by <unknown>
Today, after the conquest of the Blue Sky Market, the myriad of treasures in the warehouses were indeed great eye-openers for them, making them forget everything else.
The titles such as colonels or lieutenants of the Imperium further added to their confidence and courage, giving them the illusion that nobody would dare to ask for trouble since the four families were on their back.
It was needless to mention the leaders of the smaller pirate gangs, who had long abandoned their alert and wariness after the three buckets of hard liquor.
In the meantime, while Boss Bai had an unattractive look and only just began his career, he seemed to have been a space pirate ever since he was in his mother's womb, and he knew what the space pirates thought and liked perfectly. Not only was everything that he said exactly what other people had in mind, but even the performances that he had arranged were also particularly spectacular too. Also, he had mediated between quite a few pirate gangs who had been holding grudges against one another for a long time, winning the cheers of everyone at the party and slighting altering the space pirates' impression of him.
"Boss Bai is truly trying to be the commander of this National Protection Army. He is free to do whatever he wants. After all, we won't lose anything."
"We now work for the four Kurfürst families. Who is bold enough to challenge us here?"
"Even if any of them wants to challenge us, look, half of Marquess Yongchun's fleet is still here, commanded by 'Li Yuanzhen', the lord's trusted general. Even a madman wouldn't attack us at such a moment."
"So, let's just indulge us for half a day. The transformation from space pirates to a legitimate army does call for celebration!"
Thinking as such, they never said no to the drinks that Boss Bai's soldiers brought over. The wine of this round was made of dozens of fresh fruits and tasted more like cool juice than wine. According to Boss Bai, the alcohol percentage of the wine was very low, and nobody would get drunk. It was most suitable to refresh their stomachs that had just been burnt by the hard liquor.
While everybody was talking and laughing, nobody cared if it was right. But as it happened, after they drank the cool fruit wine, the dizziness just now was indeed much better, and they found themselves drinking more and more of it uncontrollably!
When the leaders of the pirate gangs were having a celebration dinner at the central square, the space pirates under their lead were certainly not idle either. Accompanied by the soldiers of the Big Bai Pirate Gang, they gambled and drank and had great fun at the edge.
Boss Bai also meant to integrate the many pirate gangs with the celebration dinner. Hinted by him, the soldiers of the Big Bai Pirate Gang gathered the members of other pirate gangs with the excuses of drinking games and dispersed them, leading them to different corners in the market.
As a result, it was true that the soldiers of the pirate gangs made a lot of new friends, but their old buddies who were in their own gang were all lost!
As time went by, the party was more and more heated and uncontrollable.
Even the officers and soldiers that Li Wuji left in the Blue Sky Market were moved by such an atmosphere and had a great time under the service of the members of the Big Bai Pirate Gang.
Proud of their identity, they naturally did not join the carnival of the space pirates, but they did not reject the delicious wine and the cuisines offered by Boss Bai either.
Perhaps there was only one person in the entire Blue Sky Market who retained the basic clearness.
He was Li Yuanzhen, a vice-admiral of the Imperium and the commander of the half fleet that Li Wuji had left behind.
Li Yuanzhen was Li Wuji's cousin in the family and one of his trusted subordinates. Now that he had been left to supervise, his steadiness and his loyalty were certainly unquestionable.
Although all the enemies had been suppressed or imprisoned, and not a single force within millions of kilometers was strong enough to threaten them, the excessive revelry where nobody had the slightest restraint still made the well-trained, regular warrior naturally disgusted and wary.
"Commander Bai, this is about enough."
Li Yuanzhen finally found Boss Bai. Bulging his brown eyes, he said coldly, "The Blue Sky Market is still unstable. Chances are that some people of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors and the reformists are still lurking in the dark. Also, our starships are all seriously damaged and in dire need of maintenance and refill of fuel and ammunitions. Should we call it a day?"
Chapter 2451: A Minor Flaw... |
"Yes, General Li is right."
