Chapter 72: Final Chapter

Chapter 72: Final Chapter

After the massive explosion, the underground palace and the subterranean city beneath it collapsed completely.

Whether it was the stone-carved murals, the primitive smart terminals, or even the secret mutant nests cultivated by the royal family, and those mutated soldiers' corpses used as nourishment—everything was completely destroyed in the high temperatures and energy shockwave hurricanes, reduced to dust at the bottom of the earth, buried forever.

The grand palace, which had stood for centuries as a symbol of the royal family's unmatched power, crumbled into ruins at the same time.

With the destruction of the mutant nest, the mutant horde in the sky became even more frenzied. They engaged in a melee with the soldiers' mechs, their dense numbers and interlocking formations constantly charging at the edges of the defense shields. The main cannon of the Tianyan System had no way to intervene.

General Landis was critically injured after self-detonating his mental entity, and the captain's command room, having temporarily lost its commander, was shrouded in gloom.

On the battlefield, Xiao Sa's silver mech moved aggressively among the mutants. His mental domain extended to its limit, and the overwhelming pheromones he emitted forced many mutants to retreat. The lower-level mutants had their consciousness dominated, turning on each other in a frenzy of biting.

The air masses swirling overhead squeezed out the last of the purifying mist, but it was still a drop in the bucket compared to the mutant horde cultivated by the royal family over hundreds of years.

"Xiao Sa, a new signal source has been detected. A fleet is advancing towards us."

Xiao Sa was startled, his eyes widening slightly as he looked at the signal displayed on the radar. "That is..."

The warship that appeared above Central Star caught everyone's attention. Who would come to their death amidst the outbreak of the mutant horde?

It had to be reinforcements, but none of the Dawn Empire's warships matched this design.

The massive hull gradually revealed its full shape to everyone's view, its appearance different from any traditional military warship design. The emblem on the side of the hull was a script that no one could read.

Countless combat mechs flew out from the carrier's landing port, immediately joining the human forces fighting against the mutants.

Xiao Sa immediately sensed the Alpha pheromones emanating from them, his eyes lighting up. "It's father and the others!"

Originally at a disadvantage against the mutants' polluted black fog, Xiao Sa's clan became the most formidable army on the battlefield once Xiao Sa awakened his spiritual healer mental entity, which could dispel the pollution over a wide area.

With the addition of this new force, the tide of battle gradually turned in favor of the human forces. Without the nest, the mutant horde was like a source of water cut off—kill one and there would be one less.

The intense battle raged for hours, and finally, every last mutant within the defense shield above the imperial palace was wiped out. The unprecedented mutant uprising was finally brought to an end.

※※※

In the warship's medical room.

In General Landis's mental realm, the heat wave from the explosion of the mental entity also swept through the entire mental landscape. The once tranquil night sky was torn open by a crack, and the calm lake in the center of the oasis stirred up monstrous waves.

Sandstorms raged from all sides, drying up the oasis, cracking the earth, and burying it under a blanket of dust.

Only the center of the oasis remained untouched by the violent sandstorms and heat waves. The large tree planted by Xiao Sa by the lake stood tall, its towering canopy blotting out the sky, steadfastly guarding this core area amidst the disaster-like flying sand and rocks.

A black furball crouched at the base of the tree, about the size of a palm. Its fur stood on end, its small head buried in its two short front paws, trembling as it curled its tail around itself. Its body flickered in and out of visibility, barely maintaining its form by drawing a little mental energy from the tree.

Until a young man with black hair and black eyes appeared in front of it. The young Black Flame twitched its nose and opened its eyes from between its paws.

Xiao Sa knelt before the small black lion, his heart aching as he gazed at the once-proud creature now reduced to a pitiful cub. A large patch of its beautiful tail fur had been burned away, exposing raw, scarred skin. He couldn't help but sigh:

"Look at you, thinking you're so capable..."

He extended a finger, bringing it to Black Flame's mouth. The tip of his finger glowed with a silvery mental energy, and the young lion's eyes lit up, immediately hugging him and sucking on his finger.

It was unknown how much time had passed before Landis' mental realm finally returned to calm.

He woke up in the healing chamber, and the moment he opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Sa sitting beside him, one hand on top of his head, slowly withdrawing from the mental link. Xiao Sa opened his eyes, and his gaze fell on Landis' face.

"How do you feel now?" Xiao Sa asked.

Landis sat up, removed the metal patches from his forehead and neck that were connected to his mental entity, and ignored the dull ache in his head. He grabbed Xiao Sa's arm, pulled him into his embrace, and tightly clasped his waist with both strong arms.

