Brother Sinian’s former residence?

Qin Changqing frowned. This place surprised him somewhat, but then he thought of what Lan Lezhang had said. Wasn't Professor Ulysses the lover of his elder brother when he was still alive? So, as Lan Lezhang had said, was he the one behind all this?

Qin Changqing felt a throbbing pain in his forehead. He stood for a moment, propped up by the large desk, and said in a deep voice, "Shaou, the matter concerning the Imperial Star Customs will still be handled according to what we agreed upon. You will handle it personally."

"Yes." Shaou took the order and immediately left the study.

"Deep Sea, mobilize the special forces and rush to the Crown Prince's former residence immediately." Qin Changqing paused, then added, "Also, have someone search Professor Ulysses's residence, his whereabouts over the years, and all the research materials he's handled. Don't miss anything."

"yes."

…

Lan Sinian's eldest brother was named Lan Yueyuan. According to Lan Sinian's recollections, he was a kind and compassionate man, calm and composed. While he didn't hold the same sway as the dazzling Third Prince, he nonetheless possessed the demeanor of a great general. However much the old emperor loved his third son, he was also extremely pleased with his eldest. However, no one could have imagined that the brothers would end up like that. The old emperor must have been the one who suffered the most at the time.

The aircraft quickly crossed the surface of the Emperor Star and arrived at Lan Yueyuan's former residence, which was located on the other side of the Emperor Star relative to the Imperial Palace.

"Your Majesty, there are many monsters outside the manor. Some of the monsters are very powerful, and it may not be easy for the special guards to enter." Shenhai reported to him in a deep voice, and at the same time called up a picture on the electronic screen so that Qin Changqing could understand what he meant more easily.

Qin Changqing turned his head and saw many red dots densely displayed on the electronic screen, evenly distributed around the periphery of the manor. One could even see red dots inside the manor moving like lines of ants. These should be the monsters he was talking about.

They had fought this kind of monster several times before. They were the scrap and defective products produced during the production process of the so-called "perfect products" that Takizawa had once told him about. The scrap products were no different from wild beasts that only cared about eating, but they could infect low-level psychics who came close to them with a manic state. The defective products, however, possessed a certain level of intelligence and were natural killers. Furthermore, the biggest difference between them and the scrap products was that their genes had been completely altered by the virus.

As for the perfect product, the only suspected "perfect product" that Qin Changqing had come into contact with was Xingzhou, who looked no different from a normal person but was manipulated by the enemy at a critical moment. However, Qin Changqing felt that compared to Xingzhou, the Third Prince, who was manipulated but tried his best to pass on information, was more like a perfect product.

Of course, describing the Third Prince as "perfect" is the biggest insult to him.

Besides that, that is...

Qin Changqing's face was gloomy. He couldn't help but touch his stomach lightly. He said to Shen Hai in a deep voice: "Throw down the red line I asked you to bring, and let the special guards find a way to put it on those monsters."

"Yes." Shen Hai had no doubts about this strange order and did exactly as he was told.

Qin Changqing had specially dyed the red thread with cinnabar, and the heavy, large rolls were all authentic cinnabar red. Shen Hai followed Qin Changqing's instructions, handed one end to him, and then slowly lowered the other end from the aircraft.

The Royal Guards were valiant and skilled in combat. They followed the red line and quickly descended into the encirclement of monsters, engaging in a fierce battle. The number of these guards was small, and they seemed so insignificant among the vast swarms of monsters, like tiny grasshoppers dropped into the vast ocean, so fragile.

Qin Changqing sullenly glanced at the special guards' situation and continued to issue orders. Immediately afterwards, the aircraft began to slowly circle the manor at low altitude, allowing the red lines to slowly fall among the monsters. The special guards would then try to capture them and subdue them.

These red lines were surprisingly effective. Any monster caught within them would collapse to the ground in an extremely short time, visually like dominoes falling in droves. The previously massive mountains and seas of monsters gradually became a field of corpses, creating a terrifying scene resembling a city at the end of the world.

But no matter what, these monsters finally didn't have to fight their way out at the cost of human lives. The special guards were full of respect for the Queen who came up with the solution. However, they didn't know what price the Queen had paid for this seemingly simple method.

Inside the aircraft, Qin Changqing held one end of the red line tightly in his right hand. A red mole under the pisiform bone on his wrist was continuously emitting bright cinnabar-colored light. The light was like an electric current, quickly rushing down along the red line, and finally entered the group of monsters.

As the Emperor's confidant, Shen Hai had long since mastered the skill of remaining calm even in the face of adversity. However, a trace of worry crossed his unchanging face. He couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, please don't force yourself. For your own sake, for the sake of the young princess, and even more for His Majesty."

