freeallnovels Chapter 4096 So Close, Yet So Far
Chapter 4096 So Close, Yet So Far
Chapter 4096 So Close, Yet So Far
The spaceship landed in the hotel's private parking area.
“Mr. Li Wei, we will escort you here.”
The guards on board were extremely respectful... The spaceship had picked people up directly from the Star Palace, and they knew what that meant.
"Thank you all for your help."
"Of course, of course! Well then, we'll head back to report. Goodnight, sir!"
Boss Luo smiled and waved goodbye, then led Bai Zhi towards the villa where they were staying.
"That...that seems to be the emblem of His Highness Anle's residence, doesn't it?"
"It was actually delivered back personally by His Highness's men?"
"Hiss... This kid is terrifying!"
"Hmm, I can't even see his face clearly? I wonder if he's handsome or not..."
There was much whispering and discussion in the background.
The spaceship made quite a commotion when it landed. Long Xiruo, who was in the room, had already seen the commotion and was now leaning against the windowsill, watching Boss Luo walk into the villa with a relaxed expression.
Their eyes met, and Boss Luo didn't hold back in giving Shenzhou Zhenlong his share of smiles for the day.
snort!
Long Xiruo rolled her eyes, then pulled the curtains shut without a word, jumped onto the bed, buried her head in the covers, and muttered, "Why are you laughing so smugly! You're such a jerk!"
……
"Master." The maid was already waiting at the door.
Boss Luo glanced casually at Bai Zhi, who seemed a little downcast, before speaking to the maid, "Have the cubs been properly raised?"
"I've sent Xia Ji into the God's World." The maid smiled slightly. "Bai Zhi, it's getting late. You should go and rest. I'll take care of things here."
“Yes…” Xiao Baizhi nodded gently.
[Xia Ji] Is my sister gone?
What about tonight's training...?
Bai Zhi returned to her room somewhat disappointed and curled up on the bed. The two newborn cubs had already eaten and drunk their fill in the Starry Sky Palace and had fallen asleep on the way back.
"It would be great if you could live a carefree life like this."
Bai Zhi gently poked the cub's cheek; it was soft and squishy, which cheered her up a bit. However, the thought of how easily Princess Anle had suppressed it quickly made the little girl's mood darken again.
Angelica dahurica, if you continue to be so incompetent, your master might really be sold off...
We can't keep slacking off like this!
Bai Zhi took a deep breath, slapped her cheeks hard, then quickly changed into a tracksuit. She had only been back for a short time when she tiptoed away from the villa again.
……
The maid brought over a cup of hot cocoa milk.
Boss Luo was currently reading the unfinished history of the Abrier Empire when he came across the passage about the previous empress and emperor ascending to heaven together.
Clad in red, she shattered the shackles of a thousand years; the sun and moon shone brightly, illuminating the entire universe and the Milky Way…
"Has Bai Zhi gone out?" Boss Luo asked with a slight smile.
"That child is quite hardworking." The maid stirred the cup with a small spoon, blew on it a few times, and then presented it to Boss Luo.
Boss Luo chuckled softly, "I wonder if we went a bit too far today."
“She’s been by your side ever since she stepped out of the life support pod at the Crimson King’s Tomb.” The maid straddled Boss Luo’s lap, carefully smoothing the mess in his hair. “If you want to ignite her competitive spirit, you’ll probably have to start with yourself, Master.”
"Give her a little crisis... hmm."
The maid had already cupped Mr. Luo's face and kissed him.
A kiss that tastes like chocolate milk.
……
……
In the Ghost Market, at the auction house, item number nine has already been bought by a "high roller" in a private room upstairs. The next item, number ten, is a magician from the "magic side."
He was the son of a duke, not too young or too old, and his robust physique attracted a lot of female customers.
"It's all thanks to the money of you [science side] people," Musashi chuckled. "It's good that you don't have to use the source of the small world to cultivate."
