Origin Chapter Three: Butcher Zaku

Ever since the butcher noticed the crowds had grown larger than usual the day before yesterday, he began keeping his shop door closed. Even longtime customers who came to buy meat only completed their transactions quickly and simply through the small window at the front.

When the tragedy unfolded in the square, those fleeing strangers—no matter how desperately they pounded on the door, shouted, or begged—found the butcher unmoved. He never opened.

The butcher’s name was Zaku. He was born less than 300 million kilometers away, on the third colonial planet—a primitive world covered in vegetation. Its diameter was more than twice that of the Empire’s central planet, and its orbit around the imperial heart measured 500,000 kilometers.

The third planet had no official name from the Empire. Its inhabitants called it Green Source. Everywhere there were towering trees, mountains, lakes, and hundreds of millions of biospheres. Imperial scientific expeditions had only ventured within a fifty-thousand kilometer radius of the mining zone; farther out, the Empire’s Ministry of Science and Technology had little interest. After all, the star system was vibrant, and the Empire’s interstellar colonization plans had already extended to dozens of worlds—planets not only suitable for human life but rich in mineral resources. Even those with harsh conditions had become habitable through the construction of protective sky domes, enabling human settlement and mining on thousands more worlds.

Thus, comprehensive scientific exploration of Green Source was neither urgent nor necessary. The mining area itself covered less than ten thousand square kilometers, and the Empire’s colonial construction department’s security measures only extended a thousand kilometers past the mining zone. Beyond that lay uncontrollable forbidden territory.

The Empire’s colonial administration strictly prohibited humans from entering forbidden zones under any pretense, or crossing their borders without permission. The penalty for violation ranged from heavy labor and imprisonment—forced into the most perilous mining work, deprived of all imperial privileges and status—to, in the worst case, summary execution by mechanical warriors within the forbidden line.

Outside the forbidden zone, fate alone ruled survival.

Green Source was rich in a special mineral called Klu ore—a mysterious magnetic substance that, when energized, could emit forces repelling current gravity and generating propulsion. The Empire’s discovery and utilization of Klu ore fueled the rapid development of levitation technology, and its vast reserves made floating devices common among civilians, transforming the Empire’s modes of transportation.

Through the relentless efforts and experiments of several generations of imperial scientists, the Empire developed warships capable of traversing the entire star system. Rumor had it that superluminal stellar jump technology was being tested; some claimed that experimental ships had brought back life forms from several billion light-years away—primitive civilizations.

In many unexplored regions lived extremely primitive creatures, some possessing rudimentary intelligence. These mysterious beings not only learned rapidly but some wielded psychic powers or could transform their forms. Endearing and captivating, they became coveted pets throughout the Empire’s vast colonial worlds. Apart from those first few captured by imperial scientists and distributed among powerful figures, most were acquired through smuggling.

Due to the unique properties of Klu ore, Green Source always faced the sun on one side; its other half was an even more mysterious realm. Legend held that these creatures’ ancestors emerged from the darkness and never returned.

As a child, Zaku followed his father and several uncles, leading hunting expeditions across Green Source in floating ships, seeking to capture these creatures and other valuable goods to sell for profit.

But hunting was perilous. The forbidden zone’s wildlife included not only gentle pets but also ferocious beasts and birds of prey.

Through these years, Zaku gained exceptional survival skills in the wild, learned to fight and strategize against predators, uncovered more of Green Source’s secrets, and mastered some mysterious abilities. The hunts also brought them considerable wealth.

Later, Zaku’s father was surrounded and attacked by several raptors. Despite fighting fiercely, he was seized and carried off into the darkness, never to be seen again.

Grieving, Zaku’s uncles felt lost without his father’s leadership. After dividing their fortune, they bade each other farewell—some returned home, others left Green Source.

Zaku wished to storm the dark regions to rescue or avenge his father, but with his uncles’ departure, he was powerless and could only abandon the plan.

When Zaku was five, his father abruptly told him his mother had died. Before Zaku could react, his father took him aboard a small floating attack ship—without allowing him to bring any belongings or even a photo of his mother. Thus, Zaku grew up on the warship, gradually forgetting his home’s appearance and location. He only knew that shortly after leaving the mining zone, his father received several large sums of money—proceeds from selling all their valuables.

Zaku pondered his fate for a long time, uncertain where to go.

After several bouts of bitter drinking alone on the warship, he contacted a longtime animal trader, selling the ship for a fraction of its value and commissioning the trader to buy him a small luxury interstellar yacht. Stocked with food and robotic assistants, he embarked on a life of aimless wandering.

Page 2

After drifting through the cosmos for nearly two years, Zaku grew increasingly tired. The endless dark, once enchanting with its twinkling stars, now filled him with disgust.

After long hours staring into the void, he wandered into the room that held his father’s relics. For the first time, he sought to truly understand his father. Despite the almost smothering care and brutal training his father gave him, Zaku realized he’d never really known the man—only that he was formidable, knowledgeable, and a top talent in warfare, martial arts, and science.

His father had devoted himself to shaping Zaku into a powerful warrior. Thinking of this, Zaku’s interest in his father only deepened.

He opened the notepad his father always kept hidden in his desk and activated its interface. The background was a childhood photo of himself, and a prompt appeared for genetic identification. Zaku instinctively placed his finger on the screen, which scanned him with beams of light.

