Lucas didn’t speak, and only hugged Luo Ran tightly, wrapping his arms around the other’s back.

He remained in this posture for a long time, as if he had completely lost his strength.

“Why are you crying?” Lucas saw Luo Ran’s reddened eyes.

“I’m not.” Luo Ran shook his head.

He could just feel that the Alpha connected to his spirit was sad. Really, truly sad.

As angry as Lucas was with Cyril, he was just as angry with himself, perhaps moreso.

Luo Ran said: “Admiral, I always think about how great it would be if I had met you sooner.”

If he was right there after Lucas lost Alton, that would be so great.

“I often think so too.” Lucas stroked the back of Luo Ran’s head and said: “Let’s go back.”

Luo Ran took Lucas’s hand, and the two boarded the aircraft together.

Lucas leaned back in the chair and raised his head, adjusting his spiritual state.

This was no trivial matter. After submitting the investigation results and evidence to the court, the court session should start tomorrow.

Lucas thought to himself, could it be that those who had died were also secretly helping him?

After all, the evidence had been submerged by the heavy snow of an avalanche back then, buried deep. No one could find the evidence, and even Cyril couldn’t destroy it. But now, perhaps because of the insect, or perhaps because of natural geological movement, the avalanche recurred and brought back relics from the battlefield back then, which were found by Kleiman.

Without these two avalanches, nobody in this life would have known that it was the star pirates’ bright spear and his own family’s dark arrow that had killed Alton and his elite vanguard.

Of course, if Cyril hadn’t acted guilty and refused to let Kleiman go all these years, Kleiman wouldn’t have gone back to the snowy mountain and used people from the Luobing royal family to investigate.

Now he was reaping the consequences.

He noticed that Luo Ran was looking at him. Lucas smiled and said: “Don’t worry, I’m the Admiral. I’m the Admiral who protects the Empire and its people.”

—I am proud and unfallen, advancing bravely.

“En.” Luo Ran lowered his eyes and said: “I will accompany you. You protect the Empire and its people, and I will protect you.”

Maybe Luo Ran couldn’t help much on the battlefield, but he felt that he could handle official duties for Lucas, and deal with all kinds of conspiracies and people in the capital so that Lucas would not be stabbed in the back by his own family like Alton was.

With him around, he wouldn’t let Lucas’s spiritual power go out of control, nor let him suffer the fate of most Alphas above S-rank.

Lucas was taken aback.

Then Lucas grabbed Luo Ran by the collar, pulled him in, and kissed him on the spot.

Luo Ran was already used to Lucas’s straightforward, crude, and direct love style, so he closed his eyes and let Lucas bite him.

Lucas pressed the man against the window of the aircraft and kissed from his lips to his Adam’s apple.

This was their first moment of tenderness since being separated for a while.

“Ranran.” Lucas grabbed Luo Ran’s hand and bit it, saying: “Mine.”

Like a puppy.

“Okay…..” Luo Ran gently pushed Lucas away, blushing as he said: “I need to return to the office and prepare the court documents……”

“En.”

After the court session, they would return to the battlefield again.

. . . . . . . 

The next day, Cyril was sitting in the position of the accused, covered in injuries. He had a red and swollen face, and was trembling all over — it hurt.

Cyril accused the First Prince, trying to place all the blame on him, and his lawyer was also exonerating Cyril.

The voice on the personal communicator was indeed Cyril’s. The time and date records on the communicator and the coordinates in the conversation all matched.

“Mr. Cyril has no military power and no influence, and the Aldor family has targeted him. With no family inheritance or influence, how could he dare do such a thing if no one influenced or coerced him?”

“And Cyril was told at the time that the information he provided would only lead to discord between them, and the younger brother who bullied him many times would get taught a lesson by the star pirates. He didn’t know that the consequences would be so serious. He was deceived.”

Lucas really believed that Cyril didn’t know what the consequences would be back then. He was deceived by the star pirates, and thought that at most, Lucas would be killed. He had thought that Lucas was the only one in that ravine operation, and that Alton was in the north.

After all, Cyril was not that courageous. He was essentially a coward.

The First Prince had been accused, so there were naturally lawyers to defend him.

Lucas and Luo Ran were sitting in the plaintiffs’ seats, watching them quarrel amongst themselves.

Watching the fires burn across the river.

Luo Ran glanced at Lucas. He smiled slightly and shook his head.

Dogs biting dogs.

In this plight, Cyril had no choice but to bite the First Prince. At the least, he could provide evidence of the private contact between them.

But the First Prince had more evidence.

The First Prince had no faith in Cyril from the beginning, and even regarded him as a back-up. Evidence was preserved for every action. Therefore, at this moment,  the First Prince successfully pushed the previous charges of embezzlement onto Cyril.

He picked himself clean.

The trial lasted for several days.

The Starnet was also very lively.

XXXX: Fortunately, Cyril was expelled by the Marshall and the Admiral! He’s not worthy of the surname Aldor! He’s just a motherless gutter rat! I’m so angry! I’m so angry ah! ! ! How could he do this! ! !

