Belloc, located on the fringes of the Sixth Sector of the vast universe, harbors a life-sustaining, distant crystalline star. Here resides a civilized kingdom, the Kingdom of Belloc.

  The Belloc Kingdom has reigned over this star for over 400 years. Once a prosperous nation, it has entered a turbulent era. The reigning monarch died unexpectedly in his prime, leaving the young prince, despite his successful ascension to the throne, powerless to quell the domestic unrest. Naturally so; what could one expect from a six-year-old boy?

  On a barren mountaintop, a youth clad in a dark, simple tunic, his legs bare, stood overlooking an unfathomable chasm. His eyes, for his age, were remarkably calm and deep. His skin had a sun-weathered quality, incongruous with his youthful appearance.

  The youth faced the setting sun, his back to the valley, motionless on the mountain peak.

  Darkness gradually descended, swallowing the world. The land’s warmth slowly dissipated. The youth exhaled visible white puffs of breath. The temperature difference between day and night on Belloc could reach 40 degrees; nocturnal activity was minimal, especially in such scant attire.

  Late into the night, on the precipice, the youth opened his eyes and slowly began to descend into the valley. Any observer would have deemed him insane or suicidal; the fall from such a height would have been fatal.

  The youth seemed to relish the descent, gazing up at the mountain peak and the stars.

  His falling body neared a jutting rock face. The youth reacted instantly, grabbing the protrusion, swinging around it, and launching himself towards the valley floor. He hung suspended in mid-air, letting himself fall freely. Three or four meters down, he grabbed another outcropping, steadying himself.

  The frigid air seemed to have no effect on him; he continued his agile descent with practiced ease.

  Time ticked by. Halfway down, sweat beaded on his brow, but he didn't seek rest, continuing his relentless descent.

  As dawn broke, he finally reached the valley floor, a landscape of desiccated plant remains.

  There was no sign of life, but the state of the dead vegetation revealed a crucial detail: the environment wasn't naturally formed. Normally, withered plants would have decomposed; these had not.

  The youth ventured deeper. The path was relatively clear. Soon, he stopped, his bright eyes widening in surprise.

  He slowly raised his head, gazing upon two towering, twenty-meter-tall humanoid machines—actual combat mechs.

  Even after years of decay, they remained awe-inspiring. Their shattered bodies still hinted at their former sleek lines. Their pitch-black cannons were intimidating.

  The two mechs, one black, one white, stood side-by-side, like lovers.

  The youth remained silent for a long time before climbing the white mech. With practiced skill, he reached the top, where the access hatch was still open. He leaped inside.

  He soon reached the control room. The pitch-black chamber suddenly illuminated.

  “Master,” a soothing voice echoed.

  The youth paused for a few seconds. “Echo, call me Fenris.”

  “Acknowledged. Data modification in progress. Modification complete.”

  “Where is my father?”

  “Searching… I apologize, the database contains no record.” Echo replied.

  Fenris fell silent again. After a long moment, he spoke. “Come with me.”

  “Acknowledged. Self-destruct sequence deactivated. Protective systems deactivated. Restraints released.”

  Fenris could clearly hear a series of delicate clicks and whirs emanating from the mech. Then, the control panel in front of him split open, revealing a box rising from beneath.

  Fenris hesitated for a few seconds before reaching out and grasping the box. It began to crack open. Fenris's breathing noticeably quickened. A translucent white sphere emerged, slowly floating from the box. Countless interwoven filaments were visible within. Fenris extended his hand. The white sphere began to shift, morphing its shape. Finally, along a single spire, it pierced his palm. The white sphere, like a liquid, flowed into Fenris's body.

  A voice resonated in Fenris's mind: “Implantation successful.”

  Fenris let out a sigh of relief. He instinctively touched his palm, a familiar warmth flooding his memory.

  It was his mother's feeling; this was her parting gift.

  Fenris climbed out of the mech, glancing at the two fallen giants before turning and leaving.

  Before his tenth birthday, Fenris had a happy childhood. He loved being by his mother's side, listening to her tales of the vast universe. He loathed his father, whose training and studies were relentless and unending. He didn't understand why, unlike his peers, he had to endure such rigorous learning; only he was burdened with it.

