Day: October 4, 2023

Chapter 43 – Replica

Chapter 43: The Jade Case

 

The sun peeked over the horizon, casting a faint glow after a night of winter snowfall that blanketed the entire city in silver-white. The orange-red rays of morning sunlight kissed the snow, filling the hearts of children on this first day of the lunar new year with excitement. They formed snowballs and engaged in playful snowball fights.

 

One snowball landed with a “plop” on the back of a wooden chair, startling Xu Huaiming from his slumber. He slowly opened his eyes, realizing that the day had already begun.

 

Since the separation from Tan Xilu after the negotiations in West Lyu, Xu Huaiming’s physical functions had gradually deteriorated. Despite two maintenance checks, there had been no improvement.

 

After the last maintenance check, Professor Bowen furrowed his brows, unable to pinpoint the issue plaguing Xu Huaiming. When Xu Huaiming was originally developed, it was Code no.7 who handled the development entirely, and Professor Bowen only met him after Xu Huaiming rolled off the production line.

 

It had to be said that AI was indeed more powerful than humans. Xu Huaiming was flawlessly crafted, identical to Code no.7, and even more perfect.

 

Because Xu Huaiming was more intelligent, the maintenance procedures were somewhat more complex than those for other robot models, but the likelihood of program damage was relatively lower.

 

However, Professor Bowen couldn’t fathom what was happening to Xu Huaiming. He would shut down automatically from time to time, his senses weren’t as sharp as before, and he seemed deeply discouraged. Several times, he had stood right in front of Xu Huaiming, who hadn’t even noticed him.

 

Professor Bowen had a vague suspicion, but he found it unlikely and couldn’t bring himself to believe it. He hadn’t shared this suspicion with Xu Huaiming, so when Xu Huaiming woke up on the wooden chair, he assumed that his body had malfunctioned and shut down again.

 

Staying outside in such low temperatures all night, even for an AI, was a challenge. Xu Huaiming’s hands were slightly tinged with blue, and he worked to restore his body temperature to normal, but the process was slow. It took nearly ten minutes before he felt warm again.

 

By the time he fully recovered, twenty minutes had passed.

 

Xu Huaiming wiped his face, stood up from the wooden chair, and walked onto the cobblestone path, avoiding the children engaged in their snowball fights.

 

Standing in front of the building in the residential complex, Xu Huaiming looked up at the floors. He still didn’t know which building Tan Xilu lived in, and he didn’t dare to disturb him.

 

After leaving the hospital yesterday, Xu Huaiming had a moment of confusion. The cold winter winds of the twelfth lunar month stung his face, but the pain was nothing compared to the heartache he felt from Tan Xilu’s repeated rejections.

 

Professor Bowen had warned him early on not to develop feelings for humans, but he had jumped headfirst into that pit. Look at how miserably he had fallen.

 

Taking a deep breath, Xu Huaiming slowly walked towards the nearest dessert shop to the hospital. When he entered the shop, Arlene, who was in charge now that Tan Xilu wasn’t around, looked at him in slight surprise.

 

“It’s been a while since you came here alone, Xu Ge. Is Teacher Tan not with you today?” Arlene asked.

 

Xu Huaiming, slow to react, said, “Ah,” and lowered his head. He replied, “We’ve separated.”

 

Arlene’s mouth fell open, and she said in astonishment, “Separated? How did that happen?”

 

“It’s my fault,” Xu Huaiming said, lips pursed, his expression filled with sadness. “I made him angry.”

 

Arlene had never seen him like this before and didn’t know how to comfort him. She sighed and said, “Xu Ge, don’t be too sad. Teacher Tan has a good temper. Just apologize and make amends. Wish him a happy new year at midnight—out with the old, in with the new. Teacher Tan will surely be willing to reconcile with you.”

 

Arlene gestured, unsure if it would work, but they had to try.

 

“Today is… New Year’s Eve?” Xu Huaiming asked.

 

“Yes, Xu Ge, you didn’t forget that, did you?” Arlene said.

 

“Oh, no, I didn’t,” Xu Huaiming shook his head and forced a smile. “I just didn’t realize it a moment ago.”

 

During this time, due to the slow system, he hadn’t received the usual seasonal reminders. He naturally didn’t know that today was New Year’s Eve.

 

“All right then,” Arlene smiled, “New year, new beginnings. I hope you two can reconcile.”

 

However, the outcome was clear. Xu Huaiming’s messages went unanswered, and he didn’t even catch a glimpse of Tan Xilu.

 

After standing in the same spot for two minutes, Xu Huaiming decided to leave.

 

The child who had taught him how to play with the fairy wand last night had come downstairs to join the snowball fight. He saw Xu Huaiming and greeted him with a smile, saying, “Big brother, are you still here? Do you want to play with the fairy wand again?”

 

Hearing someone call him, Xu Huaiming turned around and saw the child. He patted the child’s head and said, “No, little brother, I’m waiting for someone.”

 

The child scratched his head and asked, “Who are you waiting for?”

 

Xu Huaiming hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell the child. But then he thought that the child lived in the same complex, and he might know Tan Xilu. So he replied, “I’m waiting for someone named Tan Xilu. Do you know him?”

 

“You’re looking for Brother Tan?” the child said. “Brother Tan isn’t at home today. When I went to his place to play this morning, Aunt Tan said he went to the hospital.”

