Invasion - Chapter 143

Chapter 143

The announcement of the heir’s coronation ceremony came suddenly, yet it was still grand and solemn. All television programs in the empire were suspended.

Every channel broadcast content related to this ceremony. It was incredibly lively.

The hosts before the camera were passionate, incredibly excited, calling it the empire’s grandest celebration.

The festive atmosphere continuously intensified. The screen occasionally switched to the beautifully decorated streets of the empire, filled with balloons and flowers, where people’s eyes were filled with tears, everyone expressing their gratitude to the White Tower, to the Queen, and their joy that the empire had an heir.

A passerby being interviewed had tears streaming down his face. The impeccably dressed gentleman wiped his tears before the camera, “The glory of the empire continues. The thought that we can still live happily under God’s protection fills me with emotion. Thank you, White Tower.”

Nobles, in their exquisite formal wear, jewels and jade ornaments clinking, waited in the auditorium. The Royal Guard sentinels, in their military uniforms, stood guard on both sides, each one energetic and valiant.

The Guides in the academy, in their pure white dresses, led by the principal, sang hymns.

Throughout the entire empire, whether in the prosperous noble district, the impoverished slums, or the harsh and difficult outposts, everyone watched this grand ceremony, on screens, luxurious or dilapidated.

The palace at the top of the White Tower was Her Majesty's private residence, the most mysterious and majestic place in the empire, rarely appearing before the public.

And today, that sacred hall finally revealed a corner of itself before the camera.

Under the gaze of millions, the high dome, the exquisite murals, the pure white jade pillars appeared before the citizens of the empire.

A long, crimson carpet was laid out in the vast hall.

That bright red, in the pristine hall, extended, covering the jade steps, all the way to the foot of the throne.

A young woman, in a luxurious dress, knelt on the red carpet.

Before the cameras, a pair of pale hands reached down from the throne, placing a crown, a symbol of the heir, on the girl’s head.

The ceremony complete, the bell tolled.

Under the bright sun, a salute boomed. A scene of prosperity.

In a dilapidated fishing village, the villagers gathered before a black and white television, curiously watching the beautiful young woman receiving the crown on the screen.

"Such a beautiful big sister, will she be the new Queen from now on?" A young child asked the old woman beside her.

"That’s probably what it means, a beautiful princess,” the elderly great-grandmother patted the girl’s head.

They lived very far from the White Tower. The Queen and the heir, to these poor people, were distant figures, almost like characters from legends.

The elderly grandmother, her eyes squinting, thought for a moment, vaguely recalling having seen a similar scene in her childhood.

The same long red carpet, the white walls, the aged hand, and the beautiful heir.

In the current empire, very few people lived to her age.

Most people's lives ended when they were still young. Presumably, not many people still remembered that ceremony, which had been almost identical to this one.

Even she could no longer clearly recall the appearance of the heir from back then, she only remembered that it had been a beautiful princess.

Her Majesty always wore a veil and rarely appeared in public.

The only thing the elderly woman knew, was that no matter who sat on the throne, the lives of lowly commoners like them wouldn't change much.

The taxes they had to pay were still heavy, the burdens of life still crushing.

The contaminated zones were still expanding, deviants appearing in the wilderness, devouring humans at will, young children dying constantly.

There wasn’t a path to survival anywhere, no hope in sight, like they were all trapped in a cage. No matter how hard they struggled, they were all just poultry, waiting to be slaughtered.

The old grandmother sighed softly.

Her young great-granddaughter beside her was very excited, jumping up and down.

"I think I’ve seen this big sister before," she said with certainty, "This big sister and a sentinel big brother came to our village, she even gave me a piece of candy.”

The adults didn’t believe the child’s nonsense. But her peers believed without a doubt.

The girl went to find her companions, who all nodded.

"Yes, I remember her too, I had the most delicious pastry for the first time in my life that day."

"She wasn't dressed so beautifully back then, but it was definitely this big sister."

