The sudden disappearance of the previous Emperor sent the upper echelons of the Galactic Empire into chaos. Fortunately, Zhong Pingjiang maintained some semblance of reason and immediately issued a gag order: anyone privy to the Emperor's vanishing was forbidden from leaking the news, with violators to be treated as traitors.

Publicly, the announcement claimed the two had left for a vacation. The populace, long accustomed to their Majesty traveling frequently, found this unremarkable.

The disappearance stretched into nearly two months. Zhong Pingjiang dispatched wave after wave of search teams, yet all reports returned nothing. Including the nearly one hundred thousand personnel stationed at the base, the total number of missing persons exceeded three hundred thousand.

Though Zhong Pingjiang bore immense pressure, he showed no intention of ceasing the search. Missing was not only his son but also the sovereign, the spiritual anchor of the nation. No price was too high to secure his return.

The Galactic Empire recalled its most outstanding soldiers from various armies, assembling an elite force of two hundred thousand, personally led by the newly promoted General Tianhai, who subsequently garrisoned Base Number Three.

Just as they were preparing to deploy, Zhong Yun and Yun Qi returned to the base.

“Sending an escort specifically for me? That seems a bit much.” Zhong Yun’s voice carried from a distance.

The two hundred thousand troops were packed densely across the clearing before the base, an endless sea of humanity, projecting an awe-inspiring might.

Hearing that familiar voice abruptly, Tianhai momentarily suspected auditory hallucination. As he watched the two small specks in the sky grow larger, his eyes widened.

As the specks closed in, revealing the two figures clearly, Tianhai shot forward, rushing to meet them.

“You damned brat, where on earth have you been?” In his zeal, the phrase ‘damned brat’ slipped out. The soldiers and officers below exchanged stunned glances, realizing the depth of General Tianhai's relationship with the Emperor. Only the Regent and the Empress, perhaps, dared to address His Majesty in such a manner.

In that instant, the reverence these men held for General Tianhai ascended to a new level.

“It’s a long story,” Zhong Yun replied, a wave of unexpected warmth washing over him at the familiar address. With his change in status, their relationship was not as close as it once was.

Despite his efforts to prevent it, when with Tianhai and Chen Wen, there remained an invisible barrier preventing the easygoing camaraderie of the past.

Although he had long anticipated it, Zhong Yun felt a pang of disappointment.

Now, seeing Tianhai’s genuine tension and worry, those intangible barriers seemed to dissolve.

“You, becoming Emperor hasn't stopped you from being a worrywart. Uncle Zhong and Aunt Rong were nearly frantic,” Tianhai playfully punched Zhong Yun’s shoulder.

Zhong Yun rolled his eyes but didn't have time to argue. “Go meet the others; Yun Qi and I will head back first.”

“Go ahead,” Tianhai waved his hand.

Upon his return, Yun Rong, naturally, lavished him with a lengthy scolding. Simultaneously, she let out a collective sigh of relief shared by all who knew the truth—it had merely been a false alarm.

That evening, Zhong Yun naturally spent time comforting his two beautiful wives. It was then he realized the downside of having multiple wives: comforting one meant neglecting another. He wished he could clone himself into three pieces.

“Xiao Ruo, why the long face? Aren’t you happy I’m back?” Since learning of Xiao Ruo’s background, Zhong Yun felt even greater tenderness toward her. Noticing the hint of worry between her brows, he teased her.

Xiao Ruo wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, finally speaking after a long moment, “The Little Princess has left.”

Zhong Yun paused slightly. The Little Princess was, of course, the princess of the Ge'an Empire whose actions had led to him being hunted, unable to remain in Dawa, and forced to flee.

She had always refused to state her name, so everyone called her the Little Princess.

The Little Princess was a peculiar fixture in Zhong Yun’s household—her status was awkward, yet she displayed none of the humility expected of a captive. Stranger still, her relationships with Yun Rong, Xiao Ruo, even Yun Qi, and later Weiwei, were all quite good.

Thus, although technically a prisoner, she thrived in Zhong Yun’s home. Many who didn’t know the truth assumed she was Zhong Yun’s sister.

In reality, because Zhong Yun was away for long periods, and she intentionally kept her distance, the Little Princess usually ate in her own room when he was home. Consequently, despite living under the same roof, the two rarely crossed paths.

