Chapter Eighty-Three

Chapter Eighty-Three

Han Chang suddenly sent a message:

[Do you know the disappearance of the Grand Princess in those years was related to the Han family?]

Baisha's gaze sharpened, followed by a brief silence.

She suddenly realized she really didn’t know much about the Grand Princess.

Since her return, her uncle Cecil had never brought up the past of the Grand Princess.

Perhaps in her uncle's eyes, her behavior as an “orphan” was quite strange—how could a child not be curious about her own parents? Shouldn't she be doing everything possible to uncover the truth about the past?

But Baisha wasn’t a real “child”. From the day she landed on Lanslo Star, she had mature thoughts and wouldn’t wallow in self-pity about her fate like a typical child, nor would she harbor longing or resentment towards her biological parents.

So she never asked, and the Emperor never mentioned it.

For a child, the most pressing question is undoubtedly, "Why did my parents abandon me?" The Emperor, unable to answer this unavoidable question, naturally didn’t wish to draw Baisha into reminiscing about the former Grand Princess.

Although Baisha feels that the Emperor also doesn't have much clue about her origins.

After Baisha appeared, Cecil Luo Ning certainly dispatched his subordinates to trace her lineage, hoping to find some clues... but unfortunately, they came up empty-handed.

Moreover, compared to Baisha, the Emperor himself clearly is even less willing to delve into this matter.

Baisha being stranded in the Federation itself indicated that the Grand Princess was in a very perilous situation at that time.

Originally, the Grand Princess was seen by Cecil Luo Ning as a "sister who left without a word". Now, this impression has been upgraded to a "sister who left without a word but left behind an orphan, and likely met with misfortune" — his longing is even more torturous than Baisha's. Baisha wouldn’t recklessly reopen his wounds.

Instead, the information in Han Chang's words is quite significant.

What does it mean that the Grand Princess's disappearance is related to the Han family?

[Can you clarify?] Baisha replied somewhat helplessly, [Your message makes me suspect the Han family was the main culprit behind the Grand Princess's disappearance.]

Han Chang took more than ten seconds to reply, then said: [That’s not what I meant. But the Han family, specifically my uncle, knows more about why the Grand Princess stepped down from her position as the heir apparent and why she disappeared... This is also related to my deceased parents.]

Baisha: [?]

Han Chang: [My uncle is only willing to reveal so much. My parents and the eldest imperial princess were apparently close friends. Their incidents happened around the same time. But all related information has been sealed, making it impossible to uncover the truth.]

Bai Sha understood what Han Chang meant.

The leader of the Han family, Han Xi, had disclosed part of the truth to Han Chang but not the whole story, prompting Han Chang to suggest Bai Sha try to find out more.

[Have you learned anything from His Majesty? Perhaps we can piece together a few possible hypotheses.]

Bai Sha paused for a moment, then replied: [Unfortunately, no. I don’t even know what kind of person the eldest imperial princess was. I’ve only seen her portrait in the Hall of Fame at Tianquan Military Academy.]

Tianquan Military Academy displays photos of some distinguished alumni in their Hall of Fame. It’s a vast gallery. Bai Sha saw most of her ancestors there, including her mother.

Bai Sha didn’t go there to see her specifically. It was part of a Tianquan Military Academy event to honor the ancestors. Her gaze accidentally crossed a wall, and in a glowing silver metal frame, she caught a glimpse of a familiar yet strange photograph.

It was of a vibrant young man, with a solitary and frosty demeanor, dressed in fine clothes, his hair like frost and snow—his expression barely revealed anything, yet seemed as if someone had displeased him. Undoubtedly, it was her uncle, Cecil.

Next to Cecil Luoning’s portrait was another of a royal family member.

She had hair and eye color similar to Cecil's, her features not as exaggeratedly refined as his, but more striking. Unlike Cecil, she was smiling at the camera—a smile that might seem somewhat frivolous, but even that hint of a smile appeared as a tangible gaze, sending shivers down the spine.

Even with a crown on her head and a gown of utmost luxury, these adornments seemed merely to accentuate her regal disdain.

It was an air of royalty, a demeanor others could spend a lifetime trying to emulate but never achieve.

Below the photo were the words “Cipeis Luoning” and her birth year. The names of deceased alumni have their full birth and death years. The absence of a death year implies that this alumnus is still alive.

Bai Sha also believed she was still alive.

How could such a person die so easily?

After finishing her visit, Bai Sha privately gathered some information about Cipeis.

