Chapter 58: Black Tide Day (Part 2)

Mingyu looked at his mother.

He didn't answer, just stared into Zhao Ying's eyes.

It's really weird.

The mother's expression was almost distorted, staring at her without blinking, her eyes filled with surprise, anger, regret, and... fear.

Perhaps realizing her momentary loss of composure, Zhao Ying quickly adjusted herself before Mingyu could read it clearly, and wanted to speak to make up for her abrupt question.

Before she could say anything, Mingyu spoke first, "That's... a vitamin supplement produced by APA. Why did you take it out, Mom?"

Zhao Ying: “…”

Mingyu: “…”

Mingyu took two steps forward, walked around Zhao Ying, and opened the first storage compartment, showing her the vitamin supplement box inside. The box was printed with the APA logo, and on the lower right was a dark blue sticker that said "mixed B vitamins."

Zhao Ying: “…”

Mingyu looked innocent and said, "I've been feeling a bit irritated lately, so I bought a box of vitamin supplements..."

Zhao Ying realized that she had just overreacted.

She tossed the clear replacement package in her hand back into the trash and said sternly, "Recently, a psychedelic drug manufacturer has been illegally selling hallucinogens by imitating APA's replacement packaging. I thought you'd learned something bad from someone outside and bought that."

Mingyu looked at her doubtfully, and responded seemingly obediently.

"Don't play around outside! Play less games! Focus more on studying!" Zhao Ying said, her usual refrain. "Don't embarrass your family by being out there..."

She scolded Mingyu harshly and left in a hurry with Dr. Zhang.

Mingyu: “…”

Mingyu closed the dormitory door, quietly locked it, turned around, and whispered, "Okay."

There was a rustling sound from under the single bed placed against the wall. A moment later, two heads popped out from underneath.

Cui Xiaoduo, with an expression of disbelief on his face, pulled Mu Lian, who looked at him coldly and not very happy, out from under Mingyu's bed.

"It's time to update the robot vacuum cleaner in your dorm, Brother Yu. Why is it sweeping the floor but not under the bed? Did the manufacturer cut corners when programming it to save energy?" Cui Xiaoduo dusted himself off and sneezed through his nose. Mu Lian, with a sullen expression, took off her jacket, rolled it up, and threw it into Mingyu's trash can, glancing down at her pants.

It doesn't look like something I'd really like to wear.

Mingyu: “…”

Mingyu was really embarrassed.

"I have a few sets of clothes I haven't worn yet," he said quickly. "Why don't you guys go take a shower first? Senior Xiaoduo's size should be suitable. As for Senior Mulian... maybe a little small? But it's not too tight."

"Okay." Mu Lian's expression improved a little. She took Mingyu's clothes and went into the bathroom first.

"Brother Lian has mysophobia," Cui Xiaoduo explained, looking at Mingyu's trash can. He hesitated, then couldn't help himself. He said cautiously, "Brother Yu...is your mother...a little...um...overly strict with you? What hallucinogen company? Why haven't I heard of it?"

Mingyu also looked at his trash can. The can of supplements Zhao Ying had just found and was holding was covered by Mulian's clothes, revealing a small curve at the bottom.

He packed up all the things in the dormitory that were visible, and moved anything related to spiritual power into Mulian and the others' aircraft. The tube of supplement packaging in the trash can was left there by Mingyu on a whim.

When he sent nutritional supplements to Mu Boxing before, APA company saw that he bought a lot, so they contacted him and sent him the latest vitamin and nutritional supplement gift box.

Because it is a product of the same company, the packaging looks exactly the same as that of the mental supplement.

Although he kept the packaging bag to test his mother's attitude... he was not sure that Zhao Ying would find it.

Because it's so inconspicuous.

When he put the package into the trash can, he felt that he was doing something unnecessary.

I never expected that Zhao Ying would actually find such a small tube of packaging pressed in the trash can, and react so strongly.

When his mother scanned the arrangement of his belongings in his dormitory, it was as if she were inspecting the residence of a military criminal suspect.

"I haven't heard of any hallucinogen company either." Mingyu whispered.

It is impossible not to suspect that this was an excuse the mother came up with in desperation.

Cui Xiaoduo has been searched on StarNet.

"There's really no news," he muttered. "There's no news report."

He raised his voice and asked Mu Lian, "Brother Lian, did your family hear any inside information from the military?"

After the Mu family immigrated from the Northern Star Region, their original fleet was incorporated into the Second Legion. Over the decades, the Mu family had become the undisputed ruler of the Second Legion, and in terms of military power alone, they were almost on par with the Ming family.

"Never heard of it." Mulan opened the bathroom door and came out.

