Chapter 43: Transportation on Luo Ri Star

Chapter 43: Transportation on Luo Ri Star

Cang Cheng communicated with Hilmeth through telepathy: *[Mo, I’m really happy to be able to help these people.]*

Hilmeth looked down at Cang Cheng, his voice low and steady: *[You've done well, Cang Cheng.]*

Cang Cheng smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

*[But speaking of which, I've noticed there are quite a lot of Awakened on Planet Sha, many more than on our Luo Ri Star... ]*

Among the crowd from the outer district watching, Cang Cheng had already spotted many Awakened individuals.

Add to that the Awakened within Planet Sha's armed forces...

For a C-grade planet like Planet Sha to have so many Awakened, Luo Ri Star seemed pretty weak in comparison.

Hilmeth: *[Survival of the fittest. In an environment as harsh as Planet Sha's, more people will Awaken.]*

Cang Cheng: *[I see... What do you think about me bringing some Awakened labor back?

Look, we need Awakened for moving the breeding chambers and cleaning tasks in the outer district. All the Awakened on Luo Ri Star probably amount to 20 or 30, and many of them are still sick.

There are more Awakened on Planet Sha. Although they look a bit down and out, they can recover with a couple of good meals.

What do you think about getting some Awakened from Planet Sha?]*

Hilmeth thought for a moment: *[It's possible, as long as they sign a permanent labor contract.]*

Cang Cheng was surprised: *[Another sell-yourself contract? Will they be willing?]*

The permanent labor contract was essentially the Canglan Star Region's version of a slavery contract. While Cang Cheng didn't mind since he was the beneficiary, would the people of Planet Sha really be willing to sign such a contract to go to Luo Ri Star?

After all, Luo Ri Star is rated one level below Planet Sha.

Hilmeth reached out as if to pat Cang Cheng on the shoulder: *[Luo Ri Star holds many secrets. Before you can develop further, you need to be cautious. Permanent contracts are essential.

Don't worry about whether they will follow you. I believe those who’ve lived through the darkness truly appreciate the value of light and won’t give up the opportunity to serve you.]*

Cang Cheng trusted Hilmeth's judgment, so he told Lobuo about his plan to bring a group of Awakened to Luo Ri Star to settle and work.

Lobuo, upon hearing this, was extremely excited and immediately knelt down again: "My lord, how many do you need? Would 1,000 for the first batch be enough?"

1... 1,000 Awakened?

Would that be too many?

Would he be depleting Planet Sha's Awakened population?

Cang Cheng clarified his needs: "I need them to come voluntarily and sign a permanent labor contract with me."

Lobuo: "Of course! As long as my lord doesn’t mind that some of them are residents of the outer district."

Cang Cheng could create water, so even though Luo Ri Star is barren, there would be plenty of water. In the eyes of the people from the outer district of Planet Sha, nothing was more important than access to water.

Working for Lord Cang Cheng would be an incredible opportunity!

Once this is announced, many people will be breaking down doors to vie for the spots in the first batch heading to Luo Ri.

Cang Cheng: "Alright, I'll leave this matter to you. Let's start with 200 people for the first batch. Once they're settled, we'll send the second batch to Luo Ri."

"Yes, sir."

The final arrangements on Planet Sha were completed within a day. Holding the 'Labor Contract,' Cang Cheng dozed off contentedly on the starship returning to Luo Ri.

With the labor force for the next phase of construction on Luo Ri secured, Cang Cheng's worries about the labor shortage were eased. Without much left to worry about, he slept soundly.

"Mmm, it's too warm."

The blanket must have been too thick, as Cang Cheng softly murmured in his sleep.

Hilmeth gently adjusted the blanket, making sure to cover Cang Cheng's stomach with the corner of the blanket.

As he did so, his amber eyes remained fixed on Cang Cheng's sleeping face, his expression softening involuntarily.

Realizing he had been staring too long, Hilmeth snapped back to reality and somewhat flusteredly averted his gaze.

