Chapter 48

Chapter 48

After the first day of training, it was time for free activity.

The instructor merely cast a glance at them, the ones from Wu Star, before seeking out promising talents from other planets.

Little Danjiao had a mission.

He reached into his yellow duck-shaped bag and pulled out a small box.

It was an unassuming wooden box containing a ring.

Dad had said that this ring belonged to him and Mom, and that he should inquire at the local treasure shop to see if there were any leads.

—If so, they might be able to find Danjiao's mom.

Danjiao clenched his fists; he must complete this mission!

And so, Little Pang Qiu set out alone with his tiny backpack, a distress alarm tied to his wrist by Dad, allowing him to contact the Child Protection Agency anytime.

The child, having stepped outside, discovered that this was an entirely different world.

The creatures flying in the sky and running on the ground were mostly unfamiliar to him.

Fortunately, he was adept at reading directional maps, a skill his father often praised him for as being a "genius toddler at two and a half years old."

He was sure he could manage!

With a slight pout, Danjiao confirmed the route and set off with his small backpack.

Ten minutes later, a figure by the name of Pang Qiu appeared alone at the Stellarcity Transit Hub.

The steward of the Starrail spotted the little guy first and hurried over, "Are you out on your own, young one?"

Egg Jiao nodded and displayed the location of the Treasure Pavilion on his wristband: "Beautiful sister, I want to go there."

The flight attendant was in an excellent mood, especially since the one calling for assistance was a polite, adorable, and good-looking youngling.

The tone of her voice softened as she spoke, "Did you get separated from your family? Let me help you look for them and call them over, alright? Who's your father?"

The attendant had intended to search for the passenger's UID through the Star Network, but Little Pang Qiu surprised her with his words.

Danjiao looked a bit embarrassed as he replied, "Dad said he's a country bumpkin, and I'm a little trashy rascal."

The attendant almost burst out laughing, "I guess I can't help you contact your dad, then."

Danjiao nodded seriously, "Dad let me come alone. He said I'm the hope of our village."

The attendant managed to hold back her laughter and sent this hope of the village, the trashy rascal, and adorable child onto the star rail, even waiving his fare.

As Danjiao sat on the star rail, he began to browse through the information on his wristband with a serious expression.

This amusing scene melted the hearts of the other passengers.

The sight of this young cub on his solo journey was simply adorable.

Someone on the ride captured that moment and posted it in the 'nearby' section of the Star Network.

In the Z system, it was rare to find such an adorable youngling, and many people immediately replied with enthusiasm.

They praised with comments like "So cute!" "What an independent baby!" "Does anyone know where to get the same yellow duck bag the cub is carrying?" and so on.

After the star train arrived at its destination, Danjiao found himself inexplicably handed snacks by many friendly older siblings.

Little Pang Qiu returned the snacks to them, saying, "Danjiao has pre-prepared dishes from Dad."

One of the guys who got off the train curiously asked, "What are pre-prepared dishes?"

The concept had been introduced by Lu Wei, and in truth, Danjiao didn't fully understand it either.

So, he chose to mimic his father's explanation.

With a half-knowing, half-confused expression, Danjiao explained, "It's like when you freeze veggies, add some magical little ingredients, and then heat it up again! So delicious!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes softened with affection.

Isn't that just leftovers?

What a pitiful little treasure.

Thus, Danjiao was stuffed with even more snacks.

The passing guy turned around to wipe his tears, stuffing a pack of compressed rations into Danjiao's bag. "Big brother thinks you're cute, so this is for you."

Danjiao's eyes sparkled. "So being good-looking can get you more food!"

This amused the onlookers, who then felt even more sympathy for the child.

What kind of family did he come from?

They couldn't even provide enough leftovers, forcing him to beg for food!

Those who understood the situation were moved to tears.

Popular thread near the Z galaxy:

## Encountered an adorable child with divine looks in need of help. Let's lend a hand if we can.

Amidst posts declaring "I can't even take care of myself, let alone an orphan" and "no pictures, no truth," those who saw the photos posted by the thread starter and other kind souls were astounded.

The child could be described as winning the genetic lottery. His eyes were large and bright, seemingly radiating light, while his face was so translucent it almost glowed. His cheeks resembled two plump and luscious peaches. Most importantly, at such a young age, it was already evident that he would grow up to be a heartthrob – the possibilities were thrilling.

"I take it back!"

"Where is he? I love taking care of youngsters!"

"Goodness, if all children were this adorable, who wouldn't want to have one?"

Unaware that someone had secretly snapped his photo, Danjiao continued on his journey.

With interstellar travel being convenient, the little one made his way smoothly to the Treasure House. Pushing open the door, he took out the wooden box containing the ring.

