Barren Star – Chapter 54

Shackles of the Mind

Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, falling through gaps and illuminating Baize and the Nine-Tailed Fox who were lazily sprawled beneath the tree. Not far away, several furry heads huddled together in discussion, occasionally emitting laughter that sounded distinctly villainous.

Ning Buyi walked back from the flower field in high spirits. Upon seeing the residents of the base, she raised her hand in greeting but had no intention of stopping for idle chat. After all, she needed to inform Hua Zhuoyu about the changes in Kris.

            

The living room felt empty, and whenever she looked up, she saw that copper vase for flower arrangements. After disposing of the half-wilted bouquet, she hadn’t thought to pick new flowers, leaving the vase empty and making the room feel somewhat incomplete. Ning Buyi’s gaze wandered around the familiar yet somehow strange living room until Hua Zhuoyu appeared before her, finally drawing her focused attention.

“Has the judgment at Giant Scythe Star concluded?” Though she had already seen the news on the Star Court’s official website when approaching Mountain and Sea Star, she still wanted to ask upon seeing Hua Zhuoyu, just to hear her voice.

“It’s over,” Hua Zhuoyu replied, her voice deeper than usual, eyes fixed intently on Ning Buyi.

            

“Will you return to the Imperial Star first?” Ning Buyi asked again.

“No.” Hua Zhuoyu shook her head quickly, then after a moment’s consideration added, “My arrival at Mountain and Sea Star might be delayed somewhat.”

Upon hearing these words, Ning Buyi couldn’t help but furrow her brows. She let out a soft sigh, averting her gaze from Hua Zhuoyu. Countless questions reached her lips but were ultimately swallowed, and she only said one thing: “Be careful.”

            

Hua Zhuoyu took in Ning Buyi’s expression. She leaned forward slightly but suddenly realized that all this “vividness” was merely an illusion—she couldn’t actually touch the person “within arm’s reach” unless they established sensory sharing. However, making such a request at this moment would seem somewhat deliberate. “Won’t you ask me why?” Hua Zhuoyu smiled faintly.

Ning Buyi’s eyes shifted slightly. She pressed her lips together and asked with forced lightness: “So, why is that?”

Hua Zhuoyu: “An invitation from the Insect Star.”

            

Ning Buyi frowned upon hearing this: “What’s happening with the Insect Star? Has a new queen emerged so quickly?”

“The former queen has emerged from the secret palace.” Hua Zhuoyu spoke casually, noticing traces of tension on Ning Buyi’s face, and added with a smile, “Don’t worry, at least on the surface, she’s much more orderly than Kris.”

“On the surface?” Ning Buyi caught the key phrase, unable to convince herself not to worry.

            

Hua Zhuoyu: “The Insect Queen possesses two abilities, one of which is the source of chaos. However, judging from her past behavior, she can clearly control the chaos effortlessly and maintain clarity.”

Ning Buyi asked again: “Did she say what this was about?”

Hua Zhuoyu: “She spoke of ‘future and destiny.'” However, it wasn’t these words that made her agree to meet Hill; she was very curious about the Pure White Queen of the Insect Race. After all, she had once heard a prophecy from a high-ranking Insect Guard—the Lord of Endings. After Kris’s rebellion, the prophecy seemed to have been broken, but now that the Pure White Queen had emerged from her prison again, who knew what would happen?

            

Ning Buyi gazed at the confident Hua Zhuoyu and abandoned any thought of persuasion, realizing this might relate to some official duty that wouldn’t be altered for anyone. After a moment’s consideration, she actively changed the subject, bringing up Kris who was now in the flower field, her expression becoming somewhat peculiar.

“Among Kris’s two abilities, one is her long-possessed Ghost-Colored Eyes, and the other is the recently developed Blood Ancestor. However, the latter has mutated, with the blood giving rise to a swarm of honeybees.”

