IWYTBW - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Believe in the Protagonist Halo!

“A Prince?” Yi Zhen echoed the words back incredulously. What a surprise! In this absurd little world of yellow literature, there are people who are keen on gossiping about the love lines of CPs other than him and Rong Hongxue’s?

“I’m not sure which prince it is,” She Xin replied, “After all, it’s someone else’s family affair. Moreover, the Emperor of Azoth has so many lovers and sons...”

Yi Zhen didn’t know much about royalty. At this point, he just wanted to change the topic. He rummaged through the Mustard Seed Panther Pouch and produced a shimmering, dark blue Blood Tribulus. Wrapping it several times in a high-density plastic sheet, he placed it carefully into She Xin’s hands.

“This is what I made, its called a Blood Tribulus,” he said earnestly. “Take note, it’s a concealed weapon. If you’re ever besieged and can’t fight back, pull the smallest lever at the bottom, then throw it away. The farther you throw it, the better. Got it?”

She Xin turned the object over with curiosity and excitement, undeterred by the plastic covering. “A concealed weapon? I’ve seen tribesmen use blow darts, and I’ve watched space mercenaries wield magnetic throwing stars, but this… it’s more refined than a blow dart, yet more ancient than a magnetic star. Did you even dye it? Is that to mark enemies?”

“This isn’t dye,” Yi Zhen said, torn between laughter and frustration. He immediately adopted a serious tone, “This is the color of poison. You must remember that this poison has no antidote; it’s truly fatal. Any creature that comes in contact with it is doomed, even large beasts like lions, tigers, bears, and leopards cannot escape it. It’s a double-edged sword—you can use it to kill your enemies, but if you injure yourself while I’m not around…”

She Xin looked dubious, “No antidote? How could that be? My philosophy teacher taught me about the balance of existence; if it has no antidote, how was it produced in the first place?”

Yi Zhen struggled to find a way to explain. The venom that had been infused into the Blood Tribulus transcended mundane concepts; it was a conceptual toxin, akin to how fire embodies burning and water exudes wetness. How could one resist a toxin that existed on such a conceptual level?

The only antidote was Yi Zhen himself, and faced with She Xin’s question, he found himself surprisingly speechless.

“That’s just how it is,” he finally said, solemnly closing She Xin’s hand around the Blood Tribulus. “Just remember to use it with extreme caution.”

“Alright.” Though he still bore some doubts, he carefully tucked the gift away, trusting his friend.

Over at another table, Igarashi Sakura approached them as it seemed their conversation had ended, bowing slightly with care. “Thank you so much for taking care of my father,” she directed her gaze at Yi Zhen. “You must be that mechanic who borrowed my father’s workshop. I truly can’t express my gratitude enough. Since my father fell ill, his workshop hadn’t been used for a long time, but knowing that a mechanic wanted to borrow it seems to have lifted his spirits somewhat.”

Yi Zhen studied her, unable to comprehend how the affairs of the Igarashi family had anything to do with him, and yet here he was being given a main quest by the system for it.

“No need for thanks,” Yi Zhen replied, offering a polite nod in return. “You’re too kind. I’m not really a mechanic, just someone with a rather unique forging method. Fortunately, Mr.Igarashi was willing to lend me his workshop.”

Miss Sakura hesitated for a moment, as if she had resolved something within herself, then said to Yi Zhen, “Please forgive my rudeness. I have something really important I need to ask of you, so… could we exchange contact information? Please, you must agree to my request!”

Yi Zhen: “?”

He looked up at the sky, and indeed, it was still the grand cosmic era of 3680, yet why did the atmosphere shift to feel so retro as soon as this family came into view?

“Well, there’s no need to go to such lengths… ” Yi Zhen glanced at the time, then rubbed his flat stomach. “How about this: I have classes tonight, so I’ll come to find you tomorrow at noon. If there’s anything you’d like to tell me, think it over by then.”

Miss Sakura flashed a grateful smile, supporting her father as they slowly retreated from view.

