Han Yanyan had spent the entire night reading about the history of the Amina Empire. When morning arrived, she got up and asked Leo for some clothes. "Bring me a few nice outfits. Make sure I have something to wear every day. How many depends on how many days you plan to let me rest."
Leo, whose routine had already been thrown into disarray and who was still half-asleep, merely responded with a groan.
"Just give yourself permission and tell the system to synthesize them for you," he flipped over and tried to fall back asleep.
After a while, an alarm rang out.
Leo covered his ears and turned over again.
The alarm sounded once more.
Leo sighed.
The alarm continued, ringing stubbornly every twenty seconds to half a minute.
"Han Yanyan!" Leo finally snapped, shouting into the internal communication system, "Stop trying! You don't have the authority! No firearms, knives, or lethal weapons can be synthesized!"
"Oh… got it," came Han Yanyan's calm voice over the system.
Leo couldn't help but feel frustrated. He lay down, determined to get some sleep.
When he finally woke up, he asked the system, "Where is she? What is she doing?"
"She is in the plant cultivation room," the system replied.
"Does she have any weapons? Is she safe?" Leo asked as he washed up. He couldn't be too careful with Han Yanyan; she was a master of deception and far too dangerous.
The system had fully monitored and scanned Han Yanyan, assuring Leo that she was safe at present.
After washing his face, Leo was about to step out of the bathroom when he suddenly turned back, peering into the mirror.
His face was undeniably handsome. With his own formula for gene enhancement, he had gone through two optimizations and adjustments, boosting his looks above the average.
His hair was a tad long, though. Leo rubbed it thoughtfully.
"System, pull up the images of the men who had an intimate relationship with Han Yanyan in the simulated world," he commanded.
When Leo arrived at the plant cultivation room, he had already gotten a new haircut, looking sharp and refreshed. He had even swapped out his previous disheveled plaid shirt for a crisp white one. With this small change, he appeared much livelier than before.
With mixed feelings of anticipation and anxiety, he stepped into the room.
The scent of plants greeted him; this was the place on Leo's cold ship where he could feel "life" most distinctly. The cultivation room was spacious, standing two to three stories high, with rows of cultivation tanks resembling bookshelves. Some plants had already borne golden spikes, others had just sprouted green shoots, while some bore strange fruits or were precious oxygen-producing plants that could yield high concentrations of oxygen. Tiny robots buzzed around, busily tending to the plants.
The outer wall of the room featured a transparent dome, giving a clear view of the deep universe just outside.
Han Yanyan had synthesized a comfortable lounge chair for herself and was half-reclining beneath the dome, focused intently on a screen displaying fast-flipping text barely a foot from her face. To an ordinary person, the speed was almost dizzying, with pages turning before they could even take in a few lines.
"You read quickly," Leo said, trying to break the tension and find a good opening line.
Look at me, look at me!
"I've always been a fast reader, but thanks to you, my speed has clearly doubled," Han Yanyan replied, her eyes glued to the screen.
"My reading speed is eight times yours," Leo declared proudly. "Since I started school, I've never met anyone with greater reading speed or memory than mine."
Look at me! You should look at me!
Han Yanyan merely responded with a disinterested "oh," without even turning her head.
Leo could only sigh, feeling half exasperated and half hurt. The atmosphere grew quiet; that "oh" truly was the perfect phrase to end a conversation.
Leo stood there for a while before he awkwardly said, "I'm going to do some experiments now." Then, trying to sound imposing, added, "I don't like it when people interrupt me during research, so you can stay here and do whatever you want, just don't make noise!"
Unfortunately, even this threat failed to get Han Yanyan to look up.
Suddenly, she shifted slightly, causing Leo's heart to race. But she merely reached for a juice on the small side table and started sipping it slowly.
Leo spent the next half an hour selecting a male character from among those who had been close with Han Yanyan, finally settling on Qiao Chengyu. Although all these men matched her taste, Qiao Chengyu stood out as he had been tailor-made by her.
Leo styled his hair to match Qiao Chengyu's and wore a similar white shirt. Many times, he had seen Miss Han kissing Qiao Chengyu, eagerly unbuttoning his shirt while saying he was "so sexy he could set one on fire."
Leo felt confident that when wearing a white shirt, he could achieve a similar effect. He was itching for Han Yanyan to notice him, perhaps even compliment him.
But, much to his dismay, Han Yanyan didn't even glance his way; she sipped her juice again and simply said, "I got it."
Leo stood there for another half a minute, feeling dejected.
Just then, he heard Han Yanyan let out a long breath. He turned to see her close the screen. He immediately halted and asked, "Did you finish reading?"
Finally, Han Yanyan turned to look at him, giving him a fleeting glance that made Leo's heart race. Yet, all she said was "Hmm," as she stood up and stretched.
Trying to suppress his disappointment, Leo asked, "What did you think?"
"After the sixth generation, it started to decline," Han Yanyan critiqued. "Absolute power and an overly extravagant lifestyle have corrupted an excellent family."
"But Ares the First was truly impressive. The chaos and struggles for power back in those days were quite something," Han Yanyan stood beneath the dome, gazing out at the vast universe outside and sighed.