“A reproduction-type ability?” Hua Zhuoyu’s expression grew serious, not letting her guard down despite the seemingly harmless honeybees. She looked at Ning Buyi and said in a serious tone: “Don’t lower your guard.” Due to the Insect Race’s unique society, their queens’ ability development typically related closely to their clan. Similar reproductive abilities had appeared before, leading to a significant increase in the Insect Race’s army for a period, along with an intensified desire for war.

            

“I understand.” Ning Buyi nodded solemnly.

Kris’s presence on Mountain and Sea Star made Hua Zhuoyu more eager to return, so she moved up her meeting time with Hill. As for the location, it was at a space station between Giant Scythe Star and the Insect Race Star Cluster, though “outpost” would be a more fitting description.

In the cold space station, silver metallic walls reflected cold light, pervading an icy, forest-cold atmosphere. After the war began, the Da Xia people had evacuated the outpost, leaving only the AI running. However, it was fortunate, having survived the fires of war.

            

Hua Zhuoyu arrived early, easily obtaining access rights to the outpost from the AI. This wasn’t so much to counter the Insect Queen as to prevent any inexplicable leaks. Though it wouldn’t affect her position, it would still be troublesome.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the long corridor.

When Hua Zhuoyu looked up at the sound, she saw an unfamiliar figure. She had snow-white long hair, eyes as deep as ink, and skin as bright as moonlight. Without further explanation, the words “Pure White Queen” appeared in her mind.

            

“Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times,” the other party’s tone was elegant and refined.

Hua Zhuoyu raised an eyebrow, stood up to give Hill the Da Xia bow, then sat back down, pointing toward the seat at the other end. “Your Excellency called me here, so please speak plainly.”

“The Chief Judge is somewhat different from what I imagined.” Hill studied Hua Zhuoyu, her deep eyes filled with intense interest.

            

Hua Zhuoyu paid no attention to Hill’s unrestrained gaze, having long known this queen couldn’t be as gentle and harmless as she appeared.

“I came here simply to give the Chief Judge a word of advice,” Hill spoke leisurely.

“Oh?” Hua Zhuoyu looked up, her gaze still cold and detached, like the undisturbed water of an ancient well.

            

“Please prepare for war, Your Excellency.” Hill spoke casually, her tone as ordinary as if discussing the weather.

“Has Kris’s disappearance not taught you all a lesson?” Hua Zhuoyu sneered, showing disdain.

“Kris? You mean my foolish sister?” Hill lifted her eyelids slightly, smiling gracefully, “I’m different from her. Oh, and now there’s a second matter. If Your Excellency happens to encounter my stupid sister, would you kindly return her?”

            

Hua Zhuoyu countered: “Are you requesting the return of a prisoner of war?”

Hill smiled gently: “It sounds terrible when you put it that way, but no matter, it’s all part of a transaction. I know you’re very interested in my ability, Chief Judge, so I’ll tell you—my second ability is Severance. As for what it severs, you can probably guess, can’t you?”

Hua Zhuoyu replied coolly: “Your Excellency overestimates me.”

            

Hill smiled at these words, brushing aside her hair. Her topic suddenly shifted: “Now, let’s return our attention to the war. Of course, this isn’t to say I harbor hostility toward you, but in Insect Race society, some hotheads cannot be controlled.”

Hua Zhuoyu’s thoughts stirred slightly, a certain speculation arising in her mind. Meeting Hill’s completely candid eyes, she said impassively: “An Insect Queen unable to control the Insect Race—that’s a joke worse than the destruction of civilization.”

Hill shrugged: “Regrettably, it has already happened.”

            

Hua Zhuoyu let out a laugh, and since the other party had brought the topic into the open, she decided to stop beating around the bush and asked directly: “Is this the deeper meaning behind your heaven-bestowed title of Lord of Endings?”

“Even Da Xia has heard of this?” Hill crossed her arms, speaking with keen interest.

Hua Zhuoyu smiled lightly: “Chaos is the essence of the Insect Race, and disorder without leadership will only lead them down the path of destruction.”

