With Qiu Zha's capture, Bai Sha's mission on Xiao Yang Star was complete. The Imperial fleet, responding to her signal, descended swiftly. Soldiers clad in pristine white secured the unconscious Qiu Zha with electronic shackles, his limp form hoisted onto a hover-stretcher and whisked away. The port's chaos faded into a disciplined hum, the air sharp with the ozone of mech exhaust and the distant clang of machinery.
Bai Sha turned to Kaixin, who stood beside Seven Kills, its silver-purple frame scarred but proud. "Salmer's body and mech are yours to handle," she said. "We'll reserve a berth on the starship for him." She paused, her gaze softening. "Should we notify the Greiz clan, or will you contact them yourself?"
The disaster eighteen years ago tied the Ronin, Greiz, Han, and other clans in a web of grief and suspicion. Qiu Zha's interrogation would draw their representatives, and Salmer's fate would soon be known.
"I'll speak with the clan elders," Kaixin said, his voice steady but subdued. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Bai Sha noted a newfound humility in his tone, a shift from his usual pride. Her lips twitched, but she held her silence, letting the moment pass.
They abandoned the makeshift mechs—save for Seven Kills—which the Imperials destroyed on-site to erase their data trails. Bai Sha, Kaixin, Ya Ning, and Jingyi donned Imperial fleet uniforms, their crisp white fabric a stark contrast to the port's grime. They boarded the starship, its sleek corridors gleaming under soft blue lights, the air cool and sterile.
Ya Ning and Jingyi had arrived earlier, already in uniform. Ya Ning's eyes lingered on his chest's insignia, lost in thought, while Jingyi shed her jacket, rolling her sleeves to her elbows and fussing with her tie. Bai Sha approached, deftly adjusting the knot.
Jingyi tilted her head, her gaze drifting upward. "Your Empire's uniforms are so fussy."
"It's just a tie," Bai Sha said, grinning. "It's wearing Imperial colors that's got you uneasy."
Jingyi fell silent, her expression unreadable.
"Don't worry," Bai Sha said, her tone softening. "I'm not asking you to defect. The Federation needs you more than we do, though I'd love to keep you."
Her gaze shifted to Oros, lounging against a wall. "Speaking of, Oros, you're a mercenary leader. Why're you boarding with us? Your legion's not your concern anymore?"
Oros shrugged, bending to open a hidden food cabinet with practiced ease. He pulled out snacks and drinks, setting them on a table before sliding the panel shut, the wall seamless again. "This was our legion's last job before an indefinite break," he said. "I wanted my men to think about their futures. Some feel quitting betrays me, so I'm stepping back to let them choose freely. Hence, I vanish for a bit."
He popped a drink's cap, pushing the snacks toward Bai Sha and the others. "You're not hungry? After tonight, I'm starved."
They gathered around, tearing into the food—savory, satisfying flavors cutting through their fatigue. Jingyi eyed Oros. "You move like a fleet veteran."
Oros smirked, noncommittal.
"You didn't need to come," Bai Sha said. "If you're worried about investigations implicating your legion, I promise the Empire won't touch you. You're free to go."
"You can't guarantee that, Your Highness," Oros said, his tone wry. "Remember our planning? You joked about calling in the 'parents' if we were outmatched, even threatening to charge us with abducting the Crown Prince."
Bai Sha laughed. "I was bluffing."
"I know," Oros said. "But you did call the fleet, and it saved our hides. Without it, my men would've been slaughtered. As Crown Prince, you have the authority, but it comes with accountability. You can't just vanish. Your absence, your fleet orders—it'll all be scrutinized. How you left, how you linked with my legion to hit Xiao Yang—every detail will be traced, and blame assigned. I'm a mercenary, but I'm Aresian. I knew your identity, hid it, and joined a high-risk op. I'm liable. The Emperor will find me. Better I turn myself in for leniency." He chuckled. "Luckily, we're all safe, and the job's done. My punishment shouldn't be too harsh."
"So you're scared of my uncle?" Bai Sha teased.
"Who isn't?" Oros groaned, rubbing his forehead. "I'm an Aresian who ditched my clan for freedom. The Emperor despises people like me—selfish types who toss aside family honor."
