First Interstellar Guide Chapter 29: Transmitting Data

Chapter 29: Transmitting Data

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

After the banquet, Adeline returned to her bedroom, looking nervous. She locked the door and drew the curtains. 

Her brother, Andrei, emerged silently from the shadows and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong? Why are you so tense?”

Adeline connected her mental tendrils with him and said in her mind, “The Investigation Division has set their eyes on the Twin Palace. Zhu Tianyi intercepted the message I sent to Yu Ran and decrypted the password. He knew someone was coming to hand over the chip. He ambushed us at the Twin Palace today. If it weren’t for Yu Ran being cautious enough, he might have been caught red-handed.”

Andrei frowned and replied in his mind, “Is Zhu Tianyi suspecting me?”

Adeline said, “He might suspect that you didn’t die, and that you stole the data from the Sentinel Academy. After all, both of us siblings are S-class invisible guides.”

Andrei’s expression darkened. “It seems that the Investigation Division has already placed surveillance around the Twin Palace.”

Their speculations were almost certain. Zhu Tianyi’s investigation was focused on “invisibility abilities.” After obtaining the list of invisible guides from Director Xie, he immediately targeted the Twin Palace—where there were two advanced invisible guides with spirit bodies of “Orchid Mantises,” one of whom had mysteriously “died” five years ago. Strangely, although Andrei had supposedly died, Adeline had not held a public funeral for him, and no one had seen Andrei’s body.

Moreover, the business association Adeline founded was also related to the mining accident on Planet B73. With this connection, suspicion fell heavily on the sibling duo.

Zhu Tianyi instructed his colleagues in the Information Department to monitor the network around the Twin Palace. Sure enough, they discovered a strange garbled message. The password was extremely complex, but after decryption by the Information Department’s professionals, they finally obtained crucial clues. Therefore, Zhu Tianyi came to the vicinity of the Twin Palace in advance, hoping to catch them in the act.

He thought it was Andrei who stole the data and came back to hand it over to Adeline. He didn’t associate this matter with Yu Ran—after all, Yu Ran didn’t have invisibility abilities, and his alibi was quite solid, making it impossible for him to steal the data from the Sentinel Academy. If it was Andrei who stole it, then everything made sense.

However, no one expected that their carefully laid plan would be thwarted by Yu Ran in time.

Although Adeline didn’t get the data, at least she wasn’t directly caught by the Investigation Division, and the data was successfully preserved. Thinking of this, she breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Fortunately, Yu Ran didn’t expose anything. I’ve arranged for him to deliver the chip through the ‘waiter.'”

Andrei pondered for a moment and said, “Don’t you think Yu Ran is a bit dangerous? How did he manage to steal the data in plain sight? Can we really trust him to work for us?”

Adeline thought for a moment and replied, “For now, he seems to be very capable, smart, vigilant, and relatively loyal to the organization. He has completed several missions cleanly and beautifully.”

Andrei said, “But his background is not trustworthy.”

Adeline fell silent for a moment and said, “I’m just following the arrangements from above, and the tasks are all delegated by them. Whether to reuse Yu Ran or not is not for us to decide.”

Andrei nodded. “Okay, I need to leave as soon as possible. You handle things with the Investigation Division.”

He turned and pushed open the wardrobe—underneath it was a secret passage leading underground, which could go all the way to a bar several streets away. Even if the Investigation Division placed surveillance around the Twin Palace, they wouldn’t be able to monitor what was happening underground.

Andrei activated the invisibility ability of the Orchid Mantis and quickly left the Twin Palace.

***

Inside the student dormitory of the guide academy, Yu Ran was lying on his bed, eyes closed, seemingly deep in sleep. He appeared to be sleeping soundly, with even breaths. However, unknown to anyone, in the mental world, countless mental tendrils were swirling frantically. The data of many prominent figures in the Federation appeared like clear holographic screens hovering above a primeval forest. Government officials, military leaders, business tycoons…

Yu Ran had memorized every detail about each person, including their family and friends, social connections, and important dates. The memory capacity of a guide’s brain, especially that of an S-class guide, was no less than that of a computer.

