The giant stone crashed into the sandy ground, creating a deep pit. Dust flew everywhere. In that moment, Su Cha was completely dazed.
That group of blue-haired people standing beside Emperor Sanses gave off a stark contrast—as if they didn’t belong in the same world.
Both sides appeared cold, but the coldness of the blue-haired group wasn’t due to personality—it was as if they weren’t human, but beasts.
Land had lost the calm composure expected of a marshal. He didn’t even need to speak, didn’t even need confirmation. With just one glance, he knew—that was their child from Fog Star.
At that moment, Land’s heart trembled violently. He strode quickly toward Su Cha. Li Huai instinctively tried to stop him, but seeing that not even His Majesty or Yise moved to intervene, he instantly knew—this was no trivial matter.
The two locked eyes.
The mighty Marshal of Fog Star actually knelt on one knee in front of Su Cha, his voice trembling with suppressed excitement: “Your Highness.”
The resonance in their bloodline couldn’t be faked. In that instant, Su Cha’s overwhelming emotions were transmitted to them as well.
The unfamiliar title startled him. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Su Cha had imagined many scenarios for meeting someone from Fog Star—but all of them were in the distant future. Who would’ve thought that on such an ordinary day, everything would descend upon him so suddenly?
Even the slightest change in Su Cha’s expression seemed extraordinary in the marshal’s eyes.
“Your Highness’s eyes outshine everything in the universe,” Land said in a low, poetic voice. “Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Land, Supreme Commander of Fog Star.”
“…Land… Uncle.” Despite his youthful and handsome appearance, the sheer pressure he emitted made it impossible for Su Cha to call him “older brother.”
The way he said it was soft—like a feather brushing across one’s heart. The marshal’s expression grew even gentler.
“Your Highness, come back with us. His Majesty has been waiting for you all this time.”
Seeing that Su Cha’s shock hadn’t completely faded, Land—usually sparing with words—patiently explained: “It’s a bit complicated, but you’re actually from Fog Star, and your identity is one of utmost honor.”
Su Cha had always known he was from Fog Star. What he didn’t understand was: “Why call me ‘Your Highness’?”
The soldiers behind Land looked like they were dying to explain but held back, not daring to interrupt while the marshal spoke.
Land smiled: “Have you never noticed? Sometimes, you feel unfamiliar emotions suddenly flooding in.”
Su Cha widened his eyes—not only had he felt them, but more than once.
A stifling wind swept by, and a lock of Land’s blue hair brushed against Su Cha’s palm. Su Cha instinctively grabbed it. “But we…”
Knowing what he was about to ask, Land gently explained: “Silver hair is a trait of a returning to ancestor—an ancient bloodline. It signifies that you are the destined heir to the throne.”
“….”
After the military and investigation departments, the things Su Cha was set to inherit was snowballing—larger and larger—and now it had rolled all the way to the throne.
He instinctively looked toward Sanses, thinking of how the emperor spent his days juggling the balance of various departments, managing affairs, sometimes even personally leading troops into battle. Just the thought of it made Su Cha feel suffocated.
This d*mned system… Su Cha couldn’t help but clench his fingers. When it should be generous, it was stingy. When it should be cautious, it was reckless.
—-You possess legendary potential.
Only now did he begin to understand the weight of that statement.
Land, misinterpreting the gesture as nervousness, gently reassured him: “Once we return, we’ll explain everything clearly to Your Highness.”
“Just call me Su Cha.”
Like being called a “Treasure Boy,” the title “Your Highness” was simply too much for him to bear.
At that moment, Xie Rongjue stepped forward with a smile: “No need to rush.”
Every move he made reflected the emperor’s will—words that the emperor couldn’t say directly had to be voiced by him.
But the marshal’s attitude did a full 180. The moment he heard that, his eyes turned cold: “Who do you think you are, to command me?”
Diplomatic relations were now clearly off the table. There was no need to be polite anymore.
Still smiling, Xie Rongjue narrowed his eyes slightly. His killing intent was restrained, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there.
Sensing the growing tension and worried things would spiral, Su Cha hurried to speak before they could escalate: “He’s my guardian.”
Both Xie Rongjue and Land were stunned.
“That’s right. He’s my guardian here.”
With that identity at least, Fog Star would hopefully restrain themselves out of regard for him and not cause a scene in public.
