Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 25

Though Alois was extremely reluctant, his self-proclaimed righteous and brave nature eventually led him to climb up to the fighter’s cockpit using the vines. With one hand gripping the seemingly fragile vine, he grabbed the pilot’s wrist with the other.

“You’re so slow!” the pilot complained.

Alois rolled his eyes, suddenly feeling an urge to strangle the guy with the vine. The pilot’s will to survive was strong, as he continued to gripe while using Alois’s strength to climb out of the cockpit.

“Phew! Saved!” The pilot sighed with relief once freed from the narrow cockpit. He brushed his deep blue hair back and looked up at Alois. “Thanks a lot!” he said.

“…You’re welcome,” Alois replied weakly. The pilot looked very young—more like a teenager than a young man. There was something oddly familiar about him… Where had he seen him before?

The teenager didn’t notice Alois’s confusion and continued to chatter. “What’s your name? I’ll write you a check later. Do you want a banner of gratitude for your unit? I can arrange for media interviews too… Whoa!”

Alois kicked him off the fighter.

The teenager screamed as he fell, landing in the soft, decaying vegetation of the rainforest with a squelching sound.

Joshua stood nearby, showing no intention of helping. In fact, he was struggling with his own dark thoughts, trying hard to resist the urge to stomp the freshly risen teenager back into the mud.

“Damn it! How dare you do that to me!” the teenager cursed, getting up and brushing off the decayed leaves. Alois agilely landed, still holding the vine. “I just saved your life!” He smacked the teenager on the head.

“Ow! You… You hit me!” Another smack landed on his head.

“You bet I did!”

The teenager clutched his head, glaring at Alois with puffed-up cheeks. “Hit me again, and I won’t give you a check!”

“Joshua, my hand’s getting tired. Could you find me a stick?”

“Happy to help.”

In the end, the teenager squatted on the ground, tearfully holding his head like a captured suspect, while Alois stood in front of him, tapping a stick on the fighter’s metal hull. The sound echoed ominously in the quiet rainforest.

“Tell me, where did you steal this fighter?”

The teenager sprang up. “Steal? It’s mine!”

“Who are you kidding?” Alois struck the hull hard, and the teenager immediately squatted back down.

“You can’t even open the escape pod, and you’re flying a plane?”

“I thought it was like flying a Gondola…”

Bang!

The teenager covered his ears, his face scrunched up. “I was wrong, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have messed around with a plane. Who knew it would be so hard to fly! There wasn’t even a manual. I had to figure it out myself. It’s not my fault…”

Bang!

“Who are you fooling! You can’t operate it, but you can fire missiles?”

“I thought that button was for the horn…”

Bang!

The teenager hugged his head tighter. “I was wrong, I was really wrong! Please forgive me! I’ll turn over a new leaf and work for the happiness of all humanity! Please save me. I’ll repay your kindness a hundredfold once we get out of here…”

Bang!

“Get up,” Alois said.

The teenager stood up, sniffling, looking at the fierce Alois, then at the calm and silent Joshua. He quickly decided the latter was easier to deal with. He moved closer to Joshua, seeking protection. “You… you won’t hit me, will you?”

Joshua gently patted his head, which Alois had just hit. “You’re smart. I never hit people.”

The teenager sighed in relief.

“I only kill them.”

The teenager darted back behind Alois. Being hit was better than being killed. He tugged on Alois’s sleeve. “Even though you hit me, I feel safer with you.”

Alois mimicked Joshua, ruffling the teenager’s hair. “Did he just pat your head?”

“Yeah… Ow! Why’d you hit me again!”

“Alright, let’s go.” Alois felt refreshed after venting his frustration. “Adding one more person to the car shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll call the police or a towing company to take the plane away. The forest damage will definitely need compensation, and there might be a court case. This guy…” He turned to the silent teenager. “…What’s your name?”

“Call me Srosie.”

“Alright, Srosie.” Alois nodded and continued talking to Joshua. “This guy’s probably some rich kid. Otherwise, how could he afford a ‘Bard’? A bit of compensation money should be no problem for him.”

Srosie immediately protested, “I’m not a rich kid! The ‘Bard’ wasn’t bought. I won it!”

Won it? This triggered a memory for Alois. He stopped and scrutinized Srosie from head to toe. The teenager was slender, with fair skin; if not for the flat chest, he could easily be mistaken for a girl. His deep blue hair was tied back, and his face was sharp, with delicate features, somewhat androgynous—a type Alois used to find attractive (though now his heart was only for Joshua, and even the galactic diva Camilla wouldn’t sway him). The problem was—he looked very familiar.

“Have we met before?” Alois asked.

“Don’t try to get close to me! Your pickup lines are outdated!” Srosie pouted.

“Who the hell wants to pick you up! I’m asking if we met at the casino?” Memories from the previous day flooded back. This was the teenager who had won the ‘Bard’ keys at the casino! At the time, he had been dead drunk, disheveled, and now the teenager was lively and clean, a far cry from before, but his appearance was unmistakable.

Srosie tilted his head, thinking. “Now that you mention it… I guess so…” He snapped his fingers. “Loan shark?”

“Yeah! I can’t believe you remember, considering how drunk you were.”

“Hahaha! A little alcohol is nothing to me! It’s no big deal, no big deal!” Srosie laughed heartily, puffing up at the slight praise. Alois and Joshua exchanged a look, both considering leaving Srosie to fend for himself.

“Forget it. Think of him as a parrot we found.” The assassin patted Alois’s shoulder, offering consolation. “Let’s go.”

Amid Srosie’s boisterous laughter, the three walked along the path created by the ‘Bard’ towards the edge of the island.

After about a hundred meters, the path suddenly disappeared.

“Huh? Did we take the wrong path?” Alois looked back in confusion. Behind them was a straight path, still visible, with the fighter buried in a pile of leaves. He remembered the path from the fighter being a straight line, marked by scorched soil and trenches. They hadn’t encountered anything that could be called a “fork”.

But now, the straight path seemed to extend only a hundred meters from the fighter, abruptly cut off before them.

“Strange, do rainforests grow this quickly?” Alois was puzzled. “Neo Venice must be great for plant growth.” He turned to Joshua, seeking answers from his more knowledgeable companion, but Joshua was already drawing his gun and disengaging the safety.

“Sorry, Alois,” Joshua said out of the blue.

“…Huh?”

“I shouldn’t have mocked you earlier.” He motioned for Alois and Srosie to stay close. “Something is definitely wrong with this island.”

In the dim rainforest, sunlight filtered through like scattered gold threads but couldn’t dispel the heavy darkness. Something was rustling.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

And it was getting closer.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 24

“What’s going on? An air raid?”

Alois struggled to get up from Joshua’s lap, catching a glimpse of something rapidly approaching in the sky behind them. It looked like a large white bird. Did Neo Venice have such massive carnivorous birds that shot missiles? He pondered, but before he could reach a conclusion, Joshua pressed his head back down onto his lap.

“Stay still.”

The assassin maneuvered the car to fly sideways, as if making way for Her Majesty’s chariot. Taking advantage of Joshua’s distraction, Alois peeked out, trying to see what was happening.

A giant silver object reflecting the dazzling sunlight, accompanied by swirling air currents, sped past him, leaving a long trail.

Alois found the bird-like object very familiar.

“Hey? Isn’t that… the ‘Bard’?!”

It was indeed the latest fighter jet from Neo Venice, the Bard. It looked exactly like the one Alois had seen in virtual reality training, with its streamlined silver body, engines, and feather-like wings perfectly combined. It was both a deadly weapon and a stunning work of art.

However, the pilot of this Bard was clearly not as skilled as Joanna. The fighter wobbled in the air, seemingly on the verge of stalling and crashing. The earlier missile had missed Green Star Diamond Island and hit the water nearby, causing a splash. Then the Bard, drenched in water spray, crash-landed on the island.

To say it crashed might be an exaggeration. It was more like a clumsy landing by a novice pilot. The fighter landed on the island’s silver beach, skidding forward for several hundred meters, smashing through trees, and kicking up a cloud of dust before finally stopping in the middle of the rainforest.

Alois observed the scene from above, completely stunned, not knowing how to react.

“Uh… should we… should we call the police?” he asked hesitantly.

Joshua glared at him with disdain, as if to say, “Look at you, always calling the police when there’s trouble. What good are the police now? We’re pirates, remember?”

“Let’s go down and take a look first.”

‘Alright. Whatever you say.’ Alois thought. ‘I never have much say anyway.’

The flying car landed on the silver beach, where the Bard had gouged a deep trench, extending into the rainforest. The ground bore scorch marks from the intense heat generated by high-speed friction. This pilot must not have paid attention in class. Even with the automatic control system, the landing shouldn’t have been this disastrous.

Joshua habitually carried a gun. “Do you have an extra one? Give me one too,” Alois asked. The assassin gave him another disdainful look. “Forget it. With your skills, I’d be thankful if you don’t shoot me.” He walked along the trench into the forest.

“What kind of look is that? I’m just rusty from not handling a gun for too long. Give me some time, and I’ll get back in shape. Hey! Joshua! Wait for me!”

The trees in the rainforest were knocked askew, but fortunately, this created a path, making it easy to walk through. Some plants were uprooted, revealing their complex root systems. Thick vines hung from the ferns above, like living creatures. Despite many plants being knocked over, the rainforest was still dense, with the canopy blocking most of the sky, letting in only patches of dappled sunlight. The sunbeams filtering through added a mysterious atmosphere.

Alois clung to Joshua’s clothes, nervously following behind. He felt like something in the forest was watching them. But every time he searched carefully, the creepy feeling disappeared.

