The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

"Yes!" Yanqing clasped his hands in acceptance, glanced at Luo Su, and then disappeared into the courtyard in a flash.

Looking in the direction Yanqing disappeared, Russell seemed thoughtful. Jingyuan's decision to send Yanqing along, besides as a guide, might also have included the intention of surveillance.

But at this moment, that hunting arrow of light was enough to explain everything—even the Emperor Bow Master acknowledged him, so the Immortal Boat's suspicions naturally vanished.

Russell didn't linger. He turned and left the General's Mansion, his figure quickly blending into the bustling crowd at Chang Le Tian.

He followed the location on his phone and headed towards the direction where Walter and his group were.

Thin clouds had gathered over Luofu Mountain, and the air was filled with the scent of an impending storm.

This is the second chapter today, one chapter is owed. Please vote with monthly tickets and give me some hard-earned cash.

Haki students contracted Haki disease because they returned to Haki school, stayed in Haki dormitories, and ate Haki food in the Haki cafeteria. It's distressing.

Golden Branches Through the Ages: Chapter 128 A Gift for the Master

Star Dome Train

Himeko took special care of Jin, who appreciated her unique coffee. In just one day, she enthusiastically prepared more than ten different kinds of coffee and pushed them one after another in front of Jin.

To ordinary people, these liquids are practically biological weapons; a single sip would likely cause them to lose consciousness immediately.

But for Jin, that almost extreme, pungent taste was the only faint signal his numb taste buds could detect.

The sensation wasn't exactly pleasant, but compared to the utter emptiness and numbness of the past, this stimulation was novel enough.

Jin's memories were mostly swallowed by nothingness, becoming blurred and indistinct. He only knew that his current purpose was to follow Mr. Russell. When his stomach was bloated from coffee, he had to apologetically decline Himeko's subsequent "feast."

"Himeko-san's coffee... is very special to me." Jin put down the last empty cup, his golden eyes looking at Himeko. "May I ask you a question?"

"What's wrong, Ah Jin?" Himeko asked gently as she wiped the coffee pot.

"Do you... know how to sew? If so, could you teach me?" Jin's tone was unusually serious.

Himeko paused for a moment, then chuckled, "Sewing? I'm really not good at that. But our train conductor, Pam, is an expert! He secretly repaired the pillow that Little March ruined. Go find him; I'm sure he'll be happy to teach you."

Jin nodded and walked toward Pam, who was cleaning the observation car. He stood quietly in front of the small train conductor, his golden eyes showing a hint of hesitation.

Pam noticed the gaze, stopped what she was doing, and looked up at her fluffy little face: "Passenger Jhin, what's wrong, Pam? Is something bothering you?"

“Conductor Pam,” Jhin began, “Miss Himeko said you are skilled at sewing. Could you… teach me?”

"Huh? Why does Ember Passenger suddenly want to learn this?" Pam leaned the broom aside and patted the dust off her little paws. "Learning new skills is a good thing! But Pam wants to ask, what kind of sewing do you want to learn? Making clothes, mending things, or something else? Knowing the direction will help Pam teach you the most practical sewing techniques."

Jin's expression was calm, but his eyes were focused: "The man... the doll he picked up at the party. I want to sew a similar one and give it to him."

“Oh! A gift for Russell, Pam!” Pam’s ears twitched with delight. “That’s very meaningful! Pam has always been curious, Russell is always so vague when he talks about you. What’s the story between you and Russell, Pam? Would you mind telling us?”

Jin was silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts. When he spoke again, his words flowed much more smoothly than usual: "I...can't remember the first half of my life. Nothingness has erased so much—my identity, my family, my name...even my preferences are all blank."

"The gentleman told me that my hometown was once a beautiful planet, lush and green, with rivers flowing as clear as sapphires."

“When you arrived, my homeland was being destroyed by the antimatter legion. And I was just sitting under a tree, waiting to be swallowed by the void.” Jhin’s voice was calm, as if he were telling someone else’s story. “You said that the legion soldiers thought I was about to self-destruct and didn’t care about me. That’s how I survived until he arrived.”

“After that, I followed the gentleman, traveling among the stars, witnessing and trying to heal the wounds of different worlds.” He paused. “The gentleman… was a man with many stories. He confided his past to me without reservation. At that time… I also wanted to share something and respond to his honesty. But my past was nothing but emptiness.”

