“We didn’t believe Her Highness… and nearly killed ourselves…”

“If we really died just like that… we wouldn’t get to eat such delicious things…”

Carter smiled at them, asking, “Do you still want to die now?”

“No! No!” They shouted, “I don’t want to die anymore!”

“Hahaha!” Everyone burst into laughter.

“Be careful. Don’t get choked,” Lisi reminded them, seeing them crying and laughing.

In the end, there were really a few of them who choked. Everyone quickly poured water for them and patted their backs. Then, they drank the water thirstily, as though they had never seen clean water their whole lives.

We arrived in Queen Town amidst their cheers and laughter, and also… their stench.

There were a total of twenty-six miners rescued, including four children.

“I never thought that we could last until the North Star came, until the good days came…” The miners held a bun in one hand and water in the other, wearing a happy smile on their faces.

Carter glanced at them with a smile. “You will be more surprised when you arrive in Queen Town.”

They looked at Carter confusedly.

Lisi continued proudly, “Queen Town is completely different after our Queen’s transformation. It is covered in food crops and fruit trees!”

“Fruit trees? What are those?” Ah Chen and the other boys asked curiously. The men gave Carter and Lisi confused looks too.

Lisi smiled. “Fruits. Have you never eaten any fruits?”

“What are fruits?” They seemed lost.

“I’ll go and get some!” Gru immediately got up and ran. Suddenly, he was shoved back into the room before he could get out, “Ouch!”

Then, a person barged in anxiously, asking, “Is everyone ok?”

Everyone immediately stood up in surprise. “Karloff!”

It was Karloff. His arm was still attached to his shoulder with a fastener. He looked like he’d just woken up, looking around at everyone with his red eyes.

“Pitter-patter.” Someone ran over in a hurry. It was Lucifer. He looked at me apologetically. “Sister Luo Bing, I’m sorry. I didn’t watch him closely. He’s injured and I was worried that I might tear his arm off again by accident.”

Karloff immediately fixed his eyes on me anxiously the second Lucifer talked to me. He then raised his hand.

“Karloff!”

“Brother Karloff!” The children and Ah Tu immediately shouted in surprise.

Karloff glanced at them nervously and they immediately showed him the food and water, assuring, “Karloff! Don’t worry! The Queen is the North Star! She’s really here to save us!”

“North Star…” Karloff stood with his eyes wide open, dumbfounded.

Everyone stared at him. Xing Chuan glanced at him, saying, “You are in safe hands.”

“Safe… safe…” Karloff slowly collapsed onto the ground. Carter and Lisi who were closest to him helped him to the side of the table.

Ah Tu pushed the food and water before him. He stared at it for a while before he suddenly grabbed and stuffed them into his face. He started crying, “Why… why did you only come now… Why… did you only come now…”

Everyone became quiet.

Ah Wang, Ah Chen and the other children glanced at Ah Tu, asking, “What is Uncle Karloff talking about? Why is he asking that?”

“Sigh…” Ah Tu and the other men let out a heavy sigh. Ah Tu seemed to be the oldest among them. He patted Karloff’s shoulder, urging, “Don’t say that. At least we and the children managed to…”

Karloff wailed in tears, munching the bun.

Everyone became silent again. I knew what he meant.

I’m sorry. We came late.

“Don’t cry anymore. We will follow the Queen from now on and we will live a good life!” Ah Tu pulled himself together, saying to Karloff with a smile.

Karloff had yet to regain his composure, still seeming distressed.

Everyone became quiet because Karloff looked so dispirited.

“Lil Bing, we are home,” Raffles announced happily. We had been away from Queen Town for six days!

Our plan had been to visit three zones in six days and come back for replenishment and reorganization on the seventh day.

I stood up and everyone moved along with my movement. I smiled at them, declaring forcefully, “Your new life has just begun! Welcome to the new Queen Town!”

With a lift of my hand, the top, bottom and side plates of the spacecraft retracted. The scenery of red flowers and green fruits came into sight. Their eyes grew big as we entered Queen Town.

They went up to the window in surprise, leaning against the glass to see Queen Town as they unwittingly let out gasps of admiration.

Karloff, who remained in his seat, looked down at the brilliant ground under his feet.

Below us were ripening fruit trees. Red melted into green, green gave way to yellow, which in turn bordered a blue lake. The rolling colors made Queen Town look like a beautiful striped carpet.

“Howl!” Little Har and the other lucid birds suddenly flew past above us, hovering above, below and next to us. Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

“Wow! What animal is that?!”

“They are huge!”

“Will they eat humans?”

“Don’t worry. They are the guards of Queen Town, Her Highness’ children, lucid birds!” Gru introduced them to the children proudly.

“Little Har! Little Bing! Little Raf!” Lucifer got so excited looking at them. “I want to go out and play with them!” Then, Lucifer ran out.

“He is so brave! He dares to play with such big birds!” The children gaped at the birds, impressed.

“He said earlier that he was worried he would break Uncle Karloff’s arm. Why would Uncle Karloff’s arm break off so easily?” Ah Wang seemed to admire Karloff too.

“He doesn’t look that strong… ”

Just then, a huge figure flew past before the children. Scared stiff, they shouted, “Flying corpse! The Queen even has a flying corpse!?”

“No wonder no one dares to come to Queen Town…” Even the adults were pale.

“Hahahaha!” Carter and Gru chuckled and said, “That’s Lucifer, the brother you saw earlier.”

“Ah?” Everyone was shocked. Even Karloff, who was dumbfounded at the Queen Town’s scenery, gaped at Lucifer blankly.

“Lucifer is an evolved flying corpse. He can be in human form normally,” Lisi explained. “He is also the Queen’s child."

“…” Lucifer is not my child... Well, Lucifer is considered my child, I guess. I did watch Little Bing, Little Har and Little Raf grow up.

“Her Highness…” The children gazed at me in admiration while Ah Tu said, “Your Highness, you are amazing! We are no longer fearful!”

“Not just lucid birds and a flying corpse, our Queen has a lot more amazing things!” Gru was getting carried away.