A is in StarCraft, just disembarked from the Zerg Prince spaceship.

***********

......

The unknown frontier of the empire, the pirate stronghold, Blackwater Star.

Orion chuckled and hung up the phone.

Looking at the surging waves and the black rock island outside, he felt it was somewhat unchallenging.

It's much worse than Atticus.

Orion wasn't surprised at all. With Gao Tian in his hands, he was basically invincible, OK?

What can be done about that brat? After all, killing Gao Tian means two lives lost, which is no different from kidnapping the brat himself.

No, it can't be said that he's worse than Atticus. After all, he never kidnapped the Insect King to threaten Atticus. If he had kidnapped the Insect King back then...

This empire probably has to take his surname now.

Although they all share the same surname.

Ugh, thinking about that trash Insect King made Orion feel even worse.

He threw his glass on the table and stood up.

Next, he had one more crucial thing to do—

......

Orion's starship arrived at the central star and headed straight for the Grand Palace.

......

The Grand Palace, the central star of Liernia.

The palace was brightly lit.

This year's celebration was canceled due to problems. The magnificent decorations that were set up on the eve of the celebration are still on the walls and eaves, but they exude a sense of oppression.

The Insect King forbade the legions from approaching the Grand Palace, and the number of Insect King's personal guards patrolling the area was increased several times on the Insect King's orders, guarding the palace day and night.

These past two days, the waiters have also sensed that something is wrong. They try not to go out and keep quiet as much as possible, hiding themselves away.

The atmosphere inside the Grand Palace castle was as tense as a taut string, ready to snap at any moment.

Outside the Insect King's palace, the Royal Guard Chief gripped his weapon tightly, scanning the end of the corridor warily, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

The capital is in turmoil, and the situation is difficult to describe. It feels like armed conflict could break out at any moment, and everyone is like a frightened bird.

The Insect King was not asleep in his bedchamber either.

He was wearing a bathrobe and sat nervously on the sofa in the innermost living room of the dormitory.

He didn't drink any more of the wine in the glass beside him, which was still more than half full.

He sat weakly and pitifully on the sofa, hugging himself with his arms, trembling slightly, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the communicator on the table.

The screen was completely silent.

Unable to contact Orion.

Emergency military reports flashed frantically: only the Crown Prince controlled the capital, the noble council had fallen, and the lands of various families were being confiscated.

"I... Orion, medicine, army..." The Insect King mumbled incoherently, his fingers nervously gripping his arm.

His hands were still trembling; fear, like a cold, wet rope, was binding his heart, tightening ever more.

Where did Orion go?

The promised army has been successfully established, but why does the Crown Prince still control the capital?

What exactly is Orion doing? Why hasn't he attacked the Legion?

What will the Crown Prince do next?

When will he... storm this palace? Drag him out?

The Insect King was so frightened that he was on the verge of collapse. He dared not leave the reception room, nor did he dare to go to his bedchamber to sleep. He could only sit here trembling.

When he closes his eyes, he sees the army storming into the palace.

Just as the Insect King continued to tremble on the sofa, a sudden commotion broke out outside!

A massive starship broke through the guards and stormed into the sky above the Grand Palace, blotting out the sun.

The sound of guards running hurriedly, their armor clashing, could be heard outside the palace!

Then came the shrill whistle of the particle gun firing! The explosive sound of the energy beam hitting metal! The guard's stern warning and a short, agonizing scream!

"Enemy attack! Protect His Majesty—"

"Stop him!"

"Ugh—!"

In less than three minutes, all sound outside came to an abrupt halt!

Only a slow, unhurried footstep remained on the smooth, hard crystal floor outside the palace.

Snap, snap, getting closer and closer.

The sound of footsteps on the crystal floor is very pleasant. The Insect King loves this sound, which is why he had the entire area outside his palace paved with crystal flooring.

But this sound now sounds like the Grim Reaper's scythe approaching.

The Insect King suddenly sprang up from his chair, knocking over his wine glass.

The wine glass fell to the ground, and the amber liquid smeared a dark stain on the deep red carpet.

The Insect King staggered back two steps, his eyes wide with terror as he stared intently at the tightly closed palace gate.

The footsteps stopped outside the door, and then there was a very polite three knocks.

The Insect King dared not utter a sound; only its heavy, terrified breathing was particularly jarring in the deathly silence.

There was no more knocking on the door.

Before the Insect King could even feel a little relieved.

next second.

boom--!!!

With a deafening roar, the heavy door seemed to have been struck head-on by a battering ram, its center caved inwards.

The immense force caused spiderweb-like cracks to burst open in the crystal walls surrounding the door frame, and the door lock and reinforcement structure twisted and deformed under the strain.

The heavy wooden door broke in the middle, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

The door was kicked open from the outside by an extremely forceful force.

The broken door slammed onto the carpet with a heavy thud, filling the air with dust.

A figure walked in through the dust and the corpses of the guards lying outside the door.

Orion.

He was still wearing the Second Prince's uniform, his silver hair gleaming coldly under the bright lights, and a few strands of blood hanging from his shoulders were stained with splattered blood, forming pale red clumps.

