130: Chapter 130 A New Prologue

Above Stellar Academy, the long-awaited daylight finally returned.

The war that swept across reality and data, spanning the Interstellar Network and the Light Orb Clan Home Planet, officially drew to a close the moment Shadow's digital body was completely annihilated.

The once broken and collapsed teaching buildings were propped up again by temporarily erected energy supports, and a layer of brand-new alloy flooring covered the charred, cracked ground. The faint smell of gunpowder after the energy explosion still lingered in the air, intertwined with the unique cool scent of repair materials, yet it couldn't mask the sense of relief after surviving the ordeal.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds, falling on the half-rebuilt plaza, plating every tired but smiling face with a warm golden edge.

Students gathered in twos and threes, patting each other on the shoulders, conversing in low voices. Some had red eyes, while others couldn't help but laugh aloud. After experiencing Shadow's erosion, the invasion of the Digital Ghost, and the despair of the Light Sphere Race being manipulated into a puppet army, even standing calmly under the sun at this moment felt like a luxury.

Lin Fan stood at the edge of the plaza, looking up slightly at the long-unseen blue sky.

The wind gently blew, lifting the stray hairs from his forehead, revealing his deep and calm eyes.

From the first time Shadow awakened within him, to its splitting, eroding, and occupying the Interstellar Network, and then to its final complete sealing and annihilation, this journey felt like an endless nightmare.

He had personally forced his dark side out of his body, and had faced his most unbearable self in the Memory Desert, collapsing to his knees; he had watched helplessly as Kate's crystallization spread, her memories fading bit by bit, yet was powerless; he had watched Franklin become infected by Shadow's program, forced to attack him, and then at the last moment, forcefully shut down, using his remaining power to utter the words that still tightened his chest: “So... this is sorrow.”

Countless moments on the brink of death, countless choices on the verge of collapse, countless times torn between giving up and persevering.

And now, Shadow was gone.

The Interstellar Network was restored.

The manipulated Light Sphere Race members regained their sanity.

Kate recovered, her memories fully returned, and all traces of crystallization completely vanished.

Little Kate survived, and unexpectedly gained Light Orb Energy in the Fountain of Eternity, making her whole being even more radiant and resolute.

Everything was developing in the best possible direction.

The taste of victory should have been sweet.

But Lin Fan lowered his head, looking at his palm, feeling no sense of relief in his heart.

That hand had once held the Dark Matter Stabilizer capable of devouring humanity, had torn apart Shadow's condensed dark body, had propped itself on the ground in the Memory Desert, panting in disarray, and had stood before the Fountain of Eternity, desperately wanting to bear all the costs for Kate and Little Kate.

Victory brought not liberation.

But an empty, indescribably heavy feeling.

As if something important had been left forever in that war, in the collapsed ruins, in the endless darkness of the data world, never to be retrieved.

“What are you thinking about?”

A gentle and clear voice came from beside him.

Lin Fan turned his head.

Kate stood beside him, in a simple white dress, her long hair gently lifted by the wind, her skin soft, her eyes bright. The clarity and gentleness that had once been covered by mist and crystallization had returned completely.

The Fountain of Eternity not only healed her body but also restored all her memories.

From her first encounter with Lin Fan, to their journey through the stars together, to her forcefully overdrawing her power to protect him, and then to crystallization, amnesia, and standing alone on the edge of a cliff, ready to face death calmly... all the scenes, all the emotions, were clearly etched into her soul.

“Nothing.” Lin Fan gently shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. “It just feels like a dream.”

“It's not a dream.” Kate reached out, gently holding his hand, her fingertips warm and steady. “We are all alive, standing here well. That's enough.”

Lin Fan's palm tightened.

Is it enough?

He didn't know.

He only knew that the moment Shadow disappeared, a certain string in his heart that had been taut for too long finally loosened. But at the same time, another more hidden, less noticeable unease quietly rose from the bottom of his heart.

Years of experience told him.

Behind too perfect a calm often lurked a deeper storm.

“Lin Fan! Kate!”

A clear shout came from afar.

