AMBTMS Chapter 212

Under Gu Lin’s careful arrangements, everything proceeded in an orderly manner. After Marshal Lin was investigated, they followed the trail and found a series of other participants.

Gu Lin was no longer the young boy from back then, who had nothing and had to rely solely on himself. Behind him now stood the Chiyan Legion, a team he personally trained and promoted—loyal followers who served as his powerful allies.

As expected, this matter was tied to the Yue family from years ago. Contrary to what Li Shu had believed, the Yue family was not a victim, they were the initial investors in this plan.

In this research project centered on humans and the Zerg race, the Yue family held considerable influence. It could even be said that the Yue family was one of the original initiators.

When Gu Lin discovered this information, his first instinct was to keep it from Li Shu.

He had already learned Li Shu’s true identity. It was enough for him to bear a heavy past, there was no need for Li Shu to get involved.

After instructing his adjutant not to mention this to anyone, Gu Lin deleted the information he had seen.

Let the Yue family remain in Li Shu’s heart as the victims.

An Omega went to such lengths and braved numerous dangers just to investigate the events concerning the Yue family back then—surely, the Yue family held a special place in his heart.

Since this was a secret buried in the past, let it remain a secret. Gu Lin lowered his eyes. He was unwilling to let Li Shu feel any sorrow.

Li Shu really never imagined that the Yue family would be so deeply entangled in this. He still thought their role in all this was merely that of victims and never suspected that they would also be among the masterminds.

The events that had been happening recently had never been mentioned in the original plot. Even the Yue family had only been briefly referenced, and from beginning to end, there was no mention of Gu Lin’s background. Just like how Gu Lin eventually became Emperor and finally left the Empire and disappeared into the vast cosmos, his origins were equally mysterious. Many had tried to uncover the secrets surrounding him, but all efforts had been in vain.

The patriarch of the Li family called several more times recently. He had somehow gotten word that he was now favored by Marshal Gu Lin. This time, he wasn’t calling to urge him to return home but instead wanted him to use Marshal Gu Lin’s favor for him.

Li Shu had originally planned to use the Yue family’s past to deal with the Li family, but because he had been busy helping Gu Lin, he hadn’t attended to that matter.

After being nagged several times, Li Shu couldn’t help but ask, “Father, do you know about the Yue family’s history?”

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and a flash of panic crossed the man’s face before he quickly concealed it and replied sternly, “Why are you asking about this? Have you done what I asked you to do?”

“Oh, Father, is this really the attitude you take when asking someone for a favor?” The task the patriarch of the Li family had given Li Shu wasn’t big or small. For Gu Lin, it would be a trivial matter.

One of the family’s shipments had been seized by space pirates, and the patriarch of the Li family wanted Li Shu to ask Gu Lin for help to resolve it.

If this had happened a few months earlier, the Li family patriarch wouldn’t have given it a second thought. With a single hint, there would be plenty of people willing to handle it and do so flawlessly. But times had changed; ever since Li Luo was publicly turned down, the Li family had faced constant targeting. Various business deals were intercepted and there was a substantial reduction in profits.

It’s not that the head of the Li family didn’t try to find out the reason. He also had many suspects in his mind. After all, the Li family’s rapid development over the years had inevitably offended some people. Investigations confirmed that the culprits behind the scenes were indeed his “enemies”.

Being targeted wasn’t new, he had faced opposition in the past. But this time felt different. Back then, while it was difficult, it hadn’t felt like stepping into traps laid out in advance, with each step making his position increasingly precarious.

He didn’t suspect Li Shu. To him, Li Shu was just a powerless Omega with neither the means nor the capability to orchestrate such a situation.

He suspected the Helian family. After the engagement fiasco, it was natural for them to be upset, especially after Helian Zheng left his family’s legion to join the Chiyan Legion. It was rumored that the patriarch of the Helian family had been furious.

If the Helian family was indeed behind this vendetta, it would make perfect sense, and only a powerful family like the Helian could unite others against him.

After all, some of these families were usually at odds. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t have united to deal with him; otherwise, they would have done so long ago instead of waiting until now. Moreover, since these families knew about the Li family’s fallout with the Helian family, not a single person was willing to offer assistance when he reached out.

