Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 85

Unexpectedly, he met a familiar face on an alien planet. Even though they had never met, he had a sense of familiarity towards this person. Ling Xiao gently touched the face in the photo. “Even though I’ve met you, it feels like I’ve met you a thousand times.”

He looked up. “I didn’t expect to meet you here.” It was his first time seeing the Lone Star today, but the familiar feeling lingered.

“Before the arrival of the Tianxiu Wolf King, due to sovereignty issues, we often had conflicts with the surrounding tribes. It was the Tianxiu Wolf King who resolved the issue of those trying to annex us. That’s why the people in our tribe are so loyal to him. Now, although we are just a small tribe with just over a thousand people, we are recognized as a nation by the coalition government. Your status as king and queen is genuine, and on this planet, it is recognized everywhere.”

Ling Xiao’s attention was fixated on the photo. Just like the Lone Star he had imagined, Jing Yu had a cold and distant demeanor, like a planet without an orbit. There were other planets around him, but he didn’t belong to any planetary system. He didn’t revolve around any star, nor did any satellite revolve around him; he was still amidst all movement.

“Do you feel like you’ve seen this person before—like he looks familiar?” Ling Xiao couldn’t help but ask.

“No.”

“I always feel he looks like someone…” Ling Xiao tried hard to recall and suddenly exclaimed, “Don’t you think he looks a bit like you?”

Ying Feng and the Elder Wolf King looked at each other, trying to find similarities between the two. After a close comparison, Ying Feng was convinced that Ling Xiao’s face blindness had struck again.

“Where is the resemblance?”

“I’m not talking about appearance, but demeanor, temperament… No, that’s not right either. I can’t pinpoint it, but there’s something in their souls that feels similar. I’ve had this feeling before.” He searched his memory. “Like when I saw the statue of the founding marshal at the history museum.”

The Elder Wolf King hesitated. “If we talk about the feeling they give, there is indeed a resemblance between the two, but the Tianxiu Wolf King looks like a teenager, making it hard to compare with the current Wolf King.”

“Maybe it’s just my imagination.” Ling Xiao shook his head. The fleeting feeling vanished before he could grasp it.

“We have a palace built for the Wolf King here. Would you like to see it?”

The word ‘palace’ sounded grand, and Ling Xiao was naturally eager to see it.

“The architectural style here is generally quite primitive. When the old palace needed repairs, we consulted the Tianxiu Wolf King and renovated the outer walls of the palace based on the information he provided. It should be in line with the Tianxiu aesthetic.”

By the time they finished talking, they had arrived at the main entrance of the palace. Ling Xiao was once again taken aback.

As the Elder Wolf King had said, the building was indeed in the style of the Tianxiu, but it looked very much like the church they had visited. More accurately, it was consistent with the aesthetics of the Tianxiu religious world.

After all, they were just a small tribe. The so-called palace was just a bit more lavish than other buildings, but their effort was evident. They had given their best to their king.

Inside the “palace”, it wasn’t like the church. Still, traces of the Tianxiu culture were everywhere—their maps, their insignia, bas-reliefs of the Soul Tree and lighthouse… It was like a full display of Tianxiu culture on another planet.

“This is the master bedroom, designed for the Wolf King and Queen to rest. But since the Queen has never been here, the room has always been empty. I have my own home, so I don’t stay here.”

The bedroom was spacious with a huge double bed, elegantly decorated.

“Where did the Wolf King stay when he came?”

“He stayed in the small bedroom next door. I’ll take you there.”

Opening the next door, Ling Xiao felt like he had stepped into another space. A small bedroom, two chairs side by side in front of a table, slightly crowded bunk beds, and neatly arranged books on the shelves. It was a spitting image of the small room in the church.

“Everything here was arranged by the Tianxiu Wolf King. The furniture was crafted based on the pictures he provided. The books were brought from Tianxiu. It’s because of these books that I got to know more about the Tianxiu people.”

Ling Xiao didn’t know how to react, as if something was strongly lodged in his throat. The Lone Star had cloned a home for himself and Ling Xing on Wolf Star. Perhaps his intention was that one day, when Ling Xing could overcome the soul traction, he could take him to walk among the stars, to see the landscapes he had seen, share his territories, and make him feel familiar even on an alien planet… But that day never came.