Although the man had a lower military rank and was nominally under his command, Boss Bai did not dare to be cocky at all before the real trusted subordinate of Marquess Youngchun.
He treated Li Yuanzhen exactly the same way he treated Li Wuji. Rubbing his hands, he said humbly, "You must excuse me, General Li. This is the first time that I have ever been a commander of, hehe, this National Protection Army. Besides, space pirates are all unrestrained and uncontrollable in nature. Now that they are having a great time at the party, it's not easy for me to stop it."
Li Yuanzhen sniffed in dissatisfaction, not showing any respect to Boss Bai, the commander and his nominal superior.
"Rest assured, General Li, I am certainly not an ignorant child."
Boss Bai continued with a smile, "Although the lord asked General Li to follow my command, how can I, a stealthy thief, possibly command General Li, a battle-tested general? I'll be completely at a loss in a real battlefield where thousands of starships are fighting magnificently, and I'll certainly have so many questions on which I need to ask for General Li's advice. When that day comes, I do hope that General Li would… kindly enlighten me!"
"Of course."
Li Yuanzhen said unenthusiastically, "We are all loyal to our country. If there is any military issue, we certainly need to discuss it with each other. Nobody is enlightening anybody."
"Exactly. Exactly. That's what I'm talking about!"
Boss Bai said, "In my opinion, let's not care about the difference between the commander and the deputy commander. If there is any military issue, we'll just discuss with each other on General Li's opinions. After all, you are the out-and-out regular army!
"Also, hehe, when General Li meets the lord in the future, it would be great if you could speak well of me…"
"Of course."
Li Yuanzhen nodded his head without giving consent. "As long as Boss Bai works dutifully and proves your loyalty to the lord and the four families, I will naturally report it truthfully to the lord."
"Then, I'll thank General Li in advance!"
Boss Bai crossed his claws and bowed. Then, glancing around, he leaned close and said mysteriously, "General Li, why don't we let them party for a while longer? There won't be any trouble if we call it a day half an hour later. Can we talk somewhere else, General Li? I found some unusual treasures from a secret warehouse in the Blue Sky Market, and I'm thinking that they may be an eye-opener for General Li too…"
"I don't think… it is necessary."
Li Yuanzhen knew what the guy was up to, seeing the grimace on his face. But of course, a noble must have a noble's manners. How could he agree to it so quickly? Pondering for a moment, he said coldly, as if he were not interested at all, "The Li family has all the treasures in the universe. I don't think this small Blue Sky Market has anything that I've never seen before. I have other military issues that I need to attend to. So, I don't think that I will see them."
"Of course, of course. Military issues are always the most important."
Boss Bai rolled his eyes again and again and then craned his pointy face over, saying stealthily in a low voice, "However, it is possible that what I found in the secret warehouse of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors is a 'Heart Sinking Stone' of a high quality, but I don't know if it is authentic, and I'm thinking that I can use some extra help to determine it. It won't take much time."
"A Heart Sinking Stone
?"
Li Yuanzhen was slightly dazed. The features and value of the ultimate treasure immediately popped up in his head, and greediness flashed in his eyes.
"Yes, at the edge of the fourth quadrant, there is a half-desolate world named 'Mystic Tortoise Sector'. The fourth planet of the Sector is not suitable for the survival of human beings due to the incomplete atmosphere and the high-density of the planet itself. So, it has never been developed deeply, and only some primitive lives are struggling to live on it."
Boss Bai said colloquially, "But there is a wonder on the planet, which is the 'unsinkable ocean' that has an extremely high density and a percentage of heavy metal elements. Although it has 'ocean' in its name, it is in fact a collection of dead lakes without water sources. The lakes are of such a high density that they are like melted metal.
"However, the lakes are extremely self-contradictory. When the light objects, such as feathers or paper, are put in the lake, they will immediately sink, but when the heavy objects like metals or stones are put on the surface, they will be rejected by the lake water and float on it. That is how the 'unsinkable ocean' got its name.
