Cheng Jin’s communicator had been with him since childhood. The quality of devices made on Imperial Planet was exceptional, typically lasting around fifty years, with upgrades available along the way. Absentmindedly, Cheng Jin pulled down his sleeve and touched the small screen. “That day… you were in surgery, right? I thought you wouldn’t come.”

He remembered seeing the rescue team on the train, all bearing the emblem of Lu Tao’s unit. Maybe Lu Tao had been in one of those mechas. But Cheng Jin wasn’t vain enough to think Lu Tao had come specifically for him. After a pause, he added, “Then again, missions like that are usually assigned to you. Only you’re the most suitable.” He hesitated but couldn’t resist asking, “Was the surgery… successful?”

His mind drifted back to his interactions with the second personality. Its disappearance left him feeling both sad and reluctant to let go.

“It was successful,” Lu Tao replied.

“Oh.” Cheng Jin awkwardly turned his face away. “I-I’ll rest for a bit.”

For a soldier like Lu Tao, a journey of over ten hours was nothing, but for Cheng Jin, it was rather unbearable. He sat curled up in his small seat, barely moving. Hunger gnawed at him, but more pressing was his physiological need. He couldn’t figure out where the bathroom was on this small spacecraft and had no choice but to hold it in.

After resting for about two hours, Lu Tao straightened up and resumed working on a hidden light screen, his focus intense. Cheng Jin, curious, stole glances at him whenever he could. Eventually, after countless stolen looks, Lu Tao suddenly asked, “Do you need to use the bathroom?”

Cheng Jin’s face flushed, mortified. He couldn’t deny it, fearing he’d embarrass himself further. “Yes.”

“Come with me,” Lu Tao said, standing up abruptly. His tall frame nearly grazed the cabin ceiling. With a press of a button, a small door slid open, revealing a hidden space.

Surprised, Cheng Jin blinked. “Even a small spacecraft like this has a bathroom?”

“The military design is different from civilian ones,” Lu Tao replied curtly, extending his hand.

Realizing that Lu Tao was offering to help, Cheng Jin, who in the past might have gladly accepted, now acted as if he hadn’t noticed. He bypassed Lu Tao and walked inside directly. Lu Tao frowned but didn’t seem angry.

The tiny bathroom contained only a small toilet. Cheng Jin looked at the open door and asked, “How do you… close this?”

Without a word, Lu Tao stepped inside. The already cramped space grew tighter, forcing Cheng Jin to shuffle forward. With the press of another button, the door slid shut, leaving them alone in the confined area.

Cheng Jin’s back was nearly pressed against Lu Tao’s chest, an intimacy that made him uncomfortable. Grateful there was no mirror, he spared himself the sight of Lu Tao’s face. He closed his eyes briefly and murmured, “You could’ve just told me. There was no need to… come inside.”

“Just in case something happens,” Lu Tao said, offering an unconvincing excuse. “Go ahead and pee.”

Cheng Jin’s face turned crimson with embarrassment. “With you here… how can I… how can I pee?”

“You could when you were with him,” Lu Tao suddenly remarked.

Cheng Jin froze, biting his lip. “How do you know?”

There was silence for a few seconds before Lu Tao replied, “Hurry up.”

Cheng Jin’s bladder was about to burst, and he crossed his legs to avoid losing control. With no other choice, and trembling slightly, he unfastened his pants, took out his slightly swollen penis, and aimed at the toilet. Gritting his teeth, he finally relieved himself.

The sound of his stream echoed loudly in the small space, and the faint smell of urine only intensified his shame. He wished he could finish quickly, but perhaps because he had held it in for so long, it took nearly a minute before he was done. The moment he finished, Cheng Jin hastily pressed the flush button and quickly refastened his pants.

Anger surged within him, and he turned to glare at Lu Tao, ready to accuse him of doing it on purpose. But just then, the spacecraft shook violently.

“Ah!”

The pain of hitting his head against the cabin wall never came, but dizziness did. Instinctively, Cheng Jin grabbed onto something for support, and a strong arm caught him. He immediately clung tightly to it.

The shaking subsided after two minutes, but Cheng Jin’s legs were trembling, and his face had gone pale. Once the dizziness eased slightly, he realized he was still in Lu Tao’s arms.

The familiar scent filled his senses, causing heat to rise within his body. His heart raced. Cheng Jin’s mind was in turmoil. After a long while, he slowly let go of Lu Tao’s arm, but he didn’t dare look at his face. “Thank you,” he muttered.

