001. The Magic Law Moves
Crystal Tower Civilization, White Candle Star, an ancient ruin.
Li Aozi took a healing potion from the bio-pool, stopping the health drain effect from his genetic damage. Then, he easily dragged the bio-pool into the forest, using branches to camouflage it.
This ruin would one day serve as his outpost to connect with the stars. Though there was a war going on, this node could be used for smuggling and trading.
As everyone knows, all money-making methods are written in the criminal code. Li Aozi had already mapped out his plan. Since the Crystal Tower and Night Butterfly Federation hadn't integrated with the interstellar civilization, products from other narrative-level civilizations would be precious here. Conversely, the unique local specialties from these two civilizations could fetch a high price in the broader universe.
Acting as a middleman and avoiding the hefty taxes both civilizations imposed—it would be hard not to make money.
Making money wasn't the issue. The real problem for Li Aozi now was his identity.
The players had been warned in advance that interstellar travel would take a long time, and they wouldn't be able to log back in for a while. In the meantime, Li Aozi would face a problem with no one to rely on.
Yavanna's situation was unstable, and her strength wasn't great. Li Aozi had no plans to involve her. He decided she should stay by his side as a mascot, treating this like a vacation on an alien planet.
Li Aozi set up a tent for her, and Yavanna silently settled in.
Now, it was time for Li Aozi to address his own issues.
First and foremost, he needed to solve his identity problem.
If the players were online, it would be easy. White Candle Star was a teaching planet, meaning almost all resources were devoted to education and supporting it.
If Li Aozi had a group of people with him, he could easily go to a labor dispatch company and claim to be a country bumpkin working for the magic academy. After three months of work and renting a cheap house, he'd get a work visa and ID.
With proof of origin from an interstellar civilization, he could explain his background when going to a narrative-level civilization. This would also eliminate the risk of being identified by the Fenis Federation as an illegal immigrant from Azure Star. From Li Aozi's experience, it would take just a year to obtain first-class citizenship in the [Empire of Heroes].
However, his current body was suffering from genetic damage, and his Omega Energy was completely sealed. Finding a suitable identity and job was going to be much more difficult.
Crystal Tower valued bloodlines—specifically, the magical aptitude that came with certain bloodlines, not ethnic heritage. To work at a magic academy, you at least had to have magical aptitude.
The players, with their powerful templates, could change professions easily, but for Li Aozi, it was much less friendly—his gene modifications were a chaotic mix. When the admission tests came, his bio-enhanced identity would be exposed, and he'd likely be treated as a biological weapon.
Therefore, Li Aozi needed to find a body with the right magical aptitude. If he found one with superior aptitude, he might even be able to enroll in a higher education institution.
If he couldn't get the Architect profession, becoming a Mage first would provide a strong boost when advancing to Starfall Master later.
As the saying goes: "A living person can't let themselves die of thirst."
Li Aozi originally planned to hunt and gather magical materials to assemble a magical bio-enhancement, but he quickly realized how naive that was. Even Lady N4 wouldn't dare claim she could use magical materials she had never encountered before.
After several failed attempts, Li Aozi decided not to try again. He had already wasted enough time, and with no Omega Energy, he didn't dare wander off too far.
During his material gathering, he had sensed the presence of powerful beasts several times, and the elemental traces left by their footprints and droppings indicated just how dangerous these predators were.
However, Li Aozi knew that the local beasts feared the ancient divine creations within the ruins, as this place held relics from a primordial age.
After all, this was an interstellar civilization's planet. Without even mentioning the possibility of a Kappa-level (Κ, the tenth Greek letter) expert overseeing things, someone of his level—below Gamma—would be nothing more than cheap labor. It wouldn't be wise to draw attention.
The players wouldn't be online for another two months. While they slept, Li Aozi would have to endure a long wait. He didn't want to sit idly by, even though he could earn some experience and proficiency each month by renting out his Omega Energy. He didn't want to rely on basic subsistence.
Li Aozi thought back to the map and mission plot of White Candle Star and suddenly had an idea.
"I should be near the 10-98-1 ruins of White Candle Star. The local creatures around here are around level 120, and there are some villages nearby."
Since White Candle Star was purely an educational planet, it had designated settlements for workers. These foreign laborers had built villages and cities over time, and with the constant exposure to magical energy, some of their descendants might have developed the qualifications to be spellcasters.
