"The Federation's in chaos, and they're still holding the joint exercise?" Cen Yuehuai's jaw dropped, her face a canvas of disbelief.
"Why not?" Xi Nuo tapped his chin, a sly grin spreading. "If I were Federation, I'd rush to wrap it up. Rumors are swirling—this is no time to show weakness. End it fast, avoid complications." His eyes glinted as he turned to Bai Sha. "I'm curious about their new Mind Matrix system. Wonder how it'd fare against our royal Resonance. Aren't you, Your Highness?" He winked, mischief dancing in his gaze.
Bai Sha's expression remained impassive. She read Xi Nuo's intent: he wanted her to pit Resonance, the Empire's mental synchronization technique, against the Federation's tech, humbling their imitation. But she shook her head. "My uncle warned me—Resonance isn't to be used lightly."
"Lightly?" Xi Nuo scoffed. "You've used it once, total. This isn't abuse—it's the perfect stage. His Majesty's caution is overblown."
Bai Sha fixed him with a steady look. "Tell me, then. Since my uncle took the throne, how many times has he used Resonance?"
Xi Nuo paused, counting mentally. "Just once, at his coronation, symbolically. Never again."
"Exactly," Bai Sha said, waving a hand. "Linking others' mental energies isn't trivial. Out of respect for our people's will, it demands restraint."
"Then use it small-scale, within our team," Xi Nuo muttered. "We'd all share power willingly."
"He's right," Ji Ya interjected, her rare contribution sharp and deliberate.
Cen Yuehuai blinked, catching on. "I agree!"
Yu Yan nodded without hesitation, his quiet resolve unmistakable.
Bai Sha stared, caught off guard. Xi Nuo and Ji Ya's eager gazes, Cen Yuehuai's flushed cheeks—they sparked a memory. Emperor Cecil had cautioned her about Resonance's allure: it could be addictive. She'd doubted it, but their fervor proved him right. The bond it forged, the surge of shared strength, was intoxicating.
She inhaled sharply, redirecting the conversation. "Enough about the exercise. Let's plan. If the Federation rejects our medical aid, how do we get Ya Ning and the others to the Empire?"
"We steal them," Xi Nuo said, disappointment at her refusal fading as he leaned in. "Send operatives to infiltrate the Federation, extract them with their simulators. Coordinate with the Zhous and your foster father, Holman. Ning Hongxue's people can only investigate quietly afterward—no family cooperation, no public accusations. We stall, cure them fast, and it's done."
Ji Ya chuckled, arms crossed. "If only it were that smooth."
Xi Nuo raised a brow. "Got a better idea?"
"No, just an addition," Ji Ya said. "Infiltrating the Federation isn't child's play. We need His Majesty's approval. And covert ops sound shady—hiring outsiders is riskier than doing it ourselves. We have a legitimate excuse to enter Federation territory, don't we?"
Xi Nuo's eyes lit up. "You mean…"
"The final joint exercise match—third-year elite team competition," Cen Yuehuai said softly. "We propose holding it in Federation territory. Coordinate with the Zhous for insider support, and we'll get close to our targets."
"Solid," Bai Sha nodded. "One issue: we must keep their vitals stable during transport. Their simulators are linked to the Unbounded City. If we move them via shuttle, we can't let the connection drop until they're on the Empire's starnet."
Any network disruption risked exposure. If trackers pinged the simulators mid-transit, their location would be compromised until the Empire's network shielded them.
"We need to study this," Bai Sha said, frowning. "Even if we're tracked, our identities must stay hidden, or we'll leave evidence."
Ji Ya smirked. "My family knows military comms experts. Counter-tracking's a breeze."
Xi Nuo grinned. "Same here. I can also arrange shuttles and crew."
Cen Yuehuai pondered, then sighed. "I've got nothing to offer… except my sister."
All eyes turned to her. "What?" she protested. "I'm useless! My sister's the star of our family. She's my best asset."
Xi Nuo gave a thumbs-up, half-amused, half-exasperated.
"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?" Cen Yuehuai said, suddenly uneasy. "What if His Majesty vetoes this? We're wasting effort." She doubted she could sway Cen Haiyun, and the Emperor's approval seemed a taller hurdle. With his word, their worries would vanish, but she sensed he'd resist.
Silence fell. Bai Sha leaned back. "I think my uncle might say no."
"Then I'll go to the City myself," she murmured. "No Imperials have been trapped. Maybe I can pull them out…" Her words were drowned by a chorus of objections.
The City was far riskier than stealing bodies. In reality, their noble lineage—Bai Sha's royal status—shielded them from mortal danger. But the City cared nothing for titles. If it turned, it could trap anyone, heedless of rank.
Their stern rebukes forced Bai Sha to abandon the idea aloud. "Fine," Cen Yuehuai said, lightening the mood with a theatrical gesture, her pale hands flailing. Her backdrop was a dark blur—her planet's midnight, her in bed, judging by the time difference. Then her covers flew back, revealing Cen Haiyun in pajamas, scowling. "Up at this hour, scheming? Stealing people? You're a lawless thug! Betraying our family and Her Highness's trust!"
