Chapter 140: The Burial Ground

“Instructor Philo?”

Lei Po stared intently at the hatch behind him. There were indeed more people inside—but not the ones he had expected.

Dressed in black and gold uniforms, the Alpha soldiers armed themselves and stepped out in unison, standing expressionlessly behind Philo.

The hatch closed, yet Lei Po still hadn’t seen Instructor Aiger.

“Looking for Aiger?”

Philo smiled at him. “Unfortunate timing. Aiger had unfinished business to handle, so I’ll be taking over here.”

“Are these the test subjects you retrieved?”

With a warm smile in his light amber eyes, Philo scanned the wary Alphas watching him. “Impressive.”

“Lei Po, you did well on this mission. I’m proud of you. Come aboard, I’ll take you back to the Federal Military Academy.”

A Federal instructor had arrived—along with an elite group of Alphas to assist them. As long as he got on that aircraft, the mission would be successfully completed.

Lei Po should have felt relieved. But the unease in his heart refused to fade.

It was as if the sword of Damocles dangled precariously above his head. His instincts screamed that something was wrong.

Laili would have contacted Instructor Aiger. Yet at such a crucial moment, Aiger was suddenly unavailable… And why send Instructor Philo instead?

They didn’t even get along.

No, that wasn’t right. With a major enemy before them, Aiger would have put personal feelings aside.

Was he overthinking things?

A quiet sigh came from above.

“Lei Po, what are you hesitating for?”

“Come aboard. Bring the test subjects with you—they look exhausted.”

At those words, Lei Po hesitated for a moment. But out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the Alphas huddled behind him and Chi Fei—alert, uneasy.

Chi Fei’s words suddenly echoed in his mind.

Lei Po steadied himself, gripping his energy blade tightly before speaking. “What’s keeping Aiger so busy?”

“He assigned this mission, and now he’s leaving me stranded? Instructor, call him for me. I swear, I’ll curse him to death!”

“It’s another mission,” Philo said apologetically. “If I disturb him now, Aiger might beat me up too.”

He chuckled naturally. “After all, that guy has always hated me. He wouldn’t miss the chance.”

Nothing seemed off.

Was he really just overthinking?

Another sigh, low and soft, like a parent dealing with an unruly child.

“Focus. The Alpha you’re holding is about to break free.”

At those words, Lei Po instinctively tightened his grip. He looked down at the Alpha in his grasp—only to see a strange, unsettling smile.

Shit!

A sharp whistling sound tore through the air. Lei Po barely had time to release the Alpha and shove the people beside him aside before shouting—

“Chi Fei, get down—!”

Chi Fei immediately pulled the younger Alphas to the ground. Looking toward Lei Po, his pupils contracted. “Watch out!”

A dull thud rang out. A quantum bullet pierced Lei Po’s left shoulder. The searing pain drained the color from his face in an instant.

He looked up—right into the barrel of a smoking black gun.

Philo’s lips curled into a smile as he slowly lowered his weapon.

“Sharp as ever.”

“Looks like you’ve grown a lot since coming here.”

“Instructor! We just got word—the ones intercepting the enemy are barely holding on. We should hurry and finish them off!”

The Imperial Alpha Lei Po had released scrambled to his feet, calling out to Philo—only to shudder under the weight of his smiling gaze.

“Get on.”

The Alpha didn’t dare disobey and obediently boarded the aircraft.

Even though Lei Po had already suspected the truth after that shot, hearing the Imperial Alpha call Philo “Instructor” still sent a wave of shock through him.

Clutching his wound, he watched as an Imperial soldier boarded a Federal aircraft—without a single person stopping him.

“Instructor,” the Alpha muttered, lowering his head.

SMACK—

The Alpha clutched his face, silent. Philo chuckled, wiping his hand lightly. “If I have to step in myself, what use are you?”

“Instructor!” The Alpha lifted his head hastily, trying to explain. But Philo had already shifted his gaze back to Lei Po, sighing in disappointment.

“I had hoped you’d accept my invitation and come aboard as my guest. Seems we were just a little short on fate.”

