The maid walked away, and Lin Hao passed Elfa and the others, entering the living room before plopping down on the sofa. He tilted his head back, gazing at the ceiling, lost in thought.
It seemed this creature was more troublesome than he had imagined. As expected, they knew that things were somewhat different from what was posted on the star network. Was this an internal employee price?
"King, that girl is not a simple person," Elfa said to Zai Zai, sitting opposite him. He shared the problem he had discovered.
"Why do you say that?" Lin Hao, who was still deep in thought, was momentarily stunned by Elfa's words. It took him a full minute to recall who Elfa was referring to. "You mean Fei Er?" he asked, turning his head to Elfa after clearing his mind.
He had indeed harbored some doubts when he heard Fei Er's words in the lecture hall. He had wondered then how Fei Er knew these things. And why would Fei Er ask a researcher to examine the remains of a plant, purely for experimental data? Or for something else? The problem was, that researcher had indeed found something. And coincidentally, the person who received the research report had perished. It all seemed too much like a coincidence. Were things really that coincidental?
"The things she said involved too many coincidences, making one unable to help but suspect," Elfa replied coldly to Zai Zai's question, voicing his conjecture. He had been observing everyone in the conference room and had been drawn to the girl's words and the excessively coincidental events surrounding her. In the last few minutes, he had used his mental powers to scan outside and discovered that the girl and the boy had separated for a few minutes. As for where the girl went during those minutes, he didn't know. However, everything about that girl was too coincidental, so much so that it made one suspicious. If the girl didn't intend to harm Zai Zai, he wouldn't have the energy to manage those people. But if her target would harm Zai Zai, then this girl absolutely could not be spared. Elfa's eyes darkened as he considered the last possibility, and he let out a cold laugh. He hoped she wouldn't do anything outrageous.
Hearing Elfa's words, Lin Hao fell into thought, as Elfa's words echoed his own suspicions. Fei Er's words were indeed hard to question. Her answers seemed smooth, but upon closer inspection, they were riddled with flaws. He truly didn't want to suspect Fei Er. But.
"King, it's time to eat." Ruila's voice suddenly interrupted Lin Hao's contemplation and the overly heavy atmosphere in the living room. When she had first arrived at this residence, she had immediately gone to the kitchen. After an inspection, she found the kitchen acceptable, though a bit small, and the cookware and utensils were a bit worn. (Bowls: I am brand new, thank you.) However, with a bit of searching, she could find some better ones. Indeed, next time she went out, she should bring some equipment. Otherwise, what if Zai Zai used bowls and chopsticks he wasn't used to and felt uncomfortable? Ruila's thoughts became more convinced, so she placed the cleaver on the cutting board and took out a notebook, jotting down the idea. First item: Bring tableware when going out (mandatory!). Note: To ensure Zai Zai eats.
After writing this down, Ruila put the notebook back into her space. Then, she slowly continued to cook. In less than twenty minutes, she had prepared a meal. She brought the dishes to the dining table and smiled at Zai Zai, saying, "King, it's time to eat."
Lin Hao turned to Ruila and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Ruila." He stopped thinking about Fei Er's matter, as Fei Er probably wouldn't do such things. And as for future matters, they could be dealt with later. The only important thing now was to eat! He was starving; he hadn't eaten or slept well on the battleship these past few days. Now that he finally had a chance to rest, he had to eat! He absolutely had to! He gestured for Elfa and the others to sit down. As they were all seated, he suddenly thought of something and looked up at Xier. "Xier, let Lan Jia Ruo out."
This matter had to go back an hour earlier. Lin Hao looked at the approaching Federation and then glanced at the languid fish lying beside him. This fish wasn't dressed properly, and its appearance was too striking. If this fish were seen by humans, wouldn't they go mad? He couldn't let it in like this. He didn't want unnecessary attention from humans. He needed to find a good way to bring this fish in.
"Lan Jia Ruo, put on some clothes?" Lin Hao approached Lan Jia Ruo, the merman who was bored and blowing bubbles, and said.
"Huh? Why should I wear clothes?" Lan Jia Ruo looked up at Lin Hao and asked. For their merfolk race, clothes would interfere with all their abilities, increasing their risk of being hunted. Therefore, merfolk had a genetic aversion to clothing. As for the sheer veil he was wearing draped over his legs, he had transformed it from his own scales, and it had no effect on him. Hearing the Insect King speak, he expressed great incomprehension.
"You're too flashy, it's not good to bring you in," Lin Hao said to the fish, combining its questioning look with its intelligence level. He finally concluded, "You're too unconventional, it's not good to take you out (you're embarrassing me)." Do you understand?
"Am I very flashy?" Hearing Lin Hao's words, Lan Jia Ruo stood up, raised an arm, and conjured a water mirror out of thin air. He looked at the clothes he was wearing. A blue, floor-length sheer veil with some sequins. Was this outfit that peculiar? Lan Jia Ruo looked at his sheer veil, then turned to look at Lin Hao's clothes: a white short-sleeved shirt and black pants, with no skin exposed except for his arms. He then glanced at the "stinky bug" sitting nearby, eyes closed in repose, wearing a white military uniform with not much skin exposed either. Hmm, his outfit did seem a little strange. Although Lan Jia Ruo noticed his problem, he had no intention of repenting. "This is how I am, what can you do about it?"
"This is indeed a bit flashy," Lin Hao said, looking at the fish preening in front of the mirror. It was so flashy that he didn't even want to take it out. He didn't want a fashionably challenged outing. His own identity was already enough to cause a stir, and if you added him, wouldn't it be a bombshell? How do you expect me to proceed?
