Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Teachers aren't implicated by students who cause trouble, and bosses don't go to jail alongside their accountants. So, just because she brought Lorca along, she had to share the blame—Eve found it utterly unreasonable.

“That’s just making excuses,” she said irritably. “If you keep this up, I won’t bring you along next time.”

Hearing this, Lorca raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t my Spiritual State useful?”

The Wall-Imprisoned Serpent was versatile—capable of both combat and espionage, surveillance and assassination. To say it wasn’t useful would be a lie. Eve fell silent for a moment before murmuring, “But the Wall-Imprisoned Serpent isn’t that dependent on you, is it? I could just bring it along by itself.”

She held out her hand, where the serpent had already transformed back into its smaller form, quietly posing as a bracelet.

“It’s slightly less effective without you around,” Eve said with a mischievous grin, “but still quite useful, especially since it’s so obedient.”

Lorca: “...”

He had almost forgotten about the serpent’s own initiative.

For once, he looked genuinely stumped. When Lorca wasn’t smiling, his expression turned somewhat gloomy. With his low brow and downturned eyes, he appeared even more melancholic.

Eve took a moment to enjoy the sight of the Oliver family’s eldest young master in a displeased expression. The familiar demeanor reminded her of the days when he was still unwell—constantly sickly yet putting on a facade of acceptance in front of others, only to retreat behind closed doors and brood quietly over a book, radiating resentment.

With a silent sigh, she reached out and draped an arm over Lorca’s shoulder from behind, relenting, “Alright, when we disembark, stick close to me.”

Lorca looked up.

“Why are you staring?” Eve found his pathetic look amusing. “Didn’t your dad say you can’t go home? If you’re not coming with me, are you planning to go back to school alone?”

“I’m not going back to school,” Lorca said.

Eve replied naturally, “Then come with me.”

After another jump, the starship officially entered the Galaxy System. Qin Mengde, who had been resting in the medical bay, finally woke up. The prolonged sleep and continuous infusion of nutrients had replenished her body’s deficiencies, even restoring her psychic energy.

By the time the starship made its final jump, she had already gotten ready. She picked up the Legion Commander's uniform Viceroy Medici had prepared for her, glanced at it, and set it aside. “This exceeds regulations.”

Based on her position before she fell unconscious—acting Legion Commander of the 18th Legion—wearing this uniform wouldn’t be considered excessive. But if judged by her role as Deputy Legion Commander of the Ninth Legion, it would indeed be overstepping—it all depended on how one looked at it.

By providing her with a Legion Commander’s uniform, Viceroy Medici was hinting that her return to the capital planet would almost certainly lead to a promotion. Qin Mengde’s decision to change out of it was a deliberate act of feigning hardship, a tactical retreat to pressure the royal family into taking action.

Judy glanced at her, thinking that the two were equally cunning. Without exposing Qin Mengde’s intentions, she clapped her hands and had the guards bring over a new uniform.

By the time Qin Mengde had changed, Eve and Lorca, having received news of her awakening, hurried from the starship’s control room at the bow to the resting quarters at the stern. Pushing the door open, Eve dismissed the guards, closed the door, and said directly, “Once we return to the capital planet, take Ren Fei back to the princess’s residence first. Lorca and I will take Zuo Qirong to another location.”

Having served together in the 18th Legion, Qin Mengde naturally remembered Ren Fei’s name. Seeing that Eve made no mention of the other two Deputy Legion Commanders, she guessed that something else must have happened while she was resting.

But she didn’t press for details, instead asking, “Where are the two of you planning to hide?”

Eve owned numerous private residences—some given by the princess’s residence, some by the Medici family, and others she had secretly purchased. If she truly wanted to disappear, even Qin Mengde would have a hard time finding her.

“The one on Cross Order Street,” Eve replied.

Qin Mengde thought for a moment—it was a villa given by the princess’s residence, with a secret passage leading directly there.

She nodded. “Alright, be careful.”

“There’s one more thing,” Eve said, taking out a recently written letter. The paper was soft and expensive, the seal sturdy and antique-style. She handed it to Qin Mengde and explained, “After you return, have someone deliver this letter to the Cavendish Estate. Make sure it reaches Commander Frigga personally.”

“What’s inside?”

