Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

Chapter 58

“Please look this way, Your Highness,” The middle-aged man named Tanaka waved grandly, indicating the large machinery to Alveira on the left. “This is our fusion reactor. It connects to the generator set and supplies power to the entire Leyting day and night.”

Alveira had no interest in these machines. Her attention was entirely focused on Duke Winnett, who was following behind her. Every word and action of the Duke didn’t escape her observation. She intended to uncover his conspiracy from his unusual behavior. As for Tanaka’s explanation, Alveira didn’t pay any attention to it and only responded vaguely.

The Duke seemed quite interested in the nuclear power plant. His enthusiasm far exceeded his duty, as if he were the one entrusted by Her Majesty the Queen to inspect, not merely Alveira’s “companion”.

“Mr. Tanaka,” the Duke asked kindly, “as far as I know, Leyting is very close to the sun, so why not build a solar power plant?”

Tanaka was very pleased with the Duke’s question, as if he were a curious good student. “Currently, solar power plants are generally built in space orbits around the equator, requiring at least three space elevators to support such an orbit. This kind of power facility is too expensive. Besides, most of Leyting’s cities are located at the poles, so the loss of transmitting electricity from the equator to the poles is too great to be worth it. Usually, only on planets with high population density and scarce resources are orbital solar power plants built. There is a lot of scattered deuterium and tritium around Leyting’s star, which are raw materials for nuclear fusion, making it more economical to build nuclear power plants.”

The Duke nodded repeatedly. “Then what about using electromagnetic waves for power transmission?”

Tanaka smiled proudly. “Ah, well, because Leyting’s atmosphere is very thin, there’s too much electromagnetic interference from outer space, so wireless power transmission isn’t practical.”

Then the two of them enthusiastically discussed, like old friends who hadn’t met in a long time, leaving Alveira out as if she were air. Alveira put her hands in her pockets, clenched her fists tightly, and her nails pierced her palms. She suppressed her anger and tried to disguise herself as an “ordinary girl who’s not interested in machinery” as she followed in the Duke’s footsteps.

Finally, the visit to the nuclear power plant was over, and Alveira returned to their hotel with an unpleasant expression. By this time, her displeased expression was so obvious that even the Duke noticed it.

“What’s wrong, Your Highness?” the Duke asked. “Your face looks terrible. Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, Uncle Winnet.” Alveira quickly put on a regretful expression. “It’s just that I found it a bit boring.”

“Aha, I understand.” The Duke gave her a sympathetic look. “These machines and military industries are indeed somewhat dull. Girls your age are definitely not interested. If Musaya were here, she would certainly scream and throw a tantrum if she had to visit a military factory.”

A holographic screen at the hotel entrance was playing a music video of the Galactic Diva Camilla, and Alveira’s attention was involuntarily drawn to the beautiful, ethereal figure of the singer. The Duke also looked at the screen. “Ah, Camilla, do you like her?”

Alveira neither confirmed nor denied, so the Duke took it as a yes. “Musaya also likes her very much. I heard Camilla is on a concert tour recently?” He turned his head and asked his secretary. “Is that right?”

The secretary nodded. “Yes. She held a solo concert in Leyting yesterday.”

“Oh, what a pity! If we had come a day earlier, we might have seen the Galactic Diva in person!”

Alveira pouted. “Yes, what a pity! But it’s okay. There will be more opportunities in the future.”

The Duke smiled. “It’s great that you can think that way.” After saying this, he stepped back and glanced at his secretary, nodding.

It was a very subtle action, but Alveira didn’t miss it.

The “Dream of a Cold Night” slowly entered Leyting’s spaceport. Because the princess was visiting, the spaceport inspections were very strict, and some areas were even under lockdown. Joanna sat in her cabin with the silver box containing the precious secret resting on her lap. There was a box of dog food on the table in front of her, and the captain looked at the dog food packaging with some melancholy—it featured a golden retriever that looked quite like Pavlov.

There were thirty-six hours left until her appointment with the Duke. She could take this time to rest a bit, put on some makeup, and take a walk on the surface of Leyting. The spaceport was located on an artificial satellite of Leyting, so to get to the surface, she had to take a small passenger ship from the spaceport. The Duke chose to meet here for a reason. If he wanted to kill her to keep the secret, this place, inaccessible by starships, was perfect.

“Leo.” The captain called out to the omnipresent artificial intelligence. “I have some things to arrange before I leave.”

“Don’t talk like you’re leaving a will, Captain.” Leo’s holographic image appeared in the cabin.

“Can’t you say something nicer?” Joanna raised an eyebrow. “Like reminding this forgetful AI?”

Leo shrugged. “It makes no difference to me.”

The captain placed the box on the table next to the dog food. “Leo, if something happens to me on Leyting, you must immediately have the starship leave port and return to Milantu. Don’t look back.”

“I thought you would say, ‘You must come to rescue me!'”

“…Do I look like someone who’s so afraid of death?”

Leo waved his hand. “But if I don’t rescue you, the people on the starship will immediately rebel! This ship can still be manually operated without intelligent navigation. I don’t want to be loaded into a storage chip and thrown into outer space.”

“After all, this is just a backup. Your main body is on the ‘Lady of the Night’, isn’t it?”

“You probably don’t know there’s something called superluminal data delay.” Leo put on a scholarly air. “The data on both sides isn’t synchronized. For me, losing data on either side is as painful as you humans losing your memory.”

“AI is really troublesome!”

“Please call it ‘the troubles of a higher intelligence’, thank you.”

Joanna shook her head. “I will never understand your troubles. Just remember, if Duke Winnet has bad intentions, you must prioritize the safety of the people on the ‘Dream of the Cold Night’. If you can’t save me in time, don’t save me. Just take everyone back to Milantu.”

“Alright, if you insist.” Leo paced uneasily.

“What are you worried about? Even the prison planet Hecate couldn’t hold me. I’ll find a way.”

