Starforce Warriors

At that moment, Little Yu had returned to her appearance as an ordinary maid. She became pure and innocent, with a hint of timidity.

She said softly, "Madam said I need to work another month before she'll consider moving me back to the front courtyard. Mistakes must be punished."

The maids joked and teased as they continued washing clothes. All of them possessed cultivation to some degree.

The garments they were laundering were high-grade combat suits made from rare materials. Washing them required special techniques, specific procedures, and custom detergents to avoid damaging the fabric or diminishing its protective qualities.

Only a handful of noble houses in Chongque City had the privilege and wealth to employ such specialized laundry maids.

***

"What's going on? It disappeared?"

On Earth No. 1818, Shin Koharu stared at the figure of her master encased in ice. The faint glow around the ice sculpture was gradually fading, and a deep sense of loss settled over her.

She had believed that the strange changes in her master's body were signs of resurrection. She had hoped, just for a moment, that her master would break free from the ice and stand before her with a smile. She wanted her master to gently pat her head as she had done so many times before and praise her for her progress in cultivation.

But the soft light within the ice slowly dimmed; the miracle did not come. Everything returned to how it was before. She reached out and placed her hand against the ice. The familiar biting cold seeped into her skin. Shin Koharu's eyes were filled with disappointment.

***

The Tower of the Giant Eye.

Li Xiaofei had already faintly guessed who he was about to meet by the time he arrived. Luo Ge escorted him into the inner structure at the top of the tower that was shaped like a massive eye. An elderly man with graying hair and a warm smile greeted him inside the office.

"I never imagined our first meeting would be under such circumstances," said the old man. He was gracious and kind, like an elder from a long-acquainted noble family.

Li Xiaofei gave a small nod and replied, "I didn't expect to meet the High Chancellor here, and at a time like this."

The old man replied, "Heroes emerge from the young."

Li Xiaofei glanced around the interior of the enormous eye-shaped structure and asked, "What guidance does the High Chancellor have for me?"

"Heh, young people are always impatient." The old man chuckled warmly. "Come, have a seat. Let's talk."

The old man waved his hand. A tea set floated over and settled gently on the tea table before them. Rosy mist drifted through the air. A refreshing and elegant aroma of tea slowly filled the room.

Li Xiaofei hesitated for a moment, then sat down at the tea table.

The old man's movements were slow and refined, clearly reflecting centuries of immersion in the art of tea. It didn't take him long to brew two cups. The pale yellow tea shimmered with a captivating luster. One of the cups floated gently to Li Xiaofei's side. Li Xiaofei did not drink, but the old man didn't mind in the slightest.

"Do you want to become City Lord?" he asked.

For some reason, an unreadable smile briefly surfaced on Li Xiaofei's face. He shook his head and said, "No."

The old man chuckled. "If you don't want to be City Lord, then why did you kill Song Jinglun?"

Li Xiaofei leaned back and replied, "Because he tried to kill me."

The old man nodded slightly and said, "Then let me ask this, if an opportunity lay before you, and all you had to do was nod to become the Lord of Chongque City, would you take the position?"

Li Xiaofei said, "I wouldn't."

"The truth?" the old man asked.

Li Xiaofei nodded and added, "I'm in a hurry. High Chancellor, if you have something to say, just say it directly. I didn't come here to discuss meaningless things with you."

The old man smiled faintly and said, "If you want to protect Earth No. 89876 and No. 1818, becoming the Lord of Chongque City is the only way. Right now, Song Jinglun's remaining followers are spreading rumors across the city, claiming that you assassinated the City Lord. They want to nail the crime of treason to your name. One step forward, and it's a throne. One step back, and it's the abyss. So, I suggest you take the seat of the City Lord and every problem you have can be solved in one stroke."

Li Xiaofei said, "The City Lord's position isn't something just anyone can take. It requires Heaven's official appointment."

The old man smiled and said, "Heaven? It can't be found anymore."

Hm?

Li Xiaofei's expression froze. "What do you mean?"

The old man took a sip of tea and let out a heavy sigh. "Chongque City has long lost the path to Heaven. We've been out of contact with it for quite some time."

What?

Li Xiaofei's expression changed drastically.

Something like this has to be a joke.

But the old man had clearly anticipated his reaction and calmly added, "Actually, due to a surprise attack by the Reapers and an internal war within Heaven three hundred and fifty years ago, Chongque City lost all contact with Heaven. There are even rumors that Heaven has already collapsed and no longer exists."

Li Xiaofei felt like his mind was buzzing. If someone else had said this, anyone at all, he would have immediately suggested they go see a doctor. But coming from this old man's mouth...

Could it be true?

Li Xiaofei began to waver.

The old man went on, "Chongque City operates under two major governing systems, the City Lord's Office and the Council. The City Lord was selected by Heaven from among the native population to manage and maintain the city's systems. Meanwhile, the High Chancellor was assigned from the God Generals of Heaven, and is responsible for overseeing and restraining the City Lord's influence."

Li Xiaofei's eyes widened. He understood the implication behind the old man's words. The old man was from Heaven. He was one of Heaven's God Generals, and originally dispatched to Chongque City from above.

"Now, with City Lord Song Jinglun dead and his remnants stirring up trouble and trying to pin the blame on you, there's only one person in all of Chongque City who can step forward, shift the tide, and clear your name and allow you to ascend to the City Lord's seat with dignity." The old man continued.

As High Chancellor, he indeed held that kind of influence.

Li Xiaofei asked, "What do you want me to do?"

He wasn't naive. He knew full well that no one handed out favors for nothing. The old man had laid out too many benefits. He wasn't doing this out of kindness.

The High Chancellor replied, "We want to find Chang'e. She knows the way back."

Of course, it's about Little Aunt.

Li Xiaofei didn't think too much and simply said, "Sorry, I don't know where she is. I'm afraid I can't help you."

The old man replied, "You're Chang'e's heir. How could you not know?"

Li Xiaofei didn't offer further explanation. He only said three words, "I don't know."

The old man fell silent for a while, then added, "There is an ancient legend in Chongque City. If a Primal God is born one day on a base planet, the light of the Primal God can pierce through the mist and reveal the path back to Heaven."

Li Xiaofei understood instantly.

No wonder. No wonder Primal Gods were so valuable.

Angrus had tried to seize one back on his own Earth. On Earth No. 1818, Ishihara Masami had stirred up a storm over it.

The old man continued, "Some ambitious people in Chongque City, including Song Jinglun himself, all wanted to find the lost Heaven. It's said that countless resources are stored within the Heavenly Palace. There are immortal pills, divine peaches, the Heavenly River, and all kinds of artifacts. They are unclaimed, scattered across the ruins. If one could find Heaven again, all of it could be theirs."

Li Xiaofei's heart stirred at his words. If that were true, then it truly was an unimaginable fortune.

"Wait a second, something doesn't add up." Li Xiaofei suddenly realized. "If Heaven has been out of contact, then how is Chongque City still able to send troops to the frontlines in the Star Battlefield? Without Heaven, wouldn't everything have been cut off?"

He felt like he had found the critical point.