The Imperial Marshal’s Darling at the Tip of His Heart - Chapter 8

The abandoned shipyard was like a graveyard for titans, silent and oppressive. The towering, rust-streaked skeletons of gantry cranes pierced the murky yellow sky of Star-Shatter City. Massive starship wreckage lay scattered across land slick with oil and metal shards. The air was heavy with the thick scent of iron rust and the pungent odor of aged coolant.

Yun Shu huddled inside the torn hull of a small vessel. He forcibly suppressed a violent fit of coughing deep in his throat, which manifested as a series of agonizing spasms. Every breath brought a burning sear to his lungs and a subtle, crystalline friction within his chest. The desperate flight just now had nearly drained the meager strength he had managed to regain through the medication.

Ling Yao had seen him.

That gaze was no hallucination. It was a precise look, filled with scrutiny and amusement like a hawk locking onto its prey as it struggled through the grass.

But why didn’t he act?

Yun Shu’s mind raced, attempting to dissect Ling Yao’s intentions. Was it to toy with him? Was it confidence in absolute control? Or… was there another agenda? Perhaps Ling Yao wanted to use him to find clues that even the Empire hadn’t touched? For instance, the “Physical Isolation Zone”?

Regardless, he couldn’t stay here. Ling Yao’s “lack of pressure” was no act of mercy; it was a more dangerous hunting strategy. He had to use this brief respite to find a way forward.

He cautiously poked his head out to observe the massive ruins. This place had once been Star-Shatter City’s early center for ship repair and dismantling; though abandoned, it might still harbor usable items or unknown passages. More importantly, the chaotic metal signals and vast structures here could effectively interfere with the Empire’s vitals-scanning and tracking equipment.

He needed intelligence. He needed to know Ling Yao’s deployment, the movements of the Grabbers, and a way to leave Star-Shatter City. Since his damaged light-computer was unusable, he had to find another way to access the network.

Enduring his physical discomfort, Yun Shu moved like a ghost through the shadows of the wreckage. He avoided open ground, using twisted metal plates and broken corridors as cover, feeling his way toward the large information exchange node in the harbor district he remembered. Such places usually had dense public access ports; while high-risk, they were where information flowed most actively.

En route, he passed a half-buried old warehouse. A massive, rusted container lay overturned at the entrance. Just as he was about to bypass it, a faint electronic hum and suppressed, intermittent coughing echoed from the shadows of the container!

Yun Shu froze instantly, holding his breath, his body pressed against the cold metal wall.

“…Damn it this hellhol the signa is too weak.” A raspy voice, laced with the static of prosthetic modification, complained in a low tone. “The boss is really something making the brothers rot here… all for some sickling…”

“Cut the crap stay sharp, the Marshal’s people are nearby, don’t walk into their line of fire.” another voice replied, also kept very low.

It was the Grabbers! They had actually set up an ambush here! From their conversation, it seemed they had established a temporary monitoring point and were aware of Ling Yao’s forces operating in the vicinity.

Yun Shu’s heart leaped into his throat. With Imperial elites in front and underground wolves behind, he was caught in the middle.

“…By the way, what’s the deal with that kid? Is he worth all this trouble?” the first voice asked again.

“I heard… he’s a big shot from Xi Lan… with good stuff in his head… regarding a cure for that ‘stone disease’… The boss wants him alive; he’ll fetch a massive price, or… we can squeeze some answers out of him.”

“Tch… a Xi Lan big shot looks like that? Hiding in a place like this?”

“The man is dying; wouldn’t you fight for your life? Word is he’s so sick his lungs are practically coming out… Why do you think the bounty is for a ‘live capture’? He’s worthless if he’s dead…”

The dialogue was fragmented but revealed key information: the Grabbers had a clear objective to capture him alive for the information he likely held regarding Crystal Erosion Disease. This confirmed his previous suspicions.

At that moment, a rhythmic, faint “tick-tick” sound reached Yun Shu’s ears. He followed the sound and saw a palm-sized electronic device shimmering with a faint red light through a gap in the container.

It was a low-power signal relay in operation! It was clearly placed by the two Grabbers to maintain contact with the outside world in this heavily shielded area.

A risky idea flashed through Yun Shu’s mind. He cautiously surveyed the surroundings to ensure there were no other hidden enemies. Then, from the inner pocket of his work jacket, he fished out the last remaining miniature EMP device he had taken from the clinic. The range of this device was tiny and its duration short; it was originally intended for disrupting electronic locks or low-power weapons at close range.

He estimated the distance and angle, took a deep breath, and hurled the EMP toward the gap in the container!

Snap!

A tiny, muffled pop. The flickering red light died instantly. The voices inside stopped abruptly, replaced by harsh static.

“Shit! What happened? Why did the relay fry?!” “Check it! Is it broken?”

