“Zhen shall go to death,” he said.
“The finest and most loyal warriors of the empire will accompany me. According to Black Shark Base’s calculations, two hundred thousand people is a number that can ensure a certain strike against Crystal Nest, while the empire can still withstand the losses without collapsing.”
“No.”
Lin Ge’s face was tense as she glared at the emperor before her. “This won’t work, Kaios.”
Beside her, Chen Hanke’s face turned ashen. “Your Majesty, please reconsider. If soldiers must truly die for the country, please allow me to lead the army!”
Thin rays of light danced on the glass of the council hall, outlining the founding emperor’s deep facial features.
Ryann sat on the imperial throne, smiling easily, his emerald eyes containing a piercing cold light. “Listen to Zhen finish.”
“The fleet will target the Crystal Nest as its final destination. But with humanity’s current technology, truly penetrating the Crystal Nest’s interior should be very difficult… we’ll see how far we can get.”
“Black Shark Base will inherit Gray Owl Laboratory’s research results, developing several new concept weapons against the Crystal Nest based on tranquilizers and solidification rays. The fleet will be equipped with these weapons and transmit feedback data to the empire.”
“After the weapons are depleted, these two hundred thousand people won’t return. According to existing information, crystal particles have obvious self-awareness, and this consciousness that can interfere with humans can naturally also be interfered with by humans.”
At this point, Ryann paused, pointing to himself. “In fact, this was also the principle behind Zhen’s birth into this world.”
“Therefore, there is every reason to believe that when the empire’s heroic souls are buried in the Crystal Nest, human will itself will become the final bullet shot at the enemy.”
“—Kaios!”
Lin Ge raised her voice, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead, “Calm down first… I know the situation is bad, yes, it’s fucking terrible! But we can think of other ways, at least wait another year or two?”
“This is the way.”
Ryann stood up, his crimson robe trailing on the ground, finally stopping at their feet, “Waiting won’t bring anything better.”
Chen blocked the emperor’s path. “Your Majesty, if you leave like this, the empire will surely fall into chaos; with twenty thousand elites lost, the military’s talent reserve will have an irreparable gap, things will only get more difficult in the future—”
Ryann narrowed his eyes. “Indeed, that will be your concern, otherwise what’s the point of being frank with you all today?”
Chen: “…”
Lin Ge: “…”
Suddenly, the council hall door was pushed open, Sylph’s hair disheveled, “Your Majesty!”
The atmosphere inside was tense, Chen Hanke looked back. “Your Majesty the Empress?”
Sylph had run all the way here in haste, now pressing her hands on her knees, her words interspersed with panting, “You… you can’t go personally, you are Kaios, you are Gray Owl Laboratory’s 000, you carry humanity’s hope… if Your Majesty is gone, we’ll have even less chance of turning things around!”
She quickly walked toward Ryann, her eyes pleading. “Give Black Shark Base a little more time, we will definitely complete the mental consciousness projection technology, if the Base Body plan can be successfully implemented, nobody will need to go to their deaths!”
Hiss…Chen Hanke drew in a sharp breath, asking Lin Ge in a low, suspicious voice. “Her Majesty the Empress is from Black Shark Base?”
Lin Ge grimly ground her teeth. “Not just that, she’s the base chief.”
“…Close the door first.”
Ryann glanced back at Sylph, “The frontlines need hope more than the laboratory now, besides, isn’t 000’s data in your hands?”
Sylph slammed the door shut behind her with a bang, she walked to Lin Ge’s side, glaring at the emperor. “What about the Commander then, what about the Commander!?”
Chen Hanke’s eyelid twitched—why was there mention of the Commander here!?
Lin Ge had a splitting headache. “Old Chen, the circumstances here are a bit complicated, but that’s not fucking important right now, Kaios!”
She raised her face, staring steadily at the emperor. “Sylph is right, Kaios, have you forgotten?”
“Back then you promised him that you would be by his side when he wakes up.”
“Don’t worry.”
Ryann’s expression remained unchanged. “Of course I’ll take him along.”
…..
In the 12th year of the New Imperial Calendar, Emperor Kaios launched the Fifth Holy War.
He left behind the concept of the White Bird Plan, entrusting the aftermath to Lin Ge, Chen, and Sylph, while personally leading the fleet to set sail.
The soldiers secretly signed consent forms and wrote their wills. They came from Golden Sun Wheel, from Silver Big Dipper, and even from regular imperial troops not affiliated with these two major legions, finally gathering two hundred thousand people.
“Don’t go.”
On the night before departure, Lin Ge stood at the highest point of the palace, confronting Kaios’s silhouette.