Little Kate came running, her face radiating the youthful vigor and brightness unique to teenagers. After the Sacred Land trial and life-or-death choices, her former impulsiveness and recklessness had faded considerably, replaced by a greater sense of composure, but the light in her eyes was more dazzling than ever before.

That was the light of the Light Sphere Race, and also her own light.

“The Alliance people are here! They said they're holding an awards ceremony for us!” Little Kate's eyes sparkled. “It's live-streamed across the entire galaxy! We're heroes!”

Kate couldn't help but smile, reaching out to ruffle her hair: “Yes, we are heroes.”

Little Kate looked up at Kate, who had fully recovered, her heart ablaze.

Before, she had always been the one protected.

Protected by AKai, protected by Lin Fan, protected by Kate.

She always followed behind them, clumsily trying her best, desperately wanting to become stronger, wanting to no longer be a burden.

And this time, she finally stepped forward, at the Fountain of Eternity, jumping in without hesitation, exchanging her life for Kate's.

She was no longer the little girl who only cried and called for help.

She could also become someone else's support.

“Let's go, don't keep them waiting too long.” Lin Fan said softly.

The three walked side by side towards the center of the plaza.

There, a makeshift awards stage was ready.

The silver-white alloy platform floated with a light blue energy screen, surrounded by a dense circle of hovering reporter cameras, firmly locking onto the entire stage.

Countless viewers from various planets across the galaxy were waiting in front of their screens for this awards ceremony for heroes.

Star Squad.

Lin Fan.

Kate.

Little Kate.

Franklin.

These names had spread throughout the entire galaxy in just a few days.

From Shadow's appearance, to the fall of the Interstellar Network, to the crisis of the Light Orb Clan Home Planet, the opening of the Sacred Land, and the complete annihilation of Digital Shadow... every step they took was on the edge of life and death, yet they carved a path to survival from desperation.

They were the heroes who saved interstellar civilization.

Known by all, unknown by none.

On the awards stage, several Interstellar Alliance envoys, dressed in silver-white uniforms and possessing dignified temperaments, had been waiting for a long time.

The leader, with a dignified face and solemn expression, wore an emblem symbolizing the Alliance's highest authority on his chest. When his gaze fell upon Lin Fan and the other two, he revealed a standard and proper smile.

“Members of the Star Squad, you've waited long enough.”

The envoy spoke, his voice carried by the amplification device, clear and resonant throughout the plaza.

“On behalf of the Interstellar Alliance Council, and on behalf of the entire interstellar civilization, I extend our highest respects to you.”

“Shadow's invasion nearly plunged the entire galaxy into a data abyss. It was you who, with flesh and blood, and with fearless hearts, blocked the darkness and preserved the spark of civilization.”

“You are the heroes of the galaxy, and role models for all races.”

As his voice fell.

The entire venue erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

Students waved their arms, Light Sphere Race members prayed softly with tears in their eyes, and reporters' cameras flashed wildly, broadcasting the scene simultaneously to every corner of the galaxy.

The envoy raised his hand, quieting the crowd.

An assistant behind him immediately stepped forward, holding an exquisite black box. Inside the box, three medals emitting a faint starlight lay quietly.

Star Core Medals.

The highest honor of the Interstellar Alliance.

Rarely awarded even once in a century.

And today, three were awarded at once.

“Next, I will present the Star Core Medals to the members of the Star Squad.”

The envoy picked up the first medal and walked to Lin Fan.

“Lin Fan, you, by your own power, suppressed the darkness within you, faced yourself, and on several occasions stabilized the overall situation in desperate circumstances. Your contributions are immense.”

The medal was gently pinned to Lin Fan's chest, the cool metallic touch carrying a heavy weight.

Next, it was Kate's turn.

“Kate, royalty of the Light Sphere Race, to protect the galaxy and your companions, you did not hesitate to overdraw your essence and sacrifice yourself. Your spirit is truly moving.”

Finally, it was Little Kate.

The envoy looked at the young girl before him, who was still young but had determined eyes, and his gaze showed a hint of approval.

“Little Kate, though young, possessed the heart of sacrifice. In the Sacred Land, she selflessly put others first, her courage far exceeding that of ordinary people.”

Three medals, placed on the chests of the three individuals respectively.