"She also took Brother Xiao Mu to the military camp.”

"What was her name? I remember, she seemed to be called… Guide Lin."

At this moment, in the Dongbin outpost, the Sentinels were gathered around the screen. Xiao Niao and Xiao Mu, staring at the Lin Yuan on TV, dumbfounded.

"Xiao… Xiao Yuan, how could the Queen's heir be Xiao Yuan?"

"My God, Rachel’s in the capital, he didn’t tell us anything about such a big event."

"Wow, mommy, Big Sister Lin Yuan’s on TV!" Xiao Yuan shouted.

Her daddy, Shen Fei, Brother Dahu, and a few other brothers and sisters, had secretly left these past few days, mysteriously, she didn’t know what they were up to.

Leaving her and her mother to live in the barracks.

But it was okay, she liked living with Big Sister Xiao Niao and the others.

Xiao Niao ended the long-distance call, closed her personal terminal, and looked up.

"I contacted Rachel. He said he didn’t know about it either, beforehand. He was even with Guide Lin, returning from a contaminated zone just a few days ago, this thing happened without any warning.”

"It feels a bit strange, could something be wrong?" Her companions were a little uneasy.

Throughout the empire, in the many outposts scattered like stars on a chessboard,

Many recognized Lin Yuan’s face.

"I’ve met her before, that Guide!" someone shouted.

"She’s incredibly powerful. Went to many contaminated zones alone. For a while, everyone was talking about her.”

"Yes, it’s her, that Guide. I almost died in a contaminated zone once, and she saved me. A kind and powerful guide, I even saw her in person!”

"Look how proud you are. A sentinel being saved by a Guide, you even have the nerve to brag about it.”

"What’s there to be embarrassed about? On the battlefield, I always admire the strong. Unlike a coward like you, judging people by their gender.”

The two sentinels, unable to agree, rolled up their sleeves and started fighting under the electronic screen displaying the broadcast by the street.

At the Guide academy, Nicole was pulled in front of the screen by several of her friends.

"Wow, it’s Lin Yuan, it's really Lin Yuan."

"Oh my god, it’s our classmate Lin Yuan?"

"Wasn’t there a sentinel who refused to be matched to her?”

"Don’t mention that idiot. He’s probably hiding at home, crying his eyes out with his family."

At the Royal Guard sentinel camp, countless warriors stood up.

"Isn’t that Guide Lin?"

"We fought so many matches for her back then."

"I- I was even on her team! I told you, Her Majesty values our Guide Lin very much."

The person who had been on Guide Lin's team was so proud. All that blood shed on the arena was worth it.

The entire empire’s gaze was fixed on the screen, including those in the secret underground meeting room.

In the dim room, the light from the television flickered on the faces of everyone attending the secret meeting.

They had been preparing for many years, finally gathering here in secret, precisely for this operation.

Originally, it had been a good time.

The powerful Majesty at the top of the tower seemed to have some health issues, and had been in seclusion for a long time.

Someone had also exposed the White Tower's ugliest secrets, and they had done a good job mobilizing everyone.

It was precisely the time when public sentiment was inflamed, morale high, when everything was ready, they were just waiting for the final command.

At this nerve-wracking moment, the empire suddenly announced the heir’s coronation ceremony.

It had been done quietly, without any warning.

"Regardless of the heir, I think we should proceed according to the original plan," someone broke the silence.

"We’ve been preparing for so long, we can't turn back now. We have momentum now, who knows what will happen if we wait, this mobilization isn’t small, there’s no guarantee the news won’t leak out over time.”

"I also think so, who cares about the heir? Anyone who sits on that throne is our enemy."

Many voices of agreement rose.

"She's not our enemy," a voice interrupted, the sentinel in the black uniform and mask, standing beside Ji Xuan, spoke, the room fell silent for a moment, everyone knew who this was—the hero who had lurked in the upper levels of the White Tower, who had risked his life to rescue his companion.

"Wh- what? You know the heir?"

