A Disguised Scum Alpha Marked Her Aloof Ex-Wife - Chapter 20

Port Seven was chaotic and noisy, packed with cheap starships used for smuggling.

Their surfaces were covered in thick dust and mottled rust, like hollow, abandoned buses that might fall apart at any moment.

Lights flashed wildly, and the signals at the ship fronts flickered on and off.

Zhu Yu secretly pointed at one of them and explained to Bai Shuzhou, “The frequency of those signal lights is passing along information. Only the two sides of a transaction know what it really means.”

She had heard this while working at Paradis. Smugglers were all very cautious.

Everyone coming and going wore masks or used wide robes to hide all their distinguishing features. And so, the red-haired woman standing with her hands on her hips on the steps was especially eye-catching. Anyone who entered the port would see her at first glance.

Nangong wore a pale blue open-collar shirt, jeans, and high leather boots beneath those long legs. If she covered her face too, she would probably look very much like a cowboy from the Old West.

The port wind stirred her red hair. She narrowed her eyes and waved at them very casually.

Zhu Yu had never dreamed that Nangong would be this high-profile, like a red bomb, utterly unworried about drawing attention.

She also looked like Zhu Yu herself, or at least the version Zhu Yu had imagined when seeing Bai Shuzhou off.

“…”

Why did she have to dress like that?

Annoying Federation person!!

Before they set out, Zhu Yu had told Bai Shuzhou about the deal with Nangong, but left out the medal and her own part.

Hearing that Zhu Yu had actually fake-cried to set up a trap and threatened Nangong with the star pirates’ weapon, Bai Shuzhou let out a very pleased soft laugh and tapped the tear tracks still damp on Zhu Yu’s cheek.

“Really only fake crying?”

“Mm! I also gave her all your gemstones. Only this ring is left.”

Zhu Yu lowered her face.

Bai Shuzhou said lightly, “Those aren’t worth much. When we get back, I’ll give you new ones.”

When we get back…

Zhu Yu adjusted Bai Shuzhou’s veil again, took a deep breath, and pushed the wheelchair closer.

“Good afternoon, beautiful lady. It is my honor to send you on your way.”

Nangong bowed and gave Bai Shuzhou a graceful hat-tipping salute, her tone smiling.

No matter how Zhu Yu looked at her, she found her annoying.

After finishing the salute, Nangong elegantly extended her hand.

She was using Empire noble etiquette: removing the hat, kissing the hand, expressing goodwill and respect.

Although Zhu Yu did not know this set of procedures, she understood the gesture of reaching out. Her fur instantly stood on end. Before Bai Shuzhou could accept, Zhu Yu turned sideways and grabbed Nangong’s hand, shaking it forcefully.

Taking advantage of a crisis was one thing, but could she stop pretending to be a gentleman?

She still wanted to hold Bai Shuzhou’s hand!

Zhu Yu wished she could pinch Nangong to death through this handshake. “Hello, hello!”

“Hehe. Hello to you too.”

Nangong clasped her hand with both of hers, her expression unchanged as she increased her strength.

The confrontation between the two Alphas burned hotter and hotter. Their tightly clasped palms nearly sparked.

They were practically glued together. Was that necessary?

Bai Shuzhou turned her head away, too lazy to watch this scene.

The two of them squeezed for a long time without deciding a winner.

Just as Zhu Yu was about to lose, she let go and shook her aching hand. With a fake smile, she looked behind Nangong. “You accepted all the payment, and this is the kind of ship Sister Nangong arranged?”

The aircraft behind Nangong did not look very different from the other starships, except its front was wider. A travel agency’s annual inspection certificate hung on the glass.

Barely legal and compliant.

“That’s right. Business isn’t good these days. It’s already nice to have one.” Nangong laughed. “What, were you expecting the Ring of Sola’s honor guard to come pick her up?”

The Ring of Sola was the Federation’s capital star system. Coming from Nangong’s mouth, it sounded full of mockery.

They had agreed to send Bai Shuzhou back to Empire territory together. Once they confirmed she was safe, Zhu Yu would delete the scheduled video, then return with Nangong.

Suddenly, a red light lit up on the high tower.

At the same time, red lights gradually lit up on all the aircraft in the port, like pairs of crimson eyes densely stacked together.

A group of gun-wielding people in black rushed into the port. Zhu Yu nervously moved in front of Bai Shuzhou to protect her and looked at Nangong.

“What do you mean by this?!”

“The port’s going into lockdown.” Nangong frowned. “It’s fine. They won’t search my ship.”

The people in black raised a small flag. On it was a triangular symbol, exactly the same as the one on the black-hatted woman’s sleeve badge.

Zhu Yu’s heart jolted violently.

“Nangong!”

A loader hurried over and whispered a few words into Nangong’s ear. Instantly, both their expressions turned ugly.

“Something…” Nangong looked at Zhu Yu and said softly, “big has happened.”

Zhu Yu’s hair stood on end under her gaze. “Are those people looking for me?”

“No. But close enough.”

Nangong pulled Zhu Yu aside. At some point, the sky had darkened.

“They’re looking for Kaland, the little leader you beat up.”

Black Hat Kaland.

“Wasn’t she taken away by you?” Zhu Yu asked.

“Yes. But I didn’t expect her to be this important, important enough to put the port under lockdown. The star pirates are more alert than I expected.”

Nangong observed the black-clothed people and paced irritably for a moment before pressing her hands onto Zhu Yu’s shoulders.

“At this point, you can’t leave.”

“You never planned to let me leave anyway.”

Zhu Yu really wanted to roll her eyes at her. But considering Bai Shuzhou might see, she only pulled at the corner of her lips and gave Nangong a false smile.

“But I have to make sure the princess returns safely. I’m not comfortable leaving her alone.”

“What are you uncomfortable about? She’s a dragon.” Nangong sneered.

The dragon race, as the strongest beings in the interstellar era—legend had it that the late emperor had even been able to physically cross a black hole.

The Federation decision-making class had once suspected that the imperial royal family should not even be classified as human. Yet in perception and mental-power control, they were also the strongest, perfectly matching the original expectations of ancient Earth scientists for genetic modification.

If not for how difficult it was for them to have offspring, perhaps their domination of the entire interstellar world would only have been a matter of time.

Although Bai Shuzhou was publicized in the Empire as frail, sickly, and indifferent to power, Nangong had not forgotten that this princess had originally been called the “Empire’s Rose” not because she was beautiful.

E-rank ordinary people could not sense mental power. Even if someone barely managed to “bend a spoon with their mind,” it would become an anecdote. D-ranks could rely on brain-computer interfaces to access the star network, and this was also the basic threshold for becoming a high-level warrior.

