CHAOS HEIR

Chapter 1088: White Mouse

Khan kept watching the dark, starry sky while his ship approached the dome. He had half-expected the colony to require another threat to reopen the passage, but luckily, nothing of the sort ended up being necessary. The thick glass moved away again, allowing his vehicle to land before the settlement.

The metal floor that covered the dome's insides released a low scream when the ship landed, but nothing broke. Still, Khan moved his gaze to his feet, tapping them on that dark surface to test its fabric. That surface wasn't exactly stable, but it would hold as long as he didn't release random energy bursts.

'They truly like living on the edge,' Khan thought. 'What a mess.'

Truthfully, Khan knew better than to blame the colony or its citizens. Most people made the best out of what life had to offer, and some had probably been forced into that criminal lifestyle. It had been the same in the Slums, so Khan felt no misguided superiority.

Nevertheless, the problem remained. Khan had picked the biggest colony in the area on purpose, but standing inside it gave birth to doubts. If Blue Moon struggled to withstand him, what were the chances that it could have what he needed?

'Maybe I should have flown directly to Merth 290,' Khan considered before dismissing the idea and stepping forward. He was already there, so he might as well check what the colony had to offer.

The environment felt nostalgic for various reasons. Khan dived into the settlement, making his way through what looked to be its main street while bystanders peeked at him from every available hiding spot, be it windows, corners, or relatively intact terraces.

Khan had witnessed similar reactions during his latest trips to the Slums, but the place also reminded him of the Harbor, albeit a far poorer and shabbier version.

Living directly under the vast expanse of the universe was always a spectacle, but Blue Moon colony added a certain thrill to it. Everything looked on the verge of falling apart. A single critical failure could end the settlement, and the ships Khan had previously spotted weren't enough to carry everyone to safety.

'Now that I think about it,' Khan pondered, raising his gaze again. 'These domes aren't cheap. Setting it up should have been expensive, too. Simple pirates can't possibly have the Credits or tools to build such a colony.'

The idea immediately led to a reasonably sound hypothesis. Khan believed Blue Moon had a sponsor, at least in the past. Someone had built the colony for whatever purpose, only to abandon it at some point.

The people living inside Blue Moon were either past workers of the mysterious benefactor or random criminals who had taken possession of the unused colony, keeping it up and running to the best of their capabilities.

Khan walked slowly, but the settlement was small, so he quickly reached its end. The streets opened into the space used as a landing area and the bigger structure. He planned to approach it, but movement suddenly happened at his sides.

A few people hurried out of the shabby houses at the street's ends, gathering before Khan to block his path. A group of eight people formed a disorderly line, staring daggers at him. They wanted to look strong and threatening, but their firm faces betrayed the fear in their hearts.

Khan immediately spotted a few details. The eight people had relatively better clothes compared to the settlement's citizens. They fit their sizes for once and featured far fewer holes and tears. The only second-level warrior among the group even wore a half-cape on his right shoulder, which carried a peculiar design.

A white, stylized rat was sown at the cape's bottom edge, and noticing it allowed Khan to find similar drawings on the other first-level warriors. Some had it on their hats, others on their boots or trousers, and one even had a tattoo depicting the same figure on the left side of his neck.

"Prince Khan?" The middle-aged man wearing the half-cape called, his pitch-black long hair conflicting with his bony pale face. "What brings you to our humble colony?"

Khan didn't mention his doubts about Blue Moon's ownership and kept inspecting the area. Synthetic mana was flowing everywhere, but a house to his right had an unusual concentration of it, depicting a behavior Khan was familiar with.

"I'll let your man finish looking me up," Khan announced, focusing on the apparent leader. "I wouldn't want the White Mouse crew and I to start on the wrong foot."

The second-level warrior did his best to retain a steady expression, but his seven companions lacked composure and experience. Eyes widened everywhere, and some murmured among themselves, terrified about Khan's uncanny perception.

As for the White Mouse, they were a pirate crew Nott Station had long since learned about. Captain Lochport even had reports from other criminals about the rat's design so Khan could recognize them easily.

The wait was tense but short. A ninth man eventually exited the shabby house to the right, approaching the second-level warrior to whisper something to his ear. The middle-aged man couldn't hide his surprise at that point and wore a broad smile that revealed yellow and rotten teeth before performing a clumsy, seemingly mocking bow.

"Welcome to Blue Moon colony, Your Highness," The middle-aged man exclaimed. "We never had guests of such relevance or fame."

Khan took a deep breath, lifting his eyes to the sky. He inspected the transparent dome, confirming its structural integrity, but some annoyance arrived nonetheless.

The second-level warrior and some crew members followed Khan's gaze, only to feel confused. They didn't know what those glowing eyes looked at, but something in the area's vibe made them tense.

"Your Highness?" The second-level warrior eventually called again, but Khan lifted his palm, stopping him from speaking further.

"Don't call me that," Khan warned, his eyes still on the dome. "This thing is already struggling as it is. I don't want to break it by mistake."

"Ar-," The second-level warrior muttered, incredulous. "Are you talking about the dome?"

"You see," Khan said, lowering his eyes. "Chaos wielders don't go along with technology, and I happen to be the best of them all, so let's try to play nice. If anything sets me off, this place will cease to exist."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!