Right now Shenghua felt she’d overdone it.
It seemed she’d decorated her “project” for the “boss” too lavishly, making this “project” rise rapidly in importance inside the Hymn Organization.
Catching their attention.
Shenghua cursed internally with a blank face.
If she’d known, she wouldn’t have pushed so hard.
Are you all that incapable? This is nothing, just a little resource upgrade and already it’s a key “project”?
Getting carried away had limited sustainability.
“So, this is your plan and support?”
Xi had a distinctly youthful look, messy black hair, heavy dark circles under his eyes, and spoke in a way that instantly annoyed—always as if mocking you. He nastily kicked one of the drifter planet’s residents beside him—
These were all sick or hopeless drifters—Shenghua had lived on the drifter planet a long time, and she knew that if you reached out to them at times like these, you might plant a seed.
And that seed might sprout and one day grow huge.
“Yes.”
Shenghua stood up, managing only a thin, forced smile.
She could sense Xi’s hostility.
“The higher-ups sending a senior to partner with me—isn’t that supposed to strengthen the project? Yet now it seems like you’re here to oppose me.”
“Heh.”
Xi shrugged, speaking offhandedly.
“Support—? Whatever.”
Xi found it all pretty funny.
Coming here to supervise this girl was laughable, in his view.
Clearly, Hymn Organization had realized Holy Cas was impenetrable, the whole Holy Cas fanatical about the Crown Clan seemingly more than about their “gods”, so turned their attention elsewhere?
To him, what good were these drifter folk?
Just expendables, useless trash.
Xi, all laziness and apathy, crouched in front of a drifter, then sneered: “Weakling.”
What was wrong with this guy?!
He even seemed to seriously plan on “helping”.
Finally Shenghua couldn’t take it anymore.
Mainly because Shenghua wasn’t working for the Hymn Organization.
Letting this guy help wasn’t going to happen.
She flicked the brim of her cap.
“Senior, since we’ll be partners, let’s talk?”
Xi let out a bored laugh and looked over.
Not long after, Shenghua and Xi walked a little way off.
Shenghua cleared her throat.
“Do you know why you’ve been paired with me?”
“To help you achieve your aims?”
Xi looked down at Shenghua, who was a half-head shorter, genuinely surprised she’d ask so directly.
Xi was the sharpest and most insane blade from the Hymn Organization’s labs—
His hands were stained with countless deaths; tell him to kill, and he’d do it without fail.
Other lab products feared and avoided him. If not for recent huge losses among the leadership, and the Crown Clan mounting such unprecedented pressure, Hymn was scrambling to fill the gaps and rebuild.
It was a long process.
Hymn had many goals.
Shenghua was just one. Trouble was, her ambition was wild, her hunger for resources and funding off the charts.
That made the higher-ups take a closer look.
So Xi came.
As the sharpest blade, he was to mold this ambitious girl into a full “god-fanatic” for the Hymn, using whatever necessary means to curb her naiveté.
“No, of course not.”
Shenghua waved her finger, looking seriously at Xi.
“My previous work was just fine; senior’s help isn’t much needed.”
Xi: ?
“Senior, you’re the bridge between our ‘project’ and the… adults above!”
Shenghua insisted earnestly.
“Then I…?”
“You just need to relay our requests quickly and precisely; it’s easier for you and us, right?”
She looked at Xi.
Xi went blank for two seconds—
Honestly, his head wasn’t great with these things. His thoughts looped once or twice.
That mean-looking teen for once showed confusion: “Is—is that so?”
“Yes.”
Shenghua looked at him.
Good, the “little leader” sent to meddle by the “boss” was almost set in his lane; time to fan the fire.
“We need your help right now.”
“Say it.”
Xi, surprisingly, seemed a little dazed at Shenghua’s gaze.
“To build a force to rival Holy Cas, to achieve big ambitions, eats up tons of time, energy, and resources.”
Shenghua eyed the communicator at his waist.
“If you could get our needs sent upstairs faster—it’d be huge for the plan.”
She perched a foot on a rock, equipment slung over her back, then rattled off a resource list she’d just been scheming to ask for from Hymn, smiling as she handed it to Xi.
It wasn’t long.
“Well?”
Shenghua scratched her head, squatting with her little underling nearby.
If this spiel didn’t work, she’d try another—ugh, it really had gotten tricky. The difficulty ramped up, and someone sent by Hymn was sure to have tricks of their own.
“Boss, look, he’s really talking with HQ! Not like our messy lines—he’s direct. Much easier for requisitions!”
Shenghua blinked.
“That easy to fool…?”
Despite the tough-guy vibe, Xi was easier to handle than she’d thought.
Then Shenghua quickly caught herself, glaring at her lackey.
“It’s not ‘getting stuff’, it’s getting what we deserve.”
“Yes, yes, what we deserve.”
Not long after, Xi came striding back.
“Requested for you.”
Hands in pockets.
“Nothing else for me?”
He checked the communicator, then grinned.
“They’re sending it over so soon?”
Shenghua craned her head.
Xi looked at her.
“What do you think? There’s a beast riot—someone’s going to have a bad day—”
The youth grinned nastily.