 

“The hospital?” Xu Huaiming grabbed the child’s hand, his voice tense. “Is he sick again?”

 

“No, no,” Xu Huaiming’s grip was a bit strong, and the child tried to free himself, shaking his head. “It seems that one of Brother Tan’s students had an accident, and he rushed to the hospital last night.”

 

Last night…

 

Suddenly, Xu Huaiming remembered hearing faint footsteps before his automatic shutdown. It had been so close; he could have wished him a happy new year in person.

 

“Do you know which hospital he went to?” Xu Huaiming asked.

 

“I don’t know that,” the child said. “But, Brother, you can check the local news. My mom said that Brother Tan’s student was in a car accident, and it made the news.”

 

“Okay, thank you,” Xu Huaiming took out a piece of candy from his pocket and gave it to the child.

 

The child happily accepted the candy and said, “Brother, did you make Brother Tan angry?”

 

Xu Huaiming looked at the child and nodded.

 

“Then you should try to make amends,” the child said. “Brother Tan wasn’t alone when he went to the hospital last night.”

 

Xu

 

 Huaiming was taken aback and thought of Li Zhao. His heart ached slightly, and he said, “I understand.”

 

Xu Huaiming searched the internet for local news and unexpectedly found that Qin Sizhe had been in a car accident. He located the hospital where the news mentioned he was admitted, and then hailed a taxi that happened to pass by.

 

Ten minutes later, Xu Huaiming arrived at the hospital’s entrance.

 

On the first day of the lunar new year, the hospital wasn’t as crowded as usual. Xu Huaiming didn’t know which ward Qin Sizhe was in, so he asked the nurse on duty when he passed by the nursing station. He finally found out that Qin Sizhe was on the third floor.

 

Qin Sizhe had been in surgery for four hours. He was fortunate to have survived, and at four in the morning, the doctor emerged from the operating room and announced to the waiting family members that the surgery had been successful. However, Qin Sizhe had yet to wake up. His injuries weren’t too severe; although he had sustained several injuries, they cleverly avoided vital areas. Post-surgery recovery wouldn’t be too difficult. The only issue was that his leg, which hadn’t healed properly to begin with, had been injured again, and it might take some time to heal.

 

“As long as he’s okay,” Qin’s mother sighed in relief. She continuously smoothed her chest; if something had happened to Qin Sizhe, she wouldn’t have known how to explain it to the Qin family.

 

Li Xuandie couldn’t stop crying. Girls were prone to tears, and hearing that the surgery had gone well only made her cry even more.

 

“Now that everything’s fine, Teacher, you should go back and rest. I’ll stay here,” Qin’s mother said. She had narrowly escaped a catastrophe as well. She shouldn’t have been in such a hurry to avoid Qin Sizhe last night; she didn’t expect Qin Sizhe to be so impulsive.

 

Qin’s mother shook her head and said, “No, I have to wait for him to wake up. Otherwise, I won’t be able to sleep.”

 

She turned to Li Xuandie and said, “Xiao Die, why don’t you go back first? Take a shower and get a good night’s sleep. You’re a young girl; you must be scared. Get a good night’s sleep.”

 

Li Xuandie wiped her tears and said, “I have to wait for Tan Sizhe to wake up.”

 

Mrs. Tan said, “Then you have to wait cleanly. Look at all the blood on you. What if it scares Tan Sizhe when he wakes up?”

 

Upon hearing this, Li Xuandie lowered her head and looked at herself. She also realized that being covered in blood didn’t look good. In the end, she nodded.

 

Tan Xilu had initially been persuaded to leave, but during the day, his fever had just subsided, and now in the evening, he gave his jacket to Li Xuandie. He started coughing again, and his complexion looked somewhat pale.


T/N: Wishing you all a good October! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 56 – Am I not cute enough?

Chapter 56 – Am I not cute enough?

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo looked at the word and deeply understood its meaning.

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Have you learned it yet?”

 

“I’ll try my best.” Jian Luo lay on his back: “I don’t know what’s the use though. I’m just a human who can live for a few decades. What can I learn from these things?”

 

Lu Shifeng threw the book to him: “Who says you can only live for a few decades?”

 

???

 

Jian Luo was shocked. He sat up suddenly and looked at Lu Shifeng before stammering a little: “Wait, what do you mean?”

 

Lu Shifeng leaned against the bed and looked at him lazily: “In March, I was also injured a little, but did you smell it?”

 

Jian Luo scratched his head, recalled it, and said honestly, “No.”

 

Lu Shifeng nodded: “The flesh and blood of the dragon family has some healing functions. While you are carrying the little dragons, the blood of the little dragon is also merging with your own. All functions of your body will be improved, and your lifespan is lengthened.”

 

?!?!

 

Jian Luo subconsciously covered his lower abdomen in shock.

 

He thought that the dragon cub would make trouble with him all day long while playing. He didn’t expect that he would benefit from it!

 

Lu Shifeng curled lips into a smile: “Do you still think they are cumbersome?”

 

“…”

 

Don’t be so straightforward.

 

Jian Luo coughed lightly and eased his mood: “No, I’ve never felt that way, I’m going to take a shower now!”

 

Lu Shifeng frowned: “Walk slowly.”

 

“I know, I know. Why are you as naggy as my mother?”

