Sunset on Andromeda brought a sky of rose-colored clouds, followed by a night where a silver galaxy draped across the heavens. In the garden, tiny specks of green phosphorescence drifted above the white roses.
Luo Jia reached out curiously. A point of light landed on his fingertip. It was a bug—specifically, a black beetle with a hard shell, the light emitting from its tail-hook. He touched it gently before letting it fly away.
The day passed in quiet peace. Luo Jia’s meals were delivered regularly: exquisite fruits, chilled sweet drinks, and hearty main courses. It was all wonderful. Before sleeping, he didn’t encounter any other Zerg.
In the other Mother’s sleeping quarters, High Priest Cecil held a Zerg fairy tale book, reading bedtime stories in a low, soothing voice and answering the Mother’s whimsical questions until Kaka fell asleep. Only then did Cecil stop. He instructed the attendants to watch over Kaka and left the palace.
As Priest, he carried heavy responsibilities: one was caring for the Mother, and the other was fulfilling his divine office—tending to the Life Pool and the Tree of Life. Under the cover of night, while both Mothers slept, Cecil went alone to the Sacred Grounds to pray in silence.
The Human Empire originated from the Blue Planet Earth, and the entire Milky Way now fell under their domain. However, the Empire was no longer centered on the Blue Planet; its resources had long been depleted, leaving it as a mere historical landmark. The true seat of power was established on Planet Olympus, located at the far reaches of the galactic center.
The Sapphire sailed smoothly through the sea of stars.
Gu Qiyin stripped off his combat gear and changed into his military uniform. The black fabric was adorned with medals, accentuating his lean waist and long legs, his black boots hugging his calves. He straightened his collar in the mirror and placed his military cap firmly on his head.
When he emerged, Shen Li gave a crisp military salute. “General.”
“You timed it well,” Gu Qiyin said. “Let’s go to the bridge.”
They arrived at the bridge, where staff were managing the ship’s flight path. Gu Qiyin took his seat, and Shen Li, acting as his deputy, reported on the movements at the Imperial Capital during his absence.
“After you left, the Prime Minister and other officials impeached you again,” Shen Li said. “His Majesty is already aware of the failure to recover the Broodmother’s Essence.”
“It’s fine. I will explain that personally to His Majesty,” Gu Qiyin replied.
Shen Li continued, “One more thing. Our people spotted the Zerg Commander, Qing, on Hades Star D-01. We tracked him; his target was the Moonlight Flower.”
“Moonlight Flower?” Gu Qiyin mused. “I heard the Zerg Mother was supposed to evolve using that Essence. Its loss is a fatal blow to them. Those Zerg handled everyone related to the Essence on the trash planet very quickly. General Xu was among them… the Zerg’s fury is truly terrifying.”
“The flower is likely to bolster the Mother’s constitution,” Shen Li said. “However, our sensors picked up a strange biological signature. Look at this.” He plugged the captured footage into the ship’s port.
A holographic image of the monsters appeared before Gu Qiyin. He frowned, leaning in to observe the creature’s characteristics.
“General, these monsters seem to counter the Zerg. They accelerate their loss of sanity. I suspected they might affect us as well, so I ordered the scouts to retreat.”
“Pollutants,” Gu Qiyin said, glancing at Shen Li. “You did well. One must be extremely cautious when facing these things.”
Shen Li was surprised. “You know of them, General?”
“I’ve spent years searching for someone, traveling to many places,” Gu Qiyin said. “I once found something similar on a nearly decommissioned trash planet. I’ve only seen one in all these years. The locals called it a ‘Pollutant’ because anyone who gets close loses their mind.”
“Your knowledge is vast, General.”
“I’ve just been to a lot of places,” Gu Qiyin asked. “What happened to the Zerg Commander?”
“Our scouts returned later to check. They caught him leaving; it seems he wiped the monsters out.”
“He has some skill,” Gu Qiyin noted. “Tell the scouts to watch for these things. Report any sightings immediately.”
Shen Li nodded. Then Gu Qiyin remembered something: “Shen Li, what about the background check I asked for?”
Shen Li handed over a file. “General Gu, these are the records of everyone exiled to Trash Planet B-25 in recent years.”
Gu Qiyin opened the document, scanned it quickly, and looked up. “Is this everyone?”
“Yes, sir.”
Gu Qiyin nodded. “Understood. You’re dismissed.”
“Yes, sir.”
Gu Qiyin’s lazy eyes turned playful as he looked at the file. There was no one listed by the name of Wang Dudu.
Tsk. Cunning little brat… he gave me a fake name.
Soon, the Sapphire entered the orbit of the Empire’s main star—Planet Olympus. As Gu Qiyin disembarked, he saw the Emperor’s personal attendant waiting with a smile.
“General Gu, His Majesty requests your presence.”
Gu Qiyin followed the attendant into the palace. The Imperial Palace was built on the highest point of Olympus; anyone approaching had to look up at the towering white spires. Gu Qiyin took a teleportation array directly into the heart of the palace, saving himself the climb, and soon met the Emperor.
The Emperor appeared as a middle-aged man with brown hair neatly slicked back. His brown eyes scrutinized Gu Qiyin like a hawk.
Gu Qiyin removed his cap and bowed. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
“No need for formalities, my dear General. Come, sit,” the Emperor said. He looked at Gu Qiyin and added, “The matter of the Broodmother’s Essence is dropped. How is the task I entrusted to you specifically?