CHAPTER 57: JIAN CI’S PUNISHMENT.

AN: I just wanted to thank you guys for your support. Without you, I would have quit a long time ago. Thank you for the golden tickets, collections, reviews, votes and comments. I appreciate it so much. Thank you Gwen_Allen, Stars_to_fall, Star_S, Rissa_9545, Emily_0791 for the lovely gifts. I am very grateful to you all. Happy reading!

Yu Xi sat down beside Jian Rui, blinking as the man poured him a cup of tea precisely the thing Jian Ci did for him every morning without fail.

The familiar scent of chrysanthemum and osmanthus rose from the steam, but it felt... off. Yu Xi stared at the cup, unsure what sort of storm he had just walked into.

Jian Rui noticed he wasn’t eating and, without a word, placed a fried doughstick on his plate. "Eat," he said curtly.

Across the table, Jian Ci’s cutlery clanked against porcelain. Jian Rui met his gaze, unflinching. The tension between them was palpable.

Jian Wei, ever the observer, munched on his food with a smirk. "Mom’s in deep sleep for now," he said lazily. "So if you two want to fight it out, now is the time. My money’s on big brother."

Yu Xi paused mid-bite. "..."

Halfway through the meal, Jian Rui said, "You will follow me today."

Jian Ci’s chair scraped against the floor. "I am going too."

"No," Jian Rui replied, voice sharp.

They locked eyes, sparks flying, neither backing down. But in the end, they didn’t fight. Yu Xi finished his meal in uneasy silence, and Jian Ci didn’t even show his face when they left.

Inside the spacecraft, Yu Xi finally broke. "Why are you two fighting?" he asked.

Jian Rui didn’t look at him. "You... you are the reason."

"Me?"

"You asked me not to tell him. Now he’s throwing tantrums like I abused you."

Yu Xi blinked. "..."

"I will speak to him," Yu Xi said quietly, his voice still tinged with surprise.

Jian Rui didn’t look up from the console. "If you want to, you can," he replied. "But I still have to teach him a lesson."

Yu Xi tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "How?"

Jian Rui didn’t answer. He simply glanced at Yu Xi, the corner of his mouth twitching with something unreadable. He knew exactly what kind of punishment would leave Jian Ci rattled. Something that would make him think twice before challenging him again.

The spacecraft shifted into stealth mode, its hull shimmering before vanishing from view.

***

Outside, the diplomatic sector of the capital unfolded beneath the moon, a city of silver and glass. Towers rose like crystalline spires, walkways lined with banners from every allied star system, fluttering in the low gravity breeze.

The ship descended with silent grace, its insignia gleaming, the mark of the Virelian High Command.

Jian Rui stepped out first, his formal attire catching the moonlight. Obsidian silk, layered with psychic-thread embroidery, hugged his frame with precision. His collar was sharp and his posture sharper.

Behind him, his security team followed in perfect formation. Their eyes scanned the area, their weapons holstered, but ready.

Their presence was quiet, but unmistakable.

The private restaurant loomed ahead, carved into the side of a crystalline tower that shimmered beneath the moon. Its entrance was guarded not by soldiers, but by soft light and velvet silence. It was a sanctuary of elegance. As Jian Rui approached, the host emerged from the shadows and bowed deeply.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Jian Rui offered a smile. It was polished, unreadable, but not unkind. "Thank you."

He stepped inside, each movement deliberate, his aura restrained but unmistakably regal. The host led him through a corridor of cascading light panels, their glow shifting with every step, until they reached a private lounge.

The table was set with precision, cutlery aligned, glasses gleaming, the centerpiece a delicate arrangement of moonlotus blooms.

Beyond the glass wall, the city stretched like a constellation map soft, golden and endless.

Inside, a young man stood. His suit was tailored to perfection, but his hands betrayed him. He was fidgeting seeming nervous. His eyes widened as Jian Rui entered, and for a moment, he forgot to breathe.

It was Carmine, the son of General Larson of the Republic of Elaris. He was a guide, trained in resonance and diplomacy. And tonight, the subject of a carefully orchestrated blind date.

Jian Rui approached, voice smooth. "My apologies. I am late."

Carmine shook his head quickly. "No—it’s okay. I came too early. I was... nervous."

Jian Rui gestured toward the chair. "Please."

Carmine sat, and Jian Rui, with quiet grace, stepped behind him and pushed the chair in. The gesture was simple, but it made Carmine’s breath catch.

Jian Rui took his seat across the table, folding his hands, gaze steady.

***

The hotel lobby shimmered with soft gold light, its marble floors polished to a mirror sheen, reflecting the silhouettes of diplomats, elites, and high-ranking officials who moved like constellations in tailored suits and ceremonial robes.

Yu Xi slipped through them like a shadow, his reactive mask reshaping his features into someone forgettable, someone who belonged but would never be remembered.

His tailored pants and crisp golf shirt matched the understated elegance of the crowd. His posture was relaxed, his aura dimmed to a whisper, barely a flicker in the psychic field.

While Jian Rui was keeping Carmine occupied, Yu Xi had a different mission.

Jian Rui had booked him a room one floor beneath Carmine’s suite. It was close enough to act yet far enough to vanish. Yu Xi entered the room silently. The door was already unlocked.

Amelia, one of Seraphyne’s most trusted subordinates, was waiting inside. She sat on the ottoman like a queen in exile her legs crossed, arms draped, her posture regal and her expression carved from ice. Her beauty was sharp, almost cruel, like something forged in the aftermath of war. Her aura pressed against the room like a blade. It was dense, cold, and unyielding.

It pressed against Yu Xi’s skin like frost, a psychic pressure that made the air feel thinner. She looked up from her perch, one brow raised in quiet challenge.

"Are you nervous?"

Yu Xi shook his head. "No."

"Good." She tossed him a small device, its casing smooth and metallic. "There’s a safe in Carmine’s room. Plug this in. It will override the biometric lock. Take account of everything inside. If there’s a device, copy it with this."

She handed him a second tool. It was sleek, matte black and humming faintly with psi-tech. It vibrated softly in his palm, like it was alive.

Yu Xi turned it over, inspecting the interface. "Alright."

Amelia stood up, her boots making no sound on the carpet. "There are soldiers on that floor. There a several guards posted outside his door. You won’t get in through the front."

Yu Xi nodded, already mapping the suite’s layout in his mind, calculating angles, blind spots and timing.

Amelia stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You are not just a trainee. You are his highness’ shadow. That means you move when no one sees, and you strike when no one expects it."