Rong Heng was silent for a long time.
He wanted to ask whether Si Yan was seriously injured or alive, but he didn't ask for the time being. No matter how much he resisted from the bottom of his heart, Si Yan was his father after all, and he couldn't remain indifferent to the news of his death.
Instead, Hector saw something and shrugged, saying, "The person is not dead. I heard that he was seriously injured and was sent back to the Parka Palace under heavy protection, but I can't find out any more details."
At this point, Hector frowned again, thinking of another disgusting thing: "I wonder if the mermaids have also received the news that the emperor was attacked. The Sijialan Star has begun to mobilize warships on a large scale, and it seems that they are preparing for a counterattack."
The empire has been in turmoil lately, with internal and external troubles. Now that the emperor has been attacked and his life is in danger, this group of unlucky fish are naturally eager to get involved.
However, Hector actually had a guess that he hadn't said. The hotel where the royal family held the banquet must have been heavily guarded, but it was suddenly crashed by ten shuttles. It was possible that there was something fishy going on inside.
But he had no evidence for this matter and was just making a wild guess. Rong Heng was in an obviously bad mood, so he didn't say anything.
Rong Heng hummed softly, a little absent-mindedly.
After returning to the repair shop, he did not immediately go into the bedroom to see Ruan Shiqing, but instead sat on the balcony in a daze.
He thought back to the time when his mother was still alive and the books that had been filled with notes and had been of great benefit to him.
My mother once said: Si Yan is a genius, he never needs to take notes when reading.
Rong Heng closed his eyes, exhaled slowly, and then dialed Lucien's number.
The call was not connected. When Rong Heng frowned and was wondering whether to send a text message to the other party, he received a communication request from Lucien.
After hesitating for a moment, he answered the call: "Lucian."
"Good day, Your Highness." Lucien still looked calm, but he looked unhappy. It might be because he was old, he always looked listless and sick.
Rong Heng asked politely: "Are you sick?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. It's just a relapse of an old illness, but it's not a serious problem." He coughed twice and changed the subject: "Your Highness, are you looking for me at this time for His Majesty the Emperor?"
There was temptation in his words.
Rong Heng was silent for a moment, but still did not deny: "How is he...?"
"According to the information we have gathered, the Emperor was injured, but not fatally." Lucien said after careful consideration, "The injuries of the three wealthy leaders who attended the banquet were more serious."
He said it cryptically, but Rong Heng went over his words and understood what he meant. His face turned cold and he sneered, "He is really cruel and ruthless."
In order to drag those three people into the water, he even involved himself.
Lucien obviously didn't want to respond to this, so he simply changed the subject: "Recently, the Zerg have been rampant in the Empire's star region, but His Majesty the Emperor is obsessed with imperial power and seems unwilling to send troops to support other planets. The safety and stability of the Empire may depend on Your Highness."
"I know." Rong Heng was silent for a moment, and said, "You are in Sikkim, so you have better information. Pay more attention to which planets are attacked by Zerg and ask the Empire for help. If you are in time, I will try my best to support them."
"Your Highness is kind and righteous." Lucien bowed to him, and after the two exchanged some information, they cut off the communication.
Rong Heng put away his smart brain, stared blankly at the sunlight outside, and slowly walked to the bedroom.
Ruan Shiqing was still sleeping, his face ruddy and his expression peaceful. If he hadn't slept for more than half a month, Rong Heng would have thought that he would wake up in the next moment.
But he had secretly expected such a luxury several times in his heart, and was disappointed several times.
The disappointment was like tiny needles piercing his heart, making him so uncomfortable that he couldn't even make a sound.
He could not show his weakness or sadness. Ruan Shiqing had collapsed, and he had to take responsibility for the family, taking care of the cubs at home and everything he cared about.
This way, when he wakes up, everything will be back to normal.
He sat by the bed for a while and told Ruan Shiqing about the recent news. He did not hide anything, good or bad. He also said that he might have to lead troops to other planets at any time and would not be able to accompany him all the time.
In the past, when Ruan Shiqing was awake, he always didn't know what to say to the other party, but now, he talks more and more.
After saying this for a while, he turned his head to look at the bright sunlight outside and suggested, "The sun is shining brightly today. The star-falling vines in the yard are more luxuriant than before. You haven't seen them since you came back. How about I take you to see them?"
He asked in a questioning tone, but no one answered him.
After a while, he said again: "Not speaking means you agree."
After saying that, he bent down, untied the instrument wires on his arms, legs and feet, and carried him steadily in his arms as he went downstairs.
Just as he said, the fallen star vines in the backyard were lush and leafy, with bits of sunlight leaking through the gaps, making it warm and refreshing.
Rong Heng placed Ruan Shiqing on the recliner that the cubs used to love the most. The recliner was wide, and Ruan Shiqing only took up half of it. Rong Heng looked at the empty half, hesitated for a moment, and squeezed in, quietly letting the person lie in his arms.
