Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Upon receiving the news, Yi Ye and Bai Chuan immediately rushed to the palace.

Inside the palace of His Majesty Cons, there was a profound silence. General Mo Xi and Judge Ai Linya had already arrived, their expressions solemn. Duchess Wentz stood guard outside the bedroom, holding Juliet, who had cried herself to sleep. Afraid of waking the little princess, Yi Ye lowered his voice to inquire about the specifics.

"The doctor said it was due to a fall while getting out of bed, causing her head to hit the ground," Duchess Wentz replied, her voice hoarse from crying, trailing off mid-sentence.

"What about the guards?"

Duchess Wentz did not answer, just shook her head, and Yi Ye immediately understood.

Taking care of His Majesty had always been Peide's personal responsibility, but Peide could not stay in the palace all the time, and the guards were all stationed outside. Even if they heard any commotion, they could not barge in immediately.

Now, only Peide and the doctor were in the room. Peide had always held the utmost respect for his father, and with the sudden demise of His Majesty Cons, he was probably the most sorrowful person in the empire.

Duchess Wentz wanted Yi Ye to comfort him, but Yi Ye thought Peide was not that fragile. However, since the usually carefree Duchess Wentz had made a serious request, he had no reason to refuse.

Not long after, the bedroom door was pushed open. Peide escorted the doctor out and, seeing the black-haired youth standing beside Duchess Wentz, his eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.

He looked exceptionally haggard, his lips pale and dry, his silver hair disheveled.

"Your Highness," Yi Ye lowered his gaze, "please accept my condolences."

"I'm fine. I didn't want you to see me in such an unkempt state..." He straightened his clothes and forced a smile towards Yi Ye.

He took the sleeping Juliet from Duchess Wentz and walked out the door. In the dim daylight, Yi Ye noticed the hand holding Juliet's back, with a faint burn mark under the sleeve.

About ten minutes later, Peide returned after taking Juliet back to her residence and held a brief meeting with Ai Linya and others.

A group cannot be without a leader. After the death of His Majesty Cons, the new emperor must be arranged as soon as possible, and the candidate was undoubtedly the crown prince. After discussing the plan in detail, everyone left to make a series of subsequent preparations, only Yi Ye and Bai Chuan remained in place.

The untouched tea on the table had already cooled. Bai Chuan stood behind Yi Ye, his gaze fixed on the youth's beautiful profile. Noticing the person in front, he looked up and saw Peide's gaze completely fixed on the youth. It was a look that he found particularly repulsive yet familiar.

"Xiao Bai, go out and wait for me for a while."

Bai Chuan retracted his gaze, pursed his lips, "Alright."

He closed the door and went out.

Peide sat back down and poured Yi Ye a steaming cup of red tea: "Actually, I'm fine, you don't have to listen to my aunt's words to comfort me."

Yi Ye raised an eyebrow.

He had originally intended to do so, but Peide seemed much calmer than he had expected, so comfort was unnecessary.

"Human life is as fleeting as a spark. My father has been seriously ill for so long, and there will always be a day when death comes," Peide put down the teapot, "Just like you and me, there will also be a moment when death comes."

When he saw the cold body lying on the bed, he truly felt the terror of death, which could even make the lofty monarch tremble in fear, cry, and even beg in a sorry state. Thinking of this, Peide showed a contradictory expression.

Yi Ye thought he seemed sad, after all, it's hard not to be sad when a loved one dies.

"I actually have one more thing to tell Your Highness."

Yi Ye had another purpose for coming here. When he disguised himself as a woman to sneak in, he found that the medical pod in His Majesty Cons' palace had already been destroyed. Later, Duchess Wentz went to investigate, but the official in charge of approval clearly did not know about it. He suspected that someone had deliberately tampered with it. Peide held a high position of power, but he might not be able to see through everyone around him, and there might still be many hidden dangers.

Yi Ye told Peide his suspicions, and after listening, the other frowned slightly and remained silent until Yi Ye reminded him to suddenly look up: "Thank you for the reminder, I will pay attention."

Having said what needed to be said, Yi Ye did not intend to stay any longer.

He turned his head, his gaze catching the burn hidden in Peide's sleeve again, something he’d noticed earlier, so he casually brought it up.

Peide's hand holding the cup paused in mid-air for a second, then naturally moved towards his wrist: "The year you left for Blue Flower Star, the Zerg launched a full-scale assault on the capital. The palace went up in flames, and Juliet’s room wasn’t spared. When I rushed in to save her, I was hit by burning bricks on my arm, that's how it was left."