He was wearing a dark grey sweatshirt, and when he turned around while brushing his hair, a huge cool brown cartoon bear was printed on the back of the sweatshirt.

Cui Xiaoduo took a look and commented, "Brother Yu bought nice clothes! But I think the cartoon squirrel is still the cutest!"

Mingyu: “…”

Mingyu handed Cui Xiaoduo a piece of clothing with a cute white cartoon rabbit printed on it and said casually, "Buy one, get one free. The bear and rabbit are a couple's pair."

Cui Xiaoduo: “?”

"What's with the rabbit and the bear being a couple? They're lucky they didn't get eaten!" He looked at the rabbit on his clothes. "Thank you, Brother Yu. But I think this rabbit is cuter than Brother Lian's bear!"

Mu Lian ignored him and explained to Ming Yuzi again, "My mother has never heard of hallucinogens."

He was silent for a moment, his face expressionless, and then he said calmly, "Mingyu."

"Doesn't your mother want you to awaken your spiritual power?"

Cui Xiaoduo: “…”

"Hey, Brother Lian..." He hesitated to speak and pulled Mu Lian's arm to make him shut up for the time being.

He and Mulian don't like the current person in charge of the Ming family.

I don't like Zhao Ying or Ming Zhilang. But they are Mingyu's friends. Even if I want to remind Zhao Ying of her weird attitude towards Mingyu...

But that was Mingyu's mother after all.

Cui Xiaoduo was afraid that Mingyu could not accept it.

Mingyu just shook his head.

He leaned back on the table, staring at his bed across from him in a trance. A robot vacuum was circling around the bed, sweeping away the two trails of dust Cui Xiaoduo and Mu Lian had just brought out when they crawled out from under it.

"I guess so." Mingyu muttered after a while, "I just can't figure out why."

Mu Lian thought for a moment: "Not a biological child? Real or fake young master?"

Cui Xiaoduo: “…”

Mingyu: “…”

"You..." Cui Xiaoduo looked at Mu Lian with a puzzled look, "...Brother Lian, what have you been watching recently?!"

"Uncle Hua, the Mu family's butler, has been watching a TV series about wealthy families recently," Mu Lian explained. "I watched it as I passed by."

Ming Yu pinched his face and said thoughtfully, "But I look... quite like a member of the Ming family?"

Mulan did not comment.

He stated expressionlessly, "But with your abilities, if you want to leave the Ming family, you don't necessarily have to flee to a remote planet."

"If you don't want to stay at the Ming family, you can come to the Mu family."

Mingyu said "oh" and was about to answer that it was too troublesome so he should forget it, but suddenly realized that something was wrong.

Mingyu: “…”

Mingyu: “……???”

He was speechless for a moment and looked up at Mulan.

"You have the same mental power level as me and possess the devouring ability." Mu Lian said expressionlessly, "Are you the observer of the Colorful Team?"

Mingyu: “…you…”

Ming Yu was incredulous, "I was only in contact with your mental power for a few minutes..."

Mu Lian: "I have been trained a lot, so it is easy for me to judge the strength of the opponent's mental power. What's more, you just wanted to devour my mental power thread for a few seconds."

Mingyu: “…”

Mu Lian stared at Mingyu, obviously thinking more.

"You know a lot about starship design." As someone who has relied on Mingyu twice in a row, Mu Lian knows that his basic knowledge is terrifyingly solid.

Mulian: "Are you also a colorful starship designer?"

Mingyu: “…”

Before Mingyu could speak, his eyes subconsciously looked at Cui Xiaoduo.

Cui Xiaoduo, who was studying the print on his sweatshirt and didn't hear anything, said: "..."

"I didn't sell you out!" He was asked by Mingyu and subconsciously cried out in innocence. Then his scalp went numb and he noticed Mulan's gaze shifting towards him.

Mu Lian: "You really knew it a long time ago."

His expression remained unchanged and his tone was steady, but Cui Xiaoduo immediately heard the displeasure in his childhood sweetheart's heart.

Cui Xiaoduo immediately changed his tone to explain: "No, Brother Lian! I also found out by accident! It was Brother Yu who didn't let me tell you! Hi, it's just..."

"I have to keep my promise to my brother! Even if it's Brother Lian, you can't tell anyone."

Mu Lian then looked at Ming Yu again.

Mingyu: “…”

For some reason, he saw a resentful expression on Mu Lian's expressionless face, just like an elementary school student who was excluded from a small group and had no secret skills for him!

Ming Yu could only follow suit and explain: "... Many people know about this, and I'm afraid the Ming family will find out by mistake..."

