281: The light that never goes out

Five minutes is a very short time.

Before her tears had dried, the laboratory was no longer visible.

But the passage was collapsing.

So He was no longer there... this place had become the graveyard of The First Star Visible at Dawn. Her arrival this time seemed specifically for this funeral ceremony.

The surrounding spatial walls began to destabilize.

"Get close to me," The Emperor called out to Kong Jiamu and Hain.

Then, the energy fluctuations around him became intense.

He helped everyone resist the spatial turbulence and led them out.

In his brother's absence, The Emperor finally grew into a qualified leader. He finally took on more responsibility—spontaneously and voluntarily.

They all returned to the flagship.

"Should we still separate? I mean... the Children."

Kong Jiamu was silent for a moment before asking Tu Nan.

Tu Nan turned her head blankly to look at him; her mind was like a rusty old machine, operating very slowly.

It took a long time for Tu Nan to let the question enter her mind.

It took another long while before she could think.

But everyone was waiting for her.

No one rushed her.

"Ah..." her voice was dry and raspy, "The First Star Visible at Dawn... in the short term, the Star Worms will not mutate again."

Yes, the mutation of the Star Worms was due to the energy and genes stolen from the laboratory.

Now, they had to wait for a long evolutionary chain.

If they could make it in time.

"Then one day, we will be able to resolve them completely."

Hain's voice carried a sense of hope and strength.

"This is the gift 'God' left for us."

Previously, it was clearly Hain who questioned the identity of The First Star Visible at Dawn, but now he was the first to step forward and bestow the identity of a deity upon it.

Tu Nan's gaze slowly shifted toward him.

"The people need faith, and The First Star Visible at Dawn deserves to be remembered," he said gently.

Tu Nan nodded slowly.

"That is so."

She hoped The First Star Visible at Dawn could be remembered by more people; she wanted its existence to leave more traces behind.

She looked at the listless Children.

From the adults' conversation and their mother's sad expression, they understood something. For a while now, the several Children had been watching her very obediently.

"We cannot put all the pressure on the front lines."

Tu Nan forced her rationality back online, "Children, you should still take them away first as we did before."

She walked to the porthole and looked out.

"I must protect this world; I have this responsibility and this duty."

At no other moment did she know this more clearly than now.

This had completely become her world.

The world she loved.

"The Children can understand all this; they will love this world just as I do." With a determined smile on her lips, Tu Nan turned back and asked.

"Right?"

The Children nodded.

They loved their mother, and their mother loved the world, so the logic was simple.

"Alright, then I'll head back to the front lines."

Kong Jiamu pulled Little Bird to his side.

"And teach the kid how to fight while I'm at it."

"I'm going to the front lines too; it feels like my Rank is loosening," Li said softly. "I'll have to trouble you to take the child for a bit."

He was referring to the real Silver Armored Knight, the retired one.

That person nodded.

"I'm going too," Hain stated unexpectedly.

Several soldiers looked at him in surprise.

"While the Star Worms' growth rate is slow, it's best to concentrate on weakening them for a round. Then we can find time to return to the Capital Star together," he said.

"Huh? Return together? For what?" Kong Jiamu was confused.

He and Hain had inexplicably returned to their former way of interacting, no longer being awkward and refusing to speak to each other.

"We indeed need to return." The Emperor gave Hain a half-smiling glance.

"I'm impatient with handling government affairs, so I plan to go back and clean up those restless people to help ease the pressure on you all."

Tu Nan tugged at him.

"What are you going to do? By 'clean up', do you mean... by force?"

Based on her understanding of The Emperor, this person's 'handling' usually referred to such simple and crude methods.

"I've lost my patience, so be it," The Emperor sneered.

"I'll sweep them all away in one go, carry out a bloodbath, and then you'll clean up the mess. As for me, I'll just flee to the border."

"Perfect."

Tu Nan was shocked by his bloody way of handling things, but the gentle Hain directly supported his decision this time.

"I actually think this is for the best. If we want to deal with those old nobles of the Empire using conventional methods, it will take too long. As long as someone is willing to be the blade, this is the fastest and most effective way."

He had completely changed; the person once criticized by Your Majesty for not being decisive enough could now calmly say such words that would shake the court.

This method would leave The Emperor with a bad reputation, but it was indeed feasible.

Tu Nan understood everything.

"I see!" Kong Jiamu clapped his hands. "Then the timing must be precise. We'll clear a round of Star Worms, and then by the time we return, your move will be perfectly timed."

"You guys..."

She looked at this group of people.

They intended to use their military achievements to send her to the heights, paving a path to the heavens beneath her feet.

Not just as the Empress.

But as a complete Regent.

They also looked at her.

Your Majesty, did you foresee this day? Tu Nan didn't know if the sleeping Your Majesty was truly divinely prescient.

No, he wouldn't have known everything that would happen in the laboratory, nor would he have known the decision of The First Star Visible at Dawn.

He simply trusted the people he had chosen.

Everyone.

***

Everyone parted ways again.

And just three short months later, The Emperor proposed to truly inherit the throne and invited the nobles to the Capital City for discussion.

He spoke quite humbly.