"I thought Alphas had strong regenerative abilities. Couldn’t this scar have been healed?" Yi Ye retorted.

"Some scars are meant to stay, as a reminder." Peide, across a long table, looked at him with an obscure meaning, his smile gentle and elegant, "The battle five years ago was devastating. I want to carry that memory with me forever."

"..."

Yi Ye deeply agreed, "You’re right, Your Highness. We should never forget that battle."

"Alright, I’ll take my leave now. Let me know if you need anything, Your Highness."

"Yi Ye!" Peide suddenly called out to him, "Do you ever think humans are a pitiful species?"

"Why do you suddenly say that?" He turned to look at Peide.

"..." He stiffly pulled his lips, "I just think human life is fleeting, our bodies fragile, like ants in this vast universe. Yet, we overreach, trying to control the world with our bare hands. We act like we’re above other creatures, ruling from on high, but even with all our tech, stretching life to two or three hundred years, we still end up succumbing to illness, clinging to life until the very end. Doesn’t that sound pitiful to you?"

In the quiet, Yi Ye's eyes were dark, deeply gazing at the silver-haired youth.

He completely turned around, shrugging his shoulders: "Yeah, it does."

Peide unconsciously sped up his speech: "So you see it the same way I do."

"But isn’t it strange to hear such words from Your Highness?"

Peide: "..."

"Clutching at life... it does sound pitiful, but wanting to live isn’t wrong. I’ve heard the Zerg live long lives, especially the advanced Zerg. Even if they die in battle, they’re reborn from the Zerg Queen in a cycle. If anything, the Zerg are the ones clinging to life, aren’t they?"

Peide hesitated for a while before smiling without warmth: "You’re right. The Zerg are the truly pitiful ones."

"Let me see you out."

"No need." Yi Ye waved him off, shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked out of the palace.

...

He and Bai Chuan took the car Peide had arranged and left the palace. When they got home, Old Man Ke Wen still wasn’t back. Yi Ye checked with Bai Chuan and learned Old Man Ke Wen was catching up with old friends and wouldn’t be back tonight.

"What friends keep you out all night?" Yi Ye muttered, digging through the drawer. "He’s probably off drinking somewhere."

Bai Chuan came out after washing his hands and found him crouched in front of the cabinet, searching.

"Bro, what are you looking for?"

"Inhibitors." He finally pulled out the labeled bag. "Aren’t you in heat? Take this first."

He pushed Bai Chuan onto the sofa, rolled up his sleeve, and was about to inject him when Bai Chuan swatted his hand away. He cleared the things on the coffee table, pulled Yi Ye to sit in front of him, knelt on one knee on the floor and leaned in.

"Seems like if I don’t say anything, you’d never notice, bro."

Yi Ye leaned back, supporting himself on the coffee table: "...Aren’t you in heat?"

Bai Chuan helplessly pressed his forehead: "Do you think I look like an Omega now?"

"No." But you’re the hero—mutating’s just part of the deal.

Bai Chuan looked exasperated, not expecting Yi Ye to suddenly have an epiphany. He just leaned in to kiss him, shutting him up before he could ruin the mood. His fingers pinched the young man's pale cheeks as he kissed heavily, with a hint of venting.

After being kissed twice, Yi Ye's lips immediately turned red and moist, slightly parting to breathe.

"You're not... in your rut..."

"It's like being in a rut," Bai Chuan bit his lip hard. "Mr. Langley isn't here tonight, we have plenty of time. You’ll have plenty of time to tell me what you and Peide talked about alone."

"What does Peide have to do with it—ah!"

He was scooped up without warning and carried into the guest room. Yi Ye finally saw the nest he’d built on the bed—it was all his clothes, from outerwear to intimate underwear, neatly yet messily forming a love nest. Some of them were his most frequently worn clothes, especially crumpled, clearly showing what Bai Chuan had been up to.

He stared in shock, "You last night... are you crazy? Father was right next door!"

Bai Chuan didn’t speak; he had endured long enough. His hands were busy undressing Yi Ye, quickly stripping the young man bare.

There was no point in answering. He could boldly kiss him under the table, so what if he’d used his clothes to get off behind a wall? Yi Ye couldn’t help but wonder if Bai Chuan had secretly used his photos to masturbate in the next room when they were back on Qixing.

