Chapter 4041: Chapter 4060: This Is the Silent Treatment

"Dear passengers, the flying ship has arrived at the destination, Planet 11, and is now docked. Please disembark in an orderly fashion."

With the gentle reminder from the female voice inside the flying ship, Lin Chen and the others queued up to leave the ship.

This Star Sky Port is much larger and more impressive than the port in Jinghai City. Just from looking at this port, you can tell that Planet 49 and Planet 11 can’t really be compared.

Lin Chen and the others stood at the exit, seeing Zhang Zhongjiu who had come to greet them.

Zhang Zhongjiu approached, and his usually rigid face rarely showed a few rare smiles.

"Welcome to Planet 11."

Lin Chen said with a laugh, "Long time no see. We weren’t late, were we?"

Zhang Zhongjiu shook his head, "It’s not late yet, but if you had come a bit later, it might have been troublesome. Have you been staying on Planet 472 all this time?"

Lin Chen laughed and replied, "Exactly, we originally wanted to slack off for a few more years, but didn’t you send a letter urging us? Once we received your letter, we set off right away. Before that, we were all staying on Planet 472 watching the animal world."

"Animal world?"

Zhang Zhongjiu was taken aback for a moment, then regained his composure and laughed, "Looks like you’ve spent quite a bit of time, you must have gained a lot."

Lin Chen smiled, "Indeed, I spent the whole day observing whether the foreign beasts were in heat, I’m nearly an expert on them."

After a pause, Lin Chen asked seriously, "We did collect quite a few samples, does your initial promise still hold?"

Zhang Zhongjiu didn’t answer directly, instead, he asked, "How many samples did you collect?"

Lin Chen replied, "Forty samples."

Zhang Zhongjiu’s eyes widened a bit, "That many?"

Lin Chen stared at Zhang Zhongjiu’s face, "Is there a problem?"

Zhang Zhongjiu hesitated, "The quantity is a bit much; it might alarm the Family’s senior management. I’ll check back and ask how to handle this matter."

Lin Chen wasn’t too surprised, after all, the Level 8 promotion potion is a core asset of the Family, and the formula is only held by the core senior management. Making it surely can’t be done without them knowing.

If it were just three or four samples, Family members might get away with making them without much fuss, but forty samples in such a large batch would definitely attract extra attention from the senior management.

"Alright, confirm it first and let me know. If it doesn’t work, start with a few fewer samples, and wait for another opportunity to make more later."

Zhang Zhongjiu seemed relieved when he heard Lin Chen say this, "Okay, I’ll ask and then get back to you with a specific reply. Let’s go, the hotel has already been booked for you, we’ll head there first."

Lin Chen was not overly polite and laughed, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. It’s your territory, you call the shots."

The four of them followed Zhang Zhongjiu out of Star Sky Port, and then into Zhang Zhongjiu’s flying car, which rose to the sky and quickly flew out of Star Sky Port.

Looking at the wild mountain range outside the window, Lin Chen asked, "Tell us something about Planet 11. We’re idle anyway." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The flying car had automatic navigation and driving functions, Zhang Zhongjiu laughed, "What aspect do you want to know about?"

Lin Chen asked, "What about your current situation, the Zhang Family’s situation? You’ve been back for a while, but you didn’t mention it in the last communication. What have you been doing since you returned?"

Zhang Zhongjiu replied, "I’m working at the East Third District Inspection Bureau now, mainly handling regional security matters."

Lin Chen laughed, "Catching criminals and the like?"

Zhang Zhongjiu nodded, "Yes, dealing with various cases, but I mainly handle major and serious cases."

Lin Chen smilingly asked, "Handle? Meaning you’re not the Manager but more like the runner?"

Zhang Zhongjiu, with a resigned expression, answered, "This is Planet 11, not a small planet like Planet 49. Here, an Inspection Bureau in a district is a big department. Not just anyone can become a Manager."

"I’m currently a Small Team Captain with seven people under me, which is sort of a small managerial role, but I still have to run around for many things..."

Lin Chen laughed, "Well, at least you’re a little leader. By the way, you must have quite the achievements from before, I thought they’d bring you back and make you a bigger official."

Zhang Zhongjiu’s face turned a shade colder, and he snorted, "With the same achievements, if it were someone else, they might at least become a large team leader, or even a deputy in the district Inspection Bureau. But I have no support and relied on Lord Mo to apply for me."

"Although the achievements are genuine, and I was transferred back based on them, Lord Mo couldn’t help with the job arrangements here. They offered me a choice: either a position that looks high but is idle, or a Small Team Captain with actual power. I chose the latter."

"If I had chosen the former, my life would essentially be over as those idle positions offer no chance for achievements; it’s just about receiving a reward and waiting for death, which is definitely not the result I want."

Lin Chen laughed, "Of course, you still want to rise from the ashes and return as a king, how can you just lay around like us?"

Zhang Zhongjiu pursed his lips, seemingly wanting to explain but ultimately gave up, nodding, "That’s what I mean."

Lin Chen looked at Zhang Zhongjiu, toning down the smile a bit, "Looks like your return hasn’t delighted the Zhang Family leaders, huh?"

Zhang Zhongjiu replied coldly, "They would rather I never came back. Now as they watch me return, they cannot drive me away again, they naturally remain indifferent towards me."

"This is cold violence."

Lin Chen joked, then immediately pursued, "You must have people in the Family who would support you; otherwise, you wouldn’t have made the potion promise to me back then."

Lin Chen trusted Zhang Zhongjiu, his proud character didn’t allow him to lie.

If he said he could, then he certainly could, unless things had changed.

Zhang Zhongjiu paused for two seconds and finally responded, "I have an aunt who has treated me well, giving me quite a bit of care since I was little. She holds some status in the Zhang Family and has some voice."

"Regarding the potion, she could treat it as her own task, using her hand to handle the matter. But when it comes to my issues, she can’t bring it up because she can’t go against the family’s broad policies."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen understood.

This aunt of Zhang Zhongjiu’s took care of him a lot, but it was out of personal affection, a personal endeavor. However, using the Family resources to help Zhang Zhongjiu might violate the Family’s policies.

Lin Chen thought for a moment and asked, "Who is your rival, a cousin?"

Zhang Zhongjiu fell silent for a few seconds, ultimately sighing, "He’s the grandson of the current Zhang Clan Chief; strictly speaking, he should call me uncle..."

Lin Chen sighed, "Is his talent very strong? What is his strength now, Level 8 or Level 9?"