nebula story

The huge imperial city has been cleared up. The streets that guests must pass through are extremely clean, but there are few pedestrians on the streets. The whole city has a kind of quietness that is rarely seen on weekdays. Only the welcome flags hanging on the shops are fluttering slightly in the silence. Welcome guests from far away in another interstellar space.

And the identities of these guests are undoubtedly delicate and exciting.

Since the development of the space transition technology necessary for interstellar travel on the planet Rencel more than 1000 years ago, the only known civilization of its kind so far is the federal civilization from the Gotha star across the galaxy.However, it was not until today, more than 1000 years later, that the ancient Rensselaer planet really welcomed the first batch of guests from that planet in the diplomatic sense.

The war that lasted for nearly a thousand years lay between the two planets, and the blood flowed during it was thick or light. Fortunately, in recent decades, the hostility between the two planets seems to be subtly easing.At least during the 20 years of the reign of the current emperor Kent Cromwell, the emperor who has been obsessed with the art of painting has not shown any ambition to expand the interstellar territory and rob resources. It is said that this lazy emperor is the most lethal A famous saying of the Imperial Royal Army General Marshal Otten Eck who was so depressed that he vomited blood was: "In case the enemy comes to our door, Marshal, you must remember to protect those rare ancient paintings in the palace, please Marshal is you!"

Only in this relaxed and harmless atmosphere of interstellar diplomacy will the empire usher in the only interstellar diplomacy in the long history, right?

The orderly royal guards followed the two straight figures in front of them in awe and silence, with their wrists tightly clasped on the holsters around their waists.Although his face was expressionless, the faintly throbbing veins on his forehead betrayed the nervousness of the Royal Court Guard Chief Wood.

This is not the first time that the First Prince has traveled with His Royal Highness, but this time the young man next to the First Prince is the only son of a diplomat from the distant Gotha Star. Need to be absolutely protected.

However, this curious young guest was unwilling to visit the established route and insisted on visiting the barren untouchable living area. The crown prince did not persuade him, and even slightly nodded his head to express his agreement!

The captain of the royal guard, Wood, was about to break out in a cold sweat, and he cursed this whimsical little guest of the Gotha Star a thousand times in his heart—the poor and dirty untouchables area is far away from the outer circle of the imperial city, not to mention the distance. Do you know if those untouchables understand a little bit of basic etiquette when they see the crown prince and guests?

"His Royal Highness Fern, I heard that you are also learning mech driving skills?" The tall and straight brown-haired boy next to His Royal Highness asked curiously, with amber eyes lined with a few light freckles on the side of the bridge of the nose. The smile is very charming.

"Yes, it has already started since I was eight years old." Nodding stiffly, His Royal Highness Fern Cromwell, the eldest prince in the empire who is second only to His Majesty the Emperor, has a handsome face inherited from the beautiful princess mother, For the usual 16-year-old, his face was obviously upright and somewhat sharp, and his dark blue eyes showed a depth that did not match his age.

"Eight years old?" Greatly surprised, Nan Zhuo, the son of a federal diplomat, couldn't help but whistle: "I really envy you, I won't be able to touch a real mecha until next year at the earliest, let alone I drove it myself."

"Your father is high and powerful, can't he satisfy you?" His Royal Highness the First Prince replied lightly.

Nan Zhuo laughed loudly, his brown hair seemed to be dyed a layer of light gold under the sun: "Our federation is not your empire, and there is no such privilege. If I want to get in touch with military mechas for combat, I must Wait until you officially apply for the military academy and are admitted with high scores."

With a cold and polite smile, His Royal Highness Fern nodded: "That's a pity."

But obviously the diplomat's son didn't intend to stop this topic: "His Royal Highness Fern, I wonder how long it will take to learn mech driving and combat skills?"

His Highness Fern pondered for a while, and gave an answer: "It's just a bigger toy. If you have learned the relevant knowledge in advance, you should be able to get started smoothly in 30 days."

