TCPUAAV Chapter 117

 

 

Sally and Jason boarded the shuttle and returned to the space station.

 

Rong Heng’s group didn’t follow them immediately. They waited for Ruan Shiqing’s confirmation that the two had arrived back at the station, then piloted their fighter to rendezvous with the main force, returning under the pretense of needing rest and resupply.

 

Meanwhile, at the space station, Ruan Shiqing received the returning Sally and the severely injured Jason. There was no need to fake Jason’s injuries—Sally had struck him hard enough in her earlier rage that the wounds were very much real.

 

Sally supported the bloodied, pale Jason off the shuttle, her face ashen, eyes dull with apparent grief and frustration—a woman visibly shaken by failure.

 

Ruan Shiqing continued his act, sighing sympathetically without pressing her for details. He helped carry Jason to his room and settled him in. Naturally, he then asked what had happened down on the surface.

 

With a downcast expression, Sally recounted the situation—how they’d found no survivors and had instead encountered stray Zergs.

 

“I thought staying behind might help,” she said, laying the groundwork for her next move, before finally revealing her true intention.

 

Ruan Shiqing immediately realized that she believed her mission was complete and was now preparing an excuse to leave. Playing along, he said, “You’ve already helped us a lot by staying. With the main force arriving soon, and Jason injured, you should leave with the next outbound rescue ship.”

 

That was exactly the line Sally had been waiting for. She made a show of hesitating and modestly refusing at first, but finally relented under the excuse that Jason needed treatment.

 

That same night, Rong Heng returned to the space station with his troops and officially suspended the surface bombardment campaign.

 

Jason remained in his quarters recuperating, with Sally tending to him. Rong Heng paid a visit, offering polite words of concern before returning to his own quarters—where he joined Ruan Shiqing to strategize.

 

They could capture the pair now, of course—but that would mean missing out on their future plans.

 

These two Zerg hadn’t gone to such lengths just to save a batch of offspring. Given the rigid, hierarchical structure of Zerg society, those ten eggs had to be of extraordinary significance.

 

“Tomorrow, the Empire’s rescue forces will arrive,” said Ruan Shiqing. “It’s time for us to leave too.”

 

They had only taken temporary command until Imperial reinforcements arrived. After all, Driftwood Star was an Imperial territory, and further handling of the situation would fall under Imperial jurisdiction. Plus, among their group were several individuals with active bounties on their heads—not the kind of people who could safely parade in front of the Empire’s troops.

 

“Then we’ll leave after the handoff,” Rong Heng agreed. “We’ve finished scanning the underground structures. There’s indeed a massive shelter built beneath the remote northwestern region of Driftwood Star. It could house over ten thousand people.”

 

That meant survivors. As long as there were people alive, Driftwood Star wasn’t lost.

 

And compared to total annihilation, that ending was much easier for the public to accept.

 

With that, the group wrapped up their plans and each retired to rest.

 

The Imperial rescue forces arrived by noon the next day. This time, Rong Heng, Hector, and Merrell stayed behind the scenes—only Ruan Shiqing and the cubs showed up to receive the military.

 

Ruan Shiqing had initially worried that the Imperial troops might be difficult to handle. Unexpectedly, alongside the rescue forces came Garland.

 

The commanding officer of the rescue unit was familiar with Garland, which smoothed the handover considerably. Ruan Shiqing gave a detailed account of the current situation on Driftwood Star, including the discovery of the underground shelter, and then prepared to bow out.

 

The officer, tactful and aware of the delicate circumstances, didn’t question the presence of additional troops on the planet. Once the handoff was complete, Ruan Shiqing boarded his ship with the cubs, ready to leave.

 

Garland walked beside him, striking up casual conversation. “Are we heading straight back to B3024?”

 

Having just escorted the passenger ships, Garland was unaware of the full situation regarding the space station.

 

Ruan Shiqing was about to explain—but when he looked up, he saw Hector standing by the ship’s hatch, arms crossed, eyes locked onto Garland with an unblinking, laser-focused stare. He shut his mouth immediately.

 

No need to be the fool who steps into a landmine.

 

He smiled, eyes curving as he said, “Hector knows the rest of the plan. You can ask him.”

 

With that, he waved the cubs over quickly, herding them away so they wouldn’t get in the way.

 

The little dragon cub followed reluctantly, glancing back again and again. Something about this long-awaited reunion between his two dads seemed… off. He remembered how, even when he was still in his egg, these two used to fight at the drop of a hat.

 

Worried, he felt like it was time for him to step up and protect family harmony.

 

Unfortunately, Ruan Shiqing didn’t give him the chance—he was promptly dragged away.

 

Back at the hatch, Garland, unnerved by Hector’s intense stare, tried to break the ice. “Wanna walk around the rest area for a bit?”

 

He and Hector had known each other since youth—both with hot tempers. Arguments were routine. Fights weren’t rare. But this kind of silent tension between them? That was almost unheard of.

 

Especially after facing life and death, then suddenly meeting again.

 

Guilt, unease, and joy surged together in Garland’s chest, leaving him flustered and unsure how to face the man. When he finally spoke again, his voice lacked its usual confidence.

 

Hector stepped forward, his gaze sharp, even slightly gritted. “Not hiding anymore?”

 

After learning of Garland’s whereabouts, Hector had rushed from Balham Star without rest, only to find him gone. Ruan Shiqing had claimed Garland left to escort the passenger ships, but Hector knew the man too well—he was never that enthusiastic about anything. He’d been dodging him, plain and simple.

