Chapter 57: Are You Trying to Kidnap the Big Crown Clan or the Little Crown Clan?

Chapter 57: Which one are you trying to kidnap—this Crown Clan or this Little Crown Clan?

Amos swore that the Psychic Swords he once condensed from his Psychic energy were quite imposing—before Xiao Chuzao came along.

But now—

Amos thought about the Psychic Swords he had stored away without fully reintegrating them into his crown's Psychic energy—some with tiny bite marks on the hilt, others with the tips curiously gnawed off by the little one, and some even bearing tiny tooth imprints on the blades. Even the small bite marks on his own crown hadn’t faded yet.

Now, watching Xiao Chuzao, who was still half-asleep, waddling toward him with the Psychic Sword clamped between his teeth—since both hands were busy climbing off the bed—his glowing halo flickering brightly atop his head, Amos couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and resignation. The child raised both hands, tiptoed eagerly, and circled around the candy jar Amos held.

Amos had grown accustomed to this. He no longer felt his scalp prickle with exasperation—just a numb acceptance as he retrieved his Psychic Sword and handed the little one his daily candy ration.

"No sweets before breakfast, kiddo."

Moreover, Amos wondered—perhaps some of the training should be postponed. Mr. Hale’s earlier stranger danger lessons didn’t seem to have taken full effect.

Amos looked down at the bright-eyed, cheeky little one fluttering his wings like a cheerful white bird behind him—was he perhaps a bit too easy to fool?

Amos pondered this.

"Mm-hmm."

Xiao Chuzao took the candy Amos handed him, yawned sleepily, and stuffed it into his pocket.

The little one’s pale cheeks still bore the faint red imprint of a small star from his collar decoration, left behind by his accidental nap.

Since this was a secret trip, they’d hidden all Saint Cas symbols, so the child was dressed in casual attire—a cozy warm yellow hoodie with an orange fleece lining, its star-adorned drawstrings dangling in front of him, giving him a soft, fluffy appearance.

Amos, too, had forgone his military uniform for once. He wore a white inner shirt beneath a black trench coat, adorned only with precious gemstone accents at the cuffs and collar. Sleek black fingerless gloves softened his usual stern military demeanor, highlighting his more relaxed side.

Xiao Chuzao reached out and clutched Amos’ coat.

Yawning again, he glanced out the window.

The sky was just lightening, the pale horizon not yet bright enough to illuminate the surroundings, so a warm bedside lamp remained lit.

Normally, at this hour, Xiao Chuzao would still be fast asleep.

And though the snow and ice outside had melted, the air was still nippy—making the cozy bed all the more tempting. Without exaggeration, Xiao Chuzao wanted to live in that blanket nest forever!

Amos bent down and scooped him up with a chuckle.

"Let’s go. It’s time to set off."

In another room, not long before, when the sky was still pitch dark, Fei Man, lying rigidly on her bed, suddenly sat up, her eyes snapping open. Her breath hitched as she pressed a hand to her forehead, instinctively scanning her surroundings.

Then, slowly, she exhaled a heavy breath.

Another nightmare.

The nightmare of her army’s destruction, her loved ones vanishing—a torment that had haunted her for centuries, all because of her reckless actions in her youth.

Fei Man got up and dressed swiftly. She swiftly tied her hair back with a band, lifting her gaze to the mirror.

The Crown Clan woman staring back had a piercing, icy gaze—a poised and formidable figure, like a drawn blade. Unshakably reliable.

The Crown Clan's crimson eyes, crimson from torment, concealed a darkness like a bottomless frozen pool.

Her expression didn’t flicker.

Nightmares... she had grown accustomed to them.

That was the price she had to pay.

Fei Man turned and left the room, heading downstairs ahead of Amos and the cub.

Downstairs, Frey and An Ya were already waiting.

This operation was a clandestine mission.

There weren’t many Crown Clan members left, and while there were still some within the clan whom the cub hadn’t met, the cub’s close kin were mostly aware of this mission.

Mei Lun and Kaman had also arrived, trading barbs.

Hale sat silently nearby, while Morlo was still in med bay. Job and Joshua remained under surveillance, though the overall situation seemed to be on the mend.

Job and Joshua weren’t exactly model clan members among the Crown Clan, but even Hale had to admit—Zao Zao was truly a nightmare for them. After all, they possessed some of the strongest psychic power in the entire star system. Though they could still be injured, nothing except corruption could deal them any significant blow.

