Chapter 93

"Of course, it doesn't..."

"Yes —!!! My brother is all white, and his fur is incredibly soft! Long fur!"

Before Yinwei could finish, Sen Shi burst out, his face turning red as he emphatically vouched.

"Who doesn't have a couple of sweaters? My spatial pendant is full of oversized ones, and they feel absolutely amazing!"

Now it was Xia You's turn to be stunned.

A Sen serpent... white, furry, and soft?

Xia You's earlier query was merely a casual remark of a fur enthusiast. And with his designated partner in his arms, he certainly wanted to show some fidelity, to assure he's focused on serious matters, not just petting any fluffy creature.

But now, thanks to Sen Shi, Xia You had a rather bizarre image of the never-before-seen Sen serpent companion.

... It even seemed a bit terrifying.

An adult Sen serpent would be around forty to fifty meters, right? And it has fur...

Xia You tightened his embrace on the soft little charcoal ball, shuddering at the uncontrollable images forming in his mind.

Yinwei remained silent, narrowing her eyes at Sen Shi.

Though Sen Shi was her younger brother, he felt more like a child she raised. When she first met him, he was nestled in Sen Qiu's arms, no bigger than a kitten.

She knew her child's temperament best. Sen Shi wasn’t one to exaggerate unless he deemed it crucial.

The healer, high-grade energy stones, the First Legion where Sen Shi belonged... plus the urgent looks Sen Shi kept giving her.

Recalling Sen Shi's previous hesitant request for them to visit the Blue Star, Yinwei had an idea.

So, the woman who had been a leader in the trading arena for years sat on the other side of the video, smiling subtly, "I understand your intentions now. I accept."

Her decisiveness and grandeur were indeed incomparable to Old Zheng.

Xia You had anticipated that Yinwei might have some suspicions about his true identity — which was what he intended.

Meddling in the internal affairs of the Drifter Galaxy, in a sense, meant Xia You was intervening in military politics, a dangerously clear signal.

But if Sen Qiu and Yinwei approached him as seekers of medical help and made a deal, that would be an entirely different story.

After ending the video call with Yinwei, Sen Shi tried to calm his emotions. Thinking of the items in his spatial pendant, he felt profoundly grateful for the buddies who conspired with him earlier.

His Adam's apple shifted slightly, addressing Xia You with respect, "Sir, given that Old Zheng will surely use force to stop us, how do we plan to enter the planet?"

Are we truly planning to forcefully break in with just those mercenaries and a single battleship?

Sen Shi felt... such a move seemed, well, quite far-fetched.

Before Xia You could respond, while pinching the front paws of the little coal-black ball, his computer alerted him to an incoming communication request.

He glanced downward and chuckled, "What's the rush? Isn’t the path-clearing battleship arriving?"

Sen Shi: "Huh?"

Clearing a path? Battleship??

Wasn't their trip supposed to be kept under wraps? Deploying a battleship from the First Legion doesn't seem appropriate, does it?

Moreover, even if they were contacted yesterday, their journey had taken over half a month. How could a battleship from there arrive so quickly?

Sen Shi's youth was evident; his emotions were clearly displayed on his face.

Disturbed by the handling, the little coal-black ball wriggled free from Xia You's arms, jumped onto his shoulder, and curled into a tight ball—tucking even its tail beneath itself, keeping the tip out of Xia You's reach.

Xia You poked the furry ball, again and again, receiving no response. He sighed, then explained, "Last night, I contacted the Inspection Team of the Drifter Galaxy. Their local representative expressed a warm welcome for me to visit their trade center."

A peculiar expression crossed Sen Shi's face.

The Inspection Team...??

Welcome? ???

But Xia You didn't feel the need to elaborate further. He stood up, with the little coal-black ball on his shoulder, and prepared to head back to his cabin.

"Our battleship will just follow the Inspection Team's ship."

Sen Shi hesitated, "But what about the mercenaries—"

However, Xia You had already left the reception room, waving dismissively at Sen Shi from behind.

The door to the reception room clicked shut, muffling the sounds of footsteps from the corridor.

Sen Shi pondered for a long while, feeling something was amiss.

Logically, after Xia You negotiated with the mercenaries for so long and even used her psychic powers to gain control over them, why did she then decline her sister-in-law's offer to help stabilize the situation in the trading zone? What did she need the mercenaries for?

Scratching his head, Sen Shi walked towards the hall, only to find it completely empty when he arrived.

Sen Shi quickly accessed the battleship's entry and exit logs and was stunned to discover—

The mercenaries who were discussing something in the hall that morning had all departed in their mechas or aircraft just an hour before when the battleship had just entered the periphery of the trading planet.

***

Xia You nestled herself into the sofa of her cabin, while Lu Yinghuai jumped onto a nearby table.

Lu Yinghuai had been right beside her the previous night when Xia You contacted the Nomadic Galaxy Inspection Team.

In fact, it was Lu Yinghuai who found and provided the contact details to Xia You.

All Xia You did was send her coordinates to the current leader of the Inspection Team—using her genuine BrainID, which represented her true identity.