“Behind the sleeping palace, there’s a garden. Please follow me this way.”

They passed through winding corridors, and a garden that contrasted greatly with the wild nature of the planet appeared before them. Flowers bloomed in profusion, with bees and butterflies dancing around. The air was filled with a pleasant aroma.

“The Tianxiu Wolf King likes to bring seeds from everywhere. Some plants come from very distant planets, and we haven’t even heard their names. Every time he came, he would bring a lot of seeds. Sometimes, even if he didn’t come in person, he would send the seeds via interstellar express.” The Elder Wolf King proudly explained, “Although our country is small, I guarantee that we have the most diverse collection of plants on the entire planet.”

Ling Xiao entered the sea of flowers, surrounded by vivid colors. Emotions he had previously hidden surged out of him.

It was as if a pebble was thrown into a bottle of water, causing the water level to rise uncontrollably until it overflowed.

This was an emotion called being moved. As he inhaled the pollen, this feeling took root in him, bringing tears to his eyes.

Unbeknownst to him, Ling Xiao’s eyes were filled with tears.

Ying Feng approached, instinctively wiping away a tear from Ling Xiao’s eyes, but more tears quickly replaced the ones wiped away.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Ling Xiao desperately wiped his eyes, looking around. “I just feel so moved. Who says a Lone Star doesn’t have emotions? In places where Ling Xing can’t see, he built a nation for him.”

This nation will belong to you, your name recorded in their history books. Everywhere you look will be your territory, and the citizens will serve you. They will deeply know and worship your god, even tattooing its image on their skin, passing it down from generation to generation.

Seeing the Elder Wolf King looking at him with puzzlement, Ling Xiao felt embarrassed for his emotional outburst. “I’m sorry. I just think that if Ling Xing saw all this, he would react the same way I did.”

He sounded somewhat dejected. “I don’t know why, but I have a feeling Ling Xing doesn’t know about this. The Lone Star isn’t someone who would brag about his actions. But I don’t understand. Why would he do so much for someone and not let them know?”

“I think I understand,” Ying Feng chimed in. “He just wanted to do it for the sake of doing it. Whether the other person knows about it or not, it doesn’t matter to him.”

He too looked around. “But if one day the other person does find out by chance, I believe they’d be as moved as you.”

The sun set, and the sky grew dark. The first firework exploded overhead.

“The celebration has begun.” The Elder Wolf King looked up.

“What celebration?”

“The celebration of the birth of the new king and queen.”

“Weren’t we just there for that?”

“That was just the coronation. The real celebration for the people of Wolf Star begins after sunset.”

From a distance, a long howl echoed, followed by a second and a third. The howls merged together, forming a unique song of the land.

Ling Xiao and the others returned to the square from the palace. The place was bustling with activity. People dressed in their finest clothes danced around the bonfires.

When the tribe saw their new king and queen, they rushed over, competing to toast them. The Wolf Star people were known for their spicy and strong alcohol, which burned the throat upon drinking.

“To the Wolf King!” The lead person raised his cup.

“To the Wolf King!” everyone shouted in unison.

Ling Xiao drank what felt like his umpteenth cup of strong liquor, feeling warmth rising from his stomach.

Shachi Bo took the opportunity to toast, and Ling Xiao excitedly hooked the other’s neck.

“Can your Thunder Wolf drink? Can it?”

Shachi Bo, already tipsy, grinned and shook his head.

“No, how can a mech drink alcohol?”

“But I can,” he stammered, looking at the swaying figure of Shachi Bo in front of him. “So I’m human, I am.”

“You’re not,” Shachi Bo retorted with a giggly laugh. “You can’t even activate the mech.”

“I am! I insist I am!”

Shachi Bo wagged his finger, also swaying unsteadily.

“Do you know? I was once mocked by an intelligent mainframe. She said you have emotions, but how do you know your emotions weren’t set by a higher-level intelligent being?”

Shachi Bo laughed heartily without giving face. “You were set up, hahaha.”