“By the way,” Yi Zhen ran a hand through his hair, “I haven’t even shown Mr. Ichiro my work...” He shrugged, “Forget it, I’ll just handle it tomorrow.”

She Xin added, “Then I’ll take my leave too; my family is waiting for me at home.”

“Your family is here?” Yi Zhen raised an eyebrow. “Of course, Desnians don’t let underage kids run around willy-nilly. You should head back, be careful with the Blood Tribulus—don’t hurt yourself!”

She Xin waved slowly, “Got it, bye...bye!”

When She Xin finally returned home, his cousin She Yi was already waiting for him at the landing dock, arms crossed and brow furrowed.

“She Xin,” She Yi scolded, his dark green hair cascading like a waterfall. “You’ve been running out these past few days, and the escort we sent to protect you has been left behind! Why aren’t you listening to me?”

“Uh…”

She Yi’s expression turned serious. The black-clad bodyguard beside him dropped to one knee, exclaiming loudly, “I failed to protect Young Master She Xing, I deserve death!”

“Uh…”

To She Xin’s surprise, the other bodyguards lining up behind him also knelt in unison, echoing, “We deserve death!”

The collective display of more than a hundred men collapsing dramatically to the ground would strike horror into any poor soul passing by, leaving them with PTSD from sheer shock.

“Uh…”

She Yi looked down at She Xin, his grip on his hand tightening. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there? You’re only three thousand six hundred and twenty-five years old; still a child! Do you know how many evildoers out there are waiting to capture underage Desnians?”

His words threatened to crack as he continued, “What if they took you? You’d be sold to alien traffickers, thrown in a cage for exhibitions—and they might even slice you up for research!”

He couldn’t hold back any longer. “Wuwuwu—!”

Once he cried, the brawny bodyguards around them bursted into sobs, echoing the dramatics of She Yi’s imaginative tragedies.

She Xin stood there, speechless, gazing at his cousin—the one four thousand years older than himself.

His fist clenched around the Blood Tribulus.

She Yi’s retainers were much more than mere bodyguards; they were a specialized force sent specifically to protect underage members of the Desnian race. With lifespans extending tens of thousands of years, Desnians accumulated vast power and wealth. In contrast, many weaker races rallied under them, seeking refuge to survive the ravages of interstellar wars.

Compared to the oppressive dominators among the powerful races, the Desnians’ requirements for protection were far more reasonable, only demanding one thing: the protection of minors.

For She Xin, this contingent of one hundred men was merely a vanguard; back on Desnia, he had an entourage of three thousand personal bodyguards.

“Little brother[e/n: Yknow how it goes, cousins can refer to eachother as Brother/Sister in chinese culture, I won’t be able to tell their real relationship unless it’s stated really obviously ;a;]…” She Yi tightened his grip but suddenly froze. “What’s that thing you have in your hand?”

She Xin wore an expression void of emotion as he opened his tightly clenched fist, revealing a thumb-sized, exquisite item resembling a deep blue lotus bud.

“I don’t know why, but I suddenly just wanted to use this,” he said woodenly.

She Yi frowned. “What is it?”

As he reached for it, She Xin recalled Yi Zhen’s warning and quickly closed his hand again.

“It’s poisonous,” he said.

She Yi gasped. “Poisonous?! What is it, who gave this to you?!”

She Xin replied, “A friend gave it to me for protection.”

“Friend?” She Yi narrowed his eyes, while three bodyguards nearby seamlessly moved away to investigate who She Xin had encountered recently. “Little brother, you made friends?”

He scrutinized the hand that clasped the unknown gift, sneering softly: “The gift from your so-called friend is rather paltry, isn’t it? Come back to the home planet with me; nothing that you want to eat or enjoy is unavailable there. Why bother rummaging through human worlds and befriending… whoever?”

Ignoring him, She Xin strode ahead, unfazed. She Yi trailed after him, pressing, “Little brother, you want to be a mecha engineer? I’ll pay—how about a mech from A to S class? You can pick out whichever you want to dismantle! Or a space vessel? The latest Explorer series, three thousand six hundred tons can house three hundred people’s needs in space for two months. I could get you one… or even two?”

