Chapter 421: Taking the Initiative

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Half a month later, the human spaceship fleet set off again with the energy barrier equipment and more than 10 new spaceships built on the lizardmen’s planet.

The number of spaceships had increased by about 10% in less than a month, and the fleet had become larger. The crowd in the living area had eased a little.

The main addition was the energy barrier equipment. The human spaceship fleet would not be able to use it, but it would be very useful if they stopped on a resource planet temporarily.

Once the energy barrier was activated, ordinary people could move around on the surface of the planet with simple breathing equipment and control the machines to mine for resources.

It could be said that humans had gained a lot from their first interaction with an alien civilization after they left the blue planet.

The accumulated knowledge of the lizardmen civilization over the past 10 million years was forcefully shared with the humans. The humans now had a basic understanding of the galaxy they were in, which was the Hidden Dragon Galaxy.

Of course, they only knew the basic information, such as its name, range, some basic rules, and so on.

The lizardman civilization was too insignificant in the Hidden Dragon Galaxy. They were almost at the bottom of the hierarchy, and were slightly stronger than a civilization that had just obtained the ability to leave the planet.

The reason why there had not been much development in the past 10 million years was not because the lizardmen civilization did not want to, but because the conditions did not allow it.

For example, if one was unlucky and encountered a fleet like the human spaceships, at best, their years of accumulation would be wiped out, and at worst, their civilization would be in danger of being completely destroyed.

In reality, they were considered lucky since their weak lizardmen civilization could still remain active in this remote area of the Hidden Dragon Galaxy.

…

At the same time, Chen Yiming separated from the human spaceship fleet. He used the space anchor to continuously jump through space.

The distance of 100 light years could be covered in only a few days. Along the way, because he was not familiar with the place, he had to stop from time to time. After comparing the position of the stars, he set off again.

Finally, he arrived at a huge planet, the Flying Cloud Planet.

The Flying Cloud Planet was a node in the star map that he had obtained from the female spirit. It was also a transit point that the lizardmen civilization had once passed through.

It was a planet controlled by human factions. It had a space-travel portal and was on a busy route through space.

Chen Yiming’s figure appeared in the distance. He saw that there was only one huge city on the planet with many different species living side by side. It was more than 10,000 kilometers long and wide.

In addition, the city also had a large port. According to the type and size of the spaceship, different areas were designated for parking.

The numerous spaceships docked, took off, and landed here. For example, there was an area for transportation-type spaceships, and an area for private small spaceships.

Most importantly, the city had a public means to learn about the Hidden Dragon Galaxy — the Internet.

Compared to the network on the blue planet, this network was similar but different. The biggest difference was the range. This was a galaxy-level network.

This was the main reason why he had spent so much time coming to the Flying Cloud Planet.

Chen Yiming wasn’t in a hurry to enter the Flying Cloud Planet. Instead, he observed the situation from afar.

Soon, he noticed a transparent barrier above the city that one would subconsciously overlook.

The transparent barrier would automatically identify the information of the spaceships entering and exiting the city. If there was a problem with the identification, humans at the fusion realm would rush over to stop them.

“I wonder if the space anchor will cause a huge commotion if it pierces the transparent barrier.”

Chen Yiming thought about it and decided not to get into trouble.

He observed the situation for a while longer and discovered that the spaceship that an alien species at the level of gods was on was stopped half-way up. A human at the fusion realm went forward to negotiate.

After some discussion, the spaceship was finally allowed to pass through with a list and a small amount of hidden dragon coins.

There were not many hidden dragon coins exchanged, so it might be something like a fine. However, this alien species was at least at the level of the star condensation realm.

Even those at the level of the gods obediently followed the rules and paid the necessary amount. In turn, this meant that on this planet, the rules were enough to prevent everyone from doing anything rash. One could not even escape a fine.

“I have to wait for a suitable opportunity to place the space anchor within the city.”

After some thought, Chen Yiming decided to wait patiently.

He took a step forward, leaving behind a faint spatial fluctuation. In the next moment, he had already appeared outside the huge city, in a barren mountain range.

