Chapter 44: It's fun to fabricate stories

Marshal Wip’s inexplicable son-in-law seemed utterly flawed. He held up what looked like a child’s bead to deceive the crowd, yet under their sneering gazes he remained patient and polite.

“What is this? Didn’t they say he was some genius from the Ancient Earth Star? Why is he speaking such nonsense?” someone muttered.

Moore tugged lightly at Ji Feng’s sleeve, lowering his voice. “Don’t talk nonsense,” he warned.

Moore was genuinely anxious, afraid Ji Feng underestimated these people and would expose them to ridicule.

But Ji Feng remained steady as Mount Tai, even squeezing Moore’s hand reassuringly. “I hadn’t noticed this problem before,” he said calmly, “so I never told you.”

Moore’s thoughts churned. Not noticed? That bead is yours! You gave one to Rolt, and another saved your life in the cave! His face stiffened, unsure how to cooperate with Ji Feng’s act.

Fortunately, Ji Feng required no assistance. He turned his attention to Wip.

“Marshal, could you release those black wolves again? I want to verify it myself.”

Ji Feng spoke with complete seriousness, though Wip’s mouth twitched. This was not part of the plan. Ji Feng had stood up without ceremony, leaving Wip uncertain how to respond.

“Are you serious?” Wip asked at last.

He knew the man before him was unusual, though he still could not discern where that strangeness lay or what had truly happened in the cave. Yet hesitation lingered—after all, Wip had witnessed firsthand the terrifying power of the black wolves.

“Don’t mess around.” Moore frowned in disapproval. If one looked closely, there was worry hidden in his expression. For someone as reserved as Moore to be forced into speaking like this, Ji Feng’s persistence was truly remarkable.

Yet Moore knew that once Ji Feng decided on something, no one could stop him.

Sure enough, Ji Feng only smiled at him reassuringly.

Moore’s concerns were entirely different from Wip’s. He feared Ji Feng’s mysterious power might be exposed. The others, however, simply thought Major General Moore’s husband had suddenly gone mad. To them, his strange behavior seemed like a possible aftereffect of the black wolf’s attack.

“Do you think this is child’s play?” Admiral Xu Yaohui asked coldly, his dislike for Ji Feng growing stronger.

“Admiral, I am serious,” Ji Feng replied, his tone unwavering. “I know my will cannot compare to Lieutenant General McGee’s, nor to Moore’s. Yet I felt no discomfort at the time. Aside from external protection, I cannot think of any other reason.”

The crowd found this explanation oddly convincing. At least Ji Feng showed self-awareness, even if his reasoning was difficult to accept—especially if it all hinged on a single bead.

Thus, personal verification seemed the best course of action.

Rad, who had only just recovered slightly, grew particularly grim. If Ji Feng’s words were true, and the bead had indeed protected his memory, then what had happened to him earlier? Had the old thief tried to kill him in front of everyone?

“Very well,” Wip said at last, nodding. He turned to his attendants and ordered, “Prepare an SSS-class smart mecha, and an X-3 dazzling crystal cage.”

The SSS-class smart mecha could be controlled remotely, and though its shell was no stronger than that of a standard mecha, the X-3 dazzling crystal was the same material used to construct the cages that held black wolves. Since those cages could withstand the wolves’ claws, their durability was unquestionable.

Wip’s plan was simple: Ji Feng would stand inside the X-3 crystal cage, where he could endure the black wolf’s mental assault without risking physical harm. The cage itself would be delivered by the smart mecha.

Though not entirely foolproof, this arrangement offered Ji Feng the greatest possible protection. Even Xu Yaohui, the most vocal opponent of the experiment, found no grounds to object. Ji Feng was no soldier—certainly not capable of piloting an SSS-class mecha like Rad—so this was the only feasible solution.

But just as Wip finished giving his orders, Ji Feng spoke again.

“Marshal,” Ji Feng said firmly, “I don’t need mechas, nor do I need dazzling crystal cages. I will go in as I am.”

The scene fell into stunned silence. His words carried an arrogance that made him appear reckless, even inviting scorn.

“Is he insane? Does he want to die?”

“Something must be wrong with his mind. His Highness Rad was nearly torn apart inside an SSS-class mecha, and Ji Feng wants to face the wolves barehanded? Has he lost his senses?”

“Madness! I’ve never seen anyone so deranged.”

Whispers spread quickly. Many began to suspect Ji Feng had not escaped Lungu Star unscathed. While others had lost their memories, perhaps Ji Feng had been driven mad instead. In their eyes, only Major General Moore had returned intact.

“I don’t think there’s any need to continue this trial,” one planetary representative said coldly. “Marshal, you should take your son-in-law to a hospital.”

