Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 63

“This way!”

Joshua sidestepped the incoming laser beam and darted into a narrow alley barely wide enough for one person. He roughly shoved Alois into the alley, much like stuffing chewing gum into an ATM card slot.

“I’m stuck!”

“How is that possible? Are you a hippo?”

Joshua pushed him forward with both hands and feet. The police cars couldn’t enter such a narrow alley, and they had to escape before the slow-moving officers disembarked and aimed their guns at these sitting ducks. Joshua had no time to complain about Alois’s noise because he also found it difficult to move in the alley. Were the architects of Leyting all idiots? Why design such an impractical space between buildings? Was this some new form of performance art?

When Alois finally squeezed out of the alley, he had never been more thankful to the Lord for granting humanity air and open spaces. Joshua followed closely behind, looking somewhat disheveled, with his clothes torn by the rough walls and a few scratches on his arms.

The narrow alley connected to another dimly lit alley, slightly wider, allowing two people to walk side by side. The end of the alley led to Leyting’s bustling streets. From their position, they could see sunlight streaming in and hear the noisy traffic of the busy street.

“Which way?” Alois asked.

Joshua stared at the alley’s end. “That person over there… Do you know them well?”

“…Who?”

A luxurious blue flying car was parked at the alley’s entrance, its back window halfway down. A blue-haired girl with sunglasses poked half her body out, excitedly waving at them.

Alois rolled his eyes. “Oh Lord, why is she here?” He realized he might have used the wrong pronoun.

“You should get into the habit of watching the news every morning. The Galactic Diva’s tour includes a stop in Leyting.”

Seeing them stand still, the Galactic Diva jumped out of the car, trying to attract their attention. Her manager, Rita, frantically pulled her back. “Do you want the entire Leyting to watch you, my Diva?”

“So what? It’s not like I haven’t been watched before.” Srosie adjusted his large sunglasses, which covered half his face, and excitedly waved again. Rita worried he might strain his wrist.

“Hurry up! The police are coming!”

“Don’t shout so loudly! Do you really want to attract the police?” Rita covered his mouth. Only when the two “wanted criminals”, who for some reason had attracted the police, got into the car did she release him and instruct the driver to start. Srosie immediately leaned over like a small animal. “Hi, Alois, long time no see!”

Joshua frowned. He got into the car first, sitting between Srosie and Alois to prevent any trouble. But Srosie ignored the assassin, leaning over Joshua to greet Alois as if they were old friends.

Joshua glared at Srosie, but the diva seemed used to various looks from people (understandably, given his stage presence), not reacting at all. Or perhaps he noticed but ignored Joshua on purpose to provoke him, continuing to chat with Alois.

“Why are you in Leyting? When did you arrive?”

“Uh… a day or two ago…” Alois’s mind was still in escape mode, not ready for a reunion with an old friend, so he was slow to respond.

“I had a concert yesterday. Did you come?” Alois shook his head. “No? Why? Ah, I know, you couldn’t get tickets, right? You should’ve told me earlier. I have plenty of tickets. I could get you as many as you want!”

Alois wanted to say he didn’t know about the concert, but seeing Srosie’s expectant face, he couldn’t bear to say anything that might label him as “not a true fan of Camilla”, so he just mumbled noncommittally.

But Srosie took this as confirmation and continued chattering. “I never thought we’d meet again here. It must be fate! We have a bond!”

“Uh… yeah, probably…” Srosie’s sudden enthusiasm was overwhelming.

Joshua interrupted, “Sorry to interrupt your friendly conversation, but may I say something?”

“What?” Srosie finally noticed Joshua’s presence.

“Could you get off me? You’re heavy.”

Srosie’s expression froze as if someone had pressed a pause button on him. He silently crawled back to his seat, turned to the window, and said nothing.

The car fell into an eerie silence.

Alois elbowed Joshua, warning him to watch his mouth. The assassin imitated Srosie, staring at the sky silently as if discussing the weather.

“Ahem, I mean…” Alois tried to change the topic and ease the tension. “Srosie, why are you here?”

Srosie didn’t respond, and Joshua answered sarcastically, “Fate.”

Alois felt his temples throbbing. Stay calm! He told himself. Don’t get angry! There’s definitely a misunderstanding here! The situation is urgent. Explanations can wait!

Finally, Rita, the manager, broke the awkward silence. “A Mr. Leonard contacted us, saying you were in trouble in Leyting and asked for our help.”

“Thank you so much.”

“We weren’t going to help because Camilla’s schedule is tight, and we must leave Leyting soon for the next stop of the tour. Besides, your identities…” Rita paused meaningfully. “But Camilla insisted on finding you, so I had to give in… Please understand our difficulties.”

