Chapter 144: The One He Wants to Protect

A series of alarms blared as the aircraft came under attack. The camera shook violently, making it impossible to get a clear image of the face on screen.

As the aircraft’s central system issued a low-power warning, the once-brilliant lights dimmed in an instant, casting the cabin into growing darkness. The power supply was insufficient to sustain the remaining flight systems.

With damage to both the wings and the tail, the aircraft was consuming energy at a dangerous rate. Once the power was fully depleted, it would lose all function—leading to an inevitable crash.

Based on Ji Laili’s video recording just moments ago, there was no doubt that the attacker was Lance.

After enduring a string of taunts, Garna finally managed to calm down.

He even gave Lance an approving glance—only to be completely ignored. Lance remained focused on the video, exuding an air of indifference that made Garna’s barely suppressed anger flare up again.

Taking another quick scan of the room, Garna determined that Lauri was still the most reliable option here.

Meanwhile, Shen Yu stared intently at the video. Despite the shaking footage and blurry flashes of Ji Laili’s face, one thing was clear—he was handling the situation with absolute composure.

“Warning! Power insufficient. Please proceed with an emergency landing immediately.”

Ji Laili’s voice, calm and unbothered, cut through the alarms. Even though no one could see his face clearly, they could hear the lighthearted amusement in his tone.

“Ah~ Lord Lance is amazing~”

“At this rate, I have no choice but to land. Truly impressive.”

There was a smile in his voice. Just hearing it, one could easily imagine the fleeting moments caught on screen—his curved brows and dazzling grin.

Shen Yu’s ears burned slightly as he listened, his eyes never leaving the screen. Even back during the pursuit, when he fired his attacks, he regretted it almost immediately. He wanted nothing more than to fly over and pick Ji Laili up.

But before Shen Yu could act, Ji Laili had already saved himself.

Despite being trapped in a rapidly failing aircraft, facing the constant risk of a crash, the curly-haired Alpha remained as relaxed as ever.

He even had the energy to fight back.

His fingers flew across the control panel, rapidly inputting commands. Before their eyes, the damaged aircraft pivoted midair and fired a shot at its pursuers!

The surrounding Alphas’ eyes widened in disbelief. Was he planning to go down together with Lance?!

With such little power left, shouldn’t he be focused on escaping? Was he really thinking, If I’m going down, I’m taking someone with me?

Their gazes flickered toward Shen Yu, only to be met with momentary confusion. But Lance was alive and had made it back safely…

Did that mean the one who died was the curly-haired brat?

The Alphas who had some connection to Ji Laili felt a mix of complicated emotions.

But soon enough, they realized how wrong they were.

The man who had the audacity to steal every last piece of their new weaponry and taunt Garna right to his face—there was no way he would just let himself die here.

Ji Laili exuded absolute confidence.

The shaking camera was suddenly yanked free and gripped in his hand. At last, they got a clear view of the lower half of his face—his lips curved into an easygoing smile.

“I’ve never had the chance to truly face you as an opponent.”

“If I miss this opportunity now, will there ever be another one?”

“Then let’s go all out.”

He left the last three words unspoken, his lips moving lightly, barely forming the syllables.

Even a lip-reading expert wouldn’t be able to decipher what he had just said—because Lance only had two syllables in his name.

The Imperial Alphas were left utterly confused.

But Shen Yu lowered his gaze slightly. Beneath his lashes, his eyes glowed with warmth, like ice melting into a gentle stream, all traces of laughter hidden away.

It was a secret just between them.

From the very beginning of this battle, he had stripped away all hesitation, treating Ji Laili as a true opponent.

To ensure the success of this plan, he had left no room for mistakes.

Shen Yu may have regretted his actions after firing—but at the moment of attack, he knew for certain that he had not held back.

Because that would have been the real insult to Ji Laili, who had asked him to go all out.

And Ji Laili, in turn, would never allow Shen Yu to worry about him.

Even in the face of this crisis, he didn’t retreat.

Instead, he piloted his aircraft into a counterattack.

Unlike Shen Yu, who had survived countless pursuits before, Ji Laili was someone who learned—absorbing knowledge like a sponge.

With each passing second, his retaliation became fiercer, his maneuvers sharper.

In midair, he clashed with the Alpha on the opposite side, engaging in a relentless aerial duel for nearly three minutes—right up until his power was fully depleted.