She Xin paused and turned back.

Thinking he had finally piqued She Xin’s interest, She Yi looked hopeful.

She Xin opened his hand again. “What my friend gave me is the most precious thing. It holds a toxin that cannot be cured, unique in the world.”

In truth, Yi Zhen hadn’t claimed it was the one and only; still, feeling guilty for fabricating the truth, he held his breath, praying his cousin would let it slide…

“Unique in the world, incurable?” She Yi scoffed, his impression of the unnamed friend plummeting into the negatives.

“There’s no such poison that is incurable,” he shot back icily, fixing his gaze on the gift from the so-called friend. “A thousand years ago, the original miracle worker, Meruhah of the Dawn, claimed to create a universal antidote capable of nullifying any toxin after deciphering an alchemical stone tablet. Yet I guess even such an epoch-defining genius was proven wrong in the end—even a universal antidote has poisons it cannot neutralize.[e/n: For the love of me, I cannot tell if he’s saying ‘I guess you’re saying your friend is greater than this genius, since he came up with a poison not even the universal antidote can cure’,  or ‘All things are balanced, just like a universal antidote can have exceptions, a poison must have an antidote’ Let’s assume Yi Zhen-bashing sarcasm]”

He laughed mockingly. “She Xin, you’re still young; you have no idea what lies and malice people resort to just to get close to Desnians. As for your so-called friend…”

He trailed off, leaving a meaningful pause. For some reason, She Xin felt a pang of sadness.

“He’s not like that.” It slipped out softly. “Yi Zhen isn’t that kind of person.”

A bodyguard returned to whisper something in She Yi’s ear.

“Great Dark Sky?” She Yi exclaimed, caught completely off guard. “I thought it was someone important, but turns out it’s just that infamously scandalous Dark Sky’s lover...”

“Brother,” She Xin’s expression hardened, his gaze unwavering. “Yi Zhen is my friend. I won’t let you talk about him like that.”

She Yi let out a dry chuckle. “Alright, alright,” he conceded, though his tone remained skeptical. “So his name is Yi Zhen, is it? A frail, ordinary human, stuck on some backwater planet, learning nothing but how to please men. What good could he possibly offer you? Brother, you’re too naive, too easily deceived.”

Grabbing She Xin’s arm, She Yi swiftly steered him towards the palace’s state-of-the-art laboratory. “The conditions might not be as stellar as back home,” he remarked, scanning his iris to unlock the doors, “but it will suffice.”

The laboratory doors slid open, revealing bustling researchers who hastily bowed in respect, clearing a path for the two Desnians.

She Yi marched forward, dragging a reluctant She Xin towards the lab director. “Come now,” he declared, “let’s put this so-called ‘unique’ poison to the test.”

“Brother...” She Xin choked out, his fists clenching instinctively. “Don’t touch it! It’s dangerous. You could die if you’re not careful.”

Such unwavering faith in that charlatan’s nonsense! She Yi bristled internally, though he forced a placating smile onto his face. “Okay, okay, brother will be careful.” He patted She Xin’s hand, his tone condescending. “But you know how we were raised. You couldn’t even eat a meal without a full security detail testing it for poison first. Your...friend gives you this bizarre thing, and you expect us not to be curious? Even if I don’t check it, Uncle and Auntie would demand a full analysis. You don’t want to worry them, do you?”

His words caused She Xin to hesitate. With a resigned sigh, he carefully unwrapped the protective plastic, placing the Blood Tribulus onto the center of the gleaming scanning platform.

A pale blue beam swept over it, instantly projecting a detailed 3D hologram of the Blood Tribulus beside it.

“Thirteen detachable micro-blades,” the lab director began, magnifying the image for closer inspection. “Connected by fine hooks, with three compressed energy springs beneath, all linked to a delicate trigger mechanism. As far as handcrafted objects go,” he added, momentarily forgetting himself, “it’s absolutely exquisite—”

One look at She Yi’s unimpressed expression, however, brought him back to his senses. He cleared his throat and continued, his tone more measured. “It appears to be an ancient type of covert weapon classified as a ‘hidden weapon.’ Perhaps it’s too old, too niche, or maybe even a one-of-a-kind creation, since there are no records of it in our database. Based on the design, I’d estimate its attack range to be between 100 to 130 meters.”

