Chapter 28: The Flying Puppet

The next morning was bright and sunny. Warm sunlight slanted from the sky onto Youge City, causing its massive metal shell to reflect the light and shine as brilliantly as a second sun upon the ground.

Shen Yi, having not slept a wink, his eyes rimmed with dark circles, impatiently dialed Hu Yu’s phone. Hu Yu had also been up all night, hooked on listening to music.

As soon as she answered, she heard Shen Yi say, "Well? Let’s discuss how we’re going to handle this trade."

"How come you sound more anxious than I am?" Hu Yu got up and stretched while holding the phone. As she spoke, she looked out the window and saw a group of people in marine power armor performing acrobatics in the residential courtyard below. Yes, acrobatics—practicing punches and doing somersaults in power armor. It was quite a sight, and Hu Yu stared in bewilderment.

"Are those your troops?" she asked, looking down at the hardworking acrobatic troupe.

Shen Yi, who had known about this, felt quite speechless. He hadn't exactly trained them in any systematic way. "They’re people I saved. An old friend entrusted them to my care. That’s all."

"I see. Can I have one of those marine armors you mentioned?" Hu Yu asked hopefully.

"That’s not possible, but I can give you something even more fun that will definitely satisfy you. Look toward the Boundless Forest," Shen Yi said confidently.

Before Hu Yu could reply, she was drawn to something in the distance. A Wraith fighter jet soared up from the Boundless Forest, speeding toward Youge City like the wind. Hu Yu watched, stunned, as the steel construct emerged from the forest. Its streamlined body reflected the morning sun, resembling a meteor or a brilliant gemstone as it streaked across the sky toward the building where she stood.

It didn't slow down until it was right in front of the window, where it came to a sudden, silent halt, hovering with a mysterious air. Hu Yu’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit an ostrich egg. A flying automaton? My goodness! Her face flushed with excitement, and she nearly screamed.

"This... this... this..." she stammered, unable to finish her sentence. Struggling to calm her racing heart, she finally managed to choke out, "A heaven-defying technique of puppetry..."

The residents of Youge City also noticed the aircraft and were marveling at the flying puppet. They wondered if it meant people could sit inside and fly—flight was a privilege reserved only for the powerful! Those who hadn't yet woken up rushed out to witness the magical sight. Some cheered, while others boldly whistled. Ignoring the hubbub of the residents, Hu Yu gazed at the Wraith fighter, her adoration impossible to hide.

"Is this for me?" she asked, still half-doubting.

"That's right. Since you’re so sincere, I can’t be stingy as the City Lord. Well, are you satisfied?" Shen Yi said, pleased by the crowd's reaction.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the fighter’s cockpit opened. "Does this mean I should get in?" Hu Yu asked.

"Go ahead. Experience it for yourself; from now on, it’s yours," Shen Yi’s voice came through the phone.

As people inside and outside the building speculated about the flying puppet, they saw a girl jump out of the window and land inside the cockpit. Another wave of gasps erupted.

"Is that the Commander? She got inside! Is she heading out?"
"Don't talk nonsense; the Commander isn't a child. It must be his son or daughter."
"Right, it must be, otherwise why such a grand display?"

Hu Yu, however, couldn't care less about what others thought. She was thrilled to have such a magnificent item. As she entered the cockpit, the canopy closed. The Wraith fighter shot into the sky like a drawn sword, climbing toward the heavens like a rocket until it pierced the clouds and vanished from sight.

"Holy cow, she's ascending to immortality!"
"Son, come look! She's ascending!"
"Kneel down! This is a divine miracle! You stupid boy, why are you still standing there? Do you want to die? If the immortal gets angry, a bolt of lightning will strike you dead!" A burly man knelt on both knees, not forgetting to lecture his bewildered son.

Shen Yi felt speechless but didn't intervene, thinking they would get used to it eventually. People were so easily startled.

