The Imperial Starship, North Border Sovereign Mysaya was enduring the fury of the Duke and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.
A clear image of Emperor Senar XIII appeared on the telepathic holographic communication screen.
“Mysaya, you’ve disappointed me greatly this time. How could such a mistake happen? Letting Zhang Wen escape your sight! And even drawing in other factions… I don’t care what methods you use, resolve all the issues within twelve hours!”
The Empire had meticulously planned the plot for the South Border Sovereign final competition, using the trap set by the Black Viscount as a shell. While eliminating some of the Emperor’s enemies through countermeasures, the primary goal was to recapture Zhang Wen, the number one test subject who had escaped from an ancient experiment. Just when success seemed imminent, an unexpected mishap ruined everything—an unacceptable failure.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” As the North Border Sovereign and commander of the elite guards, the silver-haired young woman Mysaya showed no dissatisfaction before Emperor Senar XIII. She elegantly bowed, placing a silver mask over her face. As she straightened, her gaze swept over the grim-faced Imperial Duke standing beside the Emperor’s image, before silently turning to leave.
To Mysaya, no trouble was truly a trouble. As the master of the Imperial Sword Sect and protector of the royal family, anything or anyone opposing the Emperor’s will would be eradicated—without exception.
…
Time seemed unbearably stagnant, while countless fragments of memories flashed through Zhang Wen’s mind. These were memories from another world—some vivid, others blurred as if washed by water.
Crossing the barrier of time, those moments felt like shattered fragments, the memory chain broken and intermittent. This extremely painful experience caused Zhang Wen’s breathing to falter slightly. Yet he quickly regained composure, slipping back into a state similar to “turtle hibernation,” concealing all his energy and presence.
Linoah, who had been tense in his arms due to Zhang Wen’s condition, gradually relaxed. If not for the current danger, such an intimate embrace between the two might have led to something more. But neither had the mood for such thoughts now.
Zhang Wen noticed that the Springwater Technique, which had always surged within him, was gradually calming down, as if the sensual Linoah in his arms no longer stirred it. It had transformed from a wild, untamed horse into a calm, obedient steed. This sensation made Zhang Wen realize he was nearing a breakthrough in mastering the Springwater Technique, approaching the threshold of complete control.
Unfortunately, the current situation made it impossible to verify this newfound feeling.
As both struggled to suppress their abnormal reactions and remain undetected by the Empire’s elite guards and other factions, suddenly—”Boom!”
A dazzling pattern of light pierced through the wall’s cracks.
The third major energy explosion indicated that the battle outside had reached a fever pitch. But for Zhang Wen and Linoah, this was far from good news. In an instant, the shockwave from the energy clash acted like the final straw that broke the camel’s back, causing the street-facing wall of the room to collapse entirely.
“Boom! Boom!!”
Debris and dust scattered as Zhang Wen pulled Linoah to the ground, rolling away to avoid the strongest part of the blast. At that moment, both felt a chill in their hearts.
The battlefield had finally shifted here. It was nearly impossible now to avoid detection by the elite guards, the Black Viscount, and the Consortium.
Just as Zhang Wen helped the disheveled Linoah to her feet, a figure suddenly darted through the broken wall.
Zhang Wen’s heart tightened. He gently squeezed Linoah’s fingertips while his body, like a silent ghost, slid noiselessly toward the intruder, slipping beside them. His right hand, shaped like a blade, silently slashed toward the figure’s neck.
All threats must be eliminated at the earliest opportunity.
…
In the Damir star system, near the defensive space station orbiting the planet Tenuis, a chorus of startled cries erupted.
“What? What is that?”
On the holographic star map formed by the Ultra-Telnet Psychic Defense System, several unidentified starships approached rapidly from various directions.
Some were black Federation-standard vessels, others were Imperial models only seen on the black market—military-modified versions—along with private warships belonging to various factions.
“What’s going on? How could so many unidentified ships suddenly approach Tenuis?” The space station’s defense personnel were in a state of uproar—reports, warnings sent to the intruding ships, and urgent communications to the highest officials of the Damir system and the Empire created a chaotic scene.
Federation, Alliance, Empire—officials, underground factions, all forces converged simultaneously on the previously unremarkable Tenuis planet.
At the center of all this contention—Zhang Wen!
Everyone knew that whoever controlled Zhang Wen would hold the key to the gateway to another dimension! It meant infinite resources, treasures, and the pinnacle of new technologies!!
All the ambitious wolves were like dogs sniffing bones, rushing in at the scent.
