Chapter 69: Selling Tomatoes Part 1

Zane Regalis, who had been dead for many years, reappeared before the public. The shock this news brought was no less than a heavy bomb, instantly igniting public opinion across the Federation and even the entire interstellar community.

No one could believe their eyes, nor their ears.

In the past years, his funeral had already been held, and his fans would drag out his past every anniversary of his death to compare with current politicians and even celebrities.

Nothing was more devastating than a dead white moonlight. Zane Regalis’s reputation was just like that.

But now? Who was that man with the handsome and gentle brows, a faint and captivating smile?

In an instant, people began to suspect if someone had boldly gotten plastic surgery to look exactly like Zane Regalis. After all, while the interstellar era championed natural-born faces, it wasn’t impossible for someone to crazily challenge the authority of Delphi’s Prince.

But the moment that man opened his mouth, no one could doubt his existence anymore.

“Long time no see, everyone.” The familiar, gorgeous voice poured out like flowing light. The man chuckled lightly, returning after the passage of time. “I’m back.”

On the Star Network, the audience watching the press conference exploded instantly.

[How is this possible… I personally saw Highness Zane get swallowed by a Xenoid to cover our retreat ten years ago.]

[He looks completely unchanged, still as handsome and dashing as back then (tears)]

[What exactly is going on? Can a person come back to life? How is that possible? The laws of nature wouldn’t allow such a thing!]

As early as the day before receiving the press conference info, the site had already gathered countless reporters and media personnel.

They carried long and short camera equipment like guns and cannons, held communication terminals, and the Q&A session applications were fierce to the point of white-hot intensity.

Doubts came thick and fast. Zane pressed his hands down and said, “Ten years ago, I was indeed swallowed into the belly of an A-Rank Xenoid, but I didn’t die.” As if he had already anticipated the questions they would raise next, he paused slightly before continuing, “The A-Rank Xenoid that swallowed me had already been contaminated by the Doom Virus at the time. And when it tried to digest me while I struggled to survive, the pollutants in its body were transferred onto me. Taking that as a foundation, it and I reached a deal.”

The crowd was in an uproar. From ancient times to the present, the terror and ferocity of Xenoids were deeply ingrained in people’s hearts. No one had ever heard of humans making deals with Xenoids—this was sheer fantasy!

…But was this really completely impossible?

Some people who kept up with interstellar current events simultaneously thought of that household-name short-legged cat.

“I reached a subtle consensus with it: I would continuously absorb the pollutants for it, and it would stay on a planet, no longer going out to hunt.”

As Zane spoke, a video played on the giant screen behind him—the scene of the Xenoid sealing and isolating the planet under his command.

“No wonder.” Discussions arose. “No wonder that A-Rank Xenoid disappeared without a trace after swallowing Regalis ten years ago.”

The threat of an A-Rank Xenoid to humanity was so great that it couldn’t be ignored. For such a dangerous Xenoid to mysteriously vanish at the most threatening moment had once caused panic and speculation across the entire interstellar community.

Now, the truth had surfaced—someone had been shouldering the burden for humanity. Looking at the shocking footage on the screen, it was hard to believe that the twisted, deformed black shadow, no longer recognizable as human, was the same person as the handsome and suave man before them.

“You…” The questioning reporter was already choking up. “Then how did you get saved?”

Zane didn’t respond to the question immediately. Instead, he calmly walked down the steps to the reporter. He leaned down slightly, offering a clean white handkerchief, his tone gentle. “Don’t cry.”

The reporter froze for a moment, then hurriedly stood up and took the handkerchief with both hands. His throat was choked, unable to speak, so he could only nod vigorously.

Zane patted his shoulder and turned back to the podium, his movements elegant as always.

“Enduring pain no ordinary person could bear, yet not playing the victim, not complaining, not even saying ‘I made it through’…” Someone sighed. “This restraint is truly awe-inspiring.”

Caleb, standing not far below, saw the reporter’s moved-to-tears expression and couldn’t help but “tsk”. He raised his hand to cover his mouth and muttered, “This guy was ready to devour me alive with that microphone yesterday—not like this at all.” He raised a brow and huffed again. “As expected of Zane, naturally skilled at winning hearts.”

Zane was a born politician, and what made him more terrifying was that he wasn’t a hypocritical one. When someone truly poised and strategic stood on the political stage, it was no wonder the Federation feared him so ten years ago.

Caleb’s playful smirk toned down a bit. He rubbed his thumb along his jaw—his habitual thinking gesture. Was that Dawn League ten years ago really an accident?

Before he could think further, Zane on stage had reached the key part. “I was saved by the hand of Leo Regalis.”

On the giant screen appeared a little cat riding a black coal ball as it descended from the sky.

“He cleared the Doom Virus from my body and pulled me back from the uncontrolled Abyss.”

This was the first time humanity had seen the Doom Virus visualized—those black mists were actually threads so fine they were nearly invisible to the naked eye.

