On the way to District East Five, they encountered many hovercars making their arduous way toward that sector.

The sudden evacuation of the rescue ships from District East Four had inevitably induced panic among the populace. Their survival instincts drove them to chase after the fleeing rescue ships, making them even more susceptible to attacks from mutated avians instead.

Taking advantage of the moment while Li Xiao was discussing matters with Wei Feng, Song Jin walked to the front, took the co-driver’s seat, and scanned the upcoming flight path. He asked Qian Can casually, “How did you guys get over here?”

Qian Can focused intently on observing the left and right surroundings. “We had 09 help us drive three vehicles. After applying some simple camouflage, we first sent the refugees to the shelter point at the border of District East Five, and then came looking for you.”

“When you arrived at the hibernation center, there was no military force stationed outside guarding it?” Song Jin asked.

Qian Can replied, “There was a military presence, but there were quite a few fleeing refugees near the area. The moment they saw the army, they charged forward and unleashed a torrent of complaints. A portion of the soldiers was dispatched to disperse the crowd, so we took advantage of the chaos to slip through.”

Song Jin rested his chin in his hand, looking thoughtful.

“Then we have a problem.”

Qian Can spared a moment to glance at him. “We definitely weren’t discovered.”

Song Jin clarified, “I wasn’t talking about you.”

The Qi family intended to forcefully pin the blame. As long as the Raven hadn’t departed, any dirty water could be splashed onto them.

The fact that the military had surrounded the hibernation center had already been witnessed by the refugees. To the public, it could easily be framed as discovering that the hibernation center had been rigged with bombs by the Raven, prompting an emergency investigation.

By attaching a few actual photographs of the explosion on the fifth underground floor, this dirty water would stick to the Raven whether they liked it or not.

He wondered what Li Xiao intended to do next.

In the back seat, Li Xiao instructed Wei Feng’s men to slowly withdraw their starship outside the atmosphere, telling them not to rush into a frantic escape.

“They have already discovered that the raw material base was compromised. If we don’t leave now, are we going to wait for them to hunt us down?” the rescued bearded uncle voiced his disapproval.

“The more you rush to leave, the faster you die,” Li Xiao countered. As he spoke, he inadvertently raised his head and caught sight of Song Jin’s exposed shoulder in the front seat. Under 09’s therapeutic light, the wound was already closing. The elegant curve of the youth’s neck and shoulder instantly evoked memories of the circumstances of that night’s temporary marking. His gaze wavered, and he forced himself to look away with restraint.

The eight rescued middle-aged men exchanged glances, still failing to comprehend.

“Why?” Hu Jiang leaned against the back of the front seat, looking at Li Xiao. “What else do they want to use us for?”

Li Xiao explained, “If you don’t leave, he won’t be able to ascertain whether you successfully rescued anyone or if you intend to continue rescuing others. As long as we keep him guessing, we stand a chance.”

Wei Feng appraised Li Xiao’s calm expression, suddenly feeling fortunate that he hadn’t made an enemy out of this kid; otherwise, he would definitely have been ensnared miserably.

He understood Li Xiao’s intent.

The raw material base was blown up, and his car was destroyed as well. The Meng family was likely in the dark right now as to whether they had rescued the targets, nor did they know if the Raven members aboard the starship possessed precise intelligence.

If the members aboard the starship merely assumed the vehicle had exploded and the targets hadn’t been rescued, they might refuse to reconcile with the loss and find a way to investigate the hibernation center.

Therefore, having the starship retreat, but not entirely leave, was a way of signaling to the Meng family that the people aboard the starship were still hesitant and undecided.

As long as the Raven starship remained, it could continue to be utilized by the Meng family.

Wei Feng asked, “What if they decide to call it quits, blow up my starship directly, and claim the mantle of heroes?”

Li Xiao replied, “If they wanted to blow it up, they would have done so long ago. The fact that it hasn’t exploded means they intend to blow the matter up even further.”

Though he framed it this way, Li Xiao was absolutely certain in his heart that the Meng family would not stop here; the timing wasn’t right either.

If the Meng family knew when to stop, they wouldn’t have escalated the situation so massively in his previous life.

