Chapter 34: Attacked Late at Night

Wen Yuzhi woke up from a single long sleep and it was already nighttime.

He rubbed his slightly drowsy eyes, and when he started to sit up, he suddenly froze.

...Huh?

Wen Yuzhi looked at the blanket that had slipped off his body.

He tilted his head, unable to remember whether he had covered himself with it.

But when his gaze landed on the silver doll that had been moved over half the bed to end up right beside him, Wen Yuzhi could be one hundred percent certain—

That definitely wasn’t something he had done.

Someone must have covered him with the blanket and even placed the doll next to him.

...Was it Mond?

The guess had only just risen in his mind when, in Wen Yuzhi’s head, that half-asleep mumble from last night flashed by again...

“Dad.”

“......”

“.........”

“!!!”

Wen Yuzhi belatedly reacted. In shock, he clutched the corner of the blanket tightly, and the little tuft of bedhead on top of his head shot straight up.

Back then, he’d felt someone pick him up and put him on the bed, and the other person had covered him with the blanket.

Wen Yuzhi had subconsciously assumed he was dreaming about Dad, but now it seemed like that wasn’t the case...

In those blurry fragments, a length of silver hair seemed to flick past his vision.

And there was also that pair of cold, sharp, seemingly emotionless golden vertical pupils.

—It was Mansendis.

The one who carried him to bed, covered him with the blanket, and brought him the doll...

All of it had been Mansendis.

And after he called out that “Dad,” the one who answered him had also been Mansendis.

Wen Yuzhi suddenly had the urge to immediately lie back down and wake up all over again.

Unfortunately, he had already slept his fill. If his mind wasn’t exactly bursting with energy, it was at least unusually clear right now.

Moonlight outside the terrace window filtered through the gauze curtains and spilled in.

Of course, it wasn’t real moonlight.

It was a light source from an artificial moon the Saint Clan simulated for easier timekeeping.

And its presence also reminded Wen Yuzhi that it was already dark outside.

He had slept for almost an entire day.

...No wonder he felt like his head was a little woozy when he woke up.

Wen Yuzhi threw back the blanket and got out of bed. He was still wearing last night’s pajamas.

There were plenty of similar clothes in the wardrobe Mond had prepared for him.

Just the sleepwear alone came in over a hundred styles—enough that Wen Yuzhi could change every day and never run out.

At first, Wen Yuzhi had still been in the mood to pick and choose. Later on, he simply started grabbing whatever was inside. Whatever he pulled out, he wore.

This time was no exception.

Only, unlike before, this time he’d grabbed a long linen sleep robe—something that could also be called loungewear. It was a more vintage, longer style, and the wide hem directly dragged on the floor.

It was a bit too big for Wen Yuzhi. After he washed up and came out of the bathroom, he rolled the cuffs up two turns, so the light fabric piled at his wrists like puffed sleeves.

Wen Yuzhi felt that if he picked up a candlestick, he could perfectly go play the role of some little young master living in a castle.

Mm... from a certain angle, the place he was living in right now did kind of count as a castle, didn’t it?

After all, from the outside, the Saint Clan royal palace’s architecture leaned heavily toward a classical style that had once existed in human history—even the furniture and decorations inside looked similar.

Walking through it, Wen Yuzhi often got the feeling that he was a little prince.

Of course, the little prince didn’t find any candlestick he could carry around, but Wen Yuzhi still decided to go explore the castle—no, to head to the kitchen and fill his stomach.

After sleeping all day without eating, Wen Yuzhi was already starving.

And he didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but Wen Yuzhi kept feeling like he’d been getting hungry easily lately, like his body had returned to a growth phase all over again.

There were some snacks and drinks in his room, but he wanted something hot and filling.

Wen Yuzhi thought of the flour in the kitchen. Maybe he could use some flour to make noodles?

He just didn’t know whether those Gumu would still be there at night...

The corridor was silent. Only the cool moonlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows set at intervals, casting pale bands of light across the carpet.

Since Wen Yuzhi had already walked the route to the kitchen once, and considering it was nighttime rest hours, he didn’t call for Merita or Mond, and he didn’t trouble any other attendants either. He planned to go by himself.

