Chapter 64: Defective

Before leaving, Wen Yuzhi still took that note with him.

When he stepped out of the nursery, he saw that Mansendis was still holding a brooch.

Gold... shaped like a scale...

Wen Yuzhi recognized it as the brooch that symbolized Salilaino status. Alvin had mentioned it before—every royal-blood member had one. It was part of their identity.

And the one Mansendis had owned had already been given to Wen Yuzhi by the silver-haired sovereign.

So this extra brooch, combined with where they were right now, almost certainly belonged to the Saint Clan’s former queen, Tasiya.

Mansendis had come here for this very reason—to retrieve the brooch.

Wen Yuzhi only glanced at it and didn’t pry into why Mansendis needed it.

He walked slowly to Mansendis’s side, dragging the little wings on his back as he reached out, making a clear “pick me up” gesture.

“Dad. Up.”

Clearly, Wen Yuzhi had already started learning how to be willful.

Mansendis put the brooch away, then lifted the cub who was reaching up at Mansendis’s feet.

Mansendis set Wen Yuzhi on one shoulder.

The spot the cub stayed most often these days.

“We’re leaving.”

Only after Wen Yuzhi sat steady did Mansendis speak.

Wen Yuzhi looked back into the room behind them. Mansendis had noticed, too—the note on the doll was gone. But Mansendis didn’t comment. Instead, Mansendis asked, “Anything Zhizhi wants to take?”

There were plenty of toys in that nursery. What Mansendis meant was simple: if Wen Yuzhi liked it, Wen Yuzhi could take anything inside.

But Wen Yuzhi shook his head. “Nothing I want to bring.”

Let them stay here.

No matter what Tasiya’s purpose had been when Tasiya raised a royal-blood heir, just from how carefully the room had been arranged, it was obvious that, at least in the beginning, Tasiya might have once looked forward to this little life arriving.

But for Wen Yuzhi...

Wen Che and Madam Jilanya were already in Wen Yuzhi’s heart. Mansendis was, too—along with Mond and the others.

Wen Yuzhi wasn’t lacking love anymore. Compared to carrying these things around, it was better to leave this room as it was.

Mansendis didn’t interfere with the cub’s choice. Seeing Wen Yuzhi truly wasn’t taking anything else, Mansendis had the bone spines close the door again.

Then they went down the stairs.

When they passed the painting, Wen Yuzhi couldn’t help speaking softly. “Can I look? Just once?”

Wen Yuzhi wanted to see the royal-blood member who shared blood with Mansendis.

Mansendis’s steps paused. Mansendis was silent for a moment.

Just as Wen Yuzhi thought the silver-haired sovereign wouldn’t agree, Mansendis said, “You can.”

Then Mansendis brought the cub to the portrait.

Wen Yuzhi climbed down from Mansendis’s shoulder and lifted the white cloth covering the painting.

The portrait was finally fully revealed.

The female royal-blood member in the painting had stunning silver hair, long and curled. The shape of her brows and eyes did resemble Mansendis’s—faintly—but the overall style was completely different.

The same kind of brows and /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ eyes, on Mansendis, gave off a distant, indifferent, icy chill.

But on Tasiya, they were bold and bright. Like a rose bristling with thorns—blazing open, regal and dazzling.

It looked like the painting captured her just as she’d come down from a battlefield. She was still wearing a crisp combat uniform, and a silver spear stained with blood had been tossed at her feet.

Even though it was only a painting, even though it was from so long ago, when Wen Yuzhi looked at it, Wen Yuzhi could still feel the arrogant, careless killing intent in that woman’s gaze.

And yet Wen Yuzhi didn’t feel much fear.

With Mansendis beside Wen Yuzhi, let alone a portrait—if the royal-blood member in the painting appeared in front of Wen Yuzhi for real, Wen Yuzhi still wouldn’t be afraid.

And though Wen Yuzhi had said “just once,” after Wen Yuzhi learned what Tasiya looked like, it was like Wen Yuzhi lost interest in the painting.

Wen Yuzhi climbed back onto Mansendis’s shoulder.

“Dad, let’s go.”

As Wen Yuzhi spoke, Wen Yuzhi let out a tiny yawn.

Outside, the sky had already darkened.

But because so many gemstones were embedded throughout the castle, even without any lights, it was still bright as day inside.