As for Bai Shuzhou, whose rank was as high as SSS, she had been able to materialize mental power from childhood. At only six years old, she had pressed her palm to polluted land, and clusters of roses rose from the ground until they covered that barren, lifeless wasteland.

The current emperor Bai Qianze’s talent was equally astonishing, but if Bai Shuzhou had not fallen ill, it was hard to say who the throne would belong to.

Nangong belonged to the pro-peace faction and did not want trouble. Even if Zhu Yu had not come to her for help, she would have found a way to send Bai Shuzhou out of this trouble-ridden place.

If this hot potato was not handled properly, things would become very troublesome. She did not want to start a war right now.

Nangong said, “There’s a very important auction tonight. Lockdown means it may be canceled. I can’t accept that risk.”

After a pause, she made her judgment.

“We have to release Kaland back.”

Zhu Yu looked at her narrowed eyes and suddenly had a very bad feeling.

Nangong said, “You have to go in with her. As a captive.”

Zhu Yu: ?!

She had originally thought that falling into the hands of regular troops would at least be better than falling into the hands of interstellar pirates.

Zhu Yu tried to bargain. “Or you could inject her with anesthetic, increase the dosage, then throw her back. She won’t wake up for a while anyway.”

“No. Kaland is no ordinary person. Anyone capable of attacking her will definitely raise suspicion. I have to make sure tonight’s auction proceeds smoothly.”

“Why?” Zhu Yu clenched her fist. “I only wanted to send the princess away safely. That was what we agreed on!”

Nangong was getting annoyed by the questioning. She leaned closer, pressing near Zhu Yu’s ear as she snapped, “Tonight, a big fish will take the bait. I’ve been crouching here for two years!”

Zhu Yu thought, What does that have to do with me? You scheming woman really are an undercover agent after all!!!

At the side, Bai Shuzhou watched helplessly as the two of them drew closer and closer, then moved farther and farther away, speaking in whispers as if no one else existed. Her pupils silently changed into dangerous vertical slits.

Nangong’s body stiffened. She glanced back from the corner of her eye and almost laughed.

It seemed the rumors of these two being at odds were false. At the very least, the princess’s possessiveness did not look ordinary at all.

When the two had just gotten married, many people in the Federation had conspired and said Bai Shuzhou chose Zhu Yu in order to gain commoner support.

But if that were all, then the sacrifice seemed far too great.

Zhu Yu also wanted to turn back and secretly look at Bai Shuzhou, but Nangong lifted a brow and grabbed her hair before she could turn, wrapping it around her fingertip.

“Think about it. Your compatriots are being trafficked, abused, and used as cultivation vessels. If we don’t destroy the source, how many more people will be harmed?”

The source.

Zhu Yu covered the roots of her hair and glared. But with the pain, her thoughts suddenly flashed. She stepped back, a little frightened by the idea.

“Someone in the Federation Central Authority is involved?”

The Federation Central Authority, the Federation’s highest governing body.

Nangong fell into a subtle silence for an instant, then immediately changed the topic. “And you Empire people are so clean? Over all these years, how many things have you bought with one eye open and one eye closed?”

“You’re the Empire’s star of the common people. You swore an oath when you received your medal. You have a responsibility to stay and stop all of this!”

Zhu Yu said, “I’m not! I’m just a wanted criminal. Sending the princess back is my most important mission!”

The education she had received since childhood was that self-preservation came first. Even when her older sister beat her, she would tell Zhu Yu not to cry out loud, not to provoke the one committing violence, then find a chance to escape.

Though from childhood until now, the only person who had beaten her was her older sister.

Even my mom never hit me!

The moment she arrived here, she had been attacked by insects, hunted by compatriots, crashed in an aircraft, then ambushed and kicked by interstellar pirates. Now they wanted her to voluntarily deliver herself to the enemy’s lair?

Was that not a path to death?

“I have to personally send the princess away. If you forcefully throw me to the star pirates, I’ll expose you. None of us will have a good time!”

Nangong was nearly fainting from anger at this hooligan argument.

“Zhu Yu, you’re a warrior! Take responsibility as an Alpha!”

Nangong grabbed her collar, pulling her closer to threaten her. “Not a captive. An undercover agent. Once it’s over, I can return the medal to you.”

Zhu Yu lifted her head and displayed the smile of a dead pig unafraid of boiling water. “I don’t want it anymore. You can keep it.”

She had clearly looked so humiliated and aggrieved last night when giving up the medal, as if she had suffered some great injustice. Nangong realized it was truly a pity Zhu Yu had not become an actress.

Her gaze drifted toward Bai Shuzhou. She let go, and her smile became just as light and airy. She smoothed the wrinkles on Zhu Yu’s collar and said with a fake smile:

“Fine. Cooperation canceled. Capture Bai Shuzhou. If a dragon Omega is auctioned tonight, it will definitely shock the entire universe.”

“I remember your Empire’s anti-bandit campaign some time ago was a great success, wasn’t it? I wonder what the star pirates think about that…”

She immediately pinched Zhu Yu’s fatal weakness.

Zhu Yu’s pupils quaked. “You can’t be this unreasonable! Are you insane? How can you auction her?!”

She abruptly looked back at Bai Shuzhou.

Bai Shuzhou was looking at her too.

Although separated by the white gauze, Zhu Yu felt as if she could sense her gaze—light, clear, gentle, and concerned.

She thought again of the faces of those star pirates that day. If Bai Shuzhou fell into those people’s hands…

Zhu Yu shivered and clenched her fists hard.

Nangong pressed her advantage and whispered, “As long as you agree to help, once the auction is over, I’ll send you back. You can still be with your dear princess.”

Coercion and temptation.

Both were complete.

“Really?” Zhu Yu hesitated for a few seconds. “If you can guarantee two things, I’ll agree.”

Nangong frowned. “Two?”

Zhu Yu said, “First, send Bai Shuzhou home safely. Second, you have to guarantee I won’t die.”

“…”

Nangong shook hands with her. “Deal.”

Zhu Yu perfunctorily squeezed twice and was still figuring out how to word things to Bai Shuzhou when Nangong already smiled and turned around with an arm around her.

Nangong said, “Borrowing your Xiao Yu for a bit.”

Bai Shuzhou narrowed her eyes.

Zhu Yu’s whole body broke out in goosebumps. She immediately pushed Nangong away and returned to Bai Shuzhou’s side. Half-crouching, she met Bai Shuzhou’s eyes and said dully, “I’m sorry. You go first. I may have to go back later. This concerns—”

Nangong covered Zhu Yu’s mouth and laughed awkwardly while dragging her backward in a headlock. She threatened in a low voice, “Stop talking nonsense! If you tell her everything, you might as well both stay.”

“Oh.”

Zhu Yu dejectedly pinched Nangong’s hand.

Bai Shuzhou looked at the small interaction between the two of them, her eyes darkening. She said softly, “Zhu Yu, don’t forget what I told you.”

