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Chapter 6: Departure

Shen Qingzhu cautiously took out a green pendant.

The pendant was the size of a sugar cube, and embedded in the center was an emerald gem cut with precision. It was a birthday gift from his father, Ether, when Shen Qingzhu was a year old.

The gem was translucent, with countless streams of green light flowing within. These green currents were actually crystalline circuits Ether had carved by hand. The pendant was an artificial intelligence he crafted with his heart and soul for his only beloved son, and it was also Zhujian’s true form.

As he gently stroked its edges, Shen Qingzhu murmured: “I thought you were taken by the Cole family here too.”

The gem flickered, as if asking a question.

Shen Qingzhu only smiled faintly. Even if he tried to explain, the Zhujian of this world wouldn’t understand.

In Shen Qingzhu’s original world, after awakening on C-07, he never saw this pendant again.

He asked the staff of C-07 many times, but the answer was always the same: “Don’t know, never seen it.”

Shen Qingzhu only learned about Zhujian’s wherabouts when the Cole family’s Omega young master contacted him, claiming if Shen Qingzhu helped him become the Crown Prince’s consort, he would return the pendant.

Shen Qingzhu was very willing to help others, of course, so he agreed.

A year later, the Cole family was uprooted by a furious Crown Prince, and the Omega young master was expelled from the Royal Omega Ethics Academy.

Right before the Cole family was exiled, Shen Qingzhu retrieved his pendant with a smile.

Zhujian was finally back by his side after thirteen years. 

Regardless of what artificial intelligence meant to others, to him, Zhujian was family.

His two fathers had a very hard time conceiving a child because of the difference in their genetic levels. It too them many years until Shen Xian finally became pregnant, but his pregnancy was difficult and full of hardships. So although the couple was overjoyed when Shen Qingzhu was born, they agreed to never have a second child.

But out of worry that their son might be lonely, since at their age, they wouldn’t be able to accompany him for a lifetime, Ether created Zhujian.

Shen Qingzhu looked tenderly at the pendant in his hand and sighed again.

The “Shen Qingzhu” of this world really was far more fortunate than he had ever been.

He tapped the green gem lightly: “So this is why you turned into an artificial idiot?” 

Within the gem, the crystalline circuits surged, gathering into a tiny green question mark.

At the same time, a childlike voice came from the wrist terminal on Shen Qingzhu’s arm: “Master, I am an artificial intelligence, not an artificial idiot.”

Shen Qingzhu chuckled softly, coaxing: “Alright, alright, my mistake. Our Zhujian is very clever.”

He had more or less figured out this world’s situation. To “Shen Qingzhu”, a defenseless orphan, Zhujian’s true form was obviously too eye-catching. Therefore “he” hid it away to protect it, and copied a fragment of Zhujian’s intelligence into his old wrist terminal.

Zhujian’s situtation wasn’t a big problem. Once Shen Qingzhu left C-07, he could naturally return Zhujian to its true form. But for now, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhujian would have to stay in the safe for a while longer.

Shen Qingzhu carefully placed the gem back into the small gray box and locked it again.

Then, he used the same unlocking method to open the other box.

This one contained a basic, white optical terminal. After opening with an iris-scan, he immediately clicked to check its account balance. His brows lifted slightly hen he saw two million credits inside—finally, he was a little more satisfied with this version of himself.

Still, Shen Qingzhu neither used the wrist terminal nor transferred money to his old one. He simply put it back into the box, placed both gray cases into his handmade bag, and asked: “Zhujian, did I leave anything else behind?”

“No, Master.”

Shen Qingzhu picked up his bag: “Then let’s go.” He opened the door and walked away without looking back.

⋅ ˚ ₊ ‧ ୨୧ ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅

Shen Qingzhu rented a hoverboard for 2 credits. After arriving at the nearest planetary train station, he spent another 20 credits on a ticket to the space elevator terminal.

Since it was currently during working hours, only a handful of passengers were waiting for the train.

When people noticed Shen Qingzhu’s shabby appearance, they instinctively chose seats farther away from him.

Through his long bangs, Shen Qingzhu caught every detail. But rather than feeling upset, he even hummed a tune under his breath.

Memories of the day he left C-07 at eighteen were brought to the surface.

Back then, he was the carefully groomed Omega heir of the Cole family, like an exotic, rare bird. He traveled in a private starship worth billions, with servants attending to his every need. Even when he slept, guards stood outside his door.

Back then, he had everything—except freedom.

Now, he finally possessed the most precious thing of all.

There was no more constant surveillance. No more etiquette tutors correcting his every gesture. No more hulking bodyguards preventing his escape.

The planetary train whizzed through the underground vacuum.

Although there was no wind here, Shen Qingzhu felt as though the bird of freedom was singing at the top of its voice.

Thirty minutes later, the train arrived at the space elevator terminal.

Taking the escalator upwards, Shen Qingzhu raised his head to see the magnificent, towering structure of metal, stretching straight into space, looming silently against the leaden horizon.

Next he had to get to the space elevator outside.