Arcius dealt with Wang Yangwei swiftly and decisively. Although Wang Yangwei’s sudden transformation into a violent-type alien had startled him somewhat, it was still a minor situation for him.
After Rot riddled the man with bullets from a heavy energy machine gun, he calmly and quickly contacted Lu Xunzhi. At the same time, he notified the personnel who had long been arranged to infiltrate the Federal branch of the company. No one was allowed to enter or leave. Anyone acting suspiciously was to be apprehended on the spot. Anyone who resisted fiercely was to be executed immediately.
Arcius had nothing to worry about. He moved to the office next door and leisurely brewed tea.
By the time Lu Xunzhi arrived with his team at high speed, Arcius was conducting a video call with Pu Xin. He explained that he needed to go out to meet a friend. After receiving his mother’s support, he shamelessly said a few flattering things to cheer her up.
Only after ending the call did Arcius notice his biological older brother standing at the doorway. Rarely generous, he poured him a cup of tea. The latter gulped it down in one swallow, gave him a cold glance, and turned around to leave without saying a single word.
Arcius did not mind. As a kind and cooperative international friend who was happy to assist other nations in their investigations, he remained obediently inside the office after Lu Xunzhi arrived, waiting for the results of the inquiry.
Lu Xunzhi had brought Marshal Lu Bieling’s personal guards. They immediately surrounded the Federal headquarters of the Aaron Group.
The commotion was significant. The building stood in the most famous commercial district of the Federation’s capital star system, and the activity quickly attracted the attention of major media outlets.
However, the entire commercial district was placed under absolute lockdown. No reporter could enter, and none could leave either. Everyone within the area received a notice from the Federal Ministry of Defense stating that they must cooperate with an ongoing investigation. The usually aggressive media outlets were forced to behave like flies with clipped wings, obediently staying where they were.
Lu Xunzhi arranged for professional personnel to enter the general manager’s office to handle the scene while simultaneously conducting strict screening and investigation of all employees.
During the process, more people who suddenly transformed into violent-type aliens were discovered. Fortunately, preparations had already been made, so no casualties occurred.
When he learned that most of those who had mutated were core members of the Aaron Group, Arcius could no longer remain relaxed. Before coming to the Federation, he had assumed that his subordinates had simply taken advantage of their distance from headquarters to commit a few minor acts of disobedience. He had never imagined that the company had already been infiltrated by violent-type aliens.
Lu Xunzhi removed his soiled gloves and tossed them into a storage pouch before saying, “They are not merely violent-type aliens. There is a high probability that they are demi-humans, but according to my investigation over the past period of time, they are not purely demi-human either.”
Those words immediately caught Arcius’s attention. He frowned and cast him a questioning look.
“Most likely—”
“Humans who had alien genes implanted into them after birth.”
Lu Xunzhi did not explain his reasoning. He simply stated the conclusion.
Arcius, who had not even blinked when Wang Yangwei transformed earlier, suddenly widened his eyes.
“Impossible!”
Everyone knew that although human and alien genes possessed a certain degree of compatibility, that compatibility only existed during reproduction, ensuring that the next generation would not suffer genetic rejection.
If someone forcibly fused human genes with alien genes, the subject would absolutely die from genetic incompatibility. Demi-humans were a special mutated species created when violent-type aliens devoured humans incompletely. Their genetic relationship was one of devourer and devoured.
Lu Xunzhi understood Arcius’s disbelief. When he first saw the investigative report about the demi-humans who had infiltrated the Marshal’s residence and discovered the same possibility, he had reacted almost exactly the same way.
He shook his head and said, “It does sound absurd, but I am not guessing without evidence.”
The appearance of genetically modified humans was far more terrifying than the infiltration of demi-humans into the Federation.
Throughout history, maliciously altering human genes had always been an unforgivable crime, yet nations had never truly been able to stop it. There were always people who believed humans were too weak, especially after the appearance of the insect race and alien species. When the cosmic magnetic field changed, some humans began awakening supernatural abilities.
There had once been a long period when people who awakened such abilities were considered abnormal. If the first generation of ability users had not resisted the invasion of the insect race, they might still not be accepted today. At that time, the treatment of ability users in human society had been very similar to the current treatment of alien species.
Even the greatest biological scientist of that era, Nobel Prize–winning scientist Ye Congyu, had faced intense criticism after proposing the theory of Genetic Fusion.
