TL: Moonlit
The news of the Imperial Prince’s presence on North Star attracted the attention of the North Star high-ranking officials. Previously, Lei Sen had already learned that Lin Su’s companion was the Imperial Prince, and he had expressed his interest, but was rejected by William. Now that the news is public, Lei Sen, representing the North Star high-ranking officials, paid his respects to William, and this time William did not refuse.
After all, his affairs on North Star were already public, and it would be inappropriate to refuse.
Fortunately, Lei Sen was tactful and only brought a secretary with him, without disturbing William’s rest with a large entourage.
Coincidentally, on the day of Lei Sen’s visit, Yan Lie returned with good news, carrying a little panther cub. Most of the A-rank or higher contract beasts in the Star Mist Forest were willing to participate in the contract bonding gathering.
After receiving accurate information, Lin Su informed Bruno about this matter.
Once again, the tall and upright male was overwhelmed with excitement, even to the point of teary eyes. He repeatedly thanked Lin Su on behalf of his soldiers.
Lin Su patted his shoulder. “There’s no need for that. As long as they treat each other well after bonding, it’s enough.”
For the contract beasts who temporarily didn’t want to bond but wanted to stay by Lin Su’s side, Lin Su asked the Black Flame Panther to collect information. They were preparing to establish a Contract Beast Pavilion after they arrived at the capital star. Lin Su believed that Emperor would be willing to help with this matter.
The contract bonding gathering was scheduled for the evening. After learning about the event, Lei Sen specifically asked Lin Su if he could stay and watch. Even though he was an S-rank contract beastman with his own contract beast, he had never heard of such a gathering before. Since he had the opportunity to participate, he didn’t want to miss it.
Lin Su naturally didn’t refuse. “It’s good if you can stay and witness it.”
For the sake of the evening gathering, Su Jin’s restaurant was temporarily closed for a day. This was a rare event that everyone wanted to see with their own eyes.
However, it was unfortunate for those who were unaware. How could they close down the beloved Ai Su Gourmet Restaurant just like that? It was torture for them, who were accustomed to exquisite cuisine, to return to nutritional supplements.
To avoid triggering another red alert, the gathering was chosen to take place in the Star Mist Forest.
A group of people boarded the spacecraft and landed in the sky above the Star Mist Forest.
The Black Flame Panther had already gathered the members who wanted to bond.
When Lin Su appeared from the spacecraft, the contract beasts all knelt down and paid their respects, their voices echoing throughout the Star Mist Forest.
Although many people had seen such a scene before, it still remained awe-inspiring.
The soldiers who had yet to bond, following behind Bruno, had uncontrollable smiles on their faces.
Lin Su walked over and waved to the contract beasts with a smile. “Both sides should understand the purpose of coming here. So, let the gathering begin.”
As his voice fell, Yan Lie, representing the contract beasts, stepped forward. “Ahem, let me say a few words. In this gathering, the choice of a bond mate is entirely based on your own willingness. If there is no one among them whom you recognize, you can choose to abandon the bonding. Even if the bonding fails, you can still follow the king and go to the Capital Star. There’s no need to worry about this. That’s all I have to say.”
Yan Lie’s concise words dispelled the concerns in the hearts of the contract beasts. He turned around, carrying the mischievous little panther cub, and retreated back to the group. He had just used contract beast language, so he wasn’t concerned that the humans on the other side would understand.
After Yan Lie’s roar ended, Bruno addressed his soldiers. “I have three requirements for all of you. First, fair competition. Second, no resorting to forceful methods. Third, mutual respect. Regardless of whether this gathering is successful or not, no striking back or seeking revenge is allowed. If I find out, you will all be kicked out of the Royal Guards. Do you understand?”
“We understand.”
“As such, all A-rank warriors who haven’t bonded yet, step forward. And all S-rank warriors who haven’t bonded yet…”
As Bruno’s voice fell, one by one, over thirty warriors walked out from the crowd, forming two separate groups.
At the same time, under Yan Lie’s arrangement, the first batch of contract beasts participating in bonding also emerged. The S-rank ones took the lead, followed by the A-rank ones.
