Chapter 53

Life at the Iron Throne base wasn't always peaceful. With the activation of Miao Weizhen's covert campaign to incite rebellion against former vassal states, and the relative stability brought about by the Guardian's Heart, this iron fortress saw an increased flow of personnel and supplies, becoming increasingly crowded and vibrant, or perhaps even more so, with undercurrents surging.

A few days later, a medium-sized transport ship from the Free Engineers Guild, having completed its exploration mission in the outer star regions, was allowed to dock at the base. It not only brought with it various rare components that the base desperately needed, but also brought two key visitors.

The first person to jump off the gangway was Susie, a woman with messy silver hair. She was clutching a dangerous-looking sealed box, a smile of excitement mixed with fatigue on her face. "Minister! Your Highness! I'm back! Guess what I found in the ruins of the Echo Star Field? Lots of ancient civilization energy coupler fragments, in stunning condition!"

Following behind her was a tall, capable young woman with short, neat black hair, a calm gaze, and the precision of a technician.

She is Ye Lan, the leader of Susie's mission and a well-known energy system expert among the younger generation in the guild.

"Weizhen," Ye Lan walked towards Miao Weizhen, his tone familiar and direct, with a hint of emotion of reunion after a long separation, "It's been a long time since we last met. The guild received the encrypted data of the 'Guardian's Heart' that you transmitted and attached great importance to it. The Elders Council specially sent me here to lead a team. On the one hand, I want to escort Susie and this batch of supplies back, and on the other hand, I want to see if I can provide technical support in terms of energy stabilization."

She stretched out her hand, and on her wrist was a simple-looking metal bracelet with the guild's emblem engraved on it.

Miao Weizhen shook her hand, his expression remaining calm, but his tone less businesslike and cold than usual: "Thank you for your hard work, Ye Lan. Xing Lan has always said that your intuition about energy field resonance is unmatched."

Ye Lan's eyes dimmed slightly, then returned to normal. "Xing Lan is overly kind. I hope I can help." Her gaze fell on Wen Ling, with a kind look and curiosity. "This must be His Highness Wen Ling. Su Si has mentioned you a lot along the way."

Wen Ling returned a gentle smile: "Ms. Ye Lan, you are so kind. Welcome to the 'Iron Throne'."

The day after Ye Lan arrived, another slightly shabby small transport ship painted with the Huangquan Rust Port logo also quietly entered the base port after several covert route jumps.

The hatch opened, and the first person to step out was General Han Zhong, still standing tall and straight like a pine tree, his brow weary from the long journey. Behind him followed a small but sharp-eyed core guard, radiating the spirit of a veteran.

"General Han!" Wen Ling rushed over after hearing the news. Seeing the old general, a genuine smile and relief appeared on his face.

Han Zhong strode forward, gave Wen Ling a standard military salute, and said in a resonant voice, "Your Highness! I have fulfilled my mission and have handed over the affairs of Rust Port to a reliable deputy. I have specially led the 'Cang Ling Guard' to reunite with you and the Minister!"

He turned to Miao Weizhen and nodded politely, "Minister."

Miao Weizhen nodded slightly. "Thank you for your hard work, General Han. Over at Rust Port..."

"Minister, don't worry. Everything has been arranged." Han Zhong took over, his eyes sharp. "No matter how far the Federation extends its reach, it won't be easy for them to completely control the territory of Rust Harbor. However, I heard there's a lot of commotion here, and I think my old bones may be of use again."

His arrival not only brought loyal military forces, but also symbolized the further convergence of Sailiang's orthodox military forces towards the Wen Ling-Miao Weizhen alliance.

Meanwhile, Ye Lan's professionalism was undeniable, and her arrival had indeed greatly advanced the process of untangling the energy veins of the "Guardian's Heart." However, the tacit understanding between her and Miao Weizhen, based on their shared past and professional expertise, was still unnoticed.

At a technical meeting, Ye Lan proposed a brilliant solution to an energy spillover problem, referencing a classic model from the "Star Shuttle" project. Miao Weizhen, listening, almost subconsciously added, "It's very similar to the 'dual vortex suppression field' concept you and Xing Lan proposed back then."

Ye Lan smiled, a look of nostalgia in his eyes: "Yeah, back then the three of us stayed in the lab for a whole week..."

Wen Ling sat aside, listening quietly. He understood this resonance based on shared memories and professional backgrounds, and intellectually there was no qualms, but emotionally, a subtle feeling of being excluded still grew quietly like a tiny vine.

He found himself feeling somewhat…envious. Envious that Ye Lan had participated in that part of Miao Weizhen's past that he had never been a part of, even though that past had been accompanied by the immense pain of losing Xing Lan.

That evening, Wen Ling passed by the workshop and heard the conversation between Ye Lan and Miao Weizhen. He didn't want to interrupt, but he vaguely heard his own name.

"His Highness Wen Ling is indeed very similar to the 'idealist' Xing Lan described," Ye Lan's voice was tinged with emotion. "Pure, determined, and willing to believe in better possibilities. If Xing Lan were here, she would definitely like him very much."

