Chapter 72: Rolan Vite (Minor Revision)

Chapter 72: Rolan Vite (Minor Revision)

Imperial Starship.

Humming a tune, Iliad found Yun Huai, but saw the king staring blankly at something.

Iliad squeezed through hesitantly. Although Yun Huai immediately closed his palm, the sharp-eyed cat ball still made out what it was.

"...It's his scales!"

Yun Huai made a shushing gesture towards Iliad.

Iliad, with teary eyes, asked, "We've just taken off, and you're already missing him?"

That cursed alien creature! How dare it deceive the king and still be forgiven! What secret charm does it possess to appease the king!!

Iliad whined, "Don't you want to stay with him?"

Yun Huai's eyes drifted towards the cosmic starscape, and after a moment, he said, "I just feel that I can no longer decisively handle matters concerning him."

Iliad gasped in surprise.

Yun Huai needed a loyal listener like Iliad. He slowly said, "The best way to handle something is to remain alert and make prompt decisions. As long as you keep everything at bay all the time, you won't get hurt, and that's what I've always done."

Iliad began to listen quietly.

Yun Huai: "I used to treat Lu Lin'an and everyone I met in the same way."

Iliad: "Including that transgender person?"

Yun Huai: "Yes, including him."

Iliad: "But you still went to see him as soon as you heard his name."

Yun Huai blinked his eyes.

Iliad always thought the king appeared cold but was actually soft and kind-hearted, responding warmly to those who treated him well.

It murmured softly, "Actually, Lu Lin'an isn't that bad."

Yun Huai smiled and hummed in agreement.

Iliad: "It's just that he's been a bit too cruel to you."

Yun Huai: "That's just how he is."

Iliad: "Don't you find him terrifying?"

Yun Huai glanced sideways.

Iliad, sobbing, said: "In the planetary hospital, the moment he raised his hand was a rare serious moment. My body warned me in advance, and that's when I realized how terrifying an alien lord can be. He has been an opponent of our Empire for many years."

Yun Huai's eyes flickered, and after a while, he said: "I don't find him that scary, maybe because I can suppress him. But I can see that you all are very wary of him, especially Lunen, who knows that Lu Lin'an is an alien lord. I must consider the Empire's feelings towards Lu Lin'an."

Iliad: "So, that's why you didn't bring him along?"

Yun Huai nodded.

Iliad: "You truly are a great and selfless king."

Iliad spun around twice in the air and then said to Yun Huai: "Actually, Iliad doesn't have a warning system."

Yun Huai: "Hmm?"

The cat-ball said earnestly: "Iliad doesn't have a sorrow system either. The king's toy will always be a happy cat-ball. This was the setting given by King Il. Iliad has the residual power of King Il within him."

Yun Huai's eyes widened slightly.

The mechanical energy ball spoke seriously: "King Il's greatest ability was infinite foresight, including predicting imminent dangers. That's why I reacted a bit faster than Lunen."

Yun Huai: "Are you saying that Lu Lin'an has become so powerful that he is included in the danger warnings of the predecessor's power?"

Iliad hummed twice, "His nature is far more ferocious than I imagined. You're right, this cosmic monster is very obedient in front of you."

Yun Huai pursed his lips.

Iliad: "The monster's power triggers King Il's warnings, but you don't find him scary when you're by his side. Your growth has far exceeded my imagination. Perhaps you're now even stronger than the predecessor."

Iliad had always been a flatterer of the king. Yun Huai usually forgot what it said, but this was the first time Yun Huai doubted his own concept of being weak. It seemed that, like Lu Lin'an, he had also become fearless in the face of all dangers.

"Lu Lin'an said he and I are from the same world."

Iliad, though reluctant to admit it, nodded: "You and he counter each other. If anyone can defeat a hereditary alien lord, it must be someone from the Yita royal family."

……

Lu Lin'an, having reclaimed his identity, complicated the situation between the two nations. He could no longer simply appear as the king's friend. Yun Huai knew his heart and eyes were filled only with love, but his feelings could not be perceived by all the citizens of the Empire.

In the eyes of Xiye Lunen, Lu Lin'an would always be a dangerous monster coveting the king, and a sensitive alien lord.

As the king of the Empire, Yun Huai had to consider its future. He began to feel that seeing Lu Lin'an again might take a very long time.

Yun Huai always understood that partings were sudden; sometimes, you could say goodbye today and meet again tomorrow, but sometimes a farewell might be the last time you see someone.

For Lu Lin'an, it wasn't the last time, as exaggerated as that sounded. The matter in Moseley wasn't yet clear, and Yun Huai knew they would meet again.

He just wished that when leaving the Creation Starfield, he had asked Lu Lin'an to slow down the Ares.