Alois nodded vigorously. “I understand, I understand!”

“So, are you heading to the spaceport? I just heard there was an accident, and it’s locked down.”

“If possible, we’d like to leave Leyting immediately and return to our mothership.”

“I see…” Rita pondered how to safely get these two wanted men into space, but the driver interrupted her thoughts. “Miss Rita, there’s a checkpoint ahead. It looks like an inspection.”

“Stop the car.”

The flying car stopped at the temporary checkpoint, and armed police officers approached to question them. “Please step out, show your IDs, and cooperate with our inspection.”

Rita lowered the window and gestured for the officer to come closer. “Please keep your voice down,” she said mysteriously. “The person in the car is Miss Camilla… Please don’t make a fuss!” Seeing the officer’s surprised look, Rita quickly added, “We’re heading back to the ‘Muse’ ship and don’t want to attract too much attention. Please understand.”

She lowered the back window a bit, revealing Kamilia with her giant sunglasses, showing half her face, and giving the officer a sweet smile. Rita seized the opportunity, pulling out a signed album from her bag and handing it to the officer. “Please, Camilla’s schedule is very tight.”

The driver played along, nervously saying, “Miss Rita, there are two suspicious people over there. They look like reporters!”

The officer looked up and saw two people whispering and pointing at them. Although he wasn’t a die-hard fan of Camilla, he liked the sweet-voiced singer. With a Galactic star in Leyting for a concert, he had missed it due to his duty and had complained to his colleagues. Now, he was thrilled to meet her up close and receive a signed album. He waved them through, signaling to his subordinates to question the suspicious passersby instead. “Go quickly!”

Camilla waved goodbye, raising the window. The officer noticed two men sitting with her, probably bodyguards, he thought.

Safely past the checkpoint, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“Miss Rita, you should be in movies!” Alois admired the calm and composed manager.

“Not at all. You’re too kind,” Rita said modestly. “I have an idea. How about you two take the ‘Muse’ ship? Once we’re out of Leyting, we’ll find a way to rendezvous with your mothership.”

“Thank you very much.”

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 62

Alveira dressed in casual clothes, strapped a laser gun to one thigh and a crystal dagger to the other, then nodded at Rose. “Is everyone assembled?”

Rose pressed her ear against the door, listening nervously. “Yes, Zion brought two subordinates, and there are some people waiting downstairs at the hotel.”

“Any movements from the Duke?”

“I just heard that the guard configuration has changed. Many have moved to the floor below, but the specifics are unclear.”

“We’ll go our way,” Alveira said. “Knowing the enemy is important, but without clarity on the Duke’s movements, we can only break through head-on.”

“Yes!”

The princess and Rose stepped out of the luxurious suite, and the two bodyguards at the door immediately blocked them.

“Your Highness, you cannot leave the room at will,” one bodyguard said.

Alveira glared at the bodyguard’s black sunglasses, seeing her distorted reflection. “I’m just going for a walk. Is that not allowed?”

“I’m very sorry, but if you must go out, you need the Duke’s approval.”

“Then you can notify him.”

The bodyguard slightly lowered his head, indicating he would be gone for a moment. He pulled out his communicator, stepped a few paces away, and started making a call to the Duke, his superior, or someone else. Alveira signaled to Rose, who turned to the other bodyguard and casually asked, “Excuse me, what day is it today?”

As the bodyguard was momentarily distracted, Rose kneed him hard in the abdomen. Simultaneously, Alveira pulled the gun from her thigh and smashed the butt onto the head of the calling bodyguard. The bodyguard screamed but wasn’t knocked down. He dropped the communicator, grabbed Alveira’s wrist with one hand, and pressed her neck with the other.

“Rose!” Alveira shouted.

Rose drew her gun, pressed it against the bodyguard’s temple, and pulled the trigger.

Alveira stepped back just in time to avoid the blood splatter. “Warn me before you shoot!” she complained to Rose.

“Your Highness is not a faint-hearted lady who swoons at the sight of blood. You never hesitated when hunting foxes with Earl Darius.”

Rose picked up the bodyguard’s communicator and switched to the team channel. Orders mixed with static came through. “Attention all units, Target B has escaped. Teams 1 and 2, protect the Duke. Team three, pursue Target B. Team four, execute Plan Σ.”

“Target B?” Alveira was puzzled. “What’s Plan Σ?”

Rose shook her head. “It suggests the Duke’s actions were premeditated. We must escape quickly.”

“Agreed. Where’s Zion?”

“Follow me.” Rose discarded the communicator and led the princess to the emergency stairs. Despite wanting to use the communicator to monitor the Duke’s movements, its built-in tracking system was too risky.

