The old man Ditar waved a hand dismissively. “What you asked me to do is done. I’ve erased all the tracking waves on the magnetic disk. You can leave now, and don’t come looking for me again. I’ve always had a dream: to travel, following in the footsteps of my father and guide, to find my birthplace—the Solar Star Sector. I was always held back by an empty purse, but with the payment you gave me, I can spend the rest of my life pursuing this dream. Even if stepping into that sector means instant death, I would still wish for my unremarkable life to end there.”

Ditar and Lan Li watched the old man as he spoke, the dazzling colors of life radiating from his eyes. With hearts full of blessing, they took one last look at him. Without even saying goodbye, they left the small wooden cabin and went to find An Junlie.

“Little Junjun, why are you all alone here, ignoring me? I’m feeling so heartbroken,” Lan Li squeaked out in his high-pitched, duck-like voice, wrapping his arms around An Junlie from behind, clinging and rubbing against him.

Even though Ditar understood that Lan Li was deliberately making those sounds and movements to pull An Junlie out of his low spirits quickly, seeing and hearing it still made him incredibly nauseous. He silently walked sideways, crab-like, to move further away from Lan Li and An Junlie.

An Junlie couldn't stand Lan Li’s clowning either. He simply stepped aside, escaping Lan Li’s clutches. “Stop bothering me. Can’t you see I’m in a bad mood? Can’t you let a person grieve in peace?”

The unspoken understanding between Lan Li and An Junlie allowed Lan Li to realize that An Junlie was truly alright. As expected of a primitive man with strong limbs and a simple mind, his recovery speed was remarkable.

Upon returning to Ditar’s home station, Lan Li, An Junlie, and Ditar were greeted with extraordinary enthusiasm by the children. This was because the three of them had brought the virtual master training base simulation pod, something the children had dreamed of. Those children who had encountered such a device even before their downfall were especially thrilled, crowding around the simulation pod and stroking it possessively.

An Junlie ran his hand over the virtual master training base simulation pod. What exactly had Lan Li gone to such lengths to buy this for?

“Little Junjun, were you waiting for me? Oh, let me guess what that pod behind you is for, hmm? It’s for conquering the virtual master training base together with me, right?”

An Junlie was still studying the legendary virtual master training base simulation pod—which was spacious and comfortable enough for a two-meter-tall person to lie down in—and wondering exactly how it was used, when Lan Li’s voice, sickeningly sweet, reached him from behind.

An Junlie was long accustomed to Lan Li’s occasional fits of absurdity. He didn't want to let Lan Li admire his ignorance regarding the virtual master training base simulation pod any further. He turned around, crossed his arms, and looked calmly at Lan Li. “Didn’t you say you were going to teach me how to use the virtual master training base simulation pod so I could join the other children inside?”

“Ah, right! I almost forgot?!” Lan Li tilted his head slightly, brushing his bangs down with his hand so they obscured his eyes, hiding the obscure and complex emotions swirling within them.

An Junlie pouted. He had no idea what game Lan Li was playing. Forget? Who was he kidding! He stared fixedly at Lan Li, waiting for Lan Li’s next move. Suddenly, An Junlie had the feeling that perhaps he had never truly understood Lan Li at all.

Lan Li sensed An Junlie’s scrutinizing and questioning gaze. He struck a pose he thought was incredibly handsome and winked at An Junlie. “What? Have you discovered how exceptionally handsome this young master is, and now you wish to pledge yourself to me?!”

An Junlie offered no reply. Since Lan Li didn't want to speak, he didn't press the issue either. He felt that everyone deserved their own private space, and sometimes maintaining a little mystery between people was better. Besides, Lan Li was his friend; if Lan Li wanted to say something, he would. If he didn't, An Junlie wouldn't force it. However, An Junlie did express the emotion he felt honestly to Lan Li. He continued to study the simulation pod without a word, treating Lan Li as if he were invisible, clearly conveying his extreme displeasure.

