Chapter 97: The Poor Baby Hypnotized by the Speech

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: The Poor Baby Hypnotized by the Speech

When the news of the interstellar pirate leader Elias appearing on the Starship reached the Reserve, Huo An’s first thought was of Liang He’s safety.

He had always assumed that the Rebel Army was the one targeting her. He never expected interstellar pirates to be involved—and certainly not their leader, Elias, personally stepping in.

"How could it be such a coincidence? Liang He rarely leaves the Reserve, and Elias just happened to be on the same Starship." Xu Yi also found the coincidence to be somewhat unbelievable.

"What else did the Starship transit police find?"

Facing Huo An’s question, Kerry, the captain of the Law Enforcement Team responsible for relaying the message, shared all the reported information without hesitation.

"According to the timeline, it is highly likely that Elias and Liang He boarded the Starship at the same time. They crossed paths face-to-face a few times, and the empty cabin Elias occupied happened to be right next to Liang He’s."

Once was a coincidence, but when coincidences piled up, it was premeditation.

Huo An furrowed his brows deeply, his fingers tapping the desk as he fell into deep thought.

"If Elias appeared on Sky Shining Star early on, why didn’t the Federation detect a single trace of him?"

Such a conspicuous living person couldn’t just vanish into thin air. He had arrived on Sky Shining Star completely unnoticed, and left just as undetected. To put it bluntly, this was practically trampling on the face of the Federation Army—a total humiliation.

"Could he have used a disguise to avoid detection?" Xu Yi asked. He believed that since Elias had become the leader of the interstellar pirates, he must possess not only extraordinary strength but also a sharp mind. Disguising his identity was highly probable. Besides, he was the primary target on the Federation’s wanted list; traveling in disguise made complete sense, otherwise the Federation wouldn’t have failed to catch him for this long.

"But if he disguised himself, why did he deliberately drop the disguise on the Starship and even steal clothes from a luxury cabin passenger? Is he provoking the Federation?" Kerry grew more confused the more he thought about it, completely unable to grasp Elias’s style of doing things.

"Governor Huo, is it possible that we are overthinking this, and Elias isn’t targeting Liang He at all?" Kerry suggested. To say he intentionally approached her seemed a stretch; apart from two accidental encounters at the elevator, there were no other signs. However, his choice to stay in the empty cabin next to Liang He’s was indeed concerning—no matter how one looked at it, it didn’t seem unintentional.

"There is a good saying on Blue Star: it’s better to be safe than sorry," Huo An replied. He didn’t think they were overthinking it. Liang He’s importance to both the Federation and the Rebel Army was self-evident. Elias might be trying to intervene, or perhaps he had already reached an agreement with the Rebel Army. In short, they could not let their guard down.

"Notify Greenfield Star to ensure Liang He’s safety at all costs." No matter what, there could be no room for negligence regarding her safety.

"Understood, I’ll contact them immediately." Receiving his orders, Kerry sprang into action, heading off to communicate with Greenfield Star’s law enforcement department.

Meanwhile, Huo An and Xu Yi looked at the surveillance monitors, where the Beastmen lay miserably in the single dormitories, eagerly awaiting Liang He’s return. A heavy stone seemed to weigh down their hearts.

"Xu Yi, I’m taking a trip to Greenfield Star. Keep an eye on the Reserve for me."

As a Veterinarian, Xu Yi had spent a considerable amount of time with the Canglan Hunting Eagle and the others, so he wouldn’t be rejected by them. Now that Liang He and Hoder were both away from the Reserve, only Lan Zhuo was left in the Seventh Service Area. Someone had to help look after the Evolutionary Beastmen to prevent any accidents.

"You’re going to find Liang He?"

Having been brothers for many years, Xu Yi knew Huo An far too well. Despite speaking so calmly earlier about making sure the Rebel Army never returned, the moment Liang He was truly in potential danger, he couldn’t sit still.

"No, I won’t show myself in public."

In Huo An’s view, since Elias had blatantly entered the game, he might as well take the opportunity to hide in the shadows. If Liang He was fine, all was well; if she truly encountered danger, he would act as a sharp blade to protect her.

"Alright, then take all the medicines I have on hand, just in case."

Xu Yi knew full well that he couldn’t persuade Huo An to change his decision. It was better to ensure strong logistical support, doing his part to help out.

"Okay, thank you."

Unaware that Huo An was secretly preparing to head to Greenfield Star, Liang He was currently fighting off sleep while listening to the speeches on stage.

In her mind, an opening ceremony meant a few casual introductory remarks, letting everyone get to know each other before heading off to lunch. The reality of the opening ceremony, however, involved the head of the exchange and training session, along with various professors, taking turns on stage. Liang He finally understood why a formal luncheon had been arranged. It was to prepare them for the fact that the speeches wouldn’t conclude until noon.

[Huohuohuohuohuohuohuohuo: Taking Cyril to play on the prairie for a while. (Video)]

Afraid that Liang He might worry about the Platinum Giant Lion, Hoder responsibly reported real-time updates, which actually helped relieve some of her boredom.

She tapped on the video in silent mode and saw the Platinum Giant Lion playing joyfully—catching butterflies, chasing rabbits, and even rolling around on the grass. He was so adorable that she couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from rising.

[Liangliang Yue Se Chenghe: I’m so jealous that you get to take Cyril out to play. I’m almost falling asleep listening to this.]

After watching the video, Liang He started venting to Hoder. It wasn’t that she disrespected these experts and professors, but the opening ceremony wasn’t a formal class. Mostly, it consisted of pleasantries and repetitive, empty speeches that made her feel a bit fed up.

[Huohuohuohuohuohuohuohuo: That does sound pitiful. Back when I was in class, I used to be constantly punished by my teachers and made to stand up.]

Reading Hoder’s reply, Liang He suddenly wanted to laugh. Sure enough, whether in the interstellar era or on Blue Star, students all shared the same childhood experiences.

"Liang He?"

Just as she was about to continue chatting secretly with Hoder to pass the time, she noticed someone sitting down in the empty seat next to her. Before she could instinctively look up, she heard a familiar voice greet her.

"Mr. Soros?"

Liang He furrowed her brows slightly, not understanding why Soros suddenly sat beside her. If he was a Breeder participating in the training session, he should have arrived long ago. The opening ceremony was already half over; why was he just arriving now?

"What a coincidence. I was delayed by some matters, and I didn’t expect to be seated right next to you." Soros deliberately turned his name card toward the podium to show Liang He, and she realized he was indeed assigned to sit beside her.

"I see." Liang He nodded slightly and then put away her Light Brain. She didn’t continue chatting with Hoder, instead staring intently at the podium with a serious expression.

Such an obvious reluctance to communicate surprised Soros. He remembered the Fur Raising Officer being quite easy to get along with. Why was he always being given the cold shoulder by her?

"Liang He..."

Just as Soros was about to persist and find a new topic, the host began introducing the final, grandest guest, instantly drowning out his voice.

"Now, let us welcome the President of the Interstellar Animal Protection Association—Mr. Lucas!"