Chapter 1238: Dispute

## Chapter 1238: The Dispute

“Do you see it, Changqing? This is the miracle of biology!

“To adapt to this apocalyptic environment, we must evolve as quickly as possible! But human evolution has too many limitations. If we can work together to advance fusion technology, humanity will no longer need to fear the spiritual and physical pollution caused by the Gray Realm. We won't have to hide in the shadows underground anymore. In fact, we could even gain powerful abilities, just like you.

“I am the best example myself… Changqing, you know how I was before – old, tired, barely able to walk on my own two legs… But what about now? Now I possess a body that hardly ages, a mind that never tires. My thoughts can proliferate ten times faster than before, and those biological problems that once plagued me can now be easily solved…

“Now, your teacher is your biggest competitor, ha ha ha!”

“Changqing, tell me honestly… Did you steal my research findings and samples?”

“Changqing, do you know how much effort I put into documenting all that? You… sigh… I am your teacher. If you wanted them, you only had to ask. I've never withheld anything from you… But Changqing, what do you intend to do by stealing my blood samples?”

“In this world, only you and I are integrators. We both clearly understand the leap we achieved after completing the integration… And now, you actually want to claim this technology for yourself?”

“Science should serve the masses, not individuals at the top of the pyramid! I know you are now the esteemed Lord of the Southern Sea, an existence admired by all, but… have you perhaps forgotten who you are?”

“Are you afraid? What are you afraid of… Afraid that others will discover the secret of integration? Afraid that even ordinary people could become Lords of the Southern Sea? That way, you wouldn't be able to maintain your unique status among the Nine Lords, and among humanity?”

“Changqing, ever since you returned from the Gray Realm, I feel like I don't know you anymore…”

“Chu Changqing!!! I am your teacher!! I am the one who personally guided you into the halls of biology!! And now… now you actually slander me?”

“I, Ye Mu, swear to heaven that I absolutely did not conduct human experiments on children without authorization!! Nor did I illegally traffic organs or secretly sell addictive drugs in human bases!! The disappearance of those children truly has nothing to do with me… Truly… truly…”

“I do not accept the joint verdict of the nine major bases against me, I do not accept it!!!!”

Bang—!!

The resounding thud of a gavel echoed through the courtroom, like rolling thunder, startling Teacher Ye awake from his dream!

The murky grey sky, like an iron dome, pressed down, making it hard to breathe. A frosty, chilling wind brushed past his temples. After a long moment, he slowly came to his senses and sat up.

Beneath him was a carefully laid blanket. Though covered in dust and tears, it was still soft and comfortable to lie on. Teacher Ye's fingertips gently brushed the cute blanket adorned with cartoon patterns, his gaze fixed forward.

On the desolate ground of the Gray Realm, children sat together in groups. They who were once vibrant in colorful clothes beneath the Mother Tree now appeared drained of color, staring listlessly at the grey flame in the center, like refugees from an old black-and-white film – disheveled and sorrowful.

“Teacher Ye! You're awake?” Zhao Yi's surprised voice rang out from beside him.

At this exclamation, the dazed children suddenly snapped back to reality, their dim eyes rekindling with light. In a flash, they surrounded Teacher Ye!

“Teacher Ye, you're finally awake!”

“Teacher Ye, we were so worried about you just now…”

“Are you feeling unwell, Teacher Ye? Are you hungry? Brother Sun just gave me two candied hawthorn skewers; I'll share one with you!”

“Teacher Ye, you look so pale. Did you have a nightmare?”

Their chattering voices were incredibly noisy, but for some reason, hearing them calmed Teacher Ye's heart. He quietly asked, “What… happened to me?”

“We don't know, you suddenly fell from the sky just now. Brother Sun saved you… Brother Chen Ling said you were just overly fatigued and that you'd be fine after a good rest.”

Recalling his memories before losing consciousness, Teacher Ye nodded slightly:

“…I understand.”

The surrounding chatter gradually subsided.

But the children didn't leave; instead, they quietly remained by Teacher Ye's side, their clean eyes fixed on him, like stars twinkling in the night.

“What's wrong?” Teacher Ye asked.

Finally, a girl couldn't help but speak, her voice choked with sobs, “Teacher Ye… the Integration Faction is gone… What… what will we do?”

The girl's choked sob was like a switch. The moment her words fell, the suppressed grievances and sorrow in the hearts of the other children could no longer be hidden.

From the destruction of the Mother Tree and Teacher Ye's unconsciousness until now, these children hadn't shed a single tear. But with Teacher Ye's awakening, they finally seemed to relax, as if their pillar of support had returned, finding someone to confide in and lean on. More and more sobs and cries rose from the crowd, echoing through the desolation of the Gray Realm…

In Teacher Ye's eyes, the image of the children kneeling and weeping amidst the ruins was reflected. He felt a wrenching pain in his heart, yet he gently stroked the girl's head and answered as gently as possible:

“The Mother Tree is gone, but we can find another place to live… As long as we are still here, the Integration Faction will always be here.”

“But… but where else can we go?”

The children had grown up around the Mother Tree since childhood, and most of them had never seen what lay beyond the Gray Realm. Stripped of their sanctuary, they looked blankly at the monochrome world around them—only black, white, and grey—as an inexplicable fear welled up from deep within their hearts.

Teacher Ye remained silent for a long time, as if finally having made up his mind. He slowly stood up from the ground…

“We will go to the Southern Sea Territory.”

Beneath the dim sky, several enormous shadow centipedes crawled across the barren land.

If one were to look down from the sky, they would notice that these shadow centipedes encircled the children of the Integration Faction, guarding the perimeter like sentries… And atop the largest of these centipedes, a figure draped in a large red opera robe stood silently.

After an unknown period, a completely dark-skinned boy ran from near a nearby bonfire and shouted to Chen Ling:

“King Chen Ling!”

“Teacher Ye requests your presence!”