The surging crowd around them made An Junlie instantly uncomfortable. Even the most frenzied clearance sales at real-world physical stores couldn't muster this many people—yet here he was, encountering such a throng in the virtual master training base.

“How about it, shocked? This is how people in the technological world live. Rather than existing in reality, they prefer to immerse themselves in the illusion. Whether for training or for life.”

Ever since An Junlie expressed his dissatisfaction with Lan Li, Lan Li had been following him around like a subservient bootlicker, chattering incessantly like a StarNet customer service agent, introducing every single thing inside the virtual master training base, hoping to capture An Junlie’s attention. Unfortunately, An Junlie quickly suppressed his slight look of surprise and silently started walking in the opposite direction of the crowd, alone.

Lan Li sighed heavily after another failed attempt, then trotted obediently behind An Junlie, failing to notice the slight upturn of An Junlie’s lips after he turned around.

While Lan Li was unknowingly being toyed with by An Junlie, a small group of strange individuals stealthily trailed behind Lan Li and An Junlie, observing their interaction.

“Captain, what do we do now? They’re heading toward the less crowded area. If we follow them there, we’ll expose ourselves,” a short, fair-skinned man whispered to the man beside him whom he called Captain.

Before the Captain could reply, his view was blocked by a pair of men walking toward Lan Li’s direction. The Captain’s gaze instinctively drifted to the fair-skinned man next to him, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

“Captain, no! Captain, I beg you, leave me alone! Captain, ah, don’t do this! Waaah, Captain, I like women! If you force me, I’ll—I’ll…”

“You’ll what?” the Captain asked, fully engrossed in tearing at the clothes of the short man beside him while glaring threateningly.

Startled into stillness by the Captain’s terrifying look, the man stopped struggling and silently submitted, tears welling in his eyes as the Captain took what he wanted. Because the man was uncooperative, the Captain grew sweaty from exertion and couldn’t help but curse, “Damn it, does the virtual world have to be this realistic? It’s tiring just helping someone take off their clothes. Good thing putting clothes back on is a one-click operation. Heh heh, I never realized you looked so pretty dressed as a woman.”

“Waaah, Captain, if I dress like this, my mother will think I’m not much of a man! I can’t make my dear mother sad!” The short man struggled with his own clothing, making a final, desperate effort.

“Why so much nonsense? I’ve already set the anti-exposure mode; you can’t take it off yourself. With so much to say, we should be focusing on completing the mission and wrapping up early. The Young Master is about to get away from us.” The Captain said, pulling the short man—or perhaps, the well-proportioned, charming young woman—into an embrace. He adopted a lustful expression and dragged the “young woman” in the direction Lan Li had gone, shouting as they walked, “Hurry up, my little darling, you’re killing me with anticipation!”

Lan Li heard the urgent, lecherous sounds approaching from behind and instinctively slowed his pace, matching An Junlie’s hurried steps. He unconsciously pulled his clothes tighter. His mind raced: Is Junjun leading me to such a deserted place to do something to me? Could it be a confession? How should I refuse him without hurting his feelings? But refusing always hurts, doesn’t it? Should I just accept?! Ah, I can’t do it!

“What are you muttering about? Who’s confessing to you? What are you refusing?!” An Junlie could no longer tolerate Lan Li’s rich inner monologue and spun around, roaring at Lan Li.

“Ah, did I actually say that out loud?” Lan Li looked at An Junlie with a detached expression, seeking confirmation.

An Junlie simply shook his fist, veins bulging visibly, at Lan Li.

“Ouch! It’s been a while since I logged into the virtual master training base. They’ve really made things so much more realistic now; even details like bulging veins are so clear!” Lan Li servilely grabbed An Junlie’s fist, rubbing and stroking it.

An Junlie immediately snatched his fist back, unable to bear it, and rubbed his arm, trying to soothe the goosebumps trying to detach from his body and answer gravity’s call.