Eve chuckled lightly, "It's a transaction, and also a choice."

Frigga's presence was formidable; Eve had no intention of provoking her but also didn't want to yield entirely. So, she included two pieces of evidence inside.

One was from the final day of the First Empire Academy's military training ranking competition, concerning the Fourth Legion's unauthorized interference that caused magnetic field anomalies, resulting in many students being severely injured and forced to withdraw, along with evidence implicating the Luo family’s young master in a spiritual state breakdown.

The other was evidence gathered during this mission from Flying Bird, implicating nobles of the capital star in collusion with major stellar pirates, ranging from bribery to charges severe enough to amount to treason.

Eve gave Frigga a choice: between the two pieces of evidence, she would ultimately submit only one. Frigga could choose to suppress one, a gesture of respect from the Princess’s Residence to the military department, especially since the Fourth Princess would continue serving there in the future.

It was a choice between protecting the Fourth Legion or some nobles of the capital star, and likewise, between safeguarding the Empress or the Crown Prince.

The Fourth Legion, closest to the capital star, was the Empress's instrument, while the conservative old nobility, who looked down on illegitimate children, were the Crown Prince's staunch supporters.

Qin Mengde paused briefly before accepting the envelope, her emotions indescribable.

The Cavendish family had directly caused her troubled childhood, yet Frigga Cavendish had also taken her under her wing. Even if there were other reasons, Qin Mengde honestly didn’t want to confront her directly. Still, she had to admit that Eve’s approach, seemingly flexible yet firm, was indeed the best way to handle Frigga at this time.

"I understand," Qin Mengde said hoarsely, "I will handle this by the book."

Eve nodded. "Watch your back as well."

Though the capital star lacked the immediate dangers of the battlefield, it was just as unforgiving—like facing three hundred sixty days of wind and frost a year.

"Enough, enough, it feels like a farewell forever," Viceroy Medici said, getting goosebumps. "Luo Yuan is returning with you all. If anything happens, go to her."

"Aren’t you returning?" Eve glanced at her.

Viceroy Medici forced a dry laugh. "No, one of us should stay behind. I won’t be going back. Remember to give my regards to Family Head Oliver for me."

Noting her expression, Eve blinked but didn’t press further.

The massive military starship slowly entered the capital star’s territory. To distinguish it from civilian ships, it didn’t dock at the port but instead landed at a specialized military aircraft parking area. All other starships and vessels had already stopped outside the capital star’s boundaries.

External Legions were not permitted to return to the capital star without authorization. Even though the Third Legion had temporarily reported in advance about encircling Flying Bird and handling the affairs of the Eighteenth Legion, only one starship was granted permission to dock.

Long before the starship landed, various families and residences had sent luxury cars for pickup. Eve saw Luo Yuan, expression cold, boarding a car bearing the Luo family emblem. Meanwhile, Family Head Oliver stayed true to his word: since he said Lorca couldn’t return, he didn’t send a car, instead transferring funds to the five guards and telling them to return by taxi on their own.

Under the apologetic gazes of the guards, Lorca smiled and waved them off.

The Princess’s Residence also sent a car adorned with a golden emblem of a rose and broadsword. Just as Qin Mengde was about to lead Ren Fei back, the latter’s shoulder was gripped by Eve. "Don’t rush off just yet."

Ren Fei turned around and asked humbly, "What further instructions do you have, Steward?"

"Nothing much," Eve said with a light laugh, handing over a bottle of murky, thick liquid. "I just wanted to tell you that Wood is dead too."

The lifeless liquid in the bottle was the most concrete representation of death. Watching Ren Fei’s face pale gradually, Eve withdrew her smile and said gently, "You should know what to do, right?"

Ren Fei couldn’t possibly be without resentment over his spiritual energy being suppressed by Zerg venom. Eve had to remind him in another way to make him understand that keeping his life was already the best outcome for someone like him.

The crowd gradually dispersed, each heading their own way. Eve tightly held Lorca’s hand, subtly engaging her spiritual state to minimize their presence as they blended into the flow of people. They first rode in the Princess’s Residence car, then rented a self-driving hovercar on the roadside, winding through numerous turns until they reached Eve’s villa on Cross Order Street.

