Chapter 53 – Hoping We Have a Future

Translator’s Note-May the festival of lights, Diwali, fill your life with joy, prosperity, and the warmth of togetherness. Wishing you a brilliant and happy Diwali!

It is an Indian festival and this is my Diwali gift to all of you. Enjoy!

When the location rapidly zoomed out and they flew out of the Milky Way galaxy, Jian Mei was completely stunned. He was in the second year of high school, and he had some knowledge of geography and a bit of astronomy, but he never expected that he would fall into a knowledge gap today. As they left the Milky Way galaxy, the map displayed various galaxies of different sizes, and the vastness of the universe was breathtaking. The universe was divided into four major sections, with the Milky Way galaxy located in the southern section. As the map continued to zoom out, it felt like a tiny fish leaping from a small stream into the vast ocean, awestruck by the expanse of the world.

Among the four major sections, the Milky Way galaxy was just a faint light in the southern section. As the southern section got smaller, the location of the Milky Way galaxy became indistinguishable. Instead, they began to see the distant Aurora Galaxy. In this galaxy, two planets hosted signs of life. Beyond the Aurora Galaxy lay the flourishing Sunset Galaxy in the southern section, where countless planets of various sizes had their own numbers and names, all showing signs of life.

From the map’s detailed image, there were flight routes between galaxies, similar to airplane and subway routes on Earth. There were secure space lanes for spaceships between galaxies.

Jian Mei widened his eyes and said, “Is this for real?”

This was only the southern section, and the northern, western, and eastern sections had countless galaxy clusters on a grand scale. The universe was bustling with activity. The southern section was not the largest among the four sections; the eastern section was the largest. Lu Xingwang’s coordinates were in the middle of the eastern section. Once the location was marked, it displayed the planet where he was—Stan Star.

The map showed the distance between the two of them as 300 billion light-years.

Jian Mei couldn’t even fathom how long it would take him to reach Lu Xingwang if he were to take a flight.

Lu Xingwang asked him, “Have you seen enough?”

Jian Mei stammered, and his voice sounded empty. He clearly hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Lu Xingwang said, “You’re shocked, aren’t you?”

Jian Mei honestly replied, “Yes.”

“Is it the distance that’s scaring you?” Lu Xingwang inquired.

Jian Mei shook his head and said, “I’m just a bit worried, wondering if I’ll ever see you again in the future.”

Lu Xingwang was strangely lost in thought.

He was thinking that Jian Mei’s planet was so remote that it seemed disconnected from the entire universe. Looking at it from the map, even he thought that Jian Mei would have lots of questions about this new world, or he’d inquire about many things. However, what Jian Mei was most concerned about was whether they would still meet.

Lu Xingwang: “Aren’t you scared or surprised?”

“Uh?” Jian Mei seemed to have just realized, “Right, it’s quite surprising. I never expected WeChat to be this powerful. Its signal can reach such distant places.”

Lu Xingwang didn’t know how to explain the existence of divine power to him.

But this sentence seemed to suddenly remind him that the two of them were linked by divine power, and this divine power could only keep one person alive. In the past, he wouldn’t have hesitated, but now he only hoped that this child would grow up healthy and smoothly, to live a safe and successful life.

The only thing to worry about was, if he wasn’t around one day, would Jian Mei be very sad? This child was so stubborn. Would he be able to bear it?

Holding the communication device, Lu Xingwang said, “Well, the distance is too far. If the signal becomes weak one day, we might not be able to contact each other.”

Jian Mei was getting anxious, “Then, what do we do?”

Then, will you disappear?

He didn’t say it out loud, but the brief silence seemed to ask all the questions.

Perhaps it was due to the fluctuation in emotions. After speaking, Jian Mei couldn’t suppress a sudden cough. At first, it was gentle, but his body started trembling slightly, and he coughed a few more times, covering his mouth.

Lu Xingwang frowned. His face showed a sense of urgency that even he hadn’t noticed, “What’s wrong?”

