Chatosi is crucial. Lin Zhen had to capture him with his own hands!
He stared at Xi Muzhi with burning eyes, awaiting an answer, wishing he could board the spaceship and depart immediately.
Seeing Lin Zhen like this, Xi Muzhi gestured for him to sit down. Instead of answering his question right away, he sighed and asked:
“A hundred thousand light-years. Even if you pilot the spaceship and warp nonstop, it will take over a month. Add the return trip, and you’ll inevitably miss the Academy Tournament that’s about to be held.”
“You should know that every student in the Transcendent Department only gets three chances to participate in the Academy Tournament in their lifetime.”
“Back in sophomore year, you weren’t strong enough and missed it. Now, in your senior year, you’ve set foot on the Perfect Path.”
“Even among all the second-level star energy users in the school, you rank highly. You have a good chance of getting an excellent result and making a name for yourself in one battle.”
The Academy Tournament is not only an assessment of the school’s teaching quality, but also a platform for self-promotion.
Star energy users who perform well and earn rankings can receive olive branches from major cosmic groups, the Cosmic Academy, or the inner Empire.
“I don’t want to be too pessimistic, but the truth is, if your path breaks in your sixth year…” The man looked seriously into Lin Zhen’s eyes. “This time, it might be your only opportunity in life. So, are you really going?”
Just as Lin Zhen was about to speak, Xi Muzhi sighed again.
“A local Galactic Security Office can’t handle Chatosi, so they filed a case, and now the Interstellar Security Office is on it. Chatosi most likely won’t be able to escape. You can just wait for good news. A second-level Star Bandit isn’t worth betting your life’s future on.”
“I hope you’ll think it over carefully before making a decision.” He pointed at the door. “The invitation is still valid until 6:00 PM tomorrow. You don’t have to answer me right now. Call your friends and family and discuss it.”
His voice fell.
Lin Zhen waited a moment, then after confirming Xi Muzhi had nothing else to say, he grinned brightly.
“Teacher, no need to think anymore. Even if I had to choose ten thousand times, I’d make the same choice.”
He raised his right hand, which wasn’t wearing a personal terminal.
The meaning was clear.
He wanted to go capture Chatosi and personally find out the secrets of the Saint Hand Society.
“Ever since eight years ago, my life hasn’t belonged to just me anymore. This is something I have to do.”
“Ah, I knew it.” Xi Muzhi sighed for the third time, this one heavier and more resentful.
Lin Zhen stood up and bowed deeply to Xi Muzhi. “I’m sorry, Teacher, for disappointing your trust. You’ve helped me many times. In the future, Lin Zhen will repay this kindness.”
Xi Muzhi could have simply suppressed this information and told him after the Academy Tournament ended.
By then, things would already be settled.
Whether he could find Chatosi or not, at least his résumé would gain another glorious achievement.
The very act of giving him a choice was a kindness.
So by telling him the news now, Xi Muzhi was giving him the opportunity to choose.
‘It’s precisely because I knew you would choose this way that I agreed to help you.’
Xi Muzhi waved his hand, thinking to himself.
He didn’t say that he actually saw his own past in Lin Zhen—the same metal-type ability, the same stubborn, iron-willed personality.
“I’ll give this opportunity to the other trainees this time. Don’t come crying later,” the man said.
“I won’t!” Lin Zhen straightened up, confidence written all over his face. “By my sixth year, I’ll bring you honor, Teacher.”
With that, he turned and left.
***
Just as he pushed open the door and was about to step out, Xi Muzhi’s voice came from behind.
“Be careful. Chatosi has been through life-and-death battles. Even if he’s only second level, don’t underestimate him.”
“Understood.” Lin Zhen nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
It was true Chatosi had fought many battles—big and small—but Lin Zhen was the one who had crawled out of hell itself.
Chatosi probably never imagined that the kid he’d kidnapped all those years ago would climb out of the abyss to take revenge on him, right?
Lin Zhen left the villa, mounted his flying shuttle, and raced back to his personal room without a moment’s delay.
In the interstellar era, land was the least valuable thing.
Because of their training needs, every student in the Transcendent Department could have a huge plot of land to build a private room that also served as a training room.
That dozens-story-tall Alloy Building had been his private room.
It was the culmination of four years of work—continuously using body energy to carefully build it up, bit by bit, while honing his supernatural power’s precision. Every Alloy Wall and every alloy beam condensed the effort of those four years.
By the time he returned to the Alloy Building, the sky was already dark. Afternoon events had wasted too much time.
Lin Zhen jumped off the flying shuttle and saw two figures outside the building.
Blue Lulu walked over awkwardly, clumsily, hesitantly, red-faced and embarrassed.
“I’m sorry, Lin Zhen. This afternoon, it was… my fault. I was too thoughtless, meow!”
She bowed to Lin Zhen as she spoke.
Then she arched her back backward, thrusting out her soft, fair-skinned belly.
“As an apology, you can touch my belly as much as you want, meow.”
Because the Lulu race had undergone interstellar integration too hastily, they had preserved many racial traditions to maintain their ethnicity’s uniqueness.
For example: when apologizing, you expose your softest, most defenseless belly for the other party to stroke, to show submission.
Of course.
Because that tradition wasn’t very friendly to females, it later evolved into a way for a young girl to express her love to her crush under the pretense of making a mistake.
“No need.” Lin Zhen averted his eyes, speechless.
“Eh? Eh? Eh? Eh? You really won’t touch it, meow?” Blue Lulu’s eyes went wide, staring at Lin Zhen in disbelief.
Someone… actually refused her belly, meow?
This was the super Lulu killer move she had decided to unleash after 101 failed confessions, having finally learned from her pain.
Use her soft, cotton-candy-like belly to win in one move and directly claim the cold Lin Zhen!
Then after graduation, she’d drag him back to Lulu Star and have him father ten little kits!
“Just touch it once, meow!” Blue Lulu pitifully patted her belly.
“I’m not touching it!” Lin Zhen sighed.
Back then, why had he seen Blue Lulu’s long hair and hallucinated Xiao Xi, reaching out to pat her head?