"According to the latest data from the probes near the base, a group of people has appeared nearby. It's estimated they are not affiliated with the base personnel," Xiao Ling's voice remained cold and emotionless.

Before leaving the base, Zhong Yun had hidden a specialized detector in a concealed spot to monitor the base's condition twenty-four hours a day.

His expression grew intensely grave. "Who exactly are these people?"

"Unknown."

"Could other factions be setting their sights on the treasury?"

Without more intelligence, an accurate judgment could not yet be made.

For now, patience was the only option. Xiao Ling's voice sounded again. "Over the past month, the number of ships traveling to Ketong Star has decreased by fifty-nine percent."

"That's a bit unusual," Zhong Yun frowned again. A sudden drop in traffic was never a good sign.

But why bring this up now?

"A significant reduction in incoming and outgoing vessels often signifies impending turmoil on a planet."

"What's wrong with you?" Wei Wei's voice held a trace of dissatisfaction. This blockhead was zoning out even while with her.

"Just thinking about something," Zhong Yun looked up at the vast expanse of the star-dusted sky. Xiao Ling's distinctively mechanical tone seemed to echo in his ear again. "This planet... is about to face unrest."

Unrest. Under what circumstances would a peaceful planet like this experience upheaval? Stability was the norm. Not only were the cities heavily policed, but large garrisons were stationed near every urban center. The current government held significant authority and hadn't committed any truly egregious acts that would incite public fury. The probability of unrest was minuscule, unless war broke out. But Ketong Star wasn't near any frontier, nor did it possess any warp points to other systems. By the time conflict reached this far, the Mings Kingdom would likely have already disintegrated.

"Hey." Wei Wei's voice snapped his thoughts back to the present.

"What is it?" Zhong Yun turned to look at her slightly flushed, annoyed face. He noticed that the way her cheeks reddened when she was upset was rather captivating.

"I called you three times," Wei Wei was genuinely irritated. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Apologies, I was deep in thought about something crucial." Zhong Yun glanced around. Unbeknownst to him, they had wandered down to the bank of a small river. Water murmured gently, shadows of trees danced beside them, and under the immense night sky, distant shapes rose and fell—perhaps trees, perhaps mountains.

"Didn't you say you wanted to go somewhere crowded? Why did you lead us here?" Zhong Yun asked, puzzled.

"I like it here," Wei Wei replied curtly, kicking a stone into the river with a dull thud.

The two found a clean rock and sat down, shoulders touching, watching the moonlight ripple and distort as it flowed across the clear water.

After a period of silence, Zhong Yun suddenly asked, "Why did you ask for my help?"

"Hmm?" In this tranquil environment, Wei Wei's mind seemed sluggish. After a moment, she responded, "Because you're strong enough."

Zhong Yun suddenly understood. "You planned this from the start, didn't you?"

Wei Wei grinned mischievously. "It would be a complete waste not to use a master like you as a shield."

"Does my shield carry as much weight as Su Qi's?" Zhong Yun gazed into the distance, where only the dark silhouette of a mountain was visible.

He waited a moment for her reply, then turned to look. "Did you two fall out?"

"Why?"

"No reason," Wei Wei seemed reluctant to discuss the matter.

Zhong Yun didn't let it drop. "Did he lay a hand on you?" In the faint moonlight, he clearly saw a flash of loathing cross Wei Wei's face.

Loathing? It seemed they truly had parted ways.

"He's handsome, smart, and seems quite refined. Why didn't you accept him?" Zhong Yun wasn't trying to provoke her deliberately; he genuinely wanted to understand her perspective.

Wei Wei's voice softened. "I gave him a chance... I really don't want to talk about him right now."

"If I were to touch you inappropriately, would you turn hostile?" Zhong Yun watched her expression as he spoke.

"You dare? I'll chop off your paws," Wei Wei threatened, brandishing a small fist.

Zhong Yun shook his head. "It seems you don't fully grasp your own allure. Spend enough time with you, and even a gentleman will turn into a beast. Don't come to a place like this with me at night anymore. If my self-control slips even a little, you'll be in trouble."

"Big pervert," Wei Wei muttered softly, her face a mixture of shyness and amusement.

They sat for a while longer before leaving. To help Wei Wei sell the ruse, Zhong Yun accompanied her to crowded areas—the goal was to broadcast to onlookers that he and Wei Wei were beginning a relationship.

The consequence of such conspicuous behavior was that the next day, the name Zhong Yun was circulating throughout the entire school.

According to the gossip Liu Ming overheard, Su Qi, who was eating at Canteen Thirteen, was so enraged by the news that he nearly smashed his table. Liu Ming reported this with undisguised schadenfreude.

Unexpectedly, Su Qi didn't seek out Zhong Yun for trouble. On the third day, Zhong Yun returned to the club's workshop.

