What Huo Chao left for Pei Changyun

He looked⁠‍‍⁠​‍‍‍⁠​‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‌‌‍​​‍⁠ up, observing the silent Pei Changyun who had a hint of a regretful smile on his lips.

However, they overlooked one crucial detail—the most important one.

That is, contrary to what people believed, Pei Changyun didn’t rise to power by stepping over Huo Chao. Rather, this Human Emperor had always deeply loved Huo Chao, which is why, after Huo Chao’s death, he desperately worked hard to support the world in chaos.

Thus, using such tactics to smear him, claiming that he killed the person he loved the most, wouldn’t push Pei Changyun into the Church’s camp or turn him against the Zergs.

Instead, it would ignite the Emperor’s most intense fury and…

—His most insane revenge.

Pei Changyun covered his forehead with one hand, and the shadow cast by his palm obscured his eyes.

“They say I betrayed him… that I deceived him…”

“They say I—”

“…killed him.”

His Majesty the Emperor let out a mocking laugh.

Pei Changyun could endure Ye Shu’s hatred because he was cooperating with Huo Chao on purpose, deliberately turning against him, because this was the only way to keep Ye Shu hiding in Winter Day Planet.

Pei Changyun could also endure being called ambitious, dictatorial, and cold-blooded, even being looked down upon for having spent his youth as a beta in an alpha-dominated prison.

He could even give up being the Emperor!

But to bear the blame for Huo Chao’s death—

—Impossible!

At that moment, the cold-hearted Emperor stood up with determination.

“This meeting ends here. I need to take care of something.”

Zhou Jiuya also stood up, urgently saying,

“Your Majesty, should I return immediately—”

Pei Changyun waved his hand, his voice icy,

“No need. Stay there and await further orders!”

“…”

Zhou Jiuya was speechless, opened his mouth, and finally just replied, “Yes, sire.”

Huo Xianfeng watched all of this unfold with great interest. He finally understood why Pei Changyun could become emperor—whether it was the aura of bloodshed and killing intent when he stood up, or the ironclad decisiveness when he rejected Zhou Jiuya, these were qualities only a King could possess.

These traits had nothing to do with gender or pheromones.

It was an authority honed through centuries of political struggles and countless bloody battles. It was also the reason why Pei Changyun, as a beta, could suppress an S-class alpha like Zhou Jiuya.

The Zerg King inherits their position through genes.

Yet the Human King is selected through countless battles and intricate power games.

The Zerg King is, without a doubt, the strongest in its race in every aspect—strength, intelligence, vision…

But the Human King isn’t necessarily the same. Take Pei Changyun, for example: he’s not particularly skilled at piloting mechas, and his combat abilities are weak, but his intellect and political prowess are exceptional enough to support an Empire and ensure the prosperity of an entire race.

This is another fundamental difference between the two species.

Huo Xianfeng was gradually changing his view of the human race.

Though they are weak, they will always unexpectedly produce some truly exceptional individuals.

Buzz—

Pei Changyun’s projection disappeared.

However, despite the exchange of so much information, Huo Xianfeng still couldn’t understand one thing. He turned to Zhou Jiuya, because aside from Pei Changyun, Zhou Jiuya was the only other person who had personally experienced that great war.

“What do you know about the truth behind Pei Changyun’s transport of Gardenia Roses?”

“…”

Zhou Jiuya was actually surprised by this question. His tone was serious and somewhat sharp,

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Huo Xianfeng rested his face on one hand, lightly tapping the table with the other.

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“For example, the person Pei Changyun mentioned who told him this—who was that? Who could have made Pei Changyun believe in something so absurd, and believe it for so many years, even going so far as to write the Gardenia Roses ban into imperial law?”

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Zhou Jiuya and Ye Shu both fell silent.

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—Why?

“Tsk…”

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Because no matter how he looked at it, it made no sense. He furrowed his brow,

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But trying to wake someone from a deep coma with tea is useless.

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So why did Huo Chao tell Pei Changyun that the Gardenia Roses could attract the Zergs?

