Chapter 73: Behind The Scenes At The Spaceport
Time rewound to the evening one day prior. At that moment, Xiang Chuan was at home directing the kitchen AI to work overtime producing the contents of meal boxes, while Xiang Xue was taking Lin Ming to experience binge-watching culture. At the same time, in the VIP lounge at the spaceport, Lin Yu left using the excuse of going to the bathroom. As soon as he stepped out, he saw a navigation robot waiting nearby.
The robot did not issue any voice prompt. After its main monitor scanned Lin Yu, it turned and walked toward the corridor, stopping at a position about five steps from Lin Yu. Lin Yu took a step toward it, and the robot moved forward one meter.
It was obvious that this was an invitation from the other party. After Lin Yu noticed this, he silently followed the navigation robot.
The robot led him to a private room in the deepest part of the VIP lounge. This vicinity was usually only opened during peak travel periods for officials or members of major families to use. It was rarely used otherwise, first because officials tried to avoid private intimate meetings with certain colleagues in public occasions, and second because major families were basically equipped with their own shuttles and rarely needed to use this place for discussions before departure.
Lin Yu entered the private room, where only dim lighting was on. After fumbling to turn on the light, he saw a terminal accessor placed on the coffee table in the center of the room. There was no one else in the room.
Stood up? Impossible. Although Lin Yu did not participate much in the communication circle of the First Fleet main ship, he still understood some social etiquette and default rules.
The other party’s refusal to appear here meant they did not intend to show up, or were unable to show up.
He picked up the terminal accessor from the coffee table and examined it from both sides. It looked like an ordinary accessor, typically an external device used by mid-to-large companies to store massive files on equipment. It was said to be inspired by ancient external devices.
Lin Yu looked up toward the interior of the room. Sure enough, there was a terminal authenticator there into which the accessor could be inserted. As the captain of an escort ship, he had the basic knowledge to operate the accessor to start the authentication program. After startup, the terminal authenticator displayed a light screen with a text box requiring a password. But how would he know the password? Lin Yu thought for a moment, looking at the decoration in the middle of the authenticator. This… could it be…
Hesitating, he placed his own terminal on it. Sure enough, the text box in the middle of the authenticator disappeared, replaced by a button. That text box was just a decoy; the real key was the terminal of the designated target. But who could obtain the authentication code for his terminal? Looking at the “Enter” button on the screen, Lin Yu’s breathing became a bit rapid.
He had a premonition that once he entered, it would be hard to extricate himself, but…
Lin Yu took a deep breath. The bit of challenge spirit from his long years as captain of an armed escort ship was at work. He inexplicably pressed “Enter,” then the room’s lights dimmed again, followed immediately by row after row of light screens appearing in the room—roughly estimated at least twenty or thirty.
Each light screen displayed the icon for voice communication, meaning that the ones sitting behind them were the real masterminds who had summoned him.
[Welcome to our room, Captain Lin Yu.] The light screen right next to the terminal authenticator said, [We originally planned to invite you over at noon, but we didn’t expect your relative to come to the Third Fleet, so we had to wait a little longer.]
“That’s really sorry to have kept you all waiting.” Knowing the other party intended to talk with him, Lin Yu relaxed instead, gracefully crossing his legs. He narrowed his eyes, sizing up these light screens. “But I originally thought there would only be a few people. I didn’t expect… there to be so many of you. This reminds me of the interview scene back then.”
[It’s quite similar indeed.] A light screen on the left said, [This is precisely an interview for you.]
“Oh?” Lin Yu became interested. “May I ask what the interview content is?”
[You are already in the midst of the interview, Captain Lin.] A light screen on the right said, [Rest assured, we will not harm you. We just hope to confirm some things.]
Immediately after, the light screen of the terminal authenticator popped up a page. Lin Yu picked up the light screen and looked, frowning. This was… Yue Xiang Group’s application to add yam to the ingredients classification?
“Are you people from Yue Xiang?” he asked tentatively, though he didn’t expect them to answer.
[We hope to know what opinion you hold regarding food made from yam.] The light screen above the terminal authenticator said.
This question stunned Lin Yu. What kind of question was this? Did they hope to get his opinion on yam food as a reference to decide whether to approve Yue Xiang Group’s application? Was the Third Fleet’s Agriculture Bureau that idle!
Although he inwardly complained like this, Lin Yu still answered the question properly: “I’ve tasted several kinds of food made from yam at the Xiang Family. According to the Xiang Family’s habits, they are divided into staple food, side dish, and dim sum. All of them are extremely delicious.”
Lin Yu thought for a moment. Words alone were no proof; better to provide some evidence. He was glad at this moment for his habit of frequently taking photos of gourmet food to share with his son. Although before entering this room, he had been regretting sharing too much food with his son, leading to their father-son separation across two places now. He opened his terminal, selected a few photos from the album that only captured food without people, and flung them into the air. Semitransparent photo light screens floated in midair, and obvious gasps of surprise came from some of the communication light screens.