“The influence of nothingness makes me feel that everything is meaningless. But there’s one thing that’s different—protecting Mr. Jhin.” Jhin’s gaze sharpened. “Even if he’s so powerful that he doesn’t need my protection, I must be ready at all times. That’s the anchor of my existence.”

“I used to think that the Lord treated everyone the same. He descended on every suffering planet to help those with good intentions, without discrimination.”

Jin's eyes softened: "But I was wrong. The Master said he would treat everyone equally, but in the end he could not be as absolutely fair as a god. He would remember my birthday and make special preparations for me. Even though I could hardly feel intense joy, every time... when the Master lit the candles for me, I could touch the reality of existence more clearly."

“Between us…we were both protector and employer, and father and son. The gentleman…filled the void that emptiness had dug into my heart.”

Jin's voice was soft yet weighty: "Now, just being by his side makes every day meaningful. I know that Mr. He always appears kind and gentle, always smiling at everyone, but he hides his bitterness in his heart."

“That doll…I heard it was a gift from his student in Onphalus. ‘Going home’ is a deep obsession for him. I can’t really help him…but I think if I could sew a similar doll for him myself, perhaps…it would make him a little happier.”

Pam tilted his little head back, listening intently. He had never heard Jhin speak so much in one breath. Usually, this guard was taciturn, his responses mostly consisting of nods or monosyllabic utterances.

Only then did he realize that Jin was not taciturn, but simply reserved all his words for everything related to Russell.

“That’s… a very, very meaningful thing, Pam!” Pam nodded vigorously, clenching her little paws. “Pam understands! After Pam cleans this place up, see you in the observation car in half an hour! I’ll definitely teach you how to sew a beautiful doll, Passenger Ember!”

"Thank you for your help, train conductor."

“No need to be so polite, Pam! Helping everyone on the train is the conductor’s duty!” Pam puffed out her chest.

Just as Jin and Pam were talking, on the other side, Dan Heng's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped his spear. His gaze, through the huge porthole of the observation car, was fixed on the enormous, familiar immortal ship in the distance—Luofu. An indescribable heaviness shrouded his brow.

Himeko approached with a coffee cup, keenly noticing his unusual demeanor. "Danheng," she said gently but knowingly, "it seems you... need to go to Luofu for something?"

Dan Heng took a deep breath, turned to look at Himeko, his eyes filled with complex but firm emotions: "Yes, Miss Himeko. I... need to confirm some things."

"Go ahead," Himeko smiled and nodded. "Be careful."

Soon, a small emergency boat silently detached from the massive body of the Star Train and sped off like a shooting star toward the enormous spaceport designated by the Luofu Immortal Ship—Chaxing Port.

...

In a distant viewing corner, an elegant black cat—Elliot—lazily licked its front paws, its emerald eyes reflecting the vast starry sky. It meowed softly, a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction in its voice.

"Meow... This is the future direction I like. Let's continue... Keep this script going."

……

Chapter One.

Tomorrow I'm being dragged by the Haki school to recruit new Haki students, and we have to leave at 6:30 in the morning. It's going to be so grueling. So I'm going to go to bed early tonight.

Golden Branches Through the Ages: Chapter 129 A Debt from Hundreds of Years Ago

Belloberg Cripperburg

The cold stone walls appeared particularly solemn under the dim light of the earth's core lamp. A guard respectfully presented a dusty document to Bronya: "Your Excellency, this document was discovered while organizing historical archives. It is marked as highest priority and comes from the Interstellar Peace Corporation."

Bronya felt a chill run down her spine. Having studied under Professor Russell, she was acutely aware of this behemoth's existence. She also knew perfectly well that if Berlberg wanted to connect with the outside world in the future, she would absolutely have to rely on this behemoth.

Therefore, the contents of this document, which has been marked as important, are now of great significance.

"Give it to me." She took the document, her fingertips brushing against the ancient paper.

The document unfolded, and the cold, hard numbers instantly took her breath away. A loan agreement—the Interstellar Peace Corporation had provided an astronomical loan to Belloberg from hundreds of years ago.

The principal was already staggering, but the attached interest rates and late payment penalties were even more alarming. However, the person who signed the agreement certainly never imagined they would be unable to repay it on time.

Worse still, the repayment date... is clearly marked hundreds of years ago. It's obvious that Belloberg has been in breach of this contract for centuries.

At this moment, Bronya wanted to say that because of the disaster, the company abandoned Belloberg and did not have a Yalilo VI at the most critical moment. How could this debt be counted?

