Chapter 108: Support

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Support

"You can actually pull that off?"

"Of course. We just file it with the Star System Government database, and from there it gets passed up through the system into the national database."

Population data was something every colony was required to report to the authorities once every six months.

Normally it only covered newborns, but it wasn’t unusual at all for colonies to have people who’d gone unregistered for years — sometimes even over a decade.

After giving Master Chang a rough explanation, Wu Yi continued, "The next filing is a little over two months away. Once it goes through, the new identity will be fully entered into the national database."

"As long as Xiang Yi is willing to take on the identity, he’ll be a free man in two months. Every charge tied to his old name will vanish along with it."

"And starting right now, he’s free to move around Anka Star however he likes."

"Doesn’t matter where he was born. As far as we’re concerned, if he’s here, he’s a native of Anka Star."

Master Chang responded over the phone, "Honestly, I don’t really care whether he’s technically free or not, but I guess it’s not bad."

Wu Yi caught the implication in his tone. Compared to what Xiang Yi had done over the past few days, what he was offering was pretty thin — "not bad" was already Master Chang being generous.

Still, Wu Yi didn’t rush to respond. "Yeah, ’not bad’ is about right. Also, remind him to watch his back. He can move freely through the city, but there are plenty of eyes on him."

"He’s way more careful than you give him credit for."

"Right. Anyway, I’ve already transferred a million Federation Coins to his card — out of my own pocket. Consider it a personal gift."

"Given what happened these past few days, the government can’t be seen officially rewarding him. There’s no way to make it public."

"Sounds like you skimmed a pretty generous cut for yourself."

"Watch your mouth." Wu Yi’s tone was completely relaxed. "Just pass everything along for me, and ask Xiang Yi if there’s anything else he needs."

"When I think about it, we’re pretty much out of things to offer him anyway. Better to just let him name it himself."

"Make sure he tells us. Whatever we can make happen, we will. We really need someone like him right now."

That was enough for Master Chang. He agreed, then shifted to another question. "Speaking of which, what about your people..."

"Unless Iron Shell sends in a ground assault force, they’ve got their own work to deal with." Wu Yi’s answer was firm. "Abnormality incidents inside the city have been spiking these past few days. A lot of people have died. My team has been handling it all."

"Abnormalities... that’s never a good sign." Master Chang’s tone grew more serious. "I don’t know much about Spiritual Ability User business, but does this mean Black Stone is stirring?"

"That’s right. It’s nearly time for its growth phase."

"It’s been fifteen years. We’re right on schedule."

"We’re not just dealing with the company anymore — we’ve got Black Stone’s growth cycle to contend with on top of it."

Something seemed to click for Master Chang. "So Iron Shell Company..."

"Yeah, that’s pretty much how we’ve analyzed it. The earlier incidents might have been coincidence, but by the time they set their sights on us, they already knew Anka was about to enter the Black Stone cycle."

"Otherwise, there’s really nothing about this place worth a company like theirs bothering with."

"If they can crush us before Black Stone emerges, their objective is already met."

"But the moment Black Stone actually appears, we can file for Colony Crisis Protection — and every credit they’ve poured into this becomes a complete loss."

"So how much longer are we looking at?"

"It’ll happen within three months, guaranteed. The Abnormality sightings are only going to keep climbing until then. Stay safe."

"Alright, I’m done chatting. Call me if something comes up."

Not long after the call ended.

Xiang Yi had already made it back to the research facility outside the city. Ning Ye appeared to have returned to town by then.

He checked on the status of the Blood Crystal and the Living Iron Extraction Device, then started getting ready to lay out a makeshift bed on the floor and sleep.

That was when Master Chang’s call came in.

"Hello?"

"You eat yet?"

"Not yet. Was just about to. What’s up?"

The moment Master Chang mentioned it, Xiang Yi realized he was hungry. He’d been burning through food faster than usual these past couple of days.

He scanned the room and spotted a few nutrient paste tubes Ning Ye had left on the table beside the equipment console.

"I’m calling because I’ve got good news for you."

Master Chang gave him a quick rundown of what Wu Yi had said.

After listening, Xiang Yi summed it up. "So the short version is: the government is giving me a new identity that’ll be fully legit across the entire Federation in a couple months, and your friend is privately throwing in a million Federation Coins plus one open-ended request of my choosing?"

"That’s about it."

"Your friend skimmed quite a bit for himself, didn’t he."

Master Chang nearly burst out laughing. He kept it together and said, "Whenever you’ve got time, let’s meet up so I can hand you the card."

"Tonight should work. Same spot — the scrapyard."

"Deal."

"Oh, and Master Chang — I wanted to ask a favor. I’m looking to buy some equipment."

"What kind of equipment?"

"The kind you’d find in a factory workshop."

"That stuff? I’m actually in the middle of restocking myself — even ordered an extra set as backup. I can send a set your way. Just figure out how to receive it."

"No need to just give it to me. I’ve got a million sitting in my account now."

"Fair enough. Slide me five hundred thousand and we’ll call it even."

That was clearly a steep discount.

Even that beat-up hardware shop run by the robot was asking somewhere around three hundred thousand — and Master Chang’s factory setup had to be worth over a million, at minimum.

Xiang Yi didn’t push back. As long as Master Chang was willing to take money, that was enough. Pressing the point further would just make things awkward.

He’d talk to Ning Ye later about arranging pickup. Her people had already moved supplies out to the research facility before — they could just as easily bring equipment in.

The facility had plenty of space anyway. Setting up a small workshop wouldn’t be a problem.

He wanted it both for actual production and as a way to learn by doing.

Master Chang made a note of it, then asked, "So — think about it. Is there anything else you want?"

Xiang Yi thought about it carefully.

He didn’t have much in the way of wants when it came to food, clothes, or comfort. Functional was good enough.

What he actually wanted was to improve his technical skills — and to grow his Spiritual Energy.

If the past few days had taught him anything, it was one simple truth: your own strength is the only thing you can rely on.

If he hadn’t been a Spiritual Ability User, he would have died in that prison. Died in the abandoned district. Died under the orbital strike.

Money wasn’t going to be a problem. What mattered was getting stronger — deepening his understanding of Spiritual Energy, building his knowledge and capability.

Even his technical skills could wait for now, because Ning Ye apparently had login access to certain academic databases he couldn’t reach on his own.

What mattered most, above everything else, was real, substantive knowledge about Spiritual Energy.

He needed to understand it — not just the basics of burning Spiritual Power to use abilities, but the proper, legitimate ways that Spiritual Ability Users actually grew stronger.

"I want knowledge about Spiritual Energy."