Ch 27: Interplanetary Planting Master

Unraveling

The universe was silent, and the cold starlight came from distant light-years away. A black vortex suddenly appeared, and the Iris staggered out of it. Following it were seven or eight different types of starships, with the last unlucky one being pulled by the purple energy in the vortex. A nearly hundred-meter-long starship emerged only halfway, with the other half silently disappearing into the vortex.

Unlike the euphoria among the survivors in the other starships, the atmosphere on the Iris remained heavy. Lu Li immediately ordered, “Vice commander Shen, compare the nearby star maps to determine the Iris’s coordinates.”

Due to the unstable energy field maintaining the wormhole, the Iris emerged from a point somewhere in the middle of the wormhole. Considering that the initial target distance from Broken Star was not too far due to insufficient energy, Lu Li was worried they might turn around and find the King Beast right behind them. Fortunately, their luck held. Shen Shen compared the nearby star maps and confirmed they were only three light-years from the initial target. This also meant they were already within a safe distance from the King Beast.

Lu Li breathed a sigh of relief and instructed the members of the First Squad to first aid the unlucky starship. This actually did not require his concern, as the other surviving starships had already started rescue operations. The shared ordeal of the beast tide had invisibly brought the survivors from Broken Star closer together.

Having resolved the two most urgent matters, Lu Li began assigning tasks: calculating the Iris’s energy consumption, comforting the refugees in the lower cabins, and, most importantly, contacting the Federal Army to report the beast tide incident on Broken Star. Footsteps echoed back and forth, and a soldier hurried into the command room, saying, “Boss, General Zhuang wants to see you.”

Lu Li was somewhat surprised but quickly realized that there were many post-beast tide issues needing General Zhuang’s assistance, and there was also Lin Ji, the thorn in his heart. He needed to meet General Zhuang. He stood up from the command platform and noticed Su He leaning against the window, staring out at the universe. Lu Li’s eyes softened, and he called out, “Su He.”

Su He turned his head, eyes bright. “What’s up?”

Lu Li smiled. “Come with me. We’re going to meet General Zhuang.”

Su He followed Lu Li to the meeting room, where Zhuang Wei was waiting. The General’s expression was solemn, his gaze sharp. “Major Lu, we’ve managed to escape, but there’s much to discuss.”

Lu Li nodded, his demeanor equally serious. “Yes, General. The beast tide on Broken Star was unlike anything we’ve seen. We need to understand why it happened and prepare for any future threats.”

Zhuang Wei agreed. “I have some theories, but first, we must secure our current position. The survivors need to be settled, and we need to make sure our resources are sufficient for the journey ahead.”

The meeting proceeded with detailed discussions on logistics, defense strategies, and the immediate steps necessary to ensure the survivors’ safety. Lu Li’s thoughts, however, frequently returned to the enigmatic nature of the beast tide and the looming presence of the King Beast.

After the meeting, as Lu Li and Su He walked back to their quarters, Su He voiced the question that had been bothering him. “Lu Li, do you think there’s a connection between the beast tide and Lin Ji?”

Lu Li paused, considering. “It’s possible. Lin Ji’s past and his presence on Broken Star can’t be a coincidence. We need to find out more about his role in all of this.”

Su He nodded, determination in his eyes. “We’ll get to the bottom of it. Together.”

“Hey?” Su He withdrew his gaze and walked over, “Are we done?”

Lu Li nodded, his tone gentle. “I’ll take you to rest. You can also see the galaxy from the room.”

Su He had severely exhausted his mental energy throughout the day, his face pale. Previously, the tension had kept him going, but now that Lu Li mentioned rest, he immediately felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. Su He nodded, not forgetting to remind Lu Li, “Han Rui.”

Lu Li assured him, “I’ll send someone to bring him over later.”

“Thanks!” Su He smiled gratefully at Lu Li, feeling relieved.

Lu Li led Su He to his own cabin and said, “Rest here for now. I’ll come check on you later.”

With that, he left. Su He closed the door and finally had the mind to take a look around the cabin. The room was simply furnished, with only a single bed, a desk piled high with books, and a small half-height wardrobe. Su He thought it seemed like someone lived here and hesitated, wondering if it might be Lu Li’s room. But it didn’t quite fit; as the captain, Lu Li wouldn’t live in such a plain room. Taking a few steps forward, Su He’s gaze fell on the pile of books. Most of the titles were incomprehensible to him, except for one: “Notes on Plant Cultivation in the Ecological Cabin,” which seemed somewhat familiar.

Not having the habit of meddling with others’ belongings when they weren’t present, Su He let his eyes drift over the book pile and then took a random glance out the window. Initially planning to wait for Han Rui, Su He soon succumbed to his overwhelming fatigue and unknowingly fell asleep by the bedside.

Around the corner, Lu Li knocked on the captain’s rest room. “General Zhuang.”

Zhuang Wei was looking out the window with a distant gaze but turned around with a smile upon hearing Lu Li’s voice. He looked at Lu Li with appreciation. “Major Lu, you performed impressively in this escape from the beast tide.”

Lu Li smiled, neither arrogant nor humble. “You flatter me, General.”

Zhuang Wei took out a white noise emitter in front of Lu Li, saying, “What I’m about to discuss should not be known by a third person.”

Lu Li’s brows furrowed slightly but quickly returned to normal. “Please go ahead, General.”

Zhuang Wei got straight to the point. “What do you think about this beast tide, Major Lu?”

“Very strange,” Lu Li replied candidly.