Because of his deliberate behavior over the past two days, Wen Zhu regarded him with increased esteem. Seeing him enter, she broke into a warm smile. "You're here."

"I heard you and Wei Wei are together?" Zhong Yun asked, putting on his protective suit, upon hearing Wen Zhu inquire.

He offered a self-deprecating laugh. "It actually reached your ears, huh? I was actually drafted by her to be her shield."

A flash of understanding crossed Wen Zhu's eyes. When she first heard the news, her immediate reaction was disbelief that it was a rumor. However, Duan Yi, who brought her the information, presented the details so convincingly, claiming the entire school knew about them, that she suspected something was amiss. If Wei Wei had truly started a relationship, she would have told Wen Zhu.

When Zhong Yun confirmed it himself, for some unknown reason, she felt a sense of relief settle in her chest.

With Zhong Yun's assistance, significant progress had been made in the field of full-sense technology. But to fully complete the project would still take an unknown amount of time.

Zhong Yun couldn't spend unlimited time helping her; he had his own matters to attend to. There was a small, vacant room in the workshop, originally intended for breaks, which he had converted into his own small laboratory. He spent most of his time working there.

The more advanced the machinery, the higher the caliber of raw materials, components, and equipment required. The things Zhong Yun needed to fabricate were already beyond the capabilities of this particular workshop.

After finishing his tasks for the day, Zhong Yun didn't leave immediately. Instead, he asked Wen Zhu, "Sister Wen, do you know where I can rent a workshop with a higher specification?"

"A higher specification?" Wen Zhu was curious. "What are you planning to build?"

Zhong Yun already had a plausible excuse prepared. "Some archaeological equipment I designed myself. The previous versions were a bit lacking in functionality, so I want to fabricate some better ones."

"Oh." Wen Zhu thought for a moment, then looked up. "How high-spec of machinery do you require?"

"The higher the better. If it were at the level of the Three Great Research Labs, that would be ideal." Wen Zhu chuckled, beginning to seriously consider his request. She was well aware that Zhong Yun's skill in mechanics was not low; she had seen the items he built last semester. She had to admit they were incredibly intricate, completely unbelievable coming from an amateur.

The detector, especially, was powerful, superior to any metal detector on the market. She had once felt it was a pity that someone with his aptitude was studying archaeology. She had suggested he switch departments; with his talent, he could certainly win over the professors in Mechanical Engineering. However, Zhong Yun had refused. She hadn't known his true purpose—to gain legitimate access to the treasury—and assumed he was deeply passionate about archaeology.

Only a few days prior had she truly witnessed Zhong Yun's actual capability; his flights of imagination and keen intuition left her feeling inadequate. In just two days, he had advanced her research significantly—that was entirely down to him. She was now genuinely intrigued: just how high was the actual level of this archaeology student?

"I can help you find a high-end workshop, but I have one condition," Wen Zhu said, a hint of slyness in her voice.

"What condition?"

"I want to be your assistant."

To be honest, this condition put Zhong Yun in a difficult spot. What he planned to build wasn't archaeological gear, but high-end weaponry.

"Fine, I agree," he conceded.

I'll fabricate the components and bring them back here to assemble them myself. Trying to sneak a peek at my techniques? No chance, he thought with a flicker of self-satisfaction.

Seeing Zhong Yun about to leave, Wen Zhu suddenly called out to him. "Um, you should be careful about Su Qi. He might try to cause you trouble." She didn't elaborate further.

Su Qi. After leaving the club, Zhong Yun walked toward the dormitory, pondering the issue of Su Qi and wondering how he might retaliate.

He found only Odin in the dorm room. "The other two went out on dates."

"With girls?" Zhong Yun was surprised. It wasn't unexpected for Liu Ming to be dating, but it was a marvel that Pi Geng, that dense log who rarely spoke three words, also had a date.

"They're quite pretty," Odin naturally understood his surprise and also clicked his tongue in amazement. "Never thought..."

Just as Zhong Yun was about to enter his room, he paused, then sat down opposite Odin. "What do you think about the situation on Ketong Star?"

"The situation?" His question struck Odin as odd. "It's not the general election period; why ask about this?" Although the Mings Kingdom was called a kingdom, its supreme leader was the King, officials on every planet were chosen through elections—hence the term 'general election.'

"The situation on Ketong Star should be quite stable, right?" Zhong Yun didn't answer, looking around cautiously. "Have you heard any rumors?"

"What would it take for Ketong Star to descend into chaos?" Zhong Yun's question felt earth-shattering, the sort of query that could easily lead to misunderstanding.

"Chaos?" Odin frowned, thinking hard. "Unless the major powers started fighting amongst themselves." The moment the words left his mouth, his expression shifted dramatically.

P: Tomorrow is the last day. If you still have any monthly tickets, hurry and cast them. And since it's Monday, don't forget your recommendation tickets either. (To be continued, for future developments, please log on to .**.m for more chapters.)