Star Odyssey - Chapter 38: Gerlaine

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up in a body that wasn't yours? A much, much younger body?I can't say that I had ever given it much thought.That was until one night when a patient entered the ER where I was working at and shot me point blank in the head. You know, if he wanted a second opinion, all he had to do was ask.But that's besides the point...Some how, some way, I work up in a strange hospital with a woman that looked suspiciously like my mother holding my hand and crying. Over joyed to see her, it took me a few minutes to realize that I was no longer the 25 year old, successful doctor at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world. Nope, I was a 6 year old girl that for a moment... wanted her mother.When the apocalypse comes, it is everyone for themselves. I have three choices: do I fight for what I want? Will I run away and hide, or will I freeze when the demons of my past come back to haunt me?You might know me as the Healer, but this is my story to tell.------Fight, Flight, or Freeze is the second novel in the Rebirth in the Apocalypse series, this time featuring the Healer: Wang Tian Mu and her men.You won't have to read the first one to be able to understand this one, and she is not going to stay a child for the whole thing.Li Dai Lu and her guys will be popping in occasionally, but this is strictly Wang Tian Mu's story!I hope you enjoy!

Xiao Yu was humanity’s greatest genius, a scientist whose intellect surpassed all others. He saw the signs of Earth’s impending doom a decade before it happened, warning the world of the catastrophe to come. But instead of being hailed as a savior, he was ridiculed, dismissed as a madman by his peers, and ignored by society.Realizing that nothing could change humanity’s fate, Xiao Yu made a decision. He turned his brilliance toward survival. Using knowledge decades ahead of human science, he constructed the first true interstellar battleship—not for humanity, but for himself. And when the end came, he did what no one else could. He abandoned his mortal body, fusing his very soul with the ship’s central computer and escaping into the endless void.Now, drifting through the vast and indifferent cosmos, he is the last remnant of a dead civilization. But he refuses to let humanity vanish without a trace. Why was Earth destroyed? Was it truly unavoidable, or was there something more sinister at play? To uncover the truth, he must push beyond the limits of human science. His battleship is just the beginning. Through relentless technological advancement, he will evolve, forging a warship that can traverse the stars, a fleet that can reclaim humanity’s lost legacy.The universe is vast, filled with unknown civilizations, ancient mysteries, and dangers beyond imagination. But Xiao Yu will not stop. He will find answers. He will ensure humanity’s flame is not extinguished.The journey into the unknown begins now.

I don’t need any deep relationships. I have no desire for a girlfriend, and I only require one friend who holds any value to me. Ever since I threw out my youth for the sake of efficiency, there is one person who keeps entering the bedroom of Ooboshi Akiteru. She’s neither my little sister nor my friend. She’s nothing more than a bothersome, annoying Kouhai, as well as my friend’s little sister: Kohinata Iroha.

“Senpai, let’s go on a date~! Did you think I’d say that~?”

Rather than blood, it seems like energy drinks run through her veins. She keeps occupying my bed, and she tries her best to seduce me with whatever method she can play to her favor. She’s a girl who’s constantly annoying and obnoxious around me. Even though I’m busy all day long, she doesn’t care.

And in case you’re wondering why all these envious gazes are directed at me, it’s because Iroha is actually really popular. She’s an honor student at our school with top grades to boot, and she’s known for being kind and proper to anyone she meets.

…Hey now, why are you only so annoying when you’re around me?

Sirens: a name derived from an ancient creature, used to describe those who could charm, lure, control, and heal others by singing.

Subjected to live the life of a siren, Aria had experienced, seen, and heard many horrific things. Broken beyond repair, Aria resigned herself to death, when suddenly…

The Grand Duke, Lloyd Cardence Valentine, arrived and whispered, “Should I kill everyone here?”

“If you need me, just call me. Your song will always reach me, wherever you are.”

In the end, Aria called the devil, bringing death to all those present, along with herself.

“Let’s fall down to hell together.”

And with that, Aria breathed her last and died… only to return to her 10-year-old self.

Now that she had a second chance at her life, Aria was determined to change her fate, as well as the cruel fate of her saviour, Grand Duke Valentine.

And so… Aria proposed to him with a marriage contract.

She sold her soul to the devil and vowed to protect him.

The young duke took the contract from her hand.

“So, where should I stamp the seal?”

* * *

“You said you’d divorce me within 10 years.”

The grown-up villain leaned in, hovering his head before he kissed her tenderly over her crown.

“Now that we’re adults, we should sign another contract.”