Chapter 32: The True Heavenly God

Chapter 32 The True God

The weather was clear, and at five in the afternoon, Qin Shu was squatting on the sidewalk eating shaved ice.

It was the Empress's birthday banquet, and the whole capital star had gotten serious. Most people in the Star Union Agency were out on duty.

Qin Shu was no exception.

But as a captain, he could leave the trivial tasks like standing guard and patrolling to his team members. He just had to be on standby... and grab some shaved ice while he was at it.

The shaved ice guy even gave him an extra scoop.

His communicator rang. It was the Marshal calling.

Qin Shu bit his spoon and mumbled, "Hey, boss."

A dead serious voice: "Qin Shu, where are you?"

Qin Shu glanced around.

"I'm... next to the shaved ice stand?"

"What's the matter, boss? Want me to bring you a bowl of shaved ice?"

"What shaved ice?" The Marshal sounded baffled over the communicator. "You didn't go to the palace?"

Why the hell would I go to the palace?

"Didn't you read Her Majesty's invitation?"

"No, I didn't." Qin Shu scooped another spoonful of shaved ice.

Why would I read it if I wasn't going?

-

After the Marshal chewed him out for over ten minutes, a coworker rushed over to take his spot. Qin Shu headed home, totally confused, and grabbed the invitation he'd never even opened.

Basically, it said he was supposed to go to the palace, and "if you're free, you can have a little chat with Her Majesty."

Qin Shu threw the invitation aside. "It said 'if I have time,' right? Well, I don't have time. I'm not going."

The Marshal was furious: "Don't give me that crap. I refuse to believe you don't get that this means Her Majesty wants to see you!"

The Marshal went on for another ten minutes.

The point was that he was now an independent political figure, and meeting the Empress would help him understand his own value and what he's entitled to.

Qin Shu, you're too talented to stay where you are...

Sure, he could go far, but what did that have to do with the Empress?

Just as he was about to say he really didn't want to go, the Marshal added, "Qin Shu, ignoring politics won't make it go away. The fact is, a ton of people want a piece of you. Before, they'd go to Li Wuya first. But now that you two are on the outs, they'll come right to you."

"You don't want to deal with politics, fine, but you need to understand how people might use you. Qin Shu, just go take a look. Think of it as me swallowing my pride..."

Qin Shu sighed. "Alright, got it."

Even so, he still couldn't be bothered. No matter how sneaky the enemy, wasn't it just one slash away? But since his boss had gone this far, it'd be a jerk move to say no.

And there was one question.

"Boss, why do you think me and Li Wuya are on bad terms?"

"...Because you got divorced?"

"We got divorced, but we're not enemies."

That's weird—why does everyone act like we'll never be friends again?

-

Anyway, he decided to go to the banquet.

He dug through his closet and finally found the dress uniform from his award ceremony when he first arrived on the capital star.

If he remembered right, it matched Li Wuya's.

That weird feeling only lasted a second, then he put it on.

If he actually dwelled on that, his whole closet—except for tactical gear—would be useless.

As he shut the closet, he squeezed the little sachet.

Perfect. He could also go see just how hated Li Wuya had become, that so many people wanted Qin Shu to go against him.

He buckled his combat boots and shut the door.

An hour later.

The area around the palace was already empty; it looked like the banquet had started.

If they'd already closed the doors, that would be perfect. But of course, a palace guard came up and said, "I'll park your car. Please go in."

Reluctantly, he got out of the car. Qin Shu adjusted his coat and looked up at the magnificent palace.

The capital star wasn't a natural planet. Actually, it started as a meteorite full of energy ore.

Whether humanity's first starship crashed into the meteorite or the meteorite smashed into the starship, civilization settled here a thousand years ago.

The palace was inside that meteorite.

Qin Shu had been to the palace twice, but he still stopped to take in its grandeur.

It wasn't the flashy gold that modern people picture when they think of a palace. The whole place was built from some unknown crystal, with silver and obsidian set into clear crystal. Long bridges and stone pillars reached up toward the sky, and below them were tiny ore fragments that sparkled like stars.

The palace guard led him forward and swung open the heavy doors.

Golden light poured in. The dome soared overhead, and the world of the elite was inside.

The black-haired sentinel walked into the banquet hall.

-

He wore a military dress uniform in a dark ink-black, his cap brim pulled low, epaulets shining. Gold-threaded cords ran from his shoulder to his chest lapel. Double-breasted buttons hugged his waist. A wine-red sash with matte gold, the shine muted. A black cape with a red lining hung from his shoulders, draping down.

