Early the next morning.
Jiang Lijin was woken up yet again, this time by the deafening roar of an engine.
Sporting a messy bedhead, she rubbed her eyes in utter despair and walked over to the window. She yanked the curtains open, only to freeze stiff in her tracks.
Parked in the open space right outside the yard was a colossal, silver-white interstellar spaceship with a highly futuristic design.
It was a good thing this area was sparsely populated with vast stretches of wasteland surrounding the house. If this had been downtown on the Capital Star, there would be absolutely nowhere for this monstrosity to land!
Tinia was standing beneath the spaceship, directing several people as they loaded luggage inside.
Jiang Lijin sighed. After washing up, she changed into a set of casual clothes and went downstairs.
As soon as she stepped out of the yard, she bumped into Chiron, who was getting ready to head to work.
Today, he was dressed in a crisp, dark uniform that gave off an aloof and unapproachable aura, showing absolutely no trace of the lazy, seductive charm he had exuded last night in that deep-V bathrobe.
"Morning." Chiron stopped in his tracks. His gaze swept over the exaggerated spaceship, a hint of teasing in his tone. "The financial power of the Yunlan Group truly lives up to its reputation. To think they'd deploy a military-grade warp starship just for a vacation."
"Morning," Jiang Lijin replied casually, ruffling her wind-blown hair. "I didn't expect him to put on such a huge spectacle either."
"Stay safe on the road," Chiron advised, his tone growing a bit more serious. "Although the Valoran galaxy is prosperous on the surface and famous as a holiday resort, it's a mixed bag in the shadows, with rampant black market trading. If you run into any trouble, contact me anytime."
As Chiron spoke, he lightly tapped his optical computer. "Once I finish the handover, I'll be there in three days at the latest."
Jiang Lijin's heart stirred slightly. The black market was actually in the Valoran galaxy? Or perhaps this kind of underground trading network was already spread across all galaxies? However, as a galaxy with a highly developed tourism industry, massive foot traffic, and complex star-citizenships, it really was the perfect place for a black market to hide. This trip was already proving to be worth it.
"Understood, Lord Director. See you in three days." Jiang Lijin waved at him and turned to walk toward the spaceship.
The moment she stepped onto the ship, Jiang Lijin truly understood what it meant to have the extravagance of the wealthiest man in the galaxy.
This wasn't a spaceship; it was simply a flying luxury villa.
The cabin was laid with soft carpets that made no sound when stepped on, and expensive artworks hung on the walls. The interior was even divided into a lounge area, an entertainment zone, a dining room, and an indoor climate-controlled swimming pool.
The water in the pool shimmered with a blue glow, with several rose petals floating on the surface.
Seven or eight uniformed service staff stood in two rows, bowing deeply in perfect unison.
"Greetings, Young Master! Greetings, Miss Jiang!" Their voices were loud and clear, their roles distinctly assigned.
Tinia stepped forward and naturally took Jiang Lijin's hand, introducing the ship as if claiming credit. "Sister, I just had this 'Yunlan' custom-built last year. It only takes half a day to get from the Capital Star to Valoran. The kitchen is fully stocked with top-tier ingredients from every galaxy. Whatever you want to eat, just give them the word anytime."
Jiang Lijin looked at the highly trained service staff, then at the luxurious interior, and silently pulled her hand back.
The world of the rich was truly so unpretentious!
"Alright, let them dismiss." She walked over to the panoramic window and found a sofa to sit down on.
Tinia waved the staff away and scooted over to sit beside Jiang Lijin.
The next second, his spiritual body, a small golden fox, popped out. The moment the little guy appeared, it darted onto Jiang Lijin's lap. Its fluffy golden tail restlessly wrapped around her calf, and it affectionately nuzzled her palm.
Tinia secretly observed Jiang Lijin's expression. He had seen it clear as day yesterday: his sister had absolutely no resistance to fluffy things!
When Chiron's stupid fat bird nuzzled her, she had actually smiled and pet it back! His spiritual body was a super cute little fox! How could he possibly lose to that?
"Sister, do you want something to drink? I'll have someone prepare some freshly squeezed starlight juice, okay?" He acted like a large dog circling its owner, his eyes sparkling brightly.
Jiang Lijin looked down and casually pinched the mischievous fox tail. Unable to resist, she rubbed it a couple more times before gently pushing the little fox aside and taking the cashmere blanket Tinia handed her to cover herself.
"No need, I'm going to lie down for a bit. Wake me up when we get there."
The spaceship lifted off smoothly, breaking through the Capital Star's atmosphere and sailing into the depths of the universe.
Jiang Lijin closed her eyes.
She hoped this trip would smoothly unlock the system shop, and she could conveniently look for clues regarding those contraband drugs in Valoran's black market.
As for that two-faced green tea, Felwin... With her manipulative methods, today's pre-employment medical check-up at the Central Hospital of the Capital Star probably wouldn't find anything unusual. She might have even prepared a disguise well in advance. Jiang Lijin would still have to investigate it herself.
In the afternoon, the starship finally arrived at Valoran's capital star, Valorant.
As soon as she stepped off the ship, Jiang Lijin could feel a completely different atmosphere from the Capital Star.
The architectural style of the Capital Star leaned toward a cold, hard metallic texture, whereas Valorant was entirely a colorful vacation paradise.
Giant floating plants could be seen everywhere, and brightly colored aircraft shuttled back and forth through the sky. The air was filled with a faint floral fragrance and the scent of seawater.
The hovercar Tinia had arranged was already waiting outside the spaceport.
The two got in the car. Tinia didn't head home; instead, he took Jiang Lijin straight to the best seaside resort hotel under his family's name.
Just as the hovercar drove onto the coastline.
[Ding! Detected that the host has arrived at a new galaxy sector: the Valoran Galaxy.]
[System permissions are updating...]
[Unlocking a new map rewards 100 points. The System Shop has been unlocked. Current point balance: 398.8 (Debt: 101.2). The host is welcome to browse and purchase at any time.]
Unlike Xiao Yi's crisp, emotive mechanical voice, this voice lacked a single trace of emotion; it was the most basic AI voice.
Jiang Lijin's breath hitched slightly. The last time she heard this emotionless voice was in the final moments of her death...
She took a deep breath, suppressing that sliver of discomfort, and immediately opened the system shop interface in her mind.
A dazzling array of item lists instantly popped up.
The categories were quite mixed, ranging from interstellar high-tech weapons and medical potions to talismans and elixirs from the cultivation world, and even exotic beast cubs from some primordial realm.
Jiang Lijin roughly glanced at the prices. Even the cheapest basic hemostatic patch cost 50 points.
As for those advanced items, the prices were followed by a long string of zeros that made Jiang Lijin dizzy.
[Poor people don't deserve to window-shop.] Jiang Lijin concluded.
Xiao Yi hurriedly jumped out to make its presence known: [Host, don't be discouraged. You can earn points every day just by idling now, and exploring new locations also gives point rewards. As long as you work hard, paying off your debt is just around the corner!]
Jiang Lijin decisively closed the interface.
