The tension on the bridge was palpable as a loud explosion ripped through the air like fireworks on display sending shockwaves through the crew.

Qie Xieling slowly put away his trigger happy finger as all eyes in the weapons room turned towards him. "Ah ha... my hand slipped. It has happened to you guys too right?" he asked but the shaking heads gave him the opposite response.

"No... just you," said Zara her pink pigtails quite distractive.

Qie Xieling bit his lip and looked back at the display feeling stupid. He couldn’t stand it watching Luo Muchen talk to a girl let alone a cool looking general with a righteous attitude. He was jealous and his finger slipped. It was that simple.

One of the crew members whispered to Mauve, "I thought you hadn’t given him access yet to use the station so how did he?"

Mauve was also confused. He was about to give him access as a new recruit but Qie Xieling still managed to cause this mishap without it. It was befuddling.

"Maybe it’s a system malfunction or something. I will inform Commander Bo," he said but he was still scrutinising Qie Xieling who was banging his forehead on the control panel.

On the bridge, Luo Muchen who was sitting stoically in the captain’s chair, his piercing gaze fixed on the holographic display, slowly turned his head towards Bo Ailun.

His eyes narrowing icily he demanded, "Who did it?" his voice cutting through the silence. The weight of the moment hung in the air as Bo Ailun swallowed hard, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.

"Let me find out captain," said Bo Ailun before placing a call to the weapons room. When he found out who it was he wasn’t even surprised. The way Qie Xieling was craving the captain’s attention was so extreme that Bo Ailun actually believed that Qie Xieling did it on purpose.

"Captain, it was recruit Qie," Bo Ailun managed to say, his voice trembling with fear. He dared not meet the captain’s gaze, knowing the consequences that awaited the one responsible for the mistake.

Luo Muchen’s sneer deepened, his disappointment transforming into a cold glint. He should have known that there was only one audacious person on this warship. One daring person who would cross him with no fear of the consequences.

Without a word, he turned his attention back to the viewport, his gaze fixed upon the Zeden Coalition warship. "Fire when ready," he commanded, his voice steady and resolute.

Bo Ailun’s hesitation vanished as he relayed the order to the crew, his voice stern. The crew swiftly sprung into action, their seasoned instincts taking over.

Bi Yu had expected as much. There was no way a criminal of that calibre would give up that easily.

"Return fire and keep them busy," she said before handing down the command of the bridge and heading out. She walked over to her quarters and established a secure communication line.

The room turned dark and two minutes later there was a flicker of lights as a display came to light and in front of her was a face she never thought she would ever see again.

Bi Yu stood tall, her uniform crisp and adorned with medals earned through battles fought in the name of the Zeden Coalition. The warship of the intergalactic pirates rocked violently as it exchanged fire with her fleet, but Bi Yu remained unfazed, her focus fixed on the deposed princess of Zeden, Lee Ya.

Lee Ya exuded an eerie aura, her presence cloaked in darkness and a subtle hint of malice. Dressed in a stunning gown that accentuated her every curve, she held a delicate crystal glass, filled with deep red wine. The chaos around them seemed inconsequential to her as if she reveled in the turmoil.

Bi Yu’s eyes held a mixture of contempt and determination. She regarded Lee Ya with a cool gaze, her disdain evident in the tightness of her jaw. The two women stared at each other shielded from the chaos unfolding outside.

"You must have something very important for you to call me here, Lee Ya," said Bi Yu her voice laced with a fit of restrained anger. "The information you have must be worth my time."

Lee Ya’s lips curled into a sinister smile, her eyes glinting with a dangerous spark. "Indeed, I wouldn’t want to waste the precious general’s time... How dedicated are you to Zeden?" she purred, taking a sip from her glass. "Because what I am about to tell you will have your loyalty shaken. You might end up breaking your oath."

Bi Yu’s grip on her sidearm tightened, her knuckles turning white. "Unlike you, I would never betray Zeden and my oath!" she bellowed her voice menacing but Lee Ya was unaffected. Her laughter cut through the air, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Bi Yu’s spine. "Good... I recall you used to like my half-brother. You would follow him around with stars in your eyes but he... never looked in your direction."

"What is the point of bringing this up?" she asked unwilling to re-live the painful memories of being constantly rejected by him. She failed to understand why he wouldn’t even spare her a glance.

"Well... what if I tell you that the captain of the Blood Hound that you are desperately hunting for to advance your career is actually that long lost crush who never loved you... Let’s hear it General. Will you inform Zeden that the fallen crown prince is now the most wanted man in the Coalition... oh my mistake, he is still the second most wanted man in the Coalition and has partnered up with the most wanted man."

Bi Yu’s eyes narrowed confusion written all over her face. "You are speaking nonsense. How can the crown pri-," she said only for Lee Ya to interrupt her.

"Oh, but he is. He is the man running the entire show and is being protected by my dear father all for the sake of the throne. And as for Qie Xieling... very much alive. General... you have been all over the news and everybody has been celebrating how successful took down Qie Xieling but you failed," she said the anger in her voice inconceivable.

"You are lying," Bi Yu mumbled but even she knew that there was no way Lee Ya would go this far for a false made-up story. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Exhibit A and Exhibit B... you can authenticate the feeds if you like," said Lee Ya before taking a long hard sip.