Walking out of the workshop, Chi Yao didn’t see any expression on Zhang Sheng’s face other than “business”.

Just as he expected, the other party was trying to buy back the energy stones. The equipment parts thrown in were probably not worth mentioning in the other’s eyes.

Since it was like this, Chi Yao wouldn’t be polite with him.

Returning to the office building, Zhang Sheng had someone draft a procurement contract on the spot and handed the list of energy stones to be purchased to Chi Yao.

“See if there are any matches.”

Chi Yao took it and glanced at it roughly, smiling: “What a coincidence, I have what you want.”

Zhang Sheng smiled along: “So you are sure you want to trade with energy stones?”

Chi Yao: “For people like us without household registration, transferring money is much more troublesome than you imagine. If we can avoid using money, we avoid it.”

Zhang Sheng nodded in understanding and asked his subordinates to draft an energy procurement contract as well.

“How many days will your channel procedures take?”

Energy trading was strict in the empire. Sellers needed certain qualifications. For a star pirate like Chi Yao who not only lacked household registration but wanted to sell energy, he could only go to the black market, wash the energy through the gray area into formal channels, and then circulate it out.

“Less than 24 hours. We can trade tomorrow.” Chi Yao said lightly, “However, when can the goods I ordered be shipped?”

Zhang Sheng smiled: “Guaranteed to be tradable before the energy stones are in place.”

After signing the contract, Chi Yao stood up: “Then see you tomorrow.”

The smile on Zhang Sheng’s lips froze, and he stood up too: “How about going for a drink together?”

Noticing the subtle change in his expression from the corner of his eye, Chi Yao smiled: “No, going back smelling of alcohol will make my wife dislike me.”

Zhang Sheng walked him to the door.

“You don’t look like the type to marry early. Your partner must be excellent.”

Chi Yao raised an eyebrow: “Can you tell at a glance if someone is the type to marry early?”

Zhang Sheng smiled brightly: “Others can’t tell, but you—look like the type likely to make your partner a widow.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Smiling while cursing him to die early?

Chi Yao sneered: “In that case, a successful person like President Zhang must have a very harmonious family?”

Zhang Sheng’s expression didn’t ripple much, only the smile on his lips was slightly stiff.

Chi Yao entered the elevator with him, watching the metal doors slowly close, and said slowly: “You look like you lack nothing, yet you have a face of solitude. Be careful your wife and children don’t run away.”

Zhang Sheng: “…”

Arriving at the first floor, the elevator doors opened.

Chi Yao walked out first.

A cool breeze blew past. While adjusting his collar, he pressed the spray bottle hidden in his cuff, and a faint scent of orange blossom dispersed in the air.

Before Zhang Sheng could speak, Chi Yao turned his head to look over.

“The fragrance here is nice. It smells like something an omega would like.”

Zhang Sheng sniffed, a bit puzzled, not understanding why this scent was here.

“Maybe an employee brought it.”

While talking, Chi Yao observed Zhang Sheng’s changes.

No change.

Whether it was wavelength or pheromones, there was no difference from before.

Getting in the car, Chi Yao recalled what just happened.

No matter how many times he thought about it, he still found no abnormality.

So, Zhang Sheng was the middleman between Bai Yi and the ghost?

Or conversely, was Bai Yi the middleman between Zhang Sheng and the ghost?

Li Yuan drove, seeing the boss lost in thought, he asked: “Boss, was it too smooth? I feel uneasy.”

“Smooth?” Chi Yao rested his chin on his hand, looking at the night view outside the window.

Li Yuan didn’t understand why he asked that.

Signing the order in one or two hours, successfully sending the energy stones back, wasn’t this smooth?

Li Yuan: “Will they discover we tampered with it?”

“Not impossible.”

Chi Yao withdrew his gaze, “So we can’t just use one method to mark it.”

Li Yuan: “…”

You old fox.

Downstairs of the office building, Zhang Sheng watched the maglev car fly away through the large floor-to-ceiling glass.

Only when even the taillights were invisible did he turn around and walk back.

Raising his hand to smell the scent on him, the corner of his lips raised slightly.

Returning to the spaceship, Chi Yao went to the main cabin first but didn’t see Jing Xi.

“Looking for Major General Jing? He took the brothers to the cargo hold.”

A patrolling soldier reported.

“He went personally?”

Chi Yao turned and walked out.

Flying Dragon was still at 820. Although Jing Xi was here, all legion affairs still had to be handled by him.

