Picking Up An Alpha On Garbage Star - Chapter 73

As Pei An walked into the opulent and brightly lit office surrounded by a throng of soldiers, Shelly Joyce was seated in a gilded chair, still wearing his brown military uniform.

 

“So you’re the Secretary-General of the Independent Army?” Shelly Joyce maintained his usual high-ranking demeanor despite the numerous dark gun barrels pointed at him. “I hear you’re an omega.”

 

Pei An could guess what Shelly Joyce was about to say: that he had lost to an omega, and how an omega had managed to gain the support of such a powerful and massive force.

 

“Whether I’m an omega or not doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you, Shelly Joyce, the highest leader of the rebels, will be arrested as a war criminal,” Pei An said coldly. He never felt that someone like Shelly Joyce, an extreme figure who was inherently anti-human and anti-society, deserved any sympathy.

 

There is an old saying: ‘The victor is the king, the vanquished is the bandit.’ But in Pei An’s eyes, Shelly Joyce had always been a bandit, not a king.

 

“What did you say!” Shelly Joyce suddenly slammed his hand on the desk and shouted, “You say I’m a war criminal?”

 

Pei An asked indifferently, “Aren’t you?”

 

Shelly Joyce’s chest heaved with anger. He pointed at Pei An with wide eyes and began to recount his illustrious life, trying to extricate himself from the war criminal label.

 

Pei An wouldn’t give Shelly Joyce that opportunity. They were busy and had no time to listen to Shelly Joyce’s ramblings. “Arrest him.”

 

Some soldiers protecting Pei An moved forward but stopped abruptly after taking only a few steps, as Shelly Joyce pulled out a fuse.

 

“Do you think I’ll let you insult me?” Shelly Joyce seemed to have gone mad. He laughed wildly, “I am the real leader of the Free Empire, and no one is allowed to trample on me.”

 

Pei An was exasperated; he hated hearing villains preach, as it was nothing but useless and disgusting drivel.

 

“I gave you too much freedom,” Pei An said, tilting his head slightly. His mental power surged forth like mountains and seas, directly pressing down on Shelly Joyce, making it hard for him to breathe.

 

His mental power split into two paths: one entered Shelly Joyce’s brain, controlling his cerebral cortex, while the other materialized into ropes that bound Shelly Joyce.

 

The fuse dropped from Shelly Joyce’s hand, and soldiers quickly moved in to remove the bomb.

 

“Shelly Joyce, villains die from talking too much. I haven’t let you die yet because you need to be judged before you do,” Pei An said, forcibly suppressing Shelly Joyce before turning to leave. “Drag him away.”

 

No one would be courteous to war criminals.

 

One week earlier, after the rebels had completely lost their capability to fight the Independent Army, the rebels were trapped. Shelly Joyce, as the head of the rebels, announced their surrender.

 

The Independent Army would complete the reception of all prisoners from two major star systems within that week, with the final surrender site being Golden Leaf Star, the capital of the Free Empire.

 

Pei An personally came to Golden Leaf Star. He was eager to see if the person who had stirred up so much trouble over the years and made the Lyte Empire a mess could still make a difference.

 

It turned out that Shelly Joyce no longer had the power to stir up trouble. His entire army had surrendered, and even those who were unwilling to surrender were just a few and posed no significant threat. Pei An had no intention of indulging them.

 

The war was over, truly over.

 

The golden kapok flag now flew over the ten major star systems. The so-called Free Empire was nonsense.

 

As Xie Yu had predicted, they ended the war within the year, and the rebel forces would now become a thing of the past.

 

However, reconstruction after the war still had to proceed, and reforms would not be abandoned. After reclaiming the ten star systems, Pei An would not return them to the Lyte Empire. He would aim for the Central Star and end the monarchical system in this era.

 

A country’s development does not need a monarch who only cares about preserving their own interests, nor should the monarch have the power to control the people.

 

Moreover, the royal family’s dereliction of duty had made the entire nation dissatisfied.

 

After the rebels’ surrender, the royal family, which had remained silent for years, finally spoke out, with Emperor Roskin himself delivering a speech.

 

In his speech, Roskin lavishly praised the Independent Army’s patriotic actions and promised to reward the Independent Army, including awarding Pei An and Xie Yu with titles. He even promised to make Pei An a duke and Xie Yu a marshal.

 

Now that the rebels were defeated, the delicate balance between the Independent Army and the Empire was destined to be shattered—it was inevitable.

 

In response to Emperor Roskin’s speech, Pei An directly asked, “Did you write this speech yourself? The writing is quite good.”