He was carrying a knife.

The blade was long and slender, with its tip pointing diagonally to the ground. Thick blood slowly slid down the sharp edge, dripping onto the deep red carpet.

He calmly adjusted his gloves, then glanced around the luxurious bedroom, finally fixing his gaze on the insect king trembling like a leaf in the adjacent reception room.

"Ah, Your Majesty, so you've been here all along."

Orion took a step, the tip of his blade scraping across the ground with a sickening screeching sound.

He spoke politely, smiled, and walked slowly and steadily toward the Insect King.

The Insect King was utterly terrified, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints.

Orion...

He was almost backed into a corner, with nowhere left to retreat, his lips trembling, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word.

He pointed a trembling finger at Orion, as if accusing him, or as if grasping at some straw.

Orion stopped three steps in front of him, his knife hanging casually at his side.

He tilted his head slightly, carefully scanning the insect king's terrified and distorted face inch by inch.

It does know fear, so it's not as stupid as it seems.

It's quite beautiful, but it's a pity it's been drained by wine and women.

The skin is loose, the complexion is pale, and the eyes are cloudy.

Orion's lips slowly curved upwards into a terrifying arc.

This kind of thing.

This very thing killed Atticus and usurped the throne of their Skellway family for thirty years.

"Your Majesty," Orion said gently, "why are you so afraid?"

The Insect King's body trembled violently, and its eyes involuntarily met Orion's cold eyes.

Something stirred deep within Orion's grey eyes, and he smiled. "Did you see Atticus?"

"Aa ...

Atticus!

The name struck the Insect King like the most vicious curse.

He broke down instantly, collapsing onto the cold ground like a limp rag doll, clutching his head and screaming in agony.

Atticus!

Atticus!

The icy tide completely submerged him.

He remembered Atticus's always gentle, smiling face, and the frozen, astonished look in Atticus's eyes when he first hit him.

Orion looked down at him.

Looking at this weak piece of trash, sprawled on the ground, pissing and wetting himself, like a stray dog.

Orion said gently, "Look at my face, you should know that you didn't die unjustly."

Orion pressed his left hand against the shoulder of the slumped Insect King, then slowly and fiercely plunged his right hand, which was holding the knife, into the Insect King's chest.

The long sword pierced through.

It penetrates flesh and bone.

It pierced through the insect king's luxurious robe on his chest and emerged from his back.

The sharp blade pierced deep into the cold wall behind the Insect King, pinning him to the wall.

"Uh...uh..."

The Insect King's body stiffened, his eyes bulged out of their sockets, and Orion's cold expression was reflected in his turbid pupils.

He opened his mouth wide, making gurgling sounds in his throat, but couldn't utter a single word.

Blood gushed from the piercing wounds in his mouth, nose, and chest.

Orion, expressionless, loosened the hilt of his knife and stepped back to admire his masterpiece.

The Insect King was like a trophy specimen nailed to the wall, hung on the wall with a knife.

He wasn't dead yet; he was still convulsing, like a candle flickering in the wind.

However, letting him die standing up like this is a bit too lenient on him.

Dying standing is a soldier's privilege.

Orion drew his knife again.

puff.

The Insect King's body lost its support and collapsed softly to the ground, its face buried in a pool of blood.

Orion flicked the warm blood off the blade.

He plunged the knife into the heart, piercing the weak male insect's heart; even a god couldn't save it.

Orion turned around, and the bright crystal chandelier illuminated his expressionless face.

Without even glancing at the Insect King on the ground, he turned around, carrying his blood-dripping knife, and staggered out of the Insect King's palace, which was filled with corpses, stepping over the ever-expanding pool of blood on the crimson carpet.

Thanks to the Insect King for keeping the Legion away from this area, he had ample time to kill the Insects.

......

The Insect King was dying. He lay on the ground, feeling darkness and cold before his eyes.

A heavy shadow fell.

In the end, he finally felt regret.

He recalled the scene when he first met Atticus.

Atticus wasn't as mature as he would later become; he was similar to the current crown prince.

The royal banquet was brightly lit, noisy, and filled with the aroma of expensive spices and alcohol.

Many female insects fawned over him, and the young insect king felt suffocated. He quietly slipped out through the side door.

Night fell over the palace gardens, the moonlight was cool and clear, and the blue roses bloomed quietly. It was very peaceful, with only the faint sound of music coming from the banquet hall in the distance.

He took a deep breath.

He saw a figure ahead, standing amidst a field of roses emitting a faint blue glow, with its back to him, its long silver hair falling silently like the cold moonlight.

He deliberately stepped on and broke a branch.

Click.

The figure turned around upon hearing the sound.

The landscape lights shone brightly on that young face.

Her skin was almost translucent white, her eyes were a pure, icy gray, and her silver hair shone in the moonlight.

The young insect king was stunned.

He forgot to breathe.

Atticus looked at him with surprise, clearly not expecting any insects to emerge at this hour.

At that moment, no insect could resist being moved by him.

The Insect King's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but smile at Atticus.