Chapter 202: Confession
In a city behind Border Region One was the largest and most prosperous city on the entire planet. It occupied five percent of all the land on the planet, so it truly could be described as enormous.
However, the layout of having one enormous city corresponding to one planet was actually very common in border regions. After all, basically all planets in border regions were quite barren, and their populations were not particularly large. If people lived scattered across the planet, they could easily be picked off one by one by scattered Ability Beasts, until eventually everyone was dead.
By constructing one enormous city like this and having everyone live inside it, although there might be a little too many people, it was fine as long as there was enough space.
More importantly, it was extremely safe. Generally speaking, once the military began fighting Ability Beasts, they would instinctively prioritize protecting the largest city on the planet.
It was no longer like before, when one or two people would be eaten by Ability Beasts over here, while somewhere else was attacked and required rescue, severely scattering their forces.
After everything was placed under centralized management, many things became much easier.
At this very moment, a city on a planet located far behind Yu Lanfeng's Border Region One military base welcomed an unexpected visitor. After stepping off his spacecraft, the man underwent an inspection by the soldiers stationed there.
Only after his identity had been verified was he allowed to enter the city. The entire identity verification process went extremely smoothly, without the slightest problem. On the surface, it appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary procedure.
In reality, while those soldiers were checking his identification, the man's entire body had been tense, as though he was prepared to flee at any moment. He was somewhat surprised when the inspection ultimately revealed no problems.
Surprised or not, he quickly put away all his identification documents and openly walked into the city.
What he did not know was that after he had gone far enough away that they were certain he could no longer hear them, the two soldiers who had just inspected his identification exchanged a glance.
“Are you going to report it?”
“You do it. I reported it last time, so it's your turn this time.”
“Are you kidding? Last time was last time. Besides, last time I only accidentally delayed for a few seconds. Who knew he'd slip away so quickly? It definitely won't happen this time. While I was inspecting him, I put something on him. He definitely won't discover it, so don't worry.”
“Then who's contacting them now?”
In the end, one of them reluctantly contacted their superiors.
Their superiors instructed them to first follow the man to wherever he intended to go, or observe who he intended to meet. In short, they were to uncover as many related clues and people as possible before capturing everyone together at the end.
“Yes!”
Having received their orders, the only thing the two soldiers needed to do now was cooperate. They would not need to handle anything else afterward. Of course, they also handed over the receiver connected to the device they had just attached to the man's clothes to the personnel sent by their superiors to take over the operation.
“Your mission is complete. From now on, act as though none of this ever happened, understood? If anything gets leaked...”
“We understand. Don't worry. We'll act as though this never happened.”
They secretly nodded, then turned and left.
Now they had to hurry and go after their target!
Fortunately, the man's current location was already under their control. As long as they were careful, they could capture him at any time.
Although the other party's aircraft was particularly fast, the cities here were entirely under military control. Their people were stationed everywhere throughout the city. Some were soldiers, while others were trustworthy informants hidden among the population.
Normally, they lived exactly like everyone else, but the moment they discovered something suspicious, they would immediately relay the information to the legion. The military would investigate at once to ensure the situation never escalated.
With this kind of system in place, no matter how fast that aircraft was, it could never escape the inescapable net they had laid throughout the city.
The only reason they were not capturing the man now was because they wanted to see where he was going, whom he intended to meet, and what his exact objective was.
Only if he was about to escape their control before they obtained any additional clues would they arrest him. Those were their orders from above, and all they needed to do was obey.
Nan Yu stared at Yu Lanfeng with an unfriendly expression.
“You were hiding something from me? What do you mean by telling me in advance? I think you knew I'd definitely find out later, so you decided to confess ahead of time so you could get past me more easily, right? Brother, you've become cunning too.”
Yu Lanfeng's expression became slightly subtle.
“Xiaoyu, I didn't tell them about what happened to you either, so... this matter...”
Nan Yu awkwardly coughed twice and immediately surrendered.
“Brother, everything can be discussed!”
His own situation could actually be concealed because Yu Lanfeng had warned every single person who had seen Nan Yu's condition that they were absolutely forbidden from revealing even a single word.
In other words, his father and two elder brothers could remain completely unaware that anything like this had ever happened to him.
But if Yu Lanfeng told them...
Nan Yu said, “Forget it. I won't hold it against you anymore. Can you tell me now?”
Only then did Yu Lanfeng slowly begin.
“Actually, some time ago...”
By the time Yu Lanfeng slowly finished explaining everything, Nan Yu was stunned.
For several minutes, he could not even recover from his shock. He kept wondering how something like this could have happened, but after thinking it over again and again, he ultimately felt...