Yun Huai closed his eyes, and in the pitch-black view, it seemed as if the brilliant stars of the universe still lingered. He felt the slightly cold chair beneath him and suddenly imagined that comfortable, rocking eggshell chair with just a kick of the foot.

……

"You are now entering the speed measurement zone. Please sit tight and hold on. The Ares is about to start phase deceleration."

Lu Lin'an lay back with his hands behind his head, and true to its word, the Ares didn't make him touch the control stick again.

"My lord, we are now near the Second Imperial Star System's domain. Ahead is a diversion to the tourist route, with the route to Blue Fae Star being the most congested."

Lu Lin'an, expressionless: "Gashu acts quickly."

Ares: "I really miss the Empire welcoming outsiders~"

Lu Lin'an: "The king's backyard will have a very strict entry system. Hide your stuff well."

Ares, feeling wronged: "Shouldn't you be the one hiding most? Actually, Ares can disguise itself as an unmanned cargo ship, which might increase our chances of passing the inspection."

Lu Lin'an laughed and kicked it hard.

News of the new king's birth had already spread far and wide. Besides the alien races and the Empire, many small independent powers in the Heiyao System had long heard of the fame of Blue Fae Star. Many would likely try their luck there, hoping to encounter the legendary King of Yita.

Lu Lin'an couldn't be bothered to observe these minor powers; for him now, pursuing love was the top priority.

"We're almost there~ Almost there~ Almost there~"

Lu Lin'an's temples twitched.

Ares: "We're approaching the diversion checkpoint~ Oh, how I miss the days of traveling freely with you~"

Without Yun Huai, Lu Lin'an was ruthless: "I can fly on my own too. Say one more annoying thing, and I'll throw you into space."

Having been to that place once, Ares's indicator lights flashed rapidly, silently expressing its fear of the void.

Unlike the rigid RAT scanning fields of the Creation Starfield, the checkpoint for entering Blue Fae Star had an imperial, luxurious, and exquisite beauty.

The massive space diversion station, floating in space, had transplanted many green plants. First-timers might even think they had entered a green tunnel.

Ares, like a country bumpkin new to the Empire's tourism, excitedly tapped a series of 'mouth' emojis on the screen. Lu Lin'an took it as praising the beautiful Second Star System under Yun Huai's jurisdiction.

There weren't many Yita workers in the diversion station; it was mostly operated by sophisticated intelligent machines. Despite being more relaxed than the First Star System, the safety checks for entering Blue Fae Star were meticulously carried out to perfection.

Lu Lin'an used his spatial powers to hide all the dangerous items on the Ares, which then slowly glided towards the transference portal of the diversion machine.

On the screen, Ares informed Lu Lin'an: "Once we pass through here, we'll enter the super tunnel for warp travel to Blue Fae Star."

Lu Lin'an hummed, and suddenly something tapped on the side cabin window.

He turned his head and saw a pure white butterfly.

Lu Lin'an's gaze shifted slightly, suddenly locking eyes with the butterfly's electronic compound eyes.

Blue Fae Star.

The Ghost Blue Ocean City.

Gashu was watching the last undersea rail track open for traffic. He turned around, his beautiful wings tracing a stunning arc in the air.

"Hmm? An acquaintance?"

The butterfly landed on his fingertip, moving its antennae.

[It's the alien I once saw with the king. Do you need me to open the warp space permissions?]

Gashu's eyes narrowed slightly: "Has the king returned from the border?"

[He has, and he's now in the garden.]

Gashu: "The king alone?"

[Alone.]

Gashu smiled: "That's great. The king's protection keeps Xiye Lunen unaware of the dangerous creature living in the garden. If the king didn't protect him, the Second Star System wouldn't make the same mistake as the First Star System."

The Great Noble's Executor, with his pearl earrings gently swaying, said: "Blue Fae Star and the main star are only half a day's journey apart. Let's open a route for our guest that's the farthest from Blue Fae Star. Where they can warp to will depend entirely on the guest's luck."

[Understood, my lord.]

Space Diversion Station.

Lu Lin'an clicked his tongue the moment he locked eyes with that butterfly.

Ares, ignoring the ban on speaking, asked: "What's wrong?"

Lu Lin'an, in a low voice: "Gashu can't be that petty, can he? We even had a friendly tea together."

Ares: "?"

Lu Lin'an, with a subtle expression: "He's noticed me."

Ares: "Ah?"

As the space diversion slowly opened, Lu Lin'an suddenly gripped the control stick: "His executors are all tricky. Brace yourself."

Ares: Shouldn't you be the one bracing yourself!!!

