Chapter 7

Qin Fei knew that Xi Yuan was patrolling alone in outer space. With his abilities, he didn’t need a mecha at all. However, if Qin Fei wanted to go out, he couldn’t, he had to stay inside a safe spaceship or a high-performance mecha. Higher-level male zergs could use mechas as well, even though their physical strength was weaker. Male zergs had powerful mental strength, which they could use to protect themselves. Now, even level 9 male zergs would not go on risky missions. This wasn’t just for their own safety, the female zergs also didn’t allow it. The cosmic rays in outer space could easily harm male zergs. In the past, when high-level male zergs weren’t so rare, it was said that they could travel alone in outer space. Their mental strength was exceptionally strong, and they could form a mental membrane around themselves, creating a protective shield like an “absolute safety field.” As long as the male zerg stayed within this self-created membrane, they wouldn’t face any problems.

Qin Fei, of course, was tempted. As a man, although he didn’t have much of an adventurous nature, there was still a fair amount of it in him. Outer space, the mystery of it all, to experience it firsthand, to touch it, to see it—what an attractive topic! Thinking about this, his blood always boiled with excitement. Unfortunately, with his current mental strength (not yet an adult), he could at most play little tricks, like moving objects around, just like Ai Nuo.

Generally speaking, the zerg race’s final metamorphosis gave them a chance to progress further. Qin Fei didn’t want to waste this opportunity. He worked out every day, ate well, and slept well, all in an effort to maintain the best physical condition and level up during his next transformation. Various magical plants and exotic beast meats were very beneficial for the zerg body. Of course, he didn’t lack money, and since Xi Yuan had been promoted to Major General with a good salary, he now transferred his pay into their joint account. Being a soldier also gave Xi Yuan some internal benefits within the military. Whenever he saw exotic beast meats or magical plants that could benefit Qin Fei, or foods that Qin Fei liked, he would always choose to buy them, even if they were quite expensive.

Magical plants are plants with their own primitive consciousness. Generally speaking, the higher the level, the higher their intelligence, much like the zerg race. They are divided into nine levels: levels 1-3 are low-level, levels 3-6 are mid-level, and levels 7-9 are high-level.

Low-level magical plants (levels 1-3) essentially have no self-awareness. If they encounter a zerg, they won’t know how to escape. Except for some special species, they basically just take root where they are and stay there. The zerg race can easily harvest their fruits, though luckily, the zerg families don’t have the same kind of close relationships as humans. The love zerg parents feel for their young is more reserved and not openly shown. Qin Fei regularly video calls his family and talks to them for a bit, and that’s about it. Each time they contact him, he is once again grateful that he was old enough to go out and attend school.

For low-level magical plants, it’s relatively easy to obtain their fruits. As long as they are given regular nutrition and care, they will bear the fruits that the zerg race needs. When it comes to mid-level magical plants, they generally have a rudimentary consciousness and the ability to move. If they feel that the place where they are growing is unsuitable, they can uproot and relocate. Since mid-level magical plants already possess self-awareness, if they are forcibly harvested by the zerg race, the fruits they bear may not have the desired effects. In fact, if the plant resists, the fruit could even be poisonous! The fruits of mid-level and higher magical plants always require the plant’s consent, so their price is exceptionally high. Even so, Qin Fei’s family’s stock of mid-level magical plant fruits has never run out. He receives a new one nearly every day, not just from Xi Yuan, but also from his male father, female father, and older brother.

Qin Fei felt guilty toward Qin Lang and Lin Zishu. After all, he had taken over this body, and whenever he faced them, he always felt a sense of unease. His second brother, who was at the same school, had gone on a real combat simulation and hadn’t returned yet. If he had been around, his changes would definitely have raised suspicions.

“What’s this?” Qin Fei asked curiously, turning to Xi Yuan.

Xi Yuan had been away for three days, carrying out a mission in space. During his time there, he came across some spoils, which were space meteors he found drifting through space. He thought they were interesting and decided to bring them back for Qin Fei. It was during an accidental moment that Xi Yuan realized that Qin Fei had a strong interest in these objects, so he made sure to bring back anything intriguing he found on his patrols to please the Male Master.