Below the waist, his trousers had gold threads up the front, and surprisingly, a chain was strapped around his right thigh, with a red gem that sparkled as he walked.

Qin Shu's natural cool detachment and sharpness were toned down by the uniform, making him look even more imposing and commanding.

In the silver-and-gold banquet hall, the pipe organ seemed to play from somewhere up high. Servants bustled around, and guests filled the room—layers of gowns, fancy family crests and badges.

The people behind those symbols all turned to look at him—some suspicious, some sizing him up, some with fake friendliness.

The dark-haired Sentinel remained indifferent.

The brim of his cap hid the stars in his eyes; he couldn't care less about the grand hall. He stood at the doorway, coldly pulling up his terminal!

"Kongtong Unbound 7432: Boss, I'm at the banquet hall. Where you at?

Wang Fenghai's Retirement Life: I didn't say to come find me!

Kongtong Unbound 7432: Come on, don't say that. I haven't even seen the Empress.

Wang Fenghai's Retirement Life: Just wait in the banquet hall. Her Majesty'll send someone for you."

Fine, he'd just leave later anyway.

Figuring showing up was enough, Qin Shu closed his terminal and decided to find a spot and stand there like a lamppost.

But then he froze.

Why the hell was everyone staring at him?

Under all those stares, the cold, dark-haired Sentinel frowned, pursed his lips, a small muscle in his mouth unconsciously twitching. A faint, menacing vibe seeped out, and he screamed one word from head to toe: 'don't mess with me'!

Anyone who wanted to come near got scared off. Just as he found a quiet corner to zone out, uninvited guests showed up.

"Colonel Qin, long time no see!" A bright, young voice.

Did they have any tact?

The whispers around them died down, as a lot of guests raised their glasses and snuck glances their way.

Qin Shu looked up, annoyed.

-

A lively young Sentinel stood there, with a tall girl behind him.

Both were clearly in royal gear, with royal attendants beside them.

Because of the girl, Qin Shu instinctively stood up straighter. He stared back at the young Sentinel with no expression.

"You don't remember us, huh?"

The girl spoke: "My brother and I talked to you at the victory banquet."

The young sentinel added: "I'm Qi Xing, and this is my sister, Qi Yue!"

The royal family's last name was Qi—so they were princes?

At the victory banquet, he'd said hi to at least six princes, and he'd been too busy whispering with Li Wuya to remember any of their faces.

Still, Qin Shu just gave a mysterious "Mm."

"Colonel, can we talk in private?"

"Why can't we talk here?"

The girl hesitated: "Fair enough. That was thoughtless of me."

She raised her hand, signaling the attendants to back off.

Qi Xing couldn't hold back: "Colonel, I've always admired you! I've watched your border videos a ton of times..."

Listening half-heartedly, Qin Shu gave a few casual replies while eyeing the girl, who was clearly in charge—probably a Guide.

The girl shut up the young Sentinel by pressing the back of his neck, then smiled: "Sorry, my brother's a bit hyper."

"It's fine."

The girl said: "Actually, we came today hoping to get to know you better."

Qin Shu: "Hello."

"..."

Qin Shu hinted: "Bye."

An awkward silence fell.

The girl forced a smile: "You must be joking."

She bravely switched topics: "Actually, we've wanted to come up to you before, but you always had someone with you, and it wasn't convenient..."

Qi Xing chimed in: "That's right, General Li was always by your side then—we never had a chance to talk to you!"

Qin Shu listened absentmindedly.

The topic had indeed turned to Li Wuya.

"Colonel, we're all puzzled about your marriage. He made such a big fuss when he was pursuing you, but in just a few days—"

The same old story again. Were these two sent here just to stir trouble?

The Empress was the most likely suspect, but it could also be Li Wuya—he liked testing Qin Shu this way. Maybe Li Wuya was listening nearby.

Extending his senses slightly, Qin Shu detected nothing resembling Li Wuya nearby, only a few surveillance cameras.

The dark-haired Sentinel grew bored. He leaned back against the wall, his cap brim hiding his eyes, adopting an aloof demeanor that screamed, "I'm not listening to you."

The girl was forced to raise her voice: "Colonel, please don't mind us. We're just indignant on your behalf. General Li always acts unscrupulously, making countless enemies, and toward you, he..."