            

Hill gazed at Hua Zhuoyu pensively: “Is that truly what you think?”

Hua Zhuoyu remained silent, and after a long while, uttered four words: “Mental shackles. But once broken, a disordered race may not be able to sustain itself.”

The Dark Pollution had significantly affected the Insect Race, that pollution eroding their minds, passing down through generations. To maintain the survival of the entire race, the queen became the sole brain, the only intelligence. Following orders had become the Insect Race’s instinct. However, after Kris’s rebellion, that blind obedience finally began to weaken. “I believe now is the perfect opportunity—destruction before construction,” Hill said casually. After severing the mental connection, “individuals” emerged within the Insect Race, and their life or death was no longer her concern.

            

Hua Zhuoyu stood up, smiling: “No wonder Your Excellency’s royal guard and sister both betrayed you.”

Hill cast a meaningful look at Hua Zhuoyu: “Why should I care about fools’ thoughts? I hear life has begun to resurrect within Da Xia’s territory?”

Hua Zhuoyu’s gaze suddenly turned sharp, but she quickly concealed her intensity, saying coolly: “Oh? Is Your Excellency interested in this as well?”

            

“Shouldn’t I be?” Hill countered, “I hope that one day we can establish free trade with Da Xia. You needn’t look at me like that—I know it’s impossible in the short term, no, even in the long term. But if life truly can be resurrected, after that evil tide recedes, there might be a tiny chance, right?”

“Perhaps,” Hua Zhuoyu smiled.

The Pure White Queen’s “advice” had conveyed quite a bit of information.

            

The “uncontrolled” Insect Race meant that the mental link between the Insect Queen and her race had been severed.

However, how much of this was truth and how much was fiction still needed careful consideration.

Da Xia Imperial Star.

            

Recently, Xia Tu had been working himself to exhaustion trying to eliminate the negative effects of public opinion on the Star Network. He somewhat regretted his rash decision to “show his face.” His boasting made people think that repelling the Insect Race’s attack had required no effort at all. Initially, there had been countless cheers, but these were quickly drowned out by questioning voices from Giant Scythe Star immigrants—if they had sufficient power, why weren’t they willing to help with the relocation? Could there be matters beyond the Da Xia Crown Prince’s responsibilities? If it were just these accusations alone, they wouldn’t have troubled Xia Tu so much. But his conversation with Xia Tai had also been leaked, and the comparison made him appear particularly heartless and cruel.

This score would have to be settled with Xia Tai.

Who would have thought that this usually well-behaved brother would choose this moment to stab him in the back.

            

At this moment, Xia Tai was extremely frustrated about being made a scapegoat, but unfortunately, his dear sister Xia Sang had no intention of listening to him, clearly determined to push him into the spotlight.

“I hear the Supervisory Department has contacted you?”

“Aren’t they busy propping up a puppet to compete with Xia Tu?” Xia Tai responded irritably.

            

Xia Sang: “Don’t you have some documents that shouldn’t be released? Use the Supervisory Department to leak them gradually, slowly destroying Xia Tu’s reputation among the people.”

Xia Tai: “…I’ll be targeted by all sorts of assassination attempts.”

“How can you catch a tiger without entering its den?”

            

“I enter the tiger’s den, but you get the tiger cub?”

Xia Sang blinked, displaying a sweet and innocent smile: “Second Brother, listen to yourself—are we really that distant? If you get targeted for assassination, wouldn’t that be perfect for crying to His Majesty about it, using it as a reason to request your own guards? As a prince, you should have your own protection detail anyway.”

“But—”

            

Xia Sang interrupted Xia Tai: “Second Brother, do you want to be used as a political marriage piece? Besides, things have already progressed to this point—even if you give up now, Xia Tu won’t let you off.”

Xia Tai: “…”

Not long after the victimized Xia Tai left the Princess’s Manor listlessly, Ying Jingqiu slipped into the residence silently.

