Chapter 119: Zao Zao Feels Uncomfortable

Chapter 119 Zao Zao’s Unease

Your mission is complete—welcome back to Saint Cas.

No one could feel the weight of these words more deeply than they did at this moment.

But perhaps because they had waited for so long, including Lai Qing, they all felt somewhat numb. The overwhelming impact left them slow to react.

Behind them, countless mech suits landed, bearing fresh scars.

On this scorched earth, the dream that had seemed illusory after hundreds—nearly a thousand—years of waiting had finally come true.

Chu Zao, however, paused to think—

Though he had learned much and assisted his father in handling certain matters, he was still a young and inexperienced member of the Little Crown Clan. He wasn’t entirely sure how to organize such a chaotic state, let alone the fact that the Sacred Territory had been separated from Saint Cas for so long. Over the centuries, generations had come and gone, and the territory had already established its own leadership.

Compared to other nations and races in this star system, the population of Saint Cas’s Sacred Territory wasn’t particularly large. Yet, it was a land that had struggled under harsh laws for a millennium. Though they felt battered, they weren’t as disgraced or as few in number as one might assume—only that the clan’s strength had been eroded time and again, leaving them to endure here.

Sensing the same presence from these people as he had once felt on Saint Cas’s imperial star, the young Little Crown Clan member decided to confirm once more, just to be safe.

“Saint Cas’s forces will soon arrive in this star system. Since I’m unfamiliar with managing a place like this, I want to clarify—do you wish to maintain internal operations for now while we provide guidance and protection based on Saint Cas’s current situation, waiting for my father’s arrival? Or would you prefer that I—”

“*We want you!*”

Before Chu Zao could even finish, Lai Qing’s tears had already fallen.

Jolted by his cry, some could no longer hold back and turned their heads to hide their tears. Those who hadn’t yet received the news but now saw Chu Zao and the others standing before them—the residents of Saint Cas’s Sacred Territory—stood dumbstruck, their eyes slowly reddening.

Interim management—none of that mattered.

What mattered was that, amid the terrifying Pollution Tide, they had been rescued once again, just as in the legends.

They hadn’t disgraced their homeland… That was more than enough.

Lai Qing bowed low.

“Please—once more, just as we heard in our childhood, lead us.”

“Of course.”

Chu Zao paused.

He realized that the Sacred Territory was like a forgotten land, adrift in this merciless star system for hundreds—nearly a thousand—years, accumulating too much unease. It needed further stabilization.

“Regarding the specifics of the territory, please follow me.”

Lai Qing let out a relieved breath, straightening up and stepping aside.

Finn wasn’t particularly skilled in such exchanges.

In his own words—he was no angel to begin with, just a hothead. To act as a rock for a place steeped in insecurity?

That would only double the rage.

But Zao Zao handled it well.

Finn watched as the little one slightly spread his six wings, the golden glow of his crown dimmed slightly after battle, dust swirling behind him. The child who used to tag along, skipping along after them—now looked every bit the part.

As for Chao Huangmu, his eyes never wavered toward the people of the Sacred Territory. The entire time, his eyes remained fixed on Chu Zao.

Look at Chu Zao's crown and wings—those usually emotionless eyes now shone brightly.

How could he not know?

Chao Huangmu toyed with the space button he carried with him—he could almost hear the beautiful gems inside, their dazzling chime.

That sense of being treasured.

You couldn't look away.

—Too brilliant—shining so brightly it reached too many people.

Chao Huangmu, who had originally thought just having a place by Zao Zao's side was enough, now felt a belated twinge of—dissatisfaction.

Zao Zao's attention—once solely his—had been stolen away.

Little Highness Xiao Chuzao followed Lai Qing and the others into the starship.

Behind them, an eerie silence lingered.

The people of Saint Cas's holy land silently watched the retreating figures of Chu Zao and Finn. Only after a pause did the wounded, caught in the earlier chaos, collapse to the ground, punctuated by the sporadic crackle of damaged mechas.

"The Crown Clan..."

"It really is—"

"Saint Cas endures... I—I have to tell my grandmother, Saint Cas is still here—"

"Little Highness said we completed our mission... Our existence... has meaning."

No longer just scraping by, no longer doubting whether their perseverance was meaningless whenever they saw 'wolves' and 'sheep' carousing together.

"Saint Cas's forces will arrive here soon."

Their perseverance had meaning.

"Wuuu..."

"Wuuuu..."

Finally, muffled weeping welled up behind them.

As if afraid Chu Zao and the others might hear, the sounds were stifled to near-silence.

The footsteps of Chu Zao and his two companions didn't slow.

They marched deeper into the starship.