To cultivate his persona as a “savior,” Meng Jian resorted to any means necessary, utilizing the entirety of Danse as a stepping stone.

The bearded uncle looked from Wei Feng to Li Xiao, then turned to whisper to Hu Jiang, “Ah Jiang, who is that youth wearing the goggles?”

Hu Jiang glanced at Li Xiao, then leaned in close to his father’s ear to murmur Li Xiao’s name.

The bearded uncle’s eyes widened. He whipped his gaze back toward Li Xiao. “You are the Second Prince?!”

Hearing this, Li Xiao thought for a moment before pulling off his goggles. He turned his head composedly to look over. “You recognize me?”

The other middle-aged uncles crowded around to scan him closely, growing increasingly astonished.

“You… how could you be in…”

The bearded uncle scrambled over to Wei Feng’s row of seats, asking in astonishment and disbelief, “Is he the real deal?”

“Real,” Wei Feng stated casually.

The bearded uncle pondered for a moment, a trace of wariness flickering in his eyes. “Have you told him everything?”

Li Xiao inquired, “Told me what?”

Wei Feng retrieved a cigarette from his pocket and let it dangle from his lips, his voice loose and relaxed. “The fact that the Meng family uses our clan’s blood to manufacture medicine—he should already be aware of it.”

Manufacturing medicine?

Li Xiao looked toward Wei Feng. “What medicine?”

“The so-called medicine for longevity,” Wei Feng sneered. “Didn’t you know?”

The bearded uncle sat back down, his expression turning frozen and cold. “How is he manufacturing medicine? It is clearly a systematic tyranny inflicted upon our clan spanning decades! Forcing us to watch with wide-open eyes as our companions are tortured to death by him one by one! He thoroughly relishes this sickening pleasure of controlling the life and death of others!”

At this mention, the other uncles ground their teeth in visceral hatred. Two of them silently wiped away tears in the back row, presumably reminded of some horrific memory.

“Playing us like monkeys! Why hasn’t that demon died yet?!”

“What monkeys? In his eyes, we are nothing but meat on a chopping block!”

Wei Feng pinched the unlit cigarette between his fingers. “Alright, why bring up these matters in front of the kids?”

“Are you suggesting that the Meng family has been persecuting the Raven all along?” Li Xiao inquired noncommittally. “For what reason?”

“Who could possibly fathom the thoughts of a psychopath?!” The bearded uncle’s temper flared, his tone growing rather abrasive. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve lived a life of hiding and running. Every single day, I listened to my parents warning me to be careful of anyone surnamed Meng, because being captured meant losing your life! Who did we ever provoke?!”

Li Xiao unhurriedly rolled up his sleeves to begin tending to his own superficial injuries, adopting a casual tone as he asked, “Could it have something to do with the Golden Lark Legion of back then?”

The moment those words left his mouth, an abrupt silence descended upon the vehicle’s cabin.

In the front seat, Song Jin had been paying close attention to their conversation.

This silence was almost tantamount to a tacit admission.

As Li Xiao cleansed a wound on his arm, he continued, “I heard that the Golden Lark Legion launched a coup back then. I wonder if it’s true.”

Hearing this, Hu Jiang and Wei Feng exchanged a knowing glance across the space.

The bearded uncle gritted his teeth, his tone heavy and severe. “Matters from decades ago—who knows what the absolute truth is? Even taking ten thousand steps back, even if it were true, what does that have to do with us? Why drive us to utter extinction?!”

Li Xiao raised his eyes to look over. “It sounds like you know a thing or two?”

Just as the bearded uncle was about to speak, he caught the restraining gesture from Wei Feng and swallowed his words back down.

“What we know is merely hearsay, lacking any concrete evidence or reference value,” Wei Feng interjected. “The truth doesn’t reside in our mouths. The sole hope lies with the Royal Family. If it isn’t found there, then there is no truth left in this world.”

Li Xiao nodded with measured deliberation, seemingly accepting Wei Feng’s explanation. “You mentioned earlier that you have suffered long-term persecution. Why didn’t you report it?”