Some people even speculated that he had not disappeared at all. They believed he had been assassinated by extremists who believed in pure human genetics because of his so-called absurd theory.
“For the next period of time, the Federation will undergo a major internal purge. My father and I will both be heading to the front lines. Please take Mom to the Empire.”
Even the Director of the FSB had been infiltrated. It was easy to imagine how many holes now existed within the Federation’s internal structure.
Because they belonged to different nations, Lu Xunzhi did not say much more.
Arcius understood the boundaries and replied without hesitation, “Go ahead without worry. I will take good care of my mom.”
Lu Xunzhi immediately shot him a sideways glance.
The phrasing sounded unpleasant. What did he mean by “go ahead without worry”?
Arcius pretended not to notice the look.
Once the cleanup at the scene was finished, he boarded his extravagant and luxurious convoy and left the Federal headquarters of the Aaron Group.
At the same time, Rot contacted the Aaron Group’s headquarters and issued a public statement regarding the incident. The Federal government also confirmed that Arcius had actively cooperated in the investigation into illegal transactions conducted by terrorists.
Journalists from various nations had only just obtained news that Arcius had been restricted from leaving the Federation and that the Federal headquarters of the Aaron Group had been sealed. They had not even had time to stir up public attention or criticize the cold-blooded capitalist before the matter was swiftly suppressed.
Even so, after the incident spread, it still caused some fluctuation in the Aaron Group’s stock price.
“You can choose whichever nutrient solution you like from the glass greenhouse.”
Lu Bieling turned his head and spoke to Pu Xin beside him.
Ever since she learned that Zhizhi had to go to the frontline battlefield, Pu Xin had been in low spirits. She had only just reunited with her little one, yet he was about to leave her again and they would not be able to see each other for quite some time. She had even forgotten to mention that she might have found clues about the third little one.
She lifted her head gloomily and glanced at Lu Bieling, the man who was about to take her child away again. Under Qi Xia’s horrified gaze, she lightly kicked his calf with the tip of her shoe.
“Can’t you go by yourself? You’re already so grown up and still need Zhizhi to protect you. How embarrassing!”
Her tone was full of disdain, and her expression clearly asked how he could be so useless.
The impact on Lu Bieling was unexpectedly strong.
To be honest, if his cheap son had not just been called away by Arcius, he would never have brought Pu Xin back here or spent time alone with her.
Without Lu Xunzhi acting as a buffer, the atmosphere between them was extremely awkward. Especially since the little dandelion kept glaring at him with angry eyes from time to time.
Now that he had been labeled “useless,” Lu Bieling found himself somewhat speechless.
Since he did not argue back, the little dandelion assumed he had nothing to say. She snorted heavily and added angrily, “You had better bring my Zhizhi back completely unharmed. Otherwise I’ll take you to the Devil’s Eye and throw you in to feed the little silver fish.”
Lu Bieling fell silent. It seemed to be quite a frightening threat.
A man who had never had much experience interacting with women, Lu Bieling thought carefully before deciding he should remind his son that a mother should not spoil her child too much, otherwise Lu Xunzhi might become a useless playboy.
“It is perfectly normal to be injured on the battlefield. You should not indulge him too much. Do not let him rely on the bodyguard you assigned to him. He is already grown up and needs to learn to—”
Before he could finish speaking, the response he received was the sharp pain of a toe striking his calf.
The little dandelion had not listened to a single word.
“That is the little one I worked so hard to give birth to!”
“Before talking about my child, maybe think about yourself. You’re already this old and still need so many people protecting you. You should learn to be independent!”
Her argument sounded very reasonable, and she even pointed toward the guards stationed throughout the Marshal’s residence, where soldiers stood watch every few steps.
Lu Bieling once again fell silent.
How exactly was he supposed to reason with a little dandelion?
The famous Marshal Lu Bieling, who had once remained calm even when surrounded by enemies on all sides in battle, now felt confused once again.
If this had been the past, he would never have discussed how he raised his son with anyone else. However, Pu Xin was different. Her place in Lu Xunzhi’s heart was extremely important, and there were some matters he could not simply decide alone.
“I—” “Don’t think you can bribe me with a nutrient solution!” Pu Xin interrupted him before he could continue.
Even though she said that, her feet carried her honestly toward the glass greenhouse she had visited earlier. It was clear she still wanted the high-grade plant nutrient solutions stored there.