Lai Qing's group flanked them, with Lai Qing barking orders to his crew to set up accommodations for Chu Zao and his group.

As they spoke, they couldn’t help but keep adding on.

"Make sure it's roomy—"

"Keep the wreckage out of sight."

"Oh, and—someone go check if that traveling merchant is nearby?"

"And grab some plants—they'll clean the air—"

"And food..."

They grew more and more enthusiastic, as if trying to replicate the royal court of the Saint Cas imperial capital.

But after speaking, one by one, they drooped their heads—

They didn’t have beautiful starships or houses, only a ragged fleet of starships, many of which were under patch-up repairs, barely able to fly. The variety of food was scarce too. After the emergence of the beasts, ordinary meat sources across the star system had dwindled, and vegetables were difficult to grow. They had no choice but to scrape nutrients from barely edible sources.

They had grown accustomed to such fare, but this was His Highness Finn and the Little Highness—how could they serve them such things?

Dammit, there was so much they couldn’t provide. What should they do?

They were like a scout flock sent ahead, battered, lost, waiting for the main force to arrive, each one ruffled and defeated.

They looked on the verge of breaking.

Chu Zao paused, speechless.

Even Finn couldn’t help speaking up:

"Don’t overthink it. In Saint Cas, we’re often out on missions and don’t have high demands for accommodations. As for food—"

Finn paused, glancing at the little one beside him.

"—no big deal there either."

Finn himself didn’t mind, but he felt this little one should get the good stuff. The kid had never gone hungry.

Though it seemed Chao Huangmu had brought plenty.

For a moment, Finn even warmed up to Chao Huangmu a bit.

Even so, the members of the Saint Cas Sacred Territory weren’t cheered up.

Lai Qing spoke up, changing the subject to steer away from the earlier discussion.

"This is the current power breakdown in this star system, led by the Gesen Empire. Most are factions collaborating with the beasts, sacrificing their own people as food for them. These are the more neutral nations and factions, but they’re too weak to matter, just going with the flow. Then there are those like the Sacred Territory, fighting back against the beasts every time, though with little effect. Among them, the one we’re closest to and collaborate with most is the Eastern Alliance."

Chu Zao stood before the command console, studying the chart displayed on the screen.

The Little Crown Clan skimmed through it quickly.

"That official Survival Contest of yours is in seven days?"

"Yes."

"You don’t have many people left to send, do you?"

Chu Zao pressed further.

Lai Qing and the others seemed stung, lowering their heads.

"That’s right. We can barely field a mecha squad, but this year the Sacred Territory is facing an all-out siege. Winning’s near impossible."

"Oh, we don’t need victory in this kind of hunt."

Chu Zao said offhand.

His soft, round face looked thoughtful.

He glanced over again with a gentle expression.

"Alright then, select three people. We still need to check out the Survival Contest."

Chu Zao said, turning to Finn.

"Isn’t that right, Third Uncle?"

Finn hadn’t approached the command platform since entering, leaning against the wall instead. He tutted softly.

"Mm-hmm, but I think you need to stay with me at all times."

Finn, who was used to random mishaps happening to him, hadn’t encountered any for a long time.

This time, Finn, flying solo with the kid, didn’t feel relieved—just anxious. Was another disaster looming?

Actually, their original plan wasn’t like this.

With little time left before the preliminary round, it was meant to assess the situation here and possibly help out future partners. But they hadn’t fully discussed the Survival Contest yet.

After all, participating in the Survival Contest like this would be kinda flashy. They had plans for what to do if Amos didn’t arrive before the Survival Contest, and what to do if he did.

But now, that whole idea just went out the window.

This wasn’t just some potential ally—this was the real deal—a Saint Cas descendant.

In an instant, they had gone from outsiders to being directly involved, so naturally, the plan needed thorough adjustments.

What they needed wasn’t some stupid win in the Survival Contest.

What they needed was Saint Cas’s total win—against the aberrant beasts, against the Hymn Organization, and against the damned deity behind it all.

"Still, your mechs are quite interesting. Let me check one out later."

Chu Zao paused to think.

"When we enter, let’s keep a low profile—"

Use the mechs as cover.

Finn’s expression turned subtly complicated—for the Crown Clan, mechs were cumbersome, uncomfortable, and as flimsy as tissue paper. One wrong move and you’d break a lever or crush a button, leaving one feeling like a bull in a china shop.

Back on Saint Cas’s imperial planet, during Finn’s childhood, he had tried them once before noping out immediately.

"But Little Highness, this is way too risky."

Lai Qing, who had been listening quietly, finally interjected after Xiao Chuzao finished speaking.

"The mech forces led by the Gesen Empire are indeed strong—they can handle aberrant beast tides like that. But our current situation is dire, too weak—"

Their mental powers had also weakened after their injuries.