 

In reality, Roskin did not possess such linguistic talent. The Lyte Empire had three official languages, and Roskin, the emperor, only knew one. He still needed a translator when meeting officials from other star systems, which had already drawn criticism from some citizens. If only Roskin had learned a few phrases, he wouldn’t be so disliked.

 

Compared to Pei An’s indirectness, Xie Yu was much more direct. He spent three hours detailing the large sums of money spent by the Independent Army from its establishment to the day the rebels surrendered, where the money came from, and how much financial support the Lyte Empire provided to the Independent Army.

 

Under pressure, the Lyte Empire had purchased military supplies for the Independent Army, but this amount was trivial compared to the astronomical sums spent on the war.

 

Xie Yu also mentioned the treatment of soldiers before the war.

 

“The Lyte Empire didn’t provide regular food for ordinary soldiers, only nutrient supplements. Apart from fixed wages, there were no additional benefits, and even sacrifices were not compensated. During the war with the rebels, the Lyte Empire not only failed to support the Independent Army but even allowed some individuals to collude with the rebels, increasing the difficulty of the Independent Army’s fight against the enemy.”

 

The facade between the two sides had been completely torn apart.

 

The Independent Army released a list of everyone who had colluded with the rebels during the war. At the top of the list was Clovis Mondrei, who had colluded with the rebels eighteen years ago, causing the deaths of thousands on the Bright Goddess and later provided billions in funds to the rebels.

 

Below Clovis Mondrei, there were many others, including arms dealers who had done business with the rebels. Toward the end of the list, people discovered the name of the Seventh Prince, Austin. It turned out that Austin had also been in contact with the rebels, who were posing as space pirates, in order to deal with a female officer he had failed to capture. Many others were also on this list.

 

At the same time, someone astutely pointed out that Clovis Mondrei had once publicly declared on the star network that Pei An was his biological son, and Clovis Mondrei’s partner was named Pei Ru Yu.

 

Pei An had denied this at the time.

 

This led to some questions.

 

Pei An specifically responded: “I am one of the survivors of the Bright Goddess and the child of Pei Ru Yu from the Imperial Academy of Sciences. However, I do not know Clovis Mondrei personally. I don’t remember anything before I was twelve. This may be due to experiments conducted by Clovis Mondrei.”

 

At this point, Gu Yuanyang further fueled the situation by raiding Clovis Mondrei’s underground company used for drug experiments and releasing evidence of Clovis Mondrei’s drug experiments.

 

The former imperial duke’s glory was gone; he became a pariah hated by everyone, and the Mondrei family fell from grace. Those who once took pride in the Mondrei surname would now detest it, even if they had benefited from it.

 

After reclaiming the last two star systems, the Independent Army did not immediately engage in battle with the Lyte Empire but instead focused on post-war reconstruction, consolidating the reclaimed star systems, and ensuring that the rebel forces were completely eradicated.

 

The Lyte Empire still held many troops, and engaging them at this time was not ideal. If the Independent Army’s first action after reclaiming the lost territories was to fight the Lyte Empire, it would raise suspicions about their true intentions. Therefore, Pei An diligently continued reconstruction and reform, occasionally responding to comments on the star network but never expressing an intention to immediately go to war with the Lyte Empire.

 

Xie Yu ordered the entire Independent Army to stand down without issuing any combat orders. With some star systems even completing post-war reconstruction, the stationed Independent Army troops had little to do other than daily military training. They even organized sports events, which became quite popular and drew attention on the star network.

 

In contrast, the Lyte Empire was frequently mobilizing troops. The available troops were being deployed, and the arms dealers listed on the list provided countless armaments to the Lyte Empire. They knew that if the Independent Army achieved final victory, none of them listed would have a good end.

 

They did not want to die, and as long as they avoided falling into the hands of the Independent Army, they hoped to change their names and still enjoy great wealth. After all, the Independent Army only had a list, and ordinary people wouldn’t know who they were.

 

Thus, they had to uphold the rule of the Lyte Empire.

 

Many others shared this mindset. If the Independent Army took over the national power, their fates would not be much better, possibly facing execution. Therefore, many were desperately trying to maintain the Lyte Empire’s rule.

 

However, these people underestimated Pei An and his team. Their forces were not just the Independent Army.

 

While the Independent Army was publicly lying low, Xie Rao and his team were active again. Following Xie Rao’s suggestion, Xie Rao had chosen to let Xie Yu and the others handle much of the pressure, while they quietly went into hiding.