“So it was someone from the Song family? No wonder. That Song Xingyu and his older brother Song Xingyang both seemed to have problems before. Their mental states weren't right. And now there's another Song Xiaoyu. But I'm also a little curious. How exactly did he secretly take my two brothers out of the academy? And how did he cooperate with people from that organization to silently smuggle them off the Capital Star despite all those layers of security?”
Nan Yu opened a document marked top secret.
“This thing?”
Yu Lanfeng nodded. “According to the information, it's the organization's latest invention. It's a spatial device capable of storing living creatures for a fixed period of time.”
Nan Yu was somewhat surprised.
“But aren't more expensive spatial buttons already capable of storing living creatures? It's just that the duration is rather short, around ten minutes to half an hour.”
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
“But this device seems capable of storing them for several hours. Although it's somewhat large, its flaws are also considerable.”
Nan Yu rubbed his chin.
“The first problem is that it's too large, so it isn't suitable for carrying around. The second is that abnormalities are easily detected. The third is that no matter where it's placed, it can be located at any time.”
That meant it was not particularly suitable for tightly organized groups that needed to transport secret items.
Furthermore, this thing had been developed and manufactured by that organization. Basically, anyone who did not want their country's secrets leaked would never spend an enormous amount of money purchasing such a spatial device.
Who knew whether the organization had tampered with it?
Perhaps they could track the exact location of every spatial device and then come over and steal it.
If someone spent a fortune only to lose the important object they had stored inside, their losses would truly be disastrous.
So...
Nan Yu slowly continued reading the report.
“Huh? Something like this has actually appeared on the black market? The organization put it up for sale? And they even advertised it beforehand? Has the auction already started?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “Judging by the date, there should still be about three days before it begins.”
Immediately afterward, Yu Lanfeng discovered Nan Yu staring at him with shining eyes.
The stare made him feel uneasy.
He had originally intended to refuse outright, but in the end, he still agreed.
They were going to leave this military base anyway, since there were basically no remaining problems here. On their journey, they could conveniently visit the planet where that black market was located. If they were merely attending an auction, the round trip would not actually take much time.
But who could say for certain what might happen?
Nan Yu abruptly changed the subject.
“Song Xiaoyu was captured, right?”
“Of course. He's currently being interrogated. We captured the people from the organization as well, but only two of them are still alive. Their methods of suicide are endless. This time they came up with plenty of new tricks again. Several were already dead by the time they were discovered.”
Nan Yu said, “Why do they all die so decisively? It seems like everyone from that organization is exactly the same. The moment they're captured, they have to hurry up and die, otherwise something even more terrifying than death might happen.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “Perhaps the organization controls people they care about. If they're captured and reveal secrets, those people will be implicated. But if they die after being captured, those people might instead receive a large amount of compensation and be allowed to live somewhere safe.”
Nan Yu said, “But how many people have they killed? If they're supporting the families, relatives, and lovers of every single one of them, how much money would that cost?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “They don't need to do that. They only need to provide them with somewhere to live and give them a sum of money. After that, they don't need to bother with them anymore. Even if those people know a little something, it doesn't matter. If they spread the information, they'll be finished, and the intelligence they possess is pitifully limited anyway. Nobody can do anything, and trying would only harm themselves. Something like that must have happened before, and the organization probably killed someone as a warning to the others. Now everyone behaves obediently and follows the rules.”
Nan Yu asked, “Are the remaining two still alive and conscious?”
Yu Lanfeng shook his head.
“They're already unconscious. If another two or three days pass and they still don't wake up, they might as well die. Even if they regain consciousness, they won't reveal any useful intelligence, and they'll only waste the Empire's medical resources!”
Nan Yu said, “You look like you're already used to this. You directly executed all those spies without even interrogating them under torture. Looks like you've had plenty of experience?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “Anyone the other side sends out to infiltrate somewhere as a spy must have been carefully selected. They have their own principles and methods of doing things. Even if they're newly selected recruits, they've definitely undergone prolonged brainwashing. They might be inexperienced in every other respect, but the moment they're captured, every single one of them thinks the same way.”
Nan Yu said, “Brother, don't you think we should ask Zhou Yuwen for some information? He should know the organization's basic methods, right?”
They could actually make some general guesses themselves, but there was no way to determine the details.
Zhou Yuwen had been gone for so long, yet the Mental Power sphere Nan Yu had left inside his Mental Sea had not changed at all.
Of course, because the distance between them was too great, Nan Yu could only tell that his Mental Power sphere remained intact. He had no way of knowing what had happened on Zhou Yuwen's side.
Moreover...
Speaking of that, Nan Yu suddenly remembered that there was some good news he had forgotten to mention...