Haiyun's gaze hit the glowing screen, spotting Bai Sha at its center. Her fury vanished. She dropped the blanket, turned calmly, flicked off the light, and shut the door with a click, as if she'd never been there.
The group stared, stunned. Yu Yan hesitated. "Did we just blow our cover?"
"Nope," Cen Yuehuai said, scrambling upright, smoothing her hair, a smug glint in her eyes. "My sister won't breathe a word. Heh."
"Don't be creepy," Xi Nuo said, his face radiating calm disdain. "And 'stealing' is the wrong word. We're saving them. It's noble, not shameful. Your Highness, summon your allies. We'll draft a detailed plan, present it to His Majesty with our resolve. He'll see it's feasible and approve."
Bai Sha squinted, sensing Xi Nuo's ploy to rope in more accomplices. Still, she pulled Han Jue into the call.
The meeting was informal. Xi Nuo, fresh from training, wore a sweat-soaked uniform, his muscles stark under harsh lights, exuding raw intensity. Ji Ya matched his grit. Yu Yan, at dinner, had locked himself in his room under the guise of studying, his student's simplicity—plain clothes, cluttered desk—grounding the scene. Cen Yuehuai, sprawled in bed, her face comically close to the lens, showed mostly nostrils. Han Jue, entering in a crisp suit, looked like a diplomat lost among rogues. "Your Highness?" he said, bewildered.
"Here," Bai Sha replied, engrossed in Ji Ya's list of comms experts. She nodded to Xi Nuo to brief him.
Xi Nuo eyed Han Jue, aware of his reputation as Bai Sha's chief minister, a prodigy from a family rivaling the Wus Marquisate. Eager to impress, Xi Nuo adopted a commanding tone, his noble cadence polished. "Greetings, Mr. Han. We're planning a covert operation and hope you'll join."
Han Jue's brow furrowed, attentive.
Xi Nuo declared, "We're helping Her Highness steal some people."
Han Jue blinked.
"Gah—save people," Xi Nuo corrected, flushing.
Han Jue raised a hand, silencing him. Though no warrior, his parliamentary presence was commanding, his gestures quelling chatter. "I can guess what you mean, but forgive my bluntness—this is reckless and absurd. One misstep could cripple our diplomacy."
Xi Nuo fell silent. Han Jue wasn't addressing him—he was challenging Bai Sha.
"I will save them," Bai Sha said, her voice steady. "No one will stop me."
Han Jue paused, weighing her words. "This isn't just about you and your team, Your Highness. The Federation's insistence on the exercise smells like a trap. With Ning Hongxue pushing for conflict, we're entering a volatile period. Empire-Federation relations could shift dramatically."
"You mean war?" Bai Sha asked.
"It's the worst case, but not impossible," Han Jue said, his eyes narrowing.
Bai Sha went quiet, the weight sinking in.
Han Jue softened slightly. "If you only want your childhood friends—Ya Ning and Yan Jingyi—brought here, that's feasible."
Orphans, however gifted, carried limited political weight. Negotiations could secure them. But the Zhou brothers, Ning Hongxue's kin, were different. Demanding them would be seen as taking hostages, regardless of Ning's role in their comas. To outsiders, they were his blood. The Federation would never release them.
"No," Bai Sha said after a long pause. "I won't leave any behind."
"Your Highness—" Han Jue began.
"This is an order, not a discussion," Bai Sha cut in, her tone iron. She knew how to handle Han Jue. "I'll save them, even if it means razing the Federation's capital."
Han Jue closed his eyes briefly, then nodded, his voice gentler. "Understood." He glanced at the others. "Forget sneaking. Let's rob them."
"Rob?" Ji Ya asked. "Openly?"
"Yes," Han Jue said. "If they vanish quietly, suspicion falls on many. But if we broadcast our identity, we deflect blame."
His plan: frame another. The Federation was already chaotic—more turmoil wouldn't hurt. The comas weren't accidents. By exploiting their cause, they could shift suspicion.
The true culprit, likely the Silver Nexus, wanted Ya Ning and the others dead. Pin the "robbery" on it, and the narrative aligned. As for diplomacy, a few students' "disappearance" wouldn't spark war unless the Federation sought one, which wasn't Bai Sha's burden.
Their plan grew: craft a believable scapegoat. Han Jue had archives of past cases—organization names, codenames, tactics—all pointing to the Silver Nexus. Blame it, the galaxy's perennial villain. It deserved the infamy.
In the Federation hospital, Yan Jingyi sat up, her mind a fractured mirror. Ya Ning relayed the doctors' confusion: her awakening defied their data, while Zhou Wei remained lost. "The Nexus spoke to me," she said, voice raw. "It's not just a program—it's choosing."
Ya Ning's jaw tightened. "It's rewriting reality. We're pawns."
On Youdu Star, Bai Sha's resolve crystallized. The Nexus wasn't merely trapping minds—it was orchestrating a galactic shift. She messaged Xi Nuo: Finalize the team. We move at the exercise. The stars quaked, but she'd carve a path to her friends, Nexus be damned.