  After his tenth birthday, his frail, often-ill mother died. His already strict father became even more severe, offering no comfort or affection, only more intense training and study. Fenris began to develop a profound fear. He wasn't afraid of the training and studying itself; his exceptional intellect told him his father was transferring all his knowledge and skills to him. He had a strong premonition that one day, he would disappear.

  Six years later, Fenris contemplated his father's final message for a full day.

  “I’m going to pursue my own path. Continue on your own; don't yearn for me, don't seek me out. Echo remains in the valley for you.”

  Two years later, Fenris made up his mind. He retrieved Echo; unsurprisingly, the other mech core had been taken by his father.

  Fenris began his ascent of the mountain. He was going home.

  Seven days later, Fenris appeared at the border town. A layer of black ash covered the ground. The town's population was small, but peaceful. Once rich in resources, it had been abandoned after they were depleted.

  That's why the mech hidden in the valley remained undiscovered.

  “If it isn’t Fenris, off on some adventure!” a passing uncle called out.

  Fenris responded politely, “Taking care of some business.”

  The uncle couldn't help but remark, “You’re a good lad, Fenris, though the Governor's quite strict. I can’t imagine how your free-spirited father raised you.”

  Fenris smiled faintly. “Thank you.”

  “Things aren’t too safe outside lately. Don’t go towards the big city unless you have to,” the kindly uncle advised, his eyes lingering on Fenris with approval. Most young people from the town had moved to the bigger cities, leaving few behind. His own daughter was still looking for a partner—a good catch like Fenris was hard to find. Unfortunately, Fenris’s parents were both gone. He hadn’t seen Fenris’ mother many times; she was reportedly always ill, bedridden.

  Fenris replied courteously, “Thank you, I must be going.”

  “Alright.”

  Fenris started toward home, but in truth, he’d made a decision: he had to leave this small town.

  ...

  Early morning, a hyper-velocity train screeched to a halt at the Belloc royal city station. Utilizing magnetic levitation to achieve supersonic speeds, these trains were commonplace throughout the planet.

  Fenris disembarked, a small backpack slung over his shoulder.

  He looked around, slightly disoriented. This was the royal city, seen only in images and projections. The reality felt… different.

  “Belloc royal city is located at 32 degrees North latitude, 72 degrees West longitude, with a comfortable temperature of 26 degrees and relatively low humidity of 20%. The daily temperature variation is 18 degrees, moderately pleasant. Belloc is located in the Sixth Sector, a low-level civilization with scarce resources, a member state of the United Cosmic Government, situated behind the Phirasia Death Line.”

  Fenris was starting to feel uneasy, but he'd grown accustomed to Echo's sudden pronouncements.

  Humanity had entered the era of great interstellar expansion long ago. Humans migrated to various habitable planets, giving rise to new civilizations, some powerful, some weak, constantly at odds with each other.

  A thousand years ago, however, the era of great interstellar expansion suffered a grievous blow. In their relentless expansion, humanity encountered an alien race, leading to five hundred years of brutal conflict. Humanity ultimately suffered defeat.

  In the face of this overwhelming force, the human race formed the United Cosmic Government and established the Phirasia Death Line, abandoning all sectors beyond the Phirasia frontline, creating a fortified inner sphere.

  Fenris exited the station and paused.

  The streets outside were thronged with protest groups, men and women of all ages passionately waving banners.

  The streets were lined with heavily armed guards, battle-ready, though thankfully, no major conflicts were erupting.

  Fenris glanced at them, then continued on his way, shouldering his backpack.

  He planned to find lodging first, initially intending to look for a nearby tavern, but now he changed his mind, this being a prime tourist area.

  “Listen up, everyone! They won't respond. We'll wear them down right here!”

  A bald man in a black tailcoat and white shirt, middle-aged, stood on a makeshift platform in the crowd, his voice booming with defiant courage.

  The crowd below responded with fervent enthusiasm; their morale was high.

  The sky suddenly darkened. Fenris looked up to see a light cruiser appear above the city. Even as a light cruiser, its hull measured two hundred meters.

  Fenris unconsciously glanced up at the light cruiser.

  Echo immediately provided the data.