The owner of the rose brooch said calmly, "Since Mr. Musashi has come, he must already know the reason for this meeting."
"I don't know." Musashi shrugged. "I was just temporarily drafted and only found out I needed to see you on the way. But it's alright. Since it's a collaboration between you and the [Mozi] Throne, just tell me what you want to do, and I won't refuse."
The owner of the rose brooch remained silent for a moment before taking out a diamond-shaped crystal from his pocket and slowly pushing it out.
Musashi narrowed his eyes instantly, picked up the crystal, and rubbed his chin, saying, "Quite the generous move. You've compressed an entire galaxy into it? It'll be interesting if this thing explodes. What do you want me to do for you?"
The owner of the rose brooch sent a letter this time, saying, "This is something Mr. Musashi needs to do; it will automatically open when the time comes."
"It seems to be specially encrypted?" Musashi traced a line on the letter with his finger, but did not open it. There was a faint light of lightning, and the surrounding space even collapsed slightly. "They were quite careful."
He chuckled softly, stuffing the crystal and the letter into his pocket. "Looks like there's nothing else tonight? If not, I'll be going."
The owner of the rose brooch glanced at the black-robed attendant beside him, who immediately took out a purple [Void Bank] card.
"There are 10 billion Origin Points on this. This is a small token of my master's appreciation," the man in black said respectfully. "After the matter is accomplished, in addition to the rewards from the Throne Lord, Mr. Musashi will also receive a generous reward."
"I was just thinking of taking a look at this ghost market."
Musashi readily accepted it. During this period, he had been serving as the gatekeeper of the Eternal Night Palace and didn't have much time to go out and farm gold.
Even at his level, spending 10 billion units of origin wouldn't improve his abilities much... but traveling through the void without a lot of money is really inconvenient.
After Musashi left, the black-robed attendant lowered his voice, "Your Highness, wouldn't it be too risky to hand over that crystal now? You've been secretly preparing for it for a long time..."
“Crystal is precious, though.” The owner of the rose brooch shook his head, “but Musashi probably wouldn’t even look at it. The organization [Transcendent Ones] may not have done anything good, but its reputation is still reliable… Let’s go back.”
"Yes……"
……
……
Inside a teahouse in the Ghost Market.
"Your Highness Justin, why do you look so sullen after you came out?" Dragon asked with a smile.
"Dorag, don't you know what you've done?" Justin sneered.
Dragon chuckled softly. "I really don't know, and I don't want to know, what you and Mr. Fukuzo talked about. As for introducing you... frankly, why would His Highness Justin agree to it if he didn't need it?"
Justin frowned.
Dorrag rested his chin on his hand. "We are not ignorant children of the royal family. We have both benefited from this matter, so why delve into it? In the vast royal system of the empire, I genuinely want one or two friends with whom I can speak the truth."
“Friend, ha…” Justin snorted and directly called over the messenger to settle the bill for the tea at this table. “Then thank you for the introduction, Your Highness Dragon. This meal is on me. I have other matters to attend to, so I will head back first.”
"I'll give you a ride," Dragon said with a smile.
"No need, I know the way!"
Mr. Fuzao not only told him how to leave, but also provided a special passage to show his sincerity... Soon, Justin returned to the villa in the Royal Court's servants' quarters.
When I emerged from the exit of the underground chamber, I saw the same lifeless maid, Miss Jane.
Justin didn't say much, but felt uneasy and left directly, speeding back to his home on his flying motorcycle.
His parents both have respectable jobs in Marindo and spend most of their working days away from home, only returning to their royal home on holidays.
Justin currently lives in a small estate that his grandfather inherited... The royal family has never shortchanged any member in terms of living conditions.
This small estate had 150 servants.
"Your Highness, you're back?"
Justin nodded, then thought for a moment and asked, "Where is Grandfather?"
"His Highness Fernando is in his study," the maid said softly. "His Highness recently acquired an antique and is admiring it."