After spending a few days in the ruins, Li Aozi decided to leave and try his luck.
"Are you leaving me?"
Yavanna sat on a fallen tree, her head lowered. Her tone was resigned:
"Of course, I'm useless, unpleasant to be around, and now I look strange too…"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Li Aozi quickly interrupted her. "If you keep this up, I'll be the one who gets depressed! Miss Yavanna, I'm not leaving because I hate you—I'm going to university. You'll be in charge of receiving the Descendants I bring here. You'll be very useful later on."
"Are you saying I'm useful to you?"
Yavanna lifted her head, and her web-filled eyes lit up:
"I have a purpose…right?"
"Yes," Li Aozi replied smoothly, "You're very important to me."
Yavanna's pale cheeks flushed slightly. She turned her head, tugging her cloak tighter around herself to hide her face, then quickly walked away:
"I'll go build something, make this place look nice. I'll make sure to welcome them properly."
"Thanks for your hard work."
Li Aozi sighed in relief. Yavanna's extreme self-negation showed how deep her psychological issues had become.
The more severe a person's emotional trauma, the more dangerous it was to let them be idle. Otherwise, they would overthink, spiral into sadness, and end up hurting themselves in a vicious cycle.
"Li Aozi."
Yavanna had just picked up a piece of wood when she suddenly turned to face him again.
"Hmm?" Li Aozi met her web-filled eyes. "What is it?"
"…Will you come back to visit me during your studies?"
Yavanna looked down at her feet:
"Even if it's not for me…that's fine. I'm just afraid something might happen to you, like getting hurt or feeling lonely in a foreign land…"
Thwack!
Li Aozi flicked her on the forehead.
"Ow!"
Yavanna instinctively covered her forehead, looking at Li Aozi in confusion:
"Why did you hit me—"
"Why are you worrying about me? I'm immortal," Li Aozi teased. "Just take care of yourself and don't get into trouble. No matter what happens, keep yourself safe, stay alive, and don't die in some remote corner where I can't find you."
Li Aozi repeated what he had told her before, emphasizing his point:
"You staying alive is the best blessing you can give me."
"I…" Yavanna mumbled, staring at her feet, shifting nervously: "I've done so many unforgivable things, hated by the entire world, yet you, Li Aozi, don't hate me…whatever you ask me to do, I'll do."
"You've got it wrong. You're not just living for me. You're living for yourself and the mission you carry."
Li Aozi placed his hands on her face, his gray eyes meeting her web-filled ones. In that moment, their gaze locked onto one another:
"Yavanna, I don't know why you've changed like this. Maybe you've experienced pain I can't understand. I'm not qualified to judge that. But what I do know is: your existence isn't meaningless, and just because others hate you doesn't mean you have to die."
"I…"
"There are many things in this world whose purpose is questionable. Like the Speaker Cricket Knight, llamas, or sunfish—such weak creatures that make us wonder if the creator was having a bad day when they were made. People have invented language, but still need expressions to convey meaning. Everyone knows novels and video games are fictional, but they still choose to accept those stories."
Li Aozi tugged at Yavanna's pale cheeks and said:
"Saying 'I'll do whatever you tell me to'—you're underestimating yourself. You're an independent woman. Don't think about giving up your innate freedom. Even if you don't contribute anything to the world, just being 'Yavanna' makes you a unique miracle in this universe."
Li Aozi said:
"You, Yavanna, are a miracle to this world. You're like a comet that streaked across the night sky thousands of years ago. There are trillions of stars in the universe, yet only a few civilizations exist. Most people can't see you as you cross the sky."
"Pfft—"
Yavanna couldn't help but laugh. She covered her mouth with her hand, softly saying:
"That makes me sound even sadder…most people can't even see a comet."
"Exactly. And because most can't see it, those who do feel it's extraordinary. They make wishes on you, record your passing, even if it happens only a few times. That sight becomes a cherished memory."
Li Aozi gently patted her shoulder:
"Fortunately, I witnessed you. Your parents, family, and friends will remember you. How can you say you have no meaning? As long as you keep moving forward, more people will know you, remember you, understand you. Maybe life has no inherent meaning, but as you walk your path, you'll find your purpose along the way."