“Do you think we never reported it?” Wei Feng stared at the chaotic flocks of birds outside the window, a trace of melancholy in his expression. “The consequence of reporting was our clansmen vanishing batch after batch. We spent decades and sacrificed the blood of countless companions to prove that this is a dead-end road.”

“To whom did you report?” Li Xiao looked at Wei Feng. “Compile a list of those names and give me a copy.”

Wei Feng’s brow twitched. “What are you planning to do?”

Li Xiao replied, “No plans for anything for the time being.”

Wei Feng ran a hand through his hair with a touch of anxiety. “You kid better not be too arrogant. If you play yourself to death, you won’t get a taste of my secret recipe chili sauce anymore.”

Li Xiao responded expressionlessly, “I treasure my life more than you do. After all, I have a family to think about.”

Wei Feng: “…”

Who are you subtly throwing shade at?

In the front seat, the corners of Song Jin’s lips curled upward, his mood highly pleasant.

The closer they drew to District Five, the denser the flocks of birds became. Qian Can’t driving skills were somewhat inadequate for the task; the bus swerved and lurched, causing the entire cabin of passengers to rock continuously.

Song Jin instructed him to find a place to pull over, switching into the driver’s seat himself while notifying Jiang Hao and Qin Le to board this bus.

“You still have an injury on your shoulder,” Qian Can voiced his concern.

Song Jin hoisted him straight to the back row. “I’m perfectly fine. No need for your nagging.”

Jiang Hao and Qin Le pulled their vehicles over to the side and swiftly leaped onto the bus.

“Big brother, was everything smooth on your end?” The moment Jiang Hao boarded, he immediately sought out Li Xiao to verify the situation.

Qin Le followed closely behind. Upon confirming that Song Jin was in the driver’s seat and didn’t appear to have sustained any grievous injuries, he let out a massive sigh of relief.

The vehicle started up once more, moving swiftly and smoothly—a world of difference from before.

Qian Can rubbed his nose awkwardly.

It’s just that the Boss’s driving skills are too superior, it’s definitely not my fault!

Qin Le scanned the cabin unobtrusively, asking Li Xiao, “What’s the plan next?”

“Find a shelter point to blend into first,” Li Xiao said, using a spare terminal to review the situation online.

After the Royal Family’s refutation announcement was published, far from quelling public opinion, the uproar had actually intensified. The comment section was entirely flooded with demands for the Second Prince to personally step forward and dispel the rumors.

[As long as His Highness the Second Prince hasn’t shown his face, I refuse to believe it! The Royal Family is clearly afraid of the situation spiraling out of control and wants to suppress it!]

[Why does such a wonderful Second Prince always suffer from bombings, boohoo…]

[I declare that from this day forward, the Raven is my mortal enemy!]

[The Raven killed our Prince. If we let them escape just like that, I will never trust the military again!]

[How strange, how did the Raven blend into the battlefield? Did the garrison fail to notice them?]

[To the person above, for the Raven to be this arrogant, their strength is absolutely beyond anything us ordinary citizens can fathom. I hope they are sanctioned as soon as possible!]

Everyone’s focus was centered entirely on whether the Second Prince, Li Xiao, had perished and whether the Raven had been brought to justice. Even if someone occasionally questioned how the Raven had breached the battlefield, the comment would quickly be buried.

Although the Royal Family was issuing refutations, public opinion was steered entirely in one direction by the Meng family, leading everyone to blindly believe that the Raven bombing the Second Prince to death was already an established fact.

At the Military Headquarters.

Meng Jian received another intelligence update from S80.

At the hibernation center, only the fifth underground floor had been detonated. The Raven had retreated slightly but was still locked in a stalemate.

The price of eight raw materials had already been paid; he had to break even.

Meng Jian tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest. After a brief moment, he sent a reply.

[Publish it.]

[Yes.]

While the entire network was condemning the Raven, the official account of the Fifth Legion suddenly released an investigative announcement.

[Breaking news from the frontline! The hibernation center in District East Four suffered a bomb attack by the terrorist organization Raven. The military rushed to the scene immediately, intercepting twenty unexploded timed bombs, though one was still detonated. The casualties are currently unclear.]

