Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Although the bustling and wealthy capital star doesn't strictly have a main city area or suburbs, the area surrounding the palace is naturally more quiet and secluded, to avoid constant scrutiny of the royal family's daily life.

Even artificially, a secret place must be created.

Even traveling at supersonic speed, the hovercar took an hour to reach its destination.

The style of the palace, unlike the glittering high-rises passed along the way, leans more towards a classic and courtly aesthetic, akin to the Western palaces in Autumn's memory of oil paintings. The entire structure spans an entire mountain range, making it hard to tell whether the palace was built to match the mountains or vice versa.

In any case, it's nothing short of breathtaking.

And what's more astonishing than the sheer scale of the palace complex is—

The presence of vegetation on these mountains.

Unlike the bare stone fruit trees at the entrance of the Dark Star Military Academy, used more as decorations and mascots, the vegetation here is lush and thriving, impressively green even to someone familiar with Earth's ecology like Autumn.

The dense, dark green trees blend into the night, only rustling and swaying their leaves and branches in the evening breeze, making their presence known to the astounded Alphas and Betas.

On either side of the winding road, a variety of vibrant flowers bloom, spreading to the path's end. A gentle breeze carries the fragrance close, lingering around the passersby.

Occasionally, a few petals are swept up by the wind, landing on the fluffy ears or tails of the Alphas when the breeze stops.

The enormous silver moon hangs silently behind the palace, adding a touch of mystery. Its cool light falls on the velvety petals, making them look like they're covered in a layer of silver frost after a night's freeze.

Not just for those from the exiled land of Dark Star Military Academy, but even for Alphas and Betas from wealthier planets, this was a scene of heart-stopping beauty they had never witnessed in their lives.

Gasps of awe ripple through the crowd, each team disembarking from the hovercar is momentarily transfixed by the stunning scenery, unable to regain their composure.

Autumn, too, finds himself staring at the distant palace, lost in thought.

But his reasons for distraction differ from those of the Alphas and Betas.

Autumn had thought the spiritual energy of this world to be on the wane, feeling none on Dark Star and even after arriving on the capital star.

Yet here, in front of the palace, he senses something more than just the fragrance of flowers in the air - spiritual energy.

Indeed, it's spiritual energy.

Unlike the almost negligible amount in the nutrient solutions, the spiritual energy here isn't as dense as on Earth, but to Autumn's eyes, it's visibly swirling in colorful, strange glows.

Stepping off the hovercar and into the palace grounds, he feels like a desiccated succulent, shriveled from a summer's scorching, suddenly immersed in water, greedily absorbing moisture until its leaves plump up again.

This comfortable feeling, where every pore opens up, is something Autumn hasn't experienced since arriving in this world, except for now.

Instinctively, he draws in the surrounding spiritual energy, swirling like a whirlpool in a stream, engulfing floating leaves, quickly filling his inner spiritual force to near overflowing.

Nourished by the spiritual energy, Autumn glows even more radiantly; his already delicate skin now resembles freshly peeled eggshell, standing there like a luminous jade statue.

People frequently glance his way, quietly admiring the Omega's beauty.

After their initial amazement, the Alphas and Betas finally regain their senses, walking forward under the servants' guidance, marveling, "This is truly fit for the imperial royal family, possessing a beauty only seen in enhanced videos on the star web."

"If only we could stay here forever, even the air feels much fresher than on Dark Star."

"Keep dreaming, this isn't a place for ordinary people. We're only here because of the military academy competition, a stroke of luck that allowed us to stay. Otherwise, forget living here; seeing it in this lifetime would be a dream."

"True, we can only admire the vast vegetation and floral fields from afar. How I envy the residents of the capital star."

Autumn quietly follows behind the others, not engaging in their conversation.

He ponders why spiritual energy is absent everywhere on the capital star, except for the royal palace.

Moreover, the spiritual energy here seems identical to that on the eggshell given by Momo.

Surrounded by such abundant spiritual energy, Autumn feels almost dizzy, unaccustomed to such sudden opulence.

Looking up at the brightly lit, silver palace hidden behind dense woods, he intuitively feels it’s a spiritual vein, continuously supplying spiritual energy.

He resolves to investigate the origin of this spiritual energy during his stay, wondering if it’s related to that in the nutrient solution.

Lost in thought, Autumn doesn’t realize they've arrived at their lodgings until Figo gently pinches his cheek, pulling him back to reality.

