AEKMEM chapter 6

An Qiao was caught off guard when he was picked up. First he was stunned, then he was furious and embarrassed.

He was grateful that Chu Heng caught him in time, preventing him from falling to the ground.

However, wasn’t this princess carry unnecessary?!

The Elf King could walk on his own, so he hadn’t allowed anyone to carry him before.

Even slight contact made him uncomfortable, let alone such an intimate embrace!

Chu Heng disregarded his wishes, didn’t ask a question, and simply gave him a princess carry in public—truly domineering, unreasonable, and rude!

Dragons, large predators at the top of the food chain, align with his aesthetic of violence; the more ferocious and powerful they are, the better. However, this domineering and aggressive nature is far less endearing in a human.

“Put…put me down!” An Qiao said, his voice trembling with embarrassment and anger.

He glared at Chu Heng with his beautiful, icy blue eyes, looking both embarrassed and angry.

His forehead was damp with sweat from the pain, and his lips were slightly red from being bitten. This made his pale, handsome face appear somewhat pitiful.

This glare had no power whatsoever. Instead, it resembled an angry cat that thinks it’s fiercely scratching its owner but looks affectionate to the owner.

“Don’t move.” Chu Heng’s expression was cold and stern, bordering on agitated, like a beast about to unleash its fury.

The next second, seemingly realizing his tone was too harsh and commanding, he softened it slightly and offered a stiff reassurance.

“It’s all right. I’ll have the army doctor come and check on you.”

**

Jun Yiran was still on his way home when he received the notification and rushed to the Marshal’s residence.

At this time, An Qiao looked much better.

The sudden, exceptionally intense pain had subsided and returned to normal. Although it was still painful, it was bearable.

Jun Yiran used his S-rank healing ability to treat An Qiao and prescribed medicine. The results weren’t significant, but it was the best he could do.

He and Chu Heng then went to the study next door to discuss An Qiao’s illness.

“An Qiao’s illness is very strange. I don’t understand it either. He has severe internal injuries, and I don’t know how he got them. What’s even stranger is that my S-rank healing ability is quite good, yet it has almost no effect on his injuries.”

Generally, low-level healing abilities have difficulty treating high-level beastmen with special abilities. They can stop external bleeding, but they are ineffective at treating internal injuries caused by abilities.

Jun Yiran pondered for a moment. “It’s probably because he was assassinated and severely injured suddenly during his awakening process. This interrupted the process, causing his internal energy to collapse suddenly and become chaotic. This resulted in severe internal injuries. The healing ability he was supposed to awaken was at a very high level, possibly higher than mine. That’s why my treatment was ineffective.”

At this point, Jun Yiran sighed with sympathy and regret.

If An Qiao had successfully awakened as an elf with an extremely high-level healing ability, his future would have been limitless.

What a pity.

“An Qiao’s condition might require the same person who healed your severe injuries to cure him.”

Chu Heng is only twenty-five years old, but he has had an incredibly tumultuous life.

Chu Heng’s father is Emperor Chu Zhengming of the Empire.

However, due to parental neglect, he was abducted by space pirates shortly after being born from an artificial womb, and his whereabouts and fate are still unknown.

Chu Heng grew up on a chaotic garbage planet. Adopted by a local elder before the age of eight, he survived alone from eight to sixteen. At sixteen, he gained admission to the Empire’s top military academy on the capital planet thanks to his exceptional talent and martial prowess.

At the academy, Chu Heng quickly stood out and was acknowledged by the Emperor.

However, by then, the second prince had already been born. After Chu Heng disappeared, his mother and Chu Zhengming divorced and remarried because they had lost common interests. The current empress, heavily pregnant, married Chu Zhengming, and she gave birth to the second prince, who was only half a year younger than Chu Heng.

The second prince was exceptionally gifted, and before Chu Heng appeared, he was considered the heir apparent. Although he was still a minor and had not yet been crowned, almost all of the powerful and influential families favored him and had been preparing for him for a long time, sending their eligible sons to follow him.

Chu Heng’s arrival caught many off guard.

At that time, Chu Heng’s talent was slightly higher than the second prince’s. Of course, after his second awakening, the second prince was far inferior to Chu Heng. Had Chu Heng not been lost at a young age, he would undoubtedly have become the future crown prince. However, too many interests were involved at the time, and many people had placed heavy bets on the Second Prince, so it was impossible to easily abandon him.

At eighteen, Chu Heng was severely injured and nearly became a cripple. Many people breathed a sigh of relief. Who knew that, a few months later, Chu Heng would return having undergone a second awakening? He had become a primordial beastman, and his talent was unmatched.

Despite the resentment of many, Chu Heng became the crown prince of the empire.

Chu Heng then joined the Second Army Group and quickly achieved remarkable feats. In the recent war against the Zerg, he led the Second Army Group to victory over the invading Zerg and even injured the Zerg Queen himself.

However, in injuring the Zerg Queen, Chu Heng was also injured. The severity of his injuries was unknown.

