Chapter 117: Trouble
Nan Yu sat in the chair, staring fixedly at the man lying on the bed.
He had already fallen asleep, and from the looks of it, he was sleeping quite peacefully. However, perhaps because he himself was so powerful, even in such a deep sleep, he still frowned slightly under Nan Yu's gaze.
Nan Yu casually looked away.
This person wasn't Yu Lanfeng.
He certainly wasn't going to keep staring at him. He was simply a little curious about the person Ye Xing loved so wholeheartedly.
Once he relaxed, he realized he was hungry.
Looking at the time, he discovered that nearly ten hours had already passed.
In other words, although he had succeeded, it had taken a considerable amount of time.
He wondered whether Ye Xing had become anxious waiting outside.
Then again...
Even if he had, he deserved it.
Who told him to kidnap him?
He had made him worry for so long.
The person Nan Yu had actually been worrying about was Yu Lanfeng.
He had suddenly disappeared from the hospital lounge. Yu Lanfeng was undoubtedly the one who blamed himself the most and worried about him the most.
Then there was his family.
Especially his two older brothers.
As for his father...
Fortunately, he had been away on a mission and hadn't returned. Otherwise, there would have been two more people worrying themselves sick.
Nan Yu let out a slow breath.
No matter what...
Whether Ye Xing was doing all this for the sake of the person before him...
Or whether he planned to repay him tenfold afterward...
Nan Yu honestly didn't care.
Now that he had returned to a time when everything could still be changed, all he wanted was to earn money honestly, stay with the person he loved, and spend a happy lifetime with those who cared about him.
He still didn't know who had been behind the previous kidnapping.
Even now, the mastermind hadn't been found.
So Nan Yu temporarily put that matter aside.
But this time...
He truly was dissatisfied with Ye Xing.
At the same time, however, he couldn't deny one thing.
Ye Xing was an incredibly, incredibly talented genius.
He had pieced together a special device entirely by himself.
Mounted on his spacecraft, it allowed the ship to silently enter and leave the Capital Star without even passing through the aerospace port.
Both entering and leaving...
No one detected the slightest trace.
Even more frightening was the fact that the top speed of Ye Xing's spacecraft actually surpassed the Empire's newest high-speed warship designed by Yu Lanfeng's legion.
Those two inventions alone were enough to tempt Nan Yu.
Once Yu Lanfeng found him, Nan Yu was absolutely going to make him capture Ye Xing and force him to work for the legion for the rest of his life!
Of course...
He wasn't that cruel.
If they joined the legion, they could simply be given new identities.
Although they would no longer enjoy complete freedom and couldn't openly appear before the public, they would finally be able to live peaceful lives without constantly worrying about being hunted down by people from other countries.
Of course...
In the end, everything depended on their own choices.
If they refused...
Nan Yu could only regret it.
...
Although Yu Lanfeng was the Empire's strongest Ability User and its most powerful individual, his temper had actually never been very good.
Nowadays, people rarely mentioned it anymore.
Many probably didn't even know.
Back when Yu Lanfeng had first joined the legion, he had actually possessed an extremely violent temper.
When facing Ability Beasts, he could easily burn them to death with his flames.
But whenever he wasn't in a hurry and had enough time...
He would crush their heads with his bare hands right in front of everyone.
Blood and mangled flesh would splatter everywhere.
Not only would the soldiers behind him be stunned...
Even many Ability Beasts would turn around and flee in terror.
The Ability Beasts also understood that they couldn't defeat Yu Lanfeng.
Charging at him meant certain death.
And an especially miserable one at that.
Previously, Ability Beasts had always known they would die if they charged.
Even so, they still rushed forward.
This was the first time anyone had ever witnessed them turning around and running away instead.
That incident became widely known.
It was also because of it that everyone learned about Yu Lanfeng.
Whether they were his comrades or ordinary citizens who heard the story...
No one found it disturbing.
Instead, they all thought he was incredibly cool.