"Because of the weirdness of the ocean, its ecological circle is entirely different from the regular oceans. There are some tiny creatures at the bottom of the lake. For thousands of years, the bugs, feeding on the heavy metals in the lake, have been procreating and dying. After their death, their dead bodies would not decay but turn into bones that are like stones and wood. When the bones are piled up, they grow from the bottom of the lakes like bizarre-shaped trees. The mechanism is somewhat similar to the corals in the general oceans.
"The peculiar trees at the bottom of the lakes that have grown for more than thirty thousand years are known as 'Unsinkable Wood', and when the rind is peeled and the essence at the core is taken, it will be the 'Heart Sinking Stone'!
"General Li, you should know that the 'Heart Sinking Stone' is the most tranquil and peaceful treasure. Not only can it stabilize rune arrays and magnetic fields, but it can also soothe the violent brainwaves and get the trainers out of mental derangement, which makes it the best material for the trainers who are about to break into higher levels or to curb the messy thoughts.
"In the auctions of the four families, even a piece of Heart Sinking Stone the size of a baby's finger can be sold for millions of coins. Those larger in size and more effective can be ten times more expensive!"
Li Yuanzhen finally couldn't hold it back anymore. He blurted out, "How big exactly is this Heart Sinking Stone that you have discovered?"
Boss Bai chuckled and made a "follow me" gesture. "About that, General Li will know after you appreciate and play with it in person!"
Li Yuanzhen's eyes became unsteady, and his nose flapped. He looked at the few guards with him.
"The warriors with General Li can come with us."
Boss Bai said with a smile, "I certainly have a few more gifts for the warriors here. I like the tough and macho warriors more than anything else."
"Well, it won't matter to take a look at it."
Li Yuanzhen finally changed his attitude. Pointing at the messy celebration dinner and the drunk space pirates casually, he said, "While we appreciate the magical equipment, let your men clean up the mess here. This does not befit the manners of the regular army!"
"Yes, yes, we are cleaning it up!"
Boss Bai quickly brought Li Yuanzhen away from the celebration dinner to a small warehouse not far away.
A few members of the Big Bai Pirate Gang stepped forward and led Li Yuanzhen's guards to a secret room nearby for their "gifts".
The warehouse was not far away from the garrison of Li Wuji's fleet. Li Yuanzhen was a seasoned expert himself too. Too proud of himself, the noble strode into the warehouse without any suspicion.
The warehouse, having been robbed by the space pirates, was in a total mess, with ragged boxes and closets everywhere. But since it was a private deal between the two of them, there was not a third person on the spot.
Boss Bai closed the door carefully and directed Li Yuanzhen to a fragrant wooden box. Opening the box softly, he smiled and said, "Please take a look, General Li, this is the 'Heart Sinking Stone'. Even if you never run into an accident, it will still be greatly beneficial to absorb the tranquilizing brilliance from it during the daily training."
While talking, he stepped sideways and stood straight.
Li Yuanzhen narrowed his eyes and looked, only to discover that a necklace made of gray metals was floating and revolving slowly in the midair, emanating pure brilliance like moonlight that flowed slowly from his eyes to his heart like a brook.
"Is this the 'Heart Sinking Stone'?"
Li Yuanzhen was not in a high position in the Li family. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been only a secondary general below Li Wuji. Although he had heard of such an ultimate treasure as the Heart Sinking Stone before, he had never seen one with his own eyes. He was immediately attracted by the beautiful and charming light, and he moved closer to the box without knowing it.
Just like the rumors had it, when he was bathed in the silver brilliance, his nerves and his veins seemed to be soaked in a warm spring, and he couldn't feel more comfortable and gratified. Even his soul seemed to be stretching out.