These contract beasts appeared docile, but their eyes revealed their evaluation and arrogance toward the warriors. It was evident that taming and gaining their acceptance wasn’t an easy task.
Lin Su sat on the ground, leaning against William. The Star Mist Forest was a bit cool in the evening, but cuddling with William’s large tail solved that problem.
The moon was bright, and the stars twinkled. The fresh air was filled with abundant natural elements, cleansing everyone’s hearts.
Lin Su took out a few grape seeds from his pocket and scattered them on the ground. He released his powers to nurture the seeds, watching as vines grew from the ground, bearing clusters of grapes, which were then presented to everyone.
This magical scene elicited sighs from the crowd.
While enjoying the sweet and sour grapes, they watched as the warriors and contract beasts chose each other. Lin Su leaned against William’s side, feeling that if there were opportunities, they could do this more often.
William gently grasped Lin Su’s hand, holding it in the palm of his hand and giving it a squeeze. “Are you cold?”
Lin Su tilted his head and smiled, feeding him a grape. “No, I’m not cold. Your large tail is especially warm.”
Su Jin set up a barbecue stall nearby, grilling some vegetables and meat, satisfying the warriors who didn’t need to participate.
As midnight approached, the gathering was coming to an end.
Among the thirty-odd unbonded warriors, fifteen of them successfully bonded, while seven warriors and contract beasts agreed to observe each other before making a final decision. The remaining few were somewhat disappointed as they didn’t obtain their desired contract beasts. Nevertheless, Bruno was still very pleased with the outcome.
He patted the shoulders of those warriors who didn’t bond successfully, comforting them to work hard and that there would surely be more opportunities in the future.
Encouraged by his words, the warriors expressed their determination to practice harder once they returned.
The contract beasts were also relatively satisfied. Even if some didn’t find the warriors they had their eyes on, they expressed their willingness to wait.
At that moment, both sides were exceptionally harmonious with each other.
As the event came to an end, Lin Su asked Bruno to compile a list of the bonded warriors, and after they bonded, Lin Su would repair their beast patterns.
The first gathering between contract beasts and beastmen concluded successfully, and both sides went their separate ways.
Lin Su followed William aboard the airship and gently hooked their fingers in his warm and broad palm. “I’ve decided that in the Capital Star, I will establish a Contract Beast Hall with a designated day each week for gatherings, making it convenient for those in need and contract beasts to choose each other.”
Listening to the tender words whispered in their ear by the small female, William’s heart melted.
He embraced Lin Su in his arms. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you. Just go ahead and do it with confidence.”
Lin Su wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. “Of course, you have to support me. You’re my pillar. From now on, I’ll rely on your status to do things, but don’t worry, I won’t use your name for any mischief.”
William chuckled softly. “What kind of mischief do you want to do?”
Lin Su met William’s meaningful golden beast eyes and playfully poked his chest with a finger, blinking his mischievous black eyes. “Guess.”
—
Despite the low-profile nature of the gathering, it still attracted attention from the outside world. After all, even if it was held in the Star Mist Forest without clearing the area, how could the mercenaries hunting in the forest miss such a significant commotion?
Someone uploaded a recorded video online. At first, some people were speculating about what they were doing. With so many contract beasts gathered here, and instead of chaos, the atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious between the contract beasts and among the beastmen participants. Clearly, this was not a normal occurrence.
It wasn’t until some keen-eyed individuals observed Su Jin, the owner of the Ai Su Gourmet Restaurant, in the somewhat blurry video that they realized this might be a “premeditated” gathering.
Today, no one was unaware of the connection between the Ai Su Gourmet Restaurant and Lin Su.
And wherever Lin Su was present, there was always something extraordinary happening.
The scene when the Star Mist Forest was overrun by a horde of beasts in the past was still fresh in people’s memories.
Some experts carefully studied the video and provided an answer that seemed plausible but not entirely certain—they seemed to be choosing each other.
The answer was already very close to the truth.
However, many people found it hard to believe.
After all, if contract beasts could obediently allow themselves to be chosen, there wouldn’t be so many people who had reached the bonding period without finding a suitable contract beast.