This announcement didn’t mention Li Xiao by name once, yet it practically hammered the nail into the coffin regarding the narrative that the Raven had bombed Li Xiao to death.

No one expected that after bombing the Prince, the Raven would go on to bomb a hibernation center. This immediately incurred the wrath of the entire network, and even netizens who had previously been indifferent to Li Xiao charged out to unleash furious curses.

Immediately following that, the official account of the Fifth Legion published several frontline updates that appeared routine but were, in reality, a deliberate display of misery.

[The 72 hours of continuous combat by the Seventh Vanguard Unit, holding the defensive line, vowing to protect every single citizen to the death.]

[A group of severely wounded soldiers still gritting their teeth to persevere on the road of rescue.]

Beneath these updates, all the top-voted high-praise comments expressed profound heartache for the frontline warriors, questioned why the Fifth Legion hadn’t launched a counteroffensive against the Raven, and demanded to know how Li Xiao was doing.

The Fifth Legion account left a reply beneath the questioning comments: [It is not a matter of the Legion doing whatever it pleases; everything still requires a ruling from the higher-ups.]

Beneath the comments inquiring about Li Xiao’s status, they replied: [We are deeply grieved by the passing of His Highness the Second Prince. The Fifth Legion bears an inescapable responsibility and is willing to accept any punishment.]

These two replies were extracted and highlighted by numerous news media outlets for intense analysis, and the comments under the related topics were spectacular.

[The Fifth Legion has already made it very clear. It’s not that they don’t want to bomb the Raven, it’s that the freaking Royal Family won’t let them!]

[To be able to voice these words shows they have truly reached the absolute limit of their patience, but they can’t state it openly. They can only swallow the bitter pill in silence!]

[What on earth is the Royal Family doing?! Still mindlessly issuing refutations, it’s utterly ridiculous!]

[Li Xiao is truly dead, boohoo… along with his young lover Song Jin, he had only just reached adulthood! The Raven deserves to die!]

[The Legion and the garrison have truly done their best. This is the Raven’s fault, the Legion shouldn’t be made to bear the responsibility!]

At the same time, at S80 District East Five.

The frontline had already spread from the southern region toward the north. The situation in District East Five was far more severe than in District East Four; the city streets were littered with shattered glass and insects everywhere.

Numerous rescue transport vehicles traversed the low-altitude airspace. Above them, obstacle-clearing fighter jets and mechas occasionally zipped past to ensure the smooth passage of the rescue vehicles. Even so, many vehicles were still struck off-balance by the flocks of birds.

“How could it be this severe?” Qin Le raised his eyes to look at the sky outside the window. “Based on the rescue layout at the time, this area should have concluded its rescue operations long ago.”

Qian Can remarked, “The beast tide has broken out for several days now, it truly shouldn’t be like this.”

To manage to create such a chaotic mess despite having contingency plans and structural layouts—the efficiency and execution capability of the Danse military truly left much to be desired.

The shelter points in this region had already been cleared once by the rescue vehicles. Song Jin observed the surroundings and decided to search more remote areas.

In the sky, massive avians known as Crane-Hawks were slaughtering swarms of wasps and spiders. The density was simply too immense; a slight lapse in concentration could easily result in losing balance from a swipe of a Crane-Hawk’s wing.

Song Jin was forced to decelerate.

Li Xiao walked to the front seat. “Switch with me. Why don’t you go take a rest?”

“No need.” Song Jin paid attention to the front and several surveillance screens. “My shoulder has been illuminated sufficiently. Help me pull my collar together.”

The wound had closed but hadn’t fully knitted back together; it could only be left like this for now. Li Xiao gently drew Song Jin’s collar together, his fingers inevitably brushing against the youth’s collarbone.

“Are you seizing the opportunity to take advantage of me?” Song Jin hummed.

Catching the gleam of a successful prank in the depths of the youth’s eyes, Li Xiao realized in an instant that this kid had intentionally asked him to pull the collar together. He responded with utter solemnity, “Only a fool passes up an opportunity to take advantage.”

Song Jin dragged out his voice, adopting a relaxed cadence. “I didn’t expect you to be so dishonest.”