"Do you know something?"

"Why do you say she's not our enemy?"

Questions arose.

Ni Ji closed his eyes. His heart was in more turmoil than any of theirs, he was more confused than any of them.

His date with Lin Yuan had been just a day or two ago.

At that time, she had kissed him, under the fireworks, by the dessert stall, and casually mentioned that she was going to the White Tower.

"I go to the White Tower often, it’s nothing," she had said to him.

Ni Ji didn’t understand how things had suddenly become like this.

Now, thinking of that kiss under the fireworks, her finger stopping him from speaking, her relaxed smile and casual tone,

It was as if there had been a hidden meaning to everything.

Otherwise, how could she, without a word, suddenly appear on the screen?

Before millions of people, her head lowered, receiving the crown that symbolized the heir to the throne?

The sentinel’s heart was in turmoil. A fire burned within, he couldn't wait to leave this place, rush to the top of the White Tower, and ask her, ask her what happened, whether she needed his help.

But the voice beneath the black mask was still as calm as before, only, incredibly firm, with an unquestionable certainty.

"She will not be our enemy," Ni Ji repeated.

Everyone at the meeting was wearing a mask, to prevent others from seeing their faces and identities should any of them be captured and mentally interrogated.

But there were still quite a few who knew each other and could recognize who was behind those masks.

"You… can't let your emotions cloud your judgment at a time like this,” a voice of opposition rose from the crowd. The person clearly knew who Ni Ji was and also knew that Ni Ji, as her dedicated Sentinel, had once had a personal relationship with that heir to the throne.

"I know you know the heir. But this concerns the lives of countless people.”

“You can't make such a judgment based on your own personal feelings. That’s the throne, the heir to the empire's highest power, no one can resist that kind of temptation.”

"Thinking of her as our companion, letting down your guard, is incredibly irrational. You'll bring death to our brothers, and to yourself."

"If she were to be a terrifying person, with abilities just like Her Majesty… we would need to change our plan.”

His tone held a hint of persuasion, a hint of disappointment at Ni Ji’s emotional behavior.

"Guide Lin will not be our enemy," another voice said, a small star on the speaker's mask, marking him as a warrior sent from a distant outpost, a representative of an outpost’s fighting strength, Ji Xuan glanced in that direction. He knew that was Shen Fei, the Captain of the Dongbin Outpost. A hero who had been stationed in the harsh borderlands for many years, he had brought along a warrior whose mental body carried the aura of a tiger.

"Guide Lin Yuan will not be our enemy. She will only be our friend," the Captain took a step forward, raising a hand. "I agree with ‘Avenger’."

"I also agree. Guide Lin is our companion," another masked Sentinel raised her hand.

It was a woman, her build athletic, very tall, she was wearing the uniform of the Royal Guard. She said, her tone firm,

"I’ll bet my life that she’s not our enemy."

Her characteristics were too obvious. Many recognized her, the warrior with the panda mental body, the companion who had secretly joined the underground army many years ago.

More people stood up.

So many that it made one wonder what charm this guide had, at a time like this, to have warriors from different places, even those who had been lurking in the enemy camp for many years, vouch for her.

"I also think so, although I’ve only met Guide Lin once," finally, a female Sentinel with a long braid said.

She was someone almost everyone present knew. This sentinel was currently the captain of the Royal Airship Guard.

A large part of the weapons, supplies, and personnel they smuggled into the imperial capital was thanks to her assistance, secretly transported by airship.

The young female captain, with two others, stood up.

"Back then, we were still low-level sentinels, that Guide, standing at the bow of the ship, risked her life to protect me," she said.

"I understand why so many here trust her, I’m also willing to give her my vote."

Finally, Ji Xuan, the leader of the meeting, reached out to everyone.

"The heir will be our companion, on this premise, Operation Beacon will proceed as planned."

From all around the round table, hands reached out, fists clenched, touching together.

Low voices echoed in the dim, secret room.