So, when he heard that his long-estranged Omega son had gained Marshal Gu’s favor, the patriarch of the Li family was ecstatic. This was Marshal Gu! If he could board this powerful ship, all current difficulties would be swept away.

Not only would this solve the family’s immediate problems, but it would also allow them to rise to even greater heights under the Gu family’s influence. At that point, there would be no need to even care about his current enemies.

This was why he kept urging Li Shu repeatedly to ask Gu Lin for help, never considering how the two of them met or why Li Shu ended up on Fanna Star, nor bothering to ask if he was injured.

He only had eyes for himself. Li Shu had known this from the beginning; he wasn’t the original owner of this body and held no expectations for this father. He had no qualms about ignoring his father’s requests.

Besides, the real culprit wasn’t the Helian family, as the patriarch of the Li family believed. After working so hard to trouble the Li family, there was no way Li Shu would help resolve it.

In fact, he couldn’t wait for the Li family to fall faster.

While the patriarch of the Li family continued to drone on about the benefits of a strong family, Li Shu listened absentmindedly. Perhaps the trouble he had created for the Li family wasn’t enough? Otherwise, this person wouldn’t have the leisure to think about these irrelevant things.

“Li Shu, are you even listening?” Realizing his son’s mind was wandering, the patriarch of the Li family asked.

“Yes, Father, I know. I’ll find a time to talk to the Marshal, don’t worry.” I’ll make time soon, rest assured, soon you won’t have to worry about these things. See, I’m quite considerate.

Thinking he had convinced his Omega son, the patriarch of the Li family smiled with satisfaction. “That’s right. Remember, the family will always be your support. No matter what your position in Marshal Gu’s heart will be in the future, as long as the Li family is strong, you’ll always have a voice.”

Li Shu nodded.

Satisfied with Li Shu’s obedient attitude, the patriarch ended the call, then looked up and saw his wife with an expression as if she had something to say.

“What do you want?” he asked impatiently. To him, all of this trouble had been caused by this mother and son duo, so he wasn’t about to show them any good face.

After enduring for a while, Madam Li finally forced a gentle expression. “I wanted to ask how your conversation with Xiao Shu went. If he doesn’t agree, you can’t blame him. It’s all my fault for ignoring him and trusting Xiao Luo too much in the past, causing him considerable grievances…”

“It’s good you know that. When Xiao Shu returns, you’d better not treat him as you did before. Also, Xiao Shu hasn’t refused to help, so just mind your own business. And teach your son properly, all of this mess was caused by him, yet he spends his days at home, throwing tantrums. What kind of behavior is that!”

“I understand. I’ll make sure to guide Xiao Luo properly.” Madam Li could barely hold her expression. Everything her son had done was for the family. If not for that little bitch Li Shu interfering, her Xiao Luo wouldn’t be facing all of this now!

The patriarch of the Li family glanced at her and warned, “Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on in your mind. Just because I didn’t pursue your past actions doesn’t mean I’m unaware. This time is different. Keep those petty schemes to yourself, and make sure Xiao Luo knows his place.”

“I understand, I’ll look at the bigger picture.” Madam Li nearly gritted her teeth. She had once intended for Li Shu to live under Li Luo’s shadow for the rest of his life, just like that person had been crushed beneath her in the past. Her child was destined not to compete with hers.

She went to great lengths and calculated everything meticulously, only for the final outcome to be so drastically different from her expectations. She couldn’t understand where things had gone wrong. Xiao Luo and Helian Zheng’s marriage had fallen apart, and now, they had become the family’s disgrace. After spending so much time with the patriarch of the Li family, she knew very well what kind of Alpha he was. And it was precisely because she knew that she felt utter despair.

She thought she had won over that person and had been complacent about it for so many years, only to realize now that, from beginning to end, she had never truly won. That person was foolish, and she was foolish too. Both of them had been deceived by a hypocritical Alpha, each believing they were the most special, when in reality, in that person’s heart, they were both the same.

Compared to the family, compared to his career, compared to the power he held, what did they even mean? They were merely Omegas who could bear children, something to play with when he was pleased and discard when he wasn’t.

Shouldn’t she have seen this clearly from the start?

