Chapter 54: Cang Cheng’s Bad Mood

Chapter 54: Cang Cheng's Bad Mood

(Three months later)

It was now autumn, and the climate was pleasant.

Vines with unusual mutations covered every corner of Luo Ri Star, blooming with yellow flowers that added bright colors to the recently revived planet.

Cang Cheng landed his air vehicle near the shopping district.

Two weeks ago, the shopping district had undergone an expansion. The road, which originally accommodated only one carriage, had been widened to fit four vehicles.

In the center of the road, fences made from wilted vines were laid out, giving the street a unique Luo Ri character.

The storefronts on the shopping street had also been upgraded, changing from single-story buildings to two-story structures.

There were restaurants, beverage shops, fruit stores, weaving stores, daily necessities stores, fishing supply stores, and weapon shops—everything one could need.

It could be said that Luo Ri’s shopping street was on par with those on other advanced planets.

"Good afternoon, Governor Cang Cheng!"

"Governor, this is a newly developed tomato-flavored potato chip, please give it a try."

"Sir, the canned tuna is ready, would you like to try it?"

……

As he walked, many people greeted him with warm smiles. The White Mask Guards behind him carried plenty of food gifts from the merchants.

Cang Cheng picked up a tuna sandwich and ate it as he walked.

The vegetables were freshly harvested, and the tuna was a recently developed, pollution-free breed, rich in nutrients. Paired with special sauce and freshly baked soft bread, the combination was rich and satisfying.

After eating half the sandwich, Cang Cheng put it down and took a few sips of milk tea.

The blend of milk and tea was perfect, warming his stomach comfortably.

Lately, Cang Cheng had been studying Spirit Runes until midnight every day, waking up at noon. His schedule was highly irregular, and sometimes his stomach felt uncomfortable.

A warm cup of milk tea helped ease his discomfort.

Sipping the milk tea slowly, Cang Cheng walked to the end of the shopping street and directly teleported to the breeding base in the outer district via the teleporter.

Three months was enough time for Ming Bai to install city teleporters in important areas of Luo Ri Star, making the planet's transportation very convenient and fast.

However, since using a teleporter once was quite expensive, costing a high four-digit amount, most residents preferred cheaper options like hot air balloons or carriages.

At first glance, the breeding base in the outer district looked like a sprawling, natural farm.

Green plants filled most of the view, and some trees bore brightly colored fruits. In the distance, a golden rice paddy stretched out, with plump grains. Next to it, large greenhouses grew crops such as wheat, pumpkins, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants.

The area next to the plantation zone was designated as the breeding and aquaculture zone.

White and plump chickens and ducks were sunbathing, while in the fish pond, reflecting the light, aquatic creatures occasionally surfaced to blow bubbles.

The breeding facility was divided into two sections: one above ground and one below. The above-ground portion was entirely housed within glass greenhouses, providing a full, unobstructed view of the entire area.

"Mom, ducks! I want to see the baby ducks!"

"Sure, how about we take a photo with the baby ducks?"

……

"Wow, the cow is so big! I want to ride it!"

"Why don't watermelons grow on trees?"

……

Many parents would bring their children to visit the breeding facility during their breaks. The kids' attention was completely drawn to the livestock, and they could watch for an entire afternoon without getting tired.

As for the secret research labs, they were located underground.

Some experiments that weren't suitable for public viewing were conducted secretly in the underground breeding chambers.

Cang Cheng roughly knew that besides breeding plants and animals, Mu Xing was also working on his own experiments. For example... Mu Xing had just reported the special edition of the mushroom potion V4, which was said to be able to turn everyone in an area into mushroom people.

Another example was a type of alchemical poison bottle similar to those from the Siaxi Continent. By throwing the potion on the ground, it could instantly neutralize B-Class Awakened individuals within its radius.

However, Cang Cheng had no intention of stopping him.

Since Mu Xing had already created so much value for Luo Ri Star, it was fine for him to pursue his own research projects.

"Handsome brother!"

A joyful voice called out.

It was Mu Mu, who had grown a bit chubbier, bouncing over to Cang Cheng.

His green eyes turned into star-shaped eyes as soon as they landed on Cang Cheng, clearly showing his admiration.

Mu Mu had taken a break from his online classes to get some fresh air and had run into Cang Cheng by chance.

It seemed like Mu Mu and the handsome brother were destined to cross paths.

Speaking of which... it appeared that the handsome brother had been feeling a bit distant lately, with a colder aura about him.

Mu Mu decided he needed to cheer up the handsome brother more.

Mu Mu took a bunch of baby's breath out of his pocket—a delicate white flower often used in bouquets—and handed it to Cang Cheng.

"Here, have some flowers."

Mu Xing had entrusted the day-to-day care of the plants and animals to his team. Recently, he had become interested in flowers and had cultivated a variety of ornamental plants.