But it's clear that the company won't listen to that explanation; most people only care about their own interests.

Arillow-VI is centuries overdue. With compound interest, the debt has snowballed to hundreds of times its principal, a terrifying figure enough to crush any hope of recovery for the entire planet.

“How could this be…” Bronya muttered to herself.

Arillow-VI was burdened with such heavy shackles. Professor Russell had warned her: the Interstellar Peace Corporation was most adept at this kind of "gentle" occupation.

They extend a helping hand to civilizations on the verge of collapse, offering a loan that seems to solve their immediate crisis. However, disasters often linger, making repayments seem impossible. And the loans are not unlimited; they are quickly exhausted.

Company specialists would appear at opportune moments, enticing the rulers to take out more loans to repay existing ones, causing the debt to snowball out of control. Only when the ruler was deemed unable to repay the loans could enforcement be carried out, resulting in the confiscation of all assets for assessment.

Ultimately, when that number balloons to a point where civilization can no longer afford to repay it, the corporation will play the role of a "merciful savior," announcing the forgiveness of the debt—at the cost of permanent ownership of the entire planet and all its inhabitants, making them a cog in the corporation's massive machine.

Furthermore, the company would also manipulate the contract signing process, for example, by placing the overdue interest rate section in a very inconspicuous place next to the agreement, as if afraid that the person reading the contract would see it.

And they will immediately step in to resolve the so-called disaster, turning the planet back into a beneficial asset. This is just a common tactic of the Interstellar Peace Corporation.

Since being taught a lesson by Russell, the market development department's forceful conquest has gradually lost its appeal. Now, it uses a gentler, more subtle approach, employing economic tactics to gradually guide the entire civilization to sell itself to the company.

The teacher also mentioned that due to the invasion of the antimatter legion and the cold wave blockade, Yalilo-VI had already been judged as "destroyed" or "worthless" by the Interstellar Peace Corporation, and this loan was classified as a bad debt and written off.

But now, Belleburg stands tall again, and the light of civilization shines anew. This means... that this long-standing debt has been rekindled.

The answer is obviously yes.

"Continue to play dead? Cut off all contact with the outside world?" Bronya's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table.

This might buy some time, but the company's debt collectors are likely already on their way.

Once discovered, there are only two consequences: either being completely crushed by astronomical debts, or... paying off the debt with the future of the planet and the freedom of all people.

She needs someone she can talk to. Someone who doesn't just consider the political implications, but genuinely cares about Belloberg's future.

“Someone come here,” Bronya’s voice was decisive. “Summon Seele immediately. I have something important to discuss.”

……

Fu Xuan practically stepped through a curtain of light into the Divine Strategy Mansion, the Dharma Eye above his head flashing an uncertain light. "General!" she said urgently, "Have you met that Envoy of Abundance?"

Jing Yuan looked up from the pile of documents, still with that lazy and leisurely demeanor: "Yes, I've met you, Minister Fu."

"What was the result?" Fu Xuan stared intently at him.

"We had a very pleasant conversation." Jing Yuan smiled slightly and tapped the table with his fingertips. "The Jade Sign of Alliance has been sent out, and the rewards we have received are even more generous than we expected."

"An alliance token?!" Fu Xuan's eyes shone brightly, and his voice rose, "General! Colluding with the Envoy of Abundance is already a serious crime! How dare you use the highest-level alliance token of the Immortal Ship?"

"If it were just a verbal agreement, we could still shirk responsibility, but the imperial edict is the proof, the evidence is irrefutable! How could those old fogies let you off the hook? Although I have long desired to be a general, I do not want to see you imprisoned!"

Jing Yuan's smile remained unchanged, instead carrying a hint of mischief: "Why is Fu Qing so anxious? Why don't you... cast a divination yourself and see if I will be blamed for the jade omen in the coming weeks?"

Fu Xuan looked at him suspiciously, but her hands kept moving, her divine eyes darting around, and complex hexagrams rapidly evolved before her eyes.

A moment later, the light in the Dharma Eye stabilized, and Fu Xuan's expression changed from solemn to incredulous astonishment.

“A…auspicious omen?” she exclaimed, looking up abruptly. “This is impossible! General, you have formed the highest-level alliance with the Envoy of Abundance. Normally, impeachment petitions should be flying in like snowflakes! How could this be…an auspicious omen?”

