Chapter 36: Shā Star Visitor

Chapter 36: Shā Star Visitor

After Cang Cheng won against Hilmeth, he developed a fever that very night.

Although he had only been splashed with water in the virtual world, combined with drawing too many Spirit Runes lately and the overwhelming affairs on Luo Ri Star, he ended up emitting soft, uncomfortable groans in the middle of the night.

Cang Cheng’s already pale skin flushed slightly due to his discomfort, causing his cheeks to flush slightly, which made his lips appear even more colorless.

The first to notice Cang Cheng's unusual state was Hilmeth, who was sharing a room with him.

Hilmeth walked over to Cang Cheng's side and reached out to touch his forehead.

It was burning hot.

Hilmeth withdrew his hand, a look of concern on his face. "Cang Cheng, you're running a fever."

Delirious from the fever, Cang Cheng couldn't hear the outside world clearly.

He only felt something cold on his face, which felt very comfortable, and he wanted more of it.

Like a small beast seeking solace, Cang Cheng nuzzled against Hilmeth's icy palm.

Finding it cool, he felt comfortable for a moment, but it wasn’t enough. While the left side of his face felt cool, the right side was still hot.

So, he rested his entire face in Hilmeth's palm.

Cang Cheng's face was small, completely enclosed in the larger hand.

Hilmeth's wide fingers moved slightly, and a strange emotion appeared in his red-gold eyes.

The skin of his palm, where it was touched, became hot. Even with his normally low body temperature, he couldn't help feeling a wave of heat.

Something was... off.

He tried to withdraw his hand to escape from that strange heat, but a low, pleading sound stopped him.

Cang Cheng: "Don't go..."

Hilmeth clenched his fist, his voice slightly hoarser than usual.

"I won't leave, I'll get you some medicine."

"Don't go..."

"I'll be back soon, don't worry, Cang Cheng."

The weakened Cang Cheng was finally comforted by Hilmeth's repeated low, comforting words.

Hilmeth successfully pulled his hand back.

Since Cang Cheng and Mo were living together on the second floor for ease of living, Cang Cheng had prepared a complete set of medications in the study.

Hilmeth found a vial of fever medicine and returned to the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed, helping Cang Cheng lean against his shoulder, and fed him the medicine little by little.

Whenever some liquid dribbled from the corner of Cang Cheng's mouth, Hilmeth gently wiped it off with his fingertip.

When his finger touched Cang Cheng's soft lips, his hand paused slightly, and the tip of his tail twisted nervously.

After Cang Cheng finished drinking the fever medicine, Hilmeth fetched a cold towel and placed it on Cang Cheng's forehead to help reduce the fever.

The cool towel made Cang Cheng feel comfortable, and his demeanor gradually relaxed.

Hilmeth sat nearby, watching over Cang Cheng.

He stayed there for an entire night.

When Cang Cheng's fever broke and he woke up, it was already daytime.

Cang Cheng sat up, and the towel on his forehead slipped off.

He looked at the towel confused for a moment, then remembered that he had suddenly developed a fever the previous night, and Hilmeth had taken care of him the whole night.

Cang Cheng smiled at Hilmeth.

"Mo, thank you for taking care of me. You're really dependable."

Hilmeth's gaze lingered on Cang Cheng's slightly dry lips, then shifted away. "It's my responsibility. I'll get you some water."

*

Because of his concern for Cang Cheng's health, Hilmeth watched over him for the next two days, ensuring Cang Cheng didn't overexert himself and got plenty of rest.

Cang Cheng said, "Mo, I'm already better, you don't have to be so careful."

Hilmeth remained expressionless. "Even though you're better, you still can't stay up late."

Cang Cheng replied, "I just want to draw a few more Spirit Runes, I can earn several million!"

Hilmeth said, "No, you have to sleep."

Cang Cheng pouted. "You're being stingy. Hmph."

Though Cang Cheng went to bed angrily, his anger dissipated the next day when he saw Hilmeth sitting by his bedside.

Hilmeth was crouched on the small chair by the bed, his long legs bent, a position that looked uncomfortable.

The tail tied to his leg lay obediently, fluffy and puffy, looking so fluffy that one would want to touch it.

Cang Cheng took another glance, then shifted his gaze away.

"You're awake, how are you feeling?" Hilmeth opened his eyes and greeted Cang Cheng.

"I've been fine for some time. My body isn't that fragile."

Hilmeth said nothing in response. He took another glance at Cang Cheng.

