Chapter 48: What kind of ghost story is this??!!

Chapter 48 What Kind of Ghost Story Is This??!!

You must be acting up again, way too cheeky.

Amos let out a cold laugh.

"You didn’t come back on time—I’ll discuss what to do with you with the rest of the Crown Clan."

Finn: ...

"Hand all the piled-up tasks from this trip to him!"

"Fill his schedule! Make him shuttle across the stars several times a day!"

An Ya and Fei Man, dragged into this by the 'rumor mill,' chimed in.

Frey added, "Perfect timing. Now he’ll have all the time in the world for Zao Zao."

Finn: ...

No way, you can’t do this to me!

Finn yanked his beard in frustration.

"Wait, wait, hold on—Amos, Your Majesty, can we just pretend I never said anything? There were legit reasons for my late return!! ...Like always."

"Later, you’re heading to the starship’s training room."

Amos patted Finn on the shoulder.

Amos calmly delivered this terrifying news—he was about to whoop his ass.

Hah, talk about torture—body and soul.

Finn: ...

"First, back to the neutral planet."

As he spoke, Amos had already walked up to Xiao Chuzao.

The little guy’s eyes went wide, standing on the examination platform.

The platform was high, and even now, Xiao Chuzao still couldn’t look Amos in the eye.

Amos had seen what the kid was like before.

Those black flames had transformed Xiao Chuzao’s gentle psychic energy into something sharp, ultimately granting him a destructive power he’d never had before.

The kid was seriously unusual—he had this super rare, crazy valuable ability to manipulate emotions through psychic energy, and on top of that, wielded a total opposite—pure destruction.

And where the flames had flared up—

was right where Xiao Chuzao’s halo had dimmed slightly before.

"Dada."

The kid was told to spin around in front of the scanner.

Once he did, the quick check was done.

The little one stretched out his tiny hand toward Amos.

"Wants a hug."

Amos paused briefly, but then lifted Xiao Chuzao up.

After the Hymn Organization officially declared war, Amos still carried a lingering scent of blood.

He was slightly worried the little one might dislike such a smell.

But the little one's eyes sparkled, his black curly hair bouncing with his movements, and the halo above his head grew even brighter.

The five-year-old cub clutched Amos's military uniform with his small hand, wrinkling the black fabric.

"Baba, baba—you're so amazing!"

The childish, milky voice drowned out all other sounds in the room. Whether it was the Crown Clan members who had just met the little cub or those who had spent time with him before, all instinctively turned to look at the excited cub, his wings quivering and flapping joyfully behind him.

"Zao Zao wants to become an amazing Crown Clan member like Baba! Baba protected Zao Zao, and Zao Zao will protect Baba in the future!"

Hearing this, Amos paused for a moment before his usually fierce expression softened. He reached out and gently pressed the little cub's head against his shoulder.

Thinking of that powerful but raw arrow shot earlier.

Combined with the unique nature of the little cub's psychic energy, no one could predict how he would grow in the future. But one thing was certain—Zao Zao was a strong and brave member of the Little Crown Clan, not the timid and weak cub he once believed himself to be.

As a parent, Amos needed to affirm him constantly during his growth, making sure he knew he was a special and lovable cub, deserving of everyone's affection.

"Zao Zao will definitely become a Crown Clan as amazing as your father."

After saying this, Amos, now calmer while holding the soft cub in his arms, turned to the medical staff nearby.

"How is the situation?"

"Your Majesty, initial tests show no issues with Little Highness's psychic energy. However, it seems severely drained. Giving him high-energy food should help. We'll prepare suitable cub formula immediately."

The medic spoke while bringing up the data.

"Of course, the readings from the starship aren't entirely accurate. It would be best to conduct a detailed examination at the medical center once we return to the Imperial Star."

The little cub's stomach rumbled loudly.

He was hungry.

Everyone instinctively turned to look.

"So—when using psychic power, he wants to consume others' psychic power, and when using that earlier power, it drains his energy and makes him hungry?"

Frey summarized quietly.

It was almost like two mana bars in a game.

"What what what?"

"What's up with this little one's psychic energy? Isn't it just a Psychic Weapon like his, that's pretty strong?"

Finn, who had known nothing about the cub before, pressed close to his big brother.

He tried tugging at his brother's sleeve—didn't they all know about his weird luck streak?

Here's the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Bro, you can't just ignore reality because he came home late!!

Finn obviously didn't care much about it—after all, he'd just met the little one. Cute as he was, to Finn who was still somewhat indifferent, it wasn't that special.

Not as shocking as Amos's weird behavior was to him.

Right now, he just wanted to escape from the never-ending work waiting for him, not yet realizing how serious things were.

