Interstellar Farming: I Make Potions and Climb to the Top

"Ah..." The staff member’s eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh." With the man now in the president’s hands, it was no longer his problem. He was relieved.

The alarms outside had been silenced, and the deep corridor returned to a state of calm. The staff member led Tang Xue and Min Wu onto an elevator, leaving the Training Institute and returning to the Protection Association’s reception hall.

Tang Xue had seen Ning Xuan’s message but still refused to leave, intent on finding her friend. She wouldn’t listen to the staff member’s persuasion. Left with no other choice, the staff member found the president, who had Ning Xuan place a call to Tang Xue. Only then did Tang Xue finally agree to follow the staff member and leave the Training Institute.

Di Youlin sat bolt upright, staring at Ning Xuan without blinking.

"Emperor General, please don’t make things difficult for me," the president said, trying to reason with Di Youlin, a headache already forming. "Your sentence was jointly decided by the Star Sky Council and the Elder Council. This is just your place of confinement. I don’t have the authority to release you."

It was as if Di Youlin hadn’t heard a thing. He continued to stare intently at Ning Xuan, showing no reaction to the president’s words.

Ning Xuan was furious about being ambushed and dragged here. "President, I was just here today to help a friend pick someone up. I didn’t expect to get caught up in all this. Since you clearly have things to deal with, I’ll get out of your way." Having spotted Tang Xue returning with Min Wu, Ning Xuan got up to leave.

The moment Ning Xuan stood up, Di Youlin shot to his feet.

As Ning Xuan walked toward the exit, he followed right behind her.

Ning Xuan glanced at him, then turned back to the president. "President, aren’t you going to take him back?"

The president gave a sheepish laugh. "Ning Xuan, um, it seems Emperor General wants to go with you. Why don’t you... take him home with you for now?" As she spoke, she winked meaningfully at Ning Xuan.

"Why should I take him home? You just dumped two Half-beastmen on me, and I haven’t even complained about that. Now you want to saddle me with a ticking time bomb?" Ning Xuan was completely against the idea. ’Just listen to what the president called him—a General, jointly sentenced by the Star Sky Council and the Elder Council, a "permanent resident." It’s obvious this guy is huge trouble.’

"Ning Xuan, it’s not me trying to push him on you. He’s the one who wants to follow you. I can’t do anything about him either." Seeing that Ning Xuan wasn’t getting the hint, the president gave up on the subtle eye contact.

"I can let the whole you-manhandling-me thing slide. But I don’t know you, so don’t follow me. Let me repeat myself: do not follow me," Ning Xuan warned, grabbing Di Youlin by the collar.

As Ning Xuan spoke, Di Youlin’s eyes remained fixed on her, unblinking. When she reached out and grabbed his collar, he suddenly smiled—a faint smile, his eyes curving slightly as the corners of his lips turned up.

He had fair skin and red lips, with delicate, beautiful features. That smile was like the first thaw on a snowy mountain—truly, devastatingly beautiful.

Ning Xuan stared, stunned. She couldn’t help but marvel to herself, ’This guy is ridiculously beautiful.’

Ning Xuan pulled her hand back and continued toward the exit. Sure enough, he followed her again.

"Can’t you understand plain language? I said, don’t follow me!" Ning Xuan yelled, exasperated.

Di Youlin blinked and forced out two words, one by one, "Will... follow."

On the verge of a breakdown, Ning Xuan turned to look at the president. The president, who had been craning her neck to watch them, immediately ducked her head and took a strategic sip of water the moment Ning Xuan’s eyes fell on her.

"President, he’s an extremely dangerous person, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have locked him up in such a secure place. Now that he’s out, you can’t just ignore it, can you? What’s the deal with him insisting on following me? If he has an episode and kills me, you—all of you—will be accomplices!" Ning Xuan said, pointing at Di Youlin while speaking to the president.

Just then, Tang Xue saw Ning Xuan. She ran over, a nervous expression on her face, and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine," Ning Xuan reassured her.

"I won’t... kill you. I will... protect you." Di Youlin’s speech was a little more fluent this time. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The message the president had just sent finally received a reply. She opened the responses from the Star Sky Council and the Elder Council and felt a sense of relief.

The president of the Controller Protection Association called Ning Xuan into her office, and Di Youlin naturally followed. The president showed Ning Xuan the replies from the Elder Council and the Star Sky Council. Then, in accordance with the messages, she showed Ning Xuan Di Youlin’s identity file, which included his personal information and life history.

After reading it all, Ning Xuan’s expression was incredibly complex. Her gaze toward Di Youlin now held a hint of pity.

"Ning Xuan, you’ve seen the new decision from the Star Sky Council and the Elder Council. Feel free to make any requests you have. From now on, we’ll be entrusting Emperor General to you," the Association president said with a relieved smile.

"Why are you just handing him over to me? His story is tragic, sure, but his suffering has nothing to do with me. I refuse," Ning Xuan said, firmly rejecting the proposal.

"Ning Xuan, his Combat Power is extremely high. With him around, it’s like having a powerful, free enforcer. What’s more, this handover includes all the control measures. The device that controls the restraints inside his body will be given to you. I guarantee he’ll be completely obedient when he’s with you," the Association president urged.

"There’s also the fact that even if you refuse, you won’t be able to shake him off. None of your subordinates are a match for him," the president added, twisting the knife.

Ning Xuan was out of options. She glanced at the green ring the president had shoved into her hand and, too angry to even say goodbye, turned and stormed out.

"Ning Xuan, why is he... why is he following us?" Tang Xue asked, glancing at Di Youlin, who was trailing behind them.

"He’s going to be living with me from now on. Do you still want to leave your white wolf at my place?" Ning Xuan asked her.

"He’s going to live with you?" Tang Xue asked in surprise.

"Uh, yeah, of course. I definitely have to leave Min Wu with you. But... with him staying at your place, will you be okay?" Tang Xue asked worriedly.

"It doesn’t matter if I’m uneasy, I don’t have a choice. And speaking of which, I wouldn’t be in this mess if I hadn’t come with you to pick someone up. Here." Ning Xuan took two black pills from her Space Button. Pointing at Min Wu, she said, "I can only be at ease with him staying at my place after he’s taken my medicine."

These two black pills were a new type of medicine she had just developed. They broke the mold of her usual liquid medicines, as she had managed to create them in solid pill form.

Just as Tang Xue was about to take the medicine, a slender hand reached past her and snatched both pills. Tang Xue looked up and saw that Di Youlin had already swallowed them.

"Hey—why did you snatch the medicine?" Tang Xue couldn’t help but demand.

Di Youlin ignored Tang Xue, his gaze fixed on Ning Xuan. "I took them," he said. "So you can be at ease."

Di Youlin had understood their previous conversation and snatched the medicine to reassure Ning Xuan that he would do nothing to harm her.