?


    Flanders? ?set? ?his? ?course? ?exactly? ?as? ?Shi? ?Huajing’s? ?navigation? ?map? ?plotted? ?because? ?they? ?were? ?


    heading? ?to? ?Sector? ?A,? ?the? ?place? ?where? ?the? ?political? ?power? ?of? ?the? ?entire? ?galaxy? ?was? ?concentrated.? ?


    GAL? ?was? ?pretty? ?unstable? ?right? ?now,? ?so? ?the? ?political? ?organizations? ?residing? ?there? ?made? ?sure? ?to? ?


    dial? ?up? ?their? ?personal? ?protection? ?to? ?eleven.? ?It? ?wasn’t? ?weak? ?in? ?the? ?first? ?place,? ?but? ?now? ?it? ?was? ?as? ?


    airtight? ?as? ?it? ?could? ?be.? ?


    ?


    It? ?was? ?the? ?same? ?reason? ?why? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?had? ?sent? ?his? ?men? ?to? ?receive? ?them.? ?Without? ?an? ?escort,? ?


    the? ?group? ?wouldn’t? ?be? ?able? ?to? ?take? ?a? ?step? ?in? ?Sector? ?A? ?without? ?being? ?watched,? ?hailed,? ?scanned,? ?


    and? ?ID-ed? ?by? ?the? ?patrols? ?again,? ?and? ?again,? ?and? ?again.? ?As? ?if? ?that? ?wasn’t? ?bad? ?enough,? ?one? ?misstep? ?


    was? ?all? ?it? ?took? ?to? ?be? ?labeled? ?a? ?terrorist? ?because? ?the? ?sector? ?was? ?practicing? ?a? ?policy? ?that? ?was? ?best? ?


    described? ?as,? ?“kill? ?a? ?hundred? ?innocents? ?if? ?it? ?meant? ?catching? ?one? ?who? ?is? ?guilty.”? ?


    ?


    Long? ?story? ?short,? ?they? ?might? ?have? ?been? ?able? ?to? ?loiter? ?around? ?certain? ?places? ?in? ?Flander’s? ?


    spaceplane? ?before? ?the? ?chaos,? ?but? ?to? ?do? ?that? ?now? ?was? ?just? ?asking? ?for? ?trouble.? ?That? ?was? ?why? ?they? ?


    boarded? ?their? ?escort’s? ?starship? ?upon? ?reaching? ?their? ?initial? ?destination.? ?


    ?


    Jiu? ?Xun? ?attracted? ?most? ?of? ?the? ?escorts’? ?attention? ?because? ?the? ?old? ?man? ?stood? ?out,? ?and? ?because? ?


    they? ?thought? ?that? ?Cillin,? ?Czedow? ?and? ?Shusag? ?were? ?Flanders’? ?“bodyguards”.? ?A? ?while? ?after? ?they? ?


    boarded? ?the? ?starship,? ?someone? ?contacted? ?Cillin? ?and? ?passed? ?him? ?Shi? ?Huajing’s? ?message.? ?


    ?


    “The? ?fourth? ?young? ?master? ?said? ?that? ?he’s? ?about? ?done? ?with? ?the? ?preparation,”? ?the? ?man? ?said.? ?What? ?it? ?


    meant? ?was? ?that? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?had? ?found? ?a? ?way? ?into? ?Sector? ?C? ?for? ?Cillin,? ?so? ?Cillin? ?could? ?save? ?the? ?


    energy? ?for? ?something? ?else.? ?Indirectly,? ?it? ?also? ?confirmed? ?that? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?had? ?laid? ?his? ?hands? ?on? ?


    the? ?military.? ?


    ?


    In? ?hindsight,? ?it? ?wasn’t? ?surprising? ?that? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?would? ?have? ?the? ?courage? ?and? ?skill? ?to? ?pull? ?off? ?


    such? ?a? ?feat? ?at? ?all.? ?He? ?could? ?not? ?have? ?become? ?the? ?respected? ?“fourth? ?young? ?master”? ?in? ?just? ?a? ?


    couple? ?of? ?years? ?otherwise.? ?


    ?


