After that day of Vados's initiative, the recent days seemed to have returned to a kind of surface calm.
But beneath this calm, an indescribably subtle undercurrent was surging.
Ever since that accidental night, Vados had, with an almost matter-of-fact attitude, completely integrated into Whitley and Bulma's lives.
Or rather, she had successfully carved out a place for herself in this home, right in front of Bulma.
Faced with this high-level angel with her endless schemes, Bulma, after a few confrontations, finally felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
And then she felt... mentally exhausted and didn't want to say anything more.
Resist? Accuse?
When facing Vados, it all seemed exceptionally pale and powerless, and would often be casually deflected by her, and even put herself in a more awkward situation!
Now, Bulma didn't even dare to easily talk back to Vados or show her a sour face.
Lately, whenever her attitude towards Vados showed the slightest dissatisfaction, or her tone carried a hint of gunpowder, Vados would cover her mouth with her sleeve, let out that light chuckle that made Bulma's scalp tingle, and then, with a look as if she had discovered something interesting, she would size her up and say in a very leisurely tone, "Oh my~ as expected of you, Bulma-san. This delicate and smooth skin, this pitiable and aggrieved expression, even an angel like me who has lived for hundreds of millions of years can't help but feel a sense of affection upon seeing it. No wonder... no wonder Lord Whitley dotes on you so much~ hehe~"
Whenever she heard these words, Bulma's mind would uncontrollably recall that chaotic and... unspeakable night.
She would recall how Vados had so brazenly barged into her and Whitley's private space, and then... the absurd things that had happened between the three of them, which made her blush but which she was completely unable to resist under Whitley's tacit approval.
"What a despicable woman!"
Every time Bulma thought back, she was both ashamed and angry, but deep down, there was a faint, strange feeling that she herself was unwilling to admit...
In short! To avoid triggering Vados's "flashback-kill" style of teasing again, and the "practical actions" that might follow, which she couldn't handle, Bulma now chose to strategically retreat whenever she saw Vados, avoiding her whenever possible.
Lately, she had almost completely immersed herself in the lab, pouring all her energy into the research on Android 21, trying to numb herself with work and also to escape that frustrating "family" relationship.
"Sigh!"
In the empty laboratory, Bulma looked at the still-Majin-form but undeniably alluring No. 21 in the hibernation pod and couldn't help but complain, "Why is the husband I found so popular... one No. 18 wasn't enough, and now there's a Vados! Honestly..."
Her gaze swept over No. 21's face and figure, which exuded a fatal attraction even in her coma, and a hint of vigilance and worry inexplicably rose in her heart. "This woman... she's not going to join in too in the future, is she? Oh god! Give me a break!"
She shook her head forcefully, temporarily suppressing these chaotic thoughts. Bulma took a deep breath and focused her attention on the work at hand. "Forget it, I'll deal with this later. I need to figure out what's going on with this crazy woman first."
She sat down at the computer and pulled up the data report generated from the comprehensive scan and analysis of No. 21's body.
The screen was densely packed with data and graphs, constantly scrolling.
Bulma frowned and carefully examined each indicator, her brain working at high speed, trying to find the source of No. 21's power, the peculiarity of her cell structure, and... the reason why this woman, No. 21, was always so crazy.
"Abnormal cell activity... energy reaction has both bio-energy and some unknown fluctuation... regenerative ability is almost infinite, the core seems to have undergone some kind of optimization and modification..."
Bulma muttered to herself, the more she looked, the more alarmed she became.
This No. 21 was practically a walking miracle of energy science!
After studying for a long time, some key questions were still shrouded in mystery.
Bulma rubbed her slightly throbbing temples and her gaze fell on the capsule on the desk.
This was the one No. 18 had found on No. 21 and had been passed to her by Whitley.
"What... could be in here?"
Bulma picked up the strangely shaped capsule, a little hesitant.
If she opened it directly... would it be dangerous? But in the end, curiosity won out over caution.
She gritted her teeth and pressed the switch on the capsule.
"Poof!"
A light sound was heard. After a puff of white smoke dissipated, a strange machine, like a giant metal egg, appeared in the empty space of the lab!
"Th-this is!!"