Jian Mei paused for a moment, and he seemed much better. He slowly opened his hand and saw the bright red blood in his palm. This vivid blood was impossible to ignore. He said, “It’s nothing.”

Lu Xingwang couldn’t be easily deceived, “You’re sick.”

Jian Mei spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, lacking its usual clarity, and he was still trying to comfort Lu Xingwang, “It’s nothing, I just got caught in the rain and maybe caught a little cold.”

The people outside the room, likely his parents keeping watch, heard the commotion and were about to come in.

Jian Mei quickly whispered to the phone, “I won’t talk to you for now.”

The call was abruptly hung up, which felt sudden.

This was the first time Lu Xingwang had his call forcefully disconnected by Jian Mei, but he wasn’t angry. What lingered was a sense of worry. He even began to involuntarily recall what the patriarch of the sorcerer’s clan had told him, that his divine power would only seek those who were terminally ill. So, was that person Jian Mei? What was happening now?

Just as he was thinking, someone entered the hall through the door. A Ruo saluted and then said, “Your Highness, Major General will see you urgently.”

Lu Xingwang replied, “Please let him in.”

A person rushed in from outside, then said, “Your Highness, the business trip for tomorrow will be canceled. We might not be able to visit the Sorcerer Clan so quickly.”

Lu Xingwang asked, “Why?”

Zuo Qingshan was now in charge of the military and was more informed about certain matters than Lu Xingwang.

“Your Highness should know, these past few years, the northern star systems have been unhappy with some of our policies. Recently, a group of businessmen from our Stan Star was detained over there. They’ve yet to be released. They’ve been detained under the pretext of trespassing entry,but the actual reason is that their spaceship inadvertently entered their military airspace due to weather conditions. They didn’t go through the interstellar customs because they were smuggling goods through the military aerial domain.”

Lu Xingwang realized the issue. These businessmen were from Stan Star, and it wasn’t just a matter between two parties; it could escalate into a planetary standoff.

Here’s the problem.” Zuo Qingshan pointed. “We sent someone two days ago to negotiate the release of the merchants, but the other party was unwilling.”

Lu Xingwang put down the document in his hand. The expression on his face turned colder. “And the reason.”

Zuo Qingshan sat down beside him. “Your Highness, it’s not like you don’t know that the crown prince and even some court officials are devotees of god, and their biggest problem is that they’re very opposed to technology. Except for the necessary warships used by our military every year, our research teams have almost no achievements.”

Many of their advanced high-tech warships were imported.

Stan Star was indeed a planet devoted to the supremacy of divine power. Of course, in the past thousands of years, this was not an issue. However, the crucial point was that neighboring star planets had also developed during these thousands of years. They might lack divine power, but they possessed technological armed forces. So now, there were some star planets looking down on planets with less advanced technology.

“I’ve found out that the planet they’ve detained our people on has recently developed the A5 series combat aircraft, which is now the first of its kind in the entire interstellar. You know that we, Stan Star, have abundant resources in the vicinity of our associated planets. I think detaining the businessmen is only part of the reason. Their real goal may be to provoke conflict,” Zuo Qingshan told Lu Xingwang.

Lu Xingwang looked up at him and said, “What about you? How are you prepared?”

Zuo Qingshan replied, “I’ll fight if I have to. I’m not afraid. But, Your Highness, this time going coming into the palace isn’t just to see you. If I’m right, today, the imperial edict for my expedition will be issued.”

Lu Xingwang responded, “Naturally, this trip may require you to go in person.”

Zuo Qingshan told him, “When it comes to understanding and using these military devices, even the people at the Institute of Technology can’t compare to Your Highness. This time, I hope you can accompany me on the expedition.”

Lu Xingwang said slowly, “The Prince volunteering to follow the army is not a simple matter.”

In the eyes of some with ulterior motives, it might seem like an association with the military or other hidden intentions. In either case, it’s not very appealing.