"We’re here," Figo remarks, fondly enjoying the jelly-like texture of Autumn's cheek. "I’ve just realized you’re quite prone to daydreaming."

Sometimes, while talking, the little Omega would suddenly freeze, his gaze vacant, clearly lost in his own thoughts.

Aware of this habit, Autumn blushes slightly, murmuring, "Not really."

As they talk, Anwei, after assigning rooms, approaches and addresses everyone, "Although we’re staying in the palace like other teams, we’re far from the core area. Be mindful and don’t wander off; some areas are off-limits."

The team responds in unison, "Yes, Instructor!"

Satisfied with their answer, Anwei nods and then turns to Autumn, handing him a key.

"As an Omega, it’s inconvenient for you to room with the others, so you’ll have a separate room. If you need anything, my room is next door. You can knock anytime."

Autumn accepts the key, grateful, "Thank you, Instructor An."

Anwei says, "Everyone, get some sleep. We need to be well-rested for the offline registration confirmation tomorrow."

The team responds in unison, "Yes!"

Figo gently pats his head, "Goodnight, Autumn."

The other teammates also wish Autumn goodnight with smiles and then return to their rooms, each with a heart full of excitement. Some fall asleep immediately due to exhaustion, while others stay awake all night, too thrilled to sleep.

After his nightly routine, Autumn lies in bed but finds sleep elusive. His mind is filled with images of Morfa being taken away, the huge silver moon behind skyscrapers, and the spiritual energy floating in the air...

Frustrated, he decides to go out for some fresh air.

Checking the time before leaving, he notes it's late at night. Yet the capital star still blazes with light, with severe light pollution almost brightening the entire sky.

He aimlessly strolls down a path lined with daisies, careful to avoid the core area, not out of fear, but to avoid causing trouble for his companions from Dark Star Military School.

Unexpectedly, trouble finds him instead.

Turning a corner, he leaves the designated living area for the contestants behind and comes face-to-face with a long shadow.

Looking up, Autumn is stunned.

The person, with shining silver hair under the moonlight and gentle grey eyes, tenderly watches a butterfly in his hand. The surrounding flowers reflect a frost-like brightness, shrouding the figure in a thin mist, making his features unclear.

This sudden encounter accelerates Autumn's heartbeat. He mutters in disbelief, "Morfa..."

Unconsciously, he steps forward, eager to meet the person.

Stirred by the movement, the figure in the mist shifts, and the blurred face gradually becomes clear.

As the person sees Autumn, he opens his palm, and the white butterfly flutters around him before flying away.

As the distance between them shortens, Autumn clears the ambiguous mist, finally seeing the stranger's face. His initial joy freezes, replaced by deep disappointment in his golden eyes.

"An angelically beautiful and pure Omega?" The Alpha, bearing a striking resemblance to Morfa, looks at Autumn with interest. Autumn's golden hair and captivating beauty remind him of the little angels with fluttering white wings and golden locks depicted in oil paintings.

Autumn, as if briefly lost in an illusionary dream, suddenly snaps back to reality. He realizes that the person before him is not Morfa and instinctively steps back to maintain a safe distance.

The angelic figure doesn't speak, so the young man takes the initiative, asking, "Have you lost your way in my garden? It's late, and I'm worried you won't find your way back. May I escort you?"

Autumn simply shakes his head, "Thank you, but there's no need."

His tone carries a hint of cool detachment, yet his voice is soft. The young man thinks, if angels spoke, surely they would sound like this.

"Then, are you looking for something?" he continues to inquire.

His eyes, half-smiling and filled with tender affection, give Autumn a sense of deep familiarity—

Suddenly, it hits him; he's seen these eyes before on TV!

Or rather, he's seen them countless times on Morfa's face, or someone strikingly similar to him!

Autumn's pupils contract as he stares at the man who appears even younger than Morfa: This is the Imperial Royal Family's Second Prince, Duan Chenlin!

And also... the younger brother of Duan Chensen.

Autumn has an epiphany: no wonder he almost mistook him.

He reevaluates Duan Chenlin. The prince's handsome features closely resemble Morfa's, almost as if they were carved from the same mold.

Yet, no one could mistake them for each other—

Duan Chensen is sharp like a blade ready for battle, his presence so intense it makes one wonder if he could harm himself; while Duan Chenlin's eyes and brows are softer, his gaze as gentle as water transformed from tenderness, like a peach blossom flourishing in the spring breeze.