    The? ?reason? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?hadn’t? ?just? ?called? ?Cillin’s? ?communicator? ?directly? ?was? ?because? ?it? ?was? ?


    unsafe,? ?and? ?because? ?the? ?signal? ?was? ?bad.? ?The? ?electromagnetic? ?interference? ?at? ?this? ?particular? ?


    section? ?of? ?space? ?was? ?stronger? ?than? ?normal? ?due? ?to? ?stellar? ?activity,? ?so? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?had? ?a? ?


    messenger? ?carry? ?his? ?message? ?and? ?a? ?video? ?regarding? ?a? ?certain? ?person? ?instead.? ?


    ?


    Sward? ?was? ?a? ?lieutenant? ?colonel? ?serving? ?under? ?the? ?Fifth? ?Army.? ?There? ?were? ?a? ?lot? ?of? ?ranked? ?officers? ?


    in? ?the? ?army? ?as? ?a? ?matter? ?of? ?course,? ?but? ?Sward? ?wasn’t? ?an? ?ordinary? ?man.? ?More? ?specifically,? ?he? ?used? ?


    to? ?be? ?imprisoned? ?in? ?Sector? ?S? ?for? ?the? ?killing? ?of? ?innocent? ?civilians? ?and? ?even? ?his? ?own? ?


    comrade-in-arms.? ?


    ?


    Normally,? ?the? ?repercussions? ?for? ?the? ?killing? ?of? ?civilians? ?weren’t? ?too? ?bad? ?if? ?they? ?were? ?caused? ?by? ?the? ?


    military.? ?The? ?higher-ups? ?certainly? ?couldn’t? ?be? ?bothered? ?to? ?even? ?look? ?at? ?them? ?most? ?of? ?the? ?time.? ?


    However,? ?it? ?was? ?a? ?different? ?story? ?when? ?the? ?death? ?toll? ?reached? ?a? ?certain? ?level,? ?and? ?the? ?murderer? ?


    himself? ?didn’t? ?even? ?bother? ?to? ?hide? ?them.? ?Sward? ?was? ?one? ?such? ?person.? ? ?


    ?


    Sward? ?was? ?described? ?to? ?be? ?aloof,? ?arrogant,? ?cold-blooded,? ?tyrannical,? ?and? ?bloodthirsty? ?and? ?more.? ?


    He? ?was? ?a? ?mass? ?murderer? ?with? ?a? ?string? ?of? ?massacres—not? ?kills,? ?but? ?massacres—under? ?his? ?belt,? ?


    and? ?his? ?last? ?massacre? ?had? ?a? ?death? ?toll? ?of? ?over? ?ten? ?thousand.? ?They? ?were? ?all? ?civilians,? ?and? ?he? ?


    didn’t? ?stop? ?until? ?he? ?was? ?fully? ?satisfied? ?even? ?after? ?the? ?local? ?government? ?had? ?stepped? ?out? ?to? ?stop? ?


    him.? ?


    ?


    The? ?lieutenant? ?colonel? ?was? ?eventually? ?thrown? ?into? ?a? ?jail? ?cell? ?for? ?his? ?crimes,? ?but? ?the? ?chaos? ?


    happened,? ?and? ?the? ?GAL? ?army? ?splintered? ?into? ?eight? ?great? ?armies? ?just? ?a? ?couple? ?of? ?years? ?after? ?his? ?


    imprisonment.? ?As? ?a? ?result,? ?Sector? ?S? ?was? ?dismantled,? ?and? ?many? ?of? ?its? ?prisoners? ?including? ?Sward? ?


    were? ?absorbed? ?into? ?various? ?forces.? ?For? ?a? ?time,? ?he? ?was? ?able? ?to? ?return? ?to? ?his? ?killing? ?ways? ?and? ?


    fought? ?many? ?battles? ?for? ?the? ?army.? ?


    ?


