Chapter 108 Banquet (Two in One)
"Once hatched, bird-like star beasts possess the ability to convert meat, grains, and other foods into energy, eliminating the need to feed them high-level energy crystals with special properties."
"Of course, the intake of high-level energy crystals will be very beneficial to their growth."
"Our company sells artificially raised, safe, parasite-free insect grains favored by various birds and animals..."
"Brother LU, Brother LU, it eats so fast! It finished a whole steak! Brother LU, can I feed it another piece?"
"It doesn't seem like it likes vegetables...Ahhh, it's breathing fire at me!"
"Brother LU, what kind of bird is your pet? A fire sparrow? But a fire sparrow should be red, and this color is just like an ordinary sparrow. Besides, sparrows can't be kept in captivity for a long time, right? After genetically bred birds are born, they have to be found on a suitable planet and released into the wild!"
“Chirp, chirp—!”
Mingyu: “…”
Mingyu didn't believe it and picked out a few more nutritious bird foods and bought a few bags. Then he ordered some miscellaneous A-grade ores. He looked up at the bird that was jumping around on the table not far away and could be held in one hand.
This is a very inconspicuous bird chick, with brown and black feathers all over its body. It really looks like a sparrow, a small bird that humans brought with them from their home planet when they migrated to the stars.
Apart from being round and cute, there's nothing special about it.
There was no sign that it would grow into the gorgeous firebird with bright red feathers that Mingyu had seen on the Maze Star.
Mingyu stretched out his palm, and the sparrow-like bird immediately buried its short legs, hopped onto Mingyu's palm, and rubbed Mingyu's fingers with its head affectionately.
“Chirp, chirp, chirp—!”
Sounds like you're hungry.
...Did the steak Red Hair just mentioned being fed to me go to waste?!
Mingyu had a complicated expression on his face. He formed his mental power into a few blue balls of light and placed them on the table. The bird immediately lowered its head and pecked at them.
Mingyu: “…”
Before this firebird chick hatched, Mingyu had read the bird-keeping encyclopedia, but this firebird, a species that no one had ever touched... was very different from what was described in the encyclopedia.
He doesn't eat bird food, but loves meat and □□ divine energy balls.
It was so small, and even after eating a steak the size of a palm, its belly didn't feel bloated at all.
...Is there a black hole in this little belly? !
Mingyu didn't dare to feed the bird as soon as it chirped.
He and Mu Baixing had already returned to the capital star and met up with Wucai Toumao and his companions at the star port.
Like Mu Boxing, the multicolored haired characters in the Star Navigation Tournament didn't differ much from their real selves. The biggest difference between their real-life and virtual appearances was that, in reality, these middle school boys didn't actually dye their hair all multicolored, but instead only highlighted a few strands.
Because hair dye is not cheap in foreign ports, this kind of thing that is not a necessity of life should be used sparingly when bought.
Mingyu didn't know whether to feel relieved or sad.
But in the eyes of the colorful hairy guys, Mingyu's changes were huge!
How come their LU brother is so handsome! So good looking! And so well behaved!
Several people have met Mingyu for several hours, but the huge contrast in the designer's image still makes the colorful-haired ones sneak a peek at him every once in a while.
After receiving a warning glance from Mu Baixing, he restrained himself for a few minutes, but after a while, he couldn't help but look!
Mu Baixing: “…”
"Hong Yi," he said coldly, "Apply for an extension of the starship's berthing time. Set the end time to tomorrow evening."
"Pack your things and leave in five minutes for the genetic information collection point."
They have to go through the household registration transfer procedures to enter the central star field, and also undergo a genetic screening and be compared with the criminal information gene database of the central star field.
As an awakened human, Mu Baixing also needs to undergo mental screening and record his mental ripples into the information database.
When the colorful-haired people heard the boss's order, they all got busy. The red-haired man went to handle the starship's docking procedures, while the others changed their clothes and were full of excitement, planning to visit the capital star of the central star field.
This will also be their capital planet from now on!
Mu Baixing turned his gaze back to Mingyu.
"Dandan, follow your godfather." Mingyu stretched out his arm toward Mu Baixing's shoulder. The bird, realizing Mingyu was addressing it with those two syllables, tilted its head, glanced at the young man with its tiny black eyes, and then chirped twice before jumping onto Mu Baixing's shoulder.
It was also very familiar with Mu Boxing's breath. It yawned, sprayed out a little flame, and lay down on the man's shoulder.
