Chapter 276: Connections

“She’s technically a distant relative of mine. We met a couple of times when we were kids, but after we moved to March Planet, we never saw each other again.” Zhou Rui took a sip of water in the teahouse and smiled bitterly.

The Fat Boss wasn’t at all surprised. Among the nobles of the three great empires, if you try to map out all the relationships, everyone’s related in one way or another.

However, Zhou Rui’s open admission suggested a closer connection, and her expression revealed even more.

“My grandaunt is Wang Muxue’s grandmother. We even studied together for half a year under the same teacher when we were young. Then we moved away.”

“The name Wang Muxue later became synonymous with genius among the older generation. When we parted, we were only about seven or eight years old. I heard she awakened her superpower the next year. Every time I heard about her after that, it was something extraordinary.”

“It’s just that after all these years, I didn’t even recognize her last time we met. Decades have passed since then, and now she’s on her way to becoming a general, while I…” Zhou Rui’s heart felt heavy. Looking at her former playmate, now so high above, stirred complicated feelings inside her.

“Now the Wang family has made a meteoric rise, all thanks to Wang Muxue. Although the Wang family didn’t originally have much military influence, they were assigned to be the Green Demon Planet’s Fleet Commander. Who could’ve imagined such an obscure position would lead to two famous pirate groups being defeated and, on the way back, a rebellion quelled? And there’s even talk of completing some SS-level mission.” Zhou Rui found it hard to believe.

The Fat Boss understood Zhou Rui’s meaning. Being the Fleet Commander, especially for a highly classified position at Green Demon Planet, meant they had little to no authority since the military controlled everything.

And for any Fleet Commander, hoping to gain achievements was nearly impossible. No one would be foolish enough to attack a planetary fleet. The planetary fleet was a second-rate unit in the entire Alliance, just above the ground troops stationed on planets.

Top-tier forces were the ones patrolling with their main fleets, fighting pirates or guarding sensitive areas.

Typically, being a planetary fleet commander was a retirement placement in the military. Achievements were out of the question. As long as you didn’t make mistakes, you’d retire peacefully.

“When wealth comes rushing in, you can’t stop it.” The Fat Boss sighed. Forget the SS-level mission, the fact that two pirate groups would attack a planetary fleet was already a once-in-a-century event.

Why would pirates attack a planetary fleet? Are they crazy? It’s easier to rob ships along trade routes. You can flee quickly, and there’s more loot—supplies, women, men, take your pick.

And if that wasn’t enough, they ran into an out-of-his-mind Red Earl who suddenly occupied an Capital Star?

Seriously… this fortune just fell into their lap.

Although the Wang family doesn’t have much military clout, this time, the Minister of the Military has to be proud. And given the solid and undeniable military merits, who would dare to oppose?

Besides, Wang Muxue wasn’t the only one in her fleet. How many of those mid- and low-ranking officers come from other families? Suppress Wang Muxue, and you suppress those officers. They won’t stand for it, and neither will the forces behind them. No one would dare say anything because not even the Military could contain the backlash. Plus, with the military at odds with Parliament, stirring up internal strife at this time might make certain factions directly switch sides.

“Yeah, that’s just fate. But I find it odd that Wang Muxue is involved in this situation.”

“I don’t know how Wang Muxue joined the Sect, but is Yang Bo really worth her personal attention?” Zhou Rui asked curiously.

Hearing this, the Fat Boss replied, “From what I’ve heard, the last time someone attacked me, their target was her, and Yang Bo was kidnapped in the process. The Grey Ash Organization was behind it, and I found out while negotiating compensation with the government. The mission was issued by the Mercenary Guild.”

“However, the Grey Ash Organization didn’t reveal the kidnap target’s identity in advance. When they tried to double-cross them during the handover, the freelance mercenaries were actually stronger and discovered Wang Muxue’s identity. The kidnapping mission turned into a rescue mission. Check the Mercenary Guild’s latest priority task—it’s offering a reward of 4 billion!” The Fat Boss was fuming with jealousy upon hearing this.

Since the Fat Boss was seeking government compensation, he had the right to be informed. The government only hinted at certain things, especially Wang Muxue’s identity.

“The government didn’t specify who it was, but that woman… or rather, Wang Muxue, came personally to my place afterward, and that’s how I found out. I think maybe she wanted to learn something from Yang Bo or see what kind of person was kidnapped alongside him?”

