Dawn Sleep [Interstellar]

What came into view was a large expanse of colorless crystalline substance.

Jiang Jianming was familiar with these crystals. They were the color of real ore, and also the color of the crystal clusters that sprouted from the bodies of acute crystal disorder patients.

But at that moment, he was lying in a tiny space, silent above and below, without a hint of sound. What surrounded him were such original substances.

“…….”

Jiang Jianming gasped for breath heavily. At a glance like this, no one could bear it.

Not only that, his body and limbs were full of such substances. “This thing” seemed to have noticed his awakening and was slowly retreating from his body. Yes, it was retreating.

The light, it was unknown where it fell in, the environment was dark but not so much that it was impossible to see things.

In this faint light, the crystalline substances on all sides were gently twitching, rhythmically one after another, and one could vaguely see that the flesh and blood veins belonged to the creature on the surface of the crystal.

This thing…it was actually alive!

This existence, which violated the instinctive cognition of creatures, gave people a cold sense of fear and nausea from the bottom of their hearts.

Jiang Jianming’s whole body was numb, he even doubted whether he was in the stomach of some alien creature, and would soon be corroded into a pool of blood.

He struggled consciously for a moment, but didn’t expect his body to be like a ragged shell full of holes, and his internal organs hurt heartrendingly together.

“Ugh…!”

Jiang Jianming groaned and fell back, the crystalline substance on his body began to wriggle, gently supporting the back of his head.

What…what on earth was this…

His body was immobilized again, the crystals came and went, crawling up his limbs like scales, an irresistible force pressing him in place.

In the darkness, he could only hear the thumping of his own heart. Jiang Jianming was gasping heavily, his throat convulsing with a sweet, metallic taste of blood, his vision darkening.

“Cough, cough…”

Where on earth was this place, what was this living crystal, and why was he here!?

Jiang Jianming turned his head with difficulty, cold sweat sliding down his nose. He squinted and saw “his” half shoulder and arm.

He seemed to be wearing a very formal and dignified military uniform, with gold buckles on the cuffs of his sleeves. The exposed wrist was very thin, the long fingers weakly spread out, almost only a layer of pale skin wrapped around the bones, obviously the hand of a disabled patient who was heavily exhausted.

Jiang Jianming’s pupils contracted slightly, and he took another breath suddenly—

Damn it, this was not his body at all!

Suddenly, it seemed as if a switch had been flipped, and countless new memories gushed out in his brain!

Jiang Jianming clenched his teeth and closed his eyes, but the massive amount of information gradually began to reach an unbearable level.

More and more things were crazily pouring into his brain, the headache was like being cut and chiseled, more and more intense.

It hurt… it hurt!!!

It was as if a mountain-sized gear was spinning madly, crushing his soul over and over again. In comparison, the torture inside the Crystal Cult starship was nothing.

“Ugh, ah!! Ah ah…——!!”

Jiang Jianming arched his neck back in collapse, his expression was of extreme pain, forced out a piercing scream by the dual torture of spirit and body.

The pale skin was throbbing with blue veins, and the tears that seeped from the corners of his eyes slid into his black hair.

He didn’t know why he was crying.

The crystals around his body suddenly stirred, binding him even tighter, making him unable to move at all.

A few seconds later, that slender neck fell back, Jiang Jianming collapsed weakly and fell back, tilting his head and closing his eyes, once again fainting in this eerie crystal realm.

****

It was another strange dream, but this time, the dream was only about one person.

“Is this comfortable?”

The breeze shook the curtains, casting mottled shadows on the desk.

In a memory of an unknown year and month, he was lazily leaning on a soft chair half-asleep, and behind him, a pair of fingers were massaging his temples for him. The young voice was cold, but the tone at this moment was very tender. “I’ve told you, you can’t be too tired. You’re going to get sick again.”

He laughed without a care, saying that now someone was taking care of him, he wasn’t afraid of getting sick.

But the young man suddenly leaned over, a cool shadow cast on his face, and at the same time, a few strands of platinum curls fell.

“…then would you be willing…”

The young man’s voice was low and hoarse, yet very gentle, like a feather, “to let me take care of you for a lifetime.”

“You can teach me for a lifetime, guide me, accompany me in my triumphant return. Of course, you can also do nothing, and let me…take care of you.”

He was slightly surprised, so he lifted his eyelids, turned his head and looked at the child next to him.

