Chapter 66: Interstellar / 7.15 : Treachery
As soon as the spaceship reached Tamengi all the soldiers prepared to board their shuttles. Eden got into one with Haoxuan, Qiping, and Dawei. He could feel Dawei’s nervousness as they approached the ground. He asked:
"Why are you worried? You’re on the top ten strongest soldiers you’ll be fine."
Dawei answered:
"I’m not worried about me I just don’t want anything to happen to you. I won’t be there and it’s making me nervous."
"Do you trust Haoxuan?"
Dawei looked at Haoxuan then Eden and nodded.
"Then you have nothing to be nervous about. I’ve been studying the Sokloran-Pans since my father’s passing to make sure that as soon as I get my hands on them the only thing left after I’m done would be ashes. I’ve been preparing for this mission for the past ten years."
Hearing that Dawei, Haoxuan, and Qiping felt heartbroken. Eden’s father died on Tamengi and he was killed by this very army. It must be painful to be here in the first place let alone having to deal with the queen who killed him.
Dawei hugged him and said:
"Be careful I can’t lose you."
"I will be I promise."
Eden looked at Qiping and asked:
"You’ll protect him right?"
Qiping looked at Eden and answered full of conviction:
"I will I swear."
He looked at Dawei and said his eyes full of love:
"I love him and I would rather die than be in a world without him."
Eden smiled and went to sit next to Gege, he lay on his shoulder looking at the couple.
Dawei stood before Qiping and murmured his face red:
"I love you too."
Qiping gaped at him, it isn’t the first time he said that he loved Dawei but he never did in the hope of hearing it back. He’s been in love with him since he first saw him but it’s different for Dawei so he knew it would take time. But he didn’t dream right he said he loved him?
"What did you say?"
Dawei wrapped his arms around his neck and said loudly:
"I love you Qiping."
Qiping felt a lump in his throat and kissed him passionately. Eden smiled at them and looked down when Haoxuan took his hand and laced it with his. Eden looked at him, and Haoxuan kissed him.
Once they reach the ground all the groups split up in different directions. Eden and Haoxuan hugged Dawei and Qiping goodbye before leaving. They walked in the front while Shangyu and Yanzhao walked in the back. They’re the only group of four which is best, the less witness there is the better. Eden followed his terminal to the entry of the tunnel. When they arrived he put a small ball and maneuvered it with remote control.
He did it multiple times until all the tunnels had one of those little balls. Eden pushed a button and a gas started to spread everywhere in the tunnels. The Sokloran-Pans could only take two steps before blacking out. They put on a mask and entered the tunnels. The gas takes 15 minutes to disperse, meanwhile, they killed every Sokloran-Pans.
They only had an hour before they woke up and the tunnels were deep. After 45 minutes they were all dead and Eden checked Versem to see where the queen was and said:
"Let’s go the queen’s that way."
While they threw the masks away Yanzhao sneered:
"I thought the Supreme Commander was Haoxuan, not you."
Eden simply looked at him with disdain and ordered:
"Shut up."
His anger could be felt from miles away which made Shangyu ecstatic. Once Eden kills the queen he’ll prove to him that he’ll do anything for them to be together including killing Yanzhao. Yanzhao looked at Shangyu thinking he would defend him but he was just following Eden with a smile. He calmed down thinking that the faster they reach the queen the faster he’ll die.
Eden walked faster when he saw the queen ahead, she was still alive but weakened by the gas. She looked human until her midsection, and the rest of her body was like an arachnid with eight legs. Her skin was all black and her eyes were covered with a white layer. Eden stood before her and maneuvered his spiritual power to infect her mind. She struggled to try to reach them but Eden had her firmly stuck in place. Once he had access to it she froze.
He walked around admiring her with a smile. Yanzhao who was feeling impatient yelled:
"Why don’t you kill her already isn’t that why we’re here?"
Eden walked to him and proposed:
"How about you do it?"
Yanzhao narrowed his eyes.
"Why?"
The one who kills the queen will be adored by the entire kingdom so it’s suspicious that Eden is giving him that opportunity. He was planning on saying that he killed the queen anyway since Eden and Haoxuan wouldn’t alive to say otherwise.
Eden said as a matter of fact:
"Because we made it here together even if it was my idea. You all deserve to shine too."
Yanzhao looked at Eden like he was looking at a moron, what kind of person says something like that? Everyone wants to be seen as a hero but that fool is willing to share the glory. No wonder he won’t make it out of those tunnels alive.
"Fine, I’ll do it."
Yanzhao materialized a sword made of spiritual energy and stood in front of the queen with a malicious smile.
He lifted his hand to strike but he turned when he was called.
"Yanzhao?"
He asked annoyed:
"What now?"
As soon as he finished that sentence his spiritual sword vanish as one of the queen’s massive legs went through his chest. He looked at them stunned, before he could say anything another leg went through him.
