ABRIWMTHM Chapter 83

The chaos erupted and spread, like a drop of water breaking the calm surface of a lake. Initially, only a small circle reacted, but as time progressed, the surrounding lake surface began to ripple, affected by a tangible disturbance.

The two blocks Shi Xing and Er Ya occupied were that initial small circle.

Chi Yao, however, was situated a bit further outside.

By the time the chaos spread to them, the panicked crowd had already revealed the situation.

“There’s a star beast.”

“Ahhh! A star beast has entered the celebration! Run!”

Chi Yao’s heart sank.

Shi Xing!

Before he could take action, Xu Jin reacted even faster, calling out loudly, “Your Majesty!”

Just those two words carried no information, but Chi Yao understood the deeper meaning; Xu Jin was worried that he would become anxious and unleash his mental power on a large scale, causing further turmoil in the already turbulent mental sea.

Although Chi Yao instinctively wanted to do just that, he managed to restrain himself, raising his hand to stop Xu Jin’s impending persuasion.

At the same time, he called out, “Bi Zhou.”

He wasn’t the only direct descendant of the Empire present, and Bi Zhou’s combat record was not inferior to that of a seasoned senior officer. This was the advantage brought by the royal blood of the Empire; in the face of absolute strength, skill and experience mattered little.

Bi Zhou obviously thought the same as Chi Yao.

As soon as Chi Yao called, his mental power spread out like a tide centered around their group, and the younger age meant he didn’t know how to restrain it. The pressure from the rank difference compared to the officials of the Alliance was even greater than that exerted by Chi Yao, making it hard for them to breathe.

Weir and Li Yu exchanged glances in the face of this overwhelming dominance and saw the fear in each other’s eyes.

It was all Bi Zhou’s fault for being so inconspicuous in the past few days; they had calculated Chi Yao, calculated Shi Xing, but had overlooked Bi Zhou, the direct descendant of Belman.

Even if a royal member was underage and their mental power had not been graded, they were still quite a terrifying presence.

In one breath, in the space of two breaths, Bi Zhou’s mental power had already surged toward Shi Xing and his companions.

Shi Xing recognized the ownership of the mental power; he did not resist but instead raised his hand to touch it, allowing the other party to sense him.

Fei Chu and Fu Qing were occasionally called away by palace instructors to train Bi Zhou, so they were more familiar with his mental power and showed no signs of resistance. Only Er Ya stepped back a pace, recognizing, “It’s Bi Zhou.”

With the superiority of royal mental power, soon Bi Zhou’s mental force extended over two streets. The star beast froze momentarily under Bi Zhou’s mental power and instinctively wanted to flee. Before Shi Xing and Er Ya could make their move again, Bi Zhou’s mental power barrier imprisoned the star beast, firmly locking it in mid-air.

Looking at the bloody mess beneath the star beast, where Jian Mi Le lay, Shi Xing’s expression showed little fluctuation, and he gave no hint that he wanted Bi Zhou to release the star beast, nor did he feel any regret about being interrupted.

Fei Chu shot Shi Xing a glance, feeling inexplicably that at this moment, he and Chi Yao shared some unspeakable similarities.

Er Ya chuckled lightly, with a disdainful tone exposing the thoughts of everyone present, “What a lucky break for it.”

Meanwhile, Bi Zhou, under the gaze of everyone around, also quietly murmured “Huh” as he sensed the star beast.

Xu Jin voiced Chi Yao’s anxiety, “What’s going on?”

Bi Zhou’s expression was strange, “Uncle and Brother Fu, and Brother Shi are all fine; I sensed them. But… the star beast is entangled with a mental power…”

As Bi Zhou deepened his perception, he soon confirmed, “Grade A, I would say.”

Xu Jin tensed up, “Chang Yue!?”

Bi Zhou immediately shook his head, “No, no, no, Brother Chang is with Brother Shi; he’s quite a distance from the star beast. This person… are they a resident of the Empire?”

Bi Zhou was puzzled, “But everyone around has run away; this isn’t just the beginning of one street; it’s not that unlucky, is it?”