Nan Yu imagined the scene for a moment.
Although it was extremely bloody...
It really was rather impressive.
Later on, though, something changed.
Perhaps such a fighting style attracted admiration at first...
But if he continued doing it too often, people might eventually start viewing him as a psychopath.
And so, Yu Lanfeng gradually changed his combat style.
He began displaying his fire ability more frequently.
Little by little...
His flames became famous throughout the Empire.
Because Yu Lanfeng's flames could burn absolutely anything.
Anything that existed could be reduced to ashes.
According to Yu Lanfeng himself, after establishing his own legion, he had once conducted an experiment.
He took the hardest material known to exist in the current world and attempted to burn it.
In the end...
It took only one minute to reduce a fist-sized alloy block into ashes.
And afterward...
Even the ashes themselves were burned away until absolutely nothing remained.
Although the experiment had been conducted privately and Yu Lanfeng had never intentionally publicized it, news still spread rapidly.
Combined with the footage released after every one of Yu Lanfeng's battles, more and more people throughout the Empire gradually came to know both him and his legion.
Slowly...
Outstanding talents began choosing to join his legion.
His legion gradually evolved from a place that selected whoever applied...
Into one where Yu Lanfeng personally selected only the very best.
The more Nan Yu thought about it, the more he felt that the person he had fallen for this time was truly exceptional.
Perhaps...
He was actually the one who wasn't worthy.
After all, in his previous life, he had been so foolish.
He had fallen in love with an obvious piece of trash.
A greedy, ungrateful white-eyed wolf.
A scumbag who discarded him after using him and even made sure he died completely.
Someone as blind as himself...
How had he ever ended up together with someone as outstanding as Yu Lanfeng?
It was almost unbelievable.
Come to think of it...
When exactly had they gotten together?
It seemed to have happened naturally.
Even Nan Yu himself couldn't remember who had confessed first.
One sentence from one of them.
Another from the other.
Before they knew it...
They had naturally become a couple.
There wasn't much point trying to figure it out now.
After all...
They were surely the most compatible pair in the entire world.
He wondered whether Yu Lanfeng had found any clues about his whereabouts yet.
Thinking of that made Nan Yu somewhat unhappy again.
Although Ye Xing had saved his life in his previous life...
That had been his previous life.
In this one, nothing of the sort had happened.
To him now...
Ye Xing was simply a kidnapper.
Still...
He had never had the chance to repay that favor in his previous life.
So he'd repay it in this one instead.
Nan Yu rubbed his stomach and walked around the room.
Finding no food anywhere, he immediately felt wronged.
After thinking for a moment, he took out the spare optical computer that had always been stored inside his space button.
This optical computer existed specifically for emergencies.
After the previous kidnapping, Nan Yu had been forced to carry it with him.
Now it was finally useful.
He just hoped...
It could connect to a signal.
Even if it couldn't connect to the StarNet, it didn't matter.
The spare optical computer contained special software modules and other things Nan Yu himself didn't fully understand.
As long as he powered it on...
Yu Lanfeng's technical team would bypass the StarNet entirely and establish a direct connection using the military's internal network.
All Nan Yu needed to do now...
Was wait.
...
"Marshal! We have a signal!"
"It's the spare optical computer Nan Yu was carrying!"
"It's been powered on!"
"The connection has begun!"
"It'll take approximately three minutes!"
Before the technician even finished speaking, Yu Lanfeng had already walked over.
His eyes fixed themselves on the screen before him.
A progress bar slowly crawled forward.
It advanced only one-third every minute.
Those three minutes...
Felt longer than an entire lifetime.
Perhaps they were the longest three minutes Yu Lanfeng had ever experienced.
He was afraid.
Afraid that after the connection was established...
The image transmitted wouldn't be Nan Yu safely waiting for him.
Instead...
Perhaps Nan Yu had already been captured, his space button stolen, its security broken open, and everything inside taken away.
