"Won't this make the survivors suspicious?" Berryblue asked.
"Hohohoho!" Frieza let out a series of shrill, grating laughs. "We can just say they were unlucky enough to get hit by a giant meteorite!"
His laughter echoed through the empty control room, full of the cruel amusement of a cat toying with a mouse.
They were still talking when—
"Beep—"
The hatch opened automatically, and a burly figure walked in.
Dodoria, another of Frieza's trusted men.
He had pink skin, a fat body, and his trademark sinister grin.
He bowed to Frieza first, lowering his head respectfully.
"Is something the matter, Dodoria?" Frieza asked, narrowing his eyes as he lightly tapped the armrest of his seat.
"Lord Frieza, a spaceship just left Planet Vegeta. According to our investigation, Prince Vegeta and several fighters are aboard. There are eight people in total!" Dodoria hurriedly reported, his voice rough. "One of them is Vegeta's teacher, Reiz! He's a warrior hailed as a super genius!"
"Oh? Reiz? Eight people?" Frieza narrowed his eyes further, his expression turning somewhat unpleasant. The smile at the corner of his mouth faded a little. "A spherical spaceship left a few days ago with a Saiyan infant whose Combat Power was only 2. And now someone else has left without permission!"
His voice carried unmistakable displeasure.
Saiyans, those lowly monkeys, actually dared to pull tricks right under his nose.
"Lord Frieza, should we shoot them down?" Dodoria asked, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in his eyes.
"Who else is there besides Vegeta and Reiz?" Frieza asked, his fingers ceasing their tapping.
"Raditz, Nappa, Carnegie, Kuri, Baru, and a female Saiyan named Linoshi!" Dodoria listed them one by one, clearly pronouncing each name.
"Berryblue, prepare eight cards and write their names on them," Frieza said, suddenly taking an interest. An eerie smile reappeared on his face.
"Yes!" Berryblue cast a puzzled glance at Frieza, but immediately turned and went to find cards and write the names.
Before long, she returned with eight elegant cards, each bearing a name written in neat handwriting.
Berryblue handed the eight cards to Frieza with both hands, her head respectfully lowered.
Frieza took the cards and looked through them one by one. The smile at the corner of his mouth grew wider and wider.
Reiz, Vegeta, Nappa, Raditz, Carnegie, Kuri, Baru, Linoshi.
Eight names. Eight lives.
Then, like a skilled card player shuffling a deck, he deftly mixed up the cards in his hands.
The cards fluttered between his fingers with a soft swishing sound.
"Smack!"
Frieza casually tossed the cards into the air.
The eight cards spread apart, drifting gently down.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
In the next instant, Frieza raised his right hand. Three dazzling streaks of light flashed at his fingertips and shot out.
The three beams struck three cards with pinpoint accuracy, blasting them to pieces in midair.
Shreds of paper fluttered down like snowflakes, scattering across the floor.
The five remaining cards continued to fall, eventually settling gently on the spaceship's floor.
Berryblue and Dodoria stood to one side, looking at Frieza in bewilderment. They had no idea what he was trying to do.
"Dodoria, kill everyone whose name is on those five cards!" Frieza ordered.
Dodoria immediately understood. He hurried forward, picked up the cards, and examined them one by one.
His eyes swept over the names as he murmured them under his breath.
"Who are they, Mr. Dodoria?" Berryblue asked curiously, leaning closer and craning her neck to see.
"Reiz, Carnegie, Kuri, Baru, and Linoshi." Dodoria read out their names one by one and showed Berryblue the cards.
"Hohohoho!" Frieza let out another series of strange laughs, his laughter echoing through the control room. "Looks like one of the three lucky survivors is little monkey Vegeta!"
His eyes gleamed with amusement, as if this were all just an entertaining game.
"Lord Frieza, why don't we take care of Vegeta too while we're at it..." Dodoria left the rest unsaid, but his meaning was clear.
He even made a throat-slitting gesture, a cruel glint flashing in his eyes.
"There's no need." Frieza waved a hand, his face breaking into a radiant smile. "Since he's one of the lucky ones who was chosen, let him live for now."
Dodoria said nothing more. He bowed once again, then turned and strode out of the control room.
Before long, a small spaceship detached from Frieza's mothership. Bright flames burst from its tail as it changed course and quietly pursued the spaceship carrying Reiz and the others.
The craft was pitch-black and nearly impossible to spot in the starry sky. Like a ghost, it silently glided into the vast sea of stars.
Reiz's spaceship.
Seeing that Frieza had no intention of ambushing their ship, Reiz felt some of the tension leave him.
He took one last look at the enormous ship receding into the distance outside the window, then turned to Linoshi.
Linoshi was sitting on the small bed, her head lowered and silent.
She sat there quietly, like a painting, so beautiful she seemed unreal.
"Want to go out and look around?" Reiz turned to ask Linoshi, who was sitting on the small bed.
"Me? I'll pass..." Linoshi shook her head, her blue eyes lowered as she avoided his gaze.
"Are you tired? If you are, lie down on the bed for a while." Reiz smiled gently and stepped closer.
"I'm not tired..." Linoshi waved a hand lightly, but her fingers tightened slightly around the hem of her Battle Suit.
They were still talking when—
The spaceship suddenly lurched violently.
"Boom—"
Reiz lost his footing again. His body went off balance, and he pitched straight toward Linoshi.
"Thump!"
This time, Reiz landed right on top of Linoshi, pinning her to the bed.
The narrow bed was just big enough for two. Now Reiz was sprawled over her, their bodies pressed tightly together.
He could even feel her rapid heartbeat through the thin fabric of her Battle Suit. Once, twice, three times.
Linoshi's face grew even redder, like a blazing sunset.
Her blue eyes darted about in a panic, and she was so embarrassed she didn't know where to hide.
Her breathing was quick and uneven. Her chest rose and fell violently, and her warm breath brushed lightly across Reiz's face.
"I... I really didn't mean to." Reiz was at a loss. He braced himself, trying to get up, but the spaceship was still swaying slightly, and he couldn't keep his balance.
He lowered his head and met those flustered, helpless blue eyes. His heart softened.
Before you continue