Chapter 59: The King of Saint Cas, the Cosmic Dark Tyrant—Amos Dwight

Chapter 59: The Monarch of Saint Cas, the Interstellar Dark Tyrant—Amos Dwight

Because the next second, another thunderous blast rang out, wrecking much of the surveillance equipment connected within the underground lab.

One by one, the screens in front of him went dark. The subordinate who had confidently claimed to have handled similar situations many times—brushing off the rebels' last stand as pointless, insignificant resistance and riots that could be quickly suppressed—had also fallen silent.

Jiang Chao: "..."

Wait a sec—let me process this.

The "materials" were running dangerously low, and these Saint Casians couldn't be touched yet. He had ordered his men to seize the opportunity to bring back more "materials."

Now, the "materials" had been brought back, but his subordinates were either vanished or ghosting us—so it must be related to those "materials."

Which raised the question—what the hell did that guy bring back???

Jiang Chao finally sensed something amiss.

He looked down at the areas where the surveillance feeds had been destroyed, following the trail of wreckage from the starship docking zone all the way to the experimental sector—and still advancing, now approaching Zone B.

Jiang Chao paused, then did a double-take at the "Zone B" label overhead.

Huh?

The hell’s happening?

Were they coming for him???

He immediately issued orders.

"All personnel, assemble on the routes leading to Zone B! Bag these freaks now! We'll make them regret this!"

Thus, as the small Saint Casian team advanced, they encountered a ton of hostiles along the way.

They didn’t know the exact path to Zone B.

But there were signs and area markers.

Amos quietly stayed off the radar, remaining in the shadows, watching Xiao Chuzao from a close distance.

—Of course, this was already the greatest concession the emperor, still in his overprotective dad mode, could make.

He only occasionally confirmed directions, and when necessary, mind-blasted walls open, taking the shortest route. He also never missed a chance to hype up Xiao Chuzao whenever the little one turned to him with expectant eyes after firing a volley of tiny arrows.

Clearly, it was working.

Though the little one's arrows were all about "Love and Peace," he clearly wasn’t very skilled at aiming at moving targets. He might have practiced accuracy in secret, shooting at stationary objects. Back in Saint Cas drills, he had been fairly steady when shooting at immobile targets. But against actual enemies who dodged and moved, the little one often took a couple extra shots to hit his mark.

This also meant his psy-energy was burning out fast. As he trotted along with the group, the five-year-old was soon gasping for air. But he was learning, adapting swiftly.

With proper guidance from a young age, Amos believed Xiao Chuzao at this age might even surpass his own capabilities as a child.

Amos debated swooping in and carrying his little one—reaching this level was already a huge leap for Zao Zao.

But the little one’s eyes lit up. It wasn’t just him making progress.

"Thank you, Little Highness! You’re a lifesaver!—I didn’t even notice that guy back there—"

"Little Highness, B’s just ahead. It’s all thanks to you that we’ve advanced so quickly!"

At this moment, the group of grown men could truly be described as having eyes gleaming like stars.

They watched the little bow in the young child's hands, the tiny wings quivering with excitement behind him, and his dazzling crown atop his head, gleaming like a coronation from the stars.

As they raced forward, their praise made the little one blush—but Zao Zao loved hearing compliments.

Every child loves praise, and Xiao Chuzao pulled the bowstring harder.

The Saint Cas military had always gave the same impression on other nations and planets as Amos did—formidable, ruthless, an iron army that obeyed only the Crown Clan's orders, pushing relentlessly to achieve their objectives.

Once, a viral video spread on the star-net, showing the Saint Cas forces charging into the flames of battle without hesitation under the Crown Clan's command, emerging through countless explosions.

Their fierce and resolute gazes amid the bloodshed had stunned countless people across the galaxy. This was already a chaotic era, driven by self-interest, and aside from a few major nations and alliances, many planetary regimes were unstable, with leaders changing overnight and laws shifting unpredictably. Yet, it was after that moment Saint Cas became feared not just because of the Crown Clan.

This group, often mocked as the Crown Clan's war machines, now felt an unparalleled thrill.

No wonder you need support in games!

Even the most capable opponents would freeze up completely when faced with Love and Peace, only to be wiped out by the Saint Cas forces amid a mix of love and hate.

Legion Commander He Yue, who had been seething with anger, charged at the forefront.

He took down several enemies in a row, already reaching the third hall of Zone B. Just a bit further, and they'd arrive.

Riding the high of victory and seeing His Majesty indulging Xiao Chuzao's training while following the team unseen, he called out, "Little Highness, let me handle one more! I'll do anything!"

Before, it had always been their own people suffering—now, these men finally experienced the terror of being dominated by 'Love and Peace.'

Hell yeah! This rocks!

Praise Love!

