The Imperial Marshal’s Darling at the Tip of His Heart - Chapter 30

The Imperial starship Iron Curtain concluded another short-range jump, sliding like a ghost into a strange and dangerous star region. Outside the porthole, there was no longer the empty universe or a mist-shrouded planet, but a dense zone filled with massive, oddly shaped, and slowly rotating dark asteroids. The spatial background radiation was abnormally high, and distorted light refracted between the celestial bodies, creating eerie halos. Conventional navigation signals became cluttered and weak here.

This was “The Reef” asteroid belt. It was a high-risk area marked on the star charts and the location of the coordinates obtained from the Wuyin Star ruins, suggesting the existence of another site related to the “Turbid Core.”

On the bridge’s main control screen, the environmental threat index constantly refreshed to new highs. Ling Yao stood before the command seat, his gaze sharply sweeping across the sensor data, his expression grim. Choosing to enter such a place, even for an advanced starship like the Iron Curtain, was an immense gamble.

“Reduce speed to one-third. Activate the forward obstacle clearance pulse. Concentrate shield energy on the bow and lower hull. Release high-precision probe drone swarms to scan Sector Seven, focusing on searching for non-natural structural signals.”

Ling Yao issued a series of commands in a calm voice; every order was precise and efficient. He needed to verify the guidance from the Wuyin Star data and find the ruin that likely existed here. And for this task, he could not do without that person’s ability.

Inside the medical prison cell, Yun Shu was once again forcibly awakened from weakness and pain by high-intensity medication. His face remained transparently pale, but after receiving the instructions, his eyes quickly regained a focused light. Although his body was like a damaged vessel, his brain began to operate in overdrive the moment he received the mission commands. He was allowed access to the ship’s advanced sensor network, though his clearance remained strictly limited to data reading and analysis. Even so, it was enough.

His consciousness extended through the data stream toward the chaotic and dangerous Reef belt. An overwhelming flood of information poured in: parameters of countless asteroids, gravitational fluctuations, radiation readings, and energy remnants. He cast aside all irrelevant interference, focusing entirely on searching for that faint energy signature that might share a source with the Wuyin Star etchings, or any non-natural geometric structural signals.

This process was extremely mentally taxing. Sweat once again soaked his hair, and the discomfort in his lungs forced him to suppress low coughs from time to time. However, he was completely immersed. His fingers moved unconsciously and rapidly on the virtual keyboard, marking one area after another that required priority scanning.

“Sector B-7, asteroid designated XG-12. An abnormal energy reflection has been detected on the dark side. Structural echoes indicate a large internal cavity; the entrance may be buried.”

Yun Shu’s voice came through the communication channel, raspy but clear. Ling Yao immediately deployed drones for a focused scan. Soon, high-definition images were transmitted back. On the surface of that irregular asteroid, there was indeed a massive man-made archway structure. Although it was mostly covered by cosmic dust and impact debris, its regular geometric shape was completely at odds with the surrounding environment.

“Lock the coordinates. Prepare for landing and exploration,” Ling Yao ordered, his gaze sweeping over the surveillance footage of Yun Shu. “You, what is your status?”

Yun Shu took a deep breath, suppressing the itch in his throat. “I can endure it.”

A lean exploration squad was quickly assembled, with Ling Yao leading the team personally. Yun Shu was once again required to accompany them; his real-time perception ability was vital in an unknown environment. Clad in a heavy protective suit, Yun Shu was practically supported by soldiers as he boarded the landing craft. The asteroid’s gravity was weak, but the harsh environment and his own frailty still made every step a struggle. Ling Yao glanced at him but said nothing, merely ordering the landing craft to depart.

The landing process was violently bumpy. The small craft nimbly avoided dense debris, finally hovering with difficulty before the massive archway entrance. Energy cutters cleared the debris blocking the way, revealing a deep, pitch-black passage behind. The interior of the passage was wide but dilapidated. Thick dust covered the walls, but architectural styles similar to the Wuyin Star ruins were faintly visible, though these were older and more severely damaged. The atmosphere had long since bled away, leaving a terrifying silence. The beams of tactical searchlights were the only source of light, cutting through the heavy darkness.