“Yes, this is foolishness. If word spreads that Lopa and Mosai—two recognized super-planets—allowed such a farce at an important gathering, it will be humiliating.”

Rad’s face grew darker, twisted by humiliation. To him, Ji Feng looked like a clown, mocking him in front of everyone. And the unfolding events only confirmed his fears.

Wip’s expression hardened. His deep eyes studied the tall, handsome man before him, yet he could not see through him at all.

After a long pause, Wip finally spoke. “This is not a joke.”

“I know.” Ji Feng smiled, ignoring the ridicule around him.

Moore, however, was deep in thought. He tried to understand Ji Feng’s purpose, but no matter how he reasoned, Ji Feng’s actions remained incomprehensible. Hadn’t Ji Feng erased the memories of those people precisely to protect the secrets hidden in the cave? Why then was he now stepping forward to expose himself?

In truth, Moore’s concern left him unsettled. He worried only about Ji Feng revealing the secret, forgetting that what Ji Feng exposed was merely cultivation—something unrelated to this world. Ji Feng had never claimed it was tied directly to him.

Ji Feng noticed the confusion and worry in Moore’s eyes, but now was not the time to explain. Just as he felt Rad’s gloomy gaze fixed on him, his heart stirred. He turned to Moore and asked softly, “Do you want to go in with me?”

Everyone’s thoughts were sharp: It’s one thing to commit suicide, but does he want to drag the major general with him?

The crowd grew restless, and even Wip was unsettled. He knew Ji Feng was no ordinary man, but Moore was. Why should his son take such a risk?

“Moore?” Wip frowned. Though his tone was questioning, his intent was clear—he wanted Moore to refuse, to avoid following Ji Feng into danger.

The situation was spiraling out of control, and Wip could not predict what would happen next. He could not allow Moore to take the risk.

Yet the outcome was shocking: Moore actually nodded.

Madness! the onlookers thought. Major General Moore chose love over reason. No wonder he never rejected the mastermind earlier!

Moore himself felt conflicted. Intellectually, he knew he should refuse. He was no liar, nor did he have Ji Feng’s talent for acting. He had no idea what Ji Feng intended, so wouldn’t it be better to simply stand aside and watch?

But Ji Feng’s eyes held a spark of persuasion, an inexplicable allure that made refusal impossible. Almost against his will, Moore nodded.

Ji Feng smiled and immediately took Moore’s hand in full view of everyone. To outsiders, it was natural—husbands holding hands.

But Moore knew they were not truly husbands. His body stiffened with discomfort, yet he did not pull away. Step by step, he let Ji Feng lead him toward the fighting platform.

Wip’s gaze darkened as he watched Ji Feng take Moore’s hand. His emotions were tangled. After all, he had pushed his son toward Ji Feng himself. But was it too late to regret now?

The fighting platform was enclosed by a thick transparent barrier. Ji Feng pulled Moore into its center, where five airtight boxes stood silently around them. Everyone knew the horror that lay within.

Through the partition wall, the audience held their breath, afraid to blink lest they miss the next terrifying moment.

Ji Feng remained calm, even smiling as he asked Moore, “Are you afraid?”

Moore shot him an angry look. Afraid? Didn’t he see Ji Feng slaughter dozens of black wolves in seconds? He should be asking the wolves if they’re afraid.

Ji Feng tightened his grip on Moore’s hand with one hand, while holding the emerald-green bead in the other. He nodded toward Wip outside the barrier, signaling that he was ready.

Wip clenched his teeth. He had been watching Moore’s expression closely. There was no fear in his son’s eyes. Moore was brave, yes, but this was not bravery—it was trust. Complete trust in Ji Feng.

And Wip knew: if Moore trusted Ji Feng, then perhaps he could not be wrong.

With a heavy breath, Wip pressed the button.

The five boxes opened, and the terrifying black wolves burst forth once again. Their sharp eyes locked instantly onto Ji Feng and Moore, and with a feral roar they lunged forward.

Ji Feng remained calm, though he felt Moore’s body stiffen beside him. Instinctively, Ji Feng tightened his grip and shifted his body slightly forward, shielding Moore.

He did not realize his protective gesture was instinctive, but Moore felt it deeply. His tense nerves eased, his heart moved.

The onlookers widened their eyes, their hearts pounding at the sight.

Just as the wolves leapt to strike, the emerald-green bead in Ji Feng’s hand suddenly glowed with a soft, transparent light.

The light was gentle, soothing to the soul, yet when the black wolves struck it, its hardness revealed itself—unyielding, impenetrable.

With a few bangs, several black wolves bounced back, screaming and screaming to the ground.

With a series of loud crashes, several black wolves were hurled backward, shrieking as they slammed into the ground.

“My God, what’s happening?”

“Incredible… what kind of artifact is that?”

“It’s not a laser—what in the world is it?”