“But fate…”

Raising his right hand slightly, Philo continued nonchalantly—“…can be forced.”

As if it were a command, the Alphas behind him charged forward.

The battle, which had barely stabilized, turned against them once more.

For the Alphas, who had just fought a brutal war and were heavily wounded, this was nothing short of a nightmare.

Lei Po tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. The air was thick with its scent. Pain mixed with the will to fight as he wiped the blood from his lips.

“Chi Fei.”

Chi Fei’s face was pale, his uniform drenched in sweat. The smell of blood was overwhelming as he struggled to fend off attacks.

Back to back, neither could see the other’s expression. But after hearing Lei Po’s voice, Chifei instinctively turned.

He met Lei Po’s unwavering gaze—filled with grim determination.

“Take them and go.”

Lei Po’s words were resolute. “I’ll cover you.”

“I refuse.”

“So, do you want to die here?!”

Lei Po shouted abruptly, putting all his strength into blocking the Alpha’s attack in front of him. His voice rose with fury, echoing across the battlefield.

“Will you only be satisfied if we all die?!”

“Do you want our efforts to be worthless?”

“Do you want those guys to die here?!”

“I barely managed to get you all out! Not so you could just throw your lives away here!” Lei Po’s voice was raw with anger. “This isn’t the time for you to say no—I’m telling you to go!”

His enraged roar was followed by ragged breaths before his voice suddenly lowered.

“Dammit… I’ve never really lost before…”

His grip trembled, and without even looking down, he knew his hand was injured. Every second he held his blade felt like slow torture, the searing pain drilling into his bones.

But he couldn’t drop his weapon.

“I won’t allow it… and I can’t lose.”

If he lost, he would be betraying the lives behind him, betraying the comrades still trapped inside the base.

Lei Po tightened his grip on the knife. Blood surged from his wound, drenching the blade in crimson, its original color now unrecognizable beneath the chilling stain.

With his back to Chi Fei, he stood alone against the advancing Alphas, gripping his weapon as he said:

“Don’t let me lose.”

Chi Fei’s hand trembled slightly as he looked at that staggering yet unyielding figure. His lips parted, but no words came out. He was standing in the vast, desolate wilderness, the wind brushing past his hair, yet it felt as if he were still trapped inside that cage.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to rewind—he saw his comrades, one by one, slipping away into death. Chi Fei tried to lift his blade, but his hand trembled violently, a stark reminder that he barely had the strength to hold it anymore.

“Go.”

“I’ll hold them off.”

Lei Po took a deep breath and shouted, “Stop hesitating!”

As if he were entrusting everything, Chi Fei shut his eyes for a moment. The best option was already clear—he led the others into a rapid retreat.

The Imperial Alphas, of course, would never allow the test subjects to escape. They advanced toward Chi Fei’s group, only to be intercepted mid-way by an Alpha covered in blood.

“You idiots, I’m your opponent!”

His face, smeared with blood and dust, was unreadable, but his eyes burned with an unwavering determination—utterly fearless.

Philo gazed down at him from above with a touch of admiration. “Impressive. No wonder you’re someone who can go toe-to-toe with Grand Marshal Zhai’s protégé.”

“As an experimental subject, you’re quite exceptional.”

Lei Po sneered, his lips curling slightly despite the blood staining his body. He stood his ground, blocking one Imperial Alpha after another. Beads of sweat rolled down his face—he had lost the strength to keep cursing.

In front of so many people, even breathing felt like it was draining his life away.

Yet, he still gritted his teeth and forced out, in broken gasps, “Keep… fucking… dreaming!”

…

Despite Lei Po blocking most of the enemy Alphas, some still managed to break through his defense, rushing toward Chi Fei’s group.

Fortunately, though their bodies were damaged and their lifespans had been significantly reduced due to the experiments, they were genetically superior beings. They could still manage to fend off the Alphas chasing them.

Chi Fei wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and lifted his gaze.

The barren wilderness stretched endlessly before him, wild grass swaying in the wind, carrying the lingering scent of blood.