“Okay, I’ll go find him,” Justin said directly.
His grandfather, Fernando, had no ambitions; his hobby was collecting antiques... He was quite skilled at dealing in antiques and was somewhat well-known in the relevant circles.
“Grandfather, it’s me, Justin.”
He knocked and entered.
Fernando was holding a fine magnifying glass, studying a framed ancient animal hide... which looked like a map.
"This is what I found today. They say it's a treasure map from some planet. Kid, can you take a look?" Fernando seemed to be in a good mood, but then he noticed Justin hesitate. "Is there something you need?"
Justin gritted his teeth. "Grandfather, does our family have a spot for a special baptism in the ancestral land?"
Fernando frowned, stared at Justin in silence for a while, then took off his glasses and asked thoughtfully, "Where did you hear that from?"
"I went to a tavern with Dragon today, and we chatted casually about it," Justin said calmly. "They said their qualifications have already been used, but ours haven't."
“Dorag…” Fernando seemed to be recalling something, “Their family did have a spot, but it was already used by Dorrag’s father. Obviously, it wasn’t successful, otherwise their family wouldn’t be so keen on arranging marriages… Child, do you want this spot?”
Justin clenched his fist. "Grandfather, I'm about to graduate. I have no talent, and you know my situation very well. In the future, I'll most likely have to follow orders and enter those retirement departments or work in units like the planetary ground forces. My descendants may not be able to live in the royal court from a young age. I... am not reconciled."
“The success rate of baptism is less than one percent,” Fernando said calmly. “And there’s a thirty percent chance of dying on the spot. Are you sure?”
Justin looked up abruptly—Mr. Fukuzo hadn't told him about the possibility of death!
Indeed, businessmen are no good!
“It seems you are unaware of the dangers of baptism.” Fernando shook his head. “Do you know why I inherited this spot but never used it? It’s simple: because I’m afraid of death. I was found in a desolate star field and have lived a wealthy life ever since. I don’t have great ambitions. As long as I don’t compete, I can remain wealthy and enjoy my old age. I also think it wouldn’t be bad if my descendants could be like me.”
Justin clenched his fists even tighter. "I...I'm really not reconciled."
Fernando suddenly sighed, walked to the bookshelf next to him, opened the hidden safe directly in front of Justin, took out a box containing an oval badge with the royal mark.
"Grandfather, this is..."
“I’ve been hesitant about whether or not to let you inherit this.” Fernando sighed. “After all, this spot has a time limit, and there are less than three years left. You… take it, whether you use it or not is up to you. But I hope you understand that there’s nothing wrong with being ordinary, and it can be ordinary yet fulfilling, the life that countless people yearn for. Child, sometimes not taking risks is a kind of wisdom… a one percent chance is just too slim.”
"Thank you, Grandfather, I will...think it over."
……
……
Royal Court, Royal Academy... Tower of Elden.
— [Your Highness Justin, you have 8 minutes left to use your time this week.]
A notification light appeared on the screen. Justin gasped for breath, frowned, and reluctantly shut down the training room.
Around him, a large number of combat-ready training machines had fallen.
This was the power he gained after injecting [Akira Type B], which directly broke through the first genetic lock... His body was still evolving, and he felt that he would soon be able to break through the second lock.
This was progress he couldn't have imagined just a few days ago.
"With my current abilities, even if I no longer go to the Ghost Market, and even if I don't risk using my baptismal quota, I should be able to quickly accumulate combat merits if I join the pioneering unit..."
Justin lay on the ground, resting briefly. Accumulating military merits to elevate the status of the royal family was a viable path... though it was a long one.
Of course, the pioneering troops themselves could not be associated with safety, and there was always the possibility of their demise—that's how his great-grandfather ended his life.
"But if I join the pioneering force, I'll have to leave [Marindo]..."
The boy walked out of the training room with a heavy heart.