Li Xiao countered with a question, “Didn’t you know I have sudden-onset scumbag syndrome?”

Song Jin: “…”

“Does that mecha look a bit strange?” Jiang Hao furrowed his brow, staring out the window. “It’s drifting and wavering. Is the thruster broken?”

Everyone in the bus looked over in unison.

The flocks of birds drastically obstructed their field of vision. Through the gaps, they could discern a mecha struggling at high altitude like a drowning entity, its sliding trajectory and flipping angles entirely erratic.

For a massive weapon like a mecha, every single movement required an operational command from the mecha pilot; it was impossible to execute meaningless maneuvers.

Watching the mecha glide down obliquely, Li Xiao’s brow furrowed slightly.

It appeared that a failure in the left leg thruster had caused it to lose balance, the right-hand barrel was jammed tight, and there was an issue with the wiring around the waist as well.

However, none of these were critical defects; it shouldn’t be reduced to this state.

This area was teeming with incoming and outgoing rescue vehicles; plunging down and crashing into any random one would result in a catastrophic accident with mass casualties.

Li Xiao walked to the co-driver’s seat to observe the airspace above. “09, override the mecha’s intelligent system. Guide it to make a safe landing first.”

09: [Attempting to hack—]

The mecha’s eyes flashed with a red light. In the next instant, 09’s rapid voice resonated by Li Xiao’s ear.

[The mecha’s intelligent system has malfunctioned. I cannot control the mecha to land! The pilot is unconscious, and their vital signs are unstable!]

Li Xiao’s expression turned grave. “Can you open the cockpit door?”

09: [Yes.]

Li Xiao walked to the vehicle door, saying to Song Jin, “Little Jin, open the door.”

Noticing his intention, Wei Feng spoke in sheer disbelief, “You don’t seriously want to leap onto that mecha, do you? Are you insane?”

Qin Le and Qian Can looked at the chaotic spectacle outside, profoundly agreeing with Wei Feng’s words in their hearts.

Setting aside the fact that the mecha was completely out of control, just managing this sky full of avian swarms was already an extreme trial.

Jiang Hao also felt the risk was immense, but he instinctively believed that since Big Brother had voiced it, he would absolutely be able to accomplish it.

He even felt a touch of anticipation.

Song Jin swept a glance at the mecha above, suddenly shifting the control lever to increase altitude while simultaneously stepping on the accelerator.

“Be careful.”

Watching the distance between them and the mecha rapidly close, a faint smile flickered in the depths of Li Xiao’s eyes.

“Alright.”

The vehicle door slid open. The moment the mecha glided past, Li Xiao triggered his launcher; the cable anchored securely onto a protruding section of the mecha’s outer hull, and he launched himself out of the vehicle.

A mutated wasp crashed into the cabin, and two Crane-Hawks immediately swooped down after it.

Song Jin cranked the steering wheel violently, executing a sharp turn in mid-air to shake off the Crane-Hawks.

Seated closest to the door, Jiang Hao drew his military knife, slicing clean through the wasp’s neck and head before turning around to kick the human-sized wasp straight out the door.

“Spider cluster ahead!” Qian Can hollered a warning.

Song Jin sealed the vehicle door, controlling the bus to execute an extreme S-curve in mid-air to evade it with ease. His gaze swept across the external surveillance monitors; his beautiful eyes locked onto Li Xiao, who was currently besieged by the avian flock. He inverted the vehicle’s heading to pursue him.

In the sky, Li Xiao was dragged forward through the air. He executed a flip mid-flight to evade a Crane-Hawk’s razor-sharp beak. Stepping onto its back, he drew his military knife backward to sever an incoming wasp before tilting his body to dodge two other plunging Crane-Hawks. Adjusting the retraction frequency of the cable, he leaped upward through the avian flock.

The mecha’s altitude was plunging rapidly. Li Xiao slaughtered a swarm of Crane-Hawks, flicked away the blood clinging to the blade before sheathing it back at his lower back, and scanned the small hatch open at the mecha’s underbelly. Stepping off the bird swarm to borrow momentum, he grabbed hold of the hatch frame.

