IBO -Chapter 68 Confessing to Brother

This novel contains sensitive and taboo content like R*pe, Mu**er etc. Read only if you are comfortable.

Rose Star, temporary base of the Radiant Legion.

The war was over. The Squid Aliens had all been suppressed, and everything had finally settled.

A person in a green military uniform stood at the entrance of the base—it was Mang.

She stared at the war-torn planet before her, lost in thought.

Her aide, Kasei, walked over. Frowning, she reported the news she had just received.

“Marshal, the Squid Aliens have surrendered to us.”

“Surrendered? What do they plan to offer in exchange?”

“…10 million credit points.”

“And what did higher-ups say?”

“They said… to accept the surrender.”

Kasei’s tone carried a hint of helplessness—10 million credit points was far too little.

Many buildings had been destroyed in this war; 10 million credit points wouldn’t even cover postwar reconstruction.

Mang squinted at the distant horizon, silently playing with the particle gun in her hands. After a moment, she asked Kasei,

“If I remember correctly, Rose Star is your hometown, isn’t it?”

Kasei froze. She hadn’t expected the Marshal to remember that.

It was from the time she first met Mang, back when Mang wasn’t even a soldier.

Back then, she had been wandering the galaxy, often hungry, often bullied—until one day, she met Mang.

Mang took her in. That was the first time she truly had a home, and there were many other beast-shaped children like her.

They had all been taken in by Mang. They weren’t related by blood, but they were the closest of sisters, and Mang was the eldest sister of the family.

Later, they all enlisted together and eventually helped Mang establish what is now the Radiant Legion.

She still remembered the first question Mang had asked her:

“Little one, where are you from?”

“I’m from Rose Star,” she had answered.

Kasei had been born on Rose Star and had suffered much discrimination and abuse there.

She didn’t like the people of Rose Star.

But she loved the planet itself.

Its roses were the most beautiful she had ever seen. When the roses bloomed, the entire planet was covered in them.

Mang asked another question,

“Kasei, what was this planet like before?”

“It was a very beautiful planet. When the roses bloomed, the entire planet was wrapped in them, like falling into a sea of roses. Everywhere were beautiful rose petals, drifting down like rain onto people, filling the air with laughter and joy.”

Kasei’s tone held a hint of nostalgia—she hadn’t returned to her hometown in years.

She hadn’t expected that when she returned, it would be like this.

“Kasei, you understand what higher-ups mean, right?”

“I understand.”

Kasei felt a strong unwillingness inside. Those people in charge were just afraid—they were afraid of starting another war.

But what about the lives lost in this war?

Countless families had been shattered. Countless civilians and soldiers had died, many children had lost their parents, and much of the residential area had been bombed.

Could 10 million credit points bring the dead back to life? Could it cover the medical expenses of the survivors?

This money wasn’t even enough to rebuild the neighborhoods!

The dead weren’t the ones in charge, so they could easily accept such a hollow, insincere surrender.

Mang’s face revealed a determined smile.

“I will not accept surrender.”

Kasei looked at her in shock. Could it be…?

“Kasei, give the orders. The sisters will continue to hold this position. You come with me. We set off immediately for the Squid Homeworld.”

With that, Mang turned and strode toward a small starship.

Kasei hurried after her, asking, “Marshal, what should we do with the Squid Alien prisoners?”

“Kill them.”

“And higher-ups?”

“Don’t worry about them. A bunch of cowardly, self-preserving trash. By the time we return, those idiots will be gone from power anyway.”

Orphanage, kitchen.

The kitchen was in chaos. The basin holding the pomelo peel had been knocked over.

Water and pomelo peel covered the floor, and nearby stood Song Yang, drenched from head to toe.

Song Yiran’s CPU nearly fried. What had just happened?

In such a short time, why had the kitchen turned into such a mess? Why did this simple basin of pomelo peel bring so much trouble?

Originally, Song Fu had messed with the pomelo peel. Later, Yiran had replaced the water and moved the basin to a safer corner. And yet, disaster had still struck.

Was he destined never to eat pomelo peel?

No—the pomelo peel wasn’t the point. The point was Song Yang, soaked through.

Song Yiran quickly grabbed a towel, crouched, and wrapped Song Yang in it, drying him off thoroughly.

Song Yang didn’t speak, only gazing at him with teary eyes.

Song Yiran felt a pang of guilt. The water was so cold—Song Yang must be frozen stiff.

As he dried him, he comforted him gently, “Oh, my good little one, you’re cold, aren’t you?”

“All because of you, brother. You shouldn’t have left the pomelo peel there. Oh, poor little one, it’s all the pomelo peel’s fault! Naughty pomelo peel! Brother will scold the pomelo peel for you!”

Song Yiran was focused on drying him and didn’t notice that Song Yang’s eyes had turned golden.

Let’s rewind a bit.

Song Yang had been wandering the kitchen out of curiosity. Having just arrived at the orphanage, everything was new to him.

He wanted to look around and explore everything.

While exploring, he discovered the basin of pomelo peel tucked in a corner.

Curious, he leaned over to look closely—but slipped and fell into the basin.

The water wasn’t deep—he could have stood up easily—but he panicked and flailed in the water, eventually managing to climb out.