Someone might have accidentally powered on the spare optical computer, unintentionally allowing the connection to be established.
Second after second passed.
Nan Yu himself was equally nervous.
Ye Xing was right outside.
If Ye Xing noticed what he was doing...
He would definitely rush in.
Nan Yu had almost exhausted all his mental power.
Moreover, he was physically weak.
Against one of the most outstanding High-Tier Ability Users...
He had absolutely no ability to resist.
All he could do was pray that Ye Xing wouldn't notice his little trick.
Fortunately...
His worries proved unnecessary.
The full three minutes passed...
Without Ye Xing bursting into the room.
The moment the familiar face finally appeared on the communication screen...
Nan Yu nearly burst into tears.
He managed to hold the tears back.
But he couldn't stop his eyes from turning red.
Pretending to remain calm, he softly asked,
"Where are you now?"
Seeing that Nan Yu was completely safe, Yu Lanfeng finally relaxed somewhat.
"We've already located your position."
"We'll be there very soon."
"Hold on a little longer."
"How much longer?"
"Three days, ten hours, and sixteen minutes."
"Wait that long."
"I'll reach you."
"When I get there..."
"Leave everything to me."
"Alright?"
The corners of Nan Yu's lips lifted into a relieved smile.
"Alright."
"I'll wait for you."
The moment he finished speaking...
He noticed a familiar figure standing behind Yu Lanfeng.
His eyes widened so much that he nearly cried out loud.
Fortunately, he quickly covered his mouth.
Blinking several times in disbelief, he slowly lowered his hand.
"...Dad?"
Nan Ming stepped forward.
His expression carried a trace of grievance.
"So you finally noticed me?"
"At least all the years I spent doting on you weren't for nothing."
Nan Yu felt slightly wronged.
He had thought Nan Ming was still away on his mission.
Who could have guessed that he would return to the Capital Star exactly when something happened to him?
And even accompany Yu Lanfeng to search for him.
Then again...
It made perfect sense.
After all...
He was his father's most beloved youngest son.
He didn't see his eldest or second brother.
Apparently, they had been left behind on the Capital Star once again.
Unable to do anything...
They must have been feeling miserable.
When he returned this time, he'd definitely have to comfort his two emotionally fragile older brothers again.
Even so...
Nan Yu felt incredibly happy.
He had family who loved him so deeply.
He had found someone who loved him in return.
Could there really be anything happier than that?
Nan Yu himself remained calm.
What he didn't know was that Yu Lanfeng was already on the verge of exploding inside.
Very soon...
He would reach Nan Yu's location.
And where Nan Yu was...
The kidnapper would surely be there as well.
When that happened...
He would grind him into dust.
Yu Lanfeng suddenly noticed Nan Yu's surroundings.
"Where are you?"
Nan Yu paused briefly.
"Oh, right."
"The person who kidnapped me really did bring me here to treat someone."
"Look."
He immediately turned the optical computer toward the bed.
The image of the heavily restrained man lying there appeared before everyone.
The moment they saw him...
Every one of them widened their eyes.
Nan Yu found their reactions rather strange.
"What's with those expressions?"
"Is this person someone important?"
Yu Lanfeng frowned slightly.
"Xiaoyu."
"Do you know who took you away?"
Nan Yu rubbed his chin.
"I do."
"In a certain sense..."
"He's actually very famous."
"I'm sure all of you know who he is."
"He said his name is Ye Xing."
Nan Yu vaguely remembered discussing Ye Xing with Yu Lanfeng once in his previous life.
They hadn't talked about him very much, though.
Yu Lanfeng's pupils contracted.
"It's actually him?!"
Nan Yu blinked.
"You know both of them?"
"I know who both of them are."
"But I've never met either one."
"This is also the first time I've learned that these two people are connected."
"So?"
"Stay there obediently."
"When I arrive..."
"I'll kill them to vent your anger."
Nan Yu smiled.
"Can you really bear to?"
Others might not understand what he meant.