Lu Bieling shook his head helplessly. He knew she could not bear to part with her child, yet he also knew she would not stop him from leaving. This was simply a small tantrum.
He caught up with her and handed her a strawberry-flavored nutrient solution.
“That kid is clever. He’ll be fine. Just treat this as him going on a trip. When he comes back, you’ll see him again.”
Pu Xin pouted at the nutrient solution in front of her, but she still took it and poked Lu Bieling’s arm.
“You have to protect him.”
Lu Bieling obediently nodded. “He can’t get hurt.”
Lu Bieling agreed again. “You must report his situation to me regularly.”
Lu Bieling confirmed there was no problem.
Behind them, Su Kai and Qi Xia exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in the other’s eyes.
Qi Xia whispered, “The Marshal treats Madam very well.”
At the same time, Su Kai murmured, “Madam is no longer so distant with the Marshal either.”
They looked at each other again before quickly suppressing their thoughts and pretending they had said nothing.
After listing countless conditions for Lu Bieling, Pu Xin stuffed the empty nutrient bottle back into his hand and raised her chin slightly.
“You’re not completely useless.”
Lu Bieling remained silent.
He immediately sent a message to his cheap son.
Your mother misses you. Finish your business and come back immediately.
Pu Xin did not notice his small action. Feeling better, she prepared to walk toward the glass greenhouse when a hearty male voice suddenly laughed nearby.
“Old Lu, have you finally decided to find a mother for Xunzhi?”
Hearing her child’s name, Pu Xin raised her head.
She met a pair of deep blue eyes.
The man had sharp features, though a deep scar ran along the corner of his left eye, giving him a slightly fierce appearance.
He also wore a marshal’s uniform. He looked somewhat older than Lu Bieling and was more heavily built. His entire body exuded a chilling aura of battle that made people instinctively avoid looking at him.
Pu Xin completely ignored the murderous aura surrounding him and looked at him curiously.
“I’m Zhizhi’s mother. Who are you?”
The small dandelion possessed remarkable social boldness. When she first met Lu Bieling, she had immediately shaken his hand without hesitation. After exchanging identities, she had treated him as if he were already familiar. Now, even facing Gu Moran, the most ruthless of the Federation’s ten marshals, she showed no fear.
Gu Moran raised his eyebrows in surprise and laughed loudly.
“I’m Bieling’s friend and also half of Xunzhi’s teacher. I heard earlier that he had found his mother. Now I finally get the chance to meet you.”
Pu Xin’s identity was not a secret among the Federation’s top leadership. Even if Lu Bieling had immense influence, he could not completely conceal it from everyone.
The little dandelion nodded thoughtfully and smiled at him before turning to Lu Bieling.
“I’m hungry. I’ll go eat some cake with Qi Xia.”
Anyone else would have exchanged a few polite words first, yet she clearly had no intention of continuing the conversation with Gu Moran. She simply led Qi Xia away.
Lu Bieling acknowledged her departure and watched her leave before turning to see Gu Moran’s teasing expression.
“She really is quite a distinctive alien species. I have never seen one like her before.”
He paused briefly before adding, “But if you chose her, how could she be ordinary?”
Lu Bieling frowned slightly.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I have no plans in that regard.”
Pu Xin was innocent and lively. Raising her as a daughter might be possible, but if he actually married her, Lu Bieling suspected he might not be able to handle it. Besides, he had no plans to marry anytime soon, even though the step of having a child had already happened.
Gu Moran frowned in disagreement.
“Old Lu, that won’t do. You already have a son, yet you won’t give her a proper status? What does it matter if she’s an alien? The Federation has already passed the interracial marriage law—”
“Let’s stop talking about that. Why did you come suddenly without informing me?” Lu Bieling interrupted him.
He disliked discussing his private matters. Moreover, the Federation was currently facing both internal and external threats. It was better to focus on capturing those secretly conducting illegal alien trade and infiltrating the government.
Gu Moran understood that he did not wish to continue the topic, so he changed the subject.
“Do you remember what I told you earlier about many Federal departments being infiltrated? I discovered that those who infiltrated are not simply demi-humans.”
“A few days ago I captured two demi-humans and conducted interrogation and research on them. I found that they were not demi-humans at all, but ordinary humans implanted with violent-type alien genes.”