XXXX: Right! Disgusting! ! ! Aaaaaah how can there be such a person, ah!! Admiral Alton, wuwuwuwu……He was our hero, ah, I’m really crying. Why was he killed by this dirty piece of trash?

XXXX: Requesting the harshest punishment for Cyril! Death by a thousand cuts can’t make up for his sins!

There was a lot of scolding on the Starnet. The topic amongst the public these days was Cyril, and they all cursed and spurned him.

XXXX: Cyril and the First Prince are biting each other and breaking news! God, there’s so much information, ah. And I don’t know about a beast like Cyril, but why do I feel that the First Prince isn’t a good person?

XXXX: Cyril says that the First Prince instigated him to collude with the star pirates and embezzle, and the First Prince says that Cyril used his name to pay bribes. Who should I believe?

XXXX: Upstairs, let’s trust the Admiral. The Imperial politicians are so annoying.

XXXX: God, ah. I have chills all over. How could the eldest Aldor son collude with the star pirates……how did the marshall and his wife educate their children? Fortunately, the Admiral grew up under the knees of Admiral Alton. It’s true that Cyril is a beast, but in the end, he doesn’t have too much power in his hands. But if the First Prince really colluded with the star pirates, the Empire is really over. Aaaaaah, what are those who collude with the star pirates thinking, ah! Why are these people so disgusting! !

. . . . . . . .

In any case, the reputation of the First Prince was still damaged by Cyril’s biting.

And Cyril was completely beaten down by the First Prince.

It was originally a death sentence, but Lucas “pleaded” as the Aldor heir to have him transferred to the military prison.

For life.

This matter was considered to be over.

After the final trial ended and Cyril was imprisoned, the marshall called Lucas to the main house. 

Lucas could probably guess what was going on.

“The formalities have been completed. You just need to sign.” The marshall looked indifferent inside the study as he lightly pushed the documents on the desk toward Lucas.

“From now on, you will be the head of the Aldor family, and no one within the family will disobey you.”

There was also a sandalwood box on the documents, containing the Aldor seal.

Lucas said nothing.

“Aldor will depend on you from now on.” The marshall’s wife who was sitting to the side seemed to have aged several years overnight. Her face was haggard, but she still said with a smile: “You are a good boy. You and Secretary Luo will have a good life together in the future. Tomorrow, your father and I will go to the little Aldor planet Ty to live our lives. We won’t be in the capital anymore. We’ll be glad if you come to see us, but we won’t bother you. The planet Ty is very beautiful, and we can raise small animals. It won’t be boring.”

Lucas still didn’t speak.

The marshall hesitated for a moment before speaking.

He usually spoke very little, but it was different this time.

“Lucas, I admit that I did not do well.” The marshall said: “I didn’t do my duty well. I’m sorry.”

The marshall had gone to the battlefield when he was young, and was seriously injured within a year. It was a tragic defeat. After he returned to the capital, he was unable to move for several years, and he was also replaced as the Aldor commander.

It could be said that the marshall had a bad start, and was forced to quit the battlefield before he could finish his career. Since then, his personality had twisted into indifference, and he was willing to marry his wife because she would never leave him, and would take care of him when he couldn’t take care of himself.

Other than occasionally speaking a few words to his wife, the marshal no longer did anything or cared about anything.

He no longer fulfilled the duties of a father or of a marshal.

“En, you are a good boy. It is us who are wrong.” The marshal’s wife’s eyes were slightly red. She approached Lucas, and her outstretched hand paused, then retracted.

“I’m sorry, Lucas.”

Lucas lowered his eyes.

After a long moment, he said, “En.” But there was no emotion in it.

Then, Lucas took the documents and the box, strode downstairs, and left.

“Admiral.” 

Outside the house, the sun was shining. Luo Ran stood waiting beside the aircraft. When he saw Lucas coming, he immediately stepped forward.

“What’s wrong?”

Lucas shook his head, reaching out to gently hold Luo Ran’s hand.

To hold the only thing he had left.

“Let’s go.” Luo Ran smiled and boarded the aircraft with Lucas.

. . . . . . .

The day after the trial ended, Lucas and Luo Ran boarded the battleship and returned to the Luobing front.

Cyril was imprisoned at military headquarters, and there would be better days from now on. The marshal and his wife left the capital. Everything was settled.

But at this time, the First Prince took advantage and naturally placed all the blame on Cyril.

The investigation department had originally found the subtle connection between the First Prince and the star pirates, but now it directly became Cyril, and the the First Prince also requested that the case be closed.

“There is no one who doesn’t wet his shoes when he walks by the river. There will be results if we continue to investigate.” Lucas sneered coldly. “Have the investigation team continue to look into it.”

“En.”

The journey was long. Luo Ran and Lucas sat on the deck of the battleship, watching the stars. Luo Ran suddenly said: “Admiral, after this battle is over, I want to go back to the cemetery in Pure City.”