While the Inspection Team was well-aware of the current situation on the traders' planet, Xia You's battleship was already within the planet's orbit and about to land. They had no choice but to begrudgingly ensure Xia You's safety.

In situations like this, if the Inspection Team knew of Xia You's identity and chose to stand by without intervening, they'd be the first to be held responsible by the Empire should anything happen to her.

So, whether they liked it or not, the Inspection Team had to protect Xia You. And once they did, with their military ships accompanying her, Old Zheng wouldn't dare to lay a finger on Xia You or openly provoke the Empire.

Ever since Xia You learned of the changes in the trading arena, all her reactions and preparations were her independent decisions. Lu Yinghuai didn’t utter a word, obediently behaving like a fluffy little charcoal ball, quietly observing Xia You.

Xia You always liked to hold something in her arms. With no cushion nearby, she hesitated for a moment, then shifted her position, hugging her knees with both arms. Resting her chin on her knees, she gazed at Lu Yinghuai with a playful smile.

"How many points is Your Highness going to award me for this impromptu test?"

Lu Yinghuai tilted his head thoughtfully and raised his paw to type on a holographic screen: [What about the mercenaries?]

Xia You had gone out for a while in the morning. Lu Yinghuai was video calling with Wei Cheng at the time, so he didn’t go with her. Presumably, that's when Xia You met with the mercenaries on the battleship.

Xia You looked at Lu Yinghuai for a while with arched eyebrows. Suddenly, she lowered her feet from the sofa, opened her arms towards the little charcoal ball, and said with a mischievous grin, "If Your Highness gives me a hug, I'll tell you. How about it?"

Lu Yinghuai's leopard tail gracefully coiled around his paws. As he looked at Xia You, his ears twitched and a hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.

[Aren't you keen on touching Sen Ran anymore?]

Xia You's eyelids twitched, the image of a colossal caterpillar over fifty meters long surged back into his mind.

With no one else around, Xia You leaned back against the sofa, muttering with a pout, "Enough already... I finally convinced myself to try those slippery scales, and then Sen Shi mentions a hairy Sen Ran!!"

"A hairy Sen Ran! Now all I can picture is a caterpillar, one that's forty or fifty meters long! Really... all I wanted was to earn some energy stones..."

Xia You felt a weight on his thigh, followed by a warm, fluffy body nuzzling its head against his cheek.

Just as Xia You was about to embrace the little leopard for some comfort, the little creature slipped away, swift and agile.

Such a fleeting consolation.

Xia You turned and gazed sorrowfully at Lu Yinghuai, who was perched on the armrest of the sofa.

After a while, Xia You yawned, feeling a tad hungry, and casually took an energy stone from his spatial ring to munch on.

"The amount of high-grade energy stones in Lao Zheng and Yin Wei's possession exceeded my expectations, so I came up with a somewhat cunning plan."

The little black leopard perked up its ears.

Rubbing the light-yellow energy stone in his hand, Xia You explained, "I told those mercenaries that from the moment I enter the trading arena until I leave, if they can find one high-tier energy stone or two top-tier lower-grade stones on the trading planet, I'd honor the bonus I previously offered."

"After all, mercenary contracts specify fees against benchmarks. If they want to be compensated by me, they should prove their worth."

Finishing his explanation, Xia You's expression turned troubled, murmuring, "Who knows what their companion beasts or spiritual entities are... what if it's some kind of lizard or venomous scorpion..."

It's fortunate that it was in the form of a companion beast; otherwise, Lu Yinghuai might've burst out laughing.

Indeed, Xia You's move was quite crafty.

With thirty-seven mercenaries and excluding the high-grade energy stones in Yin Wei and Lao Zheng's hands, there was no way they could truly find thirty-seven high-grade energy stones on the trading planet.

So when these mercenaries realized this, they'd likely target individuals linked to the nobility and prominent families on the planet.

By then, even though it'd be the mercenaries resorting to extortion, it would be Xia You benefiting from the energy stones. And even if most of the nobles could guess who's behind it all, they'd probably just stew in silent anger.

Lu Yinghuai leisurely typed: [Holding such a grudge?]

Xia You snorted lightly, "Indeed, I do hold grudges like that."

A few days ago, Fan Yu Xin messaged Xia You, mentioning that most nobles were taking a wait-and-see approach. Few actively reached out to him. It seemed they needed a nudge.

Xia You's plan was straightforward.

If they wouldn't willingly give, he'd simply take.

Uncle Zhou once taught him that with nobles, the tactic of "courtesy first, force later" is especially effective.

Having said that, Xia You sneakily glanced at Lu Yinghuai from the corner of his eye. Instantly, a psychic tendril shot out, catching Lu Yinghuai off guard and pulling the little leopard directly into Xia You's open embrace.

The main strategy: compelled voluntariness.

Lu Yinghuai, from head to tail, was completely ravished by Xia You, yet his face bore an expression of resignation and indulgence.

Clutching the furry leopard, Xia You leaned back on the sofa, momentarily zoning out. Recalling a photo he'd seen earlier at Sen Shi's, a flicker crossed his eyes. He gently let go of the little creature, yawning, "Your Highness, I'll freshen up a bit."

