Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 155
Darius was left speechless.
“I figured it out back then. Of all the organs humans possess, only the brain is truly important. Everything else exists merely to sustain it. Humans invented language to communicate with each other, and they developed civilization and technology to make their bodies comfortable. But in the end, the body is just a burden. Technology has advanced to the point where humans can survive without a body, relying solely on the brain—I am living proof of that! If that’s the case, what’s the point of having a body? It’s nothing more than an illusion! Think about it, Darius—if all of humanity were freed from the confines of their bodies, if their brains were connected, communicating and thinking at speeds language could never achieve, creating countless civilizations, worlds, and universes in mere thought, that would be the ultimate form of human society! And I, as the Queen of the Galactic Empire, have, by chance, undergone this evolution ahead of everyone else! I am a being above humanity—how could I possibly cooperate with the lowly human race? Only the Yasha is worthy of standing by my side! It is the pinnacle of human creation, and only it can join me in fulfilling this grand vision!”
“Once I realized this, I focused all my efforts on finding a way to acquire the Yasha. To prevent anyone from interfering with my plans, I made sure that as few people as possible knew about the Yasha’s existence. The thief hired by the Federation was my first target for elimination. To ensure that he didn’t leak information about the Yasha, I went to great lengths to have his name added to the conscription list—it was easy for me to do. Later, I arranged for an ‘accident’ to ensure his permanent burial in the void of space. That happened during the Battle of Datia.”
Darius realized who she was talking about. It was the Queen who killed Lagrange’s father. “Were my parents also…your doing?”
“That was purely accidental, Darius,” the Queen replied coldly. “Your father’s death on the battlefield was unexpected. He was a brave general who could have been of great use to me. But he was unfortunate and died at the hands of the enemy. As for your mother,” the Queen scoffed, “I always thought Madonna was strong…but it turns out she was just as weak, losing the will to live after her husband’s death.”
“She loved my father deeply!” Darius shouted.
“Indeed, more than she loved her son!” the Queen retorted sharply. “Still, choosing death is a form of courage, and I must thank Madonna. If it weren’t for her choice back then, I wouldn’t have realized the great mission I was destined for. To repay her, I brought you to the palace and let you live alongside Annot and Alveira. You are very much like your mother, Darius—brave, decisive, and loyal. These are the best qualities in a human.”
Darius felt tears welling up in his eyes. “So…it was all you…” he said, his voice breaking. “I…respected you so much…”
“I’ve done far more than you can imagine, Darius,” the Queen said solemnly. “The Federation has always been trying to curb the Empire’s power. To prevent them from interfering with my plans, I infiltrated the Federation’s Council of Eight, forcing them to acknowledge my seat. From then on, the ‘Council of Eight’ became the ‘Council of Nine’, and I participated in every decision regarding the Yasha, missing nothing. I incited wars between them and the Empire, ensuring their focus remained on the battlefield rather than diverting their attention to the production of bio-machines. As a result, the Federation’s research on cyborgs was stunted, achieving little despite the efforts of their scientists. Some of those scientists, although mad, were geniuses who could have achieved great things if they had worked for the Empire.”
“Ambition seems to be a trait that runs in the Chabais family. My cousin, Winnet, also had similar ideas—he wanted to seize the throne and spent over a decade meticulously planning it. He, too, learned about the Yasha and managed to acquire a book containing data on the Yasha—Captain Yutz’s Explorations of Old Earth! I couldn’t let him obtain the Yasha’s data. It would ruin all my plans! I used some of the Council of Nine’s power to hire someone to steal that book, but they failed…Winnet had hired a formidable bodyguard to protect it. I thought the situation was beyond salvage, but then his bodyguard betrayed him just like that thief years ago! Winnet didn’t get what he wanted, so in his anger, he launched a rebellion. At that moment, I came up with another plan—why not use Winnet’s power to capture the Yasha? I approached him as the ‘Fifth Artificial Intelligence,’ promising him that if he sent someone to release the Yasha and let me control it, I would help him seize the galaxy, making him the ruler of this world while I and the Yasha would move on to dominate another universe. By then, Winnet was desperate, cornered by the royal forces, and he agreed. He sent his men to Old Earth.”
