The Captain’s attention was instantly snagged by those syllables, his gaze lifting from the documents above. "How is the Young Mistress... You—"

Before he could finish the sentence, the Captain felt a chilling prickle down his spine; his limbs were bound tightly by something unseen.

He reacted with extreme speed, letting out a ferocious roar, his inner powers erupting, intending to shatter whatever held him. Just as the energy neared his skin, it slammed against an invisible wall and violently recoiled, convulsing his internal organs. Pfft, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

A wave of horror washed over him; nothing like this had ever happened before. Before he could process what was going on, a dizzying wave overcame him, and consciousness fled.

The Vice-Captain, having just hurled the black metal rod, immediately retreated toward the doorway, looking ready to bolt at any second. The Captain’s strength was unfathomable; he had no certainty that the black rod could truly subdue him.

Only when he saw the Captain spit blood and fall motionless, and then observed the way his entire body was tightly ensnared by countless thread-like black filaments, leaving only his face exposed, did he finally relax.

He glanced back at the black threads with a measure of fear; these inconspicuous strands were capable of trapping a Level Ten powerhouse who could fight mechs—it was utterly terrifying.

This was no time for reflection. The Vice-Captain composed himself, carefully drawing a small silver box from his inner coat. He opened it and retrieved a transparent syringe filled with a viscous, pale-red fluid that shimmered with an uncanny ripple.

The Vice-Captain’s expression now held even greater caution than when he wielded the black rod, as if he held a profound fear of the liquid inside.

He brought the syringe to the forehead of the unconscious Captain and pushed the pale-red fluid in.

The Captain's face, previously dark with a healthy flush, instantly withered. It took on the pallor of dead ash.

The Vice-Captain waited silently. Five minutes later, he gently turned the Captain’s body, which now possessed barely a trace of life. On his back, amidst the dense black threads, there was a depressed, finger-thick puncture.

The Vice-Captain inserted his index finger and pressed hard. The fine black threads began to writhe like tentacles, retracting into the Captain's back. The sensation was nauseating, like innumerable insects crawling beneath his skin.

Clink.

Finally, all the black threads retracted, reforming into a single black metal rod that clattered onto the metal floor with a crisp sound.

The Vice-Captain picked up the rod and carefully stowed it away. He glanced at the Captain’s stiff body, standing perfectly straight as if he were a corpse, and silently murmured, "I'm sorry."

He stood up, his gaze piercing the metal wall to focus on the central building. "The biggest obstacle is gone. Now, nothing can stop us from being together." His eyes burned with such intensity that it seemed they might melt the metal walls themselves.

In a room nearby, Yu Daoqing was reviewing some files. She had been away from Dawo for ten years and was now diligently catching up.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang—the urgency in the chime betrayed the caller's extreme anxiety. Yu Daoqing looked up and softly called out, "You may enter."

The door opened, and the Vice-Captain walked in, his face a mask of panic. Yu Daoqing’s heart sank. She knew this Vice-Captain; she had appointed him precisely because of his steadfast composure in crises. His current disarray meant something terrible must have happened.

"What happened?" Yu Daoqing asked sternly. Her current status was earned through more than just her beauty.

"Young Mistress..." Seeming to find his anchor, the Vice-Captain stabilized slightly. "The Captain, for some unknown reason, suddenly collapsed. Please, go see him quickly."

Yu Daoqing rose, maintaining her composure. "Lead the way."

The Vice-Captain led her toward Dormitory One. The two secretaries living next door, having received news of the Young Mistress leaving, immediately set aside their tasks and quickly followed in her wake.

The Vice-Captain subtly frowned upon hearing the two sets of footsteps behind him, but he made no comment.

Arriving at the Captain's room, Yu Daoqing showed deep concern when she saw him lying unconscious on the floor. Without a word, she turned the Captain over, checking his pupils and pulse.

"The medical equipment here at the base probably won't suffice; he must be sent back home for treatment immediately," Yu Daoqing declared decisively. "Prepare the backup spacecraft at once."

The ship that brought her was the base's supply vessel, scheduled to return the next day, making resupply runs only about once a month. However, the base did possess a backup spacecraft, usually stored in the warehouse, reserved only for emergencies.

"Where is the doctor?" Yu Daoqing frowned. There were several doctors on base, but none were present now. Not notifying a doctor first but coming to her instead left her somewhat disappointed in the Vice-Captain's reaction time.

"I have already notified them," the Vice-Captain said, wiping sweat from his brow. Seemingly realizing his oversight, he looked remorseful. "I'll go prepare the spacecraft." He then hurried out of the room.

Glancing once more at the Captain lying on the floor, Yu Daoqing retrieved a small jade-colored vial from her coat and instructed the secretaries behind her, "Open his mouth."