The swirling blue warp portal fully opened, and Lu Lin'an's eyes narrowed for a moment. A huge tremor was felt, indicating this wasn't a safe and stable warp passage to the main planet.

Ares exclaimed: "We've been diverted to a different warp route!"

Lu Lin'an: "If you don't want to be torn apart by the spatial stream, cooperate with me."

Ares immediately felt relieved: "Almost forgot my master is you, all stable now."

The trembling sensation during the warp jump lasted a full ten minutes before fading.

Ten minutes may not seem long, but in terms of warp travel, this distance could be countless light-years away from their original destination.

When Ares finally regained a clear view outside, they had moved from a glittering, bustling space station to an entirely unknown and unfamiliar starfield.

Ares: "..."

"My lord, are we still in the Heiyao System?"

Lu Lin'an: "We are."

Ares: "Then where exactly are we?"

Lu Lin'an, annoyed by the detour: "Can't you check the coordinates yourself?"

Ares shuddered, then saw countless quiet and eerie planets in the coordinates, hanging in space, giving a chilling sensation of silent giants. The closest to them was a small asteroid numbered 1024.

"1024... An Imperial planet?" Ares, shocked, "We're still within the boundaries of the Yita Empire!"

Lu Lin'an thought to himself that Gashu really knew how to make things difficult. Finding a route in such a desolate place wasn't easy. He searched the coordinates and found no certified safe flight paths nearby. The entire space navigation was a mess, exuding an arrogant vibe of 'fly if you can, leave if you can't'.

Lu Lin'an chuckled amusedly and then decisively piloted the Ares towards the nearest planet, 1024.

With Yun Huai's character, he would never ignore such a lawless territory. Since they were there already, they might as well ask for directions and incidentally mark a spot for the young Yita King.

……

In a massive palace made of gold and stone, a warrior clad in black armor walked along the stone path.

Moseley, covered in a black robe, said with a smile: "It seems that both I and the nobles of the Third System share a liking for the same color."

The warrior walking ahead remained silent. If robots weren't forbidden here, Moseley would have thought the figure in front was a silent bionic robot.

The edges of the warrior's armor were outlined with golden streamline, giving off a dangerous and ancient mysterious texture under the dim light.

A half-mechanical mask covered the lower part of the Yita person's face, and Moseley could only see their cold eyes, unable to hear their voice.

Such thrilling absolute armament. The flow of time in this part of the universe was slightly slower than outside, making the nights here longer than in the outside world.

Moseley looked up, taking in his surroundings.

The proud Yita would not allow an unknown foreigner into the inner palace; this was just a tiny side hall of the palace.

Moseley wasn't offended. His ordinary looks, always slightly smiling, gave off a friendly and approachable vibe, unlike the stunningly handsome Yita warrior leading the way.

After waiting in the side hall for a while, the inner door opened and a man in armor, unclear from head to toe, walked in and sat across the long table. His raised head let Moseley know he was being watched.

"Lord Lailar?"

The newcomer got straight to the point: "You've found the Eye of the Storm."

Moseley also sat down slowly, smiling: "Yes, I discovered it accidentally during a research trip over a hundred years ago. It wasn't as big as it is now."

"You said you have a solution."

"Indeed." Moseley's brown eyes began to gleam with a hint of madness: "The Eye of the Storm causes chaos in the universal rules. Powerful species will spiral out of control, the weak will vanish, and countless hordes of space insects will awaken in the cosmic storms, swarming into advanced planets and devouring all life. We're headed towards chaotic destruction, but chaos is the beginning of rebirth."

The person across the table seemed very reticent, not speaking, just watching from above as Moseley passionately spoke.

Moseley continued: "You've waited four hundred years. The Yita Royal Family was your plea to the chaotic universe. Your faith was sincere, yet the new king never arrived. This is the sign of the universe's impending chaos. The Third System also discovered the Eye of the Storm, you understand its terror. It disrupts everything, including the birth of the royal family. We have no savior."

Suddenly, the long table trembled, and in an instant, a large crack spread across it. Moseley looked down to see a deep cut in his black robe from the psychic energy, with a faint trace of blood starting to spread.

He maintained his smiling expression, merely covering the wounded area with his sleeve.

"I apologize for presumptuously mentioning him. I just hope we can collaborate to start a war. Chaos is inevitable. Accelerating it to hasten the storm's passage can bring rebirth sooner. Then, your faith will surely return. This is a grand path of resurrection."

Moseley looked at the person opposite him: "What do you say, Lord Lailar?"

"A king is born from hope, not from destruction," the fully armored person spoke coldly. "Nightgold City thought you had a solution for the Eye of the Storm, but you're just a madman seeking early escape amidst crisis."

