’A man has to leave some time for a vacation, doesn’t he?’
He savored a mouthwatering lunch, feeling the fresh caviar and plump salmon from the Yinping Sea Region burst with rich oils on his tongue. Paired with a chilled, amber Roosevelt No. 10 beer from the Great Bullfighter, its layered aromas of grape and cinnamon unfolded. Shi Ming truly felt the pleasure of being on vacation.
’It would have been even better if I could ignore certain trivial messages!’
BEEP—
BEEP—
A Communication Star Ring at his waist flashed and beeped a few times.
It was from Bai Yimo, who was lying low on Treasure Star.
The Star Ring was a wondrous communication item, similar to a star-chain, capable of transmitting messages across the Endless Star Sea. However, it came with character and usage limits. Each message could contain a maximum of 60 characters, a severe restriction, so it was generally reserved for emergencies.
Shi Ming opened the Star Ring’s message.
[Boss, it’s been days since we last spoke, and you haven’t even checked in on business? Playing the disappearing act, are we? Anyway, I have some good news for you:]
[Found the wondrous item for Dark Cosmos travel.]
[Quick! Praise me!]
"This Bai Yimo..."
"Eighty percent of her message was just fluff. The only valuable content was that one sentence in the middle."
Finding a wondrous item for Dark Cosmos travel was the second task Shi Ming had assigned Bai Yimo after rescuing her. He currently possessed three treasures that enabled such travel, but unfortunately, each had its own drawback. The Miniature Wormhole’s destination was random, and it only had two uses left. The Shuttle Pages of his Wandering Atlas were a finite resource, with only three remaining and no apparent way to upgrade them for infinite use. Finally, the Star Lamp’s teleportation was one-way—he could return with it, but not depart.
Therefore, what Shi Ming needed most was a wondrous item to replace the Wandering Atlas. With such an item, his travels through the Star Sea would be far more efficient. Supported by his formidable physique, Spiritual Power, and high standing, he could traverse even the depths of star caves with ease.
’Finding a suitable wondrous item on a place like Treasure Star in just two months... her speed is barely acceptable.’
Shi Ming turned off the Star Ring.
He didn’t reply immediately.
’A boss has to act like a boss.’
’What kind of boss replies to an employee’s message instantly?’
...
...
...
"Today, I am overjoyed to stand here and witness the dawn of a new era."
"The crisis of the Unceasing Water is behind us."
"The recent tsunamis were a surface reaction to the fierce energy conflicts within the planet’s core. Now that the Unceasing Water has been dealt with, this internal problem has also been resolved. Of course, this does not mean the Endless Ocean is now completely safe. On the contrary, an unending stream of challenges may appear at any time. Only by strengthening ourselves can we face any crisis with composure."
"In the Star Sea, I have heard of the fall of many races."
"Comfort erodes the will to fight. When a people’s spirit is worn down by ease, they are walking the path to extinction."
"What we need now is a more formidable fighting spirit. We need more experts at the Holy Hall Tier, and even Nirvana Tier powerhouses. The legacies of advanced civilizations in the Star Sea are our new benchmark. They offer valuable lessons, but we cannot simply copy them wholesale. Humanity must walk its own path. Our new mission, starting now, is to nurture an even more exceptional younger generation."
"I believe the Wandering Era will become a brief but thought-provoking Chapter in our history."
"I believe that from the [Wall Point], to the new [Kindling], a prairie-fire of [Starfire] will burn! The miracle of the [Sky Garden] will be reborn in the New Babylon Eshda Sea Area! And under a [Skyline] of ice and azure, we will finally greet a new [Dawn]!"
"..."
Ten thousand ships had gathered.
The voice boomed across Sanjiang Wall, home of the [Wall Point]. The scene was reminiscent of the Nirvana’s arrival long ago, but where that day brought despair, today the clouds had parted to reveal a clear sky.
Shi Ming was not a man skilled in public speaking.
He was simply speaking from the heart. The thirty-one years of the Wandering Era had indeed been an unprecedented trauma, but now, that trauma was in the past.
A thousand sails gathered on the sea.
It was time to ride the wind and break the waves.
The speech was followed by a grand celebration, which Shi Ming did not attend. He boarded his original dugout canoe, the [Sun-Shooter], activated its stealth mode, and weaved between the great Bronze, Silver, General, and King-class ships, witnessing the vibrant scene—
Nia of the [Obelisk] was now a young, S-class female warrior, brave and skilled in battle. On her wheat-colored skin were painted totems of light that were uniquely her own.