The elevators were likely under full control, and the stairs to ground level were fraught with danger. Rose and Alveira headed upward instead, reaching the hotel rooftop. Zion and his two subordinates awaited them in a flying car.

Zion was a tall, dark-skinned middle-aged man from York γ. Formerly a close guard to Marquess Madonna, Darius’ mother, he later followed Darius to the royal palace. After Darius joined the military, Zion stayed with the prince. Loyal and trustworthy, the prince had specially assigned Zion to accompany Alveira, proving invaluable now.

“Your Highness, you’re finally here!” Zion knelt on one knee. “I was about to come down to find you.”

“No need for that,” Alveira said. “What’s the situation?”

“The police are mobilizing,” Zion replied, “but they don’t seem to be after us.”

Even on the rooftop, the wailing sirens were audible.

“Also, the Duke’s private army is gathering secretly. We must leave quickly.” Zion opened the car door. “Do you wish to go to the spaceport ground terminal, Your Highness?”

“No. The Duke will expect that. We must avoid it.” Alveira thought for a moment. “We need to return to the spaceport. We just need to find a spacecraft capable of interstellar travel. Do you know where we can easily find one?”

“Of course, Your Highness.” Zion helped the ladies into the car and checked their seat belts. “The governor’s mansion in Leyting should have several such crafts in its garage.”

……

Joanna, panting, jumped over a green area, toppling several trash cans to obstruct the pursuing police cars. Her flying car had run out of energy and was abandoned roadside, forcing her to proceed on foot. Though slower, she was now a smaller target, allowing her to evade several police searches.

However, it seemed escape was now impossible. The police had spotted her and were closing in, herding her into a dead end. Tall walls surrounded her on three sides, with the only exit blocked by police cars. Unless she sprouted wings or mastered wall-climbing, escape was impossible.

In Joanna Begrel’s life as a space pirate, this was her first time facing such dire straits. Even her imprisonment in Hecate wasn’t this hopeless. If not for her belief in “surviving in desperate situations”, she might have surrendered by now.

“Ah, come on, Lord. You can’t really want to throw your loyal sheep into the lion’s mouth, can you?” Joanna muttered, shaking her head and reaching for the gun at her waist.

The police disembarked. They used their car doors as shields while aiming their guns at the cornered pirate. “Drop your weapon and surrender immediately!”

Joanna’s face showed distress. Was this really happening? End up in Hecate again, enduring its disgusting food and life without freedom? She’d rather die… Leo, where are you? Are you really leaving me to die just because you’re mad at me? If I survive this, I’ll upgrade your memory, I swear…

She slowly drew her gun, raising it in the air to show no resistance, turning the barrel down.

—A flying car rose behind the walls!

Its draft blew Joanna’s red hair, and its engine roar sounded like a hymn of salvation.

The police didn’t expect this sudden change. Some aimed at the car, others fired. Laser beams scorched the car’s exterior. A more accurate shot could have downed the car, but then another flying car dove down, followed by a third!

“Damn it! She has accomplices! She has accomplices!”

“Squad 6 requesting backup! Requesting backup!”

Joanna watched the three flying cars pass overhead with no intention of rescuing her. It was just a coincidence that they passed by thrillingly.

Too coincidental. More than winning twice in Russian roulette at a casino. As if divine intervention heard her prayers and granted a miracle.

As the cars approached the alley exit, Joanna sprinted, shooting down two police officers trying to stop her, then jumped onto a police car, leaping from car to car until she reached the alley exit. Using the vehicles’ height, she made a final leap and tossed her gun.

The last car passed overhead just in time. Joanna grabbed its edge, dangling precariously as it ascended. Lasers whizzed by, some grazing her skin, others piercing limbs.

Joanna endured the pain, shouting to the people in the car. “Help!”

The car door opened, and a blonde girl with a gun leaned out. “Let go!” she ordered.

No way Joanna would let go now! She grabbed the girl’s hand. The girl screamed, almost pulled out, but another person in the car pulled them both back, preventing a double fall.

“Let go!” the girl shouted again. “Or I’ll shoot!”

“Save me!” Joanna replied.

The girl hesitated, biting her lip, finally pulling Joanna into the car with effort.

“Th-thank you.” Joanna collapsed on the girl, gasping.

The girl shut the door, gasping. “You’re injured!”

“Huh? Really?” Joanna felt the pain, knowing she was injured, but the girl’s horrified expression suggested it was severe.

The driver turned. “Your Highness, this person is unknown and was being chased by the police. She must be a criminal. We should drop her.”

