8:00 PM

The inauguration banquet for Barnes, the new Star Commander of Garbage Star, officially began.

The lights were brilliant, and glasses clinked in celebration.

Waitstaff weaved through the crowd, attending to the various needs of the important figures who had come for the banquet.

Garbage Star wasn’t much to look at.

But no one had ever expected it to win the favor of Princess Yu Lan.

By the time the various magnates on Central Star heard the news, it was too late for them to attend. They had to hastily arrange for their family’s subordinate forces near Garbage Star to prepare and deliver gifts.

At the same time, the Star Commanders of several nearby planets also rushed to attend the banquet, bearing expensive gifts.

Garbage Star, which had been dormant for many years and never attracted any attention within the Empire, was now, thanks to Yu Lan, finally beginning to appear on the radar of certain influential people.

The fate of Garbage Star would be rewritten today.

What Gu Deming had hoped to achieve might one day truly come to pass.

To make Garbage Star the most dazzling jewel in the Empire’s crown.

And the source of all this change was Yu Lan, who was currently surrounded by a crowd at the center of it all.

Barnes stood some distance away from the main gathering, quietly observing the scene.

Though he was supposed to be the guest of honor at today’s banquet, his spotlight had been effortlessly stolen, yet his face showed no trace of displeasure.

His fingertips, holding a long-stemmed glass, tapped lightly against the side—an unconscious habit when contemplating major decisions.

Behind Barnes stood several familiar faces: the members of the Garbage Star delegation who had previously gone to Central Star to witness Louisa’s fate.

Seeing Barnes deep in thought, the person closest to him tried to hold back but couldn’t resist speaking up:

"Barnes, there’s hardly anyone decent on Central Star."

"Isn’t this decision of ours a little too risky?"

"If you ask me, Princess Yu Lan seems fine now, but don’t forget—before Louisa came to Garbage Star and showed her true colors, everyone praised her for being gentle and kind."

"What if she’s just like Louisa? Wouldn’t we be completely finished?"

Before he could finish, another person standing on the other side chimed in.

"Exactly. Acai’s worries aren’t without reason."

"Since the Empire has been unjust to us, we might as well be disloyal. Garbage Star isn’t that far from the Federation. If we could get the Federation’s support..."

"Enough!"

Before the man could finish his sentence, Barnes cut him off with a sharp rebuke.

At that moment, Barnes finally made up his mind.

He looked at Yu Lan in the distance, flanked by Shen Zueran and Pei Shiyi, took a deep breath, and his fingers tightened slightly around his glass.

"In life, I am a person of the Empire. In death, I will be its ghost."

"No matter what, I will never betray the Empire."

"My mind is made up on this. If anything goes wrong in the end, I alone will bear the consequences. I will first take Yu Lan down with me to be buried alongside the Star Commander. After that, it will be up to you all to announce the truth to the world."

Barnes had already put it so bluntly.

What else could the others present do?

They sighed, able only to watch as he strode toward Yu Lan.

Far away on Central Star, Louisa and Belina would never have imagined that Gu Deming, the Star Commander of Garbage Star whom they saw as a mere puppet they could mold and crush at will, had secretly recorded the threats they used to force him to take the fall before he died.

Once this matter came to light,

it would become the Royal Family’s greatest scandal.

And the evidence was hidden by Gu Deming in his own mouth.

Those thin lips that had once made promise after promise to make Garbage Star a better place were, for one last time, hiding the evidence that would put his successor in an invincible position.

And now, Barnes had decided to give that evidence to Yu Lan.

As Barnes approached, the people surrounding Yu Lan and trying to speak with her parted slightly to the sides, giving the new Star Commander of Garbage Star the courtesy of a moment to speak with and thank the princess.

Unexpectedly, when Barnes reached Yu Lan, he first glanced at Shen Zueran and Pei Shiyi.

"I have something I wish to discuss with Princess Yu Lan alone."

After speaking, Barnes stared at the two men, standing his ground resolutely. His plain, ordinary face showed a rare trace of determination.

The expressions on Shen Zueran’s and Pei Shiyi’s faces didn’t change in the slightest.

Protecting Yu Lan was their first priority.

This wasn’t the well-policed Central Star. Even with the Star Commander of Garbage Star making the request, they couldn’t let Yu Lan out of their sight.

"My apologies."

Shen Zueran looked up, his dark eyes watching Barnes calmly, his expression unchanging from start to finish.

"We cannot leave our Female Master."

Having been refused, Barnes’s hand hanging by his side clenched into a tight fist.

He remained standing stubbornly in place.

His gaze fixed on Yu Lan, he emphasized once more,

"Princess Yu Lan, it is a very important matter."

"It will only take three minutes of your time."

Because of the standoff, people nearby were already starting to take notice.

The longer he delayed, the harder it might be to find another chance to reveal the truth.

The determination in Barnes’s eyes began to waver. ’Maybe I really should choose to seek help from the Federation?’

Just then, a clear female voice rang out.

"Zhuoran, Shiyi."

"Since it’s something important, let me speak with the Star Commander alone for a moment."

"You can stand guard nearby."

"Lanlan!"

Pei Shiyi protested, and Shen Zueran’s brow furrowed slightly as well.

But Yu Lan had already made her decision. She tilted her head and looked toward the garden behind the banquet hall.

"There are too many people here. Let’s talk in the garden."

"Alright."

Barnes nodded quickly and followed as Yu Lan turned to leave.

"This is the situation: we found a chip inside the Star Commander’s mouth."

"After reading its contents, we believe there is something on it that might be useful for you in taking down Louisa."

"You can take a look at the data carefully when you get back before making a decision."

Barnes’s choice of Yu Lan was, of course, the result of careful consideration.

There is only one throne for the Empress of the Empire.

But now, two potential successors had emerged.

Yu Lan and Louisa were natural-born adversaries.

Barnes didn’t need Yu Lan to care deeply for Garbage Star; he only needed her to take down Louisa and avenge Gu Deming.

As long as she wanted the throne,

the evidence he was offering would surely be useful.

At this thought, Barnes put on a "sincere" smile, placed his right fist over his chest, and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your selfless dedication to Garbage Star."

"The Star Citizens of Garbage Star will never forget your generosity."

"You are the kind of Her Majesty the Queen the Empire needs."

Such treasonous words.

It was a blatant expression of dissatisfaction with the current Queen.

If Yu Lan were to scream and expose this right now, what awaited Barnes would be immediate execution on the spot.