This person couldn’t even manage his own affairs, yet when asked to supervise, he ran off to do it himself.

Arriving at the cargo hold, the soldiers of the dark division were holding instruments, marking carloads of energy and ore.

Chi Yao glanced around and saw Jing Xi in the corner, surrounded by several soldiers, seemingly explaining something.

“Extract 30% from each car and use plans one and three simultaneously, extract another 30% using plans two and three, and use plans one and two for the rest.”

Jing Xi’s voice was cold but explained patiently, “Ensure every energy stone has two types of marks.”

A soldier on the side was puzzled: “Then if they detect marks after testing, they definitely won’t use this batch of goods.”

Jing Xi shook his head: “If they want to recover it, it means this batch of goods is very important. Even if they use more than one detection method, at least 30% of the marks can be guaranteed to remain.”

Another soldier had an epiphany.

“You consider things so carefully. Boss said to mark them, so we thought just marking one type would do.”

Jing Xi: “He would have let you mark at least two types, but if they were all the same, the risk is too high.”

Soldier: “Then let’s switch a few more types.”

Jing Xi shook his head: “If the other party uses more than two detection methods, it only shows they are very cautious. In this case, no matter how many types we switch, it’s useless. The other party might give up this batch of goods after weighing the pros and cons.”

Just as he was speaking, seeing Chi Yao walking over from the corner of his eye, Jing Xi turned his head to look.

Dressed in a smoky gray suit, his usually unruly hair was well-groomed, looking very different from his usual lazy appearance.

Jing Xi’s Adam’s apple rolled unconsciously.

Wanted to pin him down and kiss him.

“Giving them a lesson?” Chi Yao walked over, naturally putting his arm around Jing Xi’s shoulder, looking at the soldiers in front of him. “His lessons are very expensive.”

The three soldiers chuckled.

“With you here, what are we afraid of?”

“Major General Jing, feel free to make any request. Our boss will definitely satisfy you.”

“You are our boss, so of course, you pay the tuition.”

Jing Xi looked at him: “Really you pay?”

Chi Yao: “…”

Jing Xi: “I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs for lunch tomorrow.”

Chi Yao: “No.”

Jing Xi: “Hot and sour shredded potatoes.”

Chi Yao: “No.”

Jing Xi looked at the three soldiers, keeping a straight face: “Your boss refuses to pay tuition. What to do?”

The commotion here attracted other soldiers nearby, and everyone started jeering—

“Of course, enforce it hahahaha—”

“Major General Jing, I can make hot and sour shredded potatoes. Eat with us tomorrow.”

“Won’t even give sweet and sour pork ribs. Boss, can you do it or not?”

Chi Yao looked over, his smile gradually turning cold: “You guys look very free?”

Everyone’s expression froze, and they scattered like birds and beasts, silently picking up instruments to go back to marking.

Chi Yao turned his head to look at Jing Xi, not missing the mischief flashing in his eyes.

When the ice beauty played bad, he was super cute.

Jing Xi: “What did Zhang Sheng say?”

Chi Yao pulled him to sit down, unbuttoning the shirt collar that was strangling his neck.

“Agreed to exchange equipment for energy stones. Wished he could say it explicitly.”

This result was completely within their expectations.

Jing Xi asked: “Is he in a hurry?”

Chi Yao poured a glass of cold water and took a gulp.

“Barring accidents, the transaction is tomorrow night.”

Jing Xi frowned, pondering for a moment.

“Something’s not right.”

Chi Yao put down the glass: “I feel the same way, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

Zhang Sheng’s attitude indeed showed he wanted them to send the goods back earlier, but something seemed off.

“Take it one step at a time.”

Chi Yao rubbed his brow, having a bit of a headache. “He’s not a modified human.”

Jing Xi glanced at him, got up and walked behind Chi Yao’s chair, letting him lean back relaxed against him, massaging his temples.

“Couldn’t detect it with Chou Shuang’s release agent?”

Chi Yao closed his eyes, enjoying his wife’s considerate service.

“I suspect the stuff she gave isn’t effective.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Chi Yao: “Can’t feel the aura of a modified human on Zhang Sheng, but the feeling he gives me is also not quite like a normal person.”

Jing Xi: “Disguise?”

Chi Yao recalled the events of the evening from beginning to end.

“I might have met him earlier, and he intends to befriend me.”

The only two changes in expression, the first was when he asked if they had met, and the second was when he said he was leaving.