            

“No fewer than ten organizations have submitted visitation requests to Mountain and Sea Star, seven of which are laboratories funded by Xia Tu,” Ying Jingqiu reported.

Xia Sang was somewhat curious: “Did they reject them?”

Ying Jingqiu: “There’s been no response.” After a pause, she asked, “Should we have the Civilization Investigation Team submit an application?” Ying Jingqiu had already met some people who returned from Mountain and Sea Star, and she actually thought the Civilization Alliance was more likely to be treated as “persona non grata”. However, she felt they couldn’t just stand by watching while Xia Tu made his moves. Seeing Xia Sang’s silence, Ying Jingqiu continued on her own, “Your silence I’ll take as agreement.”

            

Mountain and Sea Star Base.

Since Mountain and Sea Star’s relationship with the base was exposed, Ning Buyi had received countless visitation requests through the Star Micro Platform, and lacking time to reject them individually, she simply ignored them all. However, these new “visitation requests” were different from the previous ones, as they came through the government affairs hall system.

Most were investigation teams and tourist groups, though their true motives behind these surface-level purposes were questionable.

            

The groups had various names, each accompanied by detailed information. Ning Buyi quickly spotted several bases affiliated with Xia Tu—thanks to the Civilization Alliance’s thorough documentation, as she would have struggled to trace the behind-the-scenes figures from their backgrounds and credentials alone.

“My Lord, My Lord, do you plan to keep refusing?” Xiong Xun asked curiously, his eyes gleaming with unusual brightness.

If this were Barren Star last year, Ning Buyi would indeed have planned to refuse. However, now she felt opening up to the outside world wouldn’t be bad—these people were potential laborers, though groups belonging to Xia Tu would have to be filtered out.

            

Xiong Xun studied Ning Buyi’s expression before suggesting after a while: “The base is our headquarters and we can’t let enemies in, but haven’t we recently developed new areas? Let them go there—being close to Aurora City might make them envious.”

Jin Feifei said: “If we’re forming investigation teams, our Beast Star should arrange one too.”

After some thought, Ning Buyi conceded: “That works, let’s start by screening the ones from Da Xia.”

            

With this idea in mind, during her free time talking with Hua Zhuoyu, Ning Buyi brought up the matter of the “investigation teams.” Mountain and Sea Star now had some self-protection capability and didn’t need complete isolation from other civilizations. They could carefully select manageable people from the investigation teams to prepare for future major construction projects.

“With the royal family making moves, the Supervisory Department’s forces will likely submit applications too,” Hua Zhuoyu said.

Ning Buyi nodded: “We’re screening them now—any suspicious ones will be rejected immediately.”

            

Hua Zhuoyu frowned.

Ning Buyi, who had been watching her intently, noticed this subtle movement and furrowed her brow as well.

“Is something inappropriate?” Ning Buyi asked. Aware that her own considerations might be insufficient, she wanted to hear Hua Zhuoyu’s opinion.

            

Hua Zhuoyu suggested: “While you probably won’t let Xia Tu’s forces in, it would be better not to reject visitors from the Supervisory Department.”

Ning Buyi thought it over and understood. Currently, relations between the Imperial Royal Family and the Supervisory Department were tense, with Xia Tu himself under public scrutiny. At this juncture, even the slightest rumor could startle him. How would he react when Mountain and Sea Star welcomed the Supervisory Department but kept him out? Might he become desperate and act irrationally?

“It could be somewhat dangerous for Mountain and Sea Star,” Ning Buyi said carefully.

            

“Yes.” Hua Zhuoyu nodded.

“The struggle between the Supervisory Department and the royal family can now be brought into the open—did you reach some agreement with the Insect Queen?” Ning Buyi stared at Hua Zhuoyu.

“The Insect Race is no longer content with the status quo. They’re preparing to break their shackles and enter a new society.” Hua Zhuoyu smiled gracefully, adding, “At least that’s what the Pure White Queen implied.”