Zhu Yu lowered her head and nodded hard. “Mm. I remember every word you said!”

The starship’s door opened, and two tall attendants came down. Nangong gestured to them and politely invited Bai Shuzhou aboard.

One of the attendants walked over, wanting to help push Bai Shuzhou’s wheelchair, but Bai Shuzhou stopped her with a cold gaze.

“No need.”

She pressed her lips slightly together and asked nothing, turning the wheelchair alone.

On the side of the ship, several large red and ridiculous words were written:

Happy Travel Agency.

The cabin door slowly closed.

Zhu Yu lowered her head and pinched her wrist.

She did not dare look at Bai Shuzhou.

She was afraid Bai Shuzhou would not look back.

And also afraid Bai Shuzhou really would look back and ask her to stay.

So she lowered her head.

She waited three seconds.

Then another three seconds.

The wind was very light.

Nothing happened.

She really left. Just like that?

No goodbye?

The starship started. Zhu Yu followed it forward, staring fixedly at the dusty window, hoping Bai Shuzhou would look at her from inside.

Just one glance would be enough.

For one instant, she suddenly understood the brave protagonists in movies. As long as their beloved gave them one light glance, they could super-evolve, fearlessly face all the storms in the world, and defeat any difficulty.

As long as those pale blue eyes looked this way, Zhu Yu could also wave goodbye with ease, give Nangong a very pretentious smile, and say, Isn’t it just going undercover? A tiny matter not worth mentioning!

The surroundings were quiet.

The starship left a trail of gray exhaust in the air.

Zhu Yu could no longer follow.

“Are you really crying this time?” Nangong carefully kept her distance, bending down to look as she held out a tissue between two fingers.

“What crying? A tiny matter not worth mentioning!” Zhu Yu was stubborn. “I am mourning those damned interstellar pirates. They’re about to die!”

Nangong laughed once. “Wow. Then it’s up to you.”

Ten thousand meters above the ground, Happy Travel Agency silently deviated from its planned route.

The inside of the shabby starship was a world of its own.

When the outer door closed, the attendant with light steps straightened her back at once and pressed a button immediately. A pale blue energy shield descended, and an invisible cage closed into a loop.

Of course they would send the noble princess back.

But not now.

With the auction imminent, there could not be the slightest mishap. The best method was detention: restrict every uncontrollable factor.

Bai Shuzhou quietly closed her eyes, her expression neither joyful nor sorrowful.

The Federation agent secretly glanced at her several times. Although the white gauze covered Bai Shuzhou’s face and the agent could not see it, she could still sense the woman’s faintly melancholy aura. Feeling somewhat unable to bear it, she softened her voice.

“I’ll get you a blanket. Sleep a while and you’ll be home.”

Home?

Bai Shuzhou curved her lips in a cold smile.

When the agent turned to leave, mental-power vines silently bypassed the surveillance and pressed onto the console. Line after line of precise commands jumped onto the large screen.

Inside the room, the agent had just taken out a brand-new blanket when she suddenly sensed a faint tremor beneath her feet.

This route was remote and safe. Radar monitoring showed everything was normal. Nothing unexpected could happen unless—

She immediately reached toward the gun at her waist and slowly turned around.

She still wanted to struggle a little. Yet as the door creaked open, her pupils shrank smaller and smaller.

A snow leopard had appeared as if out of thin air, quietly crouching beside the silver-haired woman. It was clearly tall and fierce, but beside that woman, it was as docile as a cat. Only when it lifted its eyes did its ferocity show, its irises reflecting danger.

The Empire’s elite, the Snow Leopard Knights directly under Bai Qianze!

Outside the cabin, the outline of a pure-white royal warship could vaguely be seen. This group of lunatics truly possessed the ability to execute interstellar jumps, but how had they obtained the exact coordinates?

The Federation agent swallowed with difficulty. “Princess, what is the meaning of this? We also had good intentions. Could there be some misunderstanding?”

Bai Shuzhou tore off the white gauze, revealing that face favored by the Creator. Her vertical pupils looked down at the agent indifferently.

“Whether it is a misunderstanding is for me to decide.”

“Tell me your real plan.”

The scent of roses pressed down overwhelmingly. Cold sweat soaked the agent’s back. The Federation agent, who had thought she had received an easy assignment, nearly went weak at the knees and only barely forced herself not to kneel.

She was shocked in her heart.

Which bastard had spread the rumor that Bai Shuzhou was frail and sickly?!

Was this also part of the Empire’s conspiracy?

No wonder she had dared to come out as an Omega by herself.

The more the agent thought, the more frightened she became. The undercover mission involved a struggle between two parties. How could she tell an outsider? Once it was exposed that someone in the Federation Central Authority was involved too, they would be finished!

Before Bai Shuzhou could act, the agent quickly bit through the pill hidden in her back molar and collapsed with a thud.

The chill between Bai Shuzhou’s brows grew heavier.

If they had truly meant well, why would they need to go this far?

She understood route maps and was familiar with starship piloting. She had long since noticed the destination was not Empire territory, but a nearby Federation fortress.

After the agent was controlled, the Snow Leopard Knight Captain bowed and came to Bai Shuzhou’s side, pressing one hand to her heart.

“His Majesty is very worried about you. Please return to the palace as soon as possible. General Izelia will arrive shortly and take over related matters. She will investigate everything thoroughly. Please rest assured.”

Bai Shuzhou said coldly, “I will personally be responsible for this matter.”

The Snow Leopard Knight Captain frowned, still wanting to say something. But Bai Shuzhou had yet to restrain her powerful aura. Her slender fingertips gripped the wheelchair armrest, and she slowly stood.

Pressure descended like a tide, surging outward. Everyone fell to their knees.

By the cabin window, inorganic pale blue eyes looked down heavily at the chaotic town beneath the vast sky.

Her fingers lifted her sleeve, exposing a silver exoskeleton to the air. It was precisely the one that had belonged to Black Hat.

After Zhu Yu finished explaining her deal with Nangong, she had carefully put this weapon on Bai Shuzhou and said it was for self-defense.

Zhu Yu had earnestly taught her how to use it, while Bai Shuzhou had listened quietly.

The young woman’s tender, gentle appearance had been like she was about to make a promise of forever. Her knuckles had covered Bai Shuzhou’s joints, and Bai Shuzhou could almost still feel her burning body temperature.

“Zhu. Yu.”

That cool voice was low and hoarse, biting the name between lips and teeth.

How dare you betray me, fool me, again and again.

……

The young woman woke from the darkness with a start.

Beneath a pale dome, people crowded all around her.

“This is really that Zhu Yu? You’re lying, right? She doesn’t have any identification on her.”