Although he didn’t know who his parents were, there were family members in that cemetery.

Lucas was shocked. He turned to look at Luo Ran.

“The Admiral has kept things from me.” Luo Ran pulled him down by the chin and said with a smile: “The Admiral had designs on me since long ago.”

“…….” Lucas turned his head and scoffed coldly. “First let me say, I didn’t have anything to do with you before, so don’t go imagining things.”

“Really? Then someone as low as me could still be selected as Secretary of the Empire, ah?” Luo Ran said with a smile: “The Admiral is very good.”

“…….”

“Shen Xiluo brought that information to me!” Lucas attempted to argue.

Luo Ran paused.

Although it was Lucas who accepted him in the end, if there were no secret moves made by Shen Xiluo in the beginning, Lucas would not have been able to see it.

Why did Shen Xiluo do this?

Besides this, Luo Ran had another point of doubt. 

“Admiral, did you participate in the Alliance Sports Competition five years ago?”

“Alliance Sports Competition? There is such a strange thing?” Lucas frowned. “What are you talking about?”  

“Five years ago,” Luo Ran repeated. “There was a very grand sports competition five years ago, and also this year.”

“Yeah?” Lucas said indifferently: “I don’t remember.”

“The Admiral must remember……right, it was near the time Adjutant Wang got married.” Luo Ran said: “Does the Admiral remember what happened after Adjutant Wang got married?”

“That was when the star pirates entered the Luobing mountains.”

Because of Wang Qiuyang’s marriage, there was a small loophole in the defenses of the mountainous area at that time.

Lucas still remembered that battlefield.

But Luo Ran’s memory was very good. He said: “Wrong, that battle was nine months past Adjutant Wang’s wedding. Does the Admiral remember what he was doing?”

“How can I remember what happened so many years ago!” Lucas said: “But I don’t have any impression. Was it really that long?”

“En.”

It looked like Lucas didn’t remember either.

Luo Ran frowned slightly, and then asked: “Admiral, what happened with the wisteria flowers and the cabin you mentioned before?”

“It’s nothing.” Lucas raised an eyebrow and said: “Are you jealous?”

“No, I’m just asking casually. I know more about the Admiral than he does about himself, why would I be jealous?” Luo Ran smiled, and likely had his answer. 

Luo Ran then went to look for Shen Xiluo.

As a field doctor, Shen Xiluo followed Lucas most of the time, and was also currently on the battleship.

“Secretary Luo?” Shen Xiluo was still going over materials in the room, and was a little surprised by the arrival of Luo Ran.

“You’re a rare visitor.”

Luo Ran said with a smile: “Doctor Shen, I want to ask you a few questions.”

“Ask.” Shen Xiluo pushed up his glasses.

Luo Ran pulled up a chair and sat down, saying: “Dr. Shen passed by me in the recruitment building, and at first sight, he knew that I was a 3S Omega, right?”

Shen Xiluo was taken aback for a moment, and then said: “Yes.”

“At that time, the Admiral had just returned from the battlefield and lost Alton, and his spiritual strength was very unstable, so you deliberately selected me, right?”

“……Yes.”

“You hoped that I would help the Admiral, and I really did. In my second year as the Admiral’s secretary, he had a complete breakdown and lost control, so I teamed up with you to pull off a deception.” Luo Ran lowered his eyes and said: “I took him to live in the wisteria garden in the suburbs, isolated from the world, and I used my spiritual power to ease and repair the Admiral’s spiritual injury. The Admiral and I spent nine months there.”

Shen Xiluo frowned, then stood and said with a frown: “You remember?”

“Only a little bit, mostly based on clues.” Luo Ran smiled and said: “At that time, in order to hide my identity as an Omega, you lied to the Admiral and said you had created that white tea incense, so that I would not be discovered even if I released my pheromones. Of course, mainly because of that Admiral’s spiritual breakdown at that time, his mind was unclear and he didn’t notice.”

“Yes.” Shen Xiluo nodded.

Luo Ran went on to say: “And you and Lu Cheng kept it a secret because the enemy was invading at that time, and the Admiral hurt me by accident, didn’t he.”

“…….” Shen Xiluo didn’t speak.

Luo Ran’s mental gap and many years of spiritual trauma had been caused by Lucas.

Luo Ran couldn’t laugh or cry.

“Doctor Shen, did you really think I would mind?”

“At that time, the relationship between you and the Admiral was not as deep as it is now, and……” Shen Xiluo said: “The Admiral may mind very much.”

Luo Ran paused.

Soon after, Luo Ran said: “Then don’t say anything.”

After leaving Shen Xiluo’s office, Luo Ran leaned against the wall and couldn’t help but chuckle.

His spiritual power was attacked, and his memory was a little fuzzy.

But he remembered many bits and pieces.

For example—

He had received his first mark at that time.

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Chapter Seventy-Eight << Table of Contents >> Chapter Eighty