Yu Lanfeng, however, understood perfectly.
Setting Zhang Wei aside...
Ye Xing's abilities had already been displayed right before them.
Killing someone like him would truly be an enormous loss.
As long as they brought Zhang Wei with them...
They could control Ye Xing forever.
And with Nan Yu there...
Ye Xing might even willingly work for their legion.
Yu Lanfeng answered calmly,
"To me..."
"They're just strangers."
The smile never left Nan Yu's face.
"Really?"
"Mhm."
Originally, Nan Yu had only been teasing him.
He hadn't expected Yu Lanfeng to answer so seriously.
It made him feel like a wronged little spouse running home to complain so his lover could stand up for him.
The thought startled even himself.
He hurriedly changed the subject.
"Alright, enough joking."
"When you arrive..."
"Spare their lives for now."
"At least extract everything valuable first."
"Otherwise we'd be the ones taking the loss, wouldn't we?"
Once Ye Xing gradually demonstrated his true value...
No one would want to kill them anymore.
He considered that repayment for the life Ye Xing had saved in his previous life.
Yu Lanfeng smiled slightly.
"I'll do whatever you say."
Everyone inside the warship's cockpit felt as though they'd been force-fed romance.
Their hearts immediately ached.
They had never once heard their marshal say such words.
"I'll do whatever you say."
Those words wouldn't sound strange coming from anyone else.
But hearing them from Yu Lanfeng...
The feeling was indescribably bizarre.
Even Nan Ming found the atmosphere a little overly sweet.
Unfortunately...
One of those people was his beloved youngest son.
The other was his direct superior.
To be honest...
Nan Ming actually regretted coming along for a brief moment.
He quickly dismissed the thought.
No matter what...
If something happened to Nan Yu, he had to come.
Nan Yu calculated the time.
"You've already locked onto my location, right?"
"I'm putting this away now."
Once he stored the spare optical computer again...
They would lose the real-time connection.
If Nan Yu left afterward...
It would delay them again.
Still...
The approximate location had already been confirmed.
Even if they moved...
They couldn't go very far.
Nan Yu put the spare optical computer back into his space button before walking to the door and opening it.
Ye Xing, who had maintained the exact same posture outside the entire time, suddenly looked up.
Seeing Nan Yu's expressionless face...
His heart filled with anxiety.
He didn't even dare step past Nan Yu to look inside.
"I'm hungry."
"Prepare something for me."
"And don't go inside casually."
"Only enter after I tell you it's alright."
At the moment, Ye Xing wasn't thinking about much.
Or rather...
His mind was in complete chaos.
He simply went into the kitchen and, out of habit, prepared a meal before bringing it to Nan Yu.
Fortunately...
His cooking skills were excellent.
Even though he was completely distracted, the food still tasted wonderful.
After finishing the meal, Nan Yu checked his mental power.
Some of it had already recovered.
One good sleep...
And he'd probably be back to full strength.
The problem was...
He was currently sharing a room with a completely unfamiliar Ability User.
How could he possibly fall asleep here?
Even when Yu Lanfeng—the person Nan Yu himself acknowledged as his lover—slept beside him, his subconscious still instinctively resisted it somewhat.
Let alone a complete stranger.
Although the man remained unconscious...
His Mental Contamination had already dropped to B-rank.
Who knew when he might wake up?
Besides...
All the restraints binding him had been put there by Ye Xing.
Who knew whether they shared some secret method?
Perhaps he couldn't break free while his mind was confused.
But once he regained consciousness...
He might know exactly how to free himself.
If Nan Yu happened to be asleep then...
Wouldn't he simply become meat on the chopping block?
Well...
Even if he stayed awake, he probably wouldn't be able to resist much.
Still...
If he suddenly released his mental power while the other party wasn't paying attention, he could at least damage part of the person's Mental Sea, leaving his consciousness confused for a while.
Long enough that they couldn't distinguish who was who or where they were.
