The Traitor

On Levi Star in the Asha Empire, inside a Class A detention facility...

A pale purple insect the size of a thumb crawled silently across the detention facility's ceiling.

Below it, guards stood every few paces, while a squad of fully armed soldiers from the Asha Sixth Fleet patrolled back and forth.

The pale purple insect slipped effortlessly into the heavily guarded holding chamber, where Lia Gross, the former supreme commander of the Third Colony Star, was bound to an Interrogation Pillar by several energy chains.

An Asha wearing the white mask of an Enforcer lashed her again and again with an energy whip.

Every strike against her body produced a sharp crack of colliding energy, leaving another crimson welt on Liya's skin.

She merely glared at the Judge seated behind the Enforcer, refusing to make even the slightest sound of pain.

"Commander Liya, we have ample evidence that you colluded with the Lila People to betray your country. I advise you to confess."

In response to the Judge's interrogation, Liya sneered. "Absurd! Nothing but fabricated charges. That bastard Asalas-His Majesty trusted him so much, yet he dared to murder his emperor."

The Judge roared, "You dare address Great Emperor Nu by his personal name? You must have a death wish. Beat her to death!"

The Enforcer showed not the slightest hesitation, even though she was the supreme commander of the Third Colony Star, even though she had once been the empire's greatest hero.

The energy whip struck her relentlessly. Only when Liya lost consciousness did the Judge order the Enforcer to stop.

He approached Liya, gently lifted her chin, and smiled mockingly. "Commander Liya, you never imagined you would end up like this, did you?"

"Duomoer, you're nothing but a useless fool. You don't even have the courage to kill me." Liya spat a mouthful of blood into Judge Duomoer's face.

Furious, Duomoer drew a dagger and pressed it to Liya's throat. One slight pull would end her life forever.

But just as Duomoer began to draw the dagger across her throat, he stopped. A sly smile spread across his face. "Hahaha! You couldn't kill yourself, so you tried to provoke me into ending your suffering. Nice try."

The pale purple insect remained motionless on the ceiling until Duomoer left with the Enforcer six hours later.

Zhang Fan's voice suddenly sounded in Liya's mind:

"Grand Commander Liya, how did you end up in such a sorry state?"

"Overlord Zhang Fan? How did you..."

"It's been three hundred years. I came to visit an old friend. I never expected..."

"How have the Rebecca Insectoids been? The empire hasn't made things difficult for you, has it?"

"Hahaha! Commander Liya, you truly are compassionate. Even at a time like this, your first concern is the safety of us Insect Race members."

"The Rebecca Insectoids brought Asha three hundred years of peace. Ever since you arrived, the Lila People have never invaded Asha again..."

Zhang Fan picked up where she left off. "I never expected a civil war to break out in Asha... But I can bring Asha lasting peace. What do you think, Commander Liya?"

Liya remained silent...

Zhang Fan did not interrupt her thoughts. What finally brought her out of her reverie was a thunderous crash.

Karen kicked open the holding chamber's door. Along with Mora, she had brought Mierduoduo of the Lila People!

Liya cried out, "Why is he here?"

Liya was clearly referring to Mierduoduo. Karen glanced at him, and with a point of his finger, he instantly absorbed the energy binding Liya.

Mora and Karen supported Liya as they rushed out of the holding chamber. The army that had come to rescue her was actually Lila Star's mechanized force.

Once everyone had boarded the Lila People's Rescue Ship and warped to a safe area, Liya pushed Mora and Karen away and glared at them both.

"You... You've actually sided with the Lila People? You really have betrayed your country."

Mierduoduo stepped forward and said amicably, "I came bearing the Whirlwind Great Emperor's goodwill, for the sake of everlasting peace between our peoples."

"Peace? You Lila People want to talk to me about peace?"

Karduoduo asked in return, "What irreconcilable hatred is there between our two peoples, really?"

That single question...

Liya had no answer.

Irreconcilable hatred... The hatred between their peoples stemmed from killing one another, and the killing came from war. The war itself had begun merely over Mujing Ore.

Seeing Liya fall silent, Karduoduo challenged her. "We Lila People are energy beings who depend on Mujing Ore to survive, while you Asha merely want it for fuel. Who are the invaders, really?"

Karen continued, "The Lila People have agreed to help us take back Asha. Afterward, we'll form an alliance and work together to extract Mujing Ore."

"You actually trust the Lila People? Tell me, when exactly did you two betray the empire?"

In response to Liya's accusations, Mora said coldly, "We never betrayed Asha. Asalas was the one who betrayed Asha. We only want to reclaim our home."

Liya calmed down a little, her tone softening. "We can rely on ourselves. Why cooperate with the Lila People?"

Matriarch Likafeier slowly entered the command cabin:

"Commander Liya, what happens after you take back Asha on your own? Will you keep fighting the Lila People over Mujing Ore? Or should the Lila People seize the opportunity presented by your civil war to conquer the entire Asha Empire in one stroke? If that is what you want, I'm sure General Karduoduo would be happy to reap the rewards."

Looking at the Insect Race member who possessed some of the features of an Asha woman, Liya asked in surprise, "Who are you?"

"Likafeier, the foremost Matriarch under Overlord Zhang Fan, and his current administrator on Camille Star."

Liya demanded to know Likafeier's intentions, and Likafeier explained, "We of the Insect Race came only for peace. Three hundred years ago, Grand Commander Liya gave the Rebecca Insectoids refuge. In gratitude, Overlord Zhang Fan decided to bring Asha everlasting peace."

Likafeier glanced around and pointed at Karduoduo. "The Lila People have reached a Peace Treaty with the Insect Race. The Overlord merely wishes to bring about peace between Asha and Lila."

Liya suddenly demanded, "So you of the Insect Race have been pulling the strings all along?"

Likafeier laughed. "Hehehe, what makes you say that, Grand Commander Liya? We of the Insect Race brought Asha three hundred years of peace. This war is a civil war caused by your own internal struggle for power."

"The Overlord merely hopes that someone as compassionate and honorable as Commander Liya will lead Asha. The Lila People have also agreed that, so long as Grand Commander Liya leads Asha, they are willing to coexist peacefully with Asha."

Liya looked at Karduoduo, who spoke in his deep, ethereal voice. "A thousand years of resentment between our peoples all began with Mujing Ore. With the combined strength of our two peoples and the Insect Race, we can easily work together to extract it. War is not the only way to solve a problem!"

Karen and Mora walked up beside Liya. "Grand Commander, Asha can only have peace with you leading it."

With a wave of her hand, Likafeier showed Liya the hundreds of Rebecca waiting outside the Rescue Ship, ready to deploy.

"The Insect Race knows how to repay kindness. These fleets are yours to command, Commander Liya."

Karduoduo added, "To demonstrate the sincerity of the Lila People, two thousand Lila Warships are already standing by at the border. They will all be placed under Commander Liya's command."

Liya felt lost. Was I really wrong? The enemies I fought for centuries are actually letting me command them. Can the Insect Race and the Lila People really be trusted?

Those doubts remained, but for now, she had no reason to refuse. She could not bear to watch the Asha Empire decline under Asalas's rule!

"For Asha... I am willing to become a traitor!"