Past video footage, news reports – most of what was recorded was her ceremony of becoming the heir apparent, with the entire empire celebrating for her. As for her sudden disappearance, there was not much information left behind—perhaps the change of the crown prince position at the time also caused a huge stir, but such information was deliberately handled or deeply hidden. This was followed by Cecil Luoning's discreet ascension, along with persistent conspiracy theories related to the royal family, suggesting that Cipeis's disappearance must have been orchestrated by Cecil.

Bai Sha had gone through these reports and found no valuable information, eventually letting it go.

Now, with Han Chang wanting to exchange information with her, she truly found it a difficult task.

[You say your great-uncle Han Xi knows the truth about what happened back then?]

[Then I'll visit him in person; he surely can't keep hiding things now.]

Remembering the Han family's unconditional support for her and her uncle’s trust in the Han family members... Bai Sha believed the Han family was indeed related to the disappearance of the eldest imperial princess but certainly not the mastermind behind it.

Otherwise, given her uncle's character, he would probably have scattered the ashes of the entire Han family.

Bai Sha and Han Chang arranged a time, and she set off for Tianshu Star.

Tianshu Star, despite its name, is actually a massive cluster of stars. In addition to the bustling main star, there are many smaller planets and even artificial planets within the gravitational pull of Tianshu Star.

The Han family owns several private planets in Tianshu Star.

Landing at the Han family’s spaceport, she saw a majestic platform built on many huge floating stones ahead. Access to and from was only possible via tourist starships. Though not as magnificent and grand as Youdu Star, it was very spacious, almost like a scenic area.

Han Chang was standing outside the spaceport to receive her.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness."

Although Han Chang also wanted to unravel the mystery of his parents' death, he remained composed and rational, showing no signs of urgency or anxiety.

"You contacted me initially to have me personally ask Han Xi, didn't you?" Bai Sha said.

"Yes. Although this might bring blame upon me from my uncle," Han Chang said, "but we both need the truth."

They walked across a green lawn, heading towards the nearby starship boarding point.

"I was old enough to remember when my parents died. My memories from that time are very clear. But I was just a child then, and there were many things I didn’t notice," Han Chang, walking beside Bai Sha and guiding her, shared, "My father was a Tianquan Military Academy graduate from the same year as the eldest imperial princess. After graduation, he served in the Imperial Fleet, while my mother was a researcher on a scientific exploration ship. My mother was extremely busy, often not returning home for six months or even a year. I was raised by my father. As I grew older, my father left me with my uncle to find my mother… I couldn’t see them often, only learning about them through my uncle, so the information I could get was even less."

Bai Sha nodded and then asked, "Do you know what your mother was researching?"

Han Chang: "I’ve investigated. On the surface, it appeared to be a normal starfield development project."

They boarded the starship, heading to the largest main residence. As they walked up the wooden staircase to the second-floor study, Han Chang gestured to Bai Sha to be silent.

Bai Sha raised an eyebrow, her expression puzzled: You didn’t tell your uncle I was coming, did you?

Han Chang nodded.

Bai Sha: "？"

Just as their eyes met, the door to the study suddenly opened, and Han Xi, clad in a brown coat, hurried out, coming face to face with them.

Han Xi's features were stern and authoritative. Although he was about the same age as the Emperor, his dressing style was quite conservative, devoid of any trendy or flashy elements. His formal attire wouldn’t seem out of place even at a state visit.

His gaze had just fallen on Bai Sha's face when his eyebrows twitched sharply.

"...Your Highness?" Han Xi asked, his tone hesitant.

"Hello," Bai Sha said with a practiced, polite smile of a junior meeting an elder, extending her hand, "I am Bai Sha Luoning, nice to meet you."

Han Xi shook her hand, his expression slightly bewildered as if he was lost in thought looking at her features. But within a second, he regained his composure: "Nice to meet you, Your Highness. We weren't informed of your visit, please excuse our lack of hospitality."

As he spoke, he glanced at Han Chang with narrowed eyes.

Han Chang smiled, pretending not to notice.

"That's alright," Bai Sha said straightforwardly, "I heard you know why my mother suddenly disappeared?"

Han Xi: "His Majesty didn’t mention it to you?"

Bai Sha shook her head.

Han Xi slightly lowered his eyelids: "Then perhaps His Majesty was waiting for you to ask me personally."

His shoulders moved gently with his breath, stepping aside to make room for Bai Sha: "In that case, please come in. I will share everything I know."

Just then, a low call came from downstairs: "Mr. Han, the meeting is about to start."

"Tell them to delay the meeting. I have something more important now," Han Xi called down, opening the study door for Bai Sha, "Please have a seat."

Bai Sha stepped forward and sat in the seat in front of the desk.

Just as Han Chang was about to call someone to bring a chair, Han Xi said indifferently: "There are no spare seats; you stand."