But with his mind on other things, Wen Yuzhi didn’t pay much attention to what was ahead as he moved through the corridor.

And then, without any warning, he crashed into someone.

Or rather...

Something.

If Xi Heyan had been here, he probably would have recognized it at a glance—

These were the Padar people he’d once wiped out an entire camp of.

The Saint Clan had taken Kanirila, and the upper ranks had all fled.

As for the rest, for some reason they couldn’t be released and couldn’t be killed for now, so Mansendis had ordered them brought back as prisoners of war.

Waiting for this group of Padar people wasn’t any comfortable “house arrest.”

They were locked in a prison on Dark Tower Star, trembling every day, terrified that one day they’d be “snip”—done for.

The darkness constantly magnified the fear in their hearts. Along with the hatred they felt toward the Saint Clan who had driven them into this state, it pushed these Padar people to make a clean break and decide to jailbreak.

Just so happened, the thing they were best at was digging.

The Saint Clan had also anticipated that this group of Padar people wouldn’t behave. The prison holding them had been made from a special material with extremely high hardness. Ordinary Padar people truly had no way to escape.

But before these Padar people were captured, they had hidden a drug on their bodies.

And once they truly decided to jailbreak, every one of them chose to inject the drug into their own bodies.

After a bout of intense agony, these Padar people felt power they’d never had before. Their mental energy was abundant, and the strength in their bodies seemed to become astonishing.

Relying on that sudden, borrowed power, they burst out of the prison before the guarding Tasiya even had time to react.

And Wen Yuzhi was unlucky enough to run into one of the escape squads.

This squad of Padar people had deliberately snuck into the royal palace.

They didn’t intend to slink away like this.

After gaining strong power, the confidence that had been battered out of these Padar people came roaring back. They decided they were “fine” again. They decided they could fight the Saint Clan again.

So a few bold ones gathered together, slapped their heads, and came up with an assassination plan for Mansendis.

Their thinking was simple: while the Saint Clan’s attention was focused on chasing down those who’d fled in other directions, they would quietly infiltrate the palace, find an opportunity, and kill the Saint Clan’s king.

That way, they would not only get revenge—they would also viciously retaliate against the Saint Clan.

And these few Padar people really did have a bit of luck. On top of being cautious, they picked secluded corners the whole way. They actually managed to get into the palace.

Hardly any Saint Clan came near the kitchen. And Wen Yuzhi had come out on a midnight impulse.

Neither side expected to collide like this.

When Wen Yuzhi saw this group of Padar people, he was startled.

He had never seen creatures like them inside the palace. And these “moles” were smeared with blood and mud and who knew what else, hunching and shrinking as they crept along—suspicious at a glance.

And the Padar people were even more scared out of their minds.

They hadn’t expected to expose themselves here.

When they looked up, Wen Yuzhi’s appearance made them assume, at first glance, that he was a human.

These Padar people were baffled.

Where would a human come from, inside the Saint Clan’s palace?

But when they got a clear look at Wen Yuzhi’s pupils and hair color, one Padar person immediately cried out in shock, “That’s the Saint Clan’s royal blood!”

“Look at the hair and eyes!”

“Silver hair, golden eyes... th-this— isn’t that Salilaino?”

The moment they heard “royal blood” and “Salilaino,” every one of those Padar people felt their hearts drop.

Everyone knew the Saint Clan were terrifying— and the royal blood leading them was even more terrifying.

How could these Padar people still remember the swaggering ambitions from just a second ago? Now, just hearing the name Salilaino was enough to make them tremble, one after another.

Wen Yuzhi also vaguely picked up on what was strange about these “moles” from their exchange.

Something was off...

They didn’t look like the Gumu—like beings hired by the Saint Clan to work.

He didn’t want to judge by appearances, but these guys looked shifty and sneaky, and Wen Yuzhi couldn’t shake the feeling there was something wrong with them.

Just as Wen Yuzhi cautiously tried to use the light-brain to contact Mond and the others, the Padar people opposite him reacted, too.

