Before Li Ming could inquire, [Yang Yu] blurted out, "The teacher has captured Tara and forced the Sela Civilization to make concessions."
"He is a Star Crown Knight of the Sela Civilization," [Luo Chuan] briefly explained, and added, "A B-grade life form."
Li Ming was surprised. A B-grade life form, just like that, captured?
"What tier of life form is the teacher exactly?" he couldn’t help asking, "Should be a Superpower User, right?"
Before he had met [Wu Yanqing], he had heard that due to some accidents, Professor Wu could not take the path of genetic evolution, and after gradually getting to know him, he guessed that Wu Yanqing was most likely a Superpower User.
"Originally, the teacher wasn’t a Superpower User, but a gene evolver, a C-grade life form," [Luo Chuan] shrugged, leaning on the table, "When he was adventuring with Princess Asmara, some accidents happened, and his gene seed was removed."
"Later, somehow, the teacher awoke a superpower again."
Having the gene seed removed and then awakening a superpower sounds like it’s hiding some secrets.
"If I’m not mistaken, [Fu Zongchen]’s allegations should be dropped soon," [Luo Chuan] said with a cold laugh, "A fellow that acts like a weathervane."
[Luo Chuan]’s prediction was not wrong. By the afternoon, [Fu Zongchen] had withdrawn his accusations against [Wu Yanqing], as well as those involved.
However, this was accompanied by a piece of news and an invitation that surprised Li Ming.
"[Fu Zongchen] as a member of the Candidate Committee?" Li Ming looked at the latest order from the [Blue Star] government, surprised, "Is this a promotion?"
"Members of the Candidate Committee are nominees for the chairperson, and the three chairpersons over the years have all been elected from among them. Although there are quite a few members, it has a very significant implication," [Luo Chuan] said with a cold expression:
"[Blue Star] has gained the upper hand and still remembers to appease [Prince Bai Jiang], politicians indeed."
Logically, facing the Sela Civilization, [Blue Star] had the upper hand, and [Wu Yanqing] had made great efforts.
In face of [Fu Zongchen], who targeted him, there should have been strict punishment.
However, because [Fu Zongchen] was acting for [Prince Bai Jiang], to avoid making the prince look too bad, there was no choice but to promote [Fu Zongchen] slightly, showing a certain attitude.
"A banquet invitation, they even thought to invite us, huh..." [Luo Chuan] tossed the invitation in his hand to the side.
The invitation was for [Fu Zongchen]’s inaugural banquet, clearly meant to turn hostility into friendship.
Li Ming opened it and glanced at it, the time was in ten days, during noon after his inauguration ceremony.
Considering the timing, Li Ming smiled and said, "Senior brother, since they’re extending an olive branch, why should we act haughty? Since we can’t go to war in the short term, why not ease relations?"
[Luo Chuan]’s eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, "What, you’re going?"
After pondering for a moment, [Luo Chuan] sighed, "Well, you’re right, let’s ease tensions for now."
Meanwhile, on a desert plain, dust billowed, reaching up to the heavens. The ground was littered with deep craters and hundreds of meters-long clefts and ravines, with scattered remains of metal wreckage smoking heavily, as if a grand battle had just taken place.
Within the wreckage of half a spaceship, [Wu Yanqing] was immersed in a tank of green liquid, with only half of his head exposed. His right arm had been reduced to a skeletal framework, but muscle fibers and blood vessels were slowly regrowing.
Other parts of his body bore injuries of varying degrees.
Not far away, a figure was pressed under a circular magnetic lock, limbs wrapped with alloy chains, thick metal probes inserted into the spine, rendering the figure immobile, roaring repeatedly.
"Teacher..." A disheveled figure hustled over, [Ishus] holding an intelligent terminal, said, "News from the higher-ups, the Sela Civilization has given in, they want us to release the Star Crown Knight and not to harm his life."
[Wu Yanqing] in the liquid tank, who had his eyes closed, slowly opened them, "Sela is caving in already, Emperor Campbell truly lives up to being the most cowardly Sela emperor in four generations."
