Chapter 111: The Culprit

Chapter 111: The Culprit

It was the most heart-wrenching scene Joyce had ever witnessed in his lifetime, one that remained etched in his memory despite the countless brutal battles he would later endure. A dark-haired and dark-eyed male insectoid emerged slowly from the cave, cradling the blood-soaked body of Ludwig, silent as a statue. His comrade, with whom he had fought side by side for years, now lay lifeless, eyes closed forever.

Just moments before, they had been engaged in a spirited debate about who among them would be promoted to Major General upon their return to the capital. Ludwig had even mentioned inviting all their comrades to his wedding with Amber, his usually cold eyes sparkling with stars, filled with hope for the future. Now, those dreams were shattered, reduced to an unattainable fantasy.

In hindsight, the battle seemed fraught with misfortune from the start. The beast swarm had been disrupted by an unknown force, causing the target queen to vanish without a trace. The Black Hawk Legion returned defeated, having lost not only a precious male insectoid but also a promising young general with limitless potential.

Upon their return to Heiz City, the Empire held a grand funeral for all the fallen soldiers, including Ludwig. Both the Emperor and ordinary citizens mourned his loss deeply, none doubting that if he had lived, his achievements would have rivaled any Admiral in the Empire.

But some lives are destined to become mere footnotes in history, like shooting stars that streak across the sky and disappear.

As Ludwig's fiancé, Amber remained remarkably calm throughout the proceedings. He handled the funeral arrangements with poise, seemingly unchanged from before, except for the addition of a delicate iris ring on his right ring finger.

"Your Excellency, although you were betrothed to Ludwig, his sacrifice means you should not be bound to this engagement. It would be unjust to hold you back. The Gods did not bless this union; it is best to call it off. I hope you find a more suitable female insectoid in the future."

Following Ludwig's funeral, Duke Bach invited Amber to his home. Though it had been only a short time since their last meeting, the Duke appeared to have aged significantly, his voice barely concealing a cough, a sign of his frailty and illness.

Amber rose to pour him a glass of hot water, gently patting his back to help him catch his breath. His voice was low and firm. "Although Ludwig and I never held a wedding, I considered him my consort in my heart. Please forgive me, but I have no intention of dissolving our engagement."

Duke Bach was visibly surprised. Since Ludwig's body had been returned, Amber had shown no signs of overwhelming grief during the funeral, leading many to speculate that he was indifferent and preparing to annul the marriage. After much deliberation, the Duke had finally decided to dissolve the engagement, only to find Amber refusing.

Duke Bach hesitated before speaking. "But if you marry another female insectoid in the future, she can only be a concubine."

Imperial law stipulated that each male insectoid could only have one consort, who held a position superior to any concubine. Thus, males without consorts were highly sought after in noble marriages.

Yet Amber replied indifferently, "I will not take a concubine. Besides declining your proposal to annul the engagement, there is something else I wish to inquire about."

Duke Bach looked taken aback. "What is it?"

Amber's obsidian eyes met his, their depths impenetrable. "Has Siflai returned?"

Since the fleet's return to the capital, Amber had heard nothing about Siflai. It was as if he had vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. However, recently, he had heard rumors that a military female had been rescued from below the canyon by an investigation team probing the beast situation. She was currently recuperating in a space hospital, and there was a strong possibility that she was Siflai.

Amber had planned to visit her today but received an unexpected invitation from Duke Bach, so he decided to come instead.

Duke Bach's expression grew complicated. "Yes, Siflai has returned. After General Joyce reported that the beast swarm had been thrown into chaos by an unknown force, His Majesty dispatched an investigation team. They found Siflai, gravely injured, at the bottom of the valley."

Amber slowly turned the ring on his ring finger, asking casually, "Then you should be happy. Why do you look so troubled?"

In his spare time, Amber had heard Ludwig mention that Duke Bach favored Siflai over him, treating him with greater affection.

Duke Bach closed his eyes, the ravages of age evident on his face under the light. He sighed faintly. "After Ludwig's sacrifice, the position of family head remained vacant. Prince Numeral somehow connected with Siflai and wants to support him in running for the position. But the Lan Yi family has always stood with Prince Four."

Upon hearing that Prince Three and Siflai had joined forces, Amber's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Do you approve?"

To his surprise, Duke Bach shook his head slowly. "No, I oppose it."

He looked at Amber, his azure eyes like the depths of the sea, filled with the wisdom of years. "Are you curious why, despite favoring Siflai more, I don't want him to become the family head?"

