Ye Zhiyuan stared at the mission with Bert’s name listed below.
It just had to be this reconnaissance mission that had a direct link to Arachnid– Activity of their starships had been discovered in the Exile Sectors and the mission was to investigate the reasons behind this.
He lowered his eyes. The relevant intel could only be accessed after accepting the mission. Ye Zhiyuan opened his terminal and sent a request for cooperation in his own name to the First Legion Commander. The legions Bert took on excursions varied, but he would definitely take Legion Commander Saude along.
Ye Zhiyuan had a premonition that maybe this time, this time he would be able to confront Arachnid head-on. It would be for the best if he could run into some of their operatives and capture a few alive.
He would move mountains, uproot their entire organization in order to find that child, even if all that’s left was his remains.
The request was approved. Ye Zhiyuan remained expressionless as always, but he had to tap twice before hitting the confirm button. His hands balled into faintly trembling fists as he lowered them to his side. Even if it’s only his remains, he would bring that child home.
Meanwhile, aboard the main ship of a certain fleet in the cosmos, Norton opened his eyes. Secretary-General Lin bowed slightly. “Your Highness?”
“To the Exile Sectors.”
Secretary-General Lin made a sound of acknowledgement, but it was purely for confirmation. The fleet was already redirecting.
He swiftly updated Norton’s destination on the intelligence platform. This function was open only to the Grantz so they could see each other’s coordinates and route to better steer clear of one another.
After that, Secretary-General Lin took a look at the mission system. He understood at a glance why Norton suddenly changed their route. His Majesty Bert’s destination was far too close to where Helene and Dylan currently were.
His Highness Norton was probably heading over to make sure they managed to part ways.
……
03 set Ye Muo back on the sofa and crouched down in front of him. “Just one more week here, okay? In a week’s time, a starship outside the organization will come to take you away to live in a safe country.”
Saying it aloud pissed 03 off again. He turned to Faceless. “Why is it still taking that long?”
“Settle down. This is already fast, all things considered. We’ve always used the organization’s starships before, so contacting an unaffiliated ship last minute is hard enough, not to mention finding a trustworthy party and doing so without leaving any traces. You’d best remember to not draw too much attention. Act like you normally do.”
“Well, I’ve never stayed in one place for this long. Isn’t the cat already out of the bag?”
Faceless was sitting cross legged in front of an open suitcase. He picked up a photo, wiping it down with a soft cloth before closing the case. “I’ll deal with it.”
It wasn’t as much of a hassle as it might seem. Nothing 03 did would surprise people anymore. Even if someone dared to ask, the excuse of the man’s volatile temper was enough to make the other party ease up and entrust the task of pacifying 03 well to him.
In irritation, 03 reverted to his usual manner of interaction. He even snapped at Faceless, “You’d better–”
Halfway through his sentence, Ye Muo squeezed in between him and Faceless. “No fighting. Good children don’t fight.”
He had heard the phrase from the cartoons he watched this morning. Ye Muo was already cleverly putting them to use.
03 stared at him for a while before suddenly telling Faceless, “If I ever have a child, I want one like him. It doesn’t matter if they’re a bit dumb.”
Ye Muo already knew what dumb meant. Theodore even secretly told him one night that he wasn’t dumb. He sobered up. “Xavier’s not dumb. Xavier’s a good child.”
Faceless had turned this way at some point as well to tidy up Ye Muo’s collar. “I don’t have children of my own and never will.”
“Me neither. I was just speaking hypothetically.”
So Faceless continued, “I don’t have children, but I heard my younger brother does now. They should be around this child’s age. My younger sister also–”
His words cut off abruptly. He had already realized how ludicrous his actions all those years ago had been.
When he saw 03, he was often reminded of that half-formed child. As a result, he was often unable to truly feel angry at the man’s occasional outbursts.
Thankfully, that child had been taken away by his sister. Even if he was destroyed, that was a kinder fate than being born in Arachnid’s laboratories.
Faceless stroked Ye Muo’s cheek again. This child hadn’t been so fortunate. He had already seen the scars on Ye Muo’s body.
