Chapter 1896: Chicken Soup for the Soul?
Jiangnan nodded like a chick pecking rice:
(･᷄ὢ･᷅) "This guy named Ulu looks really festive!"
Having been out here so long, Jiangnan had seen all sorts of bizarre shapes and sizes of races!
Now seeing someone with a proper nose and eyes, he thought they looked quite handsome!
Ai Jiang whispered: ᥬ(ﾉ)◔₃◔ิ)᭄ "This is the Bone Shine race, ranked in the top hundred of the Starry Sky Sequence. They're considered a relatively strong race!"
Jiangnan silently noted this; he'd need to find some time to systematically familiarize himself with the myriad races of the starry sky. Otherwise, encountering other races without knowing them at all or understanding their abilities would leave him at a disadvantage!
"By the way, cargo ships can still be robbed? Space pirates? Don't starships travel at warp speed? Can they even be intercepted?"
Nita whispered: "In the starry sky, there are all sorts of strange abilities. Warp jump isn't foolproof either!"
"There are also powerful big shots among space pirates. After all, the business of living on the edge is the most profitable!"
"Especially in Chaotic Star Sea—the pirates there are notoriously ferocious. I've heard even dogs passing through get slapped twice!"
"But don't worry. The Star Light Alliance's ships—even if you lent them a hundred guts—wouldn't dare touch them. Just rest assured, endure three days, and we'll arrive!"
Jiangnan clicked his tongue. It seemed there were desperados everywhere!
But that space pirate profession actually sounded quite suited to him, didn't it?
Yet the more he heard Nita and the others say that, the more Jiangnan felt like they were going to be robbed!
Setting up flags before departure was never a good thing, right?
Just then, that parasitic creature stepped forward to report to Ulu!
∠(#)｀ω´(#) "Captain! All cargo loaded! Brothers have all boarded. Ready to depart at any time!"
Ulu nodded with satisfaction: "Then tell the bridge to set off. Hey? Rodd, have you gained weight?"
"Why's your face all puffy?"
Rodd rubbed his face:
(ﾉ)`ω´(ヾ) "Is it? Ah, right! Please report those star source points for hiring temporary mercenaries. Total of 31,700 points!"
Ulu's eyes widened: ???
∑(°口°๑) "What? Did you hire a whole battalion, dammit? How did you spend so much? It's just one escort mission! Do you have to make such a big deal?"
Rodd's forehead was drenched in sweat:
(#)◔﹏◔ิ(#) "I... I don't know either. It just ended up costing that much!"
Jiangnan looked guilty: (‧̣̥̇´◔₃◔`)～♬♩♫♪
Ulu waved his hand impatiently: "Forget it, forget it. Tell the bridge to dep—wait!"
Suddenly, his communicator began to flash. He then opened the cargo bay door again!
Four figures in wide black robes carried a huge silver metal box inside!
All had their faces covered with black cloth!
Their bodies were humanoid, with pointed ears, a dot on their foreheads, and skin emitting a faint blue luster!
Though their faces were hidden, Jiangnan recognized them all as members of the Apocalypse race, with a uniform rank of Star Breaker!
Ulu greeted them with a smiling face, not knowing what they discussed!
The leading Apocalypse member transferred some star source points to Ulu, and he smiled even more happily!
He quickly invited the four in and even hid the silver metal long box among all the cargo, covering it up!
The four Apocalypse members didn't speak but stood by the cargo box like telephone poles!
Then Ulu closed the hatch, and the Long Whale slowly left the starport...
Many people saw the four's presence but wisely said nothing!
Jiangnan frowned deeply:
(๑･᷅～･᷄) "What's going on?"
Logically, it was already unreasonable for Angels to ride a cargo ship!
And now these four Apocalypse members were also taking a freighter? They were the fourth-ranked powerful race!
Nina whispered:
ᥬ(┘◔┏3┓◔ิ└)᭄ "Shh~ They should be smuggling contraband, afraid of getting caught, so they're taking the freight route."
"Things like this are common on freight routes. The position of escort captain has plenty of perks!"
Jiangnan was stunned. Freighter smuggling? Good grief! Everyone was so slick!
And what important goods were in that silver metal box?
As if sensing Jiangnan's gaze, those Apocalypse members looked over. Their azure blue eyes were full of cold warning!
Even the energy fluctuations on their bodies became intense!
After all, the three Angels in the cargo hold were quite conspicuous!
Jiangnan generously raised his hand and gestured to them!
But the few didn't respond at all, with a look of 'stranger danger'.
Jiangnan muttered softly: (๑◔₃◔ิ๑) "Meow, I really feel like we're going to get hijacked!"
With Chaotic Star Sea pirates and Apocalypse smugglers, strong intuition told Jiangnan the journey might not go smoothly!
Better prepare in advance!
A violent spatial fluctuation came. Jiangnan could feel the space of the cargo ship expanding and compressing!
The warp drive had started storing energy. After a full three minutes, it finally initiated the warp jump!
"Boom!"
The Long Whale cargo ship abruptly vanished from Star Vault Port!
Jiangnan pouted. He thought starship warp jumps were instantaneous, ready to use at a moment's notice!