The howling wind roared furiously as the mecha suddenly tilted sideways, leaving Li Xiao almost entirely suspended in mid-air. In the blink of an eye, several bloody gashes were carved into his skin by the sharp spikes of the Crane-Hawks.

Exerting force with his hands, Li Xiao flipped himself through the small hatch, sprinting along the walls toward the lift.

Inside the cockpit, both the mecha pilot and the co-pilot had lost consciousness. The console was entirely flooded with large and small crimson warning prompts.

[Warning! The mecha will collide with an obstacle in three seconds!]

Li Xiao grasped the control lever while simultaneously unfastening the pilot’s safety harness, placing the man aside before taking the seat himself.

Below, a rescue vehicle had just suffered an ambush by a wasp swarm. The surveillance screen was almost entirely obscured by the insects. Having barely broken through, a mecha suddenly came hurtling straight toward them from above.

The driver’s hands shook with terror, and he violently adjusted his heading.

However, the density of the avian flock was too immense, and the available space to maneuver was already minuscule. He was forced to choose between crashing into a skyscraper or being crushed by the mecha.

The soldier in the co-driver’s seat made a decisive call, opening the proximity channel to shout anxiously, “Vehicle passing below! F903, correct your heading immediately!”

“It’s no use, something is wrong with it!” The driver bit his lip, preparing to decelerate and crash into the building to minimize the damage as much as possible.

Just as he was about to turn, the plunging mecha rotated, skimming past the roof of their vehicle at low altitude.

“F903 acknowledges.”

A calm and pleasant voice resonated through the proximity channel. The two drivers inside the rescue vehicle let out a collective breath, breaking into a cold sweat from the fright.

Once they had driven to a safe distance, the co-driver reacted belatedly.

“Did that voice just now sound a bit familiar?”

The driver replied, “Did it? I didn’t notice.”

Inside the mecha cockpit, Li Xiao rapidly reviewed the various error logs and switched to semi-manual mode. He searched for that specific bus among the various surveillance screens, only to find that the other party was trailing right behind him like a small tail.

With multiple barrels on the mecha damaged, Li Xiao simply drew the long blade, flying ahead to clear the obstacles.

The bus trailed behind, enjoying a smooth and unobstructed passage.

Inside the vehicle, Jiang Hao and the other two pressed themselves against the windows, their eyes gleaming with awe.

Clearing all obstacles relying solely on a blade?!

Back at the military academy, when Li Xiao had clashed with Lin Zhou, they had already felt that Li Xiao was terrifyingly strong. They hadn’t expected him to be this terrifying!

“This is way too flashy!” Qian Can exclaimed in admiration. “I can’t even pull off something this seamless in a video game.”

Qin Le added, “Even a veteran mecha pilot might not necessarily be able to achieve this, let alone us.”

Clearing obstacles while flying at high velocity not only tested one’s mastery over the mecha but also demanded extreme reaction speeds and adaptability; reliance on experience alone was far from sufficient.

Setting aside the three of them, Wei Feng’s group was profoundly astonished as well.

They hadn’t expected this little Prince to not only possess incredible martial prowess but to drive a mecha with such absolute wildness!

At a middle school shelter point, numerous individuals were currently boarding rescue vehicles under the guidance of the military.

The avian flock above had just been cleared by fighter jets, but many more swiftly flew back in.

A group of refugees emerged from the underground exit, catching sight of several spider clusters plunging down from the avian flock. Terrified, they shrieked and turned to flee back inside, only to be blocked by the crowd following behind them.

The soldiers scrambled to raise their firearms and open fire, plunging the scene into chaos.

Just as a spider cluster was about to crash into the crowd, a massive long blade swept past. The violent gust of wind generated by the strike dispersed the mutated flying insects within a ten-meter radius.

The crowd raised their eyes to look—it turned out to be a military mecha arriving in the nick of time!

A bus veered out from behind the mecha, landing beside the shelter point.

The soldiers were occupied with dealing with the mutated insects and managing the order of the scene; they had absolutely no spare time to notice who was disembarking from the bus.

In any case, regardless of identity, every single person had to be evacuated.

Song Jin and the others blended into the rear of the crowd, successfully boarding a rescue vehicle.

