ABRIWMTHM Chapter 108

In the command cabin, no one spoke. After a moment of silence, the communications officer heard Chi Yao’s voice coming through.

“We’ve already left the planet, have Ye Jun adjust the defense focus accordingly.”

“As for the others, follow Shi Xing’s instructions.”

As soon as these words were said, the communications officer suddenly realized that Shi Xing had just taken over the command authority, yet none of the operators present felt it was out of place.

They smoothly continued relaying commands.

Communications officer: “…”

His heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Shi Xing and Chi Yao, confirming that neither of them seemed to have a problem with it, and then continued to focus on the task at hand.

Thinking to himself, the little prince was growing so fast; perhaps it wouldn’t be long before, as his prestige rose, the military officers would drop the “little” in front of Shi Xing’s name.

After looking at the two, Shi Xing lowered his eyelashes, feeling somewhat unable to meet Chi Yao’s gaze.

It wasn’t because of the command he had asserted.

His orders weren’t wrong; the prince wouldn’t be angry. It was just…

Given his current physical condition, using his mental power without permission would probably displease the prince.

As he pondered, Shi Xing’s head lowered even further, feeling a bit afraid to face Chi Yao.

Chi Yao, who noticed his reaction, had no expression on his face; it was hard to discern what he was feeling.

“Er Ya, check up on Shi Xing.”

His tone was flat, leaving no clue as to his feelings.

This caused everyone to snap back from the shock of what they had just witnessed, and they all began asking about Shi Xing’s condition after using his mental power.

Shi Xing: “I’m fine, I didn’t use too much mental power.”

“I just used my talent to pin the star beasts down. I saw that everyone was struggling with their speed, so…”

“It’s all right; Er Ya intervened in the middle, and later I absorbed some of the star beasts’ mental power as a bit of a supplement.”

Among all these questions, Shi Xing still couldn’t hear Chi Yao’s voice, which made him increasingly anxious.

After Er Ya examined him, she concluded, “It’s fine; the residual mental power in the A-level star beast’s body isn’t too much. One might be equivalent to a few Red Ores. Lucky for you; just don’t do it like this next time…”

Her words halted as she shook her head and smiled, “I shouldn’t have assumed you would listen just because I advised you. In any case, you’re fine now, the rest I’ll leave to your prince.”

Having spent more than half a year together, Er Ya knew what kind of personality Shi Xing had and that once he made up his mind, he wouldn’t listen to anyone else. If she didn’t say anything, it would be left to those who were Shi Xing’s companions to worry.

Shi Xing felt choked.

Meanwhile, Chi Yao took a few steps to the side, where the communications officer called to him, whispering a few reports before pushing a projection in front of Chi Yao. He opened it up.

It was likely a situation report regarding their march, and Chi Yao studied it intently.

Knowing that Shi Xing was all right eased his mind. Finally, Fei Chu began recounting the impressive scene he witnessed, exclaiming, “Wow, Xing Xing, how did you do it? I’ve never seen star beasts go down that easily!”

“That was amazing!!”

“I was thinking that if things didn’t go well, I’d just open the cabin door and deploy mechs to deal with them.”

“But that would inevitably slow down our retreat…”

These star beasts were not very high in rank, but the timing of their appearance was unfortunate; they tangled with them just when full-speed advancement was necessary. Once combat began, it would undoubtedly slow down the entire fleet, and even if the main force took off first, they would still risk facing more star beasts in pursuit… In short, it was a dilemma.

However, Shi Xing had perfectly resolved this problem.

Fei Chu excitedly mused, “Now that you’ve learned Er Ya’s ability, does that mean we won’t have to engage in close combat with S-ranked or SS-ranked star beasts in the future? You can disintegrate their bodies without even needing me to deliver the final blow; is this really what a therapist does? Xing Xing, you now…”

“Fei Chu, silence in the command cabin.”

A marker suddenly flew over, and Fei Chu dodged, but the pen, imbued with Chi Yao’s mental power, hit him squarely on the forehead, causing him to gasp in pain.

Fei Chu protected his head, finally registering Chi Yao’s words and replied in a suppressed voice, “I never offended you, did I? Throwing a pen with your mental power is crossing the line!”

Fei Chu had faced pens thrown by Chi Yao many times, but this was the first time the pen was charged with mental power, making it all the more painful.

Er Ya shot a glance at the bewildered Shi Xing, having understood the situation, then said, “Why don’t you just say a little less? We’re still being pursued by star beasts; is everything finished?”