“This is yam gnocchi soup, with a sticky texture, sour and sweet, suitable as a staple food.”
“This is yam cake, made by wrapping fruit in cooked yam paste, with a fresh sweet taste.”
“This is stir-fried yam…”
These introductions were basically copied verbatim from the recipe notes Xiang Chuan had casually written on the Xiang Family recipe. Lin Yu had a good memory and remembered about seventy or eighty percent of them. Now he put on a show of learning and applying immediately, leaving the pile of people behind the communication light screens starving.
[…Ahem, thank you very much, Captain Lin, for introducing these foods.] The light screen above the terminal authenticator said while swallowing saliva, inwardly complaining that Lin Yu had turned a proper interview into a gourmet food experience report. [From the sound of it, you hold a very high evaluation of Yue Xiang’s future new food, right?]
“Yes,”—What I actually approve of is the Xiang Family’s food—this Lin Yu naturally wouldn’t say in this occasion. “I now very much regret that Yue Xiang’s branch company withdrew from the First Fleet a few years ago. If the Yue Xiang branch still existed, perhaps I could have tasted these things in the First Fleet.”
[Then, if we later let Yue Xiang Group… or rather, let the food on the Xiang Family dining table land in the First Fleet, could you act as a supporter and lend them a hand?]
“…Who exactly are you?” Hearing the words Xiang Family, Lin Yu’s eyes lost their smile, and his gaze toward the light screen above the terminal authenticator sharpened. He had been avoiding mentioning the Xiang Family name mainly to keep this matter at Yue Xiang Group, rather than the Xiang Family behind the scenes—or rather, to avoid Xiang Chuan’s name appearing. But now it seemed these people clearly knew something.
[Rest assured, we are Yue Xiang Group’s, theirs, hers—supporters.] The light screen above the terminal authenticator saw the wariness in Lin Yu’s eyes via the surveillance camera, and the speaking tone carried a bit of amusement. [As for our identities, sorry, if you don’t pass our testing, we absolutely will not turn on video communication.]
Lin Yu narrowed his eyes, hesitated a moment, and replied: “Although I have no power on the main ship, as a supporter, I naturally welcome Yue Xiang bringing their new food to the First Fleet. After returning this time, it will be years or even over a decade before we meet again. I really miss their food.”
[Thank you for your answer. Then, next is the final question. Please look at this document.]
The light screen above the terminal authenticator said, calling up a new light screen with a document on it. Lin Yu picked up the light screen and grew more and more shocked the more he read.
This… this thing…!
He shockingly raised his head, scanning the surrounding light screens. The light screens did not make a sound; only the central voice communication icon mechanically repeated its glowing and dimming gradient. Lin Yu’s expression was as usual, but inwardly it was a storm-tossed sea. This document was too… too…
“These, are they real?” Lin Yu could no longer maintain his smile. The content recorded in the document was too impactful, even somewhat impacting his worldview common sense—far more shocking than the taste impacts of “fish can be eaten like this” and “beef has this flavor” experienced at the Xiang Family.
[We are still searching for the real truth.] The light screen above the terminal authenticator said. For some reason, Lin Yu felt that the other party had also put away their smile at this moment, solemnly looking at the screen. [Captain Lin, these are just the tip of the iceberg over these thousands of years.]
“But it’s already enough! Enough…!” Lin Yu excitedly stood up, then fell back into the anti-gravity hover chair. He took deep breaths, trying to maintain his rationality, but his hands still trembled uncontrollably. “Once these things are made public, they will upend all order in human society.”
[So, now is not the time to make them public.] The person opposite the light screen above the terminal authenticator laughed. From Lin Yu’s words, he had already discerned his attitude. [Congratulations, Captain Lin Yu. You have passed our final interview. Now, you can choose whether to join us.]
As it spoke, the light screen of the terminal authenticator popped up a button with the word “Agree.” Lin Yu looked at it and asked: “What if I refuse?”
[Then we will escort you safely back to the First Fleet. Of course, you will not mention anything related to here.]
Lin Yu’s face darkened: Memory operation! They actually used this technology abolished by the government for violating morality.
But as a person, as a member of fleet society, and also as a modern person who loves gourmet food, he made his own choice.
The instant he pressed the button, the light screen images in the room all changed. All the audio communication screens turned into video communication. Looking at the familiar faces one by one on the screens, Lin Yu’s eyes were filled with shock.
[—Welcome to join us, Captain Lin Yu.]
The old man in the light screen above the terminal authenticator said with a smile.
This is the main storyline, though the content is pretty cryptic.
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