He rested his chin on Xiao Sa's shoulder, one hand on the back of his neck, and nuzzled his cheek against Xiao Sa's ear.

Only when he felt the warmth of Xiao Sa's body and the steady beat of his heart did Landis finally breathe a sigh of relief. His voice was rough, almost raw, as he asked, "Are you hurt?"

Xiao Sa almost laughed in exasperation. "Shouldn't you be asking if your mental entity can even recover, or how many days you have left to live?"

"The doctors said that if a mental entity self-destructs, you could permanently lose your mental energy, fall into a coma, or even die. And yet, the first thing you ask me is how I feel?"

Xiao Sa inserted his hand into Landis' smooth golden hair, gently grabbed it, and pulled him back to make him look up.

Their eyes met, Xiao Sa's icy blue pupils reflecting Landis' dark ones.

"Landis, I don't need you to be my knight."

Landis stared at him, blinking slowly. "Are you angry?"

Xiao Sa paused, his eyes narrowing. "What do you think?"

Landis hesitated, then looked into his eyes seriously. "I won't die."

Xiao Sa narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Are you still so confident, even with a nuke looming over us?"

A faint smile tugged at Landis' lips, his tone gentle but certain. "Because I can't bear to leave you, I will not die, no matter what. Nothing can separate us, not even life and death."

Protecting the people he loved was something deep within him, an instinct he couldn't ignore.

Though he had long been accustomed to Landis' straightforward declarations of love, Xiao Sa still felt a slight heat on his face. "You really..."

Landis turned his head slightly and kissed Xiao Sa's warm lips. The kiss started slow but soon grew heated, the air between them thick with tension.

A knock on the door jolted them apart. Xiao Sa quickly withdrew his hand from under Landis' military jacket, pushed him back, and sat down in a nearby chair.

A moment later, Caro pushed the door open and walked in.

Pretending not to notice the fresh marks on their necks, Caro cleared his throat and reported, "Sir, the mutant horde has been successfully eradicated. Cleanup teams are currently securing the area."

"The security forces have been dispatched to maintain order in the capital city. All streets in the capital are under martial law, and the ministers of the Parliament and the nobility remaining on Central Star are under house arrest, protected by security teams."

"The Minister of Military Affairs, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the heads of several major noble families, along with the generals of the First, Second, and Fourth legions, have all requested to see you as soon as possible."

"Upon investigation, most of the royal family perished during the mutant horde outbreak, including the former emperor and all the princes with succession rights. Only a few collateral branches survived because they were not in the palace."

"Additionally, the other administrative districts have been calling to inquire about the situation on Central Star..."

Landis nodded slightly. "I understand. Make them wait. I'll give them an explanation later. The most important thing right now is the mutant cleanup; we must ensure that the pollution source here is completely eliminated."

"Yes, sir." Caro sneaked a glance at Xiao Sa and couldn't help but add, "Sir, we owe our success in wiping out all the mutants to the army that came to our aid. If they hadn't arrived in time, some mutants might have escaped and breached the encirclement."

"The general of the other army introduced himself as Xiao Yijing, claiming to be Mr. Xiao's father."

Landis' eyebrows shot up, and he turned to Xiao Sa, clearly taken aback. "Your father? I thought they were..."

Aliens?

Xiao Sa said, "This is a long story, but my clansmen and I were once humans from the Star Sea Region, just like you."

Xiao Sa took out Haino's Central Mind core and his own star authority gem and handed them to Landis.

"Everything about the humanoid mutants and my clan is in here."

Landis looked down at the Central Mind core that the royal family had desperately searched for, realizing that the secret they had tried to hide at the cost of exposing the mech beasts was indeed this.

For Landis, whether Xiao Sa was an alien or a "humanoid mutant" no longer mattered. But for Xiao Sa's clan, returning to their rightful homeland and truly living in the sunlight was the most important thing.

"History is written by the victors, but the truth will eventually come to light."

※※※

On the final page of the imperial star calendar, this special day was destined to be permanently recorded in the annals of history.

It was the day the Dawn Empire officially declared the royal family's abdication and the abolition of the monarchy.

First, several major independent legions from the military claimed they had been persecuted by the royal family and successively raised the banner of rebellion, marching toward Central Star. Then, it was revealed that the third prince had detonated himself, having been ordered by the emperor to raise a nest of mutant young, using the corpses of mutated soldiers to manufacture mech beasts and continuously produce biological weapons.

In less than a day, the royal palace and the royal family were consumed by the mutant horde they had raised, only to be annihilated by the combined efforts of the military and a mysterious external legion. The underground palace beneath the royal palace was completely leveled.