“Disperse and scan. Collect environmental samples. Pay attention to structural safety.”

Ling Yao issued the order, and the squad members spread out. Yun Shu leaned against a relatively stable wall, panting slightly. His face beneath the visor took on an abnormal flush due to the struggle to breathe. He focused his mind, perceiving his surroundings. The energy remnants here were very faint, nearly dissipated, but there was still a familiar cold and decaying sensation belonging to the “Turbid Core” system.

“The energy is very ancient, even more thinned out than on Wuyin Star. But the core frequency is consistent,” he reported in a low voice, his words intermittent due to weakness. “Ahead, turn right. There seems to be a stronger residual energy reaction.”

Ling Yao led the squad forward cautiously according to his guidance. The internal structure of the ruin was complex, filled with collapsed obstacles and broken corridors, looking as though it had endured a catastrophe. They eventually arrived at a relatively spacious hall. In the center of the hall was a severely damaged platform surrounded by unidentifiable instrument fragments. The walls were also covered in etchings, but most were blurred; only a few fragments could be faintly recognized.

“This place seems to be a certain control node, or an information relay station,” Yun Shu observed the remaining etchings, attempting to decode them. “The records seem to be about an energy overload: the Cradle losing control.”

Before he could finish his sentence, the entire ruin suddenly shook violently!

Rumble!

Violent tremors came from all directions, and a large amount of dust and debris cascaded from above!

“Not good! The structure is unstable! It is going to collapse!” The squad leader’s horrified voice rang out over the channel.

“Retreat! Return the way we came! Fast!” Ling Yao ordered sharply, reacting instantly.

Everyone turned and sprinted toward the exit. However, the tremors grew more intense. Massive structural beams began to snap, and heavy metal and rock fragments fell like rain. The passage was collapsing rapidly! Yun Shu’s body was weak and his movements slow; after only a few steps, he was struck in the shoulder by a falling stone, falling forward with a pained groan.

“Watch out!” A soldier cried out, trying to turn back to pull him up. But at that moment, a tooth-grinding screech erupted from the ceiling of the passage. A massive, twisted metal beam mixed with countless rocks crashed down toward Yun Shu’s position like a falling mountain!

Shadow instantly enveloped him! The chill of death rushed toward his face! Yun Shu did not even have time to react; he could only watch as the devastating weight plummeted toward him.

At the critical moment, a dark figure lunged at him with incredible speed! With staggering strength, the figure shoved him hard to the side.

It was Ling Yao!

BOOM!

The heavy collapse slammed into the spot where Yun Shu had just been. The resulting shockwave and dust instantly filled the entire passage. Simultaneously, a suppressed groan reached Yun Shu’s ears through the comms channel. He had been shoved against the side wall, leaving him dizzy and lightheaded, but he had narrowly avoided the main collapse zone.

He turned his head sharply. Through the swirling dust, he saw Ling Yao kneeling on the ground. The left arm Ling Yao had used to push him away had been pierced through by a sharp metal shard! Dark red blood was rapidly seeping from the tear in the damaged protective suit, condensing into eerie blood droplets that drifted in the low-gravity environment. In his effort to push Yun Shu away, Ling Yao’s side had also been struck by several falling rocks, leaving his suit with multiple tears.

“Marshal!” the soldiers shouted, trying to rush over, but the continuous fall of debris blocked their path. Ling Yao’s face turned pale instantly from the intense pain, and cold sweat dripped from his brow. Yet he gritted his teeth, his gaze remaining sharp and cold, even carrying a hint of fury. “Don’t mind me! Clear the passage! Fast!”