Amber remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Duke Bach's chest ached, his eyes red as he gripped his cane tightly. His voice was hoarse and aged. "Among all the younger generation of the family, I loved Ludwig the most. He was brave and skilled in combat, embodying the spirit of my youth. The entire Lan Yi family was to be entrusted to him, which is why I had to be strict with him. Siflai, on the other hand, was a child with deep thoughts, unlikely to achieve greatness. So I never disciplined him strictly, allowing him to follow his own path. Ludwig always thought I favored him less…"

Duke Bach choked up momentarily, tears streaming down his face. "Perhaps Ludwig hated my favoritism until his death… hated being called a bastard from birth. Even though he was wounded all over on the battlefield, he never received comfort when he returned home… Even in his dying moments, he didn't know that I loved him the most…"

Regret was not exclusive to Amber; Duke Bach felt it too. To prepare Ludwig for the heavy burden of the family, he had to be unbearably strict, neglecting the pain in Ludwig's heart.

From the moment the twins were born, all the elders in the family favored Siflai, always carrying him around for walks and play. As a young insectoid, Ludwig could only sit alone on the steps, a small figure, neither crying nor making a fuss.

He didn't understand why he was different from his brother or why he was called a bastard. All he could do was train hard day after day and fight desperately on the battlefield to gain recognition from others.

Yet he died on a barren alien planet, perhaps still filled with confusion in his final moments, wondering why he had never received true favor in his life…

When he left the old mansion, dusk was approaching. Amber exhaled slowly, but his chest did not feel lighter; instead, it grew heavier.

With ten days remaining until the two-month assassination deadline, Amber was convinced that Siflai would attempt to kill him again. What he needed to do was go all out, testing what card Siflai was holding.

But Amber never imagined that his next encounter with Siflai would be at a funeral—the funeral of Duke Bach.

The Lan Yi family's luck seemed to be poor, as most of the nobles in Heiz City thought. Not long after General Ludwig's sacrifice, the only pillar of the family, Duke Bach, suddenly passed away due to a sudden illness. The once glorious family was on the verge of decline, causing many to sigh in sympathy.

Amber wore a black-and-white suit, standing among the guests who had come to pay their respects. He listened quietly as the priest recounted Duke Bach's life story. He possessed a bewitching face, but when he didn't smile, he exuded a certain coldness, like the snow that never melted on mountain peaks. Other female insectoids, attending the funeral, couldn't help but frequently glance back at the handsome male.

The nobles of Heiz City had assumed that after Ludwig's death in battle, Amber would hastily annul the engagement and quickly find another promising prospect. Yet, whether at Ludwig's funeral or Duke Bach's, he attended as a family member.

Perhaps his calmness stemmed from the fact that he was so overwhelmed with grief that he could no longer cry, leaving him utterly despondent.

Siflai had been discharged from the hospital not long ago. Thanks to the remarkable medical technology of the insectoids, there was no visible sign of injury on his face. Standing on the lawn nearby, his azure eyes fixed on Amber, devoid of the feigned innocence of the past, replaced by a sinister and vicious glare.

Amber wasn't in a hurry, for he only needed to stay alive. Now it was Siflai who was anxious, for if he failed to eliminate Amber in the remaining days, his mission would be considered a failure.

Meeting Siflai's venomous gaze, Amber's lips curved into a cold smile. He lowered his eyes and kissed the tail ring on his right ring finger, a gesture charged with a silent challenge known only to them.

Siflai's expression darkened, his intent to kill becoming more apparent. Several times, he wanted to approach and end Amber's life, but the presence of the guests prevented him from acting rashly. As time grew increasingly tight, he began to lose his composure.

After the funeral, Amber turned to leave the venue but unexpectedly encountered two insects he hadn't anticipated.

"Your Excellency Amber, may we have a word?"

Prince Four, who usually kept to himself, suddenly called out to Amber. Behind him was Lushti, her eyes slightly red. Ludwig had been close friends with them in life, and as juniors, they had attended Duke Bach's funeral.

Seeing them, Amber paused briefly. "Your Highness, what is it?"

Prince Four's expression was grave. "This is not a suitable place to talk. Would you be willing to move to a more private location?"

His tone suggested something significant had occurred, prompting Amber to agree. He followed Prince Four and Lushti onto a spacecraft, heading to a secluded manor.

Here was the Fourth Prince's private property, and after Amber had settled down at the table, he dismissed his servants with a wave of his hand before making an insinuating inquiry, "Sir, I believe you're already aware that Duke Bach died suddenly from illness in the middle of the night, but have you considered that there might be more to this than meets the eye?"

Amber furrowed his brows. "Are you suggesting that there might be foul play behind Duke Bach's death?"

He also felt something was amiss. Although Duke Bach had been severely affected by Ludwig's death in battle, causing his health to deteriorate, it was unlikely for him to have reached such an end so quickly, dying within just three days.