Watching the Alpha’s tall, indifferent back as he walked away, she gave a bitter smile. Even if she had realized it, what difference would it make? Her best years had been wasted on this man; they were now bound together as a community of interests, tied to each other for life.

Li Shu was unaware of what had happened in the Li family, and even if he knew, he wouldn’t care much. He had already known what kind of person the original owner’s father was, so nothing he did would surprise him. Even if the man drove Xiao Luo’s mother out of the house, Li Shu wouldn’t find it remarkable.

“Did the Li family contact you again?” Gu Lin removed his military jacket, wrapped his arm around Li Shu’s waist, and asked.

Since the first time the Li family patriarch contacted Li Shu, Gu Lin had known about it. Someone from the Li family had tried to approach him and since they were related to Li Shu, Gu Lin was polite. Moreover, the favor they were asking for wasn’t anything significant. He had initially planned to lend a hand, but Li Shu had stopped him.

He would have helped only because it was for Li Shu. But since Li Shu didn’t want to help, Gu Lin simply pretended not to know about it. He hadn’t expected that after so long, the Li family still wouldn’t give up.

“Just ignore them. How’s everything going on your end? Still no progress on the Yue family matter?” Li Shu tossed aside his light brain and leaned against the man’s broad shoulder.

Gu Lin had been extremely busy lately, coming and going in a rush; it had been a long time since they had sat together and talked like this.

Gu Lin lowered his gaze, avoiding Li Shu’s eyes, and shook his head. “No. The trail went cold with that pirate group from back then. I’m still investigating further.”

“It’s not surprising you can’t find anything. That pirate group was destroyed years ago, and the Yue family’s issue happened a long time ago. Even if there were clues left back then, they’d be hard to find after so many years.” Thinking that Gu Lin was blaming himself, Li Shu nudged his shoulder gently to comfort him. “Anyway, what you’re dealing with is more important, you handle that first.”

Gu Lin followed Li Shu’s words and changed the topic. “I’m close to pinpointing their main hideout. Do you want to come along and see when we reach it?”

Recently, Li Shu had been feeling a bit lazy and hadn’t been tagging along with Gu Lin everywhere. Considering his current role as a delicate Omega, no one would mind if he stayed behind at the base.

Wrapped in the familiar scent, Li Shu half-closed his eyes, savoring the moment of tranquility.

“I’ll go with you,” he murmured, his eyes almost shut. Due to the influence of his Omega body, Li Shu felt like he was turning into a clingy, lazy cat. He wanted to stay by his Alpha’s side at all times, be enveloped by the Alpha’s strong pheromones, and felt sleepy all day.

Gu Lin held him tighter. His eyes looked into the void, his dark eyes clouded and inscrutable.

He hadn’t expected that the deeper he dug into this matter, the more people would be involved. This force had somehow established itself within the Empire’s core and was intertwined with it. To uproot it completely would not be an easy task.

Politicians, noble families with extensive influence, and even powerful entities like the Yue family—all were connected to this force. The deeper he investigated, the more alarming the findings became. Beyond the research facility, they were involved in many other fields. If anyone other than him were probing into this, they would have probably been quietly eliminated by now.

During this period, Gu Lin had encountered no fewer than five assassination attempts, along with various other seemingly “accidental” incidents. Li Shu staying in a safe location and away from him actually made him feel more at ease. Even if Li Shu hadn’t suggested it himself, Gu Lin would have found an excuse to keep him here; it was simply too dangerous around him.

Fortunately, this ordeal would soon be over. Once this matter was resolved, there would no longer be any threat to their safety, and no one would come close enough to endanger Li Shu.

Those on the Empire Star had good reason to fear Gu Lin. Besides his own strength, what made him formidable was the Chiyan Legion that he had personally led. This was a battle-hardened army with astonishing combat capabilities, unlike the old, decaying legions with hereditary traditions.

It was only later that Li Shu discovered that many young people like Helian Zheng had joined the Chiyan Legion. These young men were passionate, and they knew they could genuinely serve the people while in the Chiyan Legion rather than just holding military ranks and engaging in power struggles.

The tides on Fanna Star were surging and Gu Lin’s large-scale movements were hard to miss. Pirates who had entrenched themselves there for years were on edge, fearing that Gu Lin’s objective was to deal with them.

