Chapter 17: A Token of Gratitude

Chapter 17: A Token of Appreciation

This can't be mentioned, that can't be mentioned.

Then I'll just invite him to come with me directly, without mentioning the prophet or the prophecy. That should work, right?

Realizing the issue at hand, Liu Qing quickly changed his approach.

This time, he finally managed to get the words out.

"Would you like to join me?" Liu Qing got straight to the point and then immediately started talking about the benefits. The methods for training the prophetic ability and the opportunity to apprentice under a master couldn't be mentioned. But other things could.

A flood of benefits poured out.

A house on the capital planet, a large settlement fee, gene therapy treatments, access to resource-rich planets...

Such promises made the staff behind the scenes wring their hands in dismay.

They said this guy was no good, and sure enough, he's starting to lure away talent.

But when Sheng Qingquan heard all this, he only felt perplexed.

The more and better things Liu Qing promised, the more suspicious Sheng Qingquan's gaze towards him grew.

Is he swayed?

I must have shaken his resolve. Since the main points couldn't be mentioned, Liu Qing quickly threw in some additional perks, trying to completely win him over.

But to Sheng Qingquan's ears, it had the opposite effect.

Something fishy is going on.

Unwarranted generosity usually has ulterior motives.

Thinking of this, Sheng Qingquan suddenly became alert.

"Could it be that in cat aesthetics, someone like me is an unparalleled beauty?"

"Is this love at first sight? Thinking back, the kitten's attitude towards me was also exceptionally good from the start. It seems I really fit their aesthetic."

"Damn, this guy is talking like it's an elopement, asking if I'm willing to go with him. Anyone who doesn't know better would think they're reading a sappy romance novel. And he's even offering access to resource-rich planets, what's the difference between that and plucking stars from the heavens?"

"Is he really interested in me?"

"Otherwise, why would he inexplicably offer so many good things? It doesn't seem like a token of appreciation for taking care of Liu Yun."

"Not to mention the age difference, we're not even the same species!"

Sheng Qingquan screamed inside his head.

He had seen this kind of lavish spending before.

"Back in university, there was a senior who was pursued by an older man, just like this. Expensive gifts were given out like they were free, and rejections didn't work. And just before graduation, there was a big sister chasing the campus beauty, willing to fund a company for her if she agreed."

"This is exactly the same scenario!"

The more Sheng Qingquan thought about it, the more panicked he felt, instinctively stepping back a couple of paces to increase the distance between them.

He had considered whether he might be overthinking it.

But if that weren't the case, why would Liu Qing, a big shot capable of destroying a planet at will, go to such great lengths to hire an ordinary person?

"It's a hire, not a thank-you gift. What big shot would spend so much money to hire someone who can't do anything? What kind of talent isn't available in outer space? The diplomas from Tianlan Star are useless outside. Even if they were useful, they wouldn't be worth such a huge investment!"

Sheng Qingquan was losing it, the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that Liu Qing had ulterior motives.

Those who could hear his thoughts were even more distraught than he was.

Liu Qing, the cat, froze completely.

He couldn't understand how the other's mind had gone there.

He had a family, he just simply wanted talent!

Meanwhile, the staff, hearing Sheng Qingquan's words and seeing Liu Qing's fur bristle slightly, doubled over with laughter.

"Serves him right for trying to poach someone!" Let him hit a firewall.

The staff also recalled that anything about mind-reading was off-limits in front of Sheng Qingquan.

The moment it was thought of, it would be forcibly silenced.

If they could mention it, even the most outrageous offers would seem reasonable.

After all, no matter where, talent is valuable. Even if the offer is too high, it can be understood as paying top dollar.

But since they couldn't mention it, skipping the most crucial part, no wonder Sheng Qingquan got the wrong idea. Sheng Qingquan didn't know others could hear his thoughts.

There's not much difference between courting someone and seeking talent. Just look at how ancient emperors treated their trusted ministers - heart-to-heart talks, candlelit discussions, even sharing beds, more intimate than with their own concubines.

The poems ancient people wrote to friends and emperors often resembled love poems.

It speaks volumes.

My lifelong innocence and reputation! Liu Qing was so furious he saw stars.

Recruitment aside, he couldn't handle such talent.

Mainly because even the topic of prophecy was off-limits, let alone asking for his prophetic help.

Thus, even if the recruitment was successful, before finding a solution, there was no way to make him work.

Since when does anyone get paid without working? Especially when the other likes to overthink.

Liu Qing quickly changed tack: "To thank you for taking care of this child, I'll give you a Gene Serum!"

So could you please clear all those unnecessary thoughts from your mind?

Sheng Qingquan breathed a sigh of relief.

Now that's more like it.

If it had been like this from the start, facing a thank-you gift, Sheng Qingquan would have declined a bit, said a few polite words, but now, Sheng Qingquan didn't dare say another word, fearing it might lead to more inappropriate topics. Sheng Qingquan directly agreed.

Once Sheng Qingquan's attitude normalized, Liu Qing thought about it and still felt one Gene Serum was too little.

Even if the other's thought process was a bit off, he was still a prophet after all.

If he can't recruit him to his side for now, it's still necessary to win him over and befriend him in advance. Moreover, he is genuinely grateful to him.

"Every year, a few people like Liu Yun end up in foreign lands due to accidents."

"Not just children, but even adults, once they lose their ability to protect themselves due to severe injuries, their fate is often very dire."

"A few years ago, a celebrity fleeing from space pirates had his escape pod destroyed by them. The celebrity was severely injured and landed on a remote planet, where he was directly sent to a black market auction."

"This was because his celebrity status could fetch a high price. Otherwise, someone as attractive as him wouldn't even have the chance to be auctioned; he would have been sent directly into slavery."

Liu Qing didn't elaborate on the nature of this slavery.