The shocking turmoil occurred and ended so quickly that people didn’t have time to react before the military declared victory.

The explosive news quickly spread from Central Star to the other major star regions.

Just as the remaining ministers of the parliament and the nobles in Central Star were expressing their dissatisfaction, an even more shocking piece of news appeared on the Stellar Network.

That evening at eight o'clock, the entire Stellar Network live-streamed an ancient historical record extracted from the Central Mind core to every citizen.

It covered the great catastrophe a thousand years ago, the origin of the mutants, and the sacrifice of the human leader. It also detailed the establishment of the Dawn Empire.

The ancient record, without any trace of modern technological alteration, directly debunked the heroic epic that the royal family had worked hard to construct over hundreds of years. As soon as it was played, the Stellar Network exploded with reactions.

Doubts, insults, and endless chatter flooded the network. Soon after, the military released another top-secret record of the former general of the Fourth Legion, Admiral Eric, who was falsely accused of treason and executed after discovering the royal family's cultivation of mech beasts.

The underground facility, the third prince's confession, and the mutant horde that erupted from the underground palace—all the ironclad evidence was laid out for everyone to see, leaving even the most stubborn nobles and political figures in the parliament speechless.

The royal family's centuries-old rule crumbled under the weight of growing tensions and the exposure of their hidden conspiracies. The last surviving member of the royal family publicly apologized to the people and formally announced the abdication. With that, the monarchy that had lasted for hundreds of years officially withdrew from the stage of history.

※※※

Two months later.

After multiple rounds of negotiations involving the military (represented by Landis), the Star Alliance (represented by Xiao Sa and his father), the parliament ministers, and the remaining nobles in Central Star, the latter were simply informed of the final decisions.

The Dawn Empire transitioned from a monarchy to an alliance system. The Star Alliance, led by Xiao Yijing, along with several nearby uninhabited resource-rich planets, was officially incorporated into the new Dawn Alliance.

The parliament was restructured, and its seats were redistributed. The first leader of the alliance was temporarily appointed as the former parliament speaker, known for his extensive administrative experience. From the second term onward, the leader would be elected by the people.

The once highly-anticipated General Landis and Xiao Sa, the rising star from the mutant war, both quietly withdrew from the election.

The new parliament and independent legions no longer restricted birth and did not require noble support. Many ambitious young people were ready to roll up their sleeves and help build the new alliance. Xiao Sa's former classmates from the Mech Academy, Kaman, Feng Yu, and others, were all working hard in preparation for future entry into the parliament or the legions.

Other military leaders and political figures in the parliament were eagerly preparing for the second term of the executive leader, using every means to win over the public and secure votes.

Representing the Star Alliance at the alliance's highest meeting, Xiao Ke, with his stunning appearance and elegant demeanor, quickly became the center of attention, creating a wave of heated discussion on the Stellar Network.

In the "Stellar Network Parliamentarian Election Poll," he won by a landslide, leaving countless people astonished.

The ruins of the imperial palace were leveled, and a Monument to Unknown Heroes was newly built over the underground palace, commemorating all the heroes who had sacrificed in the war against the mutants.

The newly constructed alliance parliament building complex rose from the flattened ground.

After the final touches of post-war cleanup, with everything settled, the first celebration banquet for the new alliance was held here.

The parliament hall's banquet room, an independent lead-gray building, deviated from the luxurious Baroque palace style, adopting a simple and austere, retro design. The rigorous and solemn marble walls gave it a cold, hard texture, from the doors and windows to the interior furnishings.

As guests entered, they felt more like they were in a military headquarters than at a grand banquet.

In the ballroom, skirts flew and glasses clinked in the main hall. After all, this was the first official social event since the new alliance was established, and the guests were more enthusiastic than they had been at royal banquets.

On the second floor of the banquet hall, several legion generals were sitting together, discussing the military reforms of the new alliance.

After the elimination of the mutant hive, pollution in other parts of the universe still existed. Ever since the Star Alliance began supplying high-concentration inhibitors, genetic collapse and frenzy were no longer the most severe problems plaguing the military.

The once arrogant Royal Healers Association, with the fall of the royal family, had also quietened down and dared not act rashly. After the establishment of the new alliance, in order to obtain a seat in the parliament, they had to sign an unconditional regular treatment agreement with the military.

The high profits once gained from monopolizing inhibitors were gone, and they could only earn their keep through diligent work.

The legion generals occasionally glanced at General Landis sitting in the main seat. Although they held the same rank, their status was now completely different. Without his approval, it was useless to talk until they were hoarse.