As everyone looked over, Xiao Chuzao, his stomach growling hungrily, shyly ducked his little head.

He had indeed felt hungry shortly after the arrow flew.

But he'd eaten quite a bit along the way, so he didn't think much of it.

However—

Xiao Chuzao batted his big eyes.

Still hanging onto Amos's neck, he thought about what the medical staff had said.

High-calorie food?

"Baba—"

Xiao Chuzao suddenly perked up, the little one tilting his head back to look at Amos.

"Can I have candy, Papa?"

Amos looked down at the child who'd already eaten his daily candy limit early that morning.

Those clear, honey-colored eyes were filled with anticipation.

"How about eating a real meal first?"

Frey spoke up from behind.

The little one puffed out his cheeks and glanced at his uncle.

His eyes held a hint of protest, but not the unhappy kind. He clearly knew Frey was right, but because he wanted candy so badly, Frey had temporarily become the 'bad guy', making his expression even more adorable.

Even Frey's stern expression softened, and he couldn't help but shrug helplessly at Amos.

Finn was still standing there looking confused, but two others reacted quickly.

Fei Man: "Auntie's got some candy."

An Ya: "Uncle's got some too!"

But it was still up to Amos.

Noticing Amos's hesitation,

Xiao Chuzao, unusually cuddly, nestled into Amos's arms, his big eyes fixed unblinkingly: "Papa, want candy, Papa, please—"

He was being a little spoiled brat.

Oh my! He was being a little spoiled brat!!

Just like when they'd seen a younger Chu Zao reaching out to be held.

Little Chuzao had been just as hopeful back then, but time and again, his hopes were dashed, slowly molding him into that wary, timid cub they'd first encountered.

Now, it seemed they were gradually bringing that timid, wary cub back out of his shell.

Who could say no to giving him candy?!

Give it to him!!

Hurry up and give it to him!! Give him everything!!!

The wide-eyed Crown Clan members and nearby soldiers only heard Amos say—

"No!"

Everyone: ...

[beat] No!

Your Majesty, how could you?!

The cub's eyes widened, his soft cheeks puffing up like dough as he stared at Amos. But he was well-behaved and obedient, not one to make a fuss.

He just snuggled into Amos's arms and murmured, "Okaaay..."

But the next moment, a brightly colored bag of candy materialized in Xiao Chuzao's embrace.

On instinct, the cub clutched the candy tight. So used to clutching his ghost bear, he did so effortlessly. This time, since he was out for a stroll, the little guy had left his ghost bear behind. Now, holding the candy bag, he practically glowed with happiness.

"Daddy?"

"This is a reward."

Amos placed the candy bag into the little one's hands.

Carrying the cub out of the med bay, he added,

"It’s not the high-calorie food you were supposed to eat. You can have it only after drinking your Cub Formula, understand?"

"Woo! Daddy, you're the best daddy ever!!"

The little one, nestled in Amos's arms, waved the candy triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear.

"Candy!"

Oh my god. Is this even legal levels of cute?

The onlookers thought to themselves—thank god they'd cut the livestream early.

If the die-hard Crown Clan fans of Saint Cas had seen Xiao Chuzao like this, the star net would've crashed from the traffic.

They hurried back to work.

Amos carried Xiao Chuzao out of the med bay, making their way to the lounge for the Cub Formula.

The little one had a way about him—happily waving the candy bag and effortlessly luring away a group of Crown Clan members.

Both An Ya and Fei Man had been trying to win favor with the little cub during this time.

Meanwhile, Hale, who had been quietly waiting outside, watched as the little cub was carried away by Amos and silently followed behind, like a steadfast lighthouse and an unshakable mountain guarding this still-young and tender king.

Frey and Finn walked at the rear. Once they were out of everyone's sight, Finn's forced, hollow laughter abruptly vanished. His eyes, which had held no real mirth to begin with, had merely squinted instinctively when he laughed, making him seem carefree. Now, those same eyes widened expressionlessly, his fringe casting shadows across his face, giving him an almost sinister, mechanical coldness.

Finn spoke very slowly, "Big Brother."

Frey, who had also been following Amos, raised an eyebrow at the sound and turned to look at Finn behind him.

"What is it?"

Finn's communicator was damaged and hadn’t been repaired or replaced yet. He had borrowed Fei Man's device, which now lit up with a notification. Finn glanced at it, his frown deepening.

"I originally wanted to report this to Second Brother, but Mr. Hale has been by his side the whole time. I never got the chance."

Finn took out his broken communicator—though earlier he’d griped about forgetting to relay orders to the Third Army due to the malfunction, it was clear now that he’d crushed it himself. The screen was riddled with cracks, rendering it incapable of sending or receiving messages, only managing to flicker to life with static.