The interface opened instantly, revealing three folders: one for photos and videos, another for routine affairs, and the last labeled, “For My Son, Zaku.”

Zaku opened it to find numerous files, titled with various bank information. He clicked a few at random and found massive records of wealth and assets. The contents of just these files were enough to make Zaku richer than most nations.

He scrolled further and found even more files. At the end was a video. Zaku opened it.

His father appeared, neatly dressed, exuding a military aura. His stern face softened slightly as he spoke slowly to the screen:

“My dearest child, Zaku—

This is a video I left for you as a final message. Yes, if you’re watching this, I must be gone. I set up my notepad with my vital sign sensors; when it no longer detects my life signals for a certain period, your genetic unlock is activated. Otherwise, you’d never see any of its contents.” His father, rare for him, cracked a slight smile and teased his son.

He continued, “But whatever happens, don’t mourn my passing. Everyone leaves in their own way—some for a while, some forever. If I knew my strong son would lose himself to grief, I’d be deeply saddened.

I’m leaving you this video because there are things I need to explain.”

His father’s expression grew serious. “As you’ve seen, the files contain enormous wealth, astronomical sums. Within reason, you can spend as you wish—I won’t begrudge it.

But listen carefully—

Your mother is not dead. She and the rest of our family left Green Source and are hiding in the most perilous region of the star system’s turbulent zone, where it’s bitterly cold and harsh.

You must want to know why they fled and hid from us. It was because of your grandfather and maternal grandfather.

Both were esteemed imperial ministers, serving three emperors. The first was a wise reformer, the second an able steward, and the third, corrupt and easily swayed by treacherous courtiers. Your ancestors were upright and principled, never straying, always advancing the Empire’s interests, and always obstructing the schemes of villains. As they aged, the imperial court grew thick with traitors forming powerful factions, untouchable by ordinary officials—termites and wolves.

Your grandfathers were repeatedly pressured and bribed, but they steadfastly trusted the emperor’s true intentions. They constantly submitted memorials denouncing the traitors and their allies.

At last, they angered the treacherous group, who fabricated charges and persuaded the emperor to imprison them in the Sky Prison, torturing them mercilessly. Near death, they were not spared; the traitors had them dropped outside the forbidden zone and broadcast the event live to the Empire.

That day, your mother and I watched the news, witnessing your grandfathers fall into the forbidden land. Your maternal grandfather succumbed first, leaving your grandfather—a proud soldier—helpless against the beasts that tore him apart before our eyes…”

Page 3

At this point, Zaku’s father was overcome with grief, his eyes reddening as he wept. Zaku, watching his father’s gentle crying, could not help but feel his own sorrow.

After a pause, his father continued:

“Because of your grandfathers, I was reassigned by the military to Green Source for defense. Your mother, a geologist and mineral expert, applied to work there as well, and our families were gradually squeezed onto Green Source. After your birth, we stopped caring about political struggles.

But the villains, bent on annihilation, petitioned the emperor to send elite guards to Green Source to wipe us out.

A conscientious minister risked his life to send word outside. So, that day, we left home in haste. To spare you too many memories, I lied that your mother had died. Meanwhile, I resolved to train you into a man who could protect himself, your mother, and our family.

For twenty years, I used my identity as a smuggler and hunter to raise you. Your growth fills me with pride. You can protect yourself, your mother, and our loved ones. I believe you’re capable, though I won’t live to see it. I’ve set up an automatic message to your mother’s secret contact node with your progress; she will be proud and gratified.

I’ve tried for twenty years to reach your mother, but still have not. The old contact node may or may not still work.

Son, I hope you’ll use the skills I gave you to rescue your mother and family.

Also, I was once the Empire’s top special forces commander. There are still loyal comrades and subordinates in the military. You can return to the central star, hide, and seek out my old allies for support and resources, but I can’t say if they’re still trustworthy. You’ll need patience and skill to test them. In the second folder, I’ve left you the names and contact details of the people I trust most.

There’s more, but I won’t elaborate; I’ve backed it all up in files for you.”

He paused, gazing at the screen, and spoke his final words, full of longing:

“Son, Zaku, I’m gone. You must rely on yourself. Remember me. Remember all my kindness and love. Remember to rescue your mother…”

…

The video ended.

At last, Zaku released the force he’d been suppressing. He wept again—for all of it. Now he finally knew what he’d always wanted to know, and what he needed to do next.

He returned to the control room, contacted the resourceful animal trader, who forged him a genuine identity as an ordinary person. He infiltrated the Empire, settling in a quiet street, operating a butcher shop where he’d hardly make friends—everything was a disguise, all for learning about the old contacts his father recommended, and preparing for the arduous plan to rescue his mother.

From Zaku’s time hiding as a butcher to now, it had been two years. Several of his father’s old comrades had made secret contact, and Zaku had gathered much useful intelligence. More deeply, he was secretly assembling a resistance organization, his father’s wealth fueling its creation.

That boy at the door—Zaku had not intended to rescue him, fearing exposure for himself and others. But after a quick calculation, Zaku glimpsed his own past in the boy’s desperate plight. He intervened, saving the youth.

Beyond the Shore Universe—Chapter Three—The Butcher Zaku—End