The Fourth Prince took a document from Lusuti's hands and gently pushed it across the table towards Amber. "I've always felt that Duke Bach's cause of death wasn't simple. Before his burial, I had Lusuti conduct a private examination of his body, resulting in this autopsy report. It indicates that Duke Bach was injected with a large amount of medication that would lead to heart failure shortly before his death, which caused his sudden demise."

After a brief pause, his solemn voice echoed in the air, causing Amber's heart to sink inexplicably. "During this time, Duke Bach was living alone with Xifray in the old residence. I've heard that other members of the Laike family wanted to promote Xifray as the head of the family, but Duke Bach overruled them. I suspect Xifray has something to do with his death."

Amber picked up the autopsy report and scanned through it from beginning to end, his eyes slightly lowered, lost in thought. "By telling me this, what do you want me to do?"

The Fourth Prince actually had no ulterior motives. "I merely want to warn you that Xifray is not to be underestimated. You must be cautious. I will release this report at an appropriate time. If I can get him imprisoned, that would be best. Even if I can't bring him down, he must never ascend to the position of family head."

Suddenly, Amber looked up at the Fourth Prince. "You seem very concerned about Xifray supporting the Third Prince if he becomes the head of the family?"

However, upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince shook his head, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes. "No, sir, Xifray is narrow-minded and lacks the potential to achieve greatness; he's not worth worrying about. I just feel that the position should have belonged to Ludwig. Even though he died in battle, it certainly shouldn't go to Xifray."

"Since you have no intention of breaking off the engagement, you are part of the Laike family. If you wish to compete for the position of family head, I can assist you?"

The Fourth Prince didn't want to see the Laike family turn to support the Third Prince, but today's warning and offer of assistance were more due to his connection with Ludwig. Otherwise, he could have remained uninvolved, waiting for Xifray to self-destruct.

But Amber smiled and politely declined. "Thank you, but I don't think I'll be staying here much longer."

Confused, the Fourth Prince couldn't help but frown. "What do you mean?"

Amber pulled out his chair and stood up. "Leave Xifray to me. You don't need to take action yourself. It's late, I'll be on my way."

With that, he nodded slightly, turned around, and bid farewell, only to hear the Fourth Prince's voice suddenly ring out behind him—

"Sir, are you truly willing to marry only Ludwig and have no female companions in the future?"

This was something Amber had once said to Duke Bach. Given their close relationship, it wasn't surprising that the message had reached the Fourth Prince.

"Yes."

A single concise word, without any further explanation.

As Amber left, the Fourth Prince's gaze fell on the iris ring on the male's right hand, and he couldn't help but speak in a dazed tone, "Lusuti, if Ludwig were still alive, he and Sir Amber would have become a couple envied by all bugs by now..."

Lusuti nodded gently. "Yes, they were well-matched."

Like the outside world, the Fourth Prince had assumed that after Ludwig's death in battle, this male bug would immediately break off the engagement and find another partner. All male bugs on Aliga Star acted this way, without exception, especially since Amber showed no signs of overwhelming grief.

But true pain might not manifest as loud outbursts, but rather as a silent void. He and Lusuti had been secretly observing Amber, and it wasn't until he refused Duke Bach's request to dissolve the engagement that they realized the truth might not be as it seemed.

After leaving the Fourth Prince's estate, Amber politely declined the offer of a driver to escort him, instead calling a flyer using his terminal. With his hands in his coat pockets, he stood by the roadside waiting. It wasn't long before a black flyer slowly descended from the horizon, landing by the roadside. In the cockpit sat a middle-aged female bug with a plain expression, her hair unkempt, looking disheveled.

The driver asked, "Is this the flyer you called? Terminal number xxxx."

Glancing at him, Amber's expression was indiscernible. "Yes."

The hatch opened, and Amber got inside. Inside, a crystal diffuser released a faintly sweet scent that induced drowsiness. Without showing any reaction, he raised his collar, lowering his head to cover his mouth and nose. "Change the destination. Go directly to Raine Inner Mountain."

That was the suburban cemetery outside the main city, a place rarely visited by bugs, especially at midnight. The driver gave Amber a somewhat puzzled look but didn't say anything, taking off towards the destination.

The journey was quite long. Amber closed his eyes, leaning against the back of the seat with his head tilted slightly, as if asleep. He didn't wake up until the time came to land.

The driver stopped the flyer, got out, and walked around to the back, opening the hatch and softly calling out, "Sir? Sir? We've arrived at your destination."

Amber didn't respond.

Seeing this, the driver reached out to push him. Concealed by the darkness, his empty hand suddenly held a gun, his eyes filled with malice as he prepared to pull the trigger. However, Amber, who appeared to be sound asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed his wrist, twisted the gun away, and fired a shot into the driver's abdomen—

"Bang!"