It was truly the best treasure to calm and soothe the mind, with exactly the same effects as described in the encyclopedia of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
Li Yuanzhen swallowed hard and couldn't help but retrieve the necklace of the Heart Sinking Stone from the anti-gravity rune arrays. Touching it softly in his palm, he sensed the smoothness and silkiness of the treasure while he pretended to be angry. "Such an ultimate treasure should've been offered to the lord when he was here a moment ago. Why did you never bring it out? Commander Bai, you are not loyal enough!"
"Aya!"
Boss Bai slapped his thigh and defended himself, "It was only because the treasure was not found until just now due to the turmoil! Besides, there are a lot of rarely-seen Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the Blue Sky Market. I naturally have selected dozens of gifts that are in perfect condition for the lord. Although this necklace of the Heart Sinking Stone is great, there is a minor flaw on it, and it seems inappropriate to offer it to our noble lord.
"Therefore, I'm thinking that General Li could play with it for a while first, or maybe I can ask General Li to help me find a capable craftsman to repair it. After all, with all the connections General Li has in the four families, you certainly know much more excellent refiners than I do. If it could truly be repaired, we'll see how we are going to deal with it. How does it sound, General Li?"
Li Yuanzhen was overjoyed first but more or less upset when he heard that the necklace was flawed. But on the other hand, the delicate and precious necklace would have been an unbearable gift for him if it was devoid of any flaw.
While appreciating the necklace in fascination, Li Yuanzhen asked, "Where is the flaw? Why haven't I noticed it?"
"It's just a tiny, tiny, tiny flaw, which actually doesn't hurt at all."
With the most brilliant smile, Boss Bai rubbed his hands and leaned close. "Here, allow me to point out the flaw for General Li…"
Chapter 2452: Revealed! |
Standing next to Li Yuanzhen, Boss Bai extended one finger and pointed it at the necklace of the Heart Sinking Stone.
Li Yuanzhen suddenly had an extremely subtle sense of warning, as if his soul had just been stung by a mosquito.
He felt that the brightness from the necklace of the Heart Sinking Stone was too gentle and hypnotizing, and the soothing effect on the soul was so strong that his soul was not being soothed but being paralyzed.
The more he stared at the necklace of the Heart Sinking Stone, the more he felt that there was an immeasurable swirl inside the necklace, which absorbed his soul and senses and lowered his nerve reactions to the minimum.
Also, the necklace felt too sticky, as if a certain layer of something was attached to it.
This… is not the Heart Sinking Stone?
It was not until the sticky feeling almost entered his heart that Li Yuanzhen finally realized what was going on in his trance. The descriptions on the "Heart Sinking Stone" in the encyclopedia of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures did not seem to include so many weird features.
But it was too late.
Due to the dual attacks of illusions and the lethal poisons, he couldn't constrict his pupils even if he wanted to. All that he could do was to watch Boss Bai extending his finger at him with a smile.
Li Yuanzhen's heart shrank hard, and he intended to evade Boss Bai's finger intuitionally. Watching the look on Boss Bai's face, he noticed that the head of space pirates had completely changed. Not only were the rat-like feelings entirely gone, but there was not even much satisfaction now that his cunning scheme had worked out. All that could be found on his wrinkled, pointy head was peace and casualness, giving the feeling that he was actually… bored.
Yes, bored. It seemed that for Boss Bai, a noble descendant such as Li Yuanzhen did not deserve to be his opponent or even his prey at all. He was simply yawning while he did his uneventful, daily work at ease.
His easiness made Li Yuanzhen so intimidated as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
He wanted to shout, so loudly and desperately that all the soldiers outside would hear him.
However, Boss Bai's finger that was aimed at the Heart Sinking Stone, like a dragon waving its tail, poked at his throat from an unbelievable angle.
Crack!
After a gentle touch, the strength already pierced through Li Yuanzhen's neck like a helical drill, breaking the Adam's apple without any trouble. The bones and the blood blocked his vocal cord, and his screams were stuffed back to his chest.