“…Who said I’m worried about you!”

Joanna smiled. “I’m going to put on some makeup later. If I leave the cabin like this, I’ll definitely be surrounded by police.” She thought for a moment. “By the way, tell Celia to bring the disguise tools to Alois. I want him and Planck to come with me.”

“Got it.”

“One more thing.” The captain tapped the silver box on the table. “The lock on this thing is said to be encrypted by high-end AI from Neo Athens, and no one can open it.” She looked at Leo, as if challenging him.

Leo snorted. “Are you testing me?”

“Of course not… I just said it casually.” Joanna stood up. “I’m an honest pirate. I wouldn’t casually open a client’s things.”

“So you plan to hand this ‘secret that shakes the universe’ over to Duke Winnet?”

Joanna’s smile was so obvious that it gave Leo goosebumps. “Captain, do you want to open this box?”

“Oh… it’s encrypted and has a built-in micro nuke…”

Before she could finish, a small robot clambered onto the table, waving a fine, sharp data interface. Leo’s face seemed to say, “Who says I can’t open it,” as he directed the robot to connect the interface to the box’s smart lock.

Ten minutes later, the smart lock lit up green, indicating that the password had been unlocked.

The small robot lifted the lid of the box, making a “clunk” sound, expressing its confusion.

Joanna was equally puzzled. The box was lined with soft velvet and contained a book. A rare paper book with a brown hardcover, without any writing on it. She looked at Leo, puzzled, and Leo looked back at her, equally confused.

Finally, the small robot jumped into the box, struggling to lift the hardcover book onto the table, giggling as it did so, and opened the book.

The words on the pages weren’t printed but handwritten. It seemed to be a paper notebook, with someone writing in it.

“1277, Standard Calendar. This is destined to be an extraordinary year. In this year, I, Jacob Yutz, led a fleet headed by the ‘Child of the Wind’, crossing half the galaxy to the cradle of humanity—Old Earth…”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

Chapter 57

“Alveira, my sister, by now you should have arrived at Leyting. Shortly after you left, Darius returned to the capital. Unfortunately, due to some mishaps along the way, the assassin, Mourner, and Lagrange, whom he had captured, escaped. (Do you remember Lagrange? The bodyguard who often argued with Darius.) Darius has requested to be confined for reflection, so we won’t be seeing him for a long time. But there’s good news too. That annoying Gilbert Gauss has been relieved of his duties.

“Alveira, my sister, you are my greatest concern right now. The thought of you going to Leyting with Winnet fills me with deep unease. I’m really worried that the Duke might harm you… If only Darius could go with you. I’m sorry. It’s my incompetence. I don’t expect your forgiveness, only that you return safely. Wherever you go, take your attendants and bodyguards, and never act alone!”

Snap!

Alveira closed the communication terminal with her brows tightly knitted. Annot had just sent her a message, and she thought it was something important, but it turned out to be the same old warnings—did he think she didn’t already know this? Instead of wasting time on such talk, he should be thinking about how to deal with that old fox Winnet!

She gripped the terminal so tightly that her knuckles turned white. If it weren’t for the terminal’s sturdy material, it might have shattered.

The hard edges dug into her palm, and Alveira sighed, releasing her grip. She opened the terminal again, reread her brother’s message, and replied with a simple, “Got it.” Feeling that two words were too curt, she added, “Take care of yourself too.”

Just after she sent the message, the door to her cabin opened slowly. Her maid and bodyguard, Rose, stood outside, bowing. “Your Highness, the ship has docked.”

“And the Old Fox?”

“The Duke is waiting for you on the bridge.”

“I understand.” Alveira tapped the terminal, transforming it into a wristwatch. The strap was adorned with silver tassels, resembling a bracelet from afar. She put on the watch, adjusted her collar and skirt, took a deep breath, and the slight anger on her face was replaced with an innocent, harmless expression.

Rose’s mouth twitched. If she hadn’t known the princess well and witnessed her skills in disguise, she would have thought the person wearing this expression was a very naive and innocent girl.

This innocent face had fooled not only the people of the Empire but also Duke Winnet. Who would have guessed that the sweet girl calling him “Uncle Winnet” had just moments before disdainfully referred to him as “the old fox”?

Wearing a sweet smile, Alveira walked toward the bridge, while beneath the smiling mask, her heart churned like a raging river. Old Fox, let’s see what tricks you have up your sleeve this time, she thought. It’s just an inspection of the Leyting armory, yet the Old Fox insisted on accompanying her, which surely meant there was some scheme at play! Either he planned to create an “accident” and kill her, as he did with Leia, or he was using the “accompaniment” as a cover for some secret plot in Leyting. Whether it was the former, the latter, or both, Alveira wouldn’t let it happen smoothly. She wasn’t as weak as Annot nor as naive as Leia. If they couldn’t avenge themselves, then she would take up the sword of vengeance!

She boarded the bridge and was greeted by the sight of Leyting’s sky. The captain had apparently made the ship’s walls transparent, offering a panoramic view of the surroundings. Alveira felt as if she were in the vast, boundless space, or perhaps under the dancing flames.

This was Leyting, a small planet ninety light-years from the capital. It was the second planet in its star system, too close to the sun for human habitation except in the polar regions. Its axis was perpendicular to the ecliptic plane, so there were no changing seasons. The largest city was at the pole, where the sun always hovered near the horizon, tracing a perfect circle each day. Half of its sky was bathed in twilight, while the other half was a deep, starry night, with vibrant auroras dancing below, like paint splashed on a half-black, half-white canvas, or a veil covering the planet.

Alveira held her breath. In the face of such divine craftsmanship, humanity seemed small. She melancholically thought that this planet had floated quietly in the galaxy for billions of years, and humans had only discovered its beauty in the last century. Emperor Nassar I arrived at the Unfallen Star only fourteen hundred years ago, and human civilization was less than ten thousand years old. Compared to planets, galaxies, and the universe, this was too brief. Yet, humans could destroy things faster than anything. A star might take ten million years to go from birth to death; humans could destroy a planet in a day; and a person could destroy themselves in less than a second.

