Her legs trembled violently; she could barely remain standing.

Seeing this, the subordinate started forward to assist her, but she slowly shook her head, supporting herself on the sofa as she sat down, speaking in a voice of utmost calm, “Go check if Peizhe’s clone is still there. If it is, activate him.”

She composed herself. “If not, I still have a sample of his DNA here. Have a new one rushed out as fast as possible.”

The subordinate looked worried. “Rushing a new one is possible, but the consciousness might not catch up.”

Iliya gritted her teeth. “As long as the appearance is identical, and it doesn’t cause a fuss, that’s enough.”

—If the pilot from the runner-up team didn't show up at the awards ceremony, Karga would surely investigate the reason, and then her administering the poison needle to Peizhe wouldn't be concealable. She had to hide it!

No matter how intense the internal struggle within Fia was, neither her mother nor her father could completely control her. She certainly didn't want anyone to undermine her position when Karga started its investigation.

Iliya had been a spoiled little princess in her early years, determined to obtain whatever she desired, by any means necessary.

The blow from her parents' affair had only made her worse.

Now, her outward arrogance was merely a façade. Her life had only one goal: to become the Queen of Fia.

Everything else could wait!

Anyone who obstructed her ascent must die!

As the subordinate left to execute her orders, Iliya paused for careful consideration, then summoned two more aides, instructing them to gather the legions, factions, and corporations that were extending invitations to the Chushou team.

In her view, only Ling Yin and Bobo of the Chushou team were truly useful; they knew how to rally people, gather intelligence, and leverage connections—they would become her rivals.

The other four—Li Chunyu, Ziye, and the twins—were capable only of technical work and fighting; they were no match for her.

Although many military factions were focused solely on Chushou, Chushou could at most cooperate with one or two of those forces. The rest would have to settle for second best: the runner-up team.

With a mere wave of her hand, those inviting legions would become her allies.

Then, she would command immense support, not only leaving Chushou far behind but also moving one step closer to the throne of the Queen.

Iliya was exceptionally intelligent, having planned and considered every angle.

Even after being entangled with Ferrigna for a week, he hadn't been able to manage her.

The next day, official staff from the Karga Mech Competition arrived in a shuttle and collected Iliya right in front of Ferrigna. Watching Ferrigna, Iliya was boiling with anger inwardly, yet she was forced to feign an expression of welcome. Finally, she let out a suppressed sigh of relief.

Once she reached Karga, hah—did he really think he could control her? A pipe dream!

Upon arrival at Karga, Iliya reported to the officials, confirming the Fei Fei team would attend the awards ceremony punctually, then quickly left to meet with the subordinates who were executing her tasks.

Just as she suspected, the hospital had already destroyed Peizhe’s clone.

To say "destroyed" was perhaps too strong; they had merely "accidentally" cut off the nutrient supply, turning the clone into a corpse. The doctor responsible for the clone kept bowing and apologizing, “My lady, for such a serious cloning accident, this is entirely my dereliction of duty. I am willing to bear all responsibility.”

Iliya gazed down at the bald man with cold scorn in her heart; she had known how to play this trick since she was three.

Were they trying to fool her with such a cheap ploy because they didn’t take her seriously?

Iliya’s guts twisted into knots with rage, yet her expression remained placid. “It must have been difficult for you. You know, hospitals require the utmost caution because lives are at stake. You must be tired lately; why don’t you go rest for a few days?”

The doctor looked deeply pained. “Yes, my lady.”

Iliya waved her hand, dismissing the doctor. She looked at the lifeless clone and let out a cold laugh. What was one clone?

Let’s see how many he can destroy!

She left the hospital, boarded a shuttle, had her ship cleaned at Korae’s busiest space station, and then hurried to the underground facility her subordinate had arranged.

Peizhe’s clone was already being manufactured and would be complete by four tomorrow morning.

Peizhe’s consciousness had departed with the original him; the new clone couldn't possess the original Peizhe’s mind, but Iliya only needed a puppet, so it didn’t matter.

She eagerly anticipated the expressions on the faces of the Fia contingent when they saw Peizhe broadcast simultaneously on all major star-level televisions at the Karga ceremony tomorrow!

On the day of the awards ceremony, everyone from the Chushou team assembled in their imposing uniforms, waiting for the official shuttle to pick them up.

The ceremony was to be held in Karga’s most opulent venue, the Sea Tower.

The term "Sea Tower" referenced the mirage; it was built at the 78° azimuth from Karga’s central negotiation hub, an area with extremely high space visibility, where the stars were numerous, brilliant, and spectacularly beautiful. Six nearby stars formed an arc, perfectly encircling the tower.

Seen from afar, the Sea Tower appeared enveloped by bright stars, resembling an ancient celestial realm.

Everyone entering the Sea Tower required either a Karga invitation or an official escort from Karga. Attendees, aside from reporters from various television stations and media outlets, were all people of status and influence.

Before the ceremony, all winning teams underwent meticulous preparation to ensure they met Karga’s ideal presentation standards.

However, Ziye was not in high spirits.

The cooperation between Wolf’s Den and Angel’s Domain had recently reached a critical stage, and An Junlie was busy negotiating the next round of cooperation with Old Dog, as well as the Wolf’s Den sovereignty conference scheduled a month later. He was unable to attend Ziye’s award ceremony and had already left Karga.

As for Tang Wen, he had become a special guest at the awards ceremony.

Thinking of Tang Wen, Ziye felt a complex mix of emotions churning inside her.

She used to think she understood Tang Wen quite well.

Beneath his proud exterior lay a heart that was both innocent and willful.

Whether he was laughing, making a scene, or being difficult, it could all be explained by his willfulness.

But that night, at that incredibly miserable celebration party, the words he spoke suddenly made her realize she didn't know him as well as she had imagined.

Tang Wen liked her—and she had never known!

What struck her hardest was Tang Wen’s sorrowful gaze.

In fact, whenever he wanted something that Bu Lan refused to grant, he would look at Bu Lan with a profoundly sad expression, which invariably led to Bu Lan yielding.

Every time she saw that look, she felt Bu Lan was so weak, defeated by just a single glance from Tang Wen.

Later, when Tang Wen turned that look on her, she became melancholy.

Damn it, she instantly understood Bu Lan’s suffering because she, too, had absolutely no resistance to that expression!

Actually, at the celebration party, Tang Wen hadn't intentionally put on a sad face; his expression was mild, though his gaze was somewhat distant. But for some unknown reason, she felt he looked sadder and lonelier than she had ever seen him before.

Watching his retreating back, she felt an overwhelming heartbreak.