Feihua Star Pirates

Ming Weiman decided to follow Long Xingxue's advice and honestly pay Senior Disciple Sister a visit.

To improve Senior Disciple Sister's impression of him, he had specially dressed himself up, looking every bit the dashing gentleman. He wore formal attire, piloted a flamboyant Starship, and headed for the Administrative Star.

By the time he leisurely arrived at where Wei Lanshan had been staying, there was not a soul in sight. The Alliance Chief Senior Disciple Sister was gone, and so was the adorable junior disciple niece!

Ming Weiman stood there in utter confusion. His senior sister's speed in making a getaway was far, far too fast.

Was that how she had become the Alliance Chief?

Which was why he could only be the richest man in the Mingzhao Star System, right?

That had to be it. Looking at the empty place, Ming Weiman sighed inwardly. His master had been right—he could only be a wealthy man.

Ming Weiman thus missed his senior sister by a hair, and Long Xingxue nagged him about it for quite some time afterward.

While Ming Weiman was rushing over from Mingzhao Main Star to see Wei Lanshan, Wei Lanshan, who was hiding with Jiujiu in the cramped underground spaces of Mingzhao Star, heard a piece of news that caught her interest.

Feihua, the interstellar pirate renowned throughout the Alliance for chivalry, had suddenly appeared in the Mingzhao Star System and abducted every somewhat famous doctor from Mingzhao's Administrative Stars.

Wei Lanshan thus bribed the underground black market's leader and had them take her to meet Suo Feihua, captain of the Feihua Star Pirates.

After much trouble, Wei Lanshan and Jiujiu finally boarded Feihua's Starship.

Looking at the Starship, which was several times larger than Xiwei's, Jiujiu remained completely calm.

She felt that she would encounter even more astonishing things in the future, so she needed to keep her heartbeat steady. It would not do for her heart to race too often and put too much strain on it.

Security here was extremely tight, and the guards all appeared highly capable.

When Wei Lanshan and Jiujiu entered the Starship, they first stepped into a square box at the entrance and remained inside for five minutes before coming out.

No one explained anything, but Jiujiu guessed that they had been checked for large thermal weapons.

After walking through the Starship for a full five minutes, Jiujiu and Wei Lanshan finally met Suo Feihua.

Suo Feihua stood at the viewing area on the Starship's bridge, staring out at the endless blackness of space. There was little expression on her face, and she did not turn around even when she heard movement behind her.

She was thinking about what the doctors had just told her. The doctors of the Mingzhao Star System had all said there was no way to save her younger sister. Their abilities were insufficient, and they told her to seek someone more skilled or send her to the Yuanri Star System.

Only there could fully mechanized surgery be performed to preserve Feiyue's life.

But that also meant that from then on, her younger sister could only live by relying on machinery.

This was already the sixth time she had heard that suggestion.

In the entire Jingsu Alliance, was there truly no one who could save Feiyue?

Suo Feihua was in great pain. Feiyue was her only remaining family in this world. The two sisters had struggled together in the sea of stars for years to build this foundation.

She and Feiyue had been planning to hand everything over to their subordinates and find a planet with beautiful scenery and abundant resources where they could rest properly. Yet this had happened. It was her carelessness that had allowed Feiyue to be injured, and the guilt in her heart ran deeper than the sea.

Wei Lanshan did not immediately introduce herself. She and Jiujiu stood quietly, accompanying Suo Feihua as they gazed into the depths of space.

"Are you a doctor?" Suo Feihua reined in her worries and turned to look at the two females before her, one grown and one small.

Wei Lanshan had restored her original appearance, but Jiujiu did not look the way she had before.

Ever since they had begun fleeing, no one had seen Jiujiu's true appearance.

Wei Lanshan did not speak, but she showed Suo Feihua something: her insignia in the Alliance.

Suo Feihua was overjoyed, though she did not show it. "Please, let's speak somewhere more private."