Lu Bieling had already discovered this earlier, though he had not revealed it to anyone except Lu Xunzhi.
He displayed an appropriate level of surprise.
“How could that happen? Human and alien genes are incompatible. Implantation should be impossible.”
“That’s what I thought as well, but the final report cannot be wrong. I came to find you as soon as I received the information.”
Gu Moran’s brows were deeply furrowed.
“Did you manage to interrogate anything?” Lu Bieling asked.
Gu Moran shook his head.
“We restrained them, but once they transformed into alien forms they lost all rationality. They had no consciousness at all, so interrogation was impossible.”
“This is the biggest difference between them and demi-humans. Demi-humans still retain human thought. These modified humans have their minds completely devoured by the alien genes.”
Lu Bieling listened silently, his gaze drifting into the distance.
After a moment, Gu Moran changed the subject again.
“The situation on the frontline is more urgent. That high-level insect race creature will probably be difficult to handle. I came to tell you that I’ll handle matters here for now.”
Lu Bieling nodded. “If you take charge, I’m naturally at ease.”
After a short conversation, Gu Moran left without allowing Lu Bieling to escort him.
Watching his large figure gradually disappear into the distance, Lu Bieling turned to Su Kai.
“How long did it take you to discover that those Devil Flower demi-humans were actually modified humans?”
Su Kai did not understand the purpose of the question.
“Thirteen days. Why do you ask, Marshal?”
Lu Bieling asked again, “How did you discover it?”
Su Kai replied, “A researcher at the institute accidentally noticed irregularities in their genetic coding. After further investigation, we discovered they were not true demi-humans.”
Lu Bieling nodded. “Gu Moran has capable people under him.”
He said nothing more and returned to the administrative district.
Su Kai did not fully understand the implication, but before he could ask further, Lu Bieling gave him another order.
“Go check how Pu Xin’s selection is going. Later you personally escort her back.”
Su Kai hurried to the glass greenhouse.
The little dandelion had already arrived earlier. She had taken off her shoes and socks and happily soaked her feet in the pool of pale green nutrient solution, occasionally splashing it while giving commands to Qi Xia beside her.
“Qi Xia, take that one, and that one, and also the bottle on the top shelf… no, not that one, the light pink bottle. I haven’t soaked my feet in that color before…”
Qi Xia was dizzy from the instructions but obediently stored all the nutrient solutions she selected into his spatial bag.
The nutrient solutions used for cultivating flowers in the Marshal’s residence were specially prepared and unavailable on the market. Lu Bieling’s invitation had essentially opened the sheep pen for the wolf.
Pu Xin showed no restraint at all. She took every variety while happily soaking her feet.
Although she rarely praised Lu Bieling, she muttered one sentence.
“He’s not very useful, but he is quite generous…”
Su Kai suddenly felt something strange about interpreting that as praise.
He quickly stepped forward.
“Madam, the Marshal said that if you like them, you can take all the nutrient solutions. There is no need to pick them one by one. I’ll arrange for someone to pack them immediately.”
Before Pu Xin could respond, Su Kai had already summoned assistants.
By the time she finished soaking her feet, a beautiful light green spatial bag was placed into her hands. Since it was her favorite color, she happily accepted it.
After arranging matters regarding his departure from the capital star system, Lu Bieling received the report that the glass greenhouse had been completely emptied by Pu Xin.
He did not know whether to laugh or cry.
In the end he simply sent another message urging Lu Xunzhi to hurry back and take his mother away.
Arcius had already arranged the interstellar spacecraft. The departure time was set for nine o’clock the following morning, which also happened to be the time Lu Xunzhi would report to the military and depart the capital star system aboard a warship.
The night before departure, Pu Xin remained in low spirits.
Even when Lu Xunzhi personally brought nutrient solution for soaking her feet, she showed little reaction.
Her little one was already very capable, and she believed he could take care of himself, but they had only just reunited. She did not want to be separated again so soon.
Arcius saw her unhappy expression and lost his excitement about having his mother to himself.
He tried desperately to cheer her up.
In the end, he also brought a basin of nutrient solution for soaking her feet. He and Lu Xunzhi stood pitifully on either side of the pool where Pu Xin usually soaked her feet.
Qi Xia and Rot were utterly stunned. To avoid being silenced later, they quickly fled the scene.
