The mother insect was publicly executed in front of the entire galaxy, and the news that the insectoid army had been annihilated swept through the Federation and Empire like a storm.
The [War Threat] section, which had long held a permanent spot on the front page of the public StarNet forum, was cleared overnight. In its place was a photo shared countless times: the silent Death Nebula, with stellar dust shining like stars in the background.
Below the photo was a single line of text, simple yet weighty as a history book:
[The history of the insectoids ends today.]
The entire galaxy erupted in celebration. Amid the roaring crowds, one name was shouted over and over, converging into a tidal wave of faith.
Jiang Lijin.
She had ended a war that lasted millennia. She was the savior carved into history.
Her position, from this point forward, was unshakable.
...
Outside the spaceport, the Imperial Royal Fleet and the Federation's main fleet stood on either side, solemnly aligning to form a star-lit path to the port.
As the black dreadnought slowly sailed through, the main cannons of all starships pointed skyward, firing ceremonial salutes. Blinding beams of energy flickered across the vacuum, as if crowning their queen.
Jiang Lijin descended the ramp, followed by Tianyan, Tianque, and Baal. Seth, wearing a white lab coat, shuffled uncomfortably at the back of the line.
She spotted Rowan at the end of the red carpet in an instant.
The little girl wore an elaborate golden royal gown and a crown far too large for her head. She did her best to stand tall, flanked by a group of royal ministers with complex expressions.
The moment Rowan saw Jiang Lijin, she couldn't hold back any longer. Her little face lit up, and she lifted her skirt, stumbling as she ran forward to wrap her arms around Jiang Lijin's thigh.
"Sister Lijin!" Rowan looked up at her with flushed cheeks, her voice loud and proud.
Jiang Lijin bent down, easily scooping the little girl into her arms, and gently straightened the crooked crown on her head. "Is it heavy?"
Rowan took a medal carved from star crystal from the velvet tray held by a nearby attendant, carefully pinning it onto Jiang Lijin's black combat uniform.
"This is the Empire's highest honor, the Star Crystal Medal!" the Little Emperor announced with forced solemnity.
Jiang Lijin smiled, not putting her down. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Sister!" A lively voice cut in—Tinia, his blonde hair gleaming under the lights. "Quick, check the StarNet finance section! We made the headline!"
He excitedly pulled up a holographic screen; the enormous headline practically leaped out: [Yunlan Group Completes Energy and Logistics Integration—Mysterious Majority Shareholder Identity Unknown!]
"I took advantage of the war and poached the entire energy supply chain from those old fogeys in the military department!" Tinia grinned, his blue eyes dazzlingly bright. "Now ninety percent of the galaxy's shipping lanes and energy mines are consolidated under the new 'Guixu Group.' Sister, I've already transferred all the shares to your name! From now on, the richest person isn't my mom—it's you! Buy whatever you want!"
As his words ended, Chiron stepped forward slowly. His gaze first fell tenderly on Jiang Lijin, then drifted to Seth behind her, gray eyes swirling with emotion.
Behind him was Saien.
Saien's stare passed over Chiron and settled on his elder brother, whom he hadn't seen in ten years. He paused mid-step.
Chiron also watched Seth in silence, the father and son gazing at each other across the crowd, the atmosphere growing suddenly delicate.
“Father,” Chiron finally spoke first, his voice a little dry.
Seth stepped forward, studying his son whom he hadn’t seen in ten years, then suddenly raised his hand and gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder. “Still the same stiff look after ten years—no one’s wife would like you!”
Despite the complaint in his words, his tense expression had clearly softened a great deal.
Chiron swayed slightly from the slap, steadied himself, and murmured, “You seem… in good spirits.”
Saien walked over, standing between them, and let out a sigh. “Brother, you’re finally back.”
The awkward, distant atmosphere between father and sons made the surroundings fall quiet. They didn’t say much more, but it felt as if they had exchanged a thousand words.
Chiron quickly composed himself, turned to Jiang Lijin, and handed over a properly sealed legal document, resuming his usual gentle and steady demeanor.
