Counterattack [Interstellar] - Chapter 4

Before long, Pei Yao no longer had the spare energy to dwell on these thoughts. Allen had released a significant amount of pheromones before losing consciousness. Earlier, Pei Yao had been too tense to notice, but now that his mind had relaxed, he discovered with a throbbing headache that Allen had triggered his Combining Heat.

Having spent his years in the Imperial Guards, Pei Yao’s life had been no different from that of an ascetic monk. He had never imagined he would ever have the honor of being in such close proximity to an unmarked Guide. The Combining Heat hit him rapidly; his pupils began to dilate, and his slender fingers trembled involuntarily. A voice in his mind reminded him incessantly: Mark him, mark him, mark him…

Pei Yao’s breathing gradually became heavy. His fingers unconsciously brushed over Allen’s soft golden hair, his fair forehead, and his delicate neck…

Gritting his teeth hard, Pei Yao suddenly shoved Allen away. He turned and scrambled toward the ventilation duct in a wretched state to switch the air purification system to maximum. As the cold wind whistled in, Pei Yao felt significantly better. Only now did he understand why Allen would rather have his lips turn blue from the cold than lower the air exchange rate. In the face of a Special Ability User’s animalistic instincts, even the slightest pheromone stimulation was fatal.

With shaking hands, Pei Yao pulled out the inhibitors he carried and injected himself with two consecutive doses. The golden dragon crouching nearby let out a dissatisfied roar. Pei Yao gave a bitter smile and looked down, gently stroking the hatchling snake on his wrist; the little snake flicked its tongue and licked Pei Yao’s palm.

A moment later, the inhibitors took effect, and the heat burning through Pei Yao’s body faded. He stood up and briefly tended to the wound on his abdomen. Just as he finished, his communicator began to flash. Pei Yao picked up, and the Captain’s excited voice came through: “Major General! We’re saved! The Victoria Lane garrison has arrived! The enemy is retreating. This is wonderful… is His Highness Allen alright?”

Pei Yao looked at Allen lying nearby and frowned slightly. After a pause, he said, “His Highness suffered a bit of a fright, but he is doing well enough.”

The Captain was completely relieved. “That’s good. Oh, right… what about the enemy troops who boarded? My display shows seven armed signatures that haven’t been disarmed. Are they still alive?”

Pei Yao looked at the enemy personnel scattered across the floor with a complex expression. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, “No. They… are already dead.”

Pei Yao hung up the communicator and carefully tucked the little snake, which was clinging to his wrist, into the folds of Allen’s collar. The little snake poked its head out curiously to look at Pei Yao. He knit his brows and whispered, “Shh…”

The little snake flicked its tail and obediently hid away. Pei Yao then stood up, drew the photon blade from his waist, and systematically slit the carotid arteries of the seven enemies.

After disposing of the bodies, he accessed the surveillance records for the West District and deleted them all. Just as he pressed the final confirmation key, the Captain and the medical staff arrived. The group stood frozen in shock at the sight of the blood-soaked floor. Pei Yao stepped forward and scooped Allen into his arms, his voice steady: “Before His Highness lost consciousness, he gave instructions. To avoid worrying His Majesty the Emperor and to prevent unnecessary panic, His Highness will not accept medical treatment for the time being. He also refuses any prying or speculation regarding his condition.”

Hearing this, Allen’s nurse grew anxious. “How can he not receive treatment in this state?! Major General Pei Yao! I hope you understand that we aren’t just curious about Royal secrets; we are simply fulfilling our duties as medical—”

“Sergeant Jones,” Pei Yao interrupted coldly, his voice dropping an octave. “I said, these were the instructions given personally by His Highness before he fainted. I do not dare to overstep, and I hope you won’t either.”

The nurse was furious. “Even if Prince Allen ordered it, we can’t just leave him be! Can you take responsibility if something goes wrong?!” The nurse took a step forward, but Pei Yao stepped back sharply. At the same moment, the giant dragon lunged in front of the nurse with a thunderous roar!

Seeing this, the Captain stepped in to play peacemaker. “Alright, alright. We’ll do as the Major General says and wait until His Highness wakes up… But Major General Pei Yao, to be fair to the accompanying medical staff, if anything happens to His Highness during this time…”

“Then I will take full personal responsibility,” Pei Yao said, his dark eyes sweeping over everyone present. “But if someone’s impulsive actions cause trouble that shouldn’t have happened, I will pursue that to the very end as well.”