Though he had released his grip, Lu Tao still didn’t move. His long arm remained around Cheng Jin’s waist. Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Cheng Jin pushed lightly. “You can… you can let go now.”

The arm tightened briefly before finally loosening.

Back in his seat, the heat on Cheng Jin’s face hadn’t subsided. He had to admit that Lu Tao still had a strong hold over him.

He still loved him.

Despite repeatedly telling himself not to, despite trying to stay away, Cheng Jin couldn’t stop his feelings. Even though Lu Tao had killed the “Lu Tao” who loved him, Cheng Jin still cared. Realizing that they were two separate personalities only made it clearer who he truly loved.

It wasn’t just about appearance. It was Lu Tao’s demeanor, his character. Even when Lu Tao was distant, Cheng Jin’s heart still pounded wildly.

He was utterly hopeless.

Lu Tao sat down next to him again. His tone unchanged, he said, “Buckle up.” Then he asked the pilot, “What happened?”

“General, we encountered abnormal air currents. We expect seven more bumps like the one just now. Should we change our route? If we do, the return time will be extended by two hours and thirty-two minutes,” the pilot replied.

Lu Tao responded, “Find a place to land.”

The two pilots seemed stunned, as if they couldn’t believe what they had heard. After a brief moment, the main pilot cautiously asked, “Do we wait for the air currents to pass before continuing?”

“Yes.”

“Understood.” After thirty seconds, the pilot reported, “We’ve found a suitable landing spot on Planet 26. There’s a hotel and restaurant nearby. General, is this location acceptable?”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

Cheng Jin slowly buckled his seatbelt, a bit dazed by the conversation. “We’re not heading back directly?”

“The weather’s bad. We’ll leave tomorrow,” Lu Tao said indifferently.

Cheng Jin felt a wave of relief at the idea of stopping. Maybe it was the pregnancy, but the turbulence had made him feel uncomfortable. Plus, he was hungry and nauseous.

As the spacecraft descended, Lu Tao opened the window blinds, allowing Cheng Jin to see the surface of Planet 26. The planet was on the northern flight route, naturally cold, though not as harsh as Geothermal Planet. The landscape and development looked promising.

The spacecraft landed on top of a skyscraper, where other ships were also parked, indicating a thriving economy.

Once outside, Cheng Jin breathed in the fresh air and rubbed his stomach, feeling some relief from the nausea. Lu Tao waited for a moment before saying, “Let’s go.” He began walking ahead.

Cheng Jin blinked and looked back at the pilots still inside the spacecraft. He quickly followed after Lu Tao, asking, “Aren’t they coming?”

“They’ll take care of themselves.”

They hadn’t walked far when a service staff member approached warmly, asking if they wanted to book a room or have a meal. Lu Tao replied, “Meal.”

Hearing that, Cheng Jin felt another wave of relief. He was indeed hungry and would have asked himself if Lu Tao hadn’t mentioned it.

They entered the elevator, and Cheng Jin noticed the floor numbers. “That’s so high,” he exclaimed, noticing the building had eighty floors.

The service staff smiled. “This is the tallest building on Crystal Ice Planet. Where are you from, sir?”

“I’m from the Geothermal Planet.”

“That’s quite far. You must have traveled a long way. I’ve heard the hot springs there are famous, but since it’s so far, I’ve never been.”

“The hot springs are great. Very comfortable,” Cheng Jin replied, appreciating the friendly conversation. “So this is Crystal Ice Planet? What’s crystal ice?”

The staff explained, “Crystal ice is our planet’s main export. There are two types: one for decoration and one for energy. It’s the reason our planet has developed so much.”

“Decoration?” Cheng Jin was puzzled. “But isn’t ice something that melts in heat? How is it used for decoration?”

“We have a material that preserves it, so it doesn’t melt, no matter the temperature,” the staff explained, pulling something out of his pocket. “Have you ever bought sweets from Sunny Bakery? They used to give out planet-themed trinkets, which were made here.”

Cheng Jin recognized the small planet model in the staff member’s hand. “I’ve seen that! It’s beautiful and so detailed!” He looked closer at the model and exclaimed, “Is that the Imperial Planet? The Tyrant type?”

The staff member smiled proudly. “Yes, I worked hard for a year to get this one.”

“Amazing!”

Lu Tao didn’t join their conversation, but every time Cheng Jin laughed or showed amazement, a twinge stirred in his heart. When the elevator dinged to signal their arrival, Lu Tao almost immediately said, “We’re here. Let’s go.”