"Oh." Nodding thoughtfully, the boy on the Gotha planet smiled, "I really hope to have the opportunity to compete with your highness in mech battles in the future. Yesterday's shooting competition seems to be a bit unfinished."

With a soft snort, His Royal Highness was noncommittal.The captain of the royal guard, who was closely following the two teenagers behind him, keenly captured the fleeting displeasure on His Royal Highness Fern's face.

It's no wonder that even though he is only 16 years old, under the guidance of the most powerful military coach in the entire empire, His Royal Highness's shooting performance is definitely considered outstanding even among those outstanding soldiers.But just yesterday in the Royal Garden, between His Royal Highness the First Prince and the diplomat’s boy of the same age, there was a tie of two wins and two losses: His Highness won the ion rifle shooting and the laser target running, but the hotline pistol shooting And the laser target, but the teenager from the Federation planet won the victory!

Could it be that the Federation deliberately sent a genius boy to demonstrate?Under the normal federal education system, how could such a teenager with amazing marksmanship be taught?The empire's military service system allows teenage untouchables to be drafted into the army, but on a planet that emphasizes so-called "human rights" in the Federation, children of this grade are still studying astronomy, geography, history and biology in middle schools with heavy workloads, right?

The scenery in front of me gradually lost its prosperity, the roads gradually narrowed, and the residential areas gradually revealed a barren and dilapidated appearance. It showed a completely different appearance from the prosperous and prosperous central imperial city that I came into contact with these days.

Nan Zhuo, who walked side by side with Fern, also had a smile on his face, and looked around curiously.

Although he knew about the three-level citizen hierarchy in the empire, but after seeing the nobles' extremely luxurious life in the palace, he immediately saw these low and dilapidated untouchable areas. Subtle conflicts and dissatisfaction.

This dissatisfaction reached its peak when they walked into the door of a household registration management center in an untouchable area.

"What, what is this?" Nan Zhuo, the only son of a diplomat from the Federation, opened his eyes wide and asked in astonishment, looking at the scene in the courtyard that looked like an execution ground and the dripping blood all over the place.

In the wide courtyard, it does not appear bright and bright because the huge site is exposed to the sun. On the contrary, there are a few thick wooden piles erected in the courtyard, the burning brazier around them, and those who are tightly tied to the wooden piles. The gagged children, as well as the distressed parents on the side, all filled the place with a dark and cruel taste.What's more, there are those red irons and blood stains next to the stakes?

Staring at the scene in the courtyard in astonishment, Nan Zhuo looked at the nearest wooden stake in shock.

A middle-aged man beside the stake was coaxing his child in a low voice, and looked at a stout household registration administrator with a mournful expression.The household registration officer held down the little child, and was about to wrap the leather rope in his hand around the child's limbs, and kept urging: "Hurry up, just 'squeak', my hands and feet are nimble. Now, press your son hard, don't make him move around, if the ironing is crooked, don't blame me for ironing on the other side!"

Sensing that a distinguished guest was coming in the courtyard, he put down the leather rope and soldering iron in his hand, and stopped what he was doing in panic.Glancing at the costumes of those guests, he hurriedly bowed three times from a distance in shock.Although a commoner does not need to kneel down, he must also show the most respectful etiquette when facing the most noble royal family.

With a wave of his hand, the captain of the palace guard signaled them to continue.The courtyard became quiet for a while, and the few parents who were still sobbing were terrified and suppressed the crying in their throats.

With a sound of "stab", a puff of green smoke rose, and a girl who was bound to another wooden stake was cruelly branded with a round brand under her shoulder blades.The smell of burnt flesh filled everyone's sense of smell.Although her mouth was tightly gagged by the towel, the girl's body still struggled violently, her dull cries stuck in her throat, and she clenched her little fist almost desperately...

Soon, her iron wound was sprinkled with anti-inflammatory powder. After a simple treatment, the child was untied from the stake. The waiting mother rushed over and picked up the trembling child with tears in her eyes. But he dared not remove the towel from her mouth.Distinguished guests definitely don't want to hear these annoying cries, what if they violate their taboo?