The owner of the Treasure House gave him a quick glance but remained silent.

Danjiao tottered over to the counter on his short legs. "Uncle, I was wondering if you know what this ring is?"

He opened the box.

Inside was a rather unassuming ring, dusty gray in color, with a blue stone embedded in it.

The owner merely gave it a cursory glance and said dismissively, "No idea."

Pang Qiu stepped closer, "Uncle Handsome, could you take another look? Can you tell Danjiao what kind of stone this is?"

The owner waved him off impatiently, "I already said I don't know!"

Danjiao was about to say more when the owner pushed him aside, "Scrawny kid, don't get in my way of doing business."

"..."

Danjiao was a clever child. He could tell from the owner's attitude that the ring was inexpensive, which was why the owner hadn't given it a second look.

Closing the box, the young one bumped into the tall uncle entering the shop and then left.

Those who brushed past him stole a glance at the ring, then turned their heads away.

"Selling Hawkeye."

Danjiao stole a furtive glance back, only to see the tall uncle with a scar on his face retrieve a crystal case, within which was nestled a single eye.

Perhaps, as he said, it was the gaze of an eagle.

In his right hand, he held a cage covered in black cloth, from which the faint breath of a living creature could be sensed.

The boss glanced at him. "There are too many fake Hawkeyes on the market. I don't accept goods from strangers."

Still preoccupied with the ring that seemed familiar to him, the man with the scar replied, "It's genuine."

After he finished speaking, he pulled off the black cloth covering the right cage.

The contents of the cage were now in full view.

It was a completely black Hawkeye with snow-white feathers running down its spine.

Hawk-Eyes were quite rare in the galaxy, renowned for their superior combat abilities. Their eyes were often coveted by nobles as collectibles, fetching exorbitant prices in the market.

The boss's eyes lit up.

Danjiao had also noticed that the eagle only had one eye left.

"Ow!"

Danjiao furrowed his brow. "Uncle Scar, did you take out its eye?"

The boss was furious, swiftly approaching to chase Pang Qiu away. "Don't disrupt my business!"

While they were talking, Scarface suddenly recalled what the ring was.

He was a man of many travels and experiences.

That object on the ring—

"Boy, don't leave just yet!"

The scarred man flung the cage aside, ignoring Hawkeye, and strode out in pursuit.

Danjiao, with his small arms and legs, hadn't gone too far.

Thus, he was intercepted by the scarred man.

Scarred Man: "Kid, let me take a look at that ring of yours."

Danjiao didn't like him, so he replied, "No."

Scarred Man: "I seem to have seen this ring before."

Danjiao: !

"Really?"

However, Pang Qiu still disliked him and didn't fully trust his words.

Scarred Man deliberately added, "Uncle is a wandering hunter, traveling to all sorts of planets usually. I might know where you got this from."

Danjiao pulled out the wooden box from his backpack and presented it to the man, his plump little hands holding it firmly.

With just a quick glance earlier, the scarred man couldn't be sure.

But now, after examining it closely, he was certain that this was indeed an Eternal Azure Crystal!

It was a gemstone so rare that it had no set market price; there were barely any in existence.

It wasn't something that could be bought with money alone, nor could its value be simply described as precious.

The scarred man composed himself and said with a cold expression, "I must have misjudged it. It's just an ordinary stone, one that can be found anywhere. There's no way of knowing its exact origin."

Danjiao let out a sigh.

His father had also thought the same, and the ring was dull and lifeless, not even qualifying as a gemstone.

The scarred man had actually intended to test Danjiao with those words, and judging from the child's reaction, they clearly didn't know its true worth.

The Eternal Azure Crystal would only emit a dazzling glow when worn by its contracted owner; once removed, it would lose all its luster.

Not only this child, but even that jeweler was oblivious to the value.

Scarred Man said, "I see you like that Gyrfalcon Eagle. Why don't you trade me your ring for it?"

Danjiao lifted his head at the suggestion, his eyes sparkling with curiosity, "Uncle, didn't you say this ring isn't worth much? Then why do you want to trade with Danjiao?"

His words were sharp and to the point.

Seems like he wasn't an easy child to deceive.

Scarred Man: "..."

Scarred Man: "It resembles the ring Uncle lost. I feel a connection to it."

Danjiao shook his head. "No thanks."

If he traded it away, he wouldn't be able to find Mommy, and Daddy would surely be sad.

Seeing that Danjiao was about to leave, the Scarred Man quickly went into the jewelry store and retrieved the Gyrfalcon Eagle figurine.

Eagle-eyed Vulture fixated on Little Pang Qiu, even with one eye lost, it exuded an intimidating aura.

Danjiao crouched down, examining the eagle with great curiosity.