The blonde girl hesitated, saying, “But she’s injured!” She turned to Joanna. “Who are you? I don’t usually leave people to die, but I won’t burden myself with a criminal. If you’re really one, I’ll have to drop you.”

Joanna looked at her weakly, thinking the girl was really pretty, but a little familiar. If she said that, she’d be seen as a creepy older woman hitting on her. “I’m the space pirate, Joanna Begrel,” she said, “being hunted by Duke Winnet. If you’re afraid, drop me.”

The girl turned to the other person, dressed as a female bodyguard. “We should drop her. These days, anyone can claim to be Joanna Begrel. The world is going downhill!”

“Who is pretending?!” Joanna roared. “I’m the real Joanna Begrel! Who are you?”

The girl replied righteously, “Alveira Chabais.”

Joanna looked at her seriously, comparing her to the Alveira seen on TV, and finally said, “I better get off myself.”

“Get back here!”

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 61

Alois and Joshua ran through the corridor. In an instant, the guards and attendants stationed there transformed into masked, black-clad assassins wielding guns, firing deadly beams at them.

However, they were facing the killer Mourner, whose very name was enough to instill fear. Joshua showed no mercy, cutting through them swiftly. They reached the ladies’ restroom with its door wide open and several black-clad individuals shooting inside.

How rude! Joshua thought. How could several grown men intrude into the ladies’ restroom? Shameless! He fired at them, killing each one, praying to the Lord as he stepped over the bodies and entered the restroom.

Inside, there was nothing but corpses. The window was open, and the high-altitude wind rushed in.

“Where’s the captain?” Alois asked from behind him.

“I think… probably outside.”

A Gondola rose to the window, and as expected, Joanna’s signature red hair was flying inside the cabin.

“Boys, get on!”

Joshua thought, ‘This really feels like when we escaped from Hecate.’ He pulled Alois, letting him jump first, and followed, shooting a few more assassins who had rushed into the restroom as he leaped out.

The Gondola’s door closed. Joanna quickly piloted the craft away from the hotel. “Damn, this Gondola is for ground use. We can’t take it to the spaceport.”

“What do we do?” Alois asked.

“Find a ship capable of space travel!” Joanna said. “Leo, get ready to pick us up.”

“Uh, that might be a problem, Captain.” Leo hesitated for a rare moment. “Armed police are surrounding the spaceport, and I’m blocked at the dock!”

Joanna cursed and said, “Leave Leyting immediately, Leo!”

“Yes, Captain!”

Ending the call with Leo, Joanna turned back, apologizing to Alois and Joshua. “Sorry for dragging you into this.”

“We expected it,” Joshua said succinctly. “What do we do now?”

The Gondola soared over a tall obelisk, startling a flock of pigeons. Their white wings scattered, revealing the police cars in pursuit.

Sirens pierced the tranquil sky of the planet.

Leo had hacked into all surveillance and communication systems at the spaceport, sifting through the ocean of data for what he needed—police flooding in from every entrance, heavy ships preparing to depart, and all exits locked. Without blasting the gates with ion cannons, they were trapped.

“Attention all personnel, attention all personnel,” Leo broadcasted ship-wide, “return to your stations. The Dream of a Cold Night is about to take off! I repeat, the Dream of a Cold Night is about to take off!”

Although there were fewer than twenty people on the ship, his words still caused a stir. “Leo, what nonsense are you talking about?” Ibb Descartes shouted towards the ceiling as he headed for the hangar. “The captain and the others aren’t back yet!”

“This is the captain’s order,” Leo replied coldly. “Launch immediately. Gunners to your stations, prepare the main cannon.”

“Are you crazy? This is the spaceport!”

“Aren’t we all subjects of the ‘Mad Queen’?!” Leo activated all engines, forcibly detaching from the docking clamps, ignoring repeated warnings from the spaceport to let the ship break free.

“Leyting Spaceport Command Tower warning the Dream of a Cold Night! Return to dock immediately for police inspection!” the tower staff warned, but the Dream of a Cold Night ignored the directive, responding instead, “Main cannon energy fully charged, ready to fire!”

“Damn it! Move aside! Can’t you see we’re fighting for our lives here?” Joanna screamed, dodging an oncoming heavy motorcycle. The driver swerved hard, crashing into a red car, triggering a series of unfortunate traffic accidents. Joanna kept praying to the Lord, hoping the innocent bystanders caught in the chase would remain unharmed, or she’d be guilt-ridden.

Leyting’s police had mobilized in full force, their vehicles swarming the sky like a buzzing swarm of bees. Alois thought he was lucky not to have a phobia of crowded objects, or he might have died of fright before being caught.

“Why are the police after us? I thought it would be the Duke’s private army or the Royal Guard,” Joshua said.