So...
Nan Yu still didn't dare sleep.
Back on Ye Xing's spacecraft, he had slept whenever he wanted.
Now that he was exhausted but couldn't sleep...
He felt miserable.
At least aboard the spacecraft, he had his own room.
Ye Xing had always stayed in the cockpit.
Feeling rather aggrieved, Nan Yu sat down on the soft sofa in the corner.
Leaning back to rest...
He realized he truly was exhausted.
Combined with the full meal he'd just eaten...
Wave after wave of drowsiness overwhelmed him.
Barely ten minutes later...
He couldn't hold on anymore.
He fell asleep right there.
...
He had no idea how much time passed before he suddenly opened his eyes and sat bolt upright.
His sharp gaze swept every corner of the room.
The man on the bed still lay there asleep.
The restraints remained securely fastened.
The room also showed no signs that anyone had entered.
Only then did Nan Yu slowly relax.
Finally letting out a breath, he checked the time.
He had slept for eleven hours.
He really had been exhausted.
He had slept so deeply that it felt as though only an instant had passed.
He remembered falling asleep...
And then immediately waking up, completely refreshed.
Nan Yu suddenly thought...
If he cured this man so quickly...
Wouldn't that mean he had already completed Ye Xing's request?
Would Ye Xing truly let him return safely afterward?
Not necessarily.
The Ye Xing of this life wasn't the same Ye Xing from his previous life.
He still had to remain cautious.
Originally, he had planned to finish curing the man immediately.
After thinking it over...
He decided to delay for another two or three days.
Long enough for Yu Lanfeng and the others to arrive.
Unfortunately...
Yu Lanfeng's side had encountered a little trouble.
They wouldn't actually be able to reach Nan Yu exactly according to schedule.
Yu Lanfeng looked at the scene outside.
"Have you figured it out?"
Their warship had been forced to stop.
Blocking their path...
Was a massive battle.
Across an enormous stretch of space ahead, two opposing forces were engaged in fierce combat.
Artillery fire.
Warships.
Explosions.
Everything darted back and forth so chaotically that it resembled a brilliant fireworks display.
Occasionally, large ships burst into flames.
It was obvious that Ability Users were fighting aboard them.
Because both sides were fully occupied with battle...
No one noticed the ordinary-looking spacecraft that had quietly appeared along the edge of the battlefield.
Only after Yu Lanfeng decisively ordered the concealment system activated did they slowly move closer.
The closer they came...
The clearer everything became.
Neither side belonged to the Empire.
Furthermore...
Their equipment was anything but ordinary.
It looked like standard military gear.
In other words...
Such a large-scale battle was taking place directly inside Imperial territory.
Their audacity was unbelievable.
Even if this region was remote...
It was still unacceptable.
Yu Lanfeng immediately searched for nearby Imperial garrisons, intending to notify them.
Unexpectedly...
The search returned two separate legions.
Did that mean this area was jointly administered by both?
Impossible.
Yu Lanfeng quickly realized the truth.
This was the border between two military jurisdictions.
That was why both legions appeared.
"Marshal."
"Which one should we contact?"
Yu Lanfeng glanced at them.
"Do you really need to ask me that?"
The technical personnel exchanged glances.
Then...
They contacted both legions.
That was simply professional instinct.
If the system found two nearby legions, then naturally both should be informed.
Why contact only one?
After sending the messages...
They unilaterally terminated both communication and network permissions before slowly withdrawing from the edge of the battlefield.
Very soon...
They were far away.
The detection systems of both fighting forces had probably been destroyed during the battle.
Otherwise...
There was no way Yu Lanfeng's ship could have escaped that far unnoticed.
Since they had contacted the two legions, they now had to remain nearby until reinforcements arrived.
Yu Lanfeng couldn't leave immediately.
He could only wait there with a dark expression.
Originally...
He had believed that once the two legions arrived, he could quietly depart once again.
Clearly...
That was no longer going to be possible.