Taking advantage of the moment the two men inside were distracted and flustered, Yun Shu lunged from his hiding spot like an arrow from a bow, pouncing toward the disabled relay!

His target wasn’t the relay itself, but the data cable connected to it that ran along the container shell toward the deeper ruins! He grabbed the cable, and from his fingers slid the last storage chip he had kept hidden. He pressed its tip against the exposed metal contact points of the cable, stabbing and grinding it in.

He was performing an extremely crude and brief physical-contact data theft! He hoped to snag even the tiniest trace of data passing through the line perhaps a communication log, perhaps deployment info. Any scrap of intelligence could be a lifesaver.

The process took only a second or two.

“Someone’s outside!” The men in the container finally noticed the anomaly and roared.

Yun Shu yanked the chip out and, without looking at the result, turned and sprinted toward another direction, a cluster of even more massive engine wreckage!

Behind him came the hum of energy weapons charging, angry shouts, and the sparks of bullets striking metal! He dove into the complex passages of the engine wreckage, relying on his instantaneous judgment of the structure. Turning and weaving, he soon managed to temporarily lose his pursuers.

But he didn’t dare stop. The pain in his lungs was nearly suffocating, and his vision began to spin and darken.

He ducked into a cramped space cluttered with cooling pipes and collapsed.

He was gasping and coughing violently, his palm tightly clutching the chip that held a sliver of hope for intelligence.

Temporary Command Center, Assault Ship “Night Owl”

Ling Yao looked at the regional surveillance report that had just updated on the light screen.

One of the several light dots representing “Snatcher” activity at the edge of the abandoned shipyard briefly flashed intensely before its signal vanished.

The report indicated: “Short-term strong electromagnetic interference, subsequent communication lost.”

Almost simultaneously, the “Obsidian” squad patrolling nearby reported hearing brief energy weapon fire from an unknown source.

“Marshal, do we need to send someone to investigate?” the adjutant requested instructions.

Ling Yao’s fingers tapped lightly on the console, his gaze deep.

“Infighting among the ‘Snatchers’? Or has our little mouse been discovered?”

He pondered for a moment. “Have the Third Squad move in for reconnaissance. Do not intervene; only report the situation. Others, tighten the blockade lines for Sector B and Sector C.”

He pulled up the structural diagram of the abandoned shipyard, his gaze landing on the most complex engine wreckage area.

“He won’t get far. His body cannot sustain high-intensity movement for long.”

Ling Yao’s tone was certain, carrying a coldness based on absolute control.

“Focus the search on that area. Activate the life-sign trackers. Filter out signals from small animals and low-level cyborgs. Look for the weakest one.”

“Yes, sir!”

The order was issued, and the Empire’s war machine began to operate with silent efficiency once again.

Ling Yao walked to the porthole, looking out at the chaotic skyline of Starbreak City.

The figure of that Xilan ghost surfaced in his mind again. He remembered the pale chin, the clear yet resolute eyes, and that ridiculous, pitiful jumpsuit.

He was indeed curious.

What sustained a dying man to struggle so tenaciously? Was it merely to stay alive?

It didn’t seem like it. In those eyes, there was something far heavier.

The latest analysis report from the “Iron Curtain” center regarding the fragmented data strings arrived. “Initial Gene Sequence” pointed to a top-secret project that had been sealed; “Origin” might involve research into the source of the “Turbid Core” contamination; and the “Physical Isolation Zone” was marked as a remote, heavily guarded space station within the Empire’s territory: 【Tartarus】.

That place was rumored to lock away one of the Empire’s darkest secrets, inextricably linked to the “Great Contamination” outbreak.

Without the Emperor’s personal decree, even he had no right to enter directly.

Was this Xilan ghost risking his life to steal the key to 【Tartarus】? What did he hope to find there? Was it a cure for Crystal Erosion Disease, or something else?

Ling Yao’s brow furrowed slightly. The matter seemed more complex than he had initially anticipated. This sickly intruder was becoming increasingly shrouded in mystery.

He picked up the communicator and connected to the encrypted line of the Empire’s highest intelligence department.

“Give me all files on Yun Shu, the Chief Biological Architect of Xilan. No limit on security clearance; I want the most detailed version.”

He paused, then added, “Particularly regarding his health status, research direction, and recent movements.”

“Yes, Marshal. However, the core personnel files from Xilan have a very high encryption level. It may take some time to crack.”

“As soon as possible.”

Ling Yao hung up and turned his gaze back toward the massive abandoned shipyard.

No matter what you are looking for, no matter who you are. The game is about to end.

He turned and picked up the black coat draped over the back of his chair.

“Prepare a ground armored vehicle. I am going to the shipyard area personally.”

The adjutant was startled. “Marshal, the environment there is complex, and the ‘Snatchers’—”

Ling Yao interrupted him, his lips curling into a cold arc.

“I am going specifically to see what kind of mouse can disturb both my hounds and the hyenas in the gutter.”