Pillar of Yita

”So, that person is originally a stowaway?” When Fang Hong mentioned the word stowaway, he couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty.

”It’s not quite the same as your situation. Although your actions were out of line, the problem ultimately lies within ourselves, and this matter eventually returned to the right track, resolving satisfactorily. But that person...” Su Changfeng seemed reluctant to discuss the issue, ”In short, we received a tip that he might appear in Tansnier. I figured you might be nearby, so I specially gave you a heads-up, not expecting it to be so coincidental.”

Fang Hong scratched his head; what else could he say? It was indeed a situation of extremely bad luck. The only lesson was to remember to turn off the Communication Crystal during combat next time. Actually, he had always done this in the past. The exception this time was because everyone was scattered in the city for convenient contact.

He had not expected combat to occur within the city, and when he was facing that Wandering Alchemist, he overlooked this point.

Su Changfeng didn’t finish his sentence, but Fang Hong could understand—after all, the Stargate Port had been developing for so many years, and the military inevitably had some secrets. He was just the other party’s collaborator. In areas not related to their cooperation, the other party obviously wouldn’t tell him everything.

At present, that Wandering Alchemist might not be related to them, but Fang Hong looked at the middle-aged craftsman not far away.

He recalled the matter of the Seven Seas Travel Group planning to meet the Grand Princess and felt it might have some connection. Moreover, he now somewhat believed Sophie’s words; his bad luck seemed to always lead him into the most unlikely situations.

So, for insurance, he still looked at the Communication Light Page and asked Su Changfeng, ”If I encounter that person again, any suggestions?”

Su Changfeng glanced at him, ”At your current level, I suggest you’d better not encounter him. That person... he has now stolen the Yinhanz Four of the Sand Lodge, and his paper strength is almost equivalent to a genuine Pseudo Dragon Knight. You’re a craftsman; I don’t need to elaborate, right?”

”But what if he comes after me? Now that I think about it, when he teleported away, he said something to me. Besides, I always felt he didn’t have the intention to kill when he acted. If he had gone all out, I might not have held up till the end.”

”He might not have had the intention to kill then, but there’s no guarantee he won’t next time. You can’t base your safety on someone else’s hands, Ade.”

Fang Hong nodded, thinking that made sense.

Only then did Su Changfeng ask again, ”What exactly did he say to you at that time?”

”He asked if I was a military person and said we would meet again.”

”Did he really say that?”

Fang Hong nodded again.

”That’s strange...” Su Changfeng’s tone was a bit puzzled.

Fang Hong was about to ask what was strange, but Su Changfeng had already looked up at him and said, ”By the way, Ade, about your matter—”

Fang Hong was taken aback, ”About my matter?”

”Never mind,” Su Changfeng shook his head, ”It’s nothing major. I’ll tell you next time if there’s a chance. Your uncle and aunt have already arrived at the Crosswind Harbor base. At that place, Stargate Port will ensure their safety. When the Stargate Port Area B project is completed, the reverse passage should be restored—”

Upon hearing this, Fang Hong immediately put other things out of his mind, feeling genuinely grateful, ”Thank you all so much.”

His main worry was about his uncle and aunt’s family. With the Stargate reverse passage closed at this moment, who knows what could happen if there are any incidents? Although this possibility was small, even a one in ten thousand chance was unbearable to him.

His uncle’s family had come to Eteliria because of him—

Su Changfeng, however, said, ”No need to thank me. This wasn’t done for you; protecting our country’s citizens is also a soldier’s duty. Besides, the closure of the reverse passage is Stargate Port’s responsibility. Whether or not it involves your matter, we should do this.”

”But I heard in other countries...”

Su Changfeng chuckled, ”Don’t believe in rumors, young man. Most countries’ offices at the Stargate have played a positive role.”

Seeing Su Changfeng’s self-satisfied expression, Fang Hong felt there was some underlying meaning in the phrase ’most countries.’

But despite what was said, his gratitude did not diminish a bit, ”In any case, Captain Su, thank you.”

”No need for thanks. By the way, about you and Sophie?”

Fang Hong immediately fled in panic, hastily turning off the communicator in fright.

Su Changfeng looked at the screen that had gone dark for a moment before chuckling silently, shaking his head and sighing, ”Young people nowadays are really thin-skinned, unlike us back then.”

...

Fang Hong shut off the communicator and couldn’t help wiping away a cold sweat. The secret he was keeping for Sophie and Qianjin was bound to be exposed someday, and then he wouldn’t know what to do. He didn’t know if Su Changfeng would hunt him across the world at that time. The thought of such a scenario made him exasperated.

But that Princess of Silver Weslan had already pushed him down the pit, and climbing out wouldn’t be easy now. Not to mention, with his relationship with Sophie, he couldn’t betray her, could he? He thought maybe he shouldn’t have agreed to this in the first place, but the Little Princess’s enticing offer was something he couldn’t resist; he was indeed too naive.

Looking up, he saw the Sorcerer-Ghoul leisurely walking over with a staff in hand. Remembering earlier matters, Fang Hong decided to set aside the pile of troubles with Sophie and called out to the approaching figure: