Little Chu Zao was currently sitting in the vehicle, pressed close to Meilun.
With his wings and halo hidden, the little cub looked a bit thin, his round eyes with slightly drooping corners giving him a naturally innocent feel.
Curled, long lashes, that deathly pale face streaked with dust, clothes thin, huddled tightly against his unconscious relative, he looked pitiful.
It was hard not to feel moved to pity.
Wen Qingyu was driving, glancing at the back when she could, skillfully shifting gears to speed up, her ponytail neat, heading quickly toward their encampment.
Wen Qingfeng was sitting close to the cub. After a moment’s thought, he took off his jacket and put it around the little one.
Chu Zao was still in a daze.
In other words, while he seemed tough, all this was new to him. His folded wings still hurt, pain making his small back tremble, and his mind was still in shock, instinctively clinging to unconscious Grandpa Meilun.
The tiny cub, swaddled in an oversized jacket, looked up with clear, dazed eyes, yet steadfastly stayed by Meilun’s side.
Wen Qingfeng didn’t know how to comfort him. He scratched his head.
“Don’t worry. That’s your grandpa, right? He’ll be fine. Even on remote worlds like ours, His Majesty and the imperial princes care about medical conditions. As long as we get back quickly, stop the bleeding, and give him some nutrition, it’ll all be okay.”
Little Chu Zao nodded.
His fuzzy black curls quivered at the movement.
Such a young cub—so cute it hurt.
“Sis, can you drive even faster—”
“I’m already going as fast as I can. How about I throw you out to lighten the load and go faster still?” Wen Qingyu replied, expressionless as she looked ahead, then suddenly turned to glance at Wen Qingfeng.
“What do you think, bro?”
Wen Qingfeng: …
“Doesn’t sound too good.”
“Then shut up.”
“Got it.”
The little cub blinked, tension gradually easing in this bantering atmosphere.
The car rolled into a place hemmed in by temporary wire fencing.
Many similar vehicles were there, most with not just storage beds but robotic arms and hooks up front.
It was a wasteland, not loose sand but black-brown earth with little plant growth—just like most mining planets in the galaxy.
Across the plain, makeshift shelters made of dark green special materials formed a cluster. At the center square, the bright red Holy Cas flag whipped in the cold wind.
Eight or nine families were gathered here to guard the mine.
All young people in their twenties; as the vehicle arrived, several youths, clutching hot tea, fell silent, looking over.
Hearing the noise, tent flaps lifted and other young people on base came out.
“Qingfeng, Qingyu, you’re back? No trouble on the road?”
They came forward.
“We were just thinking about whether to go look for you. Today is weird. After you reported a disturbance and left to investigate, communications went haywire. The first search party’s already set out.”
“It’s fine,” Wen Qingfeng jumped out of the car. “Not thieves, some disaster we’ve never seen—giant hole opened in the sky, lots of debris fell through. That probably interfered with comms too. Once it’s back up, tell the searchers to hurry back.”
He glanced at the car.
“We’ll need to clean up, too. Also, I smelled blood, so we’ll need to disinfect. Squad leader, Qingyu and I also rescued two survivors from the disaster; they’re likely Holy Cas citizens from Imperial Planet, both injured, hoping for contact with Imperial Planet. But military is half a world away and one of them may not last, so we brought them back first. Someone will need to help us get them there.”
“Injured survivors?”
The squad leader frowned deeply.
“How can you be sure? You know those thieves will stop at nothing for profit. At least verify things more carefully…”
As he spoke, the squad leader suddenly spotted something and fell silent.
On the tall vehicle, a tiny cub, about five years old, perched at the door and looked his way.
Those clear amber eyes blinked.
Chu Zao gathered his courage—standing, locking eyes with the man.
“Uncle, Zao Zao and Grandpa Meilun aren’t bad people. Baba will be here soon, and Baba will pay for Zao Zao and Grandpa Meilun.”
Just like how Baba used to buy him fruit.
Zao Zao would think of a way to pay Baba back.
The soft baby voice hesitated, but he didn’t reveal his halo or wings.
From the grown-ups’ words, this place was not safe and far from the imperial planet—for a five-year-old cub who had raised himself, knowing when to hide and keep a low profile made all the difference.
Everything was up to this cub to decide. He was trying to shrink himself and Grandpa Meilun out of sight, quietly waiting for Baba to arrive.
Wen Qingfeng shrugged. “Squad leader.”
Squad leader: … “All right.”