    Sward? ?was? ?now? ?dead,? ?however.? ?Cillin? ?didn’t? ?know? ?how? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?had? ?managed? ?to? ?kill? ?the? ?


    lieutenant? ?colonel,? ?only? ?that? ?Sward? ?must? ?be? ?connected? ?to? ?the? ?place? ?he? ?was? ?going.? ?He? ?also? ?


    guessed? ?that? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?hadn’t? ?killed? ?Sward? ?out? ?of? ?altruistic? ?reasons.? ?Most? ?likely? ?the? ?lieutenant? ?


    colonel? ?had? ?crossed? ?the? ?young? ?master? ?in? ?some? ?way,? ?so? ?he? ?had? ?the? ?former? ?quietly? ?removed? ?from? ?


    this? ?plane? ?of? ?existence.? ?If? ?Cillin? ?didn’t? ?happen? ?to? ?be? ?heading? ?to? ?Sector? ?C? ?at? ?this? ?time,? ?no? ?one—at? ?


    least? ?no? ?one? ?who? ?wasn’t? ?involved? ?from? ?the? ?start—would? ?even? ?know? ?that? ?he? ?had? ?died.? ?In? ?the? ?


    unlikely? ?case? ?where? ?someone? ?discovered? ?the? ?Sward’s? ?assassination,? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?already? ?made? ?


    sure? ?that? ?it? ?couldn’t? ?be? ?linked? ?to? ?him? ?no? ?matter? ?what.? ?After? ?all,? ?he? ?was? ?the? ?current? ?representative? ?


    of? ?the? ?Shi? ?Family,? ?and? ?it? ?wasn’t? ?wise? ?to? ?butt? ?heads? ?with? ?the? ?military? ?right? ?now.? ?Of? ?course,? ?the? ?fact? ?


    he? ?threw? ?this? ?caution? ?to? ?the? ?wind? ?before? ?Cillin? ?showed? ?how? ?much? ?he? ?trusted? ?him.? ?


    ?


    It? ?was? ?clear? ?that? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?had? ?made? ?many? ?plans? ?to? ?infiltrate? ?the? ?military? ?long? ?before? ?Cillin? ?had? ?


    made? ?the? ?request.? ?Sward? ?was? ?but? ?the? ?tip? ?of? ?the? ?iceberg.? ?


    ?


    Back? ?to? ?the? ?present.? ?The? ?video? ?was? ?a? ?compilation? ?of? ?Sward’s? ?behavior.? ?He? ?was? ?a? ?silent? ?man? ?who? ?


    exuded? ?a? ?chilling? ?aura.? ?It? ?was? ?so? ?dominant? ?that? ?it? ?seemed? ?to? ?seep? ?out? ?of? ?the? ?recording? ?itself? ?and? ?


    into? ?reality.? ?His? ?eyes? ?were? ?pits? ?of? ?little? ?emotions,? ?and? ?they? ?remained? ?mostly? ?the? ?same? ?even? ?when? ?


    he? ?was? ?butchering? ?some? ?poor? ?sap.? ?The? ?act? ?of? ?murder? ?barely? ?left? ?any? ?impression? ?in? ?him? ?at? ?all.? ?


    ?


    “So?? ?Do? ?you? ?think? ?you? ?can? ?do? ?it?”? ?Cillin? ?looked? ?at? ?Shusag? ?after? ?the? ?video? ?was? ?over.? ?


    ?


    Cillin? ?understood? ?why? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?had? ?shown? ?them? ?this? ?video.? ?He? ?wanted? ?one? ?of? ?them? ?to? ?


    impersonate? ?Sward,? ?and? ?in? ?Cillion’s? ?opinion? ?Shusag? ?was? ?the? ?best? ?suited? ?of? ?them? ?all.? ?Shusag? ?was? ?


    a? ?former? ?soldier,? ?so? ?he? ?possessed? ?that? ?unique? ?aura? ?that? ?seemed? ?to? ?surround? ?every? ?person? ?who? ?


    ever? ?served? ?in? ?the? ?military? ?before,? ?especially? ?when? ?he? ?dons? ?a? ?military? ?outfit.? ?Not? ?only? ?that,? ?his? ?


    stature? ?was? ?almost? ?identical? ?to? ?Sward’s,? ?and? ?he? ?had? ?enough? ?control? ?over? ?his? ?body? ?that? ?he? ?could? ?


    contort? ?himself? ?a? ?bit? ?to? ?smoothen? ?the? ?last? ?bits? ?of? ?discrepancies.? ?Even? ?if? ?that? ?wasn’t? ?the? ?case,? ?