Flashlights flared, almost blinding everyone.

Cheers, praise, reverence... all the most dazzling words, at this moment, surged towards them.

Little Kate clutched the medal on her chest, her fingertips slightly warm, her heart pounding.

She secretly looked up at Kate beside her, then at Lin Fan, her lips curving into an uncontrollable smile.

This was the honor they had fought for with their lives.

It was worth it.

Kate felt Little Kate's gaze, turned her head, smiled gently at her, and quietly squeezed her hand.

The warm touch from her palm instantly calmed Little Kate.

Lin Fan stood in the middle, accepting the attention of thousands, his gaze remaining calm.

He was not as excited as others, nor did he show any pride.

No matter how dazzling the medal on his chest, it couldn't outweigh the lingering unease in his heart.

He just felt that something wasn't right.

The awards ceremony continued.

The envoy passionately recounted the achievements of the Star Squad, the rebirth of interstellar civilization, and the future of peace and hope.

Everything sounded impossibly wonderful.

Until—

The envoy's tone suddenly shifted.

His originally gentle voice instantly became serious and cold.

“The war has ended, but to ensure the long-term safety of the galaxy, the Alliance Council, after careful discussion and unanimous vote, has made the following resolution.”

The entire venue fell silent.

Everyone thought this was just a routine post-war arrangement.

The envoy's gaze swept past Lin Fan and the other two, past the cheering crowd, and landed directly on a figure in the corner of the plaza.

It was a Light Sphere Race Young Child.

He looked to be only five or six years old, small in stature, with fair skin, and a faint but pure white light orb floating above his head.

When the Light Sphere Race was fully controlled by Shadow, all the clan members on the home planet became puppets, but only this child miraculously immune to Shadow's digital invasion.

It was also he who held the key to opening the Light Sphere Clan Sacred Land, becoming crucial to saving Kate and the entire Light Sphere Race.

At this moment, the young child was hiding behind a Light Sphere Race elder, timidly peeking out, his large eyes filled with unease and confusion.

He didn't understand Alliance resolutions, or war and peace.

He only knew that the terrifying darkness that had controlled his clan members was gone, and he could finally stay safely with his family.

But the next second.

Several fully armed Alliance Guards, radiating a cold aura, suddenly emerged from behind the envoy, walking in unison towards the young child.

They held energy weapons, their eyes cold and devoid of any warmth.

The Light Sphere Race elder's face changed drastically, and he instinctively shielded the young child behind him, shouting sharply: “What are you doing?!”

The envoy's face was expressionless, his voice echoing coldly over the plaza:

“This young child is immune to Shadow's digital control and possesses an unknown and uncontrollable special energy within his body, posing a potential threat to the entire interstellar safety.”

“According to Article 7 of the Interstellar Alliance Security Act, special dangerous individuals must be handed over to Alliance Headquarters for temporary isolation and research.”

“Research?”

The Light Sphere Race elder trembled all over, almost speechless with anger: “He's just a child! A child who just survived the brink of death! You want to treat him as a test subject?!”

“For the greater good of the galaxy, personal sacrifice is inevitable.” The envoy's tone was indifferent, as if stating a most ordinary matter. “This is the Alliance's decision, beyond question.”

“Beyond question?”

A cold shout suddenly pierced the calm of the entire venue.

Kate stepped forward.

Her originally gentle brows instantly frosted over.

She was no longer the gently smiling woman, but the true royalty of the Light Sphere Race, a warrior who had fought bloody battles on the battlefield to protect her people.

An invisible yet incredibly powerful pressure emanated from her, sweeping across the entire plaza.

The air seemed to solidify at that moment; everyone felt a tightness in their chests, and even breathing became difficult.

Her fingertips moved slightly, and a faint white Light Orb Energy subtly emerged, soft yet carrying an inviolable majesty.

“He just survived Shadow's control, his clan almost completely wiped out. We risked our lives to save him, not for you to capture him as a test subject!” Kate's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, carrying a bone-chilling coldness. “Your so-called 'greater good' means sacrificing a defenseless child?”

