Chapter Six: Defying Destiny

In less than five minutes, pushing the mech to its limits, he landed directly on the hospital rooftop, having already contacted the facility in advance. Without pausing for even a moment, he strode into the hospital’s treatment room, which had gathered all the top physicians, carrying the entire medical capsule in his arms. “Xuanxuan’s skin keeps rupturing again and again, but it heals in the shortest time, only to burst open once more soon after,” he reported.

All the doctors frowned at this. In truth, in today’s world, people’s physical constitutions were so strong that doctors played only a minor role; when a body malfunctioned, there were medical capsules to handle repairs. More and more people focused on researching how to further enhance human strength, while the role of doctors diminished. Each planet had only one or two hospitals. For minor issues that didn’t warrant a medical capsule, patients would be treated by medics; the hospital itself had even more advanced capsules with the planet’s best repair fluid. Thus, even with all the doctors assembled, no one could discern Xuanxuan’s issue. The only suggestion was to transfer her to a superior medical capsule.

After placing Xuanxuan into a new capsule, he gripped his hands tightly, watching as new fissures appeared on her body. His nails dug deep into his flesh, the blood mingling with what he’d gotten on himself carrying her, indistinguishable as to whose it was. Once all the doctors had been dismissed, Yi Qiong and the family physician arrived. “Master, please let the doctor examine Miss,” Yi Qiong urged.

Wan Qi Lianhao nodded. “Go ahead.”

This doctor had been brought from the Imperial Star, tasked with Xuanxuan’s ongoing care. Now, seeing her covered in blood, his heart twisted. He connected the family’s instrument to the medical capsule, began operating, and started checking Xuanxuan’s data, again and again—until he was completely stunned.

Wan Qi Lianhao’s frown deepened. “What is it?”

The doctor’s eyes were nearly feverish as he looked at Wan Qi Lianhao. “Miss’s physical data has changed.”

“Be specific.”

“Miss’s constitution used to be poor, consistently below F-grade. But now, though her skin ruptures, it’s clear her constitution has reached D-grade. And you know her mental strength has always been remarkable—before, it could still be measured, at S-grade. Now, it can’t be measured at all. You know, in the entire Federation, only the Old Master’s mental power exceeds S and resists measurement. Miss’s mental power seems to have increased, and for some reason her constitution is also improving. But what’s certain is that she’s fine for now; there is an even stronger force inside her continually repairing her body.” The doctor’s eyes blazed. If they could discover the cause behind Miss’s transformation, it could raise the Federation’s physical standards by an entire tier.

Wan Qi Lianhao was taken aback. He hadn’t expected such a result, but hearing that Xuanxuan was safe, he finally let out a sigh of relief. “Are you sure there’s no problem?”

“Yes. Though I can’t determine the reason, I’m certain Miss is developing in a positive direction.”

Wan Qi Lianhao’s taut nerves eased at last. Yi Qiong approached. “Master, look at this.”

He opened his neural terminal and watched the video Yi Qiong sent him—clearly footage from Xuanxuan’s bedroom, starting from when he left. Xuanxuan then took a bottle from under her covers—a vial containing blue liquid. Within five minutes of drinking it, she began to frown; then her skin ruptured completely. That bottle…

Yi Qiong handed over a bottle. If Xuanxuan were awake, she would recognize it as the container for the “Defy Heaven” serum. Wan Qi Lianhao stroked the bottle carefully; it was made of high-grade crystal, with a residue of blue liquid inside. Hm? What was this symbol at the bottom?

“Have you traced its origin? How did Xuanxuan get it?” Wan Qi Lianhao asked, frowning. He truly couldn’t understand how, with Xuanxuan under constant watch, she could suddenly have such a thing. Who could have slipped past all his people to place this bottle at her side? Especially since the entire villa was under surveillance, and there were few in the Federation capable of entering unnoticed—particularly while he was at home.

Yi Qiong shook her head. Wan Qi Lianhao nodded, still uneasy. Was whoever left this thing friend or foe? Even if it was beneficial now, what if there were side effects, or problems yet to come? And who could create something with such exaggerated effects? He couldn’t even imagine someone breaking through S-level mental power; he himself was S-level, and knew the might it conferred. In fact, he didn’t realize that since awakening, Xuanxuan’s mental power had already surpassed the so-called S-level.

He opened his neural terminal and contacted Wan Qi Yi. “Father.”

Seeing Wan Qi Lianhao’s expression, the old man asked, “Is Xuanxuan better?”

“Yes, the results are in. A surge of energy is continually enhancing Xuanxuan’s constitution. The energy is simply too great for her to withstand, which caused these issues. But now, the energy inside her is repairing her body. There’s little cause for concern,” Wan Qi Lianhao replied, then frowned, “Father, have you ever heard of any drug or substance capable of breaking through S-level mental power?”

Wan Qi Yi’s brows shot up. “Breaking S-level mental power with an external force? Impossible. When I broke through to S myself, it was after years of training and the traumatic shock of your mother’s accident. I’ve never heard of any drug or substance that could do it. Are you saying Xuanxuan has already broken through S-level?”

Wan Qi Lianhao nodded, his frown deepening. “You know Xuanxuan was born with deficiencies, her constitution not even at F-level. But just now, she’s tested at D, and her mental power has surpassed S.”

“What?” Wan Qi Yi shot to his feet. “Xuanxuan’s constitution is now D, and her mental power above S? You think it was the serum?”

Wan Qi Lianhao, seeing his father’s shock, gave a wry smile. “Yes. It’s not a suspicion—it’s fact. After dinner, the doctor examined her and found nothing unusual, and I could sense no special energy in her body. But after breakfast, when I left, Xuanxuan drank a bottle of this blue serum. In less than half an hour, her condition erupted. But I have no idea how it ended up in her bed. Before breakfast, I dressed her myself; there was nothing on the bed. After breakfast, I took her back to sleep—still nothing. Yet soon after I left, she found the bottle under her covers and drank it.”

He glanced at the vial in front of the neural terminal, frowning for a long time before speaking again. “You’re to set out at once, bringing everything Xuanxuan might need. Seal all information—say only that her health is poor. Return to Imperial Star immediately. Bring all forces from the surrounding star regions. I’ll send your brothers to meet you en route. With her constitution improved and her mental power breaking S, I fear if word gets out, it will drive people mad. As for the bottle’s origins, leave someone behind to investigate thoroughly, though if it could bypass all security, you may never discover the truth.”

“Yes, Father. I know what’s at stake.” Wan Qi Lianhao nodded solemnly.

His father, knowing his son well, continued, “I’ll quickly arrange for the key personnel to accompany your brothers and check Xuanxuan for any sequelae. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

Wan Qi Lianhao smiled bitterly and nodded. There was nothing else to be done. “Yi Qiong, arrange for maximum protection. We leave immediately. All previous information is to be sealed; no one is to know Xuanxuan’s true condition. Release a statement that her injuries worsened and we must return to Imperial Star for treatment.”

Yi Qiong immediately set to work. Wan Qi Lianhao turned to the doctor, “Move the capsule to the starship; you know the importance of this. Begin coordinating with the new medical team—all of them must be from the Wan family.”

The doctor nodded, fully aware of the gravity of the situation.