  “Belloc Royal Light Cruiser: 210 meters long, 30 meters wide. Equipped with two advanced semi-autonomous AI systems. Nuclear fusion reactor propulsion. Weapon systems have been modified: secondary cannons removed; enhanced light Gatling weaponry installed.”

  A holographic projection appeared below the cruiser, displaying an elderly man with a neatly trimmed mustache, a sardonic smile on his face.

  “You have ten minutes to disperse. Otherwise, you will face the consequences.”

  The man on the platform glared at the projection. “Shidolu, you shameless villain, you've misled His Royal Majesty!”

  “Ha ha, I haven’t time for your nonsense. Ten-minute countdown. If you still don’t comply…”

  Fenris unconsciously quickened his pace. He never underestimated human kindness, nor did he overlook human malice.

  The middle-aged man on the platform glared at Shidolu. “I’m right here. Do what you will.”

  In the light cruiser’s command center, a cruel glint flashed in Shidolu’s eyes.

  “Send him to hell.”

  The captain beside him hesitated, stunned.

  “Sir, it’s not time yet. Besides, weren't we just supposed to scare them?”

  Shidolu stepped towards the captain, grabbing him by the collar. “Do as I say. Or you’ll share his fate.”

  Fenris moved towards a nearby building, when a chaotic, terrified scream erupted.

  From the sides of the light cruiser above, numerous pitch-black Gatling guns extended, their barrels numerous and menacing.

  Everyone's faces paled. The middle-aged man on the platform was about to speak when—

  The black muzzles unleashed a torrent of bullets. In an instant, the man on the platform was riddled with holes, reduced to bloody shreds.

  Fenris quickly darted into a nearby alleyway, crouching low.

  They were truly insane.

  Shidolu’s image laughed. “Don’t stop! Wipe out these rabble!”

  “Sir, we risk friendly fire!”

  “Shut up! Keep firing!”

  A deafening roar shattered the air. The light cruiser split cleanly in two, plummeting to the ground.

  “Run!”

  Before Fenris could process what happened, Echo’s shrill warning blared.

  “Warning! Swarm hive detected! Warning! Swarm hive detected! Extreme danger level!”

  No one was unfamiliar with the term "swarm hive," but that didn't make its sudden proximity any easier to accept.

  Fenris barely reacted; he shook his head.

  A high-pitched shriek tore through the air. Fenris instinctively covered his ears; blood trickled from his ears.

  He looked around, the world instantly silent.

  Then, explosions erupted. The fallen light cruiser hadn't exploded unexpectedly.

  Fenris instinctively shielded his head, the shockwave sending him flying. Fortunately, he was far enough away; he scrambled to his feet, relatively unscathed.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Warning! Evacuate immediately!” Echo repeated relentlessly.

  Fenris looked to the sky. It was no longer blue; instead, hideous, metal-plated insectoids, their mouths open, revealing sharp teeth, emerged from the void, raining down like bombs, slamming into the ground, creating deep craters, and crawling out from beneath.

  Fenris only glanced before turning and running.

  “Echo, calculate escape route.”

  “Route calculation underway.” Echo's voice echoed in Fenris’s mind.

  A green line appeared before Fenris's eyes; he followed it as he ran.

  “Note: Route subject to adjustment. Destination: Belloc Spaceport.”

  Running, Fenris asked,

  “No chance of repelling them?”

  “Calculating probability of Belloc Kingdom repelling the swarm invasion… Calculation result: 0%.” Echo replied.

  Fenris's face turned ashen. Based on Echo's calculations, Belloc was doomed.

  He wondered how the Phirasia front line had failed? How had these insects breached it? Clearly, no one had received prior warning.

  “Route adjusted westward. Energy fluctuation detected ahead, presumed new swarm hive.”

  Fenris immediately changed course. The entire royal city was now in chaos, filled with screams of terror; swarm hives were appearing everywhere.

  More and more insects of varying sizes and types emerged from the hives. In the sky, a gigantic flying insect patrolled, its enormous abdomen contracting rhythmically, spewing forth waves of viscous, blue-green liquid like a torrential downpour.

  “Warning: A Type II Elite-Class Brood Queen is laying eggs,” Echo warned.