But the listeners understood clearly.

The fate of a beautiful slave is common knowledge.

At most, it's the difference between being a slave to one person or to many.

"This is for those who are good-looking. If one is unattractive, a decade ago a small tribe, while relocating, chose a cheap, outdated spaceship. The ship disintegrated mid-journey, and over half the tribe died instantly. The few survivors were lucky."

"But their survival was worse than dying quickly," Liu Qing recalled the news he saw at the time, "This small tribe was renowned for its martial prowess, with both men and women being highly skilled. But the primitive planet they landed on was their downfall. Their martial skills were virtually useless there."

"In the end, they were all treated as delicacies by the planet's natives."

"When the Alliance patrol arrived, the natives were still conducting a sacrificial ceremony, thanking the gods for their bounty."

There are countless such examples. After Liu Yun disappeared, Liu Qing was anxious every day, fearing that his perfectly fine grandson might not even have a hair left by the end.

Seeing the kitten, whom he thought was suffering and barely clinging to life, being well cared for and even more cheerful than before, Liu Qing's relief was palpable.

"Isn't outer space security too lax?"

Sheng Qingquan was shocked. Logically, outer space should be more advanced and thus better monitored.

However, Sheng Qingquan also noticed.

These kinds of horrific incidents either involve space pirates or landing on remote planets.

"On prosperous planets, such issues shouldn't exist, right?"

On prosperous planets, in prosperous star systems, of course, these things don't happen. The closer to the center of the Alliance, the safer it is.

But Tianlan Star isn't one of these safety-certified planets.

"So I really need to thank you properly."

Although currently, this planet seems relatively peaceful, Liu Qing hasn't overlooked the feline creatures on the planet that closely resemble their cat-star people.

At first, he thought these feline creatures were their own kind, but upon realizing they weren't, Liu Qing also noticed that a significant portion of these felines are kept as pets by humans.

It's common for ordinary animals to be kept as pets. Liu Qing doesn't find it strange.

Even if they look similar, they are essentially different.

Just as humans don't forbid playing with dolls that resemble humans, considering it disrespectful to humanity.

What made Liu Qing break out in a cold sweat was the thought that if Liu Yun hadn't been taken in by Sheng Qingquan but by someone else, considering the treatment of those pet cats at home.

The thought of his own cub being locked in a cage without dignity, being touched all over, kissed on the belly and mouth, having private parts squeezed, forced to excrete in public, forced to climb high and low...

Just thinking about it, Liu Qing's anger welled up inside him.

If he hadn't been taken in as a companion, the hardships of street life would still be there, just in a different form.

He saw many stray cats surviving on garbage from trash bins.

Each one was emaciated, with patchy fur, infested with parasites, skin festering and oozing pus, tails missing, legs crippled, and eyes blind. Some even ate something toxic, convulsing and collapsing without ever knowing the feeling of being full.

Seeing this through the eyes of an artificial intelligence, Liu Qing realized that if it weren't for Sheng Qingquan, it might have been his own child lying there.

By the time he arrived, the child's body might have already begun to decay.

Liu Qing's gratitude towards Sheng Qingquan went beyond a mere vial of Gene Serum.

To avoid any misunderstanding, Liu Qing clarified further, explaining that the gifts he was giving were necessary.

After clarifying that it was just gratitude and payment, with no ulterior motives, Liu Qing continued, "Besides the Gene Serum, if there's anything else you want, feel free to ask."

"Tianlan Star is too remote. If you're interested in immigrating, I can sponsor you and help you move to a more developed place. I can even get you a residence permit in the central district."

"To put it simply, you're saying you can help me move from a remote countryside to the capital?"

"Wait, judging by how you mentioned Tianlan Star, maybe where I am isn't just a remote countryside, but more like an isolated mountain region?"

It sounded highly appealing, especially for those with ambition.

Unfortunately, Sheng Qingquan had no such ambition and wasn't swayed.

Seeing that Liu Qing was about to say more, Sheng Qingquan thought carefully and then stated plainly, "Personally, I don't lack anything. I'll accept the Gene Serum, but if you really want to express your gratitude further, why not reach out to the government?"

"I'd like to redirect any additional gifts to my country."

Sheng Qingquan couldn't think of anything he needed at the moment, so he decided to maximize the benefits.

Hearing this, Liu Qing was somewhat surprised. He gave Sheng Qingquan a deep look and then gently advised him, "You don't need to do this."

"After thanking you, I naturally won't forget your country. After all, they instilled such kindness in you, which helped Liu Yun."

"I'll contact them later." Unlike Sheng Qingquan, Liu Qing had always known that the authorities were monitoring the situation.

And besides paying attention to Sheng Qingquan, the prophet, they were also closely observing the kitten.

This showed that the authorities were aware of Liu Yun's existence and knew that Liu Yun was no ordinary kitten.

Under these circumstances, Liu Yun was still being well taken care of by Sheng Qingquan, thriving and well-fed, and hadn't been sent to a lab for dissection or forced to undergo cruel experiments. Liu Qing naturally felt grateful.

"Besides the Gene Serum, I'll give you several sets of protective gear, some self-defense weapons, and a medical device."

"And this communicator. Tianlan Star is too remote, and I arrived in haste, so I don't have anything better. This communicator is a one-time use and doesn't need a neural link. If you're in danger and need rescue, or if there's anything else you need help with, feel free to reach out to me."

"I'll do my best to help."

"I see, this isn't just a communicator; it's a promise from Liu Qing."

This time, Sheng Qingquan didn't misunderstand the big cat's intentions, and he felt quite relieved—

"Good thing I didn't say anything earlier, otherwise the big cat, to prove he wasn't interested in me, probably wouldn't have dared to give any gifts. Thinking about it, it's rather sad."