Land stood up, locking eyes with Xie Rongjue: “Guardian?”
Aside from the king himself, no one else in the world was qualified to be the little highness’s guardian. His killing intent only deepened. But for Su Cha’s sake, he restrained himself.
This child’s existence—being found again—was an unexpected gift from the universe. Land wanted only to give him the best of everything, not let him feel even a shred of displeasure.
Plenty of people had submitted guardian applications here. Directly ahead was Li Huai; to the side, Yise; nearby, the Principal. All of them had once been candidates.
Following a shared-risk strategy, Xie Rongjue was about to explain further—but Yise beat him to it with a calm remark: “Guardian angel, step forward.”
“…”
Xie Rongjue silently added another grudge against the military department. His expression unchanged, he nodded and accepted the identity.
He was skilled at navigating complex politics and continued smoothly: “Su Cha has already entered the shallow awakening phase. Barring any accidents, he will attempt his final awakening before the end of the month.”
“At such a critical stage, a sudden return, environmental changes, and potential incompatibility with Fog Star’s conditions—all of that would lower his chances of success. Whether it’s worth the risk, your nation will have to decide.”
The Fog Star delegation, including Land, furrowed their brows to varying degrees.
Was the little highness… really that outstanding?
They had thought his excellence was like a mountain—solid and steady. They hadn’t expected it to break through the sky.
Land’s eyes were full of deep concern. How had such a person experienced multiple breakthroughs already?
He asked gravely: “Has Your Highness been living in constant hardship all this time?”
Su Cha answered honestly: “Actually, I just fainted twice when nothing much was happening, and then I awakened.”
Aside from the Fasite incident, that really was how it went.
When Land expressed deep doubt over that statement, Xie Rongjue continued, “His Majesty had originally arranged in secret to have him sent to the energy room soon. It can help him improve his physical condition.”
Upon hearing this, Su Cha raised an eyebrow, unable to tell if it was truth or a lie.
Sanses’s dignified voice finally rang out again: “From here to Fog Star, the round trip takes quite a bit of time.”
Everyone understood implicitly: if there were any further delays on the interstellar battlefield, his final awakening might end up taking place on the battleship.
The marshal’s blue eyes now showed both comfort and regret.
They had missed too much of this child’s growth.
Any relatively developed planet would set up energy rooms—but Fog Star didn’t have one. They rarely needed meteor sand and were seldom involved in interstellar conflicts.
“Fog Star doesn’t accept favors without repayment,” Land said coldly. “We will send equivalent resources afterward.”
Sanses waved it off casually. “Just a single quota, that’s all.”
He had already arranged everything in private from the start.
The marshal bluntly suggested Su Cha enter the energy room as soon as possible—preferably today.
But this time, Sanses outright refused. “He’s not in the right state.”
Land frowned slightly. Catching a glimpse of Su Cha’s still somewhat dazed expression, he realized he was being too hasty. Too much had happened in one day—the child needed time to adjust.
At that moment, the minister in charge of foreign affairs stepped forward at the perfect time. “The banquet hall is already set with a top-tier feast. If you’re interested afterward, there will be someone to guide everyone on a tour.”
“No need. We’ll look around here,” Land said expressionlessly, proposing to tour the school. “It’s a good chance to understand the young highness’s past living environment.”
Su Cha’s first reaction was to refuse. “I think—”
“Very well,” the foreign minister responded.
He didn’t see anything wrong with the proposal. As the most prestigious school that every youth in the empire dreamed of attending, every facility at the affiliated school was top-class. He agreed immediately.
Thinking of the student dorms he passed earlier, Land said, “Let’s start with the living quarters, then.”
Su Cha: “I think—”
Foreign minister: “Very well.”
“……”
Fog Star people were always swift and decisive. Land strode ahead quickly, relying on memory for direction. Su Cha stiffly looked up at the foreign minister and asked, “Do you hold a grudge against this country or something?”
The foreign minister didn’t understand.
Worried that something uncontrollable might happen, Su Cha had no choice but to grit his teeth and follow. Midway, he suddenly turned back and signaled with his eyes to Ji Tianjin to come along.
That look was full of despair. Ji Tianjin thought for a moment, then decided to join the group.
As the high-ranking figures left one by one, on the sports field, the students finally snapped out of their daze, mouths gaping in shock.