  Fenris’s scalp tingled. He had no time to look back; escape was his top priority.

  Echo suddenly issued an alert. “Usable transport detected 120 meters ahead at the bend.”

  Fenris looked at the abandoned flying vehicles. “Why not use one of those?”

  “Rejected. Siege probability: 85%, escape probability: 5%, fatality probability: 10%.”

  Following the prompt, Fenris reached the bend and found a young man's body, half-destroyed, partially obscured by rubble.

  Fenris picked up a discarded hoverboard lying nearby and stepped onto it.

  “Accessing…”

  “Access granted.”

  “Taking control…”

  A second later, the hoverboard sprang to life, power surging to its maximum.

  Fenris crouched low, bracing himself. A second later, he shot forward.

  Belloc Spaceport was in utter chaos; all order had broken down. Fortunately, or perhaps by some other stroke of luck, no swarm hives had appeared here yet.

  More than half of the spacecraft at the spaceport were already starting up. When danger strikes, most people choose self-preservation.

  Though command frantically ordered all available spacecraft to launch, there was no response.

  Countless fleeing people surged towards the spaceport; there were no guards, as they, too, had joined the exodus.

  The name "Swarm" had instilled terror in humanity for eons, a fear etched deep into their collective memory.

  Fenris reached the spaceport. He abandoned his nearly empty fuel skimmer, pushing into the throng of refugees.

  In the vast spaceport, an overloaded transport ship roared into life, ascending into the sky.

  As it reached a certain altitude, a void suddenly appeared overhead.

  “No!”

  The ship collided directly with the void. Before any insects could emerge, the ship disintegrated upon impact. Without energy shielding, the consequences of colliding with a swarm hive void were predictable.

  Burning debris rained down. A contingent of soldiers, escorting a group of nobles, forcefully shoved their way through the fleeing crowd, brutally knocking down anyone who resisted.

  Screams and despair filled the air. The suffocating darkness refused to lift.

  Fenris was utterly shaken. This was extinction? Moments ago, everything had been normal; now, the world was ending. He felt the crushing weight of his insignificance.

  “Escape route calculating… calculation complete.”

  “You must board transport T231. Escape probability: 70%. System compromised. Data injected.”

  Echo’s voice pulled Fenris from his thoughts. He looked in the indicated direction: transport T231 was on the western edge of the spaceport, its boarding ramp already closing.

  Fenris sprinted. Hideous insects were emerging from the swarm hives in the sky.

  A grotesque, metal insect landed near him, creating a deep crater. Fenris ignored it, running like a madman.

  The insect crawled from the hole, its red eyes fixed on Fenris. It opened its mouth, a viscous fluid dripping from its mandibles.

  “Warning! You have been targeted by a Type I Soldier-Class Leviathan (the Swarm),” Echo warned.

  Leviathans were a common heavy-duty insect in the Swarm, possessing an exoskeleton comparable to reinforced steel alloys. Their massive mandibles could crush most armor.

  Fenris's heart sank. He forced himself to remain calm, to avoid panic.

  The Leviathan charged. Its immense size was impossible to counter; nothing could impede its progress.

  “Imminent danger! Imminent danger!”

  Fenris leaped, rolling several times across the ground.

  His former position was pulverized by the Leviathan's razor-sharp mandibles, creating another deep crater.

  Fenris felt no relief; the danger was closer now. If he failed to dodge its next attack, it would be over.

  The Leviathan opened its massive jaws, lunging towards Fenris.

  “Automatic threat assessment: critical danger. Initiating emergency defense protocols. Particle shield activated.”

  The Leviathan’s jaws were about to clamp down on Fenris when a white energy shield materialized.

  A screech of pain echoed as the Leviathan's massive mandibles snapped.

  Fenris gritted his teeth, sprinting forward. Around him, transport ships were launching frantically.

  “Energy reserves critically low. Entering hibernation mode.” Echo’s voice faded.

  Fenris’s heart plummeted. He continued along the route Echo had provided, ignoring the nearby ships.

  T231’s boarding ramp was almost completely closed when a group of armed soldiers surrounded it.

  “Open the ramp immediately! Or I’ll shoot you down!”