These ships were merely the vanguard forces they could mobilize fastest in the short term. Greater forces were on the way, and an even bigger storm was brewing!
Farther out in space, beyond the unidentified fleet, a majestic starship was speeding toward Tenuis.
On the silver, streamlined hull of the vessel, a large emblem of a sword and throne was clearly marked.
The mark of the King.
…
A suppressed gasp from a woman rang out, and almost simultaneously, Zhang Wen forcibly halted his downward strike aimed at the intruder’s neck.
Their eyes met—snow-white skin flushed slightly pink, calm and composed eyes met his with a faintly elegant smile: “Is this how you greet me?”
Her neatly coiffed hair was arranged in a cloud-like bun atop her head. Her regal and noble face belonged to Countess Medusa, whom Zhang Wen hadn’t seen in a long time.
Zhang Wen hadn’t expected to encounter her in such circumstances.
Of course, he couldn’t bring himself to strike Melissa. He withdrew his hand with a wry smile, “How did you end up here?” Their last parting had been abrupt. Zhang Wen still vividly remembered it—he knew Melissa had developed complex feelings for him, even more complicated than Linoah’s.
Love mixed with resentment. With her noble pride, choosing to leave the man who had unsettled her heart was both a continuation of her life and plans, and an escape from fear of falling deeper.
Zhang Wen and Melissa stared at each other, while Linoah remained alert. Her sharp gaze swept over Melissa’s finely tailored aristocratic hunting attire, especially lingering on Melissa’s ample bosom and her perfectly rounded, succulent hips. Her eyes narrowed.
Needless to say, this was another foolish woman—like herself—rushing here from afar upon hearing of Zhang Wen’s danger.
Risking their lives together? Perhaps not quite that noble, but undeniably unwilling to see Zhang Wen sink into the vortex. They were determined to do everything possible to help him escape this crisis.
“Hey, Zhang Wen…” Melissa gazed at the man before her, her eyes flashing complex emotions. Suddenly, she threw her arms around his neck and bit hard on his earlobe. “I hate you, man, for making me miss you so much, dragging me into this mess with you!”
Zhang Wen endured the pain, reaching out to gently pat Melissa’s firm, round bottom. “Alright, stop biting.”
“Ugh!” When had the countess ever been touched so intimately by a man? Her cheeks flushed a rosy red at his casual tone. Her white teeth gently bit her lip, making it glisten temptingly.
Melissa stared at Zhang Wen for a moment before, unable to resist, she leaned in and kissed him again—pouring all her tenderness into that single kiss.
It was only Linoah’s soft, disapproving cough that brought Melissa back to her senses.
The countess pushed Zhang Wen back slightly. Turning to “rival” Linoah, she showed no sign of discomfort, offering a graceful nod. “Pleased to meet you, Soul Dancer?”
“The feeling is mutual, Countess Melissa—I’ve heard much about you.”
The two women exchanged knowing smiles, their unspoken rivalry dissipating naturally. Their probing words revealed that both had thoroughly investigated each other, indirectly showing how much they valued Zhang Wen—neither willing to give him up easily.
However, the current situation was special. Both women were exceptionally intelligent and wouldn’t choose this moment to do anything that might endanger everyone.
Zhang Wen felt an inexplicable sense of relief as he looked at Melissa and Linoah. Taking advantage of the lingering dust from the collapsed wall, he pulled Melissa over to Linoah’s side. The three cautiously crouched down, using the remaining corner of the wall to form a blind spot. Unless someone approached closely, they wouldn’t be seen from outside.
“Melissa, why are you here too?” Zhang Wen asked the beauty beside him. Melissa, always independent and proud, rarely relying on anyone except in matters concerning the Black Viscount. Her presence here surprised him even more than Linoah’s. After all, he hadn’t known Melissa as long as Linoah, and their relationship wasn’t necessarily that deep.
“You know why, pretending not to…” Melissa lifted her chin slightly. “With such a big mess you’ve made, how could I let you fall into the Empire’s trap… I still need you to help me deal with the Black Viscount.”
Zhang Wen gave a self-deprecating smile, realizing Melissa’s main motive. Because he had twice thwarted the Black Viscount—nearly capturing him and sending him to the capital the first time—Melissa saw him as her best hope for revenge, so she couldn’t bear to see him get hurt.
As he thought this, he suddenly noticed Melissa’s eyes—deep, sincere, filled with emotions far richer than her words suggested.