“But I didn’t expect Yang Bo to flat-out reject her. A proud woman like her probably couldn’t handle that. And now, being rejected…” The Fat Boss glanced at Zhou Rui, nearly calling her a ‘woman’ but saving himself just in time.

Zhou Rui nodded. “That might be it. But Yang Bo’s personality is kind of… unique.”

“Imagine being raised by the Alliance your whole life under the illusion of equality and freedom, only to enter society and see that none of it’s real. Our generation was used to it, but for him, after everything that happened in quick succession…” The Fat Boss shook his head thoughtfully.

Zhou Rui nodded again, then asked, “So what now?”

“What else is there to do? Even if the Wang family is powerful, they’re not going to pick on a mere resident. The Wang family could force anyone to compromise, but Yang Bo? There’s not much they can do to him. Besides, this is March Planet. No matter how powerful the Wang family is, they can’t do anything to him here. The only worry is Wang Muxue’s delusional suitors.” The Fat Boss massaged his temples.

“I don’t know how these families raise such fools. One of my cousins is in the environmental movement, protesting against eating this and that without even realizing her family holds shares in the largest livestock slaughter company. She’s out there causing a scene in front of her own family’s business.” The Fat Boss grumbled.

“Ah, these spoiled brats haven’t touched the family’s core business. They’re just pets.” Zhou Rui had a clear understanding of the situation.

“Wang Muxue’s admirers are many, and among them are heirs to influential families. Some are just playing politics; others clearly don’t know their limits, and still others are outright idiots.”

“You find that kind everywhere.” Zhou Rui nodded, but inside, she was already plotting how to use this to drive a wedge between the Fat Boss and Yang Bo.

A genius like Yang Bo, who has well-known roots, is desired by all families. The ones with unclear origins may be famous, but families only see them as temporary collaborators— tools, really.

“There shouldn’t be much of a problem. Wang Muxue probably won’t say anything, and she’ll likely leave soon. Her vacation won’t be long. Why not suggest that Yang Bo go somewhere else?” Zhou Rui offered.

The Fat Boss shook his head. “No need. This is March Planet, after all. Moving won’t necessarily make things better. Besides, I’ve already filed for a special protection order for Yang Bo. Starting tomorrow, the Planetary Security System will be keeping an eye on him, ensuring his safety.”

“That’s good then,” Zhou Rui said, knowing this protection order meant the Planetary Security System would monitor someone 24/7. Wherever the protected person went, everyone around them would be checked.

Not just satellites, but also the city’s security systems, surveillance in public areas, and the like.

Zhou Rui and the Fat Boss couldn’t come up with a better plan. Zhou Rui didn’t bother reaching out to Wang Muxue either. They weren’t on the same path in life, so what if they were relatives? “Several of his employees seem to have gone out on the town. Maybe I could cause some trouble and make the Fat Boss personally bail them out.” Zhou Rui began scheming.

Meanwhile, Yang Bo continued to withstand the pressure of the seawater for a full hour. He had used up half his energy and then went invisible to return home undetected.

Back at home, he felt tired and ravenously hungry.

He quickly devoured something and then took a bath. As for Wang Muxue or whoever, Yang Bo didn’t give it much thought. The moment things seemed off, he’d just disappear.

The next day, feeling refreshed, Yang Bo went online. The first thing he saw was an email from the Fat Boss explaining Wang Muxue and Zhou Rui’s identities, and of course, outlining how all of the planet’s elites were, in some way, related.

“What’s so special about that?” Yang Bo wasn’t surprised. There had been similar situations with Western nobility back on Earth.

The next part of the message made Yang Bo’s scalp tingle: “Protection Order!”

Hurriedly, Yang Bo looked up the specifics and immediately groaned. “That Fatty…”

“Forget it. Time to just focus on enjoying my game.”

“And get some training in.”

“The protection order only lasts a month anyway.” While Yang Bo knew he could turn invisible whenever he wanted, being constantly watched by satellites and surveillance cameras left him feeling uncomfortable.

After washing up and eating, he stepped outside to get a feel for things.

As expected, he could sense a wave of energy enveloping him—a clear sign of satellite surveillance.