"This is video footage we stumbled upon in one spot when we accidentally trespassed into the Boer Revolutionary Army's territory—"

Finn's expression darkened completely, his usual unpredictable mood showing no trace of his earlier cheerful laughter.

"After discovering it, I immediately ordered a third of the Third Army's elite forces to advance at full speed toward the destination, pushing themselves to the brink of human endurance to verify the authenticity of the video. Our Third Army encountered an accident—external communications were cut off, only internal signals through special response devices remained functional. They’ve already received the message. My adjutant just sent me an update—the corruption is too intense. Without orders, they couldn’t risk going further in and could only patrol nearby. But they found traces of the Hymn Organization’s activity—"

Frey’s brow furrowed as he took the battered communicator and glanced down at it.

Within seconds, his eyes widened in shock.

Instinctively, Frey looked in the direction where Hale had left.

Confirming that Hale was truly gone, he immediately lowered his head again.

"...Morlo?"

In the video, a figure raged like a beast lost to bloodlust, drenched in blood and filth, his clothes torn beyond recognition. Half of his wings were broken, hardly a feather remaining, and the halo above his head had shattered completely, leaving only fragments floating above him. He was like a walking nuclear bomb, constantly radiating waves of torturous psychic energy.

Then, in the footage, the figure suddenly turned toward the camera. Despite the blood and terrifying coldness on his face, traces of his former gentleness and scholarly air were still faintly visible.

That was unmistakably Morlo—the one who, years ago during the containment of the spreading corruption, had his crown shattered, yet still managed to push the wingless Hale to safety before disappearing forever into the corruption.

Hale’s partner!

But how was this possible?

Morlo’s crown halo had shattered—his body should’ve been destroyed.

"No, that’s not right—that’s not just beast blood. It’s his own."

The Crown Clan’s final self-destruction was due to their inability to release their overwhelming psychic energy. When the crown shattered, that power would turn them into living bombs, obliterating themselves and everything around them.

That was their own demise—they chose self-destruction to spare others from the blast.

But Morlo had been in a heavily corrupted zone, nearly impossible to reach. Back then, when the accident occurred and communications were cut off, Amos had sensed something wrong immediately. By the time they arrived at top speed, both Morlo and Hale were already at their limits. They only managed to save Hale.

At the time, Hale’s psychic energy had been critically depleted—it was easy to imagine Morlo had been in a similar state. Morlo had never been one of the Crown Clan’s most psychically powerful members—

Here’s the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

When they sensed Morlo’s crown shattering completely, confirming Morlo’s death, he might have been triggering chaotic explosions around him, unleashing uncontrolled energy, destroying himself and his surroundings. Yet within a certain range, it was possible—a fragile balance might’ve formed.

The Crown Clan had studied this possibility before, but it was nearly impossible for them to meet the harsh conditions required. It led to multiple disasters. Most crucially, even if a Crown Clan member fulfilled all the stringent conditions, once their crown shattered, they could never regain rationality. They’d only burn out in madness—both physically and mentally—until complete annihilation. Even the strongest among them lasted just a few more years—a brutal way to go.

But now they had Zao Zao—

Frey clenched the communicator.

He stared at Morlo’s completely shattered halo.

This wasn’t like the others—not even close.

Now what?

"We should still report this to Amos. What about Hale’s halo condition? Best do it when he’s not around. Uncle Morlo’s crown is gone—he’s as good as dead."

Finn spoke flatly.

"And if this continues, Uncle Morlo will keep suffering. Best end it. As for Hale… better let him think Morlo died years ago... Oh—the footage is from six months back. Boer Revolutionary Army intel. Some madman stormed the pollution zone, gathering elements at the cost of lives, and caught this by chance. Current status: unknown."

Near the distant heavy pollution zone, the San Cas Third Army edged forward toward the expanding contaminated territory.

The starship’s pollution index had hit red.

Deeper in the zone, the darkness grew denser than deep space. Planets swallowed by pollution loomed like shadows while Star Beasts—twisted into madness by the corruption—howled within, occasionally surging out to shred anything that approached.

"No dice. Can’t reach the target. Too many beasts, pollution’s wrecking the ship’s systems. Fall back and inform Prince Finn!"

Further in, through layers of contamination, a soundless shockwave rolled through the airless void.

A tall figure staggered, wings bent grotesquely, body bleeding out, eyes vacant. He moved mechanically, wiping out the beasts around him—clearly spent. The last shard of his halo flickered above him, nearly gone.

Though unsteady, he struck without hesitation. When the dust settled, he spread his ruined wings—past feeling pain—and launched toward a deeper polluted world, cutting down anything in his way.

No thoughts remained—just a base instinct driving him onward.