The Captain shrugged and began arranging repair work via his communicator while urging those in the West District to retreat to the East District. Once everyone had left, Pei Yao finally let his strength fail him and placed Allen back on the ground. He looked at his palms; they were drenched in sweat.

The Emperor surely knew that Allen was a Guide. As for others, Pei Yao wasn’t certain. Whether it was to protect Allen or to ensure the people on the Pearl wouldn’t be “silenced” later to keep the secret, this information could not be leaked to anyone else.

Moreover, there were nearly a hundred single Sentinels on the Pearl. Pei Yao couldn’t guarantee that some wouldn’t risk their lives just to mark a Guide. Allen was only fourteen; such a thing absolutely could not be allowed to happen.

Pei Yao rubbed his brow tiredly. Once they safely reached Planet Apollo, he would likely be the first one “dealt with.” Seeing the crisis had passed, Allen’s little snake crawled out and coiled around Pei Yao. Pei Yao gave a gentle smile and tapped the snake’s head. Perhaps before long, he would die mysteriously on some mission, but until then, he still had to complete his duty.

Pei Yao hid the snake in his sleeve, picked up Allen, and brought him to the Central District.

Learning how to care for a Guide during their awakening period was a required course for every Sentinel in service. Pei Yao first lowered the temperature in the Central District, then removed all of Allen’s clothing. He found a soft blanket in the closet and carefully covered him. Checking the time, he calculated it would take about twenty more hours.

Allen’s Quantum Beast seemed tired after winding around Pei Yao for a while. The little snake moved slowly, eventually curling itself into a circle. Pei Yao carefully placed it beside Allen. A moment later, the snake nudged around and slid under the blanket with Allen, disappearing from sight.

Pei Yao stood up, turned the air exchange rate even higher, and gave himself a shot of sedative.

Eighteen hours later, Allen blinked his eyes and woke up.

The twenty-hour evolution had left Allen exhausted, but his mental strength was now dozens of times stronger than before; recovery wouldn’t be difficult. Allen struggled to open his eyes, his voice raspy: “You…”

Pei Yao, who had been resting against the control console with his eyes closed, snapped them open instantly. “Your Highness.”

Pei Yao stepped forward and handed Allen a glass of water, instructing him in a low voice: “Your brain is still fragile. Do not use your mental power extensively over the next few days. You may feel dizzy or even feverish; these are normal symptoms and don’t require medication. If you feel extremely unwell, please tell me, and I will find a solution.”

Allen drained the water and looked up slightly at Pei Yao. “The wound on your abdomen hasn’t healed yet.”

Pei Yao paused and nodded. “It has been treated. A Sentinel’s recovery ability is strong; it should be fully healed in a few days. Can you already sense my mental fluctuations?”

“I can. You… you didn’t use any painkillers…” Allen closed his eyes, slowly trying to sense Pei Yao’s mental state. He whispered, “You’re afraid of developing a dependency, and you’re afraid the drugs will affect your combat reflexes in the future.”

Allen’s mental tentacles brushed gently against Pei Yao’s mind, slowly smoothing out the agitated parts of his consciousness. Pei Yao instantly felt a wave of relief. He bowed his head. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

Allen withdrew his mental tentacles and began to dress himself, sneering, “Do you find it funny? A Prince who was burdened with high expectations since childhood has ended up awakening as a Guide.”

Pei Yao pursed his lips. “I apologize for my previous words. You…”

“Don’t pity me. Compared to those Guides who get sent to the ‘White Tower’ the moment they awaken, I’m practically lucky,” Allen said with a mocking laugh. “When I was young, I accompanied Queen Marianne several times to the White Tower to visit my aunts and cousins. Heh… getting in there is harder than attending an Imperial top-secret meeting.”

Pei Yao frowned slightly. “I know a bit about the situation at the White Tower… but it’s unavoidable. Newly awakened Guides have no self-defense capabilities, and they cannot build mental shields yet. They are easily influenced by the outside world; it’s not safe for them to live outside…”

“Your Emperor’s brainwashing is truly successful.” Allen wanted to continue his sarcasm, but remembering how Pei Yao had risked his life to protect him, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Instead, he said, “Setting aside whether a Guide can protect themselves, even if they can’t, should they be forcibly taken from their families for that reason?”