“Seeing someone else in trouble always makes me happy, you don’t get it?”
Shenghua: …
Well, that was a unique hobby.
She checked the communicator for updates.
Few star net mentions, but the Hymn Organization’s intel was more complex than she’d imagined.
With Xi saying so—
Shenghua lowered her eyes.
Let’s hope… nothing too big.
*
Pollution zone.
Beast armies, as if controlled, surged forth in disciplined ranks.
All manner of beasts marched like locusts, swarming the nearest planets.
This was still a remote, dangerous pollution belt, unclaimed by any state.
All drifter worlds.
A few mercenary groups or powerful psychic star pirates dominated here as local kings.
The Holy Cas army was holding back the beast armies with great difficulty.
“Alarm, alarm! Speed up the retreat, we’re surrounded!”
“What happened—why are the beast armies suddenly acting like this?”
Caught off-guard, the guarding Holy Cas army triggered the distress signal even as they shielded the research ships and fired back.
But these well-organized beast armies now seemed to have higher command, acting in unison, their psychic-like powers covering each other’s weaknesses, pummeling the Holy Cas forces into chaos.
“Is the distress signal out?”
“It’s out!”
“Listen up—we must ensure the research craft gets out safely. That’s His Majesty’s order, our mission. Those ships have all our hard-won pollution-zone data and breakthroughs—a vital step forward for us—”
“Yes, full escort for the research ship!”
“Report! Message received—reinforcements on the way!”
“Report! New beast army at three o’clock north—those include strong regiment commander beasts, our hull took hits in that last action!”
Endless reports made their heads spin.
The general gripped his fist.
“What on earth? How can this be happening?”
Ever since they’d begun probing the pollution, things had been subtly changing.
“The beast armies don’t seem to have a specific target—they’re attacking in all directions. Similar reports are coming in all over the stars.”
“Too strange. It’s like, before, the beast commanders led, but now, there’s a higher-level ‘general’—”
As if an unseen gaze had locked onto them.
Chilling, that thought.
“This—”
Even the general hesitated for a moment.
Could they really protect the research ship?
Even if they all died here—
“Bad news! General, three ships badly hit, no power, can’t move!”
“General! Left engine badly damaged, electronics scrambled, systems failing—”
On screen, numbers of pollution-born beasts moved in.
Beasts, alone, would be fearful, but together, obeying like machines. Beast society’s hierarchy meant every rank commanded the next—almost absolute control.
For years, breaking up these beast armies was Holy Cas’s main aim.
Break the formations, and the damage would fall.
Now, though, beset on all sides—
“…For Holy Cas.”
The general, in black Holy Cas uniform, drew his energy gun.
“If it comes to the worst, use final weapons, hold them off as long as possible!”
“Yes!”
“For Holy Cas!”
“For Holy Cas!”
With ships half ruined, the research craft sped off.
Their channel was filled with tense, urgent calls.
For these soldiers—it was as much for Holy Cas, as for their loved ones and the Crown Clan majesties.
Joining the army, they’d all steeled themselves.
This garrison had no Crown Clan; in fact, they were due to change shifts and go home, already worn out from endless beast skirmishes.
Now, each one donned exo-armor, prepared to fight to the death on an inhospitable front.
Small black dots slid from their ship hulls.
And then—
“Boom—”
A great explosion thundered, followed by others in the distance——
“General! Reinforcements arrived!”
On radar, a Crown Clan Holy Cas starship symbol closed in fast, little blasts the mark of its cannons.
And the biggest blast—right in front of the Holy Cas line—followed by more.
Why always follow the Crown Clan?
The vidscreen, just moments ago showing the onrushing beasts, now showed blood-red mist.
Beyond it, a pair of snowy wings beat lazily. He wore Holy Cas uniform, black fabric stretched over muscle, a gemstone brooch at his collar, wielding a rod-shaped psychic weapon, its silver-black glow brighter than the stars.
He stood in that blood-mist, turning to look at them.
—That hard, dark face, calm on screen.
So calm, as if stopping the beasts and standing before them was the most normal thing.
“Prince Ayala!”
“It’s Prince Ayala!!!”
Ayala spun his rod, eyes narrowed as he surveyed.
“So—they just keep coming.”
He slammed down, coronet flashing—so close to the pollution, it was beginning to fray.
Ayala frowned, braced against the discomfort.
And barked rapid orders.
“Emergency repairs, retreat, head for Holy Cas system.”
This wasn’t routine extermination.
This was a full-out beast war.
Meanwhile, not far away, on a drifter planet.
Fierce beasts barreled through.
This was a busy drifter world.
Many wanderers lived here.
One by one, they became beast feed.
The stench of blood carried far.
“Beasts?”
A star pirate gang controlled the area.
The leader, a decently strong psychic human, claimed this turf in part thanks to Holy Cas’s regular beast sweeps, and his own battle skills, able to repel beast raids.
So, many drifters chose to live here.
Now, he strode out, clad in old power armor, over an energy weapon.
“Just routine—don’t panic!”
He shouted.
“Only worthless drifters die. Stick to the plan—don’t let your guard down, take these beasts out!”