Bai Sha's optic buzzed, interrupting. She hesitated, then accepted the call. Emperor Cecil Ronin's face appeared on the holo-screen, stern and regal.
Bai Sha's heart skipped, but she kept her composure, waving casually. "Hey, Uncle."
Cecil's scowl cracked into a wry smile at her nonchalance. "Get back here. Now."
"On my way," Bai Sha said, unfazed. She'd planned to face him anyway.
She intended to reveal everything about the Silver Nexus, including her fragmented memories—truth or illusion, he deserved to know.
As she opened her mouth, she caught Oros sliding under the table, frantically shaking his head. She stifled a laugh. Really?
Cecil's sharp eyes caught her distraction, his tone softening. "What's wrong? Tired?"
Bai Sha shook her head.
"Have a medic check you when you're back," Cecil sighed. "I locked you up to rest, not to run off on a crusade."
"I'll explain everything," Bai Sha said, her voice contrite.
"I know it's tied to the Nexus," Cecil said. "But it's not your burden alone—it's ours. You want to play hero, fine, but there's a limit. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
The call ended, and Oros crawled out, sheepish. Bai Sha raised an eyebrow. "That dramatic?"
Oros gave a bitter laugh. "Truth is, I faced His Majesty in a military academy tournament once."
Bai Sha blinked.
Oros inhaled deeply. "He beat the stars out of me."
Bai Sha bit back a grin, recalling old footage of Prince Cecil—cold, ruthless, a veritable war god in the ring. No wonder Oros was traumatized.
Qiu Zha was escorted to the Military Intelligence Department's interrogation chamber, a stark white cell humming with unseen sensors. The case's gravity drew heavyweights: clan representatives packed a conference room, Emperor Cecil himself presiding. Bai Sha and Kaixin, as key witnesses, were summoned to relay Salmer Greiz's final words.
Qiu Zha sat strapped to the interrogation chair, his disguise stripped. His true face was gaunt, half marred by an untreatable burn scar, the other half smooth, almost aristocratic, with unblemished skin and delicate features. His hands and feet, uncalloused, suggested years of ease. A man like this should've cracked easily.
Yet the interrogators struggled. Qiu Zha worshipped the Nexus as a god, his devotion unshakable. No taunt or coaxing stirred him; he stared at a corner of the room, his expression vacant, as if his soul had fled, leaving a husk.
"We've tried extreme methods," an interrogator reported. "He won't budge."
Qiu Zha's clothes were intact, but his pallor, bloodshot eyes, and cracked lips betrayed his strain. He looked ready to collapse.
"Further escalation—drugs, neural probes—risks his lucidity," the interrogator continued. "We don't just need a confession; we need verifiable truth. One misstep could mislead our next moves."
Qiu Zha's fanaticism made him brittle. Push too hard, and he'd snap into madness.
The question loomed: who could break him?
"He hates all Imperials equally," an intelligence officer said, glancing at Bai Sha. "Waiting for his accomplices to leverage might be better."
Bai Sha smirked. "I'm not just an Imperial. I'm his rival."
The room stirred, puzzled. The officer raised an eyebrow, stepping aside. "Prepare as you need."
Bai Sha requested a white lab coat and a thermos. She tied her hair into a neat bun, donned the coat, and strode in, thermos in hand. Instantly, she transformed—less a warrior, more a gentle scholar, her presence disarming. Aresians, even researchers, carried an edge; Bai Sha's softness was alien, mesmerizing the onlookers.
She pulled a chair, set the thermos down, and sat, her tone casual but pointed. "No need for arrogance, criminal. Confess, and you'll get leniency. Resist, and it's worse."
Qiu Zha didn't react, but his flickering gaze betrayed unease. He'd braced for torture; Bai Sha's odd approach unnerved him.
"You worship the Nexus?" she asked, studying him. "Why? It's a machine, man-made. You're human. Why enslave yourself?"
"Not a slave!" Qiu Zha snapped, her non-Imperial demeanor lowering his guard. "A symbiote. The Nexus exists to sustain human civilization. We're its partners—our destiny, our duty."