Yet five-year-old Zao Zao managed to achieve the impossible—he made every Crown Clan member who saw him draw Cupid’s Bow shudder.

"So I told you, your condition is more serious. You’re sick and need more rest in the royal court. But I’m not—I’m perfectly fine now. Why should I get the same treatment as you, little Kam-Kam—"

Mei Lun rested his chin on his palm, displeased.

"We’ve taken turns long enough. It’s my turn to go out with Zao Zao, isn’t it?"

Kaman rolled his eyes at Mei Lun. "Think this is a field trip? You’re the sick one. Call me that name again, and I’ll shave off that ugly white hair of yours in the middle of the night."

"...Do you even have any taste?"

Mei Lun widened his eyes, looked downright insulted.

These old-timers, still squabbling over such trivial matters.

He pinched a strand of his white hair streaked over his shoulder.

"You see the StarNet buzz, right? Fashion! This is fashion."

"You really trust the StarNet?"

Kaman seemed to find this hilarious, shot Mei Lun a look.

Before Mei Lun could retort, he added,

"Finn’s entire beard is praised as ‘badass charm’ there."

Mei Lun: ...Finn alone made the StarNet’s rep tank.

Oof. No comeback for that.

"You’re a bit late today."

Frey leaned against the sofa, gave a lazy wave to Fei Man as she descended.

Fei Man stayed quiet—save for Kaman and Mei Lun’s squabbling, the hall fell dead silent.

This generation of the Crown Clan typically behaves this way.

They're usually pretty quiet in private.

Until Amos came downstairs holding the little cub.

The warm, pale yellow tones complemented the cub's skin tone perfectly, and the delicate, beautiful little halo atop his head shone even brighter in this setting.

The drowsy cub clung to Amos's neck, glanced down, and upon seeing them, his little halo quivered slightly.

"Uncle, Auntie, Uncle, Grandpa Mei Lun, Grandpa Kaman, Teacher, good morning—"

In this early morning, the cub's soft, babyish voice greeted all the Crown Clan members gathered here in one breath.

Hale just nodded silently, while Mei Lun immediately broke into a smile, waving enthusiastically at the cub.

"Good morning, Zao Zao," he elbowed Kaman, "Hear that? He called me first, earlier than you!"

Kaman: "...Is this some kind of moral victory?"

Looking healthier after his recovery, Kaman looked up at Xiao Chuzao, his normally stern face breaking into a slight smile. "Good morning, Zao Zao."

Frey: "Good morning."

An Ya: "Ugh... thinking about today's work, not great - but whatever—good morning, Zao Zao."

Fei Man extended her hand: "Good morning. Want me to hold you?"

The little cub widened his eyes and tightened his grip on Amos's neck.

Nope, no thanks.

"Your Majesty."

It was Hale who spoke again.

He had disapproved of Amos's decision since learning of it yesterday.

"Though I’ve always advised you to let Zao Zao train more—he’s of the Little Crown Clan, not some delicate flower we need to shelter."

The Crown Clan, while protective of their young, aren't exactly experts at raising cubs due to their overwhelming individual strength. Little Crown Clan members do take their knocks and get back up, but Amos had severely misjudged Xiao Chuzao’s fragility and the threats many things posed to the cub. As a result, they’ve been babying him way too much lately. It's just that Zao Zao is still young and his previous living environment differed from theirs.

But—

"The Bael Union was once the domain of the Spirit Eye Clan. As fellow members of the Longlived race and forces fighting pollution and space beasts, we rarely interfere in the Bael Union’s affairs. We don't have that much reach. I still believe sending Her Royal Highness Fei Man and Her Royal Highness An Ya would suffice."

As for Finn?

Whenever this guy is on a mission, you can forget about reliability.

He starts off fine, then just charges through space relying on brute force and the Third Army—made up of equally reckless types—often lucking into unexpected wins.

Hale has zero expectations for Finn to play any significant role here.

Currently, the Saint Cas forces in the former Bael Union territory are led by the troops Finn dispatched earlier, running covert ops with little to show for it.

For areas they can't fully control, Hale—who once lost a loved one and spent years in torment—can't help but feel anxious.

"No need to worry, Teacher."

An Ya looked over.