It was worth noting that in the Canglan Star Region, unpolluted flowers were rare and highly prized.

This was a new variety of baby's breath, freshly cultivated. The white flowers bloomed all over the cluster, resembling a cascade of stars, pure and untouched.

Cang Cheng took the baby's breath and gently touched the little flowers. "Thank you, Mu Mu. I like it very much."

The tulips in his home had just withered, so the baby's breath was a perfect replacement.

Mu Mu smiled brightly. "I'm so happy you like it, brother."

"Hey, handsome brother, guess what? I got first place in the monthly test in my class. The teacher said I'm so smart!”

"You did great, Mu Mu."

"Can I have a reward, brother?"

"What reward do you want, Mu Mu?"

"Handsome brother, can you take me for a ride in the air vehicle? I'm too young, so they won't let me ride it alone. And my brother is too busy to go with me."

Mu Mu pouted unhappily.

"But I really want to go for a ride!"

"Alright, I'll take you for a ride in the air vehicle."

"Handsome brother, you're the best!"

So, Cang Cheng took Mu Mu for a ride in the air vehicle, flying around the outer district for about 20 minutes.

Thanks to the construction, half of the outer district had been transformed from a wasteland into a clean and tidy area.

The weeds and star beasts were cleared, revealing neat roads. The long-neglected houses had also been maintained and were ready for occupation at any time.

It was hard to believe that just a few months ago, this place had been too dangerous to even step foot in.

Mu Mu sat in front of Cang Cheng, nestled in his arms.

He looked around curiously, his face lit up with excitement.

The feeling of weightlessness and the thrill of looking down from such a height made Mu Mu's heart race.

He covered his eyes with his hands but peeked through his fingers, too curious to look away.

Wow! We're flying so high~

The air vehicle was faster than a hot air balloon—so exciting!

Mu Mu smiled brightly.

White clouds drifted leisurely across the sky, and cool winds brushed past his ears.

Cang Cheng couldn't help but recall the first time he rode an air vehicle; it was Mo who accompanied him.

Back then, Mo, like Cang Cheng with Mu Mu now, would circle him in front.

Unfortunately, since Mo left, no one else had ridden the air vehicle with him in that position.

After completing the flight, when the air vehicle stopped, it was almost time for Mu Mu to attend his class.

Before leaving, Mu Mu blinked at Cang Cheng and said, "Brother, bow down."

Cang Cheng bent down.

Mu Mu took a light blue paper flower from his pocket and adorned Cang Cheng's ear with it.

"A gift for you, I made it myself.

I hope this makes you happy, brother."

Cang Cheng was taken aback.

He had thought he had hidden his emotions well, but even Mu Mu could tell that he was in a bad mood.

He rubbed Mu Mu's head.

"Okay, thank you for the gift."

Mu Mu smiled and kept looking back as he left.

He returned to the underground base of the breeding chambers, where he had his own study room.

Mu Xing was leaning against the wall, using his mental energy to mix a reagent. "Did you give away the flower?"

"Yes. The handsome brother accepted the gypsophila and the paper flowers."

Mu Mu nodded. "Will the handsome brother be a little happier?"

"If he's still not happy, we can always send him something else."

Mu Xing thought. "Do you think Lord Cang Cheng would be happier if I developed a tree that produces gold?"

Mu Mu: ⊙▽⊙

Mu Mu shook his head.

Isn't that a bit ambitious for a kid like me?

He's just an elementary school student.

*

After saying goodbye to Mu Mu, Cang Cheng went to the Star Transport Orbital Station located in the northern part of the outer district.

The white tower-shaped building was towering into the sky, like a beam of light falling from the heavens, extremely magnificent.

The Star Transport Orbital Station, a collaboration with Planet Sha, had been completed recently and was undergoing testing.

Once this orbital station goes live, opening up interplanetary trade, Luo Ri won't be a forgotten outpost in the void anymore.

A construction worker rushed over to report, "Report, Planet Sha's shuttle was intercepted outside Luo Ri's defense system. Please grant landing permission, Lord."

Cang Cheng opened his holobrain, confirmed that the new batch of personnel from Planet Sha were led by Lobuo, and allowed them to land.

After the incident with the Star Cloud space pirates, Cang Cheng realized the importance of a planetary defense system. He found over two billion in ill-gotten wealth hidden by the space pirates and had Ming Bai use it to create a prototype of the planetary defense system.

Now, Luo Ri was guarded by satellites orbiting the planet and armed forces capable of defending against star ships. They could repel any unwanted visitors within a set perimeter.

If space pirates tried to breach the planet again, they'd be neutralized by the defense system.

After obtaining the permit, the weapons aimed at the shuttle outside the planet turned away, allowing the shuttle from Planet Sha to land safely.

"Lord, good afternoon."