Zhong Yun was therefore not intimate with her; sometimes, he even forgot she was there. Of course, necessary surveillance was in place. With someone of such sensitive political status in the house, he could never fully relax. Any action detrimental to his family would result in immediate, devastating retaliation.

“Why did she suddenly leave?” Although surprised, Zhong Yun felt little fear. Star Sector A was extremely distant from the star system where the Ge'an Empire was located. Even an Emperor fiercely devoted to his daughter would hesitate to dispatch a massive army to annihilate them.

Besides, the current Galactic Empire was not entirely helpless, even against a high-level civilization. With Base One and Base Three as major rear strongholds, if retreat became necessary, they could simply withdraw and focus on development within the Golden Ruins and the Star Sea.

Xiao Ruo shook her head in his embrace, saying sadly, “A few days ago, she suddenly came to me and said she needed to go home. She left the very next day.”

“Do you think she might have run into danger?” Xiao Ruo suddenly thought of something and looked up at Zhong Yun expectantly.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” Zhong Yun quickly reassured his little darling. “I’ll arrange for someone to investigate her movements tomorrow, just to ensure her safety. How about that?”

Xiao Ruo continued to look at him with yearning.

Zhong Yun conceded defeat. “I’ll arrange it right now.” He pulled out his communicator and issued orders to the Twenty-First Detachment stationed on Liberty Star.

Turning back, Zhong Yun fixed Xiao Ruo with a mischievous look. “Interfering in palace affairs is a serious crime. How do you think I should punish you?”

Xiao Ruo’s face instantly flushed crimson. With a startled shriek, she bolted away. Zhong Yun playfully lunged after her…

The Twenty-First found no trace of the Little Princess, leaving Xiao Ruo, who was closest to her, deeply disappointed.

It wasn't until several months later, when a colossal fleet visited the Galactic Empire’s ‘Canglan Star,’ that news of the Little Princess finally arrived.

By then, she was no longer the Little Princess; she had become the Empress of the Ge'an Empire.

This news hit Zhong Yun like a physical blow, instantly scrambling his thoughts. How could she have become Empress in just a few months?

Zhong Yun remembered her saying she was the 203rd in line for succession to the Ge'an throne. Had the preceding 202 heirs all perished?

“More than that; the entire Jinjing family is wiped out,” the former Little Princess, now Her Majesty the Empress, stated during a holographic conference call with Zhong Yun and Xiao Ruo. Though her tone was calm, Zhong Yun detected the deep sorrow hidden in her eyes.

“What happened?” Xiao Ruo exclaimed, clapping a hand over her mouth in shock.

The Little Princess lowered her head in silence for a moment, a look of profound, ingrained hatred flashing in her eyes. “It was the people of the Moxi Empire.”

The Moxi Empire was one of the three major high-level civilization states in the Omi Star System, occupying the first stage of advanced civilization, sharing dominion with the Ge'an Empire and the Ganqi Federation.

Zhong Yun quickly grasped the situation. The Jinjing family possessed a peculiar physical trait that came with a fatal, inherent weakness. It was not surprising to him that someone had exploited this vulnerability to eradicate the entire family in one fell swoop. What he found incredible was that a family with such a significant flaw had managed to rule a high-level civilization for millennia.

The Little Princess had escaped the massacre because she was abroad. Furthermore, thanks to the World Tree, the defect in her physique had vanished. She no longer needed to consume Golden Lilies daily.

As fate would have it, the Little Princess, who had nearly died by Zhong Yun’s hand and later became his captive, had in doing so evaded the deathblow. Not only did she preserve a last bloodline for the Jinjing family, but she also completely shed the curse that had plagued her lineage for ten thousand years.

The Jinjing family, in essence, had vanished into the dust of history.

“Sending envoys to the Galactic Empire—it’s not just to report your safety, is it?” Zhong Yun asked thoughtfully.

“Correct,” the Little Princess admitted frankly. “It is inconvenient for me to travel myself, so I sent the First Royal Fleet—a task force absolutely loyal to our Ge'an family.”

Zhong Yun listened quietly, not interrupting her narrative.

“I wish to form an alliance with you,” the Little Princess suddenly announced, her words shocking. “And this fleet is my token of sincerity.”