"We are not poultry!"

"We will not live in this cage!"

"To survive."

"So that no more family members will starve to death.”

"So that no more brothers’ flesh and blood will be sacrificed."

"So that children can one day step on land that truly belongs to humans."

"We’re willing to die for this."

"We’re willing to die for this!"

"Victory or death."

Those voices, male and female, old and young, even a childish voice,

Not to starve, not to freeze to death in winter, but to live.

Lin Yuan looked up at the Queen on the throne.

The palace today was more beautifully decorated than ever, filled with pure white flowers, a long crimson carpet laid out.

But Lin Yuan only looked at the figure sitting on the throne.

She looked less human than ever before.

A foul smell filled the air. That body, which Lin Yuan had once considered gentle and beautiful, now made her feel a melting sensation, as if a mannequin was about to melt and deform on the jade throne, collapse into a monster.

She looked incredibly unstable, as if about to fall apart, utterly terrifying.

Only, it seemed that only Lin Yuan could sense this.

In the eyes of others, she was still that beautiful, elegant White Queen, ruling the entire empire.

The Queen looked at the heir standing before her.

This truly was the heir she desired, carrying her bloodline, having awakened the ancient and pure power of the Kraken.

Every time they met, this young child became stronger.

Such a vibrant life, it was almost enviable.

Those powerful tentacles, those nimble appendages, the enormous power slowly revealing itself, more and more vibrant with each passing day.

She liked her so much.

She couldn't wait to have her, for her to truly belong to her.

But soon, very soon, she would belong to her, in this White Tower, nothing could escape her grasp.

The Queen, through the young heir before her, saw her mental body behind her.

That juvenile Kraken, its red tentacles spreading, had unknowingly become so huge.

She had to hurry, obtain this new body quickly.

Between those wriggling tentacles, a pair of golden eyes appeared, looking towards her.

In that instant, this powerful being, who had lived for hundreds of years, felt a tremor in her heart, as if that gaze, from between the tentacles, could see through her.

Lin Yuan looked up. In the hall decorated with flowers and a red carpet, a foul smell lingered, like the smell of decay from a corpse.

It was a scent that came from a mental body, perhaps some kind of intense obsession, a desire so foul it made this white tower seem twisted.

Through that fog-like obsession, she gradually saw the enormous mental body hidden behind the Queen.

Just like the Queen could see her mental body, she finally saw it too.

So it was such a behemoth.

Extending from beneath the white skirt, clinging to the pure white throne, sprawling across the dome of the palace, seeping into the bones of this tower.

On the towering dome, on the white walls, there were countless pained faces, angry eyes, twisting arms, the organs of all sorts of creatures and plants haphazardly stitched together.

So, she had been in such a grotesque room.

Before, when she was too weak, she hadn’t been able to see, she had even thought this place beautiful, warm.

Later, after breaking free from the mental interference, she had vaguely sensed something, but couldn't truly see it clearly.

Now, the fog had cleared, her vision clear for the first time.

It was truly a terrifying sight.

It was a monster formed from forcibly devouring countless humans.

Clinging to the White Tower, its roots, its tendrils deeply embedded in every brick of the White Tower.

Firmly gripping, firmly controlling this tower, the symbol of the empire’s highest authority.

It was no longer human.

But it couldn’t completely merge with a human mental body like a true Deviant either.

Forcefully stitched together, an ugly, disgusting monster.

Lin Yuan saw a pair of small, human child’s arms among the countless arms.

Those small, tender fingers were stained with colorful paint, it must have been a child who liked to draw. Not long ago, innocently killed, devoured by this monster.

At this moment, that hand tightly gripped the Queen’s neck.

Those paint-stained fingers, tightly clenched, filled with the hatred and bloody tears from when he was still alive, not letting go.

The tentacles sensed chaotic thoughts floating in the main hall.

They swam back and told Lin Yuan the truth.

