Dylan frowned. “In the graveyard? Then how did we wake up?”
Adrian put his hand behind his head. “Thanks to Ye Muo.”
Dylan realized only now that Ye Muo’s checkup was absurdly long despite the child not being injured.
Arnold called out, “Big Brother.”
“To put a long story short, Ye Muo is a very special child.”
Ano smiled.
Dylan was stunned. He hadn’t seen Ano so relaxed for a long time. The Ano he remembered was already a defeated husk who never spoke or smiled. Only despair and sadness remained in his eyes, as if he would fall apart at any moment. In the end, there was nothing at all.
Dylan knew Ano had been waiting for his own end. He might have been absent for too long, he thought.
Adrian wanted to say something more when Norton brought Ye Muo inside. The child had already stabilized. Behind Norton were Secretary-General Lin and the head doctor.
Dylan and Adrian exchanged a glance before gathering around.
Secretary-General Lin was carrying a suitcase.
The head doctor quickly gathered his staff and assigned various tasks to them.
Secretary-General Lin opened his suitcase and placed it on the surgical table in the middle of the room. It was filled to the brim with crystals.
“Your Majesty, here are all of the crystals currently in the fleet’ possession. The rest is in storage in the armory.”
Although Secretary-General Lin did not say it out right, most present understood the armory most likely didn’t have a lot either. The crystals were expendable in nature, after all. Although they were experiencing an insect tide right now, the number of king insects had drastically decreased this year. Compounding with the fact that scavengers got to the battlefield before them, the harvest paled to previous years
However, Secretary-General Lin didn’t think this would be an issue. His Majesty was likely to hunt insects in unexplored regions of the galaxy.
The head doctor took out a single crystal and placed it on an instrument that could detect the amount of energy contained inside.
Others prepared to test Ye Muo’s psychic power activity value.
When everything was ready, the head doctor turned to Norton and nodded slightly.
“We’re ready, Your Majesty. Now we’ll be able to observe any changes more directly.”
Ye Muo was gently pushed forth by Norton. “Touch the crystals.”
Ye Muo nervously did just that under everyone’s gaze. The crystals began to take on colour. The sense of hunger that was slowly creeping in diminished again, but Ye Muo could sense his psychic power reluctantly circling the crystals.
People surrounded Ye Muo on all sides. The head doctor got ready to record data. He adjusted his glasses and seriously stated, “How are you feeling?”
Ye Muo hesitated. “A little too full.”
But it seemed like he could still eat more.
As soon as those words fell, the data on the instrument monitoring the crystal fluctuated. The value had decreased. Although only a single digit had changed, the instrument could measure accurately to four decimal places. Energy really had been siphoned.
The head doctor stood up and went to check the psychic power activity value next. “This value has been in constant flux so any changes aren’t as obvious. However, we can confirm that the energy inside the crystals from before were siphoned by His Little Highness. His Little Highness should be able to actively siphon energy from them and choose the amount to take.
From the expended crystal fragments last time, it can be seen that energy is taken slowly at first before increasing exponentially until there is no more. In my opinion, the initial energy loss rate should be His Little Highness’ normal uptake rate.
His Little Highness should keep a fair amount of crystals on his person and choose how much energy to siphon himself. This should prove beneficial. Of course, we will continue to monitor His Little Highness’ biometric data at regular intervals.”
……
The Grantz fleet stayed at this institute for a while. Their troops practically took over the entire institute. After negotiations with the local government, persons of interest were detained for interrogation.
As usual, Secretary-General Lin gave Norton his daily debrief, “…The institute had already transferred twelve people off-site six days before our arrival, consisting partially of the former higher-ups and their subordinates. The remaining were researchers recruited from external sources. Of those individuals, eight were unaware and the rest came from various locations in the Exile Sectors.”
Secretary-General Lin brought up their information and presented it to the screen in front of Norton.
Norton glanced up at Lin Huixuan after taking a look.