He quietly murmured, “If my sister’s child had also grown up normally, he would be around the same age as you.”
Ye Muo just blinked at him dumbly.
Faceless brought Ye Muo into his arms and gradually tidied up his hair. Then, he righted the socks Ye Muo had put on inside out, something he’s had to do almost everyday for a while now.
……
Bert’s fleet headed straight towards the destination planet.
Before the main ship even entered port, his psychic power forcibly seized control of the planet in an instant, taking over almost all facilities capable of being operated via psychic power, including the port itself.
Simultaneously, a topographical map of the planet appeared on the holographic screens of the ship.
Bert rose, his psychic power deftly processing the vast influx of information. Red dots materialized across the map in the blink of an eye, suspicious targets his psychic power had filtered out on the first pass.
“Go. Don’t let a single one escape.”
To the side, Saude saluted. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Meanwhile, Bert stared off in a certain direction. “Norton? That kid worries far too much. Sometimes, life’s easier when you think less.”
Saude pressed down on the brim of his cap instead of answering. He could hear the subtle pride hidden beneath His Majesty’s tone.
As the main ship came into port, Bert withdrew his gaze.
Meanwhile.
Ye Zhiyuan had already selected which of the docking bays to land at. He was one of the first to touch down as part of the ground search effort.
Exiting the docking bay, he immediately checked the intel available on his terminal. The planetary map was centered around a green dot representing himself. As red dots continued to multiply in his vicinity, Ye Zhiyuan filtered out all but the nearest ones, instantly restoring the map to a clearer, more digestible state.
Ye Zhiyuan froze in his tracks. There were two green dots on the map.
He had only entered the information of himself and his family into his terminal. Thus, there would be five green dots every time he returned to the imperial capital. Himself, his wife and their children…
The final one, only visible near his home, represented his older sister. The signal originated from the box she had left behind, which was an item from the military procured by their father. It used an ancient yet secure messaging protocol that could only broadcast stable coordinates within a 10 km range.
Ye Zhiyuan possessed one as well, but he had only registered the details of his older siblings. On many occasions when they were supposed to return home, he would refresh the device over and over again so he could rush to the door the moment a green dot appeared.
He maintained that old habit to this day. Though he’s replaced his terminal countless times, he kept entering their details every time.
Ye Zhiyuan raised his head, his eyes burning bright. That man was nearby.
……
The denizens of the planet remained relatively composed. Only a handful panicked while the majority simply began heading home in tacit unison.
“It’s the Grantz. What are they doing here?”
“No idea, but this isn’t half bad. Things have been unstable here recently. The situation should improve after a visit from them.”
Faceless cracked a window open. The hotel’s proximity to the docking bay meant he could already see Grantz military personnel filing out of the area in the distance.
He keenly picked up on the fact that a squad was heading straight in their direction. Exchanging a quick glance with 03, the two swiftly fetched a few essential items from around the room. 03 took Ye Muo from Faceless’s arms and wrapped him in a cloak.
Faceless had already thrown the window wide open. 03 pulled the hood of the cloak over Ye Muo’s head before he could so much as blink before nimbly hopping out.
They had long since memorized the surrounding terrain and established multiple safe houses.
Yet their usual tactics didn’t seem to be working. No matter how they tried to create some distance, no matter how careful they were to leave no tracks, one squad remained stubbornly glued to their tails.
Faceless was already inspecting the gear he had equipped but found nothing amiss. “Did you bring something you shouldn’t have?”
03 was already starting to fume with rage. “What could I possibly have brought? Carrying Xavier is already tiring enough.”
It wasn’t fear that was plaguing him. 03 had even thought before that meeting his end at the hands of the Grantz wouldn’t be the worst of outcomes, all things considered. However, this child had just escaped from the laboratories. It hadn’t been long since he first got to taste cake.
After spending the majority of his life suffering in the laboratories in pain and terror…could he even be said to have lived at all?
Thinking that, 03 kept pace with Faceless and turned into an alleyway, where the man came to a screeching halt. 03 followed suit.
There were two figures standing at the other end of the narrow passage, one of whom even 03 recognized.