With that, he stood up, heading to the washroom.

Lu Yinghuai quietly glanced at the time displayed on his computer.

It was clearly more than two hours before Xia You's usual bedtime.

Ten minutes later,

Hidden in the washroom, wearing his original clothes without a trace of having freshened up, Xia You sat by the bathtub, intently staring at his computer.

Suddenly, a warm breeze brushed the back of Xia You's neck, followed by a soft touch that teased the exposed skin due to his bent head.

Xia You shuddered instantly.

Turning around, he met a pair of deep purple leopard eyes.

Xia You: "..."

Stunned for a moment, Xia You rapidly turned his gaze towards the washroom door, noting it was securely locked.

How did His Highness get in?!

Lu Yinghuai sat gracefully on a metal stand beside the bathtub, pointing with his tail towards the ventilation duct.

Following his gesture, Xia You went silent.

He gestured the size of the little black leopard and then the narrow gap of the ventilation duct, looking completely puzzled.

Taking advantage of Xia You's momentary bewilderment, Lu Yinghuai lightly leaped over, gracefully walking along the edge of the bathtub to Xia You's side, peeking at the hidden content Xia You was stealthily enjoying in the washroom.

Caught off guard, Lu Yinghuai found himself gazing at an image of his younger self.

Lu Yinghuai: "?"

It was only then that Xia You snapped back to reality, hurriedly shutting down his computer. His ears turned a deep shade of red in embarrassment as he stammered, "I was just... curious..."

Sitting next to Xia You, Lu Yinghuai hesitated, uncertain whether to stay or leave.

His leopard tail awkwardly coiled into a tight spiral.

Seeing the actual Lu Yinghuai's embarrassment, Xia You, upon reflection, felt less self-conscious.

After all, His Highness was his lawful spouse and also his suitor within the bounds of marriage. What's wrong with watching a video to understand his suitor better?

Perfectly reasonable!

And completely legal!

With renewed confidence, Xia You straightened up and boldly resumed the video playback. He even magnified the image on the screen to get a clearer, up-close view of the mature man's charm.

"Beyond the borderlines... how long this war might last, the answer seems simple..."

Lu Yinghuai: "..."

Listening to his own wartime mobilization speech, and glancing at Xia You, who was deeply engrossed with a mix of tension and sparkling excitement, Lu Yinghuai felt a tug at his heart, an urge to intervene.

Unable to hold back any longer, Lu Yinghuai jumped down and scampered towards the washroom door.

Unexpectedly, the familiar voice from the speech continued to echo behind him without missing a beat.

Turning his head, he saw Xia You trailing behind, holding the screen display, looking innocent yet nonchalant as they both exited the washroom.

Lu Yinghuai: "..."

Is it absolutely necessary to watch this video?

After listening for a while, Lu Yinghuai couldn't hold back any longer and sought to divert Xia You's attention. He typed, "[Uncle Zhou mentioned that your spatial knot is filled with energy stones and left your clothes with me. Would you like to try them on?]"

Of course, Xia You recognized the prince's attempt to change the subject, but she was well-aware of her own temperament. If she continued teasing, she might end up sleeping without her little "black coal" kitten tonight.

So, seizing the moment, Xia You closed the screen and nodded, "I need to choose what to wear tomorrow."

Tomorrow, they should be landing on the trading planet. She wondered if the mercenaries she sent out would return with any surprises.

Without looking, Lu Yinghuai casually pulled out a large box. Inside were clothes neatly arranged by Uncle Zhou.

Xia You crouched down, opened the box, and the first thing she saw was a platinum-colored... uniform of the Military Academy Alliance.

It wasn't surprising that Xia You, posing as the Vice President of the Military Academy Alliance, had such a uniform. However, the design was eerily familiar to both Xia You and Lu Yinghuai.

She reached into the box, her fingers gliding over the badge on the uniform's chest, then she checked the right cuff.

The previously torn section had been embroidered with a lively little "black coal" kitten – Uncle Zhou's unmistakable handiwork.

It was clear that this uniform originally belonged to Lu Yinghuai from the Military Academy Alliance.

Their relationship was intimate, yet they were in the delicate phase of courting, wrapped in ambiguity.

The awkward atmosphere that often surrounded them due to the state of Lu Yinghuai's companion beast was absent. Yet now, a uniform that had once dressed Lu Yinghuai, witnessing his prestigious journeys and honors, had been resized for Xia You, ready to be worn by her...

Xia You looked up at Lu Yinghuai, her lips quivering slightly.

This time, the blush on her ears was clearly not from embarrassment.

The fingers resting on the uniform felt oddly warm. She quickly withdrew her hand, holding it close to her body.

Lu Yinghuai stiffened in front of the box, even his leopard tail becoming as rigid as a stick.

The words of Lu Jiuzhu before their departure suddenly echoed in his mind, forming an intangible hammer that heavily struck his head.

A buzzing filled his ears.

The next moment, Lu Yinghuai stood up and with a swift motion, snapped the box shut and put it back into the spatial knot. He then sat upright as if nothing had happened and began typing.

"[Shall we continue watching the lecture?]"