According to the time, it was only four in the morning, but Song Yu had no intention of sleeping.

Sitting in the command cabin, looking at the large and small virtual screen windows, his mind couldn’t help but drift to thoughts of his father.

Although the memories of his past life had all returned, to him, it felt more like an incredibly realistic dream.

Before he recognized his rabbit, his rabbit had died in battle.

Before he resolved the misunderstanding with his Father King, his Father King had died of illness.

Before he himself died of illness, his other father had never come to find him. He figured something must have happened to him as well.

Everything in the dream was cruel, but the moment he opened his eyes, reality was so wonderful that the dream felt unreal.

It turned out his father had faked his death to go undercover in an enemy organization. It turned out that at this point in time, he was still alive and well.

Song Yu pinched his thigh hard, afraid that this was the dream.

Thinking about the tactless things he had said before, Song Yu’s expression flickered, and he couldn’t help but cover his face.

No, the after-effects are too strong.

The rabbit had run off, leaving him all alone. He simply didn’t have the face to see his father.

“Xiao Yu.”

Speak of the devil. Hearing Shen Sinian’s voice, Song Yu looked over with a stiff expression. “Is Father asleep?”

“He is.” Shen Sinian sat down in the chair next to him. “His pheromone levels are very unstable. I spent the whole night guiding them before they improved a little.”

To avoid remembering those mortifying moments from his dark history, Song Yu followed his lead and asked, “What’s the compatibility of your pheromones?”

Shen Sinian took a cigarette out of his pocket and put it to his lips, but didn’t light it.

“Twenty or thirty percent, I guess. Not high.”

Song Yu asked tentatively, “You’ve never been tested?”

Past kings had authority over the pheromone matching system. In the past, candidates to marry the king had to have a compatibility of over 90%. This unwritten rule was abolished ten years after the matching system was sealed.

Humanity had already mastered the ability to conquer various planets. There was no lack of resources, nor were they facing racial extinction. There was no longer a need to sacrifice freedom in exchange for superior offspring.

A system that relied too heavily on pheromone compatibility for marriage was, in itself, a form of social regression.

“The matching system has been destroyed. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had to go to such great lengths to investigate,” Shen Sinian said, turning his head to look at a virtual screen window not far away. “Thankfully, everything went smoothly.”

So it broke at that time. Song Yu leaned back in his chair, crossing his long legs, habitually playing with the ring on his ring finger as he thought.

In his previous life, the matching system was also broken when he took over the mess. The technology for it was lost, and Cola had spent many years trying to repair it.

“Xiao Yu.”

“Hm?”

Song Yu’s thoughts were interrupted as a hand suddenly patted his head.

Shen Sinian held his son’s head and ruffled his hair messily.

“I’m sorry. I really couldn’t take care of you all these years.”

To make it easier for him to pat, Song Yu voluntarily lowered his head. Hearing this apology, which was many years late, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He didn’t even know what he was feeling at that moment.

“No need to apologize. If it were me, I wouldn’t have done any better than you.” In the blink of an eye, Song Yu looked up with a smile and deliberately poked at him, “I have Rong Shi. I stopped caring about those things a long time ago.”

Shen Sinian: “…”

At first listen, there’s nothing wrong with that sentence. But the more you think about it, the more it stings.

After chatting, both of them relaxed considerably.

Looking at the battle situation outside, Shen Sinian’s brow furrowed slightly. “I don’t know how long this will go on.”

“It won’t drag on for too long,” Song Yu said, following his gaze. “End it early, so I can go pick up my wife.”

Just after five-thirty in the morning, Qian Li returned, well-rested.

At the regular meeting, after listening to the reports from each legion, Qian Li adjusted the battle plan based on the current situation.

“As long as we maintain our defense, we don’t need to rush. The more we rush, the more likely the enemy will find an opening.”

After hearing his plan, Song Yu retorted, “Fighting a drawn-out battle is too conservative. We can’t afford the time.”

Qian Li turned his head to look at him. “Does Your Highness have a better plan?”

All the commanders turned to look at him, wanting to hear what useful plan this maverick prince, who had barely been on a battlefield, could come up with.

Song Yu rested his hands on the armrests, his back straight, his presence completely overpowering the table of generals. “The best defense is a good offense.”

The standoff between the two armies in the skies above the Imperial Capital Star had plunged the capital into a panic.

In all the years since the empire was founded, although there had been countless wars big and small, most were battles against mutants.

The citizens living on the Imperial Capital Star hadn’t seen a spectacle of this magnitude for several generations.

