Star Rank Hunter

Chapter 423: Red Branch, White Branch, Blue Branch

Inside the central administration building, there were almost no living people left on the lower levels, and even the guards were scarce.

When Cillin slipped inside, he hadn’t expected this central area to be completely unguarded!

Was it deliberate, or just a coincidence?

Cillin couldn’t worry about that now. The “Emperor” in his palm was reacting more strongly by the second, prompting him to quicken his pace.

Cillin wasn’t wearing his Armor. To better sense and judge his surroundings through the “Emperor,” he had simply put it away. With his abilities, infiltrating this place wasn’t difficult. He had prepared for a bitter fight upon entering the administration building, but surprisingly, there was nothing here.

No—more accurately, someone had already taken care of all the trouble.

He could still see the combat traces left behind when Hulandu’s group departed. The bodies lying around wore Legion uniforms, guard outfits, and administrative attire. These people had died earlier. Furthermore, the seemingly intact machinery and electronic equipment were completely defunct. Across all the floors he passed, every electronic device was paralyzed. The elevators were out of service, the lights were out, and any areas with closed doors and windows were pitched in total darkness.

Hulandu’s group certainly hadn’t taken out all this mechanical equipment. If they could have disabled these systems, they wouldn’t have looked so battered.

Who else had come here?

It wasn’t until he neared the hundredth floor that Cillin sensed someone—more than one person, in fact. He crept quietly toward the area.

The mother “Dream Tapir” was right here!

According to his original plan, Cillin would strike swiftly upon finding the mother and then extract the complete antibody from the mother “Dream Tapir.” But soon, the conversation inside drew his attention.

Separated by a door, Cillin couldn’t see the situation inside, but the windows were open, and the voices drifted out. With his acute hearing, he could clearly make out the conversation.

One voice belonged to an older man. Just from the way he spoke, it was obvious the old man was in poor health—extremely poor health, sounding as if he were clinging to his last few breaths.

The other person’s age and health couldn’t be discerned, as their voice carried almost no emotion. Calm. Apathetic. That was exactly the kind of person he seemed to be.

But who was the third person?

Cillin could tell there were three people inside, but the conversation was strictly between those two. The third person stood there like a bystander, never interrupting.

All three people—whether it was the old man who struggled just to breathe, or the other two—were incredibly calm, judging by their tone and breathing. It was a true, natural calm, not feigned composure.

What truly made Cillin hold back, however, was the term “Red Branch.”

After interacting with the Xi Family for so long, Cillin knew that they had split into three branches a thousand years ago: the Red, Blue, and White Branches. Xi Mu belonged to the White Branch, the conservative faction that remained in the Star Alliance, maintaining the lifestyle and habits they had held prior to the split. The Blue Branch had gradually integrated into the Star Alliance, likely infiltrating other factions. As for the Red Branch, they were the ones who had directly opened the passage and traveled to Lansa—the ancestors of Xi Kai and his group.

But... targeting the Red Branch? This couldn’t refer to Xi Kai and his people, could it? After all, how long had it been since Xi Kai came to the Star Alliance?

Therefore, to uncover the reason behind this, Cillin decided to delay his move. Judging by the effects of the medicine back at the temporary stronghold, they could still hold out a little longer—long enough for Cillin to get a clear picture here.

“The Red Branch? Heh...” the old man chuckled disdainfully.

Even those few short laughs seemed to drain the old man’s strength; it took him several minutes to catch his breath.

“The true Red Branch is long gone. These people are, at best, defective goods. Mere watchdogs. The ones who stayed behind a thousand years ago were abandoned by the true Red Branch. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have spent all this time hiding in their old haunt like the White Branch,” the old man mocked.

“Regardless of whether they were left behind or abandoned, they still belonged to the Red Branch lineage. Over fifty years ago, you used the matter regarding Aurelio’s ‘White Night’ to provoke a war. By exploiting the conflict between the military and the Hunter regiments, you turned the remaining Red Branch members into cannon fodder for that war. That violated the Xi Family’s principles.”

“Principles? I am not a member of the Xi Family. The Xi Family’s principles mean absolutely nothing to me.”

“You are still the same, always deceiving yourself,” the person sitting in the wheelchair said coldly.

Hiding in the shadows, Cillin listened to their conversation and recalled many things. For instance, the battle for supremacy over fifty years ago—the very war that had sent Natta to prison and led to Chamonidine’s fall. Ever since then, several major factions had kept a low profile.