“Need proof? Who else could beat Black Hat into that state? But in my opinion, she’s nothing special. Didn’t we catch her anyway?”

“The scar on her abdomen matches. It should be her.”

“Take a picture for us first. I’ll send it to my girlfriend. Cheese!”

Dizzy and heavy, she vaguely felt someone step on her.

Her senses seemed very distant. The lingering effect of the anesthesia left her unable to move. Her thoughts detached, as if she were observing everything from a god’s-eye view. The movie screen flickered on and off.

She should not have woken up at this time.

It was far earlier than expected.

Sometimes, being awake was torture.

Nangong had promised to pay her an extra million and personally injected her with anesthetic.

Only now, at this very moment, did Zhu Yu understand why Nangong had been so kind.

It was medical fees!

The crowd surrounding her was like bloodthirsty beasts, wishing they could bite a piece of flesh from her alive. Fists and feet fell like rain, thudding through solid flesh and blood.

Dull pain.

Cheap curses.

She did not need to pinch her wrist to confirm this was not a dream.

Every face flickered with strange excitement, as if a great hatred had finally been avenged, or as if hyenas were in ecstasy after stealing meat. But when one youth first noticed Zhu Yu opening her eyes, the foot she had raised abruptly stopped. She even took a step back and hurriedly covered her face.

Instinctive fear was carved into their bones. It spread like a plague, and everyone slowly stopped moving, frozen in place.

Even though the Zhu Yu before them was in a sorry state, not wearing a uniform, without any weapon, her limbs restrained, with only her eyes blinking extremely slowly.

She was looking at them.

Someone cursed under their breath and dodged backward, only to be pushed to the front by a strong hand.

Butcher Chen, with a tusk necklace hanging from her chest, stepped forward. Her eyes were fierce as she swept a glance around and shouted roughly:

“You bunch of useless trash! You’re scared already?”

The thin person who had been shoved forward defended herself in a small voice. “But it’s Zhu Yu! Those previous encirclements…”

For a commoner to rise up, the only path was to pile up battle merit step by step. In recent years, of the five large-scale encirclement campaigns against star pirates, Zhu Yu had participated in three. Her combat style was utterly insane and unreasonable. She would smile while slaughtering, and her desire for revenge was extremely strong.

So much so that even now, the star pirates still had lingering fear.

Even if Zhu Yu was about to die, they did not want their faces remembered. What if she turned into a vengeful ghost and came back for revenge?

Under everyone’s frightened gazes, Zhu Yu moved her fingers very, very slowly.

She was not quite sure whether she had succeeded and could only read the feedback from the people around her.

The feeling of being unable to control her body was too awful, like falling into a nightmare she could not wake from.

She had been falling downward the whole time.

Unable to see the bottom.

Bai Shuzhou…

Were her legs also like this?

Zhu Yu gently exhaled a breath of heat from her throat.

Good.

She had already sent Bai Shuzhou away.

She was safe.

The Empire would give Bai Shuzhou the best medical team, and then Bai Shuzhou would order these problems to be reorganized and rectified. If it was Bai Shuzhou, she would definitely resolve everything perfectly.

Amid the endless dull pain, Zhu Yu tasted this tiny bit of sweetness alone and was even inexplicably proud.

You won’t be arrogant for much longer. My wife will clean you all up!

Oh, and Nangong too. Hopefully she doesn’t act too slowly at tonight’s auction.

Seeing the slight curve of Zhu Yu’s lips, everyone’s hair stood on end. Only Butcher Chen grew even angrier. Her raised boot carried fierce wind as it came down, about to crush the young woman’s face.

The person beside her hurriedly hugged her and dragged her backward with all her strength.

“The boss said not to hit her face! If they can’t recognize her, it’s no good. You can do whatever you want to the rest!”

Butcher Chen spat at Zhu Yu.

“Pah! What are you smiling at? You think you’re still that lofty star of the common people? Let me tell you, you’re nothing more than a wanted criminal the Empire used up and threw away! Which one of those Empire nobles ever looked up to you? A mixed-blood mutt, nothing but someone who climbed onto the royal family by relying on her looks!”

That was also something I climbed onto with my own ability!

Zhu Yu smiled at her.

Butcher Chen cursed coldly, every word meant to stab the heart:

“You’re already useless. Now that the donkey has finished grinding, they’re killing it. The entire Empire is hunting you down. Do you really think that princess liked you? She was only borrowing your reputation to cultivate her own forces!”

My honor.

If she could move, Zhu Yu really wanted to take a loudspeaker, shove it in front of Butcher Chen, and loudly blare: Envious, aren’t you? Jealous, aren’t you? Hate me, then!

This smug villain mentality was conveyed very subtly through her smile. Butcher Chen, whose entire output had done zero damage, nearly fainted from anger. Several times, she almost lunged up and chopped Zhu Yu to pieces, only to be frantically stopped by the others.

A beating was a beating, but Zhu Yu still had value. They could not just kill her like this.

This was what Zhu Yu relied on.

The anesthesia was fading. Pain instead made her sense more clearly that she was “alive.”

This was good.

It was only a little fatal injury!

Zhu Yu had discovered very early on that her constitution was astonishing. Her wounds always healed quickly. Perhaps it was because she was an Alpha?

It did not…

Not hurt at all.

All her senses seemed separated from her by a layer of distance. It was more like phantom pain—itching and agony hidden beneath the skin, impossible to reach no matter how hard she tried, impossible to soothe.

The old wound on her abdomen seemed to have split open.

What kind of anesthetic had Nangong used? Didn’t she say that with a double dose, Zhu Yu would wake up after one sleep and everything would be over?

Sure enough, when one was away from home, one should not casually trust other people’s words.

Even harder to endure than the pain was hunger. She had left too hastily in the morning and had not had time to eat.

Her stomach was empty. Her heart was empty too. Her whole body felt as though it were suspended in midair.

Zhu Yu stared at the pale dome. In her daze, snowflakes seemed to fall. Little Bai Shuzhou appeared once again and handed her a sugar cube.

Sweet.

She curled her tongue around it and held it there, reluctant to eat it too quickly, slowly waiting for it to melt.

After recovering a little strength, Zhu Yu belatedly tasted the lingering sweetness of blood in her mouth.

What she had swallowed was blood.

The buzzing beside her ears weakened.

Those people locked her inside a cage and were moving her. Door after door opened, and they descended in an elevator.

That access card looked somewhat familiar. Zhu Yu narrowed her eyes and stared at it for a while. Her heartbeat abruptly slowed.

Paradis’s logo.

But the palace was upside down.

Paradis.

Paradise.

Beneath paradise was nothing but purgatory.

Only when the last door opened did Zhu Yu truly understand the meaning of that sentence.

The blood-colored cage was completely out of place in the splendid golden hall. The space was clearly huge, yet beastfolk were forced to curl up inside cramped cages. The slightest movement would tug at their chains.