"What did you used to do... mmm..." He tilted his head back, his vulnerable neck exposed to the air, pressed into the nest as Bai Chuan kissed him passionately.

"Did I masturbate?" Bai Chuan’s large hand kneaded the young man's tender buttocks, his hoarse voice panting, "What do you think of me? Some asexual bookworm?"

"Who made you look so..."

"Then let me show you now." His hot, eager body pressed down, leaving only broken moans.

"..."

The bed was soaked twice over, completely ruined, and Bai Chuan had Yi Ye pinned against the wardrobe door. The heat between them rose sharply, so hot their skin was slick with sweat, and a puddle of sweat pooled on the floor.

Bai Chuan's possessiveness intensified during his rut. He would try to maintain obedience to Yi Ye in public, but seeing him close to Peide, the accompanying anxiety of possessiveness was unbearable. Now he could only act like a desperate ghost, fiercely reclaiming what he felt was his.

The young man was made to cry uncontrollably, his physiological reactions unstoppable, both mouths secreting fluid. Bai Chuan patiently coaxed him, but his waist moved harder each time.

The gland patch on the young man's nape was peeled off, and a faint scent wafted out. Bai Chuan opened his sharp teeth and bit down, slowly injecting his own pheromones. The dual stimulation left Yi Ye speechless, his brain like unshaken paste, trembling under the fiery kisses until it ended.

...

After bathing and lying back on the clean bed, it was already dark.

Yi Ye leaned in Bai Chuan's arms, too tired to open his eyes. But Bai Chuan didn’t seem tired at all, even playing with his hair. He turned over and buried his head in the blanket, "Don't disturb me, I'm so tired..."

Bai Chuan kissed the bite mark on his nape, "Do you want to eat something?"

Yi Ye shook his head with closed eyes.

After a while, he muttered, "Remember to wash my clothes."

He didn’t even know when Bai Chuan had taken so many of his clothes, no wonder he said his uniform was missing when he went out in the morning.

"You just said you're not in your rut, what is it then?"

"Rut."

"Oh..."

Yi Ye suddenly opened his eyes, "Isn't that something only Alphas have! Are you stupid?!"

Bai Chuan looked at the person who suddenly sat up in his arms, the blanket falling to reveal round shoulders. His Adam's apple moved as he restrainedly sat up and covered him, "I underwent secondary differentiation, in the first year you left."

Damn! No wonder it's so huge!

Wait, that’s not the point. How can the hero, an Omega, undergo secondary differentiation? The plot of this world has really gone off track.

"Why didn’t the system warn me..." Yi Ye muttered softly.

Bai Chuan asked, "What?"

"...I mean, why didn’t you tell me sooner? You’re only telling me now."

"I thought you could see the physical differences between Alpha and Omega, brother."

So it’s my fault? Who knew the hero could differentiate a second time! He thought it was just a genetic mutation.

...Forget it, it’s over now. Whether Bai Chuan is an Alpha or an Omega, he’s still the bottom, so it doesn’t matter. Yi Ye suddenly got an idea. If he had confirmed the relationship with Bai Chuan when he was still an Omega, then he could have been the top!

"Brother, don’t get any crazy ideas." Bai Chuan saw through his thoughts immediately, pulling him into his arms, his imposing presence pressing against him. "You’ve seen me as an Omega."

Yi Ye: "..."

Yi Ye raised his middle finger.

Bai Chuan took his middle finger and lowered it.

Yi Ye’s mouth twitched as he asked, "So last night and today, was it because you were in rut?"

He’s seen Kaiser and Ling Pei in rut, and due to their personalities, their reactions and levels of aggression vary, but they do indeed become perverts.

"Not only that."

"What else?"

"Brother, when you get close to Peide, I get jealous too."

Yi Ye’s eyes widened: "I wasn’t close to him; at most, we just talked alone—" He realizes, "You’re jealous of that as well?"

Bai Chuan stares at his long, beautiful hands, murmuring: "I don’t like the way Peide looks at you. Brother, you’ll probably say that you and he are just friends, but you don’t know the way he looks at you..." There’s a desire to violate.

He understands that look. Because he’s had it too.

"Peide isn’t as calm as he appears, brother; you need to be careful of him."

