Chapter 1: She Is a Noble

Inside the cramped, sealed spaceship, an indescribable stench mingled with the sharp tang of machine oil, making one want to retch.

The battered seats were uneven, with springs poking out and torn stuffing exposed, stained a filthy yellow.

Yet none of the passengers seemed to notice. Every pair of eyes kept sneaking glances at the aisle seat in the third row on the left side of the cabin.

Some looked furtively, others brazenly.

Because sitting there was the only young lady on this ship. Her straight, jet-black hair cascaded down, gleaming with the luster of black pearls. Her head rested obediently against the seatback, eyes tightly shut, long dark lashes casting a shadow like a somber fan.

Her lips were slightly parted, a rosy flush blooming on her delicate, pale face, with the upturned corners of her eyes tinged a striking crimson.

She was beautiful and alluring, her very presence making the shabby cabin seem a little more glamorous.

From a seat behind and to the side, a man named Ma Kang let his narrow eyes linger on her, whistling shamelessly.

“Damn, this girl is gorgeous. Who would’ve thought you’d see a beauty like this on an exile ship? Even the daughters of nobles aren’t this delicate.”

A burly man beside him snorted. “Shows what you know. That white lace court dress she’s wearing? It’s from that noble shop on Rich Street. That place is famous for being snobbish—they won’t even let you buy anything unless you’re a noble.”

He lifted his chin proudly, eyes flicking over. “See those white pearls on her cuffs? Those are mermaid pearls, shipped all the way from Neptune. Just one is worth tens of thousands of energy credits.”

A collective gasp swept through those who overheard.

Eyes reddened with excitement and greed, throats working as they swallowed hungrily.

Ma Kang stared, practically drooling, his excitement growing. “She’s a noble. She’s actually a noble.”

“But why would a noble lady be exiled with the likes of us?”

After all, this rickety ship wasn’t heading anywhere good—it was bound for the most notorious place in the galaxy: the Exile Star.

Also known as the Trash Planet, it was a dumping ground for all manner of interstellar garbage and refuse.

It was a nightmare for the banished, a paradise for the wicked.

Because nothing ever left this planet, it was a natural, colossal prison, completely cut off from the outside world. Not even a 3S-level powerhouse could break through its defensive barrier.

So, whether villains reveled or innocent children wept, no help would ever come. Over time, it became the cruelest hunting ground imaginable, where the law of the jungle reigned supreme.

A delicate noble lady like her probably wouldn’t survive a day in there.

“Who cares why she’s here? Once you’re on this ship, you’re just another exile like us.”

With that, a realization dawned on everyone. Their eyes lit up, and they began to stir restlessly.

The shackles of years of noble oppression had shattered. Now, they looked at the little lamb among wolves with even more naked desire.

But just as Ma Kang, the boldest and greediest, was about to make a move, he suddenly recoiled as if scalded, pupils contracting in fear.

His voice trembled. “W-who is that?”

Following his gaze, they saw that in the same row as the little lamb, just to her left and partly hidden by a sheet of rusty metal, sat a tall, imposing man.

He wore a worn military uniform. His mature face was sharply chiseled, cold and stern as if carved from stone.

His bloodshot, hawk-like eyes, though weary, burned like torches—sharp as blades, making people shrink back in fear.

“That’s Yun Jingzheng, second son of the Yun family—the top noble house under Duke Kimberley. He’s a 2S-level powerhouse, exceptionally skilled and brave, and was the most likely successor to old General Yun Cang.”

“But not long ago, the Yun family’s forces lost a major battle against the Norman Empire. He was accused of colluding with the enemy, found guilty by the Interstellar Court, and exiled to the Exile Star.”

“That little lamb—no, that delicate young lady—is Yun Jingzheng’s second daughter, Yun Qimu, known as the ‘Jewel of the Clouds.’”

A gentle, cultured voice drifted from behind them.

A young man with slicked-back hair and strikingly handsome features closed a brick-thick book with a smile, then lifted his deep brown eyes.

“Brother Fei!” Ma Kang turned, calling out in surprise.

He grinned obsequiously. “You really know everything, Brother Fei.”

He glanced, thinking himself discreet, at Yun Qimu, and whispered, “I know about Yun Qimu. The whole city of Kimberley’s heard of her—even in the slums where I live. The Yun family’s sickly second daughter, disgraced herself at General Yun’s ninetieth birthday by having an affair, and was personally expelled by the old general.”

“Didn’t expect she’d end up exiled too. Tsk… Too bad there’s a 2S-level Yun Jingzheng right beside her.”

He licked his lips, muttering regretfully.

Fei Jie’s warm brown eyes swept over him with a smile, then turned to Yun Jingzheng, the corners of his mouth curling into a strange smirk.

With a 2S powerhouse present, the rest of the passengers quickly settled down, no longer daring to even look Yun Qimu’s way.

She might be a fragile little lamb, but with a tiger guarding her, no one dared make a move.

Boom—

Suddenly, the spaceship shuddered violently, a piercing alarm blaring through the cabin.

It was in the midst of this chaos—people cursing and the world spinning—that Yun Qimu regained consciousness.

Her long, raven lashes fluttered, and her eyes opened—not the least bit drowsy, but sharp and alert.

She calmly scanned her surroundings, then frowned, spreading her fingers to grip the safety rail with lightning speed. In the same motion, she grabbed the man beside her, who was about to be flung forward by the ship’s dive, and yanked him back into his seat.

The clatter of loose parts and the groaning of strained metal filled the cabin, making everyone’s hearts pound with fear.

Faces pale, hearts in their throats, they braced themselves.

If this junk heap of a ship broke apart, they’d end up as just another speck of dust in the starry sea.

Fortunately, the ship finally managed to punch through the atmosphere, creaking and wobbling like an old man with bad knees, but eventually leveling out.

“Damn, that scared me half to death, this piece of junk…”

Everyone wiped cold sweat from their brows, slumping in relief, cursing and muttering as the tension in the cabin eased.

With a final jolt, the ship landed safely on the Exile Star."