【It's because of that child.】

【She finally met her match.】

【She thought it was just a little Guide kept in a cage.】

【But that child was very strong, and made her suffer.】

【So disgusting, a stitched-together monster, I almost threw up.】

【When can we leave?】

【I want to suck on some fish to recover.】

"Let's go, I'll show you around the White Tower," the Queen on the throne stood up. The decaying face, its lips painted with lipstick, smiling, and she extended her pale arm towards Lin Yuan. She still hadn't realized that Lin Yuan could see everything.

Lin Yuan silently held the hand extended towards her. Gripping that bone-thin hand, stained with countless bloodstains.

"Although you grew up in the White Tower, I still want to personally show you around. This is the hope of humanity, our Eden," she said.

"It’ll all belong to you in the future, I promise, you will control everything here."

Her voice very gentle, like an elder sincerely showing the heir around her empire, the tower built with her hard work.

Inspecting this bone-white monument that controlled all of humanity.

Lin Yuan could even hear, in her tone, her sincere love and attachment towards this White Tower.

The White Queen, holding her heir, gracefully walked down the long, white jade stairs.

The Royal Guards and nobles below bowed.

The commander of the Guard and the ministers stepped forward, representing everyone, prostrating themselves, kissing the gems on the tips of the Queen’s and Lin Yuan’s shoes.

"Don’t mind them, they’ll all be your toys in the future,” the Queen said, leading Lin Yuan, casually dismissing the group that had been waiting, dressed in their finery. A long time after they left, the nobles in their elaborate formal wear quietly raised their heads, opening their feather fans to conceal their whispers.

"So sudden, it startled me. Why such a hurry? I always thought the heir would be chosen from among the princesses."

"It's nothing, really, Her Majesty has been so fond of her these past two years. Always summoning her, keeping her close, personally instructing her,” her companion tilted her chin, “Didn't you see those people over there, they’ve long been kissing up, they must have seen this coming.”

A clerk in charge of ceremonies wiped the sweat from his forehead, explaining to his close friend, "It is in line with tradition, we checked, her mother had pure royal blood. It’s just her father…”

"What about her father?" His friends perked up their ears.

"Nothing, really, just, for some reason, a lot of information is missing. We couldn’t find much about him."

The official’s tone held a hint of confusion, he quickly realized that he had said something he shouldn't have, waving his hand with a smile. "But it doesn't matter, her mother has pure royal blood, and more importantly, she's favored by Her Majesty, isn't she? Such an outstanding heir, a blessing for the empire.”

His friends in the small circle immediately echoed him.

"Yes, yes, how outstanding."

"Beautiful and elegant."

"I heard she’s even been to the front lines, so impressive."

"A blessing to the empire."

"Protected by the White Tower."

"Her Majesty is so wise!"

The chattering in the upper levels of the White Tower could no longer be heard.

Lin Yuan followed Her Majesty into the agricultural level of the White Tower.

"Here, the seeds of all human agricultural products are kept. All the crops are carefully cultivated.” The queen's fingers stroked a golden ear of rice, a smile appearing under the white veil. "Lin Yuan, look, they’re growing very well."

Past the small rice paddy, they reached the lush green plant area.

She personally picked two red tomatoes from a shelf and handed one to Lin Yuan.

The fruit was plump, its skin red, it looked delicious.

The Queen took a bite, Lin Yuan also took a bite.

"How is it? Is it delicious?" She asked, her voice even carrying a hint of expectation.

"Not very," Lin Yuan looked at the half-eaten tomato in her hand, answering honestly. "Not very sweet, not much flavor, I’ve had some outside before, the kind that are sweet and sour, those are the best."

This was inside the White Tower, without sunlight, grown in sheds.

These plants had never seen real sunlight.

The seemingly beautiful fruits and vegetables had no taste, much less delicious than the tomatoes Xiao Niao had picked for her at the outpost.

Those tomatoes, picked fresh from the field, rinsed with cold well water, their skins peeled slightly, dipped in white sugar, and with a bite,

Wow.

