Chapter 1

1. Oleander

boom——

The thunderstorm is like the roar of a devil, accompanied by dazzling lightning, piercing the sky. The violent wind smashed the wooden walls and several rusty iron-nailed door panels.The whole blown away.

In this case, the more than a dozen homeless orphans housed in this house would all freeze to death in this extremely cold wind and rain.

"...the biggest problem we have right now is that we are running out of food."

Bamboo poles tapped twice on the peeling paint to attract attention.The ragged orphans in the room couldn't help but look towards the front, their gray eyes turned to the boy on the steps.

This boy is the leader of them all.

The reason they are willing to follow this young man is very simple - in this impoverished area where people rob people because of lack of supplies, and even see blood, these unarmed orphans have always been vulnerable groups, and they are easy to die in the cold season.

The boy is also an orphan without father and mother, but he is a little different from them.

He is an awakened one.

"Human beings favored by God" - that's what the current Imperial Federation calls the Awakened.The number of awakened people is too rare. They are the lucky ones born of a mutation in the human gene chain. Once awakened, they will have extraordinary abilities.

Every awakened person is a strategic resource of the empire. The country has specially set up a training school for them. If any citizen of the empire finds that he has awakened ability, he can go directly to the local government office to register, so as to enjoy all aspects of resource tilt.

They didn't know why the boy didn't register and stayed in the slums to live a poor life with them.

Maybe it's out of good intentions, maybe it's for another purpose.But it is undeniable that the dozen or so orphans did survive because of his blessing, and the quality of life in the slums is all because of him, and they are very grateful to him.

These orphans are all around 14 or 15 years old, but due to long-term malnutrition, most of them are thin and small, looking only 12 years old.

The young man glanced around the pair of eyes that had dimmed since he said "insufficient food stock", he sighed in his heart, casually brushed his curly black hair behind his ears, his brows were furrowed, and he looked a little absent-minded, seems to be thinking of a solution.

At this moment, a snow-white hand stretched out from the crowd.

The young man was taken aback, and asked, "Bamboo peach? What can you do?"

People's eyes also turned to the center one after another. The girl who became the focus of the crowd for a moment tilted her head and asked in puzzlement:

"I remember that I made a lot of money after selling things last time... Is it all spent? Can't I go to buy food?"

The voice of the girl who asked the question was naturally weak, like a bird chirping, crumbling in a storm.

The boy gave a helpless smile.

"No, it's just that recently...it's too dangerous outside."

He walked down the steps, sat next to his companions, and explained to them: "There are star thieves invading our border, and our border planet is unfortunately on their way.Do you feel it? If you can’t go out, you should try not to go out.”

His words elicited an exclamation.

"Star Thief?!" A girl's face was pale, her pupils constricted in fear, and scenes of blood seemed to flash before her eyes, "No... Didn't it mean that the Star Thief group has been forcibly integrated into the kingdom of disorder? Why?There will be star robbers invading the border... Is the country of disorder going to war with the federation?!"

"That's not enough." The young man shook his head slightly, his eyelashes drooped slightly, and he half closed his starry eyes, with a trace of thought on his face, "Sending a team of star robbers to invade our Federation with such fanfare,This is a blatant provocation. If it is used as a signal, it will not gain any benefits and it will easily anger the Federation Parliament. The leader of the star thief is not such a stupid person."

"Right now, our Federation and the country of disorder belong to the category of well water and no river water. No matter which side will break this balance rashly, otherwise the situation that has finally stabilized will be drawn into the flames of war again."

"So it's not so much the king's instruction... I'd rather believe that a certain star bandit group acted without permission." The young man shrugged, "Even though they have been integrated for many years, the unscrupulous star bandits are still unwilling to obey the country.Lord, isn't it?"

The children nod.

Beside the crowd, Zhutao looked at him curiously.

"...that's amazing, Su Mo."

Not for the first time.

Su Mo's political literacy, overall concept, and long-term vision, as well as his control of the current situation, are completely inconsistent with his age and status. If he is not really talented, just look at the roadside.So many things can be deduced from the news card, that is, he is definitely not as simple as he appears on the surface.

At least that kind of words are something uneducated children like them can't say, even Oleander, who is a time traveler, can't analyze it.

He suddenly appeared in the slum a year ago.

Even though he claims to be an orphan, he reveals that he doesn't fit in from the inside out - he doesn't fit in with this slum, with these people, and even with the entire border planet.

You can tell just by looking at his appearance, this young man named Su Mo is really pretty.

He doesn't look like a malnourished child in a slum at all. His complexion is as fair as high-quality suet jade, and his slightly curly black hair does not give people a sense of mess. Instead, it looks like silk with a fine and uniform texture, and his eyes are more like colored glass., naturally with a transparent brilliance, the facial features are like the clear and three-dimensional drawn by a famous painter, but there is a youthful air that has not faded.

