Chapter Seventeen: The Homecoming Agreement (Part One)

Kuang Chi stayed at Tyrannosaurus Peak for a few more days. Although he had grown very fond of the place, it was not just because it offered a sense of kinship different from that of the Kuang Clan Star—it touched him deeply. Even though everyone there knew he was the young master of the Kuang Clan, they treated him with affection rather than the stifling reverence he received back home. This made him feel far more at ease. Perhaps reverence is what those in power crave most, but it was something Kuang Chi personally disliked.

Under his repeated insistence, the Master of Tyrannosaurus Peak finally agreed to let him leave. However, for the sake of his safety, they demanded that a fifty-man escort team accompany him to Homesick City. Kuang Chi had initially wanted to decline, but the Peak Master and the six elders refused to let him depart otherwise. In the end, he had no choice but to concede.

The temporary guard unit of fifty was assembled that very day according to his request. They set off immediately, with the group including two elders from Tyrannosaurus Peak.

When the party arrived in Homesick City, the commotion was unavoidable. After the necessary pleasantries, they finally returned to Qian Duo’s residence. Only Kuang Chi, Qian Duo, Jing’er, and the Lady Mayor remained, along with the two elders who stayed in the hall at Kuang Chi’s request.

Once they were seated, Jing’er smiled at the two elders and said, "Fatty, didn't I tell you? I knew Tyrannosaurus Peak was part of your Kuang Clan."

Kuang Chi smiled. This was not the first time Jing’er had said this since returning to the city. He looked at the two elders standing behind him, who had refused to take a seat, and asked, "Jing’er, I’ve brought back what you wanted. What now?"

Jing’er gave him a strange look, then glanced at the Lady Mayor. "While you were away, we contacted the nearby Longing City and Origin City. Many prominent families there are willing to cooperate with us. The material issue is basically resolved; the main problems now are security and the location for building the spacecraft."

She paused, looking at the two elders behind Kuang Chi. "Actually, these two problems are one and the same—if we can find a suitable place to set up a factory." She stopped, her eyes fixed on the elders, her meaning clear.

The two elders exchanged a glance. One of them spoke: "Young Master, Tyrannosaurus Peak has been researching spacecraft for thousands of years, but the gravity of Forgotten Star has always been an insurmountable obstacle. The propulsion systems we’ve developed can’t even lift a ship from the foot of our peak to its summit, let alone break through the planet’s gravitational pull."

The other elder added, "However, if you, Miss, have a way to build a craft capable of breaking through the planet's gravity, we at Tyrannosaurus Peak are fully prepared to cooperate with you."

Kuang Chi felt a secret joy. This had been his idea all along, but he hadn't had the resources to get involved or claim a stake until now.

The Lady Mayor, who had been silent until then, suddenly interjected, "If Tyrannosaurus Peak is willing to join our company, we would certainly welcome it, but how would the shares be adjusted?" She looked toward Jing’er, who suddenly found herself in a difficult position. Her primary goal was to build a ship to return home; helping the descendants of the exiles on Forgotten Star was a secondary motive. She had no strong preference for partners, but if forced to choose, she favored the stronger Tyrannosaurus Peak.

Jing’er pondered for a moment, then turned to Kuang Chi. "Fatty, what do you think?"

Kuang Chi didn't hesitate. "Jing’er, are you confident in the propulsion system? Can you guarantee it will break through the atmosphere of Forgotten Star?"

Jing’er nodded firmly. "Of course. This is the latest research achievement of my Piao Feng Empire. If I didn't need it to get home, I would never have shared it. It is essentially a prototype for the propulsion system of the mobile space fortresses currently under development back home. It isn't perfect, but it will certainly get a warship off this planet."

At the mention of "mobile space fortress," Kuang Chi and the two elders gasped in astonishment.

After exchanging a look with the elders, Kuang Chi said, "Jing’er, I think it would be more suitable to cooperate with Tyrannosaurus Peak. They can prepare for the construction of the ship in the shortest amount of time." He turned to the elders. "What do you think?"

The elders nodded repeatedly. One added, "Of course. The accumulated resources of Tyrannosaurus Peak over ten thousand years are not something one or two cities can compare to. We have plenty of experts. Miss Jing’er, just tell us what you need."

The Lady Mayor grew anxious. "How can this be? What about us, Sister Jing’er?" She looked at Jing’er with a pitiful expression.

Jing’er smiled. "Sister Siqing, I never said that cooperating with Tyrannosaurus Peak meant excluding you. Our agreement regarding those two ships remains valid." She then turned to Kuang Chi. "Fatty, I can cooperate with your Kuang Clan’s Tyrannosaurus Peak, but you must guarantee one thing in your capacity as the young master of the Kuang Clan."

Kuang Chi frowned. Jing’er’s phrasing was significant. By adding "Kuang Clan" before "Tyrannosaurus Peak," she was effectively binding the entire clan to the deal. If anything went wrong, she could hold the clan accountable. And demanding a guarantee from him as the young master was equally pointed.

Kuang Chi thought for a long time, then looked at the two elders, whose eyes were filled with desperate anticipation. These were old, wily monsters; they knew this was a golden opportunity to force him to acknowledge that Tyrannosaurus Peak was an integral part of the Kuang Clan.

He looked around and finally nodded heavily. "Tell me what you need me to guarantee. As long as it isn't too unreasonable, I agree. After all, you're the one who can get us out of here."

Jing’er smiled. "I wouldn't dare be unreasonable. If you turned heartless—like some people in this city—and captured me to force me to hand over the blueprints, I’d be in real trouble."

Kuang Chi’s brows furrowed. He shot a sharp, displeased look at the Lady Mayor, whose expression had darkened. "Mayor, what is this about?"

Kuang Chi was not the same person who had left. Regardless of the Kuang Clan’s strength back home, he was now the acknowledged young master of the elders at Tyrannosaurus Peak. He was no longer someone to be easily dismissed.

The Lady Mayor remained silent, but Jing’er spoke up for her. "Why are you glaring at Sister Siqing? This has nothing to do with her. It’s just that a few families found out about your trip to the surface and wanted to seize what you’re carrying. If it weren't for her, I would have been gone long ago while you were away." She glared at him in frustration.

Kuang Chi realized how foolish he had been. He apologized, "Jing’er, I'm sorry. I never imagined those families would have such malicious intentions."

Jing’er snorted again. "I'm not blaming you. Even if you were here, what could you have done? If anything, blame me."

Before she could finish, a voice sounded from outside. "Young Master, we have discovered more than a dozen people from the Demon Valley in the city."

The two elders seemed to have anticipated this. One of them looked at Jing’er and told Kuang Chi, "Young Master, those people are likely here for Miss Jing’er. If I’m not mistaken, people from the Green Smoke Pavilion have also arrived."

The Lady Mayor’s face turned pale.

Jing’er asked, confused, "Elder, why would they come to Homesick City, and why would you say they are here for me?"

The elder known as the Third Elder gave a dry laugh. He could see the close relationship between Kuang Chi and Jing’er and didn't know how to explain.

The Fifth Elder, being more blunt, interjected, "It’s no secret. While not everyone knows, it's widely understood among our circles. Tyrannosaurus Peak, the Green Smoke Pavilion, and the Demon Valley have been competing for the exiles who fall onto Forgotten Star for thousands of years. It used to be a competition of wits, but it turned into a struggle of force centuries ago."

Jing’er pondered for a moment. "May I ask why you all fight over these exiles?"

The Third Elder signaled for the Fifth Elder to stop. He glanced at Qian Duo behind Kuang Chi and the others behind the Lady Mayor. His meaning was clear.