If Bai Bai, that small girl, hadn't misremembered, then the odds favored it being him. Yang Ying fell into deep thought. If this deduction proved true, it implied an astonishing reality:

"Bai Bai was born off-world."

Katerina covered her mouth, her eyes wide, astonishment plain on her face. She spoke quickly, "But when we first brought Bai Bai back, I ran a comprehensive check on her. To determine if the Santos Experimental Base had performed any genetic modifications on her, her DNA sequence was included in the analysis. The result then was clear: there were absolutely no signs of any genetic tampering. Furthermore, she was entirely human; there could be no mistake about that!"

Yang Ying lowered his head, pondering carefully. The sequencing performed by the medical corps was extremely reliable. If Katerina stated the genes were human, it was almost certainly correct.

After a moment of contemplation, Yang Ying looked up. "Then let's do this: cross-reference her genetic sequence with the Human Genome database. Try to trace Bai Bai's ancestry."

Human genes are largely identical; the remaining one-ten-thousandth difference accounts for the normal variations between individuals. This small fraction of difference is like a fingerprint, but unlike fingerprints, it can be passed down hereditarily, allowing for tracing ancestry.

Katerina immediately pointed out, "But Commander, there's a problem with that. In this era of massive advancement in gene manipulation technology, many people on Earth have altered their genes—to become smarter, more beautiful, stronger, or for other reasons. The gene pool has become incredibly convoluted, and the reliability of many results is questionable."

Yang Ying raised one hand, resting his chin upon it. "At least the major lineage—like East Asian or Caucasian—can be traced. That's better than guessing wildly without any basis. Any reference point is helpful. As for reliability, we'll see when the results come in. Don't treat this as a minor issue. Get it done quickly."

"Yes, sir." Katerina withdrew.

The next morning, Katerina placed the report on Yang Ying's desk. "Commander, Bai Bai's genetic data has undergone a secondary analysis. Compared against the Human Genome database, the results are as follows: Bai Bai... her ancestors, although also evolved from early hominids, followed a developmental path that belongs to none of the three major subspecies of Earthlings—Yellow, White, or Black. The possibility of her being a mixed-blood descendant has also been ruled out..."

"Meaning, she is unlikely to be a human native to Earth, is that correct?" Yang Ying stated gravely.

Katerina nodded. "Yes, but there’s more. According to statistical methods in bioinformatics, synthesizing and calculating the analysis of those characteristic genes, the conclusion drawn is that the divergence of her lineage from Earthlings occurred extremely early, perhaps separating even at the early hominid stage. Their subsequent paths through Homo erectus and Homo sapiens followed an entirely different track. If I hadn't seen the analysis results with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed such a thing was possible."

"Separated back in the early hominid stage?" Yang Ying stood up in surprise, paced twice, and said, "Did humankind master long-distance interstellar travel back when they were hominids? Current humans can barely leave the Solar System. Hominids? Are you joking?!"

"Perhaps like the Ancient Legion," Katerina's voice trailed off; clearly, she herself didn't fully believe it.

Yang Ying interrupted. "The Ancient Legion is a different matter. The hominids of the Ancient Legion were a reversion to ancestral forms using genetic technology—possessing the brute strength of beasts and human intelligence—completely unlike the hominids that once appeared on Earth. When on Earth did hominids possess civilization? They were nothing more than unintelligent apes."

"If that's not the case, how could hominids living in the Stone Age possibly travel the cosmos?" Katerina questioned doubtfully.

"Stone Age hominids certainly couldn't launch themselves into space on their own," Yang Ying sat down again, frowning. "As for why they diverged from Earth at that time—or perhaps they arrived on Earth from somewhere else—neither scenario sounds like something hominids could orchestrate. Something significant must have occurred back then."

Seeing Yang Ying's brow tightly furrowed, Katerina felt a pang of sympathy. She walked behind him and began kneading his shoulders. "Commander, let it go for now. Don't dwell on it. We have too little information. Events from tens of thousands of years ago—how could we possibly know the truth just through speculation? Set it aside for a while and revisit it later. Perhaps you could ask Kalia to gather intelligence, or perhaps consult some archaeologists to search for any minute traces. Once we have enough known facts, the answer might reveal itself naturally."

What a soothing piece of advice.

Yang Ying rested his hands on his shoulders, covering Katerina's hands, and said, "Alright, we'll do as you suggest." He tapped the communicator on his desk, located Kalia, and explained the situation.

"Humans existing beyond the Solar System? We need to search for traces they left behind? I understand." Kalia, hearing this for the first time, was clearly quite astonished, yet she quickly regained composure and proposed, "Commander, should we also look into Bai Bai’s..."