  The leading general roared. His men carried simple, high-intensity anti-aircraft piercing projectile launchers. These were useless against light cruisers, but against civilian transports at close range, they posed no challenge.

  Logically, if T231 dared defy orders and forcibly take off, its fate would be sealed.

  T231 ultimately yielded. The closed ramp reopened.

  “Open the rear cargo bay as well,” the general barked into his comms unit.

  Fenris’s eyes widened. He'd thought he’d missed his chance; now he had ample time.

  As T231’s ramp fully opened, the general turned to his aide, saying…

  “Board the ship. If there’s no room, throw those refugees overboard.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The general and his soldiers began boarding. As Fenris drew closer to T231, desperate cries filled the air as refugees were brutally shoved overboard. The soldiers disregarded their fate.

  They were kicked directly from the ramp, a drop of at least five or six meters; those who survived would be crippled. Those who dared resist were killed outright.

  Screams, wails, and sobs painted a grim picture.

  When the last soldier boarded, the ramp began to slowly close.

  Fenris reached the ship's undercarriage. He leaped, grabbing a support beam, and began to climb. Echo's previously calculated route had designated this entry point for T231.

  The ship's lower hull had an access point to the waste disposal chute, leading to the interior. However, there was one crucial detail: passage through the chute had to be completed before the ship entered space; afterward, the access ports would seal shut.

  Fenris successfully reached the access point and placed his hand on it.

  “Authentication successful.”

  The hatch opened, and Fenris crawled inside.

  ...

  The engines' nozzles began to flare open, spewing incandescent flames.

  The T231 slowly ascended. Within seconds of lifting off, it began altering its flight path.

  Once the course was adjusted, the T231 soared, beginning its departure from the spaceport.

  The general, along with a group of soldiers, hurried to the control room, unhindered.

  “Maximum speed departure from Belloc.”

  The ship's captain was a calm, middle-aged man. His brow was furrowed, his expression grave, his eyes fixed on the screen.

  Even a civilian vessel was equipped with practical tools.

  For instance, the scanner displayed a sea of red dots along the entire flight path.

  He continuously adjusted the flight path. He couldn't explain it, but the ship felt unusually responsive today, the automated system’s suggested route exceptionally good, unlike the troublesome start-up he’d experienced before.

  In a storage compartment, a ventilation cover in the ceiling had been displaced. Fenris dropped down.

  He breathed a sigh of relief; he hadn’t misremembered the route Echo had shown him.

  Fenris surveyed his surroundings; crates were piled everywhere. He approached a crate, unlocked, and lifted the lid. Inside were mechanical parts, presumably for ship maintenance.

  Suddenly, the ship lurched violently. Fenris nearly lost his balance, struggling to maintain his footing.

  Alarms blared incessantly throughout the ship.

  “Attacked?” Fenris wondered.

  In the control room, the captain frantically issued commands to restore stability.

  The general behind him swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead. The previous jolt hadn’t been an attack; another ship had chosen the same flight path, and the two vessels had flown in parallel. That ship had been attacked and exploded mid-flight; the shockwave had destabilized this one.

  Seconds ticked by. The captain continued to issue commands; the ship’s various parameters slowly returned to normal; the ship began to stabilize.

  When the readings returned to safe levels, the alarms ceased.

  The captain decisively pushed the engines to maximum power.

  A deafening roar filled the ship as the engines roared; intense flames erupted from the rear.

  The immense acceleration forced everyone backward. Just as they’d breathed a sigh of relief, another crisis arose.

  Fenris lay on the floor. The intense acceleration was undoubtedly the ship increasing speed—not necessarily a bad thing; the sooner they escaped the planet, the better.

  Fenris clearly remembered his father's teachings: without a strong, regular army, don't even consider fighting the Swarm; their numbers far exceed anything imaginable.

  What he'd previously considered theoretical knowledge now faced him in stark reality.

  The T231 finally entered the atmosphere. In the control room, no one was entirely calm; who knew if the Swarm awaited them outside?

  The T231 successfully entered space. The scanner still displayed countless red dots on the screen. Whether by sheer luck or some other intervention, the insects hadn't pursued them but instead swarmed Belloc.

  Fenris left the storage compartment and entered the corridor, accessing the external view on a wall panel.

