Chapter 2 "Search"

"Ah!" An Zhi couldn't help but let out a soft cry.

For the first time, a hint of ignorant curiosity appeared on her frozen little face.

From the place where the bubble was absorbed, the coldness receded quickly like the tide, and the frozen and numb hands and feet began to warm up. Although he was still very hungry and weak, the pain of dying quietly disappeared.

She looked at the soft mushroom in her arms in amazement.

This is different from the mushrooms that can cause poisoning if eaten. This is a good mushroom with a white umbrella and a white stem.

The third golden-green bubble swayed and floated towards old Kane, who was squatting a few steps away and was still in a petrified state.

The bubble gently touched the back of old Kane's wrinkled hand and melted into it silently.

Old Kane shuddered all over, as if struck by a gentle electric current. A feeling of comfort spread along his arms. The back pain accumulated from years of hard work seemed to be alleviated a lot, and he felt refreshed.

An even more surging desire to protect and feelings of pity instantly filled his chest.

"This... this is..." Old Kane looked at the back of his hand that had just been touched by Bubble, his eyes full of disbelief.

It’s not like he hasn’t seen spiritual beings before.

Although there is no unified management by a central agency on the garbage planet, there are occasionally autonomous awakeners, but most of them are offensive or practical beasts or tools.

He froze in his tracks as if struck by lightning, his movements to unbutton his shirt completely frozen. His eyes widened as he stared at the trembling little mushroom that appeared out of thin air in An Zhi's arms.

How old is she to be able to summon a spirit?

Old Kane's cracked lips trembled wildly, and he could only squeeze out a few broken breaths. His outstretched hand stopped in mid-air and began to tremble violently uncontrollably.

**

The heart of the empire, deep in the imperial palace.

There is a solemn and murderous space.

The walls here are of a cold metallic color, and countless fine blue light paths flow quietly under the walls and floors like living blood vessels, eventually converging on a huge light screen suspended in mid-air in the center of the room.

On the light screen, there was only the vast imperial star map slowly rotating, a silent deep blue.

Sudden--

“Ding ding ding——!!!”

A sharp alarm blasted, penetrating the entire palace.

The star map rotated, and in the originally silent center, a dazzling golden light suddenly lit up!

It hovered steadily in the center of the light screen, pointing to a position that was extremely clear - the edge of the empire's territory, the resource-depleted and chaotic "Forgotten Land", the garbage planet numbered G-7.

Inside the induction chamber, all the royal guards on duty froze in their tracks. Their expressions were frozen in shock, their eyes glued to the madly flashing golden light, as if they were collectively petrified.

The air was dead silent, with only the sound of sirens and the beating of hearts in everyone's chest.

The sound of short, powerful footsteps approached with a pressure that could crush everything.

The alloy door of the induction room slid open silently.

A tall, upright figure appeared at the door.

The pure black imperial uniform outlines a powerful silhouette, with a golden sash hanging down, and every fold exudes unquestionable majesty.

He faced the light from the corridor outside the door, his facial lines as cold and hard as a knife, his thin lips tightly pursed without a trace of curve.

Those bottomless eyes were now fixed on the single, extremely eye-catching golden spot on the central light screen.

The guards and accompanying officials held their breath, lowered their heads, and dared not look directly.

The man walked in step by step, his military boots making a clear "dong dong" sound on the cold metal ground, and every step stepped on everyone's heart.

He finally stopped in front of the huge light screen.

The master of the empire, the tyrant whose bloodline had been severed and whose empire had been shrouded in a century of shadow, raised his right hand very slowly.

His bony fingers hovered above the golden light that symbolized life and the continuation of his only bloodline.

Then, he suddenly tightened his fingers, his knuckles cracking from the excessive force, and everyone's nerves were instantly tense to the extreme.

Aiden's Adam's apple rolled up and down, as if to crush the ice.

A low, hoarse word, filled with suppressed emotions that could destroy the world, finally fell heavily from between clenched teeth into the deadly silent sensing room:

"try to find."

**

Old Kane's head was buzzing.

What kind of family, what kind of power can raise such a child.

In the interstellar world, there are many ordinary people who do not have enough brain space to fully develop their spiritual bodies. They usually have to wait until the age of 15 to awaken their spiritual bodies in a centralized and unified manner under the guidance of a central agency.

Only those large families, whose bloodlines have been purified generation after generation, can show their talents earlier than ordinary people.

Indeed, in this highly developed interstellar age, it is the strength of one's mental power that determines the upper limit of one's development. From piloting mechas in frontline combat to interstellar travel and route jumps, everything is tied to mental strength.

The measurement of mental power is extremely complex and has not been fully explained to date. The specific value of mental power can often only be accurately measured after adulthood.

Before this, the sooner one activates his spiritual body, the stronger and more solid his spirit will undoubtedly be.

So much so that in the bloody storm that swept across the imperial capital a few years ago, countless people were implicated and exiled...

He didn't dare think about it anymore.

His eyes fell on the little girl in front of him who was shivering with cold and with tears on her face.

How old is this girl?

Four? Five?

There was only the most primitive fear and confusion caused by cold and hunger in those eyes, which were so clear that there was not a trace of impurities.

What do the fights among the big men and the bloody past have to do with this child?

Anger and protective desire instantly overwhelmed the turbulent waves in old Kane's heart.

Who cares whose child she is!

Now she is just a cub left in the garbage dump to die!

No one can just stand by and watch.

"Don't be afraid, son, grandpa will take you home!"

Old Kane's voice was filled with unprecedented firmness and strength. He no longer hesitated, took off his thin coat, and quickly and gently wrapped up An Zhi's small body and the little white mushroom.

An Zhi's body was light, frozen like a small block of ice. He hugged her tightly, turned around, and walked quickly towards his small house, taking one step forward and one step back.

**

The dusk deepened. The crooked roads in the slums of Garbage Planet were bumpy and on both sides were low, crowded shacks made of discarded metal plates and synthetic materials, with dim light shining through the windows.

An Zhi was held in his arms, feeling a bit dizzy from the bumps. She opened her eyes wide with curiosity and fear, looking at the unfamiliar scene around her:

A strange house, a complex smell in the air, and an incomprehensible noise coming from afar.

The little mushroom in her arms exuded a constant warmth and tranquility, which made her less afraid. An Zhi couldn't help but pinch the mushroom from time to time to make sure it was still in her arms.

Finally, old Kane stopped in front of a hut that was more dilapidated than the others and had a piece of rag hanging at the door to keep out the wind.

He freed one hand and eagerly lifted the linen curtain.

A scent of old fabric and warmth hit me in the face.

"You damn old man! Why are you dawdling so late today? Have you forgotten what day it is? The food is already cold!"