 

“…”

 

The next day…

 

Today marks the last day of Jian Luo’s classes. When it was time to go to class later, he would go to Phoenix Stage while carrying a small school bag. It was early in the morning and he was still reciting words in the car.

 

Lu Shifeng corrected his pronunciation and said, “I won’t blame you if you don’t do well for the test.”

 

“I know.” Jian Luo bit his pen: “But since I’m learning it right now, I should learn it well. You said that I can live a hundred years, so I need to have some skills. Maybe in the future I can not only broadcast on the Interstellar web, but also on the Universe’s Live Network!”

 

Lu Shifeng patted his hand down: “Only living a thousand years..? Are you cursing yourself?”

 

“…”

 

Damn dark star people, how long do you guys even live for?

 

Jian Luo decided not to care about him and continued to struggle with foreign languages. He was not completely useless when it comes to learning. He still had a little bit of talent. It only depended on if he wanted to learn or not. If he wants to study, he will definitely pick up something.

 

After arriving at Phoenix Terrace…

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Someone will pick you up for dinner at noon.”

 

“No!” Jian Luo pressed on a storage button and pointed to the lunch box inside: “This is my homemade lunch box. It is insulated, which is very reliable. I can eat it at noon.”

 

Lu Shifeng frowned and looked at the small box: “That’s all you’re eating?.”

 

The corner of Jian Luo’s mouth twitched: “There are two layers filled with food in it and I have always eaten holy dragon fruit as my staple food, this is more than that and that’s enough as it is!”

 

Lu Shifeng still wanted to say that Jian Luo was afraid of his nagging, but he just quickly said some perfunctory words before leaving.

 

Wasn’t the noble and glamorous Lord Marshal becoming more and more like his mother? It was not an illusion after all!

 

He went to check himself in.

 

The staff said, “Are you Jian Luo?”

 

Jian Luo went through the security check. Everyone was always subjected to one before entering the National Research Department. He nodded: “Yes, what’s the matter?”

 

The staff smiled and said, “It was you who planted peppers, you are amazing!”

 

Previously, the application for mass production of chili had been rejected.

 

Jian Luo was surprised: “Do you like spicy food?”

 

“I’m fine, but my wife likes it very much.” The staff member said with a smile: “She is of the dragon family and the dragon family likes this smell very much.”

 

Dragons like spicy food?

 

When Jian Luo thought about it, it was really true. It seems that the Dragon Clan especially likes hot pot. After he made hot pot last time, Secretary Jin asked him every three days when he would make hot pot next time.

 

It seems that if you want to start a business in the market, you still need to do a good job of research on each race. After all, each race has different tastes. Thinking of this, Jian Luo asked curiously: “What kind of food do you prefer?”

 

The staff was stunned and a little embarrassed.

 

Jian Luo said wisely, “It’s okay if it’s awkward to answer.”

 

“No.” The staff became more enthusiastic: “Because I drink a lot of nutrient solution, I don’t know much about your food. If you need it, I may have to go home and buy a few copies to try in batches, and I will make a report of it to you later.”

 

“…”

 

Are all of the Phoenix race so serious?

 

Jian Luo was afraid: “Don’t bother, it’s okay. The nutrient solution is pretty good too, right? I’ll go first!”

 

He slipped away very fast, mainly because he didn’t want to owe him such a big favor. He was not familiar with food before, but was suddenly asked to give such a detailed report. Jian Luo couldn’t do such a thing.

 

In the Advanced planting shed…

 

As soon as Wang Heng saw him, he waved, “Come over here.”

 

Jian Luo walked over curiously: “Why, what did you cultivate?”

 

“This seed has never sprouted.” Wang Heng pointed to the seeds in the nutrient capsule: “The temperature I was given should be accurate. According to my calculations, it should germinate today, but there is still nothing right now.”

 

Jian Luo was hanging around and asked quite casually: “What kind of seed is this?”

 

Wang Heng said to him, “Watermelon.”

 

???

 

Originally, Jian Luo was a little relaxed, but when he heard that it was the seeds of a watermelon, he really couldn’t sit still and rushed over: “I’ll take a look.”

 

He wouldn’t know if he didn’t see it, but after glancing at it, his heart became half cold. The seeds were obviously dying, even if they were being nourished. With that, the seeds gave out a morbid feeling of decay.

 

Jian Luo decided to ask: “Are there any spare seeds?”

 

Seeing his attitude, Wang Heng knew that Jian Luo must have a solution, and immediately said, “Only the last small batch is left.”

 

Jian Luo thought for a while: “Are you willing to try planting it in soil instead of a nutrient solution?”

 

There is one thing wrong with the Phoenix Clan, that is that they are too stubborn and too strict in what they do.

 

Wang Heng has a lot of prejudice against soil planting, but since Jian Luo successfully cultivated peppers, he decided to hold himself back: “The seeds were cultivated in nutrient solution before.”

 

Jian Luo leaned against the table: “But I can only cultivate it in soil and I have a way to grow them. If we want the same result, we can’t cultivate it with nutrient solution now, so why not try it. We are colleagues, not enemies okay, I’m just trying to help.”

 

Wang Heng glanced at him with a bit of doubt.

 

Jian Luo looked at him frankly.

 

Finally, Wang Heng said, “Let’s try it.”