His Majesty Bert of Grantz.
The emperor tilted his head. “You two sure are busy bees. Is playing hide-and-seek fun?”
Bert hadn’t originally intended to personally intervene, but the duo had been just that active. His psychic power constantly updated their coordinates. Though the expenditure was negligible, their constant hopping around was enough to annoy him.
Faceless shifted slightly to the side to block 03, who was holding Ye Muo. Both of them broke out in a cold sweat.
Footsteps echoed from behind them as well. 03, who had been intending to double back, titled his head and spotted a group in Grantz military uniform blocking them in from the other side.
Ye Zhiyuan froze in his tracks, having already spotted Bert on the far side along with Legion Commander Saude.
03 and Faceless stood back to back. He glanced up to see figures clad in that familiar red-and-black uniform aiming weapons at them from the rooftops.
Ye Zhiyuan stood at one end of the alleyway. He first glanced at Faceless, who stood a short distance away with his back turned, before his gaze zeroed in on the child in 03’s arms who was wrapped securely in a cloak.
Could it be? Could it really be that child?
Bert gripped the hilt of his sword. A clear sound rang out as he slowly drew it from its scabbard.
03 tossed his weapons on the ground. “We surrender. Do with us as you wish, but spare this child.”
Faceless bowed his head and dropped the dagger he was holding as well.
03 set e Muo down before giving him a firm shove in Ye Zhiyuan’s direction. “Go over there.”
He knew Grantz would not kill indiscriminately. They would take one good look at a little dummy like Xavier and settle him properly somewhere safe in their territory. That was the best place for him.
He shoved Ye Muo so hard the child nearly stumbled.
Yet he immediately rushed back to hug 03’s leg, oversized black cloak and all. “N-no. Hug Xavier.”
03 pried him off. “You have nothing to do with me. We just looked after you for a few days for our own amusement.”
Ye Muo’s hood had already fallen off. He helplessly raised his hands buried within the cloak like a little bat, not understanding why he had suddenly been pushed away. “Hug…hug Xavier.”
Meanwhile, Ye Zhiyuan was already rashly striding over despite Bert not weighing in on the situation yet. He ignored the attempts of his colleagues and subordinates to hold him back and as he made a beeline towards Ye Muo.
Despite Faceless keeping his back turned and his head bowed, Ye Zhiyuan recognized his older brother at a single glance.
He didn’t even spare the man a second glance for now. Instead, he picked up the child who was about to latch onto Faceless’ leg after being ignored by 03 by his underarms.
Only then did his heart settle.
Even as the child struggled non-stop and mumbled something indistinct.
He firmly clamped down on Ye Muo’s waist and held him in place.
Meanwhile, Bert was already growing impatient. With a frown, he casually waved his hand and signalled the others to take these two into custody. He had no desire to deal with a scene like this, nor did he have any interest in prey that wouldn’t put up a struggle.
The courts could deal with them.
He turned away and prepared to leave.
How boring.
The Grantz forces nearby swarmed in.
Faceless cooperatively put his hands behind his back. 03 didn’t resist as he was pressed to the ground.
Ye Zhiyuan stepped back a bit. He neither went to confront Faceless nor did he speak up. He just stood a short distance away and watched, tightening his arms a bit more.
Then, he felt the child he was holding quiet down. Just as he was about to glance down and check on him, something dripped onto the back of his hand.
Did it start to rain?
A second, third drop immediately followed, the warm liquid splashing onto his skin. It was at this point that Ye Zhiyuan realized the child was crying.
The child stumbled over his words as he reached towards the ground. Ye Zhiyuan looked in that direction and saw a plush lying on the ground next to the duo who had been apprehended.
“Xavier’s star… Xavier’s…family.”
The moment those words left his mouth, a powerful surge of psychic power that everyone on the scene from Grantz found all too strange yet familiar erupted, clashing outright with His Majesty’s psychic power as it swept through the area and spiraled out of control.
Bert stopped in his tracks nearby. His head snapped back, his eyes filled with a long-absent look of astonishment. “A Grantz?”
At the port, Norton opened his eyes.