Zhong Yun smiled. Xiao Ruo beside him stared wide-eyed. The fleet dispatched by the Ge'an Empire was enormous, centered around five ‘Super-Planet Class’ battleships, escorted by twenty ‘Planet Class’ cruisers. This combat power alone surpassed the combined forces of the entire Galactic Empire.

This sincerity was immeasurably great.

“Your sincerity is indeed heavy. What must I give in return?” Zhong Yun’s eyes glittered, his expression unreadable.

Unexpectedly, the Little Princess fell silent for a moment before knitting her brow, as if making a monumental decision. “Help me eliminate three other powerful families, and annihilate the Moxi Empire.”

Across the dual video feeds, Zhong Yun could still sense the hatred and venom churning within her. He slowly shook his head. “The risk is too great.”

“What if I add myself?” The Little Princess uttered another astonishing proposal.

“Ah—” Xiao Ruo couldn't help but cry out, shocked by what she heard.

Zhong Yun suddenly smiled, about to speak, when—

“I offer the entire Ge'an Empire as my dowry. If you agree, the Ge'an Empire is yours.” The Little Princess’s face was set with absolute resolution.

Zhong Yun was genuinely stunned. He stared at her in disbelief, taking a deep, ragged breath…

The Ge'an Empire, a powerhouse of the second stage of high-level civilization, was comparable only to the Red Feather Federation among the nations Zhong Yun had encountered. The once all-powerful Andu Empire was reduced to acting like a meek child when faced with the Red Feather Federation, forced to keep its tail tucked between its legs.

Such was the might of a second-stage high-level civilization.

To acquire a second-stage high-level civilization state out of thin air—it was impossible for Zhong Yun not to be tempted. However…

“Why?” Zhong Yun suppressed the tumultuous desires churning inside and asked sternly.

Seeing that he could maintain his rationality despite such a massive temptation, the Little Princess, surprised, began to understand how this man managed to build a nation from scratch.

“I would rather hand the Ge'an Empire over to you than to those bastards,” the Little Princess ground out through clenched teeth.

Zhong Yun felt an absurd sense of irony. Was this the mentality of ‘better to give it to a friend than a slave’?

However, he could imagine why she felt this way. With the sovereign dead and the court controlled by powerful ministers, an Empress like her, whose relatives were all gone and who possessed no personal power base, was destined to be a mere figurehead.

“I still don’t understand,” given the magnitude of the request, Zhong Yun needed to proceed with caution. “Why did they elevate you to the throne?”

“This concerns the highest secret of the Ge'an Empire,” the Little Princess sighed faintly. “Our Jinjing family are descendants of the Calan people. During a migration, we accidentally gained control of a ‘Golden Ruin,’ which is the true reason for our family’s ascent. Later, an ancestor seized the government of a state, developing it into the current Ge'an Empire.”

“Only the bloodline of the Jinjing family can control the Ge'an Empire. Outsiders cannot operate the ‘Golden Ruin,’ and without it, the Ge'an Empire would lose half its strength.”

Zhong Yun suddenly felt as if he were about to be struck by a massive jackpot—a second-stage high-level civilization state, complete with a ‘Golden Ruin.’

“It is only my regret that all members of the Jinjing family died overnight, leaving only me. Power is monopolized by the three great families. Although I was installed as Empress, I don't even have personal freedom. If not for the fact that the three families check each other, I would already be defiled…” The Little Princess seethed with fury, clearly recalling the treatment she endured in recent times.

“One final question,” Zhong Yun had already made up his mind but was unwilling to be too rash. “Why choose me?”

“Is it my choice?” the Little Princess countered.

Zhong Yun smiled for the third time. Did she really have a choice? What the three families intended was obvious even to a child: marry their heir to the Empress, thereby smoothly usurping the throne. Once a child was born, her utility would vanish. Compared to the Jinjing family members, at least her life and freedom would be guaranteed if she allied with Zhong Yun’s family, with whom she had lived for over a decade, even if they weren't intimately close. Unlike now, where she couldn't even refuse the throne. Her personal chambers had guards; she was followed by several people even when using the lavatory.

“I accept,” Zhong Yun stated.

The Little Princess visibly relaxed.

“However, before I help you, I need to settle a few matters first.” Zhong Yun’s gaze swept toward the tall middle-aged man standing nearby, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Ge'an Empire’s First Royal Fleet—the last remnant of purely royal power.