288: Chapter 290 Jiang Xinghe: I Want to Be the Pirate King of the Universe!

On the landing pad of Yunding Villa, a ridiculous runaway drama was currently unfolding.

That custom-made, child-sized luan niao starship was spray-painted with cartoon-style graffiti, and the words "Xinghe" were scrawled crookedly across its wings.

Although it was only one-tenth the size of a standard warship, the eerie blue exhaust plume from its Anti-gravity Engine was even more dazzling than that of a regular fleet.

When Jiang Chen arrived, he happened to see the ten-year-old kid—who possessed a miniature version of the "Jiang family's arrogant face"—expertly shoving the last crate of "snacks" (which were actually modified plasma compression blocks) into the cargo hold.

"Jiang Xinghe!"

Jiang Chen stood in front of the control console and roared at the brat who was about to close the hatch, "Open that door right now! What time do you think it is? You're already setting off on an expedition?"

Jiang Xinghe stood at the hatch, glancing back at Jiang Chen.

In those eyes that looked just like Academician Chen Shuyin's, there flickered a calmness and wildness completely inappropriate for his age.

He was wearing a custom tactical vest and holding a complex-looking star chart that he had secretly copied from his mother's laboratory.

"Dad, stop yelling."

The little guy shrugged, his expression indifferent, "Aren't you busy mining on the moon lately? I figured that since our family is already pushing so hard, I couldn't just lie around at home, could I?"

"Didn't you always say that life shouldn't be limited to the small patch of land right in front of you?"

"I want to go see the center of the Milky Way Galaxy."

"I'm going there to find the legendary infinite treasure, I want to be the King of the Space Pirates!"

Jiang Chen was so angry he nearly choked.

King of the Space Pirates? Where the hell did you watch that cartoon!

"You get back here!"

Jiang Chen dashed over in a few strides and grabbed the kid by the back of his collar, "Do you think the universe is our family's fish pond? Do you know how many advanced civilizations are out there? Your amateurish flying skills would just make you a target for them!"

"I don't care!"

Jiang Xinghe struggled violently, his little legs kicking wildly in the air, "I've learned everything you taught me! Isn't it just the Law of Causality? Isn't it just the laws of physics? As long as I run fast enough, the rules can't catch up to me!"

"And..."

The little guy suddenly turned his head, staring into Jiang Chen's eyes with a look of cunning shrewdness:

"Mommy was dreaming and shouting about wanting to see 'interstellar treasure' last night. Instead of you going mining every day, I might as well go and empty out the coffers of those alien natives myself!"

"I call this... sharing the burden!"

Jiang Chen was so angry he laughed.

This little brat was practically a carbon copy of himself when he was young, perhaps even more shameless.

"Sharing the burden? Sharing my ass!"

Jiang Chen used force in his wrist, yanked him off the ship, and pressed him onto his knee, "I'll give you three days, get your ass back to the Longke Academy and study for the civil service exam!"

"Look at your mother, she became an academician at such a young age. Now look at you, all you do all day is mess around with 'pirates.' Is this appropriate? Have you read enough books? Have you finished your homework?"

"Civil service exam?"

Jiang Xinghe's eyes widened as if he had heard some terrifying curse, "I'm the future successor of Chenxing Technology, and you want me to go into the system to drink tea and read newspapers?"

"That's to train your logic! Do you understand!"

Jiang Chen flicked him on the forehead again, "If you want to be the King of the Space Pirates, you first have to learn how to write a good work report! If you haven't learned how to write official documents, how are you going to trick aliens into signing unequal treaties in the future?"

The little guy curled his lip, clearly having no interest in "taking the civil service exam," but seeing Jiang Chen's unquestionable, serious expression, he could only lower his head helplessly.

"Fine..."

"I'll go back and take the exam."

"But it's a deal, once I pass, this ship belongs to me, and I'm going to Centaurus for further studies!"

Jiang Chen's mouth twitched.

This kid really knew how to push his luck.

"Get out, get out, get out!"

He waved his hand and confiscated the "pirate ship" that had gone bankrupt before it even took off.

Watching the dejected little guy walk back, Jiang Chen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

This kid... he was just too hard to raise.

By comparison, his younger sister Jiang Yueying, who was still sleeping in her temperature-controlled swaddle, was simply an angel.

"I should have a few more later."

Jiang Chen sighed, "With this day in and day out... I'm really aging fast."

Just as Jiang Chen was preparing to return to the villa to continue dealing with the backlog of "interstellar trade disputes."

His phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a secret alert from the perimeter security network of the Chenxing base.

[Warning! Unknown energy fluctuations detected in the rock belt on the east side of the base.]

[Identification signal: Not owned by Chenxing Technology.]

[Source: A ship approaching slowly, disguised as a meteorite.]

Jiang Chen's eyes changed instantly.

That relaxed air of a "wealthy tycoon" vanished in an instant.

Replacing it was that beast-like instinct honed from years of struggling in the Wasteland.

"A disguised meteorite?"

Jiang Chen sneered, turned around, and snapped his fingers at Zhao Gang, who was nearby.

"Go."

"Get our unopened 'Falcon' mech, the one specifically for hunting, out for me."

"Since someone likes playing hide-and-seek so much..."

"I'll play along with them."

Jiang Chen strode toward the garage.

On that defensive line built from piles of metal scrap, he sensed a... familiar aura.

It was the aura of an enemy.

It was also the kind of... sucker coming to "deliver gifts" that he found incredibly endearing.

When Jiang Chen appeared in the monitoring room and saw the blurry figure marked by the red dot, he finally saw the opponent's emblem clearly.

It was an ancient symbol. It looked like a broken spear engraved inside a circular gear.

"Broken Sword Alliance?"

Jiang Chen frowned, "Isn't this that Centaurus civilization, the one that was... a vassal civilization I just finished dealing with?"

"Why are they running over here?"

"Could it be..."

A playful arc curled onto the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth.

"Did that little prince I 'took care of' a bit earlier complain behind my back, and now they want to stage a 'revenge'?"

"Heh, interesting."

Jiang Chen threw away the cigarette butt in his hand and watched the "meteorite" slowly approaching.

His expression returned once again to that... nonchalance that made cosmic civilizations feel suffocated.

"I was just worrying that I had nowhere to push this shipment of spicy strips."

"Looks like there are new 'strategic partners' ready to come to the door and sign an agreement."

"Let's go."

Jiang Chen pulled open the door, "Let's go meet them."

"And while we're at it, let's show them just how 'hospitable' our 'Earth-style' hospitality really is!"