“Joshua, let’s call the police,” Alois whispered, afraid the forest’s inhabitants might hear. “Something’s not right here.” A fern moved nearby, and he gasped, jumping aside. Joshua didn’t react at all.

A colorful lizard crawled out from under the leaves, flicking its tongue.

“It’s just a poisonous lizard,” the assassin said without stopping. “Are you afraid of this too?”

Alois quickly caught up, warily looking around. “Weren’t you afraid of cats?”

“I clearly conquered that fear.”

“Hmph, you just made friends with a cat. You make it sound like you’re so brave and heroic.”

“That’s still better than someone who’s always jumpy.”

They continued their childish bickering as they ventured deeper into the rainforest. Alois estimated they were near the island’s center. Sure enough, after passing some low-hanging vines, the silver Bard came into view.

It was almost half-buried in the dirt, its body covered in roots, leaves, and uprooted vegetation, like a swan fallen into a mud pit. Alois frowned. “Damn, which idiot is this pilot? I could strangle him!”

He approached the fighter, surprised to see that its body wasn’t pure silver but covered with intricate, lighter-colored patterns visible only up close. “What was the designer thinking…” Alois muttered, reaching the cockpit.

Now he was sure that the Bard’s pilot was either a complete novice or an idiot. Generally, after such an accident, the fighter’s escape pod would automatically eject, ensuring the pilot’s safety. But here, the escape pod hadn’t ejected. In fact, there were no signs of it even trying. Alois knew of only two reasons why the escape pod wouldn’t eject: either the fighter was damaged, or the pilot had disabled the auxiliary systems.

“Alright, if it’s the former, I’ll generously forgive you. If it’s the latter, I’ll definitely beat you up and send you back for retraining!”

Joshua joined him, looking at the beautiful silver machine. The assassin was experienced with piloting small aircraft and knew the operations of large ships, but he was clueless about fighter jets, especially the notoriously complex Neo Venice models. In this area, Alois was more knowledgeable.

“What do you think?” Joshua asked.

“Let’s hope the pilot is still alive,” Alois said. “You can’t open the cockpit from the outside unless you use the ship’s maintenance arms to pry it open.”

“Is he still alive?”

Alois regretfully searched around, finally finding a piece of nearly rotten wood. He threw the wood at the cockpit.

Bang!

The wood bounced harmlessly off the metal shell.

“Can you hear me?” he shouted.

No response.

Alois looked sadly at Joshua. “May the Lord bless him.”

“Bless him,” the assassin echoed, shaking his head.

Whirr—

The sound of mechanical movement filled the air. The metal cockpit door slowly opened.

“Bless your entire family!” A weak but spirited voice came from the cockpit. “I’m not dead yet!”

Joshua was amazed. “Oh, the Lord really did manifest! How considerate of Him!”

A slender, pale hand reached out from the cockpit. “Give me a hand! Help me out!”

Alois looked at the hand indifferently. “I suddenly want to leave.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Joshua said.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 23

On May 25 of the Galactic Standard Calendar, the first batch of mobile islands of the year drifted to the vicinity of the Puccini spaceport from the equator with the ocean currents. Over the next six months, more archipelagos would visit the waters near Puccini like migrating schools of fish, until winter descended upon the northern hemisphere of New Venice.

The southern restaurant of the Takut Hotel was packed. From the exquisitely carved floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see the Lovena Sea, with its vast expanse of blue waves rising and falling, wave after wave crashing against the sturdy breakwater before flowing through the intricately designed complex waterways of the city.

Today’s weather was exceptionally clear. Sparse thin clouds floated in the azure sky. A few terns soared above the waves. The horizon, where the sea met the sky, lay like a smooth arc, quietly resting at the ocean’s edge.

“So beautiful!” Alois put down his knife and fork, gazing out at the ocean. “It’s my first time seeing the real sea!”

While he was admiring the ocean, Joshua swiftly forked a piece of fish from his plate. By the time Alois turned back, the fish was already in the assassin’s stomach.

“Hey! How could you do that!”

“What’s all the fuss about? Here, take it back.” Joshua picked up a clump of seaweed from his own plate and placed it on Alois’s plate.

“Joshua, being picky about food will give you hemorrhoids,” Alois said righteously.

“That’s why I’m so concerned about your colorectal health. Hurry up and eat.” Joshua advised in a tone reminiscent of a food salesman.

If the restaurant’s table hadn’t been made of metal, there would now be a stainless steel fork stuck in it.

Today was the day of the mobile islands return. When the first island’s faint silhouette appeared on the horizon, the restaurant buzzed with excitement. People left their seats, crowded at the windows, and took pictures, shouting and cheering. Alois craned his neck, but the dense wall of people blocked his view. “Damn, why didn’t I grow a bit taller!”

As he jumped up and down, trying to squeeze through the crowd, Joshua forked another piece of meat from his plate. “You want to see it that much?” he asked.

“Oh, of course!” Alois struggled to find a patch of blue through the throngs of people. At that moment, Joshua suddenly grabbed his hand.

“Then let’s go take a closer look.”

Ignoring Alois’s protest of “I’m not full yet,” Joshua dragged him out of the restaurant and to the hotel’s parking lot, renting a small open-top bat-winged flying car. The car was small, with only two seats. Joshua sat in the driver’s seat, and under his urging, Alois climbed into the passenger seat. Before he could settle in, the car started.

“Wait, I haven’t fastened my seatbelt yet!”

“What’s the point of that bothersome thing?” The car slowly ascended, flying towards the mobile islands. Soon they left the artificial land, crossing the breakwater, and arrived over the rolling blue sea.

Alois, suspicious of the open-top car, hurriedly buckled his seatbelt. If Joshua suddenly decided to show off some cool driving skills, he might have to practice his swimming skills. “What if we fall?”

The car sped up, the moist sea breeze blowing Joshua’s silver hair. He brushed the bangs from his eyes and tucked them behind his ear. “I’ll save you.”

“…I-I can swim.” Alois turned his head away.

He quickly realized Joshua was right. The seatbelt was indeed a nuisance. The car flew low over the sea, almost touching the water. Without the seatbelt, Alois could have reached out and touched the sea. A few seagulls rode the airflow created by the car, circling around them. In the sea, a school of colorful flying fish occasionally leapt out, splashing water on Alois.

Under Joshua’s mocking gaze, he unbuckled his seatbelt and reached out to touch the water below. The cold sea water ran through his fingers, making Alois shiver and pull back.

“It’s cold.” He wiped his hands on his clothes. He hadn’t expected the sea to be so cold in the warm May weather.

Joshua chuckled, taking one hand off the controls to grasp Alois’s cold, wet fingers.

The assassin’s palm was warm.

The car soon arrived above the mobile islands. Nearly a hundred islands of various sizes drifted towards the city like a school of fish. Some islands were covered in jagged rocks, others in lush jungles; some were uninhabited, while others were dotted with shell-shaped houses, resembling small villages, with many fishing boats following the islands.

Joshua brought up a satellite map, pointing to the dots on the map. “The islands marked in red are private, and those in blue are public.”

“Are we not allowed to land on private islands?”

“Correct.” Joshua looked up. “If I retire someday, I’d buy an island here and live on it forever.”

“Can islands be bought?” Alois was amazed.

“Of course. They have the technology to create artificial islands, so it’s not a big deal.”

The car flew over a verdant island, startling a flock of white birds from the tall trees. “Do you like islands that much?” Alois was surprised. Other than his aversion to sharing a bed with others and his obsession with certain foods, he’d never seen the assassin show such a clear preference for anything.

“My homeland is similar to this.” Joshua looked at the endless blue sea.

“Olympus?” Alois remembered him mentioning that he was from Olympus.

Joshua shook his head. “No. It’s the place where I was born. I grew up on an isolated island, surrounded by a blue ocean as far as the eye could see.” He paused. “Above the ocean was an endless starry sky. I always thought the ocean was more vast and boundless than the stars. It wasn’t until I stepped into the universe that I realized how wrong I was.” He smiled self-deprecatingly, but his eyes were unusually gentle, like someone lost in beautiful memories.

Alois remained silent. It was the first time Joshua had voluntarily talked about his past. The renowned assassin Mourner’s childhood was spent on a planet with oceans like Neo Venice. He tried to imagine what Joshua looked like as a child but failed. Mourner seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, with no known past, as if tracing his history was like reaching back to the origins of legend.

But Mourner undoubtedly had a past. He had a childhood. He had memories.

“Why not move back to your homeland?” Alois asked.

“Because…” Joshua hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. “Because it no longer exists.”

Gone.

That was a dreadful word. According to the Empire’s definition of a “gone” planet, it was one that had been uninhabitable for over three hundred years and was no longer inhabited. Since humanity began colonizing space, countless planets had perished due to resource depletion, ecological disasters, and war. In the heated period of the Empire and the Federation’s wars, nearly every day saw small colonies perish in the crossfire.

Was Joshua’s homeland destroyed this way? Alois, who was born and raised in the Empire’s capital, known as the “Unfallen Star”, couldn’t imagine what it felt like to have one’s homeland wiped out. Maybe it felt like receiving a death notice for his father? Or like sitting by his mother’s deathbed, listening to her final words?

Either way, it must have been—very, very painful.

The car flew past the forest island and hovered over an island covered with silver sand. In the center of the island grew a tropical rainforest, resembling an emerald lying on a bed of silver velvet.

“That island is beautiful!” Actually, Alois didn’t think it was particularly remarkable, but he felt he needed to divert Joshua’s attention. The assassin seemed extremely melancholic at the moment.