She led Wei Lanshan and Jiujiu to her quarters, then had someone bring Jiujiu toys, snacks, and drinks. Seeing how thoughtful she was, Wei Lanshan knew that she could not be a bad person.

"Tell me the situation, then let me see the patient. Once I've examined her, I can give you an answer immediately." Wei Lanshan looked at Suo Feihua, speaking with complete sincerity.

Though the Feihua Star Pirates had the word "pirates" in their name, they did not engage in banditry. Rather, they were a group within the Alliance that hunted down criminals who truly made their living through theft and plunder.

They captured these criminals and turned them in for bounties. At times, they even traveled to more distant star systems. As such, Suo Feihua herself enjoyed considerable renown within the Alliance.

They were pirates who hunted pirates, protecting the peace around the Mingzhao Star System.

"Alright. Come with me." Suo Feihua led Wei Lanshan to her younger sister Feiyue's room.

Suo Feiyue had been severely injured in a battle, with damage to her spine.

The Alliance's technology could replace internal organs, but the spine remained an unsolved problem unless she underwent mechanization surgery. But if that happened, Feiyue would not want to see herself when she woke up.

Alliance Law stipulated that after mechanization, one could not reside permanently in other star systems. They could only live within the Yuanri Star System.

This was because a mechanized body possessed five times the strength of an ordinary person. For everyone else's safety, the Alliance stipulated that those who underwent mechanization surgery could only live in the Yuanri Star System, except under special circumstances.

That meant accepting constant monitoring by the Central Brain and having a control program installed.

Once a mechanical fight broke out, the installed surveillance would immediately send information to the Central Brain. The Central Brain would assess the severity, then forcibly downgrade them by destroying part of their machinery and bringing both sides' strength into balance.

Unless they had no other choice, citizens of the Jingsu Alliance would never take this path, because it meant losing the freedom to travel through the sea of stars.

The universe was so vast, yet a lifespan of more than two hundred years could only be spent trapped in one star system. It was no different from a cage.

Therefore, Suo Feihua would never choose this path, and her younger sister Suo Feiyue would not be willing to either.

After examining Suo Feiyue's condition, Wei Lanshan suggested that Suo Feihua dock in the Sulaina Star System.

There was an excellent sanatorium there with high-end precision equipment. She needed to run tests before she could give a final answer.

"Alright, I'll arrange it immediately." Wei Lanshan's words brought life back to Suo Feihua's face.

Traveling from the Mingzhao Star System to Sulaina required three star-days of rapid travel. Suo Feihua ordered the Starship to open a spatial passage at maximum speed, then make a faster-than-light jump.

Wei Lanshan laid out all her demands to Suo Feihua, who agreed to the conditions without hesitation.

Wei Lanshan's demands were easy enough for the Feihua Group to fulfill. Her sister's health was what mattered most.

After this battle, Suo Feihua unexpectedly began to consider retreating. She sighed inwardly, thinking that once her sister woke up, she would discuss it with her before making a decision.

Jiujiu listened quietly from the side as they discussed the various terms, and once again found herself impressed by Wei Lanshan.

She wanted to become like Wei Lanshan someday—capable and composed in the face of trouble. Once things settled down, she would have to work even harder.

When Wei Lanshan beckoned for Jiujiu to come over, Jiujiu gave the two stunning beauties a sweet smile. Shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks, her eyes were bright and clear, and she radiated youthful energy.

Suo Feihua seemed to see her younger sister as a child, always mischievously clinging to her. Whenever she got what she wanted, she would grin at her, her smile joyful and warm. That was why Suo Feihua had such a favorable impression of Jiujiu.

She gave her a whole lot more snacks, leaving Jiujiu utterly baffled. Was this how the Feihua Group's leader treated people well—by stuffing them with snacks?

She liked that very much, so she sweetly thanked Suo Feihua again. "Thank you, pretty sister. Have some too—I can't finish all this by myself."