However, the entire basin was overturned, pomelo peel and water everywhere.

Song Yang stared at the chaotic floor, unsure what to do. Had he done something wrong?

Would his brother scold him? Would he think he wasn’t sensible enough? Would he be disappointed?

The more he thought, the sadder he became. Surely, his brother would think he was a naughty child.

Would his brother look at him with disappointment?

No—he didn’t want to be seen that way. Just imagining it made him want to cry.

“Song Yang” rarely refrained from mocking. He let out a sigh—after all, no matter how foolish his little brother was, he was still his brother. “I’ll take the blame for you.”

Having said that, without waiting for any response from Song Yang, “Song Yang” directly took back control of the body.

Song Yang curled up inside his own heart, shutting himself off. How could he have made such a mistake?

Would his brother think he was being naughty? Would his brother stop liking him?

“Tap, tap, tap…” Those were Song Yiran’s footsteps.

Song Yang blinked his golden eyes, then stood where he was, waiting for Song Yiran.

Song Yang thought he would get scolded, or at least lectured—but instead, what he received was gentle comfort and a soft towel.

Tsk. That silly sweet fool really has such good luck… really good…

Song Yang was so jealous he was almost going mad, tears pouring out endlessly.

He opened his eyes wide and stared at Song Yiran with all his might, as if trying to engrave this scene deep into his heart.

Why is he treating that silly sweet fool so well?

If only this love were for him. If only the one being loved were him.

Seeing Song Yang’s tears falling faster and faster, Song Yiran hurriedly and gently wiped them away, then leaned in closer to carefully examine Song Yang’s eyes.

“Good baby, what’s wrong with your eyes? Did some pomelo peel juice get in them? Why are you crying nonstop? Do your eyes hurt?”

Song Yiran frowned, worry written all over his face as he examined Song Yang’s eyes closely, but he couldn’t see anything wrong.

He urgently called out to Xiao Zhong’er in his mind, “Xiao Zhong’er, I need your help here! Something seems wrong with Song Yang’s eyes!”

Xiao Zhong’er immediately flashed into the kitchen and quickly scanned Song Yang from head to toe.

Then he reported the results. “Relax, his eyes are perfectly fine!”

Only then did Song Yiran let out a sigh of relief. If his eyes were fine, that was good. But why was Song Yang still crying?

Song Yiran guessed that Song Yang might have been frightened, which was why he kept crying.

While coaxing Song Yang, Song Yiran brought out his ultimate child-soothing trick.

He stepped on a piece of pomelo peel and pointed at it, telling Song Yang to look.

“It’s all these pomelo peels’ fault! These pomelo peels scared our Yangyang! Big brother will stand up for you!”

As he spoke, Song Yiran stomped hard on the pomelo peel beneath his foot. The way he did it made it look like the pomelo peel had an eighteen-generations-deep grudge against him!

After being knocked onto the floor, these pomelo peels couldn’t be eaten anyway and were meant to be thrown into the trash. Now they were just right for cheering Song Yang up.

Song Yiran ground the pomelo peel fiercely under his foot, stomping and scolding at the same time.

“It’s all your fault! How dare you scare our Yangyang! Yangyang is big brother’s precious good baby—how could you bully Yangyang!”

While stepping on the pomelo peel, Song Yiran continued to coax Song Yang. “Good baby, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid—big brother will stand up for you! Bad pomelo peel! Rotten pomelo peel! Big brother will stomp you to death!”

Xiao Zhong’er watched in stunned silence. “…5. Where did you even learn a move like that?”

“Hehe, when I was little and tripped over the floor, my parents would stand up for me like this,” Song Yiran said with a shy smile.

“Good baby, don’t cry anymore, okay? Big brother has already helped you get your revenge. Let’s stop crying, alright?”

Song Yiran gently patted Song Yang’s head.

Suddenly, an impulse rose in Song Yang’s heart—he wanted to tell Song Yiran the truth.

If Song Yiran could be this gentle to the silly sweet fool, then would he also be this gentle to him?

He didn’t want to interact with Song Yiran under the identity of the silly sweet fool anymore. He was himself—he wasn’t that silly sweet fool.

He wanted Song Yiran to see him through this body, not the silly sweet fool.

Xiao Zhong’er suddenly noticed a blind spot and quietly shared the intel with Song Yiran in his mind.

“Song Yiran, his eyes are golden. He should be another personality of Song Yang.”

“I… I’m not him… I’m not Song Yang. I’m his brother… we used to…”

In the end, Song Yang still spoke the truth. He stared unblinkingly at Song Yiran, afraid of missing even the slightest change in Song Yiran’s expression.

If Song Yiran didn’t like him, then he would retreat back into his heart and hand the body over to the silly sweet fool.

After hearing the entire story, Song Yiran fell silent. Xiao Zhong’er also fell silent.

And Song Yang was shocked. “!! Big brother! So you’re my big brother!”

Even at this moment, Song Yang didn’t forget to retort internally. You silly sweet fool! I really don’t want to admit an idiot like you as my younger brother—but I am indeed your big brother.

Be grateful to me! If it weren’t for me, you would’ve died long ago!

Song Yang obediently expressed his thanks. “Thank you, big brother! Thank you for letting me live again!”