Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Three days later, in Noriosse North Space Port, where countless travelers came and went, an ordinary space human female was slowly walking, carrying a backpack.
In fact, this was someone in disguise. In actuality, it was the target whom Han Xiao was looking for—Ames’ teacher who had once adopted her in her childhood and guided her to awaken her Super talent.
His name was Aesop, and his power was foresight. However, as compared to his rare prophetic ability, his race was even rarer.
Aesop had been born before the Galaxy Calendar started. He was an Eternal, a being who lived for countless years.
Long before Han Xiao had contact with the Teleportation Mage, Aesop had already foreseen that Han Xiao and the others would refuse to participate in his ‘game’. The prophecy itself was vague because the future was full of uncertainties and could change at any time. If the future could not be changed, the prophecy would be meaningless. Generally, prophecies with no goal usually only led to a fog. A theme was needed for the ability to be activated, which would be the ‘trigger’ that would limit the future possibilities.
The more experienced the Oracle was, the more factors they would set up to limit the future. The variety of clues and mischievous arrangements that Aesop had left were all plots that he used to limit the possibilities.
The future was in the superposition state, and the ‘trigger’ could make the future ‘collapse’. In simple terms, when people are not hungry, they could do all sorts of things, and when they were hungry, there was one action that would become determined—they would eat. Aesop deliberately left the trail for this purpose so that people who searched for him would follow the clues that he had left. If a bead on the ground was rolling in all directions, when the bead fell into a groove, it would only move back and forth. This meant that the ‘future’ turned from a free answer question to a multiple-choice question with limited options. Only in that way would his prophecy be able to see the future.
Prophecies could not see too far into the future and had no combat capability. The ability itself was not powerful, so it all depended on the user. Being an Oracle required intelligence!
At this time, Aesop had already purchased a seat on a long-haul flight. Even if he did not use his prophecy ability, he had already seen through Han Xiao’s goal. It was nothing more than to stall for time so that when Ames arrived on Noriosse, he would have nowhere to run.
“Too young.” Aesop thought that it was funny. With such an obvious intention, only a fool would not be able to see it. They refused his request, yet they thought that he would be stupid enough to stay on the planet. Why would he?
Putting himself in Han Xiao’s shoes, Aesop felt that he would lie about agreeing to find the Heart of Crystal Fire in order to stall time, which would be at least better than rejecting it directly. However, no matter what Han Xiao chose, the result would be the same—Aesop had actually never planned to stay there. Even if Han Xiao had lied and agreed, he would still have left.
“If he agreed to my request, my following arrangements would get them into trouble. They would be chased off this planet by the Noriosse financial group. Even if they reject my request and intend to delay me, after I leave, Ames will also be unable to find me. She will be angry at this group officers who quit halfway and ‘missed the golden opportunity’, which will also give them a hard time.
“From the moment you got the clue I left from the intel organization, the result was already determined.”
Under the mask of disguise, Aesop smiled. “You used my name; I give you a little punishment. Fair and square.”
“Is that so?”
Suddenly, a man’s voice came from behind, and a hand tapped Aesop’s shoulder and stayed there.
Aesop’s face suddenly changed. He froze and slowly turned around.
A stranger stood behind him. This man tore off an extremely thin mask on his face, exposing Han Xiao’s face.
“Mister Aesop Hurricane, damn good morning to you.” Han Xiao smiled.
“How did you know I’m here?” Aesop was shocked. His eyes changed slightly and flashed with wonder.
He did not ask why Han Xiao was here; it needed no explanation. He figured it out instantly the moment that he saw Han Xiao. He was puzzled by another question at this moment.
There were five harbors on Noriosse. How did he accurately find the correct one?
He might have heard from Jenny that this Black Star seemed to be an Oracle as well.
“Good question, allow me to introduce.” Han Xiao pulled a man from the side, took off the mask on the face of the person, revealing the face of Feidin. He smiled and said, “This is my mascot.”
“… You mean by luck?”
Aesop’s face stiffened, and then he looked relieved. Oracles as skilled as him were very clear on one thing—there would never be a perfect plan. No matter how good the plan was, it would often be disrupted by accidents. Although luck was something very uncertain, the simplest thing was usually the most inexplicable.
Han Xiao had the Destiny’s Child card, so he understood the mindset of Oracles and the so-called trigger, but this time, he did not use the Destiny’s Child card as there was no need to.
When he refused Aesop’s request, to his understanding of Aesop, he knew that Aesop could easily see through his ‘intention’. Hence, only one choice was placed in front of Aesop. In order to avoid Ames, who was going to arrive, he had to take a spaceship and leave Noriosse. Therefore, the possibilities were narrowed. He just had to spread out across five harbors and wait, as Aesop would definitely pass by one of them.
As a result, the person in the dilemma became Aesop. If he did not leave, he would definitely be found. If he left, he might be found.
Hence, even if Aesop had foreseen this possibility, he would have no choice but to fall into this trap. Not to mention the fact that Aesop did not use his power due to the lack of a trigger.
Those who delved into logic tended to fall into a paradox that they themselves could not see. Aesop wanted Han Xiao to act while complying with his rules of the game, but Han Xiao turned it around and made his interlocked plan into a fair environment for the both of them to compete in their luck. Then, Han Xiao used his rich experience to beat him. Feidin could solve any and all difficulties involving luck.
Aesop’s lousy disguise was good enough for the identity check at the harbor but not disguise veteran Han Xiao.
According to the normal way of thinking, if Aesop left Noriosse long ago right after he made the arrangements, the plan would have had no solution, meaning that he would be in an invincible position. However, Han Xiao had one of the biggest advantages—he knew Aesop’s personality from his previous life. This ancient man had experienced too many things, so his personality was strange and abnormal.
Power? Not interesting. He had once served as the vice president of a star-class civilization.
Wealth? There was no meaning. Resources did not have a real owner, so wealth was only a false definition.
Beauty? Tired of it long ago. The species that he had mated with could circle a Fixed Star several times.
Strength? Experienced before. He had once erased the entire planet from the map with a horrifying weapon.
Aesop was really tired of living, and this was not derogatory but literal. His life was left with a few fun things—freedom, curiosity, and excitement!
So, he had become a treasure hunter who travelled everywhere with unknown whereabouts. He could only experience the feeling of being alive at the edge of danger. Hence, when he plotted and planned, Aesop would absolutely never hide behind the scenes. He would create a fair situation and let the opponent have the opportunity to taste the fruit of victory. To him, it was a dangerous game.
If he won, he would feel empty.
If he lost, he would rejoice.
He had lived too long and really become incomprehensible to ordinary people.
Aesop also took off the disguise, revealing his old appearance, and heartily laughed. “It seems that my apprentice found a powerful partner.”
Han Xiao smiled as well. He showed no flaw on the surface, but he had other thoughts in his mind.
He was thinking of killing Aesop.
Aesop was such a powerful Oracle. Even if he was not his enemy, who could guarantee that he would not be a threat to him in the future?
Han Xiao was very clear about Aesop’s ability; his power was prophecy, so his combat capability was almost equal to zero. As long as he seized this Oracle, killing him would not be much harder than killing a chicken.
This was a good opportunity to get rid of hidden dangers. He just had to tell Ames that he did not find her teacher and let Aesop be forever ‘missing’.
So…
Before Ames arrives, should I…
Kill him‽
Han Xiao eyes flickered.
In his eyes, there was not a single person that had to die no matter what, and there was not a single person he must not kill no matter what.