Countless people watched the battle through the protective shield. At first, they were nonchalant, some starting live streams, others filming videos, all finding it novel.

But as time went on, they began to panic.

All related live streams were blocked, videos uploaded to social media were deleted, and even text posts were censored if they contained any related keywords.

Information was suppressed, but the enemy forces hanging over everyone’s heads were still there.

At the same time, the defense systems on all planets were fully activated, entering a state of combat readiness.

Although the populace didn’t know the details, they sensed something unusual was afoot.

On major social media platforms, a large number of anxious posts appeared—

“Is it time for the annual military drills? The protective shields near my house are all up, and there are more AI patrols.”

“I just went out to buy groceries, a rare trip, and got randomly checked three times. How lucky can I be?”

“Has the cosmic radiation increased recently? Are the mutants starting to multiply in large numbers again? I just prepared a 10,000-word travel guide QuQ”

“Have the drills ever been this strict before? Something feels off.”

---

Snow Star—

The military academy students were more perceptive than ordinary citizens. Many of them were second-generation military, so their information channels were more than just a little bit better.

Ever since Rong Shi and Song Yu’s live stream, the military academy forums had not quieted down.

Anonymous Section of the Forum—

“I heard the upperclassmen who were out on missions have all been ordered to return.”

“The Imperial Capital Star is in chaos. I wonder how the Chairman and Song Yu are doing.”

“Years ago, some experts analyzed that if the military continued to be so divided, a war would break out sooner or later. I just didn’t expect someone to be so bold as to want that position.”

“This kind of thing has repeated countless times in history. I can’t believe we’re living through it.”

“At times like this, I really hate that I’m still a student. If only I could do something for the country.”

“I believe the big shots can definitely handle it!”

Principal Li Huating had already been removed. Qin Chi, who was in charge of the military academy, had appointed Qian Fan as the acting principal, giving him full authority over the academy’s defense.

In the office, Qian Fan repeatedly confirmed the status of the protective shields in various areas of the academy and the military readiness of each emergency point, then wearily rubbed his sore eyes.

Since that day, he had been living in his office, so busy that he didn’t even have time to eat.

Knock, knock, knock.

After the knock, the dean of the second-year students, Zheng Hai, opened the door and came in.

“Another document from above.” Zheng Hai handed over the printed document, his face full of melancholy. “The security level needs to be raised again. If they had notified us earlier, we could have sent the children home first.”

Qian Fan quickly flipped through a few pages and shook his head. “Sending them home isn’t necessarily safer than here.”

In addition to the necessary defensive installations, the military academy also had its own armory, which could be used when push came to shove.

Qian Fan: “Old Zheng, help me pass this down. From now on, all outdoor classes are suspended. Increase indoor practical combat classes and first aid classes. Ensure all students remain in optimal condition.”

Optimal condition? Zheng Hai was taken aback. “You mean—?”

Before he could finish, there was an urgent knock on the door. The dean of the third-year students, Zhao Qiqi, rushed in.

“The war has started!”

Qian Fan shot to his feet, his expression graver than ever.

Old Qin and Ji Ming are still in the lab!

The sound of bombing overhead was constant. The metal walls creaked, and the tools on the lab bench vibrated.

But Qin Lin and Ji Ming, engrossed in their experiment, paid no attention.

A moment later, the shadow guard Ban Li pushed the door open and came in, his voice urgent. “Elder Qin, Elder Ji! The situation is urgent. You two need to prepare. We have to move immediately.”

After he spoke, no one paid him any mind.

The sound of bombing came again from above. A legion with no insignia was bombarding the protective shield.

Once the shield’s tolerance was exceeded, they would face a direct attack. No matter how sturdy the laboratory was, it couldn’t withstand a particle cannon bombardment.

Helpless, Ban Li urged them several more times.

Ji Ming seemed to have just noticed there was another person in the lab. He squinted at him. “Can we be back within an hour?”

Ban Li shook his head without thinking. “Not likely.”

The enemy was forcefully breaking through Snow Star’s first layer of defense to bombard the shield. This was enough to show that they were prepared for a fight to the death.

Forget two hours, they might not be able to return in two days.

Ji Ming turned his head to look at the experimental data on the virtual screen and said casually, “Then I’m not going.”

Ban Li: “…”

The old man is so stubborn.

He pinned his hopes on Qin Lin. This old man was usually kind and amiable; he would surely be able to persuade Elder Ji to leave.

Unexpectedly, Qin Lin wasn’t leaving either.

Qin Lin: “The experiment results will be out in an hour. We can’t leave. We can leave in an hour.”

