Chapter 13 - The General's Wife is an Illegal Resident in the Star System

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

Betrayal Unveiled

 

 

As they left the mall, imperial soldiers had already surrounded it, leaving no gap in their formation. A moment's delay, and he might not have made it out unscathed. If word spread that the esteemed general's wife was a spy for the Federation, the consequences would be dire.

 

Never mind his own fate; the Empire's reaction to a spy would no doubt tarnish Qin Yu's reputation.

 

Qin Yu wasn't only a high-ranking general; he was a national hero, revered as the Empire's undefeated guardian. If news broke that his wife was a spy, it would devastate the Empire's citizens, and even the royal family might begin to doubt him.

 

But Lu Li had no time to consider these things. His mind was spinning with questions: Why was Qin Yu here? They had just spoken via communicator moments ago.

 

If Qin Yu was here, did that mean he knew Lu Li's true identity?

 

And if he knew, how long had he known? Why hadn't he said anything? Did he know about his communications with He Jianbai? Did he know their plan for today…?

 

Lu Li kept his head down, unable to meet Qin Yu's gaze. His thoughts were tangled with doubt and confusion, his face turning pale as his hidden identity was now painfully exposed.

 

He couldn't imagine what Qin Yu would think upon discovering his betrayal—or rather, when he learned that Lu Li's intentions had been deceptive from the start. He only knew that if the roles were reversed, he would not easily forgive this backstabbing.

 

Qin Yu said nothing as he led him back to the villa.

 

"General…" An Ming, standing guard at the entrance, hurried over when he saw them, only to fall silent as he caught sight of Qin Yu's fierce expression. Since joining the First Corps, he had rarely seen the general display such a look. Remembering what Qin Yu had done in the past when he wore this expression, An Ming instinctively took a step back.

 

"No one is allowed upstairs." Qin Yu's voice was cold as he pulled Lu Li up, slamming the door behind them with a resounding thud—an echo of his fury.

 

The villa's soundproofing was excellent; once the door closed, nothing could be heard from outside. An Ming, despite his curiosity, didn't dare defy the general's orders to eavesdrop.

 

Suddenly, Lu Li felt Qin Yu's hand grip his shoulder tightly, a force his body wasn't equipped to withstand.

 

He winced in pain, his wandering thoughts snapping back into focus. Looking up, he saw Qin Yu's dark expression, his eyes almost gleaming with an ominous light.

 

It was the first time Lu Li had seen Qin Yu wear anything other than his usual impassive look. He had always thought that few things could stir any real emotion in him.

 

But now, his betrayal had clearly enraged Qin Yu. On the way back, Lu Li had already pieced things together: Qin Yu must know everything—perhaps even earlier than he had thought. And yet Qin Yu had said nothing, likely watching to see how he would act in the end. But in the end, he had chosen to stand against him, choosing his adoptive father and the Federation, leaving Qin Yu disappointed.

 

"You—"

 

"You fool!" Qin Yu suddenly roared by his ear, the fury in his tone as if he wanted to devour him. "Do you have any idea where you are? Did you think that with those paltry tricks, you could fool anyone here, on imperial ground? Did you think that was possible?"

 

Lu Li opened his mouth, dumbfounded by his reaction. This wasn't what he'd expected. He had thought Qin Yu would coldly order his men to arrest him, not lock him in a room just to shout at him. Was Qin Yu… breaking character? No, this wasn't a little out of character; it was a total collapse.

 

"The person you were exchanging the chip with has already left Qin Lu Star. Do you know why he was able to get away so conveniently? He'd already sensed something was wrong with the mall, yet you, this fool, stayed behind. Do you have some desire to court death?"

 

Qin Yu was still yelling at him.

 

Lu Li finally snapped out of his daze. The more he listened, the more things seemed… off. His throat felt as though it was stuffed with cotton. "...So you're angry not because I stole from you, but because I didn't leave the mall in time?"

 

Qin Yu's face remained cold, but he didn't respond.

 

"That person sensed the mall wasn't safe and didn't warn you. Instead, he left on his own. He knew what would happen if you were caught on Qin Lu Star, surrounded by soldiers. Yet he said nothing, leaving you to face the army alone. Do you understand what that means?"

 

Yes, what did that mean? It meant that the other person didn't care whether he lived or died. Now that they had what they wanted, he was no longer needed.

 

A jolt of realization hit Lu Li. He finally grasped what Qin Yu was trying to convey. No, no, he refused to believe it. How could his adoptive father treat him that way? Even without blood ties, he was still his son, wasn't he?

 

"Is… everything you said true?" Lu Li asked hoarsely.

 

"Have I ever lied to you?" Qin Yu snorted coldly.

 

He hadn't, and Lu Li fell silent.

 

That night, Qin Yu left. It was as if he'd come back solely to save him and say those words. After that, Lu Li only knew that Qin Yu grew busier—previously, he would come back every few days, but now, he hadn't returned in over a month. Life went on as usual, as if no one else knew about what had happened that day.

 

To confirm Qin Yu's words, Lu Li logged onto the star network to try and reach Shen Yuanjie. After He Jianbai left Qin Lu Star, he had discarded everything he'd used, including his communicator, so Shen Yuanjie was Lu Li's only remaining contact.

 

To his surprise, Shen Yuanjie had also been scarce on the star network this past month, as though, having achieved their goal, he no longer saw any need to contact him.

 

With each failed attempt to reach them, Lu Li's heart grew colder and colder. Now, he no longer doubted Qin Yu's words. He didn't know if his adoptive father was aware, but He Jianbai had, indeed, sensed danger and still hadn't warned him. Even if they couldn't meet, he could have sent a message through his communicator—but he hadn't.

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