Lobuo, dressed in the standard white-and-blue uniform of Luo Ri, gave a sharp salute to Cang Cheng.

Among the seven ruling council members of Planet Sha, Lobuo was the most familiar with Cang Cheng, so communications with Luo Ri almost always fell to him.

Lobuo took the opportunity to propose a long-term presence on Luo Ri to promote friendship between Luo Ri and Planet Sha.

The proposal was passed without any controversy.

Lobuo got his wish and stayed on Luo Ri Star.

Cang Cheng nodded and said, "Welcome to Luo Ri Star, everyone."

Behind Lobuo, the inhabitants of Sha Star, who had been sent to Luo Ri, curiously peeked out, their faces filled with astonishment as they carefully observed Luo Ri Star and looked at Cang Cheng.

There were 500 people permanently stationed on Luo Ri Star. Upon seeing Cang Cheng, their faces flushed, and their hearts raced.

Is this the guy who brought water to Sha Star?

He is really good-looking.

What kind of crazy luck did they have to get picked for Luo Ri Star?

They would definitely work hard!

Every inhabitant of Sha Star silently vowed to give 200% effort for Cang Cheng.

Cang Cheng's status in the hearts of the inhabitants of Sha Star was much higher than that of the governing councilors.

Cang Cheng discussed the next phase of work with Lobuo, outlining the key priorities.

In the past, he would have discussed the planet's planning direction with Mo at this stage, but now... Cang Cheng had to make the decisions alone.

Cang Cheng said, "I will ask Ming Bai for a batch of the latest designed weapons. The cleanup team will test these weapons for effectiveness."

Lobuo replied, "Yes, sir. We will assist Weapon Designer Ming Bai in adjusting the weapon data."

After saying this, Cang Cheng headed to Ming Bai's weapon research institute.

The institute was located next to the Cang Stone mine.

It had been turned into a massive armed fortress by Ming Bai, which was itself a powerful and rigorous starship-grade weapon.

However, from the outside, it appeared to be a dilapidated energy recycling station, with wooden fences that would break upon touch.

This was an optical camouflage system.

Ming Bai thought the armed fortress looked too conspicuous and could easily become a target, so he disguised the building to look like something of no value.

Cang Cheng entered the innermost room of the institute without any obstruction. As the door opened, he saw Ming Bai sitting on his egg-shaped special chair.

With his eyes closed and his head resting on the chair, he appeared to be asleep.

In reality, the special chair would simultaneously parse Ming Bai's stream of consciousness to different processors, enabling multi-threaded operations at the same time.

The floating screens on both sides were gradually analyzing his thoughts.

"This design won't work; the distance is not far enough. We need to use space folding technology to shorten the distance. But this would not increase the hit rate..."

"The combination of Nature Spirit Runes and weapons, currently, we can engrave the Spirit Runes on the Cang Stone walls, but the Cang Stone is too fragile and requires a special mounting device..."

"The Cang Stone weapons are now in the testing phase. I wonder what kind of design he prefers, or if he likes the red-eyed fluffy ones..."

...

Ming Bai's consciousness was spinning rapidly, with dense layers of text on several screens.

Only after the AI alerted Ming Bai to Cang Cheng's arrival did he stop his thoughts.

Suddenly, all the floating screens displayed the same message: "Good afternoon, boss."

Ming Bai opened his eyes and rose from the specially made chair, while a small robot in the workshop offered Cang Cheng a cup of warm, sweet red tea.

Unlike the breeding chambers on Mù Xīng, where many people were hired to care for the plants and animals, Ming Bai's workshop was fully mechanized.

Besides Ming Bai, only machines worked. Occasionally, Ming Bai would have the White Mask assist with minor tasks, or he'd ask the large, dog-like modified human to help with weapon experiments, but there were no other people around.

Just as Cang Cheng took the sweet red tea and was about to take a sip, a tall figure rushed over.

"Brother, you came to see me!"

The person was excited, with high spirits, and was about to pounce on Cang Cheng like a big dog.

Cang Cheng raised his hand. "Stop."

The person obediently stood still, but his eyes remained fixed on Cang Cheng, a bright smile on his face.

He looked just like an overexcited golden retriever.

It was Cang Ye, the modified human from the space pirates' starship that day. He had survived after treatment and regained consciousness.

Unfortunately, the non-human genetic modifications still influenced him.

Cang Ye had lost all his memories and only remembered that Cang Cheng was his brother and that he needed to be good to him.

Other than that, his body was not entirely human.

Half of Cang Ye's body was covered in cold, gray insulating metal to prevent the spread of non-human genetic modifications.

The other half of his body appeared entirely human.

His calm black eyes and sharp facial features indicated that he had once held a high position.

But in front of Cang Cheng, Cang Ye transformed into a drenched, unruly, yet devoted dog, yearning for just one more glance from him.