Secretary-General Lin lowered his voice, “It coincides with the geographical scope generated from dozens of incidents over the years. This institute also has a sufficient connection to the galactic network to support holographic projection setups.”
He paused, “According to the known intelligence analysis, this may be the work of Arachne again.”
Norton sat motionless in his seat as he calmly considered this.
Arachne, an organization that has been active even before the Grantz came to be. They were suspected to possess some of the advanced technologies from before the insect crises. Their involvement was suspected in many matters. Arachne seemed to enjoy infiltrating the upper echelons of various countries and gradually turning them into puppet states.
They rarely left any traces behind. Only after analyzing common threads and evidence between thousands of incidents could Arachnid’s existence be speculated. Their name came from the motif present on their top secret documents.
As their presence was gradually brought to light, they’ve become more and more low-key in recent years and almost never came into direct conflict with Grantz.
Arachnid had already minimized their presence for many years even when Norton’s father was on the throne.
But in recent years, it seems that this hidden behemoth had come out of dormancy. Yet the more they involved themselves with the world, the more they exposed themselves. Grantz had already seized several of its strongholds and bases in the Exile Sectors.
All modern day nations emerged from the carnage left by the insect plague. Before the insects arrived, humanity’s technological achievements increased rapidly, to the point they could slowly explore and occupy vast expanses of the galaxy and countless resource-rich planets.
Yet as this expansion continued, humanity discovered the insects. Actually, it would be more accurate to say the insects discovered them.
The insects possessed formidable combat and propagation abilities they used to hunt and cannibalize each other– Until they discovered humanity. To the insects, humans were an abundant species that was extremely easy to hunt while also being exceptionally delicious.
The first large-scale offensive they launched against humanity was known as the insect plague.
Civilization was left almost unrecognizable after the insect plague. Humanity was no longer one large community. Many countries rose from the ashes.
Many current commodities were gradually reconstructed after the insect plague and developed over millennia.
Human civilization survived the insect plague, but it stagnated and even regressed in many aspects.
Before the insect plague, human innovation focused mainly on interstellar exploration, navigation, and machine intelligence. Afterwards? Although they possessed tools and methods to deal with the insects, research could not help but take a combat-focused turn, aka psychic power weaponry, warships and mecha.
However, there were also many advancements due to the insect plague.
Before, only a portion of humans possessed psychic power, and the average level was much lower. Yet after, not having psychic power could almost be considered a disability.
Most humans lacking psychic power had already been killed by the insects.
You could say that emergence of the insects accelerated human evolution, albeit at a steep, tragic cost.
As Norton removed himself from his musing and looked back at Secretary-General Lin, the man continued his briefing.
“…There is no deviation between the research content of the institute and what we have learned.”
Secretary-General Lin paused, “In addition, we also found this in the laboratory’s safe.”
He handed a letter to Norton. This was the second such letter he received.
Norton accepted it. He glanced past Secretary-General Lin to the door of the lounge.
Secretary-General Lin followed his gaze with some confusion. That was Norton’s lounge, which has always been used by Norton as a private place to meet others to discuss sensitive subjects not suitable for public places like the command centre. Naturally, no one was allowed to go in.
The hatch opened partially as Ye Muo came in, still looking at something outside. He was taken aback when he noticed Norton eventually but quickly squeezed inside.
A few pieces of crystals in his bulging pockets fell out, but Ye Muo didn’t have time to care.
He hurriedly made a shushing gesture at Norton before quietly leaving from another door.
The hatch opened once more just a few seconds later. Dylan’s gaze swept across the lounge, staying on the crystals that had rolled into the corner for a beat.
Secretary-General Lin subconsciously glanced at the hatch that Ye Muo left from. Dylan’s line of sight followed suit.
Norton forcibly interrupted their nonverbal communication. He said as he opened the letter, “You’re just in time. I still have documents you can help me with–”
Norton paused. He frowned. The letter was simple, and there was only one sentence– When you returned to the imperial capital, I will bring the antidote to visit.
The first letter Norton received told them not to worry about Ye Muo’s antidote. The other party would send it on-time.