 

Now, they had returned to the forefront, operating in the heart of the enemy’s territory.

 

Many people in the Lyte Empire had experienced turbulent times and witnessed how the country was built. For this segment of the population, the Lyte Empire was their safe harbor. Even though the Lyte Empire had many shortcomings, it was the place where they could establish themselves.

 

This was a position the Independent Army could never replace.

 

The Independent Army couldn’t, but Xie Rao could, and Gu Yuanyang could. The successful establishment of the Lyte Empire had their contributions.

 

Therefore, during the Independent Army’s period of quiet, Xie Rao and Gu Yuanyang would step up and pave the way for the people of the country.

 

……

 

The war was over, and everything was different from before. Yi Rui traveled from a distant star and, upon seeing Pei An, sprinted toward him.

 

“Pei Ge, I’ve missed you so much!” Yi Rui excitedly hugged Pei An. “We haven’t seen each other for years.”

 

Luo Sisi pulled Yi Rui away from Pei An and gave Pei An a big hug herself. “Pei Ge, long time no see.”

 

Ye Rui was now managing more than just the Moran Star System; Pang Li had returned to the main force, and the Rock Star System was handed over to Ye Rui. Ye Rui was so busy that she couldn’t come to reunite with Pei An. Yi Rui and Luo Sisi’s presence made her envious.

 

“Yes, it’s been a long time.” Pei An looked at the now much more mature young woman with a smile in his eyes.

 

Xie Yu, who was listening to Pang Li’s report while keeping an eye on Pei An from afar, smiled upon seeing Pei An surrounded by many people.

 

Their scene was truly heartwarming, reminiscent of a grand reunion in literary settings.

 

But they were not yet in a complete reunion.

 

The real grand reunion had not yet arrived but was approaching.

 

After meeting with old friends, Pei An and Xie Yu planned to tour Golden Leaf Star, reminiscing about the big news they made there more than three years ago.

 

However, they received a message saying that someone named Geng Ting wanted to see them.

 

Meeting Geng Ting was in the hospital. She lay on a white bed, her pale face almost blending into the hospital room.

 

“Secretary-General, Commander Xie,” Geng Ting weakly smiled at them. “I didn’t expect us to meet again under such circumstances.”

 

A few months ago, Geng Ting had been lively and able to take down multiple rebels on her own while pregnant. Now, she had lost her vitality and spoke slowly.

 

“What happened to you…?”

 

Pei An was shocked when he heard from the doctor that Geng Ting’s organs had already deteriorated and that she would soon pass away. He couldn’t understand how Geng Ting had deteriorated so quickly in just a few months.

 

Geng Ting still maintained her elegant demeanor from months ago, but she no longer had the strength to hold herself up.

 

She said, “It’s not surprising to be discovered while working under the rebels’ noses, especially since my husband was a key target. After all, he was so capable.”

 

Even now, Geng Ting couldn’t help but proudly talk about her husband.

 

A few months ago, Manzhu had personally assisted Geng Ting in giving birth to a baby boy. Geng Ting said he looked just like his father and would definitely be a refined person when he grew up. She imagined him becoming a scholar with gold-rimmed glasses, looking exactly like his father once the world was at peace.

 

However, Geng Ting only stayed with her baby for a month before handing him over to the Independent Army’s childcare team and hurriedly returned to Aishi Star to join her husband. They had to fight together.

 

Disaster struck when the meeting point on Aishi Star was exposed. The rebels, who were no longer concerned about anything, quickly captured Geng Ting’s husband. Geng Ting’s attempt to rescue him failed, and she was also captured by the ruthless rebels.

 

At that time, Geng Ting learned that the rebels were kidnapping other people’s children for experiments.

 

The rebels had gone mad, firmly believing that if they cultivated these children through special means, they would grow up with psychological conditioning and become a new generation of rebels.

 

Such experiments could never succeed. The rebels’ actions were nothing but murder. To prevent the rebels from harming more children, Geng Ting and her husband attracted the rebels’ attention and became experimental subjects themselves.

 

The rebels injected drugs into Geng Ting and her husband’s bodies, causing their health to deteriorate rapidly within days. To protect his wife, Geng Ting’s husband was given even more drugs than she was.

 

Later, when Aishi Star was successfully reclaimed and Geng Ting and her husband were rescued by the Independent Army, their bodies had already been so ravaged by the drugs that nothing could be done except to keep them alive temporarily.

 

Geng Ting’s husband passed away shortly after seeing his child, and now Geng Ting was also nearing the end.

