Chapter 9: The First Interstellar Prison

Chapter 9: The First Interstellar Prison

The Rocbottom silently departed from the space station.

He Xiangchen stared in disbelief at the old king locked in the interrogation room, "How did you manage this?"

"Switched in the chaos," Agnes looked at him with amusement, "Did you really think I made you compete with Josephine just to tease you?"

Wasn't it?

He Xiangchen didn't voice this thought; considering Agnes had successfully brought the old king aboard the starship, he decided to let bygones be bygones.

"Will you take the confession or shall I?" He Xiangchen naturally sought Agnes's opinion, as it was his captive after all.

Agnes avoided answering directly and instead asked, "If it were you, what would you do?"

"Use a polygraph."

He Xiangchen answered without hesitation, a common practice in the military. With today's technology, polygraphs are 99% accurate.

"The general is quite lenient. If it were me, I wouldn't use a polygraph. I would torture him first, let him know the consequences of framing me. I would have someone cut his skin and place vampiric insects in the wounds. After he's bitten to near death, I would revive him."

"After a few rounds, he'd spill everything."

Agnes's icy gaze was like a scalpel, just looking at the king as if he had already sliced through his flesh.

Even He Xiangchen felt a chill from Agnes's words.

Not to mention the old king, still feigning unconsciousness.

"Stop pretending and wake up," Agnes sneered, "Or perhaps you'd like to try the taste of being bitten by vampiric insects right now?"

"No!"

The old king quickly sat up, looking at them with indignation, "Do you know what you're doing? I am the king of Demelans. Can you handle the charge of kidnapping a king?"

"Charge?" He Xiangchen pointed at himself, a slight smirk on his lips, "Do you think I'm afraid?"

"You... you're..."

He Xiangchen had removed his disguise as soon as he left the Imperial Star. Now, standing before the king, He Xiangchen bore the face that the Demelans royal family loathed.

"Yu Qiming?!" The king's mouth gaped, his eyes wider than copper bells, "How could it be you? No, this can't be!"

"Thanks to you, I'm still alive and well, and I've come to the Imperial Star for a visit. I must say, your daughter made quite an impression on me."

He Xiangchen mocked a couple of sentences, satisfied to see the king's face turn green instantly, then got straight to the point, "I don't plan to kill you. If you want freedom, do as I say."

"What do you want me to do?" the king asked nervously.

"First, tell me, who told you to frame me?" He Xiangchen's sharp eyes fixed on the king, "Who is that person?"

The king was overwhelmed by the pressure, stumbling back to the corner of the interrogation room, his back against the wall. The cold touch brought him some clarity, freeing him from the pressure He Xiangchen had imposed.

"I, I don't know..."

In just a few seconds, the king felt his back soaked in cold sweat, the icy dampness almost penetrating his bones.

Sensing He Xiangchen's slightly cold gaze, he quickly spilled everything he knew, "The person who approached me was in disguise. I once sent people to look into his identity, but found nothing."

He Xiangchen believed these words to be true. In moments of extreme panic, only the truth can bring comfort. Even without a lie detector, he trusted his judgment.

"What do you plan to do?" Agnes asked him.

He Xiangchen pondered for a moment and said, "First, have him provide a statement, and the rest is up to you. His identity could be useful to you."

"You're not going to kill him?"

He Xiangchen looked at Agnes in surprise, "You want to kill him? Killing him won't stop Demelans from crowning a new king. It's more advantageous to have him sign treaties while he's alive, which is better than killing him."

Agnes's deep eyes locked onto He Xiangchen. He Xiangchen had never looked at anyone like this before. His own image was mirrored in Agnes's dark eyes, with nothing else but him.

"Alive, he can be useful, bringing me benefits. But there's only one thing..." Agnes suddenly stopped, raising his hand to lift He Xiangchen's chin, "He dared to touch you; he doesn't deserve to live."

He dared to touch you; he doesn't deserve to live.

He Xiangchen stared at him in a daze, momentarily forgetting to avoid Agnes's hand.

The sensation of being protected was almost foreign to him now. As a five-star general of the Federation, responsible for the safety of the Federation's people, He Xiangchen was used to bearing this heavy responsibility and to his role as a protector.

It never crossed his mind that he might one day need protection.

Agnes seemed not to notice He Xiangchen's change. He whispered in the general's ear, "Once the statement is taken, will the general return to the Federation?"

Of course, he must return. He had done so much just to clear his name. But facing Agnes's deep gaze, he found himself unable to answer without hesitation.

He looked away, "I'll provide you with the route to the resource planet."

Agnes's smile hinted at deeper intentions, "Good, then I'll be waiting for the general's route map."

...

The next day, aboard the Rocbottom, they returned to Lancelot. He Xiangchen expectedly received the king's statement from Agnes.

They tacitly avoided discussing how Agnes would handle the king. With the statement and asset proof, it was enough to prove his innocence.

That night, Agnes held a celebration banquet for He Xiangchen.

At the banquet, there were Phil and William, as well as Agnes's subordinates, but the special agent Truce was nowhere to be seen.

"This first toast is to the general. Congratulations on clearing your name; your return to the top is imminent."

Agnes raised his glass, and everyone followed suit.

He Xiangchen drank the wine in one gulp, "Thank you."

No sooner had he set down his glass than Agnes refilled it, "This toast honors the general's prosperous future, wealth, and honor. Rest assured, General, our collaboration remains our secret. You are still the star of the Federation, and I remain a pirate."

He Xiangchen observed as Agnes tilted his head back, his Adam's apple moving with each swallow. His heart also surged with emotion, and after a long silence, he only managed to squeeze out two words, "Thank you."

"Is 'thank you' all the general has to say to me?" Agnes stared at He Xiangchen, as if seeking some answer from him, "I've done so much for you, aren't you moved at all?"

"I will repay."

"With that resource planet?" Agnes sneered, "General, you insult me with such deceitful words."

He Xiangchen pursed his lips and said nothing. Agnes's gaze grew even more intense. He leaned closer to He Xiangchen, his tone dangerous, "Even if there is, I don't want it anymore."

"Then what do you want?" He Xiangchen frowned slightly. They were too close; he could even smell the sweet aroma of wine on Agnes's breath.

Agnes finally showed his first smile of the day.

He leaned closer to He Xiangchen, his breath brushing against He Xiangchen's sensitive ear, "What I desire, is you alone."