Yu Lanfeng was still talking when he noticed Nan Yu staring directly at him, his eyes gleaming brightly.
He stopped speaking and asked, “What's wrong?”
The corner of Nan Yu's mouth curved upward.
“Nothing. I just have another piece of good news to tell you.”
Yu Lanfeng asked, “What good news? There's still more good news after your breakthrough?”
Could it possibly be a second breakthrough?
That probably wasn't even possible, right?
Nan Yu said, “Didn't we just mention Zhou Yuwen?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “Yes, we did. What? Is this good news related to Zhou Yuwen?”
“It is. Didn't I previously separate a portion of my own Mental Power, shape it into a Mental Power sphere, and place it inside his Mental Sea so I could control him?”
Yu Lanfeng narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment.
“Could it be...”
Nan Yu asked, “What? Brother, can you actually guess what I'm about to say?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “I do have an idea.”
Nan Yu grinned.
“Then tell me. There's a reward if you guess correctly!”
Yu Lanfeng did not immediately reveal his guess. Instead, he asked, “What's the reward? Tell me first. If it's tempting enough, I'll make a guess.”
Nan Yu's gaze wandered around before finally settling on him.
“If Brother guesses correctly, I'll take the initiative and kiss you.”
Yu Lanfeng squeezed his soft palm, then lifted his hand to his lips and kissed it.
“Not enough. Try again.”
Nan Yu blinked in surprise.
“You've gotten greedy, Brother?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “All of you is mine.”
Nan Yu thoughtfully considered this.
“No, that's mutual. I'm yours, but you're also mine, so we're even. Anyway, the only reward is a kiss. If you don't want it, forget it.”
Seeing that even his only benefit was about to be taken away, Yu Lanfeng immediately compromised.
“Fine. It's a deal. You have to kiss me on your own initiative, understood? It doesn't count if you aren't the one taking the initiative!”
Nan Yu said, “Fine.”
At this moment, Nan Yu still had no idea what kind of kiss that single word was about to bring him.
Yu Lanfeng said, “What you meant earlier was... you can use that Mental Power sphere to communicate directly with Zhou Yuwen through Mental Power?”
Nan Yu's eyes widened.
“Wow, Brother, you're amazing. Theoretically, yes, but I haven't tried it yet. The Mental Power I previously absorbed into my Mental Sea still hasn't been completely consumed, so I'll have to wait until my Mental Sea has completely stabilized before trying.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “There's no hurry. Take your time.”
Nan Yu kept feeling as though something was wrong, but he could not figure out exactly what it was. After thinking about it, he decided to forget about it.
“In that case, should we head to the auction first?”
“I can properly consume all this remaining Mental Power on the way. But a single cultivation session might make me sleep for more than twenty hours. If I don't wake up for a day or two, Brother, don't worry. I'll be cultivating, not unconscious again.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “I understand. Let's pack up now and leave immediately.”
In fact, Yu Lanfeng had already packed almost everything that needed to be packed. Now they merely needed to put the remaining things away before leaving.
Before departing, Nan Yu put the Nianshen Grass in his hand back into his spatial button, then walked out of the room together with Yu Lanfeng.
Outside stood an entire row of soldiers.
This was Nan Yu's favorite sight.
All the soldiers of the Empire were adorable!
They were the most adorable people in the entire Empire!
When Nan Yu followed Yu Lanfeng outside, everyone stared at him in surprise several times. However, none of them knew him, so they did not greet him. Nan Yu merely nodded to them before following Yu Lanfeng aboard the spacecraft and leaving the military base.
As soon as the spacecraft's flight stabilized, Nan Yu entered a cultivation state.
Yu Lanfeng remained beside him the entire time. If anything went wrong, he would immediately take action.
Fortunately, Nan Yu's breathing remained steady throughout his cultivation.
For his first cultivation session, Nan Yu spent nineteen hours, almost reaching twenty.
The first thing he saw upon waking was Yu Lanfeng sitting beside him.
Sure enough, this man really loved him.
“Brother, I'm so hungry... I want something to eat.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “I cooked something easy to digest. Come with me. Eat some of that first, and once your stomach adjusts, I'll take you to eat something else delicious. Don't be impatient right now.”
Nan Yu blushed slightly.
“I'm not a child. I won't throw a tantrum.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “I know. I just wanted to say it.”
“Fine, then say whatever you want.”
Nan Yu guiltily thought that if anyone else had been around them right now, he would probably have gone straight back to the lounge and refused to come out.
This felt so embarrassing.
And...
If the people who normally interacted with Yu Lanfeng at work saw this side of him, they would probably be scared out of their minds, right?