    Cillin? ?had? ?a? ?million? ?ways? ?to? ?make? ?him? ?look? ?like? ?Sward.? ?It? ?was? ?that? ?unique? ?aura? ?that? ?was? ?the? ?main? ?


    problem.? ?


    ?


    Shusag? ?stared? ?at? ?the? ?icy? ?blade? ?of? ?a? ?human? ?being? ?on? ?the? ?display? ?for? ?a? ?bit? ?before? ?removing? ?his? ?


    hand? ?from? ?his? ?chin.? ?Then,? ?he? ?let? ?out? ?a? ?chuckle? ?and? ?said,? ?“Of? ?course!”? ?


    ?


    The? ?second? ?he? ?said? ?the? ?words,? ?his? ?presence? ?abruptly? ?underwent? ?a? ?drastic? ?change.? ?His? ?normal? ?


    flippancy? ?transformed? ?into? ?cruelty,? ?and? ?a? ?cold,? ?invisible? ?barrier? ?that? ?seemed? ?to? ?reject? ?everything? ?


    caused? ?the? ?messenger’s? ?mouth? ?to? ?fall? ?open? ?in? ?shock.? ?


    ?


    To? ?be? ?honest,? ?there? ?were? ?a? ?ton? ?of? ?people? ?who? ?possessed? ?the? ?skill? ?to? ?act? ?out? ?Sward’s? ?cruelty,? ?


    loftliness,? ?and? ?that? ?grim? ?expression? ?that? ?seemed? ?to? ?prelude? ?a? ?snowstorm.? ?Not? ?everyone? ?could? ?


    emulate? ?that? ?aura? ?that? ?only? ?a? ?serviceman? ?possessed,? ?however.? ?


    ?


    It? ?felt? ?like? ?staring? ?at? ?a? ?straight? ?javelin.? ?His? ?stance? ?was? ?exactly? ?identical,? ?his? ?eyes? ?spoke? ?of? ?


    indifference? ?and? ?gloominess,? ?a? ?cold? ?shadow? ?seemed? ?to? ?loom? ?over? ?his? ?person,? ?and? ?when? ?he? ?


    slowly? ?swept? ?his? ?gaze? ?across? ?the? ?room—it? ?so? ?happened? ?that? ?the? ?Sward? ?in? ?the? ?video? ?was? ?doing? ?


    the? ?same? ?thing—their? ?eyes,? ?movement,? ?and? ?aura? ?felt? ?perfectly? ?identical.? ?


    ?


    For? ?an? ?instant,? ?the? ?messenger? ?forgot? ?that? ?Shusag’s? ?face? ?and? ?outfit? ?were? ?nothing? ?like? ?the? ?


    lieutenant? ?colonel’s.? ?He? ?felt? ?as? ?if? ?the? ?monster? ?who? ?threw? ?all? ?notions? ?of? ?rules? ?and? ?discipline? ?out? ?of? ?


    his? ?head? ?when? ?he? ?became? ?sank? ?in? ?bloodlust,? ?and? ?would? ?attack? ?even? ?his? ?teammates? ?was? ?


    standing? ?right? ?in? ?front? ?of? ?him.? ?His? ?eyes? ?twitched,? ?and? ?his? ?back? ?felt? ?as? ?cold? ?as? ?ice.? ?It? ?was? ?only? ?


    when? ?the? ?cold? ?sensation? ?of? ?metal? ?pricked? ?against? ?his? ?skin? ?that? ?the? ?messenger? ?realized? ?that? ?he? ?


    was? ?about? ?to? ?draw? ?his? ?gun.? ? ?


    ?