Still, Wen Yuzhi was getting sleepy. Wen Yuzhi sat obediently on the silver-haired sovereign’s shoulder, one small wing pressed tight against Mansendis’s neck.

Sensing the cub’s drowsiness, Mansendis didn’t linger any longer.

It was a painting.

Beside the figure in the painting, the roses looked especially vivid red.

Because Mansendis knew exactly what that meant.

It was the day Tasiya launched the coup.

That day, Tasiya killed Brand’s father.

That enormous Salilaino died right in the palace’s rose garden.

Blood soaked the soil of the entire flowerbed, and the roses blooming there, after absorbing the blood of the Saint Clan’s former sovereign, became even more lush and brilliant.

And that night, every rose in the palace bloomed.

............

“All the best stories are on Jinjiang Literature City.”

The second time they arrived at the port, Wen Yuzhi saw the Thanatos again.

It was so massive it took up nearly half the port.

From high above, looking down, the Thanatos standing quietly on the docking pad looked exactly like a sleeping black dragon.

It was only now that Wen Yuzhi learned this port also belonged to Mansendis privately.

When they arrived, the entire starport was under lockdown.

Rows upon rows of Saint Clan soldiers, perfectly equipped, stood in strict formation guarding both sides of the gangway.

When Mansendis appeared with Wen Yuzhi, those Saint Clan soldiers all saluted.

The silver-haired sovereign passed them in calm composure and walked forward.

But Wen Yuzhi turned back with a bit of curiosity.

Right as the Saint Clan soldiers lifted their heads, Wen Yuzhi met their eyes.

Wen Yuzhi froze for a beat—then pressed Wen Yuzhi’s lips together and, very quietly, blinked at them.

Now it was the Saint Clan soldiers’ turn to freeze.

But before they could react, the hatch door slowly closed, and the little Highness’s figure disappeared from sight.

Leaving behind a group of Saint Clan soldiers still dazed and blank.

All that ran through their minds was:

The little Highness looked at me just now!

Meanwhile, Wen Yuzhi had already followed Mansendis into the Thanatos.

Alvin walked over and reported first. “No traces of storm clusters detected. The magnetic field is normal, all parameters are within range. If nothing unexpected happens, we should reach Esoris tomorrow afternoon.”

Only after speaking did Alvin look to Wen Yuzhi sitting on Mansendis’s shoulder.

“Would the little Highness like to eat first? The Gumu have already arranged dinner.”

In truth, the moment they boarded the warship, the Gumu had taken over the kitchen with a forcefulness that didn’t match their size at all.

Then they plunged straight into washing, chopping, and cooking at full speed.

When Wen Yuzhi and Mansendis entered the dining room, the table was already covered in all kinds of dishes.

All of it was the Gumu’s work.

Wen Yuzhi reached out and patted those soft, jelly-like round bodies.

“Thank you.”

“Guji guji!”

After Wen Yuzhi thanked them, the Gumu grew even more excited.

And when Wen Yuzhi sat down in the same spot again, the feeling was completely different from last time.

The last time Wen Yuzhi ate with the silver-haired sovereign here, Wen Yuzhi had been careful about everything.

Even with a whole table of food, Wen Yuzhi had only dared to pick cautiously at whatever was closest.

But now Wen Yuzhi tugged on Mansendis’s sleeve and pointed at the plate of fish in the middle. “I want that.”

Alvin immediately moved the fish in front of Wen Yuzhi, while Mansendis used a knife and fork to separate the fish into small pieces and set them onto the cub’s personal little plate.

A bone spine brought over warm milk as well.

By the time the meal ended, nearly every Saint Clan member present had been orbiting the cub nonstop.

As the last drop of milk went down, Wen Yuzhi was completely sleepy.

Wen Yuzhi had visited Woke in the morning, then spent the afternoon packing in the room, then immediately followed Mansendis to Thorn Castle. The day had been packed from start to finish, and with a cub’s stamina, making it this far was already the limit.

Seeing that, Mansendis lifted the cub from the small chair and went straight to the room Wen Yuzhi had stayed in on the warship before.

Mond had prepared it in advance.

Considering the little Highness might be more familiar with the old layout, Mond hadn’t moved anything—only cleaned and tidied, and added the cub’s commonly used palace items.

Including Wen Yuzhi’s usual toiletries.

Mansendis carried the cub into the bathroom.

Even though Wen Yuzhi was very sleepy, Wen Yuzhi still wobbled on the floor, insisting that washing up was something Wen Yuzhi would do alone.

