Undoubtedly, the abrupt arrival of thousands of military ships on a small star system was a bombshell piece of news. The more sensitive locals had already realized that such a show of force could pose a significant threat to their entire galaxy.
Interstellar tensions were escalating, a well-known fact, but for now, an appearance of peace still held. So, which nation was breaking this surface peace?
Especially for the residents living near where the warships landed, they awaited the actions of their leaders. Massive vessels loomed, making them keenly aware of the danger and their own insignificance.
Word quickly reached the ears of the king of the small star, who quickly summoned his ministers to discuss a strategy. The news of the Burke Star Monarch personally catching criminals had reached them earlier, forcing them to pay attention to their own star’s situation. They just hadn’t expected the unfortunate coincidence that the criminals in question were now near their star.
“Your Majesty, it seems the actions of the Burke Star Monarch may be crossing some boundaries. To openly lead warships to our land for such an absurd reason, it’s more likely not about finding criminals but rather using it as an excuse to cause trouble on our territory,” one minister suggested, a sentiment echoed by others.
They refused to believe that a monarch of a powerful nation would act so arbitrarily, openly personally searching for some criminals—an absurd reason, in their opinion. What they believed more was that beneath this absurd behavior lurked a sinister ulterior motive.
The king paced back and forth in thought, acutely aware of the reality. With their national strength, they couldn’t confront Burke Star head-on. Any attempt at resistance would only result in widespread devastation. In the harsh realm of international relations, even if their country descended into chaos, no other nation would dare extend a helping hand. Only powerful nations had the authority to speak.
“Let’s observe quietly, aid the Burke Star Monarch in capturing the criminals. If it’s confirmed, and he withdraws from our star after the capture, all the better. Otherwise…” The king would not tolerate his planet being trampled upon.
The person at the helm of the leading warship was none other than Chu Wenyu, not seen for several days. Though still masked, his facial contours revealed a noticeable thinness. His lips were tightly pursed, complexion pale, and his dark, intense eyes fixed on the starship before him, as if trying to see through the hull directly to someone.
Jiang Ling’s eyes twitched, and he quickly retreated from the window. He feared that if he were seen, there would be no escaping.
“Who is that man? Is he after us?”
“These warships all bear the emblem of Burke Star, so the person in the wheelchair can only be one with a specific identity.”
For most, it was their first time seeing a monarch of a nation in reality, especially one with such legendary status, and among them were some who admired him. Consequently, although Jiang Ling instinctively took a few steps back, others quickly took up the position by the window, eager to get a close look at the ruler.
“Indeed, he wears a mask as the legends say. I wonder if the face beneath it is truly as terrifying,” Lien sighed.
While Lien came from a well-off family, he had never seen the kind of fabric the monarch adorned himself with. The monarch’s presence, sitting there with an air of elegance and humility, made him seem untouchable.
“He must be hideous beyond imagination, or why else would he wear a mask?” another person spoke with a touch of resentment. Coming from a humble background and being close in age to the monarch, he harbored bitterness toward the unfairness of fate. If only he were born into royalty, he wouldn’t have ended up in his current predicament.
Jiang Ling, intending to slip away from the starship, hesitated for a moment. He glanced at the resentful individual and, as he passed through the crowded crowd, discreetly delivered a forceful stomp onto the person’s foot. The impact was strong enough to elicit an immediate scream from the crowded starship.
“Who the hell just stepped on me?”
Jiang Ling didn’t appreciate others gossiping about Chu Wenyu’s appearance because he knew Chu Wenyu cared deeply about it. Even though this insignificant act wouldn’t affect Chu Wenyu, Jiang Ling still detested the idea that everyone feared Chu Wenyu while simultaneously talking behind his back.
It made him uneasy.
Realizing he couldn’t wait any longer, Jiang Ling needed to escape now, or it would be too late.
The external passage of the starship hadn’t been opened, but after careful observation, he noticed that the surrounding warships had already formed a blockade, making it difficult to escape.
However, he spotted a good opportunity.
The starship had landed hastily on a hilltop, a local tourist spot. Many residents who had come for picnics were now trapped within the encirclement, frantically trying to leave. Burke Star soldiers were checking them one by one, allowing those without issues to depart.
Jiang Ling immediately realized that these soldiers had likely seen his photo, perhaps even carried specialized fingerprint detection devices.
With no other choice, he ducked into a restroom, hastily using whatever he could find for a simple disguise.
Without hesitation, he shaved off his originally eye-catching golden hair and added some scruff to his face. He changed into shabby, middle-aged men’s clothing, opting for an inconspicuous gray outfit.
He wasn’t foolish enough to wait for the crew to calmly open the starship passage. Standing near a window close to the ground, he observed for a moment. Taking advantage of a local crowd surging to exit the encirclement, he smashed open the window and jumped down, immediately blending into the crowd with a composed demeanor.
Just as Jiang Ling came out from the rear of the starship, soldiers arrived to conduct a search.