Mingyu reached out and touched its furry head, then looked up at Mu Baixing.
"See you tonight?" He blinked and said with a smile, "Xiaoduo said he'll come to Star Harbor to see you later. After the Ming family's banquet is over tonight, he'll show you the way. Then you can meet up with Mulian and me first, and then we'll have a celebratory dinner together after the Star Domain game!"
Mu Baixing nodded and said simply, "Okay."
The little bird hatched on Ice Mars, and Mingyu was searching for bird-raising tips all the way back.
Now that the designer is about to return to the Ming family to attend a banquet, it is not a good time for him to confess his health problems.
The man finally lowered his head and kissed Mingyu's lips, saying in a deep voice, "Be careful."
In Mingyu's pocket was a miniature monitor disguised as an insect that he had just taken from Hongmao.
"Don't worry." He smiled, "Wait for my good news!"
He was the first to leave the starport and board the aircraft.
The trip from Star Harbor to the Ming residence wasn't too long, only a two-hour flight. Ming Yu fiddled with the insect detector, pondering for a moment. He decided that even if he didn't have direct evidence of Ming Zhilang and Zhao Ying's crimes, he should report all the information he had to law enforcement agencies... and upload it to StarNet.
Only when public opinion gains momentum will it be less easy for the Ming family to use their connections to clear themselves and escape.
Mingyu asked the Star Navigation Competition Organizing Committee to authenticate his social account information as LUCE just for this purpose.
Although his newly verified account has not posted any content yet, the number of followers on his social account is rapidly increasing after the Star Navigation Competition Organizing Committee posted the post-match interview schedule and his account.
In the account message board, comments about sightseeing check-ins are refreshed every hour.
It's a good time to break big news.
Mingyu looked outside the cabin.
Moreover, during the banquet, the Ming family and their vassals were busy socializing at the Ming family manor. This was also the time when they paid the least attention to news from the outside world.
The young man tapped the back of the monitor lightly with his fingers.
It would certainly be better if we could find more direct evidence through monitoring to add fuel to the fire.
The aircraft passed the Galaxy Commercial District and turned down a low-speed route, and the Ming Family Manor appeared outside the window.
This large and luxurious manor was once Mingyu's home, but it was also his shackles and cage.
After meeting his grandfather, the only one who cared about him when he was a child, he will leave the Ming family and go to the Barrier Space Station to participate in the finals of the Star Navigation Competition, and then... he will never come back.
After tonight, nothing will be the same.
The aircraft slid into the parking area.
Mingyu stepped out of the cabin, turned around and looked, and found that Mingyan's aircraft had parked on the parking lot, but there was no sign of Mingyan.
I guess he went in first.
Mingyu put his hands in his pockets, holding the monitor with his fingertips. He felt a little regretful that he couldn't meet Mingyan and release the monitor at the first time. He could only face the housekeeper who was walking towards him with a well-behaved smile on his face, which he usually wore when he was at the Ming family.
At the end of March, spring and autumn seasons converge on the capital planet, and the temperature fluctuates between hot and cold.
Today was a beautiful day, sunny and warm. The carefully tended plants in the Ming family manor were sprouting and opening their buds, as if to celebrate Ming Zhengen's birthday, everything was flourishing.
Mingyu left at noon and arrived home just after three. Although the dinner wasn't due to start until five, many of the Ming family's guests had already arrived. The butler, welcoming the guests at the manor's helipad, frowned in disdain when he saw Mingyu wearing a hoodie and immediately sent him inside to wash up and change into a suit.
"Second Young Master, why are you back so late?" the housekeeper complained. "Why didn't you clean up beforehand? I'll send the modeling robot to your room right away."
Mingyu waved his hand casually, not caring about his not-so-gentle attitude.
He walked through the front yard and heard the music from the banquet hall as he passed by it. He took a few steps forward and saw Ming Zhilang and Zhao Ying greeting people in the reception hall.
Ming Yu took a look inside and saw an unfamiliar official from the Central Star Region giving gifts to Ming's parents.
Even though the Ming family's recent situation does not seem as good as before, there are still many people who want to curry favor with them.
"We've searched several resource stars and finally found a rare S-grade fire ore. I wish Mr. Ming a long life..."
The other party was flattering him in a pretentious tone. Mingyu passed by the door and sneered in his heart.
