CHAPTER 53: 51, DA XIANG

"Young man, are you looking for a place to stay? Eighty for a night."

"Ten yuan for a full meal, fifteen yuan for a good meal. What do you want to eat, young man?"

"Want a mobile phone from three thousand years ago? I guarantee it’s genuine, and I’ll throw in a charger."

"Hey handsome, are you going to the cultural capital? We need one more person."

"Get on the bus, get on the bus, only three seats left! Hurry up if you’re going to the heavenly pit!"

As soon as he stepped out of the Saturn Starship Aviation Center, many vendors nearby approached and shouted at him.

Lu Lin felt as if he had been transported back six years, to when he first came here on his way to Blue Star.

So many years have passed, and yet, this human world’s bustle hasn’t changed a bit.

After rejecting a plump woman and waving his hand at a sunglasses-wearing uncle driving a fuel car, Lu Lin finally managed to squeeze out of the crowd.

"Lu Lin, Lu Lin!"

At that moment, several loud shouts caught Lu Lin’s attention.

Lu Lin looked in the direction of the voice. He saw a bald man, two meters tall and built like a Titan beast, standing in the distance and waving his arms wildly at him.

A smile appeared on Lu Lin’s face. "Da Xiang!"

"You bastard, it’s been a long time."

Lu Lin and Da Xiang hugged each other tightly, looking like a child being held by an adult.

"Hahaha, if it wasn’t for you coming back, I wouldn’t have come to Double Name City. It’s so chaotic here."

"Lu Lin, you’ve become even more handsome over the years. Let’s go, get in my car and I’ll take you home."

Da Xiang grinned and took the backpack from Lu Lin’s hand, slinging it over his shoulder.

"Alright, let’s go!"

Lu Lin followed Da Xiang out of the Starship Center.

Saturn’s development lagged behind that of Blue Star, Mars, and Mercury. In fact, most planets’ development levels couldn’t compare to these three. Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn were practically countryside compared to Blue Star. As for even more distant planets like Uranus and Neptune, they were essentially remote, uninhabited backwaters where few people ventured unless absolutely necessary.

Alien Star, though the last to appear in the Solar System, boasted development on par with, or even surpassing, Blue Star.

Da Xiang was driving an old-style fuel floating car equipped with solar panels for power.

His mom and dad had bought this car for him to run a taxi service when he graduated from Junior High School three years ago.

Compared to Lu Lin’s family, which was burdened with huge debts, Da Xiang’s parents wanted him to start earning money as early as possible.

By the way, Da Xiang’s real name was Li Xiang.

Because he used to be sickly as a child and as skinny as a bean sprout, his parents had named him, hoping he would become as strong as an elephant from the zoo.

Who knew that during his Junior High School years, Da Xiang’s body would inflate like a balloon, quickly transforming him into a genuine "Big Elephant."

"Lu Lin, I heard that you’ve Awakened your Talent. What attribute is it, and have you comprehended any Star Skills?" Da Xiang asked curiously as soon as they got in the car.

Thanks to his mom, Meng Yu, news about Lu Lin’s successful Awakening on Blue Star had already spread throughout the nearby Green City.

Green City was where Lu Lin grew up, and most of the neighbors there worked for nearby planting companies.

"Earth Element, and I’ve comprehended two Star Skills."

"Really? Lu Lin, I knew you were the most amazing one in our neighborhood! I knew that back when you were still in primary school."

"Wang Juan, Ma Xiaoyan, and Li Tingting from our class still remember you."

"A few days ago, our classmates were talking about you and Zheng Yulong in our group chat. Both of you went to Blue Star to study. We’re not sure if he successfully awakened."

"Zheng Yulong?" Lu Lin asked. "You mean his family? The one where his mom is such a loudmouth? The family that if Zheng Yulong had any good news, they’d want the entire Green City to know?"

That’s strange, Da Xiang thought. If Zheng Yulong had an Awakening, wouldn’t everyone in our Saturn North Hill area know about it?

I guess he probably hasn’t Awakened any Talent.

"Yes, that’s their family. I’m surprised you still remember his eccentric mother. But they moved away a long time ago."

"It was around the time you went to Blue Star, I believe. For whatever reason, they quietly handled their resignation from the company, and then the whole family just vanished. We haven’t heard a peep from Zheng Yulong in all these years."

"Anyway, forget about them. Take a look at our primary school group chat."

Da Xiang had a mischievous grin on his face, making Lu Lin realize something major must have happened.

"Congratulations, Mr. Lu, on your return from Blue Star with your Awakened Talent! You are the pride of Saturn’s citizens."

"Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu, I want to have your baby! Tonight, Room 303 in the Rujia Express Hotel, you know the old place."

"Lu Lin, what Talent did you Awaken? Don’t forget your brothers when you become rich in the future."

"Lu Lin, are you dating anyone yet? If not, would you mind considering me?"

"Damn, Zhang Li, can you not? I just had my breakfast."

Hometown folks, always a special bond. Beautiful or not, it’s like they say... the water from home is always the sweetest.

Seeing the various playful and envious messages from his former classmates in the group chat, Lu Lin couldn’t help but smile.

It was still the familiar flavor. After six years, nothing had changed.

"Thanks to my brothers and sisters for all the love and care. I have Awakened my Earth Talent on Blue Star and comprehended Double Star Skills. I’ll be heading to Alien Star University soon. I just landed from the starship today, and I’ll host a dinner for everyone to get together another day," Lu Lin typed generously.

He hadn’t quite felt this atmosphere before immersing himself in it.

Now, seeing his classmates’ messages, Lu Lin finally understood the true meaning of the saying, "Prosperity not flaunted back home is like wearing brocade in the dark of night."

If you became successful and didn’t go back to your hometown to show off a bit to your friends, then what was the point of living?

Moreover, they were all his close friends and neighbors who had grown up with him. Lu Lin had attended Green City No. 2 Primary School, so his classmates were all local kids. Now that he had the means, how could he not lend a hand if they needed help?

"Lu Lin is powerful!"

"Lu Lin is awesome! He’s going to study at Alien Star University! He hasn’t disgraced our Green City No. 2 Primary School."

"@Lu Lin, my mom invites you over for dinner tonight. Don’t forget."

The message was sent by Wang Juan, one of the only two girls in the residential complex where Lu Lin lived. She was a chubby and cute girl.

"Alright, I’ll come to your place tonight."

As they joked around, Da Xiang had already driven from Double Name City to Green City.

Looking at the familiar city, which hadn’t changed much in six years, Lu Lin felt a whirlwind of emotions.

"Lu Lin, shall we go to Wealth Street later to hunt for treasures? It’s an old tradition here in Green City," Da Xiang suggested.

"Sure, no problem," Lu Lin readily agreed.

Green City’s famous Fortune Street sold all kinds of antiques, jade, calligraphy, paintings, secret martial arts scriptures, ancient weapons, and unparalleled elixir scriptures.

Fortune Street owed its continued existence to a Green City tradition: the belief that good luck brought back from afar would enable one to find a ’big score’ there.

Even those who were just passing through Green City would occasionally visit Fortune Street to try their luck.

However, over the years, Lu Lin had only heard stories. People supposedly spent a few tens of yuan on Wealth Street for an item that later sold for hundreds of thousands, even millions, but he’d never actually seen it happen.

He had just returned from Blue Star, Awakened his Talent, and comprehended Double Star Skills; his luck should be at its absolute peak.

It wouldn’t hurt to try his luck.