Seeing An Junlie’s look of utter disgust, Lan Li turned to the now petrified Captain and the “young woman” beside him. “Am I really that disgusting?!”

The Captain and the “young woman” in his arms both nodded in unison.

Lan Li watched them nod, a slight smile playing on his lips. As the smile widened, the Captain and the “young woman” felt a visibly malevolent aura instantly engulf Lan Li. Though his smile was gentle, they both felt a bone-chilling cold creep up from their feet.

An Junlie watched Lan Li’s transformation quietly, raising an eyebrow slightly. He hadn’t expected Lan Li to have such an evil side. However, he felt no sympathy for the two guys being oppressed by Lan Li’s aura. Did those two really think that dressing up as such a revolting couple would escape his and Lan Li’s notice? It actually made them far more conspicuous. He truly wondered which master had allowed such brainless subordinates out. If the underlings were like this, the master was even more hopeless.

“Alright, get down now. You two are disgracing the reputation of the Lan Family’s Hidden Guards,” a man dressed in an imposing, long, dark-blue noble gown suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere, breaking Lan Li’s oppressive aura just as the Captain and the “young woman” were about to completely freeze up and lose their souls.

Seeing the newcomer, An Junlie instantly moved to Lan Li’s side, every muscle tensed and ready for resistance. If Lan Li’s previous aura was an unknown, terrifying black hole, An Junlie’s aura was a star ready to erupt with high energy.

“Oh?! Li, it seems you’ve made a good friend outside. No wonder you were reluctant to return.” An Junlie’s aura drew the newcomer’s attention. He nodded slightly towards Lan Li, signaling his approval of An Junlie.

Lan Li’s face had shown unease and panic when the newcomer suddenly appeared. He kept his head lowered, nervously twisting his hands, his gaze unwilling to meet the newcomer’s—like a child who had done wrong and awaited parental punishment. Hearing the words of approval, he looked up joyfully, meeting the newcomer’s eyes directly for the first time. “Grandfather, then you aren’t angry with me anymore?”

Lan Li’s grandfather, Lanster, the current patriarch of the Lan Family, glared at Lan Li, his tiger-like eyes fixed on Lan Li’s weak, little wife-like recovery before he withdrew his gaze. “My admiration for your companion and the punishment for your unauthorized trip are two separate matters. Of course, if you are willing to return to the Lan Family now with your companion, I will reduce your punishment.”

Lan Li couldn’t help but abandon all pretense, throwing himself forward to hug his grandfather and kiss him twice, shouting excitedly, “My dearest, most beloved Grandfather, I love you so much! I’ll take my friend and return right away.”

“I disagree!” An Junlie suddenly interjected.

Lan Li hadn't expected An Junlie to refuse; he froze momentarily. Then, a look of relief washed over him; he thought An Junlie was still angry with him. “Little Junjun, don’t be mad. Haven’t you always wanted to know what kind of family I grew up in? I’ll take you now. And I promise I won’t hide anything from you in the future.”

An Junlie shoved Lan Li’s outstretched hand away. “Enough, Young Master of the Lan Family. Are you done playing? Stop calling me Little Junjun in that disgusting voice. I’m not your pet, and you’re not a woman. Please, try to mature, alright? I’ve had enough of your childishness. Is fooling people like this fun for you? Do you assume everyone who approaches you has ulterior motives, that you can’t immediately reveal how powerful your family is? Do you suffer from paranoia? Oh, right, and narcissism too. Do you think everyone will gratefully follow you just because you throw out your Young Master status? Let me tell you, Young Master of the Lan Family, I will not align myself with you because of your family background, nor will I flatter you because of it.”

“An Junlie, you’re insane! You know that’s not what I meant.” Lan Li didn’t understand why An Junlie had suddenly erupted.

An Junlie swept a cold, emotionless glance over Lan Li. Then, without another word, he vanished abruptly.

