Chapter 30: The Thirtieth Day of Lying Flat Like a Salted Fish

The youth blinked, and a sudden smile spread across his face. “It feels like something interesting has appeared.”

Lu Yuan stared at him expressionlessly.

Siming could almost see the suspicion in Lu Yuan’s eyes.

This was the first time he had seen Lu Yuan show such an expression… and that sudden movement of sitting bolt upright just now was the same. For a moment, Siming almost wanted to laugh.

However…

Lu Yuan’s reaction was indeed a bit strange.

The youth had been here for over a day, and Lu Yuan hadn’t shown any sign of recognizing him before. He had clearly discovered something the moment the boy woke up, which caused such sudden… astonishment.

What had he discovered?

Lu Yuan seemed to have mentioned a name just now. Geshu Ming? Who was that? Was Lu Yuan wondering if this youth had been sent by that person to find him?

What basis did he have for such a sudden judgment? Siming was deeply puzzled.

…And, it seemed he had judged incorrectly.

This was also the first time Siming had seen Lu Yuan make a mistake.

“You don’t know Geshu Ming.” Lu Yuan quickly admitted his error.

He could sense certain emotions through the fluctuations of others’ Mental Power. Therefore, he was very clear that the youth wasn’t putting on an act. The confusion from a moment ago was genuine, and the current smile was genuine as well.

But the problem was…

“You’re actually not a member of the Geshu Family?”

?

Goudan was stunned. He whipped his head around to stare at Lu Yuan.

Siming looked at him in confusion.

Goudan: “…”

Goudan wore an expression that was difficult to describe.

Goudan had certainly heard of the surname “Geshu” that Lu Yuan mentioned.

How should he put it? Siming simply watched too little television, which was why he had no impression of the word.

If he had watched even twenty or thirty dramas, he would have realized that in these shows, as long as they had a modern setting, nine times out of ten, one, two, three, four… or even more people named Geshu would appear.

And these people named Geshu shared a common characteristic –

They were wealthy and powerful.

Goudan had once asked Lu Yuan why this surname appeared so frequently, wondering if there were an exceptionally large number of people with that name outside.

Lu Yuan: “…Not exactly.”

When Goudan pressed further, Lu Yuan explained that not only were there not many people with that name, but there were actually very few. In the entire Empire, there was only one known family with that surname.

The reason it appeared so frequently in dramas was because the Geshu Family was indeed one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the Galactic Empire.

Perhaps it wasn’t even “one of,” but simply “the one.” Outside of the Imperial Family, this family was the strongest of all. In the eyes of many Imperial citizens, it was synonymous with nobility.

However, Lu Yuan hadn’t mentioned back then that he knew anyone from the Geshu Family.

Though, given Lu Yuan’s status as Marshal, it seemed impossible for him not to know them.

But this youth…

Goudan looked at the boy.

Although he was quite handsome, he had been blown by the wind for who knows how long and was covered in dust. Though his golden hair was rare, it had been soaked through by snow; even though it was dry now, it hung in clumps against his face, looking rather unkempt.

His clothing was the typical look of someone from a Desolate Planet – tattered and worn, even worse off than their own group.

…This kid?

Why would Lu Yuan think he belonged to the Geshu Family?

“That’s a bit hard to answer all at once.” A hint of amusement he couldn’t quite hide flickered in the youth’s expression. His eyes were wide as he observed Lu Yuan and his surroundings with curious intensity.

“My name is Geshu Qing. But that’s a name I gave myself. I don’t have a family – do families even exist on a Desolate Planet?”

“There shouldn’t be anyone named Geshu on a Desolate Planet either,” Lu Yuan remarked with a rare touch of dry humor before asking, “Why did you give yourself that name?”

“I just felt like it,” the self-proclaimed youth replied. “No particular reason.”

While they were talking, the people who had gone to the kitchen to bring out the food had already returned. They were currently gathered around, watching with curiosity. Those who had missed the earlier “plot” were quickly brought up to speed by others, happily settling in to watch the drama unfold.

Hearing the youth’s words, everyone wore skeptical expressions.

The youth spread his hands. “It’s true. I’m not lying to you. There are so many of you, I couldn’t possibly win a fight, so how would I dare lie?”

“Besides…” He glanced at Lu Yuan. “Was it you who saved me? Thank you. I didn’t expect to be saved. After all, in a hellhole like a Desolate Planet, with winter coming, life isn’t easy for anyone.”

This was a probe. Although Geshu Qing wasn’t old, children on Desolate Planets generally matured early, and he was the clever type. He had naturally realized long ago that the place he was in was unusual.

He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious, but it must have been a significant amount of time. Yet, upon waking, he didn’t feel hungry, unwell, or weak; in fact, his physical strength was quite good. This alone was enough to indicate something was different.