“That is ‘Green Star Diamond Island’,” Joshua said. “It’s from Storan Wright’s long poem [The Maiden of Dreams]. ‘Oh, maiden wearing Green Star Diamond bright, why do you haunt my dreams at night? Are you inviting me to love’s embrace, or let me sink to sleep’s dark place, into the abyss, where dreams confound, and never wake, forever bound?”

Alois looked surprised.

“Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?” Joshua smiled. “Camilla has a song with lyrics adapted from this poem.”

“[Never Wake Up].” Alois remembered the song title. “I can’t believe I didn’t know this after being a fan for so many years…”

Before he could finish speaking, the flying car suddenly tilted, and the unbelted young man screamed as he fell onto Joshua’s lap.

“What are you doing?!”

The answer to Alois’s question came in the form of a whistling missile, which flew past the spot where their car had just been and headed straight for Green Star Diamond Island.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 22

“Do I need to repeat myself again? Is your recording device just for show?” In the police station, Joanna Begrel crossed her legs, puffing on a cigarette, filling the interrogation room with smoke. The officer frowned, impatiently tapping the recording device with his index finger to express his anger. But the pirate woman ignored this, continuing her ways.

“But ma’am.” The officer tried to keep his voice calm. “Your ship fired a beam cannon in the spaceport, which is a serious violation of Neo Venice spaceport control regulations. Moreover, you and your subordinates disrupted city traffic, putting great pressure on both the police and the media…”

“Is that my fault?” Joanna blew out a smoke ring. “I was being chased. If I hadn’t done that, I’d be dead. Then my subordinates would start a rebellion in Neo Venice, and the beam cannon would directly hit your council building instead of damaging an advertisement board.”

“Are you threatening me, ma’am?”

“You’re very perceptive, sir.”

The two glared at each other, and sparks seemed to flicker in the air. Alois, holding a coffee cup, moved closer to Joshua but stopped when the officer assigned to watch them gave him a warning glance. Joshua’s shoulder wound had been bandaged. “It’s a minor injury, nothing serious,” the doctor had said. “I guarantee a quick recovery without a scar!” Alois seriously doubted the doctor’s skills.

A female officer entered the interrogation room, whispering a few words to the officer. The officer’s frown relaxed, and he turned to the pirate woman. “Thank god, those lazy council members enacted the damn ‘Non-Interference Agreement’. The two flying cars and their occupants you shot down don’t belong to Neo Venice, so you won’t be charged with murder by the prosecution but will be charged with ‘disturbing public order’. Do you need to contact a lawyer, or should we assign one for you?”

“Can I make a phone call?” Joanna smiled.

Ten minutes later, the female officer reentered the interrogation room, whispering in the officer’s ear. The officer frowned again. “Thank god, ma’am, you really are well-connected. The charges against you have been reduced to ‘traffic violation causing an accident’. After paying the bail, you can leave.”

“Thank you.” Joanna smiled like a true lady. “Can I use a card?”

Outside the police station, a black bat-winged flying car hovered in mid-air, waiting. A man stood in front of it, dressed in black, blending into the night, but his pale face and hands were visible, like an old ghost.

“Oh, isn’t this Old Hikari? Why wait outside? It’s so cold! It’s warm inside the police station, and they even provide free coffee. Go in!” Joanna gestured behind her.

“This was our mistake, Captain.” Hikari bowed slightly in apology. “We offer our sincere apologies. Please forgive us.”

“Forgive?” Joanna’s mouth twitched. “I was followed as soon as I left the Portia Casino, and they were well-prepared. I was attacked before I even left the spaceport! And you call this a mistake?” She approached him, lowering her voice. “You did it on purpose, you old geezer. You knew someone would follow me and let them. Are you doubting my abilities, or do you want to taste my ship’s main cannon?”

Hikari had a look of “you guessed it”. “I’m really sorry, ma’am.” He bowed. “Your actions have proven the ‘Mad Queen’ reputation is well-deserved. Now we are completely at ease.”

“Fuck off!”

“Again, we ask for your forgiveness, ma’am. You know, I’m old, and sometimes overly cautious.” Hikari gestured, and the bat-winged car descended steadily, its door sliding open. “Let’s discuss this further somewhere else.”

“Haven’t we talked enough? Any more and we’d be dating.” Joanna looked disgusted.

“You have a great sense of humor.” Hikari slowly climbed into the car. “Please, come in. You’re staying at the Noah Hotel? We can talk there.”

“Do you want to enter an unmarried woman’s room? Give it up, old geezer.” Joanna climbed in, calling Alois and Joshua to join. “Drop them off first, then we’ll sort everything out in the car. If I get attacked again before leaving Neo Venice, I’ll tie that damn box to a timed bomb and throw it into the council building!”

“No problem, ma’am. As you wish.”

Alois and Joshua sat beside Joanna. The car door slid shut silently, and Hikari pressed a few buttons before turning back. “Where to, gentlemen?”

Alois looked uneasily at Joshua, who looked to the pirate woman.

“Take them to the Takut Hotel.”

The car ascended, flying into the traffic lane above the river, following the traffic signs obediently. “The Takut Hotel. It’s a nice place with good service, reasonable prices, delicious food, and the restaurant on the south side offers a view of the Lovena Sea…” Hikari said dreamily.

Joanna leaned back and closed her eyes. “Chatterbox. Shut up.”

Hikari obeyed.

They soon arrived at the Takut Hotel. The car stopped at the entrance, and a bellboy immediately came to greet them.

Joanna opened one eye, glancing at Alois and Joshua. “Go on.”

“Will you be okay alone?” the assassin asked.

“No worries.” The pirate woman closed her eyes again. “An omnipresent eye is watching me.”

For a believer in God, this might refer to the Almighty’s constant care for His people. But Alois understood she meant Leonard. Where there were surveillance cameras, there were his eyes.

Suddenly, he felt sympathy for the clueless old Hikari.

The Takut Hotel’s security system was top-notch, with the latest fingerprint lock technology on the doors, preventing theft and avoiding guests forgetting their keys. (After complaints from disabled guests, the hotel installed regular locks as well.)

Joshua pressed his fingerprint on the lock. A small green light accompanied the unlocking click. He entered the room, followed by someone quickly slipping in and closing the door.

The room was dark, but the city’s orange lights faintly illuminated the young man’s triumphant expression, leaning against the door.

“You look creepy when you smile,” the assassin said lazily.

“Can I sleep with you tonight?” Alois asked.

“Your room is next door.”

Joshua took a step back, but Alois climbed onto his shoulder, careful not to touch his wound. The young man’s slightly uneven breathing was evident in the dark. “Let’s sleep together, Joshua.”

“I’m very tired. I need to rest.”

“Just lying together, nothing more, I swear.” Alois moved closer, almost touching Joshua.

Joshua removed the young man’s hand from his shoulder, then traced up his arm to his neck. He pressed his palm against Alois’ throat, feeling the young man’s Adam’s apple quiver. “I can accept everything but this,” the assassin said quietly. “If you try anything, I can’t guarantee I won’t accidentally kill you.”

“I’ll be good and do nothing,” Alois pleaded hoarsely. “I promise!”

Joshua, annoyed, pushed him away. “Go back. Don’t test my limits on this.”

“Joshua…”

“Move, or I will kill you.”

Alois pouted, stepping back disappointedly.

Joshua thought he would leave dejectedly. But he didn’t. The young man stepped forward again, tightly grabbing the assassin’s clothes, his voice trembling. “Then kill me. I’m not afraid of death.”

“But I’m afraid you’ll die.” Joshua carefully hugged Alois’s head, pressing him against his chest. “I don’t want to mourn you.”

Alois heard the assassin’s heartbeat—rapid, like a drum. His own heart was no better, beating wildly as if it would burst out of his chest at any moment. No, Joshua, you’re already killing me, Alois thought.

“Go back.” Joshua let go.

Alois tried to appear calm, hoping the night would hide his blush.

“Then I’ll go,” he said. “Can I get a goodnight kiss?”

Joshua laughed. “Don’t push it.”

But he still lifted the young man’s chin and planted a kiss on his lips.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 21

“With eighty million standard currency, I could fill the entire cargo bay of the Lady of the Night with fighter jets… No, I still have to repair the ship and pay salaries. Milan has a bunch of people eagerly waiting for my return… Oh damn, why did I take on this tricky job! This sense of justice is killing me!”

Joanna’s muttering paused as a laser beam whizzed past less than an inch from her ear, almost singeing a lock of her hair. “This mop is bad enough already! Stop messing with it!” the pirate lamented.

The Gondola ascended dozens of meters, making a large arc at the boundary between the city’s light and darkness. For Joanna, who had piloted fighter jets in space and attacked enemies amid gunfire, the beams of light from behind posed no threat. But the pursuers were as annoying as flies chasing rotten meat. This Gondola was a civilian model, flashy and luxurious on the outside but unarmed. Moreover, the area was surrounded by Neo Venice’s pride, its waterfront architecture, making heavy weapons unusable. If she accidentally demolished a building, Joanna would never breathe the air of the Free City-State again. Besides, she was alone, and even if she piloted with one hand and shot with the other, she couldn’t match the two people in the pursuer’s flying car. She could only hope the pursuers’ vehicle would run out of energy first and retreat, or their driver would slip and crash into a wall.

At this moment, Joanna deeply envied the technician “Spider” back in Milan. If she had six hands like “Spider,” those damn pursuers would have already turned into corpses sinking into the sea.

“Hey! Joanna! Is playing robbers catching pirates fun?”

Leo’s voice suddenly came over the Gondola’s radio.

