Chapter 254 - 253

Yan Xu slowed his pace, waiting for Zhao Jiangyou and the others to catch up.

He offered some advice. "Just being alive is good enough. There’s nothing you can’t get over. Weis Lan is a good place; you can definitely use your Soul Beast’s unique nature to get a new identity."

He said no more.

No matter what, Emperor Wolf Star was still the second-largest star system. No one wanted to cross Admiral Yan.

Xi Yu’s father and the youngest uncle of the Si Xu family had settled on Imperial Capital Star, causing it to develop rapidly and leap into the position of the number one planet.

But Emperor Wolf Star still had its foundations. On Emperor Wolf Star, even the Slave Market was legal. What was killing a person in comparison?

Yan Xu recalled being thrown out like a beaten dog. He thought about how he’d had to surrender his entire family fortune just to leave with his younger brother, and a surge of anger flared within him.

His voice was laced with resentment. "Since you’ve gotten out, don’t ever go back."

Lu Yi was frustrated at not getting the full scoop.

Her thoughts slipped out before she could stop them.

Jiang Fei said ominously, "Not all gossip is worth risking your life to hear."

Lu Yi: "..."

Zhang Ziyue, who rarely spoke, chimed in, "If you’re a bad actor, don’t be so curious. We’ve all been in contact with Zhao Jiangyou. After the mission is over, it’s very likely someone will come to test us."

Wang Hu’s mouth never stopped moving as he chewed on some wild fruit.

Hearing Zhang Ziyue’s words, his scalp tingled. "Oh, right! I almost forgot, we also killed Yan Ying. If this surveillance device also works in the Ultimate Eye, we might have been watched this whole time!"

A sudden silence fell. The air grew heavy, the only sound the rustling of falling leaves.

Jian Yu unconsciously brushed back a stray strand of hair. "But didn’t they say the Ultimate Eye blocks all high-tech devices?"

Red Snake thought she was calling it.

Its body began to grow, bit by bit.

Jian Yu felt a tug on her hair and held out her finger.

Red Snake slithered onto it, its tail coiling around her index finger like a beautiful ring.

Its voice wasn’t soft, but it was childlike, like the clear tones of a doll. "The material used to make the tracking bracelets on your wrists is similar to this kind of chip from Emperor Wolf Star."

Lu Qi felt like his world was collapsing. "So they weren’t blocked! No wonder Little Jiang was reluctant to talk much and even had to signal his junior to act out a fake death scene with him."

Red Snake raised its head. "What’s there to be afraid of? Why would my master be scared of a mere Admiral Yan?"

Jian Yu stroked Red Snake’s proud little head.

Her tone was calm. "I was the one who killed her. You didn’t do anything. If anyone asks, just tell them the truth."

Zhang Qin was the first to speak. "If anyone asks, we know nothing. All I know is that I turned my head and saw Yan Ying fall into the water and get eaten by a mutant fish."

Wang Hu slapped his thigh. "Right! That’s what we’ll say."

No one objected.

After getting their stories straight, they continued on their way.

Lu Qi trotted up next to Zhao Jiangyou. "You guys acted really well just now. Listen to Yan Xu—fake your death, get a new identity. We’ll definitely help you keep it a secret."

Zhao Jiangyou nodded. "Okay."

He had already been planning to get a new identity.

He just hadn’t figured out how to do it.

Zhao Jiangyou watched Yan Xu’s retreating figure as he walked away briskly, and quietly clenched his fists.

He had originally planned to pull Yan Xu and his group in with him, but now that seemed like a faint hope.

Jian Yu suddenly spoke. "Is the Slave Market fun? Do you want me to go to the Slave Market?"

Zhao Jiangyou froze.

He instinctively glanced at their other teammates.

Jian Yu tilted her head up slightly. "Don’t worry, they can’t hear us."

Their eyes met for two seconds. Zhao Jiangyou’s gaze flickered, and his jaw tightened.

