by <unknown>
"What?" Li Yao was dumbfounded. Thousands of thoughts were bursting out like fireworks in his mind. Calming himself down, he asked, "Captain Tang is an Immortal Cultivator? How is that possible? How does Cheng Xuansu know? What evidence does she have?"
"Naturally, I was not in a position to see the specific evidence," Professor Luo De said. "However, according to Cheng Xuansu, Firefly is in peril. Captain Tang lost the firm belief to restore Star Ocean Republic a long time ago and slowly degenerated into a pessimist and a capitulator. For his own life, he wouldn't hesitate to join anybody.
"Then, if he has to choose a target to rely on, of course, the more powerful the target is, the better. Although the Star Glory Federation boasts some influence at the edge of the cosmos, how can it be compared to the Imperium of True Human Beings? Captain Tang intends to resolve the problem once and for all. Naturally, surrendering to the Imperium is the better option!
"Therefore, a long time ago, Captain Tang's belief was corrupted, and he turned from a Cultivator into an Immortal Cultivator. Not only that, he also raised a huge batch of Immortal Cultivators on Firefly in secret. He planned to completely seize the super starship for the Imperium of True Human Beings when the time was right!
"Also, Cheng Xuansu also claimed that the 'Election Observation Delegation' that Captain Tang sent to the Star Glory Federation was mixed with a lot of Immortal Cultivators. If their scheme worked out, it was very possible that the expedition army of the Imperium would immediately show up right in front of us! Therefore, my cooperation would save not only Firefly but also our ally, the Star Glory Federation!
"It was exactly because of the dire consequences that she described that I agreed to cooperate with her and helped her craft a batch of super-minute magical equipment."
Li Yao widened his eyes and stared at every wrinkle on Professor Luo De's face without blinking, trying to find a hint of deception, but he found absolutely nothing.
If Professor Luo De was not an actor that was even more professional than Li Yao, he was very likely to be speaking the truth.
But Li Yao was still confused about one thing. "You believed everything Cheng Xuansu said when there was no proof at all? Did it never occur to you that it was possibly a setup that the parliament imposed on Captain Tang Dingyuan? After all, your parliament and your technical staff on the starship haven't been in the best relationship!"
"Of course, I didn't believe what Cheng Xuansu said!" Professor Luo De said. "Everybody knows that she is Speaker Cui Lingfeng's lackey. The technical staff who are devoted to technology have always thought little of the paranoid secret police.
"However, Cheng Xuansu didn't come to me alone. She was here with Chief Mate Ding, who endorsed her every word."
"Chief Mate Ding?" Li Yao thought for a moment. "You mean Ding Zhengyang, the general commander of the deck floor of Firefly; Captain Tang's trusted subordinate, assistant, and first agent; and the No. 3 person on the starship only secondary to Speaker Cui and Captain Tang?"
"Exactly," Professor Luo De said. "Everybody knows that Chief Mate Ding is Captain Tang's most loyal comrade. He has helped Captain Tang fight against the parliament for decades. During the few conflicts between the bridge and the parliament, he always led the charge!
"After we discovered the Star Glory Federation, Chief Mate Ding was the first one who proposed joining the Star Glory Federation. He was even earlier and more resolute than Captain Tang!
"Also, Chief Mate Ding belongs to the technical staff. He was promoted to the general commander of the deck floor step by step from a sailor at the bottom level in the engine compartment. He knows every detail about every corner of Firefly. He is a real expert commander of starships. The technical staff have always been quite fond of him!
"He personally told me that Captain Tang had defected and degenerated into an Immortal Cultivator!
"He dislikes the fellows in the parliament, but whether or not to join the Star Glory Federation did not matter. What mattered was to immediately eradicate the internal Immortal Cultivators on Firefly!
"I didn't trust Cheng Xuansu, but I couldn't find any reason not to trust Chief Mate Ding. That is why I helped them produce the batch of tracking and localization magical equipment!"