The dark-haired Sentinel lifted his head slightly, a sharp sensation prickling his skin.

The girl gritted her teeth and continued: "We just think there's something you should know. During the war, someone saw General Li lose control of his mental state, then recover quickly—but his bonded guide wasn't with him at the time!"

"So?"

"People have speculated for years that General Li has another guide who can stabilize his mental domain. All high-level guides are registered, and none show a link to him, so it's likely an ordinary guide..."

"An ordinary guide deeply bonded to him."

The young sentinel fumed: "Isn't that deception! He makes such a big show of pursuing you and keeps claiming you two have a great relationship, but there's someone else..."

Qi Yue tried to gauge Qin Shu's expression.

But the military cap's shadow covered half his face, revealing neither his eyes nor his emotions.

Her mother had said Qin Shu followed the rules and was considerate to women and guides. Even if offended in such a setting, he wouldn't cross any lines.

Her mission was to observe Qin Shu's reaction—they urgently needed to know "what really happened between them."

This was her first task from her mother! Even if it showed some cracks, it was worth it...

Cold.

The illusion of glass slicing into skin.

Like the last instant before a blade is drawn—silent—a flash of steel?

In an instant, the banquet hall fell into a deathly silence. The guards on duty stood frozen, hands gripping their swords, paralyzed. The two royal siblings were rooted to the spot.

They watched Qin Shu raise his head.

His expression and posture remained lazy as ever. Yet his eyes rose, and they gleamed so brightly in the shadow of his brim.

How could one describe such fury... Was it fury?

The fury that brought him to life, that made him more tangible. The cold turned vivid; something burned beneath the ice.

The very existence of this emotion thinned the air. Qi Yue was frozen in terror, watching him slowly straighten, the light in his eyes blinding.

A sensation that sent a chill down the spine.

"Has Li Wuya been too irritating lately?" Qin Shu said slowly and deliberately. "Now anyone can come before me and step all over him."

A prince whose face he couldn't even recall, and a guide shoved forward to test him.

They actually believed that mentioning Li Wuya would get them something from him.

Qin Shu lifted his gaze and swept it across the banquet hall.

Rich robes, fine wine, medals, smiles.

All eyes were on this corner.

Good.

Qin Shu sauntered over to the two of them.

Siblings? Or were they brother and sister?

The same fear, the same frailty.

He suddenly couldn't understand Li Wuya at all.

Eight seconds.

Qin Shu figured Li Wuya could wipe out everyone here in eight seconds, yet he'd spent months, even years, just talking to them.

After a brief pause, he avoided the fragile guide and casually placed his hand on the young sentinel's shoulder.

"Kid, go back and tell whoever sent you. Whatever Li Wuya is, it's not your place to lecture me."

Under everyone's gaze, in a hall so silent you could hear a pin drop, his voice was calm.

Qin Shu met the young sentinel's eyes, his pupils already dilating: "Say, 'I understand.'"

The young sentinel's lips quivered, and it took him a long moment to force out a full sentence.

"...I understand."

His dark, gleaming eyes shifted to the other one.

"And you? Little girl."

"..."

The girl seemed struck mute. Qin Shu looked away, bored.

The tension broke. The guide girl crumpled to the floor, and the guests further off were each caught by their own guards.

Qin Shu didn't spare them another glance.

He straightened, adjusted his cloak, and stepped forward.

The crowd scrambled back in panic, parting to clear a straight path.

The nobles with their wine glasses, the eyes that had been sizing him up, calculating, scheming—all receded like a tide. Everyone watched the black-haired sentinel stride across the banquet hall.

His military boots struck the tiles at a leisurely pace. The black cloak with its red lining billowed behind him, and the red gems on the chain at his thigh glinted with every step.

His cold, handsome features betrayed no killing intent, yet in the third month of Qin Shu's stay in the capital, these elites and power brokers finally grasped:

Why the Cold Star's other name was War God—Heavenly God?

He couldn't be described as just a "high-level sentinel." What they'd been fighting over, scheming for, and trying to exploit wasn't an excellent officer at all.

Across thousands of battles, he'd never truly lost control. A faint release of his mental energy could lock every soul in the banquet hall in a killing intent. Soldiers worshipped him as a symbol. In the final battle, he'd slain the Beast Mother single-handedly, ending the empire's century-long crisis...

This was a terrifying weapon with a will of its own, never truly bound by rules, beyond their comprehension, utterly looking down on them—a true Heavenly God.