“……!”

Butcher Chen kicked Zhu Yu. A dull groan of pain sounded, and she finally gained a little twisted satisfaction. With her nose in the air, she knocked on the cage until it rang.

“Get up and look! This is your Empire’s great heroine, Zhu Yu! Now she’s nothing but a useless thing wagging her tail and begging for pity!”

“You were abandoned long ago. What difference is there between Empire commoners and lowly beasts? We’re the ones giving you a chance at a new life. Be grateful!”

The beastfolk, already numb, all looked this way. Their eyes widened in disbelief. A moment later, tears glimmered in them.

Who had never dreamed of soaring into the sky and rising above the masses?

That dream had become tangible in Zhu Yu.

Born poor, with low talent, she had climbed upward step by step. Every bit of her growth could be traced.

But now, that star had fallen before them, covered in wounds.

People clutched the bars of their cages and reached toward her. Under the dim lights, only those pairs of expectant eyes were clear and distinct.

Zhu Yu had originally only wanted to find a more comfortable position to lie down in, as long as she did not pull at her wounds. But outside the star pirates’ angry curses, she heard those low murmurs, those crying voices calling her name, one after another.

They gathered from a brook into a river and flowed through her slow pulse.

Zhu Yu, Zhu Yu!

Even in such a remote place, did this many people know her?

Among the crowd’s calls, she suddenly heard a very familiar tone.

“Xiao Yu?!”

Zhu Yu turned her face and saw Xiao Shan standing in the shadows. Xiao Shan squeezed to the very front, shocked and expectant, her eyes already brimming with tears.

Butcher Chen was pleased with herself for killing the chicken to frighten the monkeys. With this, she could achieve two things at once. Could Zhu Yu still act so calm?

Yet the noisy crowd gradually quieted.

Everyone stared behind her, dazed.

Not with fear.

Not with sadness.

Zhu Yu was leaning against the bars, wriggling upward like a caterpillar.

By the time Butcher Chen noticed something was wrong and hurriedly turned back, her face changed in shock too.

The thin young woman had already leaned against the cage and stood up. Slowly, she bloomed into a dazzling smile and waved toward the crowd.

Was she insane?

How could she possibly still stand?

This was clearly supposed to be a public display of a prisoner being paraded in humiliation, yet now she looked entirely like a superstar under everyone’s attention.

The young woman’s lips moved. Her open palm clenched, and she made a gesture toward the crowd.

Freedom—

A dove of peace spreading its wings and flying upward.

This was something Xiao Shan had taught her. The supervisor who patrolled the nutrient-solution factory appeared and disappeared like a ghost, so secret signals were essential when slacking off.

What she actually wanted to say was: Don’t be afraid.

But her throat was too dry. The moment she opened her mouth, she wanted to cough. Even Zhu Yu herself did not quite understand why she had to stand up.

Clearly, curling up and staying quiet would have been safer, more in line with her way of surviving.

But under the gaze of those bright, shining eyes, she felt that she should stand.

So she did.

She responded to that expectation.

Everyone held their breath, watching as she slowly stood. Even in such a sorry state, she remained resolute and confident.

Dignity.

Hope.

Her arm was the two ends of a scale.

Xiao Shan found it hard to connect this somewhat timid young woman who was always thinking about what to eat for dinner with the spirited Zhu Yu on television.

Although Zhu Yu had always carried the title of commoner, this was the first time Xiao Shan truly felt that she was right beside them, within reach.

Even when the star pirates flew into a rage and kicked Zhu Yu’s knees from outside the cage, they could not make her kneel or submit. She gripped the bars with powerful hands. The lingering effects of the anesthesia made even pain slow and delayed.

The Empire people’s furious shouts gradually drowned out the sound of flesh striking flesh.

I haven’t admitted defeat.

And I haven’t been abandoned either.

So please, don’t give up either!

Clanking struggles rose one after another. Chains could trap fear, but they could not trap anger.

The scene boiled over, on the verge of losing control.

This result was entirely different from what they had expected. Butcher Chen wiped at cold sweat and suddenly smashed the butt of her gun against Zhu Yu, knocking her unconscious. Blood flowed down from the young woman’s temple, and her clear black-and-white eyes were covered in a layer of uncanny red.

Before her head drooped, Zhu Yu’s consciousness was clearly not quite lucid. Her eyelids covered the faint light overhead. Her pressure suddenly sank, and from the shadows, she glanced lightly over. Violence and killing intent surged, as if she had become an entirely different person.

I.

Will.

Remember.

You.

But it lasted only the blink of an eye.

Before the thin person could tremble all over and scream in terror, Zhu Yu had already lowered her eyes docilely and collapsed.

“Lock her on the second floor! Put her with the phoenix!” Butcher Chen viciously gave the order, trying to cover her panic with her rough voice.

The second underground level of Paradis.

Cold air spread into every corner of the darkness. The inverted pyramid mirrored the structure above ground. If one wanted ultimate luxury, one had to descend one more layer into hell.

Platinum paved the floor tiles. Antiques of various styles could be seen everywhere, each tag carefully marked with a number.

Including the pure-gold cage at the deepest point.

Who knew how long passed.

The temperature here was rather low. Zhu Yu unconsciously leaned toward the fluffy heat source beside her, closer and closer. Even through the cold bars, the other party’s wings were still warm.

“Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu, wake up. Are you okay?”

Her cracked lips were moistened with warm water. Zhu Yu slowly opened her eyes, and they brightened.

“Xiao Shan!”

Her voice was hoarse. She gently breathed out and saw a thin wisp of white mist. This was very strange in summer, as if part of her soul had flown away.

She leaned against the fluffy cage behind her and let Xiao Shan feed her water. Looking around, she asked nervously, “How did you get here? Will they make things difficult for you?”

From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of feathers beside her cheek. Zhu Yu turned her face and was so frightened she scrambled backward on hands and feet.

Such a big, big bird!

Pure white wings covered its body. The bird did not move at all, protecting itself beneath its wings.

“They were afraid you’d die, so they allowed me to come look at you. Sorry, only water could be brought in,” Xiao Shan said, blinking.

In truth, this was the result of their collective resistance, but under that resistance, they had only obtained one bowl of water…

Xiao Shan’s tragic sorrow was held back by Zhu Yu’s exaggerated reaction.

“They call it a phoenix. Tonight’s finale auction item is ‘A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.’”

“Phoenix?”

Zhu Yu pressed her face against the bars in surprise, leaning closer, wanting to see more clearly.

“Stop looking. It’s an artificially modified experimental peacock. She doesn’t like being disturbed.” Xiao Shan clenched her fists in humiliation. “I heard them say she hasn’t eaten or drunk anything for many days. They can only maintain her life by forcefully injecting nutrient solution. She refuses to become a plaything.”