Li Yao took a deep breath. The brilliance inside his eyes was shining like mysterious stars. "Let me guess. Captain Tang Dingyuan has been arrested by the special investigators for secret interrogations, and it's not like that the MPs can pilot the starship. Therefore, the guy who has assumed Captain Tang's post and power is 'Chief Mate Ding', right?"
"Yes," Professor Luo De said. "The chief mate is the first agent of the captain after all. According to the Space Voyage Regulations, when accidents happen to the captain, the chief mate should immediately fill in for him. It is true that Chief Mate Ding Zhengyang is controlling Firefly as the acting captain!"
Chapter 1608: 'Stick' |
Li Yao stared at Professor Luo De. His telepathic thoughts crawled into his brain through the professor's pupils as he perceived the quakes of his every brain nerve carefully. It was not until he gazed at the professor for half a minute that he finally snapped his fingers and retracted the bluish rays, which were only half a millimeter away from the professor's eyeball.
Professor Luo De took a deep breath in relief. His central nerves had regained control of all the pores on his face, and he was finally able to squeeze the cold sweat out of his forehead.
"Alright. I'll believe what you said just now. I'll believe that you are truly ignorant of the situation and were merely a tool that somebody else took advantage of."
Still staring at Professor Luo De in the eyes, Li Yao said coldly, "But tell me this. Are you absolutely certain that Captain Tang has defected and degenerated into an Immortal Cultivator?"
Professor Luo De's eyeballs shivered quickly, with intense confusion beaming out. He struggled to reply. "I don't know."
"What if I told you that it is very possible that Captain Tang has been framed and that the real Immortal Cultivator is one of Speaker Cui Lingfeng, Cheng Xuansu and Ding Zhengyang, if not all of them? Do you believe that you have been fooled by them and that everything you did will very likely cause Firefly to fall into the hands of the Immortal Cultivators completely, leading to the early arrival of the Black Wind Fleet?"
Professor Luo De's eyes immediately bulged, and the blood streaks inside his eyes were almost spurting out like fire. "No!"
"I also cannot show you the critical evidence. I cannot even tell you who I really am. I can only assure you that I am also a Cultivator, and I want to prevent the Immortal Cultivators from arriving! However, in order to stop the Immortal Cultivators, I'll require your cooperation!"
Professor Luo De hesitated for a long time before he struggled to reply, "I—I don't know. What do you want me to do? I am just a regular refiner!"
"I know." Li Yao smiled. "What I'm asking you to do is very simple. You are the best super-minute carving specialist on Firefly, and you have profound research on the production and the dissection of tiny magical equipment. That's why the extraordinarily-made scarlet ball was delivered to you for study after it was discovered, right?"
Professor Luo De nodded. "Yes. So what?"
Unhurried, Li Yao continued. "The scarlet ball, being a very important exhibit, will certainly not be kept in your lab for long. After you complete the analysis, it will be delivered to the more crucial big shots, won't it?"
"It is true that Cheng Xuansu requested that I finish the analysis report of the scarlet ball as soon as possible," Professor Luo De said. "She said that she would have someone pick it up later. As for exactly whom the report will be delivered to, I don't have the slightest idea."
"Alright," Li Yao said. "I'll give control of your hands back to you. You will continue writing the analysis report exactly as you usually do your job. Then, you will dismantle and assemble the scarlet ball once in front of me with your regular methods.
"Right. There must be experiment l
ogs of your daily refining in this place, right? Retrieve all the videos. I want to see the appearance of your hands when you are doing super high-precision carving.
"Let me take a look… The jade chip cabinet over there is perfect in size. After you finish everything, I'll stuff you into the cabinet and lock your veins and nerves with barriers. Then, I'll cover your entire body with a metal membrane that can block all the spiritual energy and heat detection but will leave sufficient air for you. You will be able to neither move nor scream for three days and three nights. But don't worry. It is absolutely normal. In three days, you will regain your freedom, and there won't be any sequelae at all.
"By then, if Captain Tang and your student Tang Xiaoxing have proved innocent, and Cheng Xuansu and her lot are the actual Immortal Cultivators, I will certainly testify for you that you are not related to the whole event and that you only almost made a huge mistake because of the treachery of Cheng Xuansu and Ding Zhengyang!