“According to reports, the criminal who harmed His Majesty is on this starship. Please open the hatch immediately and cooperate with the search task,” the lead soldier declared in a booming voice, engaging in a firm conversation with the driver exposed in the glass protective shield at the forefront.
Meanwhile, not far away, Chu Wenyu calmly observed every move.
Almost without thinking, he knew Jiang Ling was on this starship.
“You can’t escape,” he thought.
Being a part of a smuggling group of star thieves, they knew their identities could never be completely cleansed. When they realized the overwhelming force was indeed directed at them, they felt a bit disheartened.
The leader contemplated resisting, but a quick survey of the weapons pointed at them led to the inevitable order to open the hatch.
“All individuals on the starship, please exit immediately for inspection,” the lead soldier declared, gesturing to those behind him after uttering these words.
Lien and his group were swiftly expelled from the starship by the Burke Star soldiers, finding themselves surrounded in a tight grip.
After a thorough search revealed no one left inside the starship, the soldiers shifted their focus to the group, conducting individual inspections.
As they were ordered not to harm anyone during the mission, the soldiers maintained a courteous demeanor.
The leader engaged in a conversation with the squad leader, desperate to gather the intentions of the monarch.
While he had indeed engaged in illicit activities, his citizenship wasn’t from Burke Star. In any case, other star systems had no authority to deal with him. He wondered why the Burke Star Monarch was investing so much effort into this matter. Of course, he dared not voice these thoughts aloud; that would be truly asking for trouble.
“Your Excellency, may I inquire about how His Majesty will deal with us?”
The squad leader, eyes fixed on the orderly progress of the search task, responded, “If the criminal is found smoothly, other matters fall outside the jurisdiction of Burke Star. However, if you dare to protect the criminal, then legal consequences will follow.”
As Chu Wenyu made his way out of the starship’s passage, he scrutinized each face, searching for the one he had been longing for. Prepared for Alpha’s transformation, he lingered a bit longer on almost everyone, fearing he might miss the person he was looking for. Despite the various disguises, he was confident he could recognize him. Yet, among this diverse crowd, none matched the person he sought.
Halfway through the meticulous inspection task, Chu Wenyu’s heart skipped a beat. He immediately ordered the people around him, “Halt the task immediately. He is not among this group. Expand the search area.”
Chu Wenyu’s voice grew even lower.
At this critical moment, did Jiang Ling still intend to escape?
The joy of almost finding Alpha vanished, replaced by anger and frustration, spreading from his chest in all directions. The thought of teaching Jiang Ling a lesson took priority over everything.
He had tolerated it time and time again, but Jiang Ling continued to be disobedient.
Chu Wenyu didn’t deny being a thief, especially when it came to that person. He couldn’t back down, even if the melon was forcibly twisted; it had to be sweet.
Meanwhile, not long ago, on Jiang Ling’s side.
The sound of the shattered window wasn’t insignificant, but amid the clamor of voices, it went largely unnoticed as people complained.
Realizing he couldn’t go out alone, Jiang Ling spotted a woman carrying a three or four-year-old child. Seeing her arms seemed tired from holding the child, he approached slowly.
“Hello, I never expected to encounter such a situation on a day out. My wife and I got separated,” Jiang Ling spoke with a feigned air of maturity, trying to strike up a conversation.
The woman indeed lowered her suspicion and engaged in conversation.
“Your daughter is around the same age as my daughter, and she’s just as cute,” Jiang Ling remarked, smiling at the little girl.
Perhaps, even in an old man disguise, Alpha still looked like a charming, handsome uncle. His profound eyes had a captivating effect, and the little girl took a liking to him.
“Are you tired of holding her? My wife always complains that her arms ache from carrying the child, so I end up doing it more often,” Jiang Ling felt a bit like a trafficker but had to put on a brave face to pass the inspection.
The woman still had some distrust, but the little girl, being innocent, quickly reached out and rested her head on Jiang Ling’s shoulder.
The woman kept a close eye on Jiang Ling, but fortunately, he stayed very close, not giving any impression of intending to kidnap the child.
As their turn approached, Jiang Ling’s heart pounded. During the inspection, he pretended to play with the little girl, appearing remarkably like her father. The soldier in charge of the inspection was less focused, especially when checking fingerprints. In that split second when the soldier lowered his head, Jiang Ling swiftly pressed the little girl’s fingerprint, and everything went off without a hitch.
Coincidentally or not, after Jiang Ling passed the inspection, the soldier received a solemn order. Suspecting that the target might be attempting to escape, subsequent inspections became more strict.
Once outside, Jiang Ling gently placed the little girl down and bid farewell to the two.
Without that little girl, he might not have escaped.
Jiang Ling knew he should leave the area as soon as possible, but he decided not to venture too far. He wanted to hear firsthand that Chu Wenyu hadn’t found him yet. This way, Chu Wenyu might think he had made a mistake, and Jiang Ling would feel more at ease. Moreover, he understood the safest place could also be the most dangerous. In the current circumstances, he dared not leave this star system.
However, Jiang Ling clearly underestimated Chu Wenyu’s bottom line.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