On the other hand, he couldn’t really feel the ground-level surveillance since that was all through visual cameras. The satellites used various waves to form images.

After buying some groceries, Yang Bo returned to prepare for his gaming session.

Meanwhile, seeing Yang Bo’s protection order, Wang Muxue was equally speechless. She had been trying to approach him.

“This guy’s sharp. He’s managed to camouflage himself so well, it’s hard for anyone to get close.”

“Is Zhou Rui simply interested in Yang Bo because of his unlocking skills?” Of course, Wang Muxue knew about his unlocking abilities, as it was something that had significance to the Sect.

At Thief Sect, where Wang Muxue was an honorary elder, they specialized in analyzing intelligent control systems. The Sect was split into two groups: the ones who did the fieldwork and were referred to as locksmiths, while the others stayed and studied locks of all kinds, like spaceship locks or mecha locks.

Unlocking had its rewards, and if a locksmith discovered new methods for unlocking, they were rewarded too.

Some companies would even let the locksmiths of Thief Sect study their locks first, identifying weaknesses for improvement.

On one hand, it was a subtle protection fee; on the other, it enhanced the products’ anti-theft capabilities.

Wang Muxue had earned many rewards for unlocking during her youth, ultimately achieving her current status as an honorary elder.

Now, Yang Bo felt like a stone—impossible to break into. But the more difficult it became, the more excited Wang Muxue felt. It had been years since she’d encountered such a challenge, like facing an academic question she was driven to solve.

It was much like how a mountaineer looks at a tall mountain—not in awe of its grandeur, but constantly calculating the path to the summit.

Or how an angler, standing by a pond, wonders, ‘Are there fish here?’ rather than marveling at the beauty of the water lilies.

The angler might notice the water lilies later and think, ‘If I don’t catch any fish, I could always grab some lotus seeds. Even better, I could dig up some lotus roots. No matter what, I won’t leave empty-handed… Oh, and I could take a few leaves home for tea. Young leaves can even be stir-fried with eggs… delicious!’

Wang Muxue picked up Yang Bo’s file again for another look. There remained two words: spotless!

“How does he manage it? I’m sure my judgment is correct.”

“Compared to the other survivors from Green Demon Planet, he’s by far the most suspicious. The others are practically open books.”

“It’s said he hid in a cave on Green Demon Planet, but unfortunately, it’s hard to investigate now.”

“If I had figured it out at the time, I would have acted on the spot. Now, it’s tricky to investigate without alerting others.” Wang Muxue was frustrated as she couldn’t openly check, nor could she mobilize the resources of her family, which had many members who weren’t pleased to see her excelling.

And with all the data lost due to the Red Earl incident on Pado Planet, particularly the city surveillance, the military had destroyed it to prevent anyone from getting their hands on it and making a fuss about who was killed. Remote-controlled mecha had accidentally killed many people… or rather, the Red Earl’s men had.

Yang Bo logged into the game, and Xiao Huang and Xiao Hong immediately messaged him: “Captain.”

Yang Bo responded with a message of his own and said, “I’ll be online for a while. Got any intel?”

“Captain, we’ve found a farm. From the data, it looks like a free-range goat farm. There’s a high probability a small boss is there,” Xiao Huang added, sending the information to Yang Bo.

Both Xiao Huang and Xiao Hong had earned tens of thousands working with Yang Bo, only losing some time. Yang Bo was the one who really took the risk— without a small boss, he was the only one who’d lose out.

Yang Bo reviewed the information and noted that the farm was quite far away, but that was to be expected. Farms like that weren’t close to the city.

“Alright, let’s head out.” Yang Bo prepared to go. The goats would provide him with the Charging Skill. Even if there wasn’t a boss giving him a mental ability, it wouldn’t be a waste.

“My limit isn’t just me; it’s my skills,” Yang Bo understood his situation—his upper limit was determined by his skills, not by himself.

“Next time I go to the Bounty Hunter Guild, I’ll test my true strength. I’ll only measure my energy attributes.” Yang Bo decided to do a comprehensive test after forming a solid partnership with Zhou Rui. He had originally intended to test himself last time, but it felt too reckless. After all, his identity as a pirate leader wouldn’t allow him to trust others so easily and reveal his cards. He needed to play it cool… yeah.

Time to start writing the second part.