This had led the sacred territory to go downhill every year.

Lai Qing lowered his head again.

"I’m a little worried about giving you the wrong impression and affecting your judgment."

Though Lai Qing and the others had finally waited for the Crown Clan, they weren’t like the Saint Casians—riding high on confidence, believing that whatever the Emperor and the Highnesses said was right, that they were the greatest under the heavens, and that there was nothing they couldn’t handle. Generation after generation, the sacred territory had lost faith in themselves. While they could still put up a fight in front of outsiders, when facing their own people and revealing their vulnerable side, that side was already beat-up.

It made them feel disheartened and low-spirited themselves.

Moreover, it was just that small wave of beast hordes brought by the Pollution Tide, leaving them with no fundamental understanding of the Crown Clan—they still hadn’t realized what the Crown Clan, one of the few mythical Longlived races in the galaxy, truly represented.

"No, you did well," Chu Zao spoke again.

"You need to be more confident. That’s why I told you to lift your head."

"You hear me?"

Finn also repeated, "Heads up."

"Yes!"

Lai Qing raised his head in response.

Finn leaned against the doorway, with a lazy smile.

"Danger, misjudgment—what rare words."

The trusted and relied-upon Crown Clan rarely heard such terms. At most, the Saint Casians would whine and complain, admitting they're strong but still feeling anxious about the danger—yet no one had ever worried about the Crown Clan making misjudgments.

"Don’t worry, we've got this—"

"And one more thing—"

Chu Zao pondered.

"The combat style of the Sacred Territory is different from that of Saint Cas. We’re not very accustomed to it. On that uninhabited planet, there’s a small starship that came with us. Try to retrieve it for research. Some of its technology should be useful, especially in boosting your starship’s armor and firepower."

"Understood."

Lai Qing nodded again.

Everyone stared without blinking at Chu Zao.

Just then, someone anxiously approached the doorway but stopped, glancing at Chu Zao and Finn, then at Lai Qing, hesitating slightly.

Xiao Chuzao was still studying the relevant faction distribution map and spoke without lifting his head.

"If there’s something, come in and say it."

The person was startled and spoke somewhat flustered.

"Y-yes, My lords, Speaker. Lately there's been too many injured members in the Sacred Territory. We're running low on meds—we need to send a team to collect—"

Running out of medicine?

Chu Zao looked up.

"What's our stock? Where? How much? Details."

"We've got until tomorrow night. We need to collect a specific type of ore from a nearby planet and refine it. But since the Pollution Tide just passed, the window is tight—we need to move as soon as possible."

The messenger hesitated a bit at first but got the info out fast.

"What’s the fastest we can get this done?"

Chu Zao glanced outside as he spoke.

The light-source star had fully set, and it would soon be dark.

They still needed to prepare and assemble the team—no wonder they were in a hurry.

"If everything goes smoothly, the round trip might take half a day. Gathering the materials will take a few hours, and refining them upon return will also take a few hours. In total, it’ll require a full day. If all goes smoothly, we’ll have to leave at dawn tomorrow to just make it in time."

"Got it—"

Chu Zao lifted a hand to cradle his fine-boned face.

Lai Qing and the council members looked uneasy.

Equal parts embarrassed and helpless—

No decent shelter, lousy food, and now their medicine was nearly gone. Ever since meeting Chu Zao, they seemed to keep exposing their worst side.

This left the Saint Casians, who always strove to present the best to the Crown Clan, feeling completely thrown off.

"Little Highness, I’ll round up the team ASAP to collect the necessary ore."

Lai Qing quickly spoke up.

"If it’s urgent, we’ll accompany you on this trip."

Chu Zao said, without a hint of impatience.

The Little Crown Clan had consistently displayed the traits of Saint Cas’s future emperor—cool-headed, dependable, and decisive.

But where Amos might strike without hesitation, Xiao Chuzao came off gentler—though that gentleness was reserved only for his own people. Against enemies, Xiao Chuzao might chat you up with a smile before acting.

Either way, you’d end up dead.

Yet kind but not soft, Xiao Chuzao showed no emotional rollercoasters, which only made them feel more at ease.

"You’re... joining us?"

Lai Qing was momentarily stunned.

He ventured cautiously.

"Mm. Get your gear together and report when you’re set."

Chu Zao said.

"There’s enough time, no need to worry. By the way, have the quarters been prepared? Let’s go take a look."

"Yes."

Lai Qing snapped to.

He watched as Chu Zao and the other two left the command room.

Even now, he still felt somewhat dazed.

It all felt unreal—like a dream moving way too fast.