Many in the empire’s upper echelons were observing, while others were eager to remove him from his position as crown prince.

Chu Heng sighed, “I don’t know where he is now.”

The person who treated his severe injuries was a mysterious old man whose whereabouts were elusive.

“For now, he’ll just have to rest and recuperate,” Jun Yiran shrugged.

“He needs to pay attention to his diet and sleep schedule and maintain a moderate exercise routine. It’s also best to keep him in a good mood and avoid depression or anger. If you truly want to be good to him, you should be agreeable and avoid upsetting him during this time.”

Chu Heng: “… ”

With so many requirements, did he bring home an ancestor?

**

An Qiao sat on the sofa, hugging a cushion and listlessly playing with its gold tassels.

He was starving!

When will we eat?

After discussing An Qiao’s condition with Jun Yiran, Chu Heng came out of the study to find An Qiao looking cold and listless.

The young man’s face was almost translucently pale, and his fingers, adorned with the tassels, were ashen white. A small section of his exposed wrist was as white as snow, and his knuckles were delicate and slender.

Remembering Jun Yiran’s words about the young man’s serious condition, he felt a sudden surge of irritation.

“Do you know your own condition?” he asked.

An Qiao lifted his head to look at him. “I know a little.”

Before Chu Heng could respond, An Qiao asked, “I’m hungry. Earlier you said we’d have dinner—when do we eat?”

Chu Heng: “… ”

Was this about dinner? Shouldn’t he be more focused on his illness and what the military doctor, Jun Yiran, had said?

Chu Heng genuinely felt that An Qiao’s attitude toward his illness was too dismissive and pessimistic.

He wanted to offer some advice, but An Qiao was staring intently at him. His eyes were bright, like a little animal eagerly awaiting food.

“…Dinner can be served now.”

On the way home, he had ordered the butler to prepare a real dinner instead of a nutrient solution—two servings cooked by the automated cooking robot.

Chu Heng was accustomed to taking supplements with all three meals. They provided the body with the necessary nutrients and, most importantly, were convenient and saved time.

He didn’t have the patience to spend time eating. He’d rather use that time to fight more battles on the training ground. Besides, there was hardly any time to eat on the battlefield.

At the Marshal’s residence, aside from the personal guard, most of the staff were retired servicemen. They were all accustomed to taking nutritional supplements and rarely used the cooking robot.

The upper class of Imperial Capital Star generally disdained nutritional supplements, considering them beneath their dignity. They even considered the cooking robot to be insufficiently sophisticated and its taste to be only mediocre. Therefore, they typically had private chefs at home, with some having more than one or two.

Chu Heng’s residence stood out as unique among the powerful and wealthy.

Many secretly despised Chu Heng for being from a garbage planet, considering him petty and uncouth.

However, Chu Heng remained unchanged, showing no intention of altering or pandering.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, An Qiao was satisfied with the table full of dishes.

However, as he picked up a piece of steamed fish with his chopsticks, he frowned slightly.

“Not to your liking?” Chu Heng asked.

An Qiao silently swallowed the piece of fish in his mouth. “…It’s alright.”

The taste was acceptable—better than nutritional supplements. However, for someone as picky as him, it was only edible.

Just then, the personal terminal on Chu Heng’s wrist suddenly rang.

Chu Heng glanced at it. It was a message from Emperor Chu Zhengming, his biological father.

He didn’t even blink, seemingly having no intention of answering immediately.

He slowly wiped his mouth with a silk handkerchief, then took a black overcoat hanging nearby and draped it over his arm. “I’m going to the palace to ask the old man for some wedding funds. The steward has prepared a room for you. You can rest after your meal. You can also ask the steward if you need anything.”

An Qiao, who was elegantly eating, almost choked.

The old man? Chu Heng certainly wasn’t polite to his father, the emperor.

Moreover, asking for marriage funds so righteously… truly worthy of a dragon who loves treasure.

**

The palace.

The current emperor, Chu Zhengming, sat at his desk looking at Chu Heng, who had pushed open the door, looking surprised.

He had summoned Chu Heng to the palace. But Chu Heng always let his words go in one ear and out the other. He simply couldn’t control his son.

Unexpectedly, however, Chu Heng was “obedient” this time without the slightest hesitation.

“Are you really going to be with that An Qiao?” Chu Zhengming took off his glasses and put them aside. His tone was calm and firm. “He’s not right for you.”

Chu Zhengming felt guilty toward his eldest son, whom he lost in childhood. Beyond guilt, however, his heart was filled with complex emotions.

As the one in power, he was happy to see an excellent successor. However, if this successor were too outstanding—so excellent that he could threaten his position—then it wouldn’t be pleasant.

Having such a rebellious and unruly son who often acted unpredictably was a major headache and source of heartache for Chu Zhengming, as a father.

Chu Zhengming had considered finding a suitable crown princess for Chu Heng, hoping she could keep him in check. However, Chu Heng was completely uncooperative and publicly stated that he would not marry a crown princess.