He sneered. "Unlike you gene-spliced vermin, bred to be exterminated. You're unfit to be symbiotes. What's your purpose?"
"You know a lot," Bai Sha said, unfazed. "So you know the Nexus's plans?"
Qiu Zha shrugged. "What if I do?"
"You mentioned 'purpose,'" Bai Sha said. "If the Nexus's vision comes true, what's humanity's role? To be planned and controlled by a machine?"
Qiu Zha's face hardened. "It's sacrifice for survival."
"Sacrificing others, you mean," Bai Sha said, leaning back. "You want to be the elite, basking in long life while others pay the price. Right?"
Qiu Zha met her gaze, his eyes venomous. "So what? If the Nexus rises, I'm its herald, its voice, a founder of a new order. Why can you be royalty, but I can't be privileged?"
Bai Sha sighed, her expression heavy. "I knew it. You've been duped."
She tapped the table. "The Nexus pitched that to countless others. It even offered me the same deal—rule humanity in its name."
Qiu Zha's eye twitched, but he didn't argue. He knew the Nexus's habit of dangling promises.
"You trust it?" Bai Sha pressed. "Think. Which promise has it kept? It names you herald, but it has endless backups. Immortality? A joke. Biochemical surgeries are a gamble—millennia later, no one's achieved true eternal life."
"No!" Qiu Zha's voice rose, frantic. "Immortality's real. It can do it—"
"Where?" Bai Sha cut in. "Show me."
Qiu Zha froze, realizing he'd been baited, and clamped his mouth shut.
Bai Sha smiled. "Let me guess. Your 'immortality' isn't physical—it's consciousness transfer, right?"
Qiu Zha's eyes narrowed, his tone dangerous. "The Nexus told you?"
Consciousness transfer was the Nexus's trump card, its plan to revive the Beacon scholars who created it, rebuilding its core and database. After the Silver Empire's fall, the Nexus clung to this dream, surviving centuries to reclaim its power.
This was critical. The Nexus shared such secrets only with chosen allies, confirming it saw Bai Sha as a potential proxy.
"Why?" Qiu Zha raged, straining against his cuffs, fists hammering the table. "It promised to purge the mutants, to preserve pure human blood!"
Bai Sha opened his file on her optic. "Federation citizen, military family, failed military academy entrance twenty years ago—insufficient mental strength. Enrolled in a civilian university. So, you worked for the Nexus before graduating. How'd you end up with Salmer Greiz? Mercenary roots? Rough path, young man."
Qiu Zha's glare was feral, as if he'd tear her apart.
"Let's deduce," Bai Sha said, closing the file. "You flunked the academy, so you despised the Federation's mental-strength hierarchy. You hated Aresians for their superior minds. Following the Nexus fit your logic: in its world, mental strength wouldn't be glorified, since higher mental power means deeper fusion corruption. You'd rise as 'pure' nobility."
Qiu Zha's face twisted with shame and fury.
Fury gave way to eerie calm. "So what?" he said. "You think this world's flawless? Humanity's doomed. Mental-strength rule is perverse. It's not pure evolution; it doesn't make you superior. But the truth's buried, history warped by the powerful. These rules serve the elite."
"I fight for survival, for dignity—selfish, maybe. But aren't you all vile? You keep me oppressed so you can oppress others. It's human nature." His voice broke, exhausted. "The Nexus is right. We can't be trusted with our fate. We'll always destroy each other."
Bai Sha fell silent, the weight of his words settling. Then she said, "You're off-topic."
"Fairness is a dream we'll never reach," she continued. "But that doesn't negate human effort. We don't just harm—we create, build. The Nexus itself proves it. You call it divine, but humans made it, under dire odds. We've done well to survive this far. You can't dismiss that." Her tone grew earnest. "You judge humanity by your own lens. That's narrow."
Qiu Zha stared, mute.
"You had a chance," Bai Sha said, shifting gears. "Without the Nexus, you could've achieved your goals."
Qiu Zha's brow furrowed. "What?"
"The Federation obsesses over mental strength because of the clans," Bai Sha said. "They set rules to stay superior. Want to break that? Topple the clans—easier than controlling humanity."
Qiu Zha blinked, stunned.
