Barren Star – Chapter 46
by Little PandaUninvited Guests
Xia Tu is wary of Xia Tai, who spends his days in leisure, since he possesses the right of succession to the throne. However, he pays little attention to a princess without inheritance rights. At most, he only cares about what benefits Xia Sang can bring him. But if Xia Tu knew about the Civilization Alliance in Xia Sang’s possession, his attitude would be different, and Xia Sang’s situation would become more precarious. She must either submit to Xia Tu’s manipulation or choose a desperate fight with little chance of success.
When Ying Jingqiu heard Lu Zhiwei’s words, she felt angry, but her rationality suppressed that anger. Since the other party invited her over, there must be room for negotiation. “What do you want?” Ying Jingqiu asked in a deep voice, looking at Hua Zhuoyu rather than Lu Zhiwei.
“I hear the government and military have their eyes on Mountain and Sea Star, like hawks spotting a piece of meat?” Hua Zhuoyu spoke deliberately.
Ying Jingqiu smiled: “Isn’t it obvious? Who can resist the temptation of life itself?” Her eyes flickered as she continued, “You don’t want anyone reaching for Mountain and Sea Star, right? Worried that the Star Court can’t protect it? Indeed, those people are nearly mad. I can promise you to stop those hands reaching for Mountain and Sea Star. At least openly, they won’t dare to take action or make claims.”
“You’re still so perceptive,” Lu Zhiwei observed Ying Jingqiu with interest, smiling, “How did you stumble with our beautiful princess? Are you planning to watch her navigate between ghost noble princes, then one day, under the blessing of the stars, walk up to the sacred hall with some man, vowing to spend their life together?”
After getting the answer she wanted, Hua Zhuoyu ignored Lu Zhiwei’s banter, crossing her arms and watching Ying Jingqiu’s stiff expression with interest.
“She won’t,” Ying Jingqiu barely contained her irritation.
“Our great emperor has three palaces and six courts [sΔn gΕng liΓΉ yuΓ n – referring to imperial concubines], when the queen ascends, there will be no shortage of male consorts.” Lu Zhiwei lifted her eyelids, watching Ying Jingqiu’s face turn pale, and laughed with satisfaction.
“Are we done talking?” Lu Zhiwei turned to ask Hua Zhuoyu.
Hua Zhuoyu nodded, noting that Ying Jingqiu was more agreeable than she had expected.
“Thenβ” Lu Zhiwei’s gaze returned to Ying Jingqiu, dismissing her without courtesy, “You may leave.”
Since entering the house, Ying Jingqiu hadn’t had a moment of peace. She cast a deep look at Lu Zhiwei, then turned and strode away without looking back.
“Did you really end your friendship with her?” After Ying Jingqiu left, Hua Zhuoyu turned to Lu Zhiwei.
Lu Zhiwei snorted, saying with displeasure: “Are you doubting me?”
Hua Zhuoyu nodded: “Yes.”
Lu Zhiwei let out a light scoff: “I just can’t stand the sight of her.”
“I think there’s more to it than that.” Hua Zhuoyu gazed steadily at Lu Zhiwei, “Are you afraid that Her Highness the Princess might exploit your relationship with Ying Jingqiu?” The current Marshal plus a retired Marshal would essentially mean bringing the military into her embrace. In such a situation, Xia Sang wouldn’t need the Civilization Alliance anymore; she could achieve her goals and expand her ambitions directly through a coup.
At the Princess’s residence.
Standing in the room, Ying Jingqiu’s face showed rare signs of fatigue and worry. Even her fragrant waist and rose-like red lips couldn’t bring her any relief.
There was an inexplicable stillness in the doorway as Xia Sang raised her nearly luminescent white hand, caressing Ying Jingqiu’s cheek.
“What’s wrong? Did Lu Zhiwei mock you again?” Xia Sang asked in a lazy tone, like afternoon sunlight. She knew about Ying Jingqiu’s relationship with Lu Zhiwei, but unlike others’ “good impression” of Lu Zhiwei, she thought Lu Zhiwei was thoroughly awful. She couldn’t understand why Ying Jingqiu would tolerate it. In childhood, she had yielded because of the Old Marshal, but now her father was the Grand Marshal, and she herself had a military rank – she was superior to Lu Zhiwei in every way.
“No,” Ying Jingqiu shook her head.
“Are you speaking up for her again?” Xia Sang didn’t believe these two short words; her eyes told her that Ying Jingqiu’s current state was completely different from before. Suddenly withdrawing from Ying Jingqiu, she sank deep into the soft chair, rubbing her temples while muttering, “I really don’t understand you all.”
Ying Jingqiu had no intention of discussing “personal matters” with Xia Sang. She said: “We’ve found Zhao Lan and Wei Qu and the others.”
This brief sentence drew away Xia Sang’s thoughts. As expected, she didn’t inquire further, her gentle gaze suddenly becoming as sharp as an unsheathed sword.