During sex, he deliberately made Yi Ye repeat what they had discussed when they were alone. Peide’s words had hidden meanings. Sitting in that position, high and mighty, but a normal noble wouldn’t belittle humans to such an extent. Because among the empire’s people, those who strive the hardest to prolong their lives are definitely the upper class.

Yi Ye hums, getting a bit more serious when it comes to business: "I thought I was the only one who found Peide strange."

Bai Chuan looks up: "Brother felt it?"

Yi Ye nods. But for different reasons than Bai Chuan, he just relies on his keen intuition.

Thinking about it, he suddenly asks: "Xiao Bai, who do you think is the most likely person to deliberately damage the medical pod in the Emperor’s palace?"

He’s not that familiar with the palace intrigues, and having been away for so long, he’s not accurate about the current situation, so asking Bai Chuan is the best.

Bai Chuan gives him a meaningful look: "Brother, do you want to hear the truth?"

"Spit it out."

"In my view, it’s Peide as well."

Yi Ye was suspicious: "Weren’t you working with him to kill the Pope earlier? Why do you have so many doubts about him now?"

"Just because we cooperated doesn’t mean I trust him. He helped me because it benefited him, not because the Pope deserved to die. Sneaking into Emperor Cons’s residence to destroy the medical pod isn’t hard, but despite Peide’s close care of the Emperor, no one ever noticed the damage to the medical pod. Was he genuinely caring for the Emperor?" Bai Chuan smiled faintly, "But none of that matters now. The Emperor is dead, and Peide’s succession is a foregone conclusion. Whether he’s sincere or not, digging deeper won’t do you any good, brother."

"You’re right, but something doesn’t sit right with me." Yi Ye pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked Bai Chuan, "Was there a fire in the palace five years ago?"

Bai Chuan didn’t know why he suddenly asked this, but nodded: "When the Zerg attacked, the palace was in chaos, and a lot of it burned down."

"Did you see Prince Peide during that time?"

"No. Prince Peide claimed to be gravely ill, and hardly anyone saw him during that period."

"What’s on your mind, brother?"

"...Xiao Bai, head to the Audria family tomorrow and find Kaiser. Tell him I need his help with something."

"Got it. What about you, brother?"

Yi Ye thought deeply: "I’m heading to the Imperial Prison—there’s someone I need to question."

...

The next day, before dawn, Yi Ye arrived at the Imperial Prison. He’d already let Bush Meihua know, and when he arrived, Bush Meihua was waiting by the elevator.

The two took the elevator down to the underground, and Bush Meihua led him to where the death row prisoners were held: "The space pirates arrested earlier are all here. It’s not like you to come to me on your own. Who are you here to see?"

"Where is Huo Xun?" Yi Ye asked.

"So it’s a man after all." Bush Meihua leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, a hint of disappointment flashing in his emerald green eyes, "I was hoping you’d come for me."

Yi Ye glanced at him, sensing a resentful air about him: "Wouldn’t it be better to meet at the Meihua residence? I wouldn’t come to the prison without a good reason."

It made him look too comfortable here.

"...True." Bush Meihua suddenly became cheerful again, smiling, "Let’s go, Lord of the Twelve Seats. The visiting room awaits."

"Move it!"

A dozen space pirates were locked in the same cell, and at the sound, they all looked towards the black-skinned, white-haired man sitting at the back, with the number 0768 on his chest.

"Get out now!" The prison guard pulled out his baton and banged it twice on the door, shouting impatiently.

The man stood up, shackles on his hands and feet. His body bore the marks of severe interrogation, his bare feet covered in whip scars, and he walked to the door with a grim expression.

"Who wants to see me?"

"Shut your mouth." The prison guard yanked his shackles, "Move!"

Huo Xun’s eyes flashed with anger, but spotting the guard’s gun, he forced himself to hold back. He followed the guard to the visiting room, and as he passed through the corridor, he saw a tall figure in the distance. He had seen that person before—the Warden of the Imperial Prison, Bush Meihua.

Who could make the Warden wait here? Who’s inside...

Huo Xun looked towards the door of the visiting room.

Click. The door opened.

In the spacious visiting room sat a young man in a sharp suit, his black hair tied up neatly. His hands, clad in half-gloves, were clasped on his knees, his back slender yet sharp, like a natural perfect clothes hanger, setting off the black suit and shirt flawlessly.

He glanced over, his refined features and a faint smile curving his lips: "Long time no see, Huo Xun."