 

She still had a child to care for, but she couldn’t be there for him as he grew up. Therefore, she thought of asking Pei An and Xie Yu for help.

 

“My husband, who was also my superior, helped me to contribute to this country. I named our child Pei Zhiyu, and coincidentally, the Secretary-General’s surname is Pei, while Commander Xie’s name is Yu. So, I would like to ask you to adopt our child and watch him grow up.”

 

Geng Ting knew she was being greedy. She was straightforward but not foolish, having learned many things that police academy didn’t teach from her husband. She understood that with Pei An and Xie Yu’s current status, they would only rise higher in the future. Her request to adopt her child seemed to have impure motives.

 

However, Geng Ting had no other options. The Independent Army had specialized childcare teachers to care for children who lost their parents in the war, but they had too many children to care for. She worried that her son might not receive enough attention.

 

Since she didn’t know anyone else, the best people she knew were Pei An and Xie Yu. She thought that if her child could grow up under their care, he would have a complete childhood, unlike her own tumultuous upbringing.

 

Pei An sighed and said, “Lieutenant Geng, I will tell Pei Zhiyu when he grows up that his father was Major Pei Song and his mother was Lieutenant Geng Ting, both of whom were heroes.”

 

Xie Yu put his arm around Pei An’s shoulders, allowing the distressed Pei An to lean on him.

 

Geng Ting’s pale face showed a faint smile, and her eyes were filled with tears. “Thank you, Secretary-General. Thank you, Commander. I really appreciate it.”

 

The nurse brought Pei Zhiyu over, letting the child lie next to his mother for a while longer.

 

Geng Ting’s time was limited, and these were the last moments she could spend with her son.

 

“Pei Zhiyu, you look like a little piglet, sleeping so soundly.” Geng Ting gently touched her son’s soft face.

 

After playing with Pei Zhiyu for a while, she said to Pei An and Xie Yu, “Secretary-General, Commander, please take him away.” Even though the baby was too young to remember, Geng Ting didn’t want her child to witness her life slowly slipping away.

 

“Please also tell him in the future that his mother was beautiful and was a flower at the police academy.” Geng Ting turned her face away, not wanting to look at Pei Zhiyu any longer. She feared that if she looked too long, she might ask Pei An and Xie Yu to return the child to her.

 

Pei An carefully picked up Pei Zhiyu under the nurse’s guidance. The baby was only a few months old and very light, so carrying him was easy for Pei An, who was in excellent physical condition.

 

“Lieutenant Geng, your husband must be waiting for you with flowers on the other side,” Pei An said.

 

Brave people, bravely move on.

 

On that side, lies the direction of your heart’s longing.

 

As Pei An left the hospital room with Pei Zhiyu, the baby began to wail loudly, even though his eyes were still closed and tears flowed continuously.

 

Did he somehow sense that his mother was leaving him?

 

Pei An sat in the hover car with Pei Zhiyu, leaning against Xie Yu, feeling down.

 

“Xie Yu, I don’t like war, but I have to wage it,” Pei An said with a sense of helplessness.

 

War causes many to lose their lives. Even with advanced technology, there are sacrifices on the battlefield.

 

But without war, without the Independent Army, many would suffer under the rebels’ oppressive rule, and the old, corrupt mechanisms of the Lyte Empire would continue to cause problems, leading to more bloodshed.

 

“You’ve done very well, An An. Think about it: if it weren’t for the interstellar missile that struck the rebels’ last remaining forces directly, the rebels might not have surrendered so quickly,” Xie Yu said softly.

 

When that missile flew from light-years away and exploded among the rebels’ fleet, it assured that the rebels would no longer have the courage to confront the Independent Army head-on, as no one would know if a massive missile was headed their way while drifting in space.

 

They were merely struggling and fighting like cornered beasts. How long could they hold out?

 

Unless they stayed on the ground forever and never went to space, they were always at risk of being attacked. But staying on the ground was even less feasible. The Independent Army could develop interstellar missiles and also create new technologies for ground warfare. The rebels were terrified of the Independent Army and chose to surrender.

 

Even Shelly Joyce, who wanted to pull a trigger to kill Pei An before dying, had lost her will to fight.

 

The era of the rebels was completely ended by the Independent Army.

 

Suddenly, as the hover car drove into the light, Pei An turned his head and saw the clouds parting, allowing the sunlight to shine through unobstructed.

 

Pei An said, “How about giving Pei Zhiyu a nickname? Let’s call him Guangguang.”

 

Xie Yu also looked at the warm light of the star, appreciating the good symbolism.

 

“Then we’ll call him Guangguang.”