The giant white bird lay there sickly, showing no reaction to anything around it. Beneath its heavy eyelids was a pair of murky black eyes.

From its gaze, Zhu Yu glimpsed intense loneliness and sorrow.

She said softly, “Don’t be afraid.”

Her fingers moved and once again made the gesture symbolizing freedom. She blinked at Xiao Shan.

Xiao Shan blinked back, as if they were doing small secret movements in class, tacitly understanding one another.

Zhu Yu had no idea that she, too, had become someone others trusted with all their hearts. She glanced toward the small pocket in her arms. Xiao Shan watched the guards outside the glass from the corner of her eye and swiftly followed Zhu Yu’s indication, taking a small bundle from the hidden pocket.

Xiao Shan held her breath. She felt as if she had received a mission, so excited that even her hands trembled slightly.

“This is…!”

Zhu Yu was very happy. “Pastries. Let’s split them and eat.”

Xiao Shan: “…”

A moment later, she smiled helplessly and opened the bundle. The top piece even had a sharp little bite mark printed on it.

This was something the little yellow oriole’s family had given her. Bai Shuzhou had not eaten much of it, so Zhu Yu had wrapped up the rest, planning to nibble on it slowly along the way. She had not expected it to come in handy here.

Very naturally, yet very deliberately, she took away the piece Bai Shuzhou had bitten, hiding a little thought no one else knew.

The pastries had also been flattened, but fortunately, that did not affect their edibility. The quality of the oil paper was unexpectedly good. Sesame and sweet filling rolled over her tongue, and Zhu Yu revealed a blissful smile.

She reached through the cage and tentatively poked the white bird.

“Do you want some? It’s really good. Only when you’re full will you have strength…”

The white bird instinctively dodged. Its black pupils reflected Zhu Yu’s miserable appearance.

Xiao Shan kindly reminded her, “You’re poking her butt.”

Zhu Yu said, “Oh, oh! Sorry, I didn’t know.”

She stubbornly held out the fragrant pastry. The white bird hesitated for a long time. Only after seeing both Zhu Yu and Xiao Shan eat did she slowly transform into human form and take the pastry.

Contrary to her enormous beast form, after transforming, she was only a thin girl, seemingly around Zhu Yu’s age. Even her eyelashes were white, and her long hair hung all the way to the ground. The chains had rubbed her ankles red, and they were still bleeding.

Seeing her white hair, Zhu Yu froze for a moment. Bai Shuzhou appeared in her mind uncontrollably.

But the two were vastly different. When the white bird ate, she made soft smacking sounds. After finishing, she even carefully licked the crumbs from her fingers.

Zhu Yu’s nose stung. She bit down on the last mouthful and then stuffed the remaining pastries all at once into the girl’s hands.

Seeing that the guards did not stop them, Zhu Yu crooked her finger again and leaned to Xiao Shan’s ear, whispering, “Don’t be afraid. The princess has already gone back. She’ll definitely come save us!”

Xiao Shan was silent for a moment, then asked softly, “But they said White Bird escaped from an Empire laboratory. Is that true?”

“I don’t believe their words, but at first, White Bird hated Empire people more than she hated the star pirates.”

“…”

Zhu Yu’s pupils trembled. Meeting Xiao Shan’s expectant gaze, she wanted to immediately deny it and loudly curse that it was all nonsense from the star pirates, a plot to sow discord.

But she truly remembered that the Imperial Royal Academy of Sciences did indeed conduct live experiments, especially on ability users. Humanity had relied on genetic modification to gain a foothold in the vast universe. Once they tasted the sweetness of it, they could no longer stop.

Zhu Yu was not very good at lying. She could only look away and try to change the topic.

“Perhaps there’s still a turning point.”

Xiao Shan shook her head. “Tonight, we’ll be sold. What future is there?”

No.

Tonight’s auction would not proceed smoothly. Nangong would catch all these criminals in one sweep, including that damned protective umbrella behind them!

But after that, how would the Federation deal with these Empire people?

This was undoubtedly a scandal. If used by someone with intentions, it could become large enough to ignite a dispute between the two nations.

More accurately, people in the chaotic zone had no nationality.

Zhu Yu pinched her wrist, her breathing muffled.

“A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix is the finale. We know there’s a secret passage. After the auction begins, the guards will scatter. There will be a chance to escape. One of the administrators is mixed-blood. Her mother was also an Empire person.”

Xiao Shan paused, lowering her head somewhat ashamedly. “But the guards are very strong… Can you come with us, Xiao Yu?”

This request was undoubtedly dangerous.

But it was also their last chance.

After the auction began, guests with invitations would take their seats, and the strict security system would control the entire Paradis.

Zhu Yu scratched her hair.

She was afraid of chase scenes even when playing games, let alone a life-and-death gamble.

As long as they waited for Nangong to act, caught the big fish, and closed the net, they would be safe. Bai Shuzhou definitely would not ignore her subjects!

Seeing Zhu Yu’s silence, Xiao Shan sighed softly. “It’s too much to ask, isn’t it? You can refuse. I understand.”

The white bird was still quietly eating the pastries, seeming not to care about the contents of their conversation at all. She solemnly held the oil paper with both hands and spat out a small fireball. Under the high heat, the cooled pastry crust slowly curled and turned golden.

She was also an ability user!

The orange firelight reflected on the white bird’s cheeks and hair. It was a sickly sort of white. When her loose sleeve slipped down, Zhu Yu noticed an extremely deep pink scar on her wrist, very similar to the surgical marks on Bai Shuzhou’s body.

She could not help holding her breath. She rolled up the white bird’s sleeve, then the hem of her clothing. Scars crisscrossed the girl’s pale skin, shocking to behold.

A peacock with fire abilities, forcibly modified into a so-called “phoenix.”

The white bird shrank slightly but did not dodge again. She numbly lowered her eyes and looked at Zhu Yu’s trembling hands, as if unable to understand.

In their simple worldview, those willing to share kindness and food were good people. So even if she was afraid, even if it hurt, it was fine.

The white bird obediently closed her eyes.

Zhu Yu’s heart contracted violently. The sour, throbbing emotions had nowhere to go. She took a deep breath and asked softly, “What should I do?”

……

Paradis’s third underground floor. Oxygen continuously surged into the area a hundred meters below ground.

Ring-shaped mountains and water, gilded decorations. Here, money was only a number. By dragging the floating large screen, one could view tonight’s auction items in a full panoramic display without any blind spots.

The honored guests had their invitations checked and took their seats one by one. They had gathered here from all corners of the interstellar world to witness indulgent luxury beyond order in the depths of the most fallen, chaotic planet.

Everyone wore masks. Each booth was equipped with an identity blurring device, even disguising their voices.