“Wait—Salilaino is supposed to have only the Saint Clan king left! Then who is this?!”

“And it looks like there aren’t any of those weird weapons around him!”

The Padar people didn’t know Salilaino had gifted abilities. They only called the creations Salilaino summoned with mental energy “weird weapons.”

On the battlefield, those “weapons” were practically unstoppable.

And seeing none of them by Wen Yuzhi’s side, the wariness in their eyes dropped at once.

Hearing that, Wen Yuzhi silently cursed inside.

Sure enough, among the Padar people, a shrill voice suddenly rang out.

“He’s a cub! Grab him first! If we’ve got a royal-blood little cub in our hands, that Saint Clan won’t dare act rashly!”

With that instigation, the Padar people who had been about to back off thought—right. So what if they couldn’t bully the Saint Clan? Couldn’t they bully a cub?!

Their eyes went red as they rushed at Wen Yuzhi.

Wen Yuzhi forced down the panic in his chest. He quickly sent out a distress signal, then immediately turned and bolted toward the kitchen.

“Guji guji!”

The Gumu seemed to sense the danger arriving, too.

But instead of fleeing from fear, they charged out of the doorway, tentacles raised, gripping all kinds of “weapons” like cleavers and spatulas.

Wen Yuzhi grabbed an oil can from them.

When one Padar person lunged at him, Wen Yuzhi kept a cool face. Lifting the hem of the robe, he rolled on the spot, dodging the attack that came at him from behind.

The Padar person lost balance from the momentum and slammed to the ground.

Wen Yuzhi smashed the oil can onto the body, and right after that, the Gumu tossed a lit strip of cloth over.

With that seamless handoff, the fire flared up in an instant, and the Padar person let out a scream.

But taking down one didn’t mean the trouble was over.

Wen Yuzhi stared warily at the remaining Padar people. The sapphire necklace was still around his neck; the energy stored inside could block him from lethal danger.

It should be enough...

Enough to hold out until Mond and the others arrived.

And the rescue came even faster than Wen Yuzhi had expected.

Just as the remaining Padar people tried to charge again, a barbed tail pierced straight through their hearts.

Thump.

They collapsed to the floor, still frozen in the poses they’d had a second before.

Only, the one who appeared in front of Wen Yuzhi wasn’t Mansendis, and it wasn’t Mond and the others either—

It was an unfamiliar Saint Clan.

The uniform was similar to Alvin’s, and the tall, straight figure carried overwhelming pressure. But Wen Yuzhi’s gaze fixed on the face.

This Saint Clan had a face as cold as ice. Other Saint Clan also looked cold, but at least there was some emotional fluctuation on them.

This one, though, made Wen Yuzhi feel like he was looking at a machine with no emotions at all.

And the mannerisms were machine-like, too.

Those emerald-green vertical pupils shifted slowly from the corpses on the floor to Wen Yuzhi.

It was like sizing him up—like scrutinizing him.

And through all of it, there wasn’t the slightest expression on that indifferent face.

Wen Yuzhi didn’t dare lower his guard.

He’d just been through an attack. Now there was a stranger—an unfamiliar Saint Clan who looked, at a glance, like someone who didn’t come with good intentions. Of course Wen Yuzhi stayed cautious, carefully braced for danger.

As if done looking, the Saint Clan walked forward two steps, face cold.

The bodies on the ground in the way were swept aside with the tail like trash.

The moment the Saint Clan took two steps forward, Wen Yuzhi took two steps back.

Seeing that, the Saint Clan gradually realized Wen Yuzhi didn’t trust this approach.

No more steps forward.

Instead, the Saint Clan stopped at a distance that was enough to make Wen Yuzhi feel safer—those emerald-green vertical pupils still locked tightly on Wen Yuzhi.

The scene fell into a stiff, tense stalemate.

The ones to break it were the Gumu.

They bounced, bounce-bounce-bounce, jumping in front of Wen Yuzhi and shielding him, then “guji guji” yelled fiercely at the Saint Clan like little demons on a rampage.

Unfortunately, the Saint Clan didn’t pay the slightest attention to the tiny creatures.