The moment Bulma saw this machine, her pupils contracted sharply, and she froze on the spot!
She was all too familiar with this shape! She had studied it for a while before!
This thing was a time machine! Almost identical to the one Trunks had brought from the future!
"But... this thing... wasn't it built by the future me and given to Trunks? How can it be in this woman's hands?!"
Bulma's mind was in a mess. An extremely bad thought entered her mind at this moment. "Could it be... that the future Trunks... and the future me... they... all of them..."
She didn't dare to think any further. Her face instantly turned pale, and an icy chill shot up from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
Now that this time machine had fallen into the enemy's hands, that meant... something extremely terrible and unexpected might have happened in the future!
She shot up from her chair, her heart pounding wildly!
She couldn't be bothered to continue studying No. 21. She had to find Whitley immediately and tell him about this! This matter was too important!
Bulma rushed out of the lab and hurried down the corridor towards the gravity room in the backyard.
At this time of day, Whitley was usually there, engaged in his daily training.
...
Meanwhile, in that devastated future world.
Trunks had been searching the vast area once known as "South City" for a long time.
The sky here was still an oppressive gray, and the land was covered with the scars of war.
After his return from the past timeline, not only had he brought back greater strength and hope, but he had also heard many unknown secrets from Whitley.
Among them was some intelligence about the evil scientist, Dr. Gero. For example, Dr. Gero's previous research base might be hidden in a mountain range in the southern region.
But Whitley had only mentioned it casually at the time, and Trunks did not know the specific location.
Therefore, Trunks could only circle aimlessly above this desolate mountain range like a headless fly, hoping to spot some trace of human activity from high above, or any clue that might be related to a research institute.
Trunks sighed, muttering to himself with some frustration, "Sigh! If only I had asked Whitley-san for more details... It feels like Whitley-san knows everything, and his power... is really so strong!"
Just as he was muttering to himself and preparing to turn to another area to continue his search, suddenly! His keen hearing caught an unusual sound from a valley below!
It was the sound of energy clashing and rapid movement! Someone was fighting there?!
Trunks's heart immediately became alert!
He landed gently and, at the same time, concealed his own ki, silently sneaking towards the source of the sound.
After a short period of investigation to confirm that there were no traps or ambushes, he hid behind a large rock and carefully peeked into the valley.
In the valley, two figures were fighting fiercely.
One figure was bright blue in appearance, its movements swift and precise.
The other was bright red, with a carefree demeanor and a sense of power in its combat.
The two of them clashed at high speed in the air and on the ground, and the aftershocks of their battle kicked up gusts of wind and dust.
"No. 1! As expected of No. 1!"
The red figure leaped back after a clash, its tone filled with admiration. "How did you get stronger again? Did Dr. Hedo upgrade you recently? That's great, I also want the doctor to enhance me a bit!"
The blue figure, referred to as "No. 1," did not answer, just silently launched another swift assault.
His moves were clean and his goal was clear.
"These two... who are they?"
Seeing this, Trunks was a little shocked. "The power and speed they're showing in their spar... is not at all inferior to mine?! In this world, besides the former Androids 17 and 18, there are other such strong fighters?"
And just then, the blue "No. 1" seemed to sense something.
He whipped his head around, his sharp gaze shooting like a tangible beam towards the direction where Trunks was hiding!
"Who's there?!"
He let out a low shout and, almost without any hesitation, raised his hand and fired a condensed energy beam, which shot like lightning towards the large tree where Trunks was hiding!
The attack was extremely fast and contained a considerable amount of energy!
Trunks was startled. He hadn't expected the other's perception to be so sharp, and his attack so decisive!
It was too late for him to dodge now!
"Hah!!!"
At the critical moment, Trunks let out a low roar!
A golden ki instantly erupted from his body and enveloped him. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and took the blow head-on with his own body!
"BOOM!!!"
The energy beam slammed into Trunks's defense and exploded in a huge ball of fire. The giant tree he had been hiding behind was also shattered by the shockwave!
"Hey! No. 1!"
The red No. 2 shouted with some dissatisfaction. "What if you had hurt an ordinary person just now! We are Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, who are supposed to become heroes of justice! How can you just attack someone without asking first? And you even used your full power in that attack!"