“This is the supreme decree jointly signed by the Imperial Cabinet and the Federation Parliament,” Chiron said. “From this moment, Blue Star will officially be renamed ‘Guixu’ and designated as your personal absolute territory. This territory holds supreme autonomy, sacred and inviolable.”
The savior of the world, the wealthiest in the galaxy, and the owner of an entire planet.
Too many titles at once—Jiang Lijin stayed silent for a moment, simply looking at the men before her.
Tianyan and Tianque stood to her left and right. Tianyan had his usual genial smile, Tianque still kept his cold face, but the ice in his red eyes had melted slightly.
Baal was like a wall, striding over to Jiang Lijin’s side and quietly blocking the swarming officials who tried to approach her, alerted by the rumors. His towering figure and unfriendly stare made anyone think twice.
...
That night's celebration banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.
Jiang Lijin’s seat was placed right next to Rowan’s throne.
At the start of the banquet, several aristocratic middle-aged females with keen noses led their carefully dressed young males toward Jiang Lijin.
“Your Highness, this is my son. He just graduated from the Royal Military Academy, an S-rank. He’s always admired a strong person like you…” One female hadn’t even finished before a heavily oppressive gaze fell on her son.
Baal didn’t even walk over. He just stood in the distance, wine glass in hand, giving a cold glare with his golden vertical pupils. That young S-rank male instantly turned deathly pale, his legs trembling uncontrollably, and he didn’t dare utter another word.
From another direction, an artist with a melancholic air held a bouquet of artificial nebulae roses, trying to approach Jiang Lijin to recite a poem he had just written.
Tianyan appeared next to him like a ghost, casually draping an arm over his shoulder, and said with a grin, “Sir, your spirit energy seems a bit malnourished. Been feeling… less than your best lately? We at Black… Guixu just got in a fresh batch of beast tendon tonics. Top-notch. I’ll give you twenty percent off?”
The artist’s face flushed bright red, as if a hidden vulnerability had been exposed, and he fled, flowers in hand.
Then, a highly respected Imperial Marquis eluded both defense lines, glass in hand, and stood before Jiang Lijin.
“Your Hig—”
He had barely uttered a single syllable when Tinia "happened" to walk by carrying an exquisitely arranged plate of pastries. With a calculated stumble, she sent most of the cream cake splattering precisely and innocently across the Marquis’s expensive formalwear.
"Oh my, I am so terribly sorry, Marquis!" Tinia blinked her big, innocent blue eyes, her tone dripping with feigned remorse. "My sister has been fighting for so long, she's a bit tired and didn’t want to drink. I was just trying to help her dodge the toast, but I guess I lost my grip. You’re such a distinguished noble—you wouldn’t blame a younger one like me for this little accident, would you?"
The Marquis looked down at the mess of cream on his chest, then glanced at the men standing behind Tinia, all of whom wore less-than-friendly expressions. Forced to swallow his anger, he twisted his face into a smile that looked more pained than pleased.
Jiang Lijin rested her chin on one hand, seated leisurely in a chair as she watched the group of men employ every trick in the book to chase off unwanted guests. Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer, and the faintest trace of a smile curled at the corner of her lips.
…
After the banquet, Jiang Lijin declined the palace’s offer of lodging and returned to her villa by Emerald Lake.
But the moment she pushed open the door, she stopped in her tracks.
The villa had been completely rearranged. The living room was carpeted with vibrant roses and faintly glowing Starblossom flowers, their rich fragrance filling the air.
And in the center of the room, five men stood in a row, each dressed in his most representative formal attire, their expressions solemn.
Every single one of them held a formal document in his hand.
If she didn’t know better, Jiang Lijin might have thought this was less a welcome party and more of a coup.
She raised an eyebrow, scanning the various looks on their faces before finally fixing her gaze on the documents in their hands.
"Is this… an attempted mutiny?"
Her teasing question instantly shattered the tense atmosphere.
Tinia was the first to laugh. Stepping forward, he extended the paper in his hand to her with great ceremony.
"Sister," he said, "this is the Treaty for Peaceful Coexistence in the Household, which we drafted overnight. Please… sign it."