After leaving Fernando's study tonight, Justin, whose mind was in turmoil, originally planned to go into the Tower of Elden to vent his frustrations, but it seems he can't really do it.
"Hmm... At this time, there are actually other people besides me?"
To Justin's surprise, there was a training room on the monitor in the training hall that was in use... and it was a mental training room specially provided for the royal elites.
"Who will it be?"
Currently, there aren't many people in the Royal Academy qualified to use this training room... Logically speaking, those few shouldn't be coming.
Justin is a bit of a rascal, often going into the Tower of Elden alone late at night. He actually enjoys the feeling of being alone, even though he only uses a regular combat room, it feels like he has the place to himself.
This was the first time he had encountered a situation like tonight.
Who is using Room 01?
Out of curiosity, Justin sent a query directly to the central control of the Tower of Elden... but the result of the query surprised Justin greatly.
What was displayed was a blank space 【】.
"How could this be? Has the system malfunctioned?"
With a hint of curiosity, Justin hesitated for a moment before walking toward Training Room 01—he was not qualified to use it, but getting close was not forbidden.
"There really is someone..."
Soon, Justin arrived at training room 01 and, through the observation screen, saw the figure inside honing his mental strength... a girl with the royal family's signature long green hair, and the royal emblem blooming between her brows.
"A royal academy I've never seen before..." Justin thought in shock. "Could it be that they recently awakened their royal crest..."
Justin instinctively moved closer, and before he knew it, he was pressed against the observation screen, staring blankly at the radiance emanating from the girl's crest, which represented the most noble emblem of royalty.
The girl trained very hard, her face was soaked with sweat, and a lot of her hair stuck to her cheeks.
"who?"
Just then, the girl in the training room seemed to notice someone spying on her from outside.
Justin was startled. Such spying was extremely impolite among the etiquette-conscious royal family... He was about to explain when a powerful spiritual force instantly pierced through the observation screen and pressed down on Justin.
Having just broken through a genetic lock in its evolutionary form, it is as weak as a newborn in this terrifying spiritual power.
Justin was thrown back and slammed hard against the wall behind him... He felt like his internal organs were about to rupture, and he fainted from the pain.
At this moment, the training room door opened, and the green-haired girl... Bai Zhi hurriedly ran out, tapping her head in frustration as she looked at the boy who had already fainted.
Even without Xia Ji's company tonight, Bai Zhi still managed to successfully enter the Tower of Elden based on her previous experience—Xia Ji had already granted her access last time, so this time it went very smoothly.
But Xiao Baizhi really didn't expect to run into someone, and in her haste, she even knocked the person unconscious.
Somewhat bewildered, she pulled the boy off the wall, hesitated for a moment, then took out the clay tablet and whispered, "All pain, fly away!"
Justin's sunken chest quickly rose, and his breathing gradually became steady... Bai Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly put away the clay tablet document. Tonight's special training had to be canceled.
……
"I……"
Justin suddenly woke up and subconsciously checked his body... He was surprised by how well he had recovered, but the mysterious royal girl had disappeared.
"That girl... I feel like I've seen her somewhere before..."
A flicker of doubt crossed Justin's eyes, though it was only a fleeting glance...
"Is that the true power of the royal family...?"
"Compared to royal crests..."
His own path of genetic locks is laughable. He was even gloating just now, thinking he had the power to change his destiny... Once the effects of [Akira Type B] are fully released, the best outcome will be the evolution of the fourth genetic lock, and he may even stop at the third lock.
He has no potential.
Stunned, Justin slumped down in front of Training Room 01—even though the room was empty, he still didn't have the right to enter… It was so close, yet so far.
After a long while, Justin finally turned on the communication bracelet with trembling hands.
"Oh my, isn't this Prince Justin? Do you have good news to tell me?"
Mr. Fukuzo's voice rang out.
Justin gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and said, "I have a baptismal spot! But I don't want money... I want something else!"
"Hehehe, of course, as long as you want..."