With that, Chi Yao commanded, “Fei Chu, take people to check the integrity of the mothership. See if those star beasts scratched anywhere.”

Fei Chu: “…”

There was a certain flow to the conversation, as if they were eager to send him away.

After all, he was a Major General. Adjusting his mood, Fei Chu grumbled and left.

As he departed, Chi Yao continued, “Fu Qing, come over and take charge of this side. We previously allocated a warship from Zhuang Yuan Yin’s brigade for Ye Jun to use as an unmanned warship. They’re now discussing on both sides, if there are issues, call for me.”

Fu Qing acknowledged, and Chi Yao turned a projection screen in front of him.

“Retreat was hasty, Xu Shu, you go arrange living quarters.”

Xu Jin also left.

Er Ya showed her perceptive nature, finding an excuse to follow Xu Jin out.

In just a few words, the command cabin was empty, leaving only Shi Xing and Yan Changyue.

“Your Highness…”

As Chi Yao approached, Shi Xing gently called out, his gaze filled with shyness and a hint of anxiety, that unique expression one makes after having erred, looking particularly obedient.

Chi Yao’s eyes swept over Shi Xing, his expression unreadable. Just as Shi Xing thought Chi Yao would say something, Chi Yao said, “Chang Yue, take Shi Xing down to rest.”

Shi Xing froze for a moment, about to speak, but Chi Yao caught on and asked, “What’s wrong, do you want to stay for the command?”

Shi Xing shook his head.

He didn’t have the energy for that.

Chi Yao: “Then go back with Chang Yue to rest.”

Having said this, a communications officer called for Chi Yao from behind; evidently, something had happened with the team.

Chi Yao turned back, initially not planning to leave, but after the officer reported several data points, Chi Yao furrowed his brow and stepped forward to take a look.

Shi Xing followed Yan Changyue out.

With no other option, even though he worried the prince would be upset, he could not say anything in the command cabin. Not to mention their current army situation; the First Army Corps needed the prince, and Chi Yao had more important matters to attend to.

In the command cabin, he barely held on, having already consumed his mental power. Once he stepped out of the cabin, Shi Xing visibly weakened.

Yan Changyue brought some Red Ore, and as Shi Xing mentioned wanting to shower, Yan Changyue started running some water. When he returned, he found that Shi Xing had slumped on the sofa and fallen asleep.

Confirming that Shi Xing hadn’t fainted, Yan Changyue tidied the room and had a robot place Shi Xing on the bed before quietly stepping out.

When Shi Xing awoke, it was already the next day.

“Xing Xing, you’re awake.”

“Your temperature spiked again yesterday; the doctor and Er Ya both advised you to rest, so the prince didn’t call for you.”

Yan Changyue stayed close, preparing a meal for Shi Xing.

Shi Xing looked around hesitantly and asked, “Isn’t the prince sharing a room with me?”

Yan Changyue replied, “The prince said you needed to rest and had Xu Shu arrange for two rooms.”

Fearing Shi Xing would misinterpret the prince’s decision, he quickly added, “Last night, some star beasts pursued us again, but they weren’t very high-ranked. We had a brief skirmish, and the prince hasn’t returned to his room to rest.”

Chi Yao, along with most officers, had barely slept.

Shi Xing felt a pang of concern. After inquiring about the army’s current situation and learning that Chi Yao was still busy, he quietly ate, following Yan Changyue’s arrangements, and was soon checked over.

Shi Xing’s health was indeed not great; he felt fatigued and weary no matter where he went.

The day passed, and during dinner, he saw Chi Yao, but they barely exchanged words. After dinner, Shi Xing dozed off again on the sofa.

Days passed quickly.

The planet from which they had been hunting reportedly had star beasts so densely packed it was comparable to dropping dumplings.

That particular planet was a defensive star on the boundary line, and it seemed unlikely they could retrieve it in the short term. If they couldn’t retrieve it, the boundary defenses would have to change; the First Army Corps had caused this mess, and they naturally couldn’t just walk away.

Though referred to as a line, the boundary line actually resembled a spherical surface protecting the entire star system.

With that planet as a midpoint, on one side was the stationed Fourth Army Corps, while on the other was the stationed Third Army Corps. Uncertain about how many more star beasts would migrate, they slowly advanced through space after shaking off the star beasts, heading towards the Fourth Army Corps’ main star.