Yize of the Fontainebleau had shed his youthful immaturity, destined to become a captain who could stand on his own.
Eliza from the Ganges River had become a prominent figure aboard the Shiva. Secretly, she was also a writer, and it was said the charming woman’s works were quite popular in small circles, often setting new trends.
The deck pool of the Golden Bodhi had become a must-visit destination for the noble families of Africa.
Mei Jia, who had returned to the life of an ordinary person, now had a one-year-old child.
Anatoli, the new Governor of the Lighthouse who had been in office for a full year, was still working hard with his team to pay off their debts.
Quert, the scar-covered captain of the Constantinople, took advantage of the grand occasion to find several opponents he had long wanted to spar with.
Nine-year-old Beiming Kun had already helped the new [Kindling] slay several invading A-class sea beasts.
Captain Zhao Li Luo of the Beidou Star was still agonizing over how to advance her relationship with Squad Leader Rong Bing of the Kunwu, but unfortunately, the man seemed to be as dense as a block of wood.
Chongwen, with his prized student Li Jiuyuan, waved from afar at Shi Ming’s dugout canoe, his eyes glistening with tears.
Everything was beautiful.
That night, a vessel like a shooting star flashed as it rose high into the sky, then vanished with a final blink as it warped away.
In the boundless Star Sea, other matters awaited Shi Ming. But no matter what, a weary traveler could always return home in an instant. That had never changed, not in his past life, nor in this one.
...
...
...
「Outside Treasure Star」
The desolation was the same as ever.
"Where’s the treasure?"
Shi Ming held out his hand.
Bai Yimo froze for a moment. ’This boss of mine seems to be getting more and more shameless,’ she thought. ’A wondrous item that can traverse the cosmos costs over a thousand Cosmic Crystals at least. It’s not like starlight just falls from the sky. Does he really expect me, his employee, to front the money for him?’
’So I’m supposed to pay to work, is that it?’
But from the look on Shi Ming’s face, he had no intention of paying.
He had spent most of his Cosmic Crystals on the Xirang Device, using them as the energy source to extinguish the Unceasing Water.
He was now dirt poor.
Gritting her teeth, Bai Yimo tossed out an object resembling an orange sunstone. This treasure was called the [Teleportation Shattered Star]. It was a wondrous item she had won by staking out the Trading Tower for a long time. After using her [Desire] ability and a little personal charm, she had spent 800 Cosmic Crystals to acquire it through open competition.
’And now, I’m supposed to just give it away for free?’
Shi Ming took it as if it were his by right.
"Stop grinding your teeth. Didn’t I give you a pile of spoils to sell for seed money? As the investor, it’s only natural for me to enjoy the dividends. Besides, any profit an employee generates using the boss’s capital—aside from salary and bonuses—belongs to the boss. I’m only taking this one treasure. That’s already incredibly generous."
Bai Yimo had the faint feeling that in the two months since she’d last seen him, the man before her had grown even stronger.
"You’re the boss, so you must be right. In that case, how are you going to reward me?"
Bai Yimo’s gaze was laced with charm.
"As a reward, how about I extend your employment contract by 100 years?"
Shi Ming took the Nirvana Origin from the Dark Star Race’s Rui Liang out of his storage and handed it to Bai Yimo, who had completed her task satisfactorily enough.
"This is a Nirvana Origin."
"I want you to exchange it for Cosmic Crystals. I’ve already contacted the head of the Star Travel Merchants; she will arrive at Treasure Star in ten days. We’ve agreed on a price of three hundred thousand Cosmic Crystals. You can take 2% of that as your employee bonus and keep another 18% for future operating funds. I’ll be back in twenty days to collect the rest."
Bai Yimo took the Origin.
’The quality isn’t bad.’
’I wonder which unlucky bastard this belonged to.’
She pondered for a moment, then spoke with great interest, raising another topic.
"Oh, right, Boss. You know that clandestine organization on Treasure Star, the [Assassination Star]? The one it took me over a month and a ton of effort to infiltrate? Well, they recently posted two sky-high bounties. One is on you, and the other is on a member of the Dark Star Race. And guess how much? Five hundred thousand! A warm, glittering five hundred thousand!"
’Five hundred thousand?’
Shi Ming looked at the [Sorrow] Origin in Bai Yimo’s hand.
’I got a bad deal!’