MPWATMBC Chapter 118

“Daddy, Daddy, how much longer until we arrive?”

After a few months apart, Tuantuan had grown a lot. He was now a little child who spoke fluently and had excellent coordination. Though not yet two years old, he had strong logical thinking and spoke in an orderly manner, able to fully express his thoughts. No one knew where he had picked up such a vast vocabulary. Ryan had asked his parents and learned that Tuantuan loved listening to adults tell stories. Other children might be satisfied hearing the same story every day, but not Tuantuan—he could immediately tell if the beginning was the same.

Besides listening to stories, he also enjoyed watching cartoons. Holographic cartoons allowed characters to interact with reality, making them an entertaining yet educational experience. Tuantuan had already finished all cartoons suitable for children under three years old and was now exploring interactive ones for four-year-olds. He had even started “wearing a sword” to rescue little princesses.

On the way to Gamma Military Base, the small starship cruised steadily. Having completed their mission, Ryan and Auston were returning to their posts with their young son, ready to resume official duties.

Standing by the starship window, Ryan turned his head and saw Tuantuan running toward him, his little legs moving quickly. The sound of his footsteps echoed as he dashed over like a gust of wind. Looking up at Ryan with eager eyes, Tuantuan called out impatiently, “Daddy?”

Ryan crouched down to meet his gaze. “After you take a nap, we’ll be there.”

Tuantuan’s little face fell. “That’s still so long…”

“Travel takes time, sweetheart.”

“Why can’t it go faster?” Tuantuan started running in place, making exaggerated whoosh whoosh whoosh breathing sounds to match.

Ryan chuckled and tapped Tuantuan’s tiny nose. “This is just how fast civilian starships go. The grown-ups haven’t found a way to make them faster yet.”

“Why?” Tuantuan asked curiously, stopping his movements and tilting his head as he looked at his daddy.

“Because for now, even military starships can’t go any faster.”

Tuantuan was still too young to fully grasp the reasoning. He scratched his head and asked, “There’s really no way?”

“Mm, not for now.” Ryan scooped up his little Tuantuan, standing up while holding him close. Together, they gazed out at the vast cosmos speeding past the window. “Human technology hasn’t reached that level yet—it still needs time to develop. Tuantuan, maybe for Daddy and me, this is as far as we can go. But in the future, it’ll be up to you and your generation to explore further.”

Tuantuan understood and nodded firmly. “Mm! I’ll work hard!”

“That’s my boy.”

Tuantuan grinned. “Hehe.”

He yawned—his peak excitement had passed. Knowing that they would only arrive at Gamma Military Base after his nap, he decided to let go of his anticipation. His blinking slowed, and sleepiness quickly took over.

Ryan patted his back gently, and Tuantuan instinctively nestled in. Before long, his breathing evened out as he drifted into sleep.

“He’s asleep?” Auston asked softly, emerging from the study after finishing some work.

Ryan nodded, keeping his voice low. “Didn’t even need to coax him—he just dozed off on his own.”

Auston smiled. “Tuantuan is such an easy child. We’ve been away for so long, yet he never complained.”

Instead of feeling relieved, Ryan and Auston only felt heartache. When they returned to the plantation star, they had asked their parents about Tuantuan. They learned that during the first two days after his daddies left, he would wake up each morning and search for them. While playing during the day, he would subconsciously turn around to look for them. At night, even in his sleep, crystal-clear tears would gather at the corners of his eyes.

After those first two uneasy days, Tuantuan stopped looking for them and became more independent. He dressed himself, ate on his own, and found ways to entertain himself. His grandparents saw it all and felt their hearts ache, showering him with even more love to make up for it.

Ryan carried the sleeping Tuantuan to bed. With nothing urgent to handle, he and Auston decided to take a nap as well. They placed Tuantuan in the middle, and soon, the room was filled with nothing but the steady rhythm of their breathing.

Tuantuan was truly Ryan’s son—his self-discipline was remarkable. One sign of it was his internal clock. If he said he would nap for an hour and a half, he would never sleep beyond two hours. At most, he might push it to an hour and fifty minutes before waking up on his own.

As his eyes fluttered open, the first thing he saw was his daddy sleeping beside him. Delighted, he wiggled his little feet. When they bumped into someone else, he turned his head and saw his papa.

Tuantuan’s eyes widened into perfect circles, filled with joy.

Auston didn’t open his eyes but lifted a hand, gently placing it across Tuantuan’s soft little belly. “Baby, sleep a little longer.”

Tuantuan happily clasped his chubby hands together. He really wanted to sleep, but he just couldn’t! He squeezed his eyes shut and scrunched up his round little face, trying hard to drift off. After a while, he wiggled—like someone had just tickled all his sensitive spots.

Auston sighed and finally opened his eyes. “Tuantuan.”

Tuantuan immediately froze, lying still like an obedient little cub.

Auston exchanged a knowing glance with Ryan, both trying to suppress their laughter. Sure enough, after two or three minutes, Tuantuan couldn’t hold back any longer. This time, he carefully peeked open one eye—only to see his daddy grinning at him. Then he heard his papa chuckling, and though he didn’t know why, Tuantuan giggled along with them.

Suddenly, he started rolling around—one moment tumbling into Papa’s arms to play, the next rolling over to Daddy’s side. He reached out to touch daddy’s firm chest muscles, letting out an admiring “Ooooh.”

Auston, feeling competitive, said with jealousy, “I have them too!”

Ryan lifted his chin proudly. “Looks like Tuantuan approves of mine more.”

