Chapter 64: Radiation Expert

A dozen days later, dozens of newly upgraded combat starships equipped with ample firepower slowly surrounded planet LR236.

“It’s Huo Mengming.” Luo Liang detected an anomaly through the monitoring system and pulled up external images of the planet before reporting to Xi Ming. “All external communications on the planet have also been completely cut off.”

Xi Ming had expected this. “Prepare to welcome our guest.”

Sure enough, in less than an hour, Huo Mengming appeared outside their residence on the planet and had his people ring the doorbell.

Few had ever seen Huo Mengming’s true appearance, and even the name “Huo Mengming” was merely a code name. As the Empire’s largest underground arms dealer, all information about Huo Mengming was highly classified.

However, this time, Huo Mengming had to personally come to this remote place on this remote planet.

As Xi Ming had guessed, Huo Mengming’s physical condition was extremely poor. Cosmic radiation was wreaking havoc on his body, causing severe disruptions to his bodily functions and taking a significant toll on his mental state. The methods he had used to alleviate the effects in the past were no longer effective, and a month ago, he had already received a “death notice.”

Over the past month, Huo Mengming had tried every possible way to mitigate the radiation’s effects. Many people who feared or sought to curry favor with him had presented various solutions, but none had eased his suffering. In fact, some had only worsened his condition.

When he first saw an intruder hacking into his personal terminal to send a message claiming to “cure cosmic radiation,” the already frustrated Huo Mengming had wanted nothing more than to kill the person who dared to mock him.

At the time, he was too busy trying different treatments to bother with the message. But as every attempt failed and he approached his demise, the words “cure radiation” kept resurfacing in his mind.

Drowning men grasp at straws.

So, Huo Mengming came.

Desperate and nearing madness, he brought an entire combat fleet with him. If the sender of the message dared to mock him, he intended to make the entire planet his burial ground.

Yet, even after arriving in this remote place, Huo Mengming did not dare to hold out too much hope. After all, curing cosmic radiation… was unheard of across the entire galaxy.

Xi Ming took one glance at Huo Mengming and immediately recognized the specialized anti-radiation suit he was wearing. The suit was designed to expel radiation outward, alleviating the wearer’s symptoms, but at the cost of exposing everything around them to radiation.

Huo Mengming’s subordinates were also wearing radiation-proof suits, yet even so, they had to rotate shifts when guarding him. Clearly, the radiation emanating from Huo Mengming had reached an uncontrollable level.

Xi Ming ordered everyone else to leave, keeping only himself and Shi Chan behind. When he saw the look in Shi Chan’s eyes, Xi Ming knew what had to be done.

“Have everyone else leave,” Xi Ming said, looking at Huo Mengming.

Huo Mengming observed the two men standing fearlessly before him. He couldn’t tell whether they truly had a solution or if they were simply reckless frauds. But since he was already here, he had to see what they had to offer.

He raised his hand to signal his men to withdraw. His voice carried the unmistakable pressure and menace of a man in power. “Curing cosmic radiation? Tell me how you plan to do it.”

Due to his condition, Huo Mengming’s pheromones were unconsciously spreading, filled with an aggressive, domineering aura. Xi Ming instinctively shielded his omega while releasing his own pheromones in response. Shi Chan, while capable of resisting another alpha’s pheromones, did not reject Xi Ming’s protection.

Xi Ming didn’t like the scent of his mutated pheromones, but since Shi Chan did, over time, he no longer found the scent unpleasant.

“I can’t explain the principle to you, but you will believe us,” Xi Ming said as he turned and led Huo Mengming to the treatment room they had prepared.

Huo Mengming sat in his wheelchair, which followed automatically. His voice carried the madness of a dying man, laced with skepticism. “I can’t think of anything that would make me believe you can cure something the entire galaxy has failed to.”

Before being cured himself, Xi Ming hadn’t believed it either. But now, standing here, he was living proof.

Once inside the treatment room, Xi Ming removed his disguise, slowly sat across from Huo Mengming, and said calmly, “The proof is right here.”

Xi Ming was the best proof.

“You—!” In shock, Huo Mengming blurted out a name known across the entire galaxy. “Xi Ming!!!”

“You’re still alive?!”

Huo Mengming had sources that confirmed Xi Ming had escaped from Capital Star years ago, but he had assumed Xi Ming had long since died from cosmic radiation somewhere unknown—after all, Xi Ming’s condition had been far worse than his.

Recalling how Xi Ming had walked him all the way here, Huo Mengming’s breathing grew rapid. His fingers clenched the wheelchair’s armrests, muscles tensing. His entire body leaned forward, voice filled with barely restrained hope. “You really can cure cosmic radiation!”

“Of course, I can,” Xi Ming replied. He understood Huo Mengming’s excitement—after all, both he and Liang Yongqing had experienced the same overwhelming joy when they were saved from radiation.

Huo Mengming stared at Xi Ming, his eyes burning with a desperate will to survive. He was willing to pay any price to keep living.

Seeing Xi Ming remain silent, Huo Mengming couldn’t wait any longer and made the first concession. “What are your terms?”

Under Huo Mengming’s gaze, Xi Ming raised five fingers. “Five years.”

“For the next five years, you will serve me. All your resources, assets, and forces will be at my disposal.”

“Five years—for your life.”

Huo Mengming burst into unrestrained laughter. “I thought you wanted to take over my empire. Five years is nothing. I agree—all my resources will be yours, no conditions attached.”

To Huo Mengming, everything Xi Ming asked for was external. As long as he lived, he could rebuild his empire and regather his forces again and again. Besides, Xi Ming wasn’t taking—he was borrowing. That made Huo Mengming even more willing.

Once Huo Mengming calmed down, Xi Ming nodded. “Alright, let’s check your condition now.”

“And how exactly do you treat this?” With the prospect of survival before him, the darkness looming over Huo Mengming’s heart lifted significantly. He turned his gaze to the silent omega beside Xi Ming.

There were only three people in the treatment room. Huo Mengming didn’t believe this omega was unimportant. Xi Ming had spent years on Capital Star unable to cure radiation, yet after leaving, he was somehow cured. The key was likely this young man.

Shi Chan had remained silent until Xi Ming signaled him. He stepped forward and placed his fingers on Huo Mengming’s wrist, using his spiritual power to examine his condition.

“Control your pheromones,” Xi Ming warned. While alphas released pheromones when emotional, they weren’t uncontrollable.

Huo Mengming smirked, easily picking up on Xi Ming’s undisguised concern. “He’s your omega?”

There was no answer. After finishing his diagnosis, Shi Chan subtly refined some of the excess radiation in Huo Mengming’s body. Huo Mengming felt the change instantly, his eyes glowing with excitement.

“It will take about seven sessions,” Shi Chan informed Xi Ming.

That meant two years at minimum. The five-year condition was merely to keep Huo Mengming in check.

“Alright.” Feeling the improvement in his body, Huo Mengming was in high spirits. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

After he left, Shi Chan grinned at Xi Ming. “We have an arms dealer now.”

“Not just arms,” Xi Ming said, pulling Shi Chan into an embrace and inhaling his scent. “For now, Huo Mengming himself and his entire force are at our disposal.”

“Time to start contacting those mecha warriors we’ve been searching for,” Xi Ming added, already planning their next move.