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“—It’s not meaningless!”

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At this moment, everyone’s expression froze, and they all shifted their attention to Jiang Ci.

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—Not just because he was an omega,

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So, no matter what conflicts existed between Ye Shu and Pei Changyun, or how much Zhou Jiuya was angered by Jiang Ci, they all instinctively wanted to protect him at all costs.

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“Jiang Ci—!”

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So, when Jiang Ci contradicted him, Huo Xianfeng didn’t feel offended. On the contrary, he was quite intrigued.

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The other party’s expectations softened Jiang Ci’s heart.

“My dad… three days before he passed away, he told me that if I could get along with He Zhun and become friends with him, he would teach me how to crack a code game that I’d been struggling with for a long, long time.”

“But at that time, I really, really hated He Zhun. There was no way I could become friends with him.”

This response didn’t seem to have much connection to Pei Changyun and the Gardenia Roses, but Huo Xianfeng patiently listened on.

“In the end, I didn’t become friends with He Zhun… Instead, I locked myself in my room, repeatedly trying to crack that code game.”

Jiang Ci closed his eyes.

“So, when I finally cracked it… it was already the day of his funeral.”

“…”

Zhou Jiuya was stunned.

In fact, when Jiang Jinsheng had just passed away, many people suspected that Jiang Ci had some sort of emotional disorder because he didn’t cry over his father’s death. He was so calm that it was as if nothing had happened.

Even He Zhun had cried his heart out. But as Jiang Jinsheng’s biological son, Jiang Ci seemed indifferent—so much so that it could be considered cold-blooded.

But in reality, Jiang Ci hadn’t truly understood—he hadn’t realized that his father was already dead.

He was still waiting for his father’s praise, because he had finally cracked that code game by himself.

It wasn’t until many, many years later, when Jiang Ci reflected on this, that he slowly came to understand the real reason why Jiang Jinsheng had said that to him.

It wasn’t because he really wanted Jiang Ci to immediately become friends with He Zhun.

Jiang Jinsheng knew his son very well. He knew that the task was too difficult for Jiang Ci, that it was impossible.

So, the child would definitely, stubbornly lock himself away to figure out the code on his own. He would definitely hide himself away.

In this way, Jiang Ci wouldn’t witness his father’s dying moments.

He wouldn’t have to see his father dying moments with his own eyes.

Huo Xianfeng finally understood what Jiang Ci was trying to say—because Huo Chao was the same.

Huo Chao gave Pei Changyun a glimmer of hope, telling him that as long as he had the Gardenia Roses, he could save everything.

But Huo Chao knew that Pei Changyun was allergic to pollen and would never, ever bring the Gardenia Roses himself. If he did, he would send someone else.

So, this lie was simply meant to protect him.

—Just to prevent him from witnessing Huo Chao’s death.

Only, Huo Chao hadn’t anticipated that Pei Changyun, despite his pollen allergy, would actually pilot a mecha by himself, abandoning all important duties and recklessly rushing toward him with a full cargo of Gardenia Roses.

Huo Chao did leave something behind for Pei Changyun.

But it was a lie, a deception, and also a hope.

A false hope that Pei Changyun could save Huo Chao.

And only Jiang Ci could see the secret behind this lie.

Because only Jiang Ci had experienced it himself, so he could see it clearly.

If Pei Changyun hadn’t gone that day…

He would have been just like the young Jiang Ci.

So when the whole world bore witness to Marshal Huo Chao’s heroic sacrifice,

Only Pei Changyun wouldn’t…

Only he wouldn’t have to see that person die with his own eyes.

M1zushi: let me talk again about how this novel is so goodddddddddd

the growth of HXF as he learns more about humanity???? chef’s kisssssss

a-ci’s growth??? the young boy who dealth with so much pressure from his elders, now going against them bcs he has HXF’s support :blobblush::blobblush::blobblush:

the foreshadowing????? the church is now starting to attack the emperor yet we know PCY loves HC (and Lia also knows that!)