 

Jian Luo smiled and wanted to pat Wang Heng on the shoulder to say something comforting, but sadly found that he was too short to do so.

 

Wang Heng sighed meaningfully: “I think you have changed.”

 

Jian Luo was curious: “What has changed?”

 

“You became fat.”

 

“…Don’t talk about this kind of change.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Jian Luo walked to the side and began to organize his thoughts on how to plant these watermelons. In fact, he could only remember a general range of temperatures, and it was impossible to remember every detail, but it was okay to speculate on a general level.

 

Watermelon cultivation is different from peppers. The watermelon is a plant that is prone to disease. It requires a very high grade environment and proficiency in gardening. Even if Wang Heng does not choose today, he is ready to try it himself. After all, with no experience, it is very easy for people to fall into a ditch.

 

When he gets busy, he often forgets the passing of time until someone calls him.

 

Wang Heng said, “It’s time for lunch break.”

 

“Okay, good.”

 

Jian Luo was still looking at the data. Now that he has some ideas, he wants to work hard and finish it as soon as possible.

 

While watching, a voice came from behind: “What are you doing?”

 

!!!

 

Jian Luo was startled and turned his head to look. He saw a priest in a white robe standing behind him. Because he was so close, he could clearly see the phoenix with the golden pattern on the robe shining in the light.

 

Jian Luo pointed to his own data board, which was probably the data analysis of watermelon seeds: “I’m preparing data for the other seedlings. Um, that, are you here about my exam? Let’s go now.”

 

Zhan Wentai said, “No hurry, your should eat first.”

 

 

Jian Luo followed Zhan Wentai outside. Phoenix Terrace is actually very sparsely populated. This was just discovered by Jian Luo. It is almost difficult to meet anyone else on the trail.

 

Following Zhan Wentai, Jian Luo was very curious: “I just realised, why are you always calling me out to eat?”

 

Zhan Wentai took a step before turning around. He looked at Jian Luo’s eyes full of curiosity, and the priest paused: “According to the data, human beings will suffer very much if they don’t eat a meal.”

 

???

 

Fair enough.

 

Jian Luo suddenly wanted to ask, “Who came to this conclusion, a human?”

 

Now that the topic has come to this point, the upright and rigorous veteran priest said honestly: “It’s written in the group chat.”

 

Jian Luo was surprised: “What account?”

 

Next, Jian Luo, the country bumpkin, was taught about a new function in the information terminal address book, that is, a group chat of all their official social media accounts.

 

Zhan Wentai adjusted the settings to: visible to outsiders.

 

Jian Luo leaned over and saw some article titles:

【Shock! There are other things that humans can do! 】

【Five differences that you have to know about between humans and dark stars】

【Never drink nutrient solution that’s been left overnight!】

【These things that are always at home may be closely related to human beings, do you have them? 】

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo looked at these posts silently: “Where did you find them?”

 

Zhan Wentai put away the information terminal: “Your Majesty and Nie Yan share posts from them every day.”

 

 

Jian Luo felt that he had to update his own brief understanding of the emperor, the richest man, and the Dark Stars every day!

 

These small posts from the group chat can’t be trusted at all. How many children have been harmed… Jian Luo clarified with difficulty: “Actually, it’s not so uncomfortable for humans to be hungry. You know, in fact, many times humans are not so fragile and incompetent, out learning ability is very strong, and not just in farming too.”

 

Zhan Wentai glanced at him sideways: “Really?”

 

Jian Luo generously admitted: “Of course!”

 

“Well.” Zhan Wentai said, “I hope you can get a good grade in today’s test.”

 

 

Have I offended someone…

 

Jian Luo decided not to talk about these emotionally hurtful topics with the priest. Because he was not hungry yet, he decided to eat a holy dragon fruit first before going to the exam.

 

Zhan Wentai: “You can eat first.”

 

Jian Luo shook his head and sighed: “You don’t understand the torment of being a useless thing. If you don’t let me take the exam first today, I won’t be able to eat at all.”

 

“…”

 

The priest did not stop him.

 

After Jian Luo worked hard, the speed of answering the exam was different from that of the past. He wrote on the papers carefully and when he encountered questions he couldn’t do, he also adhered to the mentality of not handing in blank papers, and filled out all the blank spaces.

 

When the paper was finally handed in, Jian Luo gave himself a score: “At least 80 points.”

 

Zhan Wentai took the paper and said to him, “Let’s go eat.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Jian Luo took out his lunch box. In fact, he was a little full after eating a holy dragon fruit, but he could eat two more bites even if he was full.

 

The priest on the opposite side was still reviewing the question.

 

Jian Luo opened his lunch box. Today, he packed the meal he cooked in the cafeteria yesterday. He brought some chicken soup, some braised pork, and a lot of rice, but he definitely couldn’t eat it anymore. But Zhan Wentai didn’t even drink a sip of water, so he took the initiative to ask: “Are you hungry?”

 

Zhan Wentai said in a low voice, “You can eat.”

 

“Oh.” Jian Luo didn’t insist any more.

 

Zhan Wentai glanced at the rice in his lunch box: “Can’t finish it?”

 

Jian Luo only ate a little. He didn’t eat very much recently, but he liked to snack on something instead: “Well, I’m full, and the holy dragon fruit is quite filling.”