 

Hector had been so angry during those days on Driftwood Star that he’d barely slept. If he hadn’t been tied down with responsibilities, he’d have chased Garland down and dragged him back by the collar to reassert some household authority.

 

Garland met his gaze for a moment. That familiar expression stirred something in him. Some of the tension melted, and his confidence naturally returned.

 

He looked straight at Hector and chuckled. “Forget it. Nothing much to say. Where’s your room? I want to take a shower.”

 

He had originally wanted a proper conversation with Hector, to sort things out. But now that they were face to face, he realized… there was really nothing to say. He knew Hector too well. They understood each other better than words could express.

 

Why waste time talking when they could just screw it out?

 

There was nothing a good roll in bed couldn’t solve—and if there was, well, two rounds would do it.

 

Hector’s gritted-teeth expression faltered slightly. He cleared his throat and grabbed Garland’s hand, pulling him along at a brisk pace. Though his tone was cold, his urgency was palpable. “You’ve been hiding from me for this long. Don’t think I’ll let you off easy.”

 

Garland licked his lips and replied simply, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

 

Behind them, the little dragon cub had stealthily crept back to spy on the situation. His heart gave a heavy thump.

 

Oh no… They’re gonna fight again!

 

Garland followed Hector into his room.

 

The cub tiptoed behind, tail swishing anxiously, ready to dash in and break things up the moment fists started flying.

 

He parked himself right outside the door, ears perked high, listening intently for any sound coming from within.

 

At first, the room remained quiet.

 

But before long, the sound of clattering and thumping echoed from inside—objects hitting the floor, furniture scraping, and then… a few muffled, low whimpers.

 

The little dragon cub’s eyes grew wider and wider in shock.

 

Hector wasn’t just fighting with Papa Garland—he’d actually made Papa Garland cry!

 

Unforgivable!

 

In the cub’s mind, Hector had always been the thick-skinned, gruff, and annoying black dragon, while Papa Garland was gentle and kind—obviously no match for that brute! Clearly, this was bullying!

 

Enraged, the little cub ignored everything else and stomped up to the door, pounding on it with his tiny fists.

 

As he banged on the door, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Hector, stop bullying Papa Garland!!”

 

Inside the room, the two who had just battled through several intense rounds froze.

 

Hector’s face turned dark as ink. He gritted his teeth and growled, “Ignore him.”

 

But Garland didn’t have Hector’s shamelessness. He lifted a leg and kicked him. “Go see.”

 

With no choice, Hector threw on his clothes in a rush and stormed over to the door.

 

The little cub, mid-slam, missed his target as the door suddenly swung open, and he tumbled forward, landing right at Hector’s feet. Not cool at all.

 

He scrambled up immediately, gave a few angry thumps of his tail against the floor, and shouted accusingly at Hector before trying to storm inside to check on Garland.

 

But there was no way Hector was letting him in—not with the place a complete disaster zone, definitely unfit for cub eyes.

 

So he grabbed the cub by the scruff and marched him straight over to Rong Heng.

 

“Watch your son,” he said, unceremoniously dumping the cub into the crown prince’s arms.

 

Rong Heng had been ready to give him a piece of his mind—until he heard “your son.” That… pleased him more than he wanted to admit.

 

But when his gaze flicked to Hector’s hastily buttoned shirt and the faint marks on his chest, he gave a cold, sharp snort.

 

A little sour, he said mockingly, “I know dragonkin are notorious for their lack of decorum, but maybe at least consider the setting? Don’t go corrupting young minds.”

 

Hector, currently basking in post-battle glow and itching to get back for round two, didn’t have time to argue. Seeing Rong Heng looking so sour only reminded him of the gossip he’d heard from Merrell earlier.

 

He gave him a side glance and sneered, “Then His Highness the Crown Prince had best stay far away—wouldn’t want to learn bad habits.”

 

A blatant jab.

 

He was outright saying Rong Heng was no different from the cub—still innocent.

 

Still a virgin.

 

Rong Heng’s face darkened to the color of storm clouds. Utterly! Displeased!

 

The little dragon cub, completely lost on the subtext, wriggled in his arms and said anxiously, “They’ve definitely gone back to fighting again!”

 

Rong Heng’s expression remained blank.

 

If only I could go fight someone too, he thought.

 

But alas, he could not.

 

No one to fight left him in a terrible mood.

 

After ten minutes of watching the little cub pace like a worried cat, he sighed and finally let him go. The cub had learned his lesson from the last time—he knew one dragon wasn’t enough to break up a fight.

 

This time, he recruited Ruan Shiqing and all the other cubs and marched back for reinforcements.

 

When Hector opened the door again, his face wasn’t just stormy—it was pitch black, bordering on volcanic.

 

But cubs couldn’t be yelled at, let alone hit. All he could do was force a smile.

 

Behind him, Ruan Shiqing caught a glimpse of the utter chaos that was the room and… something clicked.

 

Without a word, he hurriedly corralled all the cubs and led them away.

 

No matter how passionate the heat of the moment, getting interrupted twice in a row was enough to kill any mood.

 

Soon after, Garland emerged, fully dressed and looking calm. He said something quietly to Hector—whatever it was, it turned Hector’s expression into something comparable to the bottom of a burnt pot.

 

From a distance, Rong Heng watched the scene unfold and let out a cold, disdainful snort.

 

That’s what you get for mocking me. Enjoy having no rounds left to play.

 

 

 

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I am dead lmao

(We got more action from a side couple than our main one… let’s light a candle for the fightless Rong Rong)

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~