“Who are you? How did you get in?” The pirate leader’s second-in-command shouted from his position.

Adrian flipped back the hood he was using for disguise. He completely ignored the underboss’s question and didn’t care about the array of guns pointed at him. He just stared at Zhong Yan and commanded, “Come here.”

Zhong Yan didn’t hesitate for a second and ran towards Adrian. Someone yelled, “Stop,” turning their gun towards him, but he didn’t stop. He knew Adrian would handle it. Only the sound of “bang, bang” was heard as the guns in the hands of two star pirates aiming at Zhong Yan flew away.

This display of skill was a clear deterrent. Even though the two star pirates weren’t hurt, the precision of the shooting was frightening enough that no one dared to make a move. In those few seconds, Zhong Yan had already run up to Adrian.

“You really know how to stir up trouble,” Adrian said fiercely. “I’ll deal with you in a minute.”

Zhong Yan was roughly pulled by the arm and stumbled next to Adrian. Adrian clearly wasn’t holding back, and Zhong Yan felt a painful pinch where he was gripped, but he didn’t ask to be let go and whispered back in protest, “How is it my fault? I initially thought you let these star pirates out.”

Adrian almost exploded in anger, “Do I need to hire star pirates to stop you? With that tiny old ship of yours and its flimsy security team…”

“That ship isn’t old, it’s the latest model, very expensive. Have you already got my men?”

“Got nothing!”

“I say,” the star pirate leader sitting at the head of the hall spoke up as they argued obliviously, his face turning livid, “how long are you planning on making goo-goo eyes at each other?”

Outside the hall, a flunky stumbled in, crashing to the ground, yelling, “Boss! He’s telling the truth! The Navi Military District, Navi Military District’s warships have surrounded us! They’re boarding, our security doors have been breached—ah!”

The newcomer stepped on the flunky, a young officer from the Navi Military District, who looked at Adrian and said, “Boss, we’ve secured the security doors. Should we start searching… oh, you’ve already found the special commissioner?”

Adrian said, “Did you get lost halfway here or what? You’re so slow.”

“You took the fastest single-pilot model, nearly twice as fast as a large warship. We’ve come at top speed,” the officer replied helplessly.

“Let’s go.” Adrian, gun in one hand, gripping Zhong Yan with the other, started to leave, only to hear the star pirate leader shout, “Hold it!”

Adrian impatiently said, “Speak quickly, I’m in a hurry.”

The star pirate leader stood up and slowly walked down the steps to the center of the hall. He was tall and imposing, radiating a fierce and bloodthirsty aura that was palpable. Adrian stepped forward, shielding Zhong Yan slightly behind him.

“If you think you can just walk out, where does that leave my face? Who is this pretty boy to you?”

“None of your business,” Adrian snapped.

The star pirate leader laughed, “You don’t have to tell me. I recognized you two as familiar the moment you started bickering. Upon a closer look, those hateful silver eyes— you’re Adrian Atte.”

He moved closer, revealing a face marred by a long scar that added a brutal charm. Zhong Yan’s expression slowly turned to disbelief.

Adrian said, “Right, it’s your daddy here. My men have this place surrounded. You think you can stop me?—What now?”

He was interrupted as Zhong Yan tugged at his shirt from behind. Impatiently, Adrian snapped, “We’ll talk later, can’t you see what’s happening?”

“You can blow us to smithereens later with heavy artillery,” the star pirate leader boasted, “but if you want to waltz out of here with him, it’s going to cost you a layer of skin!”

Star pirates are known for their loyalty and reckless bravery. Having personally dismantled more than one pirate crew, Adrian knew their style well. He laughed and said, “Fine, we’ll do it your way—I’ll fight you one-on-one. I win, I take him… What now?!”

Zhong Yan was desperately tugging at his shirt again. Adrian, frustrated, yanked his shirt free, leaving Zhong Yan flustered. He didn’t want to bring this up in front of everyone but whispered urgently, “Wait, don’t fight him yet, I need to tell you something…”

“We can talk after I’m done!”

“No, it has to be now!” Zhong Yan was visibly anxious. It was clear that only the star pirate leader and he had noticed something important, and since the other party wasn’t going to speak up, it was up to him.

Adrian wasn’t listening, so Zhong Yan, having no choice, climbed up to whisper in his ear. What Zhong Yan said next was like a thunderclap to Adrian.