Allen’s eyes were filled with hostility. “The Empire has always used ‘protection’ as an excuse, but has anyone ever asked those Guides? Do they want to be protected? Some awaken before they are even ten years old! They have to stay in the White Tower for at least ten years before they might see their families again. By then, they’ve been educated to be as docile as sheep! Because of the submissiveness that comes with being marked, they can never leave their Sentinel—becoming a Sentinel’s lifelong appendage!”

Pei Yao regretted discussing this with Allen. Because of his maternal grandfather’s family, Allen had always been pro-Guide; now that he had awakened as one himself, his resentment was even deeper.

A body that had just evolved could not withstand strong emotional shocks. Allen had a splitting headache, yet he couldn’t stop himself. “Major General, your Empire’s Guide Protection Act is inherently deformed… stabilizing the upper echelons of society by victimizing a vulnerable group. That might have worked during the war-torn eras hundreds of years ago through heroism and sacrifice, but today, once that fig leaf is stripped away…”

Beep, beep, beep…

A sharp notification sound interrupted Allen. Pei Yao bowed his head. “Forgive me.” He went to the door to answer the comms, then turned back and whispered, “Your Highness… I am honored to inform you that we will arrive at Planet Apollo in a few hours.”

Allen felt no joy at the news. “Heh… my ‘White Tower’ is finally here.”

Since Allen had just awakened, extreme emotions could easily cause him harm. Pei Yao hesitated, then summoned his Quantum Beast. The golden dragon flicked its tail and slowly circled Allen. The dragon’s unique aura of authority helped Allen calm down slightly.

Once Allen was settled, Pei Yao asked quietly, “Time is short. I need to confirm… Your Highness, regarding the fact that you are a Guide… how many people currently know?”

A murderous intent flashed through Allen’s mind. He looked up at Pei Yao. “You, me, and your Emperor.”

This was exactly what Pei Yao had expected. He nodded calmly and said softly, “After returning to the home star, I will confess to His Majesty that I am aware of the truth.”

Allen laughed in disbelief. “Are you crazy? Are you looking for death?”

Pei Yao remained calm. “This is the most basic duty of a member of the Guards.”

Recalling Pei Yao’s previous suicidal bravery, Allen knew he wasn’t joking. The fact that he was a Guide was a ticking bomb; to protect himself, Allen had to be careful, but…

Allen took a deep breath and eventually whispered, “You don’t need to worry about this. I will personally write a letter to His Majesty explaining the previous events.”

Pei Yao bowed his head slightly. “As you command.”

Looking at Pei Yao’s expressionless face, Allen found it almost funny. Pei Yao was essentially a machine; he wouldn’t feel anger because Allen might cause his death, nor would he be moved because Allen wanted to protect him. To Pei Yao, these were simply parts of a mission.

Over the next few hours, neither spoke. Allen watched the blue planet in the distance through a virtual window. Pei Yao remained leaning against the console with his arms crossed. His giant dragon lay at its master’s feet, dozing, while Allen’s taipan snake couldn’t stay still. It wound around Pei Yao’s hand for a while, then went to cling to Pei Yao’s dragon. The dragon showed extraordinary patience with the day-old Quantum Beast; not only did it let the snake coil around its horns, but it even opened an eye to catch the snake when it accidentally slipped off, placing it back on its head. Watching from the side, Allen sighed inwardly—Like master, like beast… they are both loyal dogs.

The hours flew by. As they prepared to land, Pei Yao adjusted his military cap and saluted Allen. “According to regulations, I cannot set foot on Planet Apollo. Does Your Highness have any final orders?”

Allen looked at Pei Yao silently for a long time before saying calmly, “Come closer… there is one more thing I must instruct you to do.”

Pei Yao stepped closer as told. Allen suddenly hooked his arm around Pei Yao’s neck, looked up, and kissed Pei Yao’s lips fiercely!

For a split second, Pei Yao almost pushed Allen away out of reflex, but fortunately, his “loyal dog” blood won out over his training.

After a long moment, Allen released the Major General, whose face was flushed red. He curled his lips into a smile. “The last thing I’m ordering you to do is: don’t be too loyal to Anthony.” Allen’s gaze was firm and full of mirth. “Sooner or later… I will return to the home star and take back everything that belongs to me. Including you.”