…

Everyone stood frozen in shock. The most shaken of all was Wip. No one noticed his trembling body, for unlike the others—who were bewildered by a power they did not understand—Wip knew something of it. And precisely because he knew, the sight before him was even more terrifying

The outcome had long been expected. Moore had witnessed feats far more astonishing than this, so his heart remained calm, without the slightest ripple. Still, he thought the black wolves would continue to attack as they had in the cave, lunging again and again against the barrier.

But they did not. The bead continued to emit its soft green glow, yet the wolves no longer pounced. Instead, they circled warily, their cold eyes fixed on Ji Feng and Moore. It was as though something held them back—fear, hesitation—forcing them to keep their distance. All they could do was glare fiercely from afar.

Moore looked at Ji Feng with curiosity, only to find Ji Feng’s eyes as deep and unfathomable as the vast abyss of the universe—so profound that another glance felt as though it might swallow him whole.

Startled, Moore quickly averted his gaze, only to realize that the large hand holding his own had tightened again, as if offering comfort. Sometimes, this man was simply too sweet.

Ji Feng’s lips curled ever so slightly. Back in the cave, he had already discovered that mental power had no effect on these creatures—for they possessed no soul at all.

The sudden change in behavior was unexpected, and Ji Feng had not considered it at first. In truth, although the creatures had no soul, they possessed a simple, low-level spiritual consciousness. In other words, they could still be influenced by mental power—guided, even, through spiritual force.

Ji Feng’s idea proved correct. When he released a trace of his mental power, several black wolves were lifted into the air, then hurled back down, crashing and rolling across the floor.

This strange scene continued for several minutes, until Ji Feng finally led Moore out unharmed. The crowd remained stunned, unable to recover from what they had witnessed. Compared to Rad’s horrifying struggle moments earlier, Ji Feng’s demonstration seemed almost like a joke.

Yet the implications were serious. If the major general’s husband had truly preserved his memory because of the bead, then Rad’s reckless behavior just now had been far too dangerous.

The thought chilled Rad. He had never imagined such an outcome. Though arrogant, he was not without reason—his confidence in agreeing to Wip’s plan had come from knowing that Moore and Ji Feng had survived the Lungu Star cave. If Moore could endure it, then surely he could as well.

Rad had never expected that they were relying entirely on foreign objects. His reckless behavior now seemed nothing short of courting death.

“Wip Houston!” Rad ground his teeth. A deep sense of humiliation surged within him, as though he had been trampled underfoot. The ones who had humiliated him were none other than Wip and Ji Feng. How ironic—it was almost poetic—that father-in-law and son-in-law could perform in such perfect harmony.

No matter how furiously Rad gnashed his teeth, the eyes of everyone else were fixed on Ji Feng, their expressions dazed.

The very faces that had mocked him moments ago were now struck silent, as though each sneer had been slapped away.

All eyes turned toward the bead in Ji Feng’s hand. If such a thing could be harnessed through technology—mounted on battleships or applied elsewhere—the advancement of the entire universe would reach an entirely new level.

As the thought settled in, everyone’s hearts grew restless, their eyes widening unconsciously as they stared at the bead.

Ji Feng smiled faintly. “I believe this may be the secret of the Lungu Star Cave that everyone has long sought.”

The crowd could not help but swallow hard. Now, it seemed undeniable.

Everything suddenly made sense—the black wolves, the memory loss, the exception of the major general and his husband, the reason they alone had escaped, and even the mysterious Ancient Earth Star script. Ji Feng’s words carried weight, convincing them more than ever.

They thought of the glorious Lungu Star, destroyed in an instant a thousand years ago; of its hidden secrets; of the ancient writings carved deep within the cave. The connection between the bead and those mysteries sent a shiver through their bodies, leaving them trembling.

“That’s it… incredible.”

“Could the destruction of Lungu Star have something to do with this?”

“My God, what a terrifying power.”

“And what connection does it have with those Ancient Earth Star characters?”

Ji Feng then dropped a heavy revelation. “Based on my professional knowledge, I can conclude that this bead is connected to the Ancient Earth Star characters found in the cave. It is very likely that it originated from Ancient Earth Star itself.”

“What?” The crowd was stunned. Even Wip and Moore’s eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

“It is connected to Ancient Earth Star, which means this bead is at least four thousand years old.”

The realization sent a shiver through everyone. A power that could endure for more than four millennia—what kind of artifact was this? None of them could remain calm, their bodies trembling with awe.

Most of them knew little about Ancient Earth Star, but they all understood its reputation as an unfathomable mystery. It had vanished more than four thousand years ago, yet here was a bead from that era, still radiating immense power. If word of this spread, it would cause an uproar across the universe—shockwaves that would reshape everything.