Auston, dissatisfied, gave Tuantuan’s chubby little bottom a gentle squeeze. “You little rascal.”

The “little rascal” suddenly stuck his bottom up, pressed his hands against the bed, and pushed himself into a sitting position. His bright eyes sparkled as he looked at Ryan. “Daddy, I’m awake!”

Ryan chuckled. “Yes, you are.”

Tuantuan asked eagerly, “Are we there yet?”

Ryan replied, “Almost.”

Tuantuan turned expectantly to Auston and called out sweetly, “Papa~”

Ryan glanced at Auston in confusion. Auston, maintaining a mysterious smile, pushed aside the thin blanket and sat up. Then, opening his arms wide, he said, “Come here, baby. The moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived.”

Tuantuan immediately stood up and launched himself into his Papa’s arms, his excitement palpable. Auston carried him into the dressing room.

Ryan propped his head up, watching them leave. After a moment of thought, he had a pretty good idea of what Tuantuan was looking forward to.

Just then, his personal terminal beeped twice. He activated the interface with a voice command.

A message popped up from Connor: I’m about to go on stage for my speech.

Ryan dictated his response, “Don’t be nervous. This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Who knows? Maybe after this speech, you’ll succeed.”

Connor: [Self-deprecating smile.jpg] It’s not that easy. It’s just a public speech—I don’t expect this alone to change the current policies.

Ryan: “But you turned Bird of Paradise from an organization into a political party.”

Connor: Thank you.

Ryan: “Hmm?”

Connor: If it weren’t for your advice, I wouldn’t have thought of that.

According to Imperial policy, any civilian group registered with the government that surpassed fifty members could submit an application. Once approved, the group would gain recognition as a legally protected political party under Imperial law. This granted them the right to run for Prime Minister and Parliament, and as parliament members, they would have the platform to voice their opinions—opinions that might eventually shape new laws and regulations.

Connor had studied law at a school and was well aware of such policies. However, as a high-ranking member of Bird of Paradise, he had never once considered the possibility that this organization—one that had operated in the shadows for centuries, constantly at odds with the government—could ever be legitimized. Ryan’s suggestion had been an eye-opener, revealing an entirely new path to achieving their goals.

But before he could make that vision a reality, there was something he needed to do—cleanse the Bird of Paradise from within.

And he had done it.

Using the government’s own mechanisms, Connor had eradicated internal dissidents, restoring the organization to its purest founding ideals. After that, he wasted no time. He formally submitted the application and began the long wait for the review results.

The department responsible for the review: …

They were absolutely shocked—this was beyond imagination! An organization that had been opposing the current policies at every turn, a group that had been deemed illegal for years, now wanted to legalize itself? If staff members were allowed to share departmental secrets, there would have been at least seventeen or eighteen posts on the Empire’s hottest forum, each one stirring up more and more discussions. If one post got buried, they’d just post another, until the topic became the subject of heated debates everywhere. It was just so worth discussing.

Unfortunately, adhering to confidentiality protocols, the staff members had to control their impulses, quietly following through with the procedures. “I think the application will pass without issues. Bird of Paradise is approved on my end. The next step, however, is bound to fail. Let them worry about it.”

After more than a dozen steps, the staff members mostly thought the same thing, and Bird of Paradise smoothly made it to the final stage, presented right before the department leaders. The leaders were a little undecided, so they passed it up as a special case. Eventually, the application landed on the Prime Minister’s desk. The newly appointed Prime Minister, eager to prove himself, saw the approval of Bird of Paradise’s legitimacy.

It was a cause for celebration, but it also left those handling the matter stunned, their jaws dropped. Yet, they couldn’t deny the reality of it; once they accepted it, it didn’t seem so strange anymore.

After the approval, Connor stepped into the spotlight. From a famous online author, he transitioned into an unpolished politician. He gave speeches on the Prime Minister’s public reception days, catching the Prime Minister’s attention. After all, he was a skilled writer with a powerful oratory style—his persuasive speeches had impact. Soon enough, he was granted the opportunity to speak on public days. That was just the first step. There was still a long road ahead.

But Connor believed in himself. He had already found a path that was starkly different from the one taken by his predecessors, and he was confident he would succeed.

Ryan asked casually, “I want to ask you something.”

Connor: “What is it?”

Ryan: “Have you prepared that injection? I know it has an expiration date.”

Connor: “How long?”

After a while, Connor, trying to cover up his nervousness, calmly sent another message: Oh, got it. How long until it expires?

Ryan suppressed a smile in his voice, “Three years.”

Connor: Got it.

Ryan: “Tuan Tuan is almost two years old.”

The injection had been given to Connor before Tuan Tuan was born, and now the expiration date was nearly half past. Moreover, if they didn’t act quickly, Fan Lanting would enter the adaptation phase soon.

Connor: Mm, got it. Not discussing it anymore, I’m heading out now.

Ryan: “Good luck.”

Connor: Thanks for the blessing.

Hearing footsteps, Ryan turned toward the changing room and saw Tuantuan. He sat up straight, watching the little one in a dark green, well-fitted military uniform. Tuantuan held back a smile, trying hard to maintain a serious expression, his little eyes shining with expectation as he looked at his father. When he saw that his father hadn’t reacted, he took a few steps forward, the sound of his small leather shoes tapping sharply against the floor, drawing his father’s attention. At the same time, he subtly pointed with his lips, as if to remind him—he should be doing something now.

As expected, Ryan gave Tuantuan a thumbs-up, “Very good.” His gaze shifted to the person behind Tuantuan, his military uniform making the person appear tall and handsome, capturing attention and making it hard to look away.