The woman draped in Alranka silk drew her cloak around herself. Her knuckles were white and flawless like jade. The red mole on her wrist swayed lightly before disappearing into her wide sleeve again.

She walked extremely slowly. As a wealthy merchant brushed past her, their gaze involuntarily slid down with that red mole. Before they could even blink, the tall figure beside the woman blocked their view.

“What are you looking at?”

Golden eyes looked down indifferently. Even though the newcomer had deliberately lowered her voice, she still carried killing intent.

The wealthy merchant quickly stepped aside and secretly wiped at their sweat.

Those who could step onto Paradis’s third underground floor were all either rich or noble. Even if they dominated their respective star regions, they still had to keep a low profile here, because one never knew who one was facing.

The woman frowned lightly and turned to murmur to the wealthy merchant, “Apologies.”

The brief, efficient sentence sounded very light. The voice processed by the system carried a faint electrical current, extremely pleasant to hear.

The merchant was still dazed when the woman had already entered a higher-level private room. Her proud figure was completely blocked by the swaying cloak.

The indicator lights of the private rooms lit one after another.

Tonight, the SVIP rooms, which only those worth over a hundred million were qualified to enter, were all full.

“Izelia, you should keep a low profile,” a cool voice sounded.

“As you command.”

The youngest tiger general in the history of the Empire smiled as she swept her gaze over the ring-shaped seating. Willingly, she knelt on one knee and kissed the back of the woman’s hand.

“I already can’t wait… to tear them all to pieces.”

Izelia was both Zhu Yu’s former direct superior and one of Bai Shuzhou’s most powerful pursuers.

She had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

Onstage, the host cheerfully began introducing a high-purity crystal ore. Energy was the core driving force of the interstellar era, and large starships and mecha all regarded crystal ore as their hearts.

Ivory plaques were raised one after another, and very soon, an astronomical price was reached.

The SVIP section remained quiet. Although the crystal ore was expensive, it was still not rare enough. Everyone knew the more precious treasures would appear later as the finale approached.

Suddenly, ripples splashed across the pool in front of the stage. The fish scattered in panic. Firelight flowed, and a strange crimson resonance appeared over the surface of the crystal ore.

The host’s voice paused slightly, but relying on her excellent adaptability, she immediately used the strange phenomenon to introduce the crystal ore’s purity. Only concentrated high-purity energy could create magnetic field resonance, enough to glimpse the exceptional quality of this auction item.

During her pause, the black-clothed captain pressed one hand to her earpiece, turned calmly, and disappeared into the staff passage. The instant she gracefully closed the door, she began sprinting.

Alarms echoed through the channel. Hurried footsteps shattered the mask of silence. The aftereffects of the explosion were still continuing. Even the thirteen-meter-thick mimetic silence layer could not help trembling.

This underground palace was as solid as a fortress. Its only weak point, the air circulation system, had been blasted open into a blackened hole. Raging flames burned, and all the engineers were already rushing over.

The black-clothed captain’s face was ashen. “How could the phoenix escape? Even if she can still fly, her body size would never allow her to pass through the ducts!”

“In human form,” one administrator corrected slowly. “All the birds are helping her. In Eastern legend, the phoenix can command all birds.”

“Eastern, my ass! You and I both know she’s just a failed experiment. She isn’t a real phoenix!”

“This is the first finale livestream. If something goes wrong, the boss will kill us!”

They had exhausted so much effort rehearsing the A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix performance. The auction was about to begin, and yet they had let the finale merchandise escape?!

Thud.

Butcher Chen heavily fell out from the firelight. Her eyes were completely smeared with blood as she roared in fury, “It’s Zhu Yu! It’s her again! We have to cut her into pieces!”

“I knew it. I knew it long ago. We should never have kept this disaster alive!”

The poisoned curved blade in her hand reflected cold light. Blood flowed out from the duct, gradually pooling into a small stream.

Inside the pitch-black passage, wind howled. Faint firefly light flickered into Zhu Yu’s abdomen. One of her hands covered her wound, while the other braced against the uneven rock wall.

Behind her were the flames that had not yet gone out. Looking up, she could not see any light.

But the sound of birds beating their wings was exceptionally clear inside the narrow corridor. The curve of “freedom” her fingers had drawn now trembled beneath her palm.

Countless weak little birds worked hard to bite Zhu Yu’s clothes and pull her upward. The fabric stretched taut, rubbing against her bloody wound. Zhu Yu let out a low hum.

“You all go first. Don’t worry. I’m still useful. They won’t kill me.”

Just now, she had witnessed the true A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix. When the “phoenix” spat out fireballs to melt the cage, the birds surrounded the white-haired girl and rose slowly like stars circling the moon. It had been extraordinarily breathtaking.

It was like the grandest adventure.

Zhu Yu was willing to protect this dream.

Unfortunately, she was not a bird.

In this light dream, she was far too heavy. No matter how desperately the birds tried, they could not lift her.

The sound of firearms drew closer. The long-tailed tit rubbed Zhu Yu’s cheek hard.

“Chirp, chirp!”

“Go quickly. I’m the strongest Alpha. If you stay here, you’ll only drag me down.”

The little birds stubbornly circled her, unwilling to leave.

Bloodstained fingertips touched the fluffy feathers. Zhu Yu said, “The princess will come save me. Don’t worry.”

Hearing her say this, the long-tailed tit blinked, and tears the size of soybeans fell.

“Chirp?”

Zhu Yu did not understand bird language, but she understood Xiao Shan very well. So she nodded and said mysteriously, “Mm. Really. This is also part of the plan.”

The footsteps came closer. Zhu Yu caught two birds and lifted them upward. Her thin body inevitably slid down a bit farther. She said softly, “Go.”

Faint warm light passed from her fingertips to Xiao Shan’s wings.

Thump, thump.

Finally, amid Zhu Yu’s accelerating heartbeat, they spread their wings and flew upward.

Zhu Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Belatedly, she realized her whole body was sticky. She could not tell whether it was sweat or blood.

Since childhood, she had always been very obedient. Forget fighting—she had barely even argued with others a few times. But today, after taking on this heavy responsibility, she became aware of something so clearly for the first time.

Power.

Not potential that only erupted when forced to the limit.

It was as if she had been born knowing how to throw a punch, how to dodge. Her blood boiled and awakened. Even the fiercest star pirates could not stop her steps. In a daze, she even heard a pleased soft laugh.

This is the power you possess.

The power to destroy everything.

The ring flickered with crimson light.

The young woman let out a long breath. At last, her strength failed, and she slid downward.

The guards waiting at the mouth of the hole were already fully armed. Countless black gun barrels aimed at Zhu Yu’s heart and head. Butcher Chen was carried onto a stretcher and was still roaring, “Kill her! Kill her!”

