Chapter 236: Chapter 213: The Grand Widower Alliance
Across the Star Network, countless people mourned her loss.
But the ones in the most anguish were Shen Zueran and the others left behind.
They never imagined that their parting at the Star Port would be their final farewell to Yu Lan.
"No, impossible."
"We promised we’d see each other again. How could we possibly never meet again?"
"I don’t believe it. I’m going to White Sand Star to find her."
The moment Sheng Yiqing received the news, his eyes reddened.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from those captivating, flirtatious eyes.
Pei Shiyi, who was always so possessive around Yu Lan and could produce tears like little pearls on command, found himself unable to cry at all.
Even the mighty and formidable Lord of the Sea, who wielded the power to control the entire ocean, could be utterly helpless.
’He would never cry again,’ he thought.
"Lanlan..."
A nearly inaudible whisper escaped his thin lips.
Shen Zueran was in the middle of an experiment. Huo Zhanting, Jun Lin Yuan, and Li Yucheng were in battle, wiping out a Dark Laboratory. Su Xingye was racing to White Sand Star to protect Yu Lan.
Now, they realized, they had no future with her.
The mere thought of a life without Yu Lan left them feeling like walking corpses.
Their once-vibrant world instantly lost all its color.
It was like looking at a black-and-white photograph.
They were Yu Lan’s final legacy in this world.
"I’m going to White Sand Star to find her."
"I need to see her, dead or alive."
"Even if Lanlan... if Lanlan is really..."
Li Yucheng choked on his words, finding he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He looked over at Huo Zhanting and Jun Lin Yuan nearby.
He said with grim determination,
"I’m going to bring her back."
"White Sand Star is too far. She must be so unhappy there, all alone."
Queen Belina didn’t try to stop Li Yucheng, Jun Lin Yuan, and the others from going to White Sand Star to look for Yu Lan.
After all, the biggest obstacle was already dead.
She was, in fact, in high spirits.
In a rare good mood, she even put on a sorrowful expression to "comfort" them.
"Lanlan, my daughter."
"I never expected her to meet such an unfortunate end at such a young age."
"Those damned Star Thieves... why did they have to go to White Sand Star of all places? And Lanlan didn’t even think to run."
"It’s alright for you to go to White Sand Star to see her, but the dead are gone. The living must carry on."
"Huo Zhanting, Shen Zueran, all of you need to move on. I’m sure that’s what Lanlan would have wanted, too."
「Imperial Palace」
Shen Zueran, Huo Zhanting, and the others listened as Queen Belina prattled on. First, she’d lament how unlucky Yu Lan was, dying just as her life was improving. Then, she’d pivot to how dangerous the remote star systems were, and now that the Empire only had one heir in Louisa, no more problems could be allowed, so she’d already sent people to bring her back.
All while unsubtly hinting that they should move on.
’Yu Lan is dead. It’s time to start thinking about finding another Female Master.’
"After all, you never held a wedding ceremony."
"If there’s a female you fancy, you can come and inform me. I will grant you the marriage."
Queen Belina was trying to peel away the people who cared most for Yu Lan, one by one.
If Huo Zhanting and the others found new Female Masters and started new lives, who would remember that a person named Yu Lan had ever been on the Main Star?
Once Louisa took the throne, all traces of Yu Lan would fade until they were nearly gone.
It would be just like Marquis Yisha, once so highly anticipated by the Imperial Citizens. How many people now remembered her glory days?
For the dead, the cruelest fate is to be forgotten.
The instant Queen Belina’s words fell,
Sheng Yiqing bluntly retorted,
"Her Majesty the Queen worries unnecessarily."
"In life, I am Princess Yu Lan’s Beast Husband. In death, I am her ghost."
"Wedding or not, in my heart, I already belong to Princess Yu Lan."
"It was just a ceremony. Nothing more."
"A male only has one Female Master in his entire life, and I will only ever be Lanlan’s Beast Husband."
Even Shen Zueran, who was usually the smooth diplomat, always in control and preventing things from getting ugly, had a rare glint of recklessness in his eyes, as if he’d decided to throw all caution to the wind.
He lifted his gaze, his eyes pitch-black as he stared at Queen Belina on the high dais.
"What, exactly, did Her Majesty the Queen mean by that?"
"My Female Master’s body isn’t even cold—we don’t even know if she’s dead or alive—and you’re already persuading us to find someone else."
"Who should we find?"
"Princess Louisa?"
The words were blunt, hitting their mark with surgical precision.
Queen Belina’s expression changed instantly.
She had, in fact, entertained such an idea.
Top-tier 3S-level males were outstanding in every respect—ability, family background, and appearance.
Their only "flaw" was their history with Yu Lan.
But since they’d never had a wedding and Yu Lan was now dead...
Winning them over to her side would only make Louisa’s throne more secure.
But that was a thought to be pondered privately, not spoken aloud.
To say it out loud, right after Yu Lan had supposedly sacrificed herself for White Sand Star, would have gotten both her and Louisa raked over the coals by the public.
Queen Belina’s face was stiff for a long moment before she seemed to find her voice.
"What is Dean Shen talking about?"
"I understand, of course, that you wish to remain loyal to Lanlan’s memory."
"Fine, fine. If you insist on going to White Sand Star, then leave now."
Queen Belina began ushering them out.
Huo Zhanting and the others had no desire to stay and look upon her loathsome face any longer either.
The group departed from the Imperial Palace together.
Once aboard the First Legion’s Starship,
Sheng Yiqing suddenly spoke in a grim tone,
"The Star Thieves and the Dark Planet forces went to White Sand Star... The Queen was involved, wasn’t she?"
"She’s the one who’s always hated Lanlan."
Shen Zueran remained silent.
Huo Zhanting’s voice was rough and hoarse as he said,
"Let’s not talk about that for now."
"We’ll talk when we get to White Sand Star."
"What if Lanlan’s still alive?"
A pathetic sliver of hope laced Huo Zhanting’s trembling voice.
He prayed that some stroke of luck had saved his Female Master.
’Yu Lan isn’t dead.’
’She’s just injured, waiting quietly in some corner of the universe for them to come and rescue her.’
Even if the possibility was slim to none.
When he first heard the terrible news from White Sand Star, Jun Lin Yuan felt as if all the blood had been drained from his body in an instant.
He felt hollow, unable to summon even a flicker of emotion.
The only thing driving him now was the need to get to White Sand Star.
And after that came revenge. Revenge! REVENGE!
Whether it was the Dark Force, the Dark Night Star Thieves, or Queen Belina and Princess Louisa who had targeted Yu Lan.
He wouldn’t spare a single one.
Even if it meant mutual destruction.
"I won’t let them get away with this."
"I will have my revenge for her."
A fanatical glint flashed in Jun Lin Yuan’s eyes. Queen Belina had gravely underestimated the bond between them and Yu Lan.
Shen Zueran said nothing, merely standing silently to one side.
The light caught the man’s striking profile, his eyes dark and unreadable.
But they, too, held a hatred as deep and black as the void.
It was a silent consensus.
Yes.
If Queen Belina thought that getting rid of Yu Lan would allow Louisa to successfully inherit the throne, she was dreaming.
It was absolutely impossible.
A beast unshackled would only become more ferociously unrestrained.
’After all, the most important person in their lives was gone now.’
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