Unfortunately, as the participants of this “gathering,” none of them came forward to provide an accurate answer.
Discussions online not only didn’t stop but intensified.
As the time for Lin Su and William to return to the Capital Star drew near, Xie Bai and Su Ge expressed their intention to accompany them on the journey.
For Lin Su, who was unfamiliar with Capital Star, having Xie Bai’s company was the best.
In the past two days, Lin Feng had brewed the first batch of grape wine. Although it hadn’t been brewed for long, it was already drinkable. Due to its low alcohol content, it was suitable for some people to consume.
He poured the wine into bottles according to the measurements and added them to the ranks of treatment drugs for patients in the recovery phase, which were then put under clinical observation.
On the first day of use, patients with a lower level of mental disorder completely rid themselves of insomnia and the torment of mental realm pain.
Only the weak physical body needed to be nurtured.
The results were so good that it was hard to believe.
While Lin Su was still present, Lin Feng intentionally brought the report to him and reported, “Lin Su, take a look at this data. It proves that grape wine does indeed have a significant effect on mental disorders. I’ve already drafted the report and will submit it to the Empire. I’m going to apply for the establishment of a grape wine production factory that can be popularized across the entire star domain. With this grape wine, I believe the Empire will be able to control at least 30% of people from being troubled by mental disorders.”
As he spoke, Lin Feng’s eyes were filled with excitement.
Lin Su set the report aside. “Actually, not only grape wine, have you considered that the same brewing method can be used for any fruit? Perhaps different fruits will produce different effects in the fermented wine.”
Lin Su’s words ignited Lin Feng’s heart, making his black eyes shine brighter. “You’re right! How did I not think of that? I’ve been too limited. I have to go back and study it.”
As he spoke, he was already eager to get started. But before he could turn around, Lin Su grabbed his sleeve. “Wait a moment, have you found any results regarding my female father’s contract plant?”
“Oh, right! I was just about to tell you about that, but I forgot while talking.” Lin Feng smiled and tapped his own head. “I’ve studied uncle’s contract plant and found that it contains up to 60% natural elements. Consuming it directly can be comparable to purifying fruits. But when it comes to eating flowers…”
Lin Su smiled. “It can be made into flower tea.”
Although Lin Feng didn’t know what flower tea was, he knew that whenever Lin Su had an idea, it was always a good one. “What is flower tea used for?”
“Flower tea is a beverage made from flowers. It can be brewed with hot water and has a faint fragrance,” Lin Su thought that with the reforms in the Empire’s dining industry, it was also time to start working on the beverage sector.
Milk tea and fruit tea can also be made with the existing ingredients.
With this thought, Lin Su couldn’t help but want to open a milk tea shop on the Capital Star. The era of everyone enjoying milk tea was about to come, bringing happiness.
Just by listening to Lin Su’s description, Lin Feng felt it was good. “Is it even better than grape wine?”
“It’s two different flavors, depending on people’s preferences,” Lin Su rubbed his chin. “I’ll have to let my female father try it later.”
Lin Feng raised his hand. “Can I apply to be an observer?”
Lin Su smiled and agreed, “Sure!”
In the evening, Su Jin received a communication from Lin Su and returned earlier than expected. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he met Lin Feng’s radiant gaze and smiled, “Why do you look so eager, Lin Feng? Are you hungry?”
Lin Feng chuckled, “Uncle, I’m not hungry. Come here quickly.”
Su Jin raised an eyebrow, “What are you guys up to? It seems so mysterious.”
Following Lin Feng to the laboratory, Lin Feng said, “Uncle, your research report is out. Your contract plant contains 60% natural elements, and according to my estimation, it has the same purifying ability as fruits and vegetables. Lin Su told me that your contract plant can be made into flower tea. Now I want to understand, for a flower like this, how many can you grow at once?”
“I haven’t calculated specifically, but I feel like I can grow around one or two hundred at a time,” Su Jin replied.
Lin Feng’s eyes shone even brighter as he looked at Su Jin. “Uncle, can we start trying now?”
As he spoke, he brought over a large box and smiled at Su Jin.
Su Jin nodded with a smile, finally understanding why Lin Feng was looking at him with shining eyes. It turned out he was waiting for this moment.
