Chapter 84

As the pursuing Federation troops arrived, two figures leaped into the escape pod. The silver-white pod turned on, its engines pushed to the maximum, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a shooting star, disappearing into the vast interstellar ocean.

The frustrated Federation troops were left to vent their anger in an empty room, smashing objects in vain before leaving to report to their superiors.

The escape pod traveled through the star systems, brushing past small travel planets, and creating arcs of light as it went. It was impossible to determine how long it had been flying through the starry expanse. Eventually, its energy stones depleted, and it crash-landed on the outskirts of the capital planet.

People on the capital planet, upon seeing a streak of light in the sky, had become accustomed to such sights. They assumed it was another unlucky soul with poor piloting skills crashing their vessel. Such occurrences happened five or six times a month, and they had grown used to it.

The escape pod, which emitted sparks and electric arcs, crashed forcefully into the ground, leaving a deep crater. Thick smoke billowed from the crater, lingering persistently, with only faint outlines visible. Among them, there were two figures, one tall and one slim, with the taller man embracing the other.

After some time had passed, the slim figure’s fingers moved slightly. His long, curled eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Shen Fengyue was the first to awaken. His mind felt hazy, and for a moment, he didn’t know where he was. After a ten-second pause, and looking around he suddenly realized that he was lying in a pit that was over a meter deep. Fortunately, there were no signs of pursuers nearby.

As he tried to get up, he noticed that he was firmly held in someone’s arms. Shen Fengyue glanced over and saw that it was Albert. His brain flashed back to the last moments before the escape pod’s crash, with Albert holding him tightly in his arms to minimize the impact of the crash.

Upon closer inspection, he confirmed his suspicions. Albert had numerous wounds, both minor and major, more than he himself did. Due to Albert’s larger stature, he was protected by him effectively.

Should I strike while the iron is hot?

This was an excellent opportunity for him to get rid of Albert and might be his only chance. However, as he examined Albert more closely, he saw that his eyes were tightly shut, and his expression appeared peaceful, likely asleep. This made him appear softer and less menacing compared to when he was awake.

Shen Fengyue decided to make his move. He groped around Albert’s thigh and found the strapped pistol that Albert had previously used to punish a traitor. He swiftly pulled it out.

With a firm grip on the pistol, he placed the muzzle against Albert’s temple, his index finger lightly resting on the trigger.

The two were extremely close, with Shen Fengyue being held tightly in Albert’s embrace. It was an incredibly intimate position, yet at this moment, he was pointing a gun at him.

All he had to do was pull the trigger, and in a split second, the man before him would be dead, swiftly completing his mission…

Shen Fengyue closed his eyes, avoiding looking at Albert’s peaceful sleeping face. His index finger trembled slightly as he held the gun to Albert’s temple.

He began counting silently in his mind, ready to pull the trigger and end him.

One.

The first count was easy.

Two.

The second count came without hesitation.

…

However, the third count didn’t come. His closed eyes pressed more firmly, and his trembling eyelashes betrayed the turmoil within.

Shen Fengyue was torn, hesitating.

In his mind, he urged and encouraged himself relentlessly, urging himself to pull the trigger. This was just a bug, someone who despised a traitor the most. If he didn’t kill him now, he would face certain death when his true identity was exposed!

He repeated these thoughts many times, and finally, he managed to convince himself. He shouted out the third count,

Three, pull the trigger!

The trigger was pulled halfway, and the bullet was on the verge of firing when an image flashed before his eyes.

Before the escape pod’s crash, Albert had held him close, shielding him with his own body. They were so close that Albert’s voice had entered his ears directly, saying, “Don’t be afraid, the boss is here.”

The trigger was pulled halfway, but his index finger got stuck, unable to continue.

Shen Fengyue sighed softly, unable to bring himself to finish the person in front of him who was completely defenseless- Forget it.

He released the trigger, letting it return to its original position. The bullet that was supposed to be fired stayed where it was. Shen Fengyue flipped the pistol and carefully put it back in the holster by Albert’s side.

With utmost care, Shen Fengyue untangled himself from Albert’s limbs, freeing himself from the embrace. He then cradled Albert’s face in his hands, rubbing and pinching it haphazardly, all the while calling, “Captain, Captain, wake up.”

Albert remained unresponsive.

Shen Fengyue had a mischievous idea. Since rubbing his face wasn’t working, he pinched the soft flesh of Albert’s cheeks and pulled them in opposite directions. When the cheeks were stretched to a point where they became pale, he suddenly released them, and the soft flesh bounced back into place.

Two distinct fingerprints were left on Albert’s face.

“Come on, Captain, wake up. If you don’t wake up soon, the Lone Wolf will meet its demise,” Shen Fengyue pinched the soft flesh again and pulled it to the sides, continuing, “If you don’t pay me my salary, I’ll pack my bags and work for another kitchen in a blink of an eye.”

Not only were Shen Fengyue’s words effective, but the repeated action of pulling Albert’s cheeks seemed to work as well. Albert’s lips mumbled incomprehensibly, and his eyelids, previously closed, fluttered as his eyes rolled around. It appeared that he was about to wake up.

Seeing this, Shen Fengyue immediately released his hold on Albert and put on a worried expression, making sure to convey his concern. So when Albert woke up, he was met with the sight of a cold and worried face.

Although Shen Fengyue’s face was typically cold and aloof, for some inexplicable reason, Albert saw concern and worry in his eyes.

“Captain, you’re finally awake! I was so worried about you!” Shen Fengyue exclaimed.