 

Zhan Wentai thought for a while, then stretched out his hand: “Give it to me.”

 

Jian Luo gave him the lunch box. Just as the marking of the test paper was finished, he took the test paper to go over the question he had read wrongly. At first glance, he looked at the score, 74, which was worse than expected. He frowned subconsciously and began to mark the paper.

 

Zhan Wentai on the opposite side said, “Make the corrections first, and I’ll give you the topical review later.”

 

Jian Luo nodded: “Okay.”

 

Jian Luo was wrong on a few major questions. Before coming here, Lu Shifeng pointed out some small problems to Jian Luo. The points he pointed out were almost all correct, and the questions he lost a lot of points to was because he did not carefully listen in class, and he was now filled with regret.

 

Jian Luo carefully revised all the wrong topics. After that, he put down his pen respectfully. He was going to chat with Zhan Wentai about the topic, but found out that the priest had almost eaten all the braised pork and other side dishes.

 

Jian Luo was curious: “Do you like braised pork?”

 

Zhan Wentai paused while holding the chopsticks, and the strict priest seemed to be embarrassed for a moment, but he honestly admitted: “It tastes good.”

 

!!!

 

Jian Luo smiled. He suddenly got some inspiration and asked, “Is it because the braised pork is sweet?”

 

Zhan Wentai hesitated for a moment, then nodded: “The sweetness is indeed appropriate.”

 

Ah, it turns out that Phoenixes like to eat sweet foods.

 

Jian Luo felt that he had found an inexplicable truth, and he had to write down this information in a small notebook. If one wants to open a food processing factory, they must have a business chain and do some research on the tastes of various groups of people.

 

Thinking of this, Jian Luo smiled: “Okay, if you like it, I’ll bring you some more next time.”

 

Bring more and do more research, and one will be able to find the favorite flavors of the phoenixes. He’s just afraid that the sales will get too high, hehe.

 

When Zhan Wentai heard this, he also froze. Inexplicably, the somewhat cold and hard face of the priest became a lot gentler. He said, “There is no need to be so polite.”

 

Jian Luo simply said: “It doesn’t matter, you are my teacher!”

 

“…”

 

Zhan Wentai nodded silently.

 

Jian Luo smiled. He was going to continue reading the question, but he received a message on his information terminal. When he opened it, he saw that it was sent to him by Kazuki:

[Luoluo, you have to come back and update us after cultivating the peppers, because you are an employee of Moonlight~]

 

Oh yes.

 

Jian Luo almost forgot about this.

 

Thinking of this, he quickly replied: “I’m really sorry, can I go there in the afternoon or evening?”

 

Kazuki is very generous: “Yes!”

 

The big stone in Jian Luo’s heart fell to the ground. He said to Zhan Wentai, “Sir, do you think I can take a leave of absence to go to the moonlight this afternoon?”

 

Zhan Wentai: “Okay.”

 

Jian Luo breathed a sigh of relief. It was really generous tof the priest. He didn’t even ask for the reason. Just as he thought about it, he heard Zhan Wentai say, “You must’ve been asked to go back to update your contract. It’s time to count your days.”

 

“…”

 

He is the only one in the whole world who has forgotten about himself.

 

Jian Luo felt deeply ashamed. After finishing the questions at noon, he took another class test before going back. Because the watermelon seeds had not yet been sown, and there was nothing he had to do in the shed, he simply came out and went directly to Moonlight.

It was Kazuki who was in charge of picking him up: “Luoluo, long time no see.”

 

Jian Luo gave her a small hug: “Long time no see.”

 

“Why are you gaining weight again?” Kazuki giggled: “It’s good. You were too thin before, in fact, you can eat our hotel’s customized meals, which are very nutritious.”

 

Jian Luo’s mouth twitched: “Am I really becoming fat?”

 

It’s so frustrating, being an old man.

 

Kazuki looked at him with a smile. In fact, when she first saw Jian Luo, she couldn’t describe it as thin. It could be described as malnutritioned, but he was very energetic. Although he was a human being, she could see that Jian Luo is working hard.

 

Now Jian Luo is not the same as before. He now had some fat on his face, and he seems to have grown a little taller, as if his whole body has grown. Moreover, this change is very fast and sudden, and it seems that after a few moments of attention, it happened suddenly.

 

Kazuki smiled: “No, you are not fat. Like this, you are just right.”

 

Jian Luo also said, “Let’s go with the flow. Gaining weight is up to the heavens. Please don’t be surprised to see me gain more weight in the future.”

 

“How come.” Kazuki thought he was joking: “How can you easily get fatter?”

 

Jian Luo smiled without saying a word.

 

The two walked in, Moonlight was still as brilliant as usual.

 

The first floor is almost full of white-collar workers from the upper class. When you go up from the elevator, you can smell the money coming into your face.

 

Kazuki said to Jian Luo, “The contract signed with the boss before is only for cultivating peppers. If you want to stay at Phoenix Terrace for longer, you may have to renew the contract. I will take you to see the boss.”

 

Jian Luo nodded.

 

When he arrived at Nie Yan’s office, he knocked on the door, and only opened the door after a familiar male voice came from inside. The richest man was sitting on the sofa, wearing a golden robe, with his legs crossed, and was looking at a white jade in his hand with a magnifying glass.

 

Jian Luo said, “Boss.”