He groaned in pain scared to make it worst if he moved. He coughed blood and look down at his chest. The two legs were coming out on the other side, this was already painful so he couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be if he pulled them out.
He called desperately:
"Shangyu you need to help me. My important organs are enclosed with spiritual power but I won’t be able to hold on for long."
Eden looked at Shangyu and tilted his head.
"Are you going to help him Shangyu?"
Shangyu looked at Eden and knew that he would have no chance with him if he did.
Eden asked again:
"Are you going to help your boyfriend?"
Yanzhao looked at Shangyu sure that he would help him but he lost all hope when he said holding Eden’s hand:
"He’s not my boyfriend, he means nothing to me I swear. If you want me to kill him I will all I care about is you."
Tears fell on Yanzhao’s face while he looked at Shangyu incredulously. Those past few days he’s never been this happy but it was nothing more than a mirage.
He never loved him, he just used him so Haoxuan would add him to the tunnel team just like he used him to get to the ball. He felt Eden’s eyes on him and looked at him. He had a mocking smile on his face as he ordered:
"Kill him."
Yanzhao begged:
"No Shangyu please don’t, can’t you see he’s using you..."
Before he finished his head was on the ground. The queen pulled out her legs and his body fell as well.
Eden looked at Shangyu with a smile then at his Gege. He could tell he was beyond angry. Eden stood before him and leaned in to kiss him but he pulled back. He looked at him pouting. Haoxuan didn’t budge, he was surrounded by a murderous aura and his eyes were directed at the hand Shangyu had previously held. Eden pulled out a handkerchief and wiped it, when he was done he tossed it on the floor. He looked at Haoxuan through his lashes and he was a goner.
He kissed him tenderly. He can’t stand anyone touching his mate let alone someone as disgusting as Shangyu. Eden pulled back and smiled.
"You can finish him now, I’ll deal with the queen and the injured soldiers."
Haoxuan nodded. Eden bypassed Shangyu not forgetting to look at him condescendingly.
Shangyu was speechless, everything that Eden said was the truth he clearly believed that he is beneath him. Yanzhao was right he used him. He looked at Haoxuan as he advanced with a vicious smile. Not only is he going to kill the man he loves but he’ll make Eden his whether he likes it or not. A spiritual sword appeared in his hand and he looked at Haoxuan with determination.
Eden didn’t bother to look at their fight he knows Shangyu has no chance to win. He quickly killed the Queen and checked Versem and saw all the Sokloran-Pans fall to the ground. He linked Versem to his tablet and checked every soldier’s vitals through their terminal. He told everyone to keep it in their chest pocket that way the scanner he had installed on the back would be able to scan their body automatically to see their injuries.
Once he got a list of all the injured soldiers he beamed them all in a healing pod to make sure they would all survive. He sent a message to all the other soldiers left to meet near the shuttles. Eden felt someone hugging him from behind and turned around. He put the tablet down and wrapped his arms around his neck.
"I beamed all the injured in healing pods, the rest are headed to the shuttles. Are you okay?"
Haoxuan kissed his nose and answered:
"I am, let’s blow the tunnels and leave."
Eden nodded. As they walked out ley left explosives in each tunnel.
Once they were far enough Eden pushed a button. They walked hand in hand to the shuttles in a good mood. Eden looked at Haoxuan surprised when he suddenly stopped. He let go of his hand and stood in front of him. He bent down slightly, and Eden smiled. He jumped on his back and wrapped his legs around his waist and his hand around his neck.
Haoxuan held onto him and he walked to the shuttles. Once they reached the soldiers they all ran to them worried that Eden might be hurt since Haoxuan was carrying him on his back. Dawei at the head immediately asked worriedly:
"What happened? Are you okay?"
Haoxuan put Eden down and he answered:
"I’m okay I’m not hurt."
Haoxuan looked around and asked:
"Is everyone okay?"
All the soldiers nodded, and everyone could see the relief on Haoxuan’s face. That’s one of the reasons they love having him as the supreme commander, they know he truly cares for them and he doesn’t take their life lightly. They all got in the shuttles and went back to the spaceship.
Eden and Haoxuan spent the rest of their life together. He and his mother moved into the Imperial Palace when Xiaoming and Shian married. Not long after Qiping proposed to Dawei and they married as well. They were their man of honor just like at their parent’s wedding. Eden and Haoxuan were the last to marry because they were always on missions.
They decided not to have children because they would travel often and didn’t want them to be raised by someone else. They retired when they turned 150 years old, despite that no one dared to try anything against The Royeax Kingdom & Principalities because of their fierce reputation.
Haoxuan took over the throne when his father retired. He and Shian traveled the galaxy and came back at the end of their life. After saying goodbye Eden and Haoxuan became the rulers of the kingdom and they were just as loved as their parents.
Haoxuan passed away first when he was 405 years old and Eden left for Versal right after. After receiving all the power from the universe he fell asleep. He opened his eyes again 90 years later. He floated toward a red planet with a smile. He reached out for it and disappeared.