Albert felt a slight soreness in his face. He reached up to rub it, feeling as though someone had pinched and pulled at his cheeks. Facing his concerned subordinate, he replied, “Boss is fine, and thanks for worrying, Little Chef. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Shen Fengyue shook his head and forced a smile, saying, “I’m fine. You’re the one we should be more worried about.”

Captain Albert had sustained larger injuries, but he couldn’t reveal that to his concerned Little Chef. He returned the smile, “Boss can handle anything. Just take good care of yourself so you can continue cooking for me in the future.”

Seeing this overly affectionate display, the system couldn’t help but roll its eyes and look at Albert with a hint of pity. The gaze resembled one as if it were looking at a fool.

Tsk, still indulging him, huh? Just now, your Little Chef almost blew your head off with a shot. Can you even imagine that?

Of course, Albert had no idea and was still immersed in the facade that had covered the truth. He asked Shen Fengyue to help him up, and they headed to the riverside to clean the dirt off his exposed skin. As for the other wounds, they would need to visit a nearby town to discuss further treatment.

After a quick clean-up, Shen Fengyue supported Albert to a nearby town on the outskirts.

Any place with the name “Capital” was inevitably more affluent in terms of economic status compared to other areas. As expected, Capital Star was prosperous, and even a small town on its outskirts had a wealthier population.

The streets were bustling with people, each with their unique style and clothing.

Shen Fengyue asked Albert, “Captain, did you bring any money?”

“…”

There was a moment of silence.

Shen Fengyue repeated, “Captain? Money?”

Still, silence.

Shen Fengyue understood and realized that this guy had gone out without any money and was still expecting to stay at an inn?

“Captain, I don’t have any money either,” Shen Fengyue admitted. He had attended a banquet and was abducted while stargazing afterward, so there was no way he had brought any money with him. “We might have to sleep under a bridge.”

“Cough,” Albert cleared his throat and said something entirely unhelpful, “Don’t worry, your boss has it all figured out. Let’s see if there are any inns hiring.”

Shen Fengyue sighed, “Alright.”

So the two of them went from one inn to another, specifically targeting those with job recruitment notices posted outside. If they didn’t find one, they continued without stopping.

Perhaps due to bad luck, they had visited several places without any luck. Shen Fengyue voiced his concern, “Captain, what if we can’t find an inn and end up sleeping on the streets?”

“Don’t worry, with me here, you won’t be sleeping on the streets,” Albert reassured him. As they passed by one inn, he suddenly stopped and said, “Hold on a moment.”

He gently grabbed Shen Fengyue’s arm, halting his steps.

“Take a look.”

Shen Fengyue followed his gaze and saw a job recruitment notice:

[Now Hiring! Our business is booming, and we need extra staff. We are currently hiring a chef and a waiter/waitress. Dear friends, if you have excellent culinary skills and a friendly attitude, please come and join us. Good pay with ample rest time!]

Shen Fengyue’s face turned ashen, his eyes filled with despair, showing no interest whatsoever.

Oh, they’re hiring a chef. Stir-frying in big pots again. He wasn’t interested at all.

He turned to look at Albert, who winked at him, “Little chef, this is our chance.”

Shen Fengyue, “….”

Albert pointed at him, “Chef,” then pointed at himself, “Waiter.”

They came as a package deal.

Shen Fengyue lowered his eyelids slowly and reluctantly agreed. What other choice did he have? The Captain had already taken up a waiter position; it would seem ungrateful for him not to cook.

So he pushed open the door of the inn, ready to return to his old role as chef.

This was a small inn called “Aesi Inn,” and while it wasn’t very large in scale, the owner was extremely welcoming.

When they entered, there were already two others competing for the same positions. However, Shen Fengyue used his persuasive skills and his tear-jerking backstory to charm the owner. He managed to navigate through the competition and secure the job positions.

The owner shook their hands and said, “Don’t worry, when you work here, I will definitely treat you well. As long as I’m still standing, you will have food to eat. That wicked woman will never find you!”

Shen Fengyue also shook the owner’s hand and shed a few crocodile tears, “Thank you so much, dear owner. My brother and I will work diligently! We won’t disappoint your expectations!”

The owner smiled kindly and urged them to go to the employee room upstairs to rest before starting work.

In their room, Albert cast a strange look at Shen Fengyue.

Shen Fengyue: “?”

Albert shook his head, indicating it was nothing.

His little chef had made up a tragic life story for them.

According to Shen Fengyue, they were biological brothers who had a happy family until their birth mother passed away because of illness five years ago. Their father remarried another woman, who initially pretended to be kind and gentle but revealed her malicious and cunning side when their father wasn’t around.

After she gave birth to her own child, she began persecuting the brothers to ensure her child would inherit the inheritance. She was ruthless and even hired people to try to murder them. Unable to endure, the brothers fled their home, hoping to find a way out before deciding on their next move.

Albert couldn’t help but click his tongue and glanced at Shen Fengyue, who was drinking water. In his heart, he silently muttered,

Little Liar.

After resting for a while, Shen Fengyue headed to the kitchen to help. While chopping vegetables, he sighed, Ah, Once a chef, always a chef. He glanced at Albert, who was nearby carrying dishes. This man had a sunny smile and seemed to have already adapted to this new job.

After a day’s work, Shen Fengyue washed his hands, stretched his neck, and headed toward the room. Due to limited accommodations in the small inn, the owner had let them share a room as they were brothers.

However, when Shen Fengyue opened the door, he heard Albert say, “Little Chef, can you help your boss with a back rub?”

“???”

Shen Fengyue looked shocked. He lifted his head to see that Albert had already taken off his coat and was crossing his arms, ready to lift the shirt.

Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck!!!!!