The last letter was hidden on Ye Muo’s person, but one was found in the institute. The other party seemed to be flaunting their connection to Arachnid to Norton.
Norton was almost certain of the other party’s identity based on Ye Muo’s previous description. A traitor of the Ye family, Ye Muo’s biological mother’s elder brother.
Dylan asked, “Is it difficult to handle?”
Norton crumpled up the letter. “In a way, it can also be something good.”
He said to Secretary-General Lin, “It’s time to return.”
Secretary-General Lin bowed. “Understood.”
Since they were finished with the interrogations, there was no need to stay here any longer.
Secretary-General Lin made to leave. Dylan tried to follow him out, but Norton stopped him as soon as he turned around.
His elder brother handed him a thick stack of documents.
Dylan stood in place for several seconds before finally accepting his fate.
Norton reminded him, “You can find Adrian or Ano to help you.”
Dylan snorted, his voice gruff. “Adrian?”
His notoriously bad relationship with Adrian was second only to that of his twin sister, Helene.
Although they always fought among themselves anyway.
Norton stood and walked over to Dylan. He placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Before Adrian went to sleep, he told me, ‘Bury me next to Dylan. Although that guy’s not worthy of respect. It’s not right to leave him all alone’.”
Dylan remained silent for a moment, “That does sound like something he would say.”
Although their relationship was usually contentious.
Dylan had no doubt that any one of his siblings would be willing to give their lives for each other.
Even when their relationship was at its most strained. Because Dylan himself was willing to.
……
03 opened the terminal and found the part mentioning Grantz with practised motions.
[Why is the Grantz fleet already returning to their imperial capital??? I haven’t collected enough photos yet, just seven… I haven’t taken a complete picture of His Little Highness either! This is outrageous! His Majesty and the princes are simply too outrageous!!]
[According to my calculations, there’s at least two more days to the voyage, depending if they stop along the way. Good luck getting any pictures once they’re back.]
Faceless was sorting himself out. 03 looked up at him. They’ve been staying near Grantz since their last mission. Faceless was already preparing to head over.
“There’s still a long time until the next injection, right? Why the hurry?”
“I’ve been dragging things out long enough. They should be getting impatient.”
The Grantz have never been that patient. The only reason they haven’t made a move already was probably due to Faceless’ timely letter placating them. They also couldn’t risk losing the antidote.
But Faceless would bet anything that the Grantz were scouring for any trace of him right now. Reverse-engineering a restricted technology like the security protocol might seem a lost cause at first, but Grantz might be able to make headway soon due to their technological advantage.
03 swiped haphazardly at the terminal screen. “Do you really need to go back in person?”
“Don’t worry. I’m very glad, actually. This time, I will be able to come home with my head held high.”
03 knew what Faceless meant. No longer would he have to stow away above starships like some rat or fugitive.
03 propped himself up to a seated position. He recalled the first time Faceless returned, how they stowed away in a cargo hold and prepared to be discovered or to flee at any moment.
From then on, he knew how to really twist the knife in.
Faceless was really like an open book. He would tense but remain silent every time traitors were brought up. Like a little beast that had been scared silly, he automatically exposed his wounds.
03 suddenly said, “If right now, I was Ye Muo, I don’t think I would kill you. Of course, if I really was that little fool, I might not do anything to you in the first place.”
“What I’m trying to say is that everyone makes mistakes. You’ve already paid the price for yours.”
A very tragic price indeed.
Sometimes 03 wondered if Faceless knew what was at stake when he left with the rest of his family to join the rebellion. His family, nationality and even name would be stripped from him. He would forever wander around a place like the Exile Sectors, shouldering unbearable guilt as he did the most heinous of things to survive.
Perhaps it would be much harder for a privileged young master with a perfect family to lose everything overnight than someone like him that had nothing to begin with.
A spark of doubt flickered within. 03 wondered if he really had nothing.
It’s been so long he’s already forgotten the faces of his parents.