  He could see the ship departing Belloc, the planet shrinking in the distance. He could also see numerous other ships escaping.

  However, Fenris knew that the number of escapees was insignificant compared to Belloc's total population.

  The speed of the fall was unimaginable; there was virtually no resistance. This wasn't a mere swarm; this was something else entirely.

  Fenris felt a sense of bewilderment. How had his father known so much? The answer lay with his father, a mystery he would likely never solve.

  The constant tension of near-death experiences had numbed him to any strong emotions.

  Relaxing, Fenris felt utterly exhausted. He slumped down, overwhelmed by a profound sense of disorientation.

  He didn't even know where he was going. The ship's destination was unknown. Echo had gone silent, he didn't know for how long, hoping it wouldn't be too long; he felt profoundly alone.

  After three hours of safe flight, the red dots on the scanner screen gradually thinned from dense clusters to sparse specks, then vanished entirely. Everyone in the control room breathed a collective sigh of relief, their hearts slowly settling. They didn’t know whether to be grateful for their survival or mourn the destruction of their home, a tragedy confined to the annals of history but now a stark reality.

  At that moment, a portly man in an extravagant suit approached, wiping sweat from his brow.

  “Garvey, are we safe?”

  Garvey replied respectfully, “Young Master, we are safe.”

  “Then where are we going?” The portly man’s voice still trembled slightly; he hadn't fully recovered his composure.

  Garvey turned to the captain. “Where is this ship headed?”

  The captain remained silent, quietly activating the star chart. Then, in a slightly dry voice, he said,

  “Our luck’s held. This ship has ample fuel. Following the original planned route, we'll head towards Borosi. It's in our rear; hopefully, it hasn’t been attacked.”

  Garvey’s face darkened as he looked at the middle-aged captain.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “I wonder… if it’s just coincidence… those insects… they came from behind.” The middle-aged captain said gravely.

  The portly man leaped to his feet. “Silence! Don't talk nonsense! Those insects shouldn't have appeared. Even if they did, it would've been due to negligence on the part of the Phirasia defense forces, allowing them to break through from the front. How could they have come from behind us?”

  The portly young master wasn't as foolish as he seemed; he at least possessed basic common sense.

  The middle-aged captain remained silent for a long time before speaking. “There’s nothing strange. Insects that shouldn't exist… don't just appear before us.”

  Garvey addressed the portly man. “Young Master, please rest. Leave the rest to us.”

  The portly man, barely suppressing his terror, was clearly trying to reassure himself with his vehement denial of the captain's words.

  “Fine. I’ll leave it to you.” The portly man left the control room.

  Garvey turned to the captain. “How likely do you think it is?”

  The middle-aged captain gave a wry smile. “I’m not certain.”

  Garvey’s expression shifted several times before he addressed his subordinate.

  “Keep an eye on them.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Garvey left the control room, his mood far from improved. The captain’s words cast a shadow that wouldn't easily be dispelled.

  ...

  Fenris reached the end of the corridor, pressed the elevator button, and descended to the passenger area. His current location was the ship's maintenance section; there was no food, making a prolonged stay impossible. He needed to reach the passenger area and blend in with the other survivors.

  The elevator ascended.

  With a bang, it stopped, and the metal doors slid open.

  As soon as Fenris stepped out, he was met with a cacophony of noise: shouting, cursing, and weeping.

  Rounding a corner, he saw a large group of refugees huddled together, fear etched on their faces. Though fortunate to have escaped, survival sometimes felt like a different kind of torment.

  At that moment, a shipwide announcement blared, "Attention everyone, this is General Garvey. I'm taking command of this vessel. Anyone who doesn't cooperate will be ejected. Passenger capacity is severely exceeded; all food will be rationed. I've already ejected several; you should know what to do."

  Fenris shook his head; the strong always made the rules.

  He doubted many would receive any substantial rations. During a prolonged voyage through space, if food supplies dwindled before reaching a designated resupply point or a civilized planet, it was essentially a death sentence.

  Sure enough, seven or eight hours passed with no sign of soldiers distributing food.

  Some younger children, unable to bear the hunger, began to cry. Their parents and relatives did their best to comfort them, avoiding the ire of the guards.

