Chapter 430

Allen looked at the young people behind him. He began to chuckle as the sharp wails slowly melded into the shrill screeching of the swarm. His eyes were almost too bright, and there was an unsettling smile plastered across his face.

He knew that the secrets of the Rift could no longer be kept hidden.

“See those preternatural slaughtering techniques? You cannot fathom the kind of environment they had to survive in.”

Someone muttered defiantly, “If their living conditions are so terrible, why don’t they apply for emigration? They have a choice.”

“Because they like it. They like butchering the swarm, they like having their children grow up alongside insects, they like the thrill of being torn to shreds the moment they slip up. That’s what you want to hear, right? Does that seem reasonable to you?” 

The mockery in his tone had become quite obvious. Sader lightly bumped his shoulder with his own.

“Sorry, I got a bit too excited there.”

Allen took a deep breath. He had indeed been very excited ever since he realized where things were headed. It wasn’t that noticeable due to his personality, but he was certainly acting differently than usual. 

He was overcome by the urge to take those secrets, those sights, the bloodshed, the things he had buried in his heart since being promoted to high command, and hurl them into the faces of everyone else.

Like the overly proud Sader, he also disdained this stolen glory. However, he wasn’t as stubborn and had an easier time accepting his own part in all this. 

Even so, he was evidently still very much looking forward to the day those high-ranking officials, who abused their power to toy with the lives of others, finally got their comeuppance.

By the time Allen turned back, the insects that were fast approaching had already been annihilated.

Ye Muo used an insect carcass as a springboard towards his next target. This time, however, he made no move to strike, instead retracting his blade and letting himself go into freefall. 

The momentary hesitation meant the insect’s mouthpieces were already inches away. From the perspective of those behind him, Ye Muo was already within the reach of those serrated mandibles. They were like a bloody guillotine just waiting to drop.

A gasp erupted from the crowd. 

But the creature would not advance another step. All its terrible momentum was somehow cut short in an instant as Fiona appeared above it. She gripped the insect’s upper jaw with one hand, forcing it to stay open. Her sword landed before her, having already pierced the creature’s skull before she touched down.

Ye Muo resheathed his sword with a crisp clack as he landed lightly on the ground. Arval let out a breath of relief nearby. He had truly thought Ye Muo had slipped up just now. He had seen far too many comrades torn to pieces by the swarm.

Fiona hopped down soon after, flanked by a dozen or so soldiers. Arval hurried over to Ye Muo once someone came to relieve him of his position. The crowd fell silent as the battle reached a temporary lull.

[It really is all hand-to-hand combat. Are these the ‘natives’ we’re supposedly sending aid for? Honestly, I don’t think they need our help at all.]

[This feels way more efficient than starship bombardment. We should really consider paying them protection money. There’s no harm in negotiation! Can we just skip the whole hostage part and give them money directly?]

[I really don’t think they’re galactic pirates. Think about those hidden planetary coordinates. There’s probably more to this than meets the eye.]

[Perhaps they really are the weaker party. Perhaps they have their own reasons for doing this. I would advocate for them and their rights in any other situation, but causing trouble while our soldiers are out there fighting the swarm? That, I find truly unforgivable.]

The camera suddenly jerked. The audience could hear the cameraman curse under his breath. By the time the camera stabilized, it was pointed in a different direction. Several soldiers led by Fiona were heading this way. They were escorting a stumbling group of middle-aged men dressed in formal attire who struggled to keep up.

A wave of hushed discussion rippled through the crowd. “I recognize him! That fat guy is the top dog of this logistics planet. Has the entire command center been wiped out?”

“No wonder there are barely any warships left in the sky and no sounds of battle. Let’s just surrender. Didn’t they say they’d let us evacuate? They’ll keep their promises, right?”

“For sure. Why would they have saved us from the swarm just now? When will we be able to leave?”

Some of the people who had armed themselves began taking off their gear and tossing their guns to the ground. Now, the only ones still holding weapons were a few military academy instructors and students. 

Allen looked over as well. He knew at a glance that likely every official with even a modicum of rank was corralled over there. There was absolutely no chance of turning things around.

“We can finally rest easy, Sader.”

“En” Sader draped his jacket over his shoulder, looking quite relaxed indeed.

“Will they be able to reclaim the glory they deserve?” he murmured.

Allen lowered his voice as well, to the point where even Sader, who was beside him, had to strain to hear him, “Perhaps, but history is written by the victors. Even atrocities will be framed as praiseworthy decisiveness and foresight. By then, who will be left to say otherwise?” 