No. 1's movement paused slightly upon hearing this, as if he also realized that his reaction just now had been a bit excessive. He remained silent and did not object.
The two of them immediately flew towards the smoke-filled area.
When they saw that the current Trunks, although a little disheveled, was not injured, and his clothes were only slightly scorched by the energy aftershock, they both let out a subconscious sigh of relief.
Trunks got into a fighting stance and looked warily at the two strange-looking people before him, asking in a deep voice, "You two... who are you? Are you also... evil androids?"
Although the one in red had said something about "heroes of justice," Trunks had been through too much to believe them so easily.
"Of course not!"
Gamma 2 immediately retorted loudly, his tone filled with the grievance of being wronged. "No. 1 and I are going to become heroes who protect the world and uphold justice! How could we be evil androids! You, don't just give people random nicknames!"
Ignoring No. 2's emotional retort, Gamma 1 stepped forward and sized up Trunks carefully.
After confirming that he was not seriously injured, he said in his steady voice, "If I'm not mistaken, you are the hero Trunks who eliminated the evil Androids 17 and 18 and protected the Earth, right? I've seen your information and footage in the doctor's database."
"Doctor?"
Trunks's vigilance did not relax, but he became even more puzzled. "The doctor you're talking about... could it be... Dr. Gero?"
He could only think of this evil scientist who had created countless disasters.
No. 2 was even more unhappy to hear this and started to shout, "Of course not! Our doctor is the great Dr. Hedo! He is a kind and upright scientist who developed us, the Gamma series androids, and is dedicated to maintaining world peace! He's not that evil Dr. Gero you're talking about!"
Just as Trunks was about to ask more about this "Dr. Hedo," No. 1 suddenly raised his hand and covered the communicator in his ear, as if listening to some command.
After a moment, he lowered his hand and looked at the still-highly-vigilant Trunks, nodding. "I know you must have many questions right now. Come with us, Trunks. The doctor wants to see you. The doctor will personally answer all your questions."
After speaking, he exchanged a look with No. 2, and the two of them said no more. Their figures moved and immediately took to the air, flying deeper into the mountains.
Trunks looked at the two departing figures, his heart filled with conflict and hesitation.
Follow them? It could very well be a trap!
Don't follow? This might be the only chance to learn the truth and find a clue about the stolen time machine blueprints.
In the end, his desire for the truth and his worry about the potential threat made him make up his mind.
He gritted his teeth, his aura stirred again, and he cautiously followed behind Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, flying into the unknown depths of the mountain range.
And after the few of them had left, a tiny mechanical insect that looked perfectly blended with its surroundings, almost indistinguishable from a real insect, silently arrived at the place where they had just been talking and fighting.
Its complex electronic eyes flashed with a faint red light, as if it were recording and transmitting everything that had just happened...
...
Past timeline, West City, in the Briefs' estate.
Bulma had successfully dragged the sweat-drenched Whitley out of the gravity room.
Whitley had just finished a round of training. He was steaming all over and looked at the grave, even slightly panicked Bulma with some confusion. "What's wrong, Bulma? Did something happen?"
"Don't ask, just come with me!"
Bulma's tone was a little rushed. She took Whitley's hand and ran towards the lab.
When Bulma brought Whitley to the suddenly appeared egg-shaped machine, he was also stunned.
"A time machine?!" Whitley blurted out in surprise.
"You think so too, right!"
Bulma spoke quickly, her face filled with worry. "I just took this out of No. 21's capsule! But how is this possible? The time machine was clearly built by the future me and given to Trunks. The only one is in Trunks's hands! How can it be here? Did something happen in the future? Trunks and the future me, they..."
While listening to Bulma's worried words, Whitley forced himself to calm down and carefully examined the time machine.
He touched the machine's outer shell, observing the details and patterns on it.
But the more he looked, the tighter his brow furrowed, and a strange sense of dissonance arose in his heart.
"Wait, Bulma."
Whitley suddenly spoke, pointing to a very inconspicuous spot on the time machine's outer shell, and said with certainty, "This time machine... is probably not the one Trunks used."
"Huh?"