Furthermore, many of the furnishings around him were things he had never seen. The people in the room looked well-fed and warmly dressed, and there were so many of them, young and old, appearing to be on excellent terms. The aroma of the food coming from the table was something he had never even smelled before…

Moreover, the man who had been questioning him didn’t look much like a resident of a Desolate Planet.

…He felt strangely familiar.

Geshu Qing was certain he had never met this man. His silver hair and grey eyes were too distinctive, too unforgettable, and he was far too handsome. Most importantly, his temperament was worlds apart from an ordinary person’s…

So why did he feel familiar?

And the Geshu Family? He hadn’t heard of families existing on a Desolate Planet. And that man said there were no Geshus on a Desolate Planet…

Where exactly had he ended up?

It couldn’t be that he had accidentally managed to get himself outside the Desolate Planet, could it?

No way. Something like that shouldn’t be possible, right?

Lu Yuan looked at him and said, “I know you’re not lying, but that is precisely the most incredible part.”

• He had given himself the rare surname Geshu, his eyes possessed the distinct characteristics of the Geshu Family, and his appearance even bore some resemblance to Geshu Ming. This was enough for Lu Yuan to judge that he was likely a member of the Geshu Family.

However, a member of the Geshu Family shouldn’t mistakenly believe they were an orphan, shouldn’t end up stranded on a Desolate Planet, and shouldn’t be ignorant of Geshu Ming. Especially since he had already completed his Mental Power awakening.

This wasn’t just because of their power. Other great families occasionally had children go missing; there were precedents. Accidentally losing a child to a Desolate Planet… while the probability was low, it was possible.

But the Geshu Family was different.

Because the Mental Power of this family was unique.

After entering the interstellar era, under the influence of unavoidable cosmic radiation, human genes underwent mutations. The vast majority of people became stronger, and some even gained special abilities. Such as Mental Power.

The reason the Geshu Family had always stood at the pinnacle of Imperial power was that the family possessed a special genome.

A portion of them would possess very special eyes – blue with a hint of light purple. Any Geshu family member with such eyes was guaranteed to complete Mental Power awakening and obtain Mental Power with the “Communication” trait.

Everyone’s Mental Power had its own characteristics, though they usually weren’t very obvious. Typically, these traits would only manifest at higher levels.

For example, Goudan and Siming’s Mental Power didn’t show any particular traits.

However, Lu Yuan knew some people with special Mental Power.

For instance, the military would specifically recruit people whose Mental Power had a “Healing” trait to better perform battlefield rescues.

The Geshu Family’s Mental Power gave them powerful communication abilities. This didn’t mean they were just good at talking to people – though they certainly were – but rather, they could communicate with all things.

They could understand the languages of all living creatures in the world and use their Mental Power to speak with them over long distances. For members of their own family, this ability was even stronger; they could achieve soul-to-soul communication regardless of distance or any interference.

This was an absolute secret, known to very few people in the entire Empire.

But Lu Yuan knew.

There was someone he was familiar with in the Geshu Family. His own ability to use Mental Power for long-distance communication had been learned from her.

• Geshu Ming.

The current head of the Geshu Family’s generation, and also the strongest person in the family today.

Lu Yuan’s former friend.

The moment he saw the youth before him, Lu Yuan had subconsciously assumed he was sent by Geshu Ming. Perhaps this was also because, in Lu Yuan’s heart, if anyone could find a trace of him, Geshu Ming would certainly be one of them.

Lu Yuan highly respected Geshu Ming’s strength and ability. In fact, throughout Lu Yuan’s rise to the rank of Marshal, he had benefited from Geshu Ming’s help many times.

Even the final victory over the Zerg owed no small part to Geshu Ming’s contributions.

Back in the years when they shared everything, Geshu Ming had once told Lu Yuan the reason why their family members could communicate regardless of distance or any obstacles.

“Spirit, or rather thought, is something from another dimension outside the material world. It is like another world, a vast, endless ocean where every person is an island.

“Those who have awakened Mental Power can borrow the power of that sea,” she explained. “A characteristic is caused by a person’s Mental Power having a particular affinity for a certain power within that sea. Our family’s Mental Power has a special affinity for Communication with that power.

“This is also why we can contact one another. Communicating with other people or other creatures involves borrowing the power of the sea, but it is different with our own family. We have built bridges of Communication within the world of Mental Power.

“The distance between islands is vast. Ordinary people cannot see the islands of others. But we can. Through the power of Communication, we extend the feelers of our Mental Power, allowing us to see many, many islands.

“However, we cannot communicate with just any ordinary island. Only those who also possess the ability of Communication can build a bridge for dialogue.

“…”

In short, on that day, Lu Yuan learned that the Geshu Family’s innate communication ability was completely unrelated to the material world. It did not require any physical medium, nor did it need to pass through the time and space of the material world.

In fact, with Geshu Ming’s help, he had experienced this ability firsthand. This made him clearly aware of just how powerful it was.