Zuo Qingshan revealed a mysterious smile and lowered his voice, saying, “Considering the current situation, Your Highness should have a clearer understanding than I do, regardless of anything else. This year, the Emperor’s health is deteriorating, and the civil officials have collectively submitted proposals to have the Crown Prince act as regent. There is a lot of hidden turmoil in the court. The ambitions of the Crown Prince’s faction are clear to everyone. If the Emperor favors the Crown Prince, why would he delay the transfer of power?”

Lu Xingwang naturally had a better understanding of these matters.

His highness stood up from his chair, walked to the window, and looked at the summer sea jasper flowers in bloom, saying, “The Crown Prince’s character is really not suitable for being a monarch.”

He understood that if Stan star fell into the Crown Prince’s hands, it would be the end of the road for this planet. This was something he, Zuo Qingshan, and the Emperor all understood.

Zuo Qingshan said, “If I must choose a ruler to follow, I would rather see Your Highness ascend.”

Lu Xingwang glanced at him, a sardonic smile on his lips, “If anyone else hears you say that, it’s enough to accuse both of us of treason.”

Zuo Qingshan also stood up. As a young general, he exuded an uncontrollable air of majesty. Whether in the past or now, he was unyielding, “Is Your Highness afraid?”

Lu Xingwang raised an eyebrow, “You know my physical condition. Even if I ascend to the throne, what can I do?”

Zuo Qingshan’s gaze was intense, “So, Your Highness is ready to be a passive bystander and let the Crown Prince succeed?”

“Let the Crown Prince succeed?” Lu Xingwang smirked, “General Zuo, you seem to think highly of me. It’s as if, as long as I’m willing, the Crown Prince can smoothly take over the throne.”

Zuo Qingshan was left speechless, “You…”

Lu Xingwang’s tone was light, “Moreover, he is my elder brother.”

“So…” Lu Xingwang’s tone lingered, as he stood by the window, bathed in the gentle moonlight that shone through the window. The young man’s back was straight, and he carried an indescribable air of authority. He pointed his slender fingers at the window, watching the branches swaying outside while a frostiness gathered slowly in his eyes, “Since my elder brother likes being the Crown Prince so much, as long as I’m present, he will forever remain the Crown Prince.”

Zuo Qingshan was shaken by the coldness in those words.

As expected, almost at the break of dawn, the imperial edict announcing his entry into the government hall arrived. What surprised him slightly was that Lu Xingwang, along with Lu Wei and the Second Prince, Lu Xinci, were also present.

The Emperor sat in the front chair, visibly not in the best of health after all these years. His complexion had grown much paler. After reviewing all the circumstances, he spoke, “The efforts you put into rescuing our people have been commendable, General.”

Zuo Qingshan responded, “Your Majesty, there’s no need to be so polite; it’s our duty.”

The Emperor nodded, “These traders are influential merchants from various regions. Their disappearance has left the common people anxious and the nation unsettled.”

Before the other princes could speak, the Crown Prince had already jumped in, “Father, the other planet detaining our traders, causing unrest among our citizens, and engaging in various outrageous behaviors are truly infuriating. I’m willing to go with the army to restore our national pride.”

The Emperor glanced at him but remained silent.

No one knew for sure whether the Crown Prince genuinely cared for his subjects, but everyone knew he was eager to prove himself. Especially in this situation, wanting to prove himself was a good thing. However, he didn’t anticipate that the more urgent he appeared, the more the suspicious Emperor would resist.

Zuo Qingshan said, “Your Majesty, the enemy’s new type of combat aircraft is elusive and can even evade radar detection. This is a disadvantage for us. The mission this time may have many contingencies, so the operational plan cannot be the same as before. Therefore, I may bring a considerable number of research personnel with me on this expedition.”

The Crown Prince retorted, “Even if their technology is advanced, we can still predict their position with the help of our diviners.”

Zuo Qingshan countered, “Predicting the enemy’s position requires a significant amount of energy from our diviners, and the enemy won’t give us the time to prepare. Your Highness, are you playing with the lives of our soldiers? Is that what you intend?”

