Doctor Lu Always Wants To Steal My Baby! Chapter 18
byChapter 18 Xiang Heng
Lu Changqing received He Leyan’s messages the next day.
He received many of them, seemingly sent in succession. The child first asked him about the Mystics, then inquired about several terms related to warships and starships. What had He Chen told him?
As Lu Changqing was pondering this, he scrolled to the last two messages: one asked about the “big monster’s” injured ear, and the other asked what it meant when someone spat blood, and if it meant they were sick.
Lu Changqing frowned, stepped away from the lavish banquet, and called He Leyan: “Leyan, are you back from the patrol?”
“Still on the starship, almost back,” He Leyan answered methodically. After answering, he called out “Daddy,” which brought out his usual childish softness and dependence.
“Daddy got your messages. What is it, did someone spit blood?”
“Mhm,” He Leyan bit his lip and lowered his voice, “It was the big monster.”
“Your father?” Lu Changqing’s eyes darkened slightly. “How is Father now?”
“Now—” He Leyan looked at He Chen, who was completely engrossed in a sniper game with large headphones on. “He’s fine now.”
“Hand the phone to Father,” Lu Changqing said.
But he’s really busy right now. He Leyan hesitated for a moment, but still tugged on He Chen.
“What is it, Leyan? Do you want to try? Come, Father will teach you!” He Chen was excited, but a voice as clear and cold as ice transmitted through He Leyan’s terminal, calming him down considerably—
“Teach Leyan what?”
“Ah, nothing.” He Chen felt inexplicably guilty. “Just some basic small-unit combat skills.”
As He Chen spoke, he muted the game’s sound and seized the opportunity to land a shot on his opponent.
“Leyan said you spat blood. What happened?”
He Chen glanced at He Leyan, pulling his focus away from the game. “Nothing much. We encountered a small accident during the patrol. What did Leyan tell you?”
“Leyan is very worried about you.”
“Really?” He Chen’s eyes brightened, then he cleared his throat with a composed air. “Hmm, I see. I’m fine.”
“What kind of accident did you encounter? Is the injury serious?”
“It’s not serious, and nothing much happened. Doctor Lu, the patrol is a military operation, and I cannot disclose the details. You don’t need to ask further in the future.”
Since Leyan was involved, they would inevitably have to communicate, and He Chen felt it necessary to make this point clear beforehand.
“Doctor Lu” on the other end was silent for a moment, then answered calmly: “Understood. That was thoughtless of me. Commander He, please take care of your health. Whether the injury is big or small, it’s best to have a thorough check-up once you return to base.”
*
“Changqing, come here.” Returning to the banquet, Lu Changqing was summoned by the Emperor seated on the main throne. “Changqing, something has happened. Do you know what occurred at the Han River Base?”
Lu Changqing narrowed his eyes for a moment. “I do not.”
“They encountered a Mystic warship during their patrol,” the Emperor said in a heavy tone.
Mystics?
Lu Changqing lowered his gaze slightly. A palace attendant poured him wine. Seeing that he did not wave it away as he usually did, the attendant was surprised and carefully continued to pour slowly.
“Yun Qi said it was the Sirius Clan. I couldn’t believe it when I received his message.” Concubine He, seated beside the throne, clutched her chest. “Your Majesty, I am anxious. Please call Yun Qi back. That child is foolish, his mind is full of excitement, saying he wants to advance and retreat alongside the soldiers. No matter what I say, he won’t listen!”
“Sirius Clan…” The Emperor repeated the name as if chewing on it, then suddenly reacted, looking at Concubine He with displeasure. “So what if it’s the Sirius Clan? Didn’t you force him to go out for experience before?”
“I wanted him to gain experience, not to be sent to his—” Concubine He stopped mid-sentence, realizing her slip-up. She changed her expression to one of delicate pleading. “Your Majesty…”
“Enough. Didn’t Yun Qi say it was only one ship and they drove it away? Don’t worry needlessly. Yun Qi isn’t afraid, so what are you afraid of?”
“That child is simple-minded; he doesn’t know fear,” Concubine He chided.
“Oh, my son is simple-minded? Concubine He, are you scolding him, or scolding me?”
The Emperor was visibly aging. Though his question was not loud and his tone was light and playful, Concubine He immediately lowered her head, her beautiful face pale. “I wouldn’t dare!”
“The Third Prince is brave and composed when facing the enemy. He truly has the shadow of Your Majesty in his youth, worthy of Your Majesty’s bloodline,” Lu Changqing, who had been listening quietly nearby, said slowly.
“But in her eyes, both Yun Qi and I are simple-minded!” The Emperor snorted again, though he no longer sounded genuinely displeased.
Concubine He’s heart settled. She didn’t dare raise her head, but lifted the corner of her eye, giving Lu Changqing a grateful look.
*
“What happened? You encountered a Mystic warship?”
When the patrol team returned to the Han River Base, Xiang Heng was already leading people at the gangway to greet them. Seeing He Chen step off the starship, he immediately approached.
“Nothing much.” He Chen took He Leyan from Ning Tian, carried him down, and stood holding his hand, sizing up Xiang Heng. “How was your rest?”