Ban Li: “…”

---

Inside a warship in the skies above Snow Star, Lin Quan and Lu Youqi sat facing each other in the command cabin.

Lin Quan: “I never thought the day would come when the Lu family would cooperate with the Lin family.”

Lu Youqi sat in the seat to the right of the command chair, his expression calm, showing no emotion.

“Both our families are loyal to the First Highness. As long as the First Highness ultimately ascends the throne, we are not enemies.”

Lin Quan smiled with an ambiguous meaning. His stern face did not become any friendlier; instead, it made him even more difficult to read.

His terminal suddenly rang. He glanced at it, then shot to his feet, laughing loudly.

[His Majesty’s escape ship has been successfully intercepted. Both His Majesty and the Second Highness have been captured.]

“We got them!” Lin Quan’s aged face couldn’t hide his ecstasy. “Once we capture Ji Ming, everything will be ready.”

He summoned his grandson, Lin Yue, and instructed, “Notify the organization to take action. Launch an information war. It’s time to counterattack.”

To have a legitimate claim, they needed a just cause.

Over the years, the organization had controlled thousands of elites from all walks of life. As long as they spoke out collectively and released some news, both true and false, public opinion would shift again.

Lin Yue acknowledged and brought up another matter. “Our energy processing base has been attacked. The energy supply is basically cut off now. The remaining energy is probably only enough to last for three days.”

Lin Quan was stunned, his expression changing instantly. “Why didn’t you report something like this sooner!”

---

In the laboratory, Ban Li was waiting anxiously.

Ten minutes left.

Why is it still ten minutes?!

“Boss!” another shadow guard ran in from outside. “There’s movement! We’re surrounded!”

Ban Li’s expression changed.

They didn’t have many people, only 50 at most. But the enemy had sent several legions; they were completely outnumbered.

He gritted his teeth and ordered, “Tell the brothers to get ready. We have to hold our ground even if we die trying!”

The shadow guard: “Yes, sir!”

He took out his sidearm and gripped it, then turned and walked into the laboratory. He had to hide the old men quickly.

Just as he pushed open the laboratory door, Qin Lin and Ji Ming rushed out, carrying medical kits.

Qin Lin spoke quickly, “We’re out, let’s go!”

Ban Li: “Alright!”

But before he could turn, there was a sudden noise from behind. Ban Li reacted quickly, pulling the two old men to hide by the door.

The next moment, gunfire erupted, and several scorched bullet holes appeared on the ground where they had been standing.

Gunfire continued outside. Ban Li observed the situation, his expression grim.

“We can’t get out. You two find a hidden place to hide first. Wait for my signal.”

Ji Ming was old and already weak from lack of sleep for several days. Being pulled and dragged by Ban Li like this made his head spin.

He clutched the medical kit and looked around several times, but could only find the space under the table to hide.

“What kind of mess is this?” Ji Ming and Qin Lin hurriedly ran over and with great difficulty, bent down to hide under the table. “I’m a scholar, for goodness’ sake! Why am I either crawling on the floor or squatting under a table? Is there any dignity left?”

“Stop complaining.” Qin Lin caught his breath and strenuously pulled a stool to block them. “This old life of yours is being saved for the antidote. What do you need dignity for?”

Ji Ming paused, at a loss for words.

If he hadn’t so readily believed Lin Quan back then, things wouldn’t have gotten to this point.

He was indeed to blame.

The sound of gunfire grew denser and closer.

Ban Li steeled himself and rushed out.

“Be careful, child!” Qin Lin’s heart pounded with worry.

The two old men huddled together, squatting. They looked at each other, neither daring to speak.

An unknown amount of time passed, and the gunfire outside continued.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps nearby, and their hearts leaped.

Qin Lin looked around and grabbed the leg of the stool.

The footsteps grew closer. A pair of black, high-top military boots appeared in front of them.

The moment the person stopped, Qin Lin took a deep breath and forcefully pushed the stool out.

But he had only pushed it a little way before the other person easily pressed it down.

Just as the two were about to despair, they heard a clear and pleasant voice from above.

“Don’t your backs ache from squatting under the table, you two elders?”

Qin Lin: “…”

Ji Ming: “…”

That voice, that tone, those infuriating words.

It’s Rong Shi, no doubt about it—

---

Author’s Note:

Rong Bunny: Hey, wife, I heard you got caught?

Song Cat: That’s fake news sent by 00. Nothing to do with me. [licks paw]

00: Grandpa 00 is aggrieved.