Gavin Carter, who had no interest at all in family disputes, actually brightened his eyes this time. This was truly an interesting way to cultivate, almost like George Washington...

The woman strode into the room. The previously arrogant Grace Brooks's expression changed, and she forced herself to offer a greeting: "Captain Reed."

But the woman completely ignored Grace Brooks, her scrutinizing gaze circling Gavin Carter's face, locking onto his eyes: "Do you dare accept?"

Emily Brooks: "Wait, Miss Reed..."

Gavin Carter: "Of course."

The woman nodded. "Alright, it's settled then."

Emily Brooks: "MMP."

Over there, Grace Brooks said coldly, "Lucas Reed, this is a family matter of the Yin family, you..."

"This is a military matter!" Lucas Reed snapped sharply. "The Yin family is just a supplier. Who allowed you to wave a chicken feather as a command token, using military supplies as an excuse for your family infighting?"

"You..." Grace Brooks was both angry and wary, but in the end didn't dare fall out with Lucas Reed.

This Lucas Reed was no ordinary person. She was the commander of the Special Operations Division directly under the military, the captain of the special forces during wartime, and the director of the Special Affairs Office in peacetime.

Grace Brooks held back for a long while, then finally found an excuse: "If Emily buys a potion from outside, does that count as this pretty boy's doing? All researchers need qualification certification, this man's qualif—"

"Enough noise!"

With a loud "smack!", Lucas Reed slapped Grace Brooks across the face, sending her spinning and crashing heavily by the door.

A group of men in black suits instinctively tried to intervene, but Lucas Reed swept them with a glare, and they all shrank back.

Lucas Reed said coldly, "If you can buy a potion the military needs from outside, the military will accept it—who cares where it comes from? Since when do you have a say in military affairs?"

Grace Brooks, sitting on the ground outside the door clutching her face, managed to sit up straight: "Lucas Reed, are you really going to go against our Yin family..."

"Is the Yin family so impressive? The people I, Lucas Reed, protect—how dare you keep causing trouble for them? Do you really think my Special Operations Division doesn't dare to kill?" Lucas Reed sneered, pointing at the bat-person in the corner. "This cyborg, I'm taking with me. As for the rest of you, get out!"

Gavin Carter tilted his head, a bit speechless.

He'd come downstairs to beat someone up, but hadn't even lifted a finger—this woman had done it all.

So why did he even bother coming down, and why was he wearing a chibi-style pajama set trying to act cute...

But through this incident, he did come to a realization.

Last night, when Emily Brooks fought the bat-person in the alley, he thought it was just a battle in the shadows of the city, and that daily life wouldn't involve so much fighting. But now it seemed that wasn't the case...

This planet wasn't exactly a law-abiding, civilized place. At its core, it was still a world of martial conflict. From how Grace Brooks was always ready to have people fight, and how Lucas Reed beat people as casually as swatting a dog, it was clear this was a world where people fought at the drop of a hat.

Even the most casual bodyguard wasn't just an ordinary martial artist—they were all gene warriors.

Humanity clearly had its own combat system, not just relying on guns. Daily combat was probably routine.

Maybe it was related to the war with the godborn, or maybe to alien enemies. Humanity's tech tree was likely focused mostly on war technology and individual enhancement.

Emily Brooks's biotechnology, which he hadn't found very interesting before, now seemed to be an important part of humanity's cultivation system.

So maybe... it was better not to leave for now, and study this a bit more?

Who would have thought that a random encounter with a little fox in a coffee shop would turn out to be such a crucial thread—human identity and gene biotechnology, godborn cultivation, and her own background and fate... It seemed that by observing her, he could unravel the whole world.

She even casually brought her father god home to raise.

Gavin Carter knew what this was called.

In stories, this was called the female protagonist.

In the Daoist path, this was called the tribulation responder.

Chapter 12: Godborn Ruins

The roar of engines sounded as the once-aggressive motorcade now left in a flustered hurry.

With Lucas Reed standing here, Grace Brooks could do nothing and left in bitter resentment.

Lucas Reed watched them go, spat, and said, "Still using fuel cars at a time like this? On one hand, they call for energy saving and environmental protection, but in the end, it's always the public's responsibility?"

Emily Brooks hugged her from behind, laughing: "Alright, don't be so fierce, your hair's about to catch fire..."

Lucas Reed was still annoyed: "Back then, everyone had their own duties and worked together, only then could we survive and develop in this distant star system. Now, just over two hundred years later, what has it become? Some people are good for nothing, yet enjoy resources and indulge in pleasure, while those with ambition have no way forward and are instead ordered around. Anyone who didn't know better would think it was still the Xia dynasty from thousands of years ago—wake up, the Xia dynasty ended long ago!"

Gavin Carter: "..."

After venting, Lucas Reed seemed to calm down quickly. She turned and pinched Emily Brooks's cheek, laughing: "You told me you needed to get an identity for a house servant, made me come all this way, but it turns out it's for a house lover..."

Emily Brooks put on a stern face: "No... it's just a pet..."

So this was Emily Brooks's military backing—even getting an identity was done through her help.

Old friends, huh?