“Indeed,” Zhuang Wei nodded. “Although beast tides always erupt suddenly, they do follow certain patterns. Energy stars, military stars, and large residential stars are common places for beast tides. But for a remote and barren place like Broken Star, this is the first time.” He smiled wryly, “Of course, that was before the Iris arrived. The Iris brought a federal general, a federal major, and the federal elite combat team. Calculated this way, the value matches that of a regular energy star.”

Lu Li’s heart stirred as Zhuang Wei continued meaningfully. “Major Lu must have speculated on the reason behind the beast tide. Do our conclusions match?”

Lu Li looked at Zhuang Wei and nodded frankly.

Zhuang Wei’s face turned serious. “The question is, who leaked my presence on Broken Star? Only a handful of people in the Third Corps knew, all of whom I trust deeply. The remaining informed individuals are either General Li or the people on the Iris. Does Major Lu have any explanation for this?”

As he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room grew tense, an invisible pressure emanating from Zhuang Wei. At that moment, Lu Li understood why Zhuang Wei was known as the Iron-Blooded General. If Zhuang Wei decided to act, Lu Li had no doubt he’d be subdued within ten minutes. Keeping calm, Lu Li stood tall and responded with his usual composure, “What kind of explanation does General want to hear?”

Zhuang Wei and Lu Li locked eyes, the general’s senses heightened to their peak. Finding no trace of deceit in Lu Li, he relaxed slightly, his demeanor returning to his usual elegant and warm self.

“Don’t take it personally, Major Lu. This beast tide issue isn’t simple; it’s not just about someone betraying my whereabouts…” He paused, contemplating how much more to reveal to Lu Li. If it were General Li sitting across from him, Zhuang Wei would have no hesitation. But Lu Li’s rank was still too low to access deeper secrets. After weighing the pros and cons for a few seconds, he continued, “Major Lu must be dissatisfied that I stopped you from killing Lin Ji.”

The abrupt shift in topic puzzled Lu Li, but he nodded honestly.

Zhuang Wei appreciated this straightforwardness. Although he didn’t mind people playing mind games with him, some were too shallow or subtle. He preferred Lu Li’s honest approach. His tone softened. “Eighteen years ago, during the Battle of Iris Star, Lin Ji’s command was controversial.” He glanced at Lu Li, apologetic. “I hope Major Lu doesn’t mind me saying this, but from a broader perspective, Lin Ji’s command was not flawed.”

Lu Li’s expression darkened, but Zhuang Wei ignored it and continued, “The reason Lin Ji decided to launch the black hole bomb was because his intelligence officer, Sentinal Song Silan, reported seeing the King Beast at the Dark Gate. This was disputed by the Seventh Corps survivors who claimed it was just an ordinary beast tide, with no King Beast involved. The debate lasted six months, ending with Lin Ji’s confession.

“Shortly after Lin Ji’s confession, Sentinal Song Silan committed suicide. Public opinion was divided, with the mainstream view being that guilt drove her to it. After her death, her husband, Guide Han Qi, and their newborn son disappeared. The speculation turned towards the Seventh Corps, insinuating General Li’s retaliatory cover-up.”

Lu Li defended, “General Li’s character is above reproach; he wouldn’t harm innocents.”

“Indeed,” Zhuang Wei affirmed, “General Li may be money-driven and unscrupulous, but he has his principles.”

Lu Li: “…”

Zhuang Wei shifted the topic. “I believe Han Qi is still alive because I received an encrypted message from him three years ago.” He slowly enunciated, “The message contained only four words: ‘She is not her!'”

“Impossible!” Lu Li’s expression changed, rejecting the idea. “I understand your point, General, but while appearances can be faked, one’s mental strength cannot be deceived.”

As a Sentinal, Song Silan’s mental world was unique and irreplaceable.

“How does Major Lu explain Guide Han Qi’s message?” Zhuang Wei countered.

Lu Li fell silent. Zhuang Wei sighed, “Major Lu, please don’t think I’m overstepping. Without Han Qi’s message, the Iris Star case would be closed, and I wouldn’t antagonize the Seventh Corps. I’m not trying to exonerate Lin Ji but to uncover the truth. Major Lu, you wouldn’t want your family to die unjustly, would you?”

Lu Li paused, then asked, “You suspect the timing of the beast tide back then?”

Zhuang Wei nodded. “It’s too coincidental that Guide Ming Hui was on Iris Star at the time.”

Piecing together Zhuang Wei’s statements, Lu Li understood his suspicions. Firmly, he said, “I understand your concerns, General, but I don’t believe anyone on the Iris would betray you, let alone be an imposter. Your arrival on Broken Star wasn’t a last-minute decision, and the Iris’s involvement was incidental. Comparatively, you should suspect those close to you.”

Zhuang Wei chuckled wryly, “Major Lu doesn’t hold back. But that’s precisely what I want to discuss. I plan to leave the Iris and hope Major Lu will keep my whereabouts confidential.”

“You’re leaving now?”

Zhuang Wei nodded, speaking candidly, “Although you trust the Iris crew, until the source of the issue is found, they are all suspects. If it weren’t for your insistence on protecting Broken Star’s survivors, I wouldn’t even trust you. Now, the only people I can trust are those who escaped Broken Star and have no ties to the outside world.”

“I understand,” Lu Li said decisively. “What do you need me to do?”

Zhuang Wei smiled.

Two minutes later, a group of refugees was transferred from the Iris to a nearby small starship. The starship, carrying some connections to the Silent Corps, requested these people. After receiving them, it quickly departed into the endless star sea, unwilling to interact with the Federal Army.

Lu Li watched them leave and suddenly remembered something. He had forgotten to bring Han Rui over.

Lu Li: “…”

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