“No one knows how he did it all.” Zane smiled. “Just like Regalis I who appeared a millennium ago, he just showed up, turned the tide, and saved humanity. They can do it; they are the treasures bestowed by fate upon Delphi and all humanity.”

The hall fell silent, with only Zane’s gorgeous voice resounding. “Leo isn’t like the rumors on the Star Network say—he doesn’t tame or control Xenoids. He clears their pollution, and they offer him loyalty in return.”

No human prejudices, no convoluted schemes. I save you, you help me—that’s all there is to it.

“Everyone must know about the incident on Federation 92 Star a few months ago. Yes, Leo can not only clear pollution for Xenoids but also cure the Doom Virus in humans.”

The Federation 92 Star incident had fermented for a long time, and people had finally waited for an official conclusion.

“I’ve seen a lot of questioning voices,” Zane said, his tone as mild as ever. “They’re angry: since that cat can cure Doom disease for humans, why doesn’t he keep saving them? They’ve even started to hate, thinking Delphi turned a blind eye, that the cat lacks humanity. But everyone,” At this point, that ever-poised, elegantly proper face finally darkened slowly. Zane looked into the camera, word by word: “Before you ask him to save the world, have you ever considered that he’s just a child not even six years old?”

“Have you ever thought about what price such power comes with?”

There wasn’t much reproach in Zane’s tone; it still sounded mild and restrained. But it was precisely this calm speech—no excuses, no accusations—that struck like a silent heavy hammer on the hearts of everyone with a shred of conscience.

Across the interstellar realm, almost everyone in Star Network-covered areas was watching this press conference.

[Yeah… That cat’s power is so unfathomable that people forgot he’s not even six.]

[More than that—even half a year ago, he was scavenging trash to survive.]

[I watched him dig hard, inedible biscuits from the dump, choke and burp… I wonder if he’s doing well now, if he has lots of yummy food…]

Since the league’s complete end, people hadn’t seen that cat in public for a long time.

[Damn, I just learned about this cat’s past. Wasn’t the prince supposed to be pampered? Why is this cat holding a rotten fruit like he found treasure?]

Politicians were masters of incitement, let alone when Zane was speaking facts. At the intersection of reason and truth, his words were more lethal than any demagoguery.

The man’s jade-like face returned to its mild demeanor. “Leo can’t personally save every Doom patient, but we’ve found other ways.” Zane looked at Caleb, received his nod, then stepped aside, bowed slightly, and extended his right arm slowly to the side. “Now, allow me to introduce—the turning point in human history—”

The giant screen connected to Delphi’s signal. Under countless gazes, it linked to present-day Aiai’ang’ang.

Silver Wing held a basket in one hand and pulled along the muttering short-legged cat with the other.

“Machine, can I have ice cream today?”

Aiai’ang’ang’s climate wasn’t like Delphi’s—no ocean to regulate it, and in the desert, its summers were truly scorching.

The robot held his hand, sensed his paw pads were sweaty and hot, stopped, took off the small bag on the cat’s back, and put a bamboo-copter-shaped mini fan on his forehead. “Eat.”

The little cat, thrilled with the robot’s permission, bounced around its legs like a puppy. Silver Wing glanced at the surveillance camera in the sky, received the instruction, and led the cat toward the vegetable patch.

“Don’t walk so fast!” Li Ao shouted from behind Silver Wing, his four legs paddling furiously to keep up.

[Oh my god, long time no see little kitten Highness, why haven’t his legs grown at all?]

[What I’m saying is, is it possible that the kitten is just this breed? (attaches educational link)]

[What do you mean by a turning point in human history? Does it mean everyone’s turning into these little short legs? (crying-laughing)]

[Shh, quieter, see what the cat’s gonna do.]

Li Ao followed the robot all the way to the nursery, where he spotted the old familiar face Bai Yunjun with a kitten pendant hanging from his waist, smiling with narrowed eyes as he stood there.

“Ah!” The kitten rubbed up to the man’s feet and greeted him familiarly with his tail: “Good today.”

Now a Delphi citizen, Bai Yunjun squatted down and formally bowed: “Good day, Highness Li Ao.”

[Am I seeing things? Isn’t that the head of the Bai family from Capital Star??]

[You’re not seeing wrong, it’s really Bai Yunjun. I saw the news a couple days ago saying he immigrated and joined Delphi.]

[Ah? How’d he do it? Does Delphi accept immigrants?]

[They do, don’t know the exact process, but it’s said the conditions are extremely strict. If you’re not wholeheartedly committed and loyal to Delphi, they’ll just off you.]

Bai Yunjun, who had earned recognition from the gates of hell, patiently explained to the kitten what they were about to do: “Highness just needs to pick some vegetables. Leave the rest to me. I’ll tell you when I need Highness to speak.”

Li Ao nodded, the bamboo dragonfly on his head bobbing along with him. He picked up a small bucket with one hand, flapped his little wings, and wobbled into the air.