    Obviously,? ?the? ?real? ?Sward? ?was? ?dead? ?some? ?time? ?ago.? ?In? ?fact,? ?the? ?messenger? ?himself? ?had? ?taken? ?


    part? ?in? ?the? ?assassination.? ?It? ?was? ?why? ?he? ?remembered? ?the? ?man? ?all? ?too? ?well,? ?and? ?why? ?he? ?doubted? ?


    that? ?the? ?fourth? ?young? ?master’s? ?plan? ?when? ?he? ?heard? ?about? ?it? ?the? ?first? ?time.? ?Was? ?there? ?really? ?


    anyone? ?in? ?this? ?galaxy? ?who? ?could? ?emulate? ?the? ?man’s? ?qualities?? ?Now,? ?he? ?knew? ?the? ?answer.? ?He? ?


    couldn’t? ?say? ?exactly? ?how? ?successful? ?Shusag? ?was? ?in? ?impersonating? ?Sward,? ?but? ?for? ?an? ?instant,? ?he? ?


    certainly? ?felt? ?like? ?the? ?latter? ?had? ?returned? ?to? ?life.? ?


    ?


    Speaking? ?of? ?which,? ?Sward? ?became? ?even? ?gloomier? ?than? ?he? ?normally? ?was? ?after? ?he? ?was? ?plucked? ?


    out? ?of? ?prison,? ?so? ?Shusag? ?definitely? ?had? ?his? ?job? ?cut? ?out? ?for? ?him.? ?Also,? ?he? ?seemed? ?to? ?have? ?a? ?natural? ?


    talent? ?for? ?acting.? ?At? ?any? ?rate,? ?Cillin? ?was? ?very? ?satisfied? ?with? ?the? ?results.? ?


    ?


    The? ?messenger? ?let? ?out? ?a? ?cough? ?to? ?cover? ?up? ?his? ?earlier? ?overreaction.? ?Only? ?then? ?he? ?continued? ?


    going? ?over? ?the? ?finer? ?details? ?with? ?Cillin.? ?Meanwhile,? ?Shusag? ?had? ?turned? ?back? ?into? ?an? ?unreliable? ?


    middle-aged? ?man,? ?grabbed? ?an? ?apple,? ?and? ?lay? ?back? ?down? ?on? ?a? ?chair.? ?It? ?was? ?almost? ?enough? ?to? ?


    convince? ?those? ?who? ?were? ?present? ?that? ?he? ?wasn’t? ?the? ?guy? ?who? ?caused? ?the? ?room? ?temperature? ?to? ?


    drop? ?sharply? ?a? ?minute? ?ago.? ?Almost.? ?


    ?


    After? ?they? ?entered? ?a? ?less? ?disruptive? ?space,? ?Cillin? ?finally? ?managed? ?to? ?get? ?in? ?contact? ?with? ?Shi? ?


    Huajing.? ?


    ?


    “So?? ?Can? ?it? ?work?”? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?asked.? ?He? ?needed? ?to? ?know? ?if? ?Cillin? ?had? ?someone? ?who? ?could? ?


    impersonate? ?Sward.? ?The? ?closer? ?the? ?resemblance,? ?the? ?less? ?chance? ?they? ?would? ?be? ?exposed? ?


    during? ?the? ?operation,? ?and? ?the? ?higher? ?their? ?success? ?rate? ?would? ?become.? ?


    ?


    The? ?messenger? ?described? ?to? ?him? ?what? ?had? ?happened? ?earlier,? ?and? ?Shusag? ?put? ?on? ?a? ?show? ?again? ?


    just? ?for? ?Shi? ?Huajing.? ?It? ?was? ?so? ?good? ?that? ?the? ?fourth? ?young? ?master? ?couldn’t? ?stop? ?clicking? ?his? ?tongue? ?


    in? ?wonder.? ?“Where? ?on? ?earth? ?did? ?you? ?find? ?such? ?a? ?talent,? ?Cillin?”? ?


    ?


    Cillin? ?simply? ?smiled? ?and? ?refrained? ?from? ?answering.? ?It? ?wasn’t? ?that? ?he? ?didn’t? ?trust? ?Shi? ?Huajing,? ?but? ?


    Shusag’s? ?origin? ?absolutely? ?had? ?to? ?remain? ?hidden? ?for? ?now.? ?Catching? ?on? ?the? ?hint,? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?


    moved? ?on? ?to? ?discuss? ?the? ?next? ?steps? ?of? ?the? ?plan.? ?Originally,? ?he? ?had? ?planned? ?for? ?Cillin? ?to? ?act? ?as? ?