Cang Cheng recognized Cang Ye.

In his memories, Cang Ye had always regarded him with cold eyes and spoken harshly, mocking him as a weak herbivore, a parasitic plant that relied on others for survival.

Cang Cheng didn’t understand how Cang Ye, who had been declared dead, ended up as an experimental subject for the modified humans. He also couldn’t fathom why Cang Ye was now so enthusiastic toward him after waking up.

But… it wasn’t a big deal; supporting another person wouldn’t add much to his expenses.

Moreover, Cang Ye’s combat strength was S-class, making him invaluable to Luo Ri.

Furthermore, treating Cang Ye had already required two high-end healing pods, each costing tens of millions. Cang Ye would have to work to repay the debt.

Cang Cheng approached and gently patted Cang Ye’s shoulder, offering a small gesture of comfort.

Cang Ye’s gaze grew even more intense.

If Cang Ye had a tail, it would be wagging furiously.

“Good boy, stay here and keep quiet, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll listen to my brother.”

Cang Ye obediently stood in the corner, and in no time, his presence faded into the darkness, almost imperceptible.

The strength of an S-rank Awakened is truly formidable.

Ming Bai waited until Cang Cheng had finished dealing with Cang Ye before speaking up:

"Sir, the Cang Stone weapons have entered the final stage of data collection and tuning, and they can now be put into use. However, it would be even better if we could gather more data from A-rank and above Awakened individuals."

Even with the Awakened immigrants sent from Planet Sha, most of the Awakened on Luo Ri were still of B and C ranks.

A-rank and above Awakened individuals... On Luo Ri, there were only Cang Cheng and Cang Ye.

Cang Cheng made a note of this: "I understand. I'll find a way to secure reliable partners for data collection."

"Your physical data is comprehensive, and a custom portable Cang Stone weapon can be made for you. What kind of appearance would you like for it, sir?"

The tiny Cang Stone contained immense energy, allowing Cang Stone weapons to be crafted into more compact and delicate forms, no longer limited to the traditional gun shape.

This design also offers better concealment.

After a moment of thought, Cang Cheng said, "How about something with red eyes and a furry appearance..."

Ming Bai was stunned.

Cang Cheng smiled slightly, "I just saw what you were thinking. It's a good idea."

Ming Bai fell silent.

Suddenly, he felt a chill in the air.

After all, this proposal for a red-eyed, furry design was based on the appearance of the exotic who used to follow Cang Cheng, making him feel like he was gossiping about his superior behind his back.

Come to think of it, he hadn't seen that exotic in a while. Had Cang Cheng sent him on an external mission?

Ming Bai had initially planned to use the exotic to test the newly adjusted AI for any bugs. Especially since the AI had mistaken the exotic for Admiral Xilimos last time...

That bug was pretty ridiculous.

Cang Cheng finalized the decision: "Alright, let's go with this. Make it small enough to wear as an accessory."

"Yes, sir."

After leaving the weapon fabrication room, Cang Cheng wandered alone through the quiet streets of the outer district.

The vast outer district was sparsely populated, serene, and peaceful, with a beautiful landscape. Green plants and vines were everywhere, exuding a natural and harmonious vitality.

In the past, Cang Cheng would have discussed various things with Mo, envisioning the future prosperity of the outer district.

But now... no matter how many times he called out that name in his heart, there was no answer.

Mo was truly special to Cang Cheng.

His exotic nature appealed to Cang Cheng—strong, handsome, and knowledgeable. Moreover, he was the first person Cang Cheng could trust after arriving in the Canglan Star Region.

But now Mo was gone, without even telling Cang Cheng his real name.

Cang Cheng felt that Mo had really not been considerate.

Cang Cheng watched the sunset alone for a while. The bright golden-red setting sun painted the sky red, dazzling like a flame, and yet also like someone's eyes, holding a deep, profound light.

But eventually, the vibrant colors faded into the night, disappearing from view.

Cang Cheng kept his gaze on the sunset until it completely disappeared, and his melancholic mood gradually calmed.

"I should let it go... The furry accessory will serve as a keepsake.

The next one will be even better."

*

The next day, Cang Cheng prepared to log into the Stellar Network and relax by entering the arena with ANKEN's account.

At that moment, Philip sent a message to Cang Cheng.

Philip reported calmly, "My lord, the fleet of Sylvie, Tataru's mother and former governor of Planet Sha, has arrived at the outskirts of Luo Ri. They are requesting access to the planet."

Cang Cheng was not surprised, his sharp black eyes flashing with intensity.

"After more than three months, it took this overprotective mother long enough to figure out what happened to Tataru. How timely."

It was ironic that it took Sylvie three months to find out about Tataru's situation.

Cang Cheng tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.

"Let them land; they're our guests now."

"Yes, my lord."