“And the poison?” She Yi scoffed, tapping a finger impatiently on the table. “What’s the composition of this ‘deadly’ toxin? Or is it merely some kind of paint?”

“The analysis is underway,” the director replied hastily. “We’ll have those results for you shortly.”

She Xin lowered his gaze, clearly unhappy with his brother’s dismissive attitude.

Though aware of She Xin’s disapproval, She Yi remained resolute. He would prove to his brother, once and for all, just how misguided this friendship was.

Time stretched on, each second an eternity. Finally, a researcher came racing into the lab, a report clutched in his hand. The lab director snatched it, his eyes scanning the information, his face growing increasingly grave. He looked up at She Yi. “Please excuse me for a moment,” he murmured before hurrying into the analysis room.

She Yi watched him go, his brow furrowed in thought. She Xin, however, seemed to brighten, a sliver of hope flickering in his eyes.

The wait seemed to stretch on forever. Then, suddenly, the lab director burst back through the door, his face flushed, waving the paper triumphantly. “It’s a miracle!” he cried, rushing towards them. “A miracle!”

She Yi stepped forward, snatching the report from the director’s hand. “What is it?” he demanded, his eyes scanning the page.

“No…no components!” the director gasped, struggling to catch his breath. “There are no components! But it IS a potent toxin, that much is certain!”

“No components?!” She Yi exclaimed, his voice incredulous. “What are you talking about? Is it Strychnine? Cyanide? Organophosphates? Hyaluronidase? Latrotoxin? You claim it’s a toxin, but you can’t identify a single component? Or is this some newly discovered poison, something the scientific community has yet to identify?”

The director’s face flushed an even deeper crimson. “That’s just it!” he exclaimed, his words tumbling over each other. “There are no unknown components…no, that’s not right. It’s not that there are no unknown components; it’s that there are NO components AT ALL!”

She Yi stared at him, utterly baffled.

“But...how is that possible?” The director’s voice rose in pitch, his excitement threatening to tip over into hysteria. “Does mental energy have a physical component? Can materialized mental energy be broken down and analyzed? This...this is something truly unique! We know it exists. It IS what it IS! But it defies traditional analysis. It’s...” He struggled for words, his hands waving expressively. “It’s artless! Primal! A fundamental law of nature!”

His voice cracked with barely contained excitement. He reached out a hand towards the Blood Tribulus, as though compelled to touch it.

“Hey!” She Xin cried, grabbing the director’s arm and pulling him back. “Don’t touch it! It’s dangerous!”

The director stumbled, his eyes losing their manic gleam as he was pulled back from the brink of recklessness.

“...No components...” She Yi slowly repeated, his eyes glued to the deceptively beautiful weapon resting on the table. “That means...”

“It’s incurable,” the director finished, his voice hushed with awe.

This wasn’t just a toxin. This was a death sentence.

She Yi stared at the report, his mind racing. This weapon could kill anyone, from the lowliest beggar to the highest king. No one was immune. It was a gift of unimaginable value… valuable enough to shake the very foundation of the universe and plunge the galaxy into chaos.

What was Yi Zhen thinking, giving such a thing to She Xin so easily? Was this the doing of that wicked Great Dark Sky?

It had to be! The Crimson Cloak Galaxy, with its vast biological mining rights... Great Dark Sky had always sought to control it. This was a threat, a clear message.

Or…could this be a declaration of war? Was the Human Emperor of the Azoth Empire using this weapon as leverage, a way to assert dominance over the Desnian Galaxy?[e/n: For clarity, I don’t think he’s calling Rong Hongxue the Emperor, but saying ‘is the Emperor, through RHX, blahblah’. But goddammit how is one gift spiraling into so much xD. I also don’t get why Yi Zhen gifted this to She Xin- maybe I’m dumb though.]

The possibilities were terrifying.

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