This was the first time he had embraced him openly and honestly in human form.
The warm body temperature blended with his heartbeat, and his ears were burning. He exhaled slowly, buried his head in the other's neck and rubbed it lovingly. The bright sunlight poured down from above, gently covering the cuddling figures.
Rong Heng leaned close to his ear and said in a voice that no one could hear: "Wake up quickly, there are still many things you haven't said yet."
The kids who had rushed home from the arsenal saw this scene. They looked at the two overlapping figures on the recliners, exchanged glances with each other, and did not go forward to disturb them. Instead, they moved lightly and went upstairs quietly.
The war broke out as expected.
Perhaps the plan was exposed ahead of time, the Zerg changed their previous plan of quiet invasion and actually began to launch a large-scale attack on the planets under the jurisdiction of the Empire.
There was no pattern in their targets of attack; one moment they were attacking a planet in the central region, and the next moment they received news that a planet in a distant frontier region had been attacked.
However, the Empire was unable to provide timely support due to the severe injury of the Emperor. By the time the Imperial rescue troops arrived, the Zerg had already looted everything and disappeared. Only the survivors whose homes were destroyed and whose loved ones died were left, looking numbly at the soldiers who were supposed to protect them from foreign enemies.
On the holographic Internet, the voices of public protest grew louder and louder, and many people began to miss the previous queen, saying that such a tragedy had never happened during her reign.
The mermaids took the opportunity to fan the flames and even publicly issued a declaration, saying that Si Yan, an ancient human, was incapable of serving as the emperor of the empire and so on, and then formally launched a counterattack.
The war has been ignited, but no one cares about the rampant Zerg and the planets destroyed by them.
Many people, for various reasons and purposes, fanned the flames, but no one stood up and said that we cannot sit idly by and wait for death, and that we should support the planets attacked by the Zerg.
Rong Heng read through the news with mixed information one by one, and finally called everyone together.
"We are preparing to withdraw most of the troops from Yengeis and abandon the defense of the frontline area."
This was the result of his careful consideration. Because of the long war against the Zerg, most of the Empire's troops were on the front lines. These frontline soldiers had been through many battles, were familiar with the characteristics of the Zerg, and were very good at fighting the Zerg. Now that the Zerg can come and go freely in the Empire's star field, it is meaningless to let these elite soldiers guard the front line. It is better to call them back, reorganize them, and mobilize them to attack.
"This is also a solution. But if we abandon the defense of the frontline area, it may cause shock." Mellor said.
Rong Heng has been stationed in the Yanjis region for so many years. From the top military officers to the grassroots soldiers, no one is dissatisfied with him. As long as Rong Heng raises his arm and calls for action, the soldiers of Yanjis will follow.
But the outside world may not understand his intentions.
As the first region to abandon its defense line, the outside world may think that they are afraid of death and are willing to give in.
"Let those people outside say whatever they want." Rong Heng sneered, not caring.
Mellaire saw his expression and knew that he had made up his mind, so he said no more and hammered his left chest with his right hand: "We are willing to follow your Highness until death."
Naturally, no one else objected, but Hector raised his hand after hearing this: "You also have some trusted people on the front line in Ota, why don't you call them over as well?"
He went to the frontline just to avoid causing trouble for Garlan. Although he did his duty diligently in killing Zerg at the frontline, he did not manage his own power carefully. It was naturally impossible for him to mobilize the entire Ota's military forces with a single order, but he did have his confidants who were willing to follow him.
Now they have their own arsenal, and the military base on the famous planet next door is also being built step by step.
We’re just short of manpower.
Rong Heng nodded in agreement, and after everyone had assigned their tasks, they dispersed and went home.
The four cubs followed him.
He returned home without saying a word. It was dinner time. Rong Heng thought about what he was going to say next and suggested, "I'll go cook, you guys play for a while first."
The cubs stared at him with wide eyes, seeming to want to say something but stopping themselves.
They had never seen Snowball cook.
But Rong Heng had already rolled up his sleeves and went to the kitchen with a serious look on his face, and even refused 09's request to help.
The kids were sneaking around outside the kitchen door and peeking in.
He Li was worried and lowered his voice and asked, "When did Xueqiu learn to cook?"
Nota shook his head: "I don't know."
Ruan Jiao's tentacles trembled hesitantly, and he said with certainty: "He never said that he doesn't know how to cook!"
Even Ruan Yue, who was usually steady, had a heavy expression on her face: "Your Highness does not need to cook for himself." After coming to Planet B3024, Rong Heng had never cooked before, so he was definitely not good.
The kids swallowed their saliva and looked at the busy figures in the kitchen, their eyes suddenly a little horrified.
As a result, 09, who had been watching for a while, poured a bucket of cold water on the cubs' hearts: "His movements are not very skilled. He is a novice."
Kids: ...
Let’s go.