At the critical moment, Mond finally arrived.

Behind Mond followed a group of palace guards. Only after seeing Wen Yuzhi was fine did the anxious look on the old chief affairs officer’s face ease a little.

Mond turned toward the unfamiliar Saint Clan and called out, “Lord Selet—thank you for not letting the little Highness get hurt.”

...Selet?

Only then did Wen Yuzhi realize the Saint Clan in front of him was Mansendis’s other adjutant—Merita’s superior, too.

Mansendis had even almost “given” this adjutant to Wen Yuzhi before.

Thinking of that old little incident, Wen Yuzhi hesitated, then chose to take the initiative and nod politely. “Nice to meet you. Thank you for saving me... Lord Selet.”

Selet only answered with a cool, indifferent “Mm.”

“This subordinate, Selet, pays respects to the little Highness.”

A salute—respectful, yet carrying a feeling of distance.

Since coming to Dark Tower Star, Wen Yuzhi had met so many Saint Clan, and had never encountered someone as cold as Selet.

So cold...

Wen Yuzhi thought silently.

Selet was already asking Mond, “What happened?”

Mond’s expression sank. “Padar people escaped, and there’s an unidentified warship approaching Dark Tower Star. I suspect this is a planned disturbance.”

“Padar people?”

Selet’s tone carried no emotion, but Mond clearly understood the meaning.

“Those Padar people were strange. Their strength suddenly became enormous, and they became abnormally violent—like they’d gone mad. Several places inside the palace were attacked. The king is handling them.”

Mond spoke while looking at the bodies on the floor, the gaze darkening.

“These are probably stragglers that slipped through.”

Selet’s tail swept out and hoisted one corpse up.

Wen Yuzhi recognized it—the one whose shout had incited the others.

And now, as Selet lifted the body, a small, round object dropped out of the corpse.

Mond took one look, and the expression turned grave.

“A mental-energy jammer.”

There were no markings on the jammer—clearly not something with a traceable public-market origin.

Selet didn’t speak.

But Selet compressed and crushed the corpse into a mangled mass.

Crack-crack—the sound of bones snapping was especially grating.

Mond’s face turned even uglier.

“Lord Selet! Please watch your etiquette! The little Highness is still here!”

How could anyone create something that bloody in front of a cub?!

Selet paused.

The tail lowered the remains back down almost reflexively.

But Mond’s expression still didn’t ease. Mond walked straight to Wen Yuzhi, draping the cloak that had been brought along over the teenager’s shoulders.

“Little # Nоvеlight # Highness, you were frightened tonight.”

Wen Yuzhi shook his head.

He hadn’t really been frightened. Those Padar people hadn’t hurt him. Besides, he knew the necklace could block attacks, and he trusted Mond and the others would find him quickly.

So from start to finish, he’d never truly panicked to the point of losing his head.

But the more obedient Wen Yuzhi looked, the more anger swelled inside Mond toward those Padar people.

It had been so hard to finally get a new royal blood.

And it was the king’s only child.

If the little Highness had truly been hurt, Mond couldn’t guarantee Mond wouldn’t personally tear off those Padar people’s heads, torsos, arms, and legs—rip them apart piece by piece, and slowly grind them down.

Selet’s methods were still too merciful.

Letting them die so quickly.

But Mond didn’t show any of those bloody thoughts in front of Wen Yuzhi.

Mond was still that kind, reliable chief affairs officer.

“I’ll escort the little Highness back.”

Wen Yuzhi didn’t move. Looking at Mond, he asked, “Can I not go back yet?”

“I want to know what happened tonight.”

The teenager’s voice was clear and soft, but the tone carried a stubborn insistence.

Mond froze for a moment, as if not expecting Wen Yuzhi to say that.

But Mond didn’t stop him, only went along smoothly. “Then I’ll take you to the king.”

As the words fell, Mond was just about to lift the little Highness up—

But someone moved faster by a step.

—Selet.

Selet had noticed the clothes Wen Yuzhi was wearing weren’t convenient.

So Selet silently picked Wen Yuzhi up.