“You damned AI!” Joanna cursed with a smile. How could she forget this omnipotent helper? If Leo could remotely control the Gondola’s movement, she could free up her hands to take out the pursuers.

“Help me drive, Leo!” Joanna fumbled for her pistol at her waist.

“Oh, no need to trouble yourself, Captain,” Leo said lazily. “Lead them up another hundred meters, then retreat in the four o’clock direction.”

“…What are you planning?” Joanna felt a vague unease.

“The repair shop wants me to report the actual power of the auxiliary gun tomorrow, so tonight… just a little test.”

Alois regained his balance.

Once he stabilized, everything else became easier. He flew close to the water’s surface at maximum speed, ignoring the screams of bystanders. The roaring engine of the pursuing flying car and the loud splashing sounds—almost spraying water on his face—echoed from behind. Alois dared not look back, fearing that one glance might cost him his life.

A silver dot appeared in the upper right corner of his vision. A quick glance revealed it was Joshua. The assassin deftly shot at the pursuers while flying. Alois had no doubt that even if Joshua participated in the Empire Sky Board Open, he would achieve impressive results.

Ahead was a T-junction, with the straight river divided by an almond-shaped building. Alois charged toward the almond building, sharply changing direction just before crashing, and climbed upward.

He thought the flying car, being heavier, couldn’t react as quickly and would crash into the almond building. Surprisingly, the flying car maneuvered agilely, skimming the building’s glass curtain wall, weaving an S-shape, and quickly catching up with Alois.

“So persistent!”

Alois performed a flip, leaving the building in an arc while nearly stalling before diving into another waterway. Joshua followed from his nine o’clock direction.

“Give it to me!” the assassin shouted.

Alois accelerated slightly, gauging the distance between them, then threw the silver box to Joshua.

The assassin caught the box with a shocked expression, nearly crashing into an arch bridge.

“I meant the gun! Not the box! My energy clip is depleted!”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

Alois wanted to sigh but couldn’t because the oncoming wind snatched it away.

The engine roar grew louder as the pursuers gave their all to catch them. Alois pulled out his pistol, turning to shoot at the flying car, missing and almost losing his balance, tumbling into the water.

“Give me the gun!” Joshua yelled.

Alois weighed the pros and cons in a second. Joshua was clearly more professional. The gun in the assassin’s hands would be most effective. In the next second, he regretted his incompetence, feeling that Joshua always ended up protecting him…

In the third second, he threw the gun.

Three seconds was too long for both Joshua and the pursuers. The assassin urgently caught the flying gun, barely aiming before a bright laser beam attacked from behind. Joshua instinctively dodged. The beam grazed his right shoulder, the searing pain reaching his bones. Years of self-training allowed the assassin to endure the pain, firing back with steady hands, each shot lethal.

“The box is in his hand!” the flying car’s driver shouted to his companion. The shattered glass lowered, and the companion discarded the handgun for a laser submachine gun, firing at Joshua.

“Fuck!” the assassin cursed, flying along the river to catch up with Alois, who was waiting ahead. He threw the silver box to him. “Go!”

“What about you?” The young man hesitated, clutching the box.

“Don’t worry about me!”

“But…” The communication terminal on Alois’ neck rang. Who would call at this time? Alois ignored the weak ringtone and vibration, following Joshua over the arch bridge adorned with silver lights.

The terminal stopped vibrating.

“Lagrange! How dare you not answer the phone!” Leonard’s angry voice boomed at maximum volume.

“Damn it! Leo! We’re about to die!”

“If you don’t listen to me, you’ll die even faster,” Leo said. “Now, find a way to make the flying car behind you rise two hundred meters, then move forty meters in the ten o’clock direction!”

Alois glanced at Joshua, who nodded. They flew diagonally upward, crashing into Camilla’s holographic billboard, passing through the bright holographic image, and rapidly ascending. One hundred meters… one hundred fifty meters… one hundred eighty meters…

The flying car clung close behind, like a piece of gum stuck to a shoe.

“Get out of the way!” Leo’s explosive roar echoed.

For a moment, Alois didn’t understand what had happened. Joshua grabbed his waist, dragging him downward with gravity.

Above, a dazzling beam of light mixed with electric currents cut through the night sky like the wrath of a god. Stars and neon dimmed in its brilliance. The black flying car was instantly consumed by the light, a dull explosion marking its end along with its two passengers’ lives.

Joshua and Alois fell over a hundred meters before the sky board’s magnetic buffer landed them on a platform. The brilliant light in the sky had faded, leaving only drifting ashes and bright afterimages on their retinas.

“Did I hit the mark?” Leo asked cheerfully.

Alois, panting, finally croaked out, “You’re a crazy AI! Firing a beam cannon from the spaceport! Were you trying to kill us too?”

“Hey! I saved your lives! Ungrateful humans! Ingrates!” the AI grumbled.

Alois dismounted the sky board. His legs were so weak he could barely stand. He sat down heavily, tossing the sky board and the silver box aside, then reconsidered and hugged the box again. They had nearly died for this thing, unsure of the secret it held.

Joshua also dropped his gun and sat beside him with one knee raised and his chin resting on it as he calmed his breathing.

Alois scooted closer to Joshua. “Joshua, are you hurt?”

“Mm.” The assassin glanced at his right shoulder. “Nothing serious.”

“Let me see.” Alois moved to check the wound, but Joshua evaded. The young man’s hand hung awkwardly in the air before withdrawing in dejection.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “It’s my fault you’re hurt.”

Joshua shook his head. Alois was unsure if this meant “it’s okay” or “stop talking”.

“Joshua… does it hurt?”

The assassin looked at his wound. He hadn’t felt the pain during the tense moments, but now the endorphins were wearing off, and a slight sting began to jump in his flesh.

“A bit,” he said.

Alois looked at him with a mix of hope and hurt. The assassin felt an inexplicable guilt (damn, why did he feel guilty?!) and reluctantly unbuttoned his shirt, peeling off the blood-stained fabric to reveal the wound.

Alois leaned in. The wound wasn’t deep, not hitting the bone, with the bleeding stopped, and laser burns around it. Compared to other injuries in Joshua’s long assassin career, this small cut was insignificant. But it was the first time Alois saw him hurt, believing his hesitation caused it. He felt worried and guilty, deeply troubled.

“Sorry,” Alois repeated. “It’s all my fault.”

Joshua ruffled his hair without speaking.

“I… I’ll make sure you never get hurt again.”

“…It’s not your injury,” the assassin muttered.

“But you’re hurt, and I feel bad.”

The quiet night was broken by sudden sirens. After so long, Neo Venice’s police finally arrived, their lights flashing as they approached.

The two sat side by side on the platform. Below them was a sea of neon lights, above them was a starry sky, with ashes still drifting like the smoke of battle.

Before the police craft arrived, Alois sneaked a kiss on Joshua’s cheek.

The assassin pretended to gaze at the approaching police lights, not rejecting the gesture.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 20

At the entrance of the casino, Joshua was leaning against Joanna’s black gondola, smoking a cigarette borrowed from the female pirate. It was a soft South Star brand with a mild taste, which suited the assassin’s light smoking habit. Seeing Alois hurriedly rush through the coral decorations at the entrance, only to stop before him, panting, Joshua smiled slightly. “Lost it all?”

“Yeah, lost it all!” Alois replied confidently. “Luckily, I didn’t get into debt. Otherwise, you’d be chased by loan sharks.”

“Losing everything is good.” Joanna’s voice came from the small boat. “A man should know how to take it and leave it. Lose a little today to win big tomorrow.”

“Captain, you are so right!” Alois took the opportunity to flatter her. This clearly worked well. Joanna nodded proudly and generously opened the gondola’s side door. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”

“You are truly the kindest captain in the universe!” This line was learned from Leo. “The captain loves being flattered like that.” The AI tirelessly taught newcomers how to handle relationships with their superiors during its spare time. “Women love compliments, especially those in leadership positions.”

Joshua and Alois climbed into the small boat, sitting in the back. The front seat was occupied only by Joanna, with a silver box strapped in the passenger seat with a seatbelt, seemingly an important item. Alois instinctively felt that the result of Joanna’s negotiation with that strange middle-aged man was this silver box.

“Where are you going?” Joanna started the boat, which slowly floated up, like a black flying fish skimming the water, leaving shimmering ripples illuminated by flashing neon lights and moonlight.

“Takut Hotel.”

“Oh. You two are quick, already booked a room!” Joanna exaggeratedly exclaimed.

“Yes, already booked!” Alois replied quickly, deliberately hiding the fact that they booked two separate rooms. Joshua opened his mouth, then shook his head, too lazy to explain again.

Neo Venice was already shrouded in night, but it wasn’t dark. The city’s colorful night lights illuminated the canals brightly. The city regulations allowed neon lights only below an altitude of one hundred meters, with higher areas having only direction indicators and silver decorative lights on the arches. The gondola ascended out of the colorful light world, greeted by the arching silver chains between buildings, shimmering under the twin moons’ light like a pearl necklace bathed in moonlight.

“I heard that tomorrow, a group of floating islands will drift to the nearby sea with the current,” Joanna said, gazing at the illuminated ocean below. “If you have time, you must go see it.” She seemed worried they wouldn’t believe her and gave a thumbs up. “Captain Joanna highly recommends it.”

“You could be a tour guide if you stop being a pirate.”

“I’d like that.”

“Captain, is it just my imagination?” Joshua leaned close to the window. “It seems like two flying cars are following us.”

Joanna glanced at the optical rearview mirror. “Oh dear, Old Hikari has really given me big trouble.”

“Can we shake them off?”

“Are you kidding?” Joanna smirked. “I always prefer to eliminate the problem.”