But—

"Truly lives up to the legend of the Sacred Crown—"

Someone whispered reverently.

That kind of leadership must have been tempered through endless trials, hardened into resolve, honed into composure, and ultimately manifested as unwavering dependability in the face of any challenge.

Just then, a communication from the Eastern Alliance came through.

"Speaker, it's a message from the Eastern Alliance."

Lai Qing came back to himself, glancing at the incoming transmission as he steadied his pounding heart.

"Put it through."

In truth, the Eastern Alliance's communication wasn't late—they had simply misjudged the duration of this Pollution Tide. Or perhaps they never imagined that the sacred territory would actually receive a miracle hero who could straight-up stop the Pollution Tide.

It ended way too fast.

Not just elsewhere—even the sacred territory itself hadn't quite wrapped their heads around it yet.

"Chairman Lai Qing."

On the screen appeared the image of Shi He, Chairman of the Eastern Alliance.

Shi He gazed at Lai Qing with a grave expression.

"We've received news of your territory being struck by the Pollution Tide. We suspect this is part of a conspiracy. While we cannot openly stand with the sacred territory, we've stated from the beginning that we stand firmly behind your cause—though we lack your strength of character. Right now, we unanimously believe that if we don't help you out, it would just encourage the bullies."

Lai Qing met Shi He's gaze.

Having just returned from the field, Lai Qing was a complete mess—still showing tear tracks, his eyes rimmed red, clearly shaken by recent events.

Seeing this, the Eastern Alliance Chairman grew even more distressed. Shi He spoke again.

"Have you already evacuated your base? Do you know where you'll relocate? Upon consideration, we have an empty lot near the Eastern Alliance where you can stay temporarily until the Survival Contest begins. The Gesen Empire is gunning for you—it's best not to send out teams alone."

Shi He didn't push for details, only adding solemnly,

"Everything will get better. This too shall pass."

But these were empty comfort—the Eastern Alliance was just as helpless in this brutal game.

"Our mech squadrons are preparing to deploy in support."

That's how brutal the universe is.

Shi He lowered his head.

"No."

"There's little we can actually—wait, what?"

Shi He jerked upright.

Did he hear that right?

He whipped his head around to Lai Qing.

"We don't need the Eastern Alliance's support right now."

Lai Qing declared.

"Everything will be fine, yes, everything will be fine."

Shi He froze.

He plunged into utter bewilderment.

Because he realized—

Whether it was Lai Qing or the council members behind him, their eyes burned with startling intensity.

As if they had rediscovered their faith.

The other side was busy and didn’t say much, cutting the connection abruptly.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Alliance, everyone looked at each other in confusion.

Until someone burst through the door and spoke quickly.

"Chairman, apparently the Sacred Territory hasn’t moved, and the effects of the Pollution Tide seem to be receding."

What??

Shi He turned back in confusion.

Wasn’t the Sacred Territory… doomed?

What kind of doom?

Meanwhile, Chu Zao's group was led through corridors and various crowded rooms before finally arriving at an empty one.

It was clear the Sacred Territory had tried their best to offer them the best they had, but it was still lacking.

Once the door closed, Chu Zao’s smile dropped instantly. Chao Huangmu followed closely behind him.

Finn was still chuckling without a care.

"Ah, who would’ve thought they were descendants of the First Group Army? I originally thought it was just a potential cooperative outpost, but now—bam—instant outpost. And Zao Zao, has your mental powers gotten stronger again? Feels like even the pollution got wrecked by you?"

Finn spoke, then turned his head and paused, looking at the little one who had hung his head. "Zao Zao?"

Chao Huangmu had been fretting anxiously behind Chu Zao since earlier, because right after entering, Zao Zao had tugged at his clothes before letting go—these small gestures told Chao Huangmu, who knew Chu Zao well, that Xiao Chuzao was on edge.

The youngling hesitated. Almost grown for his coming-of-age ceremony, he was no longer tiny, but when no one was looking, he still raised his arms and burrowed into Finn’s embrace.

Leaving Finn temporarily thrown off.

"What’s wrong? Why are you being so needy at this age?"

His youthful features tried to force a smile but failed.

Instantly, his expression darkened, paranoia flaring—who made my little one upset?

Chu Zao burrowed into Finn’s arms, just like when he was little, then slowly lifted his head. His amber eyes still appeared calm, steady, and reliable.

Zao Zao had indeed learned a lot, but was he really as put-together as he looked, seeing all this so coolly? No.

The Little Crown Clan’s voice was thick with emotion—only now finally letting slip a trace of genuine emotion.

"Everything’s falling apart. They’re eating bitter rations, and even when injured, they lack medicine… It hurts to see."

—Zao Zao felt miserable.