Even though Cang Cheng ate expensive food and vitamins from interstellar sources, he still hadn't put on much weight, remaining small enough to be easily held in Hilmeth's hand.

Hilmeth rose. "What would you like for breakfast? How about a chicken and egg pancake?"

Some ingredients were in the dining room on the second floor. Although there weren't any proper kitchen utensils, the experimental torches and various tools taken from Mu Xing were enough to prepare some simple food.

"Sounds good! I also want to drink some milk tea."

"I'll prepare it for you."

Hilmeth then walked into the dining room and began preparing the food with the torch capable of melting metal.

After washing up, Cang Cheng watched Hilmeth busy in the kitchen, a smile spreading across his face.

He felt a sense of stability in his heart, but at the same time, something felt off.

It seemed that the powerful protector was transformed into a domestic handyman.

Doesn't something feel off?

And so, Cang Cheng rested for two days.

That day, the diplomatic delegation from Planet Sha arrived at Luo Ri.

Ever since Simon left, Sha Builo had been busy preparing for the visit to Luo Ri.

Although it was termed a friendly visit, actually... Sha Builo intended to undermine the governor of Luo Ri Star.

He required the Water Runes but had no desire to establish a transport route with the underdeveloped Luo Ri. Thus, undermining the governor of Luo Ri Star was the wisest choice.

"Coming to a place like Luo Ri and bringing us along, isn't this a bit much? I guarantee I can make that governor surrender with just one move."

On the shuttle, Menoro, a Grade B Spirit Warrior from Planet Sha, said this.

Although Menoro's awakening level was only Grade B, he was tall and burly, over 2 meters in height, with a muscular build that was highly intimidating.

He weighed 120kg, and his physique alone could overwhelm many people, along with the title of 'Mountain of Sha,' indicating his formidable abilities.

"Luo Ri holds the Water Runes. If negotiations break down, what if they sweep us away with a water rune?"

Yiero, another Grade B Spirit Warrior, retorted.

Compared to Menoro, Yiero was leaner and exuded a more sinister aura, seeming like an assassin at first glance.

And he was indeed an assassin renowned for his speed.

"Then I'll squash them!"

Menoro fist-bumped, his veins bulging.

"Don't act so arrogant when visiting someone else's planet," Assistant Officer Sha Builo said. "At the very least, we should maintain the appearance of politeness."

The implication was to cause trouble behind the scenes.

The other two exchanged glances, smiling, "Of course, Assistant Officer."

After hours of travel, the Sha Star shuttle arrived above Luo Ri Star. The transmission pod was lowered, and the Sha Star team descended to the ground.

Unlike the sandy terrain and excessively dry climate of Sha Star, the central district of Luo Ri was enveloped in greenery. As far as the eye could see, it looked lush and verdant, offering a natural feel completely different from the planets in the Canglan Star Region.

Although the temperature control devices of Luo Ri weren't installed across the entire district, the relatively low temperature in the central area lowered the surrounding temperatures by a few degrees.

This made the climate and humidity of the entire central district quite comfortable. Even in the midst of a hot summer with the sun high overhead, the highest temperature of 32 degrees wasn't too hot.

The team from Sha Star was surprised.

This out-of-the-way star is actually quite nice.

Although it's somewhat remote, as far as the climate, it's truly a great place.

If they could take control of Luo Ri, couldn't they vacation in such an environment?

Philip, dressed in a white-based blue-patterned suit, was already waiting at the landing point of the teleportation cabin.

Ever since Cang Cheng arrived on Luo Ri, Philip changed all the work uniforms on Luo Ri to a uniform blue-based white-patterned style, which looked very crisp and efficient.

Philip wore a formulaic smile: "Welcome to Luo Ri for a visit. I am Philip, the assistant officer of Luo Ri."

Sha Builo, noticing that only Philip came to greet them, felt displeased that they weren't given much importance: "Where is your administrative officer?"

Philip: "The administrative officer is waiting in the administrative hall and specifically ordered me to come and greet the three of you, to show you around the local customs of Luo Ri."

The burly Menoro muttered: "What is there to see on such a poor planet."

Yiero, standing beside him, dissatisfiedly yawned: "So tired, I want to nap."

Although Sha Builo said nothing, he concurred inwardly.

A border planet that isn't even as advanced as Sha, with a reportedly useless fifth prince as the administrative officer, likely has no noteworthy local customs to offer, right?

It's probably just some undeveloped primitive scenery they're trying to present.