It was obvious that this fire ore was given to Ming Yan and had nothing to do with the old man of the Ming family.
Grandpa is already 300 years old today. What is he doing with the fire ore? A hand warmer?
Mingyu looked at the situation in the reception room and knew that it was impossible to place a surveillance camera for the time being, so he continued to move forward while complaining in his heart.
He did not follow the housekeeper's instructions and go upstairs to clean himself up. Instead, he walked through the courtyard and went to Ming Zhengen's courtyard at the back to see if he could meet his grandfather in private.
On the one hand, he hadn't seen the old man for many years and wanted to talk to his grandfather outside the banquet.
On the other hand, he had doubts about the Third Legion's style of doing things and his parents' attitude towards him, and he also wanted to try to get some information from the old man.
The Ming family's status in the central star field actually began to rise with Ming Zhengen.
Before Ming Zhengen, the Ming family had produced several officials, but they held low positions and had limited connections. It wasn't until Ming Zhengen, in his twenties, that he became a member of the Central Star Region's Supreme Council and a federal senator, and then stood out for his outstanding abilities.
In addition, Ming Zhengen has an upright character. He has repeatedly ignored the opposition and implemented new bills regardless of the interests of the upper class. Gradually, a group of outstanding young people gathered around him.
Later, most of them became outstanding officials in the power structure of the Central Star Region, distributed among the members of the Senate, the Star Navigation Department, the Military Department, etc.
Afterwards, Ming Zhuofeng entered the military and was quickly promoted in the Star Navigation Department because of his strength. He then transferred to the military to lead the Third Legion and took root in the military. The Ming family's power began to unconsciously develop towards the military.
Ming Zhuofeng fought bravely in the military, not out of concern for his family's interests, but the Ming family's reputation did rise with the medals of honor he received. Before his death, he had become the pillar of the military, and the Ming family's power was at its peak.
But with the death of the hero, all of this fell on Ming Zhilang, who used him as a tool to gain benefits.
Mingyu felt a little sad.
His thoughts wandered, and soon he reached the courtyard where Ming Zhengen lived. However, even though the birthday party was about to begin, the gate to the courtyard, which was surrounded by railings, was still closed.
"Grandpa isn't feeling well and is taking his lunch break." The nurse who usually stopped Ming Yu from leaving was explaining softly to a formally dressed elderly man who also wanted to visit Ming Zhengen, "I'm sure you two will have time to catch up at the dinner."
The old man had a head full of white hair and was sitting in a smart wheelchair. He could only shake his head to change direction.
"He always said he didn't like seeing people, and now he's not letting me see anyone." The old man muttered in dissatisfaction, "If Zheng En hadn't occasionally replied to the Star Network to say that everything was fine, I would have suspected that Ming Zhilang had put his father under house arrest..."
He thought he was muttering very quietly, but because he was too old and hard of hearing, his voice was actually so loud that it could be heard from more than ten steps away.
The nurse looked embarrassed, but didn't dare to say anything because the other party was a guest.
Mingyu stopped beside a flower tree in the distance and faintly heard the other party's complaints. He was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly frowned.
Will it? Not impossible.
Mingyu thought to himself.
If it was a few months ago, it would be hard for him to imagine this... But after witnessing the ruthless style of the Third Legion, Ming Yu felt that Ming Zhilang might really be able to keep his biological father under house arrest for decades!
Although Mingyu couldn't think of the possible reason for this house arrest.
But on the other hand, as the old man in the wheelchair said, grandpa would usually reply to some communication messages and had never sent out any distress signals.
Mingyu stood in the shadows beside the blossoming trees. The elderly man in the wheelchair didn't notice him and simply turned away. The caregiver at the backyard iron gate also didn't notice Mingyu and retreated back inside, locking the gate again.
The designer thought for a moment, and simply used the shadows of the trees to release a very thin thread of mental power.
He was not sure whether there was any mental detection equipment in the Ming family manor, so he was extremely cautious.
The blue lines of spiritual energy lay hidden in the grass, obscured by the broad leaves, drawing little attention. Mingyu waited quietly for a moment. Seeing nothing unusual around him, he manipulated those delicate threads of spiritual energy to bypass the flowering trees ahead, climb over the blue star orchid grass outside the fence, and attempt to approach the ornately carved black fence in the backyard.
When there were only a few centimeters left, the bright blue mental power paused.
The S-level high-sensitivity mental power came into play at this time.
Mingyu felt that there was indeed something in front of him.
