IMC Chapter 119

The onlookers didn’t know exactly what those white glowing spirits were, but the two princes understood perfectly. Each spirit represented a life, a coveted ability, and the key they had painstakingly fought for at great cost. Yet now, Lan Qing had released all of them without hesitation, as if discarding invaluable treasures—an act they saw as utter wastefulness.

Losing to Lan Qing was already difficult to stomach, though they begrudgingly accepted his overwhelming strength. However, watching all the spirits slip away was something they simply couldn’t tolerate. The two snakes hissed repeatedly, voicing their discontent, which eventually drew Lan Qing’s attention.

In his shrunken form, Lan Qing floated to the magical beast cages, casually flicked his tail, and unlocked them. The surrounding townspeople didn’t panic. Having witnessed Lan Qing’s terrifying power, they believed the two small snakes couldn’t possibly cause any trouble anymore.

The second and third princes eagerly slithered out of the cage. The second prince, brimming with fury, slithered right up to Lan Qing. Before he could speak, Lan Qing let out a loud and hearty burp, instantly deflating the second prince’s aggression. Nevertheless, he stubbornly muttered, “Why didn’t you take those spirits? Not even the eldest prince’s?”

Lan Qing pulled out his gloves and hat, carefully putting them on as he replied matter-of-factly, “Because I’m already too strong.”

The second prince: “…” He hadn’t expected this answer. It was infuriatingly arrogant yet somehow irrefutable.

The third prince, however, was more cunning. Instead of confronting Lan Qing, he turned to Shu Bao with a hint of schadenfreude. “Do you know what the spirit you just rejected could do?”

The fluffy creature, busy grooming itself, shook its head. “No idea. Why?”

“That spirit could have given you a second life. It would have allowed you to cheat death once.” The third prince stared intently at the little mouse, hoping to see an expression of regret or anguish.

However, the fluffy face remained unreadable. Shu Bao casually let out an indifferent “Oh,” not even pausing its grooming.

The two princes were utterly baffled. It was one thing for Lan Qing to be so unconcerned, but why was even a mere mouse unfazed by abilities so powerful they could defy the heavens?

No matter how much the two princes failed to comprehend this mindset, the fact remained: they had lost. However, they were soon pleasantly surprised to find that their original abilities remained intact. This discovery gave them a glimmer of hope for a comeback. As they secretly celebrated, the fluffy mouse, having finished grooming, pointed a paw in their direction and asked, “What about these two brothers of yours? Should we turn them into brother-brand snakeskin bags? If you make them, can I have one?”

The two snakes: !!! Why is this mouse so heartless and ruthless!?

What terrified them even more was that, after hearing the suggestion, Lan Qing actually began scrutinizing them thoughtfully, as if seriously evaluating the idea. Panic surged through the two princes—was their death truly inevitable today?

Fortunately, despite his newfound strength, the eccentric Lan Qing retained his peculiar aversion to killing. Shaking his head, he said, “Forget it, that’s not good. After all, they are my brothers. Let’s just have them work—bait duty, shields, mining, that sort of thing. Turning them into snakeskin bags is too cruel.”

The two princes squirmed in dismay. What did he mean by “bait duty, shields, mining”? What sort of twisted plans was this freak of a snake hatching now?

Upon hearing Lan Qing’s plan, Shu Bao nodded in agreement. “True. We’re heading to the Mechanoids’ lair soon. Bringing along two decoys can help ease Yu Lingqi’s stress. He’s been losing hair and weight lately.”

At that moment, Yu Lingqi, engrossed in the latest popular serialized novel in the city, sneezed heavily.

The battle concluded with scorched earth outside the city and Lan Qing’s official transformation into a dragon. Though the two princes were told of their future roles, they didn’t take it seriously. They were convinced that given enough time, they would find a way to escape.

Feigning obedience to mislead their captors, the two snakes behaved docilely and voluntarily returned to their cage, where the high priest carried them back to the city. For the next few days, the snakes diligently worked during the day and returned to their cage at sunset. Yet they couldn’t shake their unease as the mouse Shu Bao visited daily, observing them with great interest and even feeding them. His fascination with raising snakes felt oddly unsettling.

The two snake princes, who were once pampered with food and clothes provided, now found it strange to be fed through the bars of a cage by a mere mouse.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Lan Qing arrived with news of an impending journey. The snakes would accompany them. Hearing this, the two princes immediately saw an opportunity. Escaping on Fu Xia Star, surrounded by Lan Qing’s forces, was impossible, but leaving the planet might finally provide the chance they needed.

Eagerly nodding, they pledged their full cooperation. After finishing the feeding session, Shu Bao clapped his fluffy paw. “See? I told you feeding them works. They’re willingly joining us on the trip to the Mechanoid Star System.”

“Where?!” The third prince’s voice cracked in shock. The second prince’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“The Mechanoid Star, the Mechanoids’ lair. We just decrypted the latest data, which included the precise location of their homeworld.” Shu Bao poked the second prince through the bars, then nodded approvingly. “Hmm, looks like you’ve gained some weight. Perfect as bait.”