Jing Yuan slowly poured himself a cup of tea: "Does Fu Qing think this general would joke about such a thing? The divination result is what it is. You should know better than me."

"Then what exactly..." Fu Xuan pressed on eagerly, "There must be a reason! Please stop keeping me in suspense!"

Jing Yuan put down his teacup, his eyes deep: "Fu Qing, if you have personally seen a Bountiful Envoy holding a light arrow formed purely from the power of the Hunting God... then this divination is not surprising at all."

"Hunting Arrow?!" Fu Xuan's divine eyes suddenly flashed with a blinding red light, and he almost froze on the spot. "This...this is simply a fantasy! The Envoy of Abundance wields the power of the Hunting God? General, you wouldn't even fool a three-year-old with that!"

Jing Yuan's smile faded, and he calmly looked back at her: "Fu Qing, do I look like I'm joking?"

Fu Xuan stared intently at Jing Yuan, trying to find a trace of mockery on his face, but only saw calm and certainty. The red light in her Dharma Eye slowly subsided, finally returning to silence. She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her turbulent emotions.

"...So, what exactly happened?" Fu Xuan's voice trembled slightly, but more so with intense curiosity.

Two more, one short.

Because I'm the vice president of the Haki Society, the Haki Society Association at Haki University requires us to meet at Haki point at 6:30, then get on the Haki bus and drive along Haki Road to the Haki city campus to set up a booth and recruit new Haki members. Waaah!

Golden Branches Through the Ages: Bounty Closure Notice

The bounty ends today. According to the calculation rules: 10 chapters owed for monthly tickets, 6 chapters owed for leave, 6 chapters owed for gifts, 3 chapters owed for blades, 4 chapters owed for recommendation tickets, and any remaining excess will be combined into one chapter, totaling 30 chapters owed (a very exaggerated number).

I didn't initially expect to owe so many chapters, but since I've collected what I was owed, I'll just pay them back slowly. I should be able to finish by the seven-day National Day holiday. As for whether there will be a reward afterwards? I'm not sure.

Now that the long story is over, I can only recommend something once a month, which is a real headache. The one-month cooling-off period is really making me feel uncomfortable.

Today I have to complain about the Hakeem school where I live. Hakeem Show took us to the Hakeem campus in the city at 6:30. After entering the Hakeem campus, my fellow Hakeem members and I searched for the Hakeem sheds where we could recruit new members.

After circling around for a whole time, we couldn't find a single shed in the Haki dormitory. Later, we learned that the Haki Society hadn't prepared anything; they just dragged us over and made us do all the hard labor—helping them move Haki tables and chairs, and then setting up the Haki shed.

The original plan was one hoodie club and one hoodie shed for recruiting new hoodies. However, it turned into one hoodie shed housing four hoodie clubs, with each club only having one chair. As a result, the originally large hoodie posters were reduced to posters only as tall as a table.

Five Hacki posters had to be placed on the Hacki table, which was only three meters wide. Then, the Hacki school arranged for us to stay in the Hacki gymnasium and the Hacki cafeteria, which were very far from the Hacki dormitories.

Furthermore, the place where the new Haki students were assigned was quite far from where we were recruiting. Also, the Haki school prohibited us from chatting with Haki students near the Haki dorms; we were required to engage with Haki students in a "healthy" way.

There are no Hacken students on Hacken Road at the Hacken recruitment office to see which Hacken club they want to join. As a result, because the Hacken shuttle bus booked by the school won't arrive until 5 or 6 o'clock, we'll have to waste another 2 or 3 o'clock before we can get back to the original Hacken campus.

I'm completely wrecked, that awful Hakeem school.

By the way, I came to this Hakeem campus today for breakfast, and I ate almost thirty Hakeem coins by myself, and I'm still not full.

Golden Branches Endure Through the Ages: Chapter 130 Illusory and Vague

Russell walked along the bustling commercial street of Luofu Fairy Boat.

The air was filled with the scents of incense, spices, and a faint aroma of machine lubricating oil. The hovering shuttle glided silently over the crisscrossing tracks above, while projected billboards cast dappled light and shadow on the streets as dusk fell.

He stared intently at the constantly flashing dots on his personal terminal, walking against the flow of people. Finally, at the end of the shopping street, he spotted those figures that stood out conspicuously under the streetlights.

Walter and his group were standing beside a uniquely designed Starship dock, where March 7th and the stars, like lost migratory birds, stretched their necks and searched anxiously among the passing crowds.