Those vicious thieves were truly evil, but it was impossible for a cub this young and natural to be faking it—if so, then the search team deserved to be tricked.
“Enough chat, help out,” Wen Qingyu called from the car.
Others on the base quickly came over.
They gently carried Meilun out.
Meilun reflexively tried to resist, but the little cub soothed him immediately.
Chu Zao, despite his own aches, jogged after them on his short legs into the medical room.
Meilun’s coronet had already shattered; to a Crown Clan, he’d already died once. Though his mind was now stable, his situation was more serious than expected. His face was deathly pale, and once he relaxed, he seemed unaware of everything around him.
Chu Zao watched anxiously at the bedside, little head looking up.
A tense group, having learned on the way how dire Meilun’s injuries were—though not fatal, many wounds cut to the bone, blood pouring.
But when they started treatment, they were surprised—the wounds, though clearly severe, stopped bleeding with basic care—his recovery was exceptional.
“He’ll be all right now.”
Those about to set out for the main base to fetch advanced medical equipment stopped, amazed.
People from Imperial Planet really were different—even their healing powers were strong.
Chu Zao blinked as if in slow motion. His little voice finally gained an edge of cheer.
“Really?”
“Mhm, really.”
The team’s medic replied.
Wen Qingyu brought a wet towel, and the cub obediently wiped his face.
A group watched as the squad leader, arms crossed, studied him for a while, finally giving in: “We just checked; local comms are restored. Your story checks out. You two are free for a few days. Please escort them to the Holy Cas regional garrison in the south.”
Chu Zao’s eyes lit up.
He puffed up his cheeks, copying Amos’s seriousness. “Thank you, Uncle.”
Squad leader: …
He sucked in a cold breath.
Heavens, who could stand this? Someone please come collect your little one! He’s so small yet caring for his grandpa—it was heartbreaking.
The tough guy gave a strangled grunt. “You’re welcome.”
“Don’t pretend you’re cold-hearted, squad leader, ha ha.”
“Mind your business! Got nothing to do? Go patrol!!”
…
Meilun’s wounds were now cleaned and disinfected, after much work, and he was settled on a spare bed.
A few boys in the base were modifying the Wen siblings’ vehicle, making a more suitable environment for Meilun.
They were also preparing food and water for the next few days.
Chu Zao received a can of nutrient solution and two or three small potatoes.
The little one sat at the infirmary door, clutching the food, blinking. He bit into a potato.
Soft and glutinous, not much flavor.
All in all, not bad.
He’d survived just like this before, feeding himself on plants, so he accepted it well, nibbling bit by bit.
Wen Qingfeng sat beside him, also holding nutrient solution and a plate of potatoes.
He smiled: “We grew these ourselves, but the soil here on 78th Mining Planet isn’t very good—stuff does grow, just not well, so the potatoes are tiny, but tasty enough to try.”
Chu Zao had finished a small potato, earnest and soft: “You’re amazing. Zao Zao once tried to grow food but nothing survived.”
“Haha, did you plant them in a flowerpot?”
Wen Qingfeng chuckled. He’d come to comfort the cub.
“Kids are curious, and parents let them experiment, but it’s better to wait until you’re older to really learn.”
From Meilun’s healing, Wen Qingfeng suspected he had strong spiritual power and must be from a high-status Imperial family.
Chu Zao’s words easily sounded like a child’s failed experiment growing plants at home.
Imperial Planet’s education was excellent, so such things were normal.
As he bit into another potato, Chu Zao sheepishly touched his nose.
He didn’t dare admit that he’d tried planting on a lush plain, only to watch everything wither and die—he’d just wanted a fixed food patch, but ended up foraging as usual.
“Eat, fill up. We’ll head out soon. Don’t worry, my sister will drive fast. Your family will be here to pick you up, okay?”
The little one nodded, eyes bright.
“By the way, I’ve never left Mining Planet 78 before; I don’t really know what things are like outside. What’s life like on Imperial Planet? Do you read lots of books? Can you join the army right away? I heard you can sign up for the royal guard?”
Wen Qingfeng’s curiosity was hard to hide.
But Chu Zao didn’t know.
Gnawing his potato—“Zao Zao hasn’t started school…”
“Ah, right, you’re too little.”
Wen Qingfeng laughed cheerfully.
But the cub was curious—“Then why don’t you go visit Imperial Planet?”
Chu Zao had little concept of home. His world had always been small, just himself—now a bit bigger, a few extra people.
When in trouble, his instinct was flight.
If bullied and his home found, he’d decisively move.