The little one, with his short arms and legs, worked hard to keep up, his tiny feet moving rapidly. When he occasionally fell behind, he'd hop up, flapping his little wings to fly for a bit.

Hopping and flying, still gripping his small bow, he panted proudly, "Zao Zao strong!"

Once, Xiao Chuzao had been told never to aim his weapon at others—or he'd be driven away and branded a naughty angel beyond the Angelic Realm. Back then, the timid child, holding onto slim hopes of acceptance, had already grown fearful.

Young and already distrustful of new relationships, he hadn't needed others to control him—he didn't dare leave the Angelic Realm easily.

But now, Zao Zao was strong. Zao Zao was useful.

The little one took aim again, setting up the shot for He Yue.

He Yue handled it cleanly, this time without even using his gun. Disguised as a civilian starship, they couldn't carry too many weapons or anything too conspicuous—yet their advance was smooth as ever.

Incredible!!

Lost in his triumph, He Yue missed the weird glances his comrades briefly gave him.

No one knew who started it.

But soon, shouts followed.

"Little Highness, one more time! Give me a chance—Legion Commander will do anything!"

"Little Highness, me too! Legion Commander will do anything!!"

"Little Highness, Legion Commander has nothing to lose—give us a turn, he'll do anything—"

He Yue: "...?"

He who has nothing fears nothing! He’s still pure, pure!!!

The Saint Cas Army is as efficient as ever, but today's mission was surprisingly smooth.

Regardless of how one looks at it—

Amos, who barely lifted a finger, watched it all—his eyes soft yet tinged with a faint trace of... a father’s worry.

The kid was growing up fast, and while he was happy, he couldn’t help but worry. Would he still be this clingy later? Would he still adore his father as much? After all, Amos had only been raising Xiao Chuzao for less than half a year.

And yet, he couldn’t help but wish the little one could stay forever in that sweet, bottle-fed phase, reaching out for hugs the moment he opened his eyes—Amos would lift him high, letting him ride on his shoulders as they surveyed every inch of their "territory."

Perhaps this was the secret ache every parent felt when watching their child grow up.

*

Not long before, in Zone A of a secret underground laboratory on a hidden planet.

A young man in a hooded cloak sat before an experimental table, listening to the researchers of the organization give their reports.

He wasn’t among the top-tier Seven Virtues at the pinnacle of the Hymn Organization, but his status within the group was still lofty—he belonged to the second tier, representing the Eight Knights as Spirit.

Scowling at the reports, he suddenly felt the ground shake violently.

In an instant, everything went still.

"What was that—?"

His voice was hoarse, purposely rough, and beneath his hood, a pair of dark, gloomy eyes occasionally reflected fleeting glints of light.

"I—I don’t know, sir."

The researchers froze too, hastily steadying themselves against nearby equipment.

The tremor lasted only a brief moment before everything calmed again. The group exchanged uncertain glances, throwing out guesses.

"Was it an earthquake? When we built this lab, given its depth, we made certain modifications to the planet. That might be the cause."

Spirit finally nodded. "We must speed up—strengthen ourselves and eliminate those Longlived race as soon as possible. We must hasten the rituals for our god, for the sake of our grand vision."

At his words, the researchers’ eyes gradually lit up with zeal.

"Praise our god!"

"The greatest threat on our path is the Crown Clan of Saint Cas. Even on the ropes, struggling under a shattered crown, they’ve managed to cling on for so many years. So many of our people have sacrificed their lives for our deity because of them—and now, their national day is approaching. We can’t let them continue like this..."

But after the last incident, Saint Cas had locked down everything, and there were no new cosmic events they could exploit in the short term.

So now, they too would cook up a big "present" for Saint Cas’s national day...

Whether it be plague... or something else.

After years of accumulation, they had all the necessary materials at their disposal—

Then, Spirit received the latest report. He froze momentarily at the messenger’s words.

"What do you mean, everything’s gone???"

"We—we barely escaped. It was the Saint Cas Army—we don’t know why they appeared in these locations, sir. The outposts were raided, two key labs were destroyed. These soldiers moved like shadows—utterly unpredictable. There’s no telling when they’ll strike next. We’re evacuating under cover, and all related experiments must be suspended for now—"

"Alright... I understand."

Spirit clenched his jaw.

"What's going on? Ever since the Crown Clan got that young one—all we've received is bad news?"

Another communication came through from the other side.

"Sir!! The team chasing the last Spirit Eye Clan member was scattered by a reckless Saint Cas squad!! Should we mobilize forces to pursue again?"

"What? You let him escape? What good are you?! The Spirit Eye Clan is down to just this one—are you trying to taint our holy rite?! Gather all nearby forces and continue the search. I'll report this to the Virtues—"

"Also, there's an external member named Shenghua who pulled her weight in this operation. Given our recent heavy losses, and after thorough investigation, it's clear she harbors bone-deep loathing for the Spirit Eye Clan and holds no goodwill toward the Longlived race. Should we consider recruiting her?"

