The girl thought, 'Luckily I didn't follow that person…'
'Otherwise I'd have to help them rule the universe again and again…'
'Oh, and sometimes I might even get targeted by extremely troublesome powerful enemies.'
That was a high dimensional being existing in the time dimension, deeply in love with humans for unknown reasons.
The girl's gaze fell on Zandar.
It was just that this kind of love… no one knew how many researchers close to that person had been killed because of it.
In the end, when facing that being in battle, the human who was loved only had two choices, accept or refuse this love.
If they accepted this love, stars would be blown into black holes, and the surrounding planets would turn into wasteland.
If they refused, the high dimensional being would personally descend and fight the human.
'Luckily I didn't follow that person… otherwise even nanomachines that don't truly die would still be exhausted to death!'
Zandar looked at the girl.
She was a nanomachine who had gone through who knows how many cycles of reincarnation together with him and Eric, Gray Wind.
According to Gray Wind, it was a fleet made of countless nanomachines. Before this, it would consume everything on a planet's surface to copy its own kind. Other than killing and destroying planets, they did nothing else.
Gray Wind explained its own situation in detail, then suddenly changed the topic. Using only the four words "after many twists and turns," it skipped what happened in between and went straight to the moment it arrived in another world and met Eric.
Humans and nanomachines knew nothing about each other. After just a few sentences, Gray Wind swore loyalty to Eric.
Gray Wind asked Eric whether he needed a leader, a warship, or a ground unit.
Eric gave a fourth option.
After looking through the records he had left behind, Zandar learned about the contract between Gray Wind and Eric.
Gray Wind would agree to three conditions from his student.
This contract would end after Eric became an ordinary person.
During this period, Gray Wind would help save low dimensional worlds and protect Zandar.
As for the third condition, Gray Wind said Eric never mentioned it.
Zandar sighed to the nanomachine who knew the inside story, "It seems the Xianzhou and his hometown really are very similar, enough to make him transfer his feelings and develop emotions toward them."
"Even… he argues with me for people who don't really matter."
Gray Wind thought for a moment and said, "Maybe because… they're very obedient and don't fight among themselves?"
Zandar nodded. "You're right, that's probably part of the reason too."
"I never thought his subordinates and successor would live until today."
He thought, hopefully Eric wouldn't make a choice to sacrifice himself because of human nature.
That was the situation he least wanted to see.
For that, he would do everything he could to stop him.
"…Better end all this as soon as possible."
Zandar said with a smile, "Want to make a bet with me? I bet this time he'll stay awake all night over a child that doesn't even exist."
Gray Wind said, "I think so too. Only his subordinates who serve him are pitiful, they'll probably have to work overtime with him too."
———
Just as they expected, after Zandar hung up the call, Zero went to Guanliang and asked about the medical supplies he had used and similar items.
Through the jade communicator, he couldn't see his subordinate's expression, only heard almost death like silence.
Zero's face darkened, and he asked coldly, "What's wrong?"
Guanliang stayed silent first. He quickly made a deduction, immediately put their communication on speaker, and sent a message to the former Alchemy Commision Heads.
[When investigating, don't panic. Say whatever should be said]
The Alchemy Commision Head was very panicked.
[Does the Marshal know?]
Guanliang spoke with difficulty, "I just think, people can't, at least shouldn't."
His hands kept moving.
[Stay calm, he doesn't know]
[Just checking where the medical supplies went. If any remain, destroy them immediately]
[If he knew, he wouldn't be destroying these things]
Very soon, Guanliang returned to his usual tone of frustration, like hating iron for not becoming steel.
"No one is collecting your medical trash!"
"And seriously, can you have some basic common sense?"
"Is there a possibility that you alone can't produce a child?"
"Or did Marty develop some new technology that lets you skip dating and marriage?"
After hearing this, Zero relaxed inside and replied, "Not Marty. Just in case, check it as soon as possible."
Guanliang wouldn't let it go, still grabbing irrelevant details and continuing to ask, "If it's not Marty, then who?"
Zero took a deep breath.
"What, are you planning to deal with that person? Is that the point? The point is I don't want a child appearing out of nowhere!"
Seeing he couldn't get an answer, Guanliang stopped pressing. He turned to probe Marty for information. After getting a reply, he couldn't help hesitating.
Zandar, first member of the Genius Society.
Did he stumble onto this by accident? Or did he guess the truth?
If Zandar guessed the truth, why didn't he tell the Marshal?
Guanliang couldn't figure it out.
No matter what, this person couldn't be left alive.
But if he wanted to deal with Zandar without the Marshal knowing… that would be very difficult.