But he was also curious about what flower tea was.
So Su Jin began to grow one, two, three white camellia flowers.
When Lin Su arrived, he smelled the fragrance of flowers filling the room and saw the box filled with flowers. He glanced at the numbers recorded in Lin Feng’s notebook.
221 flowers…
Lin Su was astonished. He didn’t expect Su Jin to be able to grow so many at once, and he seemed to do it effortlessly.
In fact, this exceeded Su Jin’s own expectations.
When he stopped, he had grown a total of 553 flowers, which had already reached Su Jin’s limit. Lin Su fed him a clean strawberry to replenish his energy.
Looking at the two boxes filled with flowers, Lin Feng said, “It’s much better than I anticipated. Uncle, your abilities are far beyond those of a B-rank genetic beast-human. I suspect this may be related to Lin Su helping you repair your beast pattern.”
Lin Su chuckled and said, “Don’t attribute everything to me. If this continues, I’ll become a god.”
Lin Feng and Su Jin looked at him in unison and said, “In our hearts, you are already a god!”
Lin Su shook his head with a smile and said, “Alright, it’s up to you. Do you still want to taste the flower tea?”
Lin Feng immediately put down what he was holding and enthusiastically said, “Yes!”
Su Jin also eagerly followed Lin Su to the kitchen. They watched as Lin Su placed the white camellia flowers one by one on a tray and then put them into the oven, setting it to the drying mode for dehydration.
Once finished, Lin Su stood quietly to the side.
“Is that it?” Su Jin looked at Lin Su with some uncertainty. Every time Lin Su cooked, it had never been this simple. It filled Su Jin with wonder.
Even though Lin Feng didn’t understand much about cooking, he also looked at Lin Su curiously.
Lin Su smiled and said, “We also need to boil some hot water.”
Lin Feng volunteered and quickly got to work. “I’ll do it. I know how.”
The baking time was set for three minutes. When the time was up, the oven door automatically opened. Lin Su put on gloves and took out the dried camellia flowers. Each dried flower still maintained its original appearance, with the petals dry but retaining an elegant and faint fragrance.
Lin Su carefully took them out and placed them aside. “We can order some attractive packaging online and pack these flowers into small bags for easy storage and consumption when needed.”
“Xiao Su, is this flower tea?” Su Jin hadn’t expected his contract plant to have this kind of use. If they used this flower tea in the restaurant, it would surely add more charm.
Remembering Lin Su’s words, Su Jin planned to go online later and customize the packaging.
Lin Feng quickly returned, and he saw Lin Su placing the dried camellia flowers one by one into a glass cup and pouring in some hot water. The petals floated in the water, and the originally mild floral fragrance became rich, making people feel relaxed both physically and mentally.
For some reason, even without tasting it, Lin Feng already felt that this method, if spread, would certainly be loved by certain nobles.
But simply looking at it, one could feel that drinking flower tea was an extremely elegant and enjoyable experience.
After the water cooled down a bit, Lin Su signaled for both of them to taste it.
Lin Feng and Su Jin cautiously picked up their cups, taking a sip. The taste was still primarily water, but with a hint of refreshing floral fragrance. As they savored it, a slight sweetness emerged.
At the same time, the 60% natural elements played their intended role, soothing the restlessness in their mental domain and making them feel calm and comfortable.
Lin Feng couldn’t help but exclaim, “It’s delicious.”
Su Jin looked at Lin Su excitedly and said, “Xiao Su, do you think I should promote flower tea in the restaurant?”
“Of course, it’s a great idea. A cup of flower tea after a meal can be very refreshing.”
After receiving a definite answer from Lin Su, Su Jin decided to start tomorrow.
Lin Su poured another cup and said, “It’s getting late, female father, Lin Feng, you should rest early too.”
Knowing that Lin Su was eager to bring some back for William to taste, Lin Feng and Su Jin nodded in agreement without saying a word, “Goodnight, Lin Su.”
Watching Lin Su leave, Lin Feng took a few flowers and said, “Uncle, these flowers are for me. I’ll make some flower tea.”
