Ch 29: Interplanetary Planting Master

Fire in the Hole

The subspace storm, also known as the storm of destruction, is one of the most dreaded disasters for intelligent species in the universe. There is a historical record in the Galactic Federation of half a legion being swept into a subspace storm, with only one-tenth of the survivors escaping alive. For a B-class starship like Iris, a subspace storm can indeed be a death storm.

Lu Li had reviewed the monitoring data, and the scope of this subspace storm was immense, sweeping across several light-years of space. He did not believe that relying on Iris’s speed alone would enable them to escape. Rather than waiting for their energy to deplete and being passively swept in, it was better to take an active risk while they still had some energy. “Switch the left-side power facility and try to maintain balance,” Lu Li ordered loudly.

Within the subspace storm, violent energies tore at each other, with purple lightning slithering like long serpents. Natural ion beams formed like a giant wielding a longsword, and Iris, as fragile as a leaf in the wind, shivered incessantly.

“Watch out!”

Everyone inside Iris clung to whatever they could to prevent themselves from being thrown around. Although sentinels’ robust physiques might not suffer much injury, it would still be somewhat embarrassing in front of everyone.

Jiang Bo joked loudly, “Boss, let the storm come even stronger. This is nothing compared to our usual training intensity.”

“Shut up!”

“Jinx!”

This remark obviously offended everyone, and Jiang Bo was instantly cursed by the group. However, it was undeniable that his comment alleviated the tense atmosphere, making everyone laugh. Lu Li relaxed a bit and extended his senses to check on Su He. The members of the first team were tough, with nothing to worry about, but he was concerned that Su He might be scared, even with the hawk by his side.

In the cabin, half of Reno’s body floated out, with verdant leaves covering the entire ceiling. His roots transformed into green light bands, gently securing Su He to the bed, forming a protective barrier similar to a safety seat. The hawk squatted at the bedside, while the little seedling playfully hung from its neck, swaying back and forth. Su He wasn’t as scared as Lu Li imagined, even having the mood to tease the seedling. The seedling’s two leaves shyly closed up and nestled into the hawk’s warm feathers.

The hawk remained calm, lowering its head as the seedling burrowed through its fluffy feathers. Su He had always thought that Lu Li’s hawk was proud and had worried that the seedling might anger it and get pecked. Surprisingly, the hawk tolerated the seedling’s antics, whether it was tugging at its feathers or hanging from its neck, with a laissez-faire attitude.

Sitting on the bed, swaying with Iris’s movements, Su He looked out the window at the storm. Unlike the dark depths of space, the subspace storm was dazzling with flickering lights. Countless colorful beams formed, twisted, and intertwined in space, only to dissipate with the spatial distortions. Sometimes Su He felt elongated, and at other times compressed.

Reno, shaking his leaves, explained, “This is space-time distortion. Us Galactic Treemen often encounter it while drifting in space.”

Su He had somewhat accepted the fact that he might be a variant of the Galactic Treemen, and was curious about Reno’s stories. Eagerly, he urged Reno to talk about his drifting experiences in the universe to ease his current anxiety.

Reno was about to start when Iris suddenly jolted violently. Su He glanced out the window and widened his eyes, “What is that?”

At the same time, commotion erupted in the command room, with everyone staring intently outside as a massive ring-shaped starship brushed past Iris.

Retracting his senses from Su He, Lu Li remarked, “It’s an unfamiliar ship design, unlike any common Federation starship, probably from an extragalactic civilization.”

“Regardless of its origin, if it’s caught in the subspace storm, it must have been there for a long time,” Shen Shen assessed.

Outside the window, the starship had lost power, with one-fifth of it missing, as if a bite had been taken out of its ring shape. It drifted with the storm’s ebb and flow.

“So, we’ve encountered a ghost ship,” Lu Li said.

A ghost ship, as recorded in ancient Earth history, was a ship that vanished during sea voyages, mysteriously drifting across the oceans. To the intelligent species of various star systems, the universe was a vast ocean filled with countless hidden currents and dangers. Subspace storms, unknown wormholes, all-consuming black holes… various accidents could cause starships traversing the universe to vanish. When these missing starships reappeared, they were referred to as ghost ships.

“If we could capture that starship, we’d strike it rich,” Shen Shen said regretfully.

The Galactic Federation’s technological leap was significantly influenced by capturing a ghost ship’s wreck eight hundred years ago. Many of today’s technologies are based on that ghost ship. Though the civilization level of the current starship couldn’t be determined compared to the Galactic Federation, different intelligent species develop in unique ways, always providing something to learn from.

Imagining the immense benefits that ship could bring, everyone was eager to rush out.