"We'll discuss everything later. I'll make the recommendation to the higher-ups."

As the voices ceased and silence returned, the hooded man finally rose from his seat to contact his superior.

Before long, a projection of another hooded figure appeared on the communicator—though this one was slimmer, with a slightly different hood design.

Spirit bowed.

"Hymn to the divine, my lord."

"What is it?"

A laughing, crystalline female voice responded.

"Our plans for the Crown Clan's national celebration have been disrupted. The last member of the Spirit Eye Clan, Barney, escaped our pursuit—all because of an unexpected interference by a Saint Cas military unit."

He clenched his teeth.

"That was my 'grand gift' for Saint Cas's national celebration... and now it's failed."

"Ah, colleague, don't take it so hard," the voice on the other end replied with amusement. "Saint Cas has always been an odd place. The Longlived race shelters humans, while humans fervently support the Longlived race. Such a national structure is unique in history. As for being foiled by chance? Well, these things happen. Finn Dwight—a freak devoid of empathy, temperamental and bizarre in thought—always makes strange judgments that uncannily disrupt our plans. This has been going on for ages; you're not alone."

She pondered. "I suspect this time is no different. The Crown Clan keeps releasing troublesome elements that wreak havoc across the stars. Despite their suffering, they cling to life like cockroaches you can't squash—"

Her voice, sweet one moment, twisted into venomous malice the next, before abruptly softening again.

"We'll wipe out these thieves who block the divine descent and steal the gods' power. As for the Spirit Eye Clan, our reach extends into every corner. We'll find them eventually... Besides, Saint Cas isn't as united as it seems. Apart from Amos, there are old fossils loyal to the previous emperor, Clancy, who hold that Saint Cas's survival matters most, with or without the Crown Clan—sowing discord, that's our forte. We'll deal with that Little Crown Clan last."

"Yes, my lord."

Spirit exhaled, calming slightly.

"One more thing, my lord. The member who offered up the old Spirit Eye Clan President's eyeball performed outstandingly in this operation. Every vetting shows nothing but her deep-seated hatred for the Longlived race. We are the light saving her—shouldn't such talent be brought into our ranks?"

"I'll consider it. I have other matters to attend to—you deal with the rest."

The communication ended.

Before Spirit could turn to speak, a barrage of alerts interrupted him.

"What in the world is happening now?!"

Spirit contacted Jiang Chao, only to find him just as baffled.

"No, sir, we only managed to retrieve a starship-load of experimental materials. They put up some token resistance, but everything is still under our—"

Before he could finish, Spirit saw the door near Jiang Chao being kicked open. Everyone around Jiang Chao stood up, armed with heavy weapons, as a blazing golden arrow shot through the air.

Spirit spotted the glinting small crown hidden among the well-trained ranks—

"Idiot! That's the Saint Cas Army! You've led that Little Crown Clan kid right to us!"

If the Little Highness was here, where were the other Crown Clan members?

Could they be here too?

Spirit wasn't sure. This generation of the Crown Clan had been infamously incompetent at child-rearing, full of vulnerabilities in the past. Only after beefing up security had they become harder to exploit. But now—he couldn't tell if this was another lapse in their defenses.

Spirit personally shouldered a medium-grade psionic energy cannon and rushed toward the high ground in Zone B.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chao's communication cut off. He stared blankly at the screen before looking up at the group at the door. "Impossible… Isn't Saint Cas preparing for their National Day? Why are they out here causing trouble?"

And the Crown Clan?!

As he spoke, a lackey suddenly leaned in and kissed him without warning.

Jiang Chao: ????

What the hell?!

He jerked back, revolted, only to realize his men were getting mowed down at an alarming speed.

Only now did he truly understand—he was screwed.

"They're here to rescue hostages! Seize them first! If you can't, eliminate them immediately!!"

The underhanded moves earned swears from the charging Saint Cas soldiers.

The little one, eyes shining eagerly, stood behind the Saint Cas Army. Then, he spotted the bodies strewn limp in the distance.

Most wore civilian clothes, but a handful were clad in Saint Cas military uniforms, soaked in blood, their bodies twisted. Some stirred at the noise, moaning in half-conscious agony.

One of the wounded Saint Cas soldiers slowly opened his eyes.

They had never met—but he recognized them from the broadcasts from the neutral planets.

With a mix of confusion and shaky awe, he whispered, "Little Highness…? …Brothers…?"

Nearby, Zhong Zhiyi finally roused from the agony.

More torture—was this starting over?

It hurt… It hurt so much… She wished it would just stop… But no, she had to keep fighting. Otherwise, her teacher would be disappointed. She had already lived such a wreck of a life—she couldn't burden others any further…

She saw the familiar, leering down at her. But in the next instant, a golden arrow flashed past her eyes—

What?