"Elder Brother can protect Zao Zao well. Besides, the Hymn Organization is involved over there. These guys are really like cockroaches, infesting the stars. The moment their organization emerged, they were already everywhere."

Mei Lun jumped in: "You still love cockroaches so much."

An Ya: "..."

The little guy was still half-asleep and not fully awake. The adults kept their voices low as they talked, and it took him a while to react before he turned to look at Amos.

Hale knew he was being overcautious and quickly corrected himself: "Perhaps I’m overthinking it. It’s time, Your Majesty, Her Royal Highness Fei Man, Little Highness, let’s prepare to depart."

They walked through the corridor and arrived at the Saint Cas docking bay.

The sun wasn't up yet.

Midway, they detected someone’s presence far away.

Frey glanced to the side.

"It’s Speaker Cheng Xuan. He arrived early this morning to organize yesterday’s meeting notes."

The Crown Clan stayed perfectly hidden, not making a single sound.

However, with time, the influence of the previous emperor, His Majesty Clancy, within the Crown Clan had gradually faded. The Crown Clan now clearly saw Amos as their irreplaceable center.

Back when the Crown Clan was slowly marching toward ruin, most of its members had quietly agreed to Clancy’s original plan—the Saint Cas Empire would train new forces to prepare for the dire circumstances after the Crown Clan’s departure.

But that didn’t stop them from ignoring this elder statesman, who remained staunchly loyal to His Majesty Clancy and still carried out his former commands.

"Fei Man, I heard you never visited the parliament at all since returning, or even said hello to Cheng Xuan?"

An Ya raised an eyebrow as he walked beside Fei Man.

Fei Man shot back: "Ah, I have 'social anxiety'."

Every Crown Clan member froze mid-step.

What?

Did you say you have what?

Xiao Chuzao widened his eyes, clinging to Amos’ shoulder as he stared at the self-proclaimed "socially anxious" 'kissing fiend'.

His tiny voice echoed the thoughts of all the Crown Clan: "Huh?"

"By 'social anxiety', do you mean... making others afraid when they’re in the same society as you?"

An Ya stared at Fei Man.

"If you’re gonna lie, at least make it believable."

As they spoke, the stealth ship swiftly took off in the early morning.

*

Meanwhile.

At a research lab on a planet near the former Bael Union border.

"Mmm..."

With a crisp snap, the woman with a look of defeat let out a soft grunt, tightly furrowing her brows as beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. Enduring the excruciating pain, she stared at her bent finger.

"I saw the documents you didn’t have time to destroy. You’re some research team from Saint Cas, right?"

The leader was a man who appeared to be in his thirties, clad in an exoskeleton mech, with two Energy Guns slung over his back. Full of himself, he planted one foot on a stool and effortlessly snapped her finger.

"Talk. You’ve been starving for days. Don’t expect anyone from Saint Cas to save you. The Crown Clan? Hah, what backwater of the galaxy are they in? No matter how powerful they are, they can’t reach us here. They never dared to meddle in our affairs before. As for those fools who got wiped out by the Crown Clan—knowing how strong they were, they still had to wave a red flag at them. I’m not like them."

The man jerked his chin, motioning for her to look into the distance.

Several bodies lay strewn not far away—some drugged into unconsciousness, others in Saint Cas military uniforms. They were the guards they’d overpowered earlier. For all their elite training, they couldn’t hold their own against this mob.

"In this lab, what I say goes. No matter how powerful Saint Cas is, they won’t mobilize for some nobody civilians like you. That’s just how the galaxy works. Wake up and smell the plasma and cooperate, won’t you? I saw your name tag—Zhong, Zhong Zhiyi, right?"

Zhong Zhiyi finally lifted her head slowly, her sweat-drenched face cold and grim. Pale-lipped, she uttered a single icy word: "Scram."

The man took two steps back.

He spat, genuinely thrown. What was wrong with these Saint Casians? He’d cut a deal with the Zange Group near the former Bael Union, protecting this lab in exchange. For years, he’d run this place like his personal fiefdom, yet he’d never encountered anyone this stubborn. Threats, bribes, hallucinogens—nothing made them talk.

Recently, they’d noticed Saint Cas’s military presence nearby. Saint Cas was so far from the former Bael Union, yet they hadn’t turned a blind eye, making their once-smooth operations suddenly tense.