Yu Ran quickly found several high-ranking officials and bosses who were close to Adeline. He furrowed his brows and analyzed, “These people often attend various events hosted by Adeline. It’s unlikely to be them. Adeline’s superior is very cautious, always hiding behind the scenes and never showing their face.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox asked, “Could that superior be in contact with her ‘dead’ brother?”

Yu Ran nodded, “It’s possible. Adeline’s brother, Andrei, has already ‘died’ in society, and no one knows where that Mantis is. He’s convenient for doing things in secret. However, Andrei is very suspicious and probably doesn’t trust me enough yet.”

The white Fox asked, “Master, do you really want to continue handing over the Sentinel Academy data?”

Yu Ran’s eyes grew cold. “Of course, I can’t modify any of the data. It must be handed over intact for them to believe that I am sincerely helping them. Don’t underestimate the person behind the scenes… That person must have more power than Adeline to make the siblings willingly serve as his lackeys.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox calmly remarked, “Adeline is the president of the Southern Chamber of Commerce, a wealthy tycoon with countless assets. Even someone willing to serve her would likely have a status beyond our imagination.”

Yu Ran agreed. “Yes, that terrifying big fish… has always been lurking in the deep sea.”

A gust of wind swept through the forest, and the data in front of Yu Ran dissipated into fragments of light and shadow, disappearing in an instant.

Yu Ran found a patch of green shade deep in the forest and lay down on the grass. Two foxes obediently accompanied him, and the white Fox even ran over, using its fluffy tail as a blanket, saying, “Stop thinking so much, rest for a while.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox added, “Dealing with those people must be exhausting. Have a good rest, and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

Yu Ran’s heart warmed, and he closed his eyes, feeling at peace. He knew that no matter what happened, these two foxes would never leave his side.

***

During the following week, the capital was bustling with hidden currents. The Investigation Division’s scrutiny intensified, almost suffocating the Twin Palace—Zhu Tianyi had valid reasons. They discovered the source of the encrypted messages near the Sentinel Academy/Guide Academy, where data had been lost. However, since the thief could cloak themselves and the academies housed tens of thousands of teachers and students, pinpointing the culprit proved difficult.

Nevertheless, the signal receiving the messages resided within the Twin Palace, and Adeline couldn’t escape. Zhu Tianyi summoned Ms. Adeline to the Investigation Division for interrogation. Adeline, an S-class guide, possessed an unimaginable mental resilience; they couldn’t extract any useful information, as she adamantly claimed ignorance of the matter.

The Investigation Division promptly applied for a search warrant and conducted a thorough sweep of the Twin Palace. Zhu Tianyi discovered a secret passage leading to a bar several streets away. However, upon reaching the bar, it had already closed, with all furnishings removed, and not a soul in sight; nearby surveillance had also been destroyed.

“We’re late!” Zhu Tianyi’s expression soured. “How do you explain this passage and the bar?”

Adeline chuckled as she explained, “I enjoy drinking, so I built the passage for easy access to the bar for relaxation at night. Is that illegal?”

Everyone knew she was bluffing, but unfortunately, there was no evidence. Zhu Tianyi’s investigation once again hit a dead end.

On the night of the banquet, Yu Ran acted cautiously. The courtyard surveillance at the Twin Palace only captured pedestrians on the streets, not those climbing onto rooftops. Thus, his ascent through the window went unnoticed, aided by his spirit body’s invisibility, and Zhu Tianyi didn’t connect him to the incident.

Yu Ran continued his role as a diligent “C-class student” at the Guide Academy.

A week passed quickly. On Friday, Yu Ran messaged Lu Zexuan, “Can I treat you to dinner tomorrow?”

Lu Zexuan replied, “Let me treat you this time. What do you want to eat?”

Yu Ran suggested, “I found a nice garden restaurant in the western suburbs online. The reviews are good. Shall we try it?”

Lu Zexuan didn’t suspect anything. On Saturday, as usual, he drove to pick up Yu Ran. As the two frequently went out on weekends for “dates,” their classmates had memorized Lu Zexuan’s license plate. Seeing the familiar car, no one thought anything of it.

“General Lu is so caring for Yu Ran, coming to see him every week!”

“My parents aren’t even this caring towards me.”

“Isn’t early dating prohibited at the Guide Academy?”

“You’re silly. We’re 13-year-old students; dating isn’t allowed. But Yu Ran is 18!”