Everyone knew that the Chiyan Legion, led by Gu Lin, was the main force fighting against the Zerg. Stationed in Zerg-infested areas year-round, the Chiyan Legion had built its reputation through battles against the Zerg. Before the war began, neither he nor his troops were officially recognized. The Empire had only established a fifth legion because it had no other choice.

The Chiyan Legion did not involve itself in internal politics; they only needed to fight the Zerg. The Empire’s forces had tried to suppress them many times, employing all sorts of petty schemes, but without success.

Since its establishment, the Chiyan Legion’s reputation had only grown, attracting more and more talented individuals. It was only in recent years, after the Zerg had been beaten into submission and stopped frequently harassing the borders, that Gu Lin turned his attention to the pirates who were brazenly plundering the people’s wealth.

After a few attacks, the star pirates were practically terrified at the sight of the Chiyan Legion. They were used to robbing others and never expected the tables to turn like this, where they became the weaker party.

Even the once-powerful Red Sea Pirates had been completely taken down by the Chiyan Legion, with nothing left behind. Now, the star pirates feared the Chiyan Legion at the mere mention of their name.

Had Gu Lin not hidden his identity back then, he wouldn’t have been able to enter Fanna Star so easily.

Now, the star pirates knew he was here. But what could they do? Such a massive legion had arrived. To go against them would be a death wish—like an old man hanging himself.

They could only stay put, quietly praying the Chiyan Legion wasn’t here to trouble them. Apart from themselves, the star pirates couldn’t think of anything else on Fanna Star that would interest the Chiyan Legion.

The star pirates waited and waited, but the blade that loomed over their necks never fell. Instead, they heard that yet another place had been stormed by the Chiyan Legion, and they scrambled to figure out what was going on.

At this point, there was nothing left to hide, and the star pirates quickly got the latest news.

Pirates who discovered the news thought: damn, we never expected there could be those worse than us. At least we only rob money, these people are directly targeting human beings!

Look, they’re transplanting organs from Zergs into humans, not to mention creating those monstrous hybrids. Can this even be the work of humans?

These are Zergs, humanity’s enemies, and yet someone is twisted enough to do this!

It was decided in an internal meeting to gradually release this information. This was a major issue concerning all of humanity, and it wasn’t just for the Empire—the entire galaxy had a right to know.

While increasing the search intensity, Gu Lin released the information bit by bit.

The star network exploded.

It all started with a live broadcast. It was launched by a newcomer anchor out of nowhere, with a title that instantly caught everyone’s attention. Many people clicked on it out of curiosity.

They expected a clickbait title, but the content was even more explosive.

There was no so-called host in the live broadcast, just what appeared to be an abandoned building, which was nothing special. Atmost, the place didn’t look like an ordinary residence but rather like a laboratory. Of focus the focus wasn’t here, but on the things that lay within.

It was a giant creature, and anyone who had attended school could recognize it as a Zerg species shown in textbooks. But on closer inspection, it seemed… off. It was not a whole, but was “pieced together” artificially.

Various parts of different Zergs had been pieced together, each section representing the most deadly features of its respective species. What did this mean? Someone was attempting to artificially create the strongest Zerg, one without weaknesses!

[I clicked in just to see how the live broadcast didn’t match the title, I cried. It really doesn’t match. These things are much more explosive than the title.]

[I just want to know who the hell created this thing! Haven’t enough people died from the Zergs every year? Why are some idiots not getting it?]

[This is disgusting! Maybe some people don’t realize, but this creature alone has parts from at least ten Class-2 Zergs. Let me give an example. Normally, it would take two soldiers to defeat one of them, but this modified thing would require twenty soldiers! This isn’t just a simple numbers game!]

[So what’s going on? Who’s behind this live broadcast? Can someone explain?]

[…]

The live broadcast exploded, drawing in more viewers as word spread. Questions poured across the screen in the barrage, but there was no host to answer, only the silent display of the surroundings.

After that, every day at the same time, this mysterious live broadcast would start on schedule, with each day’s content growing increasingly horrifying.

Those behind the scenes began to panic. They tried everything to track down the anchor, even using their connections to shut down the live broadcast room directly or identify the person through the platform.