Children's attention was easily captured by animals, and Scarface seized the opportunity to focus on the ring.

However, despite crouching, the chubby boy kept holding onto the box tightly.

Scarface's gaze shifted, and he casually unlocked the cage with his hands behind his back.

Instantly, the Eagle-eyed Vulture flapped its wings and soared out.

"Woah!"

As the bird swooped down, Danjiao let out a startled cry.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Scarface stealthily exchanged the similar inferior replica with the Everlasting Azure Crystal Ring.

It was a case of swapping the prince with a commoner, like a marten masquerading as royalty.

The skill that Rogue Hunters were most adept at.

After the scarred man successfully switched the rings, he didn't even glance back and turned to leave.

Leaving behind the Gyrfalcon and the young child.

—Since the ring had already been stolen, this blind creature could do as it pleased.

The Gyrfalcon, a notorious ruthless species in the galaxy, was now pursuing the little Pang Qiu, who was half its size.

"Pang Qiu, Pang Qiu," the child cried amidst the chaos, still searching for his ring.

Fortunately, the wooden box was still there, along with the dull gray ring inside.

Pang Qiu breathed a sigh of relief and promptly stowed the wooden box into his small pack.

The eagle continued pecking at him, and the child, unable to endure any longer, turned around seriously to warn, "If you lose the ring, Father will be sad, and Danjiao won't forgive you!"

Eagle-eyed Vulture had been nuzzling against Pang Qiu, but for some reason, it stopped when it heard that.

Danjiao asked, "You're not going to peck my butt anymore?"

Eagle-eyed Vulture: "…"

"Ao—"

It let out a long howl, though its meaning was unclear.

For some reason, the vulture suddenly raised its wings gently and rubbed against Pang Qiu, even using its beak to nuzzle softly at his belly.

Its attitude had done a complete 180-degree turn.

It was as gentle as a little lamb.

Danjiao was delighted. "You touched me with your wings, do you want to go home with me?"

Eagle-eyed Vulture: "Ao—"

Egg Jiao: "Huh? Oh?"

Vulture-Eyed Eagle: "Ooh-"

He agreed. He wanted to go home with Egg Jiao.

Egg Jiao rubbed his chubby chin thoughtfully, "Then I'll call you One-Eye!"

One-Eye: "..."

It rubbed its body on the spot, clearly not very pleased.

Yet, the chubby cub continued to stare at him.

One eye: "Ow-ow-ow!"

Let it hoot as it may, who could blame it for its powerful genes?

Thus, the plump cub that had left alone returned with an eagle-eyed vulture in tow.

The Vulture-Eagle was notorious for its ferocity, yet curiously, it didn't harm Pang Qiu at all.

---

On the distant Emperor Star,

Lu Wei's braised chicken nutrient solution received the princess's super rave review.

The princess, eagerly awaiting a response, saw...

She saw the report sent by her subordinate.

Her eyes lit up upon reading the description of how it could make food taste twice as delicious.

Then she saw...

[It requires the Astromos plant called "Potato." Princess, you might want to try establishing connections with the royal family.]

And her eyes dimmed once more.

The princess was indeed very covetous, but...

"Too demanding, isn't it?"

Although she shares the royal lineage with the current sovereign, she is quite apprehensive. In the eyes of that sovereign, there is little to no familial affection to speak of. As a princess with a significant age gap from him, she has hardly ever had a conversation.

Moreover, she had heard of Asmora. Wasn't it the planet that His Majesty had gifted to the Queen? Considering how increasingly capricious His Majesty had become, there was no way he would agree to it.

The attendant proposed, "Why not try presenting this nutrient solution to His Majesty?"

Princess: "For His Majesty?"

The attendant explained, "His Majesty and the young prince are quite picky eaters as well. If this chef's cuisine can win His Majesty's favor, there might still be room to negotiate the crop trade."

Princess: "That does make some sense."

However, she still wasn't keen on going to the Royal City.

His Majesty already had a volatile temper, and it had only worsened after the queen's disappearance. Who would willingly court trouble?

The princess wished to savor the doubly delicious nutrient solution without having to visit the Royal City, causing her great dilemma.

"I need to ponder on this."

Then, she came up with a perfect compromise.

She could send the food over without physically going there.

The princess extracted one of the nutrient solutions and hesitantly placed it in the transmitter. "I might as well let His Majesty sample it first. If he approves, we can proceed further."

In the Royal City.

The adjutant received the contents sent through the transmitter.

It was from the princess.

"Recently, I've acquired a talented chef, so I'm sending some food for His Majesty to taste. Not only is the flavor delectable, but the texture is also quite novel. Perhaps His Majesty will enjoy it as well."