A smile tugged at Zhang Wen’s lips. He understood Melissa’s “tough exterior, soft heart.” After all, time spent together wasn’t the only measure of emotional closeness. Some people could spend years together yet remain strangers across a sea, while others could meet once and feel like lifelong companions.
Melissa was unaware of Zhang Wen’s thoughts—otherwise, she’d probably pounce again, using her womanly advantage to bite him hard. Taking a deep breath, she explained to Zhang Wen and Linoah: “Ten days ago, I received critical intelligence from the Alliance about the truth behind the ancient Imperial lab explosion… Because it involved you, I used some methods to get here. With the chaos outside and some Alliance agents involved, I took the opportunity to sneak in.”
Her tone was calm and indifferent, but Zhang Wen knew that her “some methods” to travel from another star system within ten days wasn’t easy at all.
“How did you find our location?” Linoah asked, somewhat unwillingly—it seemed like another form of competition between them.
“Hmph, the moment Zhang Wen appeared, I locked onto him. I set up hundreds of surveillance signal devices along the streets. I’ve tracked every step of your escape.” The countess proudly lifted her lips, continuing, “For now, we’re safe. I’ve set up some diversions to confuse the people outside. I hope they work.”
Linoah smiled faintly, not responding to Melissa’s obvious show of superiority. But inwardly, she acknowledged that the countess had indeed been more meticulous and better prepared than herself.
Zhang Wen nodded. That explained why the noise outside had quieted after the explosion—Melissa’s doing.
As Melissa spoke, she reached from beneath her ample bosom and pulled out a small, watch-like metal disc. Holding it before Zhang Wen, she explained, “This is a psychic transmitter. It displays the situation outside, showing the results of my arrangements…”
The metal disc was placed on the floor. Melissa tapped it lightly with her index finger, channeling a bit of psychic energy to activate it.
A few seconds later, the disc projected images of the street outside.
To Zhang Wen and Linoah’s surprise, instead of one image, it displayed dozens of small frames—clearly video feeds from the surveillance devices Melissa had set up outside.
“Pity. Their battle destroyed quite a few. Otherwise, I could show more angles,” Melissa said with slight regret.
“It’s more than enough,” Zhang Wen said, his hand reaching behind Melissa’s back in a gesture of praise. Unintentionally, his hand slipped lower, brushing against the soft curve of her buttocks, even sliding slightly into the crevice. He calmly withdrew his hand, as if nothing had happened.
Melissa’s face, just beginning to calm, flushed red again. She shot him a glance but held her tongue.
All their attention shifted to the projected images outside.
From rooftops and corners in all directions—east, south, west, and north—figures lay in wait. Most were the Empire’s local guards on Tenuis. However, these were clearly ineffective. The real threats were dozens of elite guards, several powerful black-clad high-level experts, some unidentified warriors, and even a few bounty hunters seemingly from the Alliance.
There were virtually no blind spots left. Under such circumstances, it would be impossible for Zhang Wen to escape—perhaps not even a fly could get out. The entire area had been sealed off from the outside by imperial soldiers, and all local residents had been ordered to stay indoors and await further inspections by the imperial military. Clearly, staying put was not a viable option either; it was only a matter of time before they were discovered during the systematic search.
“Don’t worry. Just watch my setup,” said Melissa, as if sensing a hint of concern in Zhang Wen’s mind. She gave him a confident smile, pressed again on the holographic display, and pulled up another image.
It showed the situation above the planet of Tenuis—several small spacecraft were speeding away from the planet. Almost instantly, the planet’s flight surveillance systems locked onto those vessels. Giant electronic monitoring devices, resembling the compound eyes of dragonflies, rotated to track them, with arcs of psionic energy flashing within their lenses.
“I’ve arranged for someone to use shapeshifting to impersonate Zhang Wen, and then escape in seven different directions using small lifeboats. It should create some confusion in the short term,” Melissa explained to Zhang Wen.
Linoah’s enchanting eyes focused intently on the image. Indeed, as the vessels fled, various factions nearby received insider reports and reacted with visible anxiety.
Melissa’s plan wasn’t flawless; upon careful analysis, the deception might eventually be uncovered. However, the key issue was that no faction could be certain in the short term whether Zhang Wen was actually aboard any of the escaping vessels. In other words, although the shapeshifter’s technique wasn’t top-tier, it was sufficient to create uncertainty in the immediate aftermath.
As a result, the outside forces fell into chaos.
Had their target escaped despite all their efforts?!
This blow was unbearable for these elite operatives, leaving them helpless and at a loss.