When Pu Xin noticed the two little ones, she splashed the water and patted the stone beside her.
“Zhizhi, come sit here.”
Lu Xunzhi understood that she was still upset. This was not the first time he had soaked his feet with his mother, so he obediently placed the nutrient solution aside, removed his shoes, and stepped into the pool.
Before he could sit down properly, Pu Xin suddenly asked, “Zhizhi, have you fixed your habit of snoring when you sleep?”
Lu Xunzhi nearly slipped and fell face first into the pool.
Why did his silly mother still remember that?
That rumor had clearly been started by Arcius!
He forced a smile and prepared to deny it, but Pu Xin had already turned to look at Arcius.
A sense of danger immediately rose in Arcius’s heart. He intended to strike first, yet Lu Xunzhi did not give him the chance.
“Mom, Arcius has smelly feet. He should soak them more often.”
Arcius was speechless.
The capitalist lowered his head to stare at the nutrient solution in his hands and briefly considered splashing it onto his stingy brother’s head.
Pu Xin suddenly looked enlightened.
“That’s right, Xiu Xiu. Mom forgot to supervise you soaking your feet every night…”
Arcius forced a gentle smile.
“Mom, close your eyes. I have a surprise for you.”
Pu Xin had grown accustomed to him giving her little gifts recently, so she obediently closed her eyes.
After waiting a few seconds, the surprise did not arrive. Instead she heard a loud splash.
Startled, she opened her eyes just as a hand gently covered them again.
Arcius whispered beside her ear, “Mom, until I tell you, no matter what you hear you must not open your eyes.”
Trusting her little one, she nodded seriously.
Lu Xunzhi, now soaked halfway through after being kicked into the pool, glared at the shameless man crouching beside their mother.
He stood up and grabbed Arcius by the collar. Arcius strangely made no attempt to avoid it.
Lu Xunzhi sensed something wrong and tried to let go, but the cunning capitalist suddenly groaned and called out “Mom,” then dragged Lu Xunzhi down into the pool with him.
When Pu Xin opened her eyes again, she saw the older little one pulling the younger one into the water.
Her expression froze for a moment. Lu Xunzhi wanted to kill someone.
Arcius tugged at his soaked shirt and said pitifully, “Mom, when brother pulled me, the gift I prepared for you fell into the pool.”
Lu Xunzhi had no words. What a shameless man.
The little dandelion looked at both of them silently.
Arcius suddenly felt slightly guilty. He nudged Lu Xunzhi’s abdomen with his elbow behind her back where she could not see.
Lu Xunzhi nearly laughed in anger.
This guy created the mess and still expected him to help cover it up.
Despite that, he cleared his throat.
“Mom, Arcius was just playing with me. I’ll help you find the gift.”
Pu Xin continued staring at him. Lu Xunzhi did not dare say another word.
The atmosphere grew quiet. A cool breeze passed by, chilling the two little ones.
Finally the little dandelion moved.
She lifted her feet from the pool, slipped them into her slippers, and stood up. Then she looked at the two half grown children with an extremely disgusted expression.
“Can you stop playing in the water where Mom soaks her feet?”
“You’re both dirty. Don’t come near me until you wash yourselves.”
Lu Xunzhi and Arcius fell silent.
They watched helplessly as their mother walked back into the house in her slippers.
Still standing in the pool, the two men glanced at each other before quickly looking away and simultaneously scolding each other.
“Lu Xunzhi, you’re twenty eight, not three. Stop running to Mom every time!”
“Arcius, are you three and a half? Playing such childish tricks. If you lie too often, Mom won’t believe you anymore!”
After speaking at the same time, they snorted and turned away. Both climbed out of the pool angrily and rushed to their rooms to wash themselves from head to toe.
The small incident erased the sadness of their impending separation.
Early the next morning, afraid his silly mother would feel too reluctant to part with him, Lu Xunzhi quietly checked on her while she was still asleep. He secretly took the photo they had taken together from her table and left for the military with a heart full of emotion.
Before leaving, Arcius sat on the sofa drinking coffee and mocked him.
“Don’t die on the battlefield. If my mom cries, I won’t be able to comfort her.”
Although he still did not know what had happened on the Federation’s frontline, the urgency of Lu Xunzhi’s departure made it clear that the situation was serious.
Lu Xunzhi snorted. “You should cherish your time with Mom.”