When he first appeared in the slums, it caused a commotion. Even Zhu Tao joined in the fun. When he learned that this young man was going to live in the slums, he was surprised for a long time.

Beauty is a double-edged sword. A beautiful person may be given preferential treatment in other places, but in a slum where pickled snakes and insects breed... beauty will only bring him disaster.

Zhutao has a deep understanding, and at that time was thinking about whether to help him, teach him to make himself messy like her, and reduce his sense of existence.

Until she saw several men who wanted to kidnap Su Mo and sell them for money, in front of the room where Su Mo lived, the young man smiled and cut his throat with a water blade.

In an instant, countless coveting eyes in the dark turned into panic. Once Su Mo's identity as an awakened person was revealed, no one dared to trouble him anymore.

... Zhutao also silently withdrew its claws.

Laughing to death, this boss doesn't need her help at all.

But her actions still attracted Su Mo's attention. When the boy asked her about her plan, Zhutao answered honestly that she had met many similar bad guys and wanted to help him.

Su Mo was slightly surprised, and then a smile bloomed on his face like ice and snow had just melted.

For some unknown reason, Su Mo moved into Zhutao's big house and lived with more than a dozen of her companions.

When Su Mo entered the big house for the first time, he was more surprised than when he learned that Zhutao wanted to help him. He asked her, "Did you gather these children together?"

Zhutao felt that there was nothing undeniable, so she nodded generously: "Underages like us...in the slums alone, the probability of surviving is worse than being in a group."

"...It was you who brought them to survive together." These words were too soft, like a gust of wind, Zhu Tao turned her head away, only to see Su Mo smiling at herself.

Zhu Tao, who has memories of her previous life, is a self-proclaimed adult with a more mature way of thinking, so she is naturally the leader of these children.

However, after Su Mo joined, Zhu Tao graciously retreated to the second line and gave up the position of leader to Su Mo. She turned around without any burden and hugged Su Mo's thigh, begging the boss to lead her away.

Su Mo is also worthy of the name of a boss. In just one year, each of them can eat every day. This was unimaginable a year ago.

Zhutao feels more and more lucky that she and these children are lucky.

No matter what Su Mo's status is... but being blessed by an awakened person is almost equivalent to ascension to heaven for the whole family.

As an ordinary person, Zhutao understands the essence of living.

...

"Whether it's the Star Thief acting on his own, or really wanting to start a war, there's always something to eat."

Zhu Tao was lying on a hard stone table with a sad face. The smooth and flat surface was one of the furniture that Su Mo cut out with a water knife.

"Well, so during this period, you should not go out to purchase supplies. I will go."

Zhutao: "...you?"

She couldn't help but look at him suspiciously.

It's not that she doesn't believe in the boss, but what does Su Mo say, it's special... She doesn't eat fireworks. Ever since Zhu Tao watched Su Mo being raised three times by a food vendor and paid honestly, she has beenNever let him go shopping again, and bring her with him if he wants to buy.

This person doesn't bargain at all!what's up!

Su Mo blinked, and his eyes wandered for a while: "I have investigated the normal market prices, and I will not do it again."

Zhutao had a cold face: "But you won't bargain."

Su Mo: "I..."

Zhutao: "Take me with you."

Su Mo was helpless immediately, leaking air like a punctured rubber ball. The exceptionally good-tempered boy always seemed to back down in front of her, and this time was no exception.

"Okay, but you must follow me closely."

Zhutao's whole body was brightened, she bent her eyes with joy, and her voice revealed joy.

"Okay!"

It was getting dark, and they made an appointment to go out to purchase supplies tomorrow, so they fell asleep one after another.

Even if Su Mo learned about the Star Bandit's chaos, in the hearts of Zhutao and the others, it was still far away from them, and everyone was lucky.

Even though the Star Pirates don't grow any grass, they burn, kill and plunder with the planet as the unit, and nowhere can be spared... But what if?What if they were just passing by and didn't intend to stay on this border planet?

This luck was shattered the next day.

The fire, which cannot be extinguished by the drizzle, is like the claws of a nightmare, digging a bottomless abyss in this area.The area that was classified as a commercial street was the most damaged. The star thieves rushed into every shop like locusts to rob and kill, and the cruel smile on their faces was reflected in the cold light of the forest.

The star thief is here.

Unfortunately, on the day Zhu Tao and Su Mo went out, they encountered these killing demons head-on.

2. Puppeteer

Time rewinds to half an hour ago.

On this planet, the commercial area is strictly divided and controlled by the most powerful Bai family in this area. It is a long way from the slums in the corner to the commercial area. If there is no public airship passing this route, Oleander and the others just going out to buy things is a big problem.