The deafening gunshot echoed through the forest, causing the driver to stumble backward several steps, his face deathly pale. He reached up and viciously tore off a piece of human skin mask from his ear, revealing a familiar face with blond hair and blue eyes.

"Xifray."

Amber's voice was low, enunciating each syllable of the intruder's name. He stepped down from the flyer, revealing a soft sword hidden at his waist. With a flash of cold light, the blade sliced through the air, aiming at Xifray.

Xifray hastily dodged behind a tree, and an eerie sound rang out in the air:

"Ding! One Pain-Free Card used!"

Following that eerie sound, Xifray seemed to instantly lose his sense of pain. Ignoring the bleeding wound in his abdomen, he charged straight at Amber, determined to fight him to the death, each move aimed to kill, his heart set on eliminating his opponent.

This card not only granted Xifray the ability to ignore pain but seemingly enhanced his speed and strength significantly. Amber clearly felt that his opponent's power had increased considerably during the fight, his attacks becoming faster and faster, the sword's shadow flickering, leaving countless wounds on Xifray's body.

Amber had long discovered that Xifray's life-saving skills had time limits, and once the time was up, they could no longer be used. So, he intentionally dodged and waited for the time to pass.

One minute passed.

Ten minutes passed.

Half an hour passed.

Amber failed to kill Xifray, and Xifray couldn't even touch the edge of Amber's clothes. When the clock struck eleven, Xifray suddenly let out a painful scream, collapsing heavily to the ground. He groaned and whimpered, clutching his wounds, his entire body trembling violently.

It was clear that his "Pain-Free" ability had vanished.

Amber decisively drew his sword and slashed fiercely at his neck, but Xifray suddenly screamed, "If you kill me, you'll die too!!!"

The blade stopped just inches away from his neck.

Amber's eyes were icy. "What trick are you trying to play?!"

Ignoring the pain, Xifray scrambled backwards, spewing a mix of truths and lies. "Amber, if you kill me, you'll die too! You will definitely die! Ludwig's death had nothing to do with me. You're still young, an S-level male bug. What female bug can't you find in the future? How about this, let's make peace? Will making peace work? I won't kill you, and you don't kill me!"

Siflai had tried every means to plant surveillance software in Amber's terminal, even disguising himself as a driver to lure him into the trap. The spacecraft was even loaded with a potent dose of sedatives. Despite such meticulous planning, he still couldn't outwit Amber.

Amber initially thought Siflai was babbling nonsense, but unexpectedly, the system materialized in mid-air at some point, affirming with certainty, "If you kill him, you will indeed die."

But Amber let out a low, derisive chuckle: "I've never feared death."

His concern lay solely in one matter:

"Can ten thousand points truly grant me a fresh start?"

The system's form flickered momentarily, conveying an almost enthusiastic nod: [Yes, but you don't need to waste such a precious opportunity for a new beginning.]

Such opportunities were invaluable to every mission participant. Even without killing Siflai, Amber could ensure his survival for two months and succeed just the same; there was no need to squander this chance on some unrelated vendetta.

"Rip!"

However, the system's warning came too late. A sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed through the air. Amber's long sword suddenly thrust forward, delivering a fierce blow that sent Siflai's head flying, hot blood spurting from the severed neck, splattering Amber's side face with speckles of crimson. His handsome features, now icy cold, resembled a demon in the night.

"But I must have him dead."

Amber replied calmly.

In the encroaching darkness, his hand holding the sword grew frigidly cold, while only the iris ring on his ring finger emitted a faint warmth. In a daze, he seemed to hear a distant yet familiar notification sound from above, followed by an instant draining of his strength, causing him to collapse to his knees.

"Ding! One Mutual Destruction Card activated!"

Siflai's final trump card turned out to be mutual destruction, targeting Amber alone. If Siflai was killed by him, Amber would also be dragged down to hell, no wonder he said Amber would die if he did!

Amber felt like a withering plant, his blood drying up, muscles wasting away, and energy depleted. It was as if an invisible force was robbing him of his breath, his body crumbling into dust, slowly dissipating.

Amber's complexion turned ghastly white. With great difficulty, he lifted his head to gaze at the distant undulating mountains. The night was endless, and he could no longer distinguish which patch of land Ludwig had been buried in, nor how he would lie alone in eternal rest.

"Ludwig..."

Amber closed his eyes, speaking softly,

"I told you... we would meet again..."

As a gust of wind blew past, his figure dispersed like snow, leaving no trace behind. Only the black heart remained suspended in mid-air, reciting the monotonous procedure in its cold mechanical voice:

"Ding! Host uses restart opportunity, game begins anew!"