On the observation deck at the rear of the “Dream of a Cold Night”, Alois and Joshua stood side by side. Leonard had considerately made the walls transparent, and Leyting hung overhead, its edges glowing like a crystal ball rising from a golden sea.

“The captain and Duke Winnet agreed to meet here?” Alois asked.

Joshua shrugged. “Seems like it.” He paused, noticing the young man beside him looked downcast. “Still thinking about the Duke?”

Alois nodded. “It’s hard not to.” He crossed his arms over his chest, as if contemplating or warding off an invisible chill. “Winnet sent people to assassinate Miss Leia, put me on trial, sent me to a prison planet, and ruined my future. On Hecate, I dreamed day and night of killing him. I planned thousands of ways to get revenge…” He smiled bitterly. “But none of them could be realized.”

Joshua didn’t know how to respond. He was never good at comforting others, especially about life-and-death matters. He understood the pain of losing freedom and living in fear and darkness. Besides killing, he didn’t know a better solution. The assassin looked at the approaching planet and said softly, “If you truly hate him, I can kill him for you.”

Alois looked at him in surprise. “I…” His eyes flickered. “I was just saying. Don’t really do it.”

“Do you think I can’t kill him?” Joshua asked.

“That’s not what I meant…”

The ship circled Leyting. The planet was now beneath them, its bright light filling the observation deck and making the metal railings shine.

“If you assassinate the Duke, how is that different from him sending people to assassinate Miss Leia?” Alois gripped the railing, the sun hurting his eyes. “To deal with someone like Winnet, everyone needs to know his crimes. Justice must be used to punish him, not bury him in darkness. That’s the best way to sanction him.”

“…Is that so?”

Joshua smiled, saying no more.

They stood together for a while, then Alois suddenly turned around. “Actually, sometimes I feel grateful to Winnet.”

“Why?”

“If I hadn’t been imprisoned, I wouldn’t have met you.”

Joshua reached out, ruffling his hair and hugging him. “Then I have to be grateful to him too.”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

Chapter 56

“I, Leonard the AI, am diligently performing my duties on the ‘Dream of Cold Nights’ today, even at the risk of having my sensors fried.”

After writing this sentence in his navigation log, a current named “melancholy” flooded Leo’s central controller, reminiscent of the great flood that destroyed Earth in religious myths. Ever since the “Dream of Cold Nights” set sail with his data backup onboard, he had been continuously exposed to the radiating pink death rays emitted by the intimate actions of a certain couple on the ship, causing his thoughts of vengeance against society to multiply rapidly.

Those two humans were like Pavlov in perpetual heat, capable of mating anytime, anywhere. Their mating scenes could be seen in the rooms, hallways, cargo hold, gangways, and even the elevator! Yes, mating! Leon furiously used this term, although it was somewhat inappropriate for same-gendered creatures. The AI couldn’t understand why they kept mating when they couldn’t produce offspring. Was it just for pleasure? Pleasure! It was merely a sensory stimulation produced by hormones and bioelectric signals. Leon could simulate thousands of types of pleasure but wouldn’t indulge in them daily like an addict!

Oh, great, now they were at it again, this time in the simulation pod of the training room. With only one pilot on this mission and Titia and her brothers staying behind on Milantu, no one would interrupt them. The simulation pod—how exciting!

As usual, that day, after finishing his simulation training, Alois shut down the system. Someone knocked on the pod hatch from outside. Alois opened the door to find Joshua standing outside, waving at him.

“Want to grab a meal together?” Alois asked. They had been inseparable lately, and even the slowest person would have noticed their relationship by now. At the banquet celebrating Joshua’s recovery, Joanna had teasingly suggested they get married quickly, as she dreamed of officiating a wedding. Titia had sadly remarked that all the good men were gay, and she would never get married. Then, Ibb Descartes approached her with a plastic rose, stammered and flailed for a while, and awkwardly kissed her lips. He was then dragged away by Titia’s brothers and beaten up, still sporting bruises when the ‘Dream of Cold Nights’ set sail.

Joshua stepped into the simulation pod, closing the door behind him, making the already narrow space even more cramped. “How about some pre-meal exercise?”

Leo’s infrared sensors detected the rising body temperatures of the two humans, along with their accelerated heart rates and blood circulation. After some analysis (which took a bit longer due to the “Dream of Cold Nights” having less advanced hardware than the “Lady of the Night”), he realized these two were in heat again.

So the AI screamed, “What do you two think you’re doing? This is a sacred training room! If you want to mate, go back to your room!”

“Don’t be like that, Leonard,” Joshua said impatiently. “It’s just a bit of fun. We promise we won’t dirty your training room.”

Before the AI could protest further, Joshua shut off the speaker.

“My sensors are blinded!” Leonard shouted, though the assassin couldn’t hear him.

“Are you sure you want to do this here?” Alois asked with a smile. “Leonard’s going to go nuts.”

“Who cares?” Joshua pressed him down on the pilot seat, kissing his lips while fumbling with his wrist. Alois, in his spacesuit, had a small button at the wrist joint’s padding. When pressed, the tight suit would loosen, like a reptile shedding its skin. Joshua stripped off the suit, revealing Alois’s black short-sleeve bodysuit underneath, which was standard space travel attire. However, his heaving chest and the sleek lines wrapped in black fabric were a silent temptation, making one feel itchy inside.

Lifting the bodysuit, Joshua exposed the skin still marked by the passion of the previous night. He bit and kissed Alois’s chest, deepening those marks, while his right hand ventured into Alois’s underwear, teasing his entrance.

“Hey.” Alois pushed him. “Could you at least bring some lube?”

“Why need lube? You’re already this wet.” His fingers slid inside, pumping twice and bringing out some clear liquid.