He tried to push himself up with his uninjured right hand, but the intense pain in his left arm made his movement falter. At that moment, Yun Shu’s heart nearly stopped beating. He looked at Ling Yao’s bleeding arm and pale face, and at those eyes that were constricted by pain yet remained unyielding. An extremely complex emotion suddenly seized him: shock, disbelief, and a sharp, unfamiliar palpitation. This man had actually saved him.

Without time for deeper thought, the instinct for survival and an indescribable impulse drove Yun Shu. Ignoring his own pain and weakness, he scrambled to Ling Yao’s side.

“Don’t move!” His voice broke with urgency. With trembling hands, he opened the emergency medical kit at the waist of his protective suit. This is a standard piece of equipment for every Imperial suit.

“You,” Ling Yao seemed to want to rebuke him for adding to the chaos, but the pain prevented him from speaking a full sentence.

Yun Shu ignored his gaze, checking the wound with maximum speed. The metal shard had pierced deep, nearly going all the way through. Fortunately, it had missed the main artery, but the bleeding was severe. He took out high-efficiency emergency hemostatic spray and sprayed it several times around the wound, temporarily slowing the bleeding. Then, he cautiously gripped the cold metal protruding from the arm.

“Bear with it,” Yun Shu’s voice was exceptionally low, carrying an unquestionable focus. He glanced at Ling Yao; the man gritted his teeth, veins bulging at his temples, and gave a nearly imperceptible nod.

Yun Shu pulled hard, cleanly extracting the metal shard in one motion!

“Ugh!” Ling Yao’s body shuddered violently as he let out a heavily suppressed groan of pain. More blood welled up but was quickly sealed again by the hemostatic spray. Yun Shu did not pause, taking out sterile dressing and elastic bandages to perform a pressure wrap with extreme skill. Though his fingers trembled slightly from weakness and tension, every step was precise, showing a deep foundation in first-aid knowledge. He even performed a quick check of Ling Yao’s other impact sites to confirm there were no severe fractures or internal injuries. The entire process was startlingly fast, taking no more than a dozen seconds.

Ling Yao watched this Xilan man, who was so sickly he looked as if he might cough up blood and faint at any moment, treat his wound with unimaginable calmness and efficiency. In those eyes that were usually clear and sharp but now filled with exhaustion, there was only total concentration. An extremely strange sensation flickered through Ling Yao’s heart. No one had ever been so close to him in such a protective stance, treating his injuries, least of all someone he viewed as a prisoner and a tool.

On the other side of the passage, the soldiers finally managed to clear a path.

“Marshal! The passage is temporarily stable! Let’s go!”

Ling Yao took a deep breath, suppressing the sharp pain in his arm. He used his uninjured right hand to push off the ground and stand up. Yun Shu instinctively reached out to support him, but he was brushed aside by Ling Yao.

“Worry about yourself!” Ling Yao’s voice was still cold and hard, even carrying a hint of irritation, perhaps at the fact that he was injured. Relying on his powerful willpower and physical condition, he stood up on his own. Though his steps were somewhat staggered, he remained steady. “Follow me!”

He led the way toward the exit without even looking back at Yun Shu. Yun Shu looked at his stubborn, upright, yet slightly disheveled back. He pursed his lips, suppressed that inexplicable emotion, and gritted his teeth to follow.

The group scrambled out of the nearly collapsed ruin, boarded the landing craft, and evacuated quickly. Back in the medical room of the Iron Curtain, the atmosphere was somber. Ling Yao’s wound required further surgical treatment. The military doctor nervously cleaned and sutured it. Yun Shu was pressed onto an adjacent medical bed by another doctor to check the shoulder hit by the rock and his overall condition after the excessive exertion.

Ling Yao lay on the surgical table and turned his head. His gaze passed through the busy medical officers, landing on the person in the next bed, equally pale and weak, eyes closed as he panted softly. The sharp sting in his left arm reminded him of that harrowing moment and the trembling yet exceptionally steady and skillful hands that followed. As for Yun Shu, under the influence of the drugs, he felt as if he could still feel the weight of the dark shadow lunging toward him and the suppressed, powerful groan when the metal shard was pulled out.