“They’re probably busy ‘protecting’ the Princess,” Alois guessed. “The Duke likely labeled us as ‘assassins of the Princess’, hoping to get rid of us without lifting a finger!”

“Damn, we’ll get caught if this continues.” The flying car turned into an alley, weaving between rows of windows. Joanna slowed down. “At the next fork, get off. I’ll distract the police. Find a place to hide and contact Leo. He’ll get you out.”

“What about you, Captain?”

“At worst, I’ll break out of Hecate again!” She laughed, drifting the car to a stop at the alley’s fork. “Get out!”

Joshua pulled Alois out, saluting Joanna. “Captain, be careful!”

“Don’t need you to remind me!” Joanna floored the gas pedal. The car shot off like an arrow, quickly vanishing in the maze of alleys.

Alois sighed in relief. “Where to?”

“First, get out of here!” Joshua looked up. A hidden camera in the alley had captured their every move. If the Duke or police had the capability, they could track their movements. They could only hope the footage hadn’t been noticed yet. But Leo surely saw it. Joshua knew all cameras were the eyes of the AI. It was watching them too.

“Main cannon energy fully charged, ready to fire!”

Leyting Spaceport Command Tower was in chaos. “Stop them! They’re mad!” “The spaceport will be destroyed!” “Alert the Royal Space Force! Stop them!”

But it was too late. The Dream of a Cold Night’s main cannon fired a particle beam wrapped in electricity at the spaceport’s gate on Leo’s command. Though made of high-strength metal, the gate couldn’t withstand a close-range shot from a ship’s main cannon. A loud roar echoed through the spaceport. After the beam’s light faded, a hole about 500 meters in diameter appeared in the gate. Due to the pressure difference, a strong wind blew into the spaceport, throwing unsecured items into space. The Dream of a Cold Night rode the current through the hole, leaving the daunting task of repairing the gate and balancing the pressure to the spaceport authorities.

“Dream of a Cold Night has successfully left Leyting Spaceport and entered space navigation.” Leo calmly announced to the crew. Simultaneously, he extended his thoughts into Leyting’s streets, searching the surveillance footage for the three idiots. Ah, Joanna was single-handedly fighting the police. Although she had the upper hand for now, she’d eventually be overwhelmed by their numbers. Alois and Joshua, thanks to Joanna, had evaded their pursuers and were running down a dark street, heading straight towards a police blockade. Damn!

Leo anxiously tried to contact their communicators to warn them to change direction but noticed a familiar blue Batwing car nearby. If this person was there, Alois and Joshua would be safe.

The AI revised and optimized its rescue plan in 0.1 seconds, then connected to the blue car’s communication device.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 60

“Good day, Lady Joanna.”

In the dim room with curtains drawn, Duke Winnet sat upright on a high-backed chair with his hands clasped together on his lap. Upon seeing Joanna, he observed the etiquette befitting an imperial nobleman, took her hand, and kissed it. Joanna accepted this silently with a slight smile.

Alois watched coldly as the Duke feigned cordiality with Joanna. He hadn’t changed much in the past two years, with his brown hair neatly plastered to his head and his shrewd tea-colored eyes glaring at the three like a raptor. Those eyes were very similar to Darius’s. Thinking about it, they were actually distant relatives, with the Duke’s grandfather Frank IV being the father of Darius’s grandmother.

“It’s an honor for a commoner like me to serve you, Your Grace.” Without waiting for the Duke’s permission, Joanna found herself a soft, comfortable-looking sofa and sat down as if she were the master of the room.

The Duke spread his hands. “Alright, time is pressing. Let’s skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point.” He looked at Alois, who was holding the box. “I admire the courage it took for you and your men to bring this precious cargo over such a great distance. You all deserve a generous reward.” Like an orator, he paused deliberately to pique their curiosity. “Surely, Hikari has already paid you the deposit?”

“Yes.” Joanna called Alois and Joshua to her side. Alois was somewhat nervous, although he knew his disguise was perfect. However, whenever the Duke’s eyes were on him, he couldn’t help but doubt if he had been seen through. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken the risk. In our line of work, we don’t start without seeing the money.”

“I understand your sentiment.” The Duke smiled understandingly. “I will, of course, pay the balance. But before that, may I inspect the goods?”

Joanna raised a finger and shook it from side to side. “Pay the balance first, then you can see the goods.”

“Ah, Lady Joanna, you are too distrustful of me. Moreover, the rule of trading is to exchange money and goods simultaneously. Don’t you understand this basic principle?”