Ignoring their classmates’ chatter, Yu Ran looked at Lu Zexuan with a smile. “You seem free lately. No missions?”

Lu Zexuan replied, “We’ve had fewer missions lately compared to the past two months. Perhaps because of the recent surge in sentinel madness, our Eagle Special Forces have been on continuous missions, exhausting us. They probably decided to give us a break.”

Yu Ran paused. “…Sentinel madness?”

Lu Zexuan frowned, not wanting to ruin the mood with that topic. “The situation is under control now. There are fewer cases of madness this month. Those we captured earlier were sent back to the White Tower.”

Yu Ran nodded, not probing further.

They soon arrived at the garden restaurant in the western suburbs. As Yu Ran had said, the ambiance was indeed pleasant. The entire restaurant felt like being in a garden, especially with spring blossoms filling the air. Walking through the flower-lined path, Lu Zexuan’s mood brightened.

White Eagle on Lu Zexuan’s shoulder occasionally glanced at Little White Fox, wanting to approach but fearing reprimand. Its silly appearance was somewhat cute.

Yu Ran glanced at it and said, “Big Eagle, go play with the fox.”

The little fox ran off on its own, and the eagle eagerly followed. Amidst the flowers, the white fox with its fluffy tail ran ahead, while the white eagle spread its wings and followed behind, creating a harmonious scene.

After sending off White Eagle, Yu Ran and Lu Zexuan walked to the glasshouse in the center of the garden.

“This place you chose is indeed nice,” Lu Zexuan remarked.

Inside the transparent glasshouse, they enjoyed the exquisite cuisine while admiring the view outside. This “garden restaurant” was indeed a suitable place for a date. Adeline had chosen it precisely because it wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

As the president of the Southern Chamber of Commerce, her personal wealth was immeasurable, with numerous industries under her name. However, she had been closely monitored by the Investigation Division recently, so this garden restaurant definitely wasn’t under her name—it was an organization’s base.

While chatting with Lu Zexuan, Yu Ran discreetly surveyed their surroundings. There was no sign of sentinels or guides here. All the waiters were ordinary people without evolution. Using ordinary people to deliver items wouldn’t raise suspicion.

Soon, a waiter in a black suit vest and bow tie politely entered the glasshouse. After exchanging a glance with Yu Ran, he smiled and said, “Welcome to the Garden Restaurant. Here’s the menu; feel free to place your order.”

The menu was elegantly designed. When opened, it resembled a blooming red rose.

Yu Ran handed the menu to Lu Zexuan. “Since you’re treating, why don’t you choose?”

“Sure.” Lu Zexuan lowered his head to peruse the menu.

Underneath the table, Yu Ran discreetly reached into his pocket and extracted a microchip wrapped in protective film. Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Oops!” and knocked over his glass.

Sentinels had extremely keen hearing, and with the two of them so close, Yu Ran needed the sound to mask his actions.

The sound of the glass breaking reached Lu Zexuan’s ears. Almost simultaneously, Yu Ran lightly flicked his finger and tossed the chip onto the tray of the waiter holding the menu. The waiter immediately covered it with his hand.

Lu Zexuan looked at Yu Ran. “Are you okay?”

Yu Ran scratched his head with a smile. “Accidentally broke the glass.” He then turned to the waiter. “By the way, how much for this glass? Do I need to compensate?”

The waiter apologized with a smile. “Sir, breaking the glass does require compensation. This glass costs 200 stars.”

Yu Ran muttered, “So expensive for a glass…”

Lu Zexuan said, “As long as you’re not hurt. We’ll add it to the bill when we pay.”

The waiter noted it down, and Lu Zexuan continued ordering.

Yu Ran watched the sentinel, who was carefully choosing dishes, with a twinge of guilt. I’m sorry, Lu Zexuan, for using you so many times. I hope one day, when you find out about all this, you won’t blame me.

Yu Ran glanced out of the window. In the distance, White Eagle and the fox were playing happily in the bushes. No one noticed what he had just done. The waiter would pass on the chip. He didn’t need to investigate who would receive it; it would eventually reach the hands of the higher-ups.

Adeline’s superiors should contact him next. After all, he had performed exceptionally well in these missions, hadn’t he?