“Where are they?!”
Ying Jingqiu said gravely: “In the Chief Judge’s hands. She seems to know everything about the Civilization Alliance.”
“Not just seems.” Xia Sang shook her head. She wasn’t surprised that Hua Zhuoyu knew about the Civilization Alliance; what surprised her was that the other party had actively involved herself in this matter. This Chief Judge was completely different from her predecessors – she neither completely gave her loyalty to the Star Court, nor chose to stand with the Hua family or the Supervisory Department. “Did she propose any conditions?” Xia Sang keenly sensed something unusual about this matter.
Ying Jingqiu said: “She doesn’t want anyone from the Empire to lay hands on Mountain and Sea Star.”
Xia Sang slowly let out a breath: “Those are precious plants, symbols of life’s revival. If plants can save a dying planet, the Star Court will absolutely use all its power to protect it.” After understanding Hua Zhuoyu’s calculations, her tone gradually became lighter, “I thought this Chief Judge was going to violate the Star Court’s historical precepts and interfere in imperial politics.”
Ying Jingqiu added: “Whatever the case, I’ve agreed to her terms.”
Xia Sang gazed intently at Ying Jingqiu: “You did well.” After a pause, she smiled and said, “I hear the Ning family’s team has already departed, should we still concern ourselves with that?”
Ying Jingqiu replied concisely: “No concern.”
The Ning family’s team had departed before this matter began – what did it have to do with them?
At Mountain and Sea Star, Aurora City.
Ning Buyi was browsing through the materials obtained from Peng Yu.
That man was truly a coward without ambition; being confined in prison for so long had worn away his spirit, and after some verbal intimidation, he had yielded. Unfortunately, Peng Yu’s authority in the Civilization Alliance was not high, and he didn’t possess much information.
While Ning Buyi was reviewing the messages, Hua Zhuoyu sent a message.
It was precisely about the “Civilization Alliance” – she said she had reached an agreement with Xia Sang, who was willing to use her influence in the government and military to prevent any overt designs on Mountain and Sea Star. In exchange, the people who had landed on Mountain and Sea Star would be sent back without exception.
Ning Buyi had wanted to get more information from them, but seeing Hua Zhuoyu’s message, she abandoned that thought. She didn’t delay, directly removing the shackles from these people, allowing them to reconnect with the outside world. A few days later, the woman named Zhao Lan suddenly sent her a pile of information about the Crown Prince, possibly at Xia Sang’s instruction, taking the opportunity to curry favor. Ning Buyi smiled and didn’t refuse.
In January, spaceships from the outside world came to retrieve the people from the Civilization Alliance.
During this time, Mountain and Sea Star received many visitors from Beast Star, including the eagerly awaited Three-Tailed Fox Tushan Sansan from Feng Yimao. The base became livelier than before, and after the great snow melted, they took over the task from Zhao Lan’s group, continuing to plant trees along the route from Aurora City to the base. After a period of effort, the forest standing like serried blades and halberds on both sides blocked the wind and sand, forming a clear thoroughfare.
Days passed peacefully on Mountain and Sea Star until one day, when Beidouβs system emitted beeping alarm sounds.
An unfamiliar spacecraft entered the interstellar orbit heading toward Mountain and Sea Star, flying at high speed toward the base. Ning Buyi’s eyelid twitched as she instantly realized somethingβthe Ning family’s spacecraft had arrived!
“Activate the shield’s self-defense system and lock onto the incoming spacecraft. First warn them to retreat, if they don’t comply, shoot them down directly!” Ning Buyi ordered with a stern face.
In the spacecraft.
Several young masters of the Ning family sat lazily in their chairs, ignoring the warnings from the base.
They had stayed at the base before, how could they not know what the base’s shield was like? In their view, just a few cannon shots could destroy the massive base. Unfortunately, they heard there were plants below, so they couldn’t be so reckless.
“How interesting, we’re just returning to our own planet, how did it become an illegal intrusion?” Ning Su said cheerfully.
“Brother Yunjing, the planet’s owner is now your half-sister, you must take back the authority,” Ning He, who came along, added. They were all Ning family scions who had come to watch the excitement.
Ning Yunjing had no interest in dealing with his two brothers. As he watched the spacecraft’s display screen, his pupils suddenly contracted. Those red dots were the trajectories of incoming shells! The base below had its own equipment! The spacecraft had been controlled by the AI, but it couldn’t calculate the exact trajectories of the opponent’s shells, making it impossible to shoot them down. Ning Yunjing’s expression changed dramatically as he suddenly took control of the entire spacecraft, activating defense mode. Loud booms shook the spacecraft from side to side, while electrical currents crackled between the equipment. Ning Yunjing’s hands moved rapidly, finally slamming down with a punch as he shouted at the shocked faces: “Abandon ship, emergency landing!” He ran out of the cockpit, and moments later, a pointed shuttle-shaped aircraft shot out from the spacecraft’s tail.