 

“Well, sit down.” Nie Yan said slowly, “I left Dark Star two days ago to discuss business elsewhere. What’s the matter? You seem to have gained a lot of weight.”

 

“…”

 

When will this day be over…

 

Jian Luo sat down depressed: “Yes, I’m fat.”

 

Nie Yan is a businessman. The most important thing for a businessman is to observe his words and the feelings of the people he deals with. After a few thoughts, he can roughly guess what Jian Luo is unhappy about.

 

Putting the white jade on the table, he raised his eyebrows noncommittally: “Your contract at Phoenix Terrace is about to expire, are you ready to come back?”

 

Jian Luo said, “I still have a seedling that has not been cultivated. Can it be postponed?”

 

Unexpectedly, Nie Yan agreed: “Fine.”

 

Jian Luo let out a sigh of relief.

 

“It’s just that you have to call it a day after you’ve cultivated this batch.” Nie Yan took a sip of the tea on the table with his slender fingers: “Count your days, it should be six months by then. You’ll be too pregnant, and it will be hard to go out. If it is convenient, in order to maximize the value of your time, you can learn from me instead.”

 

??!!

 

Jian Luo was shocked. He knew that Pixiu likes to calculate the value of money, but he didn’t expect it to reach this level. He asked cautiously, “What do you want to teach me?”

 

Nie Yan said in a low voice, “You want to open a factory right? Do you know the process, what you need and how to manage people? Do you know what equipment is needed?”

 

Jian Luo honestly shook his head.

 

The corners of Nie Yan’s lips curled up and he lay back on the sofa lazily: “Why don’t you study with me?”

 

That makes sense!

 

This is a teacher delivered to his doorstep, and he is also the most successful teacher!

 

Jian Luo has no other qualms so he should just accept it as soon as possible. Anyway, he decided to enjoy it if he can’t resist it: “I will learn and study well, thank you teacher.”

 

Nie Yan responded lazily.

 

Jian Luo thought about giving his teacher a gift, but he didn’t prepare anything at all. He remembered the newly cultivated Chinese cabbage from the planting base and took them out of his storage bag before saying: “This is the new product we just cultivated, you can try it if you have nothing to do. I will send it to the back kitchen in a while and teach them how to prepare it.”

 

Nie Yan raised his eyes and said, “No, it’s fine, just put it down.”

 

Jian Luo thought it was very strange, but didn’t say much. He put the Chinese cabbage on the table and signed a contract. That was the end.

 

On the other side…

 

Lu Shifeng discussed the recent alien situation with the emperor in the palace, mainly talking about the expansion of military forces, in addition to the dragon race and whether the military needs to cultivate more foreign police, mainly to maintain the peace of other small places on the dark star.

 

Halfway through the meeting, there was an intermission.

 

The little emperor opened the group chat and began to swipe: “Hey, the priest and Nie Yan are posting some updates!”

 

Lu Shifeng was not interested.

 

“Oh~” The little emperor looked at it meaningfully: “They have all met Luoluo!”

 

The uninterested Marshal moved his ears, opened his information terminal slowly, and opened his group chat. The first one was the latest from Nie Yan:

[The Chinese cabbage given by Luoluo, thank you for your concern, I will keep it. 】

 

The attached picture is a lush green Chinese cabbage.

 

“…”

 

Lu Shifeng continued to swipe down, and he quickly swiped the news of Zhan Wentai. After opening it, he saw the news of the priest:

[Lunch, thank you for your kindness. 】

 

The attached picture is a red, green and green dish, and you can tell who it came from at a glance.

 

There aren’t many people in Lu Shifeng’s circle of friends. Basically, you can see what’s going on at a glance. The two messages, one up and one down, are linked together. The status update posts were irritating.

 

The key is that the little emperor is still beside him: “Luoluo is so good, he must have given you a lot of things too. I’m so envious, I didn’t get anything, is it because I’m not cute enough?”


T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 71 – Who Says Omegas Can’t be as Explosive as Alphas

Chapter 71

 

System tasks are kept confidential until they are completed, so even if others are curious, no one knows what Lu Jingning and his team will do next.

 

To ensure efficiency, the entire team assembled and departed on the second day of registration, boarding a light cruiser to the Spacecraft Headquarters in the Eighth Galaxy.

 

Watchman Island is located on the border planet Watchman Star in the Seventh Galaxy. Due to its remote location and its position at the intersection of other star systems, it has attracted numerous merchant fleets seeking prosperous trade. Although the government of the Seventh Galaxy has dispatched troops to garrison the area, the diverse mix of races on Watchman Star still leads to constant disputes, and the crime rate remains high. These reckless outlaws, who only care about money, completely disregard the government’s presence, making Watchman Star practically a lawless place, except for major incidents, where the garrison forces turn a blind eye to minor disturbances.

 

The mission on Watchman Island has been open for some time, but no one dared to take it on. On the one hand, cunning bounty hunters knew that the generous reward would not be easily claimed. On the other hand, the military academy set exceptionally stringent conditions to protect the safety of its students, discouraging them from venturing into these treacherous waters. Therefore, the arrival of Lu Jingning’s Imperial Navy team finally gave Captain Zhang Anfu a glimmer of hope.