The eldest princess had married outside the royal family long ago and rarely had any contact with the royal household. The last time she initiated contact was during the little prince's full moon celebration.

Considering the fact that even the discerning Princess with her high standards holds this chef in such esteem and has taken the trouble to inform His Majesty about it, it's evident that this chef truly possesses remarkable skills.

The delivery also included a nutrient solution.

It seemed the Princess was confident enough to send it directly for them to sample.

The aide stroked his chin thoughtfully and decided to inform the Emperor.

Though there were indeed thousands of spam messages each day, it appeared that some genuinely useful intelligence could still be found among them.

—Of course, he was unaware that he had discarded Lu Wei's colorful resume previously.

The aide read out the name, "Luxurious Nutrient Solution."

Indeed, the Princess was too embarrassed to put down a name like "Golden Braised Chicken Nutrient Solution," which sounded cheap and imitation.

Despite the gift being delivered, it was quite clear that His Majesty would not partake of it.

It was entirely within their expectations.

The adjutant sighed.

Night fell.

Silence reigned supreme.

After finishing his evening studies, the young prince returned to his chambers.

There, he found a nutrient tube waiting for him, along with a message.

It turned out to be a gift from his aunt, the princess.

Actually, the young prince wasn't very familiar with this aunt, as she lived outside and seldom kept in touch with them. He only knew that she had attended his birthday banquet once.

The young prince gazed at the nutrient tube.

The adjutant advised, "Young Prince, if you're curious, give it a try. If the princess finds it delicious, it must taste good."

Pang Qiu nodded and held up the nutrient solution tube.

"Deluxe Nutrient Solution."

Huo Nian's chubby hand hesitated slightly. "It doesn't sound appetizing."

The aide: ...

Not only did its name sound plain, but the color was also rather subtle.

Pang Qiu's actions were filled with hesitation and doubt.

The aide wore a similar expression. "Perhaps we should just forget about it. I don't find the color very appealing."

However, the young prince stared at the nutrient solution in a peculiar manner.

He felt that the scent emanating from it was somehow familiar.

The aide crouched down for a closer examination. "Could it be that the princess is playing a prank on us?"

The young prince shook his head seriously and said, "I'll still give it a try."

Under the adjutant's watchful gaze, the young prince began to consume this "luxurious nutrient solution."

Then, the adjutant saw a glimmer in Little Fatty's eyes.

Little Wires usually didn't show much expression, but for the first time, he saw the look of "deliciousness" on the child's face.

After taking a bite, the little fellow refused to put the item down.

This action spoke volumes.

Finally, he was acting his age, thought the adjutant, a teary-eyed father figure.

In his heart, the adjutant acknowledged that the Crown Princess had not deceived him.

Truly, it was a taste worthy of her high praise!

With affection, the adjutant asked, "Is it delicious?"

The young prince blinked his large, beautiful eyes and nodded earnestly.

Adjutant: Amen, praise the Crown Princess.

The adjutant's tone was filled with a tenderness she herself couldn't have imagined: "What kind of taste is it?"

Young Prince: "It tastes like... Mom..."

That had slipped out subconsciously. Realizing what he had said, his plump cheeks flushed red, and even his ears turned pink.

Young Prince: "No, it's just really tasty."

Pang Qiu couldn't very well tell the adjutant that he found the flavor somewhat familiar. Perhaps he had caught a whiff of something similar when he was very young.

But it was just a feeling; he had no recollection of any such memory.

"..."

The adjutant's affectionate expression turned to pity, and she didn't dare to ask any further.

Afraid of stirring up unpleasant memories for the young prince.

This matter was promptly reported to the monarch.

It was rare for this young one to actively express his fondness for something.

The king, upon contemplation, began to reach out to the princess: "Fetch that chef."

Of course, His Majesty of your country wasn't one for polite phrasing.

The princess, receiving the Emperor's three-dimensional communication, was initially quite nervous. Upon hearing this command, she replied, "As of now, that chef is still in another galaxy. It seems he's unwilling to come over. We've been communicating solely through direct mail."

The Emperor responded simply, "Oh."

Princess: Oh??

She heard him inquire further, "Where exactly is he situated?"

After the princess spoke, the emperor responded, "I'll send someone to bring him here."

Princess: ...?

The chef was unsure if this was a compliment or an insult to you.

The emperor set an example for Pang Qiu, teaching him, "If you want something, take it directly."

Pang Qiu blinked, his fair little face shimmering with a glow.

The Emperor said, "Aren't you someone who rarely finds things appealing? When you do, you should snatch them up immediately."

Pang Qiu nodded. "Understood, Father."

The adjutant: "…"

Just look at what kind of education our young prince is receiving.