The Crown Prince was left breathless, “You…”

The Emperor finally spoke up, “That’s enough.”

Zuo Qingshan and the Crown Prince fell silent together.

The Emperor looked at his two other sons who weren’t saying much. Over the years, these three children had grown up. The eldest, the Crown Prince, was of little use. The second son lacked a good character and had average abilities. Only the third son was a genuine candidate to inherit the throne. Unfortunately, the third son’s health was a major issue. However, he seemed to be in good shape now.

The Emperor spoke, “I remember that Xingwang has some knowledge of mecha and firearms.”

Lu Xingwang raised his head and replied calmly, “Yes.”

“In that case, you will go with them this time,” the Emperor said with a slight tone, “Coincidentally, you and Qingshan often work together, and you have good chemistry.”

The Crown Prince found it unbelievable. His father was actually sending a sickly son on this mission instead of him. While on the surface, it appeared to be just an opportunity to accompany the army, everyone could see that this was a great chance to win the people’s hearts. If they won this battle, would the citizens still consider him, the Crown Prince? Wouldn’t they pledge their allegiance to the third prince?

The Crown Prince unwillingly added, “Father, I’m also willing to go. Besides, over these years, I’ve become more proficient in my divine powers. My younger brother is physically weak, and if he accompanies the army, enduring the hardships of travel might be too much for him.”

The Emperor raised his eyes, “It’s good that you’re concerned, but you are not familiar with mecha. The army has many high-level officers with strong divine power. There’s no need for you to complicate matters.”

The Crown Prince choked on his words.

The implication was that his divine power was of no use when there were many in the army with superior combat abilities. His younger brother was a technological talent and couldn’t be replaced. It was quite ridiculous. Even back when everyone had divine power, he couldn’t compete with Lu Xingwang. Now that Lu Xingwang had lost his divine power and become a useless person, he was still being overshadowed!

The Emperor didn’t want to continue the discussion and waved his hand, saying, “You may all leave.”

Everyone bowed and exited the room with their own thoughts. Some were happy, and some were worried. The person feeling the most frustrated was the Crown Prince.

Back in the main palace, the Crown Prince angrily swept away a whole room of items, and when the Empress arrived, she narrowly avoided being hit by her own son’s actions. She yelled, “What are you doing!”

The Crown Prince paused, looking somewhat frustrated as he glanced at his mother.

The Empress dismissed the attendants behind her and walked over, saying, “I’ve heard about this morning’s incident.”

The Crown Prince was indignant, “Why hasn’t Lu Xingwang died yet? Didn’t the diviners predict that he wouldn’t live for more than three or four years? Why hasn’t he died?”

The Empress’s expression turned serious, “Now that the Emperor’s health is deteriorating, you, the Crown Prince heir, have no real authority. Although the Emperor hasn’t shown any intention to depose you, he also hasn’t indicated any willingness to pass the throne to you. We’ve been married for many years, and I can see it clearly. Deep down, his favorite is the third prince, the one born to him and that lowly girl from the Lan family. He’s still waiting for Lu Xingwang to recover from his illness and pass the throne to his son.”

The Crown Prince was also angry, “Father Emperor has really lost his mind, pinning his hopes on a sickly child.”

The Empress didn’t want her son to be mistreated either, “I used to think that since Lu Xingwang doesn’t have many years left, I wouldn’t argue with him. But now…”

The Crown Prince became more determined, “Mother, what do you mean?”

The Empress nodded gently.

“But… but Lu Xingwang is going with Zuo Qingshan!” The Crown Prince hesitated, “Is it too risky this way?”

The Empress smirked, “What’s there to be afraid of? Just like how we got rid of Concubine Lan and that old general in the past, we can deal with these two easily now that they’re away from the palace. If anything happens to them outside, it will look entirely natural.”

Seeing his mother speak like this, the Crown Prince knew she was planning to use her old tricks again. In the past, he would have advised her to avoid dealings with those space pirates. But now, he was single-mindedly focused on ensuring Lu Xingwang’s death, so he didn’t care about much else.