Still smiling, the Alpha in his flight suit carried the camera as he left the cockpit. He stepped to the airlock, throwing the hatch open.

A howling wind rushed inside.

The camera caught a blur of white from his flight suit, and beyond that, a deep blue vest.

Someone gasped.

“A descent device?!”

“So that’s why he didn’t land—he planned this all along?”

“Planned what?” Another Imperial Alpha frowned. “Look at where he is—he’s in the middle of the galactic transit route!”

“If he jumps, is he planning to get smashed by passing ships, or let Lance finish him off? This guy is—!”

Absolutely insane.

As their discussions continued, Ji Laili had already activated his descent device and leaped off.

The roaring wind howled around him as the stars of the galaxy flowed by his side—brilliant reds, interwoven with deep blues and whites, like fireworks streaking across the sky. The spacecraft traveling along the orbital route resembled schools of fish, weaving through the cosmic currents, winding and beautiful.

Soft blue starlight shimmered around him, and with a sudden burst of radiance, the entire starry river was illuminated.

There were countless stars, but only one sun.

A trail of white smoke cut through the galaxy like the first light of dawn, standing out as the only unique color among the sea of blue, red, and white.

The Alpha with chestnut curls grinned brightly, gripping the straps of his descent device at his sides. The exhaust trail streaked behind him as he navigated through the starry expanse.

The device was securely fastened to his waist, holding him firmly in place as it propelled him forward, leaving a long trail of white mist in its wake.

It was originally designed to slow descent—but somehow, Ji Laili had turned it into a flight mechanism.

With practiced ease, he maneuvered through the heart of the orbital traffic. His gaze locked onto the various spacecraft ahead, his eyes brimming with an unspoken exhilaration.

It was as if he were playing a thrilling game—his playground was the dazzling galactic highway, and the passing spacecraft, like darting fish, were the obstacles he had to dodge.

The wind, the speed, the light—it all seemed to work in harmony for those sharp eyes of his.

To him, this wasn’t danger. It wasn’t luck.

It was confidence.

At this moment, even the brightest stars in the galaxy couldn’t outshine him.

The surveillance camera had long since slipped from his grip, caught by the wind and flung backward—only to land perfectly atop a passing spacecraft, capturing the entire scene with perfect clarity.

Ji Laili landed smoothly at the front of the orbital path, turning back to wave at those behind him. His bright eyes curved beneath his brow as if piercing straight through the lens.

“Let me reintroduce myself—I’m Ji Laili.”

“The next time we meet, it will be when Nagano Star returns to the Federation. My Federation…”

He spoke each word with deliberate emphasis, his voice fractured by the fierce winds, yet unwavering in resolve.

“…will never welcome enemies. Get the hell out!”

This was not the same playful, mischievous boy who used to joke around and call them “brothers” with a teasing grin.

The eyes that now burned with brilliance belonged to someone determined to protect his homeland.

The Imperial Alphas’ expressions gradually darkened. This was their opponent.

But—there were also those among them who shared the same goal.

Shen Yu locked eyes with those blazing pupils, and in an instant, a memory resurfaced.

“Senior, I once had a homeland I wanted to risk everything to protect.”

“Was it truly your home?”

“Huh?! How did you know?!” Ji Laili’s voice had shot up several pitches in surprise.

“…I saw you once, a long time ago. You were different back then.”

Shen Yu spoke quietly, “But after meeting you, everything started to change.”

“It’s a strange feeling—but since it’s you, it somehow makes sense.”

Because it was Ji Laili—he made even the impossible seem natural.

The boy across from him couldn’t contain his delight, laughing as he spun around Shen Yu a few times before throwing his arms around him.

“So, clever Senior Shen, have you guessed what I’m about to say?”

He didn’t wait for an answer. His voice, full of warmth and laughter, left no room for a response—because the answer didn’t matter.

Or maybe, no matter what the other guessed, this was what Ji Laili had always wanted to say.

“Because now, I have someone I want to protect here too.”

His comrades. His responsibility. His… beloved.

Shen Yu saw the light in his eyes.

It reflected him—but it wasn’t just him alone.

【Protagonist’s Corruption Value -1000】

…

“Don’t hold back against me. Let Ji Laili stay behind on Nagano Star. The one who returns…”

“Will be Ji Laili.“

And when that time comes—

We will meet again.