Like a transparent mental energy isolation shield, it tightly wraps the entire backyard.
Mingyu pursed his lips.
He simply sat down on the ground under the flower tree, and used his mental power to move around the backyard fence, exploring the range of the protective shield and looking for possible gaps.
Mingyu paused.
Ming Zhengen's backyard was deep within the Ming family compound, surrounded by two gardens in front and back. Inside the fenced garden, a young man in a white military uniform stood in the shadows of a tree, looking up at a three-story building surrounded by black railings.
Albin, the captain of the first squad of the Third Legion, has the rank of captain. Mingyu had met him once on the Maze Star, and had fought with him in the virtual map of the Star Navigation Competition two days ago.
The back garden is not a place to entertain guests...Why is the other party standing here?
Albin looked like he was waiting for someone.
He leaned against the tree trunk, fiddling with a leaf between his fingers, his eyes fixed on the shadow under the tree, looking a little bored.
The driver's mental power is usually extremely slow. Mingyu didn't think he would alarm the other party, so he didn't retract his mental power, but continued to move forward.
When the blue tentacles passed by a patch of grass on the other side of the courtyard, Mingyu's expression paused slightly.
He found a hole hidden under the grass blade, not even as thick as a finger. It was hard to tell what insect had made it, but it was several times thicker than an ant hole.
This hole was very deep and went all the way down, seemingly leading into the courtyard. Mingyu tried to probe his mental power into it.
The damp smell of the deep earth assaulted him. His spiritual power moved forward quickly, but he didn't see any ants crawling in the passage. Unsure where the ant tunnel led, Ming Yu pushed his spiritual power upward, but fearing detection from the Ming family, he didn't dare leave the soil.
Until a little light came from the front.
The wheels of the wheelchair slid across the floor. The window in the house was wide open, and Mingyu saw Mingyu stop in front of the window, the back of the chair raised to block the old man's silhouette.
Mingyu's mental power flickered, and he tried to reach out without attracting anyone's attention to confirm Ming Zhengen's situation, but he heard hurried footsteps behind him.
The inconspicuous bright blue mental force dissipated out of thin air, and Mingyu turned his head.
"Xiao Yu." Ming's mother, Zhao Ying, was walking down the corridor, frowning and asking, "Why are you sitting here?"
Mingyu appeared to be well-behaved and looked at her subtly.
He had similar doubts in his mind. Zhao Ying was wearing a formal dress. Why was she here instead of receiving guests in the front?
The young man stood up while thinking this, and pointed to the flower tree with clustered leaves and layers of pink petals, and said innocently, "I think the flowers are blooming beautifully. Let's get some fresh air here."
As the young man stood up, he bumped into a branch, and a few petals fell, scattering on his shoulders. He pointed at the tree with one hand and put the other hand back into his pocket. Then, as if feeling that this gesture was not proper in front of his mother, he took it out again and hung it at his side.
A small, beetle-like monitor flew from his fingertips, slipped around his back, and slipped into the cuff of Zhao Ying's dress, landing gently on her arm. The extremely fine needle pierced her skin, firmly securing the monitor without her noticing.
The monitor's actions were covert, and Zhao Ying was a little distracted.
The sunlight fell on the tips of Mingyu's hair. The young man's round eyes were narrowed because of his smile. He had fair skin, a straight nose, and delicate and elegant facial features.
Zhao Ying was stunned by his current appearance, and inexplicably recalled the scene decades ago when the North Star Domain designer, who was extremely talented and beautiful but too lazy to spend time on dressing up, came to the Ming Family Manor for the first time with her husband's elder brother Ming Zhuofeng.
At that time, she had been married to Ming Zhilang for several years and was chatting with An Qiu in the Ming family manor.
The other person was also standing here, and he gently touched the flower tree and said with a smile: "The flowers in your house are so beautiful."
"It will be our home soon, right?" Zhao Ying teased the other party at the time.
Her original intention of marrying Ming Zhilang was not complicated. It was just because of love, not because his father was a coalition member of parliament, nor because of the wealth and power in his father's hands.
When she met An Qiu, she truly appreciated and loved his talent.
Until Ming Zhuofeng emerged in the military, Ming Zhilang's exploration team was disbanded and liquidated due to debt.
Until Ming Zhilang chose a path of no return in order to pay off his debts, to escape the shadow cast by his outstanding elder brother, and for power and wealth. And she chose to go along with him because she could not bear the life of being heavily in debt.