“Rules are made by people. Each matter should be handled appropriately,” Joanna replied unyieldingly. “You know this cargo is of extraordinary value. I’ve taken great risks to infiltrate the Empire and deliver it to you. Don’t I deserve some special treatment? Besides…” She mimicked the Duke’s tone. “This is your place, surrounded by your men. Are you worried that I might play tricks? Do you doubt my reputation in the underworld? That’s overly cautious, not the demeanor of someone capable of great things.”

The Duke’s smile turned sinister. “Does Joanna Begrel, who has betrayed twice, actually have ‘reputation’? Is there something wrong with my ears?”

“Assassinating an innocent girl for your own unspeakable purposes doesn’t seem very upright either,” Joanna retorted.

“You seem to know a lot about my affairs?”

“The Lord watches over you from three feet above.”

The two exchanged cold smiles, but eventually, the Duke lost the momentum and compromised by pulling out his communication terminal and dialing a few numbers. A few seconds later, Joanna’s terminal buzzed with a message from the bank confirming that a sum had been deposited into her account.

“I’m very satisfied.” Joanna nodded to Alois. “Give it to him.”

Alois placed the silver box on the coffee table and stepped back. The Duke crouched down, pulled the box towards him, fiddled with the smart lock, and entered a password. The smart lock lit up green, indicating the correct password, and the box clicked open. The Duke didn’t lift the lid. He only opened it a crack to quickly glance at the contents, then closed it.

“The goods are correct.”

The Duke stood up, brushed off the dust, pulled a silk handkerchief from his chest pocket, wiped his hands, and tossed the handkerchief onto the coffee table.

“We’ve all gotten what we wanted.” The Duke extended his hand to Joanna. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“Pleasure doing business.” Joanna smiled and shook his hand. “May we leave now?”

“Of course. Would you like me to send someone to escort you?”

“No need, I can still afford a taxi.”

“You’re too kind.”

“Likewise.” Joanna, unwilling to continue the pleasantries, turned and walked straight to the guest room door. She pushed it open forcefully, startling the black-clad servant standing outside.

In the room, the Duke said, “Escort Lady Joanna downstairs and help her call a taxi.”

“Yes, sir!” the servant replied.

Joanna didn’t refuse the Duke’s “kindness” and followed the servant to the elevator. The screen showed the elevator was on the first floor. Joanna irritably pressed the down button several times before the elevator slowly began to rise.

“So slow.” She turned to the black-clad servant. “Where’s the restroom?”

“Uh… down the hallway to the end, then turn right.” The servant pointed out the direction. “Do you need me to show you?”

“I can find it myself!” Joanna frowned. “Do you intend to follow a lady to the restroom? That’s extremely rude!” She signaled to Joshua, who understood and lowered his head. “We will watch the elevator for you.” Joanna then walked towards the restroom.

She ignored the guards and servants stationed along the hallway, quickly walked into the restroom, and locked the door. There was a window in the restroom. She glanced outside and saw a dozen black hovercars driving into the hotel’s back door.

‘What did Alois say earlier? The princess is also staying in this hotel, just upstairs? Ah, Winnet, that old fox, came up with a plan to kill two birds with one stone, didn’t he?’ Joanna thought. ‘Assassinate the princess first, then kill me. This way, he can claim that the evil space pirates killed the princess, and the Duke becomes a hero for subduing the terrorists. What a brilliant plan, a damn brilliant plan!’

She quickly sent two messages, one to Leonard and one to Joshua.

To Leo: “I’m in the public restroom on the 23rd floor of the hotel.”

To Joshua: “Come to the restroom. Knock twice.”

A minute later, someone knocked on the restroom door.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

“Damn it!”

Joshua and Alois stood side by side in front of the elevator, watching the numbers on the screen slowly increase. 7, 8, 9…

The black-clad servant occasionally glanced towards the restroom and at them, his eyes filled with deep vigilance and hostility.

14, 15, 16…

“The captain sure is slow,” Alois said casually.

17, 18, 19…

Joshua’s communication terminal suddenly buzzed. He took it out and looked at it. “The captain said she forgot to bring paper and asked us to bring some.”

Alois said, “Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up.”

20, 21, 22…

The black-clad servant stopped them. “Let me handle such a small matter.”

“You probably don’t have the kind of paper the captain is used to.” Joshua said, “But I do.” In a flash, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at the servant’s head, pulling the trigger!

23!

“Ding.”

The elevator door slowly opened, revealing three black-clad men inside. They were masked and holding submachine guns, the barrels pointed at Joshua and Alois. As soon as the door opened, they would start shooting.

But Joshua was faster!

Three beams of light shot into their chests.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Three shots. It wasn’t Joshua.