Han Chang: "…"

Han Chang had no choice but to stand beside Bai Sha.

"I know what you want to understand. But frankly, like His Majesty, I only know a synopsis of what happened back then, not the details."

Han Xi pressed a button on the desk, and the curtains automatically closed, plunging the study into darkness. The next second, a blue, cage-like light sphere rose before them. Han Xi lightly tapped his finger, and the sphere expanded, displaying various lines, pictures, images, and characters on its surface.

"This is all the clues we have gathered so far."

Bai Sha's gaze followed the rotating light sphere, capturing two names that frequently appeared.

Han Qing, Song Tingrong.

"Han Qing was my brother; he and Tingrong were involved in a long-term research project on the Sedd Star System's exploration ship," Han Xi explained slowly, "One day, a disease started spreading within their fleet called 'Empty Nest Syndrome'."

"'Empty Nest Syndrome' refers to the phenomenon where the Imperial people’s mental entities disappear for unknown reasons, causing the afflicted to go mad, occasionally seeing strange visions, and even attacking those around them."

The light sphere before them displayed information about Empty Nest Syndrome.

Bai Sha, looking at the data, asked hesitantly, "Is it a genetic disease?"

"Similar, but not exactly," Han Xi shook his head, his voice heavy, "They initially thought it was a disease, but it turned out to be a virus that only spreads between mental entities."

Bai Sha: "..."

"They realized too late. Hardly anyone in the entire fleet survived. Even Ah Qing was infected," Han Xi continued, "Later, Tingrong took Han Qing back to the Empire, establishing a laboratory on a remote planet to conduct closed research. It’s said Tingrong made rapid progress in her experiments—she extracted the virus, attempting to devise a formula to counter it, but the viral extract was stolen by someone with ulterior motives..."

"By whom?" Han Chang interjected abruptly, his eyes cold as ice.

Han Xi remained silent, waving his hand to pull up a name in the virtual information sphere.

The leader of the Beast Race, Lexa Greiz.

Bai Sha felt an ominous premonition upon seeing the Greiz surname.

The last Greiz she met didn't seem very bright at all.

Han Xi rubbed his forehead: "He was deceived, thinking that Song Tingrong was developing the virus under the orders of the eldest imperial princess to eliminate those who did not obey her commands—after all, at that time, the relationship between the Beast and Feather Races was not as harmonious as it is now, and the Beast Race was quite powerful. In short, Greiz led his fleet to attack the laboratory, stole the virus, and was then attacked by his own subordinates, leading to the virus's spread... The eldest imperial princess had to personally intervene to clean up the mess."

"Aqing and Tingyong both lost their lives in that turmoil. Lexa Greiz was also assassinated. The Grand Princess suffered severe injuries in her effort to destroy all the viruses. When she recovered, she found that to counteract the virus, she had almost lost all her psychic powers."

"How can the heir to the Empire be someone devoid of psychic powers?"

"According to the rules of the Roning family, as long as Cecil Roning challenges Xipes and defeats her, the position of heir can be smoothly transferred. But Cecil would rather die than do so. To break the deadlock, Xipes Roning decided to leave without a word and disappeared into the frontier starfields aboard a starship."

"There were a few seconds of silence in the study."

"Has the person who stirred up trouble been found?" Baisha asked.

"He was killed in that turmoil," Hanxi said. "We performed a routine autopsy on his body... and found remnants of a bio-program implanted in his brain."

Baisha: "...What kind of bio-program, one that can control people's thoughts?"

"This is technology neither the Empire nor the Federation possesses," Hanxi looked up, his eyes, steady as chime stones, filled with deep apprehension. "It comes from the already destroyed Silver Empire."

"—The 'Silver Empire' ruled by the super-intelligence 'Silver Core'!"

Baisha instinctively clenched his fist: "Hasn't the Silver Empire been destroyed for a thousand years? The Silver Core was also thoroughly destroyed by the revolutionaries back then..."

"It's hard to say. After all, the Silver Core is a technological creation beyond our imagination," Hanxi collected the floating light orb in the air, waved his hand to make it disappear, "The so-called centipede dies but never falls. Whether the Silver Core transferred its consciousness elsewhere before its destruction remains unknown. It could lurk anywhere beyond our imagination."

"In fact, this turmoil, possibly orchestrated by the 'Silver Core,' is not the first of its kind. But the Grand Princess dealt with the most impactful one. To maintain the Empire's stability, the Greiz family was not openly reprimanded, and those in the know began covertly splitting the major beast clans, pushing the Greiz family to the border."