He came to a halt, and the people behind him instinctively stopped as well.

Silence spread. Chi Fei parted his lips, his voice hoarse. “The Federation Military Academy should already be on the way.”

“The contact is Instructor Aiger. I remember him—he has a scar on his eyelid, a nasty temper, looks fierce, but he’s a good man.”

“Find a place to hide here. Don’t let those Imperial Alphas take you back. Any Alpha that comes down this path—I’ll deal with them.”

“Chi Fei-ge…”

A trembling voice came from behind, trying hard to remain steady, as if this outcome had already been anticipated. “Are you going back?”

Chi Fei turned around, looking down at the Alphas who were all a head shorter than him. He still didn’t know how many of them had been Alpha, Beta, or Omega before their transformation.

Batch after batch of test subjects had come and gone. The ones who survived all became Alphas—but they weren’t truly Alphas.

They were experimental subjects.

And so was he.

How many nights had passed, where he almost forgot who he once was?

Chi Fei suddenly chuckled. “The Federation Military Academy has never abandoned a comrade.”

“I can’t be the one to set that precedent.”

Feigning ease, he spoke in a teasing tone. “If people found out, wouldn’t that be embarrassing for me? I’m an Alpha now, after all.”

“Besides… I owe him a favor.”

“If I don’t return it, wouldn’t that be disgraceful?”

“…What about us?”

The young man’s eyes turned red. “We owe you… How do we repay it? Take me with you, I’m not afraid to die!”

“Me too! Take me with you!”

“I’m coming too!”

They had been experimental subjects for so long—it didn’t matter anymore. They didn’t want to drag Chi Fei and the others down with them.

“What nonsense are you talking about?!” Chi Fei knocked him on the head before he could finish. “You’re still young. Don’t talk about dying. If you can live, then live well!”

“Didn’t you hear what Po just said? If he knew you were saying this, he’d be furious.”

One person losing because of him… That was already too much.

“As for what you owe me—”

Chi Fei suddenly smiled. Lowering his gaze, he looked at his right shoulder, as if he could see the non-existent insignia beneath his bloodstained clothes.

Prisoners in a cage, stripped of choice, living on borrowed time—do they still need to remember things like debts?

No.

And yet, some things had long been etched into his bones.

He raised his hand as the wild wind swept across the wasteland, brushing past his bloodstained yet smiling brow. It passed over his arm, lifted in a gesture that seemed like a vow, and cast a tall shadow over the desolate land, merging with the image of the thin Beta he had once been.

No matter which version of Chi Fei he was, he remained unwavering.

“Protecting every citizen of the Federation is my duty.”

“You never owed me anything.”

In truth, it was the opposite. Without them, Chi Fei thought, he might not have been able to endure. It was that sense of responsibility that kept him going, reminding him of who he was.

He couldn’t die yet. As long as someone needed him, he would hold on.

Chi Fei gave them a small smile before turning and running back the way he came, sprinting toward the battlefield. He prayed that guy was still holding on. Otherwise, even if he had to drag someone down with him, he wouldn’t rest in peace.

When Lei Po saw Chi Fei again, he thought for a second that he was hallucinating.

Then he realized—this bastard really had run back!

Lei Po nearly grabbed a knife and fought him on the spot.

“You son of a—!”

His frustration made his grip tighten on the blade.

At that moment, every Alpha around him had the same infuriating face as Chi Fei.

“Why the hell did you come back again?!”

“Letting a junior save me is embarrassing. I’m the senior here.”

The tall Alpha was deathly pale, taking hits from the enemy with his bare hands. Seeing this, Lei Po’s forehead throbbed with irritation, and he tossed him a stolen knife.

Chi Fei caught it and chuckled under his breath. “Thanks.”

You can barely hold a knife, and you still came back to die? Thanks, my ass! Lei Po wanted to retort, but the moment he opened his mouth, he coughed up blood. He wiped it away as if nothing had happened.

He thought Chi Fei would tease him for it.

