"A Space Communicator? I made one before?" Zhong Yun's eyes widened in utter confusion.

"This one," ZER pointed, and a bizarre, oddly shaped miniature machine materialized. The moment Zhong Yun saw the two bowls atop it (see Chapter 011), he remembered.

"Oh, this thing. It cost me several million," The first time spending such an enormous sum left Zhong Yun with an indelible impression, feeling like a [REDACTED].

"Right, this thing—the Space Communicator, is that what it’s called? What’s it for?" Zhong Yun asked.

He had meant to ask when he first had it built, but he'd been swamped with tasks, and every time he saw Xiao Ling, he was immediately put through rigorous training under her whip, leaving no opportunity to inquire. As time passed, he simply forgot.

"The Space Communicator is for long-distance communication. Its principle is that when the wave frequency reaches a certain degree, a space jump occurs (Note)."

"This Space Communicator can convert information into high-frequency waves and transmit it, passing through space to the designated location, and it can also receive the same waves."

"However, this model of communicator was designed temporarily; its functions are simple, only capable of transmitting fixedly to one specific location."

"You used this thing to contact the Free Star, didn't you?" Zhong Yun realized with a flash of insight, recalling this previously overlooked detail.

Even without knowing the precise location of the Free Star, contacting them once, even if it were only a light-year away, would take two years. Yet, Xiao Ling had managed to get in touch with the Free Star in such a short time, making all those purchases.

Immediately following this thought, another question struck him. "How did you use Davo currency to buy things from the Free Star? Aren't those two spheres entirely separate?"

He was still quite hung up on Xiao Ling having spent all five hundred million of his funds.

"The Free Star has banking offices set up in every intermediate civilization nation. You just exchange the money for Omi Coins and deposit them there; then you can use them," ZER explained.

"Forget it, I don't want to deal with your messy affairs. I'm going to rest. I’ve been utterly exhausted these past few days." With that, Zhong Yun walked toward his room.

Wolfe Star. A small town situated on the edge of a desert on the western continent where Feng Hua City was located.

It was a quiet little place, home to only about a hundred families. Today, two unexpected guests had arrived at the town's sole bar.

"What rotten luck, being assigned to this godforsaken place for a mission," muttered one of the men, wearing sunglasses that obscured half his face.

The man’s hair was tied into dozens of tiny braids, and a golden hoop dangled from his left ear. He wore only a short leather jacket, revealing a lean physique.

Beside him was a Caucasian female, half a head taller than him, with wavy red hair like flickering flames that accentuated her voluptuous, fiery figure, drawing the man's own burning gaze.

The moment she entered, the men inside the bar let out loud whistles.

"Whistle your mother’s B," the first man who entered cursed, his voice so loud it drowned out everyone else.

The noisy bar fell instantly silent. As the man scanned the room with smug satisfaction, a voice cut through, "But I will whistle your mother's B."

The entire bar erupted in raucous laughter.

The man who had cursed earlier glared viciously at the speaker, an unnatural flush creeping onto his face.

The woman beside him reached out, restraining him, and gently shook her head. The man snorted coldly and slid onto a barstool. "Bring me two bottles of liquor, the most expensive kind."

The identities of this man and woman were not simple; they were members of the Wolfe Task Force, the man named Jiang You and the woman named Ina, here to execute an important mission.

Just as the pair were halfway through their drinks, the bar door was pushed open again.

It was a youth, carrying a backpack behind him that was half his height. Judging by how tightly the straps were digging in, it must have weighed at least a hundred pounds. Yet, the weight seemed effortless on his back.

The boy looked as if he had just crawled out of a sand dune, entirely coated in fine yellow sand. His hair was a tangled mess, clumped together as if cemented by yellow glue.

Everyone in the bar stared at him in astonishment.

They saw plenty of people in town looking like this throughout the year—it was the unmistakable sign of someone trekking out of the desert.

"Where are you coming from, young man?" a middle-aged man sitting near the door inquired.

The youth was seated on the floor, struggling to remove his shoes. Hearing the question, he merely pointed his thumb behind him, indicating the desert.

"Alone?" the middle-aged man asked again.

"Alone." The youth turned his shoe upside down, shaking out a small pile of yellow sand.

"Madam proprietress, get this young man a glass of 'Xilo,'" the middle-aged man called out to the middle-aged woman wiping glasses behind the counter. He then said to the youth, "Quite a few people pass through this town every year, most heading for the desert, but seeing someone your age traveling solo is a first. Impressive!"

Saying this, the middle-aged man tilted his head back and took a drink. "Young man, what is your name?"

The youth emptied the sand from his other shoe, slipped them back on, and upon hearing the question, walked up to the bar counter to reply, "Zhong Yun."

This youth was indeed Zhong Yun, having returned to Wolfe Star. To conceal his tracks, he had deliberately traveled to this desolate place, pretending he had just emerged from the desert.

Zhong Yun stood before the bar, picked up the drink the proprietress had placed on the counter, and began to drink.

Upon hearing the name Zhong Yun, Jiang You and Ina exchanged a swift glance. Jiang You, being closer to Zhong Yun, took off his sunglasses and scrutinized him.

Suddenly, Jiang You lunged toward Zhong Yun's hand. "You are Zhong Yun?"

Just as Jiang You was about to grasp his hand, Zhong Yun’s hand vanished with a jerk, and Jiang You clutched empty air.

Jiang You froze, somewhat incredulous that he had missed.

Ina, beside him, had seen it clearly: the instant Jiang You reached, Zhong Yun's hand had flinched back, narrowly evading the grab. The speed was ghostly, utterly silent.

Throughout the entire exchange, Zhong Yun kept his head tilted back, drinking, without even glancing at Jiang You.

Ina was shocked; she hadn't realized he was such an expert. The files hadn't mentioned this.

"Thank you for the drink," Zhong Yun said to the middle-aged man as if nothing had happened.

Setting his glass down on the bar, Zhong Yun turned around, his gaze sweeping over the two task force members. "You know me?"

"You are incredibly strong. Fight me."

Jiang You looked at him seriously, his eyes burning with fierce determination.

Zhong Yun met his gaze for two seconds. "Sure. But only after I get into high school." This fashionably dressed fellow obviously possessed a very obsessive personality, and Zhong Yun preferred not to get entangled further, so he brushed it off.

"It’s a deal. I will find you then," Jiang You, however, was utterly serious.

"You know me?" Seeing the man persisting, Zhong Yun decided to question the seemingly more rational woman.

"Someone entrusted us to find you."

"Find me?"

(Note: This is fictionalized for plot development; those knowledgeable in physics, please refrain from criticism.)

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