He lowered his head, a deep response rumbling in his throat. "It’s not fun. But if you have time, Jian, you can go take a look with the Chief and his people."

His enunciation was clear, but in the entire sentence, only the words "the Chief" were stressed.

Jian Yu looked with surprise at Zhao Jiangyou’s somewhat sharp chin.

’Is this a clear hint?’

Jian Yu pursed her lips, probing, "The Chief is very busy, but I should have time to go take a look during the holidays."

Zhao Jiangyou’s expression changed slightly. "Then you’d better not."

What Jian Yu heard wasn’t "you’d better not," but: ’You’d better not go get yourself killed.’

’Damn it. He’s underestimating me.’

Jian Yu kissed Red Snake’s head. "You said it would be fun, so I’ll definitely have to take Ayan to check it out this holiday."

Red Snake said shyly, "Mhm, mhm, my master will be very happy to hear that."

It zipped back into Jian Yu’s hair, its tail tapping out a message to its other self.

Zhao Jiangyou let out a sigh of relief, his voice softening. "Be careful."

He paused his steps slightly. "The Slave Market on Emperor Wolf Star is very famous. The Chief and his people probably haven’t been there yet. You should create fake identities before you go."

He didn’t say much, each sentence short and to the point.

Jian Yu boasted, "I’m going for revenge. They’re the ones who need to be careful."

’Why did Yan Ying’s blood have traces of Pei Yin and Duan Feiye’s auras?’

Her intuition told Jian Yu that Zhao Jiangyou might know something.

Even if he didn’t, she could get some related information through him.

After her boast, Jian Yu probed, "Do you have any grudges? Want me to take care of them for you while I’m at it?"

Their eyes met, and a complex mix of emotions appeared in Zhao Jiangyou’s gaze.

’Is this the timid and well-behaved girl from the internet rumors?’

’I can’t see it.’

’She’s definitely beautiful, though.’

A trace of nervousness crossed Zhao Jiangyou’s brow. "I don’t need revenge. But if you can... help me save someone."

Jian Yu immediately pressed, "Who? Where? And how do I save them?"

"Zhao Jiangpeng. My younger brother. I don’t know where he is. The last time I saw him was six months ago, in Room 302 on the first floor of the Slave Market."

Zhao Jiangyou’s gaze was so calm it was almost dead. "He was also there to repay a debt of gratitude. He arrived on Emperor Wolf Star two years before I did."

His eyes turned vicious.

"I wanted to rush in and find him, but I only saw a hidden door closing quickly. The smell of blood inside was so thick it seeped out of Room 302. I couldn’t find the switch to open the hidden door."

"I went to beg the Admiral, but the Admiral said I must have seen it wrong. When he saw how agitated I was, he even locked me up, telling me to calm down."

"I only found out later that there were surveillance monitors there. They must have seen that I didn’t go in, and since they coveted my Soul Beast, they didn’t touch me."

Zhao Jiangyou guessed, "I suspect they’re using my brother for experiments. And not just him—it seems Yan Ying was also cooperating with their research."

Over the years, people often disappeared on Emperor Wolf Star. He had seen several law-abiding citizens of commoner status thrown into the Slave Market, always under the pretext of manslaughter.

Red Snake scrambled frantically onto Jian Yu’s shoulder. "My masters are at the Emperor Wolf Star Slave Market right now!"

Jian Yu’s eyelashes fluttered.

She stopped beating around the bush. "What did you mean by that schedule you mentioned earlier?"

Zhao Jiangyou hurriedly explained, "That’s actually the schedule for when Miss Yan Ying goes to the Slave Market."

Jian Yu looked at Red Snake, the last trace of expression vanishing from her face as her almond-shaped eyes narrowed dangerously.

She looked up at Zhao Jiangyou. "Tell Red Snake everything it needs to pay attention to."

Zhao Jiangyou obediently recounted a dozen or so points.

He really did look innocent.

Jian Yu couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth or not.