Just as he was about to leave, Cang Cheng grabbed his hand.

Cang Cheng's hand was soft, his skin delicate, a complete contrast to Hilmeth's own rough, weapon-worn hands.

Hilmeth was momentarily distracted, and his hand was pressed against Cang Cheng's warm cheek.

Sleeping soundly, Cang Cheng, like a little cub, rubbed against the cooler hand on his face.

From his cheeks to his slightly parted lips, from his relaxed brows to his ear hidden under black hair...

His black hair became tousled from the rubbing, and the warmth intensified.

Hilmeth's other hand, resting by his side, clenched into a fist, veins prominent on the back of his hand.

His fluffy tail swayed like it was drunk, stumbling around without direction.

For a moment, he was confused.

Seeing that Cang Cheng was deeply asleep, Hilmeth did not pull his hand away, allowing it to continue cooling him.

Only when his hand grew warm and could no longer provide any cooling effect did Cang Cheng clearly push it away, displeased.

Hilmeth was finally able to retrieve his 'kidnapped' hand.

He brought his hand to his nose and sniffed.

His large hand carried Cang Cheng's scent, a faint fragrance of orange blossoms.

His fluffy tail floated up, eager to nuzzle the hand that smelled of orange blossoms, but Hilmeth, with a sharp eye, quickly reached out and firmly grabbed it.

The tail instantly wilted.

Hilmeth lowered his hand and finally forced himself to turn away, not looking at Cang Cheng.

However, the faint, lingering scent threw his emotions into disarray.

He seemed... a bit off.

*

Unaware in his sleep, Cang Cheng didn't realize that a certain big-tailed alien was reflecting on his situation.

He slept soundly.

Within a day of returning to Luo Ri, Cang Cheng received some good news. Simon returned to Luo Ri with hospital buildings and specially designed transportation vehicles.

Inside the Luo Ri administrative hall, Cang Cheng sat in the main seat, while Mù Xīng and Ming Bai sat on his left side, and Philip, who served as the acting administrative assistant, sat on his right side.

An electronic voice reminded:

"Visitor: Vice President Simon. Approve entry?"

"Approve."

Shortly after, Simon, looking travel-worn, entered the administrative hall.

This was Simon's first time visiting this place, and the last time he was here, the administrative hall had just been completed, and he was immediately sent by Cang Cheng to handle trade affairs.

After taking in the surroundings, Simon became very excited and quickly walked up to Cang Cheng, pressing his forehead to the floor to offer his praise, "Lord Cang Cheng, it's been a long time. Even in such a small space, your brilliance can't be concealed..."

Cang Cheng frowned.

"Enough. Get to the point."

"Yes, my lord."

Simon stopped his praise and began his report.

"In this trade, your Spirit Runes earned a total of 230 million star coins, and the food sold for 17 million star coins. Both the food and Spirit Runes were very popular, resulting in a 15% higher profit than expected.

After my negotiations, we successfully acquired the hospital buildings and equipment for 270 million star coins. Patrol robots and security booths have also been purchased, and we've found sales channels for half of the mining lab equipment.

The first batch of retro-style transportation vehicles has been completed as trial versions. Would you like to give them a try now, sir?"

"Transportation vehicles? Let's go try them outside now!"

Hearing about the new vehicles, Cang Cheng's interest was piqued.

Luo Ri currently had no transportation vehicles, making travel inconvenient. Fortunately, most people were still living near the central district for now, so the demand for travel wasn't too high.

Once we have these vehicles, people will have more freedom to explore beyond the central district.

Simon said, "Please follow me, my lord."

They all went to the open space in front of the administrative hall, where Simon released three types of specially designed transportation vehicles from a cube-shaped spatial folding device.

Once the vehicles were placed on the ground, they are beautifully designed.

Cang Cheng had originally requested single-person, four-person, and twenty-person vehicles. The vehicles' energy source should not harm the ground or surrounding environment, and the design should not be too simple or rigid, avoiding a tech style. He preferred something more retro.