Sha Builo: "Please, lead us to the administrative officer as soon as possible, Philip. Our time is extremely valuable."

Philip nodded, "This way, please."

Philip led the group, wearing Sha attire, through the commercial street.

As soon as they arrived at the commercial street, they were astonished by what they saw.

On the well-organized commercial street, numerous small merchant carts were filled with goods, dazzling and plentiful.

There were vendors selling wicker products, some selling unique mutated fish, and even more surprisingly, quite a few food trucks selling food.

These were foods that could easily be sold for more than a thousand credits in the interstellar market, and you couldn't obtain them no matter how much you wanted to.

How come on Luo Ri Star, food was being casually sold on the streets like some trivial item?

"Selling potatoes! One potato for 20 credits, a cup of mashed potatoes for 30 credits..."

"Cold pumpkin porridge..."

"Smooth and silky steamed egg soup, one bowl for 70 credits, containing two eggs~"

"Braised mushroom chicken! A newly developed food from the cultivation chamber, certified as 'delicious' by the Governor himself! Small portion for 50 credits, large portion for 80 credits."

...

The Sha Xing people initially tried to deceive themselves, thinking that the scene before them was an illusion, a holographic projection, just some face-saving measure for Luo Ri.

However, the aroma of food carried by the gentle breeze aroused their appetites. The needs that couldn't be met by nutrient solution were instantly revived, and their stomachs growled, making it hard to continue lying to themselves that 'this was fake.'

The largest among them, Men Soro, kept making swallowing motions, his eyes fixed on the food trucks. "Where does the food on Luo Ri come from? Isn't it contaminated food! Can it really be eaten?"

Yi Yehuo, seemingly calm but with his pre-sprint stance revealing his eagerness, said, "Will it kill people?"

Philip explained, "This is the latest low-cost, pollution-free food developed on Luo Ri. Everyone on Luo Ri eats it, including Lord Cang Cheng. You can all rest assured."

Men Soro said, "I don’t believe it. How can food that costs over a thousand credits elsewhere be sold for only 20 credits? Unless I try it myself."

Saying so, Men Soro walked up to the food truck selling braised mushroom chicken, with an arrogant tone, "Give me a serving."

The staff at the food cart served a portion of braised mushrooms with chicken to Menoro.

Menoro, unable to control himself due to the enticing aroma, began eating ravenously with no regard for his manners.

At first, he used a fork, but soon, he disregarded all manners and shoveled the entire contents of the bowl into his mouth.

*"So fragrant and so delicious..."*

"In comparison, nutrient solution was just garbage."

"How could food this delicious exist?" He was determined to eat it all!

In the blink of an eye, the bowl of braised mushrooms with chicken was gone.

He didn’t even spare the chicken bones, crunching them loudly before swallowing.

It was so delicious.

But it wasn't enough!

Menoro greedily eyed the metal barrel storing the braised mushrooms with chicken. His eyes lit up as he said, "Give me the whole barrel!"

Without waiting, Menoro made a grab for it.

"Wait, sir, how can you just take things? Even if you want it, you need to pay first!"

Menoro, ignoring the staff, said arrogantly, "Who do you think you're to stop me?"

As a trusted confidant of Assistant Officer Sha Builo and a Grade B Spirit Warrior, Menoro was accustomed to defying the law.

Back on Planet Sha, no one dared stop him. And now, on this small border planet Luo Ri Star, he believed no one but Sha Builo could control him.

Who dares to stop him?

Did they even know who he was? And what about their own status?

A mere ordinary person, too weak to even kill a chicken, they were just wasting such delicious food just by existing.

Menoro pushed the staff away and slammed his fist into the windshield of the merchant cart, shattering it. He grabbed the metal barrel with both hands.

Menoro lifted his foot, preparing to break the ribs of the inattentive staff member.

"Swish!" The laser beam precisely landed next to Menoro’s foot.

Menoro leaped back, avoiding the first attack.

However, the attacks came one after another, leaving him no time to react.

Menoro shouted loudly, his muscles bulging, dramatically hardening his body.

He prepared to endure the impact from the laser tracking gun.

To Menoro, who had incredible physical strength, the damage from an ordinary laser gun was nothing.

"As the whizzing sound of bullets continued, the first shot from the patrol robot hit Menoro, and his skin split open.

This attack... was not right!

The pain caused Menoro to realize that this was not an ordinary patrol robot.

However, it was too late.

The tracking speed of the patrol robot's shots was extremely fast, leaving Menoro overwhelmed.