He scratched his hair with a hint of annoyance. “Good grief, why am I telling you this? In any case, Sader, the people at the very top decide the flow of the world, not us. People like us can only go with the flow and choose whichever side makes our lives a bit easier. Do you understand that? I really don’t know where that damn pride of yours comes from. You’ll torment yourself to death sooner or later.”

“Because I joined the military to protect humanity and drive out the swarm, not to oppress my fellow humans and steal their glory,” Sader countered, “You chose the harder path too, didn’t you? Isn’t that why you came here as well?”

“Maybe a little bit, but it’s mostly my family wanting to pad my resume. You know how it is…the military is still relatively uncharted territory for us.”

Sader looked up. “Did they arrange for you to come to the frontlines too?”

It was a few seconds before Allen responded, “That’s the ‘little bit’ I mentioned. Truthfully, I was getting kind of fed up with them always trying to micro-manage my life.”

He couldn’t keep up the act any longer and broke out into a gleeful smirk. “You have no idea how many calls from my parents and older siblings I’ve hung up on.”

Fiona quickened her pace as soon as she landed, pulling Ye Muo’s head into her arms and planting a smooch on his forehead.

She affectionately caressed his nape, a sensitive gesture as it involved a vital spot of the body. Ye Muo, however, was used to it. Like a little kitten, he closed his eyes and nudged his head closer to Fiona’s hand.

She still carried the scent of blood on her as psychic power swirled excitedly but warmly around her. “You sure got here quick. I was just wondering when they’d be able to bring you over…”

She paused, sensing something off. The timing was off. Not enough time had passed to even head back. She lifted Ye Muo’s chin incredulously. “You came over with us?”

Ye Muo blinked nervously. “Theodore said I could come.”

Theodore clung to Ye Muo’s shoulder and poked his head out from between Ye Muo and Fiona. He took the blame without batting an eye. “Yes, my calculations were flawless.”

“Oh, you two…”

Fiona used her thumb to wipe away a trace of blood from Ye Muo’s cheek. She continued with a frown, “You’re injured too? Ambrose is going to be furious. He isn’t as easygoing as I am.”

She didn’t want Ye Muo to dislike her, so she conveniently used Ambrose as the ‘bad cop’. The effect was immediate.

The fluffy little lion’s fur all suddenly drooped.

Theodore squeezed his way out again, placing his paws on Ye Muo’s head. He hugged him while solemnly stating, “Don’t be afraid, Xavier. According to my calculations, the probability of Ambrose getting angry is low. Even if he does get angry, the probability of him beating you up is infinitely close to zero.”

Arval joined in from nearby, adding fuel to the fire and trying his best to make the situation seem more serious. “Ambrose is actually a bit angry. Besides, you were distracted in battle just now and stopped attacking on a whim.”

On the contrary, Fiona seemed uncharacteristically tolerant of this. She even became even more animated, happily kissing Ye Muo on the forehead again. “That’s fine, Arval. He only stopped because he saw me. It just means he trusts me! I’ll let it slide this time, Xavier, but don’t be so reckless again.”

Arval choked on his words. These Grantz…he should have known.

Ye Muo’s head snapped up. “Really? You’re so nice, Fiona. I was always a little worried about being disciplined by Ambrose.”

Fiona was in a great mood. She put an arm around Ye Muo’s shoulders and led him inside. “I’ll step in if Ambrose gets angry. He’s way too much of a control freak sometimes. That won’t do.”

Sure, she was a bit startled at first, but once she composed herself, she felt it was actually quite good for Xavier to be here. 

They weren’t aware of the situation outside before they arrived, which was why they left him behind. Looking back, it was hard to say which place was more dangerous. After all, there were certainly far fewer insects here than back home, and the people they encountered here didn’t pose much of a threat either.

A loud roar echoed from the sky. They looked up to see warships entering the port above before heading straight in a certain direction.

Fiona relaxed seconds later. She pressed her arm to Xavier with a bit of force. “They’re heading in Salem’s direction. Berlinda and the others are back. We’ll head over as well once we finish dealing with the people here.”

She turned and looked out at the crowd like a lion surveying a herd of deer. Her psychic power unabashedly sent sharp currents rippling through the air, causing the crowd to shift restlessly.

Meanwhile, the viewers on the galactic network were brimming with excitement.

