Chapter 91 — ILK Chapter 91

Luosifen After washing the pickled bamboo shoots, Sang Ye hung them on a rack under the gallery to drain.

In the kitchen, Du Yuan was handling the durian. She had sorted them into "dry" and "wet" varieties. The wet ones were served fresh, while half of the dry ones were placed in the freezer to become a sorbet-like treat. The other half went into the oven to become Roasted Durian—the process mellowed the raw scent, turning the exterior slightly charred and crispy while the inside became hot, velvety, and incredibly fragrant.

Melusine finally gave in to her curiosity, elegantly spearing a piece of roasted durian with a small fork. Her sister, Bertha, didn't sit down; she wandered the kitchen and courtyard with a plate of roasted fruit, her eyes wide with scientific greed as she examined the diverse flora.

Meanwhile, Sang Ye was busy with the base for Luosifen. She sautéed river snail meat with star anise, fennel, rice vinegar, and garlic before simmering it with pork marrow bones and chicken carcasses in spring water. The savory, complex aroma began to fill the air.

The noodles were newly produced thin round rice noodles from the factory, designed to absorb the broth quickly. She prepared a variety of toppings: water spinach, wood ear mushrooms, fried bean curd skins, duck blood, chicken feet, and meat-balls.

But for Sang Ye, Luosifen was incomplete without a Fried Egg. This wasn't a standard pan-fry; the egg was whisked and poured into high-heat oil to flash-fry. It expanded into a puffy, golden, cloud-like disk—crispy on the outside and porous on the inside. When submerged in the spicy broth, it acted like a sponge, soaking up all the savory juices.

"Time for lunch!" Sang Ye called out, ignoring the lingering "stink" in the air.

Du Yuan prepared a separate, plain version of the noodles and deboned chicken feet for the four pets. As they sat down to eat, the atmosphere in the kitchen shifted. The pungent, sour scent of the bamboo shoots had melded with the rich bone broth and spices, becoming strangely appetizing.

One bite was enough to silence the skeptics. The chewy noodles, the tender snails, the crunchy wood ear mushrooms, and the juice-filled fried egg created a symphony of flavors. Even Bertha, who was still struggling to master chopsticks, couldn't stop eating.

…

After lunch, Du Yuan took the children and pets for a nap. Sang Ye walked with the Caylen sisters toward the hospital.

Bertha had officially established her lab on Black Tower. Her mission was to use modern technology to gene-splice and graft Sang Ye’s plants so they could survive in ordinary planetary soil. Most Interstellar plants currently had a 91% mortality rate when exposed to a Sentinel’s mental fluctuations—a problem Bertha hoped Sang Ye's resilient specimens could solve.

When they reached the hospital, Bertha immediately crouched by the medicinal field. "Give me the seeds," she demanded, her expression intense.

Sang Ye handed over several storage boxes containing thousands of seeds. "Use them wisely," she warned. Bertha simply nodded, clutching the boxes to her chest, and vanished into her work, completely ignoring them.

…

"Melusine, do you know anything about Eugenia Letona, the Executive Officer of Muli?" Sang Ye asked quietly as they stood under a tree.

Melusine looked at her knowingly. "She makes you uneasy?"

Sang Ye nodded. "I’m worried she’ll become an obstacle to my business."

Melusine led her further away where no one could overhear. "I have no proof, so I’ve never told anyone—meaning I haven't told you this either. But I’ve looked into the financial flows."

She lowered her voice. "You know most of us don't care about who our fathers are. But the Empress is an outlier. Years ago, she married a man and had Lin Changli. They divorced shortly after because he allegedly mistreated the Prince. That man’s name was Yu Shen."

Melusine explained that through auditing billions of military transactions, she found a hidden link between Yu Shen, Song Yu, and Eugenia Letona. They had regularly exchanged financial support through official channels that looked perfectly legal on paper.

"Years ago, I found an old, blurry rental contract from a 'trash planet'—a lawless place that was eventually destroyed. On that paper, there were three names: Song Yu (written slightly differently), Eugenia, and Yu Shen. They lived in the same house as children."

Sang Ye’s eyes widened. "You think they’re siblings?"

"Look at the dates," Melusine added. "Eugenia Letona 'retired' to Muli the same year the Empress divorced her husband. And when Song Yu was first exiled, he was sent to a dangerous ice planet. It was attacked by high-level pirates, and he barely survived. People thought the Empress was trying to assassinate him, so he was moved to the 'safer' Planet Muli next door—where Eugenia just happens to be the Executive Officer."

Melusine smoothed her dress, still smelling faintly of Luosifen. "I’m going back for a nap. But Sang Ye, you have no idea what an S-rank Guide is capable of. Be very careful."

Sang Ye nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Melusine."