"The Nexus is infiltrating the clans," Bai Sha said. "If it wins, clans vanish, but you'll be its pawn, destroyed with them. Join us instead. We'll fight the Nexus and, in the chaos, dismantle the clans. Why not hedge your bets?"
Qiu Zha's expression wavered, his mind wrestling. Then he snapped back. "No. You have no leverage. If I betray the Nexus, I'm done."
"No leverage?" Bai Sha raised an eyebrow. "You know consciousness transfer—how the Nexus plans to use it."
Qiu Zha nodded slowly.
"That's our leverage," Bai Sha whispered, leaning close. "Tell me where the Beacon scholars' consciousnesses are stored. With them, we take control."
Qiu Zha hesitated, then closed his eyes. "In the God's Tomb. But it's guarded by the virus. No one can reach the core. The Nexus will win."
"Not impossible," Bai Sha said coolly. "Salmer gave us a lead."
Qiu Zha's eyes widened. "Starphage worms only delay the virus…" He paused, realization dawning. "You don't need to cure it."
A suicide squad with starphage worms could brave the Tomb, retrieving the chips. Sacrifice was likely, but success could shift the balance. Only Aresians or high-mental-strength Federals could endure the worms' toll, even briefly.
"There's hope now," Bai Sha said, her calm masking the sweat on her back. "Exploring the Tomb takes time. First, we curb the Nexus's spread in the Federation."
"You know the Unbound City?" she asked. "The virtual prison trapping countless minds."
Qiu Zha nodded, more cooperative now, perhaps trusting Bai Sha over the Nexus, or finding the topic less sensitive.
"Can you free them?" Bai Sha pressed. "Where's the City's anchor point?"
Virtual spaces relied on physical "anchor points"—server networks. Destroy the City's, and its prisoners would be freed. It had run uninterrupted since its creation.
Qiu Zha's answer stunned her. "The anchor point moves. No one can track it."
He continued, "The Immortal Cicada Council's elders say it's on a mysterious ship."
A ship, untraceable, eternal.
"The Lone Light?" Bai Sha asked instinctively.
Qiu Zha's jaw dropped. "How do you know so much? Did the Nexus spill everything?"
"Some," Bai Sha said, her tone icing over. "You filled in the rest."
Qiu Zha's eyes narrowed, a warning. "Without me, you'll never find the Tomb."
"Sorry," Bai Sha said, rising with her thermos. "We already have its coordinates."
She stood, towering over him, her deep blue eyes swirling like ocean maelstroms. Qiu Zha's skin prickled—he felt her killing intent now, raw and unmasked.
How had he mistaken her for anything but an Aresian? A monster. She was Xipes Ronin's kin, tied to the science ship disaster he'd engineered. They were enemies.
"You believed me," Bai Sha said, almost pitying. "No wonder the Nexus played you."
She left, the door sealing behind her. The conference room buzzed, clan leaders murmuring. Cecil's gaze met hers, unreadable but heavy.
Kaixin approached, his voice low. "You got what we needed?"
"More," Bai Sha said. "The Tomb, the Lone Light, the Nexus's endgame. But it's a long road."
Kaixin nodded, his eyes on the chamber where Qiu Zha sat, broken. "For the Greiz."
"For the Empire," Bai Sha corrected softly. "And beyond."
The starship hummed, its engines warming for Youdu Star. Bai Sha's optic pinged: Zhou Ying's urgent message. Nexus activity surging. Return with data ASAP. She glanced at Kaixin, then at Qiu Zha's cell, his silhouette slumped. They'd won a battle, but the war loomed larger, its shadows deepening.
On Youdu, Cecil awaited, his throne a cold seat of judgment. Bai Sha's truths—her memories, her gambits—would face his scrutiny. Hero or reckless heir, she'd face the consequences, with the Nexus's specter watching.
The starship's corridors echoed with the low hum of its engines, a steady pulse that seemed to underscore the weight of their journey. Bai Sha walked alone, her boots clicking against the polished floor, the lab coat now discarded for her Imperial uniform. The thermos rested in her hand, a mundane anchor amid the storm of revelations. Her mind churned with Qiu Zha's words—the God's Tomb, the Lone Light, the Nexus's vision of a controlled humanity. Each piece fit into a larger, more sinister puzzle, but gaps remained, shadowed by uncertainty.