Initially, thinking that it might be the people around Shi Xing who were in danger, hearing Bi Zhou’s words, Marshal Weir realized something, his breath hitching. He instinctively exchanged glances with Li Yu; both felt sweat trickle down their backs but lowered their heads in unison, too frightened to show any oddity.

Hearing that Shi Xing was unhurt, Chi Yao’s furrowed brows relaxed.

Bi Zhou brought more good news, “Oh, by the way, I sensed Sister Er Ya too; she’s with them.”

Now Chi Yao was completely relieved.

With Er Ya present, her unique way of attack meant that even if another star beast came, it would be easy for them to kill it with Fei Chu’s cooperation.

Reassured, Chi Yao then thought of something else, “Are there any victims nearby?”

Only then did Xu Jin realize, the star beast eats people; it’s just that there are many Blue Star humans in the Empire. Their mental powers would disperse during their maturity period, and news of star beasts attacking Blue Star humans was rampant. Over time, everyone had somewhat forgotten that without the Mother Tree, perspectives on star beasts were a given.

Star beasts eat people, plundering planetary resources, and when the beast tide erupted, it swept through like locusts in ancient times.

Bi Zhou’s mental power swept the area and returned with the news, “There’s one; it’s already dead. I can’t sense their exact mental power level.”

“The cause of death… severed head and body; it must be due to a star beast attack.”

Two people, Mi Le and his attendant, the number matched perfectly.

Marshal Weir closed his eyes, his mind racing to think of a response plan.

However, before Bi Zhou had finished speaking, he tilted his head again, uncertain, “Uncle, this star beast is of the mutated type, but the mutation situation is a bit strange.”

“I can’t say for sure.”

Bi Zhou had yet to reach adulthood, had never been on a battlefield, and had little experience with star beasts. The level of his perception was already quite impressive.

Chi Yao did not blame him, nodding only, “We’ll know when we go take a look.”

Thinking of something, Chi Yao turned to look at the unsure Alliance diplomats, smiling and inviting, “Shall you all join us?”

“Your Majesty is coming this way.”

Er Ya spoke up.

Shi Xing nodded slightly, not surprised, instructing Fu Qing to check Jian Mi Le’s injuries, making the decision, “Then let’s wait for them here.”

Everyone had no objections.

After Fu Qing checked, he reported, “Four or five ribs are broken; none have penetrated the organs, the legs are fractured, and there are bite marks from the star beast on the face. Unfortunately, there are no fatal injuries; he’s still alive.”

Then he asked a morally challenging question, “During the waiting period for medical personnel to arrive, can I provide some emergency treatment? Do you need my help with this?”

Fei Chu was about to tell Fu Qing not to bother, but Shi Xing first replied, “Go ahead; with the Alliance diplomats here, the Empire will naturally make sure to treat them well.”

His tone was cold, and the simple command revealed no emotions.

Fei Chu finally put his mind straight, “Oh right, go ahead; if the Emperor is coming soon, we’re standing and the Alliance diplomats are lying down; this scene is too unfriendly.”

Even though everything had a thousand threads connecting to Mi Le, standing at the Empire’s level, the sensitivity of both sides’ identities made it hard to act out. Shi Xing’s approach was very appropriate; at least it wouldn’t leave any talking points in front of others.

Shi Xing turned to ask Fu Qing and Er Ya, “Does my face look bad?”

He hadn’t noticed Fu Qing until he asked; upon looking carefully, Fei Chu incredulously replied, “You’ve lost all color; were you scared?”

While asking this, he felt like it wasn’t quite right; during the time fighting star beasts in the Northern Territory, that scene had been far more thrilling than today, yet Shi Xing hadn’t looked like this.

Sure enough, Shi Xing shook his head, “I just didn’t rest well; if something stimulates me further, this is how it will be.”

“But this is just right.”

When the Alliance diplomats arrived, Mi Le lying there had still not been resolved, and they wouldn’t appear too calm.

Er Ya raised an eyebrow, finding Shi Xing a bit intriguing.

A few minutes later, the group appeared at the end of the vacant long street. Shi Xing saw the familiar attire and took a small step forward before stopping again, standing at the very front of their line.

Getting close enough to see each other’s expressions, before Chi Yao could say anything, Xu Jin called out, “Your Highness, what happened to you? Did you get scared?”

