Chapter 162: Encounter I
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"It’s wonderful! Ye, I didn’t think you could really do it, it’s really astonishing!" Master Xiao caressed the full-skeleton Raven engine, praising in deep fervor! Beside him were a few other Masters, invited along by Master Xiao! They too had the expression of a child getting his favorite toy, standing around the world’s first full-skeleton mech engine, watching in awe.
Mu Fei wore a thin and gentle smile on his face as he watched the elderlies’ excitement. He had witnessed the birth of this full-skeleton mech engine first hand, but these Masters’ excitement had far exceeded his expectations. "Perhaps I should reconsider the value of this engine," he thought as his eyes brightened momentarily before resuming his usual inconspicuousness.
Of course, Ye Chong passed his Level Four Trial without incident!
Ye Chong was observing Mu Fei discreetly, and Mu Fei’s minute change in expression did not escape his eyes. "Hmph, whatever you’re playing at, I won’t make it easy!" Ye Chong smiled coldly inside.
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"Mr Ye, this way please!" Mu Fei stretched his hand out courteously.
Ye Chong drew in a deep breath upon seeing the starship before him. He was finally leaving the Orbits! For a moment, he was overwhelmed with emotions!
Since the Level Four Trial with the full-skeleton engine, Ye Chong already guessed that the Level Five Trial would involve building a full-skeleton mech. Fortunately, he was ready for that. Ye Chong only built a Raven mech, since he did not want to truly benefit the Sanctuary. However, even with just a Raven, a beginner level mech, its performance was still enough to impress all the Masters. Of course, the success was also partly due to his previous work on the full-skeleton Raven engine.
As expected by Ye Chong, once the full-skeleton Raven was built successfully, it was taken in by the Sanctuary.
News of the year’s first candidate to pass the Level Five Trial spread like wildfire across the city of Nine Gates! For the detainees in Nine Gates, their strongest wish was to leave the Orbits and return to the Five Galaxies. No one had passed the Level Five Trial in recent years, but there was finally one person who managed to do so. This brought life back to the slowly numbing lives of the detainees in Nine Gates, their grim hearts finally catching a glimpse of hope!
Soon, details of this candidate began to make their way into all corners of the city. He was apparently young but very talented! He was also a mysterious skeleton carver, and those trendy skeleton parts earlier were all his work. Additionally, he was also rumored to be an excellent alchemist.
Heavens, who was this guy? Everyone was amazed!
With his daily vigilance against Mu Fei, Ye Chong did not know that news of him passing the Level Five Trial had already reached the entirety of the Orbits, and that skeleton carving as an occupation was brought to everyone’s attention for the first time ever.
Ye Chong was more focused on his current situation. He and Shang agreed that the Sanctuary would not make any move against him here, even if they wanted to stop him from leaving. If they forcefully make him stay, no one might dare to take the Trials again in the future.
As for whatever tricks the Sanctuary intended to pull, they would probably take place during Ye Chong’s journey leaving the Orbits. However, hehe …
Unexpectedly, what Ye Chong found on the starship was the man who was always beside him as his guide, Mu Fei.
"Is your job as a guide not finished yet?" Ye Chong affected an innocent surprise.
"Yes, it’s finished!" Mu Fei smiled warmly. "However, the Sanctuary considered my familiarity with your lifestyle, and thought it proper to assign me here to make sure you are well taken care of! Pleased to be of service!"
"I see!" Ye Chong nodded in fake casualness.
The Sanctuary had prepared a grand escort team for him, which consisted of four standard combat squads. Such a strong combat fleet was more than enough to keep him safe. However, it was also enough to keep him under their control. This must be how they saw it!
Ye Chong observed all this in detached coolness.
Mu Fei held a high status apparently, as Ye Chong noticed the mech pilots behaving respectfully towards him. What caught his attention was that their respect toward Mu Fei seemed to be sincere! Ye Chong understood that this kind of respect could only be borne towards a truly capable person! Mu Fei’s words held great authority here, and even the starship’s captain would take his advice seriously.
It seemed that Mu Fei was no ordinary person!
The ship flew steadily onwards, and Ye Chong would occasionally receive a call from one the Masters asking after him. Whenever this happened, the captain would report the starship’s current location to the Masters in detail.
Within the Orbits, the starship did not encounter any security checks, and the journey was surprisingly smooth.
Soon, starship Glinton left the Orbits, its destination being a planet very close to the Orbits, called McCann. According to them, Ye Chong would transit to another long distance interstellar passenger starship to anywhere he pleased.
Once Ye Chong left McCann and reached a place he deemed safe, he would reach out to the Masters via a special communication device they gifted him to confirm his safe exit from the Orbits. It seemed that even the Masters did not trust the Sanctuary.