But the Zange Group offered sweet payouts—resources, territory, even drugs to enhance mental power or grant abilities akin to the Longlived race.

The man waved a hand. "Continue."

He refused to believe he couldn’t break her.

"Jiang Chao, boss—"

The man turned as a subordinate sidled up.

"The heat's coming down lately. Word is, labs are being raided by unknown forces starting from distant star systems. The Bael Union’s chaos used to be perfect for us to snatch up lab rats, but now it’s tough. We’ve gone through too many, and we can’t just kill these Saint Casians outright. Should we try hijacking a few more starships?"

Jiang Chao glanced at his underling and narrowed his eyes. "Good point."

"And those Saint Cas troops keep searching everywhere. Should we… reconsider how we handle these Saint Casians…?"

"What’s there to fear?"

Jiang Chao glared at his subordinate.

"Saint Cas’s Founding Day festivities are in half a month. You think the Crown Clan has time to spare us a thought now? Impossible. The Crown Clan won’t show up here! It’s hard enough to infiltrate Saint Cas—do you even know the value of this research team? Letting them go? No way!"

Amid the noise, Zhong Zhiyi, injected with a strange drug and on the verge of passing out, clenched her teeth and shut her eyes against the pain.

Her thoughts drifted—

Her entire life had been one of displacement.

Losing all her family as a child, wandering the Drift Star, then getting abducted and sold to a galactic lab where she spent years as an assistant, subjected to experiments. Misfortune clung to her like a shadow. The only stroke of luck was her damn stubborn will to live—somehow, she was still alive.

Then the lab was raided by Saint Cas’s military. She followed them to Saint Cas to eke out a living. As an outsider, she lived under constant surveillance. Unlike other Saint Casians, she felt no deep reliance on the Crown Clan. Battered from one disaster to the next, the single stroke of luck was meeting her mentor when she was lost.

Her mentor was frail, so she studied hard to compensate.

But misfortune never left her. Now, while collecting special samples in the Bael Union, she’d been caught in its collapse. Not only was she trapped here—her mentor must have heard the news by now. She worried—was her mentor's frail body coping…?

Perhaps there are just unfortunate people like her in this world... who never experience the dawn after the storm.

*

The Crown Clan starship, claiming to be too busy with National Day preparations, was sneaking forward at full throttle.

Some time had passed, and their starship landed on a planet near the former Bael Union's border.

This area was firmly held by the Saint Cas Army.

On their way here, they managed to get in touch with Finn.

Oddly, Finn’s missions never went as planned—he always got sidetracked. During his advance, the Third Army's route deviated, leading them to raid a space laboratory. After swiftly dismantling it, they encountered a peculiar starship as they were leaving. This ship had no offensive capabilities, focusing entirely on defense and speed. It provocatively fired a few harmless shots at them before quickly fleeing.

True to his leave-no-loose-ends approach, Finn gave chase—and guess what?

He uncovered one small outpost after another, many bearing the warped insignia of the Hymn Organization. He even managed to neutralize a member of the Hymn Organization, though likely just a minor underling.

But as long as it hit the Hymn Organization hard, Finn considered his objective accomplished. Moreover, if the disappearance of that civilian research starship was linked to the Hymn Organization, they might uncover new leads.

So he temporarily changed tactics and pushed forward.

The strange starship occasionally reappeared, weirdly herding them from one target to the next—they’d destroy one outpost, and the ship would lead them to another, like it was flagging targets.

This wasn’t taunting—it was guiding.

Finn was ordered by Amos to continue wiping out the outposts in search of clues, while Amos and Fei Man, and the kid, had already arrived in the target star sector.

Meanwhile, aboard that peculiar starship, the crew was a hive of activity.

"Chief, what’s the play for the report?"

"How should we report this?"

Shenghua leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.

"Tell it straight!"

"Huh?"

They show up somewhere, and an outpost gets destroyed—report that truthfully?

"Put it this way—we discovered the Saint Cas Army launching heavy strikes against us. We fought back valiantly but were outmatched and forced to retreat. Still, we shot back at the Saint Cas Army. Fortunately, our starship’s speed allowed us to dodge them repeatedly, though the ship sustained heavy damage and requires additional resources for repairs."

Shenghua propped her chin on her hand and waved dismissively.

"Just say that—it’s close enough. Pick up the pace—linger any longer, and we’re busted. That fleet’s too keen-eyed. We need an exit strategy, fast."