Alois shivered. “Captain, calm down. This isn’t the Lady of the Night. It’s Neo Venice…”

“I’m a universe-wanted criminal protected by the ‘Non-Interference Pact’!” Joanna happily steered, and the gondola dived into the city’s lights below.

Alois turned to Joshua. “What’s the ‘Non-Interference Pact’?”

“In simple terms.” The assassin lifted his pant leg and pulled out a gun from his calf. “It means we can do anything as long as it doesn’t harm the Free City-State and its citizens’ interests.” He tossed the gun to Alois, then pulled out a second gun from his other leg and asked Joanna, “Captain, if I accidentally damage a streetlight or something…”

“I’ll bail you out.”

The two outlaws shared a knowing laugh.

Alois felt a strange atmosphere spreading in the cabin. What were these two planning to do?

“Hey, Lagrange, can you use a sky board?” Joanna asked as the gondola passed a giant billboard with singer Camilla’s dynamic voice in the background. She tapped the steering wheel to the rhythm.

In the rearview mirror, two flying cars were still tightly tailing them.

“I can, but…” It’s been a long time since I’ve used one! The sky board was a hoverboard using artificial magnetic fields. Alois used to ride it around campus, saving a lot of time. It was also a great tool for showing off and picking up girls.

“Then it’s settled.” The female pirate pressed a button, and Alois heard the trunk click open.

“I’ll stop at the next intersection. Then you take the stuff and get off.” Joanna tossed the silver box from the passenger seat to Joshua, who then handed it to Alois.

“You handle the escape.” The assassin’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and even through his contact lenses, the golden rings in his pupils shimmered.

“What about you?” the frightened young man asked.

“Kill.”

Joanna clicked her tongue. “I don’t like that term. It sounds too violent.”

“Alright.” Joshua shrugged. “I’ll take care of the disruptive elements.”

“Much better.”

At the next intersection, the light turned red. Joanna turned right, approaching a platform extending from a building. The boat hadn’t fully stopped when she opened the door, almost causing Alois to tumble out.

Joshua pushed him out and quickly opened the trunk, taking out two sky boards. Before Alois could get up from the ground, the gondola shot off like an arrow.

“You go first. I’ll distract them.” The assassin placed the sky board on the ground and stepped on it. The board’s edge lights lit up, indicating the artificial magnetic field was activated, and the hoverboard floated a few centimeters, hovering steadily.

The two following flying cars zoomed past them. Joshua waved goodbye, then leaned his body and gracefully flew off the platform, maneuvering in an 8-shaped pattern to avoid several gondolas, heading in the direction Joanna left.

The pursuers seemed to realize they had missed two people, and one flying car turned towards Joshua. The assassin, as agile as a swift tern, brushed past the car and shot at it. The laser beam hit the car window precisely, leaving a few scorch marks.

The car window rolled down, and a pursuer leaned out, firing back at Joshua. The assassin, nimble on the sky board, easily dodged the incoming beams.

“The package isn’t with him!” the pursuer shouted to the driver, then aimed at Alois on the platform.

The young man quickly stepped on the sky board, bent over, and jumped off the platform, narrowly avoiding a laser beam that hit the wall behind him.

An explosion sounded overhead. Alois struggled to adjust his balance but couldn’t control the sky board. He was falling towards the water at a speed of 0.9 G. Thank god, Neo Venice’s gravity wasn’t that strong. He would live a bit longer before crashing to his death…

“…Too violent!” Alois shouted. The wind roared into his mouth, forcing him to close it. He protected the silver box while fighting with the long-unused sky board.

Several beams whizzed past him, missing their mark. Joshua was engaging the airborne pursuers, exchanging fire. For a moment, Alois was distracted, thinking how beautiful Joshua looked with his silver hair flying, before the feeling of freefall brought him back to reality.

The water shimmered not far below. Alois recalled the feeling of flying around campus, not in zero gravity but triumphantly conquering gravity…

“I didn’t escape from prison to die here!”

Just two meters from the water, he regained his balance.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 19

“Is it alright to leave Joanna alone?”

The elevator ascended, bringing Alois and Joshua from the tranquil underwater back to the bustling casino. As the elevator doors opened, a wave of heat mixed with excited screams and disappointed sighs hit them.

“If she can’t handle it alone, then having more people won’t help,” the assassin said, glancing around the casino. His eyes lingered on the gambling tables for a moment. “It seems that no matter how much human history progresses, the love for gambling never changes.” He nudged Alois with his elbow. “Want to give it a try?”

“I never touch these things,” Alois replied, trying to show his law-abiding image, but Joshua gave him a mocking glance.

“A little gambling is good for the soul,” the assassin said. “Don’t tell me you don’t even know how to use a slot machine.”

“Of course, I do!” Alois glared back defiantly. “But what if I lose?”

“Charge it to my account.”

Joshua skillfully exchanged for a handful of chips and stuffed them into Alois’s arms. Then he turned Alois around and gave him a push toward the lively crowd. “Go ahead.”

Alois stumbled, barely maintaining his balance. When he looked back, Joshua had already headed to the bar in the leisure area, ordered a cocktail, and started typing rapidly on his communication terminal.

“…Just wanted to get rid of me that badly?” Alois muttered angrily. He stopped looking at the assassin’s silhouette and turned toward the gambling area.

The casino’s center was the elevator, with platform levels arranged in irregular fan shapes around it, resembling layers of white shells from a distance. Each platform featured different gambling games. Alois passed the slot machine platform, where colorful lights flashed incessantly to the sound of falling coins. He remembered a con artist he met in Hecate Prison who scientifically demonstrated the various possibilities of slot machines using mathematical permutations and combinations, successfully instilling a fear of slot machines in the prison bully who always hated math.

Alois quickly moved to another platform, which was the roulette area. He had no fondness for this purely luck-based form of gambling. Moreover, “From a probabilistic standpoint,” the con artist had said, “whether you win or lose, the house always profits in the end.”

The third platform featured a game from the distant planet Cassano called “Colorful Pebbles”. Two participants took differently colored pebbles from a sealed box and engaged in a series of complex buying and trading rules. The first to collect seven pebbles of the same color won, while the loser had to swallow all the opponent’s pebbles. This seemed more like a board game than gambling. Spectators placed bets on who would win. Alois lingered on the outskirts of the crowd for a while before heading to the fourth platform.

At this point, someone stopped him.

“Good evening, young man.” The blocker was a middle-aged man with graying temples, clearly no longer young. In the warm, almost hot casino, he wore a thick, long coat. Whether it was due to a strange illness, or a peculiar habit was unknown. “I’ve been watching you for a while,” the man said. “Is this your first time here?”

Instinct told Alois that a stranger striking up a conversation in a casino had no good intentions. “You’re in my way, sir.”

The man smiled. “Don’t be like that, young man.” He spread his hands, showing he meant no harm. “This is the Portia Casino, one of the safest places in the world. There are well-trained security guards here,” he pointed to the guards patrolling the casino, “and surveillance cameras monitoring around the clock,” he pointed to the hidden black cameras on the ceiling. “No one would dare harm you here.”

This speech did nothing to lessen Alois’s wariness. Hecate claimed to be an impregnable fortress, too, he thought, showing an impatient expression.

“Young man, I only want to make friends with you,” the man said sincerely. “Since it’s your first time at Portia, how about I give you a tour?”

Alois tilted his head, pondering how to refuse without hurting the man’s feelings. Suddenly, a hand hooked around his shoulder. Startled, he turned to shake it off, only to be hit by a strong smell of alcohol.

A drunken young man hung on him, blowing a mouthful of boozy breath at the man. “Get lost!”

“Oh… alright. Sorry to disturb you two.” The man still smiled politely, shrugged, and then turned to leave.

The drunk young man staggered forward, almost dragging Alois along. “Don’t pay attention to that guy,” the youth slurred. “He’s a loan shark, Neo Venice’s ‘vicious Shylock’…”

No wonder he acted so familiar. Alois could almost imagine an unlucky novice gambler falling into that man’s trap step by step, eventually losing everything. “Uh, thanks for the help.”

“You’re welcome…” The youth held a half-empty bottle of amber liquid. He took a swig, then pushed Alois away, wobbling toward the next platform and almost falling down the connecting stairs. Just watching his unsteady gait made Alois’s heart skip a beat. He quickly followed the youth to the fourth platform.

This was the dice area. The crisp sound of dice clinking in cups and the dealer’s shouts filled the air. The youth waved his bottle as he squeezed into the crowd, securing a spot at the table. He pulled out a handful of colorful chips from his pocket and slapped them on the table. “Betting big!”

The dealer, a pretty girl, gave the youth a disdainful look before asking the gamblers around the table, “All bets in?” After getting affirmative responses, she revealed the dice. The numbers were 2, 4, and 1, totaling 7 points.

The youth’s chips were taken away. The dealer put the dice back in the cup and started shaking again. Her shaking was elegant and stylish, but in a casino, gamblers only paid attention to the dice, not the pretty dealer. She finally placed the cup on the table. “Place your bets!”

The youth took another swig of his drink and, undeterred, pulled out more chips. “Betting small.”

This time, the dice showed 5, 4, and 4, which was big.

In the following rounds, the youth lost regardless of his bets. Alois couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He remembered his gambling prison mates at Hecate saying, “There are those blessed by Lady Luck and those abandoned by her. Sometimes, you find people at the gambling table who seem to absorb all the bad luck in the world and lose no matter what they bet.”

The surrounding gamblers seemed to notice the youth was one of those abandoned by Lady Luck. After he placed his bet, they would bet the opposite.