Joanna pushed open the stall door and ran to the window. At that moment, the restroom door was kicked open, and several masked, armed men burst in, starting to shoot without a word.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the laser beams shot out, Joanna jumped out the window, with only one beam grazing her hair, cutting off a few strands of fiery red hair.

Joanna was falling rapidly through the air! The urgent wind swept past her cheeks like sharp knives cutting through her skin. Gravity, like an invisible hand, pulled her towards the ground. The fierce wind made it almost impossible for her to breathe, but she still shouted with all her might, “Leonard!”

Before the words were fully out, she fell into the cockpit of a Gondola.

The Gondola was unmanned, or rather, not piloted by a human.

“Just in time!” Leo’s voice came through the speaker.

“Leo, I absolutely love you!” Joanna grabbed the steering wheel and made the Gondola spiral upwards like a bird riding the wind, quickly returning to the window she had jumped out of.

“Boys, get on!”

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 59

As a high-end artificial intelligence, Leonard tirelessly performed the daily maintenance of the spaceship today, checking the computer system, dispatching robots to clean various places, and removing trash. Meanwhile, he transformed into a stream of data and sneaked around Leyting. Leyting had many low-end AIs since it was an industrial planet that used machinery to replace labor, reducing cost expenses.

“Oh, the fate of AI is to be ordered around!” Leo complained discontentedly.

In Leyting, he discovered many interesting things. For example, the fake diva he had seen in Neo Venice was also in Leyting. How coincidental! She (or he?) had just held a solo concert recently. Leo retrieved footage from the concert’s surveillance cameras and watched it with great interest, secretly storing it in his database.

The stage effects of the concert were dazzling and magnificent. Even Leo, who had seen countless strange landscapes, couldn’t help but be impressed. Theoretically, Leyting didn’t have the stage equipment to support such special effects. How did the director and stage designer of Camilla’s concert create such brilliant effects?

The search engine quickly provided him with the answer. “They actually landed Camilla’s spaceship directly on Leyting just for the stage effects? Because the spaceship carried special holographic projectors? Oh, poor people of Leyting. How spiritually and culturally void must your lives be?” Leo thought with sympathy.

While watching the concert video, he also tracked down Joanna’s whereabouts. She and her two subordinates had taken a bat-winged air car and were caught arriving at a five-star hotel in Leyting. Leo tried to sneak into the hotel’s surveillance system to monitor Joanna’s meeting with Duke Winnett, but he found that the surveillance system used an internal network, preventing him from hacking in externally!

If the “Lady of the Night” were docked at the spaceport now, Leo could have calculated without worry until he broke through the hotel’s weak firewall. However, he was on the “Dream of a Cold Night” now. If he used too much computing power, he might accidentally crash the spaceship’s system, and he wouldn’t risk crippling his own body just to deal with a mere hotel.

…But he was a bit worried about those three bastards. After all, they were handing over such an important item to the Duke. Leo restlessly roamed the circuits, eventually connecting to all the electronic eyes around the hotel. Even if he couldn’t see inside, he could at least keep an eye on the outside.

Alois tugged at his collar. This dignified-looking coat was very uncomfortable. Celia, with her excellent makeup skills, gave him a new hairstyle and smeared a lot of unknown gel on his face. After the disguise, Alois looked in the mirror and couldn’t recognize himself.

Joanna tied her messy red hair into a bun, put on a pair of metal-framed glasses, and wore a business suit, looking like a stern female secretary (this attire made Leo roll on the floor laughing for a long time).

Joshua didn’t change much, except he dyed his irises with organic dye and tied up his long hair. Although his attire was a bit strange, it wasn’t suspicious. Following Joanna, he barely looked like a bodyguard.

Now the three of them sat silently in the bat-winged air car sent by the Duke. As soon as they arrived at Leyting’s surface from the spaceport, the Duke’s subordinates came to greet them.

“I am truly honored by the Duke’s warm welcome,” Joanna said to the air car driver. The driver didn’t respond, as if he hadn’t heard her at all. This attitude touched a nerve in the female pirate, and she deliberately said loudly, “The Duke must be very compassionate to hire a deaf-mute driver!” As expected, she saw the driver’s eyebrows twitch through the rearview mirror.

The air car took a deserted path, deliberately avoiding Leyting’s busy areas, and finally arrived at the entrance of a luxurious five-star hotel. “I thought the Duke would choose to make the deal in some abandoned parking lot,” Alois whispered to Joanna.

“You’ve watched too many weird gangster movies,” Joanna replied in a low voice. “The Duke is officially here to ‘visit and inspect’, so there are probably a few reporters following. Every move is highly scrutinized, so it’s more convenient for us to visit him.”