This usually fearless rogue woman’s lips trembled, her eyes red, “Don’t go, you little bastard. If you leave, the empire Dawn cherished will be destroyed.”
“Just look at me, don’t you know me? I’m just an uncultured orphan from the wild areas, how could I be emperor? Think it through again, I beg you to think it through one more time—”
The pitch-black night sky enveloped them. Kaios’s face was cold as iron as he strode past Lin Ge, whispering in the moment they passed:
“I leave it to you, sister.”
Lin Ge stood stunned with widened eyes. Suddenly something cool was pressed into her palm. Looking down, it was the mecha bracelet of the Crown of Golden Dawn.
She doubted her eyes and ears, yet heard Ryann’s gleeful laughter behind her, like a child who had completed a prank.
She turned against the wind, watching as Ryann walked down the palace’s long steps laughing, his figure disappearing from view.
Until the end, the emperor never looked back, just like the troops he led.
The starships left the empire behind, bidding farewell to humanity’s home forever.
When they passed Alpha Alien Star, Ryann revealed the truth of this mission to the entire army, and also took the opportunity to disclose the secrets regarding Dawn Aslan.
In the projection, the emperor stroked a corner of the frozen hibernation pod with one hand.
He gazed at Jiang Jianming’s face for a long time, then raised his stern brow to look through space at the soldiers who would go to their deaths.
“Though we cannot be buried in our homeland, the vast universe can be our grave… I see heroic souls flying to the sea of stars, like white birds returning to their nest.”
“With Zhen and the Commander buried alongside you all, you won’t be wronged.”
That night, countless soldiers were struck speechless with shock, and countless more were overwhelmed with grief.
“Your Majesty!” Some even broke down crying uncontrollably, “Please return to the empire, please take the Commander back… We promise to complete the mission, why must Your Majesty go to death personally!”
Ryann ignored the crying. He knew well that without his power, the fleet might not even be able to touch the edge of Crystal Nest.
Moreover, he had a thought: since he was Kaios, perhaps he could have a greater suppressing effect when facing the source consciousness of the crystal particles. Either way, it was worth trying.
In the final moments, all that remained was brutal bloodshed.
The Crystal Nest seemed to sense the ill intentions of the visitors. Whether it was the density of gathered alien creatures or the chaotic crystal particles, everything was more than twice as intense as during the Fourth Holy War.
The imperial army fought continuously, their numbers steadily decreasing.
“Report, large groups of alien creatures spotted ahead!”
“Good, all ships prepare for battle, begin data collection.”
“Vanguard ships, open fire—”
The closer they got to Crystal Nest, the less the alien creatures resembled “living beings.” They had been completely parasitized by crystal particles, even their consciousness consumed.
Humans had never faced such enemies before. Every step forward was taken on a path paved with corpses and lost souls.
“Advance, full speed ahead! Quick quick quick!”
“Break through!!”
No one knew who would die tomorrow – whether it would be close comrades, respected officers, or themselves.
But sooner or later it would be the same – they would all die eventually, destined to never see victory, for they were answering death’s invitation.
“Chief, the Dongri is still trapped by alien creatures…”
“Can’t help them now, move!”
At the command platform, just as the officer finished speaking, they saw a bright light appear on screen. Behind them at an angle, the Dongri had activated its self-destruct system.
The starship exploded, flames engulfing both the twisted alien creatures and nearly a thousand soldiers still fighting fiercely inside the Dongri.
=====
“Report!”
A young soldier’s projection appeared on screen, “Your Highness, Major General Xie!”
“Hmm?” In the command room, Xie Yuduo sitting in the command seat raised his phoenix eyes.
At the same time, Crown Prince Ryann walked over from the other side, standing behind Xie Yuduo. “Speak.”
“The vanguard ships captured… please take a look.”
The screen flickered, showing metal debris floating in space.
It was twisted, ugly, and riddled with holes, but after restoration scan showed that one area had once been engraved with a military emblem resembling both a blazing sun and a shield.
“…”
Xie Yuduo stared at that scorched, deformed metal debris. After a while, the usually unrestrained major general took off his military cap.
He said quietly. “Let the whole army see it – debris from a Golden Sun Wheel starship, should be from over fifty years ago.”
Ryann: “That would be the 12th year of the New Imperial Calendar, during the first White Bird expedition… tch, why are you looking at me? I don’t remember it now.”
Xie Yuduo’s expression was complicated. “But you’re still here today.”
By now, he knew all the causes and consequences, including why the Crown Prince could turn into a crystal monster, and why that day, Little Excellency was able to activate Commander Aslan’s authority.
The major general paused, muttering quietly, “And before this, you had already sacrificed yourself twice at the Crystal Nest.”