“Your plan worked,” Linoah gave Melissa a thumbs-up with an elegant smile. Her radiant expression turned serious as she continued, “But I’d like to know the next step. They will eventually catch up with those lifeboats, right? Before they realize the deception, how do we get away?”
This question struck the crux of the matter. Melissa’s smile froze. She sighed, placing a hand on her forehead, “Time was too short. To be honest, I haven’t really figured out what comes next.”
In reality, even with more time, it would have been extremely difficult to resolve the current predicament. After all, outside were gathered the strongest forces of the human world, along with a group of elite operatives. Even if they were momentarily deceived, it would be sheer fantasy to think they could just walk out freely.
Linoah slightly furrowed her brows. As a former soul-dancer of the Consortium, she was undoubtedly an intelligent beauty. Ever since she learned that Zhang Wen had been drawn into the prophet’s prophecy and foresaw that he would become the focus of competing factions, she had deployed all her resources on Tenuis Planet, even preparing a rescue starship in outer space.
Yet, facing the current situation, she still felt helpless. In the face of overwhelming force, any strategy would have only limited effect.
The only thing that could counter sheer power was power itself.
Watching the holographic display showing the outside situation, both Melissa and Linoah felt their hearts sink.
Just as Linoah had arranged a rescue starship outside Tenuis Planet, she was sure the Empire and the Consortium had their own preparations as well. Melissa’s deception wouldn’t last long. Once they intercepted the lifeboats and uncovered her trick, there would be no escape left for Zhang Wen and them.
Time ticked away, each passing minute feeling like a countdown to death.
Once discovered by the Empire’s Falcon Guards or other factions, Zhang Wen might still survive for a while, but the fates of Linoah and Melissa would likely be grim.
On the holographic display, the various external forces had temporarily reached a fragile peace, fully focused on communicating with their superiors. Tense conversations and waiting for new orders filled the air, creating a heavy, storm-like atmosphere that even Zhang Wen and the others could feel.
Another image displayed outer space—the view from one of Melissa’s seven small spacecraft. Clearly visible in the deep black void, clouds of stardust and nebulae streaked backward at incredible speed, yet they were still slower than the various warships rushing toward them from behind.
Soon, this vessel was intercepted. Countless soldiers in space suits swarmed aboard like ants, conducting a thorough personnel inspection.
The image cut off there.
It was easy to imagine the fates of the remaining vessels wouldn’t be much better. Once the last one was checked and they realized Zhang Wen wasn’t aboard any of them, they would know he was still hiding somewhere in this district.
Linoah, usually composed, began tightly squeezing her fingertips, betraying her inner tension and anxiety.
Melissa’s smooth forehead began to bead with fine sweat.
In the midst of unbearable silence, Zhang Wen calmly looked at Linoah and Melissa.
“I have a plan,” he said.
Both women turned their gazes toward him simultaneously.
Impossible! The outside was completely surrounded by enemies—there was literally no way to escape. How could Zhang Wen possibly have a way out?
Yet his expression didn’t seem like a joke. That calm demeanor was infuriating—others were frantic over his safety, yet he remained so composed. But recalling the miracles he had created one after another, their initial disbelief wavered into hesitant belief.
Under the incredulous gazes of the two beautiful women, Zhang Wen quietly retrieved his mind-steel and, using the minimum amount of psionic energy, reshaped it into a sword—without alerting anyone.
He gestured to Linoah and Melissa to stay silent, then, under their wide-eyed stares, plunged the sword into the ground behind him.
…
“Confirmed that the target is not aboard this vessel either.” The signal came back after the final lifeboat was intercepted and searched.
Almost simultaneously, the various factions waiting on Tenuis Planet erupted into renewed activity. This time, all their efforts were unified—tear the planet apart if necessary to find the elusive Zhang Wen.
Of course, things weren’t that complicated. Zhang Wen was definitely in this area. Unless he could turn invisible, there was no way he could have escaped.
Imperial search teams, joined by the Falcons, Black Viscount’s covert agents, and secret operatives from the Federation and the Alliance, advanced like waves in a sweeping, carpet-like operation.
House after house was flattened, and the people inside were inspected by multiple teams before being taken into custody by imperial soldiers.
But to everyone’s surprise, even after the last house was destroyed, not a single trace of Zhang Wen was found.
Had their target vanished before their very eyes?
Both the Empire’s forces and the other factions stared at each other in disbelief. A few seconds later, the air exploded with a cacophony of signals and reports flying back and forth among the major factions.
Shock, astonishment, and disbelief overwhelmed them all.
Where had Zhang Wen gone?
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