[What does this mean? The Royal Family abandoned Garbage Star?]

[And they put on a show for us?]

[So all those photos and videos they’ve been promoting these past few days were all fake, right?]

[Fake, fake, it’s all fake.]

[I’m so pissed! To think I donated so many supplies and so much money to Garbage Star. Where did it all go? I bet none of it ever reached the people on Garbage Star, did it?]

[No wonder so many people from the Empire defect to the Federation every year. Who would dare to stay under a Royal Family so blinded by greed?]

[They’re insane, truly insane. How could they do something like this? Don’t they know there are hundreds of millions of residents on Garbage Star right now? Are they just abandoning them all?]

[Today it’s Garbage Star, so what about tomorrow? Which planet will be the next one to be abandoned?]

[Royal Family, step down! Royal Family, step down! Royal Family, step down!]

[Platinum Star announces secession from the Empire!]

[Ice Sea Star announces secession from the Empire!]

Once the video from Garbage Star was released, it instantly swept across the entire Empire like a tidal wave.

In an instant, public outrage exploded.

No one could have imagined that the Imperial Royal Family would fool them so completely.

They used the excuse of preventing the plague from spreading to other planets to lock down Garbage Star, yet they shamelessly accepted all the donated supplies.

Louisa’s official account even updated daily with videos of the relief efforts.

And the result?

Behind the facade of truth was a grim and bloody reality.

It was shocking and utterly chilling.

A towering rage welled up in people’s hearts, making them want to overthrow the entire Empire.

Countless planets on the fringes of the Empire announced their secession, and some people immediately bought tickets to the Federation.

When the forces under Huo Zhanting, Shen Zueran, Su Xingye, and Li Yucheng received the news, they could no longer stand by.

They led their teams to break through the blockade and deliver shiploads of supplies, taking the first step to placate the people of Garbage Star.

More people and more aid were on the way.

Even the Empire’s most elite Royal Guard was nothing special; they offered no resistance and let them straight through.

Or rather, they never had any intention of resisting in the first place.

They had endured for long enough.

They thought they had come to Garbage Star with a mission to save its people, but who would have thought their duties would be so nauseating?

If that woman had been unable to complete her mission, more people would have followed, continuously "escaping" from Garbage Star with the truth.

The Royal Family’s prestige plummeted in an instant.

This was the greatest crisis Belina had experienced since taking the throne.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

「Imperial Palace」

Belina slammed the teacup in her hand to the ground with a CRASH.

"Who the hell leaked this information?"

"Investigate! Find out who it was!"

"And drag them back here!"

Belina had never faced such a massive crisis for the Royal Family.

To say nothing of the countless planets now seizing the opportunity to secede from the Empire’s rule.

A few of them were even extremely close to the Central Star. If they made a move, the Central Star would be the first to suffer.

Belina’s hand, resting on the armrest, was trembling uncontrollably.

She never expected things to blow up this much.

’Just how did Louisa handle this?’

A soldier kneeling below replied respectfully:

"Your Majesty, the person who first posted the video and escalated the matter on the Star Network immediately bought a Starship ticket. They are now in Federation territory."

"We have already sent a request for cooperation to the Federation."

But whether the Federation would help was another matter entirely.

If it were a vicious criminal, the Federation would be the first to help, perhaps even acting more ruthlessly than the Empire.

But for someone like this, who acted not for fame or fortune but only to save millions of lives, the Federation would likely welcome them with open arms.

The members of the Royal Guard kneeling on the floor thought to themselves, ’If I were ever in that situation, I might have made the same choice.’

Sacrifice one person to save hundreds of millions.

Seated on the throne, Queen Belina’s face was ashen with rage.

For the first time, she disregarded all etiquette and grace, cursing through gritted teeth:

"Useless."

Her chest heaved. She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again.

"I need to speak with the Federation’s current Commander, Fu Chenhan."

She couldn’t let the situation escalate any further.

It had to be brought under control, quickly and quietly.

Things had already blown up so much.

For the first time, Belina felt a sense of panic, a fear that she wouldn’t be able to suppress this.

To do so, she would have to sacrifice some interests and likely offer up even more.

’There was a much simpler way to solve this before, but greed is a bottomless pit. This time, will Fu Chenhan be so easy to deal with?’

That man, who was irreconcilably hostile toward the Empire and harbored a deep-seated hatred for it.

*

「Meanwhile」

The moment she saw the video, Yu Lan understood what had happened.

She turned to look at the woman standing behind her, her voice decisive.

"This video... it has to do with you."

The woman nodded, remaining where she stood.

Just then, the child in Jun Lin Yuan’s arms opened his fever-reddened eyes and explained in a hoarse voice:

"Princess, please don’t blame my mom. She just wanted to save more people."

The woman’s voice was choked with emotion as she spoke.

"I will accept any punishment you see fit. I only ask that you spare Little Treasure."

"He doesn’t know anything."

Yu Lan’s lips pressed into a thin line. Jun Lin Yuan watched her intently, waiting for her command.

He didn’t have to wait long. Yu Lan spoke quickly,

"Jun Lin Yuan, I’m going upstairs to get the medicine right now. As soon as I’m back, you’ll take them to the Star Port as fast as you can."

"Buy two starship tickets. You two are going to the Federation."

Even Yu Lan had to admit that under the current circumstances, the Federation was the best place for the mother and son.

"After things have calmed down, I’ll send someone to contact you and bring you back."

After speaking, Yu Lan quickly ran upstairs in the Science Research Institute building.

Jun Lin Yuan, still standing in place, quietly watched her retreating figure as a complex emotion flashed through his heart.

In the end, that complex emotion coalesced into admiration. ’Beautiful and kind, yet sharp, intelligent, and adaptable. As expected of the female I’m willing to do anything to win, even if I have to act pitiful and use every trick in the book.’

「After everything was taken care of」

Almost an hour had passed.

During that time, Yu Lan had been glued to her phone, scrolling through the news on the Star Network.

As the forces of Huo Zhanting and the others broke onto Garbage Star, more and more related news poured in.

Photo after photo, report after report.

The images were filled with devastation, almost too painful to look at.

The news was heartbreaking.

"Lanlan, stop looking. Eat something first."

"You haven’t eaten anything yet."

Shen Zueran firmly took the phone from Yu Lan’s hand.

Jun Lin Yuan quickly set out the food he had brought.

Huo Zhanting, Su Xingye, and Li Yucheng stood nearby, all of them watching Yu Lan with furrowed brows and worried eyes.

"How can I possibly eat at a time like this?"

"Shen Zueran, I want to go to the Federation or Garbage Star. No matter what, I want to do my part!"

The Federation had a history of kidnapping Yu Lan.

For her to go there would be like a lamb walking into a tiger’s den.

Garbage Star was now in the throes of a plague outbreak, and everyone who went had to wear protective suits. The men were even more worried about her going there.

But the look on Yu Lan’s face was one of unprecedented determination.

Just then, Jun Lin Yuan spoke up.