Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Time was becoming increasingly pressing.

Yet, the leaders of their Z-star system had recently been preoccupied with unconventional means—such as searching for substitutes—instead of exerting all their efforts to find the Queen. Essentially, they believed the Queen was not on their planet, so when faced with the demand to surrender her, they could only respond helplessly.

Has His Majesty of Emperor Star given up yet?

Why are the demands becoming more pressing now?

After discussing among themselves, they approached Emperor Star with polite words:

"We have found someone here who perfectly embodies the image of the Queen. Not only do they share the same style as the Queen, but their demeanor is also strikingly similar. If we present this person to His Majesty, would we be spared from punishment?"

Their query was met with a cold response.

It was said that His Majesty would never seek a substitute, let alone someone resembling the Queen. Should they present this individual to Him, it might provoke an enraged reaction, potentially leading to the demise of all those present.

The leaders were drenched in sweat.

What should they do now?

They still chose to make a desperate attempt:

"Your Majesty, please truly consider the person we found on Wu Star. Perhaps they might just suit Your Majesty's taste?"

They were told that the matter had been conveyed to the Emperor, and they could only wait for news.

In other words: Wait for your doom.

---

After the two little Pang Qiu's finished their meticulous plan, they parted ways.

The young prince purchased a ticket back to K Star. He then appeared nonchalantly before the shadow guards. Upon seeing him, this group of comforters, who had seen hope, hastily surrounded him, even forgetting their disguises.

At the right moment, the young prince wore an inquisitive expression: "When did you start following me?"

He put on an act of complete ignorance.

The covert guard fabricated an excuse, relieved to have safely returned the young prince to Emperor Star.

Upon returning to Emperor Star, Little Fat Ball didn't forget his grand scheme in the slightest.

He began to secretly investigate as a young detective, tackling the case with dedication.

In the evening, his father came home.

The emperor called out his name, "Huo Nian."

Although his father had always addressed him directly before, the way he did it today felt subtly different.

The young prince mustered up his courage and replied, "Father."

Then, he saw the corners of his father's lips curl up in what seemed like a smile.

His father asked, "Why didn't you attend the cub hunt this time?"

The young prince had just emerged from the warm embrace of another's fatherly care and found it difficult to adjust to this chilly yet familiar interrogation.

"I... I'm not feeling quite well."

His tone inadvertently carried a hint of coyness, but he then realized too late that his father wouldn't cater to such sentiments.

Father nodded meaningfully.

After all, the young prince hadn't been on Emperor Star during this time, and he was unaware of what had transpired between Danjiao. They also hadn't had the chance to synchronize their stories.

"What's wrong, Father—Dad?"

Huo Jin replied coolly, "You're back to your usual self now, knowing you shouldn't roll around in the mud."

Danjiao, you!

The young prince said stiffly, "Before, due to my condition, I had trouble controlling my emotions."

"I even insisted on skipping my studies."

The young prince answered smoothly, "Mm-hmm, I had a headache back then."

"Why were you running around aimlessly on K Star?"

The young prince's response matched Danjiao's alibi perfectly, "I wasn't running around aimlessly. It was because I took a small path and got lost. I couldn't find my way out of the intricate labyrinth of lanes."

After this exchange, the young prince realized that his father indeed suspected something.

However, he had great faith in their resemblance and, considering the genetic condition, a sudden change in personality wasn't unusual.

Unbeknownst to the young prince, their plan had already fallen apart even before it began.

Young Prince: "The terrain on K Star was too complex, that's why I got lost."

The Emperor's gaze was heavy.

Excellent, this answer was given without any signs of panic, suggesting they had rehearsed it beforehand.

It was clear that the fake Huo Nian returned to Wu Star and immediately switched places with the real one. However, due to the discovery of the covert guards, they didn't dare to stay long. Thus, after a brief coordination, they parted ways.

This carried another hidden message.

Pretend Huo Nian had already discovered his secret guards.

These guards were personally trained by the royal family and could easily evade the attention of a young child.

The young prince, who was waiting for him to ask something, noticed his father's contemplative expression.

Father suddenly smiled, "Huo Nian, you've really made something of yourself now."

Young Prince: "..."

Danjiao was right, Father's tone was indeed ambiguous.

Little Pang Qiu felt a bit uneasy, but he still tried his best to act composed and calm.

Father smiled gently, "Did you find your friend?"

Little Pang Qiu: "....Yes, I did."

Detestable Danjiao, you lie without a second thought.

Father: "Oh, I'm glad you found it."

Father's dark pupils held a cryptic smile, giving away no hint of his true feelings.

The young prince, having been raised by his father until he was two and a half, revered the man more than he feared him. Nevertheless, he still felt a slight unease at this moment.

"Are you happy, Father?"

Father's smile remained unwavering: "Both you and I have found what we were looking for."

The young prince had never taken the initiative to learn about the queen.

For from the time of his birth until he was two and a half, he had never truly seen her. To him, the queen was merely an abstract concept.