"What I'm asking you to do is as simple as that. Do you agree to do that?"
Every wrinkle on Professor Luo De's face was twitching violently. After a long hesitation, he still found it hard to believe. "Chief—Chief Mate Ding is truly an Immortal Cultivator?"
"I don't know, either," Li Yao replied honestly. "But as long as you cooperate with me, we will be able to figure out exactly who the Immortal Cultivator is."
His words moved Professor Luo De, who nodded slowly and said, "Alright. I'll cooperate with you."
Professor Luo De finished the analysis report in two hours. Then, he dismantled and assembled the scarlet ball carefully one time.
In the meantime, by studying the videos of his refining, the experiment logs, and the posture in which he wrote the analysis report, Li Yao basically figured out Professor Luo De's style of refining, hand movements, language habits, and so on.
Two hours later, when the old officer of the secret police knocked on the door, only one 'Professor Luo De' appeared to be in the refining workshop.
Of course, it was the one that Li Yao was playing.
"Professor Luo, have you completed the analysis report?"
The old officer stood in front of Li Yao respectfully, not having the faintest doubt at all.
"Yes. This is a real masterpiece, an extraordinary work of art, a priceless treasure!"
Li Yao waved his hands crazily in front of the secret officer, as if he were greatly fascinated. "Look at it. Such delicate seven-layered-tower structure, such amazing super-tiny carving techniques. This is truly—"
"Well, Professor Luo." The secret officer coughed to interrupt him. "If you have completed the analysis report, I'm afraid that I have to take the item and report away now. This is very urgent and concerns the safety of Firefly."
"Fine!" Li Yao sniffed, as if he were very regretful. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "After you have checked it, can you return the item so that I can continue studying it? It is too beautiful, delicate, and unbelievable. I'm going to study every rune array on the item carefully and the different materials employed in every layer!"
"About that…" Hesitating for a moment, the secret officer nodded and said, "Professor Luo, you are one of the best specialists in super-minute carving. I believe that the scarlet ball will be sent back to you for further study eventually."
"That's good!" Li Yao pushed the scarlet ball over to him on the desk.
But this time, it had been installed into a cylinder with a metal ring on both ends. The cylinder was filled with bright blue liquids.
"I do not want to completely ruin its structure," Li Yao explained. "However, the rune arrays preserved internally are too precise and mysterious. The general 'blockage gel' may not be enough to entirely prevent it from sending and receiving telepathic thoughts. Therefore, it's best that the item is sealed by my 'super strong gel' and 'wave blocker'. Be careful. Do not drop it on the ground or make it shake too violently."
The old officer nodded. He picked up the metal cylinder with both hands dutifully and took it away together with the jade chip that stored the analysis report.
Li Yao's face retained the expression of fondness and deep regret until three seconds after the door of the refining workshop was closed again. Then, he put on his normal expression and took out his tactical crystal processor, triggering the light beam.
Bo… Bo… Bo…
A tiny red spot was moving slowly at the center of the light beam. As the bright redness spread into the surroundings incessantly, the precise structure of all the pathways and cabins around, as well as the passers-by, were scanned without exception!
Moreover, based on the power of the heartbeat and breath of the passersby, the crystal processor could even basically infer whether they were civilians or Cultivators, civil officers or well-trained soldiers!
As the red spot slowly approached the core, the heart of Firefly was gradually unveiled in front of Li Yao. No secrets were kept from him anymore!
Naturally, such powerful scanning and localization rune arrays could never be carved into a scarlet ball that was less than three millimeters in diameter. Li Yao would not have been able to achieve that even if his refining arts were three times more professional.
Therefore, he had simply installed the scanning lens and the localization rune arrays into the metal cylinder that 'sealed' the scarlet ball.
The metal cylinder was the size of a baby's arm. It was enough for him to hide all the chips and rune arrays that he needed as well as the marrow crystal of high energy levels.