Then, he randomly chose a small hill to stop on.

…

In the blink of an eye, a day and night had passed. 48 hours had passed.

It was unknown how many spaceships had taken off and landed on the Flying Cloud Planet, but all the spaceships were obediently following the rules to resolve any small problems.

This was a planet where the rules could not be easily challenged.

Just as Chen Yiming was considering whether to take the initiative to create chaos so that he could take advantage of the situation and enter the city, he sensed someone rushing towards the small hill.

They saw a fat man who was more than 1.6 meters tall, an old man in a butler’s uniform, and four burly bull-headed men who were nearly 10 meters tall.

The bull-headed men had two horns on their heads and faces that looked like bulls. Their figures were similar to that of humans, but they were abnormally strong and did not have any excess fat.

“Brother, are you alone?”

The fat man had a friendly attitude and asked immediately. Wasn’t he afraid of others being suspicious of him?

The old butler beside him had been following closely behind the fat man the entire time. His entire body emitted a faint fluctuation of the power of the world.

He seemed to be deliberately revealing his aura to warn Chen Yiming not to have any ill intentions.

On the other hand, it also told Chen Yiming that the fat man had an extraordinary status.

“What is it?”

Chen Yiming pretended to have a casual attitude. He had already learned the official language of the Hidden Dragon Galaxy from the lizardmen civilization.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Gao Shuai.”

The fat man continued, but stopped after saying his name.

Hearing this, Chen Yiming’s gaze stopped on the fat man’s face.

He only saw his fat face and his height that was a head shorter than him. None of them were related to the words “tall” and “handsome” that were in his name.

However, the reason why Gao Shuai had stopped talking was probably because he had expected Chen Yiming’s reaction.

Gao Shuai paused for a moment before continuing, “It’s like this. I won’t hide it from you, brother. I have a special ability. I can always turn misfortune into good luck.”

Turning misfortune into good luck?

Then what does the old butler beside you do?

Chen Yiming thought about it. Perhaps he was afraid that the fat man’s special ability would suddenly fail and he would be beaten to death.

This was indeed the case. How dare a weakling at the fusion realm come looking for him like this? Chen Yiming had killed a god at the star condensation realm before.

Otherwise, the old butler would not have such a reaction.

“The Hidden Dragon Galaxy has always produced mutant beasts with the bloodline of a true dragon. Recently, the price of mutant beasts with the dragon bloodline has been increasing day by day. It’s increasing fiercely.”

“To be honest, my clan deals in related businesses. Therefore, we need to make friends with experts from all over the world. It’s easier to negotiate the price like this.”

“Of course I’ve never let my brothers suffer a loss. If you help me, I’ll do my best to help you. Even outside of the clan, I still have a stable and powerful network.”

A stable and powerful network?

So that was how it was. Chen Yiming had seen through the fat man’s intentions. Of course, he didn’t know what other motives the fat man had for taking the initiative to befriend him.

However, these conditions were generally sufficient.

Powerful cultivators working alone needed people like Gao Shuai who could create a relationship of mutual benefit, and could keep things a secret and get things done.

“Do you deal with anyone related to the black tide?”

Chen Yiming suddenly thought of the three blue-skinned humans who were involved with the black tide. Hence, he asked straightforwardly to test him.

As soon as he said this, Gao Shuai fell silent. The expression of the old butler beside him changed drastically, and the four bull-headed men behind him trembled.

The silent atmosphere remained for a while, as if this question had exceeded the expectations of the group.

“The black tide is far more than just a taboo in the Hidden Dragon Galaxy. No one dares to openly have anything to do with the black tide, not even the true ruler of the Hidden Dragon Galaxy,” Gao Shuai stopped smiling and replied.

Hearing this, Chen Yiming immediately understood that he was denying any involvement with the black tide, and there was no room for negotiation. He nodded and explained,

“A few humans who were involved with the black tide chased after me. If I want to expose them, could you deal with such a thing?”

When Gao Shuai heard this, he fell silent again, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

This was not something that one could casually agree to. It involved the level of gods above the star condensation realm.