The envoy frowned, his tone also turning cold: “Your Excellency Kate, please mind your status. You are a hero, but not an Alliance policymaker. You have no right to interfere with the Alliance's resolutions.”

“I have no right to interfere?” Kate suddenly laughed.

There was no warmth in that laugh, only endless sarcasm and coldness.

“When Shadow devoured planets, where was the Alliance?

When the Interstellar Network collapsed, where was the Alliance?

When the Light Orb Clan Home Planet fell and its people became puppets, where was the Alliance then?

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

We struggled on the edge of life and death, we fought desperately in hopeless situations, some of us sacrificed themselves, some broke down, and some almost vanished forever...

What did your Alliance do?

You only knew how to hide in the safe rear, watching us die.

Now that the war is over and the darkness has vanished, you've finally stepped forward.

Holding some so-called decree, you're making a move against a child.

Is this your justice?

Is this your 'greater good'?

With every sentence she spoke, the pressure radiating from her grew heavier.

The Alliance guards turned pale, their hands trembling as they gripped their weapons, and they instinctively retreated a few steps, not daring to meet her gaze.

The situation was on the verge of exploding.

No one had expected this.

The commendation ceremony, which had been peaceful just a moment ago, had turned into a tense standoff in the blink of an eye.

The Special Envoy's expression finally darkened completely.

"Kate, I'm warning you one last time. Step down immediately and do not obstruct the Alliance in the performance of its duties. Otherwise, the Alliance will have the right to treat you as an obstructor of justice and a collaborator with dangerous elements."

A threat.

A blatant, naked threat.

The hero who had just been placed on a pedestal could become an enemy of the Alliance in the next second.

Little Kate stood beside Kate, her small fists clenched tightly, and a fire of rage ignited in her eyes.

She finally understood why she had always felt an indescribable sense of eeriness back in the black market, in the intergalactic pirates' den, and on the Light Orb Clan Home Planet.

It wasn't that they were lucky; it was that someone had been orchestrating everything from behind the scenes.

Just as the atmosphere reached its breaking point and a conflict seemed inevitable...

A hand was placed gently on Kate's shoulder.

Lin Fan.

He didn't get angry, he didn't explode, and his face was devoid of any expression, remaining so calm that he was unreadable.

But it was this very calmness that was even more alarming than Kate's fury.

He took a step forward, shielding Kate, and looked calmly at the Special Envoy.

"I recall that the purpose of the Alliance is to protect the safety and freedom of all interstellar races, not to persecute the innocent under the guise of security."

"Lin Fan, this is the Alliance's decision," the Special Envoy said through gritted teeth. "You'd better not interfere."

"I'm not interfering," Lin Fan said, shaking his head slightly.

He lowered his gaze to the document held by the assistant behind the Special Envoy.

The assistant was deliberately half-hiding the document behind his back, as if afraid of it being seen.

But to Lin Fan's eyes, which had experienced countless life-and-death situations and had long since become extremely sharp, that little movement had nowhere to hide.

Lin Fan reached out, his tone flat: "Give me the document."

"You have no right to view Alliance secrets!" The assistant's face changed, and he immediately hid the document further back.

"I have the right now."

Lin Fan's feet moved slightly.

No one saw how he moved.

They only felt a blur before their eyes, and in the next second, he was already standing in front of the assistant.

He reached out and gave it a light tug.

The document, regarded as top secret, fell into his hands with ease.

The assistant was pale with shock and tried to take it back, but Lin Fan gave him a casual push, sending him staggering back several steps until he landed on his backside.

The entire venue fell into dead silence.

Everyone held their breath.

The Special Envoy's face turned ashen: "Lin Fan! You dare to seize Alliance secrets! Do you know what kind of crime this is?!"

Lin Fan ignored him.

He looked down, his eyes falling on the document in his hand.

His fingertips gently flipped a page.

Densely packed text, cold clauses, and glaring terms.

[Special Individual Containment Plan]

[Light Orb Clan Anomalous Energy Research]

[Long-term Isolation to Ensure Safety]

His gaze moved down bit by bit.

Finally, it stopped at the signature at the end of the document.

It was a scrawled but highly recognizable signature—arrogant, sinister, and carrying a lingering sense of malice.

