"An Junlie, my words just now were too frivolous, perhaps failing to convey the truth of my heart. I sincerely invite you now, Lan Li, the most precious friend I have ever made in my life, to return to the family with me."

"Heh, return to the family with you? And why should I do that?" An Junlie found the suggestion rather amusing.

Lan Li scratched his head, momentarily stumped by An Junlie's direct question. He hadn't actually considered the 'why' at all.

An Junlie adopted an expression of utter foresight. "Let me ask you: your family is so vast, I presume there are plenty of rules. If I follow you back, how will you arrange for me? Let's be clear, I am a man accustomed to freedom; I cannot tolerate being controlled by your family's rigid structure."

Lan Li's expression became even more conflicted.

An Junlie pressed on, his tone aggressive. "Don't tell me you can request special privileges from your grandfather. I recall traveling with my master when we visited a minuscule nation, perhaps smaller than the ocean expanse of this planet, with a population barely larger than the combined occupants of our three space stations. The few brothers in that kingdom slaughtered each other just to rule over that tiny speck of land. My master taught me then that regardless of technological shifts, human nature remains immutable. I imagine that with a family as large as yours, and with the favor you enjoy, you must also have considerable opposition, right? As your most precious friend, I would either be captured to blackmail you or killed to provoke you. In either scenario, my little life would be in peril. You, who just moments ago were beaten down by a few petty pirates and needed my rescue to survive landing on this planet—how do you possibly possess the strength to protect me?"

Every word An Junlie spoke landed like a bomb, draining the color from Lan Li's face until his lips were pale and trembling. "Th-then, then, I won't go either," Lan Li managed to choke out, finally finding his voice.

An Junlie scoffed again. "Do you truly believe you have the option not to go now that your identity is exposed? Even if your grandfather were willing, would the factions within the Lan family who view you as a threat agree? Oh, of course, they would agree—they'd prefer you never returned. But is that possible? Hmm, yes, it is possible for the deceased. Are you afraid that Di and I might avenge you? Don't be foolish; we'd simply kill everyone involved."

Lan Li completely collapsed onto the floor. "Is there truly no other choice?"

"There is!"

Lan Li's eyes immediately lit up, filled with eager expectation for what An Junlie would say next.

"You will obediently return, deal with the dissenters in your clan, and then invite us to your family estate as honored guests, under your authority as the master. Don't forget, you still owe Old Man Di a promise."

Lan Li knew this was the best possible outcome. Gritting his teeth, he stared intently at An Junlie and declared firmly, "Then we have a pact. You must wait for me."

"Got it. It's still early; you have time to leave. I assume your family's warship is waiting outside, barring any unexpected events. I dislike farewells, so I won't see you off," An Junlie said, clapping Lan Li on the shoulder.

Lan Li sighed in resignation and turned away silently.

"Wait!" An Junlie called out.

Lan Li turned back, his eyes shining, his face broadcasting the clear expression of 'I knew you couldn't bear to part with me.'

"You forgot to leave those few unregistered credit chips. You won't lack for food or lodging when you return, so they're useless to you. Hand them over."

Lan Li deflated. As if in a fit of pique, he flung the cards directly at An Junlie's face and bolted out the door. He feared that if he delayed any longer, he might just strike An Junlie down before leaving.

"Are you certain it's fine not to see him off?" Di asked, seeing An Junlie frozen in place, staring silently at the cards in his hand, the atmosphere heavy with melancholy.

An Junlie snapped back to awareness as Di called his name. He composed himself, then exaggerated his reaction to Di. "Right, Old Man, we don't have time to wallow in sentimentality here. Quickly gather everyone in this space station; our fugitive life is about to begin. You don't honestly think that now Lan Li is back with his family, his opponents won't immediately seize us as hostages, do you? At the very least, killing us for spite would be a fine option."

Less than two hours after Lan Li's departure, An Junlie and the Di family left the space station, boarding a warship bound for the interior of the Sin Sector to commence their journey.

