Starry Rebirth: The Warden and the Outlaw’s Interstellar Revenge | Chapter 81 | Echoes of Time and Space | Novela.app

This chaotic star map was the handiwork of this ball? A mere joke? So, whether it was a single fragment or a fusion of several, the maps always pointed to random, nonsensical locations in the sector. It was nothing more than a star-map maze designed to amuse a child—and one with hidden "Easter eggs" at that? So, that "luckiest unlucky bastard" from his previous life had simply been fortunate enough to stumble upon a small gift left for a cub—a massive cache of Xi Ore—using a partial map, only to meet his end because of it? Looking at the nonsensical light ball and thinking of that poor soul’s fate in his past life, Feng Zhixi was speechless, and more than a little tempted to hit someone. As an honest, question-answering little pink ball, the cowardly orb remained embedded in the inner wall of the boat-house. Its halo pulsed with a rhythmic flicker, exuding a strange sense of "moe" that made one want to punch it even more. Feng Zhixi stared at the ball for a moment before asking his next question. "If it wasn’t the star map, how did you recognize me?" What did he have on him that this relic of the Xi race would identify as the mark of a cub? Was it some token he didn't know about? His appearance? His genes? Or perhaps his abnormal pheromones? While Feng Zhixi was running through the possibilities, the little ball’s childish voice piped up. "You possess the Power of Time and Space~" *This cub has no common sense at all, he really doesn't know anything~ But asking all these questions is actually quite cute~* The little pink ball, having quickly found its new purpose in life, began happily brainwashing itself. As if fearing the cub wouldn't understand, the silly ball added, "You have traversed time and space." Feng Zhixi froze. His gaze instantly turned cold. The Power of Time and Space? Traversed time and space? Did this ball know about his rebirth? Seeing the cub’s eyes turn murderous again, the light ball—which had just decided the cub was cute—started shivering once more. It had no idea how it had offended the cub this time. *┭┮﹏┭┮ Why did the cub become so fierce after I took a nap?* The trembling pink ball cautiously backed away, shimmying and shuffling until it accidentally popped right out of the boat-house. Suddenly finding itself outside in a world of ice and snow, the little light ball stared at the silvery-white exterior of the boat-house, seemingly stunned. How did it end up out here? Confused and cowardly, the ball had no choice but to slowly squeeze its way back in. Just as it managed to poke its "face" through the wall, it met the cub’s predatory gaze and almost bolted again. *The little pink ball ┭┮﹏┭┮ is terrified!* Just as the silly ball was about to flee outside again, it heard the cub ask another question, which kept its face pinned to the wall. *The adorable cub who knows nothing needs me!* As a ball dedicated to raising the most lively and cute cub possible, its sense of mission instantly overrode its fear. Maintaining its position stuck in the wall, it followed the cub’s line of sight toward the person standing beside him. Though he couldn't hear the communication between the light ball and Feng Zhixi, Ji Yeran had remained silent throughout the encounter. However, his energy gun was primed, and his eyes were full of murderous intent. The light ball looked at the cub, then at the even more ferocious "cub protector," and answered honestly. "He is certainly not a Xi cub. Didn't you bring him back with you?" The light ball was confused. Why would the cub ask that? That even more terrifying protector was obviously not a cub; he didn't possess the Power of Time and Space. He only carried the "traces of time and space" from being brought back by the cub. Wasn't the protector chosen and bound by the cub himself? *Traces of time and space?* Feng Zhixi was stunned by the answer. He turned to look at Ji Yeran, who was still warily watching the light ball, and asked a question he had never asked before. "What was the reason you returned to the past?" Ji Yeran was taken aback by the sudden question, but he didn't hesitate. He answered concisely, "An anti-curvature super-nuclear bomb detonated. I was sucked into a black hole." He hadn't expected to wake up in the past. One could say that if he hadn't been dragged down by that arms dealer’s starship at the time, he might have had a chance to escape. As he answered, Ji Yeran thought to himself that the starship being a "drag" was only a 50% probability. After all, he couldn't be sure if that anti-curvature super-nuclear bomb had been aimed at him or at the arms dealer across from him. *Anti-curvature super-nuclear bomb? Explosion? Black hole?* This set of perfectly overlapping keywords made Feng Zhixi glance at Ji Yeran again, his expression becoming meaningful. *So it was you,* Feng Zhixi thought. Thanks to the light ball’s accidental leak, he discovered that this Alpha seemed to be hiding quite a few little secrets. At that moment, both the light ball and Ji Yeran felt a sudden, inexplicable chill. Light ball: "???" Ji Yeran: "???" At this point, Feng Zhixi finally believed the light ball’s words—at least a little. However, he didn't believe a single word of its nonsense about inheriting the Xi civilization’s legacy. What was the real purpose of this ball luring them here? Seeing that the cub was still on guard, the little pink ball became utterly dejected. *Eee-hee-hee, I'm not a good ball, the cub won't acknowledge me, eee-hee-hee~* This time, the heartbroken ball didn't cry for long. It quickly pulled itself together and phased through the wall again, presenting its full self before the cub. Floating in mid-air, surrounded by a pinkish-white halo, the ball looked at Feng Zhixi. The rings of light around it grew brighter and brighter. The pinkish-white shifted to pale pink, then deep pink, then a vibrant rose, then a light red—until a leaping gold appeared within the crimson, like the dazzling light of a star or flowing magma. In an instant, the radiance surged, obscuring everything. This time, the voice Feng Zhixi heard was no longer soft and childish. It was a sound that came from the depths of the soul, a series of syllables as eternal as the truth of the universe. Though the voice was unfamiliar and the syllables unintelligible—hardly even a language, but rather pure vibrations—it sounded like a heartbeat. It was the first sound from the primordial silence of the universe. The sound was as natural as a breeze blowing over the sea, the falling of raindrops, the call of sprouting plants, the hush of falling snow, the awakening of the earth, and the growth of all things. It was pure and organic. Inexplicably, Feng Zhixi understood the meaning behind the sound. *Xi cub, do you really not remember me? I am...* *** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 溪矿石 | Xi Ore | A rare mineral associated with the Xi race. 时空之力 | Power of Time and Space | A mysterious energy mentioned by the light ball. 时空痕迹 | Traces of Time and Space | Residual energy left on someone who has traveled through time. 反曲率超核弹 | Anti-curvature super-nuclear bomb | A high-tech weapon mentioned by Ji Yeran.