When Cang Cheng made these requests, his mind immediately turned to brooms and magic carpets, which were very common tools on the Siaxi Continent.

Now, Cang Cheng realized his thinking had been too narrow.

In the designer version of the vehicles, the single-person vehicle was a beautiful mechanical white bird.

The bird stood two meters tall, with a body length including tail feathers of about 3.5 meters. Its eyes were blue, matching the color of the sky.

An electronic screen on the bird's neck allows you to set your destination and pay the fare.

The four-person vehicle was a retro carriage.

The carriage body was painted white, with large windows on either side, allowing passengers to look outside.

The carriage was pulled by a mechanical white horse, its eyes also blue, matching the white bird perfectly.

These two types of vehicles used electricity and solar energy. Although they were not as fast as aircraft, they had unique characteristics.

As for the large vehicle that could accommodate twenty people, it was shaped like a hot air balloon.

Beneath the white and blue balloon was a sea-blue passenger cabin, made of bulletproof glass and alloy, making it very sturdy.

This almost-forgotten, slow-flying vehicle from ancient literature had been improved by the designers and now also used solar and electric energy, eliminating the need for burning fuel.

Moreover, it could freely choose landing and takeoff spots, no longer drifting with the wind.

Cang Cheng loved all three vehicles, and they fit perfectly with the nature-close style of Luo Ri.

"I love the design, please thank the designer for me."

Cang Cheng smiled, clearly delighted.

"The designer should thank you, sir. He has been designing high-tech styles and was getting tired of it. You gave him the chance to design something truly unique!"

Simon took the opportunity to praise.

This time, in a good mood, Cang Cheng did not tell Simon to be quiet.

"I’ll try this white bird first. You all try the other two and see if any adjustments are needed."

With that, Cang Cheng mounted the white bird.

The back of the white bird was made of very soft feather fabric, providing a comfortable seat that didn’t hurt.

Cang Cheng clicked on the operation screen on the neck of the white bird and was about to set a route around the central district when… he looked at the map and felt a wave of darkness.

"I don’t get it at all."

Forget it, I’ll let the pro handle it.

Cang Cheng telepathically sought help: [Mo, I want it to fly around the city, how do I set it?]

Hilmeth understood with just one glance. He pointed to the screen.

[Click here, select brush mode, draw a circle around the central district, then confirm and pay with your neural interface.]

Following Hilmeth’s instructions, Cang Cheng drew a circle, and soon a prompt appeared on the screen.

"Route confirmed, please pay 60 star coins."

Sixty star coins for a tour of the central district? That’s not bad.

Cang Cheng paid the fee with his neural interface, and the mechanical white bird spread its wings.

The wings flapped twice, mimicking a bird’s flight, before lifting off smoothly.

The people and buildings below were getting smaller, and the wind brushed past his face and through his hair, very comfortable.

The designers of the white bird vehicle had considered the factor of high wind speed during flight and implemented a wind deflection system, so the wind wouldn’t mess with his face.

If it rains, an energy shield can be activated to block the rain, ensuring passengers stay dry—a thoughtful feature.

“Hey, Mo, look! I’m flying!”

Cang Cheng, one hand resting on the body of the white bird, spoke to Mo, who was floating beside him.

The black tufts of hair were blown to the back of his forehead by the wind, revealing his entire smooth forehead.

Sunlight sparkled in his pure black eyes, making them glow with life.

He exuded a sense of freedom and joy, which was incredibly captivating.

“You’re this happy?”

Hilmeth’s voice didn’t seem as dull as usual.

“Yeah, sure! While I can fly with the Wind Wing rune, it’s not nearly as comfortable. Plus, it feels like I’ve got my own flying mount now!”

Mounts were naturally available in the Siaxi Continent, but Cang Cheng was too busy studying magic to take care of one, so he didn’t have one.

Unexpectedly, after coming to the Canglan Star Region, he got to experience a flying mount. Although it was made with technology, it didn’t look much different from a real one!

“Hey, Mo, want to try it together?”