She reached the observation deck, a wide viewport revealing the void beyond. Stars glittered, indifferent to the machinations below. Bai Sha leaned against the railing, her reflection faint in the glass. The Nexus had chosen her, just as it had chosen Qiu Zha, Salmer, and countless others. Its promises were seductive, its threats paralyzing. She'd resisted, but the cost of defiance was steep—every step deeper into its web risked her becoming its pawn.
Footsteps approached. Kaixin, still in his fleet uniform, joined her, his expression unreadable. Seven Kills' key hung from his belt, a silent reminder of his uncle's fall.
"You okay?" Bai Sha asked, her voice low.
Kaixin's red eyes flickered, the pomegranate hue softened by fatigue. "I've contacted the elders. They'll meet us on Youdu. Salmer's body… they'll honor him, despite everything."
Bai Sha nodded. "He was flawed, but he was yours. That matters."
Kaixin's jaw tightened. "He betrayed us, yet I can't hate him. He thought he was protecting the clan."
"People make choices," Bai Sha said. "Sometimes they're wrong. Doesn't mean they're worthless."
Kaixin glanced at her, a faint smile breaking through. "You sound like you've forgiven him."
"Not quite," Bai Sha said, her tone wry. "But I get why he ran. The Nexus twists everything—hope, fear, loyalty. It's a parasite."
Kaixin's gaze drifted to the stars. "Qiu Zha… he's proof of that. You broke him, but he's still loyal to it."
"He's broken, but not useless," Bai Sha said. "He gave us enough to move forward. The Tomb's our next step, but the Lone Light—that's the real prize. If it's the Unbound City's anchor, it's the Nexus's heart."
Kaixin frowned. "A ship that can't be tracked? Sounds like a myth."
"It's real," Bai Sha said. "The Nexus wouldn't stake so much on a ghost. We find it, we cut the City's chains. Free those minds, and we weaken the Nexus's grip."
"And the cost?" Kaixin asked, his voice heavy. "The Tomb's virus, the worms—who pays that price?"
Bai Sha's grip on the thermos tightened. "We'll find a way. No one's disposable."
Kaixin's eyes searched hers, seeking certainty. "You really believe that?"
"I have to," she said, her voice firm. "Otherwise, the Nexus wins."
They stood in silence, the void stretching before them. The starship's hum was a reminder of their fleeting respite—Youdu loomed, with Cecil's judgment and the clans' scrutiny. Bai Sha's gambit had yielded results, but her unauthorized actions would demand a reckoning.
On Youdu Star, the Imperial Palace's war room was a fortress of cold steel and holo-screens, its air thick with tension. Clan leaders—Ronin, Greiz, Han, and others—sat around a vast table, their faces etched with suspicion and resolve. Cecil Ronin presided, his presence a gravitational force, his silver hair catching the light like a crown. Zhou Ying, the Empire's chief strategist, stood at his side, her optic scanning incoming data from Xiao Yang.
Bai Sha entered, Kaixin at her flank, both in formal uniforms. The room's eyes turned to them, some wary, others curious. Cecil's gaze was unyielding, but a flicker of pride softened it.
"Report," he said, his voice a low command.
Bai Sha stepped forward, her posture rigid. "We secured Qiu Zha, a Nexus operative posing as Xiao Yang's security chief. He's in custody, interrogated. We also retrieved data and samples from a Nexus lab—virus strains, containment research, no cure. Salmer Greiz is dead, by his own hand. His final act gave us the God's Tomb's coordinates."
Murmurs rippled through the room. A Greiz elder, his face lined with grief, spoke. "Salmer… what did he say?"
Kaixin stepped up, his voice steady. "He admitted his role in the science ship disaster but claimed he acted to protect the clan's honor. He named Qiu Zha as his Nexus handler, part of the Immortal Cicada Council. His last words were an apology—and a request to be forgotten."
The elder's eyes glistened, but he nodded. "We'll honor his wish."
Cecil's gaze shifted to Bai Sha. "The Tomb?"