Since he had relied on his special ability to find Chen Yiming, who must have something special about him, the humans chasing after Chen Yiming weren’t simple people either.

They might even be people from the overlord-level factions in the Hidden Dragon Galaxy.

However, the old butler quickly tugged at his clothes from behind. He did not say it explicitly, but he also conveyed that he could not get involved in such matters.

Chen Yiming saw this move. It seemed that the other party was just dealing with small matters. This didn’t meet his standards for potential allies.

For example, even if Chen Yiming provided a lot of information about the three blue-skinned humans, the information might not be able to reach the right place before it was cut off.

In the end, Chen Yiming would be exposed instead.

The main reason was that he was not clean either. After all, what he had done was equivalent to killing five star spirits at once. If he was really exposed, he would not be able to achieve his goal and would only get himself into trouble.

Just as Chen Yiming was about to send the group away, the fat man smiled again and said, “No problem. Brother, I’ll become your friend. This matter is negotiable. How about we return to Flying Cloud City and slowly discuss the plan?”

As soon as he finished speaking, an anxious expression immediately appeared on the old butler’s face. Clearly, such a thing was definitely beyond the scope of what he could agree to.

Gao Shuai turned around and said, “Uncle Zhong, I know my limits. I’ll explain things to the clan when I get back.”

The one who could really make the decision was Gao Shuai, not the old butler, or the bull-headed men, who were just bodyguards and fighters.

The four bull-headed men didn’t behave like fighters in front of Chen Yiming at all. Not only were they silent, but they were also occasionally flustered.

Chen Yiming introduced himself and got to know Gao Shuai.

In order to display his status, Gao Shuai had told Chen Yiming that with his guarantee, he didn’t need to report to the authorities in the Flying Cloud City and could enter the city without providing detailed information about his identity.

Chen Yiming looked at the fat man in a different light. However, if he didn’t meet his standard, there wouldn’t be many things they could work together on in the future. It wasn’t something that could be forced.

Soon, the group walked towards Flying Cloud City.

…

Chen Yiming and Gao Shuai’s group entered Flying Cloud City.

As he had said, someone had already reported that the issue of his guarantee had been settled. No one stopped him and tried to verify his identity.

“There’s more than one expert at the star condensation realm hiding in the dark.”

Chen Yiming observed the situation as he walked. Although no one had stepped forward earlier, several gazes had landed on him.

It was clear that it was not rare for someone to reach the level of a god in Flying Cloud City.

It had to be known that the absolute core of this city should be the space-travel portal in the center. However, even if they were not yet in the absolute core, the city’s defense was still so powerful.

At the same time, he also started chatting with Gao Shuai.

The two of them tacitly did not mention anything related to the black tide.

The first reason was that it wasn’t appropriate to do it in public. The second was that even if the other party really wanted to help Chen Yiming, it couldn’t be done in a short period of time.

They had just met. Although they had made an agreement, their relationship was not that close that they could trust each other immediately.

In reality, it was just a verbal promise. Whether it could be done or not was another matter. Chen Yiming couldn’t completely trust a stranger who had taken the initiative to befriend him.

Soon, under Gao Shuai’s lead, the group arrived at a square building.

The square building, the Black Dragon Hotel, was the tallest building in Flying Cloud City. The top floor reached straight into outer space. From afar, it looked like an obelisk, but there were small windows densely packed in it.

There were also observation platforms on the upper floors.

Sitting on the observation platforms, one could see most of Flying Cloud City and the situation outside the city, as well as the spaceships that had landed and taken off in outer space. It was a good place to eat and talk.

“Welcome!”

Beautiful women with long ears bowed slightly to welcome them. There were a total of four people on each side.

Each of them had a straight nose, red and tender lips, fair skin that gave off a clean feeling, and a pair of bright eyes.

Gao Shuai glanced at them and walked in.

Chen Yiming also glanced at them as he walked in.

Even the old butler and the four bull-headed men behind took a glance before walking in.

In essence, they were all male creatures. They did not hide their admiration for their beautiful female counterparts, especially since they did not have to worry about paying the price.

The four beauties with long pointed ears were not surprised by this. Facing the burning gazes, they still maintained their smiles.