Xu Jin was an attendant, usually responsible for ensuring the royal family’s well-being. He first noticed Shi Xing’s poor complexion, saving a lot of trouble later.

Shi Xing smiled slightly, offering no rebuttal, merely saying, “I’m fine.”

With a potential undertone, he added, “I didn’t expect to see a star beast in the Imperial Capital.”

Chi Yao walked to Shi Xing, his gaze fully focused on Shi Xing’s face. As Shi Xing reached out, he held his hand. Just as he wanted to express concern, Shi Xing scratched his palm.

Chi Yao froze for a moment, and then Shi Xing directly hugged Chi Yao, burying his face into his chest.

The Imperial officials and diplomats behind them saw this and felt that Shi Xing was indeed scared, as it was a commonly recognized weakness of Blue Star humans.

Chi Yao said, “Bi Zhou, you handle it first.”

Then he led a few steps aside; those with partners all understood that this was to comfort Shi Xing privately.

An Imperial official stole a glance at the spot where the two stood. Sure enough, having moved further away, the Emperor tightened his embrace around his partner, and Shi Xing appeared vulnerable and in need of support. The officials couldn’t help but sigh internally, youth is wonderful, a relationship can be so sticky and sweet.

Yet in a place invisible to them, Shi Xing turned his back to the crowd, his expression calm, holding onto the essentials, articulating the actual situation bit by bit to Chi Yao in the closeness of their embrace.

When Shi Xing finished speaking, Chi Yao’s expression darkened.

Shi Xing said, “This star beast definitely didn’t come from the outside; its ability is quite special…”

He and Er Ya had joined forces to probe, and this star beast…

“Ah! Oh my, oh my! It’s Jian Mi Le!”

“Oh my gosh, it’s really Jian Mi Le!”

“Scholar, how could it be the Scholar? What on earth happened? What did our Alliance diplomats encounter in the Empire? You must give us an explanation.”

“How could this be? What’s going on? The people from the Empire are fine; why would our Alliance diplomats encounter danger?”

Shi Xing knew they couldn’t drag it out much longer, and sure enough, once they found out Jian Mi Le’s identity, the Alliance diplomats instantly erupted.

The Empire’s reception officials soothed, “Everyone, please calm down, take it easy.”

The reception officials: “There must be some misunderstanding here; besides, no one wishes to see a star beast, and the Empire cannot control where a star beast attacks. Right now, the surroundings are safe, so please don’t panic.”

Hearing the ruckus, Chi Yao and Shi Xing turned back to look. Just at that moment, Shi Xing had finished speaking, so Chi Yao took Shi Xing’s hand and moved forward.

When they got closer, Shi Xing quietly said, “Your Majesty, let me explain.”

Chi Yao nodded.

A little while later, Shi Xing stood pale in front of the Alliance diplomats, tightly clutching Chi Yao’s hand, appearing particularly weak as he began to narrate.

As soon as he opened his mouth, he drew some astonished reactions.

Shi Xing said, “I’m sorry everyone, we didn’t take good care of Scholar Mi Le, but it’s not because we didn’t want to; it’s because during the time Scholar Mi Le encountered danger, we were dealing with another star beast.”

Huh? What? There’s another star beast?!

Everyone was stunned.

Shi Xing was telling the truth but omitted a part and blurred some details.

So in everyone’s minds, Shi Xing’s group had struggled to kill one SS-grade star beast, while somehow this S-grade star beast had slipped in. This star beast had an exceedingly rare space mutation ability, and by chance, it had crossed paths with Jian Mi Le and his attendant.

Shi Xing’s expression turned sympathetic, “This star beast has a strong space mutation ability, and it can also suppress its presence.”

Shi Xing continued, “The Empire deeply regrets what happened to Scholar Mi Le; we also did not understand why all the pedestrians left while Scholar Mi Le was still on the street.”

After speaking, seeming as if he didn’t want to recall it, he turned his face away. Under the streetlight, Shi Xing’s eyes sparkled brightly; in a daze, it seemed everyone saw the moisture welling up within them.