Even though he has only seen them through a TV screen, Autumn can distinctly discern the differences between the two brothers.

However...

Why doesn't Duan Chenlin have the feather-like antennae that Morfa has on his head?

Perhaps sensing Autumn's intense gaze, Duan Chenlin quickly realizes where he's looking. After a brief contemplation, he displays a mind-reading ability just like his brother's. Smiling at Autumn, he says, "Are you curious why I, unlike other Alphas, don't exhibit dominant animal traits like ears or tails?"

Autumn frowns, "So, why is that?"

Duan Chenlin is somewhat surprised by his direct question: "Normally, an Omega wouldn't ask an Alpha such questions."

Nonetheless, he patiently answers Autumn: "The Wang Butterfly only reveals its juvenile characteristics, like antennae, during the early stages. As adults, we can choose whether to show or conceal these traits based on our mood."

As he speaks, Duan Chenlin magically reveals his own antennae.

His antennae are different from Morfa's.

Morfa's antennae are soft, swaying with the wind, entirely silver with feather-like tips. In contrast, Duan Chenlin's antennae are rigid, slightly curved, standing straight on his head, resembling more the antennae of crustaceans than the typical butterfly.

Involuntarily drawn closer, Autumn imagines if Morfa's antennae, post-transformation, might resemble these. By the time he realizes, his hand is already gently touching Duan Chenlin's antennae.

They are cold and firm, a stark contrast to Morfa's soft antennae.

Seeing Duan Chenlin's slightly surprised look, Autumn quickly withdraws his hand, realizing once again that this person is not Morfa.

...Nor is he Duan Chensen.

He presses his lips together, unsure of what to say. After a moment, he softly apologizes, "Sorry."

Duan Chenlin, now understanding the situation, shakes his head with a smile that reaches his eyes, speaking in a very gentle tone.

"It's okay. But, I still want to remind you of something."

"What is it?"

Duan Chenlin speaks slowly, his words rising playfully at the end, filled with mirth.

"Well... how should I put it."

"The antennae of an adult Wang Butterfly can only be touched by their mate."

“……”

"Although Queqiu remained silent with an unreadable expression, Duan Chenlin continued to explain in a pedagogical tone, 'It's akin to a secondary sexual characteristic, symbolizing the maturity of a King Butterfly Alpha. I initially thought you might have had a King Butterfly partner, considering your uninhibited curiosity about such private matters and even directly touching my antennae. So, my assumption might be wrong.'"

"He even apologized to Queqiu, 'I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were unaware of this.'"

"Not just the palm that had touched Duan Chenlin’s antennae, but also his ears and cheeks, were burning red, hot as if they were steaming, almost cooked through with embarrassment."

"For the first time, Queqiu harbored a despairing thought of letting Morfa die wherever he was and never looking for him again—"

"This detestable caterpillar, he must have known, yet he never told me, always deliberately placing his antennae in my hands!!"

"Duan Chenlin, surprised at Queqiu's sudden embarrassment and anger, thought he might have misspoken and cautiously offered, 'If it helps... I will take responsibility.'"

"Alarmed, Queqiu quickly backed away a few steps, 'Take responsibility for what?!'"

"Duan Chenlin’s gaze was sincere, his tone earnest, 'If you feel the misunderstanding earlier has caused damage to your reputation... well...'"

"'I am not yet wed, you could marry me.'"

"At this, Queqiu was certain, both of these brothers were anything but normal."

"Who proposes marriage just because someone touched their antennae? It’s as absurd as telling a child that holding hands leads to having babies."

"If that's the case, then haven't Morfa and I already had several children?"

"Queqiu quickly halted his train of thought and said to Duan Chenlin, 'I wasn’t aware of your customs, sorry. This was my mistake; you don’t need to feel apologetic.'"

"Duan Chenlin had a sudden realization, 'Oh. Now I understand.'"

"He looked at Queqiu with eager eyes, 'You want to take responsibility for me.'"

"Queqiu: '...'"

"What exactly did you understand?"

"He muttered under his breath, 'You and your brother are cut from the same cloth.'"

"'What?' Duan Chenlin didn’t catch it."

"Queqiu quickly changed his demeanor, speaking coldly, 'Nothing, I’m going to rest now.'"

"'Do you need me to walk you back?'"

"Queqiu, several steps away, turned his head, looking back warily like a vigilant deer."

"'No need.'"