"Let's tentatively finalize the new plan."

Only when Landis nodded in agreement did the others finally relax, and the atmosphere became lively again.

After a brief military meeting, Landis got up and walked to the second-floor corridor, taking Little Star from Caro's smart device, and looked towards the entrance of the main hall on the first floor: "Xiao Sa said he would pick up his father and brother. Where are they now?"

Caro looked down at the guest entry records on his neural interface and smiled: "They have arrived."

The guests in the first-floor banquet hall were murmuring and frequently glancing towards the entrance, anticipating the guests of honor. Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "They're here."

There was a momentary stir at the entrance of the banquet hall, which quickly quieted down.

The three people who entered were Xiao Yijing and his sons, representing the Star Alliance. Those invited to the banquet were all high-ranking officials of the new alliance. The guests still vividly remembered the massive warships that had come to the rescue at the critical moment.

They knew more hidden details than the ordinary public. Rumor had it that the Xiao clan, which came from an outer star system, was the direct descendant of the commander whose hero title had been stolen hundreds of years ago.

Many people thought that if there had been no internal conflict hundreds of years ago, the true royal family of the Dawn Empire might have been this clan before them.

Xiao Sa wore a well-tailored military uniform. The smooth fabric had not a single wrinkle, perfectly outlining his broad shoulders and narrow waist. The light golden tassels on his shoulders swayed gently with his composed steps.

His black hair and dark eyes stood out among the blonde-haired and blue-eyed guests, exuding a unique presence. The crystal chandelier's soft light flowed over his handsome face, with high brow bones and nose casting a deep shadow over his eye sockets and cheeks.

He had once lived in seclusion with Landis, rarely attending social events, and had gone to military school to learn about mechs. After his second differentiation, his hair color and appearance had changed, so hardly anyone recognized him.

People only knew that Xiao Sa was from an outer star system, a dual mental entity strongman who had turned the tide in the war against the mutants. He had a high reputation in the military, rising to prominence at a young age to hold a high position.

There were even rumors that this man was the famous Alpha who had single-handedly stolen the core of the Central Mind, Haino, from under the royal family's nose during a live broadcast on the Stellar Network, and had escaped unscathed despite being wanted by the empire.

No one associated these prominent identities with the C-grade mental disability companion who had once been a laughing stock as Landis's partner.

At the banquet, countless people were eager to approach this promising new noble, trying to strike up a conversation, and some were even considering matchmaking and marriage alliances.

He stood with Xiao Ke in quiet conversation, occasionally casting a casual glance at the guests gathering around to network. His aloof yet polite demeanor clearly displayed the sharpness of an alpha presence.

General Landis descended the stairs from the second floor, his gaze falling on Xiao Sa, who was the center of attention in the crowd. The little one in his arms, Little Star, suddenly struggled to get down.

"What's wrong?"

Little Star's emerald green gourd spun rapidly, and in an instant, he disappeared from General Landis' sight.

His chubby cheeks puffed up like a pufferfish, and he crawled on all fours like a motorized toy, darting toward the crowd of guests surrounding Xiao Sa.

With his short and sturdy toddler body, he managed to squeeze through the crowd, appearing in the middle and wrapping his arms around Xiao Sa's leg, his loud voice ensuring everyone knew that Xiao Sa was his and Mama's:

"PaPa, hold—"

Little Star's round blue eyes were tearful, looking like a lost child who had finally found his father. The surrounding guests were shocked, their eyes wide and mouths agape.

Especially those who were about to subtly inquire about Xiao Sa's marriage intentions were rendered speechless by this powerful "PaPa," forcing them to swallow their words.

"Is this Xiao Sa's son?"

"You're already married?"

"Wow, you're so young and already married with a kid. Which family got so lucky?"

Xiao Sa bent down and picked up the clingy Little Star, a helpless expression on his face. "How did you get here? Are you being naughty and crawling around again?"

Little Star's invisibility was indeed a headache, impossible to guard against.

Little Star wrapped his arms around Xiao Sa's neck, his face still puffed up and unhappy, and only after Xiao Sa kissed his cheek did the little one finally break into a silly giggle, rubbing his face against PaPa's.

Seeing this, those who still harbored a glimmer of hope completely abandoned their thoughts and shifted their attention to other targets.

Soon, the guests' eyes lit up as a new target appeared—General Landis, dressed in a black military uniform, his hat brim low over a stern and serious face. His features were sharp and angular, his icy blue eyes like ten thousand years of snow, making it hard for anyone to meet his gaze.