Mansendis set everything out, tested the water temperature, and only after confirming it was fine did Mansendis step out.

Wen Yuzhi washed fast—clean and sweet-smelling, even Wen Yuzhi’s hair and the feathers on Wen Yuzhi’s wings carrying the scent of body wash.

The moment Wen Yuzhi walked out, Mansendis wrapped Wen Yuzhi in a blanket, wiped Wen Yuzhi down quickly, then placed Wen Yuzhi into the drying box. Warm air blew until the water in Wen Yuzhi’s hair and wing feathers was dried away.

The process took a long time. Wen Yuzhi almost fell asleep waiting, but in a daze still remembered that sleep was something to do in bed.

When Wen Yuzhi finally stepped out of the drying box and sensed that familiar presence approaching, the cub—eyes barely able to open—instinctively leaned over, almost tumbling straight into the silver-haired sovereign’s palm.

After stumbling, Wen Yuzhi just stayed sprawled there, rubbing at Wen Yuzhi’s eyes with one hand while mumbling drowsily, “Dad... sleepy...”

“Almost done.”

Mansendis quickly cupped the cub up and grabbed the bottles and jars needed for the cub’s care.

And this was the first time Mansendis had cared for the cub without Mond’s help nearby. For a moment, Mansendis was genuinely flustered.

Luckily, the bone spines assisted from the side, so nothing went too wrong.

By the time the lotion was applied and the feathers were combed, more than half an hour had passed.

Mansendis also realized the cub who’d been talking about sleeping with Dad had already fallen asleep first.

Wen Yuzhi lay on Mansendis’s lap, silver hair spilling down and covering that snow-white, soft little face, rising and falling with each breath.

Mansendis couldn’t help reaching out and touching that soft cheek. There was still a bit of childish baby fat.

When the cub grew up, that baby fat would fade, and the cub would become a refined, beautiful teenager.

And thinking of that, Mansendis inevitably fell into the same dilemma every parent in the world had.

To want the child to grow up quickly—

And at the same time, to want the child to stay this small, able to hide beneath their wings, to lean against their arms and never go anywhere.

If it were Mansendis from before, Mansendis would have snorted at such nonsense. Mansendis never wasted time or energy on something so dull.

But now, Mansendis often had these worries—worries Mansendis once dismissed.

If possible, Mansendis wanted the time spent with the cub to last a little longer.

At the very least, Mansendis wanted to see Mansendis’s child grow up with Mansendis’s own eyes.

—

After a long time, Wen Yuzhi dreamed again.

Wen Yuzhi didn’t know if it was because of the trip to Thorn Castle, and hearing about Tasiya, but in sleep, Wen Yuzhi felt like Wen Yuzhi had returned to that cramped, dark space again.

Only this time, Wen Yuzhi felt cold.

The constant heat that had streamed in from outside before seemed to have disappeared.

Wen Yuzhi curled up, but it was useless. The temperature kept dropping, and the place Wen Yuzhi was in grew colder and colder.

Wen Yuzhi began struggling, trying to get out, but the “walls” all around were thick—so thick. No matter how hard Wen Yuzhi pounded, Wen Yuzhi couldn’t break through.

Then Wen Yuzhi heard footsteps outside.

A group of people.

They were getting closer, and their voices became clearer.

“Move it. Before those Saint Clan people even realize what’s happening, get all this stuff out!”

“...Boss, are we really not gonna get caught by the Saint Clan doing this?”

“What are you scared of? They can’t even handle their own mess right now. After tonight, whether those royal-blood members live or die isn’t even guaranteed...”

“Boss, you mean...?”

“Quit talking and grab everything! The client put up a fat bounty. Once we cash this, we’ll never have to do this again!”

They cursed as they talked, rummaging through things like they were turning a place upside down.

From their tone—and words like bounty—Wen Yuzhi vaguely felt these weren’t good people.

Wen Yuzhi stopped moving and shrank carefully into a corner, hoping they wouldn’t find Wen Yuzhi.

But the wish still fell through.

Very soon, one set of footsteps came straight toward where Wen Yuzhi was.

Next, Wen Yuzhi heard someone shout loudly to companions, “Come look! There’s a ton of crystals here—and there’s an egg on top!”

When the person everyone called “Boss” came closer, that person gasped. “This is Dragonblood Stone! So the rumors were real—the Saint Clan really hid a Dragonblood Stone vein in their royal capital!”