Moseley's smiling lips stiffened momentarily, leaving his expression in an odd, half-smiling state.

After a pause, Moseley said: "Lord Lailar, you might not know that the Third System has already been abandoned by the Empire."

Accidentally touching on a Yita taboo, Moseley realized there was no possibility of cooperation.

"The cataclysm on the main star will not inform you. Even the Second System has awakened from its slumber. Your roaming outside, closing all communication channels, might make the main star think you're betraying your faith."

The man did not respond, but his cold and proud aura was palpable, even though his face was unseen.

Moseley had used the information about the Eye of the Storm to knock on Nightgold City's door, only to find his ideas utterly incomprehensible to them.

"What a pity. I thought we were the first of the great awakenings, but it seems you and I have little in common."

Moseley found that as long as he avoided taboo topics, the people of Nightgold City wouldn't become too crazed or sharp.

He stood up, his smile tinged with scorn: "No matter, all species will eventually perish; it's just a matter of time. Too bad I can't hasten the storm's arrival. Goodnight, Lord Lailar."

The side hall door opened and then closed. The half-masked armored warrior bowed slightly: "Shall I kill him?"

"Madmen find their own end. We needn't dirty the floors here." The man added: "Has Lord Lailar returned?"

Warrior: "Still on Mechanical Planet 1024, creating new weapons."

"Understood."

Moseley concealed the news of the new king's birth, but he didn't realize that the warrior he disdainfully regarded had been playing him all along. Nightgold City, not even considering the main star important, let alone a madman scared by the cosmic storm, was unworthy of a personal audience with Lord Lailar.

The Third System was only called by the Supreme. If the Supreme abandoned them, they'd rather be ownerless wanderers in the cosmos.

"Keep monitoring the fluctuations of the Eye of the Storm, change the coordinates of the Third System, and continue to drag the planet carrying Dayuga closer to the Eye of the Storm. Nightgold City won't give up on destroying it. A courageous battle is the best way to resolve the crisis."

The armored man stood up: "All fear stems from insufficient firepower."

-

Roland Veit Garden.

Yun Huai stared blankly at the distant pool.

It had been over ten days since he returned to the Empire, and the garden was even more lush and quiet than before.

But perhaps too quiet.

Yun Huai turned his head as AG-0781's eyes flickered: "This is your fifth visit here in three days."

Yun Huai paused: "Is it?"

AG-0781: "After you left, Lord Xiye Lunen came to the garden and picked a Roland Veit."

Yun Huai: "It's fine, I permitted it."

AG-0781: "Lord Gashu also wanted one and almost got into a fight with Lord Xiye Lunen."

Yun Huai smiled: "Once he's built up Blue Fae Star, he can come pick one."

0781: "Lord Gashu is tirelessly working towards that goal."

Yun Huai looked at 0781: "Do you want one too?"

0781 shook its head in disappointment: "I can't." It raised its mechanical arm, "Another strength control component broke. Last time I accidentally crushed a teacup, and Lord Xiye Lunen no longer allows me to pour water for you."

Iliad meowed nearby: "Poor war robot."

Yun Huai looked at 0781 for a while. 0781 lowered its head to pick off a leaf that had accidentally stuck to its armor, "Is there, anything else, broken on me?"

Iliad flew around and observed: "No, no, other than the main control panel having contact issues, the attack system completely dismantled, strength control and sensory touch completely nonfunctional, you're still barely a complete robot!"

Yun Huai: "..."

He beckoned, "Come back, Iliad."

Iliad hurriedly mewed and nestled into the king's palm.

Yun Huai, while petting the cat, suddenly said, "0781."

AG-0781, triggered by the command: "Robot ready for battle at your command!"

Yun Huai shook his head with a smile: "No need to fight. I wanted to ask, do you want to be fully repaired?"

Iliad, comfortably squinting its cat eyes: "Ah, to fully repair it, you'd need to go to the Third System and find a high-level mechanic who makes war robots!"

Yun Huai, sensing his rapidly growing power and still cautious, felt he could now handle some issues he couldn't before. He decided to actively look for something to do, better than lingering in the garden, wondering where Lu Lin'an might pop up from next.

Thinking this, Yun Huai said to Iliad with a slight smile, "Then let's take the robots back to where they were made."

Iliad: "Gah?"

Yun Huai's gentle purple eyes curved: "Once we're packed, we'll set off."

Author's note:

Huai: Tired of troublesome love, let's find some business to do. (The king's diligence)

Lin: "Ah, wife, it seems I've been sent ahead first~" (Dragon's Luck)

Lailar: "300,000 words already. The other tables are all shining brightly. Won't anyone speak up for me?" [Sulking quietly]