But no matter what they did, they couldn’t find the person behind it. Even something as simple as closing the live broadcast room was impossible. Even worse, they couldn’t block anyone from entering because the live broadcast’s popularity had soared. Taking action now would only provoke public outrage.

The star network was now in an uproar, as the content of the live broadcast had escalated from simple Zerg research to transplanting Zerg organs into human bodies. Outraged citizens across the Empire demanded an explanation from their government.

The live broadcast idea was Li Shu’s suggestion. At the time, Gu Lin had hit a roadblock; someone was clearly trying to sever loose ends and save themselves. Gu Lin was worried, because the evidence in his hands wasn’t enough to shake those core figures. It was so close to succeeding, and he didn’t want to give up.

Li Shu proposed releasing the information publicly. One person could be silenced, a hundred, or even a thousand. But if a billion people knew, or ten billion, then how could they stifle the collective outcry? They couldn’t just kill everyone, right?

Li Shu had his reasons for suggesting this. In the age of the star network, no secret was truly safe, but he had his system. He had consulted 1314 and received confirmation before he proposed the idea.

Anyone else might face issues executing this, but for Li Shu, it was flawless.

Gu Lin had initially disagreed. While feasible, this plan would put the person running the live broadcast directly in the spotlight. There was no way Gu Lin was willing to place Li Shu in such a dangerous situation.

But eventually, Li Shu convinced him, but Gu Lin retained the right to stop the operation at any time. Gu Lin would also monitor every movement online, and should anything go wrong, he would take over immediately.

Knowing that Gu Lin had already compromised, Li Shu didn’t say anything further.

If it weren’t for the system, he wouldn’t have suggested this plan. It looked simple on the surface, but actually carrying it out was no easy task, especially since the people behind it all had immense influence and stood at the very peak of power. One wrong move could lead to total defeat.

The system was the one who set up the live broadcast room. Since it came from a higher dimension and was a super high-tech product, it wasn’t difficult to create an untraceable identity.

Things proceeded smoothly, and just as they anticipated, the enemy was provoked.

As long as they forced the opponent to act, they could seize the opportunity to find flaws and obtain crucial evidence.

It was time for those skies obscured by darkness to clear up, and for those who had been experimented on in such unjust ways to receive an explanation.

At first, Gu Lin was worried, fearing that Li Shu might face retaliation from the people behind the scenes. After a while, he realized that the opponent couldn’t even identify who was behind it, and he began to feel reassured.

“If you’re really worried, you could have someone try to trace my real information through the live broadcast room.” Li Shu suggested with a smile.

“Alright!” Gu Lin was curious as well. The Star Network was a real-name system, essentially a second reality. It wasn’t easy to operate there without exposing one’s identity.

His initial concern about Li Shu doing this was precisely because of this; with enough authority, everything on the Star Network was transparent. Although the law stipulated that such information shouldn’t be tracked, for some people, laws were nothing more than tools to control others, not restrictions for themselves.

As one of the five great marshals, Gu Lin had some authority over the Star Network. He logged into his account and entered Li Shu’s live broadcast room. From his perspective, all information related to the live broadcast and the anchor was blurred, and he could not get any useful information.

Li Shu explained, “Anyone who tries to use their permissions to trace my identity will just see randomly generated information. It might be obscured details like what you see now, or an identity on some faraway, remote planet. If they follow that identity, all they’ll get is a string of irrelevant information, without any link to a real person.”

Gu Lin pulled Li Shu into his lap and touched the back of his neck. “I didn’t expect our Shu Shu was so capable!”

Li Shu shuddered as his gland was touched. He instinctively tried to pull away, only to be stopped by the man’s hand. “Where are you trying to go, Shu Shu?”

“Don’t touch my neck,” Li Shu shrank back a little.

“How should I touch it? Like this?” Where Li Shu couldn’t see, Gu Lin’s eyes darkened and he bit the back of Li Shu’s neck.

“No—”

Pheromones spilled uncontrollably and filled the room. Li Shu couldn’t evade it in the end and was carried to the bed by the man.

The unique Omega pheromones grew sweeter and sweeter, lingering lightly, and finally when they reached a certain critical point, they were suppressed by the powerful Alpha pheromones that can no longer bear it, blending until they fused completely, indistinguishable from one another.