The moment those words fell, everyone’s breathing turned heavy.

They didn’t know what Dragonblood Stone was, but from how serious the Boss sounded, it was obviously worth a fortune.

Then they looked at the egg placed on top of the Dragonblood Stone.

“Then this egg...”

“The client said it doesn’t matter what it is. Take it.”

The instant the words fell, Wen Yuzhi felt Wen Yuzhi—along with the “shell” around Wen Yuzhi—lift into the air.

It seemed Wen Yuzhi was tossed into a box, swaying and jolting all the way.

With the cold, Wen Yuzhi didn’t feel good at all.

Wen Yuzhi didn’t know how long it went on. By the time the jostling made Wen Yuzhi feel dizzy, Wen Yuzhi was finally set down somewhere more stable.

But by then Wen Yuzhi was already very weak. Long exposure to cold and violent shaking left Wen Yuzhi feeling miserable.

Wen Yuzhi didn’t even have the strength to move anymore—only faintly heard voices outside again.

But this time, the voices were different.

It was the “Boss,” and a stranger’s voice.

“Everything from there is here.”

“Mhm.” The stranger answered lazily.

Compared to the other items, the stranger seemed more interested in Wen Yuzhi... no, in the shell Wen Yuzhi was inside.

“So this is the ‘Royal Cocoon’?”

The Boss replied, “We searched every corner like you said. When we found it, it was sitting right on top of that pile of Dragonblood Stone.”

“Then it’s right. Saint Clan royal blood can only hatch on Dragonblood Stone. Looks like they really were about to make it work...”

What they said after that, Wen Yuzhi couldn’t hear clearly anymore.

In the cold, Wen Yuzhi slipped into a brief coma.

Wen Yuzhi thought that if Wen Yuzhi passed out, Wen Yuzhi would wake up from the dream.

But in the dark, some force seemed determined to drag Wen Yuzhi back into it.

Wen Yuzhi woke up—

And was still in that dark place.

“All the best stories are on Jinjiang Literature City.”

“Begin the mental energy test.”

It was still that stranger’s voice.

Someone asked, “Adjust it to what level?”

“Maximum.”

“Straight to maximum? I’m worried...”

“Relax. These Saint Clan are far stronger than you think. We finally got a Salilaino sample—don’t you want to know where the limits of Saint Clan royal blood really are?”

A bad feeling rose in Wen Yuzhi’s chest.

And sure enough, the next second, a piercing, ear-splitting wave exploded right beside Wen Yuzhi.

Wen Yuzhi couldn’t help clamping both hands over Wen Yuzhi’s head.

But the wave went straight into the brain. Wen Yuzhi’s skull buzzed like it was splitting open, and searing pain hit in an instant.

It hurt so badly tears streamed down.

The wave lasted for a long while before it finally stopped.

“What’s going on? No mental energy detected?!”

“It’s... the instruments didn’t scan any trace of mental energy at all...”

“......”

Silence fell over the room. After a long time, that person spoke with faint disappointment.

“So it’s just a defective product?”

“Then, Doctor, do we keep going?”

As they spoke, hurried footsteps sounded outside again.

“Bad news! Someone leaked to the media—there are people everywhere outside the institute!”

“How the hell did the media find out?!”

“Looks like it was on His Majesty Bernard’s side... they didn’t keep an eye on things, and that woman got away...”

“Then what do we do now?”

It was obvious—everyone present panicked.

Only the one they called Doctor stayed unhurried. “Save all experimental data and take it with you. Any test subjects you can take, take them. Anything you can’t take, destroy it. Find a few people to stall the media. Within half an hour, all researchers must evacuate.”

“Then this Royal Cocoon...”

Someone still hesitated over how to handle Wen Yuzhi’s side.

And that person said coldly, “Useless defective product. Dispose of it. No traces—don’t let the Saint Clan find out.”

Those words became the last thing Wen Yuzhi heard before awareness vanished.

Wen Yuzhi heard footsteps coming toward Wen Yuzhi.

Wen Yuzhi knew they were going to destroy Wen Yuzhi. Wen Yuzhi tried to flee, but was trapped in that tiny place.

In terror, Wen Yuzhi jolted awake from sleep.

The instant Wen Yuzhi woke, the words were still spilling from Wen Yuzhi’s mouth:

“I’m not defective...”