 

The forces stationed on this planet are under the command of the Fourth Legion and the camp is situated not far from the spaceport. As soon as Lu Jingning disembarked from the light cruiser, a vehicle sent by the unit picked him up and headed straight to the camp.

 

For Cen Junfeng, it was his first time entering a military camp, and he found everything around him to be quite novel. He wanted to strike up a conversation with someone to share his excitement, but the others appeared much calmer.

 

After scanning the group of seniors with his eyes, Cen Junfeng finally settled on Yu Qingcang, who was also a younger brother like him. After thinking for a moment, he found a suitable opening and asked, “Yu Qingcang, are you nervous?”

 

From his observations along the way, Yu Qingcang always followed at the back of the group, seemingly less receptive than even him, and he seemed dazed by the intense atmosphere of the military camp.

 

As expected, when asked, Yu Qingcang took a while to respond, “Huh?”

 

Cen Junfeng cleared his throat, “After all, we are all students from the military academy, and sooner or later, we’ll be joining the military. It’s a good opportunity to observe and learn. Don’t you think so?”

 

Perplexed, Yu Qingcang looked at him and said, “Aren’t all military camps like this? What’s there to learn?”

 

Taken aback, Cen Junfeng asked, “All… like this?”

 

“Yes,” Yu Qingcang felt strangely dizzy today, so he hadn’t spoken much since getting off the long-range light cruiser. Another reason was that the structure inside the military camp did not pique his interest. “My dad and Uncle Lu, who is Lu Jingning’s dad, used to be comrades-in-arms. They often brought us to the military camp when we were kids. But to be honest, the military camp here isn’t very disciplined. Those soldiers we met earlier had a somewhat lax walking posture. If you want to learn, you definitely shouldn’t learn from them; you’ll pick up bad habits.”

 

Yu Qingcang emphasized the last four words quite seriously.

 

“Thanks for the reminder…” Cen Junfeng covered his chest in an unnoticed place.

 

He had thought that in this team, he could at least be second to last, but now he realized that he might very well be the last.

 

In an instant, he went from being a younger brother to being the youngest among the younger brothers, making Cen Junfeng feel that his life was becoming increasingly insignificant.

 

The soldier leading them stopped, “We’ve arrived, please come in, everyone.”

 

In the center of the reception room sat a person who stood up immediately upon seeing them enter, “Welcome.”

 

Captain Zhang Anfu was the highest commanding officer currently stationed on the planet, but even with that title, he was just a captain. His information intensity had plateaued at quasi-S level for over a decade, and he had yet to successfully break through to S level, making it a formidable barrier that many may never overcome.

 

For many people, the leap from quasi-S to S level was an insurmountable chasm, a step they might never take in their entire lives.

 

Before this meeting, Zhang Anfu had already received some information about these students. Although they were still in college, including their two leaders, this group had a total of four S-level holders. They hadn’t even graduated yet, but their future prospects within the military were boundless.

 

Zhang Anfu couldn’t afford to be careless, so he immediately put on an incredibly warm and friendly smile as he greeted everyone and invited them to take a seat.

 

His facial expressions were well-managed, but when his gaze fell on Lu Jingning, a trace of astonishment flashed through his eyes.

 

After all, no one expected an Omega to participate in a mission of this level of risk.

 

Lu Jingning paid no attention to such reactions and casually pulled a chair over, sitting down without hesitation. He even poured himself a cup of tea, moistening his somewhat dry throat.

 

He acted as though the military camp was his own home.

 

Captain Zhang Anfu: “…”

 

“Captain Zhang,” Bing Yunlin’s composed voice sounded, drawing back his attention. “Our time is limited, so please keep it short and to the point.”

 

Zhang Anfu snapped back to reality and immediately handed a document to them, saying, “All the information is here.”

 

Lu Jingning’s gaze landed on the seal on the document’s cover, and his eyes squinted thoughtfully.

 

Three horizontal lines—a mark of extreme confidentiality.

 

As they finished reviewing all the intelligence, the atmosphere in the reception room turned somewhat heavy.

 

Although they had already learned some relevant information from Bing Yunlin, they realized that the situation was even more challenging than they had imagined after they had real contact with it.

 

Wen Ye frowned slightly, “So you’re saying the missing merchant groups weren’t just three as rumored, but eight? Captain Zhang, it seems you’ve kept quite a bit of information hidden.”

 

Under his gaze, Zhang Anfu inexplicably felt a bit guilty and wiped a cold sweat, “Yes, the number of missing people is too large. If we were to disclose everything, it might cause panic. So, we chose to withhold the information for now.”

 

Bing Yunlin inquired, “Are there any special characteristics about these missing merchant groups?”

 

Zhang Anfu pondered and replied, “They are all merchants from different star systems. There’s nothing particularly special about them. All we know is that they disappeared near Watchman Island and haven’t been seen since. We received the information seven days after the incidents, and it’s highly likely the situation is dire.”

 

Listening to this ambiguous response, Lu Jingning couldn’t help but frown, “So, it’s been this long, and your military has done nothing at all?”

 

Zhang Anfu felt a bit embarrassed by his straightforwardness and smiled wryly, “I do want to investigate, but Watchman Island is the busiest port in the planet. The flow of people is enormous, and most of them are undocumented illegal residents. Even if I wanted to investigate, the locals guard their information as if it’s the plague, and I can’t get any useful leads. Of course, I’ve also thought about arranging some capable soldiers to conduct a discreet investigation, but those misfits are as well-informed as our intelligence database. So far, I’ve sent ten men, and none of them returned. We haven’t even found their bodies.”