Drawing closer, Bi Zhou finally realized where his strange feeling had come from, reporting, “Uncle, although it’s a mutated star beast, its attacks are very weak, and the mental power does not have penetrating abilities; it only has a strong space mutation ability. Look…”

In the next moment, Bi Zhou released the star beast from his mental power, and the eyes of the Alliance diplomats widened in shock.

Most diplomats came from peaceful planets and hadn’t even seen battlefields much; facing a star beast released in front of them… each was startled.

Yet within a minute, the star beast was recaptured by Bi Zhou, already leaping to a kilometer away on the Empire’s street.

However, it was still within the range of Bi Zhou’s mental control.

Realizing something, Chi Yao frowned.

He subtly nodded and then asked, “Everyone on these two streets has run away; why didn’t Scholar Mi Le leave?”

This question was astute, causing the previously irate diplomats to keenly sense something was amiss.

Yes, why was Mi Le still here? Surely he wasn’t here to be a target for the star beast?

Li Yu suddenly spoke up, “Scholar Mi Le had just been discharged from the hospital and was still weak; coming to the celebration was just to take a stroll. Besides, the Scholar is of considerable age and may not react as alertly as the younger crowd.”

“This star beast has the ability to teleport; if it happened to run into the Scholar, and Prince Shi was engaged with another star beast, it’s likely the Scholar was not in a position to escape.”

This reply was something Shi Xing had already anticipated and thought about during the debriefing.

What Shi Xing could think of, so could Chi Yao.

But Chi Yao had another question, “Then why isn’t the Scholar’s attendant with him? The place of death is a good distance from here?”

Weir also returned to himself, hurriedly trying to press Mi Le into the victim’s position.

“Perhaps it’s precisely because the attendant hadn’t returned, that’s why Scholar Mi Le was unwilling to leave? They’ve lived together for such a long time, the Scholar must have some concern for those around him. It so happened that the star beast attacked the attendant, and Scholar Mi Le carried a similar scent, thus the star beast attacked him next?”

Star beasts are sensitive to scents; this explanation also stood firm.

Shi Xing looked towards the street corner, suddenly declaring, “There are surveillance cameras; the Imperial Capital is entirely overseen by a single light brain; whatever is going on will be clear after an investigation.”

Li Yu: “…”

Weir: “…”

Li Yu sternly asserted, “Scholar Mi Le was grievously wounded for no reason; the Empire must investigate thoroughly and ensure a proper explanation is given to our Tianyuan Star and the Alliance diplomats.”

Chi Yao coldly responded, “Naturally.”

After tangling through all this, the emergency rescue ship from the First Hospital finally arrived; the emergency doctor conducted a simple examination on Mi Le and then looked up to ask, “Family, is there any family present?”

Marshal Weir stepped forward, “What do you want to tell me?”

The doctor replied, “The patient is elderly and has suffered such severe injuries; the situation is not optimistic. Once at the hospital, immediate surgery is required; the surgery needs a signed consent. Can you sign it?”

Marshal Weir hesitated for a moment, stating, “I can accompany him; I’ll have the agreement sent for family to sign.”

“That’s acceptable.”

Just as they were about to leave, Chi Yao suddenly said, “A military escort should accompany to ensure Scholar Mi Le’s safety; no harm must come to the First Hospital.”

If Mi Le dies, it would also be a troublesome matter.

Without evidence, it would instead become a reason for the Alliance to complain.

Fei Chu immediately made arrangements, and in no time, an Imperial official led a small team, boarding a warship to follow the emergency rescue ship.

After sending Mi Le off, the scene was sealed off for follow-up investigation; officials from both the Alliance and the Empire were subsequently dismissed.

As Chi Yao held Shi Xing, they boarded the royal ship and left.

Chi Yao appeared calm in front of others, but once on the ship, his expression instantly darkened.

“The black market.”

“The Empire has strict defenses; this star beast is unlikely to have come from outer space, and given its level and attack power are not high, and adept at hiding its presence, to appear unnoticed at the celebration certainly means it was brought in, having successfully reached the Imperial Capital through high-tech transport.”

And since the Alliance has advanced living technology, the source of its technology was self-evident.