A few seconds later, he helplessly shook his head lightly, and softly said, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

The young man said, “I’m very serious.”

He was silent. After a while, he raised his arm, lightly rubbed the young man’s cheek, his expression was melancholy.

“Not now.”

“You’re still too young, it’s too early to talk about ‘a lifetime’.”

……..

“I love you.”

In the blink of an eye, the young man seemed to have grown a few years older, and his stature had also grown taller.

He had silky platinum curls, sharp and arrogant emerald eyes, and a beauty that was not human-like. The aggression and possessiveness in his gaze were frightening, “Aslan…I love you.”

This was inside a huge starship, the lights in the distance were bright, the noise was incessant, there were laughter, shouts, and even cries, like a celebratory feast after a great victory.

And him, he was the commander-in-chief of that battle, but now he was cornered by his young king in such a dark and ambiguous corner, unable to advance or retreat.

He smiled bitterly, “Little Highness, don’t be like this…”

“No, you must agree.” The shadow deepened, the handsome young man was even more unrestrained in imprisoning him, squinting his eyes and rubbing his collarbone with his cheek.

“I love you, I like you, I only want you.”

His voice was cold and hard, but his tone was coquettish, like a dangerous and sweet poison flower, “Look…I’m so obedient, you should reward me.”

“I…!”

He was both angry and amused, raised his hand to hit but couldn’t bear to, in the end, he cast his gaze further away—towards the distant starry sky. He said melancholically in a soft voice, “I can’t accompany you for too long.”

The young man immediately teared up, angrily rushed at him, even went so far as to strangle his neck, forcing him to shut up.

But when he couldn’t catch his breath, frowned in discomfort and coughed, the young man suddenly let go of his hand, anxiously asked him if he was okay, and apologized while holding him.

“Okay, no more talking. That’s not important, none of it is important…I don’t care.”

The young man held back his desire, tentatively reached out to hook his collar’s gold buckle, “So, can I? Let me love you…Aslan.”

He paused, then whispered, “…Jiang.”

But the other pursed his lips, lowered his head, firmly grabbed the young man’s wrist, and then pushed him away.

“Kaios, you can’t call that name anymore.”

…Crash!

Expensive glass and porcelain were smashed to the ground in anger, shattered all over the place. The young new emperor, draped in a thick red robe, turned around, his face icy, full of hatred.

“It’s just a position at the coronation ceremony, why can’t I even give you this!!”

“Don’t say you’re a disabled human again, you’re my commander, the founding hero!! Who dares to question you? ——Who dares to question, I’ll kill him.”

“If we don’t advance to the Far Star again, we won’t be able to produce tranquilizers in a few years. You’re forcing me to watch you die.”

“This year, what exactly do you think of me!?”

The last period of time was very embarrassing. They argued, made up, argued again, both did crazy irrational things, they were like two beasts tearing at each other in the mud.

“In order to achieve your ambition, you didn’t hesitate to tame a monster for so many years…”

The new emperor’s eyebrows and eyes contained a cold smile, the young man from the past was now taller than him, his thumb pressing on the artery of his neck, rubbing, “I’m curious, haven’t you ever been afraid for a moment that I would bite you, commander?”

“Aslan, I don’t want to hear your words anymore.”

On the day of the most intense argument, the new emperor broke his arm. He was in pain, and also very sad.

The last time, fate had given him extra time; but this time, he really couldn’t accompany His Majesty anymore.

This period was not long, he admitted that he had done many wrong things, especially felt guilty towards His Majesty, and didn’t know how to make up for it. The night sky of Watson Star City was very clean, one could see the tiny stars, but they couldn’t see the expedition starship.

He sat in the courtyard with his eyes half-closed, half-asleep, his consciousness blurred as he watched the night, struggling to raise his hand and then let it fall.

An old dog wagged its tail and ran to the rocking chair, rubbing his cold palm, its throat making a purring sound.

This period, he had actually reached out to the distant starry sky countless times, longing for that unreachable vision countless times.

But he didn’t even dare to let His Majesty know what he wanted.

It was too far away, unattainable.

****

Inside the treatment cabin, the black-haired non crystal human opened his eyes.

He saw the bright and spacious ceiling, the faint smell of disinfectant sprayed in the ward, the sound of a few footsteps outside the door, everything was clean.

