BATTLE FOR STARS

“Princess, even though you couldn’t take me away, you still saved my life.”

Lina sighed softly.

“In this world, things rarely go exactly the way we want.”

After so many years on Planet Boman as a fighting slave, she had long grown used to plans falling apart.

Back in that situation, Balk had clearly intended to make an example out of her.

Between staying and dying, Belina had at least helped her choose survival.

“Then you need to be extra careful from now on,” Belina said quietly. “I’ve heard the Red Rose Guard’s training and... conditioning are extremely harsh.”

What she actually wanted to say was brainwashing.

The Red Rose Guard’s indoctrination methods were infamous.

People who entered either ended up crippled, mentally broken, or completely transformed into fanatically loyal servants of Emperor Hogan.

Very few ever emerged unchanged.

Belina truly was worried for her.

“I know.” Lina nodded slowly. “I think... I should be able to endure it.”

Despite being the finest fighting slave on the planet and surviving countless brutal forms of training, even Lina couldn’t fully predict what awaited her inside the Red Rose Guard.

“Take this with you.”

Belina opened her bag and removed a small box.

Inside rested a capsule.

“What’s this?” Ding Yufei asked curiously.

Back on Earth, he had seen Belina carry plenty of capsules before, many of them medical treatments.

Was this another kind of medicine?

“It’s a special type of bio-nanorobot,” Belina explained. “It can help you endure certain external... stimulations. But it only remains effective for sixty days. Use it only when you truly need it.”

This was the only way Belina could think of to help Lina.

“Thank you.”

Lina quietly placed the box into her bag.

At this point, there was no need for formalities anymore.

“Oh right,” Ding Yufei asked after the conversation paused, “where’s Mor?”

“I’m not sure. He should be inside somewhere.”

The moment Lina entered the house, she had already realized something was wrong.

She just hadn’t had time to investigate yet.

Her gaze slowly swept around the tiny apartment.

It wasn’t the kind of place where a person could hide.

“On the way back, I tried contacting him,” Lina said. “But he never replied.”

Slaves weren’t allowed unrestricted communication with outsiders or guests, but communication within internal networks was still permitted.

Soon, Lina’s eyes landed on a nearby table.

A small blue bead rested quietly there.

She recognized it immediately as a data storage device.

There had never been one in her home before.

Frowning slightly, Lina walked over and inserted the bead into the slot on her wristband.

A holographic projection instantly appeared in the room.

The figure inside wasn’t anyone else.

It was Mor.

“Lina, I’ve already left Planet Boman. Don’t ask where I went, because we’ll never meet again.”

Ding Yufei quietly glanced toward Lina.

He truly hadn’t expected Mor to run away.

Yet Lina’s expression remained surprisingly calm, almost unchanged.

“The moment I saw the choice you made during the finals, I knew this situation would never end peacefully,” Mor continued in the projection, regret visible on his face.

“It’ll probably end the same way your mother’s story did. Especially after we offended an Imperial General.”

“You and I both know what it means if you fail to leave the Resk Empire.”

“All the money we saved over the years—I took it with me. You probably won’t need it anymore anyway. And if you’re still alive to watch this message, earning money again shouldn’t be difficult for someone like you.”

“Thank you for the money. And thank you for taking care of me all these years.”

The recording ended there.

Clearly, Mor had already prepared everything in advance.

If Lina won and returned safely, he would leave with her.

If things went wrong—

he would flee alone.

The savings they had accumulated over the years weren’t enormous, but they were enough to buy freedom for one person and purchase an interstellar ticket to another nation.

As for the future?

That would depend entirely on luck.

“Lina... are you okay?”

Belina softly called out to the silent Lina.

Today’s blows had come one after another.

First, her dream of leaving peacefully had collapsed.

Then she was forced into the Red Rose Guard.

And finally, even her Male intimate partner had taken all her money and abandoned her.

That wasn’t something most people could simply shrug off.

“I’m fine.”

Lina smiled faintly and sat down in a nearby chair.

Seeing her act as though nothing had happened only made Belina more uneasy.

Could the shock have been too much?

“Are you really okay?”

“Really. I’m doing fine.”

“If there’s anything you want to say, tell us,” Belina said gently. “Don’t bottle everything up.”

“So that’s what you’re worried about.”

The smile on Lina’s face deepened slightly.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything stupid.”

“I still remember the final thing my mother told me before she died.”

“What was it?” Belina asked softly.

“Live well for her sake.”

Lina paused briefly before answering.

Only then did Belina finally relax.

Lina understood better than anyone that her mother had sacrificed everything to save her life.

So not only did she need to survive—

she had to live properly in her mother’s place as well.

“If I ever get my hands on that bastard Mor,” Ding Yufei said angrily from the side, “I’ll definitely teach him a lesson for you.”

In a real fight, he probably wouldn’t stand much chance against Mor.

But when it came to setting traps and scheming against people?

Ding Yufei had plenty of confidence.

“It’s fine,” Lina replied calmly. “He can keep the money.”

“Honestly, on the way home, I’d already decided to give it all to him anyway. Let him escape alone.”

“After all... I no longer had that chance.”

So Lina had already prepared herself for this outcome.

Deep down, all of them understood the truth.

Remaining inside the Resk Empire meant there was no way to escape retaliation from someone like General Balk.

Leaving the Empire had always been the only real hope.

Mor had simply made a selfish decision before she could.

Could anyone truly blame him?

People were selfish by nature.

That was precisely why those willing to sacrifice for others seemed so extraordinary.

“One day,” Belina said firmly while sitting beside Lina, “we’ll find a way to get you out of the Red Rose Guard.”

“That’s right,” Ding Yufei added immediately. “We won’t just abandon you.”

Even though Lina knew the odds were practically zero, she still answered softly:

“Thank you.”

“Let’s all go have a meal together,” Ding Yufei suggested. “A proper farewell dinner for Lina.”

“Sounds good,” Belina agreed immediately.

Naturally, Lina had no objections either.

The three of them were just about to leave when the doorbell rang again.

Could Mor have returned?

Impossible.

Lina quickly walked over and opened the door.

The visitor wasn’t Mor.

It was another familiar face—

Little Chubby.

“Little Chubby? What are you doing here?” Lina asked in surprise.

Of course, Little Chubby’s real name was Joyce.

But by now, everyone had completely forgotten that.

“I... I came to check on you,” Little Chubby said awkwardly. “About the match... I’m glad you’re okay.”

For once, a rare blush actually appeared on his face.

Since they were all friends, Lina invited him inside.

And so the four of them decided to go out together for a meal—

a farewell gathering before Lina’s departure.