At that moment, Ji Feng turned and walked toward Xu Yaohui. Under the gaze of all present, he handed the bead to the admiral without hesitation. His voice was solemn as he declared, “Admiral, such a precious artifact should be entrusted to you.”

At that moment, every gaze in the room sharpened. The corner of Xu Yaohui’s mouth twitched; though the object in his hand seemed insignificant, he felt as though he were holding a mountain—heavy, scorching, and prickling beneath the weight of dozens of burning eyes fixed upon him.

Before Xu Yaohui could even speak, the representatives of the other five planets began to argue.

“No, since it was discovered on Lungu, this artifact belongs to our planet as well.”

“I believe it should be taken back to Mosai. The five planets should study it together.”

“Exactly! Why should it be handed over to Lopa? Our experts also sacrificed for this discovery!”

…

The vast conference hall instantly descended into chaos, resembling a noisy marketplace. In the blink of an eye, faces flushed red as tempers flared. The representatives from Lopa could no longer remain silent.

“Why? It was discovered by Mr. Ji, which means it belongs to Lopa. What does it have to do with you?”

“Exactly! Mr. Ji even saved your people. Instead of showing gratitude, you now shamelessly try to seize what is ours?”

“Lopa, don’t go too far. This concerns all six planets—we all have a share. Do you intend to swallow it alone?”

“What do you mean? It belongs to Lopa. Didn’t you hear? Our major general’s husband was the one who picked it up!”

…

The hall grew even livelier.

Marshal Wip and Admiral Xu Yaohui both wore dark expressions, especially Xu Yaohui, who felt as though he were holding a hot potato in his hands.

The artifact was undeniably valuable, and it had indeed been claimed by Lopa. Lopa would never willingly relinquish such a treasure. Yet, shouldn’t something so important be entrusted to Wip Horston instead? Why had it been handed to him?

“Marshal, what do you think should be done?” Xu Yaohui asked stiffly, attempting to pass the bead back to Wip.

Wip’s brows twitched. “Since the admiral is so concerned about this, it would be better for you to handle it,” he replied evenly. Then, with deliberate emphasis, he added, “The admiral must protect it.”

Xu Yaohui’s mouth twitched repeatedly. He had no intention of handing the artifact to anyone else, yet dealing with this noisy chaos was far from his strength. The endless bickering was unbearable.

Wip, unconcerned, turned to Ji Feng and said calmly, “Let’s go back.”

Ji Feng led Moore toward Xu Yaohui. “Admiral, may we leave?” he asked.

At this point, the situation no longer had anything to do with them.

Xu Yaohui glanced at the disorder in front of him, his head pounding. Ji Feng and Moore were merely cooperating with the investigation—they were not criminals. What could he say? Besides, that old fox Wip had already summoned them directly.

“Ask your father-in-law,” Xu Yaohui snorted coldly.

Ji Feng looked at Moore, and Moore looked back at him. Both suddenly felt the urge to laugh, though they struggled to hold it back.

However, Moore stared at Ji Feng with a trace of resentment in his eyes. Clearly, an explanation would be necessary later—at the very least, Ji Feng needed to assure him that he was not a liar and did not enjoy fabricating stories.

Thus, Wip left the noisy chaos to Xu Yaohui and took his son and son-in-law onto the speeding car.

There was no doubt that fierce arguments would erupt next, but none of that concerned Ji Feng and the others.

What did concern Ji Feng, however, was Moore’s silence. Moore seemed angry, ignoring him completely throughout the ride.

“Moore?” Ji Feng tried several times to speak, but Moore remained stubbornly aloof, even turning his head away to avoid him.

“Are you angry? I didn’t deliberately hide it from you,” Ji Feng said, leaning closer, treating Marshal Wip’s stiff, serious presence as though it were air.

Because his father was sitting nearby, Moore’s face flushed at Ji Feng’s closeness. He turned his head sharply and glared. “I’m not angry.”

Ji Feng chuckled. “If you weren’t angry, you wouldn’t act like this. I know you too well. Should I explain now?”

Moore glanced at his father, embarrassed, then glared at Ji Feng again and muttered, “We’ll talk about it later.”

Can’t he keep his distance in front of Father? How embarrassing.

But Ji Feng seemed oblivious. Instead, he raised his hand and gently ruffled Moore’s hair, as though soothing a kitten. “Alright, we’ll talk later.”

Moore flushed even deeper, pushing his hand away. “Don’t touch my hair!”

Instinctively, Moore looked toward his father, only to see Wip had turned his face completely away from them. Moore’s cheeks burned hotter.

Ji Feng smiled, murmured “Okay,” and mischievously brushed Moore’s hand twice before finally letting go.

Moore: …

Wip: …

The author has something to say:

Wip: Ah, my mind is complicated. My son has been abducted! And I was the one who sent him away myself!