“What I didn’t anticipate was Neo Athens approaching Alveira directly, persuading her to go to Old Earth to stop the Duke. Meanwhile, the other eight members of the Council of Nine unanimously agreed to destroy the Yasha. All of this went against my plans! So I devised a way to insert one of my agents among the personnel Alveira sent to Old Earth. He was Dr. Shannon’s son, as loyal to me as his father was. When they learned of my capabilities and ambitions, they willingly followed me. I sent Casper Shannon along with two others to Old Earth. His mission was to release the Yasha and destroy the artificial intelligence chips the others carried. That excellent young man completed the task brilliantly—he delivered the Yasha to me! Now I control the Yasha and rule this universe! Soon, my dream will be fulfilled! I will lead humanity to its final evolution, and together with the Yasha, I will become the ruler of the universe!”
The Queen laughed loudly as if she had been waiting for this moment to unleash all the emotions she had kept hidden for years. As her laughter echoed through the air, Darius suddenly stood up.
“You’re insane!”
“I am not insane, Darius. You’re simply too shortsighted and conservative to comprehend the greatness of my plan!”
“You’re indeed mad! You knew everything and yet you allowed Annot to be killed by Winnet…he was your own son!”
“He chose to die. He was braver than I, Darius. I couldn’t even muster the courage to make a choice back then.” The Queen began to walk slowly toward Darius. Her steps were confident and graceful. She was no longer the weak woman hiding in the depths of the palace but a ruler who had seized the greatest power in the world, dominating all!
“Darius, I have always treated you as my own child. You are exceptional, and I value you greatly—so much so that I’ve revealed everything to you. Do you understand how much you mean to me?”
As she advanced, Darius retreated. He had come here to confront the Queen and make her reveal all her secrets, but the truth was far beyond anything he had imagined!
“Darius, twenty years ago, your mother made a choice for me. To repay her, I’m now giving you a choice. Will you pledge your loyalty to me here, or will you join Annot and your parents, waiting for me at the end of time?”
Darius’s mouth was dry, and he couldn’t utter a word. He had backed up to the edge of the fountain—one more step and he would fall into the water, leaving him with no escape!
The Queen lifted the black veil from her head, revealing a young, flawless face. It was not a natural face but an artificial one. For twenty years, she had hidden it behind a veil, so even her closest maidservants had never seen her true face. Then she raised her right hand, and a bright blade extended from her forearm! It seemed that the old scientists at the Academy had not only created a body for her but also equipped it with hidden weapons!
Darius could almost see the steel frame and mechanical components beneath the Queen’s black garments. He had no doubt that she could snap his neck with one hand! A human body was far too fragile against a machine!
“Make your choice, Darius,” the Queen said softly, though her tone was unnervingly gentle despite the lethal blade. “You are a brave child, and I’m sure you will make the right choice, won’t you?”
Darius had nowhere left to retreat. “I once respected you so much, Your Majesty. I once considered you my mother…” His voice trembled with emotion. “But now, I will never swear loyalty to you! Noya Chabais! You are insane and not worthy of my respect!”
“What a pity, Darius,” the Queen sighed. “You have courage but lack wisdom.” She raised her bladed hand. “At the end of time,” she said, bringing the blade down, “wait for me!”
Darius stood frozen, despair gripping him as he awaited the blade descending upon him. But just then, a dark figure shot out from the nearby bushes, slamming into the Queen!
“Ah!” the Queen cried out, falling into the fountain. Darius seized the moment to move several steps toward the greenhouse entrance. He saw the dark figure also plunge into the water.
“How dare you!” the Queen shouted, and the blade on her arm mercilessly pierced through the person’s body. Blood flowed down the blade, staining the clear water a deep red.
Darius watched in shock, unable to breathe.
“Prince Sorey!”
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