Chapter 87 (NEW)

The Lone Wolf crew members were seasoned fighters. Within moments, they had successfully shaken off the pursuing Federation forces, and made their way back to their base.

The sudden attack from the Federation did leave an impact on the Lone Wolf, though. Only after Albert, the key member, returned did they start repairing the various damaged sections.

They were efficient. Three days later, everything was patched up. Just as Shen Fengyue finished cooking dinner and was about to rest, Orril came to the kitchen door. “The captain has called for everyone to gather in the front hall,” he said.

Shen Fengyue felt a twinge of suspicion but followed nonetheless.

When he reached the front hall, the ship’s crew was already assembling. Orril then began to announce a few matters. He spoke at length, and then suddenly mentioned a name.

“Regarding our chef, Shen Fengyue…”

Shen Fengyue, whose name had been called, perked up his ears, focusing intently.

“Shen Fengyue has traveled far and wide with our captain, even playing a part in bombing the Federation’s base. His contributions cannot be understated. So, the captain has decided that Shen won’t just be working in the kitchen anymore. Instead, he’ll become the captain’s personal chef and close attendant,” Orril declared, lifting his chin and meeting Shen Fengyue’s gaze. As he clapped his hands, he added, “Congratulations, Chef Shen.”

Following Orril’s words, the surrounding crew members also applauded and praised him. Someone nearby tugged at Shen Fengyue’s sleeve, whispering into his ear about how lucky he was, how a mere chef had caught the captain’s eye and skyrocketed in status.

No longer would he be cooking in big pots, but instead serving as Albert’s private chef and personal attendant…

To others, this might seem like a dream come true. But one man’s treasure can be another man’s poison. Shen Fengyue didn’t bother responding to the whispers, scanning the room until he found Albert.

The man winked at him.

“…” Shen Fengyue’s face drained of color. It was just like Albert to pull something like this. He felt he’d rather be back cooking in the big pots than serving as any personal attendant or private chef.

Yet the deed was done. Had this been discussed in private, Shen Fengyue would have had the chance to refuse. But by having Orril make the announcement in front of everyone, Albert made sure he was given no opportunity to decline.

Shen Fengyue marveled at Albert’s tactics. Just for a chef, did he really have to resort to such cunning methods? Shen Fengyue always prided himself on being a straightforward, honest chef, never one for schemes or deceit.

Orril, on Albert’s behalf, shared some other updates. Then the servants were instructed to serve the meals, inviting everyone to dine in the front hall.

Naturally, Albert took the head seat. Shen Fengyue, intentionally choosing a spot further away, tuned out the surrounding chatter and focused solely on his meal.

Yet, midway through, a subtle murmur rippled through the room. Some were whispering amongst themselves. Curious, Shen Fenyue looked up to discern the cause, only to see Albert boldly rise from his seat above and walk down.

“…” What’s he up to?

Shen Fengyue turned his head, his gaze following Albert’s movements. He noticed that Albert bypassed Orril and walked over from the left side.

Left… which was where he sat, at the end of the rectangular table.

Albert confidently strode along the left side. A sinking feeling hit Shen Fengyue. He’s coming for me!

The captain’s movement was quite conspicuous. Everyone else was seated and dining, but his purposeful stride made him stick out. The rest of the crew, unable to resist their curiosity, paused their meals to see whom the captain was seeking.

With only a few steps separating them, Shen Fenyue watched, wide-eyed, as Albert approached. Quickly, he ducked his head, as if pretending to be an ostrich, hoping that if he couldn’t see the world, maybe it wouldn’t see him either.

But what should come will always come. With two swift strides, Albert reached Shen Fengyue, stretching his hands forward, cupping his cheeks, and tilting his head back to the right. With a gentle twist, he forced an intimate eye-to-eye contact.

Shen Fengyue: “!!!”

A chorus of hushed murmurs filled the hall.

Shen Fengyue frowned and glared at him.

“Little chef,” Albert released him, leaning down, his lips close to Shen Fenyue’s ear, whispering, “The boss is injured. Once you’re done eating, come to my room and apply some medicine for me.”