"Wu Yanqing!" the weakened Star Crown Knight rebuked.
"Teacher, we can pull out now. After all, it’s Sela Civilization’s territory, and it would be troublesome if they blockade us. As for Tara, just leave him here," he said.
"Who said we were going to let him go?" Wu Yanqing said indifferently.
As Ishus swallowed hard, goosebumps on his scalp, he advised, "Teacher, if we kill him, it might really provoke a war between civilizations."
"Ha..." Wu Yanqing let out a cold laugh, "Look at this Star Crown Knight’s gaze. I’ve killed his entire knight order; among them, there might have been his sons or nephews."
"He must be dying to eat us both alive. Letting him go? I’m not afraid, but aren’t you worried he’ll hold a grudge?"
Taken aback, Ishus instantly felt a chill but still insisted, "But..."
"Fussing over nothing, who said anything about killing him? I’m just planning to remove his gene seed," Wu Yanqing said nonchalantly.
Clank, clank—the moment his words fell, the sound of chains rang out. Tara, who had been silent until now, glared with wide eyes, "Wu Yanqing, if you dare remove my gene seed, I’ll kill myself!"
"Feel free to do so," Wu Yanqing replied indifferently.
Ishus hesitated again, "Teacher, he is a B-level life form. If we’re not careful, he might die in the process of removal."
"No problem, I have experience," Wu Yanqing said as he stepped out of the tank, ignoring the other’s roar and began preparing his equipment.
The following days were uneventful. Li Ming focused on developing the gene seed and made two more trips to Professor Xia, not yet revealing that he had mastered the Melting Furnace Refining Method.
He did close two deals for weapon transactions, both D-level weapons, easily managed. Together they earned him about ten thousand points of metal energy, a light and pleasing profit, bringing his balance to one hundred and seventy thousand.
In the meantime, he heard from Luo Chuan that Old Wu had removed that Star Crown Knight’s gene seed, which had caused some disturbances. But since there was no killing involved, it eventually blew over.
The Sela Civilization had taken a double loss this time, but Blue Star also had much to do. The impact of the Heluo Star System’s referendum would likely take years to completely settle.
That day, inside the training room, a few numbers appeared on the Energy Level Measurer—28D.
The development progress had reached 15%, and his regular energy level was 28D.
Having confirmed both his development progress and current strength, Li Ming did not continue training until late into the night.
Around eleven at noon, he greeted Luo Chuan and asked him to drop him off at a certain place in Jiangcheng.
Luo Chuan wanted to come along but was declined by Li Ming on the pretense of having lunch with Yang Yu. Not wanting to be a third wheel, Luo Chuan left, only reminding him to be cautious.
After seeing Luo Chuan off, Li Ming doubled back on the road and soon arrived at the Giant Shield Company.
Even as just one branch on Capital Star, the Giant Shield Company of Blue Star was far superior in both scale and facilities compared to Silver Grey Star.
Guided by an attendant, he smoothly made his way to the pickup room and opened the black carrying case that was delivered via the equipment.
On the familiar shimmering velvet lay a slender black bullet, seemingly swallowing all the light around it—
[Pursuer of the Night—Expendable type: crafted from Dark Flame Alloy mixed with various composite materials, a death bringer in the darkness,
Control Conditions: two hundred thousand points of metal energy
Control Ability—Dark Night: consumes Controlled Objects to temporarily elevate the Controller to a C-level life form standard.]
The requirement of two hundred thousand points of metal energy made Li Ming inwardly gasp. With his current reserve of metal energy, he couldn’t even Control it.
Yet, the "temporary elevation to C-level life form standard" underscored its true value.
Weighing it in hand, feeling its smoothness, he took a whiff at its tip, detecting a faint metallic scent. Holding it up to the light, Li Ming’s lips gradually curled into a smile.
This bullet had enormous power, and it came with a silencing trait. However, it also had a rather deadly flaw—it needed to hit the target to unleash its full power.
During its flight, the bullet couldn’t have too many collisions, which could trigger its super-gravity device.
Considering this, Li Ming took a prepared metal box from his chest and placed the bullet inside.