“His—His Majesty…” One student finally managed to get the words out, trembling with excitement. “That’s really His Majesty, right?!”
Rong Shao and the others were, of course, focused more on Su Cha, their attention drawn to the repeated “little highness” from the Fog Star entourage.
“D*mn,” Rong Shao took a deep breath, finally coming back to his senses. “Su Cha is from Fog Star?”
Thinking back now, Su Cha’s spiritual power really was different from theirs—too gentle and refined.
Wu Shui found it unbelievable. “And he’s got such a noble status. Doesn’t that mean Su Cha could be the future Fog Star King?”
These students completely lost the heart to attend the next class and quickly spread the shocking news to everyone they knew—some couldn’t even type properly in their excitement: [Su Cha. Heir. Fog Star. Got it?!]
The news spread like wildfire. Whether it was Sanses’s arrival at the school or Su Cha’s identity, the once-quiet campus instantly erupted. Some students even considered skipping class—risking disciplinary action—just to catch a distant glimpse of His Majesty.
Unlike the nearly hysterical students, Su Cha walked with his head down in the large group.
A slender finger quietly reached toward Ji Tianjin’s palm, slightly trembling. Ji Tianjin gently held it, giving warmth: “Don’t be afraid.”
Given the current situation, at least neither Fog Star nor Galan Star intended to harm Su Cha.
Su Cha curled his finger to tap Ji Tianjin’s palm in thanks—bro, appreciate it, but he needed to write.
After thirty seconds of tickling his palm, Ji Tianjin finally understood and let go.
Su Cha exhaled in relief. With so many strong spiritual powers present, verbal communication was out of the question. He hurriedly gestured:
[Later, just go straight to your dorm. Say that’s my place.]
Ji Tianjin raised an eyebrow—didn’t quite get it, but stepped closer and, while no one was looking, quietly slipped his door card into Su Cha’s pocket.
They were now only a hundred meters from the dormitory building.
Once inside, Su Cha quickly stood by the elevator, preparing to go straight to the top floor. At least the big suite upstairs could make it seem like he lived well.
The foreign minister was puzzled. “Isn’t it just the third floor? You can just take the stairs.”
Everyone knew Su Cha lived on the third floor—the fact had broken a decade-long streak of high-level dorm assignments. The elevator was currently on the 13th floor and would take a while to come down.
Su Cha’s hand trembled as he held the door card.
Sanses and the marshal had already gone upstairs. Su Cha deliberately lagged a step behind, fell silent for a moment, then looked at the foreign minister and mouthed four words slowly to Yise: “He is a spy.”
No room for argument!
You really couldn’t blame the foreign minister—he knew little about this semi-isolated planet. He had assumed Land’s outrageous questioning earlier was just nitpicking, a way of venting frustration at someone trying to pass off a fake heir.
Who could’ve imagined Fog Star’s spoiling of their young ones had reached nearly pathological levels? Galan Star’s way of thinking was always empire-driven: if the empire provides the resources, it’s up to you to fight your way up. In short, wolf-pack mentality. Every strong planet in the interstellar era operated like this.
Even the lowest-level student dorms were outfitted like a decent university. No normal person would think there was anything shameful about it.
As the foreign minister’s logic reassured him, the group’s footsteps reached the final steps of the third floor.
The dim hallway concealed everyone’s expressions—and also the clenched fists of the Fog Star delegation. As the administrator, Li Huai had keys to any dorm below the fifth floor. When the lock clicked open, Su Cha could only pray that the system had exaggerated Fog Star’s description…
…like maybe that multi-hundred-square-meter bed for group dance.
Li Huai opened the door. The 15-square-meter room could be seen end-to-end at a glance. The dorm was clean: every book on the desk was arranged by size, the floor gleamed, flowers on the balcony swayed in the wind—it was small but cozy.
But a closer look revealed that the vibrant Overlord flower was devouring any small insect that flew by—some mosquitoes were poisoned before even getting close. On one side of the desk was a half-mixed formula designed to make strange beasts go into heat. On the other was an unidentified perfume mid-fermentation.
It was like a death lab.
But the Fog Star people couldn’t see it—their eyes had their own agenda.
The marshal’s face turned terrifyingly dark. The soldiers behind him used every ounce of restraint to stop themselves from drawing their weapons. In their hearts, only one thought remained:
Their delicate, frail little highness was actually living in the slums!
