302: Reunited with my parents, I am still that boy.

Inside the compartment of the special train, that cold "Game start" was still echoing in the air.

Everyone's nerves were strained to the absolute limit.

Only Lu Chen reached out with an expressionless face and made a pressing motion in the void.

"heavenly craft, set the encryption level for this information to the highest."

Lu Chen's voice was frighteningly calm, "Also, help me reply to that so-called 'sender' with one sentence."

Everyone was stunned: "Reply with what?"

"Reply with the word 'Scram'."

Lu Chen straightened his collar; the killing intent that was originally in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by an anticipation of returning home and a hint of nervousness?

"That's something to worry about tomorrow. Right now, even if the sky falls, don't delay me from going home to eat braised pork."

Xicheng District of Beijing, a seemingly ordinary old residential compound.

This place looked no different from twenty years ago—red brick walls, Boston ivy, and those several old locust trees at the entrance.

But with a high-dimensional perspective, one would discover that this place was practically a war fortress.

Within a five-kilometer radius, at least three squadrons of "Ghost" mecha were hidden. Buried underground were energy shield generators capable of withstanding nuclear blasts, and even the collar of that stray dog at the entrance was stuffed with a miniature detection radar.

A black Hongqi sedan quietly stopped below Unit 3.

Lu Chen got out of the car and took a deep breath.

In the air, there was the pungent smell of stir-fried chili and the warbling sound of the old man next door listening to Peking opera.

"What's wrong? Nervous?"

Su Qingying stood beside him, carrying large and small bags of gifts. This iceberg goddess, who made the entire Milky Way Galaxy tremble with fear, was actually nervously adjusting her bangs against the car window glass at this moment.

"Nonsense."

Lu Chen gave a bitter smile and rubbed his face, "Facing that cleaners fleet is at most a matter of one shot. Facing my mom, reason doesn't work, and I can't hit back; I can only stand at attention and take the beating."

"Pfft." Su Qingying couldn't help but laugh, "Let's go. An ugly daughter-in-law must eventually see her in-laws, let alone how many times I've seen them already."

The two went upstairs.

On the third floor, the "Fu" character from last year was still pasted on the security door.

Lu Chen raised his hand, hesitated for half a second, and knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The sound of slippers pitter-pattering came from inside, along with a familiar loud voice: "Coming, coming! Stop rushing me! Old Lu, turn down the heat, don't let the fish burn!"

The door opened.

A middle-aged woman wearing an apron, with graying hair but a spirited appearance, appeared at the door.

Zhang Cuilian.

Lu Chen's biological mother, and the only person in this universe who could suppress the Lord of the Galaxy through bloodline.

She was still holding a spatula, staring blankly at the two people at the door.

Lu Chen squeezed out a bright smile: "Mom, I'm ba—"

"Slap!"

A slap landed directly on Lu Chen's arm.

It didn't hurt, but it was loud.

"You brat! You finally know to come back!"

Zhang Cuilian's eyes instantly turned red. She raised the spatula to strike a second time but stopped mid-air. "You've been gone for over half a year! Not even a single video call! I thought you were captured by aliens to be a live-in son-in-law!"

Lu Chen didn't dodge either, chuckling foolishly: "How could that be? Your son is so picky; no alien would catch my eye."

"Auntie."

Su Qingying stepped forward obediently and handed over the things in her hands. "Lu Chen went to take care of serious business, and he rushed back as soon as he finished."

Zhang Cuilian's expression instantly changed from "cloudy to sunny." She smiled so kindly, threw the spatula aside, and grabbed Su Qingying's hand, refusing to let go.

"Oh, Qingying is here! Quick, come in, come in! Ignore this brat; let him stand guard at the door and reflect!"

Lu Chen: "..."

This was his status in the family.

The furnishings in the house were very old but kept spotless.

On the sofa, Lu Chen's dad, Lu Jianguo, was wearing reading glasses and pretending to read the newspaper—the newspaper was held upside down.

Seeing Lu Chen come in, Old Lu huffed and shook the newspaper: "So you're willing to come back?"

"Dad."

Lu Chen walked over and took out a box of specially supplied "Starry Sky" brand cigarettes from his pocket—these were specially made from tobacco grown in Mars soil, with fewer than ten cartons in the entire Federation.

"Brought these for you, want to try?"

Lu Jianguo's eyes lit up, and the posture he had just been maintaining collapsed instantly. He looked around and lowered his voice: "Quick, put them away! If your mom sees, she'll nag again!"