Bulma was stunned and also leaned in for a closer look. "Not the same one? How are you so sure?"
"Look here,"
Whitley pointed to an area on the time machine. "On this machine, there are no Capsule Corp logos or icons. But if I remember correctly, the time machine that Trunks piloted should have had a very clear Capsule Corp logo."
With Whitley's reminder, Bulma also immediately noticed the abnormality.
As a top scientist and the future creator of the time machine, her eye for detail was naturally not weak.
She had just been thrown off by the shock of the time machine itself and the possible bad news. Now that she had calmed down and looked carefully, she indeed found many differences.
"That's right... this is not my design style... at least not the style of the future me who designed it completely independently..."
Bulma frowned and fell into deep thought. "But, if it's not Trunks's, then where did this time machine come from? And where did No. 21 get it? Could it be that someone else has also mastered time machine technology?"
After pondering for a long while, she still could not come to a definite conclusion.
Bulma shot her head up, her gaze sharp as she looked at the hibernation pod in the lab that held No. 21.
"Let's go!"
She grabbed Whitley and said decisively, "Follow me into the lab! I'm going to wake up that No. 21 right now! No matter what it takes, I have to find out from her what on earth happened! You're coming to help!"
She looked at Whitley with wide eyes. "If that woman goes crazy after she wakes up, you have to hold her down firmly! Absolutely do not let her escape!"
Whitley was stunned by Bulma's decisive demeanor, then smiled wryly and nodded obediently. "Alright, whatever you say."
He followed behind Bulma and muttered to himself, "It seems my training plan for today is ruined again. I was just thinking of asking Vados for some advice..."
But on second thought, that crazy woman No. 21 really couldn't be judged by common sense, and her power was a bit strange.
If she suddenly went berserk after waking up, and Bulma was right there... that would be too dangerous.
With him there, at least he could ensure Bulma's safety.
Thinking of this, he no longer hesitated.
He followed Bulma into the lab, a place he rarely entered.
...
Just as Whitley was following Bulma into the lab to face the awakened No. 21, in the distant Zeno's palace, Vados's figure suddenly appeared.
Slightly different from the usual solemn atmosphere, the Grand Priest today seemed to have a hint of an indescribable... sense of anticipation?
The Grand Priest, who was usually as calm as still water and seemed to be able to contain everything in the universe, now had a hint of barely perceptible expectation on his face.
Seeing Vados arrive, the Grand Priest walked up to greet her, his gaze wandering over her body and finally landing on her lower abdomen with a question.
"You... succeeded?"
The Grand Priest's voice was still gentle, but the expectation in it was obvious to anyone.
A charming curve appeared on Vados's lips, a complex smile that was a mixture of satisfaction, triumph, and a hint of shyness.
She gently raised her hand and elegantly stroked her flat lower abdomen, then smiled and nodded at her father. "Lord Whitley... was very 'excited'," Vados's tone was tinged with a languid aftertaste. "...and exceptionally infatuated with my body."
"Hehehehehe!"
The Grand Priest finally couldn't hold it in anymore. He covered his mouth with his sleeve and let out a low, pleased laugh, a laugh filled with the gratification of his wish being fulfilled and the joy of his plan succeeding.
After all, he had been waiting for this news for some time.
He suppressed his laughter and, with a pleased smile still on his face, continued to ask Vados, "Well then... when exactly do you plan to hold the official wedding? The reward that Lord Zeno promised, to raise the ranking of Universe 7, can only be officially implemented after you are married."
Lord Zeno, who was sitting high on his divine throne, nibbling on a bag of chips with great interest, immediately looked up curiously upon hearing the word "wedding."
His small face still had some chip crumbs on it, and he blinked his large eyes and asked, "Vados, are you and Whitley married already? You didn't even tell me?"
Vados bowed gracefully to Zeno, her voice gentle as she replied, "Reporting to Lord Zeno, Lord Whitley... has not yet held a formal wedding ceremony with me. But please rest assured, when Lord Whitley and I decide to hold our wedding, Vados will definitely be the first to invite Your Majesty!"