This time, the items he brought back were particularly unique. One of them was a dark green mineral about the size of a human head—an extremely rare high-grade ore. This kind of ore was essential for crafting mechs, and such a large chunk could be used to make three mechs. Xi Yuan knew that Qin Fei had been fascinated by mechs for a long time, but since Qin Fei wasn’t yet an adult, they didn’t want him to start piloting a mech so soon, as it would be bad for his body. However, finding suitable materials was still important, and encountering such high-grade ore drifting in space was a stroke of good luck.

Another interesting find was a young seedling growing on a hollow silver-colored mineral. The seedling only had two tender leaves, and when Xi Yuan first saw it, he couldn’t believe it. This seedling had somehow been able to grow in space without dying from the radiation, and it had adapted well to its environment.

Qin Fei’s special ability was wood-based, and he had a strong affinity for magical plants and all kinds of vegetation. He closed his eyes, extended his mental tendrils, and reached out to touch the seedling. He felt an enormous vitality emanating from it, and the energy it exuded felt very pleasant to him.

“Xi Yuan, you really had good luck this time. If you find anything like this again, bring it back. This one must be a high-grade magical plant. The vitality of this seedling is even higher than that of my level 7 magical plant,” Qin Fei said excitedly as he circled around the seedling. He was clearly in a state of excitement.

Seeing Qin Fei so happy, Xi Yuan, whose face usually showed little emotion, couldn’t help but show a faint smile. He had gone through quite a bit to get this seedling. When he first discovered it, it tried to run away, and he had to chase it down and catch it before bringing it back. He could have returned earlier in the morning, but he purposely delayed his return until now, well after dark.

The magical plant seemed to sense the surrounding wood-based energy and appeared to enjoy it. The two small leaves trembled slightly and then spread wider.

Qin Fei almost couldn’t resist immediately researching what kind of magical plant this was, but he held back. “Let’s eat first, I’ve already made dinner.”

“What?! You made dinner, Master?” Xi Yuan’s eyes widened uncontrollably. Qin Fei couldn’t help but look at him several times. It was just a meal, was it really such a big deal? This was the first time Qin Fei had seen Xi Yuan show such a reaction. Normally, Xi Yuan was expressionless, but when he felt awkward or shy, his face would turn red. He smiled rarely, and when he did, the curve of his smile was barely noticeable. But this time, his clear surprise brought Qin Fei some satisfaction. He smiled and said, “Yes, I made it. Come, try my cooking.”

Then Qin Fei saw Xi Yuan’s face shift into an expression of guilt. Hmm, another new expression.

“Master, are you not used to takeout or robot-made meals? If you need me to go far next time, I’ll refuse. I’ll come back every day to cook for you. How could I let you cook!”

“Don’t overthink it, it’s just that I occasionally enjoy cooking. It’s a hobby. You should do what you normally do next time. Now, come and taste my cooking.”

Qin Fei’s cooking skills were average, especially compared to Xi Yuan’s, but from the moment they sat down at the dining table, Qin Fei watched as Xi Yuan, with a devout expression on his face, slowly finished the meal he had made. He didn’t leave a single bite behind, even using his rice to soak up the sauce and finish it.

After the meal, they each returned to their rooms. Qin Fei logged onto the Star Network to check the news. Then he saw the latest update on Xi Yuan’s personal account: “The meal made by the Master was so delicious, I’m so happy!” A picture was attached below.

The post had been up for only a short while, but there were already many comments, most of which expressed disbelief, saying “No way, the Male master cooked?!” Occasionally, some zergs would comment saying how enviable it was.

Qin Fei’s personal account had not gone through real-name verification, and since Xi Yuan was the youngest major general in the military, with tens of thousands of followers, he didn’t know that Xi Yuan followed him. When he saw this post, Qin Fei thought about it for a long time.

The next day, when Xi Yuan got up, he sensed that something had changed with Qin Fei.