Nan Yu unconsciously continued walking forward. When he reached the dining room, he discovered there was not a single person inside.
“Private dining time?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “It's currently rest time. Their dining hours, working hours, and rest periods are all fixed, and they work in shifts, so nobody's here. But I cooked porridge. Wait here.”
Nan Yu watched Yu Lanfeng bustle around taking care of everything for him, and happiness nearly overwhelmed him.
Ever since discovering that he had already become a High-Tier Mental Power User, Nan Yu seemed to have begun approaching everything at a slower, more relaxed pace, completely changing his previous vigorous way of doing things, when he had wanted to accomplish absolutely everything as quickly as possible.
He stared at the bowl in front of him, which contained nothing except plain white porridge, and was somewhat surprised.
“Brother, there aren't any side dishes?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “Wait.”
Yu Lanfeng soon brought over several side dishes. They were all simple, light foods that were easy to digest, along with some salty minced meat.
Mixed into the plain white porridge, it was absolutely delicious.
“Finished.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “You've only just started eating normally again, so you can't eat too much. Have another small half bowl of plain porridge, then come sleep with me.”
Nan Yu did not object.
“Okay!”
Yu Lanfeng breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as Nan Yu did not object, everything was fine.
When Nan Yu lay down on the bed, he felt as though his entire body was floating.
It was so comfortable.
While he had been unconscious, his body had remained in the same position without being able to move. Now he could turn over whenever he wanted. He no longer had to endure having a mind capable of actively thinking while his body remained completely incapable of moving.
Yu Lanfeng said, “All right. Come over and sleep.”
After saying that, the way he looked at Nan Yu changed slightly.
Nan Yu truly did not notice that anything was wrong.
He had even completely forgotten the promise he had made earlier.
It was not until he was lying beneath the covers and Yu Lanfeng suddenly grabbed both his hands and pinned them against the bed that Nan Yu's mind finally caught up.
Was he... screwed?
Yu Lanfeng said nothing.
He merely stared directly at him.
Nan Yu's ominous feeling grew increasingly intense.
“Hmm?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “You forgot?”
Nan Yu shook his head.
“I didn't forget.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “Shall we begin?”
Nan Yu shifted slightly.
“Brother, let go of me first. Otherwise I can't move.”
Yu Lanfeng released both his arms, but his hands remained braced on either side of Nan Yu. His body was still above him, and he made no attempt to change their current position.
In any case, he was determined to watch him.
Nan Yu could not escape from this narrow space, so he could only reach out, wrap both arms around Yu Lanfeng's neck, lean forward, and kiss him on the cheek.
Nan Yu was already feeling rather embarrassed.
“That's enough, right?”
Yu Lanfeng shook his head.
“No. I didn't even feel it.”
Nan Yu had no choice but to lean over and kiss him again.
This time, the kiss even made an audible sound.
Surely he'd felt that one?
Yet Yu Lanfeng still shook his head.
“I didn't feel it.”
If Nan Yu still could not tell that Yu Lanfeng was deliberately causing trouble now, then all the years he had lived would truly have been wasted.
Even though he still wasn't an adult?
“Then what do I have to do for you to feel it?”
Yu Lanfeng did not deliberately tease him any further and simply pointed at his own lips.
Nan Yu was speechless for a moment before saying, “Seriously... you should've just said so earlier...”
His words were stubborn, but his face had already turned red.
Extremely bashfully, he leaned forward and lightly touched Yu Lanfeng's lips with his own.
Then he immediately lay back down on the bed, his entire body flushed bright red as he shyly covered his face.
Yu Lanfeng knew when to stop and did not bully him too much.
He lay down beside Nan Yu and pulled him into his arms, saying softly, “You're already this shy now. What are you going to do in the future? You know you'll become an adult very soon. Once you return to the academy and complete your final graduation assessment, you'll be able to graduate immediately. Once you've graduated, that means you're an adult and can get married.”
“But we already agreed that we'd get engaged before getting married.”
Yu Lanfeng said, “There's no hurry. Once you're an adult, we'll slowly start letting people see our relationship first, and then gradually let the public get used to it.”
Nan Yu asked, “You're thinking that much about me?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “You're the person I love most. Of course I should.”
“Once everyone has accepted that the two of us are always this close, we'll announce our engagement. That way, it'll be much easier for them to accept.”
Nan Yu asked, “Then when would be the best time to announce that I've already become a High-Tier Mental Power User?”
Yu Lanfeng said, “There's no hurry about that. In any case, we'll keep it secret for now. By the way, there'll be testing during your graduation assessment at the academy. Can you control it properly?”
If Nan Yu could not control it and the test directly detected that he had become a High-Tier Mental Power User, now that would be interesting.