Meanwhile, on a drifting planet—

*

"Today’s haul."

A gaunt girl hauled two massive scales toward the trading post.

"Impressive—"

"Wasn’t she weak recently? Now she handles lesser beasts?"

"Real talent—"

"Hey, isn’t that org recruiting gifted folks? Think she’ll make it?"

Shenghua caught the whispers around her but ignored them. After counting the star coins, she stood—then froze, eyes snapping to a nearby screen.

A live transmission from the Saint Cas Empire—

Here is the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

On the screen, a somewhat familiar small figure stood there, his small frame cloaked in shadow, holding a small bow with black flames burning on both ends. A fire-tipped arrow loosed in an instant, converging with the energies of the other Crown Clan members.

In the shadows, the small child's face remained calm, like a master archer, his eyes faintly glowing.

Shenghua gazed transfixed, staring for a long time.

A voice suddenly spoke beside her.

"Envious? Don't be. The Longlived race has usurped the living space of us ordinary people, hoarding powers that should belong to all of us. The Saint Casians have been duped by the Crown Clan. You're very talented—we've been observing you for a while. We heard you want to establish your own faction? We'd like to support you in achieving that goal. In this star system, only we help each other."

*

Shenghua sensed the malice in the speaker's tone toward Xiao Chuzao on the screen. She subtly concealed the fire in her gaze and glanced back at the hooded figure behind her.

The Crown Clan's starship had already returned to the neutral planet.

Owing to disturbances in his psychic energy and physical condition, Mr. Hale was sent for further examination. It was then that Amos learned the news about Morlo.

This was risky.

Even Amos was unsure of how to proceed.

But no matter what, that was their kin, their flesh and blood.

At minimum, they had to confirm—if there truly was no hope left, and their kin was still suffering, Amos, as the leader of the entire Crown Clan and the emperor of Saint Cas, had the responsibility to grant Morlo eternal rest.

Thus, the starship developed by the Saint Cas Empire, capable of further isolating pollution and aiding their resistance against it, was speeding toward them.

Before the starship arrived, they unanimously decided not to inform Hale for the time being, waiting until his physical condition stabilized further.

As a result, the neutral planet now under the control of the Saint Cas Empire was filled with the empire's military forces regrouping.

A night passed. Xiao Chuzao, clutching his ghost bear, waddled outside, bundled up tightly like a waddling little penguin. His morning lessons had just ended.

The little cub, following Amos's instructions, helped Mr. Hale make slight reinforcements to his crown.

The crown reinforced by the little cub appeared fragile yet proved sturdy—just like Mei Lun and Kaman, whose psychic energies had remained unchanged so far.

But since Amos had asked Xiao Chuzao to do it, the obedient little one complied dutifully.

After all, the little one was also worried about Mr. Hale, who often drifted off for long stretches each day.

Having finished his task, the little cub sat in the corner of the training room, cradling Amos's psychic energy.

Yesterday, due to Finn's report, they hadn't had the time.

Today, Amos dragged Finn into the training room.

Early in the morning, the room rang with howls.

Finn was the second strongest in the entire Crown Clan, but his luck ran strangely, and his personality was odd. Against Amos, he didn't stand a chance and was thoroughly beaten.

Staggering, dazed, he implored the heavens to witness his loyalty, only to finally notice Amos's Psychic Sword.

"Wait, I meant to ask earlier—Second Brother, why—"

He peered at it.

"Why does your Psychic Weapon feel different from when I left?" As if... a segment was gone?

Amos lowered his head, looked at the small tooth marks on his sword hilt, and chuckled.

"You'll find out soon enough."

Find out what soon?

"I thought that meant you'd go easy on me."

Finn limped toward the corner, mumbling to himself, when he suddenly heard an eerie, chilling *crunch-crunch* noise.

Weird—it actually gave him chills—

Finn instinctively turned his head—a little ball of a hatchling was curled in the corner, tiny wings tucked behind him, clutching something in his hands as he chomped down with loud *crunch-crunch* sounds.

Clutching *something*—

Finn glanced away at first, but the moment he realized what Xiao Chuzao was holding, his head snapped back.

What the hell was that thing that looked exactly like his second brother’s Psychic Weapon???

Sitting in the shadows, Xiao Chuzao, who was *crunch-crunching* on Amos’ Psychic Sword, lifted his gaze. The little one was entirely shrouded in darkness, save for the golden glow of his crown halo and his big, bright eyes. In his hands was the Psychic Sword, now covered in bite marks, glowing faintly.

Finn, the second strongest warrior of the Crown Clan, instinctively took two steps back. He was usually fearless, unpredictable, and moody—but right now, his whole body felt sore, especially his just-retracted halo.

Help!

What kind of nightmare was this?!