By the time they arrived, Zuo Qirong had already been delivered and settled by the Princess’s Residence staff.

The Empire strictly controlled spiritual states related to mind control. Out of caution, Eve hadn’t interrogated Zuo Qirong on the starship. Only now, on her own turf, did she feel at ease. Rather than rushing to start work immediately, she changed clothes first and showed Lorca to the room prepared for him.

"Your room is here," Eve casually opened a door. "Next to mine. If you need anything, you can ask the attendants or come directly to me. This place is usually quiet, with only seven people including the attendants. There’s no need to feel reserved—make yourself at home."

"Clothes are already in the wardrobe, prepared in advance. Would you like to rest first, take a shower, or have a meal?"

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Lorca said.

"I told you there's no need to be so polite," Eve teased him. "You went through so much effort wanting to come here before, but now that I've actually brought you along, you're still so shy."

—Because he had the desire but not the guts.

Lorca would sooner die than say something like that in front of Eve, so he blushed and stammered for a moment before making an excuse to go get himself together, pushing Eve out of his room.

When the door closed again, he leaned against the wall, stood for a while, and still felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Although it wasn’t a regular living space, wasn’t this pretty much like getting inside her private space?

Space travel inherently involves time difference. By the time the starship returned to the capital planet, it was already noon. Eve wasn't very hungry; while waiting for Lorca to adjust to the environment, she had already slipped back to her bedroom, lay down on the bed in her clothes, and took a nap with her face buried in the soft, clean bedding, trying to ease the time difference effects.

When she woke up, the first thing she saw was Lorca sitting on a chair beside her bed, propping his chin on his hand and quietly watching her.

"What time is it now?"

She didn’t get up but shifted into a more comfortable position, lying lazily on the bed as she asked Lorca.

"5:30 PM."

"Let’s have dinner first," Eve decided quickly. "Then rest early—we can handle everything else tomorrow. The leave I took from school hasn’t expired yet."

Before her leave was up, there was no way she was returning to school early.

Lorca looked up when she said this. "Aren’t you in a hurry to interrogate Zuo Qirong?"

"What’s the rush? He’s not going anywhere. I’m just grinding down his edge a bit."

This was the truth. Zuo Qirong’s psychic level was S-rank, higher than Eve’s. Even with Lorca’s assistance, for Eve to successfully interrogate Zuo Qirong, she would have to wait for him to reveal a weakness first.

Governor of Meiji had only agreed to lend Zuo Qirong to her for three days. If the interrogation wasn’t completed within that time, Zuo Qirong would still be taken away by the Third Legion. So, the more pressing the deadline, the more calm and unhurried Eve appeared, which made Zuo Qirong more suspicious.

And once Zuo Qirong’s own mind began to stir with inappropriate doubts, it wouldn’t be long before Eve had him completely under her control.

She smiled, extending her hand out to Lorca. "Alright, stop worrying. I know what I’m doing. Just help me up first—I’ve been sleeping all afternoon and feel like my bones have gone soft."

"You really do like to take risky moves," Lorca sighed.

"You’re not much better than me," Eve reminded him. "Think back to what you did during your Department Chief selection."

"......"

Pot calling the kettle black. Lorca chose to shut up promptly, then dragged the clingy Eve out of bed. The attendants had already prepared everything and were waiting quietly outside the door.

The two spent a peaceful and unusually calm night in their adjoining rooms. The next morning, an unexpected letter arrived in the mailbox of Eve’s residence.

The same elegant, expensive stationery, similarly intricate and beautiful wax seal. The sender was from the Cavendish residence. The letter contained only two short lines, the handwriting bold and deeply impressed into the paper.

"No one can make me choose."

"Destroy both pieces of evidence, the original and the copy, then come to the Cavendish residence."

"How arrogant," Lorca commented. "Truly worthy of the Cavendishes—the most arrogant and proud lion family in the entire empire."

Eve just found it ridiculous. "Do they even understand the situation? Who’s begging whom here?"

Wasn’t she the one holding the Cavendish family’s weak spot? How dare they command her like this?

Eve never indulged the bad temper of these privileged types. Frowning, she tore the letter in half with a swift rip, then tossed it casually into the trash.

"Who the hell do they think they are?"

They were given face but refused to take it.