[That’s the person who burst into the frame earlier and took down an insect in one fell swoop! Talk about aura!]

[Quick, make an exception and recruit her into the military! The kid beside her can go to a military academy first.]

[Why do I feel like she’s more aggressive than the others? I trust galactic pirates as far as I can throw them. Our people are still trapped over there. Kidnapping such high-ranking officials should be an aggravating factor too.]

[That child is still young, so his sentencing would definitely be lenient. Besides, special talents get special treatment.]

The people actually there were in no mood to consider such things. They were facing the full brunt of Fiona’s psychic power head on. Allen, Sader and the others all tensed subconsciously.

The soldiers in the area also felt Fiona’s killing intent. From shepherds that surveyed the perimeter and guarded the crowd from a distance, they shifted into a pack of wolves on the hunt, turning on the crowd with scrutiny.

Beside Fiona, Arval just wordlessly bowed his head slightly.

Ye Muo looked up at Fiona, who seemed to snap out of it and ruffle his hair with her other hand. He closed one eye from the sensation but still reminded her, “Fiona, Ambrose said we’re going to escort them off-planet.”

Fiona paused for a moment but quickly said, “Of course, Xavier. We have more important things to attend to.”

Then, as if to prove a point, she looked toward the crowd huddled like a flock of sheep and raised her arm to signal the soldiers.

“Take them all to the docks. Send them off as soon as the starships are free.”

The chilling atmosphere finally lifted. The soldiers relaxed again. They stopped watching the crowd like prey and began escorting them towards the docks.

The crowd also relaxed slightly. Allen let out a long breath. As he turned around, his gaze discreetly swept over Xavier for a split second before quickly looking away. Xavier’s actions just hadn’t eluded him. He exchanged a look with Sader. It seemed that the child held even more power than they had imagined.

Fiona patted Xavier on the back. “Xavier, go keep Salem and the others company.”

Xavier hesitated. “Is Ethan there too?”

Theodore licked his ear reassuringly from where he was perched on Ye Muo’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Xavier. Don’t be afraid. I’ll have a proper talk with him.”

Fiona added as well, “Salem’s there. I’ll make sure he keeps an eye on Ethan.” 

She gestured for a nearby soldier to lead the way for Xavier.

Arval didn’t follow immediately. “Xavier’s far enough away now.”

Fiona smoothed out her hair. “I know. I don’t want to defy Ambrose’s orders just yet. Be patient, Arval. There will be opportunities eventually.”

Arval’s gaze fell upon the sword by Fiona’s side. The blade was still trembling slightly. Fiona was far too amped up right now.

He looked away. He never had any intentions of doing anything untoward. Rather than placate him, Fiona’s words just now were more her trying to talk herself down.

Arval was about to set off when he noticed that Xavier was actually running back towards them.

He slammed into Fiona’s arms like a little cannonball. Grasping the body of her sword, he instinctively let out his psychic power, weaving them into Fiona’s own. 

Fiona had grown accustomed to Xavier’s psychic energy. She relaxed slightly until she realized that he was attempting to enter her psychic domain.

This was a dangerous act. Her own psychic power would retaliate without hesitation and devour any intruder.

Her head snapped down to look at him. In a mere instant, his psychic power had slipped into her domain, a volcanic wasteland.

There was no rejection or any other sensation. Her ever-burning domain accepted Ye Muo’s psychic power like they were her own.

Like the receding tide, like a spring breeze blowing across a wasteland, those psychic power washed away the scorching heat and ashes wherever they reached.

“Do you feel a bit better?”

Fiona could only blink. She subconsciously hummed in agreement.

Ye Muo quickly withdrew since it wasn’t very polite to do this. Aside from Norton, he didn’t enter anyone’s psychic domain easily unless they requested it of him like Ano sometimes did. He gave Fiona’s neck a light, affectionate nuzzle. “See you later, Fiona.”

He quickly pulled away from her and set off once more.

Arval followed suit. Although he couldn’t sense the specifics of what had happened, he could tell that Fiona had calmed down significantly.

Theodore’s tail flicked as he said somewhat sternly, “I don’t recommend doing that again, Xavier.”

Almost every member of the Grantz family at present was being pushed to the brink of exhaustion. According to his calculations, there was a 67% chance Xavier would be unable to sustain such a heavy workload.

Ye Muo adjusted his hold on the cat’s back and grumbled softly, “I know, I know. I won’t do it again. I know it was a bit rude.”