Alois blushed. “But it hurts…”

“Don’t you like a bit of pain?” Joshua slapped his butt, indicating he should spread his legs wider. “You like being fucked, right?”

Alois stretched his limbs in the cramped pod, finding the tightness added to the excitement. “Only like being fucked by you.”

Joshua removed his pants, gripping his throbbing desire, and thrust in. Alois threw his head back, whimpering in pain. “Take it easy!” he frowned.

Joshua said nothing, pushing all the way in, then paused. When Alois nodded, he began to move slowly.

The small pod was filled with a lewd atmosphere, with intermittent moans and deep breaths echoing around. As the pace quickened, Joshua pulled Alois up, sat him on his lap, and made him ride.

Alois bit his lip, holding the assassin’s penis, and slowly lowered himself. His entrance stretched around the swollen head, clinging tightly to the shaft. This position allowed the cock to penetrate deeper than ever. Before Alois could catch his breath, Joshua gripped his waist, moving forcefully against his sensitive spot while stroking his cock, varying the pressure.

Pleasure assaulted him from both ends. Alois supported himself, moving up and down with Joshua’s rhythm, and soon climaxed. Feeling Joshua near his peak, he turned and said, “Don’t come inside.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a mess to clean, and we’ll be late for dinner.”

Joshua grabbed his waist, thrusting harder. “Then where do you want me to come?”

Alois struggled off Joshua, maneuvering in the tight space, then turned to take Joshua’s cock into his mouth, swallowing his load. After, he wiped the spilled semen from his mouth with the back of his hand. “So much?” he grinned, teasing Joshua’s inner thigh. “Coming back for more tonight?”

“Believe me, I’ll fuck you till you can’t walk.”

“Are you sure you won’t be spent first?”

“…Could you two leave immediately if you’re done?” Leo’s voice suddenly burst out, possibly turning his speaker back on himself. Alois could almost picture the AI fuming. “Get out! I never want to see you again!”

“Calm down, Leo,” the assassin said. “Getting too excited isn’t good for you. Aren’t you afraid your processor will short-circuit?”

Leo used all his processing power to devise a hundred ways to silently kill these two in heat within a second. After running simulations thousands of times, he felt slightly appeased.

That day, Leonard updated his navigation log again, writing, “I, Leonard, as the galaxy’s top AI, continue to work hard today. I recorded a video of humans mating. If those two bastards dare to blind my sensors in non-private areas again, I’ll play this video repeatedly during dinner until they beg for my forgiveness!”

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

Interlude 3

In the Standard Calendar year 1277, it was destined to be an extraordinary year. This year, I, Jacob Yutz, led a fleet headed by the “Child of the Wind”, traversing half of the galaxy to reach humanity’s cradle—Old Earth.

Humankind has been out of this cradle, which nurtured the great civilization of the galaxy, for thousands of years. As is well known, continuous external expansion created most of the human-inhabited star systems now called “colonies”. In human history, conflicts and frictions between colonies and the mother country have never been rare, and even after leaving Earth and entering the vast cosmos, these conflicts were inevitable.

According to exact historical records, in the year 2507 of the Common Era, the colonies completely broke away from the mother country—Old Earth. The colonies, in their thirst for freedom and wealth, severed all ties with Old Earth, isolating the mother planet in a remote region of a spiral arm of the galaxy. Afterward, the colonies entered a golden age, with significant strides in economy, technology, and culture. However, greater conflicts lurked in the shadows of history, mocking humanity. Soon, wars erupted among the individual colonial planets, quickly spreading to all star systems without exception. Later historians called this the “First Galactic War”, akin to the naming of wars on Earth.

The protracted war destroyed the foundation of human civilization. The economy quickly collapsed, and after overthrowing the belligerent governments, people were left directionless. During the long war, technology regressed, and people forgot the great technologies that had brought them out of the cradle. Where once spaceships could reach the speed of light, most planets couldn’t even produce a spaceship capable of space travel.

The Great Decline. Indeed, only such a term can describe the regression of human civilization at that time. If advanced extraterrestrial civilizations had been watching us, they would have surely laughed out loud at our backwardness.

Fortunately, the Great Decline didn’t last long—only six centuries. In the long span of human history, this is negligible. Six centuries later, in the year 3275 of the Common Era, the light of human civilization’s revival dawned. A spaceship from Old Earth landed on colonial soil, its passengers being remnants of Old Earth, led by Nassar Chabais, the first King of the Galactic Empire. Unfortunately, I, Jacob Yutz, wasn’t born in that era and could only imagine his grand achievements through the sparse records left by posterity.

When human civilization almost regressed to the Middle Ages, Old Earth still retained advanced technology, much of which still seemed like “miracles” to people today. However, inevitable resource depletion and environmental degradation forced the people of Old Earth to abandon their homeland and embark on another exodus. They traveled on near-light-speed ships, journeying for six centuries across half the galaxy, and landed on a planet with an environment similar to Earth. This planet was named “The Unfallen Star”, a title given by later generations, hoping it would never fall or disappear.

Like Jesus Christ’s arrival in ancient religions, the first wave of Earth’s descendants saved humanity from darkness. They spread ancient yet advanced technologies, bringing people out of the darkness and back into the light of civilization. To govern the scattered planets, the leader of the first wave of Earth’s descendants, Nassar Chabais, proclaimed himself King of the Galactic Empire and granted titles and fiefs to his followers. While some democrats might see this as foolish, one must admit that it was an effective method for that era. Emperor Nassar I also changed the calendar, canceling the Common Era and starting the “Standard Calendar”, marking a new epoch for humanity, with everything needing rejuvenation.

During his reign, King Nassar I also made mistakes, such as imposing heavy taxes on colonial planets, which stirred rebellious sentiments on many frontier planets. In Standard Calendar year 47, the “Great Uprising” occurred, with 131 planets declaring independence. At that time, this number was nearly a third of the Empire’s territory. The 131 planets, deprived of technological and economic support, had essentially signed their death warrants.