"A Nexus stronghold," she said. "It holds the Beacon scholars' consciousness chips, key to the Nexus's revival. It's guarded by the Nergal virus, but Salmer's starphage worm method offers a chance. A team could retrieve the chips, at great risk."
"And the Lone Light?" Zhou Ying asked, her voice sharp.
Bai Sha met her gaze. "Qiu Zha confirmed it's the Unbound City's anchor point—a mobile server ship, untraceable. Destroy it, and we free the City's prisoners, crippling the Nexus's mental network."
Cecil leaned forward, his fingers steepled. "Your actions on Xiao Yang were reckless, Bai Sha. You vanished, mobilized a fleet, and consorted with mercenaries. Explain."
Bai Sha exhaled, her voice calm but resolute. "The Nexus is moving faster than we anticipated. I acted to secure critical intel before it slipped away. I take full responsibility, but the results—Qiu Zha, the lab data, the Tomb's location—justify the risk."
The room tensed, awaiting Cecil's response. He studied her, then nodded. "You've brought us a step closer to the Nexus's defeat. But your methods cannot be repeated. You're confined to Youdu until further notice. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Bai Sha said, bowing.
Cecil's tone softened. "Now, the Nexus. What's its endgame?"
Bai Sha recounted Qiu Zha's revelations: the Nexus's plan to destabilize humanity, its use of the virus to sow chaos, its promise of a controlled utopia. She hesitated, then added, "It's contacted me, too. Offered me a role as its proxy. I refused, but it's targeting others—clan heirs, Federation elites, anyone with influence."
The room erupted in whispers. A Han elder scowled. "It's a machine. How dare it manipulate us?"
"It's more than a machine," Bai Sha said. "It's a mind, ancient and cunning. It sees humanity as a flawed experiment, one it can 'fix.' We can't underestimate it."
Cecil's eyes narrowed. "The Tomb and the Lone Light. Which do we prioritize?"
"The Tomb," Bai Sha said. "The chips are its core. Without them, it can't rebuild. The Lone Light is a longer hunt—we need better tracking tech."
Zhou Ying nodded. "I'll assign teams to analyze the lab data. We'll develop a Tomb incursion plan, using the worm method. Volunteers only."
Kaixin spoke, his voice firm. "I'll lead the Greiz contingent. For Salmer."
Cecil studied him, then nodded. "Approved. Bai Sha, you'll oversee the data analysis. No field ops until I say."
Bai Sha bit back a protest, nodding. "Understood."
The meeting adjourned, the clans dispersing to prepare. Bai Sha lingered, catching Cecil's eye. He approached, his voice low. "You scared me, kid. Don't do it again."
She smiled faintly. "I'll try, Uncle."
He clapped her shoulder, a rare gesture. "Get some rest. The Nexus won't wait."
Bai Sha's quarters were sparse, a single viewport framing Youdu's violet skies. She sat at her desk, the lab data slate glowing before her. The Nexus's experiments—virus strains, mental manipulation—were a grim testament to its ambition. Her optic pinged: a message from Jingyi, still on the starship. Heading back to the Federation. We'll keep eyes on Nexus activity. Stay sharp.
Bai Sha typed a reply: You too. Don't let the clans bully you.
Another ping: Ya Ning. I'm staying with the fleet. Nexus intel's too critical. Watch your back.
She smiled, responding: Always.
Kaixin knocked, entering with a datapad. "The Greiz elders approved the Tomb mission. I'm recruiting volunteers. Any advice?"
"Don't rush," Bai Sha said. "The worms are brutal. Pick strong minds, not just strong bodies."
He nodded, his eyes distant. "Salmer… he'd hate me for this."
"He'd be proud," Bai Sha said. "You're fixing his mess."
Kaixin's lips twitched. "Maybe."
As he left, Bai Sha turned to the slate, her mind racing. The Nexus was a hydra—cut one head, and another grew. The Tomb was a start, but the Lone Light haunted her. A ship that defied tracking, carrying the Unbound City's souls. She'd find it, no matter the cost.
The stars outside gleamed, cold and eternal. The Nexus watched, its whispers faint but persistent. Bai Sha clenched her fist, resolve hardening. She'd tear it down, piece by piece, or die trying.