The oleanders are carefully selected on the shelves, and their brows are furrowed at the virtual light screen. Every milk product is clicked to check the detailed information, for fear that they have selected an expired product that is fake.

There is no way, the Bai family does not strictly control the business in this area, and many unscrupulous businesses often do such shoddy things.

Just as she carefully selected each item, she suddenly felt that the figure of the young man beside her froze.

Zhutao turned her head in doubt, and saw Su Mo standing a few steps away from her, motionless as if under a spell. He raised his head and stared blankly at the top shelf..

"Why are you here..."

Oleander followed his line of sight, and her eyes were stung by the reflected light.

It was a perfectly round, pitch-black pearl.

Unobtrusive, quietly placed in the corner of the shelf, hidden behind the virtual light screen introducing products, like glass marbles that can be seen everywhere on the roadside, people can't help but wonder if some naughty child has forgotten it here.

Zhu Tao reached for it, and the black pearl rolled into her palm, and she spread it out to Su Mo: "Are you looking for this?"

"Ah..." Su Mo came back from a trance, and nodded to Zhutao, "It's very important, I've been looking for it for a long time."

He never expected that something that could not be dug up by digging three feet would appear so unexpectedly before his eyes.

This made him feel that it was really a waste of money and life-like carpet searches for his family to spend a lot of effort...

Zhutao let out an oh, and went to check out with Su Mo, and was about to give him all the things, but just when she took out the black pearl and was about to stuff it to him, a violent earthquake interrupted her movements.

The ground suddenly began to shake violently, the neatly arranged shelves swayed here and there, and fell heavily, and the ceiling shook off the dust, accompanied by a panicking sound, Oleander saw a crack in the corner of the wall, and it continued to expand...…

"what's the situation?!"

Some people who also came to purchase supplies yelled in panic, but of course no one paid attention to them, the sudden change happened, and everyone was overwhelmed.

This is the largest shopping mall in this area. At this moment, the crowd is rushing towards the door like a tide. The stairs are full of crowded heads. People's voices are buzzing.continue.

In chaotic and crowded running, it is easy to cause stampede accidents.But if it is nestled in a building and does not move, it will not be long before it will be buried by the ruins.

Zhutao lost her footing and almost fell down. Su Mo helped her up.

"Don't panic."

At the moment when everyone was panicking, Su Mo's clear and calm voice seemed to have a strange power, which slowly injected her with a reassurance.

The huge iron shelf collapsed towards them, and the shadows gradually covered the two of them. Su Mo turned his back to the fallen shelf, and maintained the posture of supporting her back, as if he didn't see the crisis behind him at all.

"Su Mo, behind you...!" Zhutao was speechless.

As clear as a spring, the water that violates the rules of gravity surges up round after round, forming a bowl-shaped defensive cover in the blink of an eye. The transparent ripples slightly sway on the surface, but the soft water bears the weight of a thousand pounds, protecting the two of them under the shelf.

"It's okay." Su Mo smiled gently at her.

Zhu Tao blinked. Although it was not the first time she had faced it directly, she was still shocked by the unreasonable power of the Awakened.

She has long passed the period of longing for the golden finger of the time traveler, but how to put it, every time she thinks that she is an ordinary person after time travel, she still feels regretful...

The earthquake became more and more intense, and the load-bearing column also cracked and cracked under the shaking of stronger waves. Oleander tightly grasped his cuffs, and was led by Su Mo towards the window.

Her voice was a little distant: "Isn't this an earthquake?"

"It's not a natural phenomenon, it should be man-made." In Su Mo's glazed pupils, there was a cold light like a blade, "Someone attacked the commercial district... and there is a high probability that the other party has an awakened person."

Zhutao was led by him to jump out of the window, the water wave dissipated the momentum, and they landed safely. As soon as he raised his head, Zhutao was so shocked that he lost his voice.

The noise outside turned out not to be the noise of the crowd in panic, but...heavy firearms and people's screams mixed together, like a dying cry for help from a broken eardrum.

It has been more than ten years since oleander came to this world.

She thought she had landed in a slum and suffered a lot, and she also saw the sinister heart of people in a poor environment.But compared with the scene in front of her, she seemed to be living in a hotbed for the past ten years.

The cruel side of the interstellar era was finally unveiled before her eyes.

The laser swept across the ground, and a deep gully appeared in an instant. The man dressed as a star thief was holding a gun.

These men and women who broke into the business district suddenly had a skull logo on their clothes. Their attire did not conform to the modern style of the Federation at all. They were all equipped with firepower and shot at civilians.Shops and houses were burned, killed and looted frantically.

Zhutao and Su Mo hid in a hidden corner. Su Mo remained calm when he saw the scene directly, but his brows were deeply frowned.