Chapter 10 Green Chirp-Chirp Gui Banjing

　　Sitting in the vehicle, Wei Yin’s gaze involuntarily drifted toward the colorful spirit-plant gardens around him. In reality, his eyeballs barely moved at all, but his vision began to focus, fixing steadily on the unfamiliar sights inside the garden.
　　Major General Sain noticed the change in Wei Yin, but he did not become suspicious—not yet. From their time in the flying car, it had already been obvious that Major General Sain did not truly regard Wei Yin as a mindless wooden idiot. Nor did he treat Wei Yin like everyone else did, as a chess piece or prop in some political game. He cared for Wei Yin as though he were looking after a younger brother, attentive in every detail.
　　Without caring whether Wei Yin understood, Major General Sain naturally pointed toward the garden and explained, “That is the Earl’s spirit-plant garden. During the Battle of Ten Thousand Beasts, it was one of the main sources of medicine supplied to the battlefield. Some Planters specializing in medicine-making still live there today. They are descendants of the people who remained after that battle, including both humans and beastfolk. Nearly all the estate’s food ingredients and some of its medicinal materials are supplied from here.”
　　The vehicle entered the garden road and slowed even further. From time to time, Major General Sain explained something else to Wei Yin.
　　“That tree is a Jade Apex Tree. It is probably the only Jade Apex Tree left anywhere in the Empire or Federation.” Major General Sain raised a hand and pointed toward a tree inside a distant glass greenhouse that looked carved from jade. “Earl An planted it. I heard Earl An also had living plants that awakened intelligence—the Treant race. But some people say Treants are already extinct. In any case, apart from recordings of the tree Earl An possessed, I have never seen another Treant.”
　　Major General Sain seemed to sink into his memories. A faint curve touched his lips, and his gaze toward the garden was gentle.
　　But he soon came back to himself. He turned, about to continue explaining something to Wei Yin, and happened to meet Wei Yin’s curious gaze fixed outside the window.
　　Wei Yin’s beautiful large eyes were bright and vivid, clean and clear like gemstones washed in water. They were filled with wonder as he stared at the Jade Apex Tree Major General Sain had just pointed out. As if seeing these things for the first time, he had unconsciously leaned his body slightly forward, the longing in his eyes written plainly across his face.
　　Could a wooden puppet show that expression or movement?
　　Wei Yin also seemed not to have expected Major General Sain to turn so suddenly. The instant their eyes met, his whole body froze. Then he rapidly emptied his gaze again, transforming in a blink back into the unknowing, unfeeling wooden puppet.
　　Major General Sain frowned slightly. He studied Wei Yin’s eyes and quickly realized that what he had seen was not an illusion. Although Wei Yin concealed it well, there were still minute changes in his expression—signs of fear.
　　As if to confirm Major General Sain’s suspicion, a layer of mist gathered in Wei Yin’s eyes. He blinked, and the moisture was swept away by his long lashes, clinging wetly to them as they trembled faintly. He looked terrified, as though one more touch would snap his nerves and make him faint on the spot.
　　Major General Sain’s gaze shifted, suspicion rising inside him. But for now, to avoid genuinely frightening Wei Yin, he first showed him a smile. Then he reached into his pocket, took out another milk candy, unwrapped it, and placed it in Wei Yin’s mouth. He stroked Wei Yin’s hair and continued introducing the surroundings as though nothing had happened.
　　Seeing that Major General Sain did not pursue the strange look from earlier and apparently had not noticed anything unusual, Wei Yin slowly relaxed again as he listened. But he was more cautious now. He did not turn his head and instead moved only his eyes, secretly—at least, secretly in his own opinion—observing the scenery around him.
　　For a high-level Sentinel like Major General Sain, however, none of those “secret” movements could possibly escape notice.
　　Wei Yin was not an idiot. At the very least, he was not the “completely unresponsive to the outside world” idiot described by the An family. Major General Sain had already accepted that as fact.
　　Afterward, Major General Sain stopped the vehicle in front of a spirit-plant greenhouse. He brought Wei Yin inside and seated him on a vine swing chair to rest. After saying a few more words to Wei Yin, he went outside the greenhouse himself.
　　Major General Sain did not go far and stood directly at the greenhouse entrance. He opened his terminal and contacted Charlie. “Charlie, send all of Wei Yin’s medical records and examination reports to my terminal. Not only what the An family provided. I want every piece of information from the time he was born onward. Mm, you can ask Damm to help. There’s no rush, but I want it detailed.”
　　Inside the greenhouse, Wei Yin, whose hearing had been enhanced by Shangyang, listened to everything Major General Sain said and raised a glittering golden “V” in his heart. “Please call me the Emperor of Acting~”
　　Shangyang: “…” He had done well, but for some reason Shangyang simply did not want to praise him.
　　Wei Yin: “But do you really think Major General Sain will find anything?”
　　Shangyang: “As long as he finds evidence that you were subjected to multiple surgeries, that’s enough. Sometimes a truth someone tries too hard to hide is easier to believe.”
　　Wei Yin: “…Oh.”
　　Shangyang: “You didn’t understand that.”
　　Wei Yin: “Mm.”
　　Shangyang: “Doesn’t matter. You just focus on going all out with the acting.”
　　Wei Yin: “Mm!”
　　Shangyang: “…” That exclamation mark gives me a bad feeling.