On the other side:

Because they were going on a distant journey, A Ruo was helping the Prince in packing, while Lu Xingwang was having a military doctor sent by Zuo Qingshan examine his body. The palace’s diviners were not to be trusted, and this military doctor had always been his personal physician.

The military doctor said, “Your Highness, your physical condition is still acceptable. I can see that the toxins in your body have weakened somewhat. If you persist, in less than a year, you may fully recover. At that time, your divine power might also be restored, but you must not stop taking the medication. You haven’t been taking your medicine on time recently, right? The poison became unstable again.””

For years, Lu Xingwang had been listening to A Ruo’s vague reminders to take his medication on time.

Because, from Jian Mei’s perspective, these medicines were all herbal and did not need much consideration. Lu Xingwang had never thought much about them or speculated about their connection to his divine power.

However, the words of the military doctor today suddenly made him realize that Jian Mei’s condition had deteriorated since he began taking the medication. But Jian Mei almost never discussed his physical condition with him, and didn’t even inform him when he was sick. So, he had never suspected it.

After the military doctor left, he opened his communication device, and coincidentally, Jian Mei had sent him a message: “Good morning!”

What Lu Xingwang was most concerned about was Jian Mei’s health. He asked, “Good morning. Are you feeling better?”

Jian Mei replied, “I’m much better. I haven’t been coughing much today. Don’t worry.”

Lu Xingwang hummed in response and then he asked Jian Mei about what he was most worried about now.

Lu Xingwang: “Jian Mei, tell me honestly. Have you always been sick? Have you always been sickly ever since we met?”

This question caught Jian Mei by surprise

and he didn’t know how Lu Xingwang had guessed it. Nevertheless, he admitted honestly, “Yes, but I didn’t intentionally hide it. By that time, I was already much better, possibly even fully recovered. So, I didn’t mention it.”

Lu Xingwang had a sinking feeling, and he inquired, “What about later?”

“After that, it was okay,” Jing Mei recalled, “That year was quite good. But for some reason, in the past two years, my health deteriorated slowly.”

At this point, Lu Xingwang had a rough idea of the situation. There must be some sort of connection between them, a process in which Jing Mei slowly returned his divine power, causing him to weaken over time. If this connection wasn’t severed, Jing Mei might eventually die.

Realizing this, Lu Xingwang couldn’t contain his melancholy. His silence made Jing Mei anxious, and he tentatively asked, “What’s wrong? Are you angry with me? I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Lu Xingwang replied, “I’m not angry.”

“That’s good,” Jing Mei texted, “By the way, nobody is home these days, and you haven’t taken your medicine yet. Today, our housekeeper is coming, and she’ll bring your medicine.”

Medicine.

Could it be the medicine?

Lu Xingwang remembered what the military doctor had told him. If he persisted in taking his medication, the toxins might be removed entirely in less than a year. His divine power would recover, and he wouldn’t die. Instead, he’d have a bright future awaiting him, possibly inheriting the throne, achieving fame, and wiping away the disgrace of these past years.

However, the price for this might be Jing Mei’s life.

Lu Xingwang fell into silence, once again confronted with a life-or-death decision, and this time, it wasn’t just his own life on the line.

Ding Dong

The message terminal vibrated once more. Jing Mei sent him a message, saying, “Although I’m also sick, I’m cooperating well with treatment. You should also take your medicine on time and take care of your health so that we can both be well.”

He didn’t know the irony of their situation. He remained as radiant, optimistic, and hopeful as ever. Even now, with his health deteriorating, he reassured Lu Xingwang, “As long as we focus on getting better, we’ll have a future. When technology advances in the future, who knows, we might meet again.”

We won’t meet again.

But I want to sec

ure your future.

Lu Xingwang remained silent for a long time and finally replied, “Went to see the doctor today. They said my condition has significantly improved.”

Jing Mei was overjoyed, “Really?”

“Really,” he responded, “Don’t send me medicine anymore.”

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