"Come to the Mu family." Mu Lian, a tall and long-legged elementary school student, repeated, "We are not afraid of confronting the Ming family."

He paused, then said, "Take Mu Baixing with you."

Mulan: "Your pilot is very strong."

Mingyu: “…”

This is indeed very obvious.

He thought about Mu Lian's proposal and asked, "Solve the problem of household registration in the Central Star Region?"

"Not only Brother Mu, but also several other people in our team, including the ones with dyed hair. They are all non-awakened humans who are good at starship maintenance."

Mu Lian: "..."

He frowned, thought for a moment, and then shook his head honestly.

"Your pilot can do it, but those few... may not."

The Star Navigation Competition had just ended, and he had received a call from his father, asking him if he knew about the colorful message.

The Second Legion wants to recruit Mu Baixing and LUCE. Even if the former needs to resolve the household registration issue and the latter's true identity is the second young master of the Ming family... as long as they are strong enough, these are not a problem.

It’s just that the Second Legion has no shortage of maintenance technicians.

Don't keep idle people either.

In order to attract talents, it is normal to solve the problem of family placement.

But if it's my younger brother...

This time it's resolved, but what if someone uses this as a condition to join the Second Legion next time? If one person talks too much, the military budget won't be enough.

Mulan could talk to his father, but he felt that the other party would not agree.

Mingyu got the answer from his somewhat regretful expression.

"Forget it then." Mingyu said.

He knew without asking that Mu Baixing would never abandon the colorful hairy people and come to the central star field.

If Mu Baixing could agree... then he wouldn't be Brother Mu anymore.

Mingyu smiled.

"Thank you so much for helping me today!" he asked. "How can I pay you as a reward?"

"Don't be so reserved, Brother Yu," Cui Xiaoduo said immediately. "Helping you means suppressing the Ming family. We're so happy!"

"But I still want a reward." Mu Lian said seriously, "I want you to treat me to a meal."

Mingyu: “…”

"Okay." Mingyu confirmed seriously, "Is this it?"

Mu Lian nodded and added, "It's a little more expensive than the Chuan Chuan Xiang restaurant."

Mingyu: “…”

Mingyu couldn't pretend anymore and burst out laughing.

So that evening, when the Star Navigation Competition Star Domain Competition schedule was released, Mingyu was in the dormitory with Cui Xiaoduo and Mulian eating takeout from a high-end seafood pizza restaurant.

"Let's go to that seafood hot pot place next time," Cui Xiaoduo mumbled while chewing. "I think hot pot is definitely better than pizza. It's cheap, delicious, and affordable! It's because of what Brother Lian said that I've always wanted to try a high-end seafood pizza restaurant. I really don't understand why the ingredients there are so high-end..."

He was multitasking: savoring pizza while planning his next restaurant. After hearing the announcement of the Star Tournament, he also freed one hand to open the screen and check the Star Tournament schedule.

"The first round of the Central Star Region Tournament will be held in the newly constructed virtual Gemini mining area on Labyrinth Star." Cui Xiaoduo swiped the screen, swallowed his food, and read out the words word by word. "So this is a planetary surface map. It seems that space navigation must be the topic of the second round... Hmm..."

"The first round of the Star Region Tournament is... 'Treasure Hunt'?"

"'Not everyone gets a share of the treasure. Teams, please seize the opportunity and don't let go of the fat sheep when you're treasure hunting.'..." Cui Xiaoduo read the prompt and exclaimed exaggeratedly, "Isn't this just asking us to fight? This treasure chest will definitely be a fight!"

"But the mine on Labyrinth Planet is finally opening?" Cui Xiaoduo sighed. "Maybe the planet's owner sponsored the Star Navigation Competition to help build momentum and attract attention!"

"Actually, I've been really looking forward to the opening of this mining area. I heard there are a lot of rare materials there. I wonder if it will be expensive to hire someone to mine them."

"expensive."

"Maze Star used to belong to the Free Star Region, but was only assigned to the Central Star Region in recent years. It's located on the border of the Safe Star Region, and each Black Tide has a lot of residual Black Tide energy." Mu Lian explained, "The things inside are good, but dangerous, and definitely expensive."

Cui Xiaoduo smacked his lips and said, "Then I won't go by myself. I'll just go with you and Vincent Yang."

Mulan nodded with satisfaction.

Cui Xiaoduo then looked down at the competition schedule and exclaimed in surprise.

"But why did the organizing committee suddenly behave like this?" he asked in surprise. "There's actually a two-week off-season before the first game of the Star Region Tournament! To give each team a good rest...?"

"Let me see the number of teams in each region... As expected, the Central Star Region still has the most teams. Brother Yu, which region are you guys in? It's also the Central Star Region, right?"

