Ling Jiu took things seriously, as the stake was too high. He returned to Earth with the detector 9527 given to him and used it to scan the egg of the Flame Astral Behemoth.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A few lines of text popped up, but they looked like caricatures. Ling Jiu had no idea what they were. He had no choice but to return to Pandora with the detector.
“You people on Earth are in luck.” 9527 looked at the detector. “This Flame Astral Behemoth egg is 1,840 years old, but because Earth’s resources are scarce and energy is low, which delays its incubation period. Otherwise, it would have hatched long ago.”
Ling Jiu was in a cold sweat. “How many years before it hatches?”
“Exactly 10.5 Earth’s years, which means it has 10 and a half years before it hatches,” 9527 said. “Like almost all life forms, the Astral Behemoth is the weakest when it just hatches. The best time to kill it is when it just hatches, so you have to seize the opportunity.”
“Becoming a Level 10 Arcanist within 10 years and then finding the mothership?”
Ling Jiu murmured, then clenched his fists. “I definitely will!”
“All the best,” 9527 said. “A primary civilization like yours is like a newborn, whose ability to avoid danger and disaster is weak and going through a lot of sufferings. Whether you can survive these disasters depends on your fate.”
“However, if you can become a stellar life form earlier and get the recognition of the mothership, then the mothership will train you. When you become stronger, you will be a valuable asset to Earth’s civilization. So, let’s do your best. I am looking forward to the day when you become a stellar life form.”
…
Ling Jiu left Pandora with a heavy heart, then returned to the training camp, said his goodbye to the camp commandant before leaving the Australian mainland.
While flying over the vast ocean in his maglev airship, he encountered a lot of aquatic Direbeasts. He killed many of them easily and escaped into another dimension when encountering those that he found it too hard to kill.
There were near misses, but at least he arrived back in Chang’an Base City. Instead of going home, he followed Ling’er’s address and came to her home.
Ling’er came from a single-parent family, and she had been raised by her foster mother.
He came to visit her mother, whom he thought he should thank for raising his sister. Besides, he also hoped to find some useful information through his woman.
“Room 302, Unit 1, Block 12, Lutuozhai Neighborhood.”
Lutuozhai Neighborhood was a high-density public housing community. The space of each unit was small. Ordinary folks were living here.
Ling Jiu had bought some gifts, came in front of Room 302 and pressed the doorbell.
“Who is it?”
The soundproofing of the house was rather poor as he could hear a voice coming from inside as a chubby middle-aged woman opened the door.
Ling Jiu knew that this woman was definitely not Ling’er’s biological mother at first glance; the difference between the two was so obvious.
“Hello Madam, is this Yang Ling’er’s house?” Ling Jiu asked with a bright smile on his face.
“Yes, may I ask if you are…” Yang Cuilian looked at Ling Jiu in puzzlement.
“I am Ling’er’s friend in the training camp. I am passing by Chang’an Base City, and so pay you a visit on her behalf.”
He smiled, taking out his cell phone and video-calling Yang Ling’er. As the call went through, Ling Jiu handed the cell phone to Yang Cuilian.
“Mom!”
“Ling’er!”
After the mother and daughter had a quick chat, Yang Cuilian returned the cell phone to Ling Jiu and hospitably welcomed him into the house.
“Have some water, young man.”
“Thank you. I just dropped by and will leave very quickly.”
“How is Ling’er doing in the training camp?”
“She is doing great. She will come home in a few months.”
“That’s good! That’s good!”
“Madam, since Ling’er has joined Pangu Arcana Combine, the company should have provided her with a villa. Why don’t you live in the villa instead?”
“You don’t know, young man. I am used to the life of scavenging. It is dirty. I won’t get used to living in a nice, big villa. Besides, I know all the people in the neighborhood with whom I can chat with. Moving to…”
The two chatted for a while, and Ling Jiu went straight to the point. “Madam, besides coming to see you today, I need to know something from you.”
“What’s it about?” Yang Cuilian looked puzzled.
“Let me be honest with you, Madam. I am Ling’er’s biological brother.”
Ling Jiu hesitated for a moment before he continued. “I’m here to ask you about Ling’er’s past.”
“Biological brother?”
Yang Cuilian’s expression changed, her voice trembling. “W-What did you say? You are Ling’er’s actual brother?”
“Yeah.”
“I knew it! I knew this day would come. It definitely would…”
Yang Cuilian murmured, then looked at Ling Jiu nervously. “Are you really her brother?”
Ling Jiu did not answer, but dialed Ling’er’s number again and then handed the phone to Yang Cuilian.
“Is what he said true, Ling’er?” Yang Cuilian asked nervously.
“Mom, we have done a DNA test!” Yang Ling’er said.
“I get it now.”
The woman suddenly sobbed upon hanging up. “Young man, did you come to take Ling’er away? Are you trying to take her away from me?”
“What are you talking about, Madam?”
Ling Jiu quickly explained, “You raised Ling’er, and you are her benefactor. You will always be her mother. That is something that no one can change. I’m here to find out about her past when you adopted her. You were and will always be her mother. I promise you that.”
“Really?”
“For sure.”
Yang Cuilian stopped crying. “Ask me anything you want to know.”
“Madam, how did you adopt Ling’er back then?” Ling Jiu asked.
“Let me be honest with you,” Yang Cuilian said. “I found Ling’er in a dumpster. That night was 13 years ago, when I walked past a dumpster like any other day, I heard a child crying, and then I discovered Ling’er. You don’t know this, but I lost my husband and son during the Direbeast disaster. I was the only one left to live in pain. When I saw Ling’er for the first time, I felt like it was a gift from heaven. So, I took her with me and raised her.”
“Thirteen years ago?” Ling Jiu was puzzled. “Isn’t Ling’er 16 years old?”
“There was no birth certificate, and because of that, I would run into troubles when I got her a household registration. So I lied about her age,” the woman said in a low voice. “In fact, Ling’er should only be 13 years old. When I rescued her from the street, she should have just been born.”
“Thirteen…” Ling Jiu murmured.
“She’s one year younger than Xiaotong, which means Ling’er was born after Mom left. For some reason, she threw her away, and Yang Cuilian picked her up. Why did Mom do this? Why did she leave? Why did she abandon her own child?
“Even the most vicious tiger will not eat its cubs. Is there really such a cruel mother in this world?”
Ling Jiu clenched his fists.