Two years later, within a study in the central castle of the Lan Family, Lan Li, clad in the noble robes signifying his status as the Lan Family Patriarch, sat in a chair carved from the wood of the Tree of Nature, listening to a subordinate's report. A keen observer might have noticed that this impeccably mannered subordinate was the same hapless captain An Junlie had encountered on the Star Net earlier.

While listening, Lan Li rhythmically tapped a heavy, hand-carved wooden desk, identical to his chair. "So, the rebel faction that planned to invade our Lan Family from the Angel Star Domain, after fleeing to the Sin Sector, were completely wiped out by the Angel Legion?"

"Yes, Patriarch. We heard the Angel Legion mobilized under the pretext that their territory had been offended," the captain reported with deep deference.

"Hmph!" Lan Li sneered. "The Angel Legion? The commander must be a real piece of work, naming themselves something so effeminate. You must, immediately and by any means necessary, contact their commander. Warn them that wherever they go, it's fine, but they must immediately vacate the Angel Territory. Don't think just because they helped us deal with the rebels they're special; this young master doesn't care."

"But Patriarch, the Angel Legion's rise has been extraordinarily swift. No one knows who their commander is; there is only a liaison codenamed 'Old Man.'"

"Old Man?" Lan Li briefly thought of Old Man Di, but instantly shook the idea away. "If it were him, he wouldn't fail to contact me."

"Patriarch, who were you speaking of?" the captain asked, perplexed.

Lan Li said nothing, shook his head, and waved the captain out.

Angel Star Domain, Angel Legion Headquarters, outside the temporary prison.

"Any news from the Lan Family side?" An Junlie asked, his hands clasped behind his back.

Standing behind him was the young woman who had once been with the hapless captain.

The 'Young Woman' replied respectfully, "The captain reports that Patriarch Lan Li seems quite furious because we publicly declared the Angel Star Domain as our territory, and Patriarch Lan Li strongly objects to this."

"Oh?" An Junlie raised an eyebrow, awaiting further detail.

"The captain said Patriarch Lan Li is still preoccupied with reserving that area for Old Man Di."

"Ha, he shows some conscience after all. It seems it's time for a meeting. You and the captain will handle the rest of the arrangements."

The 'Young Woman' accepted the order with a pleased nod and departed.

Sin Sector, Paradise Planet, inside an underground casino. An Junlie swirled the amber liquid in his glass, making even this mundane act seem imbued with profound interest, simply because the arrival of the person he awaited would be highly entertaining.

"You are that effeminate Angel Legion Commander?" Lan Li burst in, seeing An Junlie with his back turned, and immediately launched his tirade.

An Junlie was not provoked. He curved his lips into a wicked smile. Having passed puberty, he didn't need to alter his voice; he used his post-change, resonant, steady tone. "Is that so? Do you find it unpleasant? I was actually considering inviting you to join our Legion as Vice-Commander, but it seems our Legion won't be able to extend that invitation now."

"Hmph, dream on. Even if your Legion invited me to be Commander, I wouldn't join," Lan Li snapped. Why was it that, despite coming here today as the Lan Family Patriarch to negotiate, he was now acting like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum? And this sissy commander actually suggested inviting him to be Vice-Commander—pure fantasy. "Let me tell you, stop trying to cozy up to me. I long ago designated who gets the Angel Territory. Given that you helped me fight the rebels, I might, at most, redraw a similarly sized domain for you—anywhere else, just not the Angel Territory."

"Absolutely not?"

"No!"

"Anywhere else?"

"Anywhere!"

"Fine, straightforward. Then let's take Linglan Planet."

"Say that again!" Lan Li immediately lunged, ready to strike. Linglan Planet was the administrative center of the Lan Family, the core planet. Simply put, as long as Linglan Planet remained intact, the family losing any other territory would not be critical. Yet now, this sightless, sissy commander was demanding that specific location—a clear provocation. "I'll kill you, you coward! You're nothing but a villain who only dares keep his back to me!"