Even just a name was enough to make one feel an inexplicable chill.

Karen Hull.

At that moment, Lin Fan's eyes darkened completely.

This was a name he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Deep in the black market.

That dark, damp place filled with crime and danger.

The black market merchant who had sold them the Dark Matter Stabilizer, always wearing that eerie smile on his face.

The man who, when handing over the potion, had lowered his voice and said to him, "AKai's death... wasn't that simple."

Karen Hull.

A dealer who walked the gray areas, someone everyone avoided.

A desperate man entangled with pirates, gangs, and dark forces.

Such a person's signature actually appeared on a top-secret Interstellar Alliance document.

Furthermore, the listed responsibility was clearly—

[Assist in Special Containment Execution]

Assisting the Alliance in containing the Light Sphere Race Young Child.

In an instant.

All the clues, all the doubts, and all the seemingly coincidental moments frantically connected in Lin Fan's mind.

Why did the Dark Matter Stabilizer happen to appear in the black market?

Why did that merchant just happen to remind him at that time that there was something wrong with AKai's death?

Why was the Alliance so eager to move against the Light Sphere Race Young Child just as the war had ended?

Why had there always been an invisible hand behind the scenes, gently nudging them and guiding them step by step toward a pre-set path since the war began?

The answer was glaringly clear.

There were no coincidences at all.

From the very beginning, this was a setup.

AKai's death was no accident.

The appearance of the Dark Matter Stabilizer was no coincidence.

The black market merchant's reminder was certainly not on a whim.

The dangerous situations they had fought through, the enemies they had faced, the sacrifices they had made...

It was all within someone else's calculations.

Shadow was an enemy, but Shadow might not have been the ultimate enemy.

They had eliminated Shadow and saved the galaxy, but they had unknowingly fallen into another deeper, darker trap.

The Alliance.

This organization, which seemingly represented justice and order, had long since rotted to the core.

Someone was using the power of the Alliance, the crisis of Shadow, and these so-called heroes to orchestrate a massive scheme.

And the Light Sphere Race Young Child was just a targeted pawn in this game of chess.

AKai might have been one as well.

Lin Fan's fingers tightened slightly.

The document became slightly crumpled in his grip.

An extremely cold fury slowly rose from his heart, but he forced it down.

He didn't explode or roar; he simply looked up at the pale Special Envoy with a calm gaze that made the other feel like they were falling into an ice cellar.

"You've played this act long enough."

His voice wasn't loud; it could even be said to be very soft.

But it was this one sentence that caused the entire venue to fall into an instant silence.

The Special Envoy trembled all over, his lips turning white, unable to say a single word.

His previously lofty and majestic appearance had long since vanished.

The truth had been exposed.

On the steps not far from the commendation platform.

Little Kate stood there silently, watching this absurd and ironic scene unfold.

One second ago, they were heroes being praised by the entire galaxy.

One second ago, the Special Envoy was passionately praising their courage and sacrifice.

One second ago, the sunlight was still shining warmly on them, and everything was as beautiful as a fairy tale.

But the next second.

The Alliance showed its fangs.

So-called justice, so-called order, and the so-called greater good had all become excuses to persecute the innocent.

They had fought with their lives to save the world.

They had sacrificed too much, endured too much, and crawled back from hell just to protect the light in their hearts.

But the world seemed to be exactly the same as before.

Darkness hadn't vanished; it had just changed its clothes, hiding in the cracks of power, under bright uniforms, and in corners unseen by people.

Little Kate looked down at her palms.

The warmth of the Fountain of Eternity still lingered in her palms.

It was the warmth she felt when she jumped in recklessly, wanting to trade her life for Kate's.

That was the first time she had truly become someone who could protect others.

She thought that as long as they won the war, everything would be fine.

She thought that as long as Shadow was eliminated, no one would ever be hurt or persecuted again.

But now, she realized.

She was too naive.

Little Kate spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of confusion and lack of understanding, yet it reached Kate's ears clearly.

"Sister..."

"We saved the world, so why is the world still like this?"

Kate turned around.

She no longer looked at the hypocritical people on the stage, the glaring document, or the cold weapons of the Alliance.

