Emperor of The Cosmos - Chapter 52

Looking at the phone screen Jiang Li paused momentarily, and then swiped up. The holographic projection of Liana appeared, “Do you have time Jiang Li? I’ll invite you to eat at the Pegasus Edifice, I’m extremely grateful that you saved me last time.”

“Uhh…” Before Jiang Li could even speak, Lara came close and started to speak in a teasing way. “Liana, I’m with Jiang Li at the Pegasus Edifice right now. If you want a date you could go tomorrow.”

“You’re already there?” Having seen Lara and heard the background music Eternity, she started pouting. “Jiang Li, why did you not invite me?”

“Oh, sorry my bad. How about you come over now? We’ll eat together.” Jiang Li wiped the sweat off his forehead. He didn’t know how to deal with the girls. When Lara and Liana were together they would fight for sure.

“Alright I’m coming over now.” Liana ended the call. “We’ll talk later when I get there.”

Ten minutes later Liana came bolting straight to Jiang Li and Lara.

“Sigh, Liana, this is a couples seating arrangement with only two spots, where are you going to sit?” Lara cheekily mocked Liana. The two always argued, to which Jiang Li had grown accustomed. 

“Whatever, I’ll sit next to Jiang Li.” Liana sneered and actually sat right next to Jiang Li, their skin touching.

Jiang Li was still immersed in the musical atmosphere of Eternity, but having felt the soft feminine body of Liana, he immediately snapped out of his trance. 

Lara knew that Liana was purposely trying to piss her off and so placed her palm on the table. In that instant, it was as if there was an aura of eagles soaring towards the heavens.

“You seem discontent with me. How about we have a duel? Let’s go to the school’s dual podiums right now?” Liana’s fighting spirit roared, her body was upright and straight like that of a spear. Her whole body tremored slightly, as if it a sword out of its sheath. 

“Excuse me waiter, would you mind adding a seat? I’ll sit separately.” Jiang Li rolled his eyes at the girls. “We have all been under the same life and death situation before, don’t be so tumultuous. I’ll add a few dishes.” 

“Jiang Li, if Lara and I get into a tight spot, who would you save first?” Liana chucked out a question that has plagued men for centuries!

Shua!

Lara also perked her ears, eager to hear the answer.

It was a test of man’s intelligence

“With me there, none of you would be in range of danger.” Jiang Li’s eyes became sharp and keen. He remembered the moment when he had killed the leader of the otherworldly warriors. 

“Hmm…” The girls looked at each other and also remember the scene where Jiang li had fought with courage and all his might. 

“What supplements do you guys eat? I feel like I’ve entered a bottleneck stage where nothing is able to improve my life force.” Jiang Li was still worried about his life expectancy of about thirty years.

“The best available on the market right now is the Stellar Body Pill at 2000 per tablet. However long term consumption diminishes its effectiveness,” Lara gave Jiang li some suggestions. “To be honest it is best to get some prohibited substances.”

“The best banned substance would be Lunar Essence, however it's so expensive.” Liana continued Lara’s train of thought. “Though its existence had been documented in ancient texts, it had only been recently after deriving technology from the Space Hulk that we were able to produce it.”

“How often do you have it?” Lara asked.

“A bottle a month.” Liana did attempt to hide the fact. “You’re probably the same as me right? A bottle per month is the limits of a household. I think Ou Yang Xing might have a bit more, perhaps two bottles per month.”

Listening to Lara and Liana, Jiang Li came to understand even the wealthy could not afford Lunar Essence without limits. 

Apparently their families only give them 100,000 per month for living expenses.

“I've heard that the Sun and Moon Corporation’s Jiang family wants to hold stakes in Earth’s market. Once they enter, Solar and Lunar Essence will no longer be considered a contraband good. Instead, it would be sold at the retail level. Its price would also fall significantly.” Lara commented. 

“I’ve also heard this. Solar and Lunar Essence are banned substances, however if the Sun and Moon Corporation enters the market they would probably do so through the black market of Xu Hua City. My family is trying to gain connections there so as to open trading routes.” Liana nodded her head. “If the price of Solar and Lunar Essence fall, then the value of hypnotists would appreciate by a lot.”

Lunar Essence could only be consumed in deep sleep to counteract the stimulus and hallucination effects. Average people could not enter deep sleep, and thus elementary hypnotists would shine in this situation. 

“The Jiang family?” Jiang Li was in doubt, “The Sun and Moon Corporation is a true leviathan firm of mankind, its influence reaching even the elite district. Why would the small city of Xu Hua catch its attention?”