Li Xiao verified which vehicle they had boarded. Once the vehicle took off, he escorted them all the way onto a rescue starship.

The hangar bay was packed to the brim with refugees disembarking from vehicles everywhere.

The moment Li Xiao brought the mecha to a halt, a frequency channel from the starship patched in to inquire about his situation.

“The mecha has suffered a malfunction and requires emergency repairs. Both pilots are unconscious; please dispatch medical personnel to collect them.”

The channel responded, “Both? Then who are you?”

Li Xiao offered no reply, cutting the connection and exiting the cockpit directly.

Amidst the crowd, his eyes instantly locked onto Song Jin, who was waiting in a corner. Just as he was about to walk over, several gasps of surprise suddenly reached his ears.

“His Highness the Second Prince?!”

“Is that the Second Prince?!”

The commotion here quickly drew the gaze of everyone in the vicinity.

Li Xiao was tall and exceptionally striking; one could spot him the moment he turned his head.

Very quickly, the entire hangar bay plunged into a stir.

The entire network was currently fixated on the narrative of Li Xiao being bombed to death by the Raven, yet the man himself had actually materialized right here?!

“Second Prince, wasn’t it reported that you were bombed to death by the Raven?”

“It is truly wonderful that you are unharmed!”

“What on earth is going on? The Fifth Legion reported that you had fallen victim!”

Listening to the crowd chattering away for a long moment, Li Xiao made a gesture for them to calm down.

“I have been out executing missions all day today and haven’t had time to go online, so I’m not entirely clear on the specific details. However, I am perfectly fine. Thank you all for your concern.”

Someone in the crowd hollered, “Your Highness, you should still step forward to clarify. The entire nation is worried sick about you!”

Li Xiao nodded. “I will. Thank you.”

The stir here drew the attention of the soldiers, who exchanged glances, looking equally bewildered.

The shelter point had been selected at random and was relatively secure.

Li Xiao, Song Jin, and the others followed the crowd into the passenger cabin. Wei Feng and his ten companions obscured their faces with masks, keeping their heads low, which prevented them from drawing any attention.

On the Celestial Seat, at the Military Headquarters.

Li Ji sat in the command center, keeping a watchful eye on the five old men as they conducted their affairs.

Officer Liu suddenly caught a report from the subordinates below, his expression shifting slightly. He opened a networking platform to review it, then hurriedly reported to Li Ji, “Your Majesty, the Fifth Legion has released an investigative announcement.”

Li Ji lowered his teacup, sweeping a flat glance across his screen as his voice turned abruptly freezing cold. “Qi Shoude, what is the meaning of this announcement?”

Qi Shoude rose and walked over. Upon seeing the announcement on the screen, he explained hurriedly, “It is likely due to a lack of communication between various departments; they simply published it on their own after concluding their investigation. I was just preparing to compile the report to present to you. The facts align with the announcement. To cope with this beast tide, the garrison and the Fifth Legion have been working around the clock, which allowed the Raven to exploit a loophole.”

Li Ji kept his eyes cast down upon Qi Shoude below the steps. “Is it a lack of communication, or are you acting first and reporting later, utilizing public opinion to pressure me? If I impose a severe punishment on the Legion again, it will make me appear rather heartless, correct?”

Qi Shoude bowed his head, replying respectfully, “I absolutely do not harbor such an intention.”

Yi Yongning sat in his seat, interjecting in a neither-hot-nor-cold tone, “This Fifth Legion is managed with such chaos that even if they escape severe punishment, they must be thoroughly overhauled.”

Meng Jian chimed in with an excellent mood, “Indeed, a thorough overhaul is required.”

Though it was rare to see Meng Jian concur, Yi Yongning found himself unable to feel any joy.

The entire situation had been hijacked by them.

The impact of the Second Prince being bombed to death was simply too massive. If His Majesty insisted on severely punishing the Legion and the garrison, it was highly probable that Meng Jian would exploit the narrative once more.

The modicum of public credibility that the Royal Family had painstakingly recovered would be completely wiped out again.

Officer Liu felt anxious on behalf of his Emperor, his mind rapidly brainstorming a countermeasure.