Zhong Zhiyi thought—so blindingly bright.

Then, the vicious expression contorted abruptly, twisting into creepy affection.

"How could I, how could I do this to you, ah, my heart aches so much, I..."

Zhong Zhiyi: ...????

Ew... So disgusting... The emo moment cut short. Might as well let her die at this point.

Then, blood splattered onto her face.

Beside her, some were being helped up, others laid to rest, and someone stuffed a blood-clotting med into her mouth. A soldier in Saint Cas military uniform, reeking of blood and gunpowder, asked her how she was feeling now—

"See? I knew someone would come to save us..."

Behind her, a revived colleague bawled happy tears.

But Zhong Zhiyi stood frozen in disbelief, staring blankly as if unable to believe it.

Her luck had always been terrible, her life filled with nothing but bumps and roadblocks. Every step she took required ten or twenty times the effort of others just to reach her destination.

"Don’t fear them—they only have small arms. Cover each other, and be careful not to get hit by that Little Crown Clan’s weird-ass golden arrows. Those things are a bit eerie—"

Jiang Chao truly lived up to his reputation as the Gang Leader here, managing to carve out a place for himself in this chaotic, divided territory.

He quickly grasped the effect of the little one’s arrows. Watching the child hopping mad with puffed cheeks, practically firing arrows like a damn machine gun, he instantly recognized how special Xiao Chuzao's spirit energy was.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the laboratory, Spirit, his spiritual power highly concealed, had already secured the high ground. From his vantage point, he observed but found no trace of any Crown Clan members other than Xiao Chuzao.

He raised his plasma cannon, aiming at Xiao Chuzao—no matter what, eliminating this little bastard before it grew stronger would be all gain, no loss for their organization.

Amos, hidden in the shadows with even more concealed spiritual power, seemed to sense something and tilted his head slightly.

Jiang Chao, rapidly cornered, gritted his teeth—"I still have an ace up my sleeve!"

He swiftly pulled out a controller from his pocket and pressed a button.

In an instant, the ground shook violently.

"Ha! I’ll destroy Zone B—you can all be buried here with me!"

He grabbed a nearby underling and threw them aside before booking it out of there.

The doomsday switch here was like half a planet blowing up. They had developed a special system to target specific zones, using it as a last-resort attack. No one could survive such devastation.

Amid the tremors, Zhong Zhiyi watched as the ceiling began to crumble, debris raining down. The glowing golden arrows fluttered through the air. With great difficulty, she turned her head to look—

A tiny Little Crown Clan member, one she had only seen on screens before, stood there. He had a radiant golden halo, his wings flapping anxiously behind him, gripping a golden bow in his hands. His adorable little face was—pure rage?

The young one was still too small to understand why these people were so wicked, but he knew they were all bad.

"Dada..."

The child’s soft, milky voice called out faintly for Amos, his little bow hesitantly aimed at the collapsing ceiling above—

He needed Dada’s help... Zaoz didn’t know how to use that dark energy.

Then, the little one heard Amos’s calm, steady, and utterly reliable response, as if whispered right into his ear.

Xiao Chuzao’s agitation instantly settled.

His tiny wings drew in slightly, and the golden radiance flickered for a moment, revealing a lick of dark fire.

Reflected in Zhong Zhiyi's eyes—the golden little one, whose crown slowly ignited with black flames, held his bow. The golden little bow was also set ablaze by the black flame, and the golden arrows he shot transformed abruptly, shifting from golden meteors into fiery, earthbound meteors that surged toward the collapsing wreckage.

Boom—boom—several thunderous blasts echoed.

Through the cracks, Zhong Zhiyi glimpsed the dark sky outside, while the wreckage disintegrated into dust under the arrows' assault.

"Dada—Zao Zao did it!" The soft, milky voice wasn’t far from her, tinged with childish excitement and a soothing tone. "Don’t be scared, uncles and aunties—"

Zhong Zhiyi’s eyes widened slowly as she gazed at the sky above, now pierced open—

Finally, she began to understand the meaning of her teacher’s words—the darker the sky, the brighter hope shines. That was why, for thousands of years, they had pursued the Crown Clan, never relenting.

Meanwhile, from the second floor, Spirit cursed under his breath.

The collapse here, along with his attack, had not only been countered by the Little Crown Clan but also blocked by another force—a force driven to fury by the need to protect its child.

From the shadows, a tall figure emerged, his strides measured and deliberate. He spun his longsword once before gripping it firmly. Above his head, a silver-black crown glowed faintly before he lifted his gaze lazily, meeting Spirit’s arrogance with his own.

It was the ruler of Saint Cas, the dark overlord of this star system—Amos Dwight.