Guanliang chose to throw the question to his superior.
"Should we silence him?"
At this moment, Zero finally understood the earlier feeling of Guanliang's collapse and helplessness.
He said irritably, "Silence what?! Handle the important things first."
Guanliang had no choice but to give up that idea. After repeated confirmation between them, Zero finally relaxed.
Over thousands of years, all the medical supplies he had used had been dealt with.
As for women he had contact with… very few.
The most crossing the line was a rumor from thousands of years ago. The rumored partner was Aha, the Aeon of "Elation."
At that time he was the Yaoqing general, and Aha had been sent by him to become a Divination master. To retaliate, Aha came looking for him.
According to the rumor, he and the Divination master Aha had a child.
Zero, "..."
Being called dad by an Aeon really wasn't for nothing.
Guanliang very much understood his superior.
He had kept away from women and stayed single for thousands of years, yet suddenly an Aeon splashed dirty water on him.
He did nothing, yet gained a Divination master lover plus a grown son.
Honestly, who wouldn't collapse?
Guanliang tried to comfort him, "Don't worry. Only a small number of people discussed it back then. The records were handled long ago."
"Oh, except the Aeon of 'Elation' calling you dad. I think there's no need to hide that."
After handling everything, Zero rubbed his brow with one hand, hung up the call with the other, then looked out the floor to ceiling window.
It was dawn.
Zero, "..."
He and Guanliang had stayed up the whole night…
No matter how you think about it, it's Aha's fault.
Zero quickly took a shower. When he walked into the dining room, he saw Marty.
Marty had taken over the waiter's job, picking food from the dining cart and placing it on the table.
Hearing footsteps, Marty looked up, gave Zero a careful, ingratiating smile, and said cautiously, "I refused Mr. Zandar. Please don't be angry."
"I'm not angry…" Zero sighed helplessly. He glanced at the breakfast on the table and continued, "Let's eat together."
Marty immediately relaxed. After sitting down, he copied the chief strategist's manner and reported today's schedule to the Marshal.
After hearing this, Zero asked uncertainly, "Other than that, nothing else?"
Marty hesitated in tone, "If you want, you could interrogate… oh no, torture Shuhu."
Zero firmly refused.
He and Shuhu would have plenty of time together later.
"Forget it. This afternoon come walk around with me."
After breakfast, Marty eagerly brought Zero to the cloakroom.
Inside the glass cabinet hung black, white, and dark blue ceremonial military uniforms.
After Zero's subordinates learned he had started buying trench coats and suits, they immediately followed his lead and had specialists design new uniforms.
The ceremonial uniforms were complicated, with collar flowers, epaulettes, badges, ribbons and so on.
As for medals... Did the Marshal really need to wear them?
Zero took out the white ceremonial uniform.
If he weren't going to Locufox Forest… he wouldn't wear something this formal.
His eyes landed on a long white coat in the wardrobe.
"Bring that coat later. As for accessories… remove them all."
Marty nodded in agreement, holding the neutron gun holster strap in one hand and a bracelet in the other.
Marty said softly, "Besides the basic jade communicator functions, you can use it to mobilize all weapons of the Xianzhou Alliance."
"Wish you a pleasant trip."
Zero understood.
"Looks like you and Guanliang get along pretty well."
Marty's tone was light. "We get along very well."
Zero nodded, "That's good."
Then he wouldn't need to worry too much.
Wait… the jade communicator was originally equipment for monitoring Xianzhou people's physical condition, so the Ten Lords Commission could handle mara struck cases.
Zero hesitated and asked again, "When you say it has the basic jade communicator functions, what do you mean exactly?"
Marty quickly said, "Don't worry. It won't record audio, won't take video, and won't expose your location. Only the most basic physical monitoring function."
Zero thought for a moment, "I understand."
He took the holster and bracelet and said, "I'll keep our agreement."
Marty froze briefly.
He never expected that even now, the Marshal still remembered their agreement.
Marty smiled lightly and shook his head, watching him leave the cloakroom toward the dressing room.
He thought, if it's you, even being a god of killing… it doesn't matter.
———
[At The Same Time, At An Academy In Cangcheng]
Children each held prepared bouquets, waiting for the arriving motorcade.
They quietly discussed the road closures and the Starskiff Sea from yesterday.
"My dad said roads haven't been closed for thousands of years…"
"Forget roads, when has the Starskiff Sea ever been closed? Could it be the 'Reignbow Arbiter' coming in person?"
The teacher had no time to stop the noisy children. She kept looking around, finally helplessly looking at a white haired red eyed little girl nearby.
"Jingliu, did you see the class monitor?"