Zhong Yan whispered, “This man seems… to be your father.”

Half an hour later, aboard the military ship’s infirmary.

The star pirate ship was now fully controlled by the people from the Navi Military District. Since their leader had just been defeated by the commander of the Navi Military District in full view, the pirates were somewhat compliant, preventing any severe conflicts. Adrian and his team had left in a hurry, not bringing any medical staff, so everyone was busy, and Zhong Yan had to step up.

“Mr. Pyrite, lift your hand.”

Pyrite raised an eyebrow, “You know my name? That kid tell you? I heard you guys got married.”

“Not yet,” Zhong Yan wrapped his arm in a stabilizing material, “Looks like you do keep up with the news. You’ve known he’s been in the Navi Star Zone all these years, haven’t you? How come…”

“How come what? Not look for him? Not acknowledge him?”

Zhong Yan didn’t say it, but his meaning was clear.

Pyrite scoffed, “Why should I look for him? To join his anti-AI crusade?”

Zhong Yan coldly responded, “He’s your son.”

Adrian had shared with Zhong Yan the story of the father who abandoned his pregnant mother and fled to Navi. Unlike Steven, Adrian believed that a man who left his pregnant wife was scum, but he didn’t harbor hatred.

“Neither my mother wanted my birth, nor did she ever care for me. He’s no different from her. In the end, they’re victims just like me. If possible, I’d still like to meet him, to know what he’s like.”

He didn’t say it outright, but Zhong Yan could hear that a young Adrian had once held fantasies and hopes about his father. But this man had never thought of acknowledging his son. Zhong Yan didn’t want to stay any longer, saying, “It’s fixed now. I’m not professional, see a doctor in Navi for a better check-up.”

A cold hatred flashed in Pyrite’s eyes as he harshly said, “Son? Hah, you expect me to play the loving father? He’s not my son! Adrian Atte is the disgrace of my life!”

Adrian, who had just turned 27 when he first met his biological father, stood at the infirmary door handle when he heard this declaration of him being his father’s disgrace.

Suddenly, inside there was a clatter as if a sterile tray had been overturned. Adrian startled, was about to enter when he heard Zhong Yan’s angry voice, “You both are victims of the same tragedy, but you only know how to run, while he chose to fight back! Fine then, he is the greatest hero of our century. If he succeeds, he’ll be honored for centuries, praised even in defeat: honorable in defeat! And you? What are you!”

Pyrite lunged forward, grabbing Zhong Yan by the throat with his good hand. At that moment, the door to the infirmary was violently kicked open, and Adrian landed a punch on his temple, blacking out his vision and forcing him to release his grip.

“You sure married someone with a sharp tongue,” Pyrite sneered as he fell to the ground.

“Guard! Come in and watch him!” Adrian yelled, pulling Zhong Yan out.

Zhong Yan was dragged by Adrian all the way to his temporary office, where Adrian slammed the door, grabbed Zhong Yan by the waist, and hoisted him onto a desk about waist-high.

Zhong Yan, perched on the desk, asked bewildered, “What… what are you doing?”

“Shut up! You really are something, I leave for a bit, and you get into trouble!”

Zhong Yan’s fair skin made the bruises on his neck all the more stark, the marks swelling up and looking alarming.

Adrian pinched his chin, raising it to inspect his neck closely.

“It’ll fade in a bit,” Zhong Yan said, uncomfortably trying to pry Adrian’s hand away, unsuccessfully, “You practically crippled him, I thought…”

“What did you think? You think star pirates are like parliamentarians, that you can reason with them?” Adrian was furious, “Can anyone just board a pirate ship? Why couldn’t you just stall in your own ship until I got there?”

Zhong Yan spoke softly, “I didn’t think you’d come.”

They were silent for a while, neither mentioning Adrian’s father again until Zhong Yan cleared his throat, “So, you’ve met my team. Did they tell you… we…”

“They told me quite a bit,” Adrian cut him off, “like how your clothes have hidden recording devices.”

Zhong Yan’s eyes widened. He didn’t deny it, merely stating, “This is my casual wear! Not the outfit I planned to wear when meeting you…”

“Well, who knows. Your people said every piece of your clothing has them.”

“My people would never say that!”

“Don’t argue. I’m not taking the risk of you recording Navi Star Zone’s internal details. Before we land, you can either take them off yourself, or I’ll do it for you.”