A female secretary complied, prying the Captain's jaw open. Yu Daoqing uncorked the jade vial and dropped a few drops of purple liquid into his mouth.

I hope this saves his life, Yu Daoqing thought.

The Captain's symptoms were clear: they were caused by a backlash from his inner powers—a rare occurrence. This was because one's power (which ZER termed 'Yuan,' and the Dawo people called 'Yi Neng'—the names differed, but the substance was the same) was normally gentle and harmless to the host.

To this day, Dawo had not figured out the cause of this backlash phenomenon, which only manifested in a very small minority.

Those afflicted by power backlash were not beyond saving, but treatment had to be swift. I hope he can hold on for a few days, Yu Daoqing mused.

"Go summon Zhong Yun and the others as well," she commanded after a moment.

A secretary quickly turned and walked back.

"We're leaving already?" Zhong Yun was surprised when the secretary delivered the message. "I thought we were supposed to stay here for twenty days. This is so sudden?"

"An emergency has occurred. Please pack your things immediately. I need to notify others," the secretary gasped, already turning to call on another secretary.

Fuming with questions, Zhong Yun followed the secretary to Dormitory One. He immediately spotted the Captain lying on the floor, looking like a corpse, and then saw Yu Daoqing standing nearby, her face etched with deep worry.

"What happened?" Zhong Yun approached and inquired.

"The Captain suffered a power backlash. We must send him back home for treatment immediately," Yu Daoqing sighed.

Just then, footsteps sounded at the door. The Vice-Captain entered, followed by another person. "Young Mistress, the doctor has arrived." He stepped aside, allowing the elderly doctor, a man in his late fifties or early sixties with streaked gray hair, to enter. The doctor moved to the Captain and efficiently began examining his body.

"The spacecraft is also ready; we can depart immediately," the Vice-Captain said, his gaze unintentionally sweeping across Zhong Yun.

As the doctor turned the Captain over, Zhong Yun stepped forward to help. The doctor instructed him to support the Captain's head while he took out a palm-sized instrument from his portable case and placed it against the Captain's chest.

"His condition is critical; he must be rushed to a major hospital," the doctor stated grimly.

"The spaceship is prepared; we depart now," Yu Daoqing ordered.

Under the doctor's direction, Zhong Yun and the Vice-Captain carefully carried the Captain’s body, following Yu Daoqing to the launchpad. Zhong Yun recalled that a massive, enclosed warehouse had once stood here. Now, the warehouse was gone, replaced by an egg-shaped spaceship, even larger than the supply vessel that had brought them.

Once aboard, they immediately placed the Captain into a stasis pod, praying it would sustain him long enough.

"You should return to the base," Yu Daoqing told the Vice-Captain before takeoff.

The Vice-Captain instantly grew agitated. "There's no trustworthy captain on this ship. Let me take the helm. I can manage things back at the base; there are a few personnel there to keep order."

Yu Daoqing considered this; space travel was no trivial matter. Without seasoned experience and exceptional professionalism, one couldn't captain a ship. Among everyone present, the Vice-Captain was indeed the most suitable.

"Very well, the ship is yours," Yu Daoqing said, not one for needless delay. Once she accepted the logic, she agreed. She then instructed the doctor to look after the Captain diligently.

"Zhong Yun, let's go," Yu Daoqing called out.

Zhong Yun was standing by the stasis pod, intently studying the Captain’s unconscious form inside, seemingly lost in thought. He snapped back to reality upon hearing Yu Daoqing’s call. "Coming."

He followed Yu Daoqing to the doorway, then glanced back at the stasis pod, a trace of doubt lingering in his eyes.

The Vice-Captain's heart lurched. Could Zhong Yun have spotted a flaw? He quickly reviewed the entire plan; there seemed to be no obvious gaps. He settled his nerves. At this stage, even if a flaw were exposed, what difference would it make?

As they exited, Zhong Yun casually noticed the finger of a flight crew member standing guard by the door. The finger was strikingly pale and clean. Zhong Yun's gaze swept over it quickly, eliciting no immediate reaction, yet a sliver of suspicion crossed his mind.

Everyone donned their space suits, returned to their quarters, and the ship lifted off, soaring into the vastness of space.

P: Waking up this morning and opening my browser, I was instantly stunned. In just one night, the monthly ticket count increased by over sixty votes. The excitement in my heart is indescribable. Thank you all so much.

There are ten days left in this month. Whether we can break into the top six depends on you now. Brothers who have monthly tickets, please cast them my way. This is my only chance for this first month; I beg you.

Finally, I recommend a book: Ultimate ** (Book ID 1185615)—a story about aliens invading and slaughtering Earthlings. The author is quite twisted.