His intimidating presence made everyone instinctively step aside, clearing a path. No one dared to stand in front of this power behind the throne.

Those who had planned to approach hesitated, unsure if they should continue. Joking aside, this was the man who had forced the retreat of the former royal family with an army, his face practically screaming 'stay away.'

Some whispered softly, "I heard he was once married, but his spouse had mental health issues..."

"They say he was ill for a year and never appeared. He didn't have long to live, so..."

"Shh, keep your voice down."

These half-truths stirred the crowd's thoughts again, but before they could organize their words and find an opportunity to approach, General Landis strode through the crowd directly toward Xiao Sa in the center.

In the astonished gazes of the crowd, General Landis stopped in front of Xiao Sa, his dissatisfied look falling on the baby in his arms—this rascal had the nerve to crawl around invisibly and hug legs in public. Who taught him to act so shamelessly?

Little Star shrank back, burying his face in Xiao Sa's neck, his round little bottom sticking out, pretending nothing had happened.

General Landis chuckled softly, pursed his lips, and after holding back, finally couldn't resist. He extended his arms, his voice low, "I want in too."

Xiao Sa suppressed his smile, holding Little Star in one arm and wrapping the other around General Landis' waist, planting a kiss on the corner of his lips. "Does that satisfy you?"

General Landis took the opportunity to cup his face, tracing his lip line and deepening the kiss, his eyes and brows softening. "Not bad."

The crowd fell silent for a brief moment, then a series of gasps rose like waves of discussion.

Xiao Ke and Xiao Yijing watched with smiles, Caro, accustomed to the affection, calmly pushed his glasses, while the other generals were nearly speechless, surprised to see this tender side of General Landis.

The crowd was stunned, even more so than when they first learned Xiao Sa was already married with a child.

Especially when the marriage partner turned out to be General Landis.

One guest mustered the courage to ask, "Have you two already...?"

Xiao Sa smiled and glanced at Landis beside him. The usual sternness on Landis' face softened slightly, a rare warmth in his eyes.

Landis took Xiao Sa's hand and kissed it, the ring on his ring finger shimmering with a soft glow.

"Yes, we have a child."

"!!!"

Despite the guests' shock and murmurs, the couple stood there smiling at each other, a family of three, lost in their own world, oblivious to everything else.

As evening descended, Xiao Sa carried Little Star and followed Landis through the crowd, leaving the noisy banquet hall behind for the second-floor terrace.

Under the starlit sky, the couple stood as a perfect match.

Little Star had fallen asleep in Xiao Sa's arms, drooling softly.

The noise and commotion faded away behind the glass doors, as Landis quietly watched Xiao Sa gently stroke the little one's back. The night breeze flowed with an unprecedented tranquility.

Standing side by side on the terrace's stone railing, under the shining stars and distant neon lights, Landis felt a warmth in his heart and said softly, "Do you remember our first meeting?"

Xiao Sa looked at him with a half-smile, "Of course, you stared at me, and that very night, you showed up at my door. Hmm, it must have been love at first sight, right?"

Landis pursed his lips, amused and slightly embarrassed, but didn't dare tell him about the translation device's literal translation.

Well, let him keep that little secret forever.

Landis leaned in and kissed his brow, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "Yes, it was love at first sight, and I've been unable to get you out of my mind since."

Xiao Sa, holding their child contentedly, listened as Landis chuckled, "And on that blind date, I was so glad you liked my medals. I thought it might scare you off."

"..." Xiao Sa recalled the scene of their first date and fell into a helpless silence, both amused and embarrassed.

So, Landis wasn't implying that a large chest was good for nursing children...

Shh, better not let Landis know this little secret.

Xiao Sa chuckled softly, "Yes, I love everything about you. From now on, the three of us will never be apart."

Landis suddenly took his hand and placed it on his lower abdomen, a faint smile on his lips, "No, it's the four of us."

Xiao Sa's eyes widened in surprise, "Ah?"

Seeing Xiao Sa's bewildered expression, Landis couldn't help but chuckle, "We'll need to think of another nickname."

Xiao Sa blinked slowly, still processing the surprise of another baby.

"I hope our child will be as noble, beautiful, and radiant as the moon. How about the name..."

Xiao Sa gently felt the warmth through the military jacket and smiled, "Little Moon?"

Landis said, "Let's call her Little Rose."

Xiao Sa: "...If it makes you happy, that's all that matters."

He slid his arm around Landis' waist, and they stood close, like two towering trees, shoulder to shoulder, guarding the tender rose together.

There are still countless tomorrows ahead, waiting for the sun to rise…

"…End,"

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