Just as both sides were at a stalemate, Xier came over, understood the situation, and put Lan Jia Ruo into her space. After Xier put the fish away, she returned to the cockpit. As for why Elfa didn't take the fish into his space, that remains unknown. And that was that.
Hearing Zai Zai's words, Xier released Lan Jia Ruo from her space. There was no complaining, only happiness, as expected. All they saw was a dying fish lying on the ground. Lin Hao, who had been waiting for the fish to complain, didn't hear its voice. He turned his head in confusion and saw the fish lying on the ground. Lin Hao quickly stood up from his chair and immediately went to Lan Jia Ruo's side, crouching down and gently shaking him. "What's wrong?"
Shaken, Lan Jia Ruo regained brief consciousness. Seeing Lin Hao before him, he forced a smile, his throat dry, and croaked, "Leave quickly, the concentration here is extremely high. Leave, leave quickly." He struggled to open his mouth, speaking to Lin Hao with urgency. After he finished speaking, he fell unconscious.
Lin Hao knew what "it" was that Lan Jia Ruo was referring to, as only that could make the usually carefree fish so anxious. The atmosphere, which had just begun to relax, became heavy again upon hearing Lan Jia Ruo's words. If anyone else had said this, Lin Hao would have slapped them, but coming from this arrogant, languid fish, it couldn't be ignored. As the last guardian of the ocean, their lineage had always guarded this "filth," and no one could detect it better than this fish.
Lin Hao carried Lan Jia Ruo to the sofa, covered him with a black wool blanket from his space, and then turned to them. "Let's continue eating." He went to the dining table and ate the food without taste. This was perhaps the first time he felt Ruila's cooking wasn't delicious. After taking two bites, he put down his chopsticks and bowl. Seeing that Zai Zai had finished eating, Elfa and the others also put down their utensils, looking at the serious Zai Zai opposite them.
"King, shall we go?" Xier broke the heavy atmosphere first, voicing her desire. As soon as she heard Lan Jia Ruo say the concentration here was too high, she had been thinking about how to persuade Zai Zai to leave.
"King, maybe we should go. It's really a bit dangerous here," Yaslan, who had been standing nearby, also said. Zai Zai absolutely could not be in any danger at this time.
"King, what are your thoughts?" Elfa, sitting next to Lin Hao, turned to look at the serious Zai Zai and asked in a relaxed tone. Lin Hao himself didn't know what to do, as this had happened too quickly. If they left, what about those people? Although he couldn't save them all, and he didn't have the energy to do so, the least he could do was inform them to avoid unnecessary casualties. With a plan in mind, Lin Hao looked up at Elfa and the others. "After informing them, we will withdraw immediately." Hearing Zai Zai agree to leave, Elfa and the others breathed a silent sigh of relief in their hearts. They then said in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty." After that, they packed their things and prepared to leave. Xier walked to the living room and went to Lan Jia Ruo's side. Seeing that he was fine, she put him back into her space and then walked out the door.
Lin Hao dialed Xie Wen's star network. The call was connected in less than a minute. Lin Hao looked at Xie Wen with a serious expression and said, "Evacuate quickly, there's danger here."
"May I ask what happened?"
"This matter cannot be explained in a short time. Listen to me and organize an evacuation quickly."
Before Lin Hao could finish speaking, he felt the ground beneath him shake, and the star network slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground. The image on the star network suddenly cut off. He picked up the star network and examined its exterior. Finding no damage, he put it back into his space. He looked up, his face filled with astonishment, at the vines that had suddenly appeared on the lawn of the house next to him. The vines were taller than the house they were living in, and each vine was extremely thick, with strange white flowers on them. Also, who lived in the house next to him? They hadn't come out to see what was happening despite such a loud noise? Weren't they afraid of being buried? At this moment, the door of the house next to him finally opened. Seeing the person, Lin Hao understood. So it was Qin Mohan. No wonder. Like an old cadre, not competing, not interfering, not joining the fun. If it were him, it would be understandable that he wouldn't come out.
Xie Wen, who was processing documents in his office, suddenly saw a call from "Insect King." As soon as he answered, he heard the Insect King's words, which completely stunned him. Without any cause or effect, he was told to inform everyone to evacuate. This immediately plunged him into thought. Just as he was pondering the truth of the matter, he suddenly felt the ground shake. He gripped his desk to maintain his balance. Then, the connection with the Insect King suddenly cut off, turning into static. Seeing this, Xie Wen instantly believed that what Lin Hao said was true. He then used his celestial eye to check the situation around Lin Hao and discovered a giant vine. This vine was larger than any they had seen before. Seeing the vine, Elfa immediately appeared next to Lin Hao and carried him to a safe place. Qin Mohan, who had just stepped outside, saw this scene, and his face instantly turned dark, his eyes fixed on the arm around Lin Hao's waist. Elfa seemed to sense something, looked up at Qin Mohan, and finding no danger, turned away. Qin Mohan naturally felt the commander's contempt and clenched his fists.
Mini-Theater:
Mu Mu: Don't you have space too? Why didn't you let the fish in?
Elfa: No, I hate the smell of fish. (Disgusted face)
Fish: Humph, as if I'd enter your space.
Elfa: Exhibitionist.
Fish: Ice face.
Elfa: Weakling.
Fish: Boring ghost.
Guazi handed a handful of sunflower seeds to Xier.
Guazi: These sunflower seeds are good, right?
Xier: Hmm, this show looks pretty good.