Who knew it required a long time to start the warp drive? This was much slower than his own warp bubble!
The cargo hold was extremely cold. The Titan race member, wearing only a vest and shorts, shivered uncontrollably!
The grudge value kept refreshing!
But Jiangnan, protected by the Rabbit Spew Pill, wasn't afraid of the cold at all!
He closed his eyes, swaying iiOiiO as he checked the system!
Back on Blue Star, Jiangnan's reputation was far-reaching. He'd knocked heads with all the world's strong, so grudge value was harder to earn!
He could only get some from the Holy Star. Since coming out, he hadn't had many chances to earn grudge value!
It was even getting a bit tight!
Fortunately, there were big grudgers around, letting Jiangnan save up over six million grudge value, and it was still growing!
Since he had a premonition something would go wrong, he might as well do some draws!
He thought to himself: "System baby, I've charged into the starry sky now~ Shouldn't a draw give me an awesome prize to help my street-stall business thrive?"
[Host, please repay the street stall fee on time, or this baby will no longer provide protection for the host!]
[Pay what you owe! ('-')ノ)`-')]
Jiangnan ground his teeth!
(๑°᷄～°᷅) Well, it'll take time to rob... no, earn! I've only been here a short while. What's the rush?
Stupid treasure, you're not cute at all when dunning!
Draw! Draw! Draw six million's worth!
[Lucky Ten-Draw begins!]
[Thanks for your patronage! Consolation prize: One Low-Key Sugar Orange!]
[Congratulations, winner! Prize: One Dull Sack!]
...
The prize list flashed constantly, but Jiangnan didn't feel much anticipation!
After all, the last proper prize was the Dull Sack!
According to past patterns, there would be two more crappy consolation prizes before a chance at a real prize!
Even with a double hit, he wouldn't see a real prize!
Jiangnan was spacing out!
Suddenly, the prize list changed!
[Congratulations, winner! Prize: One Dull Sack!]
[Thanks for your patronage! Consolation prize: One Bowl of Chicken Soup for the Soul!]
[Thanks for your patronage...]
Jiangnan threw up his hands. See? I told you it'd be junk consolation prizes!
But the name sounded unusually proper this time!
Chicken Soup for the Soul? Could it heal a wounded heart or something?
Curious, Jiangnan swallowed a gulp of saliva and quickly checked the consolation prize's effect!
[Chicken Soup for the Soul Effect:]
Drinkers of this chicken soup temporarily gain a powerful psychic mental force! Duration: 60 minutes!
During this time, a positive energy buff is applied! I am justice! I am the righteous path of the world!
Soulful soup makes you feel sharp! Passionate, inspirational, super deep!
Warm and healing like early dawn, upholding justice as my own!
Drinking chicken soup for the soul! What a beautiful thing!
(๓ớ⥎ờ)✧ Baby treasure~ Time to drink your soup!
Jiangnan: ∑(°口°๑)
Holy crap!
What? What? This chicken soup gives the drinker psychic mental force?
That is, mental power?
Oh mama, this is not crappy at all, dammit!
Mental attacks had always been Jiangnan's weakness and shortcoming!
Every time he faced a mental attack, he either got knocked out or relied on his street stall cloth to block it!
The appearance of the Mind Spirit Pearl had given him a headache. Fortunately, with the warp bubble, he could slightly resist!
But it wasn't much help. Now the system baby had finally produced something to enhance mental power!
Then he'd become powerful from all angles without any blind spots!
Ehe~
(ʃƪ˘³˘) "Good baby~ How did you know what I was missing? How are you so cute?"
[(乛～乛๑)～Heh! Southern Man!]
Jiangnan giggled, but his smile gradually froze!
=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̣̥̇)
Wait—he was just too excited!
He forgot this was still a consolation prize!
A... a beautiful thing?
Baby drinking soup?
Could this chicken soup be poisonous, dammit!
It wouldn't kill a person, would it?
Swallowing a gulp of saliva, Jiangnan dared not try it lightly. Instead, he took out a bowl of chicken soup to examine it carefully!
It was just an ordinary white porcelain bowl!
At the bottom of the bowl was the logo ꒰ঌ₍๑•⌔•๑₎໒꒱!
The soup was amber in color, a full bowl, with oil slick floating on top!
Even under the starry sky, it still steamed with heat. A fragrance that made one's mouth water instantly filled the entire cargo hold!
Attracting everyone's gaze!
What the hell? Why would you suddenly pull out a bowl of chicken soup, dammit!
Before Jiangnan could observe carefully, Xing Cheng couldn't hold it anymore. A waterfall of saliva soaked the Dull Sack!
٩(º﹃º٩) "Is it for Chengbao to drink? Crab~ Ehe~"
Saying this, she snatched the bowl of chicken soup, opened her big mouth, and tipped it straight into her throat!
Jiangnan looked horrified:
Σ(っ°Д°;)っ "Hey hey hey! Don't—"
But it was too late. Chengbao even ate the bowl, licking her lips with satisfaction!
(●'◡'●)っ "Give 100,000, 10 spirit beads as reward for Chengbao!"
Jiangnan: =͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̣̥̇)...