“Damn it,” Lan Li muttered under his breath in frustration. More than cursing An Junlie, he was cursing himself. He had been too presumptuous, failing to notice An Junlie’s fragile heart. “Grandfather, it seems my friend and I have hit a small snag. I’m logging off now. I will bring my friend back to the family soon.”

Lanster watched the dramatic scene unfold silently, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on the spot where An Junlie had disappeared. Lan Li’s words drew him back to the present. He spoke to Lan Li in a serious tone. “Li, you must remember this: if you still consider him your friend, then you must learn to respect his choices. Never force anything.”

“Grandfather, don’t worry. I’ll definitely make him willingly return to the family with me.” Lan Li waved confidently to Lanster goodbye and then logged off as well.

Seeing this, Lanster realized Lan Li hadn’t understood his hint at all. He shook his head and sighed. “Alas, children will have their own fortunes. Li truly needs to learn to grow up. I shouldn't spoil him too much.”

After logging off, An Junlie went straight to Old Man Ditar’s residence. He knocked on the door and called out, “Old Dad Ditar, are you home?”

“Yes, yes, the door isn’t locked, come in.”

Ditar’s voice came from the inner room. Following the sound, An Junlie pushed the door open. He saw Ditar wearing an apron, changing the diaper of the youngest baby in his family. Ditar glanced at the newcomer while busy and, seeing it was An Junlie, wiped his hand on his apron, preparing to make tea.

“Ah, no need, Old Dad, you keep busy. I’ll do it myself,” An Junlie quickly stopped Ditar’s movement, snatched the beverage bottle from his hand, wiped it clean on a rag, washed his hands, and then began preparing the drinks.

By the time Ditar had settled the baby down to sleep, two cups of fragrant drinks were already placed on his table. “Ah, this is truly delicious. I drink this stuff every day, yet changing the preparation method yields such a massive difference.” Ditar unceremoniously picked up the cup on the table. After taking one sip, he found the lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth more enchanting than his favorite alcoholic beverages.

“There’s actually not much difference. I just added some spices I collected before. You know how particular Lan Li is about his food and drink, so I’ve developed the habit of carrying these things around.” As he mentioned Lan Li, An Junlie’s eyes dimmed.

Ditar also sensed something was amiss and tentatively asked, “Where is Lan Li? I don’t see him with you.”

“He’s about to return to his family, the Young Master of the Lan Clan.”

“The Lan Clan! The Lan Clan from the neighboring star system?!” Ditar’s voice rose by more than eight octaves. Only after seeing An Junlie nod affirmatively did Ditar mutter to himself, “No wonder he could give me that promise; it all makes sense now.”

“Is the Lan Family really that famous?” An Junlie was confused. He had assumed they were like the sons of chieftains from primitive civilization planets he and his master had encountered, but Ditar’s reaction was far beyond that.

Ditar scrutinized An Junlie with the look one reserves for an extraterrestrial, and realizing An Junlie truly didn't grasp the Lan Family’s power, he replied with disbelief, “Of course, they are incredibly powerful. You should still remember I said I came from the Angel Star Sector, right? There are many aristocratic families in the universe, generally divided into three tiers. The power gap between families of different tiers is an insurmountable chasm. There are only four families in the entire universe that occupy the first tier. The Lan Family is one of the top three great families in the second tier, virtually the uncrowned kings among the power groups in this region, second only to the interstellar pirates. Even the leaders of the Unification Department must show deference to the Lan Family Patriarch.”

An Junlie listened silently, finally understanding where Lan Li’s confidence and pride originated. He also understood why Lan Li had taken it for granted that he would follow him back to the Lan Family.

“An Junlie, so you’re here with Old Dad Ditar. You made me look all over for you. You’re drinking such fragrant tea and not inviting me?”

An Junlie was still immersed in Ditar’s words, contemplating the vast disparity in status between himself and Lan Li. Lan Li’s voice suddenly cut in, unceremoniously. He looked at Lan Li, who naturally picked up his cup of beverage and downed it in one gulp, with a complex expression, momentarily unsure how to face him.

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