Cillin had suspected it back then: how could White Night alone have triggered a war of such massive scale and widespread influence? Based on Lung’s analysis, Cillin knew there had to be a mastermind behind the scenes. The war over fifty years ago had involved very few politicians, but countless military personnel and Hunter regiments. Lung had mentioned his suspicion that three old geezers in the parliament had intentionally leaked the information.

Thinking about it now, one of the three senators who had driven that war was the old man inside—the senior senator, Beythor!

To outsiders, Beythor had always maintained a neutral stance, but many probably never guessed that he was the biggest boss behind “Miracle.”

Based on the conversation between the two inside, Cillin deduced many things.

In the war over fifty years ago, all participating factions suffered heavy casualties. The aftermath put everyone on high alert, causing them to act much more cautiously. The four major Hunter regiments restrained their sharp edges. To show fairness, every participating faction had members sent to the high-security prison in the S Star Sector after the war, including members of the Andrea family, as well as Natta, who had been the captain of the Vanguard Third Squadron at the time.

It could be said that Natta was a sacrificial lamb. He bore all of Vanguard’s guilt by himself. After all, back then, he was only part of a sub-fleet; Ji Feng protected the key figures from the main fleet who had participated in the war. Natta hadn’t wanted to participate at all, but he was ultimately dragged into it, losing Chamonidine and several others who had braved life and death alongside him.

During his chats with Natta in the main fleet, Cillin had learned exactly what kind of person he was. Natta was absolutely not the type to overreach and bring trouble upon himself. The information Cillin later uncovered also proved there were other reasons behind the Third Squadron’s involvement back then.

Natta shouldered the crimes established during that war and went to prison on their behalf. Thus, upon his release, he was immediately promoted to the main fleet and made a high-ranking executive. His son, Falvey, was also appointed as the Third Squadron’s commander while Natta was imprisoned. These were the compensations Ji Feng provided them.

Fifty years. During the absolute peak of his Hunter career, during the Third Squadron’s most glorious era, Natta was treated as a sacrificial lamb and sent to prison. While he might have reached an agreement with Ji Feng, what about the rest of the Third Squadron? How many people in the Third Squadron today still remembered Chamonidine? How many remembered the glorious Third Squadron that once stood above all other Vanguard sub-fleets?

Even though they compensated Natta later, as a Hunter, spending his peak years trapped in a confined space instead of exploring the cosmos—enduring those long fifty years—was an irreplaceable loss.

Perhaps Natta didn’t care, but Cillin wasn’t that kind of person. In truth, Cillin had always been on guard against such a situation. If their positions were swapped and Cillin had been in Natta’s place back then, Ji Feng would have sacrificed him without a second thought. What did it matter if you had potential and ability? There was no shortage of capable, high-potential individuals in the galaxy.

Another point to note was that “Miracle” had formally risen to power during that same period. Before then, although “Miracle” had some background and capability, it paled in comparison to its later scale and influence. Following the war over fifty years ago, while the various factions were recovering, “Miracle” developed rapidly.

This company, which should have been investigated and shut down long ago due to its illegal research, had gradually grown under Beythor’s secret takeover and support. The events fifty years ago were a turning point. It could be said that that period saw the fastest development for “Miracle.” Earning support from multiple parties, they secretly allied with many people, including the Yu Family and the deceased Heaven’s Edict member, Oros. This allowed “Miracle” to become the absolute overlord among its peers.

Beyond this, Cillin also heard the men inside discussing the members of the White Branch.

“Using their hands to annihilate the left-behind Red Branch members, driving the White Branch to their deaths, and causing the internal fracture of our Blue Branch... I know you hate the Xi Family. However, you cannot deny that the Xi Family’s blood flows in your veins. You inherited your mother’s eye color and the innate talent of a Xi Family member,” the man in the wheelchair said slowly, without a single ripple of emotion, as if discussing something completely unrelated to himself.

Driving the White Branch to their deaths...

Xi Mu’s branch.

Angenia had told Cillin a few things about Xi Mu. Ten years ago, when the White Branch of the Xi Family was besieged, they had offered five sets of Armor in exchange for hiding Xi Mu with Angenia, and Angenia had promised to protect him for ten years.