  Three hours later, a group of soldiers finally arrived, pushing a cart of food.

  Everyone surged forward.

  “Maintain order, or face the consequences!”

  The leader of the food distribution squad, a soldier, drew his weapon, pointing it at the approaching crowd.

  Silence fell instantly; food distribution began. Each person received a biscuit roughly the size of their hand and a bottle of water—their sustenance for the next day, according to the soldiers.

  The voyage to Borosi would take a month. The ship's stores were theoretically sufficient, but unforeseen circumstances could arise: what if Borosi had also fallen? What if their journey was impeded?

  Garvey's reluctance to purge the less valuable passengers wasn't out of benevolence but simple pragmatism; the passengers were now his assets. The kingdom’s destruction had prevented many from retrieving their wealth; currency was practically worthless; aside from the United Cosmic Government's star credits, other currencies were essentially unusable outside their issuing nation.

  The nobles among the passengers undoubtedly held some star credits, but not much. Exchanging them for United Cosmic Government currency was easy; the reverse was extremely difficult.

  Maintaining those assets was the priority; he wouldn't waste resources on unnecessary purges.

  Fenris, blending in with the crowd, received his ration of food and water.

  He found a quiet corner to crouch in. He had no viable options; there were too many armed people; any resistance would be futile.

  Five uneasy days passed without incident. Whether this was due to everyone being unknowingly overlooked or something else, he couldn't say.

  Fenris sat on the ground. He hadn’t paid much attention to others; he was powerless. While his stealth skills were good, he was no match for five hundred armed soldiers. A single shot would end him. Even if Echo were active, he could only seize control of the ship—a suicidal act.

  “Mommy, I’m hungry,” a weak, tearful voice whispered from nearby.

  It was a girl, probably seven or eight years old. Her parents gently comforted her, stroking her hair.

  “Just hold on a little longer.”

  A small piece of biscuit was offered.

  The little girl, though yearning for it, politely refrained from taking it, looking up at her parents.

  Her parents hesitated before responding.

  “Thank you, but we can’t accept.”

  The offer of food was a lifeline for those on the brink of starvation. While the girl’s parents would likely share some with her, a child’s self-control was less than an adult’s.

  Fenris placed his own ration in front of them, then silently retreated.

  “Thank you,” the girl’s parents said sincerely.

  Fenris wasn't concerned about the meager rations; he had some supplies in his backpack.

  The soldiers controlled the ship's supplies; the refugees’ belongings held little interest; the soldiers would eventually claim those as well.

  Meanwhile, Fenris maintained excellent physical condition. He was looking for an opportunity; he needed to identify the true mastermind. He couldn't take down so many people, but that didn't mean there were no opportunities—hostages were still useful.

  He just needed to be patient.

  A group of soldiers approached; everyone tensed, silent, hearts pounding, as it wasn't food distribution time.

  The lead soldier searched through the crowd, then pointed at a young woman.

  The young woman recoiled in terror. “No!”

  “Take her,” the lead soldier ordered.

  “What are you doing?” The young woman’s boyfriend stood up in alarm, shielding her.

  A soldier punched him in the stomach; the man, unskilled in combat, fell to the ground in agony.

  “Stop! What are you doing?” the young woman cried, sobbing.

  The soldiers ignored her; several grabbed her and dragged her away.

  The lead soldier turned away; the fallen man, clutching his leg, pleaded,

  “Please, let her go.”

  A shot rang out, striking the man.

  “Ah!”

  The surrounding passengers cried out in terror.

  The little girl’s mother quickly covered her eyes; the girl trembled in her mother’s embrace.

  Fenris took a deep breath, feeling more fear and shock than anything else.

  He suppressed his impulses; any movement now would be suicidal.

  “Silence!” the lead soldier shouted.

  The panicked crowd fell silent. The lead soldier addressed his colleagues.

  “Clean it up.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  In the atmosphere of terror, the ship continued its journey. After a long time, Fenris drifted off to sleep.

  Suddenly, the ship shook violently, followed by a cacophony of alarms.

  Everyone woke, jolted by the piercing warnings.

  Then, a broadcast blared, “Ha ha, tremble, lambs! Surrender now, or we’ll come aboard and slaughter you all!”