“Take them. You work hard with your research, so it’s good to drink more for your health.” Su Jin put away the remaining flowers, smiled, and patted Lin Feng’s shoulder. “It’s getting late today, so don’t stay up too late.”
“Alright, Uncle.”
Lin Su entered with a glass of water, smiling mischievously as he approached William. “Here, give it a try.”
Looking at the white camellia flowers floating in the water, even though William didn’t know what it was, he knew it was definitely something new that his little female had come up with. He reached out and took it, enjoying the fresh and pleasant floral fragrance. He blew on the slightly hot water and took a sip, and the fragrance of the flowers bloomed on his lips. His eyes couldn’t help but light up. “It’s delicious. What is this?”
“It’s flower tea. After the female father’s beast pattern was repaired, the contract plant contained 60% natural elements. I dried these flowers and brewed them. Doesn’t it have a unique flavor?” Lin Su explained.
“Yes, it’s beautiful and delicious.” William gently swirled the cup, and the camellia flowers inside spun around.
His little female always managed to bring him various surprises.
Just as Lin Feng was about to put away the flower tea, he received a voice message from Lin Te. His heart tightened, and he quickly answered, “Big Brother, how is it? Is there any news from Female Father?”
They had been waiting for news from the Skye Star, but there was no progress. They didn’t know what was happening over there. Qin Yi and the others had been there for many days, but they still hadn’t made any progress.
“There’s news. The clothes are indeed exactly the same as the ones my little brother wore before he went missing, but it’s not him. The confirmed genetic results are out, and they’re different. Female Father and the others are already on their way back to the capital star.”
The final result turned out to be the same as before, and it saddened Lin Feng’s heart. “Is the Female Father okay now?”
Even though this time it seemed more genuine than ever, the result was still the same.
Lin Feng was worried that Qin Yi wouldn’t be able to handle it and would collapse. “Big brother, should we tell Female Father…”
“Their return journey has been confirmed. I want to discuss it with Male Father first. Female Father can’t take any more blows.” Lin Te seemed to think of something else. “Xiao San1Lin Yue. Since he’s the third child, so he’s Xiao San ^v^ said he needs to talk to you. What are you planning to do?”
When Lin Feng mentioned Lin Yue’s descent into mental disorder, he couldn’t help but worry. “Xiao San didn’t tell you, but you shouldn’t mention it to Female Father and Male Father for now so they won’t worry. It seems that Xiao San has developed a mental disorder. I want him to come and see the situation, get some treatment. I have many methods for treating mental disorders here, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Alright, I’m relieved if he’s going to see you. We’re here for you, so you don’t have to worry. If anything happens, I’ll let you know. Take care of yourself too.”
“Okay, you too, big brother.”
After ending the call, Lin Feng sat in the chair, torn between his worry for Qin Yi and a conflicting sense of relief that the person they found wasn’t their little brother. This meant that Lin Su might truly be their little brother.
But what Lin Te said was true. Qin Yi couldn’t endure another blow in such a short period of time, so it was best to discuss it with Lin En first.
—
The day for Lin Su and William to return to the capital star arrived quickly. Early in the morning, after loading the last suitcase onto the spacecraft, Lin Su instructed Su Jin and Kane to take care of themselves and wait until everything was settled on the capital star before joining them.
Su Jin and Kane had never experienced being separated from Lin Su since he was young, so they felt reluctant to see him go.
But fortunately, Lin Su had William with him, so they weren’t too worried. After reminding William to take care of Lin Su, they also reminded Lin Su to take care of himself.
Xie Bai stood beside Lin Su and smiled. “Uncle, don’t worry. I’m here too. When we reach the capital star, we’ll take good care of Lin Su.”
With Xie Bai’s lighthearted banter, the atmosphere of parting wasn’t as melancholic.
The contract beasts that accompanied Lin Su to the capital star had already entered the lower deck of the spacecraft a day in advance. This way, Lin Su’s journey to the capital star would already be an impressive sight for the people there.
As the spacecraft took off, Lin Su gazed at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window. Leaning lightly against William’s side, a faint smile graced his lips, revealing his adorable and gentle dimples.
Capital Star, here I come!