"As for the Han family, Hanxi was originally the Grand Princess's minister. Han Qing and Song Tingyong were close to the Grand Princess, so they were not blamed by Cecil Roning. On the contrary, they were regarded as the Grand Princess's loyal followers and received Cecil's favor."

Hanxi: "So, please follow His Majesty's instructions at all costs, and make good use of the Pojun Fleet to protect yourself."

"In the early years of the Emperor's reign, the situation was quite unstable."

"The Pojun Fleet, following Cecil Roning, quelled the Federation, slaughtered Star Worms, and struck down interstellar pirates, earning glorious battle honors. It was an unstoppable force."

"If Baisha became the heir, he could command more than just one or two squadrons."

"In Hanxi's eyes, Baisha saw a mix of familiar yet strange encouragement and expectation."

"Hanxi, as Xipes Roning's minister, naturally hoped Xipes' child would inherit the throne."

Baisha: "..."

"Cough, cough, I understand the general situation," she coughed lightly to ease the awkwardness, averted her gaze, and asked softly, "Actually, I have another question."

"Hanxi treated Baisha with a friendly demeanor, a look that made Han Chang almost unbearable to watch: 'Go ahead.'"

"I'm still a bit curious, about the Grand Princess... I mean, my mother, what kind of person was she?"

"Then, Baisha was forced to sit and listen to Hanxi talk about the Grand Princess's glorious deeds for a full two hours."

"In his description, the Grand Princess was exceptionally talented, mastering psychic attack techniques at three, dismantling combat robots with her bare hands at five, excelling in mech piloting at seven, learning mech repair by ten, and at twelve, she fought fiercely against Star Worms on the front lines, once killing four 3s-ranked Queen Worms in a single battle, prompting the Empire's soldiers to chant 'Long live Her Highness'..."

"She was simply a born war deity."

"Then, at thirteen, she began dealing with the affairs of the heir to the throne. Facing provocations from the beast-kind families, she showed no intention of conciliation, and regardless of any righteous talk of unity among beast and feather kinds, she struck where necessary, fighting until submission. After being warned several times by the Emperor, she then began using her cunning advisors, setting traps, playing dirty, and outwitting her political enemies. Officials not aligned with her would instinctively shudder upon hearing her footsteps in the council hall."

"She never played by the rules but always achieved her desired outcomes."

"When Hanxi spoke of the Grand Princess, his eyes shone with respect and nostalgia—even though she had once burdened him with many messy situations."

"You are the child of His Highness Xipes and the heir to the throne, the hope of the Empire," Hanxi nodded slightly at her. "Therefore, please value yourself, be keen and studious, so you can successfully inherit this supreme position."

Baisha suddenly had an ominous premonition.

"I heard from my nephew that, although you excel in the military academy, there's still significant room for improvement in your other courses. If you need a tutor, perhaps I could—"

"No, thank you," Baisha recalled her nightmarish tutoring sessions, smiled faintly, and decisively declined Hanxi's offer. "Ah, I just remembered I haven't finished refining my mech design. I must go now—"

Don't just stand there, run!

……

Baisha hurriedly ran back to Yodou Star.

She decided to return to her mech workshop for some peace and quiet.

If the entity attempting to overthrow the Empire was the millennium-old remnant "Silver Core," even a severely damaged and incomplete Silver Core would be a formidable adversary. Yet all this was still uncertain, and imagining the enemy alone could frighten oneself to death.

Baisha always focused more on the immediate reality.

She made herself a cup of coffee, opened her holographic computer terminal, and checked if her mech weapon design had successfully been listed on the auction site.

As soon as she logged into her account, she was inundated with hundreds of messages.

Inquiries about whether she was taking weapon customization orders, if she had joined any studios or labs, whether she was willing to do media interviews, and even if she was accepting apprentices...

She quickly skimmed through the chaotic messages, leaving only four or five asking if they could outright purchase the "Zhuyan" design drafts.

Her mech weapon design had already been featured in the auction site's preview recommendations. According to the site's rules, interested buyers could contact her privately. If their offer matched her expected price, they could bypass the auction process and secure the design directly.

She even noticed that two of the interested parties were mech collectors.

"These collectors treat mechs as both art and investment. They buy Baisha's designs mostly not for use... Truth be told, Baisha preferred not to see her designs gathering dust in display cabinets."

"Baisha didn't respond to these messages—she wasn't counting on making a fortune from selling her designs. Thus, unbeknownst to her, the auction had already begun."

"All she could see were the bids rising time and again—"

"Starting from three million."

"Five million."

"Seven million."

"...Fourteen million!"

"Baisha, holding her cup of water, coughed softly and raised an eyebrow."

"Who is this? Does anyone actually double the bids in an auction like this?"