Chapter 92: Fu Lan Ke Li

"This matter has already been approved by the mysterious queen and will not have any adverse effect on you," Lei Kedun quickly explained.

"What kind of deal did you make with the queen?" That was Jia De Li Ya's most pressing question.

It was still surprising that the queen could place a stranger directly onto her ship, even though she had already made a corresponding prophecy.

"An opportunity to ascend to the second sage of the promotion sequence," Lei Kedun did not conceal the terms and stated the deal outright.

Jia De Li Ya nodded in understanding: "I see. How long do you intend to stay on the Future, and in what capacity?"

"About half a year, give or take. As for the role, just a crew member; that way I still have time for experiments and such," Lei Kedun said directly.

"Alright, follow me," Jia De Li Ya said, then turned and walked toward the cabin.

Lei Kedun followed, curiously surveying the pirate ship. The harmless Tu Ba Ge had already leapt off Lei Kedun's shoulder, hopping and poking around the vessel.

Jia De Li Ya's gaze swept over the rabbit without lingering.

"It's a Cultivator‑path rabbit, my experimental assistant," Lei Kedun explained when he saw her eyeing Tu Ba Ge.

"Not at all—I'm the one doing the experiments; you just stand there talking!" Tu Ba Ge retorted bluntly.

Jia De Li Ya paused at the remark; the rabbit was far smarter than it appeared, or rather, aside from its rabbit appearance, it showed no rabbit‑like traits at all.

"Hey, Captain, is this newcomer a junior brother? Our ship never docked—how did he get aboard?"

A woman over 1.8 m tall, with blond hair, unremarkable features but a fine figure, walked over from the side.

"This is Ni Na, the Sailor Captain of the Future."

"Ni Na, this is A Er·Tai En Si, a new crew member for the upcoming period on the Future, also Fu Lan Ke's assistant."

Jia De Li Ya smoothly introduced the two.

"Fu Lan Ke's assistant? Captain, are you sure Fu Lan Ke still needs an assistant?" Ni Na sounded uneasy upon hearing that.

"He brings Fu Lan Ke a new research project, so he won't have to tinker with cows, fish, and mushrooms for now," Jia De Li Ya explained.

Ni Na's expression brightened considerably; no longer hung up on the assistant issue, she turned to greet Lei Kedun.

"I'm Ni Na, Sailor Captain of the Future, deputy navigation chief."

"I've seen your file, 'Sea‑bottom Killer' Ni Na, bounty 3,600 pounds," Lei Kedun blurted out the information supplied by the Knowledge Church.

"That's my bounty notice, right? Your way of greeting is indeed unique," Ni Na chuckled teasingly, not taking offense.

"Um, I don't know much about sea matters; I can only gauge danger from official bounty notices," Lei Kedun muttered a flimsy excuse.

"Is that so? Seems the official rating of me is decent enough for you to note," Ni Na said generously.

"Is this your rabbit? Like that cat, is it also a remarkable creature?" Ni Na quickly turned her gaze to the nearby Tu Ba Ge, dressed like a wandering magician, and asked curiously.

"Are there other remarkable animals here? What do they look like?" Tu Ba Ge's attention was instantly drawn.

"It's a very cute black cat!" Ni Na said with a smile.

"Black cat?"

Lei Kedun recalled the Pas cat he met in Ma Dan, wondering where that creature had gone with Elisa.

After Ni Na left, Lei Kedun followed Jia De Li Ya down to the lower deck laboratory, where he happened upon Fu Lan Ke Li sorting his experimental products outside.

Several brightly colored fish, as if painted with oil, were being tossed by Fu Lan Ke into a wooden bucket, emitting a mixed alcoholic scent from their bodies.

"Fu Lan Ke, let me introduce someone; he'll be a crew member on the Future for a while and also your experimental assistant," Jia De Li Ya called out to Fu Lan Ke.

"Captain? I don't need an experimental assistant!" Unexpectedly, Fu Lan Ke rejected the proposal.

"Hello, I'm A Er·Tai En Si, a collaborator of the Earth Church. I have an experiment that needs your help, so I came to the Future specifically to find you," Lei Kedun, surprised by Fu Lan Ke's response, began to persuade him.

Fu Lan Ke paused, surveyed Lei Kedun from head to toe, then asked with some doubt, "You're not a remarkable being of the Cultivator path, are you?"

"Correct, which is why I need your help even more. You needn't worry about the Earth Church; this proposal has been approved by the Earth Mother— the Earth Church participates but does not lead."

Lei Kedun spoke while opening his leather suitcase, retrieving the holy seal the Earth Church had given him.

Fu Lan Ke paused, took the Earth Church's holy seal, and felt the Mother God's aura on it— confirming the claim was true!

Jia De Li Ya, upon seeing Lei Kedun produce a clearly blessed holy seal, was also taken aback.

Being able to produce the Earth Church's seal yet not seeming like a member of the Earth Church made Jia De Li Ya curious about Lei Kedun's identity.

"If you can complete this experiment, you'll certainly earn the Earth Mother's approval, and perhaps the Earth Church will later refer to you as Saint Fu Lan Ke!" Lei Kedun seized the chance to persuade Fu Lan Ke.

"What kind of experiment?" Fu Lan Ke, swayed by Lei Kedun's relentless persuasion, asked.

He indeed longed for the Earth Mother's approval, to show the church that his philosophy was the correct one.

Lei Kedun breathed a sigh of relief, though he worried that if Fu Lan Ke returned to the Earth Church and became Saint Fu Lan Ke, the Earth Church would turn into some bizarre entity.

But that's a concern for the Earth Mother; he only wanted to fulfill the rash promise he made to the Earth Church as soon as possible.

He reiterated the words he had uttered at the Earth Church, and had Tu Ba Ge present its grafting experiment results.

In the end, Fu Lan Ke was persuaded by Lei Kedun.

"I'll join the experiment, but it requires many materials to accumulate extensive data; it can't be completed in a short time," Fu Lan Ke said after agreeing and immediately began discussing the experiment.

"That's no problem; I can request the experimental materials directly from the Earth Church, and there's no time limit," Lei Kedun explained.

He added, "The Earth Church has already begun promoting new grafted varieties; I believe it won't be long before, even at sea, we receive news."

After discussing the details with Lei Kedun, Fu Lan Ke wanted to drag Lei Kedun into starting the experiment at once.

Lei Kedun tossed Tu Ba Ge to Fu Lan Ke, then claimed he needed to familiarize himself with the ship's environment and left the laboratory with Jia De Li Ya.

"You don't seem inclined to conduct the experiment with Fu Lan Ke?" Jia De Li Ya asked, puzzled.

"My make‑up exam is coming up soon; I have to seize the time to prepare, otherwise I won't be able to apply for the next sequence's demonic elixir," Lei Kedun said helplessly.

Mr. Huang had promised to postpone my make‑up exam, but little time remains, and since leaving Ma Dan I haven't studied much at all.

"Make‑up exam?" Jia De Li Ya asked, more puzzled.

"It's the Knowledge Church exam; I failed it last time, so I have to retake it!" Lei Kedun explained awkwardly.

Jia De Li Ya's gaze grew more puzzled; as a member of the Knowledge Church, he was assisting the Earth Church and even bargaining a second‑sage promotion opportunity with the queen.

She couldn't immediately determine whether keeping Lei Kedun aboard the Future was beneficial or detrimental.

I hope the queen's judgment is fine; it indeed won't have a negative impact on the Future Ship.

つ_つ Please give me monthly tickets!!!

(End of chapter)