Where…where was this…

Jiang blinked in a daze, his vision blurred by the mist in front of him, and his cheeks were wet.

Strange, why…

Why was he crying so much…

It seemed like, he had a dream that was too long.

At the end of the dream, someone told him, we have won.

Was it true?

Could he…

Could he also welcome a day of triumphant return in the sunlight.

The automatic door opened, and the little nurse excitedly pushed the equipment cart, quickly rushed to the side of the treatment cabin, “Sir Jiang, you’re awake! That’s great, that’s great…”

She squatted down skillfully and added medicine to the treatment cabin, then looked up, “The doctor will be here soon, how are you feeling, can you hear me clearly? Is there any discomfort?”

Jiang looked around in a daze, he stretched out his palm, forcefully propped up the edge of the treatment cabin, sat up, then staggered to his feet.

“Hey, you can’t…!”

The little nurse was scared and turned pale. She had been taking care of this imperial colonel and crown princess for the past two days, naturally understanding the patient’s condition.

With Sir Jiang’s injuries and physical strength today, and just waking up from a long coma, he couldn’t possibly stand up.

But he just stood up like that, and surprisingly didn’t show any reaction to the pain.

Or rather, he should have been in a lot of pain, but he ignored it entirely, completely enduring it.

In the nurse’s frightened eyes, Jiang walked straight to the window, his fingers lightly resting on the glass window.

It was only then that he saw clearly, he was still inside the starship, from here he could overlook the large star city.

At this time, it was early morning, the tall buildings were lined up, the central square, the Glorious Cathedral, Kaios Military Academy, Aslan Library…and the White Jade Palace of the imperial palace, were successively illuminated by the rising dawn.

The streets were still damaged, but the bodies and mecha wreckage had been cleaned up, no longer a purgatory-like scene.

Standing on such a wide street were the people.

The news of the hard-won victory spread throughout the star city, a large number of people swarmed out of the shelters, they gathered in the streets, some people cried, some people laughed, cheering to welcome the victorious heroes.

“We have won!!”

“Long live the empire, the golden sun never sets!!”

As Jiang watched, his eyebrows relaxed in the morning light, it was a relieved and gratified expression.

“Your Majesty…” He closed his eyes, his forehead devoutly against the glass, a tear silently slid down his cheek, “…I saw it…”

There was a flurry of footsteps behind him, and the doctors and nurses were all nervously gathered around, not knowing what was wrong with this patient of noble status, and for a moment they didn’t dare to approach.

“Your Highness the….Crown Princess! Please don’t scare us, are you feeling unwell somewhere!?”

“Shall we help you lie back down first? If you need something, tell us, tell us.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang paused, slowly turned his head, and there was a clear light in his eyes.

He slowly smiled, still leaning against the window glass, and asked in surprise in a soft voice, “You…what did you call me?”

The doctor was terrified, “Cro… Crown Princess…”

Upon hearing this, Jiang laughed again, he strained to squint his eyes, the sunlight fell on his pale cheeks, and tears kept falling.

He raised his hand to look at the crystal bone ring on his ring finger reflecting the sunlight, lowered his eyes and kissed it, murmuring in a daze, “Why is it still so mischievous.”

Everyone was even more horrified.

What…what on earth was going on here??

Jiang calmly waved his hand, “Don’t be afraid, I’m fine.”

He was still interested in looking at the scenery of the star city outside the window, as if he couldn’t get enough of it, and asked again, “Your Majesty…cough, how is His Highness Ryann doing?”

“Oh, oh please rest assured, His Highness’s injuries and mental state are not serious… he has basically recovered now, do you want to see His Highness…”

The doctor was extremely nervous, hurriedly speaking, repeatedly giving the little nurse a look, who understood and quickly ran to call someone.

In less than half a minute, the automatic door opened again, His Highness’ Ryann’s people hadn’t entered yet, and an angry and cold voice was heard in the ward first.

“Just woke up and you’re already…get back to bed…”

The sentence was not finished, and the tail sound suddenly choked.

In the faint morning light, the crown prince stood dumbfounded at the door of the ward, meeting those pair of eyes that were filled with tears but were gentle and calm.

The silence lasted for two seconds.

The crown prince quickly averted his gaze in panic, his arrogance completely gone, and he stepped forward in confusion.

“Why…why are you crying.”

Jiang openly laughed lightly, “Miss you so much.”