"I've considered that," Yang Ying nodded.

"But what can we investigate? Bai Bai was rescued from the Santos Experimental Base, and that base has been completely destroyed. I personally oversaw the destruction of the experimental data, ensuring it could never be recovered. At the time, I didn't know Bai Bai was from an alien world; I left no possibility open. It's been over seven months now—what could possibly remain to be found?"

Kalia remained unhurried, bowing slightly. "Commander, although the Santos Base is gone, the Caesar Group remains. When we purged the core personnel, we left behind those moderates. They might still possess backup data. While it might not directly relate to the Santos Experimental Base, a careful search could yield some pleasant surprises. Moreover, for Bai Bai to reach Earth, there must have been a means of transport, like a spaceship. A vessel capable of traversing beyond the Solar System isn't something easily hidden."

"Means of transport. I overlooked such a critical point," Yang Ying mused, nodding. "We'll proceed as you suggest. Include Bai Bai's background in the intelligence collection scope."

"Yes!" Kalia replied respectfully.

After the communication ended, Yang Ying turned around and saw a look of dejection on Katerina's face. He asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

Katerina shook her head and managed a weak smile. "Nothing, it's just... overnight, Bai Bai suddenly became an alien. I'm a little unaccustomed to it." She had known Bai Bai for over half a year and already regarded her like a younger sister.

"Silly girl, so what if she's an alien? She's still Bai Bai. Does it mean you won't acknowledge her if she’s an alien? Or that she won't acknowledge you?" Yang Ying pulled her into his embrace and said softly.

Katerina repeatedly shook her head. "No, how could I not acknowledge her? It's just taking me a moment to adjust."

Yang Ying laughed twice, then let the smile fade, speaking seriously. "What is there to adjust to? Whether human from Earth or human from the stars, what difference does it make to us?"

Katerina considered this. She herself was born on the Floating Continent; why should she obsess over whether Bai Bai was an Earth native? As she thought about it, a fresh wave of sorrow washed over her. Bai Bai, so young, coming alone to another planet, far from home, with no relatives—these terms seemed so hollow when faced with Bai Bai’s experience. She couldn't help but ask, "What if there’s no news at all? What if Bai Bai can never find her homeworld?"

"She will," Yang Ying stated confidently. "Even without any news, Bai Bai will find her home."

"Why?" Katerina asked, tilting her head.

"Because Bai Bai is a genius in cultivation. Even in the Novice Stage, she possessed the focus of a High-Tier Psionicist, and she will continue to advance, growing stronger, until one day she surpasses mortals and becomes a Master," Yang Ying said, word by word. "At that point, she will master the ability of memory regression. Even the smallest event from her infancy can be displayed before her eyes with perfect clarity. By then, she will recall everything from her childhood and find her way home."

"Can that really work? Becoming a Master allows one to recall lost memories? And becoming a Master is so difficult..." Katerina had mostly believed him, but she still needed Yang Ying to confirm it once more.

"Look, when she was practicing her focus yesterday, didn't she recall things from when she was very little? That’s a good sign. It means her memory hasn't completely vanished; she just can't access it right now," Yang Ying explained with a smile. "Awakened ones develop their brain capacity alongside their increase in psychic power. Abilities like quick thinking, eidetic memory, precognition, and telekinesis—all these are supernatural powers arising from brain development. Quasi-Masters have fully developed their neural capacity, and Masters surpass the boundaries of the brain. Neurological afflictions like amnesia can be completely cured once one reaches the Master realm."

"That puts my mind at ease," Katerina finally let out a radiant smile, as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart.

Days turned into weeks. The Ghost Operative Unit secretly turned the Caesar Group upside down, acquiring a substantial amount of data concerning their illegal research. The successors of the Caesar family gradually resumed the traditions of the old Caesar Group, as if they had been dyed in a large vat. This made Yang Ying profoundly understand the inertia of a family—it wasn't easily stopped.

Clearly, this vat had been constructed by the old Caesar family, but this vat had developed its own will and momentum; it could automatically reshape the new Caesar family members to fit its trajectory.

Subsequently, under Yang Ying's orders, the Ghost Operatives conveniently engineered a few "accidents," causing the new Caesar family members who couldn't withstand the vat's influence to perish in various unfortunate events. Yang Ying knew that instantly reversing the vat’s course was unrealistic; he could only cleanse the blackness within through successive purges.

However, despite the Ghost Operatives' significant successes, they still hadn't uncovered the data concerning the Santos Experimental Base. The operatives hadn't given up and continued their deep investigation.