Mingyu hummed.

He has also opened the Star Navigation Competition module.

On Mingyu's light screen, a symbol representing the Star Domain Tournament region appeared after the colorful team names: a long sword inserted diagonally into a stone.

This is the symbol of the central star field.

The appearance of this sign means that Mu Baixing has already selected the competition area online.

Mingyu didn't know how Mu Baixing was recovering, so he didn't dare to disturb him.

After seeing the other party and the one who had made a choice on the Star Network, he opened his contact list and sent Mu Baixing a "how are you" emoticon with an outstretched claw.

"That's not how the organizing committee behaves." Mu Lian had just swallowed her food and swept away the pizza crumbs Cui Xiaoduo had dropped on his lap. "The Weather Association has released a forecast, and tomorrow should be a Kuroshio day. Next week to the week after next will be a good time to enter various resource areas to search for energy deposits, minerals, and plants and animals."

"The Star Tournament has set up an off-season considering that some teams may not want to miss this opportunity."

Mingyu: “…”

When Mingyu heard this, he was about to type to ask how Mu Baixing was feeling, but then he paused.

Cui Xiaoduo was also stunned.

"Is tomorrow another Kuroshio Day?" he asked curiously. "The last Kuroshio Day was almost a month ago... Now the intervals between these Kuroshio Days have only been a month for three consecutive times, right?"

They live on the capital star of the central star field, which is not affected by the black tide energy radiation at all, so Cui Xiaoduo pays little attention to the black tide day.

He remembered that the last two Black Tide Days were to go into the mining area to look for blue lotus stones.

The last time, the blue lotus stone in the mining area was absorbed by Mingyu, but Cui Xiaoduo later found other rare energy minerals and prepared them as birthday gifts for Mulan, so he didn't pay attention to it this month.

Mulan hummed.

His interest in Kuroshio Day comes from his father Musa.

The immigrants in the North Star Region had experienced the disaster of being displaced by the outbreak of the Kuroshio Tide, so a Kuroshio day forecast chart and a count chart of past Kuroshio days were hung in the living room of the Mu family's home.

Mingyu: “…”

Mingyu pursed his lips in annoyance and couldn't help but say, "How could I forget this!"

He lives in the capital star of the central star field!

However, the outer port where Mu Bohang and Wucai Toumao live is severely affected by the Kuroshio solar radiation.

Humans have not yet figured out the laws governing the energy fluctuations in the Kuroshio Star Sea.

But every black tide day, the black tide energy will briefly cross the golden star line, like a tide, passing through the universe, submerging the free star field, and the aftermath sweeping over the outer edge of the central star field and the southeast star field.

The resource star bases, all residential bases and space cities in the central star field are equipped with protective shields that can withstand a certain amount of black tide energy.

But the Free Star Territory Outer Port...

It was a chaotic star region without a government, and the conditions of the bases of various exploration teams varied greatly. And Mu Boxing's exploration team did not seem to be well-off.

I don't know if his base's shield is strong enough to resist the Kuroshio radiation! If not, the best remedy is to take anti-radiation potions in advance...

Mingyu immediately closed the dialog box with Mu Baixing and started searching for the fastest time to deliver the anti-Kuroshio radiation medicine to the outer port.

He was calculating the basic dosage for Mu Baixing and Wucai Toumao and choosing the purchase dosage when the dialog box that he had just closed popped up again.

The communication bracelet also vibrated at the same time, reminding him that someone had sent him a real-time communication.

Whoever you think of will appear immediately.

Mingyu saw Mu Baixing's name on the call and quickly reached out to answer it.

The light screen lit up, and a man in his bathrobe leaned against the headboard, his hair a little wet, as if he had just gotten up and taken a shower.

His lips were slightly lighter than usual, and his face was still a little pale, but much better than before. He raised his eyes and looked at Mingyu.

"I was just about to contact you." Mu Baixing's voice was low and echoed in the room. Cui Xiaoduo and Mu Lian, who were sitting opposite Mingyu, turned to look over.

Mingyu: “…”

Ming Yu ignored the searchlight-like gazes of the two people opposite him and said seriously, "Brother Mu."

"Brother Mu!" Ming Yu didn't ask why he was looking for him, but said quickly, "Tomorrow is Black Tide Day, I'll send you some medicine..."

Mu Baixing saw the worry in his eyes and smiled.

"No need," he said, "The base's shield is very good, and it cost me a lot of money."

"Tomorrow is Kuroshio Day, which lasts for three days and ends on Friday. Do you have time after next Monday?" Mu Baixing looked at Mingyu.

"I'm going to the Central Star Region," he said, "to find you."