It was still possible, however, for the Sanctuary to make their move once he ended his communication with the Masters.
McCann was a transfer station, hosting many long distance interstellar passenger starships that would later travel to many different planets. It was also an important entrepot. There were three more days until they reach McCann. Once they left the Orbits, Ye Chong could sense that everyone onboard the Glinton, besides himself, turning more vigilant. It seemed that the Sanctuary did not entirely control this area!
Was it due to the Sanctuary’s lack of power? Or were there other reasons? Ye Chong could not help but guess.
Ye Chong passed each day leisurely. Mu Fei no longer stuck around him every day like he did during the Trials, and Ye Chong found time to contemplate on his own problems. Fortunately, there were many problems that required Ye Chong’s attention, and no matter which field it was, they would take him considerable time to go through!
In the captain’s quarters onboard Glinton, a massive holographic screen in the center was displaying the starry skies outside. Without the atmosphere’s interference, the stars sparkled like diamonds embedded on a boundless dark veil. The colorful nebulae were like an aristocrat lady’s velvety skin covered with gorgeous satin, obscured but elegant.
Mu Fei was unmoved by the mesmerizing sight before him. He opened his eyes a little and found the target of his surveillance still in a daze, and closed his eyes to resume his meditation.
Suddenly, a panicky voice broke the silence in the captain’s quarters!
"Captain! We have a situation!"
In the blink of an eye, everyone in the captain’s quarters looked towards the voice. Mu Fei’s eyes sprung open, his gleaming pupils surprising Ye Chong, who was keeping a discreet eye on him. However, Mu Fei immediately realized his error and quickly resumed his usual calmness. The transformation was so quick that, if Ye Chong was not so confident with his eyesight, he might have thought he saw wrong.
"Speak!" The captain wore a steady expression, unruffled due to his mental fortitude and rich experience. Glinton’s captain always had looked serious, with an expressionless face. He would only ever soften a little when speaking with Mu Fei. His sharp profile was masculine, and his demeanor spoke of vigor and great determination.
Mu Fei’s attention was also drawn towards the captain, and did not notice that Ye Chong’s mouth had momentarily curved upwards into a cold smile!
"26 degrees from the radius vector, there’s an unidentified starship!" The crew member reported without delay in a clear cut manner.
"An unidentified starship?" The captain furrowed his brows slightly.
"Yes, our holographic scanners were ineffective against it!"
A flash of uncertainty swept past the captain’s face as he looked towards Mu Fei, and Mu Fei replied with a slight nod. This moment was captured clearly by Ye Chong. Mu Fe was indeed someone important!
The captain immediately activated his communication device and spoke resolutely, "Lower the speed to Mach 4, all combatants prepare for battle! All non-combatants please go to the safety room!"
Shortly after, a sharp alarm began to ring, a shrill that reached a person’s terrified heart. Everyone onboard the starship froze for a moment before quickly returning to their stations. The entire crew began to move in a frenzy. Of course, Ye Chong himself did not.
The opponent’s starship was obviously slowing down too, but showed no signs of avoiding as it slowly approached the Glinton.
Mu Fei muttered to himself, "Our starship’s scanning system is only ineffective against starships from Black Cove and the MPA. Who will it be this time?"
Upon hearing Mu Fei’s words, the captain frowned deeper and asked carefully, "Sir, you think …"
Mu Fei smiled. His usually warm smile was now, however, filled with great confidence, and even Ye Chong felt that his usually soft expression was now filled with determination and strength.
"We move straight ahead!" Mu Fei spoke with unassailable confidence.
The crew inside the captain’s quarters grew excited, affected by Mu Fei’s charisma. Truly, what was there to fear? Even if the other party was the MPA or Black Cove, what was that to them? Their four standard combat squads would be enough to tear the enemy apart! Apart from that, Sir Mu Fei was with them!
While both parties lowered their flight speed, they still inched closer and closer towards each other.
As the distance between them grew shorter, the holographic scanner turned effective. On the holographic screen, the other party’s starship gradually grew larger and clearer.
Everyone stared unblinkingly at the other party’s starship on the holographic screen.
The starship was as black as night, with not even a glimpse of metallic luster. It moved silently like a ghost across the dark space of the universe.
Mu Fei kept his eyes on the screen, as a blurry leaf shaped emblem on the other party’s starship began to take shape!
Mu Fei was relieved. "It’s alright, it’s Black Cove!" As he finished, everyone relaxed a little. They feared that it would be the MPA’s starship. Since the MPA and the Sanctuary had just met in a conflict, an encounter with the MPA’s ship would probably lead to war!
The Sanctuary and Black Cove had always been careful with each other, and were sometimes even on friendly terms.
The long, thin leaf shaped emblem looked like a half lidded eye, staring expressionlessly ahead.