Miao Weizhen's response came after a while, his voice low: "He is more resilient and more dangerous than Xinglan imagined."

"Danger?"

“Things that are too good to be true always make people relax their guard and even willingly step into dangers they would not otherwise have entered.”

Wen Ling paused. Danger? The word pierced his heart like a tiny thorn. So, without him knowing, this was how Miao Weizhen viewed his "ideal"?

A mixture of disappointment and a bit of anger welled up in him. He didn't go in, but turned and left.

For the next two days, Wen Ling subconsciously reduced his appearances in front of Miao Weizhen, devoting more energy to deducing the domestic situation in Sailiang with Han Zhong and assisting Old Chen in optimizing the ecological circulation system. His attitude remained gentle and polite, but the genuine intimacy and dependence that characterized his gaze towards Miao Weizhen had faded somewhat.

Miao Weizhen noticed this change almost immediately. His brows furrowed even more tightly, and the pressure around him dropped even lower, but he didn't show anything in front of Ye Lan and Su Si.

This silent stalemate did not escape Luo Yan's eyes.

Wen Ling was checking patrol logs alone when Luo Yan approached. "Your Highness," she said in a steady voice, "there are some unusual fluctuations in sensor data from the third channel of Area B. I need your authorization to conduct a deep scan."

After finishing her official duties, Luo Yan didn't leave. She silently operated the console, calling up a very blurry, shaky battle recording.

It seemed like a chaotic spaceport. Young Luo Yan, covered in blood, his eyes blank and numb, a soulless husk, was surrounded by several hideous-looking interstellar pirates, like a lamb to the slaughter. At that moment, a dark figure swooped into the battlefield like a ghost. With precision, coldness, and efficiency, it instantly reduced the pirates to floating corpses.

The picture freezes on Miao Weizhen's blood-stained but unusually calm face. He reaches out his hand to Luo Yan, who is curled up in the corner and almost unconscious.

"Seven years ago, at the Grey Harbor slave market." Luo Yan turned off the screen. Her mechanical prosthetic eye looked at Wen Ling. There was no emotion in it, only a cold wasteland that seemed to have been burned by a raging fire. "I was born there and bought and sold like merchandise. That time, my 'master' felt I was no longer useful and was ready to dispose of me."

Her tone was as flat as if she was recounting someone else's story: "The minister was there on a secret mission. He could have ignored me, a slave whose life or death had nothing to do with his mission. But he took action. He gave me the name 'Luo Yan'. He said that from now on, my life belonged to me, and I could choose who to serve."

"I chose to follow him." Luo Yan's voice was low and firm. "It wasn't because of any favor, but because he was the only one who, when I was discarded like garbage, saw the little bit of hope in my eyes that hadn't been completely extinguished, and thought that it 'might still be of some use'."

She turned to Wen Ling, her eyes sharp. "The Minister never judges people lightly. When he called you 'dangerous,' it wasn't a derogatory term. To him, 'dangerous' means you have the power to shake his very foundation. It means that to him, you are a unique 'exceptional' who requires his full attention and focus."

Wen Ling was stunned. He hadn't expected Luo Yan to have such a tragic past, and he hadn't expected her to use this method to awaken him. Miao Weizhen's word "dangerous" had, in Luo Yan's interpretation, become another kind of supreme recognition.

"Engineer Ye Lan is an old friend, a companion, and a bridge to the past," Luo Yan concluded. "But you, Your Highness, are the future the Minister has chosen for himself. And the future is always accompanied by uncertainty and... risk. He was simply stating a fact he had already seen clearly and was prepared to bear."

The slight resentment and anger in his heart instantly vanished after Luo Yan's confession, replaced by a deeper understanding and a hint of regret. He had actually childishly started a quarrel over a single sentence that didn't fully convey his meaning.

That night, Wen Ling went directly to Miao Weizhen's private studio.

Pushing open the door, there was no main light on inside; only the operating table emitted a faint blue glow. Miao Weizhen leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, brow furrowed.

Wen Ling walked over and said nothing. She just reached out and took the cold jade from his fingers, then leaned over and kissed him when he opened his eyes in surprise.

This kiss was not tentative or violent like the previous ones, but was filled with apology, understanding and a tenderness that could not be rejected.

Miao Weizhen's body was a little stiff at first, but he soon took the initiative and deepened the kiss with a bit of suppressed ferocity, as if he wanted to get back at him for the estrangement he had shown over the past two days.

After the kiss, both of them were a little breathless. Wen Ling rested her forehead against his and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Miao Weizhen snorted and ran his fingers through his golden hair with considerable force. "What's the matter? Hiding from me, or... eavesdropping?"

"Both." Wen Ling admitted honestly, looking up at him, her green eyes sparkling in the dim light. "But now I know that it's an honor for me to be considered 'dangerous' by you."

Miao Weizhen's eyes darkened, and he tightened his grip around his waist, pressing him closer to him. "That's good to know. So, don't try to escape from me, even for a moment." His voice was low, filled with unquestionable possessiveness. "Your 'ideals' and 'dangers' can only belong to me."

Wen Ling laughed and put her arms around his neck.