After several rounds, the youth lost everything and had no money left. He raised his bottle, only to find it empty, then angrily smashed it on the ground, causing a loud crack. The entire casino fell silent. People stopped their games to watch the penniless youth. The dealer signaled the security guards to remove him before he caused a scene.

“Kid, you’re out of money. Stop gambling,” someone advised kindly.

“Who said I’m out of money?” The youth raised his head, unzipping his jacket slowly and theatrically pulling out two slips of paper from his inner pocket, holding them between his middle and index fingers. He waved them before pressing them on the gambling table.

“I’ll use these as chips,” he said proudly.

Instantly, the crowd erupted!

“Oh my god, what are those?” “Concert tickets for Camilla! Actual paper tickets!” “And they’re front-row premium seats!” “Even all the chips on the table combined wouldn’t match the value of one ticket!” “How extravagant!”

The dealer frowned, realizing she was dealing with a difficult customer. “Sorry, sir, our casino only accepts chips or cash…”

“Don’t be like that, Alison,” a deep male voice interrupted. “It’s rare to have a high-rolling guest. Don’t spoil the fun.”

The loan shark in the black coat slowly walked to the dealer, patting her shoulder before turning to the youth. “We meet again.”

“Do you want to place a bet too?” The youth squinted. Despite his previous drunkenness, he now appeared sober and sharp, completely different from before.

The loan shark smiled. “That’s right. I’ll be the banker this time and play a round with you. How about it?”

The youth sneered. “How much do you think these two tickets are worth?”

“I know they’re expensive. Luckily, I can afford to gamble.” With that, the loan shark mimicked the youth’s style, slowly taking out two uniquely shaped keys from his pocket, holding them between his fingers, and displaying them to the crowd for a few seconds before throwing them on the table.

“Keys?”

“The activation keys for the ‘Bard’.”

The crowd buzzed again!

“I’ll bet your tickets with these keys. How about it?” The man smiled slyly.

The youth snorted. “Bring it on!”

The dealer looked nervously at the man. “Is this okay?”

“Shake the dice, Alison. Everyone’s getting impatient.”

“Alright.” The dealer quickly started shaking the dice again. Throughout, the loan shark and the youth stared each other down. The man’s gaze was like a venomous snake biting into the youth.

“Place your bets!” The dealer placed the cup on the table and then clasped her hands behind her back, signaling she wouldn’t cheat.

The loan shark grandly waved his hand. “Everyone can join. Feel free to place your bets.”

No one spoke. They silently watched the youth, waiting for his next move.

The youth pushed the two tickets to the side marked “big”. “I bet big.”

After a few seconds of silence, someone timidly said, “I’ll… I’ll bet big too.”

Then the crowd came alive. “I’m betting big too!” “I’m betting small!” Some people wanted to bet on the youth, while others feared his recent losing streak and bet the opposite. Alois also felt the urge to try his luck. Despite disliking the loan shark, the “abandoned by Lady Luck” youth was even more frightening. So he placed all his chips on “small”.

“All bets in?” the dealer asked.

The loan shark scanned the crowd. “Reveal it.”

The dealer swallowed and quickly lifted the cup.

The three dice showed 6, 6, and 6—big.

Amid the exclamations, the youth pocketed the keys and tickets. “I have my lucky days too,” he said, smiling victoriously.

Alois watched in amazement as his chips were taken away. Luck was indeed a strange and indescribable thing, he thought.

At that moment, his communication terminal rang. Alois left the crowd and found a slightly quieter spot to answer.

“Lagrange?” Joanna’s voice came through. “Come to the casino entrance. It’s time to go.”

The owner of Portia Casino, Jolene, lounged on a soft sofa, savoring a Neo Venice-style ice cream. Despite being in her forties, she still retained her charm. After washing her hands of her past and opening the casino, she took great care of her appearance, looking just over thirty now.

The door to the room silently opened, and the loan shark entered quietly, making no noise. The long carpet absorbed his footsteps, but Jolene sensed his presence. Her sharp senses hadn’t dulled over the years.

“Kepler, I heard you lost badly just now?” Jolene’s subordinates had quickly reported the eye-catching gamble to her.

“Don’t mention it.” The loan shark sighed loudly as he walked behind her.

“You still haven’t kicked that gambling habit!” Jolene snapped her fingers, and a holographic screen popped up, replaying the surveillance footage of the game—the dealer Alison revealing the three sixes.

“Did he cheat?” Kepler asked.

“No.” Jolene shook her head. “Unless there’s a cheating method the cameras can’t catch.”

The loan shark sighed again, turning away from the heartbreaking footage.

The young man in the video pocketed the keys and tickets while the gamblers at the table buzzed. A young man was seen struggling to leave the crowd.

“Stop!” Jolene commanded. The screen froze on the blurry side profile of the young man leaving the crowd.

“Why does this person look familiar?” Jolene murmured.

“You’re overthinking it.” Kepler turned to comfort his friend but stopped short as he recognized the young man. He had tried to talk to him earlier, only to be ruthlessly rejected. Kepler hadn’t thought the young man looked familiar, but the blurred profile on the screen strongly resembled someone he used to know.

Jolene and Kepler almost simultaneously looked at a photo frame on a nearby shelf. In an age where electronic photos were the norm, Jolene had specially ordered a paper photo for its nostalgic feel. The photo was of a group of young people, with a much younger Jolene and Kepler in the center. The person on the far left seemed distracted, turning away from the camera, showing only a partial profile.

A profile that looked strikingly similar to the young man in the hologram.

---

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

Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

---

Chapter 18

At 6:30 in the evening, Alois and Joshua arrived punctually at the entrance of the White Shadow Casino. The casino was located at the very bottom of the commercial street, with layers of arches blocking the remaining sunlight, casting a crisscross of shadows. Below the steps at the entrance was the surging sea. The water at this moment was dark as black ink.

A pure black gondola skimmed over the water, splashing high waves. Joshua pulled Alois back a step, avoiding the fate of being drenched. The gondola stopped in front of them, and the cabin door slowly opened. Joanna Begrel, with her red hair swinging, stepped onto the stairs. Her attire had transformed from that of a medieval mercenary to a mafia queen, with eight-centimeter high-heeled leather boots, a flowing black trench coat that reached her ankles, white silk gloves on her hands, and sunglasses perched on her nose.

Wearing sunglasses at night was indeed strange, but Joanna acted as if it were perfectly natural. She peered at the two of them through her lenses. “Dressed so well, are you two going on a date?”

“Accompanying you on a date,” Alois replied.

Joanna slapped him on the back of his head. “One more wisecrack, and I’ll kick your balls.” She stomped her foot hard, the high heel of her boot clacking sharply on the marble floor—a sound that sent a chill through one’s heart. Alois hunched his shoulders and obediently followed the female pirate into the casino.

“Straighten your back and look imposing!” the captain commanded. “Is this how a bodyguard should look? If I had known, I wouldn’t have called you along!”

“I will make you see that your choice was correct, Captain!” Alois assumed the dignified demeanor he had in the Royal Guard, speaking with righteous determination.

Joanna rolled her eyes.

The casino was bustling with people. The seats in front of the slot machines were all occupied, and the dice tables were surrounded by gamblers and tourists new to Neo Venice, their wallets bulging. Some people curiously eyed Joanna and her entourage, but a cold glare from Alois made them quickly turn their heads, pretending they hadn’t seen anything.

“Good evening, Captain Joanna.” A waiter in a suit approached, bowing respectfully to Joanna. “This way, please.”

“Has Hikari arrived?” Joanna asked casually.

“Yes, he has been waiting for you for quite some time.”

“Oh, I’m truly ashamed.” But her tone lacked any hint of shame.

Alois and Joshua exchanged glances. Joanna had come to the casino, bringing two bodyguards—clearly not just for a gambling spree. She had arranged to meet someone named Hikari here, seemingly for a serious discussion. Alois felt uneasy, suspecting he was being drawn into a secret transaction, which deeply unsettled his law-abiding nature.

The waiter led them to an elevator, taking them down to the third basement level. Since the first floor was almost level with the sea, the third basement level was undoubtedly below sea level. Alois expected it to be a dark, enclosed space, like the abandoned parking lots where evil forces always rendezvous in movies.

But when the elevator doors opened, what lay before him was a straight corridor, with glass ceilings and walls, through which he could see the deep ocean outside. There might be underwater lights installed, casting a faint blue glow. Schools of colorful fish leisurely swam around the corridor, and luminous jellyfish drifted past Alois, disappearing into the dark ocean depths.

At the end of the corridor stood a metal door. The waiter pressed the doorbell and announced loudly, “Mr. Hikari, the captain has arrived.”

After a few seconds of silence, a crack appeared in the middle of the metal door. The gap slowly widened into a narrow entrance just wide enough for one person to pass through.

The waiter stepped aside, gesturing an invitation. “Please.”

Joanna was the first to step through, followed by Joshua. Alois nervously followed. The metal door closed with a bang behind him, filling the young man with a sense of inescapable tension.

The room beyond the door was spherical, with glass walls offering a wider view of more fish and jellyfish. The room contained two sofas facing each other and a coffee table, with a piece of purple pearl coral from Neo Venice standing beside one sofa, adding a touch of grandeur and liveliness to the ethereal underwater chamber.

On one of the sofas sat a man. At first glance, Alois thought he was in his forties, his thinning hair a testament to the passage of time. But then he seemed younger, his skin smooth and fair, his hands resting elegantly on his knees, looking far from middle-aged. After a moment, Alois felt the man might be much older than he appeared, for his eyes were lifeless, exhausted.

