Chapter 33: The True and False Heiress 33

The more Huai Ying spoke of the past in a light, almost carefree tone, the more Yu Zhu felt a deep pang of sympathy for her.

No one really knew what she had endured.

“I don’t need anyone’s pity. No one deserves to pity me,” Huai Ying said, lifting her head to meet Yu Zhu’s eyes directly.

Suppressing the shock stirring within her, Yu Zhu settled onto Huai Ying’s shoulder, speaking brightly, “Boss, you’re overthinking it. How could I possibly pity you?”

“I’m just curious about your world. Didn’t they conduct experiments on you in secret?” Yu Zhu asked.

From the way Huai Ying spoke, it seemed it was done openly.

That was utterly unfathomable.

Huai Ying sneered coldly. “Of course it was public. It was the greatest project revered across the entire universe—and I was the ultimate subject.”

The torment she had suffered after failing her quick-transmigration mission was but child’s play compared to her past.

Her spiritual form had been extracted and sent to countless places to be tortured and honed.

Her body had been used as a petri dish for bacteria, cultivating batch after batch of perfect antibodies used on interstellar populations.

In truth, all the people of the stars owed her a debt.

She had every right to claim their lives.

After all, hadn’t they benefited so much from her existence?

“What about your parents?” Yu Zhu couldn’t help but ask.

“You’re wrong,” Huai Ying’s expression hardened as she corrected her. “They’re not my parents—only my biological creators.”

“They created me merely to have a perfect next generation.”

The interstellar society long ago abandoned natural birth in favor of artificial wombs.

They screened for the finest genes to cultivate flawless children.

To parents, children were nothing more than meticulously crafted products.

Ready to be discarded and replaced at any time.

Especially since her creators were scientists.

At that moment, Yu Zhu understood.

She finally grasped where Huai Ying’s temperament stemmed from.

Taking a deep breath, she concealed her true feelings and instead said admiringly, “Boss, you’re incredible. You must have tried to die countless times.”

Unexpectedly, Huai Ying curled her lips into a smile brimming with meaning.

“Sometimes, death isn’t so simple. With advanced interstellar technology, ending one’s life is incredibly difficult.”

“Before I turned six, I tried to die thousands of times.”

Yu Zhu’s jaw dropped in astonishment, and it took her a long moment to find her voice again.

This was... beyond belief.

For some reason, Huai Ying seemed more willing to open up today.

“The people of the stars find death hard, but living is difficult too,” she continued. “Every person is born with genetic defects. A long life only means prolonged suffering.”

“To fix these defects, they stop at nothing. Experimenting on a single child is nothing to them.”

Her tone was laced with scorn. Being the only one without defects made her a prime target.

As the experiments continued, scientists tried to use her genetic data to alter the genes of interstellar people.

But they kept failing.

Gradually, the genetic defects in Huai Ying herself began to emerge.

They refused to accept defeat and became ever more reckless in their experiments.

Until Huai Ying seized an opportunity, using her own body to create a new virus powerful enough to annihilate the world.

Only then did it all come to an end.

For both Huai Ying and them, wasn’t that ultimately a blessing?

“Oh my god,” Yu Zhu gasped.

So such a place truly existed.

She looked into Huai Ying’s eyes, unable to hide her sympathy.

When Huai Ying glanced over, Yu Zhu quickly averted her gaze, afraid to be seen.

Changing the subject, she said, “If that’s the case, boss, your disdain was actually a great mercy.”

“If not for you, they would never have found release. Besides, this was what they owed you all along.”

Huai Ying’s lips twitched involuntarily.

She wasn’t saying these things just to hear Yu Zhu say them.

Unable to resist, she asked, “Is that all you think?”

“What else should I think?” Yu Zhu asked, genuinely puzzled.

Huai Ying shook her head and said no more.

Inwardly, she thought: What a fool!

“A world like the stars can perish for all I care. But this world has so many beautiful things—humanity, delicious food, breathtaking scenery—all worth savoring.”

“Do you really want to hurt the Bai family and Mu Jinnian? They’re good people, aren’t they?”

This time, Huai Ying gave no clear answer.

Instead, she asked, “How much of the mission is complete?”

“Ninety-five percent.”

Huai Ying hummed softly, lowering her gaze, lost in thought.

Yu Zhu watched her nervously, afraid she might suddenly hatch some new plan.

Huai Ying glanced briefly at the experiment on her desk, then tossed it aside and left the lab.

She wanted to get some answers.

The first person she sought out was Mu Jinnian.

Her question was simple and direct: “Do you want to die?”

“Huh?” Mu Jinnian was stunned.

“Do you want to die?”

“Me?” Mu Jinnian pointed to himself, tentatively asking, “Should I want to? Or not want to?”

Huai Ying considered before changing the subject. “Is there anything in this world worth holding onto? Anything you can’t bear to lose?”

He looked at her deeply, his expression softening.

With solemnity, he nodded, “Yes.”

Once there was nothing, but now there was.

Huai Ying understood and left without further questions.

Mu Jinnian scratched his head in confusion and hurried after her.

Huai Ying then approached Bai Jinwei with the same question.

Bai Jinwei nodded. “I used to want to die. Now I don’t. My life finally has hope again.”

“There are things I care about deeply—my family and my loved one.”

She looked up at Gu Mingxu, who usually wore a cold expression but now smiled warmly.

Gu Mingxu returned her smile excitedly, eager to answer Huai Ying’s question.

But to his surprise, Huai Ying merely glanced at him and turned away.

She never asked for his answer, leaving the question lodged in his chest, unable to be voiced.

Anyone could see who mattered to him without asking.

“Boss, do you really intend to hurt them?” Yu Zhu finally asked.

“The data doesn’t lie—they truly love you.”

Huai Ying sat on a roadside bench, lost in thought, as if trapped in her own world.

“Mom, I want cotton candy. Can you buy me some? I know you love me the most.”

“Flying, Daddy! I want to ride on a plane again—hee hee hee.”

“Xiaoqing, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Stinky tofu! Stinky tofu here!”

“Miss, want to check out the clothes in the shop? You’d look amazing in them.”

“Why are you littering? Pick that up! Set a good example for the kids!”

The cacophony of voices swirled around Huai Ying’s ears, yet she felt no irritation.

Her gaze grew gentle, the air around her calm and serene.

It radiated a profound sense of happiness, straight from the heart.