The re-planning of the boundary line would also require the prince’s decision.

While Shi Xing slept daily, Chi Yao never exceeded six hours of sleep.

After receiving reports from the satellites that the star beasts on that planet began fighting amongst themselves due to their overwhelming numbers, the star beasts coming to their side thinned, signaling a turning point in the situation.

“We’ll see how they move after the energy dissipates on the planet.”

“If they turn back into space, that’s great. But if they intend to invade the sides of the boundary line, we should prepare to support.”

After a hectic few days, Fei Chu shared the latest updates. After lunch, he finally had some time to rest and went straight to his room to sleep.

Chi Yao returned later, his face weary, and after washing up, he also went to rest.

When he woke up, he found Shi Xing wrapped in a blanket, dressed in loose and comfortable clothes in his room.

“Your Highness, you’re awake. Would you like some water?”

Chi Yao nodded, and Shi Xing obediently went to pour water.

During the walk, Chi Yao noticed Shi Xing wearing fluffy slippers.

They were clearly a gift from Er Ya. They looked small on Shi Xing, who had always preferred cute things.

The plush slippers, in a pale pink hue, hugged Shi Xing’s fair ankles. Chi Yao watched him for a while before slowly looking away.

After having some water, Chi Yao asked, “How long did I sleep?”

“Not long, just three hours.”

After so many days of pushing himself, Shi Xing thought he would have to wait a long time to see Chi Yao. However, it seemed the pressure of the environment weighed heavily on Chi Yao, making it hard for him to relax.

Chi Yao replied, “Is there anything…”

The moment he spoke, noticing he was talking to Shi Xing, he stopped and reached for his communication device.

Shi Xing caught his hand and told him, “Nothing happened, it’s the same as before, Your Highness.”

“For these three hours, I was keeping an eye on things; everything’s fine.”

Chi Yao nodded.

Exhaling lightly, he rubbed his forehead; having just awakened, he felt relief and slowed his pace again.

Shi Xing sat at the foot of the bed.

In the room, only the two of them remained.

A long-awaited moment alone.

Chi Yao still felt a bit fatigued and didn’t rush to get up, wanting to sit for a while.

After a moment of silence, just as he was about to speak, saying a single “you,” Shi Xing quickly interjected, “Please don’t drive me away.”

Chi Yao fell silent.

Shi Xing lowered his head; when he didn’t hear the other continuing, he didn’t linger, instead proactively asked, “Are you upset with me?”

With Chi Yao’s voice devoid of discernible emotion, he replied, “What would I be upset about?”

Shi Xing steeled himself and recounted how he had used his mental power without permission.

Chi Yao chuckled lightly, “It seems you are well aware that your condition was not good at that time.”

This made Shi Xing’s scalp tingle.

He feared these vague conversations with Chi Yao, which left people guessing.

But the tone of his voice… it sounded like he was truly annoyed.

Indeed, the reactions that day and afterward didn’t suggest he was unperturbed.

Shi Xing raised his head. He had been running a low fever, and his complexion was rather pale. With his bright eyes and pale face, it made him appear exceedingly pitiful.

However, Chi Yao remained unmoved.

After a moment of eye contact, unable to withstand the expressionless gaze of Chi Yao, Shi Xing lowered his head again and proactively said, “I was wrong, Your Highness.”

Chi Yao pressed, “What were you wrong about?”

Shi Xing inched closer to Chi Yao and whispered, “I shouldn’t have used my mental power recklessly, worrying you and everyone else.”

“And anything else?”

In this situation, Shi Xing reluctantly forced out another sentence: “I shouldn’t have waited until now to apologize; it’s too late.”

“Incorrect,” Chi Yao corrected.

“You knowingly made a mistake.”

He struck right at the core, “You clearly understood you shouldn’t have used your mental power, but you still did so to resolve the star beasts as quickly as possible. If given another chance, I believe you wouldn’t change your decision, would you?”

Shi Xing fell silent.

Chi Yao pointed out, “So since you’ll do it regardless, what’s the significance of your apology now?”

“Deep down, you don’t truly feel you did anything wrong.”

Shi Xing protested, “I never thought I was right.”

Chi Yao countered, “Right or wrong holds no significance; next time you face a similar situation, you won’t change your choice.”

“You would still act the same way.”

On this basis, apologizing became meaningless.

Shi Xing was rendered speechless.