And now, he began to earnestly understand...

Perhaps this was what they called a fateful entanglement.

Upon hearing that description, he had an inkling that it might be him.

The response from the coalition of planets was: Although the queen wasn't found, we have a stunning substitute. Would you like to take a bite?

That was the general idea, but expressed with a hundred times more humility and tact.

Huo Jin had not failed to guess this possibility.

It was just that his overwhelming joy made him unable to believe it.

The Emperor's eyes were dark and ominous.

The servant didn't dare say another word, merely lowering their head and waiting for orders.

His Majesty dialed a three-dimensional communication link and went straight to the leader of Planet E: "Bring him to me."

"Uh, Your Majesty?"

The emperor was concise: "Bring that person to me, immediately."

The leader of the E-star thought of the stubborn young brother from Hanbao Castle and his cub, feeling a cold sweat break out on his forehead.

He had only mentioned the substitute as a means to buy time, but he dared not present someone with a cub to the emperor.

"Y-Your Majesty, about this..."

The emperor was succinct: "Bind him and bring him here."

The expression on His Majesty's face was unusually grim, as if their lives depended on bringing the person before him. This sight silenced him, leaving him no choice but to comply obediently.

As for the matter of being a 'son' or not, he would worry about that when he had the chance to survive.

After the leader of the E-star returned, he conveyed the message to the others.

They all fell into a tacit, solemn silence.

The inability to find the Queen implied they needed a substitute, but taking on that role would mean having children and inevitably wearing a metaphorical green hat → death.

Unable to present a queen or a substitute → Death.

Either way, death seems inevitable.

Then it's better to surrender someone first.

Brother Hanbao Castle, you and your offspring must be sacrificed!

The K-star leader wiped his cold sweat, suggesting, "Let's find a few more, more chances mean more options."

With the hope of striking the Emperor's fancy, the Hanzhao Brothers were accompanied by a few others representing diverse types.

In the midst of despair, there was still a glimmer of hope.

And thus, Lu Wei found himself bound.

He was not alone; several others were also tightly tied up, all of them unaware of their destination as they were shoved into an interstellar vessel.

Surrounded by somber faces, some people looked up to the sky as if on the verge of tears.

The enormous starship was filled with a diverse array of individuals, its facilities complete, giving it an appearance far from being a dilapidated vessel.

Lu Wei: ??

What was it like to wake up after a nap at a roadside stall only to find oneself kidnapped?

A law-abiding citizen, suddenly abducted without reason.

It could only be due to conscription.

If they couldn't find the right person, they'd settle for abducting able-bodied men.

Lu Wei composed himself, "Damn conscription, we need to figure out a way to escape."

The people around him regarded him with looks of disbelief, "How do you plan on running away?"

Lu Wei replied, "With our legs."

None of them found the situation amusing. "That's the Emperor of Emperor Star. Whoever he goes to will eventually be dragged back."

"Indeed."

Earthling: ?

The Earthling responded, "Aren't they conscripting soldiers?"

The others exchanged glances.

One of them replied, "It's not conscription. The insider news has already spread. They're selecting a lover."

"Huh?"

"It's said that the Z-star system is now preparing to send someone to the Emperor of Emperor Star as a gift. We few are the political pawns in this scenario."

Lu Wei had read about this on the interstellar network.

This unfortunate king had lost his queen. Ever since then, many have been eager to try their luck, planning to send someone similar in temperament and appearance to the late queen.

Yet all of them had been either demoted or beaten. It was already good that they didn't provoke him, let alone successfully deliver his lover.

In other words, death was inevitable.

Lu Wei: "Damn it, they want me dead."

Others: "......."

Finally, you've realized it too, big bro.

Guy 1: "It's said that His Majesty has never spared anyone. Going there is just a suicide mission for us."

Guy 2: "Speaking of which, the selection criteria are odd. How did they choose us? We don't fit the conventional image of a queen at all."

Lu Wei fiercely agreed.

These damn leaders of the Z Galaxy were fools. Why did they pick them?

Wearing a black tank top was a plus.

"Proficiency in cursing is a bonus."

Lu Wei was skeptical. "With their minds, could they be attempting to attract the big boss's attention through an unconventional approach?"

The main focus lies in the element of surprise.

What could possibly happen when placing someone who resembles a queen by His Majesty's bedside? Is there even a need to ponder over it?

Favoritism is absolutely out of the question; the most likely scenario is that His Majesty would lose his mind completely, and the substitute would certainly not survive. Neither would the one who delivered him escape unscathed.

Worse still, the entire planet was eradicated.

This sentiment wasn't exclusive to them; it was shared by the K-star leaders as well.

However, there was no escape from the inevitable. All he could do was face it head-on for now.

So, was it ultimately beneficial or detrimental to resemble the Queen?

Regardless of whether resembling the Queen was a blessing or a curse, it was undoubtedly harmful to have the cubs along.

Ultimately, it all boiled down to one sigh: Ah.