But the unexpected silence unsettled him. For a second, he thought something was wrong. When he turned to check, another slash landed on his arm.

“I’m fine. Focus.”

Before Lei Po could ask another question, Chi Fei spoke. “When is Instructor Aiger coming?”

“…I don’t know. But he will come.”

Chi Fei panted, his gaze landing on the Alpha standing high above them, watching like a predator toying with its prey.

“So he’s convinced that he’ll win no matter what?”

“Then screw him—I’m not letting that happen!”

Chi Fei smirked. “If one isn’t enough, then count me in.”

Lei Po turned, catching a glimpse of Chi Fei’s profile, but had no time to linger. The battle forced him to shift focus.

Yet, even amidst the chaos, he clearly heard Chi Fei’s voice.

“Do you want to get out of here alive?”

“No shit!” Blood dripped into Lei Po’s eyes, stinging as he forced them open. “Don’t you?”

Gritting his teeth, he spat, “I’m getting all of us out of here.”

It sounded like a promise. Or maybe just empty reassurance. They both knew the odds were slim.

Suddenly, Lei Po caught a glint of silver-edged yellow, growing larger in his blood-drenched vision.

Before his sluggish, blood-deprived brain could process what it was—someone tackled him to the ground.

The overpowering scent of blood drowned out everything else.

Imperial Alphas surrounded them. That one spot of blue in his vision was swallowed whole.

Even the faint glimpse of a Federation-marked aircraft overhead seemed like an illusion.

Drenched in red, Lei Po finally realized—Chi Fei had been shot.

The sniper’s aim was precise. That bullet was meant for his heart.

“You… you stay with me.”

Lei Po frantically pressed down on the wound, his mind blanking out from the sudden change.

“I told you—I’m taking you back!”

“I saw the Federation’s aircraft. They’re here. Instructor Aiger is coming for us!”

Blood trickled into his eyes, but the vision before him cleared. He could finally confirm—he hadn’t been mistaken. The Federation’s aircraft was really there.

Then he heard Aiger’s furious roar, like a raging dragon. He was injured too, bloodstained and battered, looking no better than them.

“Lei Po, you bastard—get up! Right now!! Do you want to die?!”

“Get up and fight back!”

Lei Po vaguely registered his voice.

But all other sounds faded against Chi Fei’s weak murmurs.

Lei Po couldn’t hear anything else. He could only see the blood soaking through Chi Fei’s uniform, feel the life slipping away beneath his hands.

“This… is my duty too,” Chi Fei whispered.

He seemed like he wanted to smile, but his muscles no longer had the strength. What remained on his face was an unrecognizable expression.

Lei Po opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He heard Chi Fei mutter under his breath—not just to him, but to the Federation itself.

“Take back… Nagano Star… Cough—”

“Let us…”

His unfocused gaze barely managed to stay open.

With the last of his strength, he looked toward the vast wasteland.

“…Go home.”

On the wasteland, wild grass stretched toward the horizon, nearly touching the sky.

When the wind blew, it rustled softly, swaying in his vision. It was because of this endless wilderness that the planet had been named Nagano Star—Long Wild Star.

Wildfires could never truly consume it. With the spring wind, it would always rise again. Once, this land had symbolized resilience and life.

Now, it had become a graveyard for countless souls.

Would this place still be his homeland in his lifetime?

Beneath his hands, the person had taken their last breath.

Knowing full well the other could no longer hear him, he still spoke as if making a vow. “It will be.”

Lei Po clenched his fists, reopening the wounds at the base of his thumbs. He gritted his teeth and said, “Soon. This time, even if I have to die, I’ll bring you back with me.”

At last, he snapped out of his daze—awakened by the bloodstained funeral around him.

With lightning speed, using the last of his strength, he lunged forward and locked his fingers around an Alpha’s throat, fighting desperately for an opening.

But when that man—the one who had finally shed his usual smirk, now expressionless—grabbed him in a chokehold and pressed a gun against his head, Lei Po realized he had still missed his best chance.

“You still want to fight me, Aiger?”

“Call off your men. Let me leave.”