Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Before leaving, Nair Inan patted Lu Cian on the shoulder, giving him a look of affirmation.

Lu Cian’s eyes lit up, understanding Nair Inan’s praise. He immediately enveloped the other in a big hug.

Nair Inan froze, about to push him away, but then Lu Cian’s voice, low and muffled, reached his ears. His raised hand slowly lowered, indulging the embrace this time.

"Brother Nan, you’re so good to me."

No one had ever affirmed him like this before.

…

The few dilapidated starships, departing the Empire for the P-system’s fringe worlds, split into three groups, each heading to search for the mysterious place Sang Wei had mentioned.

Beyond the P-system’s fringe worlds lay an asteroid belt, its unique magnetic field trapping the celestial debris within. Any starship entering the belt would lose control due to the chaotic magnetic interference and be smashed to pieces by the careening space rocks.

The asteroid belt hindered the development of the P-system’s fringe worlds and blocked the Empire’s exploration efforts. It also provided a safe buffer from the chaotic planets.

If they could find the uncharted star system hidden within the asteroid belt, they would secure a suitable place for development.

But while the idea was beautiful, reality was far harsher.

Sang Wei’s repeated failures to locate the region were not without reason.

After half a month of searching in three separate groups, Nair Inan’s scouts had found nothing.

Their resources were limited and couldn’t sustain such prolonged consumption.

If they didn’t find the region soon, they would exhaust their fuel and be forced to land on a nearby planet.

And if that planet harbored imperial forces, they would truly be walking into a trap.

A few more days passed, and perhaps fortune truly smiled upon the Shelley Clan. On Nair Inan’s starship, Fletcher excitedly held up a device that blared incessantly, shouting, "It worked! It really worked!"

Nair Inan and Lu Cian hurried over to inspect it.

Though Lu Cian wasn’t well-versed in high technology, finding a new base was something he desperately wanted. He was brimming with plans, just waiting for a new planet to implement them.

"How is it?" Nair Inan asked.

Fletcher, his face flushed with excitement, replied, "Young Master, I’ve tested it. It can indeed shield against the chaotic magnetic fields inside, but the duration is a bit short."

Fletcher truly lived up to being the disciple of the Shelley Clan’s mechanical master. What the Empire’s so-called geniuses couldn’t accomplish was a walk in the park for him.

"How long?"

Fletcher pressed a few buttons before answering, "About an hour."

Nair Inan pondered for a moment. "How quickly can you produce additional units now?"

They had calculated that the asteroid belt wasn’t particularly deep.

The Empire’s territory was vast, and they saw no need to expend resources on this asteroid belt, so they had abandoned the region.

Now, it was ripe for the taking.

Fletcher said, "The first one was still in the experimental stage, so it took a while. But once I get familiar with it, I’ll make them faster—about twenty minutes each on average."

Nair Inan nodded. "Good. Make ten first."

He then ordered Damon to send a message to the other starships, instructing them to regroup as soon as possible. They would set off in about three hours.

Three hours later, Fletcher had finished making ten shielding devices, and the other starships had returned.

Nair Inan said, "We’ll set off now. Fletcher, continue producing devices as a precaution."

Fletcher agreed with an "Understood" and returned to his workshop to continue production.

Nair Inan took the helm, leading the way.

Originally, someone else was supposed to pilot the starship, but the device only blocked magnetic interference—it didn’t stop the meteors from careening wildly.

The reason no one had discovered the planets within the asteroid belt before was that the magnetic field not only obscured perception but also fooled the starship’s detection systems.

With the shielding device activated, they could navigate the asteroid belt without flying blindly like headless flies, allowing them to locate the uncharted star system more quickly.

Nair Inan took control because his psychic reflexes were the strongest, enabling him to better dodge the flying meteors and carve out a safe passage.

"Young Master, everyone’s ready."

Nair Inan stared at the large screen on the control panel and responded calmly, "Hmm. Tell them to stay focused and follow closely."

Standing at the back, Lu Cian watched as his Brother Nan calmly took charge, filled with admiration. *If only I could be like Brother Nan one day*, he thought.

As soon as Nair Inan finished speaking, the starship shot into the asteroid belt like an arrow from a bow. Lu Cian felt the deck shudder as if an earthquake had struck, and he was thrown backward by the momentum, pinned to the seat behind him.

His eardrums ached, but fortunately, Damon noticed in time and helped him put on a protective suit and helmet.

Though Lu Cian was a bit queasy, his eyes were bright with excitement, and his admiration for Brother Nan soared.

*This* was how you piloted a starship!