“Old bastard Hikari, why choose such an aquarium to do business?” Joanna casually flicked her coat as she sat on the sofa opposite the man, removing her sunglasses and placing them on the coffee table. Alois and Joshua stood behind the sofa, ready to protect their captain or attack Hikari if needed.

“Joanna Begrel,” Hikari said, his voice hoarse and grating like a dull saw cutting wood, making one uncomfortable. “Captain, I recall inviting only you.”

Joanna gestured dismissively. “No matter, they are my people.”

“I understand your concern for your safety.” Hikari tapped his knee with his index finger. “If it were me, I would also bring a few people to feel secure. But today’s business is extraordinary. I don’t want anyone else to know about it, even if they are loyal and tight-lipped.” He raised his lifeless eyes, staring at the two young men behind the sofa, a gaze that, though not malicious, was chilling.

The sight made Alois shiver. He glanced at Joanna, then at Joshua, who was frowning, clearly displeased, as if facing not Hikari, but a plate of broccoli.

“Well…” Joanna pondered for a moment. “Alright.” She turned to them. “You two wait outside. Let me talk to old Hikari alone for a while.”

Joshua said, “Then we’ll wait at the door for you.” His tone was respectful, as if he were truly a dutiful bodyguard.

“No need,” Hikari said. “Waiting is a pointless waste of time. Since you’re in Neo Venice, why not enjoy yourselves? The White Shadow Casino has many new attractions to satisfy you both.”

This statement clearly aimed to drive Joshua and Alois out. The assassin was even more displeased. “Captain, we await your orders.”

The female pirate shook her head. “Forget it, go enjoy the casino. I’ll contact you when we’re done.”

Joshua nodded, pulling Alois by the sleeve as they exited the spherical chamber together.

The metal door opened and closed again. Finally, only Joanna and Hikari were left in the chamber. The captain lounged on the sofa, shifting to a more comfortable position, and lazily said, “Alright, it’s just us now. Speak quickly. I also hate wasting time.”

Hikari smiled. “The captain is straightforward.” He took out a small silver box from behind the sofa and carefully placed it on the coffee table. The box was plain, without any decoration, making it impossible to guess its contents. Only a combination lock was embedded on the lid.

The man pressed the box. “I invited you here today for this.”

“Is it a gift for me? I’m so thrilled!” Joanna joked. Hikari didn’t laugh, making the female pirate feel a bit awkward. “What’s inside?” she asked sullenly. “Just to be clear. I don’t deal in drugs.”

“It’s not drugs.” Hikari’s eyes lit up with a spark, like embers about to go out. “Inside is a big secret.” He lowered his voice. “Whoever gets it will get the galaxy.”

Joanna was taken aback. “Is it a copy of ‘A Brief History of Time’?”

This time, Hikari laughed. “No, my dear captain, my respected ‘Mad Queen’ Joanna. This secret is beyond your imagination. It can overturn the political landscape of the entire galaxy. Whoever gets it will become the eternal ruler of humanity.” The man hissed. “And all you need to do is deliver it safely to the buyer.”

“Then the buyer will rule the universe?” Joanna’s mouth twitched. “You speak so grandly. Aren’t you afraid I’ll open it myself?”

“The box is sealed. If you force it open, the mini tactical nuke inside will explode, taking you and the secret with it into the universe.” Hikari paused. “The box also has a combination lock. Only the buyer knows the code, which we’ve already given him. By the way, the lock is encrypted by the AI of the Neo Athens Academy, so no one can crack it.”

Joanna scratched her chin. “It does sound foolproof.” She said, “I suppose many will vie for this ‘big secret’?”

“You’re truly perceptive.” Hikari nodded. “We lost two elite teams just bringing it to Neo Venice. No one else in the galaxy can handle this task but you.”

“Given that you profit-driven bounty hunters sacrificed so much, it seems this big secret is indeed extraordinary.” Joanna leaned forward slightly. “So, old Hikari, what’s in it for me risking my life for you?”

“You’ll be satisfied with our offer,” Hikari said. “Eighty million galactic credits, plus the removal of your bounty within the Empire.” The man smiled slyly. “Of course, if the buyer succeeds in ruling the galaxy, you’ll never be wanted anywhere again.”

Joanna leaned back on the sofa.

“The terms are tempting,” she said dryly. “May I have a few days to consider?”

“You must decide now, esteemed captain.”

A school of colorful Cyrene tropical fish swam past Joanna’s feet. She stared at the smooth, reflective floor, seeing her own reflection. The woman in the reflection had a pale face, wrapped in red hair, as if soaked in blood.

Finally, the female pirate conceded. “Who’s the buyer?” she asked.

Hikari was overjoyed. “You’ve surely heard of him, perhaps even met him.” The man’s hoarse voice took on an excited tone. “Winnet Chabais, Duke of the Empire.”

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Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold

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

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Chapter 17

The poet from Neo Venice, Storron Wright, once lovingly sang praises of his homeland. “My blue mother star, may I sleep for a thousand years in her watery embrace, then turn to dust and drift until the stars fall silent.” These words later became his epitaph, engraved on the mobile island where his body was buried. The island, controlled by a computer, drifted along the ocean currents and was programmed to self-destruct after a thousand years, fulfilling the poet’s wish.

This act was seen by outsiders as “the romantic obsession of the Neo Venetians”. However, Alois always thought it was a terrible joke, devoid of any romance. But when he finally set foot on the artificial land of the ocean city, he had to admit that these people, who embraced dark humor, were indeed quite romantic.

Especially when, after leaving the port, they boarded a small gondola for sightseeing, and the man renting out the boat winked playfully, saying, “Couples get a discount,” Alois felt the romantic spirit of the water people even more deeply. He almost wanted to rush up and give the man a tip, though he didn’t have a penny on him.

Joshua seemed to have noticed this serious problem as well. “I should have asked Joanna for an advance,” he said nonchalantly while finding the bank’s location on the gondola’s built-in satellite map and steering the boat towards their destination.

“What are you doing? Are you going to rob the bank?” Alois was horrified and tried to stop his reckless action, but the assassin pushed him back into his seat.

“Calm down,” Joshua said, sitting next to him. “I’m an assassin, not a robber.”

“You’re an assassin and a pirate,” Alois corrected. The part-time pirate glanced at him, and he wisely kept his mouth shut, avoiding further argument.

The gondola passed under a vine-carved arch bridge, lowered its flight altitude, and merged into the traffic above the canal. Holographic advertisement boards of various kinds stood on the buildings along the canal. Alois noticed that half of the ads promoted the new model “Bard” of the “Phantom of the Opera” series, while the other half played music videos of the galactic diva Camilla. The melodies of “Eighth Galaxy Hymn” and “Sound of Silence” intertwined as the dark blue-haired girl danced and sang in the light.

“What’s going on?” Alois wondered. “Is Camilla releasing a new album? The last one came out less than six months ago…”

Joshua also looked at the galactic diva on the advertisement board. “Do you like her?”

“She used to be my dream girl.” Alois took out his communication terminal and logged into the superlight internet to search for news about Camilla. The boat fell silent for a moment. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” Alois asked as he reviewed the search results on his terminal before finally clicking on Camilla’s official website.

Joshua remained silent. Alois glanced up to see him standing with his arms crossed, gloomily staring at Camilla’s music video in the distance. “Don’t you like her?” the young man asked.

“No, I do,” the assassin replied, but his face showed no sign of “liking”, instead looking as if Camilla owed him money.

…What’s his problem now? Alois grumbled internally. So moody, I can never figure out what this guy is thinking.

He decided to ignore Joshua and continued searching for information. The website had a big red headline: “Galactic Diva Camilla’s Galactic Tour Concert! Standard Date May 26th, Coming to Neo Venice!”

“Wow!” Alois was so excited, he almost threw his terminal. “Look, Joshua! Camilla’s concert! It’s the day after tomorrow! We’re so lucky to have come just in time!”

Joshua seemed uninterested. “Do you want to go?” he asked casually.

“Of course. I’ve never been to one of her concerts live!” Alois checked the concert tickets, disappointed to find they were sold out, with scalpers reselling back-row tickets at exorbitant prices.

“The galactic diva is really popular…” He turned off the terminal, sadly resting his head on the boat’s glass, using the street’s holographic images to console himself.

The gondola ascended, leaving the traffic, and landed on the bank’s helipad after circling a “No Honking” sign. Joshua jumped out of the boat and strode into the bank. Alois followed closely behind, afraid the assassin might actually rob the place in a moment of madness.

Fortunately, Joshua wasn’t as reckless as he feared. He simply walked up to a self-service terminal and entered a series of account numbers and passwords. “Your account has been frozen,” the screen displayed.

“Tsk.” Joshua entered another series of numbers, and this account wasn’t frozen. He then tried five more accounts, four of which worked, one was frozen.

“Not bad.” The assassin reported two of the active accounts as lost and applied for two new bank cards.

Alois moved closer. “I’m surprised your accounts still work after you’ve been captured.”

“Personal property is sacred and inviolable,” Joshua said, taking the two new cards from the terminal. “And I never put all my eggs in one basket.” He put one card in his pocket and handed the other to Alois.

“What… what’s this for?” the young man asked, puzzled.

“Didn’t you want to go to the concert?”

Alois was stunned, feeling something warm spreading in his chest. “No, it’s okay.” He looked down and stammered, “I can’t buy the tickets, so I won’t go.” He handed the card back to Joshua.

“Keep it.” The assassin pushed it back and then pinched Alois’s cheek. “Your pocket money.”

“…Huh?” Before he could react, he was dragged out of the bank.

“Is this really okay?” Alois asked, holding the card.