He didn’t really grasp emotions.
“Not enough time now.”
Wen Qingfeng shrugged. “Someday, after you go back, I’ll visit you on Imperial Planet. For now, this is my home.”
“Home?”
“Yeah, right here—” Wen Qingfeng pointed to the ground.
“This is our birthplace. Our ancestors were slaves here, mining slaves. Later, Crown Clan lords set us free, gave us protection and trade. We could exchange for food, water, all we needed. We didn’t live that history, but we know it.”
His gaze was glowing.
“So that’s our oath—to offer glory to the sacred coronet!”
They hoped their glory would make the coronet that saved them shine ever brighter; it was not much, but it was what they could do.
“Thieves come to steal, wreck the mining core, strip-mine until the planet’s ruined. Our job is to stop all that. This is Holy Cas Empire’s land; we won’t let them run wild!”
Little Chu Zao stared at him, awed by that light in his eyes.
“I…”
The soft little one didn’t finish.
Suddenly, chaos erupted in camp.
“Thieves! It’s thieves! Prepare for battle!”
“Squad leader! Thieves’ ships everywhere!”
“They’re attacking! Far too many!”
“Crap! Must be because our patrols kept foiling them lately. They haven’t had a win in months—wanted revenge.”
“Thank goodness comms just came back—call base for backup now!”
Wen Qingfeng froze, face paling, then grabbed the cub and tossed him into a back room, expression serious.
“Stay here. Don’t come out, understood?”
Chu Zao was stunned, tears threatening.
He seemed to hear Meilun’s words from before—
—“Zao Zao, stay in here, don’t come out.”
Chu Zao seized Wen Qingfeng’s coat.
Tiny hands gripping nutrient solution and half-eaten potato, the oversized jacket hanging off his little frame.
Wen Qingfeng hesitated, then patted the cub’s head.
“It’ll be fine.”
Chu Zao loosened his grip.
Though five, he paused at the door—he’d already been ‘tricked’ by Grandpa Meilun once. He didn’t trust it. Zao Zao needed to know what was happening—and protect Grandpa Meilun.
As the thieves landed and gunfire broke out—a rustle came from the window. Chu Zao, alert, turned to look.
Just then, out in the vast universe.
Massive starships thundered over. These titanic war machines, capable of conquering a civilization, rushed out of Holy Cas Star, using the maximum limits of jump tech to speed toward the outskirt mining world.
The Holy Cas territory was huge; jumps turned an overnight journey into hours.
But Amos still found it too slow.
His eyes, seemingly calm, stared at the star chart—there, the 78th Mining Planet.
Surprisingly, Meilun’s spiritual power hadn’t exploded—his locator was still active.
Chu Zao might still be with Meilun.
Another message came; Amos frowned—
“Your Majesty, as we kept tracking the 78th Mining Planet, we found Meilun’s signal moving a bit, but not far—not contacting us, but understandable, as the planet is scattered, and most places can’t link to Imperial Planet. We also just detected another royal signal—Prince Kaman.”
Kaman, same generation as Meilun, but temperamental. Amos remembered he’d always been withdrawn; after his coronet began to shatter, he took ever more radical measures.
Disappointed by Crown Clan’s self-rescue methods—though still carrying the information core, he had defected, joined many interstellar labs, experimenting on himself. In the end, he destroyed all those labs when they tried to turn him into a weapon.
Since then, he’d mostly disappeared, but occasional signals proved his coronet wasn’t fully lost; he was alive.
Naturally, even the Crown Clan had its internal problems—
Especially these last two generations, whose terminal stage was rife with troubles.
But they kept a tacit understanding—even if separated from the clan and Empire, so long as you carried the information core, if you lost control, only another Crown Clan could suppress you.
Now, who knew what Kaman had in mind, appearing on Holy Cas Mining Planet 78.
“Keep going at full speed. Ignore cosmic asteroids—blast them aside.”
Amos glanced at the time.
“Take the last half-hour and cut it to twenty minutes.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The Empire’s warships raced toward the small planet.
Meanwhile, Chu Zao was trembling, watching as a tall man came in from the window.
The man’s beauty was nearly striking, but shadowed. His hair still black, but he gave an oppressive feeling, dressed without care—black long coat, high-neck sweater, worn trousers, face that persistent unhealthy pallor of poor sleep.
He never even glanced at the cub in the doorway; his scarlet eyes fell on Meilun, lips curling in a strange smile.
“Meilun?”
“Y-you—who are you?”