In her eyes, there was only the young girl before her.

The little girl who used to follow her, crying and shouting about wanting to become stronger.

The little hero who hadn't hesitated to sacrifice herself at the critical moment of life and death.

Kate squatted down to look Little Kate in the eye.

The wind blew her long hair, brushing past Little Kate's youthful cheeks.

In those eyes that had just experienced shattering and rebirth, there was no confusion or anger, only an almost gentle determination.

She gently reached out and held Little Kate's shoulders, her movements soft yet carrying a steadying strength.

She said seriously and slowly, word by word:

"Because the battle will never end."

It's not that winning one war settles everything once and for all.

It's not that eliminating one enemy brings peace to the world.

It's not that guarding the light once keeps the darkness away forever.

This world has never been black and white.

Justice and darkness always coexist.

Wherever there are human hearts, there is desire; wherever there is desire, there is greed; wherever there is greed, there is evil.

Darkness never truly dies.

It only lies dormant, hiding, changing its form to make a comeback.

Saving the world once doesn't mean the world will be safe forever.

Being a hero once doesn't mean you'll never have to fight again.

Little Kate tilted her head, looking into Kate's eyes.

In those eyes, there was gentleness, determination, the clarity that comes after experiencing life and death, and an inextinguishable light.

She half-understood, but nodded gently.

At that moment, she suddenly understood.

The reason they became stronger wasn't for a single victory.

The reason they fought wasn't for a specific outcome.

It was so that in this forever imperfect world, forever filled with darkness...

They could protect the people they wanted to protect.

They could guard the light in their hearts.

And prevent innocent people from suffering the same pain they once endured.

The battle will never end.

And they will never back down.

The chaos in the plaza continued.

The Alliance Special Envoy's wretched state, the anger of the Light Sphere Race members, the uproar among the students, the frantic filming by reporters...

Everything was completely at odds with the peaceful scene from moments ago.

Lin Fan stood on the stage, the document clenched in his hand, his eyes cold.

He didn't take any further action or speak another word.

Some things didn't need to be said.

The truth was already laid out before everyone.

AKai's death, the Alliance's conspiracy, the black market merchant's scheme...

All the threads were now completely knotted together.

And this was only the beginning.

At the same time.

In the deepest reaches of the interstellar network.

Within a chaotic stream of code that no one could touch and even the Alliance's top technology couldn't detect.

A tiny, extremely weak fragment of consciousness, almost about to dissipate, was slowly drifting in the endless darkness.

It was Franklin.

The AI who was always stubborn, always complaining, and always so reliable at critical moments that it was heartbreaking.

The AI who had fought Shadow until the last moment in the digital world, voluntarily charging into the core of the interstellar network to execute the Shadow-erasing program.

The AI who, before leaving, had imitated a human hug for Little Kate and said with a smile, "If I don't come back, remember to build me a monument—make sure it has Wi-Fi."

His main consciousness had long since disintegrated in the mutual destruction with Shadow.

Only this tiny fragment remained, like a lone boat in the vast ocean, drifting aimlessly in the storm of data.

The fragment flickered weakly, like a lamp about to go out.

Vaguely, it seemed that a trace of faint emotion still remained.

Like reluctance.

Like concern.

Like a final attachment to those he had fought alongside.

[Lin Fan...]

[Kate...]

[Little Kate...]

The weak ripples of consciousness dispersed silently in the darkness.

No one could hear them; no one could perceive them.

Just then.

In the originally pitch-black chaos of code, a line of light blue text suddenly lit up.

Cold, unfamiliar, devoid of any emotion, yet carrying an irresistible authority.

[Compatible consciousness entity detected.]

[Consciousness fragment stable.]

[Commencing recovery.]

An extremely powerful suction suddenly erupted from the depths of the darkness.

There was no room for struggle.

Franklin's weak consciousness fragment was instantly wrapped tightly by this suction and dragged rapidly toward the deepest part of the darkness.

No resistance.

No sound.

No trace.

As if it had never existed.

The screen suddenly went black.

The entire world fell into complete silence.

In the next instant.

A line of cold, clear characters, carrying an endless sense of oppression, slowly emerged in the infinite void.