    Sward.? ?Since? ?Shusag? ?proved? ?himself? ?to? ?be? ?the? ?better? ?impersonator? ?though,? ?he? ?would? ?have? ?to? ?


    alter? ?the? ?plan? ?slightly.? ?


    ?


    “It’s? ?not? ?actually? ?hard? ?to? ?infiltrate? ?Sector? ?C.? ?There’s? ?a? ?recent? ?intel? ?I? ?received? ?that? ?may? ?be? ?of? ?use? ?to? ?


    you.”? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?explained,? ?“Some? ?time? ?ago,? ?there? ?was? ?a? ?clash? ?between? ?the? ?Fifth? ?Army? ?and? ?the? ?


    First? ?Army.? ?The? ?First? ?Army? ?unfortunately? ?suffered? ?some? ?casualties? ?in? ?that? ?battle,? ?but? ?it? ?also? ?gave? ?


    me? ?the? ?opportunity? ?to? ?assassinate? ?Sward.? ?Anyway,? ?the? ?target? ?location? ?has? ?a? ?strict? ?inspection? ?


    policy.? ?Only? ?captives? ?and? ?escorts? ?are? ?allowed? ?to? ?enter.”? ?


    ?


    “Sward? ?is? ?one? ?of? ?the? ?escorts?”? ?Cillin? ?confirmed.? ?


    ?


    “That’s? ?right.? ?Sward? ?has? ?done? ?this? ?twice? ?already,? ?and? ?I’m? ?pretty? ?sure? ?his? ?service? ?will? ?be? ?required? ?


    again.? ?Not? ?everyone? ?can? ?witness? ?what? ?was? ?done? ?to? ?those? ?captive? ?soldiers? ?and? ?not? ?bat? ?an? ?eye? ?


    after? ?all.”? ?


    ?


    Cillin? ?nodded.? ?He? ?now? ?had? ?a? ?good? ?grasp? ?of? ?Shi? ?Huajing’s? ?plan.? ?


    ?


    “There? ?is? ?another? ?problem? ?though.”? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?continued,? ?“Shusag? ?is? ?an? ?excellent? ?


    impersonator,? ?and? ?I? ?have? ?some? ?of? ?his? ?ID? ?documents? ?in? ?my? ?hands.? ?However,? ?the? ?base? ?you’re? ?


    infiltrating? ?has? ?even? ?stricter? ?inspection? ?policies? ?than? ?the? ?ones? ?outside.? ?They’ll? ?scan? ?his? ?RNA,? ?


    DNA,? ?gene? ?activity,? ?antibodies? ?and? ?more? ?to? ?verify? ?his? ?identity.? ?Obviously,? ?even? ?if? ?Sward? ?himself? ?


    undergoes? ?the? ?scan,? ?the? ?results? ?are? ?going? ?to? ?be? ?slightly? ?different? ?each? ?time.? ?A? ?human’s? ?body? ?is? ?


    everchanging? ?after? ?all.”? ?


    ?


    In? ?fact,? ?if? ?the? ?scan? ?showed? ?the? ?exact? ?same? ?results? ?as? ?the? ?previous? ?scan,? ?the? ?person? ?would? ?be? ?


    detained? ?on? ?the? ?spot? ?because? ?it? ?could? ?only? ?mean? ?that? ?someone? ?had? ?stolen? ?the? ?scan? ?records.? ?It? ?


    was? ?the? ?biggest? ?problem? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?was? ?facing? ?right? ?now.? ?


    ?


    Cillin? ?mulled? ?over? ?the? ?possibilities? ?for? ?a? ?moment? ?before? ?looking? ?at? ?Czedow.? ?After? ?Czedow? ?gave? ?


    him? ?a? ?nod,? ?he? ?looked? ?back? ?at? ?Shi? ?Huajing? ?and? ?answered,? ?“It’s? ?okay.? ?We? ?can? ?deal? ?with? ?it.”?