Delicious juice burst out, sour, and sweet, and the sugar crystals crunching…

Just thinking about it made her mouth water.

The White Queen in her gorgeous dress looked at Lin Yuan, Lin Yuan shrugged.

Just telling the truth.

She even transmitted the emotions she felt when eating truly delicious food to this bloody creature.

The land, the sunlight, the sweat, and the working people.

Real, delicious food.

"One day, we should plant these things back in the earth," the Queen's voice was a little distant. She used the word "should," as if even in her own heart, she wasn’t very certain.

In that instant, Lin Yuan detected a mental fluctuation. It made her suspect that perhaps many years ago, this Majesty who ascended the throne at such a young age, had truly thought about it, like she just said.

Thought about reclaiming the land for humanity, not just obsessed with the decay within this tower.

The air circulation system brought a hint of wind, this floor was very large, filled with all sorts of plants in the world.

The crops here were well-protected, and the plants that had already disappeared from the earth outside, could still be found here.

They had waited for a very long time on this small level in the tower, looking forward to the day they could return to the real earth, return to the real sunlight.

The Queen looked up, her veiled gaze sweeping over the golden rice paddies, the green gourds, the purple eggplants, the yellow pumpkins.

Seeing these, hearing Lin Yuan's thoughts about the land, the sunlight, sweat, and white sugar.

Her half-disintegrated mental body, for a moment, was dazed.

She vaguely remembered, a long, long time ago, when she had been about the same age as this person before her, she seemed to have also had such fervent emotions, such pure thoughts.

At that time, she, a young girl, covered in blood, had ascended the throne, driven away her cruel father and incompetent brothers, and full of ambition, she had wanted to protect everything in her hands, one day lead her people back to the world that belonged to humans. To let the glory of the empire shine upon the sky again. When had she become like this? She had already forgotten, those childish thoughts from a long, long time ago.

The huge, crumbling mental body swayed at this moment, and golden liquid flowed up, quickly filling the cracks, repairing the damage. Although it was decaying, it was still incredibly large, overwhelmingly occupying everything, and those slightly stirred thoughts quickly vanished.

The Queen came back to her senses, tossed the half-eaten tomato into the mud without a care, and smiled at Lin Yuan. "Let’s go, I’ll show you the next floor."

Lin Yuan’s eyes, at that moment, turned cold.

That substance filling the body was gold, shining brilliantly, it was the Golden Tree, a part of Xun Hua’s body.

Because, when devouring that child's mental body, something went wrong. This Majesty, like a bandit, had barged into her home,

Stolen her family member, her Gardener, her Golden Tree.

And used him to repair her own body.

"Are you talking about this?"

The Queen quickly sensed the fluctuation in Lin Yuan’s mental power, and she waved her hand, showing Lin Yuan the flowing golden liquid in her mental body.

"You wouldn’t be angry over this, would you? It’s just a Deviant," her tone incredibly casual, indifferent, it truly was indifference.

She had given the right to inherit the supreme throne to Lin Yuan.

No one would hold a grudge over a tree growing in a garden, a natural enemy of mankind, a Deviant of a different species, give up the most supreme throne in the entire world.

Of course not, right?

Four hundred years ago, compared to this Golden Tree, the things she herself had sacrificed for this throne were worlds apart.

He was just a Deviant kept in the back garden.

Like how many nobles in the empire secretly did, keeping these unusual pets out of curiosity, to show off their unique taste.

"Actually, I also blame you a little," the Queen said, a little displeased, "I asked you before whether you had brought anything back from the Golden Tree Contaminated Zone. And you actually hid it from me.”

"Yes, please forgive me, Your Majesty," Lin Yuan said.

Such a conscious and rational child.

Only, it was as if, at this moment, a passage had been completely closed.

She could no longer sense any true emotion from this young Kraken.

The Queen turned to look at the heir behind her.

On the white, bone-like steps of the White Tower,

Those golden pupils watched her in the dim light.

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