“???”

Before Shen Fengyue could even reply, Albert straightened up, waved, and walked away. As he left, he shot a perfectly timed, cheeky grin over his shoulder.

That grin gave Shen Fengyue a headache. He covered his face, trying to shield himself from the prying eyes of the crew, his face flushed and heart raced from the audacity of Albert’s previous actions.

In front of everyone, the captain had instructed him to come to his room to apply medicine. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, there was no way Shen Fengyue could sneak away. With the teasing glances of the crew and Orril’s inquisitive gaze, Shen Fengyue went dejectedly to Albert’s room.

Yes, it was a ‘room’, not a study, but a bedroom, which made the invitation all the more suggestive.

Shen Fengyue knew his way around, easily finding the captain’s bedroom. Just as he was about to knock, a voice from inside beckoned,

“Come in, no need to knock.”

With a gulp, Shen Fengyue tentatively turned the doorknob and entered.

Upon entering and closing the door behind him, he found Albert already sitting on the bed, wrapped snugly in a blanket. Next to him on the bedside table lay the medicine to be applied.

“Tsk,” It seems everything is ready and in place; all that was left was for him to show up.

Shen Fengyue approached, picked up the medicine, sat beside Albert’s bed and instructed Albert to expose his back.

Albert turned, pulling down the blanket to reveal a completely bare upper body. His skin instantly prickled from the cold air, causing goosebumps. He shivered slightly but tried to act nonchalant, urging Shen Fengyue to hurry up and apply the medicine.

“…” Shen Fengyue rolled his eyes. All this fuss is just for some medicine. And why does he have to be completely shirtless?

He began to apply the thick green ointment to the wounded area on Albert’s back. The paste was viscous but had excellent absorption and spreadability. As soon as it touched the skin, it faded in color, seamlessly absorbed.

Intent on his task and not in the mood for chit-chat, Shen Fengyue remained silent. Albert, however, after holding back for a bit, finally initiated a conversation, “Look, Boss is a reliable adult. You can trust me. With me, you’ll always be taken care of.”

The remark struck Shen Fengyue as odd. Mulling it over, he suddenly realized – wasn’t this classic scumbag talk? Sweet nothings whispered before a commitment, promises that sound too good to be true, only to reveal one’s true colors once they’ve secured their catch.

Just as Shen Fengyue was about to get irritated, the man switched the topic, “Do you know my full name?”

Shen Fengyue: “Captain?”

Albert corrected him in a stern tone, “Call me Boss.”

“Oh,” Shen Fengyue replied, not wanting to engage in a drawn-out argument.

Then Albert continued, “Terence Albert K. Lewis.” By revealing his full name in this interstellar age, it was both a sign of respect and trust.

“Uh?” But Shen Fengyue was clueless about such customs.

Albert suddenly turned, fixing his gaze intently on him.

Feeling slightly unnerved by the intense stare, Shen was puzzled, “Wha-what’s the matter?”

“Don’t you want to know the meaning behind it?” Albert suddenly asked. “I’ve told you my name.”

Shen Fengyue thought, “…” Sorry, but I’m not really that curious.

He continued applying the ointment without a pause.

Albert, unaware of his inner thoughts, waited for the expected question. When it didn’t come, he kept staring, and to make things even more challenging, he kept twisting and turning, disrupting Shen Fengyue’s focus.

Frustrated by Albert’s antics, he finally obliged, asking, “Uh… should I ask? What does it mean?”

Getting the response he was fishing for, Albert’s lips curled into a smirk. Yet, being the tease that he was, he clicked his tongue and commented, “You, little chef, why are you so slow-witted?”

Some people simply can’t resist courting trouble even if there’s no need for it. And Albert was definitely one of those.

Shen Fengyue applied the medicine with a bit more force, making Albert wince in pain.

“You’ve got quite the temper,” Albert commented with a chuckle, then added, “But it’s kind of cute.”

“Terence is a baptismal name, representing someone who’s gentle, steady, and tender.”