The personal guards of Duke Klin were quietly stationed in the distance, a calm before the storm that the steward couldn't hold back for long.
If he and she had no ties, this chief steward, encountering her in distress, might have reached out, ready to save her. But alas, he had to rely on her as the architect who could bring the one who shared his fate back to life.
He sent her back to the sleep pod without hesitation, not a trace of doubt in his mind.
"Hmph!" Leo was in a foul mood, and it showed. "It's clear you have a strong complex for the powerful. Isn’t Ding Yao's lesson enough for you?"
Han Yanyan shot him a look, asking curiously, "Did I offend you?"
Leo stiffened and grumbled, "No, I just didn’t sleep well. It’s morning grumpiness."
It’s you! You’re the problem!
Han Yanyan rolled her eyes. "How old are you…?" After saying this, she turned her gaze back to the universe outside.
When could she truly interact with that steward? Han Yanyan mused. Compared to Leo, he seemed much more interesting. However, Leo was on guard around her, making it tough to find a chance like that.
Feeling particularly morose, Leo glanced at Han Yanyan, seemingly lost in thought, and grumpily asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"Is that the White Army?" Han Yanyan inquired, "The private army passed down through the Kaland family?"
"Only in white can we make our enemies' blood look even prettier," Leo said, "That ridiculous motto—it’s just a bunch of rough warriors dressed head to toe in white; every time I see them, it seems so silly."
Hearing those words from Leo made them sound quite foolish.
But that was the opening line of "The Glorious Empire." Han Yanyan had been struck by it last night while lying in bed.
"Have you read this empire history?" Han Yanyan asked.
"Of course, I have a few versions of the history of the Amina Empire, and this is the best one," Leo replied.
Han Yanyan continued the discussion, "What do you think of Shao Tang, that woman?"
"The Scarlet Queen?" Leo said, "She is a legendary warrior, the helmswoman of the Scarlet Army and Fire Cloud Fleet—a truly formidable woman."
Han Yanyan pondered for a moment and remarked, "She is so powerful yet became a queen."
Leo was baffled, "It’s exactly because she is so powerful that she could become the Empress of Ares."
This legendary queen's origins were shrouded in mystery. The book left her background and story as an enigma, yet it was clear that her existence had played an immeasurable role in ending the war between humanity and the insect race.
Her personal combat strength was said to be unmatched, even surpassing that of Emperor Ares. Holding command over the Scarlet Army and Fire Cloud Fleet—though the fleet was originally a token gift from Emperor Ares—she had seen it grow and thrive through fire and battle in the racial wars.
After the war had ended, the cosmos lay in ruins, and all powers scrambled to reposition themselves. Countless individuals were busy claiming territories, yet a woman with a strong army stood firmly by her man's side, serving as his right-hand and battle god, ultimately becoming his empress.
Han Yanyan gazed longingly at the fleets of starships under the starlight, filled with sorrow for this woman!
She could have ruled a fief! Even if she could not become an empress, she could be a lady of her own land!
Yet she chose to be a wife.
How regrettable, how regretful…!
If only she had a fleet like that… Han Yanyan pressed her hand against the transparent wall, as if possessed by the spirit of the female head of the family.
Her gaze burned so intensely that it caught Leo's attention.
"Han Yanyan!" he called out, "What are you thinking?"
Han Yanyan turned to him and smiled, "Guess?"
That smile was maddening. Leo huffed, saying tersely, "Stop dreaming; there's no way I’ll let you contact that guy. Otherwise, why do you think I sent him away?"
"Yes, you are the Lord Leo who has everything in your grasp," Han Yanyan replied, exaggerating her subservience. "As for me, I'm merely the small architect who can never escape from your palm."
Leo flared up, "Quit with the sarcasm."
Han Yanyan took a breath, her expression growing colder. "So, Mr. Leo, how much longer do I have?"
Leo paused, taken aback. "Huh?"
"I mean, how much longer can I enjoy being out here? When do you plan to shove me back into the sleep pod?" Han Yanyan asked.
He paused a moment, responding in an ill-tempered way, “It depends on your behavior!” After that, he turned away, “I’m going to do experiments. If I’m interrupted, I’ll simply toss you back into the sleep pod.”
"Don't worry, I worked hard for this precious breathing time; I’d be happy to never see you again," Han Yanyan waved dismissively, not bothering to look at him.
Leo watched her slender figure, her gaze glued to those starships, clearly not willing to spare him even a glance. He couldn't think of anything else to say, turning away in frustration.
"Leo," Han Yanyan suddenly called out to him.
"Hmm?" Leo stopped dejectedly and turned back.
Han Yanyan, sporting a knowing smile, complimented, "Nice haircut."
"..." Leo puffed up his chest, threw his head back, and replied proudly, "It was too long and blocking my sight. Annoying."
Yeah, you definitely didn't cut your hair because of what I said yesterday.
Han Yanyan chuckled softly at Leo—her reflection betrayed a similar amusement as she saw him leave in embarrassment.
It seemed Leo had no plans of locking her away just yet. Having some time was good; she feared the absence of time.
In this mechanical world, she had researched him for decades.
Now that he was willing to grant her time, it was time to add some spice.
Leo Parker, are you ready?