 

Bing Yunlin interjected, “So, this is why you decided to issue the mission.”

 

Zhang Anfu affirmed, “That’s right. Whether it’s bounty hunters or military academy students, at least to them, we are unfamiliar faces, making it more convenient for them to act.”

 

“Understood.” Wen Ye didn’t seem interested in hearing any more excuses and stood up, gesturing to the others, “Let’s go.”

 

Zhang Anfu hurriedly stood up as well, “Shall I have someone accompany you?”

 

Bing Yunlin raised a hand to stop him and smiled faintly, “No need. Since the military presence attracts attention, I believe we can handle things better once we leave this place.”

 

Zhang Anfu found his reasoning sound and nodded, “Then, please take care, everyone.”

 

As they walked out the door, they passed a group of people led by soldiers coming from the end of the corridor. Lu Jingning looked at their peculiar attire and curiously asked, “Captain Zhang, those people earlier, aren’t they part of the camp?”

 

Zhang Anfu responded, “Oh, no. They are bounty hunters. Some time ago, there was a riot in a prison in the Eighth Galaxy, and many prisoners escaped. It’s said that some of them came to the Seventh Galaxy. They came here to seek our assistance in the investigation. Rest assured, they have nothing to do with the missing merchant groups, and they won’t interfere with your mission.”

 

“Okay.” Lu Jingning nodded.

 

 

After leaving the military camp, the group didn’t rush to the city but held an impromptu meeting in a nearby forest.

 

“I must say, this military unit is clearly unreliable!” Lu Jingning couldn’t help but vent his frustration about Captain Zhang Anfu in front of them. “It’s been such a long time, and all they provided were profiles of the eight missing merchant groups? They couldn’t even narrow down the location of the incidents on Watchman Island! And the disappearance period, a seven-day window? If those people were indeed killed, by now, their bodies would probably be decomposing!”

 

He had often heard Lu Kongbin saying that many people in the military were just idling around waiting for their paycheck, but now he truly experienced it himself. There was no denying that this remote galaxy was indeed not a priority for the Imperial government, but the incompetence of Captain Zhang Anfu’s unit was beyond his expectations.

 

Although Yu Qingcang remained silent, his eyes indicated his full agreement with Lu Jingning’s frustration.

 

Wen Xingchen lightly chuckled, “Besides, they’ve likely taken quite a lot of bribes during their time here. You must know that issuing a five-star mission costs a considerable amount, something a mere captain living on military pay can’t afford. I think, even if a dozen merchant groups had disappeared, it wouldn’t have bothered him unless someone higher up applied pressure.”

 

“Now isn’t the time to talk about this; we can’t get involved in military matters,” Wen Ye interrupted their discussion, looking at Bing Yunlin with a hint of dissatisfaction for his spectator-like attitude. “Yunlin, didn’t you already have a plan? Let’s assign the roles.”

 

Bing Yunlin chuckled, “How did you know I had a plan?”

 

Wen Ye replied, “You don’t?”

 

Bing Yunlin neither confirmed nor denied it and stood up from the tree trunk he was leaning on, “Yes, I do. But I still need everyone’s cooperation.”

 

“Obey the organization’s arrangements!” No one expected that the usually silent Qin Yuankai would be the first to speak up, and the others quickly followed suit.

 

Bing Yunlin smiled, “Actually, it’s not difficult. Since we don’t know who these people are, let’s make them come to us.”

 

Cen Junfeng looked puzzled, “How do we make them come?”

 

Bing Yunlin smiled gently, “By acting as a merchant group and becoming their targets.”

 

He looked around at each person as if he had planned it from the beginning, meticulously going over each name.

 

According to his arrangement, Wen Ye and Wen Xingchen, who bore some resemblance, would play the two young masters of the merchant group, while Bing Yunlin himself would be in charge of operations. Qin Yuankai, with his sturdy disposition, would serve as the bodyguard protecting the merchant group. Yu Qingcang and Cen Junfeng were just right for the roles of the group’s assistants.

 

Although this arrangement made sense, Cen Junfeng couldn’t help but feel disappointed and lowered his head slightly.

 

Sigh, he really is just a little brother!

 

After listening for a while, Yu Qingcang noticed someone was missing and couldn’t help asking, “What about Lu Jingning?”

 

Bing Yunlin smiled faintly, “As for him…”

 

For some reason, when that smile fell into Lu Jingning’s eyes, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

 

Then, Bing Yunlin’s smile gradually intensified, and with evident interest, he said, “I’ve thought about it for a long time, and given Lu Jingning’s situation, the most suitable role left is probably to be the young master’s male pet.”

 

Lu Jingning: “???”

 

Wen Xingchen: “Ah, that doesn’t sound bad. Consider me for the role.”

 

Cen Junfeng, enjoying the show without thinking too much about it, suddenly felt like his role was entirely acceptable, “Lu bro, I believe in you! Obey the organization’s arrangements and give it your best!”

 

Lu Jingning: “… What the heck?!”

 


Author’s note: What’s wrong with playing the sweet and soft Omega? Lu Jingning can handle it ~

 


T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you life 🙂 I love reading them!

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