His body froze for a moment, and the next second, both his thigh and calf were shot through, bleeding profusely.

Menoro fell to the ground, and the bucket of braised chicken with mushrooms spilled all over him.

He was now covered in braised chicken and mushrooms.

At the same time, the six pairs of mechanical arms behind the patrol robot spread open, trapping Menoro inside and rendering him immobile.

Menoro, whose physique was unmatched on Planet Sha, was unable to break free from the seemingly ordinary robot.

When did the patrol robot's attacks become so powerful?

And... why does this robot look a bit like an exoskeleton?

Ming Bai had been idle due to a lack of equipment, so he started modifying the patrol robots.

The robot in front of him had just been modified. In Ming Bai's words, 'I've made another piece of junk, oh well, it'll have to do!'

But it was this very robot that easily trapped the expert from Sha!

Sha Builo exclaimed, "Is this how you greet guests on Luo Ri Star? How can a patrol robot just casually hurt people?"

Yiero assumed an attacking stance, a small sleeve gun already trained on Philip.

Philip, unfazed, said, "Menoro caused a disturbance in the shopping district, affecting the safety of the residents of Luo Ri Star, triggering the patrol robot's defense program."

Sha Builo said, "Wasn't the staff at fault?"

Philip calmly replied, "He was not at fault. Your people made the first move."

"But the staff is just an ordinary person!"

"What difference does it make if he's ordinary?"

The Awakened individuals were used to being favored, so encountering Philip, who didn't show them any respect, made Sha Builo's expression darken.

Gritting his teeth, he said, "You're really something else. Your Luo Ri Star is really something else."

With Sha Builo erupting in anger, Yiero was about to pull the trigger.

The next moment, a three-meter-high wave rushed towards the two inhabitants of Planet Sha.

The cool water thoroughly soaked the two, leaving them drenched and coughing uncontrollably due to the sudden influx of water.

Yiero's wrist, which had just been holding the gun, was broken by the water pressure, and the sleeve gun fell to the ground, swept away by the current.

Amid the hustle and bustle of the shopping street, Cang Cheng walked over slowly.

A faint smile on his lips, his demeanor calm and unassuming, he appeared to be a gentle administrative staff member with no hint of aggression.

"Cool down and calm down, dear esteemed guests from Planet Sha, don't get too worked up."

To Cang Cheng's left rear side, Mù Xīng had just skillfully used the Water Runes, a fluorescent blue glow still lingering on his gloved left hand.

To the right rear, Ming Bai was inputting code on a floating transparent screen. The target of the code was the patrol robot, which bore a strong resemblance to an exoskeleton.

Behind the three of them stood two rows of individuals in uniform, wearing blue and white suits and pure white masks, totaling 20 individuals.

They were robust and exuded an icy aura, giving off an inhuman coldness.

Led by Cang Cheng, the blue and white uniformed guards formed a neat line, enclosing the individuals from Sha Star in the middle.

The latter group felt an invisible pressure.

Sha Builo narrowed his eyes, sensing that things seemed to be heading in a direction he couldn't control.

Could this be… the Guard?

The guard force of Luo Ri Star is really this powerful?

He had underestimated the strength of Luo Ri Star.

Soaked in water, Sha Builo's expression was already dark.

He had been on the verge of exploding, intending to tear every Luo Ri Star resident present into pieces.

However, upon seeing the well-trained guards, he forced down his anger.

With a cold face, Sha Builo inquired, "Cang Cheng, the governor of Luo Ri Star?"

Cang Cheng nodded, "I am. Welcome, distinguished guests from Planet Sha, to Luo Ri Star."

Sha Builo lowered his voice, "Is this the hospitality of Luo Ri Star? Menoro was injured; Luo Ri Star must be held accountable for his injury."

Cang Cheng appeared slightly puzzled, "But he violated the laws and was caught and sanctioned by the patrol robot. That's normal."

"Which law did he violate? Could Governor Cang Cheng kindly clarify?"

Cang Cheng fabricated, "Luo Ri Star law, Article 131..."

Sha Builo interrupted, "What law does Luo Ri Star have? Are you inventing laws, Governor Cang?"

Cang Cheng stepped forward two paces.

He was slender, yet emanated an aura that was impossible to ignore.

His eyes were clear, with a slight upward tilt at the corners as if he was smiling, but his dark eyes remained still, and the smile didn't reach them. "In Luo Ri Star, my word is law. If I say there is, then there is. What, does Mr. Sha have an objection?"