In the base, Ning Buyi used Beidouβs system to lock onto both the spacecraft and the small flying object that had emerged from it.
The opponents seemed to realize they were under attack from the base and began returning fire. Ning Buyi gave a cold laugh, reaching out to pat the soundly sleeping Baize, and directly activated the Planet Master’s skill “Dominate”. Under the influence of this fortune skill, even if they had an 80% chance of winning, they would still be defeated, let alone when they were already at a disadvantage.
If they had shown proper etiquette and entered Mountain and Sea Star as “envoys”, she would have considered their case, but since they chose not to act properly, they would have to face the consequences of their actions.
The crazy bombardment from the base’s defense system left Ning Yunjing struggling to cope, without even time to check on his companions. When he realized the aircraft couldn’t hold out either, he directly summoned his mecha, moving like a shadow between the artillery fire. Just when Ning Yunjing thought he could land safely, a massive black shadow appeared above, and before he could react, a tail whipped at him fiercely! Under the relentless attack, his mecha immediately developed a deep dent. But that wasn’t all – Ning Yunjing discovered in horror that he was surrounded by more than ten adult dragons!
How could there be dragons on Mountain and Sea Star, a planet belonging to Da Xia? At least when they left, this barren star had shown no signs of beast clan activity. Could it have been infiltrated by beast clans in just half a year? No, that was impossible. Although the beast clans were unwilling to ally with Da Xia against the Insect Race, they had no intention of becoming enemies with Da Xia. Could it be that the Planet Master had opened access to allow these beast clans to enter? This was the only explanation Ning Yunjing could think of.
His abilities were insufficient to deal with these physically powerful beast clans. In the brief time available, he only did one thing: send a signal to their home star. However, Ning Buyi in the base would never allow him to transmit the message; with a cold laugh, she ordered Beidou to intercept the signal as soon as it was detected.
This time, the Ning family had organized a thirty-person squad to Mountain and Sea Star. Apart from a few pleasure-seeking young masters, the rest were mecha warriors. However, they were attacked by artillery before they could successfully land, making it difficult to launch a composed counterattack. Under various factors, within less than two hours, all the Ning family members were captured by the base.
“Lord! There’s a young man called Ning Yunjing who requests to see you,” Feng Yimao ran into the base excitedly. Her combat power was equivalent to a large goose, and she hadn’t joined those dark fellows in battle. But when the opponents were captured, she still ran over to watch the excitement.
“Won’t see him,” Ning Buyi lifted her eyelids slightly. She knew Ning Yunjing, who was technically her “elder brother”, but so what? Ning Buyi had no goodwill toward enemies who trespassed on Mountain and Sea Star. Her eyes flickered as she said indifferently, “Put them all in Aurora City Prison.” The emergence of the city and the opening of the prison district had its advantages. She didn’t need to worry about where to place the “prisoners”, nor consume “Black Locks”.
Night fell like a tide, with stars dotting the azure vault above.
As Aurora City’s infrastructure gradually activated, Ning Buyi still lived in the small, single-story house in the base. At this moment, she was lounging against the headboard, her smooth long hair falling from her shoulders, the ends draped over her soft chest.
Before her eyes was the projection of Hua Zhuoyu’s cat-like languid figure.
“The Ning family people arrived at Mountain and Sea Star, but they’ve all been thrown into prison,” Ning Buyi said relaxedly.
Hua Zhuoyu: “How do you plan to deal with them?”
After pondering for a moment, Ning Buyi replied: “They’re just the first batch; there will be second and third batches… But if this matter is handled well, it might prevent a lot of trouble.” Seeing the hint of amusement in Hua Zhuoyu’s eyes, she seemed encouraged, “According to interstellar law, residents’ property is protected. What do you think about submitting them to the Interstellar Court?”
“If you didn’t have power, I wouldn’t recommend doing that. Butβ” Hua Zhuoyu smiled, pausing for several breaths before continuing slowly but firmly, “I will help you settle this. They must be just and strict! However, this will expose your cooperation with the beast clans, and some radical people might label you with various accusations.”
Ning Buyi raised an eyebrow, smiling: “But I’ve done nothing wrong, have I?”
“True,” Hua Zhuoyu nodded, “In some time, I will depart for Giant Sickle Star.”
Ning Buyi’s brows furrowed, showing concern: “Has the situation on that planet worsened?”
“It’s quite bad indeed,” Hua Zhuoyu sighed. Both the war situation and the spread of dark pollution were extremely troubling. According to frontline battle reports, the insane Insect Queen might personally enter the battlefield. After all, she was capable of leaving her palace to intercept her in space.
Ning Buyi hesitated for a moment before asking: “When you go there, will we… lose contact?” If the Mountain Sea Atlas side quest pointed toward Giant Sickle Star, she would probably have to make a trip there too. If they were on the same planet, she at least wanted to deliver her personally prepared gift.
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