The atmosphere fell into silence for several seconds. Ignoring his pride, Shi Xing clung to one of Chi Yao’s legs, resting his face against his knee, pleading pitifully, “Are you really upset?”

Chi Yao responded, “What do you think?”

Shi Xing felt utterly defeated.

But he still wanted to struggle.

“Then punish me.”

If an apology had no effect, then let there be punishment.

Chi Yao raised an eyebrow, “How would you like to be punished?”

Shi Xing was overwhelmed by the fact that the prince expected him to suggest a punishment. Feeling defeated, he contemplated how to plea for leniency, but since Chi Yao didn’t reply, he knew he couldn’t escape. Shi Xing finally continued with a dismal expression.

“More training.”

Chi Yao teased, “Want to make a low-fevered Blue Star human run long distances every day on a warship?”

“…” Um.

“Then… write a self-reflection?”

“How many words?”

Shi Xing felt tortured, closing his eyes and rubbing his cheek against Chi Yao’s knee. Unfortunately, Chi Yao remained unyielding. Understanding that he couldn’t suggest something too short, Shi Xing extended his hand to indicate a number.

Chi Yao disdainfully asked, “A thousand?”

Shi Xing clenched his teeth, deciding to be bold, “Ten thousand!”

Chi Yao’s tone returned to normal, “Okay.”

“That’s it?”

Shi Xing was confused as Chi Yao pushed him on, making him grit his teeth and reluctantly add, “I can also handle more political matters.”

The cumbersome tasks of internal affairs; though he had taken over part of it, it wasn’t particularly useful and required approval from others, myriad tasks to handle.

Chi Yao pointed out, “You’ve already taken over the Elders Council, so what more do you need to take on?”

Shi Xing tentatively suggested, “The Ecological Protection Bureau?”

“That works; what else?”

Shi Xing felt like crying but held it back, biting his teeth before providing, “The Forestry Bureau.”

That was his least favorite department, as he found it challenging to comprehend.

How many acres needed how much water, and how many saplings were needed to introduce new trees? Having to deal with this for a few days would feel almost as dreadful as facing star beasts.

Chi Yao was naturally aware of this, and Shi Xing heard a passing, “Hmm.”

Chi Yao said, “A self-reflection, and some political duties— is that enough punishment?”

Shi Xing was dizzy, “Huh? Is that not enough?”

How angry was the prince? He might never be able to make amends!

Chi Yao gestured with his long finger at his side, suggesting, “I liked that sleepwear you wore.”

Shi Xing took some time to register before recalling the thin, sheer sleepwear.

Several conversations followed regarding that sleepwear, where Chi Yao wanted him to pick up some more things for when he matured, but Shi Xing firmly rejected it.

So… did the punishment need to extend to such a humiliating matter?

Shi Xing’s heart ached; his teeth practically clenched. “Then… I’ll think about it later…”

“Just think about it?”

“I’ll buy some if I find suitable ones.”

“What about how many?”

Shi Xing felt numb, “Two pieces.”

With a straightforward answer, naturally, Chi Yao didn’t pursue further.

However, Chi Yao continued, “Are you sure you don’t want to throw in some other things?”

Shi Xing was startled, raising his head with eyes wide open, “Like what?”

“For example,” with a soft cough, Chi Yao unabashedly and calmly stated, “scented candles, rope, soft whips… I recall there are a few types of mildly hallucinogenic potions that have patent approval. They can be found in various stores; what do you think?”

Shi Xing’s mouth hung open, unable to close.

Punishment… was it actually going to include so much?

Shi Xing was stunned, staring blankly for a while before finally replying with one word, “Ah?!!”

The ending tone dragged on, sounding pitiful and innocent.

Chi Yao, who had been keeping a stern demeanor, finally broke into a smile at the sight of Shi Xing being so distressed.

With shoulders shaking, he rubbed his forehead, laughing and shaking his head, thoroughly amused.

As time passed, when Chi Yao looked up again, the smile lingered on his lips.

Shi Xing’s intelligence finally clicked, slowly realizing, “Your Highness, you… weren’t actually angry, were you?”

“When did I say I was angry?” Chi Yao laughed, a rare and radiant smile.

Shi Xing’s pupils trembled, “Then why are you negotiating punishment with me?!”

Chi Yao’s brows relaxed, “Wasn’t it you who brought it up yourself?”

Shi Xing: “…”

Shi Xing: “…………”

Oh, Shi Xing understood now; the prince was tricking him!