—

[Host, I’ve discovered something related to the Yue family.]

Li Shu was lying on the bed, browsing news on the Star Network, when he suddenly heard 1314’s voice.

[Oh? Where did you find this?]

[From the protagonist’s light brain,] 1314’s tone fluctuated slightly.

[Gu Lin? If he knew, why didn’t he tell me?] Li Shu saw Gu Lin every day, and he’d even asked him about the Yue family. If Gu Lin knew, he shouldn’t have kept it from him.

[Host, take a look yourself.]

As soon as 1314 finished speaking, Li Shu received a file about the Yue family. After reading it, he understood why Gu Lin hadn’t told him. It turned out the Yue family played that kind of role.

“He must have been afraid I couldn’t handle it,” Li Shu murmured.

“What couldn’t you handle?” Gu Lin entered with nutrient solution and sat by the bed. “Hungry?”

Feeling his stomach, Li Shu bit his lip and nodded. He hadn’t eaten, and after the intense activity, he was starving.

After drinking the nutrient solution, Gu Lin wiped the corner of his mouth. “What were you mumbling about just now?”

“Oh, I was talking about the Yue family. You didn’t tell me because you thought I couldn’t handle it, right?”

Li Shu’s tone was light and indifferent, but Gu Lin’s heart tightened and his voice became sharp. “Who told you? It hasn’t been fully confirmed yet. Once it’s verified, I’ll tell you. Don’t listen to those people’s nonsense.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine. They did what they did. You don’t need to cover for them because of me. Ever since I was born, I never received any care from the Yue family. My feelings for them aren’t as deep as you might think. I came here just to understand what my mother’s original family was like. Whether good or bad, it doesn’t make much difference.”

Even with Li Shu’s reassurances, Gu Lin still felt distressed. He had no family himself, so he hoped Li Shu would have someone to love and protect him. His Shu Shu deserved only the best.

Pulling him into his arms, Gu Lin recounted everything he knew about the Yue family. It mostly aligned with what 1314 had said, only in greater detail.

From Gu Lin’s account, Li Shu pieced together what had happened to the original owner’s mother back then. It was the same old story of a naive Omega falling in love with a scheming Alpha, inadvertently bringing a wolf into the fold and feeding the wolf with the flesh and blood of the family.

No wonder after the original owner’s mother and the patriarch of the Li family returned to Empire star, they concealed their identities. It seemed that the patriarch of the Li family did have some genuine affection for the original owner’s mother. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to bring her back to the Empire Star. As for what happened later, it simply showed that his feelings weren’t deep or lasting enough.

~

A small live broadcast room had exposed an appalling truth, and as more revelations came to light, the people of the empire became increasingly restless. They had waited so long just for an answer, to know who had committed such heinous crimes. But what did they get?

Authorities only interested in suppressing the news, a royal family doing nothing…

[They always talk big when it doesn’t matter, but when it’s time to speak up, why are they all suddenly mute???]

[Explanation! We need an explanation!]

[The empire already has laws forbidding human experimentation. I just want to know, who is so bold as to disregard the law like this?!]

[I’m different, I want to know where these people used for experiments came from. Could they be the children we saw in the neighborhood one day, only to be sent to some lab the next?]

[Fuck, that’s terrifying!]

At this point, everyone knew this matter wouldn’t end peacefully. Both sides were in a standoff, and it was a matter of who would be the final victor.

The situation on Fanna Star had also reached its critical stage. All the hidden research facilities had been uncovered, and countless experimental subjects were rescued. The Zerg were completely exterminated on the spot, while the humans were sent to neighboring planets for treatment.

Just like in the original plot, after the third unidentified attack, Gu Lin led his people back to Empire Star.

The live broadcast continued uninterrupted, but the content had become richer.

There were reports on the aftermath of the rescue, the corruption of the empire’s upper echelons, and of course, the most exciting part— the unveiling of the truth.

But the true culprits were on the Empire Star, so they had to return there.

After this event, the credibility of the empire’s leaders plummeted to an all-time low. No one wanted leaders who didn’t see them as human beings. Based on what had come to light, it was clear that these officials, who spoke so nicely every day, didn’t care about their citizens at all.