The two exchanged a silent glance before Arcius watched him leave.
When Pu Xin woke up, she was not as sad as Arcius expected. Instead she was energetic and beautifully dressed, happily linking arms with him as they boarded the interstellar spacecraft.
Countless planets stretched across the universe like a brilliant galaxy, while radiant stars released energy to sustain life on surrounding worlds.
Nine hours later, their spacecraft arrived in the capital star system of the Hetulu Empire.
The imperial capital star system consisted of ten planets. Between the fifth and sixth planets lay a beautiful asteroid belt, which served as the system’s free market and one of its most popular tourist attractions.
Arcius held extremely high status within the empire. After routine inspection at the starport, their spacecraft was quickly cleared to enter the capital planet.
Since this was officially her first time traveling outside, Pu Xin felt a little excited. After hearing Arcius describe the asteroid belt earlier, she already wanted to visit.
Arcius was happy that she had not remained sad for long after leaving Lu Xunzhi. He promised to take her sightseeing after they settled in.
They disembarked through the special channel at the capital starport, surrounded by a large group of bodyguards.
However, just as they exited the passage, imperial guards who had been waiting there surrounded them. Their silver and blue armor gleamed, and their synchronized movements were imposing.
Arcius frowned and immediately stepped in front of Pu Xin.
From behind the guards emerged the imperial palace’s chief steward, an elderly man with white hair named Carmel. Wearing a monocle with a gold chain, he bowed slightly.
“Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence.”
The title “Your Highness” was reserved only for imperial princes. Carmel spoke it naturally, clearly not the first time he had addressed Arcius that way.
Neither the guards nor Arcius’s subordinates found it unusual. Only Pu Xin, who knew nothing about this, blinked in confusion.
“Who is His Majesty? Why does he want to see you?”
Her voice was not loud, but the silence made it clearly audible.
Carmel showed no reaction and did not even look at her.
Arcius had no intention of obeying.
“He’s just someone I’ve met a few times. Not important.”
He tried to leave with Pu Xin, but Carmel moved to block him again.
“Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence.”
His calm voice made it clear that refusal was not an option.
The Emperor of the Hetulu Empire, Helange, was a figure feared throughout the universe. His methods were ruthless. Years earlier, terrorists had kidnapped more than a dozen royal family members, including his siblings, demanding he stop suppressing their organization.
Helange ignored the demand and destroyed the terrorist group entirely. Unfortunately, his refusal led to the deaths of those royal hostages.
Although he was criticized by some members of the royal family, none could challenge his rule. If the royal family symbolized the empire, Helange himself was the faith of its people.
Arcius understood exactly how domineering Helange was. If he had been alone, he could have simply gone to the palace and endured another lecture and punishment.
But Pu Xin was with him now.
He could not predict what that arrogant emperor might do.
He tightened his grip on his mother’s hand.
“Go home with Rot first. I’ll be back soon.”
Pu Xin sensed his tension. “Can’t I go with you?”
Arcius wanted to refuse, but Carmel suddenly said, “His Majesty would also like to meet Madam.”
The title made Arcius look sharply at him, though Carmel kept his head lowered.
Pu Xin did not care about emperors or titles. She simply did not want her little one taken away by strangers. Now that she was allowed to go along, she naturally refused to leave.
They boarded the imperial hovercar.
Arcius skillfully took juice from the refrigerator and handed it to Pu Xin. She thanked him and happily sipped it.
Seated in front, Carmel discreetly observed them, paying particular attention to Pu Xin’s youthful and innocent appearance.
Within the empire, alien species were treated as outsiders. They were not executed, but they held a status little different from slaves.
Having children with an alien species was equivalent to having children with a slave. In the empire’s strict hierarchy, mixed bloodlines were always looked down upon, even if they possessed royal blood.
After arriving at the imperial palace, Pu Xin was not allowed to accompany Arcius to meet Helange. To avoid causing trouble for her little one, she did not insist.
The imperial palace was far more luxurious than Lu Xunzhi’s residence. Pu Xin was brought to a lounge by Carmel and given many kinds of delicious food, including the juice she had just enjoyed. However, she remained distracted, occasionally glancing toward the door.
Carmel smiled gently.
“Madam, when His Highness comes to the palace, he usually stays here. Would you like to see photos of him when he was young?”
The suggestion immediately caught the little dandelion’s attention.