Before Cang Cheng could take back his words, Hilmeth replied, “Sure.”

Immediately, Hilmeth, who had been floating beside Cang Cheng, drifted to his back.

With a straddle, he sat behind Cang Cheng. One hand loosely rested on Cang Cheng’s slim waist, while the other hand was placed by his side.

Hilmeth hadn’t materialized into his physical form; he was sitting behind Cang Cheng in his ethereal form.

But even so, feeling the other’s heartbeat against his back and hearing the breath so close to him, Cang Cheng’s own heartbeat became a little erratic.

He realized… he had never felt this close to anyone before.

His hand, still gripping the white bird’s neck, tightened slightly, as if seeking reassurance.

Cang Cheng suddenly felt the air had become a bit off. Maybe it was the heat of the sun, but the air smelled faintly of sweet, roasted marshmallows.

He casually brought up a topic, “If you weren’t in your ethereal form, wouldn’t it flip if two people rode it?”

“No.”

The deep voice rippled right by Cang Cheng’s ear, causing his body to shudder slightly.

Too close!

Cang Cheng grabbed at the white feathers, his heart racing from the closeness.

“The maximum capacity of the white bird is two people, with a weight limit of 230 kg.”

“Ho, how do you know that?”

Cang Cheng’s words came out in a rush, his voice trembling slightly.

“I read the design manual that Simon sent over.”

Hilmeth and Cang Cheng were always together, and Hilmeth had seen every document Cang Cheng had reviewed.

"Cang Cheng."

Hilmeth's voice seemed to lower even more, or perhaps it was just an illusion.

"What if we ride together next time? I've never sat in such a vehicle before."

Hilmeth had originally intended to ride together this time, but upon noticing Cang Cheng's discomfort, he changed his words to "next time."

Cang Cheng suddenly remembered that Mo was already dead, and that he might never have the chance to ride such a vehicle again.

His heart softened. "Let's do it today. We're flying so high, no one will see us."

"Is that okay?"

"Yes."

"Thank you for your permission, Cang Cheng."

With that, Hilmeth materialized his physical form.

The slightly cool temperature and minty fragrance instantly filled the space around Cang Cheng, domineering and unyielding, yet distinctly Hilmeth's style of presence.

His large hand rested on Cang Cheng's waist, not applying much pressure.

His fluffy tail was obediently wrapped around his leg, but due to the close proximity while riding together, the tip of his tail just barely extended out and touched Cang Cheng's leg.

And it did touch.

Hilmeth's red-gold eyes glared at the tail, which then obediently settled down.

The tail seemed to go limp from the contact.

Hilmeth then lowered his gaze to look at Cang Cheng, whose ear tips and the back of his neck had turned a blushing pink.

Clearly shy.

He didn’t do anything more, simply keeping one arm around Cang Cheng’s waist and the other hand resting beside him, enveloping Cang Cheng in front of him.

The scent of orange blossoms lingered at his nose, and his red-gold eyes slightly contracted.

He withdrew his gaze from Cang Cheng's fair neck and looked into the distance.

A few clouds drifted lazily across the clear sky, adding a touch of serenity.

Below, the city's outline was mostly covered in greenery, exuding a sense of life.

Tranquil and serene, Hilmeth liked it here and hoped it would always remain so beautiful.

Hilmeth rarely had leisure time; he was either fighting or teaching others to fight.

Such opportunities for aimless sightseeing were rare. Moments of mental relaxation even rarer.

"I've always been fighting, proving myself, fighting for the Canglan Star Region. But every time I came off the battlefield, I would ask myself, 'What am I fighting for?'"

Hilmeth calmly explained, "I believe I’ve finally found my reason to fight. Thank you, Cang Cheng."

Hilmeth didn’t say anything more, just enjoying the peace of the moment, and Cang Cheng, still in his arms, felt less awkward.

He gave Hilmeth’s hand a reassuring pat.

"No problem, Mo. You’re my most trusted companion!"

Hilmeth inwardly sighed, a mix of emotions swirling inside him.

Sigh.