Suddenly, the screen flashed, and a new update manifested upon it.

“Your Majesty, it… it is His Highness the Second Prince launching an online live stream!”

Li Ji whipped his gaze over, though his peripheral vision remained fixed on Meng Jian’s reaction.

Yi Yongning and the other four leaped up from their seats in excitement, their expressions varying wildly.

Yi Yongning and Gao Wanxin were visibly astonished, while Zheng An’an and Qi Shoude were caught in a mix of bewilderment and exasperation. The most spectacular reaction belonged to Meng Jian; his expression could practically be described as thunderstruck.

Li Ji didn’t want to admit it, but witnessing this expression brought him a distinct sense of gratification.

In the live stream broadcast, Li Xiao was currently seated in a starship passenger cabin alongside a group of refugees. His clothing was torn in multiple places, revealing distinct traces of blood, and there were superficial injuries on his face as well. Though he looked worse for wear, his spirits were excellent, and the atmosphere between him and the refugees was highly harmonious.

“Big brother, it has already begun,” a voice reminded from off-camera.

Only then did Li Xiao turn his head to face the lens. “I am Li Xiao. I apologize for causing everyone concern. I only discovered that such a massive misunderstanding had occurred after concluding my mission and returning to the starship. I will provide a unified explanation here.”

“First, I did not suffer an attack by the Raven. After the vehicle exploded, I reported the incident to the Legion immediately. However, the specific details of the accident are still currently under investigation.”

At this juncture, a voice chimed in from off-camera: “The car self-detonated. It just inexplicably blew up on its own. Fortunately, we were nearby rescuing refugees; otherwise, anyone inside that car would have truly been blown to pieces.”

Li Xiao raised a hand to interrupt, “Don’t speak blindly without evidence.”

The voice responded, “How am I speaking blindly? The uncles and aunties following us at the time all witnessed it.”

“Let’s await the investigation results first,” Li Xiao looked back at the lens, his speaking rate neither rushed nor slow. “As for the narrative of that organization called Raven breaching the battlefield—firstly, I didn’t see any so-called unidentified starship, so I don’t know where the rumor originated. Secondly, the planetary defense system of a residential planet possesses immense interception capabilities. Setting aside a few starships, even if a few enemy fleets were to arrive, they could still be intercepted with ease.”

At this point, perhaps finding it somewhat amusing, Li Xiao couldn’t resist a faint chuckle. “Not to mention we have our powerful Fifth Legion standing guard; how could a terrorist organization possibly drive straight through?”

Song Jin’s voice echoed from off-camera, his tone laced with a touch of impatience: “Day after day, rumors of you being blown to death keep spreading. Just how badly do they want you dead?”

Li Xiao replied, “There will always be people who wish to see the world burn. There’s no need to pay them any heed.”

A refugee in the crowd raised a hand, speaking hesitantly, “Your Highness, the claim that you were bombed to death by the Raven was issued by the Fifth Legion.”

Li Xiao’s face was entirely blank with astonishment. “How is that possible?”

“It’s true,” the others chimed in weakly. “If you don’t believe it, take a look online.”

“It really is,” Song Jin scrolled to the news, projecting it before Li Xiao. “Was their account hacked, or did they ingest something toxic and experience hallucinations? Of all the people to write about, they just had to write you off as dead. Who is responsible for this account? Is publishing official announcements this casual in Danse? I intend to sue him!”

Li Xiao looked entirely bewildered. “This isn’t an official account, is it?”

Song Jin countered, “Could I possibly get something like this wrong?”

The live chat was entirely dominated by continuous streams of “hahahaha.”

[What a massive drama! The Royal Family just debunked a rumor started by the Fifth Legion itself, I’m dying of laughter.]

[This world has finally inverted into a state I can no longer comprehend.]

[What exactly is the composition of the Fifth Legion? They even dare to prank a Prince?]

[Li Xiao: Who am I, where am I, I’m actually dead?]

[Song Jin: Writing my husband off as dead out of the blue, are you out of your mind?]

[I was originally furious, but seeing their expressions makes me want to die of laughter. What on earth is going on?]