Shen Fengyue wasn’t familiar with the composition of these interstellar names; they all seemed long to him. But after hearing Albert’s deliberate explanation, he paused in his treatment, placing the medicine and the applicator on the cabinet, and looked intently at Albert.

Albert, not understanding the intent behind the stare, confidently tilted his head back, allowing Shen Fengyue a clear view. He even slowly shook his head, as if to let Shen Fengyue get a good look.

No matter how Shen Fengyue looked, he couldn’t see Albert as a gentle, steady, and tender person. As he observed, he couldn’t help but slightly furrow his brows.

Albert, noticing this subtle gesture, squinted his eyes with a dangerous glint.

Heeding the silent warning, Shen Fengyue quickly blurted out, against his better judgment, “Boss, you clearly look like someone gentle and steady. The name suits you.”

Pleased with the begrudging compliment, Albert settled down. After the ointment was applied, it needed to dry before clothes could be worn. Otherwise, the not-yet-dried ointment would smear and feel sticky, which would be quite uncomfortable.

He chatted with Shen Fengyue for a while, asking about his daily routines, his favorite foods, books, and so on… Given his dual role as both chef and personal attendant, Shen Fengyue had no choice but to play along and chat.

Once the medicine had dried, Albert got dressed and permitted Shen Fengyue to leave. As Shen Fengyue was about to exit, Albert suddenly remembered something. “Oh, by the way, little chef,” he began, stopping Shen Fengyue in his tracks, “I’ve instructed someone to move your room next to mine. It’ll be more convenient this way. Don’t worry about packing. Orril has already taken care of it.”

Shen Fengyue, whose hand was still on the doorknob, turned in disbelief, “What?!”

Albert just shrugged, feigning innocence.

Shen Fengyue had not seen this move coming. Wasn’t this arrangement just setting him up to be at Albert’s beck and call, day and night?

Fuming, Shen Fengyue went to his new room, only to find that the bed was already made and all his belongings were arranged just as they had been. The only change was the location, from the sub-ship to the main one—right next door to Captain Albert.

It didn’t take long for Albert’s injuries to fully heal, the speed of his recovery was downright astonishing.

Once he was back on his feet, he issued an order: it was time to slaughter a “fatty lamb.”

The “fatty lamb” he referred to was Herman Canny of planet R-5348. Canny was a shady businessman with ties to the criminal underworld and was even suspected of human trafficking. His current public facade was that of the president of the Chana Auction House. But what drew the attention of the Lone Wolf crew to him wasn’t just this. Most crucially, the Lone Wolf had gotten wind that Canny had located an energy mine with potentially vast riches hidden within. He was hesitant to make a move on his own and was currently seeking partners to discuss plans.

It was rumored that the Lone Wolf already had someone infiltrating this auction, so Albert planned to approach this mission with minimal fuss to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. The primary goal was to capture Herman Canny.

As Albert discussed this, Shen Fengyue was tidying things up nearby and happened to overhear the conversation. Suddenly, he found himself being unexpectedly singled out.

“For this mission, I plan to bring Shen Fengyue with me.”

“…” Shen Fengyue was taken aback, pointing to himself in disbelief, “Me???”

“Yeah” Albert simply nodded in confirmation.

Even Orril disapproved of this decision, trying to dissuade Albert by saying, “Captain, I don’t think this is a good idea. I’ve never heard of a robbery where a chef was involved.”

But Albert was adamant. With a decisive tone, he responded, “I want to.”

Shen Fengyue thought to himself, “…” No, please don’t bring me along. This sounds incredibly dangerous! I’m just a cook! I won’t be of any help in your mission!

For the first time ever, he found himself genuinely appreciating Orril’s presence, hoping that for once, Orril could persuade Albert to reconsider this seemingly wild decision.

But in the end, he had placed his trust in the wrong person. Orril simply wasn’t in the same league as Albert.

Ultimately, with tears in his eyes, Shen Fengyue found himself aboard the starship headed for planet R-5348, all thanks to Albert.