Across from him, Qin Changqing's face was ashen, as if the constant stream of light pouring out of his body had already begun to fail him. Beads of sweat streamed down his pale forehead, his tightly pursed lips gradually losing color, and his body trembled slightly as if from excessive blood loss. He looked unwell.

"I'm fine." Qin Changqing said softly, "Have all the monsters been dealt with?"

"It has been resolved, Your Majesty, please rest assured." Shenhai closed the electronic board and lied to his master for the first time.

Qin Changqing didn't doubt it, a hint of joy appeared on his pale face, and he asked hurriedly: "Can we enter the manor now?"

"Okay."

In fact, the monsters outside the manor were not completely eliminated, but Shen Hai did not dare to let him continue to overdraw his strength, so he decided to take the risk and drive the aircraft directly in.

Qin Changqing couldn't help showing an expression of anticipation on his face. He felt a pain in his stomach and quickly touched the little guy to comfort him. He whispered Lan Sinian's name in his heart, and he would definitely bring that man back safely.

The aircraft couldn't advance much further into the manor, so Shen Hai found a flat spot to stop. He then helped the Queen off the aircraft and whispered, "Your Majesty, please stay close to me." After a moment's thought, he added, "Don't be afraid."

Someone with Shen Hai's personality undoubtedly makes others feel safe. Qin Changqing felt like laughing as he looked at his back, because this person looked very similar to Lan Sinian when he was serious.

Thinking of Lan Sinian, his mind couldn't help but wander. He seemed to be always wise, shrewd, and powerful in front of others, and no one dared to easily challenge his authority. But in front of him, he seemed to transform into a kaleidoscope, its colorful contents endlessly admiring and never enough...

When Qin Changqing came to his senses, Shen Hai was already surrounded by several monsters, but the strange thing was that even if Qin Changqing stood alone on the side, the other monsters did not dare to get close to him.

Qin Changqing thought of many scenes at that moment, the cinnabar bracelet that Ahua gave him before leaving, but disappeared on the first day he stepped onto the starship to the empire, the monster he first saw in the Prince's Manor, the red monster crystal he got in the basement of Castle Kah, Qin Xu's red-glowing beads, Lan Sinian's disappearance... Many scenes flashed through his mind, and he wanted to take a closer look at the connection between them, but then his head seemed to be stuck, and he felt numb and couldn't move at all.

Qin Changqing closed his eyes tightly. He knew very well that his body was too weak at the moment. It was not good for him to be distracted by thinking too much, otherwise he might collapse before he could see Lan Sinian.

Shen Hai was extremely powerful, and he quickly dispatched the monsters that surrounded him. Qin Changqing had heard Lan Sinian say that Shen Hai was far superior to Shaou and Han Hai in terms of combat prowess, but because Lan Sinian often tasked him with matters that couldn't be made public, he wasn't suited to be the captain of the imperial guards.

After overcoming all obstacles along the way with the help of Shen Hai, the two soon arrived at a castle.

The owner of the manor passed away more than 30 years ago, and no one has lived in the manor for a long time, but the royal family would arrange people to clean or repair the manor's buildings and gardens every once in a while, which made the entire manor not dilapidated. It just looks a bit desolate because it is not popular.

Shen Hai protected Qin Changqing behind him, and the two of them slowly walked into the castle gate.

The castle gate burst open under the force of the deep sea, and bright light from outside instantly poured in. Qin Changqing stood in the middle of the gate, his eyes slightly wide. He saw a huge transparent column standing in the high-domed hall. Inside stood a naked man. It was a man that Qin Changqing could imagine with his eyes closed: Lan Sinian.

"Sinian, Sinian!" The moment Qin Changqing saw that face clearly, his strong outer shell seemed to be shattered, revealing his fragile and helpless inner self. Two lines of tears suddenly slid down from his tired eyes.

Yet, the man who always cherished him like a treasure, completely oblivious to his rare display of vulnerability, was completely blinded by it. He floated silently within the massive cylinder, his body connected to several tubes, as if completely silent. Only a blue light on the instrument beneath the cylinder flickered briefly as Qin Changqing's voice descended, then quickly went out, yet no one noticed.

Qin Changqing's face was full of pain. His Lan Sinian was fixed in a glass frame like a specimen, silent and without dignity.

How can this be!

Qin Changqing's red eyes flashed with crazy hatred. He strode towards the instrument, trying to open the transparent cylinder to save Lan Sinian, but he didn't dare to move at all, for fear that he would accidentally endanger Lan Sinian's life.

"No need to look for him. This barrier can't be opened by anyone else. If he doesn't want to, no one can let him out."