And then he experienced what *real* starship piloting was like—inverted dives, barrel rolls, power slides, death-defying speeds…

Even though Lu Cian was so jostled he felt nauseous, it couldn’t dampen his deep awe for Nair Inan.

Before, he had called Nair Inan "boss" out of habit, but he couldn’t truly fathom just how formidable the man was.

Now, watching Nair Inan pilot the starship like it was an aerial ballet, his eyes widened to the size of saucers.

His Brother Nan was *a goddamn genius*!

Wawen, who was sitting up front, turned and saw Lu Cian’s starstruck face. Amused, he walked over and asked, "So? Isn’t the Young Master incredible?"

Lu Cian nodded vigorously. Incredible—*absolutely* incredible! This was a *starship*! What man didn’t dream of pulling these moves? It was like ace pilot material!

When Damon and the others piloted, Lu Cian hadn’t felt a thing—the ride was so smooth it might as well have been parked.

But now, with Nair Inan at the controls, the difference between an expert and an amateur was night and day.

*This* was how you flew a starship—with flair!

Lu Cian decided then and there to stop mocking Damon and the others for being Brother Nan’s cheer squad. With skills like his, Nair Inan didn’t *need* hype!

Seeing Lu Cian’s starstruck expression, Wawen chuckled inwardly. *If you think this is impressive, just wait till you see what else the Young Master can do.*

"You think *this* is amazing? Then you’ve never seen the Young Master pilot a battleship. He looks calm and composed, but his moves are ruthless—he once vaporized a Star Beast into cosmic dust. The carnage was unreal—like the God of Slaughter himself had descended!" Wawen said, shaking his head.

"Really?" Lu Cian asked.

Wawen nodded. "Of course, would I lie to you? Though I do feel a bit envious of the Young Master, his abilities are no joke."

"Back when the Young Master had just undergone his first evolution—how old was he then? His rank wasn’t as high as it is now, and his strength wasn’t as formidable, yet he dared to charge into a Star Beast horde in a starship, fighting his way through seven times."

"That battle had many female soldiers shook. The sight of that bloodthirsty slaughter god still gives me chills. No wonder the royals are so scared of him."

"How does that saying go again?" Wawen scratched his head, pondering.

"Slay gods who block your path, slay buddhas who block your path," Lu Cian answered.

Wawen nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, that’s pretty much it. If it hadn’t been a horde of Star Beasts back then, I’d have thought he’d put a hole through any bug who dared oppose him."

"You must’ve seen wrong. Brother Nan is so kind—how could he ever harm another bug?" Lu Cian gave him a disdainful look.

Wawen: "..."

Great, another Nair Inan fanatic.

Wawen awkwardly walked away, regretting his decision to approach in the first place.

After Wawen left, Lu Cian was still hyped up.

To have encountered such an incredible Brother Nan—if this were a novel, he, the transmigrator, would’ve met the legendary protagonist!

An ordinary human like him, transmigrated into the bug world, was basically cannon fodder material. Yet, against all odds, this cannon fodder had met the protagonist! Even if he was just a sidekick, he was still following the protagonist!

Back in their own world, take his brother for example—expanding the company exponentially at such a young age, living the dream, but still not the protagonist.

Now, he was about to follow the protagonist in conquering the galaxy—how could he not be thrilled?

What boy didn’t dream of being a badass hero in his youth?

Ahem, though he wasn’t exactly a youth anymore, a guy can still dream.

…

Their efforts paid off. After ten hours of rapid flight, they finally located the uncharted planetary region and found a relatively safe path through the asteroid belt.

The ship landed on the central planet of the new star system—a world that, after testing, turned out to be perfect for living.

This planet would be where they'd begin their development.

Stepping off the ship, Lu Cian set foot on solid ground, breathing in the air, feeling its temperature and humidity. The environment here was indeed excellent, somewhat similar to Earth, and very suitable for life.

Was it just his imagination, or had he changed somehow since leaving prison?

Lately, he’d noticed his strength increasing, he was eating more, and his tolerance for extreme temperatures improving.

Lu Cian clenched his fist tightly but couldn’t feel any real difference. Maybe it was all in his head.

Still, people adapt quickly. Whether his endurance had improved or his physique had strengthened, it was all good either way.

"Brother Nan, today’s our big move-in celebration! How about we gather some ingredients and whip up a feast?" Lu Cian rushed over excitedly as Nair Inan disembarked.

Nair Inan had just ordered the other bugs to pilot the ship and survey the nearby planets, checking for any vulnerable entry points in this new star system.

He wanted to refuse—there was still so much to do, and he wasn’t as free as Lu Cian.

But when he saw Lu Cian’s beaming face, for some reason, he didn't have the heart to say no.