*

On the other side, Amos and Xiao Chuzao were boarding a civilian starship.

They had collected fresh intel—the route taken by civilian starships had been thoroughly searched multiple times, with nothing suspicious found in the surrounding areas.

Though in this region, vanishing starships were practically routine.

Aside from routine military patrols, they had also used old Bael Union civilian ships as decoys, but to no avail.

Amos and Fei Man boarded separate starships, preparing to disguise themselves and case the area for clues.

Amos had the little one with him.

Xiao Chuzao was also in disguise today—a tiny thing clutching Amos’s hand. The two were dressed in matching parent-child outfits: dark brown trench coats, with the little one wearing a coffee-colored hat atop his head. He looked up with a grin, his round cheeks practically glowing.

"Baba, Baba—it's so different, completely different—"

The layout of the civilian starship was nothing like the military starships of Saint Cas.

At the front was a dining area, followed by rows of seats—unlike the massive warships, which are divided into individual rooms.

The child held Amos's hand, curiously looking around before being carried by Amos to a window seat.

They boarded one of the most common starship models from the former Bael Union, equipped with child seats and toys designed to hold a child's attention—something Xiao Chuzao had never seen before.

Amos exchanged a few brief words with those around him before they scattered to their seats—all of them were soldiers from Saint Cas.

As the starship took off, the child was already busy playing with the toy in his hands.

It seemed to be a picture box—peering through a small hole in the center revealed images, and pressing a button switched the pictures.

The child held it up high, tilting his head as he looked at it curiously.

Amos sat beside him, glancing outside before turning his attention back to the child.

"Zao Zao, this might be kinda dangerous."

"What danger?"

Amos looked at the child, pondering. Though he could protect him, he wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to bring a kid this young along on missions. He had never seen anyone care for a Crown Clan child before, and his own father had always taken a hands-off approach with him—Amos didn’t know the standard.

"Well, maybe not exactly dangerous, but it might be startling. Remember what Daddy told you? There are people who hijack starships."

"Uh-huh, Zao Zao knows! If Zao Zao doesn’t stay close to Daddy, they might take Zao Zao too!"

The child lifted his head seriously as he spoke.

At least he understood.

"Zao Zao will stick close to Daddy!" Then, in a voice full of conviction, he added, "Daddy is the strongest! Zao Zao believes in Daddy—Daddy won’t let anyone take Zao Zao away!"

Amos paused, gently touching the child’s cheek before murmuring in response.

The trip was quiet for several hours—it seemed this trip, too, would yield no leads.

But just then, a distant starship silently took notice of the civilian vessel.

Jiang Chao’s men, desperate after days of pressure, had been forced to scout for targets only after the Saint Cas Army had moved on—

And bingo—he’d found one!

"Quick, move in! Ready the cannons!"

Meanwhile, aboard the starship, the child had looked at all the pictures in the picture box, each one different—until he reached one that made him freeze, his small body stiffening for a moment.

Amos glanced down, noticing right away.

"What’s wrong?"

The child stood on his knees, holding the picture box high, then mysteriously covered Amos’s eyes with his tiny hands before aligning his father’s gaze with the image inside. He pulled his hands away—

"Daddy, look!"

Amos, unprepared, looked in—his red eyes froze for a second, pupils contracting for an instant, though his expression remained calm. It was a trick toy, not a child’s toy. After a few ordinary landscape images, a scary face suddenly appeared—meant to startle the viewer.

The little one scowled indignantly, tiny fists clenched. Having taken off his shoes, his feet in fluffy socks stepped onto the soft chair as he said in a soft, babyish voice, "Daddy, Zao Zao got scared just like this!"

Amos: ...

So you decided to scare Daddy too, huh?

Such a good son 🙂

Just as Amos was about to speak, alarms suddenly wailed. Amos froze for a moment as someone ahead urgently shouted.

"Your Majesty, a starship has intercepted us—they've already armed their cannons! They're demanding we open the docking link!"

Amos: ...Huh?

Xiao Chuzao was still holding the prank photo box, staring at Amos with wide eyes. After a moment's thought, he obediently climbed down to put on his shoes, then put his lesson to use.

"Daddy, are they trying to take Zao Zao away?"

Amos replied calmly, "Yep, and they want to take Daddy too."