“As small as the mosquito is, it's still meat. The black market of Xu Ha city is getting bigger by the day. The yearly GDP has almost reached a billion. Xing Hua City, Yue Hua City, Bao Hua City, Fu Hua City and many more all rely on this black market to get banned substances. The moguls probably have no interest but the smaller CEOs probably want to expand business operations, and thus want to take over that place.” Liana said. “The Jiang family is an ancient household, and was a powerful existence even in the country era. When the wars broke out they came out on top to form the Sun and Moon Corporation. Since you share the same surname, maybe you were part of the family two hundred years ago.”

“I’m a small character.” Jiang Li wasn’t concerned. “Let’s eat, the dishes are here.”

One by one intricately decorated dishes were laid out with aromatic fragrances seeping into the air. But the amount of actual food on each dish was quite small. Eating at the Pegasus Edifice emphasizes the atmosphere and class of eating, rather than just the barbaric and primal thought of filling one’s stomach.

“Not bad.”

Lara and Liana tasted the dishes and nodded their heads. “The chefs of the Pegasus Edifice are just so different from the ones at home. With the same material, their food just tastes so much fresher and stimulating.”

“Of course, the chefs here are picked from one in a thousand.” Jiang Li was eating a dish called the Jade Dragon, made of a precious bird found on another planet, with feathers like jade. One bite caused his follicles to expand outwards and every cell breathe, his inner systems becoming one with the surroundings.

“Isn’t that dish more than 10,000?” Lara furrowed her eyebrows.

“Whatever.” Jiang Li had a million in his bank and so wasn’t worried at all. “Didn’t you say you were going to make my wallet bleed? All your dishes are for the sake of saving money for me, and so I picked some myself.”

“What’s happening? Why do we have to leave?”

“You can’t do this.”

“Where’s the credible reputation of the Pegasus Edifice? To think I have to leave after half a meal…”

Suddenly there was a commotion, and the music Eternity was stopped abruptly.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we do apologize sincerely but we have a small problem right now, and thus must ask all attendants to leave. All your fees will be refunded.” On a giant holographic screen a pretty lady appeared, talking with a crisp and clean voice.

Though the speech was polite, every waiter had appeared in the dining hall, ushering people to leave.

They were making people leave by force.

“Huh?” Jiang Li was stunned for a bit.

“What the fuck? The Pegasus Edifice is very reputable, why would they do such a thing?” Lara and Liana raised their heads.

A waiter walked towards the trio, “These two young ladies, and gentlemen, there has been a small problem in our system and thus we must ask you to leave.”

“What’s the problem?” Lara pointed outside the window. “Did someone come and book the whole hall. To think you’d kick guests out.” 

Jiang Li looked out the window and sure enough, in the distance a fleet of black cars are flying towards them, lining up neatly in the sky.”

“This formation? Must be someone important. Maybe it's the Xing Hua City mayor? Nah the mayor wouldn't disrupt the citizens like this, otherwise his reputation would be damaged. The only logical assumption would be someone from a big private firm. However in the whole of Xing Hua City I don’t think there is a firm as arrogant as this.” 

As the car fleet moved closer, Jiang Li saw that the care plates had the character ‘Jiang’ on them.

“A character on the car plate?” Jiang Li was flabbergasted. “This is a humongous firm, for only those that have made major contributions to the government could acquire such rights.” 

In the contemporary society all cars fly, and on land there was only the metro, trams and walkways. It was a lot different from the road and walkway structure of the country era. Control over cars were extremely strict. Only one star citizens could buy one, but since they were so expensive, many could not afford it. 

And so, cars were quite rare.

But the fleet of cars in two neatly laid out rows were like two black dragons in the sky. This wealth, this style could not be matched by any firm.

“Sorry, however the Sun and Moon Corporation is coming over to Xing Hua city. The commercial trade partnership had chosen to book the whole of the Pegasus Edifice. I hope you can understand.” The waiter had no emotion on his face. “This meal will be free of charge.”

“The Sun and Moon Corp!”

Liana and Lara drew in a cold breath. “They actually came?”

“Such an entrance…” Jiang Li stood up. He certainly didn’t feel any respect for the Jiang family, but only arrogance in their actions.

“Let’s go then.”

Lara wasn’t happy.

And thus this meal ended on a low tone.

Returning home, Jiang Li found his parents and little sister resting whilst watching TV.

“Big brother, aren't you eating outside? Why did you come home so early?” Jiang Xuan asked. 

“I went to the Pegasus Edifice, but something big is going on. I think the Sun and Moon Corp. booked the whole building or something.” Jiang Li laid out his palms.

“The Sun and Moon Corp!”

Upon hearing this name Jiang Zhendong’s body trembled, as if shivering.
Jiang Li had a keen perception and could sense his father’s emotions. “Dad, are you alright?”