Look at the things they said:

— “They’re just a few low-level people. If they go missing, we can make up any excuse to cover it.”

— “Another batch dead? Fine, fine, I’ll bring in some with better qualifications. It’s such a hassle, why can’t any of them withstand the tests?”

Hearing these words and seeing how they treated the experimental subjects made people furious. They began to boycott the upper echelons of the empire. A list of participants had been published, and most of the empire’s upper ranks were on it. Moreover, the list was still growing.

This could be called the fastest regime change in history. It took just over a month from start to finish, and there was little resistance. The people of the empire couldn’t wait for the cruel officials and the royal family to be overthrown. After learning that the Chiyan Legion was responsible for resolving the crisis, not only did they not resist, they even joined in to help.

The coup ended in the shortest time possible. The Chiyan Legion immediately took control of Empire Star, and the first thing they did was eliminate the force that had entrenched itself in the empire for years.

Everything settled down a few months later. The empire’s power structure underwent a complete transformation, and those who needed to be dealt with had been. The empire had a brand new look.

Some tried to escape, but the people of the empire hated them so much that it didn’t take long for them to be captured wherever they went. No matter how far they ran or how well they hid, as long as there were the Empire’s citizens around, they were destined to be caught again.

After returning to the Empire Star, Li Shu stayed with Gu Lin. The Li family had initially hoped to escape punishment by using Li Shu’s relationship, but their plan was doomed to fail.

The truth from years ago was finally revealed to the world: the true identity of the Yue family, the role the Li family played in it all, and what Li Shu had endured over the years… Not a single person who deserved punishment escaped.

Ten years later, Gu Lin handed the empire over to the successor he had groomed and disappeared from the public eye with Li Shu.

There were many speculations in later generations about the final fate of the emperor and empress who ushered in the golden age. The most widespread rumor was that the two had discovered a new world and gone on an adventure together. After all, everyone knew about the empress’s formidable combat skills. The emperor himself was a rare Alpha with a double 3S constitution, and the empress’s 3S-level spiritual power was no less impressive.

Their love story was also widely circulated, with countless moving versions passed down. Especially considering their identities—one a former experimental subject, the other the descendant of the family that initiated the project—the natural opposition of their backgrounds gave rise to endless tragic fantasies.

——

Sunlight bathed the sea of clouds, and colorful divine beasts fluttered in flight. A beam of light appeared in the grand hall which hadn’t seen a master in millennia. The magnificent palace resonated with a low hum, welcoming its returning owner.

Li Shu had just emerged from the small world when he found himself in an entirely unfamiliar, majestic palace. Surrounded by ethereal mist, his appearance returned to its true form.

He wore a long robe with wide sleeves, his long hair flowing to the ground, his narrow eyes sharp, and his face as flawless as jade. On his head were a pair of snow-white ears. Behind him, nine pure white fox tails unfurled and swayed gently.

Li Shu felt that his cultivation had not only fully recovered but had also broken through to a higher level.

The white fox ears twitched slightly, sensing something. He turned his head.

A man in black robes stood not far away. He was wearing a jade crown, his stature tall and imposing, with a noble air exuding from him. He carried an aura of authority and looked remarkably like the person fading from Li Shu’s memory. Li Shu stared blankly, unable to speak for a moment.

The man smiled warmly, and in an instant, the sense of unfamiliarity dissipated. The man in black walked over to Li Shu, stopped in front of him, and gently took his hand, his eyes filled with familiar affection.

Li Shu’s heart skipped a beat, and he heard the man whisper in his ear, “Shu Shu, I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

He fell into an embrace that carried a cold breath.

Outside the palace, the sky was filled with a vibrant light as colorful birds circled the palace, chirping melodiously. Inside, the young man with fox ears and nine tails was held tightly by the man in black. The black and white colors blended together, as if they were meant to be one.

——From now on, nothing and no one will ever be able to separate us again. I will always be by your side, loving you, protecting you, and even if one day we dissolve into the heavens and earth and return to nothingness, we will never be apart!

The End!

It’s the end 〜⁠(⁠꒪⁠꒳⁠꒪⁠)⁠〜 next are the three extra chapters.