Chi Yao remarked, “The black market in the Imperial Capital hasn’t been cleared for several years; taking advantage of this opportunity, it’s time to settle the score.”

They would only wait for the investigation results on Mi Le.

At first, when hearing that Mi Le was nearby, Shi Xing had been shocked and eager for revenge. Once on the ship, it felt okay again, but once Mi Le’s situation was pushed aside, Shi Xing turned his thoughts back to the first star beast, feeling shrouded in fog, difficult to decipher.

Everyone had their thoughts, and the atmosphere turned quiet for a moment.

Xu Jin adjusted, saying, “Let’s wait for the investigation regarding Mi Le; Er Ya is here today, and Star hasn’t met her yet. Everyone shouldn’t keep such solemn faces.”

Er Ya, standing with her arms crossed, smiled, “It’s fine; I usually live alone, and it’s been many years since I’ve seen such a lively scene.”

“Coincidentally, the last time I witnessed such a mix of undercurrents was also together with all of you.”

Fei Chu piped up, “Don’t tease us!”

Er Ya retorted, “How could it be teasing? I’m just stating the truth.”

Fei Chu shook his head, unconvinced.

With Xu Jin bringing it up, as the host and the patient, Chi Yao and Shi Xing pulled themselves out of their respective thoughts and started greeting Er Ya formally.

Er Ya accepted, looking at Chi Yao casually stating, “I thought Your Majesty would never match in this life.”

Chi Yao’s expression didn’t change, “Life is always full of unexpected surprises.”

Er Ya continued, “Indeed, I didn’t expect such a high-level individual among Blue Star humans. We can have a good exchange in a couple of days, but returning to my purpose in the Imperial Capital—Shall we proceed with a treatment as planned tonight, Your Majesty?”

The answer was naturally affirmative.

Shi Xing had also witnessed the terrifying endurance of therapists from a sidelong perspective.

Having drained the beast core of a star beast during the celebration, it should have consumed a significant amount of mental power. However, on the way back to the palace from the celebration, Er Ya seemed to have recovered completely, showing no signs of fatigue for the evening’s treatment.

Feeling numerous waves of healing mental power continuously flowing into Chi Yao’s mental sea outside the door, Shi Xing let out a small sigh of relief.

The treatment continued for over an hour, and only then did Er Ya withdraw after exhausting her own mental power.

When it was over, everyone who had spent the night tossing around between the celebration and the star beast basically returned to their rooms to rest.

When Er Ya came out, fatigue was evident on her face. She greeted everyone and headed towards the guest room Xu Jin had arranged for her.

Shi Xing leaned against the door frame, poking his head out, just as Chi Yao was opening his eyes.

Chi Yao waved him over, and Shi Xing glanced outside to confirm no one had come in.

The treatment had taken place in one of the rooms within Chi Yao’s suite, their exclusive space, and attendants would not usually come this way unless necessary.

It was rare for Chi Yao to sit on the carpet. Shi Xing approached, his eyes full of anticipation as he asked, “How do you feel? Is it effective?”

Chi Yao stretched out his legs, reaching for Shi Xing. Shi Xing was bewildered as their fingers intertwined; Chi Yao mischievously pulled him down, causing Shi Xing to plop onto Chi Yao’s lap.

Chi Yao didn’t answer but instead asked, “Why were you at the door, waiting there?”

His voice was slightly hoarse, suggesting that the treatment hadn’t been entirely comfortable.

Shi Xing placed both hands on Chi Yao’s face; the other did not refuse, but instead gently kissed the inside of Shi Xing’s arms.

The atmosphere grew intimate, thick with unspoken emotions.

“Mm.”

Shi Xing nodded, admitting.

Chi Yao asked, “Why not rest on your own? Just waiting there must be quite boring?”

“Not really, I can browse the star network. I’m not that bored while I wait,” Shi Xing said, his eyes bright, making Chi Yao feel a stir within him as he couldn’t help but caress under Shi Xing’s eyes.

Chi Yao inquired, “Are you that worried about me?”

His voice dropped a pitch, the warm breath brushing against Shi Xing’s face, almost scalding.

Shi Xing had learned to fight back, “Then hurry and get better; once you’re well, I won’t have to wait for you to finish your treatment.”