Angenia had mentioned that when the incident occurred, Xi Mu was barely five years old, but he understood everything; his mindset was no less mature than an adult’s. Not long after the Xi Family members were captured by the Star Alliance government, the space laboratory holding the White Branch exploded. No one inside survived. Upon hearing the news, Xi Mu’s hair had turned white overnight.

Xi Mu was heartbroken at the time, but he must have also known the truth behind the matter. Otherwise, why would a child under five worry so excessively that his hair turned white?

He knew the captured elders had committed suicide, and that they had been forced into it. However, Xi Mu had promised those elders not to participate in that kind of war. Having barely survived, he couldn’t let himself be dragged back in.

“You knew those people would rather die than conduct that kind of experimental research. You knew they would resort to suicide. Everything was in your plan. Over fifty years ago, you eliminated the left-behind Red Branch members. Over twenty years ago, you orchestrated the Blue Branch’s internal split. Ten years ago, the White Branch members were driven to their deaths... Truly, you live up to the Xi Family blood in your veins. Smart enough, and cold enough.”

Beythor, standing by the windowsill, smiled soundlessly, the wrinkles on his face deepening. “I just never expected you to survive and join ‘Grim Reaper.’ Since you’ve joined ‘Grim Reaper,’ I truly can’t do anything about you. However, you could consider it a blessing in disguise. Like this, you’ll be able to live a little longer.”

“According to you, I should be thanking you,” the man in the wheelchair said, looking calmly at Beythor. “You should know that members of the Xi Family never meddle in politics. That is our ancestral tenet. Heaven granted the Xi Family extraordinary talent, but anyone who interferes in politics dies a miserable death.”

Beythor seemed amused by this remark. “First of all, I still do not admit to being a member of the Xi Family. Second, even if the Xi Family avoids politics, they don’t meet good ends either. Did the left-behind Red Branch members meddle in politics? They were still turned into cannon fodder and buried in the cosmos. Did the White Branch meddle in politics? They were still driven to suicide. In this world, the most unreliable thing is principles. People who throw their lives away to uphold such things are simply idiots. Like the White Branch, or, for example, that woman.”

“You should call her Mother.”

“Mother? She was nothing but an obstacle. She always compared me to you Xi Family people. Unfortunately, our values differed. The Xi Family are all idiots.”

“Even though you took the political path, you still can’t change the thirst for research bred into the bones of the Xi Family. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have taken over ‘Miracle,’” the man in the wheelchair said. A hint of a smile suddenly appeared on his previously expressionless face. “You’ve listened for a long time. Care to come out now, Cillin?”

Cillin raised an eyebrow. He had guessed he might have been discovered early on. Furthermore, the man had spoken at such length that it seemed as if he were deliberately saying all this for Cillin to hear.

Cillin didn’t continue hiding. Following the man’s words, the data on the door lock flashed twice; Cillin knew the door’s password had been unlocked.

Pushing the door open and entering, Cillin finally got a clear look at the three people inside.

There was Beythor, standing by the windowsill and turning sideways to look at him. There was the man sitting in the wheelchair, half his face made of metal, wearing a very faint expression. And finally, there was the young man standing behind the wheelchair.

Cillin recognized this young man. Although this was their first time actually meeting, Cillin had previously seen some files from Shi Huajing that mentioned him.

Juno—a name he had known for a long time.

At the same time, Cillin noticed that Beythor and the man in the wheelchair had very similar pupils. Both were metallic, reflecting a silvery-white sheen when catching the sunlight. It was the signature eye color of the Xi Family members.

The “Emperor” in his palm reacted even more strongly.

The mother Dream Tapir was right on Beythor!

Beythor appeared extremely angry at Cillin’s arrival. The face that had previously maintained a smile was now colored with fury.

“Xi Luo, you let him in?!” Beythor spat. “Good, very good! You’re scared! Haha, you’re scared! You can only kill me by borrowing someone else’s hands! You don’t even dare seek revenge yourself! In the end, you still lost!”

Cillin focused most of his attention on the very first name in Beythor’s outburst.

Xi Luo?

That name had been missing for a very long time.

If memory served, the former four-star academician of the Star Alliance Research Institute—the absolute authority on radioactive elements and decay research—had also been named Xi Luo. It was just that the name “Xi Luo” was gradually replaced by another term, an unofficial title people bestowed upon him later: the “Godfather.”