A purple scepter stopped before the young woman and tapped the floor with a clink. Everyone respectfully retreated half a step and held their breath, afraid they would be caught in the spillover of anger.

“Little thing, you truly caused us heavy losses.”

The owner of Paradis bent down and used the scepter to brush aside the hair in front of Zhu Yu’s eyes. She had traveled widely and seen all kinds of people, but what was revealed was not the beastlike, unyielding gaze she had expected.

Clear.

Black and white distinct.

No trace of violence could be found.

This was too strange.

To climb to that position, Zhu Yu must have stained her hands with more blood than she herself had shed. No matter how great and righteous the image the Empire had initially promoted for her was, it could not erase her record of heavy slaughter.

Zhu Yu should have been a hypocritical lunatic.

This was not a reality show. Why would she sacrifice herself so righteously to save a group of cheap birds?

The woman said softly, “How touching. I’m almost going to cry. Your eyes remind me of a mutt I raised when I was a child. From the time I could remember, it had always protected me. How nostalgic.”

Sharp nails scratched across Zhu Yu’s cheek.

Zhu Yu’s eyes brightened. From what this big boss was saying, could there still be room to maneuver?

Then she heard the woman say faintly, “Later, there was famine, and we had a good meal.”

Her tone was calm, like she was reminiscing, and also like she was savoring the memory.

Zhu Yu’s stomach turned sour. “…”

Pervert!!!

The Paradis owner smiled. “For the sake of that little dog, if the Empire offers enough bargaining chips, I can consider sparing your life.”

Zhu Yu swallowed. “What do you want?”

The woman clasped both hands together, smiling brightly. “The list has already been delivered. Now, it depends on the Empire’s sincerity.”

“Otherwise, you can replace the ‘phoenix.’”

“The newly developed Fractus reagent still hasn’t found a suitable test subject. It can catalyze the sensitive period and disrupt mental power.”

“Although you’re only a D-rank Alpha and can’t beast-shift, livestreaming the ugly state of the Empire’s star during a sensitive period should still be interesting, right?”

The woman laughed aloud.

Her assistant stepped forward. With fingers flying, data streams floated up from her terminal. A huge, bright red countdown appeared first, pressing before Zhu Yu’s eyes.

The time waiting for the Empire’s response was three minutes.

Zhu Yu lifted her face. Cold sweat slid into her clothes. She caught sight of a few lines among the densely packed text—Empire database access passes, five hundred million virtual hot coins…

This was no longer asking for an outrageous price.

This was a black hole opening its mouth.

Even if she were disassembled and sold, she would not be worth that much. Not to mention it involved the security of the Empire’s database.

The woman approached with a smile. “The princess likes you so much. These things should be nothing worth mentioning, right?”

Zhu Yu lowered her eyes and very uncooperatively avoided the camera.

“Aren’t they already getting divorced?” someone asked softly.

“Tsk, you don’t understand. Royals and heavenly dragon people like them—what does love count for? There are quite a few commoners who support this one! If not for related interests, do you really think the princess would have taken a fancy to her? A D-rank Alpha… haha!”

“I heard she had a lot of romantic scandals after marriage too. If the princess hadn’t been bewitched by her, how could she tolerate that?”

“The princess is frail and sickly. Paired with a pretty boy like her, isn’t that just right—”

Whistles and ridicule smashed down together. The star pirates seemed certain the Empire would produce the money.

After all, she was still the princess’s nominal wife and the great heroine raised up by the military.

The Paradis owner’s long nails pierced the corner of Zhu Yu’s lips. She was carefully inspecting Zhu Yu’s teeth and mouth, her indifferent expression treating her like a slave, a commodity.

The electronic screen flashed. The scarlet numbers entered the thirty-second countdown.

The people stopped laughing. Their voices lowered as they focused and waited for the result.

Clearly, every second was torment, yet blood and time both passed so quickly. Zhu Yu was forced to lift her face. In her gradually blurring consciousness, she experienced the split between pain and numbness.

These demands were too unreasonable.

The Empire could not possibly agree.

Besides, Bai Shuzhou had no real power. These were not things she could decide alone.

In any case, Bai Shuzhou would never abandon her!

The benevolent, loving princess never abandoned anyone.

Had she…

Arrived home safely?

Beep—

The number hit zero.

A piercing prompt sliced across their eardrums. Everyone lifted their heads and looked at the reply that popped up:

[Rejected.]

The attachment was a wanted poster.

The young woman on the wanted poster looked spirited and proud, smiling wildly at the camera. Behind it was an introduction to her anti-bandit achievements.

The star pirates crowded before the large screen, looking again and again in disbelief. Not only had the Empire refused to negotiate, they had dared to provoke them?!

They had overplayed their hand.

How was there not even a counteroffer?

The Paradis owner frowned, very dissatisfied with this result. “Send it again. This isn’t the imperial family’s style. Even if Bai Shuzhou truly dislikes her now, they still have to consider the voice of the people.”

“Also CC the media. Release the news that Zhu Yu is in our hands.”

The assistant tapped on the floating keyboard, her complexion becoming ugly. Then she turned the glaring red notification around.

“Failed to send. Our IP formation has been blocked…”

They had not left even the slightest room.

Even the star pirate who had mocked her the loudest just now could not help looking at Zhu Yu. Their gazes carried complicated mockery and pity.

She really had been abandoned.

“I understand.” The Paradis owner shrugged, suddenly enlightened. “The Empire will no longer acknowledge your identity. You were the commoners’ hope, and now you will also be their disgrace.”

“How heartless. I can only hope you sell for a good price tonight.”

There was also some kind of floral scent on the Paradis owner. The instant her hair came close, Zhu Yu thought of Bai Shuzhou again.

On that night, the woman had quietly closed her eyes and slept before Zhu Yu. Her breathing fell evenly, her long lashes tender. Slowly, she had opened her eyes, and those pale blue eyes had been spotless.

That cold tail had flicked neither lightly nor heavily.

Smack.

The silver briefcase clicked open on the floor. The thick needle still carried cold air.

People worked together to press Zhu Yu down. Even though she could no longer resist, they still tightly fastened the restraints.

The icy reagent pierced into flesh.

The young woman lay on her back, and a pained groan spilled from her tightly closed throat.

Her muscles became both sore and swollen. The back of her neck faintly heated. The cold from excessive blood loss battled against her abruptly rising body temperature. The young woman’s thin figure slowly curled up.

It hurt so much…

At this moment, Zhu Yu could not control herself from thinking of that kiss when they first met.

It had also been mixed with tears and the smell of blood. The woman’s icy knuckles had slipped through her hair and held her tightly.

But why, when she thought of it now, was only softness left?

And the scent of roses in Bai Shuzhou’s hair.

Can you kiss me again?