Chi Yao chuckled, “What kind of ‘better’ are you referring to?”

Shi Xing gazed deeply into those smoky gray eyes; although he knew he shouldn’t, he still spoke, “I mean my mental sea returning to normal, to the type that can be healthy for a long time.”

The atmosphere fell into a moment of silence, and Chi Yao did not randomly promise, “That may be somewhat difficult.”

His tone didn’t carry much weight, yet Shi Xing inexplicably felt uncomfortable.

Shi Xing firmly stated, “Doctor Shi will heal you.”

This time, without waiting for a reply, Shi Xing tugged on Chi Yao’s collar and kissed him, the action somewhat hurried, not quite steady, causing Chi Yao to steady him.

As their lips parted, Shi Xing remained composed, but Chi Yao’s appearance became slightly tousled.

Holding each other tightly, Chi Yao’s kiss fell on Shi Xing’s neck, causing a slight shiver.

“Then I’ll trouble Doctor Shi.”

The chaotic day ended, and the next day Shi Xing didn’t rise until noon.

Upon waking, he learned of Mi Le being severely injured and needing several surgeries. Even if the surgeries were successful, it seemed he would not be able to do without medication for the rest of his life.

This was good news.

The investigation was led by Fei Chu, and by the morning, they had identified specific merchants in the black market. Mi Le’s and his attendant’s communication devices were seized by the Empire, but there were Alliance-specific software inside. Mi Le acted cautiously, deleting all messages after they were sent, and the Empire’s technology did not guarantee they would be recoverable.

Since the Alliance diplomats’ communication devices were not connected to the Empire’s internal network, they used the galaxy-wide external network instead, which had living techniques from other planets of the Alliance… in short, deciphering would be quite a technical challenge.

However, the black market sellers weren’t as tight-lipped; by three or four in the afternoon, evidence of Mi Le chatting privately with the black market was found, although it didn’t explicitly point to a star beast, it was enough to support an inquiry from the Empire’s foreign ministry against the Alliance.

At dinner, the technical team discussed whether they could decipher Mi Le’s and his attendant’s communication devices, promising to give a response to the palace the next day.

But before the results could be presented, the Alliance preemptively released a series of documents.

From the Alliance’s letter of apology to the notice of Mi Le’s dismissal and investigation, everything was included.

Shi Xing hadn’t read through yet when Tang Mi accurately summarized the meaning represented by this series of documents, “The Alliance claims that Mi Le bears resentment and contacted the black market out of personal grudges, requesting the Empire to return Mi Le for the Alliance to conduct follow-up investigations.”

“At the same time, given Mi Le’s actions have severely affected and disrupted the friendly relations between the two governing bodies, following the dismissal and investigation, if something is indeed found out, it will face severe punishment.”

Shi Xing remarked, “They’re moving quite quickly this time.”

Acting before they could find the evidence, how long had it been since the Alliance had replaced its leadership?

Chi Yao glanced over the document regarding the dismissal, tossing it on the table, summarizing, “They’re abandoning their own to protect the leader.”

Shi Xing nodded in agreement, “While taking the fall, the Grand Scholar has become a complete scapegoat.”

In the past few hundred years, even if there were issues requiring dismissals of cabinet Grand Scholars, most still left with a respectable exit; it almost seemed like only Mi Le stood out for being issued a dismissal notice.

Shi Xing asked, “Should we agree to the repatriation?”

Chi Yao replied, “The person is in the Imperial Capital hospital, surrounded by the army, let’s hold onto him for a while. If in the Alliance’s follow-up plan they offer ‘resting for the rest of his life’ as an option for Mi Le that’s adequate, I might consider agreeing.”

Suddenly recalling something, Shi Xing said, “The Alliance’s response is so quick and decisive this time; it’s remarkable. We should find a time to notify the parties involved.”

The drama had resolved itself, but the main characters were unaware, and that felt somewhat tedious.

That night, under the Empire’s urging, Marshal Weir and General Li Yu personally visited Scholar Mi Le and brought this series of documents to his bedside.

Shi Xing was eating crystal fruit when he received news in the palace that the First Hospital was already conducting rescue surgery again.