            

“Peaceful transformation is almost impossible.” Ning Buyi’s words cut straight to the point. She frowned, thinking of the origin of the “Mythical Forbidden Zone”, and continued, “I don’t want to see war, neither among other civilizations, and especially not in Da Xia.”

Hua Zhuoyu countered: “Do you think it can be avoided?” Her tone was calm, but this calmness was like a late winter ice lake, with undercurrents already stirring beneath.

Ning Buyi pressed her lips together in silence.

            

She knew that at least for now, “peace” was a luxury. Even if she revealed the truth about the “Mythical Forbidden Zone,” those people wouldn’t stop their advance. Because they craved greater benefits and returns, because they had no way back, they could only continue down the thorny path.

Hua Zhuoyu continued: “New life can only come after destruction.”

Ning Buyi sighed—these matters were too complex; she’d rather stay on Mountain and Sea Star and continue planting trees. When the barren land becomes covered with forests and abandoned cities resurface… those d*mned golden seeds would probably start sprouting too.

            

Regardless, Ning Buyi eventually nodded in agreement. After deciding to receive the investigation teams, her attention turned to planning the “tourist area”. The exposed ground was now covered with a thin layer of grass, appearing as a bright green patch on the map. But grass alone wasn’t enough—at least all the plants sold on the Starlight Platform should be replanted. Let them research whatever they want if they’re willing to pay the high fees—they won’t discover anything anyway. The current crops from the “Mountain and Sea Catalog” were in a “locked” state anyway. Besides these already planted crops, they needed to plan a cultivation area where people could experience “farming” firsthand. Even with increased fees, those people probably wouldn’t refuse.

While Ning Buyi began leading the energetic Beast Race group in planning the “tourist area” on Mountain and Sea Star, those laboratories and bases that had submitted applications on Da Xia Imperial Star started receiving responses.

Sprout Experimental Base

            

A young person in a white coat suddenly jumped three feet high, running quickly toward the break room under the curious gazes of many colleagues, shouting while running: “Teacher, we have results!”

“What results? Did the cherry tomatoes cultivation succeed?”

“Or did they detect activity in the ancient seeds?”

            

The young person’s excited voice was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, quickly spreading ripples in all directions.

In the break room.

An elderly man with graying hair sat resting on the sofa, giving the young person a casual glance when he entered.

            

The young person’s face instantly turned red, and his voice became softer: “Teacher, our request to Mountain and Sea Star Base has been accepted. They’re allowing us to visit.”

Upon hearing this news, the elderly man’s expression lost its composure. It was well known that they had tried to make contact when Mystery No. 1 appeared on the Starlight Platform, but had been consistently ignored.

Seeing the elderly man stand up, the young person excitedly continued: “Once we’re on Mountain and Sea Star, we can measure precise values of their soil, air, and moisture levels. After simulating Mountain and Sea Star’s environment, we might be able to cultivate plants.”

            

“There might be more factors involved.” The elderly man had a theory, but seeing his disciple’s excitement, he couldn’t bring himself to discourage him. If his theory was correct, Mountain and Sea Star Base wouldn’t have any reference value, and their research might be meaningless. However, being able to visit personally and see that planet full of verdant grass, surrounding vegetation, and teeming with life would make it all worthwhile.

“Oh, Teacher, they’re only allowing fifteen people to visit, and they specifically noted ‘extremely high expenses’.” Speaking of “expenses,” the young person’s expression immediately turned bitter. Their experimental base and scale were far smaller than those controlled by the government, Supervisory Department, and major families—funding was always a major issue. This trip wouldn’t be cheap if they went. However, if Teacher were willing to cooperate with the government’s people, this problem could be easily solved.

The elderly man maintained his usual expression, saying calmly: “Bring your own camp bed and nutrient solutions.”

            

The young person: “…” How can one be a scientist without tasting the “hundred herbs” [百草 | bǎi cǎo | reference to the legend of the Divine Farmer Shennong tasting hundred herbs to test their medicinal properties]?

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