An Junlie deftly sidestepped, executing a perfect shoulder throw that slammed Lan Li to the ground, forcing him to stare directly into An Junlie's eyes, a look of pure mockery on his face. "Patriarch Lan, your martial skills have regressed."

"Damn it, your mother!" The moment Lan Li saw An Junlie's face, he realized he'd been tricked. Overcome with shame and fury, he headbutted An Junlie.

"Ow! Damn, your head is hard," An Junlie groaned as he was knocked to the ground, bracing himself with one hand while rubbing the lump forming on his head with the other.

Lan Li wasn't faring much better. He managed to push himself up, sitting cross-legged, rubbing his own forehead lump, also cursing under his breath.

Seeing each other's pathetic state, they both burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahahaha." "Hahahaha."

"I must say, you're quite capable. Becoming the Lan Family Patriarch in just two years."

"You're not doing badly either. Everyone says the Angel Legion controls the entire Sin System, with its headquarters finally set up in the Angel Territory."

"No matter how powerful the Angel Legion is, its influence can't compare to the Lan Family's influence."

"No, no, no. I've grown tired of this Lan Family Patriarch position long ago. How about this: I'll come and be your Vice-Commander?"

An Junlie, who had been laughing and flattering Lan Li, instantly dropped his smile, refusing sharply. "Didn't you say you wouldn't even take the Commander position? Our Legion is too small; it cannot accommodate a giant like you."

"Uh." Lan Li was momentarily speechless. "I didn't know it was your Legion. Don't be so petty."

"This isn't about being petty; it's about dignity. Furthermore, if you joined our Legion, what about your family? What about your status as Patriarch? I'm telling you, the Angel Legion is a private force; it will absolutely not get involved in your aristocratic power struggles," An Junlie stated coolly.

Lan Li's eyes lit up at this. "Does that mean if I renounce the Patriarch position, I can join?"

"If you cease being the Patriarch and sever all ties with the Lan Family, then you can join," An Junlie raised the difficulty, intending to extinguish Lan Li's hopes.

"It's a deal!" Lan Li decisively stood up, then bolted out the door to arrange the next steps.

Six months later, the great aristocratic families across the cosmos were shocked to learn that the current Lan Family Patriarch, Lan Li, had committed an unforgivable clan transgression and was expelled from the Lan Family. The new Patriarch was a member from the main lineage of the Lan Family.

Angel Legion Headquarters. The captain wept openly while clutching Lan Li's leg. "Patriarch Lan Li, I don't want to be the Patriarch!"

'Young Woman' suppressed a giggle, thinking the captain finally had his turn. She was grateful for her past astuteness in defecting to An Junlie's side early on, becoming a member of the Angel Legion; otherwise, she would be the one suffering today.

Night fell, the stars spread across the sky. Lan Li and An Junlie lay on the grass, gazing upward.

"Are you truly willing to give up that position?" An Junlie suddenly asked.

"That position only looks good to outsiders. Otherwise, look how that captain is crying and begging not to take it," Lan Li replied swiftly.

An Junlie said nothing more, knowing the captain's reluctance stemmed from severe social phobia, entirely unrelated to the position itself.

"Alright, stop thinking about it. It's already done. Let us, the Commander and Vice-Commander, make the Angel Legion glorious!" Lan Li shouted happily toward the sky.

"Vice-Commander? Who is?"

"Me! Didn't you promise that once I left the family and severed ties, you'd let me join? You aren't going back on your word, are you?"

"No, I promised to let you join the Legion, but I never promised you the rank of Vice-Commander. All positions in our Legion must be earned through merit; we don't allow parachuting in new officers. How else would I command respect?"

"?????!"

Lan Li's mind tangled. It was only after An Junlie had run some distance away that he realized: "An Junlie, you tricked me again!"

-The Chronicle of Lan Li and An Junlie Concludes- ——Special Thanks to Lock-Sauce for the Friendly Extra Chapter RS