“You have photos of Xiu Xiu?”
Only then did she realize she had never seen pictures of Zhizhi as a child. She quickly opened her smart device’s notes and recorded a reminder to ask Lu Bieling for them later.
Carmel brought out a thick album.
On the cover was a five or six year old boy holding a red rose in a garden, smiling dreamily at the surrounding flowers.
Pu Xin looked at the picture once, and her smile disappeared.
“Why was Xiu Xiu’s health so poor?”
The boy in the photo clearly did not look happy, yet this image had been chosen as the album’s cover.
A faint anger stirred within her.
Carmel paused. “What do you mean?”
Before Pu Xin could explain, she suddenly sensed something.
Her head snapped toward the direction where her little one was.
“What does His Majesty want with me?”
Arcius entered the imperial emperor’s hall of governance. He neither bowed nor greeted the ruler, speaking with cold indifference as if the man before him were not the feared emperor of the empire but merely a stranger.
Seated upon the throne was a man with long golden hair tied loosely behind his neck by a silver red ribbon. His imperial robes were silver and red, and a long crimson cloak draped down behind him.
The imperial family of the Hetulu Empire was famous for its beauty, and Helange was particularly handsome, admired by countless noblewomen.
However, his presence carried an overwhelming authority that discouraged anyone from meeting his gaze.
“Can’t even control your own dog, yet you act so arrogant.”
His tone sounded casual, but the content of his words was sharp.
Arcius curled his lips coldly. “What does it have to do with you, Your Majesty?”
Helange responded with a faint laugh.
“I don’t remember teaching you to behave like a cowardly mouse that only knows how to run.”
Arcius pressed his lips together.
It was true.
After the previous emperor had handed him over to Katesi, his adoptive father, the then crown prince Helange had secretly trained him.
Without Helange, he would not be who he was today.
But Helange had never treated him like a child the way Lu Bieling treated Lu Xunzhi. Arcius had merely been an amusing diversion in his otherwise dull life.
“I don’t remember you teaching me to become a mindless puppet either.”
Helange smiled instead of becoming angry.
“If you don’t want to be a puppet, then you need the strength to resist. Didn’t you once want to manipulate imperial politics? You can’t even control a single toy, yet you want to interfere with the empire? Since when did you become so naive?”
“I have no interest in interfering with the empire,” Arcius replied calmly.
Helange raised his eyebrows in surprise.
The last time he saw this brat, Arcius had confidently declared that he would overthrow him.
Helange rested his chin on one hand, the purple gemstone earring on his ear swaying gently.
“So you’ve decided to hide in your mother’s arms and become a useless waste?”
For some reason, Arcius did not feel the usual resentment when hearing this.
“Being useless isn’t so bad.”
His mother tolerated his temper, worried about what he ate every day, and cared about whether his illness had worsened. Compared to endless wealth and meaningless scheming, he preferred walking in the garden with her.
Helange did not expect such a response.
“You know what you’re saying?”
Arcius calmly met his identical amber eyes.
“I’m satisfied with what I have now. This boring empire can remain under your rule. I’m not interested.”
After speaking, he did something he had never done before.
He bowed slightly. Helange frowned deeply.
Before he could react, Arcius turned and walked toward the door.
The emperor’s anger finally erupted.
A terrifying surge of mental power exploded outward. The swords hanging on the walls vibrated violently. Imperial guards rushed inside with energy weapons drawn.
Helange’s cold gaze swept across them, freezing them in place.
Arcius frowned. “Your Majesty, you hate mixed blood the most. Why insist on me, an incompetent failure? Wouldn’t it be easier to marry an empress and produce ten heirs?”
Something in those words triggered Helange’s fury.
An overwhelming wave of mental pressure surged toward Arcius like a collapsing mountain.
Arcius expected to be knocked down by the attack and calmly prepared himself, though he worried his mother might cry if she saw him injured.
The mental force approached.
Just as he was about to retreat, the red plum hairpin in his bangs transformed into a floating red plum blossom.
Before Helange’s astonished eyes, it blocked the emperor’s mental attack.
Petals scattered through the air under the violent impact, yet they quickly reformed into a hollow sphere of crimson plum petals surrounding Arcius.
With a loud crash, Helange’s attack collapsed.
The red petals swirling in the air suddenly turned razor sharp and shot toward the emperor with deadly intent.