Shivering quietly, the mother hurriedly took a thin certificate from the household registration administrator, and left the courtyard with small steps from the side as if fleeing.

Walking forward slowly, Nan Zhuo looked at the nearest wooden stake without saying a word. On it, a boy was tied up. His mouth was not stuffed with a towel, but his eyes were filled with tears.Slowly squatting down, Nan Zhuo looked at the little boy silently, and his heart was turbulent and surging for a while.

It was an overly beautiful child, with red lips and white teeth, dark eyes like lacquer spots, a strand of soft hair hanging by the eyelids, the old clothes on the upper body had been stripped to the collarbone, and the delicate skin that could be broken by blows was exposed. Large, that is the delicate and clean that belongs to children.

Aware of the strange silence in front of him, he suddenly raised his eyes, like a frightened deer, silently looking at the young man who was a head taller than him.I don't know whether it was out of fear or a natural feeling of kindness, the child who had been docile and at his mercy suddenly struggled vigorously. He ducked down and hid behind Nan Zhuo, tightly hugging the thigh of the boy who looked at him with pity.

While dodging the captured arm, he raised his head and looked at the boy standing in front of him. The soft childish voice was clear, with a kind of innocence and trust that did not know the world: "Big brother, big brother... don't let them Burn me."

The topless household registration administrator who was working put down the soldering iron in his hand, and looked at this group of distinguished visitors in embarrassment.Anxiety, he adjusted the tied leather rope again, and stretched out his hand to try to grab the child. He threatened in a low voice: "Come out, little bastard! Don't scare the guests!"

His outstretched arm was suddenly grabbed, and the brown-haired boy in front of him coldly clasped the thick and strong arm of the adult man in front of him with one hand.

Twitching back in surprise, the man felt a surge of fear: What kind of monster is this!Is that the arm strength a teenager should have? !

"What are you doing?" The boy slowly tightened his wrists, his eyes filled with anger, "Is this the execution ground or hell?!"

Stepping forward quickly, the captain of the royal guard, Wood, explained respectfully to Nanzhuo: "Dear guest, please relax—this is just a naturalization procedure that the untouchables must go through when they reach the age of eight. It is branded near the collarbone. With a numbered seal, one can obtain the household registration of the untouchables of the empire, and in the future, whether it is work or enlistment, this will be the only mark of identification."

"Mark?" Nan Zhuo looked back at him.

"Yes, look—" Wood casually pulled a middle-aged man beside the child, and casually pulled off the clothes on his upper body, revealing the same hideous brand on the shoulder blade, seven or eight digits mixed with letters The composed code is clearly displayed on the scar, "The number of untouchables in the empire is huge, and every untouchable needs such a mark to be identified."

"Oh?" Nan Zhuo narrowed his eyes, suddenly grabbed his collar and pulled it down, stretched his head to look at his collarbone, "Let me see if you have any!" He shook his head tut tut, He sneered, "It seems that you don't have a mark on your body, Master Guard?"

His face was flushed, and Wood moved his hand on the ion gun holster on his waist, and the arrogant and humiliated expression was forcibly suppressed on his face: "Dear guest, please take back your insulting words! In the empire's household registration In the system, a large number of civilians and nobles would certainly not have such marks on them!"

"Oh, then where is your mark?" Deliberately misinterpreting his words, the boy who had a sunny face before suddenly smiled, "I see, the more noble a person is, the more secretive the animal mark should be. Shouldn't it be there?..." He looked at the solid body of the head of the royal guard viciously, and his eyes deliberately stopped on his lower body.

The bastard Federal son of a bitch!Furious, Wood was convinced that his hand would soon lose control of pulling the gun out of the holster, and at this moment, the cold voice of His Highness Fern, who was standing far away, came over: "Wood."...

Shocked, the head of the royal bodyguard looked up at the cold eyes of His Highness the Crown Prince, and suddenly felt that the sunny sky had passed a trace of dark clouds.