Chu Zao snapped to attention. He wanted to run and protect Grandpa Meilun.
He stretched out his hand, trying to summon his tiny bow.
But Kaman merely tilted his head to glance at Chu Zao—the ice in that gaze froze the cub in place for a second, his spiritual power recoiling.
He was too small; he’d never faced such pressure.
His limbs went cold and numb, his bow wouldn’t appear, but still he forced his trembling body forward, fiercely throwing a tin of nutrient solution, trying to reach Meilun’s bedside.
His baby voice shook: “Stay away from Grandpa Meilun!”
What the—Kaman lifted a hand, catching the can easily, raising a brow as he looked at this beautiful, pitiful cub.
Unknown, odd cub—Heh, had Meilun grown so obsessed with cubs he’d taken in other races? Or some strange ‘therapy’ of Meilun’s?
Kaman tossed the nutrient can up and down, careless, hiding his own nearly shattered halo and wings, then looked once more at Meilun.
Since Meilun was here—no need to worry. Meilun was in bad shape, but the Holy Cas army was sure to be coming; Kaman had to leave soon.
He had always thought of himself as the oddest Crown Clan of his generation. Most kin avoided research, but not him—if any solution existed, no matter what it was, that’s what he’d pursue.
Pity all those labs were opportunistic—when he was weakest, they’d tried to weaponize him.
After wrecking countless interstellar labs, Kaman drifted to the Empire’s edge.
He was nearing life’s end.
Yet at the end, he felt like doing something for the Empire.
So he infiltrated the thieves’ group, planning to blow them all sky-high.
He’d intended to sabotage things; with him guarding, Mining Planet 78 wouldn’t fall. But these locals almost seemed to be protecting this tent, so he came to check—unexpectedly spotting an old friend.
And a very strange cub.
Kaman watched as Chu Zao moved to block the bed.
He wasn’t interested in which, and felt his spirit stirring toward instability again, his halo close to breaking apart. A few strides took him out the window, efficiently contacting the ignorant thieves’ leaders.
“I’ve got something to finish—good luck.”
He spread his wings, glancing back once.
He was airborne, speeding away, only glimpsing a flash of gold.
In midair, Kaman frowned—What was that just now?
A very odd feeling.
Chu Zao finally managed to summon his little bow.
He clutched it, watching the window—Gone?
He stayed alert a while, then shut the window carefully, having seen the departing wings—but he had no time to think.
Outside, gunfire stilled slightly.
He crouched by the door, bow in hand, peeking out.
His big, round eyes were tense.
Too many thieves had come; with just eight or nine families’ worth of youths here, even with strong defenses and no major casualties, they were surrounded.
A fight like trapped beasts.
The thieves’ leader taunted arrogantly: “The Crown Clan can’t reach this far, but you keep causing us trouble. If you don’t get taught a lesson, you’ll think I’m a pushover, huh?”
“Boss is right, boys—comms are down! Time to let them have it!”
“Heh,” the squad leader sneered, “Comms down? Where’d you get that intel?”
“Don’t panic! Backup’s on the way! Hold out! Guard everything here, for the glory of the sacred coronet!”
“For the glory of the sacred coronet!”
At once, the defenders’ spirits soared.
What should I do?
What should Zao Zao do?
Chu Zao gripped his little bow, drew a long breath, raised it, saw one thief aiming a gun. His weak, still-scarred baby hands pulled the string, spiritual power flowing into the bow, condensing into a slender, golden arrow.
Don’t panic…
Zao Zao can do it…
Baba said—Zao Zao must grow…!
Zao Zao’s not an ordinary little angel—he’s a Crown Clan!
Focus—aim—release.
Whoosh—
The pale gold arrow of spiritual power shot out—no one noticed.
It struck a thief beside the leader.
His raised gun abruptly fell. Staring at the leader, he was dazed—why did the boss look better and better, more and more handsome…
Unable to help himself, he confessed: “Boss, I love you so much… eh?”
What just happened?
Leader: …?
His brothers: ???
The base squad, ready for all-out war: ???
“What the hell are you babbling about?!”
The leader snarled, raising his gun—
Whoosh—
Another little arrow struck the leader’s spiritual force, distorting it instantly.
Glaring at his man, the leader slowly lowered his gun—What’s this? Why did this disgusting guy look… almost charming?
“Oh, I love you too… huh?”
The ‘audience’ witnessed a truly bewildering ‘mutual romance’, all gasping in unison.
Wait, wait—
Is this for real???
Im dead 🤣