"Please come for a detailed discussion. Perhaps with deeper understanding... you will see he is no worse than Your Majesty."

He was indeed no worse than Your Majesty; in terms of being ruthless, he far surpassed Your Majesty.

No one who walked into the palace that day was able to walk back out.

Together with the Imperial Guard, he directly sent the restless noble heads and several high officials to meet the beast god.

Other innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire were terrified into silence by this madman.

Blood flowed like a river.

A few days later, when the people the nobles had left outside realized what happened, the Three Great Legions pressed back.

Several S-Rank Male Beasts entered the palace at the same time with the Children.

In the court, Tu Nan was strongly urging The Emperor to spare the 'innocent' people.

"You say they are corrupt and commit all kinds of evil, but they should still go through the formal process for trial! If Your Majesty were here, he would never let you act so recklessly."

"Even if we take ten thousand steps back, these people have already been executed; you can't say everyone else is a rebel and traitor!"

Seeing that The Emperor still wouldn't give up, Tu Nan held the power ring and commanded Peng Tianyu.

"Captain Peng! Although the Imperial Guard must obey the Imperial family's orders, as the Empress holding Your Majesty's power ring, shouldn't my authority be higher?"

"I order the Imperial Guard to protect these lords to the death!"

Peng Tianyu hesitated only for a moment before choosing to stand with Tu Nan, pointing his sword at The Emperor.

"How bold!" The Emperor was furious and was about to strike, but Tu Nan rushed forward, blocking the ministers herself.

"What more do you want! You'll have to step over my corpse first!"

"Empress!"

Kong Jiamu, Hain, and Li walked in together.

They all moved to protect her, glaring at The Emperor.

The ministers shivering on the side finally breathed a sigh of relief; they were saved!

The Emperor stopped, unsatisfied.

Facing him were three full S-Ranks—yes, Li had actually successfully achieved a Breakthrough.

The scene was in a temporary stalemate.

Hain supported Tu Nan back to the throne. Once she was seated, Hain showed a satisfied smile and decisively knelt on one knee before her.

"Empress, your servant implores you to take the Regency."

His sincere and firm voice echoed in the ceremonial hall, leaving everyone stunned by this sudden action.

Kong Jiamu took a step forward.

"Your Majesty has not yet awakened, and this one... is also not suitable for governance."

His blunt assessment earned the tearful agreement of many veteran officials present.

"Your servant also requests the Empress to take the Regency."

After speaking, he also knelt, though he didn't forget to look up and smile at Tu Nan.

Tu Nan looked slowly at The Emperor, her voice carrying a threat.

"What do you think? Since this palace cannot accommodate you, why don't you go inspect the border battlefields later?"

This was a disguised exile.

The officials present exhaled, all wishing to send this death star away as quickly as possible.

They didn't dare hope that the three S-Rank Male Beasts would clash with The Emperor in the palace; no one wanted to fight an enemy with a Domain.

Not to mention the other party was of the Imperial bloodline!

Fortunately, his tyrannical nature was exposed early; they had originally thought they could let him inherit Your Majesty's throne.

The Emperor looked around disinterestedly, gave a cold snort, and nodded as if reluctantly.

"It seems you agree with my arrangement. Then, regarding the Regency..."

"If you want to manage this mess, then manage it," The Emperor said dismissively. Seeing Tu Nan still staring at him, he chuckled and gracefully knelt on the ground.

He looked up defiantly, staring at Tu Nan seated above.

Except for Tu Nan, no one could see the playfulness in his eyes.

Li knelt down heavily.

"We implore the Empress to take the Regency!" His voice was raspy, yet it resounded throughout the hall.

"We implore the Empress to take the Regency!"

He repeated the words again, enunciating each one.

His wolf-like gaze swept over everyone around him.

Whether willing or unwilling.

Everyone followed suit and knelt in this situation... After several repetitions, the phrase finally became a unified chant.

The corners of Tu Nan's mouth curled up slightly.

"Granted."

That was everything.

***

"Your Majesty, how do you think I did?"

As the day drew to a close, Tu Nan stood by Your Majesty's side, looking at the man's face in the water and softly telling him everything.

After receiving the 'gift' from The First Star Visible at Dawn, Tu Nan had returned and, without a second thought, gave 20% of the genetic enhancement to him.

She didn't need any extra Breakthroughs.

With a 15% completion value, she could already live a healthy life as a normal Female Beast.

It was also enough to accomplish everything she wanted to do.

She wanted Your Majesty to open his eyes.

To look at her.

After receiving the 20% completion, Your Majesty's genetic collapse stopped immediately and was gradually repairing itself.

Lance's research was also continuing.

She said Your Majesty would definitely wake up; it was only a matter of time.

"You've been slacking off for a long time, haven't you?"

She asked him with a smile, "Just how long are you going to sleep?"

Receiving no response, she no longer felt lost.

Tu Nan quietly left a kiss on the wall of the Treatment Pod, turned, and went to bed.

Just a moment before the lights went out, the corners of the man's mouth in the water slowly curved upward.

A faint smile quietly bloomed before the darkness arrived.

(End of Story)