That night of secretly going out against orders, when Qiguang and Lian Xiaozhu returned home, it was already night. They were caught right at the door by Lian Yucheng, who had been standing there drinking water repeatedly to suppress his temper.
From that day on, Qiguang was completely placed under house arrest.
From morning to night—eating, sleeping, even going to the bathroom—he was followed by a robot, 009-a.
“These, memorize them carefully.”
Lian Yucheng activated a holographic projection on the computer, pulling up a series of files.
“I’ve ordered you a set of clothes. It will be delivered this afternoon. Tomorrow, the Xiahou family will send someone to pick you up. Everything in these documents is basic information about the Xiahou family, along with questions they may ask. Memorize them.”
Lian Qiguang, currently in a silent staring contest with 009-a, raised his head expressionlessly and looked at the projected data.
He tilted his head slightly, calculating in his mind the possibility of “running away from the marriage” at this moment.
“I warn you! No more nonsense!” Lian Yucheng’s internal alarm immediately went off when he saw the silence.
Lian Qiguang looked at him and gave a stiff nod.
“I’m not causing trouble.”
“……”
“I’m very serious. Look.”
Seeing that Lian Yucheng didn’t believe him, he pointed at his own expressionless face.
“I’m not smiling.”
“……”
Lian Yucheng was speechless.
After a long pause, Lian Yucheng still left, but just before stepping out, he stopped again.
He turned back to look at Qiguang, who was still studying the data, and his expression became complicated.
“Although this marriage was arranged by Father, the Xiahou family is not a bad choice.”
“If I could, I would protect you and Xiaozhu for your entire lives. But in the end, I’m just a businessman. Staying with me, both of you would only ever remain in the Third District—unknown and ordinary.”
“Moreover, your temperament is too impulsive. If you offend someone powerful by accident, you may not even control your own life or death.”
“In recent years, Blue Star has not been stable. You are also studying at a military academy. If war breaks out again one day, with your status as a civilian, you would only be sent to die.”
“Father used his life to save the Xiahou family head. Before he died, he asked for this marriage arrangement for you. It must have been out of concern.”
“The Xiahou family head values loyalty. As long as you don’t commit something as foolish as treason, he will protect you.”
Lian Qiguang looked at Lian Yucheng’s complicated expression and blinked blankly.
“Then what if I did commit treason?”
“Huh?” Lian Yucheng froze, clearly unable to follow the logic.
“I’ll protect you.”
Lian Qiguang turned back, fiddling with the computer in his hands.
“Since you’re my family now, I’ll keep you under my protection.”
“Anyone who harms you—dies.”
The words were ruthless, but spoken as lightly as if stating a fact.
Lian Yucheng stared at him, suddenly feeling as if the younger brother he had raised for over ten years had become unfamiliar.
As if he had never truly understood him at all.
But this wasn’t Lian Qiguang’s fault.
In his past life, he stood at the peak of humanity, known as the number one powerhouse of Huaxia. No one dared provoke him.
As the strategist of the Dragon’s Nest Base and the teacher of the young crown prince, he was used to being obeyed. To him, deciding someone’s life or death was as simple as a word.
……
After Lian Yucheng left, Lian Qiguang looked at the projected information.
For the first time, his expression changed slightly.
His fiancé was named Xiahou Shaoxuan, the eldest grandson of the Xiahou family, also a soldier, holding the rank of Major General at 76 years old.
At that line, the corner of his mouth twitched.
He knew humans now could live very long lives—the average lifespan was over 500 years.
But he was… only 16, right? Right??
Xiahou Shaoxuan commanded a unit called the “Blood Wolf Corps.” Back then, he led them straight into the lair of interstellar pirates, annihilating a notorious group that had plagued countless planets for nearly a century. That battle made him famous overnight, and he was promoted to Major General at a young age, stationed on Blue Star’s border defense.
The Xiahou family was now headed by Xiahou Zhong, Shaoxuan’s grandfather, a veteran general who once fought alongside the Star Lord and later helped him rise to power, earning the rank of Marshal.
Xiahou Zhong had two sons and one daughter.
The eldest son, Xiahou Jue, was an Admiral. His wife, An Ruxin, was a “natural-born” human, and they had Xiahou Shaoxuan, followed by a younger son fifteen years his junior.
The second son, Xiahou Yuchi, married a man named Guan Ze, an actor. Refusing to join the military, he ran away from home, fell in love, and entered the entertainment industry, eventually building his own company—much like Lian Yucheng. This nearly drove the old master to hospitalization.
The third daughter, Xiahou Luoyu, was a true iron-blooded warrior woman. At age five, her spaceship was attacked by pirates; she was the only survivor and was taken in by a ragtag group of minor pirates. At thirteen, she led them to dominate interstellar piracy, becoming a feared figure. Later, she returned to Blue Star, unknowingly clashing with her brother’s forces, and was eventually brought back to the family.
What a monster household.
Lian Qiguang closed the computer and flopped onto the bed.
The faint urge to escape was instantly crushed.
Military, business—everyone had connections.
Even if he fled into space, Xiahou Luoyu and her pirates would still be there.
He was no longer the revered An Guang Lord of the past.
This was no longer the apocalypse he knew, where the ground was covered in zombies.
Three thousand years had passed.
Even stepping outside this room might make survival difficult.
He sighed internally.
Well… one step at a time.
It’s just a Major General. So what?
He was once the peak of Huaxia’s strength, after all.
What’s so impressive about being older?
A faint trace of pride flickered through him.
Then—
He turned over, burying his face into the blanket, inhaling the faint sweet grass scent clinging to it from himself.
His eyes softened slightly.
A mercenary…
Back then, although he was officially a strategist of the Dragon’s Nest Base and teacher of the crown prince, and had trained countless soldiers…
In truth, he was more like a mercenary.
No companions.
No friends.
A lone blade moving through darkness.