Both changes were subtle, but Chi Yao was sure he didn’t see wrong.

Jing Xi: “In the base where you grew up? Amusement park? Star pirate circle? Or among ghosts?”

Listening to his prompts, Chi Yao recalled the people he encountered in these places in his mind.

A moment later, he shook his head: “There’s no such person.”

Jing Xi’s gaze fell on his beautifully curved jawline, lost in thought.

Chi Yao’s circle could be said to be big or small.

If none of those places fit, only one possibility remained.

Their meeting might have happened before Chi Yao was captured as a child.

With the plan given by Jing Xi, leaving the rest for Li Yuan to supervise, the two returned to the main cabin together.

Just as they entered, the closed cabin door behind them opened again, and Chou Shuang ran in excitedly.

“Xiao Jing, give me some more of your samples!”

Chi Yao pulled Jing Xi away to prevent him from being pounced on by Chou Shuang.

“Speak if you want, don’t get physical.”

Chou Shuang looked at Jing Xi’s face and swallowed regretfully.

“Too few samples.”

“This is all I have left here.” Jing Xi asked in a low voice, “Found something?”

Chou Shuang had an expression like she won the lottery grand prize: “Too exciting! Which talent came up with this stuff? I really want to meet him.”

Chi Yao: “Speak human language.”

Chou Shuang sat down heavily, excitedly saying: “Do you know ancient dragons?”

Chi Yao said with lack of interest: “Know them. What does it have to do with that?”

“Ancient dragons have antlers, ox noses, eagle claws, snake tails. They never truly existed, just products of ancient people’s fantasy.”

Chou Shuang looked at them, eyes glowing, “But the genes of this ‘humanoid beast’ are extremely similar to it.”

Jing Xi frowned: “You mean, genes composed of multiple organisms? Like patching?”

Chou Shuang snapped her fingers: “But the splicing technology is very average.”

Chi Yao: “We knew this before. Say something new.”

Chou Shuang hmphed, somewhat dissatisfied: “Genes of multiple organisms spliced together, even with very immature technology, actually allowed the experimental subject to survive. This is the most miraculous part.”

Thinking of that monster in Cave 333, Chi Yao’s expression wasn’t good.

“What you think is miraculous is a disaster for others.”

Chou Shuang was originally immersed in discovering a new world. Hearing this, her thoughts instantly returned to reality.

“Your genes aren’t that exciting.”

Chi Yao sneered: “Thanks for the exaggeration.”

Jing Xi covered the back of Chi Yao’s hand, grasping his fingertips in his palm.

“You mean, the true intention of the person who created humanoid beasts might be to create powerful creatures like ancient dragons?”

Chou Shuang sat without posture, swinging her crossed legs: “Very possible.”

“In myths and legends, dragons are divine beasts that dominate everything.”

Jing Xi’s expression turned cold, “Then these people who create humanoid beasts also want to use this to dominate the world?”

Chi Yao sneered: “Pity, failed.”

Chou Shuang laughed loudly: “Gene splicing level is considered high, but wanting to create dragons, that’s really wishful thinking.”

Jing Xi asked: “Then in a situation like humanoid beasts, is it possible to recover?”

“Impossible.”

Chou Shuang denied directly, “Every biological sequence appearing in the genes is incomplete. Trying to complete it is equivalent to re-creation. Even if repair is successful, it has nothing to do with the original.”

Jing Xi’s heart tightened.

“What about modified humans?”

Chou Shuang glanced at Chi Yao from the corner of her eye.

“Modified humans are different. They were originally humans. A segment of beast gene was added to the original gene sequence, breaking the body’s balance, making it easy to switch back and forth between beast and human.”

“So as long as the beast part can be removed, it can be repaired?” Jing Xi asked.

Chou Shuang nodded: “Theoretically yes, but very difficult to realize.”

Jing Xi: “Chou Tianlin has already developed the first version of repair agent—”

Chou Shuang straightened up, her face changing suddenly.

“When?!”

Chi Yao chimed in: “Just a while ago.”

Jing Xi: “He said before that he was already simulating experiments. Maybe the second version will come out soon.”

“Screw him.”

Chou Shuang cursed, “That monster—”

Chi Yao: “You know him?”

Chou Shuang didn’t answer, standing up to look at Jing Xi.

“Samples are really gone?”

Jing Xi shook his head: “If you want samples, there are plenty on 820. Chun Qin might have already collected them.”

“Okay.” Chou Shuang walked out hurriedly, “I’ll go find her now!”