A cloud passed by, blocking the sunlight and casting a shadow.
Zhao Ying came back to her senses.
Mingyu was looking at her, seemingly unaware of her distraction, and said, "I want to go in and talk to Grandpa."
"Don't disturb your grandfather. He's resting and doesn't like crowds." Zhao Ying quickly adjusted her mood and replied as she always did when Mingyu made similar requests. "It's just that today's birthday is a big day, and the old man is rarely interested in seeing old friends. You're disturbing him here."
"The dinner party is about to start in over an hour! Even if you're a loser, you still have to show up! Hurry up and get changed! Don't just hang around here doing nothing. You'll embarrass our family if you don't dress appropriately for the evening!"
Mingyu ignored her harsh words, not taking them seriously at all. He nodded obediently and walked back. He heard Zhao Ying's footsteps fading away, stopped, tilted his head, and turned on the screen.
Mingyu stopped releasing his mental power for fear that Zhao Ying would find out. However, the monitor on Zhao Ying recorded the entire conversation between the two into the recording chip, and transmitted it to Mingyu's communication bracelet through the communication channel specially made by Adeline.
Zhao Ying did not enter Ming Zhengen's courtyard, but went back.
She was going to see Albin, captain of the 1st squad of the 3rd Legion.
The communication monitor's imaging device was hidden on Zhao Ying's body, so her expression could not be captured. Mingyu could only see the collar of Albin's white military uniform and his slightly frowning expression.
The two spoke in low voices, and Mingyu vaguely heard Feilun's name.
Zhao Ying: "Want to see Fei Lun?" She sighed and said, "Let's go. The treatment is almost over. Come with me to confirm the effectiveness."
Albin stood straight, and silence followed her.
The conversation paused, and the two took two quick steps and turned the corner.
Ming Yu has lived in the Ming family for twenty years and is familiar with the layout of the Ming family manor.
Behind Ming Zhengen's courtyard, across a large garden, was a building used as guest rooms, mostly empty. If Albin had met with Fellen before meeting Zhao Ying at the same location, then Fellen likely lived in one of the guest rooms at the back.
He looked at the time, changed his clothes as Zhao Ying instructed, and tidied himself up casually.
The monitoring screen on one side was on. Zhao Ying and Albin entered a lounge and sat facing each other in silence, as if waiting for the treatment to end.
The two of them entered the lounge without meeting anyone else. Only Zhao Ying entered the password in front of each door over and over again for biometric verification.
It is obvious that Feren’s so-called treatment is not simple and it is a secret event that is not convenient for more people to know.
Mingyu narrowed his eyes slightly.
What the Ming family wants to hide is probably not a good thing.
He gently gathered the collar of his dinner suit. He had already organized and packaged the information and evidence he and Mu Baixing had collected, and was ready to upload LUCE's Star Network account and the major case reporting procedures of the Star Navigation Department and the police at the same time as the banquet began.
He wanted to quickly gather more evidence. However, the monitor was attached to Zhao Ying, and the lounge was simply furnished. Apart from two chairs and a coffee table in the middle, there were only smooth walls and a short-pile carpet on the floor. The monitor would be difficult to conceal when moved, making it easily visible.
Moreover, there was no gap under the door of the Ming family's house. Without Zhao Ying, it was difficult for the monitor to explore the building and confirm the room where Feilun was being "treated".
Ming Yu kind of hoped that this building would have the same wormholes as the ones in Ming Zhengen's courtyard. That way, he could send his surveillance camera through the wormholes...
A thought flashed through Mingyu's mind, and then his expression changed, and he suddenly realized something important.
The buildings in the Ming Family Manor resemble those of pre-cosmic times: pale stone walls and light gray spires. The interior decor is also strikingly retro, with murals, vaulted ceilings, and decorative tapestries on the walls—it's easy to mistake this for a house that's been standing for centuries.
The Ming Family Manor was indeed an old house in the past. However, shortly after Ming Zhilang took over the Third Legion, the manor was renovated and expanded with great fanfare.
After the renovation, although its appearance remained the same, its internal structure and flesh had been completely revitalized. In particular, its construction materials used were the most expensive and durable lightweight building materials of the era.
Whether it was Ming Zhengen's bedroom, or any other house in the manor... the materials of its walls and floors could not be penetrated by insects.
So...how did that small wormhole come about?!
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