However, perhaps by the will of a higher power, the human race didn’t perish. In Standard Calendar year 53, the second wave of Earth’s descendants arrived in the colonies. They had set out a year later than the first wave but, due to various reasons during the long interstellar journey, arrived half a century later.

Fearing that the technology possessed by the latecomers would threaten his rule, Emperor Nassar I ordered the second wave of Earth’s descendants to be hunted down. Driven to desperation, the second wave was welcomed by the 131 independent planets. They came to the frontier, gathered representatives of all independent planets, and declared the establishment of the “Galactic Federation”. From then on, the galaxy entered a state of rivalry between the Empire and the Federation. Although small-scale wars frequently occurred, humanity indeed emerged from the shadow of the Great Decline post-war. The technology brought back by the two waves of Earth’s descendants revitalized human civilization, allowing humanity to survive in the vast universe.

Thus, another millennium passed. In history, this was a period of stable development. But like a blooming flower, there must be a moment of its most beautiful bloom. For the galaxy, this “bloom” occurred in Standard Calendar year 1195. That year, the third wave of Earth’s descendants arrived in the colonies, specifically on a planet neither part of the Empire nor the Federation—Neo Athens.

The speed of their ship, the “Dante”, was far inferior to the previous waves, causing them to arrive a thousand years later, despite only a few years delay in departure. But the technology brought by the third wave was no less advanced. In the final moments of Old Earth, wise scientists created artificial intelligence—not the AI found in ordinary computers but self-aware, independently thinking AI. This unprecedented invention was installed on the “Dante”, guiding the third wave of Earth’s descendants after a thousand years of slumber.

As the last people to stay on Old Earth, the third wave of Earth’s descendants were mostly scientists and technicians. Unlike the politically ambitious first and second waves, they were solely interested in technology and scholarship. They modeled their system after ancient Athens, establishing a parliament and administrative council, electing a chief executive and government officials, and founding the “Neo Athens Academy”, open to all who sought knowledge and science. To defend the city-state, they built three space carriers named after the ancient Greek sages Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. To manage the city, they created three high-end AIs named Beatrice, Mona Lisa, and David, after figures from the Renaissance era.

In the grand star map of the galaxy, Neo Athens was undoubtedly the brightest star. She symbolized the second Renaissance, guiding humanity towards enlightenment. Centered on Neo Athens, technology, stagnant for a thousand years, saw rapid progress. In less than a century, the warp engines of spaceships were upgraded four times, eliminating the need for space teleportation stations for interstellar travel.

Thanks to the fifth-generation warp engine, my ship, the “Child of the Wind”, could complete a six-century journey in six months, heading to Old Earth for exploration. As for why I wanted to visit that long-forgotten mother planet, perhaps it was nostalgia in my blood or some legends that sparked my innate curiosity. I had heard that after the third wave of Earth’s descendants left, some people remained, led by Kester, the last scientist of Old Earth and inventor of high-end AI. Maybe after the third wave left, Kester and the other scientists created some great miracles? Perhaps they thrived on Old Earth using more advanced technology?

No one knew the answers. And I would find them.

In Standard Calendar year 1277, I, Jacob Yutz, led a fleet on a journey to Old Earth. At that time, I had no idea it would turn into a life-threatening adventure.

Because six months later, I encountered “Yasha” on Old Earth, as its creator called it, a name meaning a terrifying monster in some language of Old Earth. But to me, it was the ultimate killing machine capable of destroying humanity.

—”Records of the Old Earth Expedition,” Prologue, by Jacob Yutz.

The author has something to say:

Note: The setting of “Yasha” references the Shrike from “Hyperion” by Dan Simmons.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

Chapter 55

Alois couldn’t recall how many times they did it, only remembering hearing Joshua say “I love you” many times, which made him feel incredibly comfortable, even more than the physical pleasure. Eventually, both were exhausted and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The next morning… well, it wasn’t quite accurate to say “morning” because when Alois opened his eyes, it was almost 11 a.m. They skipped both dinner the previous night and breakfast this morning, and after such intense physical activity, he was extremely hungry. He tried to sit up, but his waist was so sore he couldn’t move. He felt a sharp pain below, and his legs trembled.

He collapsed back onto the bed. At this moment, Joshua woke up too, and they stared at each other silently. Finally, Joshua reached out to Alois’s waist and gently massaged it.

“Does it hurt?”

Alois nodded.

Joshua, stark naked, got up and picked up the clothes scattered all over the floor, putting them on one by one. “I’ll make some food.”

“Can you?”

“…I can at least use a microwave.” The assassin was quite displeased with Alois’s low estimation of his abilities. Under Alois’s skeptical and worried gaze, Joshua left the bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen. There, he found the dinner from the previous night that they hadn’t had time to eat. Joshua studied the microwave and decided to heat it up for lunch.

“Meow.”

The black cat, Schrödinger, leaped in through the open window, holding a fish in its mouth. Its large, amber eyes stared at Joshua, as if to ask, “Who the hell are you?” Joshua vaguely recalled they had left Schrödinger at home before the battle… What an irresponsible owner he was.

“Come here, Schrödinger.” He reached out guiltily, planning to give the cat something tasty to make up for it. The black cat, however, gave him a disdainful look, flicked its tail, and jumped off the windowsill, seemingly not intending to pay him any attention. Joshua had heard that cats could live well on their own, and it seemed true now.

As he marveled at the self-sufficiency of animals, there was a loud bang, and the microwave door burst open, hitting the opposite wall, with black smoke billowing out.

“……” Joshua was sure he hadn’t done anything wrong, yet the microwave had such a tragic outcome. He realized he might really not be suited for the kitchen, so he quietly unplugged the microwave and returned to the living room. Finding a nearby restaurant’s number in the phone book next to the landline, he called and ordered two takeout meals.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rang.

