insectoids to escape. I suspect someone is keeping a close eye on you. We should quickly find out who it is and deal with them. Otherwise, Shi Qing and I will be busy clearing your name every day," Leyouyuan reported.
Shi Qing remained seated, his eyes rolling playfully where Yin Mingzheng and Leyouyuan couldn't see.
Leyouyuan continued, "There's also a rumor that Shi Qing might be one of the insectoids just because of the color of his eyes. It's ridiculous. I've seen red and blue eyes before; they look even more like insectoids. We should start a rumor that Shi Qing is from the same group as those previous extraterrestrial beings who wore silver armor. That might make it more believable. After all, they also wore silver armor."
Yin Mingzheng had become increasingly composed recently. Even though Leyouyuan had inadvertently uncovered the truth, he was able to react calmly.
Shi Qing remained unresponsive.
Leyouyuan scoffed, "Well, it's not such a big deal. These rumors won't be believed by anyone in the base. Why don't we hide and watch them panic?"
"Let's ignore these rumors for now," Yin Mingzheng said, his brow furrowed. "I received news that the insectoids have breached the second-level defenses."
He stood up suddenly. "Gather the team; I'm on my way."
After he left, he gently laid Shi Qing down on the soft couch, tucking him in with a soft blanket. He lowered his voice to a sultry tone, "Shi Qing, there's a situation outside. Can you stay here by yourself?"
"I can," Shi Qing blinked his eyes in agreement. Then, Yin Mingzheng went to the kitchen, sliced some fruits, skewered them on toothpicks, and placed them next to Shi Qing. Since discovering that Shi Qing could eat some human snacks, Yin Mingzheng, who never used his authority, had specially ordered customized fruits.
"I'm leaving; if you want to go out, remember to call someone," he reminded Shi Qing before leaving.
Once Yin Mingzheng had left, Shi Qing jumped up from the couch.
[System: "Time to amplify things."]
[It's time to draw the tiger away from its mountain!]
[System: "Draw the tiger away from its mountain? Uh, okay, let's hide. Is someone coming for us?"]
[No, someone needs to face difficulties head-on to become a true man!]
Shi Qing hurriedly put on his shoes, and then he ran out the door.
[System: "It's time to escalate."]
He wandered around for about half an hour and finally spotted the people who had come to capture him.
A needle pricked the back of his fair neck.
Shi Qing, who was enjoying a lollipop, froze.
[System: "Host, it's a sedative."]
[Oh, I see.]
In the eyes of the kidnapper, it seemed as though the sedative was taking effect, and the youth closed his eyes silently before falling backward.
The kidnapper quickly caught him and lowered him gently to the ground.
[System: "Host, it's time for the grand performance."]
The man finally managed to get up, looking at the fair-skinned young man he was supporting with confusion.
Seeing this skinny young man, who looked no older than a high school student, he wondered why he felt so heavy?
Regardless, the employer was still waiting!!!
At first, Shi Qing was obediently carried, but perhaps the man's walking posture was too light and fast. Shi Qing yawned and decided to take a nap.
It was only when the system reminded him, "Host, we've arrived," that he reluctantly woke up.
When he opened his eyes and took a look, he couldn't help but smile.
Wasn't this the Great Desert?
How many pleasant memories were associated with this place?
Back then, he had relied on rosemary, but it wasn't just to infuse (crossed out) Yin Mingzheng.
When he looked a little further, he smiled even more.
Familiar faces!
Zhao Miaomiao was looking at her phone. When she saw Shi Qing wake up, she quickly revealed a malicious smile.
She waved her phone at Shi Qing and looked triumphant. "Do you know what's on this?"
"I sent a text message, asking Yin Mingzheng to come and save you."
Shi Qing remained silent.
Zhao Miaomiao thought the young man was scared and sneered, "Aren't you good at crying? Cry a lot later. When Yin Mingzheng comes to save you, and the insectoids arrive, you don't want to run out of tears."
Shi Qing asked, "The insectoids? Are you collaborating with them to harm him?"
"It's not that simple."
She raised her chin and pointed behind Shi Qing. "This is the territory of the insectoids. As long as Yin Mingzheng comes, the insectoids will give him a polite and safe reception. If he doesn't want you to die, he can only wait here. When I record these scenes and send them to the base, what do you think will happen?"
Zhao Miaomiao laughed louder and louder, laughing so hard that she couldn't straighten her back.
"Human hero!! Colluding with the insectoids!!"
—Boom!
A spaceship descended.
An insectoid who looked somewhat similar to a human, even wearing clothes, came down from the spaceship with a group of bizarre subordinates behind him and walked straight up to Zhao Miaomiao.
He casually glanced at the bound young man and tightened his eyebrowless brows. His voice was hoarse, like a snake hissing, "Is this the human that Yin Mingzheng cares about?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Zhao Miaomiao humbly knelt down and looked at Shi Qing with a malicious smile. "Once this matter is resolved, we can kill him, disguise him as an insectoid. When that time comes, Yin Mingzheng's betrayal of humanity will be set in stone."
"Hmm."
The insectoid leader disdainfully turned to leave. "Do it."
Being ignored by the two, Shi Qing suddenly spoke up. His voice was crisp, fast, and light, like an innocent young boy.
"Disguise me as an insectoid? Whose brilliant idea was this?"
The leading insectoid, however, contemptuously glanced at Shi Qing with his silvery eyes. "Me...chan...ical..."
Zhao Miaomiao didn't know what happened but quickly tried to get up from the ground. "Your Highness?"
The insectoid's feet were trembling, and he pointed shakily at Shi Qing. "He... he is me...chan...ical..."
"Mechanical what?"
Buzz—
Zhao Miaomiao's words were abruptly interrupted.
In what seemed like just an instant.
In the stunned gazes of the insectoid leadership, billions of humanoid machines swiftly arrived in response to the king's summons.
One by one, they appeared in the sky above the desert.
In less than two minutes, the desert sky was filled with countless humanoid machines.
Zhao Miaomiao was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground.
Under her disbelieving gaze, Shi Qing continued to smile sweetly and softly. His elongated tone sounded like he was coquettish:
"The Mechanical Race, you see."
Behind Shi Qing, in a protective posture, billions of humanoid machines remained suspended in mid-air.
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