As he spoke, he stuffed the cigarettes into the sofa crack with lightning speed, then patted Lu Chen's shoulder and looked him up and down.

His grip was very firm; it was a father's silent concern.

"You've lost weight."

Lu Jianguo struggled for a long time before squeezing out two words: "Not hurt?"

"No." Lu Chen's nose felt a bit sour. "I'm all in one piece, not even a scratch."

"That's good, that's good." Lu Jianguo nodded and turned toward the kitchen. "I'll go check on the fish; your mom's cooking is hit-or-miss."

Looking at his father's slightly hunched back, Lu Chen felt a mix of emotions.

Outside, he was a god, controlling the life and death of billions.

But at home, he would always be the child whose parents worried whether he had eaten enough or was dressed warmly.

Dinner was very sumptuous.

Braised pork, sweet and sour spare ribs, steamed sea bass—all of them were Lu Chen's favorites.

The evening news was playing on the television.

On the screen was the grand triumphal ceremony from earlier today. The host explained in an impassioned tone: "This is a great victory for human civilization! Marshal Lu Chen has once again created a miracle..."

While gnawing on a rib, Lu Chen pointed at the TV and claimed credit indistinctly:

"Mom, look, isn't your son impressive?"

Zhang Cuilian was putting food into Su Qingying's bowl. Hearing this, she glanced at the TV and then at Lu Chen, who was gnawing on a bone without any decorum.

"Impressive my foot."

Zhang Cuilian disdainfully put a piece of fatty meat into Lu Chen's bowl. "Look at that marshal on TV, standing so straight and looking so spirited. Then look at you—no posture while sitting or eating. In the future, don't tell people you're that marshal when you go out; it's embarrassing."

Su Qingying lowered her head, her shoulders shaking as she struggled to hold back her laughter.

Lu Chen looked aggrieved: "Mom, that really is me—"

"Eat your meat!" Zhang Cuilian tapped the edge of his bowl with her chopstick. "Qingying, eat more. You've lost weight recently. Did this brat bully you? If he dares to bully you, tell me, and I'll break his legs!"

"No, Auntie, he's very good to me." Su Qingying looked up, her eyes sparkling as she glanced at Lu Chen.

Under the table, her foot lightly kicked Lu Chen's calf.

Lu Chen felt warm inside.

At this moment, whatever Fourth-level civilization, whatever Overseer, and whatever high-dimensional game were all diluted by the aroma of food filling the room.

This was the meaning of his fighting.

It wasn't for some grand cosmic truth; it was simply to be able to sit here peacefully, listening to his mom's nagging, having a few drinks with his dad, and watching his wife giggle.

If anyone dared to destroy all this...

He would kill gods if they stood in his way and Buddhas if they blocked his path.

Night fell.

The old couple was old after all, and having drunk a bit of wine in their happiness, they went to bed early.

Lu Chen and Su Qingying sat on the balcony.

Outside the window were the lights of ten thousand homes.

In the distance, the signal lights of a massive space elevator flickered, leading straight to the heavens.

The wind was a bit cool.

Lu Chen lit a cigarette, but instead of smoking it, he held it in his hand and watched it burn.

"Has that signal been decoded yet?"

Su Qingying put away her earlier girlish demeanor, and her voice returned to being calm. She held a tablet with a screen full of flowing data streams.

"It's mostly been decoded."

Su Qingying's expression was somewhat grave. "This is not just a letter of challenge. That 'Sample No. 9832' refers to our universe bubble's number."

"Which means..."

"Which means there are at least 9,831 other universes like ours." Su Qingying looked at Lu Chen. "And only civilizations that pass the 'selection' are qualified to enter the next round."

Lu Chen gave a cold laugh and stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray.

"What kind of bullshit selection? Isn't it just raising Gu?"

"Putting thousands of universes together to slaughter each other, and only the last one standing is qualified to see the master and wag its tail?"

He stood up, bracing his hands on the railing, his gaze seemingly piercing through the atmosphere to look directly at the deep void.

"Unfortunately, they chose the wrong opponent."

Lu Chen turned around, looking at Su Qingying, a frantic flame dancing in his eyes.

"Qingying, notify heavenly craft."

"Cancel half of the vacation."

"In three days, I want to convene a meeting of the Supreme Command."

Su Qingying was stunned: "So urgent? What are you going to do?"

The corner of Lu Chen's mouth curled up into the expression of a hunter seeing his ultimate prey.

"Since they say the game has started..."

"Then I will send a grand gift to those high-and-mighty 'players'."

"A virus sufficient to crash the entire high-dimensional world."