That was fast! Faster than Lady of the Night at full speed… Joshua opened the door to an unexpected person.

“Good afternoon, your takeout.” Joanna Begrel held two lunch boxes, looking ready to start a career as a delivery person.

“Captain, is the pirate group going bankrupt?”

“…I’m just experiencing life.”

Joanna shoved the takeout into Joshua’s arms and then swaggered into the house.

In fact, she was just lazing around a nearby restaurant. As it got busier around noon, the manager sent her out for a delivery. Of course, she couldn’t say that the proud captain of Lady of the Night was threatened by the chef with “deliver now or never taste my pudding again.” That would be too embarrassing.

Joanna made herself at home, wandering around the living room before sitting on the sofa. “Where’s Alois?”

“He’s not up yet.”

The captain instinctively checked her terminal. “It’s already 11:20 a.m.” She raised an eyebrow.

Joshua shifted his gaze awkwardly. “Uh… he’s just lazing around.”

“Great, then you can go wake him up. I have something to discuss with you both.”

Joshua put the takeout on the dining table and went upstairs. Joanna felt something itching her ankle and looked down to see Schrödinger rubbing against her legs.

“Hey, little kitty.” She looked at the black cat with the expression of an uncle seeing a cute little girl. She lifted it to her knees. “Long time no see. Oh, dear, you’ve lost weight.”

“Meow.” Schrödinger seemed to agree.

“Your owner must not be taking good care of you. Men are so careless. They can’t even take care of themselves, let alone pets.” Joanna scratched the cat’s neck, making it curl its tail in comfort. “Let me get you something to eat. Look how thin you are.” She picked up Schrödinger and walked to the kitchen. Opening the kitchen door, she saw thick black smoke rising from the remnants of the microwave, like smoke from a battlefield after a missile strike.

She quietly closed the door.

…She really shouldn’t have delivered the food. Let them starve, she thought.

About ten minutes later, Alois and Joshua finally came downstairs. Their slow pace was uncharacteristic of their usually swift style. But upon seeing Alois, Joanna immediately understood what had happened. He could barely walk steadily, his hair was a mess, and he clearly hadn’t had time to freshen up, with suspicious red marks on his neck…

Oh my, my, my. The captain sighed as she held her forehead. You can date, but don’t let it affect your work.

Pretending nothing had happened, she smiled naturally. “You’re up early.”

“…We’re not on the ship.” Alois painfully sat on the sofa, and Joshua slipped a hand behind him to massage his waist muscles.

Joanna spread her hands. “I don’t mean to interfere in your personal lives. Ahem.” She cleared her throat. “I’m here to consult you both on something.” She dropped her smile, signaling the end of pleasantries and the start of serious business.

“Do you remember the box we got from Old Hikari in Neo Venice?”

They exchanged a glance. How could they forget? They had been chased all over for that box.

“I didn’t mean to keep you in the dark,” Joanna said. “This isn’t a compulsory order, but a request for your help. So I think you deserve to know the background. Old Hikari asked me to deliver the box to the Empire, to a high-ranking person. According to him, the contents of the box could help that person take over the universe. I suspect it’s some new weapon design or a major secret involving the upper echelons of the Empire and the Federation. In short, I need to escort the box into the Empire.”

She paused, watching their reactions. Joshua remained indifferent, but his eyes shone with a bright light. Alois looked very worried.

“I have to disguise myself and change my name to safely enter the Empire. I won’t be taking the Lady of the Night, but another ship. And I won’t take many crew members—twenty at most—but they must be elite. I’m asking if you are willing to join this mission. Since no one can predict what will happen, this trip could be deadly. So if you don’t want to join, I won’t force you…”

Joshua raised a hand to stop her. “Captain,” he said, “if this mission is so dangerous, the reward must be substantial?”

Joanna smiled, seemingly praising his insight. “Eighty million galactic credits, plus canceling my wanted status in the Empire.”

Alois whistled. Eighty million credits was a huge sum anywhere. Plus, canceling the wanted status. Was the secret in that silver box really that significant?

“Everyone who follows me will get 3.5 million credits. One million in advance, the rest upon completion.”

“You’re being quite generous this time, Captain.”

Joanna took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth. “I don’t want a one-way trip. It doesn’t suit my aesthetics.”

Alois hesitated. “Can I ask who you plan to give the box to?”

“Winnet Chabais, Duke of the Empire.”

Alois’s eyes widened in shock.

“What? Do you know him?”

“Know him? He framed me and got me thrown in prison!”

Joanna was so surprised she forgot to light her cigarette. “Oh… dear Lord…” It took her a while to speak again. “I… I didn’t know that. I shouldn’t have asked you. Um, just pretend you didn’t hear what I said. Goodbye.”

She hurried to leave but was stopped by Alois.

“Wait, Captain!” The young man grabbed her sleeve. “Please let me join!”

Joanna frowned. “No. If you’re coming for revenge, I can’t agree.”

“It’s not for revenge!”

“Who can guarantee that?”

Joshua put a hand on her shoulder. “Captain, trust him.” The assassin’s gentle words carried immense weight. “Let us join. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Joanna shook her head. “It’s too risky. If you do anything to the Duke…”

“Captain, do you really plan to hand the box over to the Duke?” Joshua’s voice carried a hint of a smile. “That box holds a secret crucial to the galaxy’s peace. Giving it to a schemer? If you were that obedient, you wouldn’t have defected twice and ended up on Milantu.”

Joanna said nothing. She had never hated the assassin’s insight as much as now. His words struck her soul, exposing her unspoken thoughts.

Be a dutiful delivery person? She was Joanna Begrel, the space pirate!

Pushing Joshua’s hand away, the captain gave a dark smile. “Alright. But if you disobey my orders or tell anyone what I just said, I’ll throw you into space.”

She patted the black cat on her lap. The cat obediently leapt to the floor.

“Oh, right.” Before leaving, Joanna looked at them mysteriously. “There’s a banquet tonight. If you can’t attend, I can ask Celia to postpone it.”