“Yes.” Joshua frowned, half dragging, half pulling the young man into the gondola and shutting the door with a bang, starting the engine.

“I… I’ll pay you back later?”

“No need.”

“I’ll owe you for now?”

“Shut up.”

“I’ll definitely pay you back…”

“Shut up!”

“I…”

Joshua turned Alois’s face and kissed him roughly on the lips, biting as if in punishment, then quickly pushed him away.

Alois finally quieted down. His cheeks burned, unsure how to react, so he pretended to look at the galactic diva on the advertisement board outside. The blue-haired girl danced like a star sprite, but all Alois could think about was the unexpected kiss. Fortunately, the gondola was on autopilot. Otherwise, there might have been an accident, he thought distractedly.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at Neo Venice’s bustling commercial street. Nearly a hundred arch bridges, varying in height, connected the buildings along the canals like silver threads. The crowded streets were filled with people, and the mix of Neo Venetian accents and Camilla’s songs filled the air.

The gondola landed on the highest helipad in the commercial street. Joshua swiped a card to pay the fare and pulled Alois into the nearest R&P store.

“This place is expensive! Are you sure?” Alois whispered.

“It’s not your money,” the assassin said calmly.

“…Can’t I feel bad for you?”

“If you’re so bored, why not care about galactic peace instead?” Joshua pushed him towards a shop assistant. “Help him pick out some clothes.”

The shop assistant smiled politely. “What style do you prefer, sir?”

Joshua looked Alois up and down. “Anything decent.”

“Do I not look decent now?!”

The assassin walked with another assistant to a counter. “If you look decent, then a baboon could run for the Federation parliament.”

“You…” Before Alois could retort, the assistant interrupted. “This way, sir. Casual wear is quite popular right now. These new arrivals are perfect for you…”

An hour later, the assistant had selected three outfits. After some comments from Joshua, he picked two sets and paid without hesitation, not even blinking at the price. Alois sat stiffly on the sofa, holding the bag with his old uniform. In the past, seeing the price tags on R&P clothes would have made him walk out immediately. It seemed the famed assassin Mourner was indeed wealthy; being a pirate surely didn’t do him justice.

The communication terminal rang. Alois took it from around his neck and found a message from Joanna.

“Meet at the White Shadow Casino at 6:30 tonight. Urgent, must attend.”

Joshua had just finished paying. “Did the captain message you?” he asked.

Alois held up his terminal. “Did she message you too?”

“Yes.” The assassin put his terminal back in his collar. “Let’s go. We don’t have much time.”

The assistant opened the door for them, bowing. “Please visit us again.”

Alois stood up and followed Joshua. “Your outfit looks familiar.” He looked at his own new clothes. “It’s the same as mine!”

“You’re very perceptive.”

…Are these matching outfits?

“Jo… Joshua, I…” Before he could express his gratitude, Joshua took the bag with his uniform and tossed it into a nearby trash can without looking.

“Hey! The captain will cry if she finds out!”

“Then don’t let her find out.”

Captain Joanna Begrel’s aesthetic taste, still as unique as ever.

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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 16

“This is Neo Venice Spaceport Control Center. Please identify yourself and state your purpose.”

Shortly after the pitch-black Lady of the Night finished its warp, it entered the Lalage star system. Less than a tenth of a light-year from Neo Venice, the ship received a transmission from the planet.

“This is the Lady of the Night,” Leonard signaled to the control center. “Requesting to dock for ship repairs and maintenance.”

“Lady of the Night, owned by Joanna Begrel, a most wanted criminal in the entire galaxy,” the female operator at the control center said. “According to the Free City-State ‘Non-Interference Agreement’, you are permitted to dock. Please proceed to berth 115.”

“Thank you for the permission.”

Leo released control of the Lady of the Night, allowing the spaceport’s computer to guide the ship into dock.

Neo Venice, the second planet of the Lalage star system, was 97% covered by oceans, with the remaining 3% being scattered islands rather than continuous landmasses. When the first colonizers arrived, the accompanying geologists predicted that these islands would continue to subside and disappear beneath the sea in forty thousand years.

A planet mostly covered by oceans, so similar to the mother planet Earth. The colonizers began to build their new home here. They drilled into the stable bedrock of the seabed, erecting massive steel pillars and layering foundations until they rose above the sea surface. Then architects and planners designed cities on these foundations. They allowed crisscrossing sea currents to flow through the city’s streets and alleys, connecting each building with distinctive bridges. Below the bridges, above the waterways, were spacious roads for aircraft. This city later became the largest spaceport on Neo Venice.

Additionally, ecological engineers wove local aquatic plants and corals together with lightweight metal boats to create mobile islands. Settled colonizers drove these islands, chasing currents and fish schools, beginning a nomadic life on the sea.

Technological exchanges with Neo Athens caused Neo Venice’s shipbuilding technology to advance rapidly, making it the center for the development and manufacture of new spacecraft within the Free City-States in a century. One of Neo Athens’s three space carriers was even built here. Neo Venice’s concept space shuttles became status symbols for the Empire’s nobility, while the “Phantom of the Opera” series fighters were cutting-edge products piloted only by ace pilots in various air forces.

The blue water city was always a distant dream for Alois. He thought he would never step onto the metal walkways of Neo Venice in his lifetime. Now, the dream had become a nearby landing lift.

“Hey.” Someone behind him gave him a push. “Are you going or not? If not, don’t block the way.”

Alois timidly stepped aside. The captain and her stern financial manager, Mrs. Mota, walked by side by side. The pirate woman wore a fine linen shirt paired with dark brown leather pants and knee-high boots, with a high-speed vibrating dagger at her waist, looking like a medieval mercenary leader, yet behaving like a high school girl. She twisted her shoulders as she pleaded with Mrs. Mota, “Bard, just one! We can definitely afford it!”

Mrs. Mota pushed her glasses up her nose with her middle finger and coldly refused. “Don’t even think about it.”

Joanna let out a sorrowful wail, drooping her head like the heartbroken Pavlov. Truly like master, like dog, Alois thought.

The Lady of the Night had been traveling through space for several standard months, without docking for a long time. The crew, missing the feeling of solid ground, took the lift to leave the ship, ready to enjoy the bright sunshine and fresh air of Neo Venice, and the exotic men and women of Star Ocean while the ship was being repaired. After several trips of the lift, the once-crowded boarding bay was now empty, leaving only Alois. He hesitated for a long time but couldn’t muster the courage to get on the lift.

He didn’t know what was wrong with him. Maybe after being in a closed environment for too long, he had become afraid of the outside world.

“Hmph! Foolish humans!” Leo’s voice came. The AI’s hologram was squatting by the lift, looking out mournfully. “You guys are heartless, enjoying yourselves outside, leaving me alone here.” He pounded the cabin wall. “I have to handle the procurement,” he pounded again, “maintain the ship,” another pound, “negotiate deals,” a fourth pound, “take care of the animals,” and finally pounded the floor hard, “diligently, without complaint, yet without pay or vacation!”

“But you don’t need those things,” Alois said.

Leo slowly turned his head, as if noticing him for the first time. “Oh, Alois, are you planning to stay and keep me company? I’m so touched!” Tears seemed to well up in the AI’s eyes.

I never planned that! Alois was about to retort when he was suddenly interrupted. “He doesn’t have time.”

Joshua Planck arrived late. His eyes had changed from their original black-gold color to pure black, probably due to contact lenses. The delay, however, didn’t make the assassin hurry. He leisurely walked to Alois and then pulled him into the lift.

“Work hard, Leo.” The assassin waved goodbye to the AI as they descended.

“Scram! Don’t come back!” Leo’s angry shout faded above them.

The lift was slightly wider than an elevator but still enclosed within the ship. Alois moved closer to Joshua, carefully holding one of his hands. The assassin’s face was expressionless, whether truly calm or just pretending.

“Is it okay to leave Leo alone?”

“He’s just putting on a show. He actually prefers being alone,” Joshua said lightly. “I bet he’s now hacking the spaceport’s surveillance system, laughing, ‘Foolish humans, the whole ship is mine!'”

Alois rubbed his forehead helplessly. How could such a perverse AI be on this ship! Then he thought, why is Joshua so sure of what Leo is doing? “You know Leo well?” He looked sideways, not realizing his tone had a hint of jealousy.

“Can you stop talking like that? Jealous of an AI?” Joshua ruffled his hair. “We’ve finally arrived in Neo Venice…”

The lift detached from the ship, descending slowly on a cable. Alois opened his eyes wide. The slightly salty sea breeze, mixed with the ocean’s unique scent, filled his nostrils. Before him was a scene of pure blue—white clouds floating in the azure sky with golden sunlight shining through the clouds, reflecting gently on the dark blue sea. The endless ocean extended in all directions, with faint sails visible on the distant horizon.

Between the sea and sky lay a city of steel. Tall buildings stood like a forest on the sea, their metal facades reflecting the ocean’s color, making the entire city appear in a soft blue-gray. Varied-width bridges connected the towering buildings, with no land beneath—only rivers of sea water, making the city seem like a unified whole through a delicate balance.

The piers extended radially from the city, connecting to eight docks. The vast ocean provided perfect berths for incoming ships. The Lady of the Night was docked at one of them.

The lift landed steadily. Joshua pulled the dazed Alois out through the fence and walked towards the entry point along the narrow pier. The sea water crashed against the metal ground beneath their feet, making a roaring sound. White-winged seabirds flapped overhead, flying low over the sea, stirring up splashes.

“…Finally in Neo Venice,” Joshua said, brushing his wind-blown silver hair and naturally linking arms with Alois. “Let’s relax and enjoy ourselves.”

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