“But I know I wasn’t, because I believe my current feelings are real. My happiness is real, my sadness is real, and my affection for someone is the same as yours.”

Shachi Bo squinted at the starry sky. The clouds dispersed, revealing a bright round moon.

Ling Xiao jumped onto a protruding rock, spread his arms, and made an embracing gesture. “I am human!”

“Aw—woo—”

A group of wolves transformed under the full moon, their howls echoing, audible for miles.

Ling Xiao cupped his hands to his mouth, excitedly imitating the wolf howl. His voice, mixed with the genuine wolf cries, stood out awkwardly.

Ying Feng, with a stern face, pulled him off the rock. “Drink less.”

Drowsily, Ling Xiao saw Ying Feng and clung to him like a big pendant, mumbling something unintelligible.

“Wolf King.” The Elder Wolf King approached. “Do you intend to stay here for long?”

“No.” Ying Feng shifted the bothersome Ling Xiao downward, and Ling Xiao discontentedly snuggled back up. “We are here for an internship. Once it’s over, we’ll leave.”

“In that case, you need to choose a proxy Wolf King. In your absence, he will take your place, just like the previous Tianxiu Wolf King.”

Ying Feng nodded, summoning the previous Wolf King who had won before.

“Do you want to be the Wolf King?”

The black-haired man stood tall. “My father was once the king of this tribe, but he was sacrificed due to tribal conflicts. One day, I will carry on his legacy.”

“I don’t understand your lineage, but if I hadn’t appeared, you would have become the king of this tribe,” Ying Feng handed him the scepter symbolizing the Wolf King’s identity, “so I appoint you as the proxy Wolf King to govern this tribe.”

The man paused, then solemnly accepted it, lips sealed without a word.

Ling Xiao suddenly sobered up. Seeing the black-haired man, he waved his hand aggressively. “You need to take responsibility. You have to!”

After speaking, he immediately dozed off again, leaving the proxy Wolf King looking somewhat embarrassed.

“I don’t understand your customs, so I won’t interfere in your personal matters,” Ying Feng continued, changing his tone. “But the next time I come, I want to see you obtain his forgiveness. That’s my first order as the Wolf King.”

The man hesitated, eventually replying, “Understood.”

The Elder Wolf King stepped forward. “It seems the Wolf Queen can’t hold his liquor. The master bedroom in the palace has been empty for years. You can rest there.”

“Got it.” Ying Feng, dragging Ling Xiao away, paused and turned back to remind. “Don’t call him Wolf Queen anymore.”

“Then…”

“His name is Ling Xiao.”

……

Although the master bedroom had not been inhabited for many years, it was tidily maintained, with a mattress so soft that one could sink into it.

Ying Feng laid Ling Xiao on the bed. The saliva from their bond slowly sobered Ling Xiao from his drunken state.

“Where is this?” His consciousness cleared a bit, realizing he was lying on a soft bed, surrounded by luxurious dark red and gold decorations.

“The main bedroom of the palace.”

“The one the Lone Star prepared for Ling Xing?” Ling Xiao vaguely recalled. Ying Feng’s kiss pressed down on him again. After a moment of intimacy, Ling Xiao spoke again. “They never got to enjoy it, but we are taking advantage. I feel a bit guilty towards them.”

“Inheritance.” The word suddenly came from Ying Feng’s mouth.

“What?”

“Someone just told me he wanted to carry on his father’s legacy. This is their lineage.”

He lifted Ling Xiao’s hand, kissing gently from the fingertips downward.

“We don’t have relatives, but we have souls. The reincarnation of the soul is like the continuation of bloodlines. Their next life can be anyone, even you or me.”

“Each of us is our own predecessor and successor. What the former couldn’t accomplish, the latter continues.”

This is our legacy.

Ying Feng’s fingers intertwined with Ling Xiao’s; their hands locked tightly together. In this palace prepared by the Lone Star for Ling Xing, they continued the desires the pair couldn’t fulfill.

They are no longer in this world.

The Lone Star’s intentions are forever hidden in an unknown place for Ling Xing.

But at least we are here, in the role of their successors, to pass on their story through us.

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