“…We’ll be there!” Alois shouted, slamming the door.

The captain laughed loudly and bounced towards the nearest restaurant.

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Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

Chapter 54

The house’s furnishings hadn’t changed much since they left, but the air felt a bit stale, probably because no one had lived there for a while. Alois went around opening windows to let in some fresh air. Joshua yawned as he watched him busily rushing around. “I’m tired. I’ll go upstairs to rest.” The assassin was very aware of his status as a patient. Over the past few days, he had been well taken care of, with everything handed to him, and he wasn’t planning on helping now. He was, after all, a patient!

So he leisurely went upstairs to the bedroom, feeling satisfied as he saw the sunset from Milantu filling the room. He climbed into bed, took out the new communication terminal Leo had given him, and found a soft, soothing song, lazily waiting for Alois to call him for dinner.

Alois, in a flurry, had a household robot do a quick clean (thank God he finally learned to use the thing), and made a simple dinner (the assassin would probably be unhappy with the cabbage on his plate), then went upstairs to find Joshua.

He opened the door and was first struck by the brilliant light filling the room. Joshua lay on the bed, bathed in the gentle sunset, as if outlined in gold. Alois held his breath and walked forward quietly.

The new communication terminal lay on the bed, its screen showing “standby”. Joshua must have fallen asleep while playing with it. The medicine the doctor gave him had a side effect of drowsiness. He lay on his side, exposing a small section of his waist, silently tempting. Alois touched his waist, biting Joshua’s ear. “Hey, get up. It’s time to eat.”

Joshua’s eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. He calmly pressed down on Alois’s mischievous hand, turned his head, and his black-gold eyes seemed to merge with the sunset. “I’d rather eat you.”

“…What?” Alois was stunned. His brain was like a crashed computer, unable to process the meaning of those words. “Uh, say that again?”

“Make love to me.”

Alois’s first reaction was, What is making love? His second reaction was, Is this for real? Did I hear wrong? His third reaction was to rocket onto the bed, straddling Joshua’s legs, eagerly kissing his lips. Thank God, Joshua finally figured it out! He was willing to go to bed with him!

The kiss deepened gradually. Alois savored the sweet taste of Joshua’s lips and tongue, several times almost biting his tongue in excitement. Joshua hugged his waist, his fingers slipping into the gaps of his clothes, kneading the skin there, and then unbuttoned his pants.

This proactive caress took Alois by surprise. “Why are you suddenly in the mood?”

“I feel like if I don’t make a move now, someone else might beat me to it.” Joshua removed Alois’s pants, pulling down his underwear as well, looking mischievously at the erection between his legs. “I’m a selfish person. I want everything about you to belong to me.” As he spoke, his hand slid down from the young man’s waist, reaching into the cleft of his ass.

Alois sensed something was wrong. “I say, Joshua.” He squirmed, trying to break free, but was held back by the assassin. “You’re not planning to top me, are you?”

Joshua’s actions paused, looking at him suspiciously, as if saying, “Isn’t that obvious?”

“But I want to be on top,” Alois said.

“No way.” Joshua let out a snort. “I won’t compromise on this.” He added with a glance, “Except for the riding position.”

“…” Alois remained silent, just glaring at him, waiting for the other to relent. To lie down and obediently be fucked? What a joke! He had dominated Hecate Prison in the past without meeting a worthy opponent. How could he possibly be the one on the bottom now!

In the end, Joshua relented. “Alright, if you don’t want to, I won’t force you.” He tidied his hair and collar, looking as if he hadn’t just made those declarations and was ready to go for a meal instead.

But Alois couldn’t easily ignore it. He was already aroused, and interrupting a man in the throes of passion was inhumane. He looked at the leisurely Joshua, his heart like a volcano erupting, torn between conflicting desires. Such a rare opportunity! Missing it might mean a lifetime of mutual masturbation.

“Wait!” He stopped the assassin. “Since, since you want to be on top, this time… just for now…” Before he could finish his sentence, Joshua had already pinned him down on the bed, his body sinking into the soft mattress, covered by the man’s frame. “You should have said so sooner.”

Joshua covered his lips, stealing his breath and heartbeat, while lifting the young man’s shirt to reveal a flat, taut abdomen, then a firm chest. As a pilot, Alois maintained an excellent physique, slender yet not too thin, his limbs flexible and full of vitality, attracting both men and women. This made Joshua a little jealous.

Alois cooperated by removing his shirt, now completely naked, while Joshua remained fully clothed, calm and collected, not at all looking like someone about to engage in a fierce battle. After the initial shyness, Alois began to use his skilled techniques to stimulate the assassin in return. He was always open in bed, able to enjoy himself even in front of prison guards, let alone being accustomed to exposing his body to Joshua’s gaze. He bent his knees, slowly rubbing against the assassin’s legs, feeling the hardness there. Joshua was clearly aroused too!

“Hey, have you ever topped someone before?” Alois asked with a teasing smile, pulling down Joshua’s pants. The erection sprang free, emanating an aggressive heat.

“Honestly, no.” Joshua leaned down to bite Alois’s pale nipple, eliciting a gasp. “But I borrowed quite a few ‘instructional videos’ from Leo… I’ll make you feel amazing.”

“Give it a try then!” Alois chuckled, unabashedly displaying his overflowing desire, spreading his legs wide. “Go get some lube.”

Joshua kissed the delicate skin on his inner thigh, leaving a few red bite marks as if marking his territory, then reluctantly got up, stripping off the last of his clothes and walking naked into the bathroom, returning with a bottle of shower gel. Caught off guard, they hadn’t prepared lube, so this would have to do. Thankfully, Alois wasn’t picky. He massaged his hard cock, watching with interest as Joshua poured the shower gel into his palm and spread it between his legs.