Huo Xun's voice grew heavy: "...Yi Ye."

...

The prison guard escorted him in and left. In the visiting room, Huo Xun clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the black-haired young man. Yi Ye's complexion was much healthier than before, and his legs seemed to have fully recovered. It seemed those around him had some serious connections, having found him the most advanced medical pod.

"You must have reclaimed your seat among the Twelve Seats by now. Coming to the prison, are you planning to kill us?"

"Do I seem like the type to hold grudges?" Yi Ye smiled, his eyes curving. "You tirelessly cared for me for five years while I was in a coma. There was never any enmity between us, so why would I seek revenge?"

"...Then what do you want to talk to me about?"

"To offer you a chance to atone."

"Do you remember where you found me on Blue Flower Star back then?"

"What?" Huo Xun was stunned. "Is this some kind of trick question?"

"I'm serious."

Huo Xun: "..."

Yi Ye must be out of his mind. But with an opportunity staring him in the face, he wasn’t about to make things harder for himself.

He told Yi Ye that when they passed by Blue Flower Star, they detected a massive explosion, so they sent a team to investigate. He was one of the members.

The exact spot where they found Yi Ye was hard to recall, but he remembered it was by a river, far from the collapsed mountain. The river was stained with blood, and he remembered it because there was so much blood. An ordinary person would have died from such blood loss, yet Yi Ye was still alive.

"Did you only see me?"

"Who else would there be?"

"Are there any other details you’re forgetting? Think carefully."

"Why are you obsessing over this—"

"One more wasted word, and I’ll find someone else to ask."

Yi Ye tapped the table impatiently, his expression cold and stern. The young man’s presence was so commanding that Huo Xun didn’t dare argue, meekly hunching his shoulders as he tried to recall all the details from that day. But too many details were hazy, and no matter how hard he racked his brain, only fragments surfaced. However, as the saying goes, heaven rewards the diligent, and one thing did come back to him.

"Oh right, after rescuing you, I changed your clothes for you."

Yi Ye: "...So, I should thank you?"

"That’s beside the point. The point is, when I changed your clothes, I found a few strands of hair on you." Huo Xun remembered clearly that the hair was similar in color to his but differed in length. "It was silver hair."

The same silver hair as the empire’s crown prince.

...

Five days later.

The news of Emperor Cons’s death spread like wildfire across every corner of the imperial galaxy, followed by the coronation celebration of Prince Peide Huang. For the empire’s people, this was welcome news. For the past two years, Emperor Cons had hardly handled any political affairs, leaving them mostly to Prince Peide.

He was young, handsome, and resourceful, and unlike other nobles, he didn’t carry himself with an air of superiority. In the eyes of the empire’s people, such a new monarch was undoubtedly the best choice. Thus, for his coronation ceremony, people everywhere were jubilant, even starting celebrations two days early, so lively that they all but forgot their late emperor.

The coronation ceremony would be broadcast live to people everywhere. It was said that this was a suggestion proposed by Yiye Langley of the Twelve Seats. For the new ruler to quickly consolidate public support, this was undoubtedly the best method. Several ministers also thought the suggestion was good, so after a joint request, the humble Prince Peide had no choice but to nod in agreement.

The cheerful clamor filled every corner of the main planet, with people singing, laughing, and celebrating together.

Meanwhile, inside the palace.

Attendants were busy preparing the new monarch's ceremonial robes, quickly made with intricate embroidery, a rarity in this interstellar society where machines have long replaced handiwork. But even more precious was the scepter symbolizing power, adorned with five deep red gemstones, each capable of buying an entire planet.

The crisp golden military uniform was perfectly pressed. Peide grasped the scepter, gazing at his reflection in the mirror.

"Brother!" Juliet ran in from outside, "Brother, remember to play with me today!"

Peide turned around, gently stroking Juliet's hair, and said softly, "Juliet, behave today. After the ceremony, I'll take you to play with Yi Ye, okay?"

Hearing that she could see Yi Ye, Juliet’s face lit up, and she nodded eagerly.

"Brother looks so handsome today."

"Do you like seeing brother in this outfit, Juliet?"

"Yes! Even more handsome than usual!"

Peide chuckled. He crouched down to meet the young girl's eyes, caressing her cheek. His eyes, though gentle, were icy cold, lacking any warmth, and even hinted at disgust.

"It’s almost over."

He murmured ambiguously, "Juliet, you'll enjoy today."