Ryann was unconcerned. “Just once. The original body didn’t die, so it doesn’t count as sacrifice.”
Xie Yuduo: “Back then, the Emperor and Commander…well, you and Little Excellency… what exactly happened in the end?”
“Did you two really go to the Crystal Nest? How did the base do the projection for you? Did the Chief tell you these details?”
“No,” Ryann said thoughtfully, “But by now, I can guess most of it.”
=====
BOOM…!
When the starships landed, or rather crashed, on Crystal Nest, barely any of the two hundred thousand Golden Sun Wheel soldiers remained.
Weapons were depleted, most people dead, starships rendered unable to fly due to the overwhelming concentration of crystal particles, and even advanced mechs had little energy left.
The endless Crystal Nest ground stretched before them, snow-white, like a bleached alternate space.
Crystal particles were in turmoil, Crystal Nest consciousness howling. Invisible massive waves swept across the sky, engulfing the ant-like humans.
“Ah…!”
Countless imperial soldiers collapsed the moment they stepped on this ground, those vomiting blood too numerous to count.
Bang! Bang!
Many people shot themselves in the temple to avoid crystal disorder.
They fell, and their comrades stepped over their bodies to advance.
The Emperor gave his final order – all troops to march toward where crystal particles were more concentrated.
Walk forward, take one step if you can take one. The closer they died to the Crystal Nest’s core, the greater impact human will might have, even if just a little bit more.
As for Ryann himself, he lifted his lover from the hibernation pod.
Splash...The sleeping black-haired remnant crystal human was pulled from the hibernation fluid, the snow-white Crystal Nest ground illuminating every falling droplet, making him appear like a legendary merfolk.
Jiang Jianming’s appearance remained unchanged; now, he was younger than His Majesty.
He first lay limply in His Majesty’s arms, then after a bump, his head rested on His Majesty’s shoulder, wetting several strands of beautiful platinum curls.
“We’re here,” Ryann said softly. “Jiang, can you see… this is a place even starships couldn’t reach, I brought you here.”
This was what he had promised Jiang – regardless of life or death, he would be by his side, in his arms.
Ryann extended his final crystal bones, crimson-gold iron wings dozens of meters long instantly unfurled behind him, then curved forward to protect the sleeping disabled human in his arms.
He walked forward, toward death’s direction.
Behind him, imperial soldiers struggled to follow.
Gradually, soldiers fell one after another, never to rise again. Crystals writhed and emerged, swallowing the fallen bodies, dragging them into the white depths.
After walking for an unknown time, the followers behind the Emperor grew fewer and fewer, until none remained.
On the vast white crystal ground, only he remained, walking as a tiny black dot.
Ryann’s crystal mutation grew increasingly severe, crystals crawling across his face, his emerald eyes filled with agony. His crystal bones no longer looked majestic but began twisting into chaotic forms.
Even so, those nearly collapsing crystal bones still tightly curved forward, protecting the sleeping Jiang Jianming from crystal particle interference.
The so-called Crystal Nest core was still nowhere to be seen, still an unknown distance away.
After walking for an unknown time longer.
Ryann’s human structure began collapsing again, transforming into a monster.
And on the face of the disabled human in the monster’s arms, that pale, thin visage, the first crystal finally appeared.
The monster suddenly let out a shrill, angry howl!
It was exhausted, its life nearly spent, no longer able to protect its lover.
But at this moment, it suddenly became afraid: ah, would Jiang still feel pain, would the crystal particles still torment him mentally?
But it had once told Jiang that sleeping wouldn’t hurt anymore. That person had already endured too much pain, he shouldn’t be tortured by such vile enemies.
What to do, what to do.
Then, could I split open my chest, could I tear open my abdomen?
Rip open the skin, split the flesh, shatter the bones, grind organs into pulp.
Open myself up, put you inside me, would that work?
Suddenly, the monster let out an inhuman wail, and from chest to abdomen, a huge gash suddenly split open. Fresh blood poured like torrential rain, spraying up to the sky then falling back to the ground.
Its skin tore open, its flesh split apart, its bones made sounds of unbearable strain before shattering, its organs turned to bloody pulp.
The monster felt pain, immense pain, pain beyond any description, worse than any torture it had endured in the laboratory in this lifetime.
But its heart rejoiced, and enduring the pain, gently, carefully, it placed the sleeping human inside itself.
Shh, it’s alright now, this way it won’t hurt. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, you’re in my embrace…
Until at some point, the crimson-gold crystals completely engulfed Jiang Jianming. The monster had consumed its lover, and finally stopped moving, content.
In the snow-white depths of Crystal Nest, a huge cluster of crimson-gold crystals thus appeared.