Lu Li brought them back to reality with a simple remark, “We’re in a subspace storm.”

Everyone fell silent.

The massive starship moved away from Iris, but Lu Li’s pupils contracted as he noted the insignia on its side. A central star was surrounded by eight different celestial bodies, mirroring the structure of the solar system.

“Hey!” Su He exclaimed, “Reno, look at that ship’s side. Doesn’t it resemble the solar system?” He counted on his fingers, “Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars… It really looks like the solar system, even with a blue planet in Earth’s position. Could it be a lost Federation starship?”

Reno, unfamiliar with the Milky Way, left Su He’s curiosity unsatisfied. Su He decided to ask Lu Li about it later.

As the two ships drifted further apart, everyone in Iris turned their attention back. Suddenly, a huge wave seemed to rise, and the ring-shaped starship tumbled toward Iris.

Watching the ship grow closer, Su He shouted, “Reno!”

Reno’s roots stretched out, and green light bands expanded. Soft green light burst outside Iris as the Galactic Treeman manifested at the bow. A tree seemed to materialize in the storm, green light flowing within its trunk. Reno shouted, “Little Sprout, this is the true power of the Galactic Treeman.”

The two ships collided, leaving Su He dazed. The ring-shaped starship embedded in the tree trunk, and Reno bent and straightened, pushing the ship away with green energy. Under the immense impact, Iris was flung like a shot put, tumbling violently into the storm’s depths. Su He lost his balance and was thrown hard against the cabin wall, his vision darkening as he lost consciousness.

Time passed, and Su He felt a warm presence nearby. Instinctively, he moved closer to it, feeling as if basking in sunlight, warm and comfortable. The presence seemed to want to move away, but Su He clung tightly, pressing his whole body against it. His mental world blossomed into spring. With his eyes closed, Su He nuzzled closer, the emptiness inside him spreading, craving more. Following his instincts, he stretched and kissed the presence, breathing in its scent.

It tasted like honey, or maybe his favorite ice cream… Su He thought contentedly, it was all his.

In the cabin, Su He was draped over Lu Li, clinging like a territorial animal. He clung with arms and legs, his kisses covering Lu Li’s face with saliva.

Lu Li: “…”

He struggled to free himself, but Su He held on too tightly. His instincts weren’t helping either, as desire began to burn within him, consuming his rationality. Feeling Su He’s scent up close, like a faint floral fragrance, their breaths intertwined, and the need to bond surged like a flood over a dam. Lu Li’s lower body throbbed with excitement, uncontrollably pressing between Su He’s legs.

It was a sweet yet cruel torment. Lu Li’s instincts and rationality battled in his mind. Since Su He entered his life, this tug-of-war had become a constant, but now he had to divert his focus from Su He as well. It wasn’t easy.

Su He started to feel uncomfortable, his needs unmet. He whimpered softly, pushing closer. His lower body pressed against Lu Li’s, and he instinctively learned to rub against him. Looking alluring and hot, Su He made the last thread of Lu Li’s rationality waver. The strong bond between a guide and a sentinel made him kiss Su He uncontrollably.

Fireworks exploded in their mental worlds. Colors spread across the once dark Irises. The courtyard from Lu Li’s childhood lit up, vibrant colors spreading outwards. Grey stone walls, off-white villa walls… Lu Li’s mental power surged, enveloping Su He like water.

Su He was breathless from the kiss, his mind blank. The intense pleasure sent waves of mental power around them. Their mental powers intertwined, and Su He gasped as he climaxed.

Feeling Su He’s change, Lu Li’s last thread of rationality pulled him back to reality. He pushed Su He away, injecting a dose of guide suppressant into his arm. The suppressant quickly took effect, calming Lu Li’s raging desires. Looking down at Su He, he saw Su He’s eyelids flutter, his breathing deliberately slowed.

Lu Li nodded, “We’ve been thrown out of the subspace storm and are now on an unknown planet.”

The heat on Su He’s face continued to rise. He felt he should ask Lu Li how they ended up here, but thinking about what had just happened, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Lu Li, sensing his discomfort, gently touched Su He’s forehead and explained, “I came to check on you. You have a bump on your forehead, but other than that, you’re fine.”

“Oh.” Su He fell silent.

Lu Li stood up, “I’ll go now. If you need anything, just call me.”

The room was filled with a strong scent of pheromones, making it difficult for Lu Li to stay any longer. As soon as he left, Su He immediately looked between his legs. The wet spot was glaringly obvious. With a stiff face, he had only one thought: He had actually climaxed just from rubbing! Climaxed! It was simply… the malice of the universe!

xxx

Thingyan: Happens when you’re a virgin, little sprout 😏

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