"Duan Chenlin stopped, nodding with a smile, 'Alright, little angel.'"

"'Oh no—' He looked at Queqiu, his lips parting slightly, 'I mean... little princess.'"

“……”

"Without looking back, Queqiu left."

"Duan Chenlin watched the golden-haired angel’s figure disappear into the thin night with great interest, never having found interaction with any Omega as intriguing as it had just been."

"He lifted his hand, caressing his own cold, hard antennae. Before Queqiu, no Omega, not even his own Omega mother, had ever touched them."

"Duan Chenlin remained lost in thought until a subordinate appeared behind him, bowing respectfully and reporting, 'Your Highness, there has been a severe fluctuation of energy in the mines, possibly indicating the General is emerging from his cocoon.'"

"'Oh?' A glint of interest sparked in his eyes, 'Is my dear, damned brother still not dead?'"

"Subordinate: '...'"

"He subtly reminded, 'Your Highness, if the General truly falls in battle, the throne will surely be yours.'"

"As if just remembering, Duan Chenlin hurriedly moved, 'Ah yes, my dear, brilliant and mighty brother is blessed by the heavens, he surely won't come to harm.'"

"'Quick, let's see if he has awakened yet.'"

*

"Since the empire's inception, the royal bloodline had always been that of the King Butterfly."

"Occasionally, there would be a member with a mutated bloodline, entering a period of repeated cocooning, experiencing once more the transformation process of butterflies in nature. Those King Butterflies who successfully navigate this repeated cocooning would gain immense strength, leading the empire into a more glorious era. However, more often than not, they would perish silently in their self-spun cocoons, not even receiving a token expression of regret."

"During this mimicry process, each stage required an immense amount of energy—enough to drain an entire planet."

"Fortunately, the royal palace was built over the empire's largest dense iron mine, and the iron-hard corestones were sufficient to provide the necessary energy for a King Butterfly undergoing repeated cocooning."

"Duan Chenlin rode in a completely transparent observation elevator, descending hundreds of meters underground to the mine."

"Of course, being a King Butterfly, he could have just spread his wings and flown down—but that would have lacked elegance."

"The entire mine was dark and silent, its uneven walls adorned sporadically with corestones, glowing with a silver, pearlescent light like the moon above, barely illuminating the immediate vicinity."

"The only sound in his ears was the howling wind, the vast, deep mine causing even the slightest noise to create a prolonged echo, somewhat unsettling to hear."

"It had been nearly four hundred years since it was last activated."

"Finally, the sound of the elevator ceased, and Duan Chenlin stepped out, barely able to see the path beneath his feet in the weak illumination of the surrounding corestones."

"The silence was profound, broken only by the 'crackling' of footsteps and the drawn-out sound of breathing."

"Humming a cheerful tune, Duan Chenlin walked with ease towards the center of the mine, a vast sinkhole lake with a diameter of nearly a hundred meters, its depth unknown to anyone, surrounded by massive rocks and abundant dense iron ore scattered everywhere."

"At the heart of the lake, it was said, lay countless corestones, continuously providing immense energy to the mine."

"The surface of the lake shimmered with dreamlike blue radiance, enveloped in a thick silver mist."

"Duan Chenlin waved his hand, slicing through the fog with several wind blades, dispersing the dense mist and revealing something indistinct in the center."

"As he drew closer, the outline of the object became increasingly clear."

"It was a cocoon, its surface marred with evident cracks, almost ready to burst open."

"It had grown to the size of a small house, nurturing a formidable creature inside, the amount of energy it required unimaginably vast."

"It was like a gluttonous Taotie, greedily absorbing the thick, nearly tangible energy around it."

"Duan Chenlin looked up and called out cheerfully to his brother."

"'True to your nature, a disaster lasting a thousand years, yet you manage to escape death every time.'"

"The massive silver cocoon offered no response, only continuous, faint sounds of something cracking inside."

"'Crack,' 'crack'..."

"Author’s note:"

"What’s going on? Typing Duan Chensen gets me short shirts, and typing Duan Chenlin gets me induction cookers (help)."

"These two brothers aren’t exactly at odds, but neither wants to take over the empire's mess. Relying on his abundant martial prowess, the older brother fled to the military, leaving his unlucky younger brother to handle the empire's affairs like a child laborer."

"Their daily routine involves muttering curses about the 'damned brother' and the 'short-lived younger sibling'."

"However, the brothers do share a consistent aesthetic taste (hehe)."