It meant that no matter where a member of the Geshu Family was, they could contact their family directly.

As the person with the strongest Communication ability in the Geshu Family at present, Geshu Ming could cross the entire sea, find every person within it who possessed the ability to communicate, and speak with them. She was the core of the current Geshu Family’s communication network.

If the boy was a member of the Geshu Family, Geshu Ming would have certainly found him after his Mental Power awakened.

Unless…

Lu Yuan looked into his eyes.

Unless this guy was a mutation. Unless his Mental Power characteristic wasn’t Communication.

Well, that seemed plausible.

Although every purple-eyed member of the Geshu Family in the past had possessed Communication, there was no rule saying a special case couldn’t appear among them.

If that was the case…

“The most incredible thing? Tell me? Maybe I’ll know the reason,” Geshu Qing asked.

Lu Yuan didn’t answer.

He had already figured it out for himself and was certain that the boy before him, who called himself Geshu Qing, really had nothing to do with Geshu Ming. Once the momentary tension caused by his concern faded, his entire state shifted rapidly from “bristling” back to “slacking off.”

“It’s nothing,” he said. “Not a big deal. Anyway, since you’re awake, the door is right there if you want to leave. If you don’t…”

He looked at Goudan, signaling Geshu Qing to talk to him if he needed anything.

Goudan: “…Huh?”

Just a moment ago, Lu Yuan had been seriously questioning the boy’s situation. Although he had only asked four questions in total, he had just mentioned “the most incredible thing” with an air of wanting to investigate thoroughly. How did he go back to slacking off in such a short time?

They were still completely in the dark!

The transition was so fast that even Goudan was stunned for a second.

Geshu Qing was also stunned. He couldn’t help but look left and right, only to see that Lu Yuan had already started to lie back down, returning to the dazed state he’d been in when he first woke up.

Goudan scratched his scalp and looked at Siming.

Siming winked at him and mouthed: “Keep him!”

Goudan understood immediately.

This boy wasn’t simple either; he seemed to have some connection to someone Lu Yuan knew. Although he didn’t know what Lu Yuan was thinking, it was better to keep him around for the time being.

Food had been plentiful lately anyway. One more person wouldn’t hurt.

“Oh, right.” Just as they decided to keep Geshu Qing, Lu Yuan suddenly spoke up, adding, “If you’re interested in leaving the Desolate Planet, you might as well stay.

“I don’t know how you learned about the outside world, but since you know a bit, you should know that life outside the Desolate Planet is much better than here.”

Geshu Qing froze.

When he was testing the waters, he had considered the possibility of exposing the fact that he knew something about the world outside the Desolate Planet.

For example, when he emphasized that “there are no families on the Desolate Planet,” it suggested he might know they existed outside.

He had weighed the pros and cons of doing so. If he were already off the Desolate Planet, showing some knowledge of the outside world would make it easier to integrate and, to some extent, reduce others’ desire to deceive him.

If he were still on the Desolate Planet, the average resident might not even realize he had revealed anything. Even if they did, he had already prepared an explanation.

The only thing he hadn’t expected was the possibility that the other party would hear it and simply not care… The man had even seen through his desire to leave the Desolate Planet and proactively offered to send him out.

The boy found it hard to describe his feelings. He was a bit surprised, a bit… flattered, and a bit suspicious.

This person is so strange.

Geshu Qing glanced at Lu Yuan again.

In his slacking state, it was naturally impossible for Lu Yuan to sit up straight. Although he hadn’t fully lied down yet, he was leaning against the back of the sofa. When he spoke now, he didn’t even open his eyes, maintaining a rigid, corpse-like posture.

The sofa had recently been modified from a chair in the Garbage Ship’s control room. The black faux-leather backrest was smooth and delicate, very comfortable to lean against. Lu Yuan’s silver hair was scattered across it, looking very striking.

This image suddenly overlapped with a certain blurry scene in his memory.

Geshu Qing looked at him, then at his messy, tangled hair, his mind wavering.

On the other side, Lu Yuan explained, “I think you’re likely a member of a large family from the outside who ended up here for some reason. It just so happens that when spring comes, I’m going to send a few people off the Desolate Planet. If you want, you can go with them to find your family.

“This would also be beneficial for us. They’ll be in unfamiliar territory once they leave. If they can use the opportunity of escorting you to establish a connection with your family, it will be a help to them.”

“Okay,” the boy replied. “I’m willing to stay.

“Only…”

He hesitated.

“I want to ask something.”

“Ask,” Lu Yuan said.

“Did you,” the boy weighed his words, “fall onto the Desolate Planet while sitting on something like this?”

“?”

Lu Yuan instantly bolted upright again.

Goudan’s eyes also widened in surprise.

Siming watched their reactions, stifling a laugh to the side.

“You know how I came to the Desolate Planet?” Lu Yuan asked.