Lord Zeno immediately nodded happily. "Okay, okay! I want to come to your wedding too! Whitley invited me before, I can go to Earth to play with him anytime! Grand Priest, you can't stop me then!" he emphasized like a child.
The Grand Priest smiled and bowed to Zeno. "Please rest assured, Lord Zeno. To be able to invite you to my humble daughter's wedding would be the highest honor for Vados! At that time, please allow me to accompany you to Earth."
Zeno immediately agreed readily. "Okay! You can come too, Grand Priest! The more the merrier!"
He was very happy now. After finishing his chips, without the Grand Priest having to repeatedly urge him as usual, he even took the initiative to wave his small hand and restore all the universes that had been erased due to losing the Tournament of Power!
You have to know, the Grand Priest had already gently reminded Zeno about restoring the universes many times before.
But Lord Zeno had always been uninterested, or had just forgotten about it.
He never expected that today, because he was in a good mood, he would just do it so casually!
For the Grand Priest, who managed the balance of the universe and the appointment of the angels, this was an unexpected joy!
Today was truly a day of double happiness!
As Zeno began to excitedly choose his next Earth snack, the Grand Priest gave Vados a look, and the two of them walked out of the main hall of Zeno's palace and into the empty square outside.
"Are you...?"
The Grand Priest lowered his voice, his gaze once again falling on Vados's lower abdomen as he asked with a hint of inquiry, "Are you planning to... have Whitley's child right away? You have to know, you two haven't had a formal wedding ceremony yet, after all. Although you have Lord Zeno's bestowed marriage and your status is set, you will eventually have to live with Whitley on Earth for a long time. For some things, it's better to ask for his opinion first, or... to take it step by step?"
But Vados shook her head gently.
Under the Grand Priest's slightly puzzled gaze, a confident smile remained on her lips as she slowly explained, "You worry too much, Father. For now... I have no immediate plans to have a child."
She paused, a faint blush appearing on her face, and her tone was a little sly as she replied, "After all, Lord Whitley, during this period, has shown an extraordinary infatuation and passion for my body. If I were to have a child now, it would inevitably affect Lord Whitley's enthusiasm and our... hmm, emotional exchange. So I think it's better to wait a little longer and let nature take its course."
Hearing this, the Grand Priest looked at his daughter with some surprise.
He knew very well how decisive Vados had been when she had followed Champa in Universe 6!
She had even suppressed that God of Destruction to the point where he was completely obedient.
He never would have thought that she would now have truly fallen for a man, and would even prioritize the man's feelings and "enthusiasm" over a major matter like having a child, which concerned her own future status!
His expression was complex. He nodded noncommittally and sighed softly. "Sigh, as you wish. You have always been the most opinionated and the one who needed the least of my worries among your siblings. Since you have already decided, I will not interfere much."
His tone shifted, and a look of great interest appeared on his face. "However, recently, in my spare time from serving Lord Zeno, I have also been studying some books and culture from Earth, and I came across a rather interesting phrase. I will share it with you today. You can take it as a reference, no need to take it too seriously."
"Oh?"
Vados raised an eyebrow slightly, a look of interest on her face. "Does Father have some teaching for me? Please speak freely."
The Grand Priest chuckled, his eyes deep as he slowly uttered four words:
"The mother's nobility depends on the son."
These four words, as if they had some kind of magic, made even the usually calm and composed Vados's figure pause slightly. The smile on her face faded a little, and she fell into a brief, deep thought.
After speaking, the Grand Priest said no more, just gave Vados a meaningful look.
Then he turned and strode into the main hall of Zeno's palace, leaving Vados alone in the square.
In the empty square, only Vados was left standing alone.
Her eyes were downcast, and her slender fingers unconsciously and gently stroked her flat lower abdomen, her mind repeatedly echoing her father's four words.
After a long while, Vados slowly raised her head, her light purple eyes shining with a complex and indecipherable light.
She let out a light breath and murmured in a voice only she could hear, "Lord Whitley is very good to me, and very... infatuated with my body. Of this, I have no doubt. But... the son makes the mother noble?
She stood there, looking at the vast and boundless starry sky outside Zeno's palace, and was lost in thought for a long time.
Vados gently stroked her lower abdomen, as if she were weighing something.
...
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