The second prince: “…” Suddenly, the food didn’t taste so good anymore. No wonder this mouse seemed so keen on raising snakes—he had ulterior motives all along.

The third prince, pacing anxiously in the cage, muttered about everyone being insane. Thankfully, the empathetic Lan Qing and Shu Bao later provided them with a larger cage, giving them more space to move around.

“Are you all out of your minds?” the third prince exclaimed. “Don’t think defeating us means you can take on the Mechanoids. Their civilization is as old as the universe itself, with an unbroken lineage of technological advancement. Do you think your few decades of development can compete with a civilization that’s billions of years ahead of you? You’re the most arrogant, ignorant people I’ve ever met!”

Seeing the third prince so agitated, Shu Bao approached the cage and whispered, “Don’t worry, we’re going secretly.”

The third prince: “…” Was this mouse trying to be funny? Against the Mechanoids, whose technological supremacy was absolute, what could a “secret mission” possibly accomplish? They would be detected and obliterated before even entering the Mechanoid Star System.

To his despair, Lan Qing seemed to agree with Shu Bao, treating the plan as settled.

Having informed the “bait”, Lan Qing and Shu Bao left for the mission hall, continuing to discuss their preparations for the Mechanoid Star expedition.

“We should check on Tesla’s modified lightweight starship later and finalize the crew list,” Shu Bao mused, scratching his chin. “We don’t need many people—we’re not going to wage war on the Mechanoid Star.”

Lan Qing nodded. “Understood. I’ve already made arrangements. Supplies from the Chaotic World are on their way and Tesla’s preparations are almost complete. He’ll arrive tomorrow.”

The third prince wasn’t wrong. They stood no chance against the Mechanoids in a direct confrontation. The speed of their own development was only possible due to decrypting Mechanoids technology and salvaging half of a Mechanoids’ ruins. Even so, they had easily defeated the starship fleet led by the two princes. This only emphasized how terrifyingly advanced the Mechanoids must be.

The Mechanoids’ strength wasn’t limited to uninterrupted technological progress. They also possessed a shared consciousness. This meant that if a genius like Tesla emerged among them, the entire clan could access and utilize his intellect. Moreover, these geniuses wouldn’t die; they would only grow stronger as new ones were born.

This was why the Mechanoids were so feared. No one in the universe could surpass them in technological development. Thus, the journey was fraught with danger. Thorough preparation was crucial, including adequate supplies, detailed information on the Mechanoid Star System, and robust contingency plans for teleportation back to safety if necessary.

The next day, Fu Qing arrived at Xia Wang City, bringing sufficient supplies. Everyone gathered once again for a final discussion before departure.

“After we leave, keep a close watch on the Qing Wang System’s early warning signals. At the slightest sign of trouble, everyone must evacuate to the Chaotic World immediately,” Shu Bao reminded the high priests. This time, not only would the team entering the Mechanoid Star System be in danger, but the entire Qing Wang Star System risked exposure as well.

The high priest promised to protect the people, though he couldn’t help but ask reluctantly, “Divine Lord, can’t I accompany you to protect you personally?”

Shu Bao shook his head. “Protecting Xia Wang is the same as protecting me. Don’t worry. My luck has always been good. Plus, we have Lan Qing, the ancestral dragon, Fu Qing with his formidable strength, and three baits. We’ll make it back safely.”

The team was intentionally small and composed entirely of non-natives for a simple reason: if captured, the Mechanoids wouldn’t immediately be able to trace their genes back to the Qing Wang Star System, giving the system more time to react.

After checking the supplies and confirming the flight plan, the team set off. Tesla had been waiting aboard the lightweight starship for some time, along with a dozen semi-mechanoids who had already taken their positions. The group departed discreetly, drawing little attention. The citizens of Xia Wang City only learned of their departure when the starship had already taken off, as the high priest issued a notice placing the entire Qing Wang Star System on high alert.

Though reluctant, the two princes were still dragged onto the ship. Once their cage was set down, the snakes incredulously asked, “It’s just us on this single ship? And you’re heading to the Mechanoid Star System?”

“Of course! Since it’s a covert mission, the fewer, the better. Make sure to eat well during the journey!” Shu Bao reminded his baits cheerfully.

The two princes looked utterly defeated, wishing they’d been struck by lightning back then—it would’ve been a quicker end compared to this nerve-wracking ordeal.

The lightweight starship, less than 100 meters long, left Fu Xia Star behind. The journey ahead would take three months to exit the Qing Wang Star System, followed by seven years to reach the Mechanoid Star System. Fortunately, the ship was equipped with hibernation pods. Once in hibernation, the seven-year journey would feel like a mere nap.

However, the two princes, having no faith in the mission, were naturally unwilling to simply march to their deaths. Just as they were plotting their escape, Fu Qing suddenly pulled them out of the cage and placed them into hibernation pods. As the pods activated, the unwilling baits fell into a deep sleep and their escape plans dashed. If they could sleep with their eyes open, the two snakes would undoubtedly spend the next seven years glaring resentfully.

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