Joshua coughed. “You two are speaking too loudly.”

They both fell silent.

A bellboy opened the car door. Seeing a lady, he extended his hand to help Joanna out of the car. Joanna ignored him and got out of the car directly, looking around, leaving the bellboy awkwardly standing there. Alois stifled his laughter, swaying as he got out, and Joshua followed him. The bellboy’s hand was still outstretched, but the assassin thought for a moment, then took a bill from his pocket and pressed it into the bellboy’s hand.

Alois’s stomach hurt even more from holding back his laughter.

The driver drove the air car to the hotel garage. A man in a black suit stood at the entrance of the hotel, holding a communication device to his ear. After saying something, he walked towards Joanna, bowed, and gestured invitingly. “This way, please.”

Alois carried the silver box and followed Joanna with Joshua. The man in the black suit stopped her. “The Duke only invited you.”

Joanna raised her wrist, trying to grab the hair on her shoulder, but only caught air. She remembered her hair was tied up. So she adjusted her glasses instead. “Do you expect a delicate woman to carry such a heavy box?”

Delicate woman! Alois’s lungs were about to burst from laughter!

The man in the black suit didn’t insist. “Alright.” He led the three through the hotel lobby and took the “staff-only” elevator to the 23rd floor. Along the way, Joanna keenly noticed several security guards disguised as ordinary guests (who were secretly glancing at her) and a few reporters trying to dig up news on the Duke (just from their sneaky, suspicious looks, it was a miracle they hadn’t been kicked out of the hotel).

Outside the door of a luxurious suite on the 23rd floor, the man in the black suit bowed again and opened the door for Joanna.

“Thank you.” Joanna smiled. She remembered “manners” at this moment.

Alois and Joshua nodded to the man as well, making him feel embarrassed.

“By the way,” before entering, Alois suddenly asked, “Is Princess Alveira staying on this floor too?”

The man was stunned. “No, the princess is staying upstairs, on the top floor.” This wasn’t a secret, so he was puzzled why the other party asked.

Alois smiled appreciatively at his honesty. “Thank you.”

Alveira stood by the window. The large floor-to-ceiling window was tightly covered with thick floral curtains, supposedly to protect the distinguished guests in the room from being spied on by malicious people outside. Alveira always sneered at this reason. With special tinted glass, it was absolutely impossible to see inside from the outside. She couldn’t understand why the hotel staff had closed all the curtains, making the room as dark as night. Did they think the guests staying there were vampires afraid of sunlight?

“Rose.” The princess called her personal maid. “What’s today’s schedule?”

“Yes.” Rose picked up the terminal and opened the itinerary. “There are no arrangements for this morning and afternoon. At 6 p.m. planetary time, there is a dinner with the military factory executives that you must attend in formal attire.”

The words “formal attire” made Alveira frown. She hated wearing elaborate evening gowns and exchanging insincere pleasantries with various people. She’d rather go hunting with Darius, play games with Musaya, or even simply read and chat with Annot than attend a dinner party.

She opened a narrow slit in the curtain and peeked down. A black bat-winged air car drove into the hotel, and a few people got out. She couldn’t see who they were clearly because a tall tree below obscured her view, but she immediately recognized the air car as one of Duke Winnet’s private cars, usually parked in the hangar of his flagship “Stella”. Alveira had only seen it once but would never forget it. Although the car didn’t look particularly luxurious, (according to Musaya) it was a discontinued limited edition with superior performance and immense value. So she remembered it very well.

But the Duke rarely used this car. Why was it here?

Shortly after the car arrived, several people dressed as reporters were “asked” to leave the hotel by security. Alveira could almost imagine the security guard’s cold tone. “Sorry, your behavior violates the privacy of our guests. If you don’t want to be sued, please leave immediately.” Ten minutes later, a dozen black air cars drove toward the hotel. But they didn’t enter through the main entrance. Instead, they went around to the back of the hotel building.

Alveira let go of the curtain. “Rose, where is Winnet?”

“The Duke is in his room. Do you want to see him?” Rose said. “The Duke said he’s not feeling well today and instructed not to be disturbed by anyone. But if you wish to see him, I’m sure he would…”

“No,” Alveira said. “Rose, bring out my casual clothes and my gun.”

Rose’s eyes widened. “Your Highness…?”

“Secretly gather everyone we can trust and prepare to escape.” Alveira lowered her voice. “He’s coming to kill me, by night he’s coming to kill me [Note].”

---

The author has something to say:

[Note] From the Bible, Nehemiah 6:10: “Then he shut himself in and said, ‘Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.'”

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

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…”

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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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.”

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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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!”

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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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.

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The author has something to say:

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

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Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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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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