The cabin door closed in front of his eyes. Chi Yao turned his head to look at Jing Xi.

“Did she take the wrong medicine?”

“She and Chou Tianlin are cousins. They might have been competitors since childhood.” Jing Xi said lightly.

Siblings of similar age are most likely to form competitive relationships, even more intense in large families.

After Chou Shuang entered the dark division for unknown reasons, she didn’t have any work on the surface and was still the shame of the family to this day, while her cousin, two years older, had already won all possible honors.

This gap wasn’t just ordinary.

Chi Yao rubbed his chin: “You plotted against her from the start?”

Giving Chou Shuang a little sample as bait, waiting for the other party to take the hook, then dragging Chou Tianlin out to attract hatred. Under the influence of self-esteem, emotions were easily led.

If Jing Xi told her to go east, she wouldn’t go west.

Jing Xi: “I didn’t plot against her.”

Chi Yao teased: “This isn’t called plotting, what is it called?”

Jing Xi said expressionlessly: “Arrangement.”

Chi Yao: “…”

At night, Chi Yao went to the cargo hold for inspection and returned to the rest cabin. The bedroom was dim. Rarely did Jing Xi sleep earlier than him.

He finished washing up and lay down beside Jing Xi.

Just as he got under the covers, the person beside him automatically rolled into his arms.

Jing Xi hugged his waist, throwing a long leg over.

“So fragrant.”

Chi Yao couldn’t put down his smooth hair, teasing: “Gentlemen also have to roll, just rolling from that end of the bed to my end?”

Jing Xi closed his eyes, his voice hoarse with sleepiness: “If the mountain won’t come to me, I will go to the mountain.”

Chi Yao was amused, planting a light kiss in his hair.

“So open-minded?”

Jing Xi’s hand touched and pressed his abs dishonestly.

“The mountain only knows how to kiss. I can do something else.”

Chi Yao: “…”

What kind of wife is this? Cute to death.

Chi Yao held down his hand that was fanning the flames and pulled the person closer.

Without turning on the constant temperature system, the body temperature of two people was just enough for warmth.

“Xixi, asleep?”

After a long while, Chi Yao spoke in a low voice.

Jing Xi: “Not completely asleep yet.”

Chi Yao chuckled low, the smile fading: “That Major General Bo you mentioned, what kind of person is he?”

Hearing this, Jing Xi opened his eyes.

He had mentioned it more than once, but Chi Yao never asked.

Jing Xi knew Chi Yao already had guesses, but if the other party didn’t ask, he couldn’t say much.

Even regarding the things they experienced together as children, he avoided mentioning them if possible.

For him, it might be the most beautiful memory in life, but for Chi Yao, it might be very painful, painful enough to have to forget to protect himself.

“Why mention him suddenly?” Jing Xi adjusted his posture, lying on his side facing him.

Chi Yao brushed away the long hair falling on his neck: “Just suddenly thought of it.”

Jing Xi held his hand, intertwining fingers.

“Major General Bo was in the same period as my father. Grandpa said father often mentioned him—”

Chi Yao listened to him, imagining those scenes in his mind.

The dazzling white light gradually faded, revealing the truest side of memory.

In the grass, the person running behind the child appeared in a black military uniform, only that face was still blocked by white light, expression unclear.

Chi Yao: “Where are his parents?”

Jing Xi: “Has an adoptive father in Ursa Major. Back then, some people in the military kept suggesting sending you back. Considering the need for family affection, Grandpa reluctantly agreed. Didn’t expect—”

Guilt was hard to hide in the deep voice. Chi Yao touched his head: “His biological parents passed away?”

Jing Xi shook his head: “This is unclear. Only said there’s an adoptive father.”

Chi Yao: “Can you find out if it was adoption from an orphanage or adoption between relatives?”

“Grandpa has already sent someone to investigate.” Jing Xi looked at him, “Ursa Major was originally also under Li Bo’s jurisdiction. The files registered in the system probably can’t be completely trusted.”

Chi Yao: “Mn.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly: “If it wasn’t adoption between relatives, then Major General Bo’s identity probably needs to be investigated properly.”

Waking up the next day, Chi Yao received a message from Chou Shuang arriving at 820, with a photo attached.

In the photo was a bewildered Jin Ze and Chun Qin delivering food to him.

Chou Shuang: [Who is this dog man?!]

Chi Yao: “…”

Someone snatched it, now you know to jump?