113 Escape from Death

“Xiao Ling...” Returning to the main control room of the Mars, Zhong Yun felt as if he had stepped into another world. Seeing Zero shivering all over, his nose tingled with emotion, much like a traveler who had been away for decades suddenly reunited with family.

Zhong Yun had imagined countless times the moment of reuniting with loved ones. Now, seeing Xiao Ling—the closest to him—again, emotions welled up for a long time, finally condensing into a single question: “How did you find me?”

“Because you are my master,” Zero replied. After months apart, he remained as cold as ever, yet this coldness brought Zhong Yun an indescribable warmth. Only then did his heart fully settle.

“From the moment you became my master, our connection could never be severed, unless you died,” Zero explained.

“Ha! You die? I’m not going to die before you,” Zhong Yun joked, sinking comfortably into the captain’s chair.

Then he recalled something. “So, when the accident happened, I was supposed to stay put and wait?”

“In theory, yes,” Zero answered.

Zhong Yun tapped his head, realizing that choosing to seek hope while lost in the cosmic coordinates had been a mistake. Had he stayed put, he probably would have met Xiao Ling sooner. But if given the choice again, he would make the same decision—waiting to die was never his nature.

“But the Mars is much faster than that shabby escape pod. How come it took months to find me?” Zhong Yun wondered.

“I only received news of your accident ten days ago,” Zero said, surprising Zhong Yun.

“How come?” he asked.

“Five months ago, when you boarded that ship, I received information from Qiyun Star. The base detected an unidentified ship entering Qiyun Star. So, I took the Mars to investigate,” Zero explained.

“Is everything okay at Qiyun Star?” Zhong Yun grew tense at the thought of trouble at their base.

“It was just a small band of space pirates. They’ve been eliminated,” Zero said.

Though Zero sounded casual, Zhong Yun could imagine the difficulty of the ordeal. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been such a delay before coming to find him.

“That’s a relief,” Zhong Yun sighed, then licked his lips. “There’s one more thing. This planet…”

Though he didn’t finish, Zero already guessed his question. “This planet is unregistered, a natural star.”

“Heh heh…” Zhong Yun couldn’t help but laugh. That meant he would have another planet under his name. Despite nearly dying several times on this trip, if he could claim a planet, it was all worth it.

Donning the automatic translator prepared by Zero, Zhong Yun stood up with pride, ready to overcome the final obstacle to claim this planet.

“Oh, by the way, that woman’s power level has reached two. Would it be dangerous for me to go there now?” Zhong Yun took a few steps, then looked back and asked.

“Absolutely no danger,” Zero assured.

With that confirmed, Zhong Yun headed toward Yu Daoqing’s room. It was already the second day since they left that planet. He still remembered that night when Yu Daoqing stood under the light beam, crying in a daze.

“So it’s you,” she said.

This time Zhong Yun finally understood Yu Daoqing’s crisp, melodious words, translated by the device—it was the universal cosmic language.

Seeing her, Zhong Yun was momentarily stunned. “Your face…” A day on the ship had passed, and though Yu Daoqing had changed into a spacesuit, the red and green paint on her face hadn’t been washed away.

“That requires a special potion to remove,” Yu Daoqing said indifferently, inviting him into her room.

Zhong Yun settled her into a spacious, well-equipped room. After sitting down, Yu Daoqing suddenly glanced at him, her amber eyes flickering with an inexplicable light. “For someone so young, you own such a large ship. Your background must be extraordinary.”

Zhong Yun’s hand froze almost imperceptibly as he reached for a drink, wondering if she was probing him. “It’s nothing special, really. Not some remarkable family.”

Yu Daoqing stared at him intently, as if trying to discern whether he was sincere or just brushing her off. After a while, she withdrew her gaze and casually asked, “So, what brings you to find me?”

“Can’t I just come to see you for no reason?” Zhong Yun smiled. “Are you comfortable living on the ship?”

“You’re not really here to see me, are you?” Yu Daoqing gave him a teasing smile.

Zhong Yun was not fond of her cryptic way of speaking, but he didn’t care. After all, they were mere strangers crossing paths. Once he delivered her to a safe place, their paths would diverge forever. He didn’t even want to know where she came from.

He pursed his lips. “I’m thinking about where would be the most suitable place to send you.”

Yu Daoqing’s amber eyes suddenly flashed with an unusual gleam. Though she tried to hide it, her irregular breathing betrayed her excitement.

“Put me on Free Star,” she said softly after a long pause.

That suited Zhong Yun perfectly. It was not far from Free Star; after one space jump, it would take less than ten days to reach. The Mars needed to refuel, Zhang Xiao—still unconscious—had to be taken to a good hospital, and he himself had a mountain of matters to attend to.

He had no leisure or money to spare just to send her home. Although she had saved him once, he had also taken her away from that primitive planet, giving her hope of returning home.

“Where are you from?” Yu Daoqing suddenly looked up and asked seriously.

“I’m from Mars,” Zhong Yun smiled, recalling how often those words had been on Earth in his past life.

“Mars?” Yu Daoqing frowned, trying to recall the name but to no avail. “Why have I never heard of it before?”

If you had, that would be a miracle. Zhong Yun didn’t want her to know his background, so he said, “It’s in a very remote star region. It’s normal not to have heard of it.”

Yu Daoqing silently took note.

“By the way, there’s something I want to discuss with you.” Having exchanged pleasantries, Zhong Yun decided to get down to business. “That planet…”

“You mean the natural star?” Yu Daoqing glanced at him. “If you want it, just take it.”

Her generosity caught Zhong Yun completely off guard. He thought it would take a lot of effort to persuade her, maybe even some price to pay. But before he could say anything, she gave it up willingly.

All the arguments he had prepared suddenly became useless. Zhong Yun felt as if he had thrown a punch into thin air. After a long moment, he dryly said, “Your generosity truly outshines the stars.”

ps: There’s another chapter tonight. If you don’t have monthly tickets, please consider giving some recommendation votes.