　　Although Major General Sain had said there was no hurry, Charlie quickly sent over the information he already had. Major General Sain stood outside reading it. Inside, Wei Yin grew impatient from sitting still, so he simply turned his head and looked around.
　　The greenhouse was full of spirit plants. Wei Yin knew none of them, but even he could feel that the air inside was different.
　　Wei Yin took a deep breath and sighed. “I always heard people brag about how miraculous spirit medicines were. I thought it was just marketing. Turns out it’s real.”
　　Shangyang: “…I remember low-level Sentinels having courses related to spirit medicines too.”
　　Wei Yin: “The old squad leader was the one who got me an Imperial citizen ID. Where was I supposed to go to school?”
　　Shangyang was stunned. “You had no legal identity?”
　　Wei Yin: “Yep. Didn’t you look through my memories? I was originally an orphan in the Federation, but right after I left the orphanage I ran into an insect tide. You know I always wanted to enlist, so I joined in fighting the insectoids. I fought and fought until I got knocked unconscious, and when I woke up I was on an Imperial military starship. Then somehow, in all the chaos, I got folded into the Imperial army. You know how urgent things are on a battlefield. It wasn’t until the starship returned that the old squad leader realized I was from the Federation. But the fare to send me back was too expensive, so he got me a collective Imperial-orphan ID number instead, and I stayed in the Empire.”
　　Shangyang: “…”
　　Wei Yin: “??”
　　Shangyang: “…Nothing. I just suddenly developed a powerful sense of crisis concerning national security.”
　　Wei Yin chuckled and was about to say something when Shangyang abruptly warned him, “Major General Sain finished reading the files. He’s standing outside watching you.”
　　Hearing that, Wei Yin’s expression immediately changed as he entered Film-Emperor Mode. He had already been secretly looking around. Now, as though he had finally gathered enough courage, he stole a glance toward the entrance. Seeing that Major General Sain still had his back turned, he relaxed and reached toward a small flower beside him.
　　It was a tall herbaceous spirit plant bearing white blossoms. The flowers resembled white egrets spreading their wings in flight, with long white stamens trailing behind them and swaying gently in the greenhouse breeze as though alive.
　　Wei Yin carefully touched one of the stamens. The drooping filament immediately sprang upward and tapped lightly against Wei Yin’s finger, leaving a dusting of white pollen.
　　Wei Yin jumped and snatched his hand back. He stared blankly at his finger, looking completely at a loss.
　　Almost at the same moment, Wei Yin’s enhanced ears caught a low laugh. It was short and still trapped in the throat before being abruptly cut off.
　　Immediately afterward came an audible click of a lock from outside. The greenhouse had an electronic door and normally opened soundlessly; Major General Sain had obviously made the noise on purpose.
　　Naturally, Wei Yin “startled.” He hurriedly sat upright again and emptied his eyes, resuming his wooden-puppet act. Only the vine swing chair, still swaying faintly, betrayed him.
　　But both people inside the greenhouse tacitly “failed” to notice this flaw.
　　Major General Sain walked slowly up to Wei Yin, then unexpectedly dropped to one knee in front of him. He looked up at Wei Yin. Wei Yin’s eyes were empty, but his throat moved involuntarily as he swallowed the last bit of dissolved milk candy.
　　A hint of amusement gathered at Major General Sain’s lips again. He took Wei Yin’s hand and gently wiped the pollen from his finger with a handkerchief.
　　Wei Yin’s fingertip curled by the smallest degree, as though he knew he had exposed himself and felt uneasy.
　　Major General Sain noticed the movement. He opened his palm and placed Wei Yin’s hand on top of it, palm to palm. Looking seriously into Wei Yin’s eyes, he said, “Wei Yin, I will not hurt you.”
　　Naturally, Wei Yin did not react.
　　Major General Sain was not discouraged. He put away the handkerchief, pulled Wei Yin to his feet, and said, “I’ll take you to see the orchard.”
　　Wei Yin let Major General Sain lead him away. This time they did not use the vehicle. Major General Sain matched Wei Yin’s pace, taking small, slow steps. When flowering branches extended into their path, Major General Sain reached out to hold them aside for him. Sometimes, he even took Wei Yin’s hand and guided it toward leaves and flowers so Wei Yin could feel them himself…
　　Shangyang: “…So why has your fog turned maiden-pink again?”
　　Wei Yin: “Sob sob sob, the Major General is really so gentle~”
　　Shangyang: “I hope he pokes you this gently tonight too.”
　　Wei Yin: “You know, there’s an old saying from Ancient Earth.”
　　Shangyang: “What?”
　　Wei Yin: “To die beneath a peony blossom is to die a romantic ghost!”
　　Shangyang: “…A few days ago you were still cursing your precious peony with impotence.”
　　Wei Yin: “Times change~”
　　Shangyang: “…”
　　Author’s Note:
　　————————
　　Ding—your friend [Wife-Protecting Maniac] is now online.
　　Current wife-protection level: LV.1.
　　Please feed him items such as [2-point comments, nutrient solution] to accelerate his growth and level-ups.
　　**
　　Ding—your friend [Husband-Protecting Maniac] is now online.
　　Current husband-protection level: LV.0. (Infatuation special effect active.)
　　Please feed him items such as [2-point comments, nutrient solution] to accelerate his growth and level-ups.