Chapter 976 (2/2)

By now, Tiny Nolan had already powered up all the engines of the arks. Against the dark background in outer space, the thirteen massive arks started to glow. After a few days of rest, these ancient and well worn machinery began to run once again. At the same time, the comms device on the control panel was activated as well. The holographic projection flickered for a second, and then stabilized into the image of an old man with snow white hair and beard.

Lorenz looked a little agitated and troubled. The sudden call surprised him. The old man froze for a moment before asking, “Hao Ren, milord? You called me?”

“What… Please, just call me Hao Ren. ‘Milord’ sounds funny.” Hao Ren gestured with a wave, and then turned serious. “Are the preparations complete? I’ve found a place for the arks to settle down temporarily.”

Lorenz first reaction was… nothing.

The old man did not seem to understand Hao Ren immediately, and once he did, could hardly believe his ears. When he realized that this “place” was an actual planet, he did not feel joy or excitement, since he was completely overwhelmed by surprise. It was only when Hao Ren repeated himself tha Lorenz snapped out of it. “You mean a new planet?!”

“It’s leased to you.” Hao Ren stated that upfront, and then inclined his body to let Katreina join in the conversation. “The planet you are settling on is called Io, and this is her Queen. Due to some circumstances, the Queen and her people are not staying on Io at the moment, so the planet is temporarily leased to you. You may discuss the details of this agreement together.”

“Where are you now?!”

“Right outside your ark.” Hao Ren smiled. “Do you think you can leave this ark now? It’s better if your negotiation with the Queen is held on my ship. We have the facilities here to record your terms.”

Lorenz looked around him. From the background, it looked like he was in some kind of high class quarters, like in a royal castle a scholar’s library. He nodded. “I can tell them that I’m going into the Furnace of the Ancestors to seek new knowledge. The people here treated me with utmost respect now. Besides, where the Furnace is involved, they would not question me.”

Hao Ren nodded in acknowledgement. “Very well. Inform your people, and then I’ll ask the IDT to bring you over.”

After the call ended, Rollie sneaked up to him from a corner. She pulled at Hao Ren’s sleeve and asked, “Big Boss Cat, are you done talking?”

Hao Ren looked at the stupid cat in confusion. “Yes. What’s up?”

Rollie immediately looked overjoyed. She pointed at Tiny Nolan, who was sitting at the edge of the control panel and spacing out. “Can I eat the mouse meow?”

“… Out of the way!”

A while later, Lorenz was transported directly to the teleportation room on Petrachelys.

The old man wore a grayish white long robe made of coarse material. There were many odd accessories pinned on his chest, as scholars on the arks would. His hair and beard were in pure white. He used a staff, and emerged from the teleportation room like some old wizard visiting from a mystical world of the Middle Ages, or a prophet prepared to lead his people — the latter was a good metaphor given his position in the ark fleet.

The Nangong siblings escorted Lorenz out of the teleportation room. Hao Ren quickly stepped forward to greet the old man, and then activated the Petrachelys’ main holographic feed to show the entire fleet of arks. “What’s it feel like, seeing these ships once again?”

Lorenz took a long, steady look at the vast expanse of outer space and the thirteen massive arks neatly lined up out there. After a while he sighed softly. “The ships and I have grown old…”

Vivian stepped to the side, revealing Katreina behind her. “Then let’s give the younger generation a chance before you old buggers stopped working.”