“This isn’t the time to talk about that,” Xiang Heng said, though he also glanced at the father and son. “Was there a conflict? Are you—and everyone else—alright?”
He looked at the soldiers who were disembarking sequentially.
“I’m not alright!” Chu Yunqi looked haggard as he stepped off the ship. “Instructor Xiang, you’ve ruined me! Quick, prepare hot water for a bath, and call your therapist to relax me. Oh, I’m dizzy, I have a headache…”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Xiang Heng didn’t waste time arguing with him, signaling logistics personnel to come and lead Chu Yunqi away.
Xiang Heng looked back at He Chen and kept pace with him. “The military department already knows about the incident. They want us to submit a report immediately, explaining the whole story. What happened? How did you encounter the Sirius Clan?”
“Internal strife. Some minor figure who lost favor probably caused trouble and is on the run, scurrying around everywhere.”
He Chen quickened his pace. “I’m heading back to the dorm. Leyan hasn’t had milk for two days, only nutrient paste. I need to quickly make him a cup.”
“Let Deng Tie make it,” Xiang Heng said. “The report is urgent.”
“Haven’t I told you the situation? Let Ning Tian dictate the rest, and you write it down. Ning Tian knows the details.”
He Chen irresponsibly dumped the task on Ning Tian and continued walking forward, pulling his son along.
Ning Tian stopped, frowning. Since the starship approached the base, the Commander had been inexplicably anxious, as if something was unsettling him, and it was even more obvious now.
Xiang Heng still followed He Chen. “There’s one more thing I need to report to you.”
He Chen’s steps paused for a moment, but he didn’t turn around. “Later. I need a shower too.”
He walked forward again, but this time He Leyan stopped, holding him back. His small voice was tender yet serious. “There’s still something else. Did you forget?”
“What did I forget?” He Chen’s voice instantly softened, even sounding a little fawning—He Leyan had let him hold his hand and walk this far, so now He Chen would agree to anything he said.
“You need to get checked,” He Leyan said earnestly.
He Chen was stunned. The cub had been remembering this the whole time?
“I’ll do it!” He Chen’s eyes suddenly brightened, shining intensely. “Daddy will get checked right after drinking his milk!”
He forgot himself and picked up He Leyan, rushing back to the dormitory area like a gust of wind.
Xiang Heng watched their retreating figures disappear, frowning. He looked at Ning Tian. “What check-up? Is he injured?”
*
He Chen hadn’t sustained any physical injuries, but his spiritual domain had been shaken.
The relationship between a Warrior and their spiritual entity is special; they are both independent and one. The battle between the Snow Wolf and Ruper had consumed a massive amount of He Chen’s spiritual power in a short time.
“The Commander’s spiritual domain has been unstable recently, so he shouldn’t have engaged in combat,” Shao Ying said, turning off the monitoring equipment. “The fluctuation value is on the critical line. The Commander has entered a period of volatility. It would be best not to use spiritual power for the next month, no, two months.”
Two months? He Chen frowned. “Understood.”
“If you have a headache, you can try meditation. If the pain is severe, don’t try to endure it. Come find me anytime.”
“Okay,” He Chen nodded.
“You must also rest quietly. Avoid excessive stimulation of all five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—to prevent triggering a spiritual power outburst.”
“I know.” He Chen stood up and removed the wires connected to his wrist.
Shao Ying wasn’t sure if he truly understood—after all, he had a history of acting against advice. The more he was told to avoid stimulation, the more he couldn’t resist playing games with intense sound and light effects.
“Commander, you know the consequences of an outburst. Please take this seriously.”
For a Warrior, one or two outbursts were nothing, but repeated outbursts were dangerous. At that point, even the most skilled therapist couldn’t pull them back, and the Warrior would be forever lost in a violent world, devoid of order, control, reason, and consciousness.
“I will take it seriously.” He Chen’s expression was genuinely earnest. “I’m a father now.”
He curved his lips proudly.
That’s good. Seeing that he was serious, Shao Ying breathed a sigh of relief. “Commander, the triennial review is due. Shouldn’t you return to Star Capital? Your spiritual domain level is already S-class. Frankly, my soothing efforts aren’t very effective. When you return to Star Capital, please be sure to seek a deep treatment session with our Director Lu.”
Seek who? He Chen’s expression stiffened. “Uh, I understand.”
He pushed the door open with a somewhat unnatural look. Xiang Heng and Ning Tian were waiting outside, their four eyes scanning him with concern.
“I’m fine.” He Chen felt goosebumps from their scrutiny. “Is the report finished?”
Xiang Heng handed over an electronic file pad.
He Chen scanned it quickly, offered no revisions, and stamped his electronic seal at the end of the file.
Xiang Heng sent the file and looked at He Chen. “Commander, there is something I need to report immediately.”
“What is it?” He Chen asked, looking at Ning Tian. “You go back and rest.”
“It would be better for Ning Tian to hear it too. It concerns internal defense,” Xiang Heng said.
He Chen’s fingers, hanging by his side, tensed for a moment.