Hu Yu, meanwhile, was terrified. Despite her cultivation, she had never flown this high. As the fighter continued to climb through the cloud layer, the cold sweat broke out on her skin, and her nerves were pushed to the limit. Below, the ground shrank until Youge City was nothing but a tiny speck. The full expanse of the Boundless Forest, the distant blue ocean, and the mountains and lakes were all laid out before her.

"Ahhhhh!" The excited little fox-spirit danced and gestured, unable to contain her shrieks.

Shen Yi, worried, asked, "Hey, hey, keep it down, you're deafening me..."

The Wraith fighter stopped ascending—though it could have gone higher, Shen Yi didn't want to overwhelm her—and leveled off into a steady, parallel flight. Hu Yu ignored him, busy gazing around in wonder. She pointed excitedly here and there. "That’s Xiangfeng Mountain! That’s Starlight Lake, I’ve been there! Oh, and that place, I haven't been there yet..."

"Listen, big sister, stop looking for a moment. You can look later, okay? Let’s talk business," an anxious Shen Yi urged. He regretted giving her the Wraith fighter so soon; look at how it had unhinged even a powerful expert!

"Legend says there is a celestial palace in the heavens, but I don't see it. Where do the immortals live?" Hu Yu ignored him, lost in her own thoughts.

"There are immortals?" Shen Yi asked.

"Of course! Immortals who have shattered the void live in the heavens. You didn't know? Sometimes they descend to the mortal realm, it’s just rare!"

"Don't talk nonsense. There's no such thing as immortals; believe in science," Shen Yi replied, though he was puzzled. In his view, even if immortals existed, they were just mortals who were a bit more powerful than the rest.

"So, is this 'Wraith fighter' really mine?" Hu Yu asked again.

"Of course, it’s yours. But since you don't know how to pilot it, I've assigned a pilot to you," Shen Yi said.

The pilot in the front seat spoke up, "Miss Hu Yu, I am at your command. It is an honor to serve you."

"Now that you've accepted the gift, shall we discuss our cooperation?"

"Sure! I have plenty more of the ore I gave you yesterday. Tell me how much the guns cost, and the phones, and... I want to buy a few of these Wraith fighters too!" Hu Yu said, sounding a bit shy when mentioning the jets, likely realizing she might not be able to afford them.

"Guns aren't for sale. For now, I only sell phones. How about two of those ores you gave me yesterday for one phone?" Shen Yi answered cautiously; he wasn't an experienced merchant, but he knew some things were strictly off-limits.

"Is that so? Then I don't need to contact my tribe. Give me twenty phones, how about that?" Hu Yu said grandly.

"It’s a deal. Go ahead and have fun. We’ll be in touch once you return to Youge City," Shen Yi said and hung up.

Back in the Boundless Forest, Shen Yi was satisfied. The energy from one piece of that ore was worth more than a Wraith fighter. It was a steal! He felt great—this was the beauty of a monopoly; the money came in so fast! In high spirits, he stood up in the hall and practiced a set of punches the researchers had given him, smashing several tables and chairs in a display of extraordinary momentum.

Hu Yu didn't mind that Shen Yi had hung up. She commanded the pilot to perform various maneuvers. The Wraith fighter soared through the sky like a wild bird, diving and climbing—now soaring to watch the clouds, now skimming the earth to feel the thrill of speed. Hu Yu, having lost her mind with excitement, laughed like a carefree child.

Before long, she flew over the Holy Heart City. The fighter streaked across the sky like a silver sword, throwing the city into a state of alarm. Before they could react, the fighter vanished into the horizon. Shortly after, it flew back again. This time, the Holy Heart City, led by Wang Sheng, had prepared by having their wind-attribute mages take to the sky, but they still couldn't intercept it. It was simply too fast, and it vanished again.

Hu Yu, watching the three old men in the distance left choking on exhaust fumes, beamed with delight. "Come on, catch me if you can... haha!"

As the Wraith fighter flew far away, Wang Sheng looked toward the distance and muttered, "Did I just hear a goose honking? Did you guys hear that?"