Chu Zhengming was almost ready to give up on his son’s marriage when, without warning, the brain system suddenly matched him with someone. Even more astonishingly, he actually accepted the match and didn’t immediately cancel it.

Chu Zhengming had seen An Qiao’s information. If An Qiao successfully awakened, he might be a barely compatible match for Chu Heng. However, An Qiao had failed to awaken, so he lacked the rare healing abilities of elves and the martial prowess of beastmen. His family was ordinary, and his attempt at suicide in the Star Beast Forest suggested a troubled character. Aside from his good looks, he had no other outstanding qualities.

Chu Zhengming simply couldn’t understand how the always strong-willed Chu Heng could be interested in this parasitic, clinging person.

Chu Heng casually pulled up a chair, sat down opposite Chu Zhengming, crossed his legs, and said lazily, “Really? I think he’s quite good.”

A mocking smile slowly crept onto his lips. “At least he’s much better than the people you favor.”

Chu Zhengming had planned for him to choose a “Crown Princess” at the victory banquet a couple of days ago, but he had disregarded the plan. However, he disregarded it completely, going off to hunt down bandits at the border instead.

Chu Zhengming frowned slightly. “I understand you don’t like the person I chose for you, but there’s no need to just pick anyone. If you were an ordinary person, I wouldn’t care who you chose as your partner. But you’re the crown prince. You shouldn’t be so casual…”

Chu Heng impatiently interrupted him. “Is there a law in the empire that prohibits the crown prince from choosing his own partner?”

Chu Zhengming: “…No.”

Chu Heng lightly tapped the table with his fingertips and said casually, “I heard that, according to the emperor, … It’s customary for princes to receive financial and industrial support for their marriages.”

Chu Zhengming almost laughed in exasperation. “So, aren’t you capable of choosing someone without consent? If you’re so capable, why don’t you support them yourself?

“My capability is my own.”

Chu Heng narrowed his eyes. His tone was casual yet assertive. “But that doesn’t mean I’m willing to hand over what belongs to me.”

Even losing one of his star coins would displease him.

Besides, while it wasn’t much, it wasn’t insignificant either—every little bit counts.

Besides, An Qiao, who’s currently staying in his residence, seems to require a lot of money to support…

Chu Zhengming: “…Alright, you won’t be short of money.”

Knowing Chu Heng’s love of money, he almost suspected that Chu Heng hadn’t immediately dissolved the match because of the money involved.

However, he also knew that Chu Heng wasn’t the kind of person to compromise for money.

Chu Heng left the office building and bumped into the Second Prince, Chu Feiyu, in the hallway.

Princes usually reside in the palace. However, Chu Heng was rebellious and preferred to live outside the palace.

“Brother, congratulations.” Chu Feiyu was gentle and refined, and he appeared very approachable.

“Congratulations on finding a perfect partner.”

His words were sincere, but his tone was sarcastic.

Chu Heng glanced at him casually. “Little Second, you should hurry up, too.”

After pausing, he continued, “Don’t wait until she gets pregnant and comes knocking before making things official.”

The current empress, the second prince’s mother, married Chu Zhengming while pregnant.

“By the way, the Red Spider Pirate Gang asked me to give you their regards.” “Ha! The Second Prince actually dared to collude with space pirates to intercept the Second Group Army’s high-grade energy crystals! He’d better pay tenfold!”

With that, Chu Heng ignored the Second Prince’s dark expression and continued walking.

Upon reaching the landing pad and boarding his aircraft to leave the palace, he suddenly remembered something and frowned.

A moment later, he disembarked and headed toward the kitchen.

When he returned, he was followed by several chefs in white uniforms and tall hats.

“Your Highness, these chefs…?” The adjutant, Jiang Qi, suddenly had a bad feeling.

“Take them all back.”

Jiang Qi’s lips twitched. “…”

Not only did he take one chef back, but several. Has he managed to take all the palace chefs? Surely His Majesty the Emperor will have objections!

Needless to say, these chefs are definitely for An Qiao.

Before, Chu Heng practically ate nutritional supplements for every meal and rarely used the cooking robot.

Now, he’s actually thinking of taking chefs back.

Tsk. A man destined to be single for eight lifetimes has suddenly become tender and considerate—it makes people want to kick over this bowl of dog food!

**

After barely finishing dinner, An Qiao arrived at a second-floor suite, led by the butler.

The moment he entered, he was nearly blinded.

The entire room was decorated with shiny, glittering, and dazzling objects.

The old butler beside him smiled awkwardly and said, “Please excuse the ostentatious display, Young Master An Qiao. If you don’t like the room’s arrangement, we can change it…”

“No need. I quite like it,” An Qiao interrupted.

In the past, the Elf King would have found such sparkly decorations unbearably vulgar and offensive to the eyes.

But now, he looks at a certain portion of the shiny items. Energy crystals— He was absolutely thrilled!

Energy crystals! So many high-level energy crystals!

You can read the full completed story here with instant full access. ✨