They walked into the lobby of the Black Dragon Hotel.

On the walls around them, there were carvings of different types of dragons. Some were white, some were red, some were black, and so on.

Perhaps it was because they had added something related to dragons or because their carving skills had reached the peak, but in short, they exuded a vast and ancient aura.

It made one feel shocked just by looking at it. It was as if the dragons were alive and not inanimate objects. They seemed to be watching them at every moment.

“This Black Dragon Hotel has never overlooked any dragon-related elements. Even the receptionists at the door used to be humans with the dragon bloodline. They had strong and burly figures.”

“I wonder if the higher-ups have changed to someone else, or if they were forced by business problems. Recently, they suddenly changed to humans with the elf bloodline.”

“Compared to before, that figure is simply indescribable,”

Gao Shuai said with a smile.

There was no lack of praise for the humans who had the elf bloodline. It seemed that as long as they had the elf bloodline, they would be considered the top beauties in the world.

Chen Yiming made a simple comparison.

Indeed, compared to the humans on the blue planet, what originally looked perfect was no longer perfect.

Coupled with the exceptionally fresh feeling, his heart could not help but beat a few more times. If not for the fact that Gao Shuai and the others were beside him, he would have taken a few more glances.

There was no need to ask for their contact details openly, and it would be embarrassing. However, he could always do it in private. He could also learn more about the Hidden Dragon Galaxy through their interactions.

He found a suitable excuse for himself. There might be some connection between the Black Dragon Hotel and the Hidden Dragon Galaxy. It was not a loss to spend some effort there.

Next, Chen Yiming, Gao Shuai, and the others waited for the elevator for a while. The elevator was completely transparent, and as it rose, they could clearly see half of Flying Cloud City.

Soon, the elevator arrived. It opened, and they walked in. The door closed, and it rose.

The elevator rose all the way to the top before stopping.

Gao Shuai had booked all the suites and the observation platforms on the top floor with his status.

Sitting on such a wide observation platform with some drinks and drinks, overlooking most of Flying Cloud City, was a good way to discuss business, make deals, and make friends.

After exiting the elevator, Gao Shuai smiled and said, “There’s still some time before night. The nights in Flying Cloud City are quite lively. There are performances by humans that look almost like elves.”

“Let’s rest for a while. How about we have dinner together and talk about that matter in detail?”

“Sure.”

Chen Yiming nodded in agreement.

After all, it was no small matter when it came to the black tide. He knew that the other party wanted to contact the clan behind him first. This was mentioned when he stopped the old butler earlier.

Soon, Chen Yiming separated from the others. He took the room card in his hand and found a suite with the corresponding number. He didn’t swipe his card, but used facial recognition to enter.

…

In the suite that was more than 1,000 square meters large, there were all kinds of facilities. Compared to the blue planet, the level of technology was much higher. Not only was it full of smart devices, but the materials used also gave off a comfortable feeling.

There were also artificial intelligence systems that were almost like real humans. They could accurately carry out the orders of the people who had checked in and could also help to read up on various information, especially over the Internet.

Chen Yiming had seen from afar that the pedestrians in Flying Cloud City were carrying smart devices similar to the phones on the blue planet. They were much more technologically advanced and were holographic projections.

Even though the human spaceship fleet had stepped into outer space, they had yet to truly integrate into the Hidden Dragon Galaxy, let alone the universe.

It could be said that they were essentially a wandering civilization and could not contact the mainstream factions in the Hidden Dragon Galaxy. What they lacked was the right connections to the corresponding network.

The lizardmen civilization had a small number of smart devices. Although they had all been taken away by humans, it was similar to how there was only a signal in a fixed area on the blue planet. It was the same for the network in the Hidden Dragon Galaxy.

Only places like Flying Cloud City could be connected to the Internet.

As for whether it could still be connected after leaving the range of the network, perhaps not. Perhaps it could be connected with special equipment and special permission.

However, this was not something he needed to consider for the time being. At the moment, he had a feud with the factions related to the star spirits. It was best not to come into contact with the outside world openly with his true identity.

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