They’d been through this before.
And it was workable.
Each time, his hold tightened.
But, this time, something changed.
They shot down the bloody beasts.
Quiet fell.
The pirate boss smiled.
“Told you, no big deal.”
Next instant, a gnawing, chilling crunch echoed.
The pirate’s pupils contracted. He whipped around.
Too silent—no beast sounds, no crew voices.
He saw blank-eyed, bloodied faces.
A tall figure stood behind, calmly chewing an arm.
Not an ordinary human. Not any immortal he’d seen.
This being had beast eyes, a long leopard tail, but a human shape.
“You the boss here?”
The voice was icy, contemptuous.
The pirate’s eyes widened. He didn’t hesitate, raising his gun to shoot.
But a mental barrier appeared—a shield, like an immortal’s psychic field.
Blocked the energy shot without effort.
The pirate’s vision blurred.
The being was behind him, and, like peeling a bug, easily cracked open the power armor, wrenching off an arm and a leg.
“I’m Storm.”
Storm said.
“On this side of the riven starscape—are you all this pathetic?”
Storm spoke darkly.
Born from pollution, his kind should have feared nothing, but not long ago, an uncrossable force had kept them apart, only now weakening.
Letting him break through.
There were no general-level beasts here.
Storm found it strange—beast units weren’t actually that strong alone.
He’d only told the beast armies to attack nearby on his order, directing them out of the pollution, even giving them plans to carry out.
It was all too easy, he thought.
Is this side of the stars all like this?
“Y-you-you—”
The pirate boss was twisted with pain.
Could only moan.
Unbelieving.
What was this thing?
“Or maybe you can tell me—who is your strongest? Where are they?”
Storm peered with flat beast eyes, tail curling.
“I could… consider sparing you.”
“Crown Clan!”
No hesitation, the pirate screamed.
“Holy Cas, in that direction, the Crown Clan—no one can resist the Dark Tyrant Amos’s attacks…they’re madmen—let me go, let me go—”
“Crown Clan?”
Storm tilted his head.
“Sounds vaguely familiar, but can’t recall, just rabble, right?”
Storm’s interest was piqued; he looked toward Holy Cas, his psychic field stirring, forming wing-like shapes.
Cold and contemptuous.
“Once the Crown Clan are finished, nothing’s left. Strong races always have the tastiest flesh.”
Of course—one more thing.
Storm crushed the pirate’s skull easily.
Licked his fingertips.
“I might’ve let you go, but I didn’t like your boasting about them.”
There couldn’t be any race stronger than theirs.
He unfurled, flying toward Holy Cas.
*
Holy Cas Capital Star.
All of Holy Cas entered emergency state.
The beasts came faster than expected.
It wasn’t pressure for the Crown Clan, but truthfully, their main issue was numbers—too few people to cover the system properly.
Now, Little Chu Zao was carried onto a starship by Amos.
They would head straight for the frontier.
To face off with the beast armies.
And leaving Chu Zao on Capital Star—Amos couldn’t get over the shadow of last time.
This time was different.
Civic forces were mobilizing too.
War reporters had come as well—the chaos forced otherwise isolated areas to cooperate by necessity.
In this tense atmosphere, the tiny cub sat on a fluffy rug, clearly nervous.
Amos had no time to care for him just now.
To comfort the cub, Amos handed him a huge bag of candy—not for Zao Zao to eat all at once, but to keep him busy by sharing it out.
The little wings behind him folded tensely, golden halo blinking fast, clutching the candy tightly, but not really happy.
“So much candy, still not happy?”
Anya was with Amos; Feiman and Feeney, used to long campaigns, had already left at the first word.
Frey, Meilun, and Kaman formed another group.
The capital was watched by the Crown Clan still at the Medical Center.
Hearing Anya, Chu Zao looked up.
The cub thought, then spoke in his soft, sweet voice.
“Maybe…it’s just too much candy.”
He tried to tear open the wrapper.
It didn’t come apart at first try.
Anya’s eyes lit up; he coughed and reached over.
Come on, let your uncle help——
Rip—
Chu Zao expertly brought the bag to his mouth, bit a small opening, then tore a strip off.
Just as easy as eating psychic power.
Anya shivered.
The cub, sitting there, noticed Anya’s reaction, and gave him a curious look before starting to count out.
He split the candy into two little piles.
Muttering as he worked.
Anya watched, curious.
“Zao Zao, what are you doing?”
“Dividing candy. Baba said Zao Zao can’t eat it all.”
Zao Zao gave a little squeak.
“Baba one, Zao Zao one—Baba one, Zao Zao one—”
Anya paused.
Pointed at himself.
“What about uncle?”
The cub paused, thought, his eyes lighting up.
He nervously split the candy again.
“Baba one, Zao Zao one, uncle one, Zao Zao one… Baba one, Zao Zao one, uncle one, Zao Zao again~!”
Happily, the cub split the candy into three piles, set aside Amos’s share, kept his own close, then took one from Anya’s, handed it over: “Uncle, your candy.”
He started pulling back the rest from Anya’s pile. Zao Zao didn’t eat it all—he shared with Baba and Uncle, the rest was for himself!