“Alright, let’s talk in my office.”
*
“The incident happened yesterday morning. It was my oversight, poor supervision. Several high-ranking members of the Fire Fox somehow bribed a small guard. The guard delivered poison to them, and they all committed suicide.”
“Suicide?” Ning Tian abruptly looked up. “How is that possible?”
Those desperate criminals—he would sooner believe they tried to escape!
“I don’t know, but based on the surveillance we urgently investigated, that’s what happened.”
“Were they rescued, then?” Ning Tian calmed down for a moment and asked.
“We tried, but it was too late.”
“Not a single survivor?” Ning Tian asked.
“None.”
None. Ning Tian repeated the word internally, clenching his fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. “Then what about Jin Ge’s revenge? What about the brothers who died unjustly three years ago! Someone colluded with the Fire Fox and leaked information, which is why we—”
“Ning Tian.” He Chen, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. “Collusion, unjust death—those are things you discuss privately. Don’t bring them up here and talk nonsense.”
“I—”
“If you talk nonsense again, leave.” He Chen cut Ning Tian off and turned to Xiang Heng. “What about that small guard?”
“He committed suicide by poison out of fear of the crime, and died in the duty room.”
“Died?”
He Chen was silent for a moment, then raised his head from behind the desk, looking into Xiang Heng’s eyes.
“How old was he, to be used as someone else’s pawn and throw away his life?”
Xiang Heng’s expression was calm. “No matter his age, since he could be bought, he had already abandoned morality and conscience. His death is not regrettable.”
“What if he was coerced or tempted? What if being a pawn was not his intention?”
He Chen asked sharply, then, facing the silent Xiang Heng, he took a breath and calmed down, his voice softening:
“If he was forced, he could have explained it clearly, and we could have faced it together, couldn’t we?”
As he spoke, he stared intently at Xiang Heng, like a child hoping for an affirmative answer.
Xiang Heng was still for a moment, avoiding his gaze, and said in a businesslike manner: “He was a new recruit, 21 years old, a graduate of the Military Technical College. His previous files are being investigated. If there are other hidden circumstances, we hope to find a loophole.”
…
“You’ve gone to great lengths,” He Chen said after a moment of silence.
He withdrew his gaze, which briefly touched the photo frame on the desk, then moved away, his eyes reddening for a moment.
“I’m already writing the report. This incident was entirely due to my poor supervision, and I will take full responsibility,” Xiang Heng said calmly.
“Internal defense is my duty. I was poor at selecting personnel and didn’t detect the loophole early enough. I’ll take this blame,” Ning Tian said, standing up with a sullen face.
“There’s no need for that. They were just a few space pirates, guilty of every crime imaginable. They deserved to die,” He Chen smiled, his tone relaxed. “You two go back. I’ll report this to the higher-ups.”
“How do you plan to report it?” Ning Tian questioned coldly. “Other matters can be minimized, but not this one. They couldn’t have committed suicide!”
“Why not? Can’t a space pirate suddenly have a change of heart and apologize with death?” He Chen seemed annoyed. “If you don’t believe it, go investigate on your own ability. Don’t stand here nagging me. It’s giving me a headache. I need quiet rest! Do you understand quiet rest?”
“Fine, you rest.” Ning Tian glanced at him, picked up his military cap from the coffee table, and strode out with sharp, decisive steps, not looking back.
The door slammed shut with a loud bang.
“Bastard,” He Chen muttered, looking at the door.
“Since you need quiet rest, I’ll head back too,” Xiang Heng said, placing a report on his desk. “This is the report. It’s too late today; you can read it tomorrow.”
He Chen nodded, watched him turn, and then suddenly spoke. “Brother Xiang, the rotation of garrison points is coming up. What are your plans?”
Xiang Heng paused. “I haven’t considered that yet.”
“Well, you should consider it,” He Chen said without emotion. “Your parents are getting old. Brother Xiang, try to stay in Star Capital for the next rotation. Don’t come back to Han River to suffer.”
“Alright,” Xiang Heng turned around. “I will seriously consider it. You’re tired, don’t overthink things. Get some rest.”
*
After watching Xiang Heng leave, He Chen sat quietly for a while. He tapped his terminal, and moments later, an inconspicuous military officer knocked and entered, reporting a few things to He Chen in a low voice and presenting him with a document.
He Chen dismissed him and, without any change in expression, read the document alone.
Ning Tian thought that with the Fire Fox members dead, the evidence was gone, but that wasn’t true. Before escorting the Fire Fox members back to the base, He Chen had already interrogated them and obtained evidence. He wasn’t completely unaware of what Xiang Heng was doing; rather, he had intentionally allowed it.
He needed more evidence, and he also wanted to use the opportunity to pull out the hidden nails completely.
However, no matter how much evidence he gathered, tracing the “true culprit” behind the scenes would inevitably involve Xiang Heng in the middle.
He Chen closed the file, glanced at the photo frame again, and clenched his fingers.
Xiang Heng was right; he was tired, truly exhausted.
But after sitting for a moment, he vigorously rubbed his face, stood up, and strode toward the dormitory.