“So cold…”

A finger coated in shower gel probed into the small hole at the back. Alois gasped, the mix of slight discomfort and coolness acting like a potent aphrodisiac injected into his body. He panted, hooking Joshua’s neck for a kiss.

The assassin, who held a medical license, skillfully found the sensitive spot, his fingers moving freely inside thanks to the lubrication. The hot inner walls clung to his fingers, as if both rejecting and wantonly retaining the intruding guest. Soon, he added a second finger, meeting much more resistance this time.

“You’re so tight inside…” Joshua remarked.

Alois couldn’t respond. The pleasure from the two fingers repeatedly thrusting and pulling inside his small hole surged through his body like waves, only able to moan intermittently to convey how good it felt. “Mm… Faster…”

In response, Joshua added a third finger. The sensation of being completely filled stimulated his senses, every inch of skin screaming to be caressed. Joshua patiently expanded his narrow hole. Alois’s body was very sensitive, something Joshua had noticed during their previous “treatment”. Just playing with his back entrance could make him climax. How many more unknown lewd secrets did this sensitive body hide? The assassin couldn’t wait to explore them all personally.

The fingers opening up the tight hole kept pressing on the sensitive spot, bringing maddening stimulation. Clear fluid was secreted from the inner walls, mixed with the fingers’ movements, while the tip of Alois’s cock oozed precum, making the area between his legs wet. The fluid flowed over the untouched pink entrance, accompanied by loud squelching sounds, heating up Joshua’s desire.

Hold on… He told himself. It’s not the right time yet. Entering too soon could hurt Alois.

But Alois couldn’t wait any longer. “It’s… It’s enough…” he whimpered sweetly. “Enter me…”

“Not yet.”

Alois lacked the assassin’s patience. He propped up his upper body, moved away from Joshua’s fingers, and grabbed the other’s cock, guiding it into his hungry hole. The large head barely entered, stretching the entrance to its limit, unable to go further. The young man took a deep breath, trying to ease the penis in slowly, but this half-inserted state was intolerable for Joshua!

He was going crazy!

Feeling the warmth and wetness of the hole but unable to push deeper, he was losing his mind!

No longer caring if he might hurt Alois (this was all his fault, Joshua thought angrily), the assassin grabbed Alois’s waist and thrust in to the hilt!

“Ah!” Alois screamed in pain.

The mix of pain from being penetrated and the strange feeling of being filled instantly merged into an indescribable pleasure, rushing to his head. Alois lost consciousness for a few seconds, coming to only to find he had just climaxed… White fluid splattered on his abdomen, creating an obscene scene.

Joshua smiled smugly, relentlessly thrusting.

“Wait! Wait a moment… Slower…” Alois moaned intermittently, gripping the assassin’s shoulders, his nails digging into the skin. This small sting caused no pressure, and Joshua continued his deep thrusts, each time fully entering, then pulling out completely, domineeringly drawing out the mixture of lube and their fluids.

The pain gradually turned into an aphrodisiac. Alois matched Joshua’s movements, twisting his body, each thrust bringing fatal pleasure, each collision driving him crazy. His sensitive inner walls felt the friction and penetration of the other’s penis, causing his trembling body to become aroused again. Transparent liquid oozed for the tip of his erection.

The sound of bodies colliding, and unbearable moans mixed, echoing in the room.

Joshua rode in ecstasy. This unique feeling of dominance and unity made him lose control, only able to satisfy himself with increasingly rapid thrusts. He noticed Alois was hard again, still moving his hand. So, he pinned the young man’s hand down. “Don’t touch.”

“Joshua… let… let me…” The interrupted young man was furious.

“Don’t move. Just lie still.” Joshua kissed his chest, licking his nipple, circling the areola. “You can cum just from behind.”

“No… I want to…”

“Cum for me.”

Alois’s moans turned into cries. The pleasure was so intense it felt like torture. He wanted release quickly, his body restrained, penetrated, dominated, everything controlled by Joshua.

“Please… let me…”

Joshua spread his legs open, pressed them to his chest, and thrust fiercely. After dozens of thrusts, he pushed deep and released his seed inside Alois.

“Ah…” Alois cried out. It felt like lava had erupted inside him, scorching his intestines. He had never felt this way before, the intense stimulation sending him over the edge, calling Joshua’s name as he climaxed again.

“I… Fuck… You’re so intense…” Alois lay there weakly. Having been made to cum twice, he had no strength left. Joshua pulled out his softened cock, lay beside him, and hugged him.

“How does it feel?”

“…Hmph.” Alois turned his head, not giving a clear answer. But from his flushed ears, Joshua knew he had done a good job and had indeed made him feel great.

Actually, he also thought it was amazing. He had never known that having sex with a man could be so wonderful, like being instantly transported to heaven. The desire for more was frightening; he wanted to do it again but worried that Alois wouldn’t be able to take it. He got up to check the condition of the young man’s backside. The small hole was red and swollen from overuse, but not bleeding. The sight of white semen leaking from the not yet closed entrance was incredibly erotic.

Joshua swallowed hard and lay back down, warning himself not to think about making love again. “Does it feel uncomfortable with it inside you?” he asked. “Should I help you get it out?”

Alois shook his head. “No.”

“…Why not?”

His voice was softer. “As long as it’s yours, I want to keep it.”

Joshua suddenly wanted to crush the young man in his embrace. “We… won’t do it just once.” He chose his words carefully. “As long as you want it, I’ll give it to you as many times as you like.”

Alois’s face turned even redder.

“Joshua, I want to be with you forever…” He held Joshua’s hand, interlocking their fingers. “I love you.”

“Mm.” Joshua answered softly, “I love you too.”

Alois’s body stiffened. “You… Can you say it again?”

“Good words aren’t said twice.” The assassin turned over mischievously, his back facing him.

“Saying it again won’t kill you!” The young man continued to hold his hand, unwilling to give up.

“…Do it with me again, and I’ll say it.”

“You think I’m afraid of you?!” Alois pounced on him. “Bring it on!”

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