Yes. The scarlet ball was merely bait, a piece of 'seemingly awesome' magical equipment. However, because its size was too small, the marrow crystal stored at the center was as insignificant as a grain of dust and could not unleash sufficient spiritual energy. Therefore, even if the item did detect tremendous intelligence, it would have been extremely unlikely for the item to send the information to the outside world by piercing through the thick shell of the starship.
The ultimate purpose of implanting such a scarlet ball into Tang Xiaoxing's throat was to deliver the metal cylinder, which was big enough, into the enemy's heart!
Li Yao sat on Professor Luo De's swivel chair comfortably. Placing his feet on the desk and softly whistling, he finally turned on the communication channel.
"The 'stick' has been sent." Li Yao smiled. "With the delicacy and flawlessness of the scarlet ball that I crafted, together with Professor Luo's analysis report, I believe that the 'stick' will certainly be sent to the guy who is behind the entire scheme. It is even possible that the enemy will take the 'stick' to Captain Tang in their paranoia and interrogate him about the information concerning the scarlet ball.
"After all, we are a force other than the Immortal Cultivators, Firefly, and the Star Glory Federation. Absolutely nobody is aware of our existence!
"If someone is behind this scheme, it is very possible that they will consider the people who are trying to rescue Tang Xiaoxing as Captain Tang's trump card. They will certainly try their best to figure out the truth about the trump card.
"Of course, if Captain Tang is behind the whole scheme himself, he will certainly be very interested in the scarlet ball of mysterious backgrounds, too.
"Then, not only will we be able to figure out the map of Firefly's heart through the scanning lens and the probe magical equipment hidden inside the 'stick', it is also very possible that we will hear some interesting secrets via the detectaphone chips!"
Chapter 1609: Professional Enough... |
"Excellent!" Ba Xiaoyu the Beggar's voice echoed in the communication channel.
Back in the Ancient Sages Sector, Ba Xiaoyu had always been a sloppy, rogue warrior who acted on his own. Sometimes, to serve justice—say, when investigating the evil criminals such as the Black Devil Cult—he would often have to camouflage himself and sneak into the enemy's nest. It was a business that he was quite familiar with. One might even say that he was the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator of the twelve experts from the Ancient Sages Sector who wa
s the best at the arts of infiltration other than Long Yangjun and Li Yao.
"We have basically finished exploring the external defenses and weaknesses of Firefly, and we have located the most suitable place to attack. As long as you figure out the location of the internal critical parts and the distribution of soldiers, we will be able to march into the starship unstoppably, Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture!"
Li Yao was slightly dazed. "So fast?"
Firefly was made of hundreds of starships, large and small, that were connected together. Its external structure was as complicated as a maze. Also, the experts of the Ancient Sages Sector had barely fought in the vacuum in space before. Li Yao had expected them to take at least half a day to finish the reconnaissance!
"We've got Heiye Lan!" Ba Xiaoyu said. "Don't forget that she attacked Firefly almost ten years ago. If 'Blazing Tyrannosaur' Ding Lingdang hadn't stopped her, I'm afraid that she would've long conquered Firefly. Naturally, she knows the fatal weaknesses of the starship.
"Of course, we didn't inform Heiye Lan of our entire plan, but after she learned that we are going to assault the key part of Firefly, was there any reason for her not to help us make plans and contribute all her wisdom?"
"Everything is absolutely fine on our side. But as for you, Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture…" Meng Chixin's thoughtful voice came over. "It is indeed a tedious task to sneak into Firefly in secret and pretend to be Professor Luo De. If the battle succeeds in the end, Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture, you will certainly be the greatest contributor!"
Li Yao blinked and said, "It's all thanks to Lord Wang's thorough planning and the vivid skin mask that he has carefully prepared for me. I am merely carrying out his plan exactly as he said. I cannot take the credit of the greatest contributor.
"Besides, Professor Luo De is best known for his nonchalance and his weird temper. He is quite taciturn and unfriendly, and he has been locked in his own refining workshop to study for years. He barely sets foot in the outside world. Other people do not visit him in his refining workshop often, either. If I pretend to be such a guy for only a couple of minutes, it will be practically impossible for me to be seen through even if I want to be!